Women in Mind

I am increasingly interested in women of a certain age who are moving into peri-menopause and beyond. This time of life brings with it some challenges…

There is a three-point axis balancing women’s hormones. Our adrenal gland, thyroid gland and sex hormones. They should work in harmony. This, however, is often not the case.

I see women who’s work / life balance is under stress – and stress sets off a chain reaction. Stress coupled with diminishing sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone can lead to symptoms such as:

• Tendency to gain weight, especially around the waist – and inability to lose it;
• High Frequency of the flu and other respiratory diseases where symptoms tend to last longer than usual;
• Irritability;
• Blood sugar fluctuations;
• Tendency to tremble when under pressure;
• Anxiety;
• Depression;
• Reduced sex drive;
• Light-headedness when rising from a supine position;
• Brain fog;
• PMT;
• Lack of energy in the afternoon;
• Reliance on coffee to get the day started;
• Craving for sweet salty and fatty food;
• Chronic pain of unknown origin.

Symptoms can be so varied that it would be easy to be mistaken into treating a symptom (such as knee pain or fatigue) without exploring the bigger internal picture.

Hormones change slowly in the body and therefore it is easy for women to experience one symptom, and then another and then another, without realising they are linked.

For example, joint pain in peri-menopause is common, then loss of energy and muscle fatigue and a little hair thinning a year or so later. Fibroids appear late forties along with heavy blood loss.

Here we have a fairly typical pattern of what I may see in clinic. Symptoms are not recognised as belonging to the same source, and are treated separately. Slow internal changes to hormone patterns can influence the body over a long period of time and lots of women put up with all sorts of symptoms that can be resolved.

It is no wonder with the symptoms above that women reach for HRT and anti-depressants and eat chocolate to try to cope with the way they feel.

The key to these symptoms is often adrenal related. Stress is a big factor in modern living. My system of healing is often based on working with the kidneys and adrenal glands, along with whatever else needs addressing. This way we can be sure to treat the root cause.

I often prescribe herbs which mimic our own hormones to help rebalance or add nutritional products which support the glandular system. This can take time and I make sure each person I work with is fully engaged in the treatment and informed about how they can help themselves.

For example, T’ai Chi, Qi Gong and meditation, which I teach, is a good way to de-stress and learn to breathe well. Epsom salt baths are wonderful too. They are full of magnesium. Magnesium is an essential mineral which we use a lot of and we are often depleted in. Epsom salts are made from magnesium and by putting them in a bath, we soak up the minerals and this can help us sleep well and relax.

Initial Phone Consultations are free. Ring Tracey on 07900 493802.