I am frequently asked the question, or one similar to it: "I am going through menopause and I don't want to take estrogen, but my doctor says I should. Is there anything I can take on the natural side of things?" Simply put, menopause is the cessation of menstruation. It is a time when the ovaries have no more eggs. The absence of an egg producing follicle results in a significant drop-off in estrogen and progesterone levels. This decrease leads to hormonal imbalances that can cause some uncomfortable symptoms.

The symptoms of menopause can be divided into two categories: physical and psychological. The most common physical symptoms are hot flashes, profuse perspiration, night sweats, headache, vertigo (dizziness), heart palpitation, ringing in the ears, and vaginal atrophy (shrinking of the vaginal walls). The psychological symptoms include depression, nervousness or irritability, sleep disturbances, and decreased libido.

The information out there that supports the use of synthetic estrogen is very convincing, as are the risks associated with using it. Most women can tolerate the symptoms of this change in life but those for whom the symptoms are too severe, and the choice is against hormone replacement therapy, nature has provided many alternatives for you. However, the answer is not that simple...

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Solving the Mystery of Breast Pain by Dixie J. Mills, MD, FACS

Breast pain is a universal concern for women of all ages in Western industrial countries. Because we have been taught that pain means something is wrong, most women jump to the conclusion that it must be cancer. However, breast cancer has few warning signs and pain is rarely a symptom of the disease. Mastalgia, the medical term for breast pain, has not been that well studied partly because most scientists are men and don't have a problem with breast pain. The causes are not well understood and therefore the treatments are a bit unclear also.

The place to begin to understand any mystery is to collect information about the problem, try out a few solutions, collect more data, sit with it, and then discover what works best for you. We were never taught much about the breast itself or to look at it as the miracle organ it is with the power to transform water, protein and blood into milk. Breasts are made of a mixture of fat, fibers and glands. The glands or ducts and lobules are ready to make milk and prepare to do so each month during our menstrual cycle. The fibers, like strands of thread or rope, support the breasts and hold up the glands. The fat cushions and stuffs up the breast. Different women have differing amounts of these three components which are determined by our genes. Our breasts change throughout our life, from puberty, through child bearing and nursing years, to old age. They also change monthly with a menstrual cycle.

The spiritual life is a circle dance and one of the great dance teachers is the astrological wheel. Karmic Astrology focuses on the spiritual life. The simplest definition of karma is what goes around comes around. Contrary to popular belief, karma is neither good nor bad. Karma is an opportunity for your soul to evolve while learning to dance the dance of life. The most common chart interpretation is the birth chart. In Karmic Astrology this Natal chart is a portrait of the dance between heaven and earth at the time of your birth. The chart contains many spiritual lessons. A birth chart offers perspective on the major challenges and joys in your life. Interpretation of your chart with a karmic astrologer provides support and instruction on learning to dance with grace.

This universal dance is a circle dance in three/four timing. Threes and fours are found repeatedly within the astrology chart. The threes represent the spiritual world while the fours represent the earth's four directions. There are three zodiac signs in each of the four elements, earth, air, fire and water. When looking at a chart there is a natural clock face to astrology made up of a wheel with twelve houses. Astrology is a three fold system made up of the planets, zodiac signs and houses. This dance moves continually as the stars and planets move about the galaxy, weaving intricate variations into each individual chart...

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Where Two Worlds Meet Home Birth & Hospital Working Together by Linda Marks

My worst fear was going to the hospital. Pregnant at last at age 36 and preparing for motherhood at 37, I wanted everything to be conscious, natural and easy. As a body-centered psychotherapist who had seen first hand the emotional artifacts of the schizoid wound, ever so prevalent in our culture, I wanted to avoid prenatal and birth trauma in even the smallest ways. I wanted my baby to feel wanted and welcome, that the world was a safe and supportive place. Having read and embraced Jean Liedloff's Continuum Concept, the last thing I ever wanted was to have my child suffer a technological and traumatic birth.

My pregnancy had been a joyful experience for me. I think I felt more grace during that time than at any other time in my life. I was healthy, fit and on top of the planning. My husband and I had gathered a birth team to help us welcome our son into the world, chosen the spot in our house that would be most conducive to a warm and comfortable birth, and put together a birth plan, with contingencies, just in case there were any complications. My baby was in the perfect position for a smooth delivery. Neither pain nor the deep psychospiritual journey birth portended scared me in the least. I felt ready emotionally, physically and spiritually.

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