| If you are a woman, you will experience | | | | balancing act. And if you feel the need for |
| menopause at some point in your life. And in fact, | | | | tranquilizers, try consulting a naturalist who can |
| regardless of your age, you are likely in the | | | | help you instead of using prescription drugs. Your |
| throes of some phase of menopause right this | | | | body will respond much better to natural herbs. |
| minute! So here are some tips to help you | | | | 4. Engage in a creative outlet that invokes a |
| through "The Change" ... simple things to make life | | | | sense of achievement - This will be different for |
| easier. | | | | everyone. Maybe with the children gone from the |
| 1. Exercise and eat healthy - Although we should | | | | home, you are feeling somewhat ungrounded and |
| all be doing this at all stages of our lives, it | | | | like you have no real purpose in life. Or maybe |
| becomes more important as we age and enter | | | | the absence of children now allows you some |
| menopause. By exercising and eating more | | | | freedom you didn't previously have. Now is the |
| healthy, we help our bodies to age slower and | | | | time to do the things you've put off doing before |
| repair some of the damage we have inflicted in | | | | because you didn't have the time. Learn how to |
| our younger days. Osteoporosis is a serious | | | | quilt, get involved with a community organization |
| concern for menopausal women and it is never | | | | and teach others how to read, volunteer to help |
| too early to start doing everything to either | | | | with relief efforts either locally or long distance |
| prevent or reverse this bone disease. | | | | through your church or another non-profit agency. |
| 2. Find a calming skill to practice such as yoga, | | | | 5. Stay connected with your family and friends - |
| meditation or breathing exercises - Join the YMCA | | | | For some women, depression can be a big deal |
| or take classes at your local hospital or | | | | when going through menopause ... either |
| community college. You can also likely find a cable | | | | depression from the changes that are happening |
| TV show that will help in getting started in calming | | | | or just hormonal fluctuations that cause feelings |
| your life. For centuries, the Chinese, young and old | | | | of depression. Whatever the cause, be sure to |
| alike, have benefited from slow-moving exercises | | | | keep close to friends and family. Find someone |
| so consider joining a Tai Chi class. | | | | who has already experienced menopause or is |
| 3. Avoid tranquilizers and alcohol - If you don't | | | | going through it at the same time. Find a support |
| drink or feel the need for tranquilizers, you're | | | | group if necessary and make new friends. |
| home-free on this one. But if you do drink, make | | | | Surviving menopause is no different than surviving |
| an effort to cut back. Both the alcohol and the | | | | all the other phases of your life. Just do a little |
| sugar in the alcohol will keep your system | | | | planning, see what others are doing, get involved |
| off-balance and at this stage in your life, you don't | | | | and stay in touch. And remember, menopause is |
| need anything else to upset the menopause | | | | just another part of the circle of life. |