When a woman enters the time of life when her cycle ceases (menopause), it is supposed to be a time unlike any other in her life. It is much different than what we typically experience. It is akin to a rite of passage. It is a time when in earlier history, she is considered the "wise woman." Her accumulated knowledge and experience is treasured and respected. It is a time of settling into contentedness, enjoying family and reaping the rewards of years of hard work.

Today, it is more like a dreaded time. Because of the common symptoms of menopause - hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, memory and concentration challenges (referred to as "Mind-Misconnect") - most women don't look forward to this time. They do everything they can to pretend they're not maturing. Aesthetically, that's OK. It's wonderful that we have such an array of anti-aging products and procedures that enable us to hold on to our youthful look much longer than we could in the past. But the symptoms? We just can't do anything about them! They're inevitable. Or are they?

The answer: "No. They are not inevitable." They have become so common, that we think it's normal, but in fact is a symptom of an out of balance system. Those who don't experience the common symptoms, simply don't talk about it. They're not going to boast that they missed their cycle and they're not having hot flashes! It just tapers off (with a little chaotic cycling first), and it's done. Nothing to remark about.

That's the good news! If you are peri-menopausal (going through the process), there is much you can do to reduce your symptoms. If you haven't started yet, you are even luckier, because by getting your hormones straightened out while you're still cycling, you have a much greater chance of never having menopausal symptoms to start with (not to mention having symptom-free menstrual cycles every month!).

Acupuncture, good, solid hormone-supportive nutrition, herbs and other modalities are used together to help balance your hormones. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is, in my opinion, not the best option. The better option is to support the entire endocrine system - the thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, hypothalamus, liver, ovaries, etc. that are all part of the feedback loop that determines the health of the sex hormones.

Many people erroneously believe that once the ovaries retire, that that is it. No more estrogen. Estrogen is still produced, but other tissues take over, if they're healthy. That's the key. If they are healthy. The problem is, most women have a lifestyle that promotes unhealthy tissues, not healthy ones. They partake of convenience over healthier options. Many just don't know the difference. That's the power of knowledge. With an understanding of what you can do to support a healthy menopause, you can look forward to a wonderful time of your life.

Learn more by attending our upcoming class, Solutions for Hot Flashes, Night Sweats and Other Menopausal Problems, from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29 in Coeur d'Alene. Fee: $10. RSVP: (208) 765-1994.

Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with more than 32 years of experience. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d'Alene clinic. Visit Carling's website at www.vitalhealthandfitness.com to learn more about Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.