When is the right time to prepare for perimenopause?

Guidance for menopause prep that isn't stressful.

(S)He doesn’t like remembering his her body lest his her body starts remembering him her. Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley

The best time is yesterday or last year, your last period or last postpartum, better yet puberty.

Most aren’t lucky or informed enough to start with the first period, so the best time is now.

Perimenopause is associated with endings and aging. Endings are sad. During our 40’s, ventures of all types occupy our energy and focus. Unless there is some immediate drama or outside pressure, we won’t prioritize prevention.

This is especially true for the eventual arrival of menopause. Menopause is just not a priority until your friends start talking about it, you’ve noticed its arrival, or a particularly painful cycle reoccurs and you can’t wait for your menses to be over.

If your periods are irregular, painful, and an emotional rollercoaster, then it's highly likely your perimenopause through post menopause experience will also be irregular, painful and an emotional roller coaster.

The change of life cycle experience is informed by how challenging your menses and pregnancies, and self care during postpartum was.

I hear you! But isn’t that normal?

Everyone has something going on with their cycle. Isn’t that what birth control is for?

Well no, it's not normal, it's just that our lifestyles have created this sense of normalcy.

The cultural pressures placed on women are abnormal. The stresses of being alive in this age, create imbalances and dysregulates our biological and psychological systems.

After 35, many women develop difficulties with conception, pregnancy and postpartum.

Yay for IVF and other medical advances! And why do women have to choose between career and family? That’s for another day.

The difficulty lies in the fact that creating another human at any stage of life is biologically expensive. At 35 excessive activity begins to take its toll. That little extra push we need to get off the couch, that odd ache in the back. That grey hair! These are all signs that the vigour of youth is slipping.

Life is not ending and you are not actively aging! It simply means that the functions required in growing the body are slowing down.

The First Law of Motion, states that "a body in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force - Issac Newton.

Living beings are always in motion, whether conscious of movement or not. It is rare for things in motion to end abruptly.

Menopause is not just the ending of bleeding. Some preparation is needed. I’m not talking about drastic preparations. I’m not talking about building a survival bunker.

Why start now before awareness of perimenopause arises?

Your cycle is on a treadmill, every month the body remembers that it needs to remove the egg which is no longer viable and reacts to the circumstances of your cycle.

It is like maintenance for your body instead of your home.

Some passageway is clogged, a remedy for the clog is found and the inconvenience is solved.

Next time that inconvenience comes along it is solved in the same way. Month after month for years the impediment is solved in the same way. There is no need to rethink the solution and reach for new tools. One day a new snag arises and new solutions need to be discovered. Sometimes the solution is more than just maintenance.

Peri-menopause is the start of a life cycle shift.

The difference between a life cycle shift and your monthly cycle is that your monthly cycle is designed to reset your system. To maintain the functions of conception and sustaining a pregnancy.

The life cycle shift is not a reset but a complete overhaul. It’s like renovating your kitchen and bathroom while still living in the house.

Former solutions to inconveniences are no longer effective. What looks like similar symptoms can become bigger issues if using the same old tools.

Expect that your reproductive system will change. Start now, with one small action, remove the word normal from your vocabulary. Notice new patterns.

Here’s what preparation looks like. The most severe menopause symptoms can be prevented, unless there are some other underlying disease patterns.

I’d like to invite you to a practice:

Remove the word normal from your vocabulary.

1. Notice every time you say the word normal.

Normal is the word used when we want to shortcut thinking.

When you say normal does it mean everyone? Have you asked a wider population? Have you asked for specifics?

When you say normal do you mean always? And if you mean always? Is it always true? Was there a time when it was different?

2. When something feels abnormal - write it down, reporter style, who, what, when, where and how.

Abnormal means anything at all, it could be in your cycle, a new response or aversion. It could be anything in your body, on your body and may include emotions and thoughts.

There’s no need to do anything about it. No judgements, simply observe.

What you notice may be perimenopause symptoms or simply an involuntary corrective reaction to something in your environment. Over time you may notice some patterns forming. Again no shame or judgement.

3. Become informed, ask questions, talk about your thoughts, your fears. You are not alone.

Your organism is highly evolved and unique.

Your body was not created to make you suffer by some higher power. Where do women get that thought from?

Yes, childbirth is painful and can be dangerous. In response, you have evolved to create psychedelic substances with appropriate receptors to undergo birthing and and forget the pain itself.

4. Try one new remedy specific to a single noticed pattern.

Why one and only one? To know what works and what doesn’t. Things are confusing enough, no need to overwhelm with too many remedies.

Does your back ache? Perhaps more regular stretching, a change of bedding or your shoes are worn and need replacement.

Does your back ache during your period? This is a vāta issue, heat on your back helps but that’s a surface temporary solution.

The better solution is to manage vāta. Vāta is bio-archetypal complex made up of various qualities and elements, mainly space and air.

Vāta is dry: You may not be hydrated and water isn’t the only thing which keeps away the quality of dryness. Oil helps with dryness. You may need to do self abhyanga (oil massage) or receive abhyanga. Abhyanga not only moisturizes your body, but it also moves the lymphatic system.

Vāta governs movement: Pain is a symptom of dysregulated vāta. A sign which means that something meant to flow is not flowing.

If you think this is normal and “oh this is only related to my uterus, menstrual fluids and fluctuating hormones”. This is not holistic thinking.

Lymphatic movement and menstrual fluids are related. From an ayurvedic perspective, menstrual fluid is a ‘higher more specialized form’ of lymphatic fluid.

Vāta is cold. You may be drinking and eating cold and cooling foods. Try removing ice from your diet.

Most women are aware of the top 10 menopausal symptoms. The best known symptom is hot flashes. Did you know women report cold flashes as well and some never get them at all?

There are over 108 symptoms reported by women this is probably a very low number. Why are there so many? Your body is undergoing a total makeover which takes years to complete. As more women talk about their symptoms in spaces like this the more symptoms will be acknowledge and studied. It is sad that currently only a handful are recognized by the ‘establishment’.

There’s a lot more to be explored using the wisdom of Ayurveda.

Peace,

Chitra

Ready to Reimagine Menopause with Ayurveda?

I’ve put together a complementary Essentials Ayurvedic Menopause Starter Kit which includes

• Women’s Doṣa Quiz

• Getting to the Fundamental Roots of Symptoms according to Ayurveda

• You know You are Experiencing Perimenopause if…. Symptoms Chart

Personal Ayurvedic Consultations: Address persistent digestive issues, brain fog, unexplained skin eruptions, or food sensitivities? Limited space available:

Follow-up Sessions: For fine-tuning your progress and adjusting protocols:

Interested in a consultation?