Life Changes Lifestyle
Many women contemplate that phase of Life when they undergo “The Change”. Menopause is natural, if inconvenient and sometimes unpleasant. As with many conditions, how we choose to address menopause matters greatly. Quite simply, life changes lifestyle. What we did at age 10 is different from age 20 and is different from age 50 or 60 or 70. As we change, so must our lifestyles.
This does NOT mean “slow down”, “sit in a rocking chair”, “wait for the end”. It means listening to Life and mindfully adjusting your lifestyle decisions, much like the Tai Chi master listens to her opponent before letting an incoming punch dissipate harmlessly into an empty space. When we listen and act in concert with our bodies, minds, spirits then well-being is easier to maintain… regardless of chronological age. When life changes lifestyle, it is up to us to engage or hide.
What my mom had always lamented as “the change of life” was now in full force in me. I wanted relief, but I also became interested in the nature of aging and looking at different modalities to ease its effects. I sought out approaches ranging from traditional Western medicine to acupuncture to Ayurveda.
Ayurvedic medicine, as practiced in India, is one of the oldest systems of medicine in the world, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. The term Ayurveda combines the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge).
When I discussed my mid-life concerns with an Ayurvedic doctor, he suggested I make some lifestyle changes including drinking a special tea, going to bed earlier and embracing a healthy diet that included certain warm and nourishing foods. He also recommended an Ayurvedic supplement. After getting the OK from my primary care physician, I ordered the pills.
The supplement contained herbs including shatavari (a species of asparagus) and vidarikanda (a plant with tuberous roots). It offered to boost energy and stamina as well as lessen menopause symptoms, stabilize mood, and enhance cognitive skills.
I set out to try the plan for 30 days and keep a log. But things went downhill fast. Yes, I took the pills. But I was juggling multiple work projects and ended up getting less sleep than usual. I fell off the diet after two weeks, often forgot to drink the tea, and one night after midnight found myself consuming every snack and treat in the house left over from the holidays. I wondered, would the supplement still work on its own, or would this be an epic fail?
The results: By the end of the trial, I did feel a bit more energetic, and my hot flashes seemed less intense. But overall, the effects were subtle. It’s not you, it’s me, I thought, staring at the pill bottle.
Read the entire article: Ayurvedic Supplements for Menopause: Do They Work?
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