Mindful thought experiment experiment: imagine that each hot flash is your wisdom power surging!” — Lisa Cypers Kamen
If you are a woman (or love one) who is between the ages of 40–60 you know the pesky symptoms that come along with “the change of life.” I’ll remind you of these annoyances in the image below.
Let’s reduce the temperature a little bit, let’s have a little cooling conversation about menopause:
To be perfectly frank, “the change of life” kicked my positive psychology infused mind and body’s ass. I have been a perpetual furnace for about 10 years. The good news is that my heating bill went down and I now require less layers of clothing in the winter.
I have come to embrace my hot flashes as nature’s cooling system akin to that built for a nuclear reactor. I have also come to appreciate those waves of hot flashes as validation of my wisdom and power (I.E. I am a heat-generating power surging body of energy… yay me). Attitude is everything and mine has become positively spicy over the years.
There is no cure for perimenopause and menopause but there are many ways to deal with the symptoms that come with this change of life. One of my top strategies has been to simply suck it up and productively redirect my power surges, but medical experts are far more educated and experienced than me in strategically dealing with this subject matter. Please…please…please do not suffer alone and in silence.
The bottomline is that there are real ways to manage needless suffering and it’s important to consult your healthcare provider. Remember: Dr. Mom is now retired — do not self-medicate.
- Healthy diet
- Weight-bearing exercise
- Limit alcohol and caffeine
- Acupuncture
- Yoga, mindfulness, breathing
- Manage stress
- Stop smoking
- Natural & synthetic hormone therapies
- Supplements
- Antidepressants
- Lubricants for sex
In closing this cool conversation (or written musing), there is an upside to this change of life in that there is no longer a need for tampons, pads, or birth control. The oven and catering company are officially closed but we can still party with abandon (if we can get in the mood) while feeling at-home in our own skin because we no longer care (as much) about what others think of us at this empowered point in our lives.
Like what you’re reading? Want more consciously prepared brain food about this topic?
Listen to this Harvesting Happiness episode: Hot Flashes and Cool Conversation: Navigating Mental Hijinks with Dr. Mary Claire Haver MD or wherever you get your podcasts. Take an even deeper dive with More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness on Substack and Medium.
GUEST BIO: Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist from Tulane University. She is a Louisiana State University Medical Center graduate and completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Dr. Haver is also a Certified Menopause Specialist through The Menopause Society and opened Mary Claire Wellness, a clinic dedicated to caring for the menopausal patient.
Website: https://thepauselife.com/
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Lisa Cypers Kamen is a lifestyle management consultant who explores the art and science of happiness in her work as a speaker, author, and happiness expert. Through her globally syndicated positive psychology podcast, books, media appearances, and documentary film, Kamen has impacted millions of people around the world.
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