Have you ever stopped to wonder why we even have a menopause? What purpose does it really have? A good question I hear you ask.
The fact is that most animals don’t have menopause. Killer whales, pilot whales and humans are the only animals on earth that do. And the reason most animals don’t have menopause is because Mother Nature has no use for animals after they have performed their reproductive obligation.
In some respects, menopause is a fairly recent phenomenon. That’s because women used to die long before they were old enough to experience menopause. Way back when, the normal lifespan for a woman was roughly 20-25 years. Pregnancy and childbirth were life threating events and many women didn’t even make it through to the end of their reproductive years.
In the early nineteenth century, when an occasional woman did live long enough to experience menopause, she was commonly incarcerated for exhibiting signs of menopause. It was generally considered that the woman had gone quite mad.
In the nineteenth century, a woman was commonly incarcerated for exhibiting signs of menopause. It was considered the woman had gone quite mad.
By 1900, there had still been very little research on menopause, even though most women were living long enough to become menopausal. It’s almost beyond belief to realise that women did not receive oestrogen relief until the late 1960s.
At least we are not living in the dark ages. In this day and age, we are not being institutionalised for menopause, but it’s still considered somewhat of a taboo topic.
Menopause is a long and very important journey. It’s not something that you will deal with in a few months. Not only will it affect and change your life, it will influence you and everyone around you in a very profound way.
It’s a journey that will take several years and requires preparation. You will want to know as much as you possibly can and what to expect before it begins.
Even if you are already on your menopause journey, you will welcome any more information to make your menopause empowering, as it is a unique experience that will prepare you for the rest of your life.
These days, menopause is a process all women will experience as we are fortunate enough to live to middle age. It’s as predictable as infancy, childhood, puberty, pregnancy and death. The time you will spend in your menopausal phase of life ranges from one third to one half of your entire life. That’s something to think about. On average menopause occurs about the age of 51. It’s the last hormonal phase of your life. Once you become menopausal, you will remain menopausal for the rest of your life! Most of us don’t think that menopause will last more than a couple of years. But there is more to than that.
It involves transition, like puberty, and everything that follows it, and that my friends – is the rest of your life.
Most women rely on all the wrong sources of information for menopause
Most women rely on all the wrong sources of information for menopause. You shouldn’t have to rely on mass media. Nor should you assume your mother has told you all you need to know. Most of the women I have treated have been starved of information. It’s been out of context, illogical, biased or fear-based.
The simple fact is that no two women are alike. We all differ with regard to our genetic backgrounds, health status, body shapes personal preferences and attitudes about menopause itself. You are unique, and you only know yourself better than anyone else does.
As long as you have complete and accurate information, you will make the best decision
with regard to management of your own menopausal experience. Usually, you’ll spend more than half of your life as a menopausal woman. You owe it to yourself to make them the best years you ever had.
So now what?
Let me introduce myself. My name is Deborah Forsythe. I have spent more than 20 years in the medical aesthetic arena helping women all over the world, look, feel and live their best lives.
For the past 10 years I have specialised in age management and menopause. What I am going to do in the coming months is share with you all the information you need to manage your menopause your way, with a little help form me.
Your menopause it all about you, as an individual with unique needs and desires. You aren’t interested in what I would do if I was you, you want complete information that you can apply to your unique circumstances and you want to have the freedom to choose your own options. You might want some options and you will want some guidance, but you won’t be on your own. You’ll have the fundamental knowledge to make your own choices.
With some guidance from me.
Join me in the next article, when we will be looking at what happens next.
DON’T MISS A THING – SIGN UP FOR OUR (FREE) EMAIL NEWSLETTER – CLICK HERE
This article is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.
