| Connecting
With Your Women's Widom
The Path to Self-Discovery and Joy
By Liz Sterling
Christiane Northrup, M.D. brings together
conventional, alternative and mind/body healing.
“We commonly think of the mind, body and emotions as
separate entities.” says Christiane Northurp, M.D. It
turns out that they are connected via a complex network of
nerves and cells that make up the endocrine, immune and nervous
systems. She continues, “ Every thought you think, every
emotion you feel, every interaction you’re involved
in has an impact on your overall health. To fully tap into
your potential for creating health, joy and serenity, you
also need to harness the power of your thoughts and emotions.”
Dr. Northrup calls this “coming home to yourself.”
She believes that to create and maintain optimal health two
things are required. “First,” she advises, “we
must have information and knowledge about our bodies and second,
a strong connection with our inner guidance, or women's wisdom.
A partnership between these two things is the essence of empowerment,
allowing us to make well-informed, individualized decisions
about our health and lives, guided by our own inner compass”
As our critical knowledge of the mind-body connection grows,
it becomes even more apparent that you are your own best weapon
in defending yourself against stress-related illness. The
uniting of mind and body represents an ancient healing theory
that predates Greek times “This emerging field of study
is called psychoneuroimmunology, says Northrup. Chronic stress
and negative thinking triggers hormonal and endocrine changes
in the body that can lead to production of excess neurotransmitters.
This can upset the balance of your immune system. Become a
more active listener to the signals your body may be sending.
Don't deny or ignore symptoms. A consultation with your doctor
may be advisable.
She continues, “taking those first steps on your journey
home to yourself may be one of the hardest things you’ll
ever do. But as you venture onto this new path you will find
that it loses its intimidating aspects and becomes instead
a voyage of exploration and discovery. Today, our culture
has evolved to reawaken our inner knowing; that aspect of
ourselves, that holds our wisdom.
Try health-enhancing behaviors. Take advantage of your natural
body rhythms. There may be 24 hours in a day, but your mood
and energy level can't keep up with the clock all day. Most
people are at their peak between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
but you know your own body best. By adjusting your routine
slightly you may be able to eliminate some of the stress from
your life. For example, save routine tasks for periods when
your energy is at its lowest point. Devote your peak hours
to more demanding or enjoyable projects.
Now that baby boomer women are reaching menopause the subject
is getting a lot of well-deserved attention. “Menopause
is not a disease and it usually doesn’t require treatment.
It is a process that deserves attention and respect”,
states Dr. Northrup. She has redefined midlife as she blazes
a new trail for the millions of baby boomers that now enter
this stage of life. Medical studies have determined that immune
system mechanisms throughout your body are altered by emotional
changes. Christiane is encouraging and honest in her multifaceted
approach to surviving and thriving the change. “Menopause,
she tells us, “is every woman’s awakening –a
stage that holds enormous promise for healing our bodies,
minds, and spirits on the deepest levels.” Northrup
destroys myths and challenges convention in her groundbreaking
new book, The Wisdom of Menopause. Her goal is to lay the
health foundation for the second half of life.
“The cornerstone for creating health during perimenopause,”
she says, “is good nutrition, exercise, and developing
the skills necessary to deal with relationships more effectively.
It's a good idea to use this ‘change of life’
time to update our diet and exercise program –as well
as our mental diet of thoughts and beliefs– to lay a
healthy foundation for the rest of our lives.” Northrup
continues, “A woman can choose to facilitate her growth,
which may be initially painful, or she can choose to block
that growth, a path that results in accelerated aging and
loss of vitality-just as it would for that pot-bound plant.
Staying in place, in other words, is not a viable option.
Grow-or die.” Our changing world now embraces inner
wisdom and considering the timing, it may be time to look
at alternatives for yourself.
Empowering Women's Wisdom Update
Many different treatments will help balance midlife hormones
and decrease symptoms. Here are Dr. Northup’s favorites:
Diet: Must contain enough protein and plenty of brightly
colored fruits and vegetables, and be low in refined "white"
foods such as white bread, white sugar, instant foods, etc.
Refined carbohydrates such as alcohol and sugar-containing
products often contribute to hot flashes. Eliminating them
from the diet often cures insomnia and hot flashes. (Chapter
7, "The Menopause Food Plan" in The Wisdom of Menopause.)
Exercise: Exercise is absolutely essential to living fully
and releasing stress effectively. Women who exercise regularly
enjoy better sex lives, stronger bones, a higher metabolic
rate, a decreased risk for breast cancer, a more youthful
body, and significantly higher self-esteem. Two 40-minute
weight-training sessions per week can build bone even in women
past menopause. (See Strong Women Stay Young, by Miriam Nelson,
PhD, or log on to www.strongwomen.com
© 2002 Balance Magazine
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