Indian women and menopause

It is not a secret that the common perception is that Western cultures treats older women as if they were less valuable members of society. You may not feel such change in societal attitude, but nevertheless it exists. Yes, the processes in our society obviously move the people’s attitude in a favorable direction, however, the shift in minds is gradual and slow. But in other cultures, menopause is considered as honorable, useful, and spiritual time in their lives. There are also cultures and countries, where the menopause is still considered as untouchable topic for discussion.

Thus, we will review the different aspects of the Menopause, associated with international cultures, customs, and beliefs worldwide. Our first review in the series is devoted to India.

While menopausal women in India experience the similar emotional and physiological problems, it is almost officially unheard of in public circles. India has traditionally ignored women’s health issues including menopause, and only the latest societal trends are attempting to break the outdated attitudes towards women.

Menopause attitudes in India

Women in India are no different in terms of attitudes towards menopause; some women dread and fear menopause while other women embrace or at least accept menopause. The fear and dread of menopause stem from being seen as no longer useful or productive in society. For the most part, life for Indian women centers on home and family while accepting secondary citizen status in this male dominated culture. Women’s issues including health and menopause are almost never discussed.

The flip side notes the relief women feel about the end of having menstrual periods. Although women always remain subservient to men, older women in India do enjoy a measure of respect as the senior member of the family. Unfortunately this enhanced status does not make it easier for women to talk about or seek help for menopause.

Bangalore Study (Institute for Social and Economic Change)

* For the study, researchers of ISEC used data from the National Family Health Survey, conducted in 1988 and 1999, which examined about 90,000 married women ages 15 to 49 across 26 Indian states.

* The study found that 3.1% of women living in India became menopausal between ages 30 and 34, 8% of women experienced menopause by age 39 and 19% of were menopausal by age 41. The average menopausal age in India is 44.3 years.

* The study found that premature menopause was most common in rural areas, as well as among agricultural workers, women who were illiterate and women who had a low body mass index. According to the researchers, malnutrition and poverty are believed to be contributing factors to premature menopause; however, the study did not address these factors.

Indian Menopause Society Report

Menopause symptoms vary from woman to woman in India as is the case for women elsewhere. The Indian Menopause Society’s (IMS) 2008 Consensus Statement contains important statistics about menopausal symptoms and recommendations to improve healthcare for Indian women. Some of the IMS research findings show:

*The average age of menopause in India is 47.5 years, which is higher than posted in the previous research, but is still slightly lower than the average age of 51 for North American and European women. However, the premature menopause cases are on the rise in India due to a combination of environmental and genetic reasons.

*Indian women living in rural areas (72% of the population) and urban areas both cite having urogenital symptoms and general body aches and pains. Interestingly, women in urban areas complain more about having hot flashes, mood swings, psychological problems, and intercourse challenges. Like their Western counterparts, urban-based Indian women are subjected to more demanding and fast-paced lifestyles which may explain the differences in symptom reporting.

*Osteoporosis is a serious risk for Indian women. Osteopenia, or low bone mineral density (BMD) usually means a greater chance of developing osteoporosis. Approximately 35-40% of Indian women aged 40-65 suffer from osteopenia. Indian women tend to have low bone density due to a lack of both sufficient calcium intake and adequate exercise.

*Cardiovascular disease is quickly becoming one of the leading causes of death in women and Indian women are no exception. Higher HDL/LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, increased high blood pressure occurrences, and obesity rates among menopausal Indian women (and women of all ages) translate into increased risks for heart attacks and strokes. Diabetes rates are also on the rise for women in India.

*Cancer rates for Indian women between the ages of 35 – 64 are steadily growing. Breast, cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers account for between 29.4 and 72.5% of all cancers in women. Cancer rates vary between India’s geographic regions; healthcare access, education, and lifestyle are different throughout the country.

Surgical menopause (hysterectomy) is performed widely in India and both doctors and patients view a hysterectomy as a preferred option in menopause treatment. Compare this to North America and Europe where hysterectomies are no longer considered the best option for women. But with limited menopause treatment options, the fear of developing hormonal related cancers pushes many women to request a hysterectomy and doctors are all too willing to perform this controversial procedure.

Unneeded Sterilization

In one of the discussions, Dr. Veena Shatrugna, former president and now executive member of the Anveshi Research Center for Womens Studies, pointed out that in the rush to meet family planning targets, women in India are often sterilized immediately after giving birth, when their bodies are still vulnerable.

"Medically speaking, operations like these are to be carried out when all her parameters are normal," she said. "But then family planning doesnt care about the health of women. Its all about cutting the tubes. So at the second level, when they have problems arising from side effects of sterilizations, doctors suggest women finish the problem by removing the uterus. So menopause also occurs at an early age."

The states introduction in 2007 of an insurance program for families below the poverty line that compensated doctors for conducting hysterectomies appears to have intensified the problem among low-income marginalized women.

In 2011 the state government--after studies found that a majority of the surgeries conducted in private hospitals approved by the health department were unnecessary--revised its guidelines and banned participating private hospitals from conducting hysterectomies and claiming the insurance money.

But women are still being actively pushed towards unneeded hysterectomies, said Dr. S.V. Kameswari, a leading gynecologist."There are not enough women doctors in rural medical facilities who can give proper advice. So, private rural medical practitioners in the villages take advantage of these womens ignorance and reluctance to access proper health services for reasons that include availability, distance, cost and quality."

She added that women who undergo early hysterectomies often have little or no education, dont understand the surgery or its side effects and are pushed toward it by gynecological complaints stemming from conditions such as early marriage, poor nutrition and spousal relations.

"Instead of treating these morbidities ethically, unscrupulous doctors recommend hysterectomy, which is unnecessary," said Kameswari. "They are rarely counseled about the consequences of the surgery . . . They dont know if their ovaries will also be removed along with the uterus, or that menopause will be an immediate consequence. We dont recommend the removal of ovaries as it increases the womans overall risk of death by 40 percent."

Some husbands have also pushed wives to have a hysterectomy, said Kameswari. "They opine that women are susceptible to illness and it was better to opt for a permanent solution. The only way to change their minds is greater gender sensitivity and awareness on this issue."

Cultural barriers

There are cultural barriers along with fears, concerns, and myths about the side effects of hormones in general. Improper compliance of patients on advice of life style changes and medication is another problem.

The high cost and non-availability of full range of therapy through the country make tailoring of treatment for individual women difficult at times. Moreover, there is lack of availability of diagnostic facilities for screening and monitoring of menopausal women including those on therapy. Many times, Indian symptomatic menopausal women are subjected to hormone replacement therapy based on Western experiences. Discontinuation rate is very high among Indian women due to myths and misconceptions.

The future for Indian women and menopause

The IMS is working to help improve awareness about women’s health issues and educating doctors and patients about menopause. This is an enormous project in India where the huge population and wide range of literacy and education levels make it difficult to effect positive change for women in society. The IMS seeks to improve living, dietary, and physical conditions of women.

Changes in India are slowly happening and though it may take several decades, talking about and seeking help for menopause will help to improve the lives of women in India.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art18499.asp

http://womensenews.org/story/reproductive-health/130516/one-state-in-india-stands-out-early-menopause#.UdUKNKw0brQ

http://indianwoman35plus.com/MENOPAUSE%20DEFINITIONS.html

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/01/28/21541.aspx

How to Natural Way Overcome Oily Face

you should try to cope with a very natural way to clean oily face such as the following:
Milk: Milk is one of the best ingredients to remove surface oil on the skin. Please apply products containing milk nurses face before you sleep. Milk has a natural ability to remove dust and dirt in the face. In addition, milk is also good for cleaning the pores are clogged. You can take the cotton, then dip it in milk and apply to the surface of the face. You can also add lavender oil to improve the results.

Mud Mask: Mud has long been believed to overcome the oily face. Choose a hygienic mud, not taken directly from the fields because there are a lot of dirt and bacteria in it. You can buy special mud from beauty stores or in other places. Mix the mud with turmeric before application to the face to improve results. Once applied, wait for about half an hour and then rinse thoroughly. You can use a mud mask once a week. In addition to eliminating the oil, also face will look more clean and soft.

Wheat: This food is also good to deal with oily skin. Provide unprocessed oats, then mix with a teaspoon of honey and half a teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix the three ingredients until pasta is solid Formatting, then apply to the skin and wait for about 15 minutes.

Sandalwood powder: Take some sandalwood powder and mix with a few drops of water, then rub into the skin oily. Allow to air dry and then rinse with warm water. This helps remove excess oil and fight acne on the face.

Dry and Itchy Skin Menopause Symptoms

Overview

During menopause, skin drying is very common due to hormone decline and loss. The skins inability to produce essential oils also results in the itchy, tight feeling on the skin of your body and face. Regularly exfoliating, incorporating high fatty acids into your daily diet and taking warm, instead of hot, showers are simple and effective ways to ease the dry, itching feeling.

Our Skin

Before getting to the details of this quite annoying menopause symptom, let’s review brief, what exactly our skin is, and how it can be affected by the menopausal changes in our body. Skin is the largest organ in our body, and one of the most important. There are three main layers in our skin.

Epidermis - is the top or outer layer. It does not have any blood vessels in it. It basically consists of dead skin cells and it is designed to protect the delicate living cells of the deeper layers.

Epidermis needs to stay constantly moisturized to protect the deeper layers; that is why natural oils are produced. When the natural oil is stripped from the outer layer of skin, the moisture quickly evaporates leaving the skin dry and itchy.

The dead skin cells replenish themselves periodically. When we are young, this outer layer replaces itself very often, giving us fresh, healthy looking skin. When we age, the process of exfoliation (the top cells wear away, new cells grow beneath to replace them, and so on) is much slower, and the skin begins to look more tired and worn.

Dermis - is the second layer. This layer has blood vessels, which provide blood to that upper Epidermis layer. The Dermis is a permanent layer of skin, it does not replenish itself and it cannot be reached by cosmetics. It contains the elastin and collagen, forming the structure of the skin. This layer stays elastic or gets saggy, causing wrinkles or firmness in your skins look.

Hypodermis - is the lower layer. This layer contains main blood vessels, sweat glands and hair follicles.

Dry Skin and Menopause

Loss of estrogen, brought about by menopause, is the primary cause of skin sensitivity during this life phase as estrogen is responsible for stimulating of production of skin-smoothing collagen and oils. Thats why, as menopause approaches and estrogen production diminishes, dry, itchy skin becomes very common, says Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, co-director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery.

That reduction of estrogen, and the changing ratios of hormones in your body dont just slow down your bodys oil production, they also reduce your bodys ability to retain moisture.

While a parched t-zone or flakey elbows may be the first places you notice the changes, "it really is a whole-body phenomenon," says Tanzi, with dry skin appearing just about anywhere, from the oil-gland-dense face, back, and chest, to elbows, legs, genitals -- even nails.

In addition to the chief symptom of dryness and itchiness, skin changes in menopause can also produce the following symptoms:

• Small bumps on the skin.
• Red or irritated skin.
• Skin rush.
• Abnormal touch sensations.

The changes to your skin can start as early as perimenopause, and theyre permanent, Tanzi says. Fortunately, easing the itch and combating the dry skin associated with menopause is largely in your hands.

Other Causes of Dry and Itchy Skin during Menopause

While hormonal changes are the most common cause of itchy skin around the time of menopause, other medical conditions can be responsible for itchy skin. While these are rare causes, they are important to be aware of, particularly in cases where itchy skin is accompanied by other unexplained symptoms.

Among the most probable causes are:

• Hypothyroidism
• Fungal Infection
• Diabetes
• Skin cancer
• Vitamin Deficiencies
• Herpes
• Drug side effects
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
  
  

Women concerned about the causes of itchy skin and those who experience other worrisome symptoms are advised to speak with a qualified dermatologist or other medical professional. Fortunately, itchy skin in menopause can often be successfully managed with self care and natural treatments.

Treatment of Dry and Itchy Skin

Treating itchy skin in menopause often requires a number of self care techniques. Most doctors advise against invasive and risky medical or hormonal treatments for itchy skin during menopause. However, many experts recommend that women combine lifestyle changes with natural treatments, which are often safe and effective in providing itchy skin relief.

There are selected tips on how to deal with dry and itchy skin issues during menopause:

• Good diet: Essential fatty acids -- like the omega-3s found in salmon, walnuts, fortified eggs, or algae oils -- help produce your skins oil barrier, vital in keeping skin hydrated. A diet short of these body-boosting fats can leave skin dry, itchy, and prone to acne. Adequate vitamin B intake is also crucial to skin health.
• Skin protection from Sun: Keep skin healthy with "a broad spectrum sunblock with an SPF of 15 or higher," says Andrea Cambio, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Cape Coral, Fla. Dry skin, wrinkles, moles, and skin cancers can all result from too much sun, so add a sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection to your line of defense. Aim for about an ounce to cover all sun-exposed skin.
• Increase water intake: This will help to hydrate the skin from the inside out. But do not abuse your body by drinking too much of water, and do not fall to the 8x8 popular medical scam. Drink only when you are thirsty, but if are thirsty, do not delay the necessary water intake.
• Avoid hot showers: Because hot water can be harsh and drying, experts advise taking shorter showers using warm water. Also, preserve those natural oils by scrubbing with soap only in the spots you really need it, like your underarms, feet, and groin. Because your legs, back, and arms dont usually get very dirty, skip the soap and stick to a warm-water wash for these areas.
• Use gentle, non-irritating soaps: Scented, antibacterial, or deodorant soaps can be harsh, removing your bodys essential oils, leaving skin even more itchy and dry. Instead, reach for an unscented or lightly scented bar.
• Moisturize after showers: Within a few minutes after your warm shower, smooth on your favorite moisturizer. Mineral oil and petroleum jelly are both excellent and inexpensive skin moisturizers. To help moisturizers penetrate the skin, experts also suggest exfoliating -- sloughing off the top layer of dead skin -- with a gentle scrubbing or by using products containing alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids. If you are still dealing with itchy skin and menopause, then you can try castor oil. To give the castor oil a nice, refreshing scent, you can purchase small bottles or vials of things like peppermint or lavender.
• Avoid other irritants: Avoiding smoke, excess sun exposure, stress, and lack of sleep can also help to manage itchy skin.
• Exercise: Exercise, which is important in menopause for heart and bone health, can keep skin healthy as well.  By increasing the amount of nutrients and oxygen that make it to your skin, exercise, like estrogen, can increases collagen, one of the key substances that keeps our skin youthful.

Alternative Medicine

Alternative approaches involve little to no risk and can be an extremely effective way to treat all menopause symptoms, including the skin related problems. This level of approach can involve several different therapies. Herbal supplements are the most prominent, though in addition women may turn to such menopause treatments as acupuncture, biofeedback, massage, aromatherapy, or hypnosis. All of these treatments can be valid and effective, though most women find that herbal supplements are the easiest menopause treatment to follow, as the other menopause treatments require a greater time and monetary commitment. In addition, herbal supplements are the only viable option to treat the hormonal imbalance directly at its source.

In the case of herbal supplements, there are two types of herbs that can be used for treating the 34 menopause symptoms: phytoestrogenic and non-estrogenic herbs.

Phytoestrogenic herbs (e.g. Black Cohosh) contain estrogenic components produced by plants. These herbs, at first, provide a menopause treatment for hormonal imbalance by introducing these plant-based estrogens into the body. However, this menopause treatment adds outside hormones, a womanґs body may become less capable of producing estrogen on its own. This causes a further decrease of body-own hormone levels.          

By contrast, non-estrogenic herbs, as the name suggests, dont contain any estrogen. These herbs provide the menopause treatment of stimulating a woman’s hormone production by nourishing the pituitary and endocrine glands, causing them to more efficiently produce natural hormones. This menopause treatment ultimately results in balancing not only estrogen, but also progesterone and testosterone. Non-estrogenic herbs (e.g. Macafem) can be considered the safest way to treat all menopause symptoms naturally as the body creates its own hormones and doesn’t require any outside assistance.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/521255-menopause-dry-or-itchy-skin/

http://www.my-menopause-solutions.com/skin-problems.html

http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/itchy-skin.htm

http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/treatments.htm

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/features/menopause-dry-skin-hormone-connection

http://www.menopauseatoz.com/itchy-skin-menopause.shtml

Combat Hot Flashes and Insomnia through Mindfulness Meditation

"Love yourself and be awake -today, tomorrow, always"

"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts”
"With our thoughts, we make our world"

Buddha 568-488 BC, Founder of Buddhism

Menopause is definitely not a disease, but its symptoms might be quite painful, maddening, and inconvenient. Sometimes, you can find inner way to combat these signs of your body rebellion and put it back under control. The tool which may naturally empower you is mindfulness mediation.

The University of Massachusetts Study, 2008

There were multiple studies, confirming usefulness and effectiveness of the meditation in helping to ease the hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia of menopause, and with no side effects. One of the resent studies, performed by the University of Massachusetts, confirmed that mindfulness training, based on a Buddhist meditation concept, substantially reduced the distress associated with hot flashes and significantly improved physical, psychosocial and sexual functioning.

"The findings are important because hormone replacement therapy, used to treat menopause symptoms in the past, has been associated with health risks," said study author James Carmody, an associate professor of medicine in the division of preventive and behavioral medicine.

About 40 percent of menopausal women suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, which undermine their quality of life, the researchers noted. But since hormone replacement therapy has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer and stroke, Carmody observed that "not only are women looking for alternative treatments, it is an NIH (National Institutes of Health) priority to find behavioral treatments."

No other treatment has been found to substitute for hormone therapy so far, according to the study, but mindfulness training appears to allow women to be "less reactive" to menopausal symptoms.

Mindfulness therapy helps focus on the present. Practitioners avoid making judgments and simply accept whatever is passing through their mind while focusing on each breath. The technique is not difficult to learn, but requires some discipline in the beginning, experts noted.

The researchers aimed to influence womens reaction to their symptoms, "including psychological distress, social embarrassment and anxiety."

The study divided 110 women between the ages of 47 and 69 into two groups, one receiving the training, the other "waitlisted" to learn the technique. Participants filled out questionnaires to determine factors known to influence hot flashes, such as alcohol use, yoga and exercise.

Researchers also measured four dimensions of quality of life: physical, psychosocial, vasomotor (hot flashes), and sexual function. The women rated how much they were bothered by symptoms on a four-point scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely" bothered. They kept diaries noting the number and intensity of hot flashes and night sweats. On average, the women had five or more moderate to severe hot flashes, or night sweats, a day when the study began.

After taking classes once a week for eight weeks, and a full day of training, the training group women had an average decrease of 15 percent in how much their symptoms bothered them vs. 7 percent for the control group. While hot flash intensity did not differ significantly, the training group reported better sleep, and less anxiety and perceived stress.

At the beginning of the study, which ran from November 2005 to September 2007, participants had "clinically significant" sleep problems. Improved sleep was an important outcome, the study found.

"The thing that surprised us the most was the effect on sleep," said Carmody, noting that mindfulness training was found to be as effective as hormone replacement therapy in reducing insomnia.

Another expert praised the study for using the "mind-body connection" to help women with serious menopause symptoms with "no side effects."

What is mindfulness meditation?

Idea of Mindfulness is simple and straightforward. Being mindful for you just means of being totally aware of the present moment that you are currently living in. It means bringing your attention away from all those hundreds of thoughts and distractions which buzz around our heads continuously and instead, consciously and explicitly, focusing your attention on your breath.

Being mindful simply means being in the present moment, in the here and now, focusing on our in-breath and on our out-breath and finding our centre within our body.

As Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk and one of the most highly respected teachers of mindfulness practice in the world, says:

"The practice of mindfulness requires only that whatever you do, you do with your whole being. You have to invest one hundred percent of yourself in doing even very simple things, like picking up a pen, opening a book, or lighting a stick of incense.”

But mindfulness techniques, though simple in theory, are far from being simple when you try to practice. Because the way our minds tend to work when we have not received mindfulness training, is to jump about relentlessly. Your thoughts race from one idea to another, from one worry to another, bringing non-invited memories though the associative links of thoughts, anything except for proper concentration on what is happening with you at the actual moment of your life.

Developing a mindfulness meditation practice is about training the mind to be more aware and to pay more attention to the present moment. Not the past, not the future. Just what’s happening right here, right now.

Originally mindfulness meditation developed in the Buddhist tradition, and Buddhist monks have been practicing mindfulness techniques for hundreds of years. Around the middle of the 20th century, Westerners interested in Buddhist philosophy and psychology started to study mindfulness meditation and began to understand the benefits of meditation for themselves. Thanks to collaborations between Buddhist monks and interested Westerners, the practice of mindfulness has become more widespread outside of the Buddhist tradition. Nowadays mindfulness has become widely accepted by doctors and psychologists as a cognitive technique, which has its roots in Buddhism but can be practiced by anyone anywhere, regardless of their religious beliefs.

How to start mindfulness meditation?

Jon Kabat-Zinn, who introduced mindfulness meditation into Western medicine, has said that mindfulness: "could most easily be described as much ado about almost nothing, its not quite nothing, but its not so much about doing as about being, or as the Daoists would call it, its about non-doing”.

So, how you can start with mindfulness meditation? Mindfulness Meditation can be conducted or practiced through informal and formal techniques. While formal Mindfulness Meditation involves Yoga, in which there is a control and awareness of breathing patterns with appropriate body movements, informal Mindfulness Meditation includes taking into account each experience in life with relish and enjoyment.

It is recommended to get some initial guidance from the trained specialists at first. But, as soon as you will feel the main principles, techniques, and guidelines, you will be able to practice Mindfulness Meditation individually anywhere anytime.

You need to find a quiet moment and a quiet place where you know you wont be interrupted for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Here are some brief recommendations for beginners:

• Sit in a comfortable position. A straight-backed chair which ensures you sit as upright as possible, is fine. If you prefer and dont feel too stiff, you can sit cross-legged on the floor.

• Sit in silence.
• Try to put aside all thoughts of the past and the future and stay in the present.
• Bring your attention to your breathing and watch your thoughts.
• Try to keep concentrating on your breath.
• Be aware of breathing in.
• Be aware of breathing out.
• Inhale and exhale. Feel your belly rise and fall, the air enter your nostrils and leave your mouth. Pay attention to the way each breath changes and is different.
• Keep your attention right there, on the flow of your breath.
• Watch every thought come and go, whether it is a worry, fear, anxiety or hope. When thoughts come up in your mind, dont ignore or suppress them but simply note them, remain calm and use your breathing as an anchor.
• If you find yourself getting carried away in your thoughts, observe where your mind went off to, without judging, and simply return to your breathing. Remember not to be hard on yourself if this happens.
• As the time comes to a close, sit for a minute or two, becoming aware of where you are. Get up gradually.

At first, that will not be easy, trust me. Your mind will try to get away from your instructions, returning restlessly to daily activities, family problems, personal worries, etc. But gradually as your meditation practice develops, you will find that you are better able to bring your attention to your breath, your body, your immediate surroundings and to see yourself in the context of your environment.

Mindfulness can be practiced sitting down, while walking, while eating, while standing in a queue, while waiting for the train, while chopping the vegetables, while cleaning the toilet, washing the dishes, sweeping the floor, checking email ...

Yes - mindfulness activities can be just about any activity that you do, but instead of doing something while youre thinking about five other things or trying to multi-task by answering the phone, tidying the table, and checking your make-up ... doing things mindfully means being there in the moment, concentrating on doing what youre doing and trying not to do more than one thing at a time.

Mindfulness meditation in bed

Dr. Kabat-Zinn – well-known meditation teacher, author, researcher, and clinician in the fields of mind/body medicine, integrative medicine, lifestyle change, and self-healing – offers the following guide on how to start practicing mindfulness meditation on wake up and before sleep. These are valuable moments, when we the mind is in the transitional phase between awake and asleep, and the effect of the meditation might be multiplied by this state.

1. Try lying in bed for a few moments after you wake up, and just ride on the waves of your own breathing moment by moment and breath by breath.

2. Experiment with expanding your awareness around your breath until it includes a sense of the body as a whole lying in bed breathing.

3. As best you can, be aware of the various sensations fluxing in the body, including the breath sensations.

4. Just rest in the awareness of lying here breathing, outside of time, even if it is only for a minute or two by the clock.

5. When you notice that the mind has a life of its own and wanders here and there, keep in mind that this is just what minds do, so there is no need to judge it.

6. Just note what is on your mind if you are no longer in touch with the breath or with the sensations of the body lying in the bed, and without judgment or criticism, just let that be part of your awareness in the moment, and feature once again the breath and the body center-stage in the field of your awareness.

7. Repeat the previous step a few million times.

8. It is very easy to fall into the thought stream and get caught up in the future (worrying, planning) and the past (remembering, blaming, pining) and in reactive and often painful emotions.

9. No need to try to stop any of this from happening when you can just bring a big embrace of openhearted, spacious, accepting awareness to it and, lo and behold, you are once again sitting on the bank of the thought stream, listening to the gurgling but not so caught up in the torrent for the moment.

10. You can cultivate mindfulness in this way lying in bed for a few moments in the morning, or in the evening before going to sleep.

Mindfulness exercises

Over time, you will develop your own style and routine, which will work best. For started, you can try several exercises to let you explore your own mind and find a better way for mindfulness practicing.

Exercise 1: One Minute of Mindfulness

This is an easy mindfulness exercise, and one that you can do anytime throughout the day. Take a moment right now to try this. Check your watch and note the time. For the next 60 seconds your task is to focus all your attention on your breathing. It’s just for one minute, but it can seem like an eternity. Leave your eyes open and breathe normally. Be ready to catch your mind from wandering off (because it will) and return your attention to your breath whenever it does so.

This mindfulness exercise is far more powerful than most people give it credit for. It takes some people many years of practice before they are able to complete a single minute of alert, clear attention.

Keep in mind that this mindfulness exercise is not a contest or a personal challenge. You can’t fail at this exercise, you can only experience it.

Use this exercise many times throughout the day to restore your mind to the present moment and to restore your mind to clarity and peace.

Over time, you can gradually extend the duration of this exercise into longer and longer periods. This exercise is actually the foundation of a correct mindfulness meditation technique.

Exercise 2: Conscious Observation

Pick up an object that you have lying around. Any ordinary object will do. Hold it in your hands and allow your attention to be fully absorbed by the object. Observe it. Don’t assess it, or think about it, or study it intellectually. Just observe it for what it is.

You’ll feel a sense of heightened "nowness" during this exercise. Conscious observation can really give you a feeling of "being awake". Notice how your mind quickly releases thoughts of past or future, and how different it feels to be in the moment. Conscious observation is a form of meditation. It’s subtle, but powerful. Try it...by practicing mindfulness in this way you’ll really start to sense what mindfulness is all about.

You can also practice conscious observation with your ears rather than your eyes. Many people find that mindful listening is a more powerful mindfulness technique than visual observation.

Exercise 3: The Ten Second Count

This is more of an exercise in practicing concentration than it is in mindfulness, and it is a simple variation on exercise 1. In this exercise, rather than focusing on your breath, you just close your eyes and focus your attention on slowly counting to ten. If your concentration wanders of, start back at number one! For most people, it goes something like this...

“One...two...three...do I have to buy milk today or did John say he’d do it? Oh, whoops, I’m thinking.”

“One...two...three...four...this isn’t so hard after all... Oh no....that’s a thought! Start again.”

“One...two...three... now I’ve got it. I’m really concentrating now...”

Exercise 4: Mindfulness Cues

In this exercise you focus your attention on your breathing whenever a specific environmental cue occurs. For example, whenever you hear the phone ring, you promptly bring your attention into the present moment and stay focused on your breath.

Simply choose a cue that works for you. Perhaps you will choose to become mindful every time you look in the mirror. Perhaps it will be every time your hands touch each other. Perhaps it will be every time you hear a bird.

Mindfulness cues are an excellent mindfulness technique that are designed to snap you out of the unconscious “autopilot” state of mind, and bring you back into the present moment.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.drugs.com/news/meditation-may-help-women-cope-hot-flashes-31741.html

http://www.natural-menopause-journey.com/mindfulness-meditation.html

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/mindbody/a/Meditation.htm

http://static.oprah.com/download/pdfs/presents/2007/spa/spa_meditate_daily.pdf

http://www.the-guided-meditation-site.com/mindfulness-exercises.html

Why the menopausal woman gets angry

During Perimenopause, in the transitional period before menopause, women experience a number of emotional problems and mood swings, including anger, in addition to physical changes. According to experts, perimenopause does not cause anger and other mood swings, but fluctuations in hormone production during perimenopause trigger anger, depressionand other mood swings that are already pre-existing.

Many women, at a slightest provocation, would have waves of intense emotions, such as anger go through them. Many would be intolerant of behaviors that transgressed their own limits, and limits of others. Some women would be focused on their sense of outrage and anger, and would intervene, frequently on behalf of others.

Suppressed Anger

According to a classic psychosocial epidemiological study, suppressed rage is linked with higher mortality rates, elevated risks of certain cancers, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease in both men and women.

A team of researchers at Stanford University in California found that women who repressed their emotions were more likely to show disruptions in the normal balance of the stress hormone cortisol, compared with those who did not. Earlier studies have shown that the unbalanced cortisol fluctuations can predict early death in women with breast cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.

The difficulty with anger in women is that although it is a perfectly natural emotion, few women are taught to express it in a positive way. As girls, many were cautioned that anger is “unladylike,” and expressing it should be avoided at all costs. As adults, these women may have trouble untangling their anger from a knot of other emotions, like anxiety and depression. Younger women may have been raised under looser constraints, yet still find themselves bewildered, guilty, and depleted by their angry feelings, which can simmer just beneath the surface, or explode uncontrollably at random moments.

Anger is extremely powerful. It helps us clarify objectives and propels us to safety — but it can take a big toll on our health, happiness and loved ones. The key to getting the full benefit of anger is to understand its biological and emotional roots, and then to make the necessary changes to put you — not your rage — back in control.

From social perspectives, it is quite easier for men to express their anger, in part because society accepts and “relies” on their aggressiveness for protection. While many can condone a man who explodes, women who voice their anger are often looked down upon.

Biologically, the “male” hormone testosteronehas been associated with aggression and irritability in men, at both low and high levels. Women with a testosterone imbalance may evidence a similar tendency to blow. They just usually express it differently. However, it’s still unclear whether people who are angry have more testosterone as a result of generating it while angry or because a deregulation in their testosterone levels might cause excess anger.

What is clear is that men are far more likely to strike out at another person or object in anger, whereas women are more prone to express anger indirectly or at themselves. Younger women are now given more leeway to externally express anger and are doing so — but it’s often misdirected toward a “safe” target (like a spouse or child) instead of the real source. Therefore, many guilty feelings in women can be traced back to misdirected anger, and studies on gender and anger show that women most often feel shame, guilt and resentment in response to angry outbursts.

Logical Way to Overcome Suppressed Anger

1. Understand that anger has no place inside you.Most people have repressed anger towards someone or something. The biggest problem is that it is very hard to relieve. This is because people have always looked at anger as a negative emotion. That’s the way we have been trained to think, when in fact, there is nothing wrong with anger. It is a natural emotion and an accepted response to negative triggers; it is never meant to be kept within. So as long as it is released and expressed, it does not become a pollutant in your life.

But when you choose to hide, ignore, or deny the emotion, it gets buried in your psyche, and once embedded, it can rot and fester until its effects become so powerful that it negatively affects all aspects of your life.

2. Understand that anger requires a solution. The problem with suppressed anger is that it invites more anger and more problems and conflicts into your life. When something makes you angry, it is a sign that there is a need for change. If you ignore or hide your anger, then the situation that triggered your anger in the first place will not be changed. This leads to the possibility of that same problem to come up again in the future.

Use our Wellness Diary to track your anger pattern. Note whether you become irritable at certain times of the month, after eating certain foods, or under certain circumstances. These triggers are stressful to your body, and will set off your alarm. Learning to spot them in advance helps you retrain your reaction, giving the “thinking” part of your brain the upper hand. This is why counting to ten before you react really works! It may take practice, but working on it each and every time your anger emerges will make a big difference over time.

3. Use it positively. Remember, anger is energy, a powerful force. So just think about it: if it can create such powerful effects when used negatively, it can also be used to wield positive effects. There is a way for you to transform anger into a positive emotion. All you have to do is be in control of it, instead of let it control you.

• Be responsible for your anger. Recognize your own emotion and make a personal decision to release it and transform it into a positive force in your life.
• Express it in your own way. Find some way to express your anger. One of the most effective and safe ways of doing so is to express it in writing. You don’t even have to worry about grammar or spelling. What’s important is to let the feelings out. Even if you don’t emotionally express the anger, writing about it is one way of letting it out so it does not get trapped and start poisoning you from within.

4. Learn to forgive. It is impossible to overcome anger towards a person if you do not learn how to forgive that person. Forgiving does not mean you have to go right back to the previous relationship you had with that person. Many people are not willing to forgive because they think forgiveness will benefit those who wronged them. But the truth is, when you choose to forgive, you are the one who benefits from it because you are finally freeing yourself.

If you are having difficulty forgiving, use positive affirmations and visualization. Visualize your life without anger and use subliminal messages to teach your subconscious to let go of negative emotions that hold you back.

It is even more important and occasionally is more complicated to forgive yourself!

Practical Recommendations on Dealing with Anger

Smart Anger Channeling

Seek out a safe place to be furious. Before confronting the object of your rage, talk with a trusted friend, co-worker or counselor who can help get to the root of whats pressing your buttons. Thinking it over with someone safe may help you figure out less hostile, more instructive ways to express your feelings with a loved one, colleague or boss.

Approach the person who sent your blood boiling in the first place. As a general guideline, the more significant the relationship, the more important it is to articulate feelings in a constructive way. She suggests trying something like, "This is bothering me. Something has to change. How can we deal with it?"

Identify the reason behind the rage. Theres always something underlying an angry reaction. The trick here is to find the trigger. If its not obvious, keeping a log of anger experiences may help you uncover patterns. For some people, professional help may be needed to delve through deep-rooted feelings of shame and anger that started in childhood.

Physical Exercises

Simple changes in your life style can lessen stresses, such as, anger and other mood swings, during the period leading to menopause. Following an exercise regimen is one good way of reducing anger during menopause. Exercise, a great stress-reliever has antidepressant and anxiolytic (anxiety relieving) effects. Regular exercisers typically have fewer mental and physical health problems, and brisk walks three times a week will help you during Perimenopause to reduce the severity of anger and other mood swings.

Exercising also stimulates endorphins, hormones that reduce the sensation of pain and affect emotions, such as anger, and boosts Serotonin levels. Serotonin regulates cyclic body processes. In addition, exercise helps you sleep better, and controls weight gain, which is normally associated with perimenopause and menopause. It is far better to take out your pent up emotions and anger on the jogging/walking track and the gym equipments, than on your family, friends and colleagues!

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before deciding on an exercise regimen. It would normally take several weeks, as much as four months, before you will see improvements in your mood swings and anger.

Creativity

Release anger through creativity. Depending on your personality and situation, a soothing activity that feeds your soul can be very healing. Allow your true colors to show through your creation — whether it’s a meal, painting, craft, song or dance — any creative pursuit that allows you unfettered self-expression can help you let go of your anger and move on.

Cooling Off

Take several deep breaths. If you find yourself blinded by heat-of-the-moment anger, try to buy some time to cool off a bit, especially if you think youre at risk of harming someone physically or emotionally. You may even need to walk away from the situation for a while. Remember, though, that in the long run, fleeing the scene wont help you express yourself. So ask for a few moments to collect your thoughts and then say what needs to be said.

Use this break to practice useful relaxation techniques achieved through breathing. Standing or sitting, stretch arms out to the side just away from the body while mentally sending the tension down the inside of the arms and out through the fingertips. Then do a few minutes of even meditative breathing to calm the body-mind. Example: breathe in one count; breathe out one count; breathe in one count and continue.

If you have a bit more time to cool off (like 5 minutes), you can try walking meditation approach. Take a walk, swinging your arms back and forth - when your right foot steps forward, your left arm swings forward, and when your left foot steps forward your right arm swings forward. Keep your breathing even, such as 2 steps to breathe in and 2 steps to breathe out. While walking, think about the reasons you get angry in the first place? Frustration with others or yourself?

Anti-Anger Diet

Effect of Diet on Anger During Menopause For women in perimenopause and menopause, diet has a great effect on the emotional aspects, such as anger. Diets rich in protein and especially Omega-3 fatty acids, reduced intake of sugar, caffeine and carbohydrates, etc, should be highly preferred. Salmon, tuna, and other cold-water fish and flaxseed oil are the sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Red clover helps to regulate female hormones due to its high content of phytoestrogens, plant-like compounds that act like estrogen on a womans system. By reintroducing the estrogen-like properties with red clover, a womans body may be able to more easily regulate a hormonal imbalance triggering irritability, anger and other emotional changes.

Black cohosh has some estrogenic effects on the body and provides many of the benefits of estrogen without the danger of artificial hormone replacement therapy. It has been used for centuries by traditional herbalists to balance womens hormones and is still used to relieve menopausal symptoms, including irritability, anger, mood swings and depression.

The Indian spice saffron is used frequently in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of menopausal symptoms related to depression, anxiety, anger, irritability, insomnia, mood swings and other emotional upsets.

Supplements

Along with adding diet and exercise to your lifestyle, you can add supplements to help with symptoms of anger during perimenopause and menopause:

• Amino acid tryptophan - a natural relaxant that reduces anxiety and depression by increasing serotonin levels.
• Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) - It works as a natural tranquilizer.
• DLPA (D, L-phenylalanine) - It bolsters mood-elevating chemicals in the brain and blocks a nervous system enzyme that amplifies pain signals. It is a more effective pain reliever in combination with GABA.
• B-complex vitamins also can play a role in boosting mood and improving tension and stress levels in menopausal women.
• Tyrosene - It is a natural stimulant and very appropriate to get rid of mood swings.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/2462/1/Menopause-and-Anger.html

http://www.alternative-cancer-care.com/Cancer_Anger_Hate.html

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/subliminal-messages-overcoming-repressed-anger-in-4-steps

http://www.womentowomen.com/emotionsandhealth/angerinwomen.aspx

http://www.power-surge.com/headlines/anger.htm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/396737-herbal-remedies-for-anger-in-menopause/

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art25066.asp

How to Deal Naturally with Vaginal Bleeding After Menopause

Menopausal transition inevitably occurs later in a woman’s life, usually between 45 and 55 years old. As women age, estrogen levels gradually decline, ovaries stop producing eggs and menstruation eventually stops. However, some women experience postmenopausal bleeding, which can be heavy at times. Some herbal remedies may help to stop the bleeding, although there is little scientific evidence that herbs actually work, as there was no research completed on the topic. We would recommend you to consult your physician before taking any herbal supplements to fight this condition.

Here are some of the most popular organic and natural supplements, considered to be effective in addressing post menopausal bleeding are briefly presented below.

Alfalfa

 Alfalfa which balances hormones, lowers cholesterol, and eases vaginal inflammation when eaten in itself, taken as a supplement, or infused in a sitz bath. Alfalfa is an excellent source of the Vitamin K, which may help to minimize or completely end the postmenopausal bleeding.

Vitamin K is manufactured by friendly bacteria in the intestines. If you take antibiotics for any reason, it may kill bacteria without asking if they are friend or foe. Vitamin K might make the difference between bleeding and not bleeding, or at least less bleeding rather than more. It is recommended to take a vitamin K as supplement, consume acidophilus or eat yogurt to help replace the friendly bacteria, and/or eat foods rich in vitamin K.

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh is another favorite gynaecological ingredient due to its menstrual symptom-relieving properties. It is a menopausal herb that acts specifically on the uterus. It contains photochemical and plant estrogens that mimic your bodys natural estrogen production. It has also been effective in regulating bleeding. The herb has minimal negative effects, with users sometimes experiencing mild headaches. Black cohosh has been prescribed by German doctors since the 1950s to reduce uterine cramping.

Tinctures and tablets containing extract of black cohosh are recommended to lower blood pressure and to stimulate the pituitary gland. You can also try cinnamon bark tincture to address the bleeding. Six to twelve drops of it on your tongue or mixed with drinking water or juice and taken thrice daily can do wonders in alleviating lower back pain and treating uterine haemorrhaging.

Shepherd’s Purse

Shepherd’s purse (CapseIla bursapastoris) is a weed that originated in the Middle East, but it now grows across the globe. Modern herbalists and naturopaths use the entire plant for various treatments. Shepherd’s purse is dried and infused in a liquid extract or as a tincture. Naturopaths use Shepherds purse tea to stop all types of hemorrhages, including the regulation of bleeding and spotting. It helps to regulate progesterone levels and has androgenic properties.

However, there is no scientific research that supports the use of this herbal remedy to control bleeding. Shepherds purse can cause side effects such as thyroid enlargement, low blood pressure, trouble walking, unusual drowsiness, enlarged pupils and respiratory paralysis.

Wild Yam

Traditionally, naturopaths used wild yam to treat menstrual cramps and difficulties with childbirth. The plant contains a compound that can be chemically converted into the hormone progesterone, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. By many practitioners it is considered as a valid alternative to traditional hormone treatment. The herb is used as a base for many marketed natural creams used to reduce symptoms of menopause. As said, it is an estrogenic herb whose progestogenic properties help alleviate post-menopausal bleeding.

In spite of the good record on the plant effectiveness in reducing negative menopause symptoms, including postmenstrual bleeding, there is still not much scientific evidence to validate the results. Wild yam is a source of phytoestrogen, a plant-based estrogen, which may adversely interact with some hormonal replacement therapies.

Life Root

Life root is an herbal remedy traditionally used in Native American culture to hasten childbirth. Liferoot is a menopause herb that contains plant estrogens.  Life root grows naturally throughout the United States and the entire plant is used for medicinal purposes.

Menopausal women can use this to treat excessive or irregular bleeding that occurs as body goes through its change. The plant is also included in some herbal supplements designed to control irregular menses. However, the herb contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids and is not considered safe. The plant is toxic and should be taken with extreme care, according to Drugs.com. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are related to hypertensive pulmonary vascular disease and liver cancer.

Soy

Soy is a plant that contains phytoestrogens called isoflavones. Phytoestrogens are substances that mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen. During menopause your ovaries stop producing this hormone. You can get soy from foods such as soy milk, soybeans and tofu. There are also soy-containing supplements available on the market. 

Soy isoflavones have been used to treat hot flashes and excessive bleeding associated with menopause. However, evidence supporting its effectiveness is still conflicting. Some studies suggest moderate relief; others suggest no relief; or the placebo effect. Possible side effects include constipation, diarrhea, nausea, bloating, and/or headache. Do not use soy-containing supplements if you have or had breast cancer.

Other Considerations

To naturally keep vaginal bleeding after menopause at bay, strive for a serene state of mind and go on a healthy diet and lifestyle. Stress and anxiety are major causes of psychosomatic post-menopausal symptoms that include vaginal bleeding. Being calm and centered can do wonders for your overall emotional, mental, and physical well-being without having to rely on medication. Likewise, going on a sensible diet plan instead of crash dieting can help prevent post-menopausal vaginal bleeding. Discuss your nutritional needs with your doctor to come up with the best method to lose weight gradually. You may desire immediate results, as far as your weight is concerned, but being healthy should still be your top priority.

Nutritional choices have an effect on your hormonal balance. Poor dietary choices can increase chances of bleeding during menopause. Eating a well-balanced diet is recommended to prevent episodes of bleeding. Taking supplemental vitamins during menopause also helps to regulate your bodys estrogen levels. You can take Vitamin A supplements and a Vitamin B complex to help with bleeding. Taking Vitamin C is also a good way to help with the symptoms of post-menopausal spotting. Bioflavonoids are collagen-building nutrients that help strengthen blood vessels to reduce bleeding.

Ladys mantle and periwinkle are remedies that help promote blood coagulation. It is also helpful to consume more green vegetables like kale, spinach, celery and parsley to help with breakthrough bleeding.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://voices.yahoo.com/post-menopausal-bleeding-dealing-naturally-8237133.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/538273-herbs-to-stop-postmenopausal-bleeding/

http://www.ehow.com/way_5462393_natural-remedies-bleeding-during-menopause.html

http://remedyoftheday.com/2009/01/vitamin-k.html

http://voices.yahoo.com/vaginal-bleeding-after-menopause-deal-with-8178389.html?cat=5