Australia

How to deal with menopause?Hold me like these women

Katherine Jonathan just turned 40 a few months ago and is already looking forward to menopause.
A Melbourne-based PR consultant says that a “very traditional” upbringing in a remote Kenyan village, where menopausal women are believed to have “supernatural powers,” is the next step in life. We attribute it to her positive perception of the stages.

“Older women are strong pillars of society, so they bring so-called ‘community values’ when it comes to giving advice, sharing wisdom, and providing leadership,” she says.

Catherine Jonathan said she’s “excited” about aging. sauce: attached

“The gods listen to them more than any other woman. Only they can speak to their ancestors and ask for their help, assistance and protection.”

Jonathan said older women in her community also have a responsibility to teach girls “how to behave, how to behave” and “bodily changes that will occur as they grow up”. Is called.
“These stages of a woman’s growth are viewed as a process of life that jumps from one stage to another, and there are rituals performed to celebrate these stages,” she says.

Shelley Ware, a woman from Yankonytjatjara and Wirangu, also sees aging as a “privilege”, especially considering her father died at age 50.

Three smiling women, two holding pink cocktails

Sherry Ware (center) says getting older is a “privilege.” sauce: attached / Sherry Ware

“It’s been on my mind for a very long time that for Aboriginal people our life expectancy is much shorter than in the wider Australian community,” she says. I’m trying to be as fit and healthy as possible so that I can reach all of these stages.”

What is Menopause?

Menopause is when a woman goes 12 months without menstruation. It marks the natural end of the reproductive stage of their life when the ovaries no longer have eggs to release.

Most women go through menopause between the ages of 45 and 60. Her average age is 51.

Peri-menopause is the stage leading up to a woman’s last period. Usually she lasts 4-6 years, but at the longest she can last 10 years.
Shelly, a Melbourne-based media presenter and educator who previously worked for SBS, began experiencing menopausal symptoms about 12 months ago. Her mood swings, breast pain, weight gain, decreased muscle tone, changes in her menstrual cycle, and more.
She says it’s interesting to observe the differences in how both sides of the family view the changes that come with menopause.

“On my non-Aboriginal side, female aging and menopause can be very negative, and there always seem to be these scary stories that go along with it,” she says. On the Aboriginal side, it is always very gentle and very beautiful, and this is the path to becoming an older woman.

“I never heard the Aboriginal side of the family talk about weight as a bad thing…and looking at the non-Aboriginal side, it was just a constant conversation.

“I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing, or just embracing body changes and understanding that different stages of life bring different rewards.

How to change your mindset about menopause

Dr. Elizabeth Farrell, medical director of the nonprofit Jean Hales for Women’s Health, said part of the reason menopause is often viewed negatively in Western societies is because the media portrays it in its most extreme cases. This is because they tend to focus on

“Only 20% of women have actually experienced the worst case scenario,” she says. “[Another] 20% of women simply stop menstruating and have no symptoms. Most of us have mild to moderate symptoms that are either bothersome or not. “

A woman with pinkish red hair, thick glasses, and a purple and red top

Dr. Elizabeth Farrell is a world-renowned expert on menopause. sauce: attached / Jean Hales for Women’s Health

Farrell says most symptoms can be managed or treated through things like lifestyle changes and menopausal hormone therapy. It’s a thing.

“Don’t get hung up on what’s natural. There’s nothing more natural than actually getting the exact same hormones that your ovaries produce,” she says.
Farrell says the values ​​that Western culture places on young people can be undermined when many women enter menopause.

“In our society, we often feel invisible as older people,” she says.

Studies show that these social attitudes can affect people’s menopausal experience in both negative and positive ways. Those who did not feel supported by family, friends, employers, or health care professionals during menopause reported more symptoms than those who were supported. gave
Other studies including and reached similar conclusions about the influence of a person’s culture on the menopausal experience.
Dr. Farrell calls for a rethink of how menopause and life after it are viewed in Western societies such as Australia. He points out that the Japanese concept of retirement is a ‘second life’.
“Depending on how old you are, you can live half your life after menopause,” she says. It’s an important part, it’s part of my life now, and I hope it’s good for me.’

“You have more wisdom, you have more life experience, which will be of value in some aspect of society.”

Increased education about menopause, not only among the general public, but also among health care professionals, could lead to a more positive experience for those going through menopause, Dr. Farrell said.
“Knowledge of menopause means why it happens, how it happens, what it means, and how you can get treatment if you have bad or severe symptoms. I think it’s poor in general.

But thinking of menopause in a more positive light doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek medical health about any changes that may be of concern, says Dr. Farrell.

How to recognize and treat menopause symptoms

Experiencing hot flashes isn’t exactly on Katherine’s to-do list, but she says she’s ready to embrace the next phase of life, which she calls “elderly.”
“The way we think about aging can definitely change how we see life, and how we participate in life itself,” she says.
“I think you just need to look for the highlights and joys at that stage of your life.
“As long as we are healthy, we should always celebrate our condition.”
October 18th is World Menopause Day.
Want to share your story with SBS News? Email yourstory@sbs.com.au
Menopause resources are available at Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Dari, Persian, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Vietnamese.

How to deal with menopause?Hold me like these women

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