Menopause, although challenging, can be the most powerful life changing process for all women. Most cultures in the East do not even have a word for the ‘menopause’, it is mostly in the West that some regard it as a disease. In India young women are taught by their mothers that it is a natural transition, a biological process that every woman will experience. They are taught how to use female-hormone stimulating essential oils and herbs to balance the Yin and the Yang in the body.
Transitions or change can be disruptive, but if we embrace it, it is a great opportunity for personal growth. Some women hardly notice the ‘change’. Others find it very challenging physically, mentally and spiritually, as this is the stage of life when all our internal circuits are being rewired. Befriend your body and seek the natural pathways to inner health. Embrace the menopause that for so long has been hidden away in the closet, a period that was almost shameful for our grandmothers to acknowledge. Now we have the liberty and freedom to honor our ‘wise woman’ years. We do not need anyone else to validate our existence, we have reached this part of our journey so be true to yourself, explore your own creativity and power, indulge in what makes you happy. As women we are after all very familiar with ‘hormonal changes’ during puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause and post menopause. Many women are mistakenly led to believe that during the menopause all the ‘estrogen has left the building!’ and that this signals the end of your feminine beauty and sexuality. That is simply not true. If your body is in good balance you will continue to make some estrogen in your adrenal glands, your liver and your fat cells, so to carry a little extra weight is not a bad thing, as middle-age spread is also nature’s way to help maintain estrogen levels, as long as we strive to keep a healthy balance. The natural transition usually takes place between the ages of 49 to 55, but surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus can of course accelerate the process. The question then arises...
Do we medicalise this transition? or do we support our bodies with natural time-proven plant estrogens, herbal supplements and essential plant oils, plus gentle exercise and better nutrition? It is a personal choice as each one of us have to take responsibility for our own wellbeing, yet the menopausal years are truly a voyage of self-discovery. As the hormone levels fluctuate daily you may experience:
• Mood swings.
• Feelings of angst and depression.
• Feeling low and out of control; mentally and physically.
• Your skin looks thinner, redder and coarser.
• Osteoporotic changes in your spine makes you shorter and your shoulders curve forward.
• Weight gain, Alopecia and Insomnia may occur, but it is not the norm for everyone. Probably the most wearisome menopausal symptoms are hot flashes and night sweats. It is the imbalance between the various hormones that give rise to hot flashes and night sweats. The hypothalamus responsible for controlling core temperature relates directly to the amount of estrogen circulating in the bloodstream, and a sudden drop in estrogen triggers a hot flash. This usually tails off after two years as the body adjusts, and although it is a distressing situation, it is harmless. Heat rises up sweeping over the torso, the neck and the head, you are flushed and hot! Hot flashes can last from thirty seconds up to fifteen minutes. Night sweats are even worse, as it disrupts your sleep and leaves you drained and tired, sweat-soaked and chilled afterwards. Sh’Zen finds the answers in nature in our Natural Dispensary. The Menopause Transition
Concentrate contains six very special essential oils selected for their phytoestrogenic properties to cool and calm the body. The sweet green minty aroma ground the energy, clarify and uplift the mind, offering natural support during the menopausal years. Menopause Transition Concentrate contains the essential oils of:
• Clary Sage provides considerable relief in the frequency of hot flashes. It reduces cortisol production, decreases anxiety, helps to relieve insomnia, and curbs excessive appetite leading to weight gain. Yin in nature and a phyto-hormone, Clary Sage is a true helper during the menopause.
• Peppermint provides instant cooling to reduce the frequency of hot flashes. It acts as a refreshing essential aid to uplift and clarify the mind and its analgesic properties help to relieve aches and pains.
• Cypress stabilises and counteracts excess perspiration, regulating night sweats and hot flashes and dispersing excess fluids and bloating.
• Sage, a phyto-hormone, supports our female energy and proves most helpful in treating night sweats and hot flashes. Rich in phyto-sterols and flavonoids, Sage is a natural anti-ageing elixir bringing quick relief for night sweats and providing a smoother menopausal passage.
• Geranium is the great balancer of the plant world. Yin in nature, it restores and uplifts our mental energy, soothes and calms the nervous system, boosts the mind and cools the body during hot flashes.
• Bergamot has a fresh-lively citrus aroma which is a natural nerve sedative to help us through the menopausal mood swings. This exquisite oil is also a uterine tonic that helps to improve our natural estrogen levels.
These six essential oils for a ‘natural transition’ are a true gift to all women. The Base Oils are three Omega-rich protective plant oils that contain natural estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones. These isoflavones cling to estrogen receptor cells and alleviate the intensity of hot flashes and night sweats.
• Soy-Bean Oil, an excellent source of isoflavones, also softens the skin and supports the body during the menopause.
• Coconut Oil has good antioxidant properties to counteract the ageing effects of rough dry hormonal skin, a wonderful aid to support the body during the natural transition.
• Olive Oil, rich in Vitamins B and E, has superb anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory properties which provide immense benefits to the skin, nails and the hair during the menopausal years
Source: Sh'zen Written by Tertia Marriott – Sh’Zen Clinical Aromatherapist
