.png)
As a yoga and meditation teacher, I know the benefits of working with the body and mind well. My experience is not the only proof. Studies have shown that yoga and meditation have incredible healing power on body, mind and emotions. In this blog, I’ll write about my experiences and what has worked so far to help me navigate the deep waters of perimenopause. In time, maybe I’ll create a long and useful tips list to help other women going through this rite of passage.
There are many things to write about perimenopause and menopause. We can approach the subject from many different angles: physical, emotional, spiritual, mental… to name a few.
Today, I have decided to sit down and write about some useful information I discovered recently while feeling utterly exhausted and in pain.
Before we dive deeper into the Adrenal Magic, please allow me more time to explain what happened and how this information found its way to me.
I currently have two jobs: my yoga and meditation classes in the evening and another job in the morning. My morning job is simple, but I work with people who measure their happiness by how much drama they can create and how many people they can drag along. I don’t like to participate in their drama, and because of that, I am the designated black sheep. Although I usually don’t care, there are days when I know that is not OK. I had to learn to stand up for myself and to create strong boundaries, and in the process, I often feel vulnerable and, at the end of the day, exhausted.
I remember tracking the days when I felt more open to exhaustion, physical pain, depression and vulnerability. I noticed that these symptoms would appear on specific days between the 15th and 28th day of my menstrual cycle. As a starting point, I focused on one symptom: exhaustion. Why was I feeling completely depleted of energy?
As usual, I ask the question aloud and wait for the Universe to answer. You don’t have to follow the same process; you can ask your GP or a healthcare provider. I like to work with energy, so I often prefer to let the Universe know what I need and surrender to the process until the answers find me….and they always do!
One day, I was on Instagram on my account @satyasakara, posting about menopause. When I was about to leave, a post by a lady I was following caught my eye. She was talking about the role of the Adrenal Glands in menopause.
Wait! What?
I read the short post and went to look for more.
Did you know that the role of the adrenal glands is crucial in transitioning from the fertile years through perimenopause and menopause?
The adrenal glands are endocrine glands located on top of our kidneys. They produce essential hormones, including cortisol, aldosterone, and adrenaline, to help us regulate critical bodily functions, including metabolism, blood pressure, and our response to stress and change.
Another essential function of the Adrenal glands is synthesising a hormone called Pregnenolone.
Pregnenolone is often called the “Mother of Hormones” because it can be broken down into other hormones, like DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, and oestrogen. That is why pregnenolone is important during menopause, when hormone production declines and the adrenal glands take over some of the roles of the ovaries.
When we are stressed, our body produces more cortisol to help us cope, and pregnenolone, instead of converting to progesterone, is transformed into cortisol, decreasing progesterone, DHEA, oestrogen, and testosterone levels.
That is why, during perimenopause and menopause, women should rest more and make changes to their lifestyle.
When the adrenal glands are unable to produce enough sex hormones, it can lead to symptoms women tend to experience in menopause like fatigue, mood changes, depression, anxiety, sleep challenges, low libido, and hot flashes.
This is also why healthy adrenal glands can make perimenopause easier.
This is a list of things I do to help me journey through this Rite of Passage. Try them and see if they work for you. I found them to be highly beneficial to my health and well-being.
These tips are genuinely beneficial when we experience adrenal fatigue, and menopause symptoms can be improved.
Practising a simple yoga asana like Viparita Karani, also known as “Legs Up the Wall,” with the pelvis elevated on a bolster or several folded blankets, can be highly beneficial. Viparita Karani can slow the heart rate, relax our blood vessels, slow brain waves, and reduce stress hormones. When we are practising “Legs up the Wall,” we stimulate baroreceptors in the neck and upper chest, triggering reflexes that reduce nerve input into the adrenal glands, thus slowing the heart rate and brain waves, relaxing blood vessels, and reducing the amount of Noradrenaline in the blood.
Meditation is also essential for managing the symptoms of adrenal fatigue that leads to the common symptoms of menopause. Many types of meditation can help. I’d advise trying as many meditation styles as possible until you find what works for you and stick with it. Even sitting in meditation for 10 minutes a day and conscientiously sending love and gratitude to your adrenal glands can improve your perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Sit in a comfortable position with your back open and elongated, place your hands around the kidney area, and visualise your adrenal glands; send them love and gratitude. If you are a visual person, you can visualise that loving energy moving from your heart into your adrenals. If you are not very visual, you can voice it by repeating to your glands the Ho’oponopono mantra: “I am sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you.”
Spending time in nature has been a balm for my body and soul. When I am walking in nature, bathing in the sweet water of my lake, or sitting under a tree, my body automatically goes into a state of balance where it can recharge, regulate, and heal. We don’t often think about nature’s healing power, a mistake we must address. Mother Nature, Earth, Goddess, or however you see Her, has amazing healing and transformative powers. Women are deeply connected to the Earth. Our bodies and souls remember that powerful connection when we spend time in nature. The body starts rebalancing its energies, transforming what needs to be healed and reclaiming its innate healing power.
I am not a nutritionist, so I cannot give you exact information about what supplements you can take, what food is good for you, and what you should avoid. But I talked to a nutritionist about moving through perimenopause, and she gave me great advice based on my body type. I’d suggest changing how you eat and drink with the help of a qualified nutritionist because the food you eat, what you drink, and the natural supplements you take can significantly impact how your adrenal glands work.
Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Energy Healing, and Shamanic Rituals have had a profound impact on the way I approach my symptoms and life in perimenopause. I allow myself to receive Earth Medicine and surrender to the healing power of a higher intelligence by seeing a holistic therapist, a shaman, or a healer who can help me on this journey. By doing that, I allow the natural healing power of my body to work, and I remember how to listen to my body. And when I hear its voice and respond accordingly, my adrenal glands are happy.
Moving through perimenopause and menopause can be a difficult process for many women. Talking about it with friends, support groups, therapists, healers, and medical practitioners can benefit our mental health. Starting with menopause, many women experience depression, rage, and anxiety, and I am going to talk about this in another post. In this short paragraph, I‘d like to outline the importance of discussing how you feel with people who can listen and help you. Your mental health in menopause should be one of your priorities.
Remember that Perimenopause and Menopause are a powerful Rite of Passage filled with wisdom, knowledge, and love. During these transition years, we become the embodiment of those qualities. In the years of perimenopause, we start shedding what we do not need anymore while we become the Empress, the Crone, the Wise One, and the full embodiment of the Goddess on Earth. There is so much to write about the spiritual aspect of menopause, but I’ll do that in a later post.
One last note…
When you read this post, please remember that life doesn’t stop in menopause… and that a new phase is about to begin! The pain you may experience is a symptom of something hidden within.
Practising yoga and meditation, spending time with nature and receiving healing can truly support you during your sacred rite of passage.
Love
Michela Sborchia Venturini
© Michela Sborchia ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Comments