How goddesses manage the menopause

The human body is incredible. It can digest food and keep breathing without being reminded, but there are few things that can rival the female reproductive system’s complexity. After puberty and the chance of pregnancy and childbirth, the menopause is the last important transition in a woman's reproductive life. A natural part of aging, the menopause usually happens when a woman is between 45 and 58 years old. During this gradual change a woman's body goes from fertility to infertility as her ovaries make fewer female hormones. The physical symptoms of menopause vary in length and strength but can include irregular bleeding, lack of energy, back pain, hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, vaginal dryness, urinary tract problems, reduced sex drive and mood changes. It’s quite a list! The process takes years. First, women can get pre-menopausal signs when monthly bleeding becomes irregular as reproductive hormone levels decline. The final end of monthly periods can take from four to eight years; fertility is declining but has not completely ended until a year after the last period. In the post-menopausal stage, even though monthly periods have stopped, hormone levels continue to drop and women may feel symptoms for several more years. For some women, the menopause can be a really emotional time with feelings of sadness and loss, mood swings and even depression and anxiety. I remember dreaming about looking after a baby and waking up feeling a mixture of relief it was a dream but also longing for the time when I had been young and fertile. The menopause can coincide with significant life milestones like stopping work, or children moving away, that exaggerate the sense of loss and anxiety about the future. So how do hormones affect us so powerfully, physically and psychologically? These special chemical messengers in the body are created in the endocrine glands and carried by the blood to our organs and tissues. Our hormones control most major functions in the body, from development and growth to basic needs like hunger and then complex systems like reproduction and emotions. Generally, the symptoms of menopause caused by declining hormones do not need medical treatment. But they can be uncomfortable and embarrassing even at low levels, so how can we help our hormones – and us – to find balance during this time of change? Part of the answer lies in the familiar list of lifestyle choices that support health in general: a balanced healthy diet, regular exercise, watching our stress levels, and stopping smoking or drinking too much. Evidence shows that these lifestyle factors make a big difference in the severity of the symptoms of menopause. Microbes also play a key role in supporting women’s health during the menopause. Lactobacilli have been proven to be beneficial for the restoration of vaginal flora and reduction of dryness as well as to treat urinary infections. Bifidobacterium species help with hot flashes and night sweats and a healthy and diverse gut supports the enteric nervous system which plays a vital role supporting a healthy immune system and maintaining energy levels. At Microbz we have researched the herbs in natural traditional medicines that support hormonal balance and chosen 18 of them to go into our Bio-Live for Women. The living liquid supplement combines beneficial microbes (teeming with lactobacilli and bifidobacterium) with natural remedies designed to offer powerful support to rebalance hormones at any stage in a woman’s life. Get your bottle today!   Girl's, we've done it! We have been overwhelmed by the response to our new Bio-Live for Women super brew and because you all love it so much, we are now out of stock and awaiting our next brew to be ready for bottling. The brewing process is key to the quality and effectiveness of our products and so any orders placed from today onwards will not be sent out until the 29th June when the brew will be rested and ready to go. Again we thank you for your support and we hope that Bio-Live for Women is working wonders for you. If you have any questions please contact Amber either by phone: +44 (0)1249 760486 or by email amber@microbz.co.uk