From Stress to Stillness
Running kids to soccer practice, scheduling medical appointments for aging parents, juggling work and family activities along with another bloated, bad hair day can make you feel like you are losing your mind. Add in the 40 or better hormone adjustments and suddenly you feel anxious, overwhelmed, and perhaps a bit out of control.
Menopause and all the nuances of the transition can be one of the most emotional, stressful, psychologically draining times in a woman’s life. For a majority of women, it changes everything. It is the time of life where you get a new deck of cards and the deck often does not make sense. Our health, our moods and our lives may feel upside down and foreign. Weight gain, mood swings, and sleep issues are common and symptoms of menopause may become more severe due to stress.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, “two thirds of all office visits to family physicians are due to stress- related symptoms.” While you may not be able to control the stressors in your world, you can find ways to help alter your reaction to them.
Come join us at the next Red Hot Mamas seminar on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. Our topic is “From Stress to Stillness … Overcoming Stress at Menopause.” We will talk about what stress does to you to your body - brain, skin, joints and muscles, heart, stomach, intestines, reproductive system and immune system. We will cover the various situations that can lead to stress and talk through ways to help you manage and cope.
The Red Hot Mamas seminars are free and all women are invited to attend. Grab a girlfriend or two and come find out more about this unique time in a woman’s life. The seminar is in the Pebble Creek Room at Portneuf. Doors open at 6pm; the presentation begins at 6:30. Light refreshments will be served. To reserve a seat, visit portneuf.org/event/rhm or call 208-239-1048. To learn more about PMC’s upcoming seminars, including Red Hot Mamas, be sure to like Portneuf Medical Center on Facebook.
Communication is an important part of any transition. Female family members and friends who have been there, done that are often very helpful. Be sure to reach out to medical professionals to discuss symptoms, changes is mental and physical health and any other concerns. From perimenopause, natural menopause, surgical menopause to post-menopause, there are resources to that can help you stay healthy, feel better and assist in creating a more positive mid-life experience.
It is important to know that menopause can be a beautiful time of life. Expert medical advice, resources and strategies are available to help you on this personal journey. I am available, please call my office at 208-233-8000.