Five Ways to Stop Your Menopause Symptoms Running Riot Over Christmas
As the Christmas season kicks into full swing, Caroline Pringle, women’s health mentor, nutritionist, qi gong practitioner and founder of the Magnificent Menopause Method – which supports women to survive and thrive through menopause – shares five top tips for preventing your menopause symptoms from exploding over the joyous Christmas scene.
Just say no
Sounds easy, doesn’t it: saying no to things you don’t want to do, people you don’t want to see, and places you don’t want to go? But for today, check how many times you do something you don’t want to. If you’re like most women, saying ‘no’ doesn’t come easily. And it may not be easy for others to hear either. But it’s better than saying ‘yes’ and then regretting it later down the line. For today, practice saying 'no', just because you can. And then do it again tomorrow, and the next day – because saying ‘no’ is actually saying ‘yes’ to the life you want to lead.
Be really, really kind to yourself
Menopause is like going through the terrible twos, or the tyrannical teens. It’s probably the biggest hormonal and developmental phase you have been through in 20 to 30 years. Okay, so pregnancy is a big change, but this one goes on much, much longer. So, give yourself all the understanding and forgiveness you might lovingly give a child. Don’t push yourself to just carry on as normal. Be kind to yourself and feel no shame in asking others to do the same.
Cut the caffeine
I didn’t put this first because I reckoned you probably wouldn’t want to hear it (again) – but hands-down the quickest way to feel better is to cut out caffeine. It has a huge impact on hot flushes and erratic mood swings. I had a client going through extreme anxiety, who didn’t believe giving up her one coffee a day could make that much difference, until she did it. Christmas probably isn’t the best time to cut down on alcohol, sugar and festive treats but you could try reducing your caffeine intake – for your sake and everyone else’s.
Do less
Do not volunteer to be the one to bring the Christmas turkey, pudding or any elaborate festive dishes. Let someone else do it for a change (and perhaps for the next five years!). Do not go and pick up your guests from the train station, they can get a cab. And don’t pick your child up just because it’s raining – they can use an umbrella and walk. Instead, you can rest, rest and rest again.
Unlock your body
We all have reasons to be stressed. And it's often the unpleasant things we have experienced that get locked in our bodies and cause dis-ease. For example, women who have experienced trauma in their lives are much more likely to have more severe menopause symptoms, M.E. and fibromyalgia. One of the easiest ways to access physical and mental pain and shift it is to move your body. Tune into how it actually feels on the inside and learn more about what you need to do to feel better. If you don’t, you and your body may pay the price, and eventually your nearest and dearest will too. The sooner you get moving the better. You could try dancing, kickboxing, yoga, or the ancient movement medicine, qi gong. I personally find this little-known mother of kung fu to be the best hack for cracking open stuck emotions and physical discomfort.
More information
Caroline’s new free webinar Find Peace at the Eye of Your Menopause Storm (30 mins) shares many other tips and practices that her clients use to get relief from the rollercoaster of menopause. On Sunday 7 January she will be launching her new 12-week Magnificent Menopause Method mentoring programme, which you can join any time, to guide you through this tumultuous journey. Further info: magnificentmenopause.co
Experienced menopause mentor and creator of the new Magnificent Menopause Method, Caroline Pringle supports women to survive and thrive through menopause and beyond. As a nutritionist, yoga and qi gong teacher who has coached clients and trained groups across the UK for the last twenty years, Caroline’s wealth of natural health expertise is woven into the Magnificent Menopause Method.
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