By Geoffrey Hoppe and Tobias

“Shaumbra” means Family and Deep Inner Friendship

1. Body aches and pains, especially in the neck, shoulder and back. This is the result of intense changes at your DNA level as the “Christ seed” awakens within. This too shall pass.

2. Feeling of deep inner sadness for no apparent reason. You are releasing your past (this lifetime and others) and this causes the feeling of sadness. This is similar to the experience of moving from a house where
you lived in for many, many years into a new house. As much as you want to move into the new house, there is a sadness of leaving behind the memories, energy and experiences of the old house. This too shall pass.

3. Crying for no apparent reason. Similar to #2 above. It’s good and healthy to let the tears flow. It helps to release the old energy within. This too shall pass.

4. Sudden change in job or career. A very common symptom. As you change, things around you will change as well. Don’t worry about finding the “perfect” job or career right now. This too shall pass. You’re in transition and you may make several job changes before you settle into one that fits your passion.

5. Withdrawal from family relationships. You are connected to your biological family via old karma. When you get off the karmic cycle, the bonds of the old relationships are released. It will appear as though you are drifting away from your family and friends. This too shall pass. After a period of time, you may develop a new relationship with them if it is appropriate. However, the relationship will be based in the new energy without the karmic attachments.

6. Unusual sleep patterns. It’s likely that you’ll awaken many nights between 2:00 and 4:00 AM. There’s a lot of work going on within you, and it often causes you to wake up for a “breather.” Not to worry. If you can’t go back to sleep, get up and do something rather than lay in bed and worry about humanly things. This too shall pass.

7. Intense dreams. These might include war and battle dreams, chase dreams or monster dreams. You are literally releasing the old energy within, and these energies of the past are often symbolized as wars, running to escape and boogiemen. This too shall pass.

8. Physical disorientation. At times you’ll feel very ungrounded. You’ll be “spatially challenged” with the feeling like you can’t put two feet on the ground, or that you’re walking between two worlds. As your consciousness transitions into the new energy, you body sometimes lags behind. Spend more time in nature to help ground the new energy within. This too shall pass.

9. Increased “self talk.” You’ll find yourself talking to your Self more often. You’ll suddenly realize you’ve been chattering away with yourself for the past 30 minutes. There is a new level of communication taking place within your being, and you’re experiencing the tip of the iceberg with the self talk. The conversations will increase, and they will become more fluid, more coherent and more insightful. You’re not going crazy, you’re just Shaumbra moving into the new energy.

10. Feelings of loneliness, even when in the company of others. You may feel alone and removed from others. You may feel the desire to “flee” groups and crowds. As Shaumbra, you are walking a sacred and lonely path. As much as the feelings of loneliness cause you anxiety, it is difficult to relate to others at this time. The feelings of loneliness are also associated with the fact that your Guides have departed. They have been with you on all of your journeys in all of your lifetimes. It was time for them to back away so you could fill your space with your own divinity. This too shall pass. The void within will be filled with the love and energy of your own Christ consciousness.

11. Loss of passion. You may feel totally disimpassioned, with little or no desire to do anything. That’s OK, and it’s just part of the process. Take this time to “do no-thing.” Don’t fight yourself on this, because this too shall pass. It’s similar to rebooting a computer. You need to shut down for a brief period of time in order to load the sophisticated new software, or in this case, the new Christ-seed energy.

12. A deep longing to go Home. This is perhaps the most difficult and challenging of any of the conditions. You may experience a deep and overwhelming desire to leave the planet and return to Home. This is not a “suicidal” feeling. It is not based in anger or frustration. You don’t want to make a big deal of it or cause drama for yourself or other. There is a quiet part of you that wants to go Home. The root cause for this is quite simple. You have completed your karmic cycles. You have completed your contract for this lifetime. You are ready to begin a new lifetime while still in this physical body. During this transition process, you have an inner remembrance of what it is like to be on the other side. Are you ready to enlist for another tour of duty here on Earth? Are you ready to take on the challenges of moving into the New Energy? Yes, indeed you could go Home right now. But you’ve come this far, and after many, many lifetimes it would be a shame to leave before the end of the movie. Besides, Spirit needs you here to help others transition into the new energy. They will need a human guide, just like you, who has taken the journey from the old energy into the new. The path you’re walking right now provides the experiences to enable you to become a Teacher of the New Divine Human. As lonely and dark as your journey can be at times, remember that you are never alone.

By the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Changes in periods. One of the first signs may be a change in a woman’s periods. Many women become less regular; some have a lighter flow than normal; others have a heavier flow and may bleed a lot for many days. Periods may come less than 3 weeks apart or last more than a week. There may be spotting between periods. Women who have had problems with heavy menstrual periods and cramps will find relief from these symptoms when menopause starts.

Hot flashes. A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat in the upper part or all of your body. Your face and neck become flushed. Red blotches may appear on your chest, back, and arms. Heavy sweating and cold shivering can follow. Flashes can be as mild as a light blush or severe enough to wake you from a sound sleep (called night sweats). Most flashes last between 30 seconds and 5 minutes.

Problems with the vagina and bladder. The genital area can get drier and thinner as estrogen levels change. This dryness may make sexual intercourse painful. Vaginal infections can become more common. Some women have more urinary tract infections. Other problems can make it hard to hold urine long enough to get to the bathroom. Some women find that urine leaks during exercise, sneezing, coughing, laughing, or running.

Sex. Some women find that their feelings about sex change with menopause. Some have changes to the vagina, such as dryness, that makes sexual intercourse painful. Others feel freer and sexier after menopause — relieved that pregnancy is no longer a worry. Until you have had 1 full year without a period, you should still use birth control if you do not want to become pregnant. After menopause a woman can still get sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as HIV/AIDS or gonorrhea. If you are worried about STDs, make sure your partner uses a condom each time you have sex.

Sleep problems. Some women find they have a hard time getting a good night’s sleep – they may not fall asleep easily or may wake too early. They may need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and then find they aren’t able to fall back to sleep. Hot flashes also may cause some women to wake up.

Mood changes. There may be a relationship between changes in estrogen levels and a woman’s mood. Shifts in mood may also be caused by stress, family changes such as children leaving home, or feeling tired.

Menopause Terms

Menopause (natural menopause), Perimenopause, Menopausal transition, Climacteric, Premenopause, Postmenopause, Premature menopause, Menopause Physiology

The National Women’s Health Information Center http://www.4woman.gov/faq
/perimenopause.htm

Our nation is a melting pot of distinctive women from all walks of life and from around the world. Beginning with the intensity of life’s experiences to the intimacy of finding inner peace we are a pageant of individuality with something to say.

Please say it.

In your own words, write about a meaningful experience, a mentor, or maybe it was something someone said to you just at the right time and those words made the light bulb go on, or perhaps it was something you read or heard, it could have been from a movie or a billboard or bumper sticker. Wherever those words came from they made an impression on you, and no matter how long ago you heard or read those inspiring word you still recall them whenever they are needed as a self reminder.

Be part of a collection of stories as an outreach of support, love and humor. Sharing your story could be the right words at the right time for a woman in need of a dose of courage, hope or laughter.

E-mail your story to info@solutionsforwomen.com. In the Subject line please write “My Story”

Please include any information about yourself that is relevant to your story.

Solutions for Women has the right to edit and copy your entry without contact or compensation.

MORE Magazine More.com

Exercise Cuts Hot Flashes

By Meryl Davids Landau

New research says that exercising consistently can shorten the time you experience menopausal symptoms.

Have you ever wondered why your hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms seem to have been going on forever, even though the conventional wisdom says they should have disappeared after two years? Turns out the conventional wisdom is wrong, according to the first studies to follow a group of women for as long as their symptoms lasted. The researchers found that, on average, menopause-related annoyances persist over five years—and some women endure them for a decade or more. The good news is that you may have some control over the duration: “In our research, women who exercised four to six times a week had menopause symptoms for less time,” says Nananda Col, MD, director of the Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, at Maine Medical Center Research Institute, in Portland.

Use the news

You’ll need to work out four or more times a week to attain the symptom-reducing benefits found in this study. The researchers didn’t look into exercise intensity, but as a general health guideline the American Heart Association recommends moving at a speed that allows you to talk but not sing.

For more reading:
Cool Hot Flashes With Hypnosis
How to Sleep–Even if You’re In Perimenopause
Five Fixes for Hot Flashes, by the North American Menopause Society

New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/business/13drug.html?ref=health

Grappling with the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy is nothing new for women over 40. Since May 2002 repeated clinical studies and scientific reviews, re-reviews and re-re reviews have proven artificially replacing hormones is not good for us. It increases the risk of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots and the risks outweigh any possible benefits.

In January 2008 the FDA said hormones for menopause mixed by pharmacists aren’t any safer than prepared hormone replacement therapies from drug companies. Bioidentical hormones are referred to as natural because they are believed to chemically match the ones produced by a women’s body. Many women also believe they are safer. However, they are receiving the same hormone they fear: estrogen. The North American Menopause Society and the Mayo Clinic are among those who agree with the FDA urging women to listen, read and take heed when it comes to hand mixed bioidentical hormone combinations. If you feel you need prescription strength hormones for a short time, speak with you doctor. A hormone is a hormone ─ and it does matter how it is made.

Menopause is programmed into our bodies. Higher levels of hormones are needed to reproduce, but then, when we reach menopause, our hormones shift down to safer level. There is no denying the effects of perimenopause and menopause can be wearing, especially when you have multiple events going on every day — work, home and body maintenance, kids, pets, friends, and loved ones. The energy you put forth keeps everyone well-fed and loved, but are you taking care of your mind and body in the way that supports your needs?

Mind Your Own Health

Creating daily routines and good habits will wrap defenses around the years before and after menopause and help prevent the onset of disease.

The Basics

The foundation to health begin with all the things that we know we should be doing: getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly.

Remain positive and light hearted. It is hard to be who your really want to be if you are unhappy. Developing inner peace will help you conquer anxiety, low level depression and anger so often experienced as hormone levels naturally readjust.

Create a sound nutrition plan that includes colorful vegetables and fruits and lean protein.

Try a pharmaceutical grade and clinically tested herbal formula such as Femmerol to ease symptoms such as hot flashes, palpitations, insomnia and vaginal dryness.

Include high-quality supplements that support your bones, heart, brain and nervous system. Medical recommendations include vitamin D, B complex, folic acid, magnesium, calcium and essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA from fish oil, GLA from borage oil and ALA from flax seed oil.

Symptoms and Solutions

Hot flashes are common and the exact cause is unknown, but a sudden change in hormone levels confuses our internal thermostat, causing it to send out a message to blood vessels, heart, and nervous system to work harder, resulting in a burst of heat.

What you can do: During the day, dress in layers. Taking a few slow deep breaths will help calm the nervous system. Carry a small Chinese fan. A breeze of cool air works wonders. Also dress your bed in layers so you can remove blankets and put them on again as needed. Turn the heat down—or off—and open a window.

Heart palpitations are felt because the heart and nervous system are involved in producing a hot flash. Sometimes a flutter of anxiety is also felt and the combination can be nerve-wracking. By all means if you are concerned about your heart, consult your doctor.

What you can do: Fully and slowly breathe. If you are not familiar with breathing techniques there are various books and CD’s that teach the “how to” and explain its many health benefits. It may turn out to be your single most beneficial tool ─ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Deep breathing delivers much need oxygen to every cell in the body. The value far exceeds reducing tension, stress and calming the nervous system. Full breathing heals. Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and refined foods such as flour and sugar is also helpful.

Changes in menstrual flow include irregular periods that come more or less frequently, heavier or lighter bleeding, or lasting longer or shorter than usual.

What you can do: Be prepared. Carry a tampon or pad in your purse and keep a supply at home, work, and car. Nutritional and herbal therapies can help with cramping, bloating, moodiness and many other symptoms.

Vaginal dryness sometimes happens when hormone levels change. Some women lose their sexual desire or have difficulty becoming aroused or reaching orgasm, while others have an increased desire and remain vaginal moist.

What you can do: Using a vaginal moisturizer will ease dryness and a personal lubricant will help intercourse be more comfortable. Ask your doctor about Eros Therapy, an FDA-approved device for increasing vaginal lubrication and improving sexual difficulties. The Eros device is approved in Canada and Europe for urinary incontinence. Available by prescription only.

Moodiness and irritability can be part of the hormonal, physical and emotional changes during perimenopause and menopause. Midlife, for many women can also bring about other challenges, such as career changes, empty nest, or divorce. As our lives change, so do our moods and reactions to circumstances.

What you can do: Give yourself time to think things through. Speak with someone you trust. Pamper yourself. Exercise is a good way to bring perspective back and raise your mood-elevating hormones.

Dry skin, hair, nails and eyes are common with many women and can happen at any age. Dry eyes can hinder your vision. Dry skin can look dull and can also itch.

What you can do: Drink plenty of water. Use skin treatments and moisturizing products. Rub oil into your nails and cuticles and deep condition your hair. There are over-the-counter eye drops specifically designed to moisten dry eyes. If you are concerned about your eyes, speak with your eye doctor.

When menopause, peri-menopause, or PMS symptoms interfere with your life, Solutions for Women thinks you should have a choice of how to manage them. If you’re worried about the risks of HRT, start here with Femmerol®—the 100% natural, clinically tested herbal supplement proven to help women maintain hormonal balance. Now, whether you’re 30, 40, 50, 60 or older–life just gets better.

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Learn more about Femmerol>

The Female Patient

October 23, 2009

By M. Sara Rosenthal, PhD

The term “bioidentical hormones” was introduced by Jonathan Wright, MD, a practitioner who prescribes compound-ed hormones from botanical sources.1 Wright used “bioidentical” to communicate his still unsubstantiated claim that plant-derived hormones are “identical” in molecular structure to human hormones. The necessary structural crystallographic data demonstrating this do not exist, which is why the term bioidentical remains misleading. In the peer-reviewed literature, “bioidentical” is described as a “pseudoscientific neologism,” and the risks are presumed to be similar to patented hormones.1,2 Despite this, prescribers of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) cite Wright’s claim as fact and make additional unsupported claims.1

To read the rest of this important article click here >http://www.femalepatient.com/html/arc/sig/view/articles/034_08_028.asp

About the Publication: The principal goal of The Female Patient is to publish timely and practical, technical information for those physicians providing primary health care to women. The journal presents peer-reviewed articles, reports, and departments on new procedures and developments relevant to differential diagnosis, therapy, and patient management procedures.

Is America’s Health Freedom Being Threatened?

The FDA and the FTC have issued a letter threatening criminal prosecution of Dr. Andrew Weil and his company claiming that this well-respected integrative medical doctor has made false statements regarding his immune boosting formulas.
Now, there has always been a little separation between those who favor allopathic medicine and those who favor “alternative” methods. But Americans have always had the freedom to choose - that is part of what makes this a “free” country.

Whether or not a person believes in herbal medicines, they should absolutely have the freedom to make the personal choice should they want to go that route.
It is vital that as Americans and consumers, we stay informed of truths and of profit-driven opinions.

The main herb in question here is astragalus, which does have scientific research supporting its immune enhancing effects. Why then would these government agencies be attacking Dr. Weil?
The answer seems to stem from profits, and those profits are a big deal.

It is important to understand that the Swine Flu vaccine has not been scientifically proven to be directly effective in humans against the swine flu. And yet the FDA has approved it for use, and touts it as “a magic pill”.

It is also important to review the information on substances that have been used successfully for centuries to boost immunity as well as medicines that have only just been created in “hopes” of being effective.

Unfortunately, it does not seem that we are being given the whole story.
Before making any decisions about something as precious as one’s health, it is vital to really investigate and look for the facts.

It is critical to not blindly accept that a vaccine will save millions of lives. Just as it is critical to not blindly accept that an herb will save millions of lives.

Time to ask questions, seek answers and dig a little deeper than just what is surface level.

For more info:

U of Maryland Medical Center on Astragulus

The economics of the Swine Flu vaccine

FDA/FTC letter

Revealing facts about Swine Flu vaccine

By Patricia McAdams

Health Behavior News Service

Grappling with the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is nothing new for postmenopausal women. Researchers have now added more fuel to the fire, with evidence that HRT could play a role in incontinence.

“Our main finding, which comes in particular from one huge trial, is that one type of HRT — systemic conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) — may make urinary incontinence worse,” said June Cody, a methodologist at the Cochrane Incontinence Review Group at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

“In addition, in this large trial, women who did not have incontinence at first were more likely to develop incontinence than those who took a placebo.”

In an updated systematic review in the upcoming issue of The Cochrane Library, Cody and colleagues also found that significantly more women who used local (vaginal) estrogen reported that their incontinence symptoms improved when compared to women who used a placebo. This result comes from small studies, however, which might have had limitations.

Millions of women experience incontinence — an involuntary and embarrassing leakage of urine that can lead to social isolation and even stigma. There are several kinds of urinary incontinence, including stress and urge incontinence. Stress incontinence can occur when someone is coughing or sneezing, while urge incontinence occurs when one feels a sudden strong urge to urinate.

“The original (2003) Cochrane review on incontinence grouped women according to different types of incontinence — stress, urge or mixed,” Cody said. “In this update, we rearranged things to look separately at local or systemic delivery. We then honed in on the different types of estrogen. When we looked at the research with CEE, it seemed to make all types of incontinence worse.”

The review appears in the current issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates research in all aspects of health care. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing trials on a topic.

This systematic review of 33 randomized trials comprised 19,313 incontinent postmenopausal women. In the review as a whole, 9,417 women received estrogen systemically, from oral tablets, skin patches or subcutaneous implants. Another 735 women received estrogen locally by means of a vaginal cream, tablet, vaginal ring or other device. The studies included control groups of women who received a placebo or a different treatment. Half of the trials took place in the United States.

Cody said that the results of two trials, which included 17,642 women, dominated the findings. One study reported on a subset of women from the Women’s Health Initiative, which collected incontinence data on 23,296 women — 16,117 of whom were incontinent. The second largest study included 1,525 women with incontinence.

The main purpose of the studies was to look at outcomes such as breast cancer, stroke, heart disease and bone fracture, but they also looked at incontinence. The findings of both studies were the same, whether women were taking estrogen alone, or estrogen and progestogen (for women with an intact uterus): Incontinence worsened for those using HRT with conjugated equine estrogen.

Curiously, smaller studies suggested that systemic estrogen helps incontinence, Cody said. Women in these trials, however, received different types of estrogen, such as estriol or estradiol — but not CEE.

One-fourth of women on systemic estrogen reported vaginal bleeding and one-fifth reported breast tenderness during the trials.

The women in the largest study “were reportedly healthy, post-menopausal women and, on average, their incontinence got worse if they were allocated CEE. This is what the data show from a randomized trial — the best level of evidence for comparing different interventions,” said Cody, who is also a member of the Academic Urology Unit at the University of Aberdeen.

Charla Blacker, M.D., of the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, who did not take part in the review, said that doctors should take note that the way estrogen therapy is administered — by local estrogen therapy or systemic hormone treatments — could make a difference in whether incontinence improves or gets worse.

“These findings should be discussed with women who are contemplating using estrogen or hormonal therapy for relief of menopausal symptoms, particularly those who already have incontinence symptoms,” Blacker said.