Reviewed: The Wisdoms Of The Menopausal Godmother
The first thing I want to say is that the menopause is no joke. As someone who is peri-menopausal I am currently dealing with erratic periods and changes to my menstrual cycle, thinning hair, mood swings and sleepless nights, absolutely no fun whatsoever. But that doesn’t mean that the subject can’t be dealt with with warmth and humour. And that is exactly what the new book by The Menopausal Godmother Emma Guy does.
On any day, week or month in the UK, about 13 million women are starting or finishing the menopause. That’s almost 20% of the entire population of this country, but do you see it mentioned on the news bulletins every night?
The reason for this of course it that it happens to women, rather than men, and we are expected to get on with it, even though our bodies and our psyches are being challenged on a daily basis. That’s why a book like Emma’s ‘The Wisdom of the Menopausal Godmother’ is so important, it tells us about Facebook groups we can join, why we should be talking to our families about home we feel, and why we are not alone in these things and so should gain support from one another. As the cover says, ‘no fairy tales – straight to the point.
It is also important that we recognise what Emma refers to as the Seven Signs. These may come together or appear at different times, but can all be an indication that you are about to go through ‘The Change’ (or, as Emma prefers ‘oh shit, fucking bollocks, what is happening to me?’). I laughed out loud at the list of those seven symptons, which sounded like a rather warped version of the Seven Dwarfs. (Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful, Pyscho.)
The Wisdoms of the Menopausal Godmother has Emma also talking about the benefits of acupuncture, and more specifically, her ‘Guy Protocol’ as a means of treating those symptoms (and others) and alleviating some of them in order to live an easier life. I was shocked to read how many women had to either give up work, or certainly cut their hours when the menopause came to call, so it is interesting to read there are positive ways to fight back. These also include healthy eating, exercise and self care.
If you are either peri-menopausal, in the menopause itself, or are approaching the age and feeling really worried about it, I would totally recommend this book. It feels like a positive way to approach something that can’t actually be avoided, but can certainly be improved when tackled head on. It is also great to read real stories, from real women like Mindy, and even get a blokes perspective too.
The Wisdoms of the Menopausal Godmother Paperback is available from Amazon priced at £10.99