Menopause Reflexology
Reflexology for the menopause.
Hormones change dramatically through out our lives, from the moment we reach puberty our oestrogen and progesterone levels rise and fall throughout the month in most cases fairly consistently. When we reach the peri menopause and menopause our oestrogen levels start to fall and some women can experience some symptoms that can be difficult to deal with and manage.
It is oestrogen which stimulates female characteristics at puberty and controls a woman’s reproductive cycle: the development and release of an egg each month (ovulation) for implantation in the uterus (womb), and the way in which the lining of the womb thickens to accept a fertilized egg. The monthly period happens because no implantation has taken place – there is no pregnancy – and the lining of the womb is shed.
As women get older, their store of eggs in the ovary decreases and their ability to conceive diminishes. At this time, less oestrogen is produced, causing the body to behave differently. The body does not stop producing oestrogen overnight, and the process can even take several years, during which symptoms arise gradually. This gradual change is called the ‘peri-menopause’. As oestrogen starts to fall, cortisol (stress hormone) levels rise leaving us feeling anxious and stressed.
Whilst some people breeze through the menopause, for some it can be a very difficult time producing some unwelcome symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, weight gain, changes in the skin and loss of libido to name but a few ranging in severity from mild to severe. This is a time when your body deserves some tender loving care.
Reflexology can help support you both physically and emotionally through this time, helping to reduce stress and anxiety and restore a sense of balance to your body helping you feel more empowered and in control. Reflexology may help with the symptoms of the menopause.
Useful Contacts
The Daisy Network
The Daisy Network provides support and information for women who have experienced a premature menopause.
Website: www.daisynetwork.org.uk
The Hysterectomy Association
The Hysterectomy Association provides well-explained, impartial information about hysterectomy and its long term health implications.
Tel: 0843 289 2142
Website: www.hysterectomy-association.org.uk
Manage my menopause
Website: www.managemymenopause.co.uk
Menopause Matters
Website: www.menopausematters.co.uk
National Osteoporosis Society (NOS)
Website: www.nos.org.uk
Freephone helpline
Monday & Wednesday-Friday 9am-5pm – now open Tuesday 11am-7pm