Women need support throughout this challenging transitional period and so in the hope I might help other women, I want to share my personal perimenopause journey with you. If you’re reading this and are also experiencing perimenopause symptoms, I want you to know you are not alone! 

I have had a few challenges over the years with my pelvic floor area, undergoing numerous surgeries for my bladder and then surgery to correct Uterus prolapse at the age of 41.  I never really had a normal natural cycle as for many years I was taking the oral contraceptive pill, a decision I now regret. I wish I was better informed as a young woman about the potential side effects from long term use. 

Seeking advice from a naturopath, I stopped taking the oral contraceptive pill at 37 and started to manage my cycle naturally.  At about 44, I started to notice the first signs of perimenopause. I was experiencing some changes to my cycle, sometimes it would be 20 days, then it would be 3 months.  My period was a little bit heavier and longer in duration than normal. 

As I entered perimenopause, I started to experience some of the lesser-known symptoms. I didn’t recognize my unusual physical and emotional fluctuations as being perimenopause-related.

I was a confident, energetic, social, and easy-going person. I never had any problems keeping up a demanding job and busy lifestyle. I always had a smile on my face and the life of any party.  Suddenly though, I found myself experiencing anxiety and bouts of depression.  The anxiety would often keep me awake in the middle of the night, which lead to broken sleep and lack of energy the next day.

At times, I felt like I was losing my mind, but I forced myself to act normally, and put on a brave face at work and around family and friends.  I noticed that I was aging and this added to my feelings of sadness. I was saying goodbye to my youth and was struggling with feeling invisible in a room, and lost a lot of my confidence.  What was going on?  I really did not know recognise this person I had become.

The anxiety and depression then started to impact my libido.  Lack of energy and feeling less desirable contributes so much to a woman and her sexual enjoyment.  Then there was the joint pain.  Some mornings I would wake up and struggle to move and would rely on pain killers and anti-inflammatories to get me mobile.  

Some of the other fun symptoms that also started to appear were headaches, migraines and I also started to have ocular migraines for the first time in my life. Did I mention the brain fog? 

I decided to act, I was still young and wanted to keep enjoying my 40’s.  I made a few big life changes which included a change of career and a serious focus on health and well-being.  After studying Ayurvedic healing, I introduced a few key rituals into my routine to help me balance my hormones naturally and navigate perimenopause a little easier.  My natural approach now includes:

• Taking Ayurvedic herbs daily such as Curcumin to support inflammation, Ashwagandha for libido and Saffron for mood and mild anxiety, some of the key ingredients in Re-Glow Perimenopause Relief Oral Powder.
• Preparing my own meals using as many organic whole foods and not eating out as often. I now do not fast in the morning only having coffee, I eat during the day, having the smallest meal at dinner time to support my Agni (digestive fire).
• Regular exercise and movement. I incorporate yoga, walking, paddleboarding, bike riding and reformer Pilates into every week, without fail.
• Reduced alcohol intake. I realised that during perimenopause you need to be kind to your liver which is working hard to clear excess hormones, so do not load your liver with other toxins such as alcohol to process.
• Sessions with a kinesiologist and counsellor to process the emotions I was experiencing around aging, learning to be kind to myself and value the wisdom and experience that comes with aging.

I am now a couple of years into my perimenopause journey and I am finding the natural approach is working for me.  There are still some hard days but I am more prepared to handle the challenges as I become more in tune with my body and hormones.

I am so pleased that this subject is on the table and we are less afraid to discuss perimenopause openly. I have really benefited from connecting with and talking to other women, including many of our ashaya customers.  

Always remember you are not alone. Connect with your network of family, friends, or menopause groups. We are here for you too. If you have any questions or just need a chat, please reach out to me personally at Jodie.matthews@ashaya.com.au

Love Jodie x