Ever have one of those moments when you think, “What on earth is happening to me???” And then the thought hits you… is this menopause? I remember that moment well! In this article I’m going to share with you some ways in which you can use essential oils for menopause – to make that journey a whole lot easier!
The first sign that I was approaching menopause was actually a frozen shoulder and even that took a while for me to work out. I had this sore shoulder for ages. It was so painful I couldn’t even sleep on that side.
I was telling a friend about it and she said that she had it too. It was in one arm for a year and when it started to get better she got it in her other arm. I then told another lady and she too had it and she said it was to do with menopause and dropping oestrogen levels. I didn’t believe her at first as I had never heard of this. So I Googled it and sure enough a lot of menopausal women have frozen shoulder.
Am I going through menopause?
I don’t get hot flushes or night sweats. My doctor did a blood test not that long ago and she said my hormone levels were ok??? I started looking for other symptoms that could indicate that I was peri menopausal. Sure I’ve put on a bit of weight, but hey, we’ve practically been locked up for the last year. I have noticed it is harder to lose the weight, even when I have been eating healthy, but isn’t that from bad eating, too much wine and not enough exercise?
And then there is the undeniable, uncontrollable PMS that comes a day or so before my period. I have never suffered PMS before ever. I don’t know if it’s because I had years of using depo provera as a contraceptive and not having a period? But I honestly haven’t ever experienced the emotional rollercoaster of anger and overwhelming sadness that I have been feeling for a day or two right before menstruation. It’s like being an emotional dragon.
I do feel tired a lot but hey, don’t all mums who work and run a taxi service for their children to get to after school activities? And it’s not that my libido is low. I’m just too tired to be interested in anything other than sleeping in the bedroom.
So what is menopause?
I was still getting a period and technically speaking menopause is when you haven’t had a period for at least 12 months straight. Plus, don’t you have to be in your 50’s? I am only 45.
So when I added this all up I was starting to realised that maybe it was time for “the change” as my mother called it. I was in what is called peri menopause. For some women this can start up to 10 years before they go through menopause. This new phase in my life is where I go from being able to bear children to …….. Hmm, I wasn’t sure what I would be now.
I had read about this time being the Wise Woman period of my life. A time for me. A phase where women are less influenced by sex hormones and more in touch with their intuition. This sounded good as I could do with some clear thinking and less brain fog.
Or was it? I had also read and heard about it being this downhill slope that so many women experience? Were there more symptoms yet to come and this was only the beginning? What would my next ten years be like?
Why do some women get a lot of symptoms during menopause?
I remember my mum telling me that she breezed through menopause because she didn’t get any hot flushes or night sweats. This is a symptom a lot of women associate with being in menopause. However you only have to join any menopause support group on Facebook to realise there are a truck load more. So why do some women get a lot of symptoms during menopause and others get none?
A co-worker of mine, Pamela Lund likens healthy hormonal balance to the four legs of a table. If just one of the legs is wonky then the table is unbalanced and could topple over causing a myriad of symptoms during menopause. The four legs are:
Stress
The female endocrine system (the system which includes our hormones) is very sensitive to stress. This stress could be from too much work and not enough sleep. The modern-day pressures women experience trying to juggle everything that is expected of them, without adopting good stress management techniques, puts a strain on their sympathetic nervous system. Under chronic stress, cortisol levels rise and this can cause a reduction in other hormones being produced.
Diet and Exercise
Eating the wrong foods for your body – especially a lot of sugars and simple carbohydrates, or too many processed foods – can lead to hormone imbalance. Not getting enough good fats to make hormones, not drinking enough water and not exercising regularly all impact on being able to maintain healthy hormones.
Emotional issues from past traumas
If we don’t deal with our emotions when they first come up our brain stores them away until we are able to process them. This might be the death of a child, a marriage breakdown or other trauma. Often these emotions come back up during menopause as other emotional issues we are dealing with compound them. Emotional toxins can be just a harmful to our well-being as environmental and chemical ones.
Hormones
Hormone such as progesterone and oestrogen. Progesterone plays an important role in influencing menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause. Genetic makeup, environmental influences, and other factors can negatively impact progesterone levels, which may lead to other imbalances in the body. Oestrogen and Progesterone levels both drop when women go through menopause. The change in hormone levels plays a big part in the symptoms women may experience during this time of their life but as you’ve seen above it is not the only contributing factor.
It is therefore essential that women work on balancing all of these four areas. You can learn more about this here.
This is why I love essential oils for menopause
I’m always trying to find natural solutions. That’s why I LOVE essential oils for menopause – they’ve really helped me. Some of the essential oils that I have found to be truly amazing at balancing the legs of my table include:
Clary Sage Wellness Oil
This is one of my favourite and most recommended essential oils for menopause.
Traditionally used in Aromatherapy:
- To regulate a healthy menstrual cycle;
- To promotes menstrual flow;
- To relieve menstrual cramps and pain;
- To relieve fatigue and feelings of weakness;
- To decrease excessive sweating;
- To maintain a healthy appetite;
Directions for use:
Topical: Dilute 1 drop of Clary Sage Wellness Oil with 1 drop of V-6™ or olive oil. Test on small area of skin on the underside of arm and apply to desired area as needed.
Inhalation: Apply 1-6 drops of undiluted essential oil to a tissue and inhale occasionally. Use up to 3 times daily.
Aromatic: Diffuse up to 30 minutes 3 times daily.Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist talk to your health professional.
Dragon Time Essential Oil Blend
The name pretty much sums it up for me. Dragon Time may promote feelings of forgiveness, gratitude, and self-worth, and may help release negative emotions. This essential oil blend is relaxing, calming, and balancing.
Dragon Time is a proprietary blend of Fennel, Clary Sage, Marjoram, Lavender, Blue Yarrow, and Jasmine essential oils. Its sweet, herbaceous aroma can help promote feelings of stability and calm during cycles of moodiness. Diffuse, inhale directly, or apply Dragon Time topically to experience its steadying aromatic properties.
Stress Away Essential Oil Blend
Young Living’s Stress Away ™ essential oil blend is a natural solution created to combat normal stresses that creep into everyday life. Stress Away is the first product to contain the unique stress-relieving combination of lime and vanilla pure essential oils. With an aroma that is the perfect blend of tropical and citrus, Stress Away is uniquely relaxing and comforting.
Progessence Phyto Plus
This is my second most favourite essential oil for menopause.
Progessence Phyto Plus ™ features some of our most-loved essential oils, including Sacred Frankincense and Peppermint oil, to create an essential oil blend that perfectly pampers you. Formulated specifically for women, and ideal for women over 30, Young Living’s Progessence Phyto Plus is a great addition to your day or night-time routine.
Wild yam extract and vitamin E support your skin in looking its best, while Frankincense smooths the look of fine lines. Keep your skin looking as young as you feel and add a few drops to your moisturiser or massage it directly onto your skin.
Grab my Free Hormone Balance Quiz
If you would like to learn more about maintaining healthy hormones and essential oils for menopause why not download our Hormone Balance Quiz by clicking the link below. If after taking the quiz you would to talk about it you are welcome to make an appointment with me.
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