Mine has been terrible! I’ve also heard from friends or clients that their sleep has been atrocious!
I love sleep, so this is not good for me!
Then I read a few articles recently saying that many people are finding it hard to sleep well during lockdown – so I thought maybe that’s it!
I have to confess that my stress levels have been higher than normal.
There’s just too many things on my plate at the moment – my girls at home all the time, I’ve been homeschooling them, husband is working from home, I seem to be cooking non-stop… Not to mention the political lockdown situation and all that goes with that!
I’m also working and getting busier and trying to fit that into my spare hours, which is usually in the evenings and later at night! And we all know what blue light does to our sleep, right?
Combining all this with perimenopause, it’s a wonder I sleep at all!
Insomnia and trouble sleeping is actually quite common during perimenopause.
And the reasons are varied and unique to you.
Maybe you get hot flushes and night sweats, or are prone to anxiety and panic attacks.
Eating too many refined and processed foods or not exercising enough.
Or you are exposed to too much blue light in the evenings.
Often our liver is overtaxed, and that can also have a big impact….
During perimenopause we are in a transition period for our sleeping patterns.
We may need more sleep now, like in our teenage years, and then once we are in proper menopause we may need less.
So don’t feel guilty if you feel you need to sleep more!!
Now, let’s talk about STRESS.
This is what is I think is the main thing getting to me at the moment.
Stress in not all bad, it is there to motivate us and help us when we are in danger and to survive. One of the main hormones involved in this is CORTISOL.
Cortisol is there to wake us up and give us energy in the morning and during the day. By evening it should decrease, giving way to melatonin to help us wind down and go to sleep.
The problem starts when we are constantly stressed. Our cortisol levels are constantly on a high, making it much harder to go to sleep.
During perimenopause, our adrenal glands (which produce cortisol) also need to help out with estrogen production, and if they are already over-stressed… well you can see where I’m going with this! It’s a wonder we ever sleep at all!!
This is probably where my problem lies at the moment. It is just hard to get away from stress at the moment, isn’t it?
And remember me mentioning the liver?
I reduced my alcohol intake to 1-2 glasses a week, and now am sleeping so much better.
Sleep is so important for our health and well being. It is especially so during perimenopause because we need that recovery time for our hormones that are naturally all over the place.
We also need it to reduce stress and recharge our energy levels.
If we don’t get enough we can be more prone to inflammation and therefore more at risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other related conditions.
Homeopathy can help get you better sleep during perimenopause, especially if it’s stress or anxiety related. Feel free to book a free 15 minute discovery call to see if I can help you!
During these interesting times, it wouldn’t be surprising if your anxiety has gone through the roof!!
There are very real reasons for our anxieties at the moment, but some have also been hyped up by the media.
If you are in the middle of perimenopause, your anxiety has been likely worse than usual, and that was bad enough!
Let’s have a little deeper look at why we are so prone to anxiety during perimenopause.
Anxiety is actually one of the most common symptoms during perimenopause. It’s usually is the type of anxiety that is disproportionate to the situation. You seem to worry about everything and anything!
This anxiety can easily lead us to experiencing panic attacks, which can be quite scary.
Everything seems overwhelming. You can’t even make a decision without breaking into a sweat of worry and panic.
So, what is going on within us that is causing all this?
Fluctuations in our hormones, have a major part to play in this. Especially progesterone levels.
Progesterone is a calming hormone. When its levels start to decrease in perimenopause, we can feel worried and anxious about any little thing.
Perimenopause is the time when our past unresolved emotional traumas come to the fore. It is natural that we start feeling anxious much more easily. It is our body’s way of telling us we need to resolve something.
In more normal times, this is likely the main reason why we get so anxious during perimenopuase. Have a deeper look into what is making you anxious and panicky. Those seemingly little things are usually a standing in front of a bigger thing that keeps calling you to be resolved.
At this moment in time, however, I can see that our cortisol and adrenaline levels are the ones causing most of this mayhem.
Cortisol and adrenaline are our survival hormone. It takes precedence over all the others. They are produced when we are in perceived danger, it’s our flight or fight hormone.
We have all been feeling in some sort of danger these last few weeks – from the virus, from losing our freedom, from our inability to see friends and family, from being in financial hardship, from the probability of losing our livelihoods… the list can go on…
If these two hormone is overflowing due to stress, they will create imbalance in all the others. Including progesterone, our calming hormone.
It’s no wonder we are all feeling super anxious. We’ve got anxiety coming at us from the external stresses and fear being thrown at us every day for the past 2 months. And we are also getting it from the hormonal imbalances that result from it.
So what can you do to feel more calm?
Some simple things you can easily do right now include avoiding alcohol and caffeine, and taking time to exercise and to rest as well.
Nutritionally some vitamin B6 and magnesium could help, as they calm your nervous system.
If you feel your anxiety is too much, out of proportion or persistent, or you are having a difficult time dealing with it, then do try to get help.
EFT, meditation, mindfulness and counselling may be very helpful in this instance.
Homeopathy and flower essences are also amazing in these situations.
Please don’t let yourself get mired in your anxiety. I am here to help.
I’m offering free 15 minute chats to all my clients, to talk about how you are doing, and help you feel calmer and more at peace.
I promised you on my newsletter I would write a bit more about the Corona Virus, aka Covid-19, on my blog, so here it is!
Now, my aim with this is to put things in perspective and avoid assumptions and hysteria. Neither of these things will help you.
The media seems to be hyping everything up. They only tell you about the spreading infection and the deaths increasing every day.
What this type of reporting usually does is send people into fear mode, which is the last thing you want if you want to boost your immune system.
Fear is a major immune system suppressor.
I’m all for the media telling us the facts, but without the hype. They are telling us hardly anything about the age and health conditions of the people who are suffering severely or dying from the virus.
You really need to dig deep to find out that most of them are either elderly, or already have a health condition which weakens their immune system.
The media is also not telling us much about the people who are recovering, and the people who suffered only mildly from the virus.
The other day I saw a meme on Facebook, which had the following statistics:
On the same day that 108 people in China died of the virus, more than 26,000 died of cancer, more than 24,000 died of heart disease, more that 4,000 of diabetes and more than 1,000 were murdered!
I’m not sure the source of these statistics but they sound pretty plausible to me. If you have time to dig these numbers (eg. How many people die or xyz per day), I’d love to know! But in a quick search, I found that in the US alone 1,660 people die of cancer each day! The worldwide murder number is pretty accurate after a quick search too!
Of course, we don’t know much yet about the virus, and I understand the caution we need to take around it. However, that does not mean that we need to be frightened to death about it.
Allopathic medicine is based on the germ theory, which see microorganisms as attacking us. In homeopathy we see things quite differently. It all starts with the terrain – the body and the immune system.
If your immune system is functioning well, you eat and hydrate well to keep your body strong and healthy, then you’ll be able to handle things better than someone who doesn’t look after themselves, is overly stressed, or has a suppressed immune system.
So start here.
Follow the advice being given by health authorities is with regards to basic hygiene: wash your hands, cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing, bin all used tissues as soon as possible, avoid contact with people who are unwell, keep your house clean, etc…
It was hygiene and sanitation which has been the major factor in our improved ability to prevent and deal with many diseases.
I already gave some tips in my newsletter about boosting your immunity with Vitamin C, D, iodine. You could also add zinc and selenium in there.
You could add antiviral foods to your diet, like garlic, fermented foods, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and many others.
Homeopathy has a great track record with regards to treating influenza in the past, and since we don’t treat particular disease but rather individual people and their own unique expression of symptoms, there are many remedies that could be used.
I was going to write here a bit more about some homeopathic remedies to have on hand, but the media seems to be on a witch hunt at the moment with homeopaths, so I will write a separate newsletter just with this info. Make sure you are subscribed if you want to know more! Click here to subscribe!
Most importantly, don’t stress too much about this. As I said earlier, fear and stress are immunosuppressive. Try to get adequate sleep and rest, get enough fresh air and exercise. Be happy and grateful everyday.
As usual, this doesn’t replace advice from your doctor or medical practitioner or health authorities.
And keep doing your own research.
In the meantime I leave you with the Corona virus Cumbia! (Only in Mexico 🇲🇽 !) If you understand Spanish, you can hear all about the common sense preventative measures while you dance!
Maybe it’s not the bleed itself, more what comes with it. The mood swings, the pain, the bloating, the sore boobs…. the weepiness, the food cravings, the spots on your face…. the rage, the headaches, the insomnia…
You are totally fed up, and sometimes it’s so bad you want to just curl up on the sofa with a hot water bottle all day.
Can you believe PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) / PMT (Premenstrual Tension) is something that around 80% of women suffer from, all the way from mild to severe symptoms?!
How can this be?
Is this the fault of our hormones? Did God/Mother Nature/Source get this wrong?
In the physical sense, our hormonal balance is certainly one of the factors – either excess or deficiency of estrogen, plus a deficiency of progesterone.
In addition to our lovely hormones being out of balance when we are suffering PMS, these factors also have a big role to play:
Inflammation
Stress
Trauma
High consumption of dairy, caffeine, sugar, alcohol.
Deficiency of certain minerals (magnesium, selenium) and vitamins (B complex, C, E)
Lack of exercise
Excess weight
Histamine intolerance
But if your PMS is chronic – you get it pretty much every month, year after year – or severe, then you need to look deeper.
Our female hormones communicate with us and guide us in our day to day life.
Premenstrually, they are telling us we need to rest, to look inward, nurture ourselves.
Our modern culture, however, is telling us the opposite. It’s telling us we need to keep active all the time, be productive members of society. We can and should do anything, anytime.
It is when we resist our cycles and rhythms, that we run into trouble. PMS is our body signalling us that we are not in tune with ourselves.
It’s screaming for us to look after ourselves and rest. It’s telling us that maybe we haven’t been kind to ourselves lately – too much stress, not enough nutrient dense foods, not enough exercise.
So what can you do to relieve PMS?
Getting rid of your hormonal fluctuations – which are normal by the way! – with a hormonal contraceptive will not solve the problem. It’s only patching it up, temporarily. In fact, it will most likely cause more problems (and that is a conversation for another time!).
The main problem or problems will still be there unless you address them.
Reducing stress is probably the most important thing and it goes hand in hand with inflammation. Stress affects the behaviours and communication of all our hormones, including estrogen and progesterone.
Avoiding foods that cause inflammation, like dairy, wheat, sugar, alcohol and vegetable oils, could also be important
You can start to look at your nutrition and exercise habits, and see where you need to change things up.
Do you need to reduce or avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy?
Or maybe consume foods that contain magnesium, selenium, vitamin B6, B12, C and E.
Maybe you need to see if your meals are properly balanced, with enough protein and fat to balance your blood sugar and avoid sugar cravings.
Or if you think you have a histamine sensitivity or intolerance, then look at avoiding foods that could cause a histamine reaction – e.g. dairy, alcohol – or that contain histamine – e.g. cheese, red wine, fermented foods, smoked meats, nuts, beans and pulses.
Do you need to exercise more to reduce stress and inflammation and balance blood sugar.
Or maybe you just need to try to get more and better sleep. IF you do the above, your sleep will very likely improve anyway!
You don’t have to keep struggling month after month!
You can heal yourself. Homeopathy can help you deal with your PMS/PMT symptoms. It can also help you get to the deeper root cause, safely and effectively, so you don’t have to suffer any more!
Please get in touch if you need help. I’m here for you!
It’s only November and I’ve already had my first cold (thanks to my lovely daughters!). I remember telling people I had a bit of a cold, and almost everyone would try to stay away from me, worried that they may catch it.
With our busy lives, it is not surprising that most of us want to avoid being run down with a cold, especially if we have children to look after.
You may be surprised to know, however, that getting a cold once or twice a year is not a bad thing, and is actually a sign that your immune system is functioning well.
Yes, it can be annoying, but it is actually giving you body a chance to rid itself of toxins, rest (if you let it!), and for your immune system an opportunity to strengthen itself – which then means you may be less likely to become ill with worse kinds of infections!
Many of the symptoms of cold and flu are quite similar; some people think they may have the flu, but actually that may not be the case. Flu symptoms are much more severe.
With a cold you will probably not get a fever (or very mildly if you do), whereas with flu there will almost always be a fever, usually high, which last a few days. Flu is also usually accompanied by body aches and exhaustion, sometimes quite severe, which means you will likely want to stay in bed for a few days.
If you are getting several colds a year, or if they take a long time to resolve, then your immune system may not be functioning optimally. This may be due to many factors, including stress, diet, and other chronic conditions. Do see your homeopath or health professional to get to the bottom of it and help you strengthen your immune system.
In the meantime, what can you do at home to prevent or minimise the symptoms of colds and flu in a more natural way?
Homeopathy:
There are many, many homeopathic remedies that can help lessen symptoms and get you through it quicker. Here are some of the main ones, most of them available in homeopathic first aid kits:
Aconite: this is the remedy to take when you are just starting to feel those first symptoms of cold or flu, especially if you have gotten chilled.
Arsenicum Album: if you are feeling very chilly, your eyes and nose are streaming with burning discharges and lots of sneezing, are very tired and anxious, and only want little sips of water.
Bellandona: Great remedy for high fevers, with a very red face and dilated pupils, throbbing headaches and the skin is hot to the touch.
Eupatorium Perfolatum: This is the one of the main remedies for flu, especially when there is a lot of bone pains, with lots of thirst, shivering, chills, aching and red eyes.
Gelsemium: Another main remedy for flu, where you feel extremely tired, heavy and sleepy, very chilly, shivery and achy, but not thirsty at all.
Kali Bich: Great remedy for very thick, sticky, stringy or dry yellow and green mucous that is difficult to get out.
Natrum Muriaticum: If you have lots of sneezing, with watery bland discharge that looks like raw egg white, this remedy may be for you.
Nux Vomica: This remedy is if you are feeling very chilly and can’t warm up, you are quite irritable, lots of sneezing, but your nose is stuffed up and it’s difficult to get the mucous all out.
Pulsatilla: Great remedy for children (or adults!) who are very clingy and teary, mucous is yellow or green, and symptoms are usually much improved with fresh air.
Homeobotanicals
These wonderful remedies made in New Zealand have some great options to support you through a cold or flu. I can make you a bespoke blend of these, depending on your particular symptoms and they can be used along homeopathy or any other treatment. Here are a few options that may help:
Hb C Cold and Catarrh: really helpful when there is lots of mucous and catarrh.
Hb I Immune: boosts the immune system and acts as an anti-microbial and anti-septic.
Hb R Respiratory: supports the whole respiratory system, including lungs, sinuses, and eustachian tubes.
Hb X Expectorant Coughing: soothes coughs and helps expel mucous.
First Aid: For the early, feverish stages of acute illnesses.
Promyr: Amazing anit-viral and anti-bacterial blend.
Nutrition and other general recommendations:
If you are trying to prevent colds and flu, make sure you eat well, lots of green vegetables and foods full of anti-oxidants. Anti-microbial foods, like ginger, honey and garlic, are also great for prevention and treatment. Also make sure you get plenty of exercise and fresh air.
If you have a cold or flu already, the most important thing to do is rest, rest, rest!!!
Also eat light, and ensure you get plenty of fluids into your body. Honey and lemon drinks are great for easing some symptoms like sore throats and coughs.
Supplementing with Vitamins C and D may help boost your immune system before and during a cold or flu.
Hi, I’m Stephanie!
I’m a registered Homeopath living in the small, beautiful rural county of Herefordshire in the UK. My passion is to help women balance their hormones in a natural, safe and effective way, so they can feel like themselves again.
