A Little Wisdom Makes Menopause Easier

Sometimes it seems as if modern women don’t really understand how much easier life is for them as opposed to issues that faced their mothers and grandmothers. Washing machines, dryers, electric and gas stoves, vacuum cleaners, store-bought soap and bread – and menopause! Our female ancestors coped with menopause with patience and wisdom since they lacked hormone replacement therapy, hysterectomies, progestin, antidepressants, and psychotherapy.

Perhaps women have become too dependent upon instant gratification through pills, shots, ointments, etc. Wisdom and menopause still go hand-in-hand if today’s women will only recall the histories and lessons learned from their mothers and grandmothers.

What Can the Past teach us About Wisdom and Menopause?

Our female ancestors knew all about puberty, child-bearing, serious gynecological problems such as cancer, and menopause. Having acquired wisdom about menopause from their own mothers, sisters and grandmothers, they learned exactly what to expect during menopause.

Since they lacked the availability of modern medicine, they learned to be stoic about insomnia, heavy and irregular bleeding, depression, mood irritability and night sweats. They endured what they had to endure, and gained a wealth of wisdom about menopause that could benefit their modern descendents.

In centuries past, wisdom about menopause was essential information. Women knew that menopause signaled the end of their child-bearing years; this was both a relief and a wistful sadness. The “change of life” is inevitable, and their wisdom about menopause included an acceptance that this is the way the cycle of life works. It was time for the next generation of mothers to take their places as child-bearers.

Instead of rushing to the gynecologist for hormone replacement therapy to ease night sweats, our ancestors made due with cold cloths and fans. If they couldn’t sleep, they simply got out of bed and performed some household chores.

Their wisdom about menopause’s mood irritability and depression kept them busy with home and social activities to improve their frame of mind. They learned about herbal and nutritional methods of easing menopausal symptoms. Most of all, their wisdom about menopause taught them that this was but one more phase of life, and would pass soon enough.

When women have no other options, they make do with what they have. Patience, understanding and wisdom can still make menopause much easier to accept without creating much ado about nothing. While still in pre-menopause, women should begin thinking about how they will cope with actual menopause when it comes; planning ahead shows true wisdom! We only dread that which we don’t understand or refuse to graciously accept.