Manage Menopause Naturally

I hit perimenopause when I was 49. In the latter half of 2016 my periods began to wane, with the last one in 2019, so you could say that I hit menopause in 2019. After all, menopause is just one day! Perimenopause for me lasted 3 years, during which my only symptoms were more time between cycles, some hot flashes and tiredness. I would fall asleep on the sofa as soon as we had eaten, around 9pm, waking up only to be told to go to bed.

The hot flashes were fascinating. I was really fascinated by my body and the changes that were happening. They would begin in the back of my neck and very quickly reach the top of my head. They would last around 15 minutes and then I would be back to normal. At some point they started happening at night and I would get not only a hot neck, but hot shoulders and arms. I didn’t particularly sweat, it was more like a fever. Then this was followed immediately by cold all over my body. Even in the hot summer in Spain, I would have to wear a t-shirt in bed as I would throw off all the covers with the heat, and then start shivering with cold, all whilst still in that half sleep half awake state when you aren’t really awake enough to pull the sheet back over you.

The next stage for me was itchiness. The itchiness would begin in my hands, creep up my forearms and then my shoulders, especially on the left side. This then went to the right side, which has become the worst affected. I would sometimes scratch myself raw trying to get rid of the ants beneath my skin. At this point I realised that these were menopause symptoms. I just hadn’t equated myself with symptoms as my staple lifestyle is healthy. Yes I can eat rubbish and drink wine, but I’ve always eaten fresh food, no canned, no frozen, all homemade. I was out running 3 times a week, so I was healthy, right?

So I sat up and started to take note of what my body was telling me. First thing I noticed was how the itchiness would follow the meridians. In the arms we have the meridians for the large intestine, small intestine, triple heater, heart, pericardium, lung. In my case it was following the large intestine, triple heater and heart. The heat was at the back of my neck going up towards the top of my head along the DU channel.

I then began to notice that every time I had red wine, my symptoms were aggravated. Chilli and red pepper had the same affect. And if I ate dark chocolate with a combination of any one of the above, it would be terrible. My moods started to get intense, as my husband will testify, I would get irritated at the drop of a hat and feel cynical. It was almost like looking in on a conversation from the outside rather than being part of it.

This was all getting very strange, and then I realised that it was within my power to do something about it. This was the reason why I have been studying natural medicine for the best part of the last 30 years. If I didn’t get up and help myself, who would? It was up to me.

I started changing my diet. I started eating according to the 5-element theory of traditional Chinese medicine. I restarted my fitness regime, although to be fair, I hadn’t really stopped, I just needed to ensure continuity. I began to take deep breaths, think before or instead of answering too quickly and chopping peoples’ heads off. I started doing breathing exercises to calm the midnight panics, and stop worrying if I hadn’t had a good night’s sleep. I started using coconut oil and almond oil on my dry skin – did I forget to mention that? Forgetting things was also becoming an art, not sure if it was to forget the symptoms or what, but there was definitely a cloud over my head. That has also lifted, thankfully and my old energy has returned to about 95% of what it was. Supplements, herbs, new hobbies that fulfill me, changing my work-life balance. These are all changes that have taken 4 years to have an effect. They are all changes that I would have told me, the patient, if I had been my practitioner, which in essence I have been. I am so grateful to have a wonderfully supportive husband, very patient friends and fellow doctors with whom I have been able to discuss menopause and simply commiserate.

As you read my story, you may find it is similar to your own. Please take from this that we all need help and it is there for the taking. However you choose to help yourself, or help someone you know, I am here for you. There is light at the end of the tunnel, sometimes the tunnel is long, but it isn’t always dark. Thank you for reading and have a great day.