ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH MENOPAUSE?
Why is menopause treated like a disease, when it’s really a natural life process?
Are you suddenly experiencing:
- Hot flashes?
- Night Sweats?
- Mood Swings?
- Weight Gain?
- Headaches?
- Low Energy?
- Insomnia?
- Unpleasant Menstral Symptoms?
If you answered yes to these, and you are entering menopause, then keep reading…
Is Menopause a Disease?
No! It is a natural, physiological cycle that occurs in all women. Conventional medical treatments only address various symptoms associated with menopause, like those mentioned above.
But the symptoms you are experiencing are just a part of the whole picture.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine understand that symptoms are simply an indication of an imbalance deep within the body. The science of this 5,000 year-old healing art is focused on correcting the underlying imbalances. These imbalances have been occurring for years, but it is during menopause when they manifest as uncomfortable symptoms.
A Woman’s Natural Process and Initiation:
Menopause is the sign of a significant change within a woman’s body and life. It symbolizes a new chapter. A new beginning. A time when a woman can fully integrate her past experience, let go of what doesn’t help her any longer, and start a fresh, new, empowering life.
This change happens on a deep physiologically chemical level. This chemical change is recognized by Chinese medicine as a natural process.
Estrogen is similar to what acupuncturists call “Jing Qi”. Jing can be roughly translated as “essence”. Jing Qi is like a gift that is given to all of us at conception. It is the battery that provides us with basic energy to power all our life functions. When Jing Qi is abundant, our ability to adapt to disease, illness and stress is optimal.
As we age, our supply of Jing Qi is slowly depleted. Generally Jing Qi naturally begins to decline between the ages of 35 and 60. Although some people, who have a more active life, drain it faster than others. Chinese medicine encourages a harmonious transition with the decrease of Jing Qi. What this means is that our external lifestyle should match our internal state of energy.
If your Jing Qi is decreasing and you are putting out more energy in your work, family and exercise regimes, then you will just encourage a faster depletion of Jing Qi. The result of which will be an internal imbalance within your Organ Systems.
This imbalance, which is often the case in our modern world, can lead to a variety of symptoms:
- Graying of Hair
- Loss of Libido
- Weakness of Knees
- Lower Back Pain
- Urinary Difficulty
- Poor Memory
- Fatigue
- Vaginal Dryness
- Backache
Balancing Yin and Yang:
On top of Jing Qi depletion, there is yet another factor that can contribute to an unpleasant menopause. This is the imbalance between yin and yang energies in the body. Yin can be viewed as the cooling system of the body. While Yang can be viewed as the heating system. Often, in menopausal women, there is a decrease of Yin, the cooling system. What happens is that the heating system will naturally rise. The result:
- Night Sweats
- Restlessness
- Hot Flashes
- Mood Swings
- Heart Palpitations
- Insomnia
But sometimes, the cause is a decline of Yang in the body. Yang also represents the metabolic functions of the body, in which case your symptoms may be:
- Water Retention
- Cold Hands and Feet
- Weight Gain
- Edema
- Indigestion
- High Blood Pressure
- Raised Cholesterol Levels
- Low Energy
The tricky part is that for the majority of women, there is a decrease in both Yin and Yang. Which is why it’s important to seek the professional diagnosis of a doctor of Chinese medicine.
When these imbalances are left untreated… Yin, Yang and Jing deteriorate further… and some of the above symptoms may occur, leading to a Western diagnosis of menopause.
How Jing Qi Can be Drained:
- Too Much Stress
- Over Working
- Over Exercising
- Pushing Yourself Too Far
- Unhealthy Dietary habits
- Inherited Weakness
- Burning the Candle at both ends
- Sitting or Standing for long periods
- Excessive activities (sexual, alcohol, drugs, late nights)
- Insufficient Rest and Sleep
- Lack of Water Intake
- Too many Pregnancies (lifestyle factors are dependent on assessing how many are too many for you)
How Can Acupuncture Help You?
An acupuncturist will conduct a thorough evaluation and a complete health history. By gathering all this data, the puzzle of your symptoms can be put together to give you a systematic individualized treatment plan to counteract your discomforting symptoms.
When treating menopausal symptoms, we must first determine where the energy has changed. We need to know which Organ Systems and Meridians are affected and imbalanced. Once this is known, acupuncture and other therapies can be used to restore balance and harmony in your body.
Other therapies that your acupuncturist may recommend are:
- Chinese Herbal Therapy
- Qi Gong, Yoga
- Meditation
- Dietary Adjustments
- Supplementation Programs
- Massage
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is a SAFE, NATURAL, DRUG-FREE and EFFECTIVE way to address menopausal symptoms. The treatments strengthen the healing energies of Jing Qi, Yin and Yang. By providing the body with the building blocks to nourish, heal and balance itself, acupuncture can help your transition be smoother.
Get started today and feel great again.
To book your first acupuncture treatment at our Ottawa location, simply call us at 613-216-2135 or click here to book online NOW !