18th October is celebrated as World Menopause Day every year. According to Lina Mookerjee, BACP accredited Psychotherapist and a former electrical engineer who now practises as a humanistic counsellor, World Menopause Day is a marker in the year to raise awareness about what menopause is, because it has been a very taboo subject around the world and it’s so important because every woman goes through it and it is now being marked valid enough to be talked about and being recognised. “It’s an opportunity to share information about what it is, how to look after one’s self and how important it is for women in menopause years especially in the workplace because they form such an important part of a woman’s life. And that age is at risk of walking out of the door and this year has been concerning in that aspect,” she said.
Lina also said that there are no archives on this subject. No one’s talked about it. At the workplace the employers need to make sure that there’s cool space, cool water to drink, ventilation - things that help in dealing with the symptoms (like hot flashes). There needs to be a chat about the work hours, or if shifts are required. Asian Voice asked to address a few questions for women and men who may or may not be well informed about Menopause.
How does a woman need to prepare herself for Menopause?
First of all to recognise that she’s in it by informing herself and getting information. Second, physically preparing herself. Making sure she’s getting the right food for eg: Soya based food which would boost the Estrogen levels, lots of green veggies and broccoli and lots of magnesium rich foods. Also, lots of water because it’s a time of great dehydration. Cut out tea-coffee, caffeine, sugar, all that needs to go - very much a plant based diet. Very little meat will go down a lot better. Also making sure that stress levels are low.
How can the family help her in navigating through that transition phase?
First of all, being informed about it. The information that she has needs to be shared with the family. Lots of support, lots of understanding, making sure that a room in the house is cool, there’s plenty of water and she can rest. Also pain becomes a factor so ensuring that she can get a massage but it’s also very much about understanding that she’s in pain.
What according to you is the current status/understanding of Menopause among Asians (men and women) and how do you think Asian families have mentally evolved over the years when it comes to Menopause? Is it still a hush-hush or less significant affair for them?
I still think it’s very much taboo. This is my opinion, but the older you get in the community, you can go two ways. One - you’re seen as more revered or a wise elder, two - old, haggard and invisible. And the fact that we are very much focused on the feminine is more valued as Goddesses, somehow in the modern day she isn’t. There’s still a stigma around an older looking woman and they’re expected to dye their hair black, in fact to lose colour is a part of growing older.
What exactly goes on in a woman's body when she's at the verge of menopause? Are there books, literature or art she can refer to?
We have three phases. There’s perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. Basically what happens is that a woman’s Estrogen production. It means that your body is no longer needed to be producing babies, so it’s nature’s way of curtailing that function. However, Estrogen is also an incredibly important hormone with all sorts of functions within the body because it regulates and affects your heart, your brain, your kidneys, your reproductive system, even your skin and lungs. So the fact when you’re on the verge of menopause or in menopause, you are literally going through a major change in the body as Estrogen levels drop. It affects everything in the body from your bones, hair, oil level, sight, digestion, energy levels, sleep, hot flashes. There’s plenty of literature and books you can go through. I’m also writing a book called ‘Standing in the middle’ about it.
Share some of your own case studies or tropes from interacting with women about Menopause.
In my own case studies I’ve often met women who are going through so much pain, but after when we deal with the symptoms or we can get deeper - it’s not the symptoms that are calling, it is something else that starts to happen - what I call the “gift of menopause”. Then women start to realise that there’s more to life than what they have been sold. When Estrogen levels drop, there’s a feeling of accessing true emotions. Estrogen is a great way of accessing purpose in life. When that starts to disappear, we start to get in touch with reality, sense of injustices, hot flashes. It’s a time in a woman’s life to really find out who she is. What is it that keeps her in peace with a sense of who she is. Yes, it’s a very potent and exciting time in a woman’s life.
