Got Perimenopause? I Got Tips!

Ahh, perimenopause.

I bet a whole bunch of thoughts pop into your head when you hear this word.

One may be a big 'ol UGH!

Well, generally, most of us women don't have control over when this time will be sprung upon us. For some it's a lot earlier and for some it's a lot later and then there's a whole bunch of us in between.

And everyone's situation is unique and different so you need to do what's right for you in terms of helping any kind of issues you may be experiencing.

An Ayurvedic View

Generally, when we enter perimenopause, on our way to menopause, the Vata time of life is coming upon us soon or we are already in it. Vata time of life is 50 and over. 

Vata is governed by the elements of air and ether.

These elements are more subtle and light and mobile as compared to say the earth element which is more solid, heavy and dense.

When we are born, this earth element is more prevalent. Think chunky, pudgy babies with their soft baby skin.

Air and ether are at the other ends of the spectrum. As we age, the physical 'veil' becomes thinner in order to allow our luminous light within, the light of our true inner being, our soul, to shine and radiate outward. This is Vata time.

In my experience through life, I haven't seen much of this process, in terms of others' aging process, being what I described above (luminous and radiant). However, I am blessed to know 2 certain women I'm thinking of right now as I write this, who are role models for me around this subject.

So getting back to Ayurveda, since Vata is more prevalent around this time of life, it would be most helpful to keep the Pitta and Kapha doshas that are within us (because we always have all 3 doshas within us at all times), in a balanced state so we move through these times of life with more ease.

Too much Pitta (fire and water elements) during this time could show itself in hot flashes, insomnia, heart disease and digestive issues just to name a few.

Too much Kapha (water and earth elements) can show itself in weight gain, lethargy, depression, fluid retention and high cholesterol to name a few.

There are many simple yet effective practices you can do to support yourself during perimenopause. 

For instance, when you feel a hot flash coming on, you can practice Sheetali breathing, which is a cooling breathing practice.

You can reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake and not drink iced cold beverages to help with digestion.

And a ton more......

But today, I'm writing this post to share what has helped me during this time and no matter what regimen you are following, I have a feeling these may help you too.

So here they are.

Got Perimenopause? I Got Tips!

• Don't Mind What Happens - aka Acceptance, aka Non-resistance - Here's a little example of how I do it. I've been feeling a little more 'heat' recently, lol and when I do, I don't mind it. When we don't mind what is happening, we allow our self to experience the sensation without judging or numbing out the experience. And when we do this, we don't add any extra suffering on top of what we are already experiencing. Give it a try! Resist 'what is' and notice what happens. :)

• Shift Your Perspective - Have a celebration! Write down some positive advantages to this time of life. I'm not going to give you any examples. Come up with these on your own! You can do it!

• Know Yourself Better - Turn inward, meditate, enjoy a little spirit quest and develop your intuition by getting to know your Self better. During the Vata time of life, many times we have more time for ourselves with things slowing down (but maybe not for everyone). The elements of Vata, air and ether, are more subtle and light so they serve this time of life very well, that is, when we are in balance. 

• Move! If you've been around me for a minute, you know this is a big one to me!! In whatever way works for you, keep moving! And if you can, build some muscle! It will help you in supporting your joints and skeletal structure and plus you'll feel better too! Muscle burns more calories than fat so even at rest you'll be burning more calories when you increase your muscle mass. And no, you don't need to turn into a body builder!  Check out my MIND~BODY CHISEL LAB membership to become a part of a community of women who are not aging quietly! That means they are working to bust through the conditioning around aging and have their own GD Experience!

• Find Support - If you need help, get help. There's no need to try to push through something on your own if your gut is telling you to find support. And find support with someone you resonate with and trust. And since you'll be getting to know yourself better (see above) you'll be tapping into your intuition much more!

• Have your own GDamn Experience! This is another big one for me if you've been around me for another minute. You are here having your own experience. Don't let others experience around aging, or anything for that matter, get into your head. Ask opinions and advice if you wish (and when your intuition tells you), and then choose to have your own GD Experience!

Well, that's it for now!

Be sure to check out the MIND~BODY CHISEL LAB as the monthly and 6-month membership price is going up by the end of this week. So go check it out and snag the launch price before the week is up. 

inhale - enjoy - exhale,

gina