At the crossroads of the menopause and diabetes: our caring survival guide
Dear friends,
The menopause is an important stage in a woman’s life. This natural change is sometimes accompanied by challenges that can seem difficult to overcome: hot flushes, persistent tiredness, mood swings… If you’re going through this period or preparing for it, you should know that you’re not alone and that there are natural solutions to help you. One of them is shilajit, an ancient remedy that deserves to be better known.
What is shilajit?
Shilajit is a resinous substance that forms naturally in high mountains, particularly in the Himalayas. Used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine, it is considered a ‘rasayana’ – a rejuvenating remedy. Rich in fulvic acid, minerals and organic compounds, this ‘mountain resin’ offers a number of benefits that are of particular interest to women in the premenopausal or menopausal period.
How can shilajit help us during the menopause?
Support for our hormonal balance
As you probably know, the menopause is accompanied by a significant drop in oestrogen and testosterone. These hormonal changes are often responsible for unexplained fatigue, weight gain and sometimes a disturbing drop in desire.
Shilajit has the interesting property of slightly stimulating testosterone production – yes, even in women! This hormone, present in small quantities in our bodies, plays an essential role in our energy, vitality and desire. By supporting its balance, shilajit helps us to regain some of our energy.
An energy boost when tiredness sets in
‘I’m constantly tired’ – how many of us have said this since the onset of the menopause? Chronic fatigue is one of the most disabling symptoms of this period.
Shilajit contains fulvic acid, which improves the absorption of nutrients and supports the production of ATP, our cellular ‘fuel’. In short, it helps our cells produce more energy and use it efficiently. Many women report a significant improvement in their energy levels after just a few weeks of regular use. So it’s worth a try, isn’t it?
A new emotional balance
Mood swings, anxiety, irritability… Let’s face it: this emotional rollercoaster can be trying, both for us and for those around us. Shilajit helps to regulate cortisol, our stress hormone, which helps to calm these emotional fluctuations.
Another valuable benefit is that it can improve the quality of our sleep, which is often disrupted during the menopause. Restful sleep is essential for maintaining a good emotional balance and stable energy levels throughout the day.
Support for our bones and muscles
With the reduction in oestrogen, bone loss accelerates, increasing our risk of osteoporosis. This is a major concern for many of us.
Shilajit promotes the absorption of calcium and other minerals essential for healthy bones. It also helps maintain our muscle mass, which is crucial for preserving our mobility and independence in the long term.
An awakening of our desire and intimate well-being
Let’s be frank: reduced libido and vaginal dryness are realities that many of us experience during the menopause. These changes can affect our confidence and our relationship as a couple.
By slightly stimulating testosterone and improving blood circulation, shilajit can help reawaken our desire. Studies also suggest that it may help improve natural lubrication for more comfortable and pleasurable intimate relations. We’re not going to deprive ourselves!
How can we incorporate shilajit into our daily lives?
Dosage and forms available
The recommended dosage is generally between 250 and 500 mg per day. You’ll find shilajit in the form of pure resin (traditional), powder or capsules. If you’re just starting out, capsules offer precise, practical dosing, without the headache!
Important: always choose purified shilajit from reliable sources, to avoid any risk of contaminants or toxins.
When should you take it?
Mornings or early afternoons are ideal for enjoying its energising effects without disturbing your sleep. Some women prefer to take it with breakfast to facilitate its absorption and avoid any digestive discomfort.
A few precautions to be aware of
As with any natural supplement, there are a few precautions to be taken:
- Do not exceed the recommended doses to avoid possible digestive problems.
Shilajit is not recommended if you suffer from iron overload (haemochromatosis) or certain heart conditions. - If you are taking any medication, particularly hormones or blood pressure-lowering drugs, consult your doctor before starting shilajit.
- If in doubt or if you have a particular medical condition, talk to your health professional.
Towards a holistic approach to well-being
Shilajit can be an excellent addition to your menopause journey, but don’t forget the importance of a holistic approach. A balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamins D and K will support your bones. Regular physical activity, including muscle-strengthening exercises, keeps you in shape. Stress management techniques such as meditation or yoga can calm your mind. And of course, good quality sleep remains fundamental to your overall balance.
You can also combine shilajit with other adaptogenic plants such as ashwagandha, which is excellent for reducing stress, or maca, known for its balancing effect on hormones. This synergy can amplify the benefits and offer you complete support during this transition.
Remember: the menopause is not an illness, but a natural transition. With the right tools and a little kindness towards yourself, this stage can become a time of fulfilment and discovery of new facets of your femininity. Shilajit, with its rich nutrients and adaptogenic properties, can accompany you along this path towards a new balance.
Take care of yourself, you deserve it. Listen to your body, respect its rhythm and don’t hesitate to explore the natural solutions that will help you live this new phase of your life to the full.
Gravity and wrinkles are fine with me. They’re a small price to pay for the new wisdom inside my head and my heart.
When you’re young, there’s so much now that you can’t take it in. It’s pouring over you like awaterfall. When you’re older, it’s less intense, but you’re able to reach out and drink it. I love being older.
I see menopause as the start of the next fabulous phase of life as a woman. Now is a time to ‘tune in’ to our bodies and embrace this new chapter. If anything, I feel more myself and love my body more now, at 58 years old, than ever before.
All of a sudden I don’t mind saying to people, ‘You know what? Get out of my life. You’re not right for me.’ It’s wonderful and liberating.
If you deal with it in a healthy fashion then I think you come out the other side a better person. I’ve got so much more energy now than I ever had in my early 50s before the menopause.
The very best way that you can help yourself is to develop and sustain a positive attitude. The way you think and feel about everything will make all the difference to your experience.
Menopause. A pause while you reconsider men.
A study says owning a dog makes you 10 years younger. My first thought was to rescue two more, but I don’t want to go through menopause again.
Women are always being tested … but ultimately, each of us has to define who we are individually and then do the very best job we can to grow into it.
Confidence comes with age, and looking beautiful comes from the confidence someone has in themselves.
I think our bodies are beautiful, and I think celebrating them and being comfortable in them—no matter what age you are—is important. There shouldn’t be any kind of shame or discomfort around it.
I don’t think of getting older as looking better or worse; it’s just different. You change, and that’s okay.
For you, it’s a joke, but think about it for me, everything is going south. Menopause is one of themost significant things that happens to women. As someone who is in that phase, it is very frightening, because everything is basically out of your control.
The anticipation of a problem creates bigger problems than it really is. One has to adapt to alifestyle change to remain in the best of health. What works for one in their 30s or 40s cannot workin your 50s. You need to understand what you are getting into and make those small changes. One can have methi to regulate hormones. Zinc too. Start exercising, limit your alcohol intake if you drink and get into bed earlier.
I didn’t know what peri menopause was, I thought after a certain age we go through pre menopause up to 10 years before menopause? But did you know you could go through perimenopause up to 10 years before menopause ? It’s like the body is getting ready for menopause?
Menopause is considered as a “problem” rather than something normal every women experience.There’s a very important message behind it because what we’re saying here is that there are noexpiration dates for women.
I have a very healthy baseline, and also, well, I was experiencing hormone shifts because of infertility, having to take shots and all that,” Obama explained. “I experienced the night sweats, even in my 30s, and when you think of the other symptoms that come along, just hot flashes, I mean, I had a few before I started taking hormones.
Menopause is like autumn leaves falling; it’s a natural shedding of the old to make way for the new.
Gravity and wrinkles are fine with me. They’re a small price to pay for the new wisdom inside my head and my heart.
When you’re young, there’s so much now that you can’t take it in. It’s pouring over you like awaterfall. When you’re older, it’s less intense, but you’re able to reach out and drink it. I love being older.