Did you know that, at any one time in the UK, five million women are suffering from menopausal symptoms? Symptoms and suffering vary significantly from woman to woman.
Even the best doctor can’t tell you how long your “journey” will last and not even your best friend talks openly about “the changes”.

The word "menopause" literally means the "end of monthly cycles" from the Greek words pausis (cessation) and is generally accepted as the permanent cessation of ovarian function occurring some time before the end of the natural lifespan.(Wikipedia)

Around this time, production of the main female hormone, oestrogen, is reduced and this can bring with it side effects, the extent of which can vary tremendously from woman to woman.
Because menopause generally occurs in “middle age,” other lifestyle symptoms can also present themselves and these can often be mistaken for, or attributed to menopause.

However, all is not lost. It is possible to help yourself ease the symptoms associated with this time.

The trouble with helping yourself is that it actually involves spending time thinking about your lifestyle and more importantly, being prepared to be good to yourself.

Which, of course, sounds mad; aren’t we all too good to ourselves too often?  That’s why the obesity levels are so high!  That voice within us that shouts so loudly –“Have that extra piece of cake!”
"You deserve that glass of wine!” and
"You can exercise tomorrow,”
is so easy to listen to. We are lulled into a way of living that is either vaguely decadent or downright unhealthy! We all mean to be firm with ourselves and be healthy ….just as soon as whichever crisis or stressful situation that is going on in our lives ends.

Of course, life is just a series of crises and stressful situations!  It is only by shouting down that “be nice to me” internal voice and by taking control of our own health and wellbeing that we can begin to feel better and really start living the life that we were meant to live.

We are all Not Done Yet’!