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How To Live With Menopause by: Alicia Simpson How do you feel when entering menopause? Do you think you can live with menopause? It seems a woman in menopause faces physical changes and new emotional realities. Are you also feeling the same? Do you feel stress and uncertain with what happen to your body? Although Eastern and Western disciplines disagree in the interpretations of stress response and their prescriptions for how to deal with it, recognition has grown in both disciplines that body and mind are intertwined, working together ' or against each other. The Western interpretation is based on research into the 'flight or fight response,' first identified by Dr. Walter Cannon in the 1930's. In response to threat, the body's sympathetic nervous system goes into action. The adrenal gland pumps out more epinephrine, which speeds up the heart rate and constricts blood vessels. The breathing rate increases, and the blood coagulation system is activated so that blood will clot more quickly in case of injury. For the earliest ancestors, these responses gave the body the jump start it needed to flee from a menacing animal or enemy ' or to stand and fight ' thus the label 'fight or flight.' Accumulated stress can literally make you sick. In Eastern philosophies, practitioners believe that such stress causes the body to build up certain toxins that must be released or they will block energy flow throughout the body. While most of us associate negative stress with harmful body changes, it's also possible to 'stress out' with too much good news. Whatever it is, those both interpretations are related to our body. Sure you don't want to get weak body because of stress while you live with menopause. Therefore here are some checklists you need to do while you live with menopause: 1. Life has become visibly more complicated. Don't feel that you have to do everything and do decide what critically needs to be accomplished. Think about your values and write down those that really matter to you. What is most important? Spending time with family? Accumulating great wealth? Achieving powerful influence? Acquiring possessions? Expressing yourself? Learning new ideas? Experiencing adventure and travel? Maintaining excellent health? Socializing with friends? Contributing to the community? You can't do them all. Cut out activities that aren't consistent with your core values. 2. Carry a smaller wallet or purse. Start by cleaning out the one you've got. Get rid of unnecessary credit cards and other clutter that you don't use regularly. 3. Stop checking up on your financial portfolio every day. Most people invest for the long term. Checking your results daily adds to stress and might lead to expensive and unnecessary changes. 4. Make time for yourself. Set aside time each day to reflect quietly, go for a walk, plan for your future or meditate. Visit the park instead of the mall. 5. Cut back on debt. Consolidate your different debts into one and pay it off. Put your credit cards in a spot where you won't be able to use them until you're debt-free. Track your expenses for a month, then cut back your spending on items you don't need. For instance, pack a lunch rather than buying one at work. Mix and match your outfits rather than constantly buying new ones. 6. Consider renting a vacation home rather than buying. You won't be burdened by time (and money) spent in maintenance. Also, this allows you to visit a different spot each year. 7. Plan time for a vacation every year. Some people claim 'I haven't had a vacation in three years' as if it was a badge of courage. It isn't. 8. Cut back on your children's planned activities. If they have to use a time planner to schedule their activities, and you spend all of your time taxiing them around, they're probably too busy. 9. Live closer to your work so you don't have to drive. 10. Take a moment each day to be grateful. About The Author Alicia Simpson is a mother and housewife who experience menopause. Her new guide book: Menopause without Stress . You can find more about her experience on menopause at http://www.menopausetreatment101.info and http://www.premenopause101.info author@inspiringthings.com This article was posted on August '03
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