When Did Menopause and Aging Become Treatable Illnesses?

I don't know about you, but it has always disturbed and baffled me that a natural change in our hormones, something that occurs at each change in our lives over our lifespan, suddenly becomes a medical illness, treatable with drugs!  I don't remember ever being told during my teen years that my raging hormones were a definite illness requiring drugs to alleviate the symptoms.  Nor was I prescribed drugs for PMS, other than some over-the-counter meds that I generally declined the use of, due to the after effects of their use, such as sleepiness, or general fatigue - or sometimes even increased irritability.  

So, my thoughts on this whole matter are that we need to look at the cultures in the world where people live well into their 80's, 90's and beyond, and then incorporate the strategies they have used over the centuries into our own lives.  Coming from the 60's and 70's myself - yes I guess it is safe to say I was a backpacking hippie - I traveled a tremendous amount, and lived with some of these cultures, and was truly in awe of the profound sense of self-acceptance the aging women seemed to embody.  They seemed to be very relaxed and at peace with who they were, enjoying their hard earned wisdom, almost reveling in their matriarchal position within their families and communities.  

I grant you that we live in a very hectic, fast-paced world today with so much ongoing external stimulation.  And I, like most of my menopausal friends, do not want to "get old", per se.  Yet, part of getting older is the realization that many things that seemed to be life or death matters when I was in my 20's, 30's and 40's, are simply not that important today.  For example, today it is much more important for me to feel great and have unlimited energy than it is to have buns of steel!  Sure I miss those buns of steel, but I am simply not willing to invest the hours into having them when I would rather sit here and write a blog, and share the joys of my well traversed years with like-minded women and men, who also revel in their years.  

That does not mean forgetting about fitness!  I teach my patients and clients that there are 5 keys to unlimited energy and vitality, regardless of age, and you need to incorporate all 5 of those keys, on a daily basis, in order to experience optimum health and unlimited energy.  However, it truly is much more about finding balance in our lives as we age, in order to age gracefully.  And though often challenging to stay centered when everything around us seems to be in chaos, it is very important to continually remind ourselves that it is never really about what happens to us, or around us, as much as it is about how we relate to what is happening to us, or around us.  And to take steps to shift our perspective if it is not serving us well.  And I believe that one of those shifts is to see menopause as a naturally occurring shift in our own lives that requires only the creation and maintenance of balance in every area of our lives - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  IT IS NOT AN ILLNESS!    

Your thoughts are truly welcome.  I look forward to a meaningful conversation with you.  

Wishing you a wonderful week, following the US Independence Day weekend!

Marilyn

The Vitality Doctor™