Embracing Menopause with Harmony: A Classical East Asian Medicine Perspective
In the Western world, menopause is often viewed as a daunting turning point, riddled with uncontrollable symptoms like hot flashes, sweats, mood swings, and brain fog. However, this doesn't have to be the narrative.
Enter Classical East Asian Medicine, offering a refreshing outlook on menopause as a natural facet of a woman's life journey rather than a tumultuous ordeal.
In the realm of EAM, menopause is seen as the graceful conclusion to the reproductive phase. It's envisioned as a smooth transition where the menstrual cycle gracefully halts, and harmony prevails. The key to navigating this phase lies in the delicate equilibrium of the body's life energy—Qi, blood, body fluids, Yin, and Yang.
Ideally, women would initiate this journey early, seeking assistance if their menstrual cycles deviate from the painless, regular, and balanced norm. In the imperfect world we inhabit, the journey to balance begins later. EAM embarks on a process to re-establish harmony within female physiology. The initial step involves active listening, capturing every health symptom, and recognising that everything is interconnected. A pulse diagnosis follows, guiding the creation of a personalised herbal formula attuned to the individual's current stage.
Periodically, this formula is revisited to ensure its relevance to the patient's ongoing journey toward balance. Adjustments are made if necessary, maintaining a current and effective approach. EAM doesn't prescribe individual herbs in isolation; rather, it crafts formulas tailored to match the patient. Common herbs like Rehmannia, Ginger, Liquorice, and Peony are intricately combined to restore the natural and healthy state of balance—Yin, Yang, Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids.
Beyond the physical realm, EAM delves into the balance of the mind and body. While it doesn't offer counselling, it recognises the integral connection between emotions and elemental systems within the body. Emotions are woven into the fabric of the heart and small intestine, stomach and spleen, lung and large intestines, kidney and bladder, liver and gall bladder. This interconnectedness, when considered alongside symptoms and pulses, paints a comprehensive picture of imbalances within the body.
In essence, Classical East Asian Medicine views menopause as a holistic journey requiring a comprehensive understanding of the body's intricate balance—Yin, Yang, Blood, and Body Fluids. Through this understanding, tailored formulas can be developed to address individual needs, paving the way for a harmonious balance. So, in the embrace of ICEAM, menopause becomes not a dreaded phase but an opportunity for women to find balance and serenity in the natural progression of life.
