I'm not writing about HRT or it’s side effects - but the medicine it’s self
and more disturbingly where it comes from.
Being a health conscious woman of a certain age, I
was having a read up on “the menopause,
the stage of the crone, the Change of life”.
Funny, it almost makes me shrivel up inside just
thinking about it or saying Menopause
and yet it is something that every woman on this planet will experience no
matter what.
Menopause is the natural stop to
your menstrual periods and an end to fertility. Menopause happens because your
ovaries stop producing the hormones oestrogen and progesterone.
And the usual age at which women
experience this is between 40 to 55 years old.
Next I check “The Symptoms”
Changes in the pattern of your cycle e.g. periods
heavier, lighter, further apart or closer together
Hot flushes
Night sweats
Mood swings
Vaginal dryness
Thinning of hair
Woop de dee !
and mood swings is putting it politely if I recall some conversations I’ve
had with ladies of that age. The term RAGE was used a lot.
But today we modern woman has many options in how
we experience this change of life - namely HRT, hormone replacement therapy.
Knowing women who have used it I decided to explore
it a bit more and what I learned I found very distressing.
For a half century the
pharmaceutical giant, Wyeth, has been marketing HRT under the name Premarin,
which, since it was FDA approved back in 1942, has been considered almost a
miracle drug.
And Premarin is prescribed for
women in Ireland
So where did this wonder drug come from?
The urine
of pregnant horses!
Yes. You read that right - pregnant horses Urine
(wee)
Wyeth signed contracts with hundreds of farmers,
most of them in western Canada
For years the way the mothers of these animals were
used, in the production of Premarin, has infuriated animal activists.
Pregnant mares confined to narrow stalls for
more than 20 hours a day, for five months at a stretch, all the while
strapped to cumbersome urine collection devices. Their water restricted so the urine is more
concentrated for collection.
Wyeth-Ayerst buys urine, at £10 per
gallon, from about 480 farms in Canada
and North Dakota in the US
And the result of all those pregnancies?
Lots and lots and lots of foals, baby horses, the
by-product of these Premarin farms?
They are usually sent to auction, along with those
mothers whose production has waned. They can be bought for recreational use, or
as often happens, purchased by what are called "killer buyers," who
send them to feedlots to be fattened up for slaughter.
Horse meat sells well in Europe and Japan
That is how it has been for half a century, with
perhaps a million horses giving their lives for Premarin and HRT
If women knew this would they feel empathy towards
these sensitive animals?
How do these horses feel to being kept continuously pregnant?
Mares kept indoors in small pens day in day out -
like battery hens.
Denied water so their urine is kept concentrated
for collection.
Stand in cramped stalls with no bedding.
Stand humiliated while contraptions are tied round
their vagina
Carry babies the will never get to nurse or spend
time with.
Foals that are weaned and taken away then fattened
for the meat market
Mares sent to the slaughter house when they can’t get
pregnant any longer.
They may be animals but they are females and
mothers. I wonder how we females feel about their suffering for a few
months/years of menopausal discomfort that we don’t want to experience.
Can we have this suffering and treatment of horses
on our consciences -
I know that I can not.
In today’s fast interactive world it seems we have
forgotten to acknowledge the stages of womanhood. Instead its all about
“dealing with it” rather than embracing it.
It’s that time for woman when she knows who she is – envelops her
femininity, her body, intimacy, sexuality, love, experiences, aging and death.
How nice it would be if we could live in a
culture where all are one with the rhythms, the seasons and the wisdom of earth
and not have animals suffer.
There are some tribal cultures who have no
word for menopause, it is a simple flowing process where a woman naturally and
graciously becomes an elder. A time when woman embraces the latter phase of her
life, when she is revered for her knowledge, wisdom and experience and she is
treated by others with honor and respect. Her wise advice is always sought after for matters of importance. No request of the Elderwoman is ever refused
by others in her tribe.
In the Native American Indian tradition
she is the Old Spider Woman who tends the fires of life and weaves the fabric
of interconnection between all
So what are the options if not HRT?
Luckily, there’s an
array of natural remedies available to help ease the symptoms and transition of
menopause. Just make sure to speak with your doctor before you begin taking any
supplements or herbs.
Nettle infusion
Nettle infusion strengthens the adrenals, eases anxiety,
increases energy, helps prevent night sweats, builds blood, and protects bones
and heart.
Black Cohosh
Black Cohosh is
among the most popular and longest-studied natural hot flush remedy for women who don’t want to turn to hormone replacement or antidepressants to
treat their menopause symptoms.
Black cohosh is derived
from a plant in the buttercup family, and it has been used for centuries. You
can take black cohosh in many forms: capsules, tablets, or mixed with water. It
is thought to behave similarly to serotonin in the brain. This behavior includes easing feelings of depression and regulating body
temperature.
Sage
Sage is a
multifunctional herb that just may help you cope with your night sweats. Brew your sage in a cup of tea or take it in a gel
cap and it can help with
Relaxation
Providing estrogen
Preventing sweating
Relieving
tension
Drinking a cup of sage tea in the evening can
help balance your hormones and help you unwind before you go to bed.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D the sunshine
Vit is an essential building block for a healthy body. It promotes healthy bone
renewal, normal cell growth, and hormone balance, which are all important for
menopausal women. As women age, their ability to absorb vitamin D decreases,
heightening their risk of bone density loss. This makes the need to incorporate
vitamin D into their diets that much more critical.
To get your recommended daily dose of 600 international units (IU), step
outside for a 15- to 20-minute walk. Be sure to wear sunscreen and a hat to
protect your skin.
Diet
It’s
also important to pile your plate high with foods containing high vitamin D
content. Such foods include sardines, tuna, wild salmon, fortified dairy
products, and eggs.
Many women find relief from their menopause
symptoms through acupuncture.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy massage not only relaxes but the oils
used can be tailored to your symptoms, being absorbed through your skin have a
balancing effect on
your body, hormones and mind.
Mindful Breathing
It’s time to jump on the mindfulness wagon if you
haven’t already. Mindful deep breathing such as that practiced during yoga and
meditation has a proven calming effect on the mind and can ease menopausal anxiety and hot flashes.
As soon as you feel a hot flash coming on, prepare.
Begin by inhaling through your nose to the count of four. Hold your breath
for seven counts. Then, exhale completely through your mouth to a count of eight. This is one
breath. Try to complete this cycle two more times.
St. John’s
Ginseng
Ginseng is an herb used
for its therapeutic health benefits for as many as 5,000 years by the Chinese,
Koreans, and Native Americans. It may be used to treat menopausal symptoms of
fatigue, anxiety, and stress because it’s considered a “normalizer” and an
“energizer.” You can take ginseng in different forms including tea, powder, and
extract.
Yoga
Yoga can help relieve irritability and
depression brought on by menopause. Women report that yoga relaxation and
stretching techniques help stabilize their moods while improving their overall
well being.
“We are not spiritually unconnected from the drugs we take,
or the pain and suffering that goes into their making.” — ALICE WALKER
If you wish to object to this horrendous treatment of horses please see this link http://www.change.org/p/american-horse-slaughter-prevention-act-of-2012-hr2966
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