Why is it that so few women have a clue about the massive transition called perimenopause?
Could it be the imagery that goes with it? I mean, this is not a phase of life with any glamour or status, quite the contrary. It is seen as the beginning of the end. The “old lady” phase, or our “golden era.”
(*shaking my head*)
Got Support?
It goes unsaid because of all that and then some. If you are one of the lucky women who’s had dialogue with older family and friends, I’d guess you were in the minority. For women like me, who come from little emotional familial support, there were no conversations aside from the complaining of symptoms AFTER the fact.
I had less common symptoms and more intense than from what I’ve heard. At 45, in 2019, the season when this COVID business started ramping up globally, I started noticing cysts and red rosacea on my cheeks, my chronic insomnia ramped up to pretty much every night, and the brain fog was beyond comedic levels. When I was 49, the hot flashes came, RELENTLESSLY, every 5-10minutes, all, day, long.
Got Stress?
Nevermind the fact that I had been living a high-stress life, chronic anxiety, undiagnosed ADHD (diagnosed at 50, mind you), and my thyroid went into hyper-drive with the autoimmune disorder called Graves Disease. I learned then that there’s a correlation between CPTSD, burnout, and perimenopausal symptoms being more severe. Oh, and the ADHD situation also compounds things.
The Math is Mathing
It’s starting to add up. Chronic stress, lack of support, being a woman, equals a less than gentle entering-into the “Crone” stage of a woman’s life cycle. Burning the candle at both ends will end up in burnout, who knew?
Or am I the only one who had to live behind the proverbial eight-ball with all of this?
The Teaching
Perimenopause is the great equalizer. Paying the piper of sorts. It will level the playing field and catapult you into prioritizing yourself only as sudden health crisis’ can. Older, wiser is hard won. Learning to prioritize myself has been quite the journey, and waves of lessons after lessons, showing me where self-neglect can not be. So, then, it’s a blessing in disguise.
About a year after my Graves diagnosis, I took my health by the reins and made nutrition, sleep, gentle movement and deep prayer (with frog, Kambo medicine) my #1 focus. I mean, top of the list, and guess what, no one starved, and we all survived. Not only that, but my thyroid started functioning at normal levels and I got off the medication. I’ve been in remission since 2024. I started Hormone Replacement Therapy last year, and it’s been a GODSEND GAMECHANGER for sleep, and the hot flashes are GONE. Yay western medicine!
The Body Speaks, Listen
This is why the old ladies give no fucks, they’ve learned the hard way, around this stage in the game, to only take on what is necessary and learn that NO is a full-sentence. It’s time to take care of ourselves and be closer to the top of the priority list, my female friends. This is serious business. Perimenopause is the forewarning, love your body now, or forever postpone your peace.
Jump on a call with me to learn how I can support you through this intense change of life stage with the wisdom of good nutrition and gentle movement. Schedule a call with me here: https://calendly.com/lisabethlent/15min
