Breeze through Menopause with Shiatsu
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It’s important that we reframe menopause and stop thinking of it as a disease but rather a natural process and rite of passage into our own power and authenticity as women. But if you have been struggling to juggle life, work and family then you may find that when natural hormonal shifts of Perimenopause and Menopause happen, the changes hit you hard.
We are often so bone-weary and frazzled from multi-tasking in a modern world, that when it comes time for natural change, we have nothing left in the tank to manage the transition. The symptoms of hot flushes, insomnia, brain fog, weight gain, night sweats, low libido and lack of motivation are exhausting, they leave us with no love or passion for our life. Our hair begins thinning or we gain unexplained weight. All these symptoms can affect our work life, social life, family and relationships. There can be an increased risk of some health conditions post-menopause, such as cardiovascular (heart) disease, osteoporosis (weak bones) and urinary tract infections (UTI's). So it is important to have a healthy diet, exercise and joy-loving lifestyle, peri, mid and post menopause. |
How does Shiatsu help?
Shiatsu and acupressure points are used to nourish and rebalance the Kidney energy and clear Excessive Heart Fire. TCM views the Kidney energy as maintaining healthy balanced hormones and this energy decreases naturally as we age. When the balance of kidney yin and yang energy is “upset,” symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats may appear. How you can help yourself:
Fed up with feeling frazzled, overwhelmed and exhausted? Then treat yourself to a relaxing shiatsu session and get your body back into balance, you deserve it :) |
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Useful Acupressure points for Menopause
Massage the points for one to two minutes on each hand. Focus on nothing else except massaging while applying slow, deep pressure. Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. Repeat the acupressure as often as you would like. Remember you are not pressing a button. You are connecting with your body’s energy. Does it feel low or does it need energy? Is it racing or does it need calming? Press and tune in to how it feels. Heart 7 is especially good if you wake in the night. Press, breathe and find yourself falling back to sleep. Heart 6 - Yin Accumulation
If there is a lot of heat in the body causing hot flushes or dryness, this point helps to cool and moisten the energy in the body and reduce heat. It brings calming restfulness, reducing anxiety and night-sweats. Heart 7 - Spirits Gate This point nourishes blood and brings the heart home for deep rest. Brilliant for insomnia, palpitations and anxiety. It aids a calm, clear mind aiding the recovery of memories. It restores peace and love if there is sadness in the heart. |
Find both points by drawing a line from the inner tip of the little finger across the palm to the inside crease of the wrist. Heart 7 is on the crease, in between the tendons. Measure one thumb width down from the wrist for Heart 6.
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What is menopause and what happens during it?
Menopause is defined as the absence of a period (menstruation) for 12 consecutive months and generally occurs around ages 45-55 years. Prior to menopause, a carefully regulated cycle of multiple hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, and others) regulates the female reproductive system, stimulating ovulation (the release of an unfertilised egg in preparation for fertilisation and pregnancy) and culminating in menstruation.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
The duration and severity of symptoms differs from woman to woman and some may be harder to deal with than others. Everyone thinks of hot flushes, but quite often the more disruptive symptoms are low moods, a lack of sex drive, anxiety, brain fog, poor sleep, fatigue and achy joints. This is just a few of the symptoms and shiatsu aims to rebalance your hormones and energies helping you feel better.
How do I know when menopause has finished?
No periods for a year. However more importantly it is whether you have symptoms or not. You can have periods and no symptoms or no periods and a lot of symptoms. Resolving your symptoms at any time during your menopause is the healthy and the right decision to make for your health.
Does menopause make you tired?
Yes it can on two levels, one your sleep can be badly affected, caused by a host of symptoms affecting different sleep cycles through the night – from night sweats to adrenal exhaustion. The stress you’re under plus the hormonal transition affects your cortisol levels and this can lead to nutritional depletion which can be exhausting and a difficult cycle to break until you understand what you can do. Shiatsu is deeply relaxing and calms the adrenals and calms the mind.
How can I maintain a healthy weight during menopause?
Over time, the ovaries begin to produce less oestrogen which can lead to irregular or no periods, plus other symptoms including weight gain. In fact, the reduction of oestrogen that occurs with menopause can impact body composition and may lead to a redistribution of body fat, including an increase in the amount of abdominal fat. The latter might be due to insulin resistance. Although a risk for weight gain and insulin resistance exists, diet and exercise may be used to balance these changes.
If your not familiar with insulin resistance, find out more by downloading my free guide here.
If your not familiar with insulin resistance, find out more by downloading my free guide here.
I am suffering with brain fog or memory loss
It can be both but the most important thing is that you make best efforts to remain in good brain health. Too many foods that turn to sugar can cause brain fog and not having enough nutrients and weak gut health can affect your memory and mental health.
For dietary recommendations, download my free guide here.
For dietary recommendations, download my free guide here.
Can menopause cause anxiety and insomnia?
Yes due to an imbalance of kidney energy and heart energy in TCM, see below about Shiatsu and Chinese medicine
How does Shiatsu and Chinese medicine help?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, menopause is recognised a natural aging process that is due mainly to the depletion of the Kidney energy or Kidney Yin. When a woman ages, the supply of Essence and Source Ki begins to be insufficient for the monthly task of providing abundant Blood for the potential nourishment of a child. The system has to be re-adjusted so that as the Blood supplies diminish, the woman keeps it and does not lose it every month.
Kidney Yin is the foundation of “fluids”, including essence, blood and body fluids, that moisten and nourish the whole body. Women with yin-inclined body constitution, those who have heavy and prolonged periods, and those who have given birth to many children are more likely to develop menopausal symptoms associated with Kidney Yin deficiency. Symptoms include irregular periods, a shorter than normal cycle, increase or decrease in menstrual blood flow, vaginal dryness, dry skin, thirsty, afternoon heat, hot flushes, heat sensation in the hands and foot, dizziness, ringing in the ears, soreness in the lower back and knee, constipation.
Another very common disharmony pattern that extend from Kidney Yin deficiency is Excessive Heart Fire due to an imbalance in the Heart and Kidneys. In TCM, Heart belongs to the Fire element, and Kidney belongs to the Water element. There is a dynamic flow of energy between the two organs to nourish and control each other to maintain a balance state. When Kidney Yin becomes deficient, its function to control Heart Fire is reduced, and this result in an overactive Heart Fire. Women with this disharmony pattern besides having Kidney Yin deficiency symptoms, also experience symptoms of Excessive Heart Fire symptoms, such as palpitations, migraines, irritability, insomnia.
Shiatsu and acupressure points are used to nourish and rebalance the Kidney energy and clear Excessive Heart Fire. Making sure you get enough rest through menopause is important to allow the body to readjust while it is flux.
Kidney Yin is the foundation of “fluids”, including essence, blood and body fluids, that moisten and nourish the whole body. Women with yin-inclined body constitution, those who have heavy and prolonged periods, and those who have given birth to many children are more likely to develop menopausal symptoms associated with Kidney Yin deficiency. Symptoms include irregular periods, a shorter than normal cycle, increase or decrease in menstrual blood flow, vaginal dryness, dry skin, thirsty, afternoon heat, hot flushes, heat sensation in the hands and foot, dizziness, ringing in the ears, soreness in the lower back and knee, constipation.
Another very common disharmony pattern that extend from Kidney Yin deficiency is Excessive Heart Fire due to an imbalance in the Heart and Kidneys. In TCM, Heart belongs to the Fire element, and Kidney belongs to the Water element. There is a dynamic flow of energy between the two organs to nourish and control each other to maintain a balance state. When Kidney Yin becomes deficient, its function to control Heart Fire is reduced, and this result in an overactive Heart Fire. Women with this disharmony pattern besides having Kidney Yin deficiency symptoms, also experience symptoms of Excessive Heart Fire symptoms, such as palpitations, migraines, irritability, insomnia.
Shiatsu and acupressure points are used to nourish and rebalance the Kidney energy and clear Excessive Heart Fire. Making sure you get enough rest through menopause is important to allow the body to readjust while it is flux.
