Facing the Passage of Menopause (continued)
-By Martha Serrie Benedict

Most women in my experience give much of their energy to others over their reproductive years. There has been an ethic on being Super Woman, Soccer Mom, or Career Maven. Maybe it's time to learn how not to be capable of everything. Maybe it's time to give up some control and let other family members or friends shine. Consider this payback time. Learn how to ask for things you like or need. For example, if the holidays have always been at your house, ask for someone else to do the honors. If you've always done all the cooking, ask others sitting down to the table to be accountable for some of the meals (or shopping, laundry, errands, fix-its, bill paying, and mending). Do you want to do all the vacation planning? Do you really enjoy sending holiday greeting cards? Let loose. You get the picture.

Now that we have some space and time, let's being looking at the Dream picture. Choose something. Try it out. How does it feel? If it doesn't hold your interest, let it go and try something else. Perhaps you've wanted to write, paint, draw, plant a garden, or take lessons of one kind or another. Sign up for a short class. Invite a friend for a walk. Take a hot tub. Explore a massage. Take a nap on a workday. Become unpredictable to yourself. Become true to yourself.

Soon the major concerns of menopause pass. There are women who still report a cycle for a decade afterwards. However, if you've done your homework, you find the renewed energy of Second Spring available. How you use it is up to the new you.

That's the BIG Picture. What about Menopause Details?

I find menopause is a wonderful time to test our relationship to the plant kingdom. Grow a garden. Nourish yourself. Grow an herb garden to care for yourself. Many of the plants helpful during menopause can be grown in most gardens. On the top of my list is Vitex also called Chaste Berry or Agnes Castus. When hormones start vacillating, start with Vitex to put vitality back into the cycle. If you need to, add a progesterone crème. Use it in the fleshing parts of the body under the upper arms, sides of the breasts, between the thighs, as well as on the face and neck.

To support the Chi and Blood of the cycle as well as the kidney energy of life force, using Chinese herbs such as Butiao, Women's Precious, Xiao Yao Plus, and a Mega Ginseng tonic. Adding Holiday Bitters to enhance digestion and Tummy Ease to improve assimilation of nutrients supports getting the goodness from the food you eat. Using kitchen herbs and essential oils for problem skin is fun and inexpensive. Adding rosemary essential oil to your hair conditioner, or a rosemary hair rinse if you have a bush of your own. Cleansing the skin with papaya or yogurt and apple cider vinegar before doing a tonic mask of egg yolk, avocado, and olive oil feel good and softens facial lines due to dryness. Use a Chinese Yin tonic such as Six Flavor, if there is dryness or Yoni Oil topicall for vaginal dryness.