Restoring Balance

Restoring Balance To Your Life

This is, believe it or not, the prescription for maintaining balance for the vast majority of women is simply this: Learn how to take care of yourself instead of taking care of everyone else except yourself. This doesn't mean that you are being selfish or self-centered. But how can you take care of your family and loved ones if you're sick? Can you help them have a high quality of life if your own quality is low?

Learning how to take care of yourself usually boils down to learning how to pay attention to what you need to stay in balance, or, to put it another way, learning how to pay attention to what throws you out of balance, and being willing to change it. One way to help bring your life into balance is to identify the areas where you're at an extreme in your life and then to take small steps to begin to bring that part of your life back to center. Most women in mid-life cycle are trying to do too much, and that in itself is a setup for a hormonal imbalance. There are some strategies for staying more centered that can apply to most peri-menopausal women.

Here is a thumbnail sketch that can get you started with your own personal list.

*Don't turn the TV every night

*Switch from coffee to tea (green tea is best).

*Limit alcohol consumpton to one drink with dinner

*Listen to soothing music or books on tape in the car

*Learn to say no when you're about to add another responsibility to your life that you can't handle

*If you have children, remember to keep track of your own needs as well as theirs.

*If there are two working adults in the house, split the housework. *Don't have sex with your partner unless you really want to, and then speak up if something about it is bothering you.

*Tell your partner if something is bothering you. Don't let small irritations build up into anger.

*Get some type of exercise everyday

*Eat whole, natural foods (preferably organic), drink plenty of clean water, and take a good multivitamin.

*Get plenty of sleep

*Ask for help when you need it and say thanks when you get it

*Take time to do things that make you laugh

Although natural progesterone can have wonderfully effects on the symptoms on perimenopause, it works best when you eat wholesome foods, pay attention to possible food allergies, and take nutritional supplements. The rewards of eating a nutritious diet are more than worth the sacrificies. You'll decrease your risk of future heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and arthritis. If your diet has consisted largely of high calorie , nutrition free foods such as candy bars and cookies, your energy and moods will improve dramatically.