What I don't understand is this view towards menopause that it is a disease. To me, that goes hand in hand with a view of pregnancy and childbirth that has been medicalized beyond recognition in many cases. These are natural life events that have occured for as long as there have been women (or so we guess). Even the bible refers to Abraham's wife, Sarah, being beyond childbearing. So what on earth did women do before there was HRT???
I understand that there are many factors involved today that haven't always been present. Our exposure to cancer causing agents has increased dramatically over the years, our diets are lacking- even those who eat well cant replace the microbes that are essential for our digestive systems that have been stripped from our soil. We dont exercise enough or eat enough green leafys to get that calcium. Our air quality has declined horrifyingly over the recent years as well.
All that said, I get why perhaps there are problems now that weren't always such an issue. However, again I wonder what did women do before there was HRT? I am a good 18-20 years away from full blown menopause myself and I realize that my opinions may change when I am confronted with my own symptoms. As for now, I feel that certainly there must be treatments and lifestyle adjustments that can be applied to go through this change naturally and gracefully. From my perspective, this is a beautiful time of life. My children will be grown, I will be established as a woman despite whatever challenges come between now and then. I will hopefully be growing old with my husband and family, and I will be well finished with my periods.
It seems to me that HRT should be reserved for those women who go through the change prematurely due to hysterectomies. For those who do have a condition which must be treated medically. The rest of us should be offered other kinds of support from our health care providers. Care that embraces the change as a natural part of life and a beautiful progression of ageing. Yes, we should look into natural remedies and helps for symptoms as we adjust, but are we unwilling to suffer a bit to grow old? or are we so adverse to any difficulty that we run for potentially harmful medical interferance at the first sign of change? Doesn't that seem odd to anyone else?
2 comments:
I concur with your quandary about the relationship of menopause and disease. For such a natural and purposeful part of the aging process - it has received an overabundance of flack throughout time. It is difficult to understand or rationalize yet I have my theory.
For so long men were the leaders in the medical world. Women, their input, the needs, nor their futures seemed at the forefront of discoveries or advancements. Although in retrospect a probing question would be to examine what men thought they could accomplish without women and their reproductive health. I am not bashing men, I love them, but I also question them being the ultimate authority on issues they cannot possible know about first hand. I could never and still do not understand why men have been the deciding voice in obstetrics and gynecology for years. Twenty five years ago when I delivered my first baby I could not find a women OB in Plano, TX who was taking new patients. There were only two listed in the yellow pages. I chose a man by default.
A thoughtful and invigorating blog – good job!
I have often thought the same thing about other medical subjects. What did we do in the past before all these medications were developed? Sometimes I think that all these medicines we take for different ailments may be the reason we have so many issues with our health today.
Post a Comment