Tinyshinythings, Food for thought

Body: 

Sally! LOL!!!

Oh my! Whose head did you bite off? And have you tried WW balms? I know what you mean about "at least it's not oestrogen". I have some fluffy head, body pain and short term memory loss, over what is normal, that I am dealing with at the moment, but 'jinee is OK with WW balms.

Some medico did roll his eyes at me a few months ago and suggest a trial of HRT. I figure that menopause is a normal process and I am loathe to introduce amounts of extra hormones into an already changed system. Vaginal oestrogen comes into the same category for me.

I have a book called Is It Me Or My Hormones: Understanding Midlife Change, by Dr Margaret Smith and Patricia Michalka, ISBN 1 876451 74 2. The first half is about women whose lives were positively transformed by taking HRT (ie, they decided not to suicide). The second half is about women who found that underlying psych/emotional issues were making a nightmare of the menopause years. Addressing these issues reduced or eliminated their symptoms.

The point of the book is that there are two parts to menopause. One is the effect your change in hormone status is having on your body and mind, and ways in which HRT can be tweaked to deal with this. The other is the effect of other things in your life on your emotional state and how your body manifests this, at a time when all about you is changing; kids leaving home, parents aging and/or passing away, retirement looming, grandbaby hunger, etc.

I am taking a punt on the emotional issues at the moment, and trying to address these. I guess it is just menarche backwards. We are not very sympathetic to teenagers whose bodies are morphing hormonally, with all the uproar that can involve. We certainly don't suggest HRT though! Some people would if they could.

Looking forward to the cake recipe!

Cheers

Louise

Hi Lousie

The book sounds interesting and I hope you have success with your current line of personal investigation. I'm concentrating on meditation, releasing and relaxing and allowing the body to heal. I'm having mixed results as the headless man will confirm. I'm trying to enjoy this new chapter of my life and remain aware of my many blessings.

Cake receipt follows but first please give me your thoughts (ladies) on this little kettle of fish.

My prolpase has almost disappeared. When I look in the mirror first things pretty much all I can see is my urethra. Everything else is all shut up just as it should be....however. This seems to have done nothing at all to alter my symptoms. My main problem is bending over. If I open my legs and bend my knees so that my lower abdomen is not squished, I'm fine. If I forget and squish my lower abdomen, that's when the trouble starts. Also if I am walking with a shoulder bag round my neck so it kind of softly bounces off my lower abdomen - the kind of thing we normally do every day without thinging - that's a no-no. It hurts. Something in there must be very sensitive.

I'm guessing my organs have moved down even though I have no visible prolapse. It's as if they are also very sensitive or inflammed and if you squished anything in this condition, you would make it worse. I also have chronic indigestion. I just feel as if I'm inflammed from the top to the bottom. Thinking of going to see a herbalist. This mornig I made congee or rice porridge and had it with tumeric which is supposed to be a good anti-inflammitory.

Anyway, you can have your cake and eat it!

cup soya flour
cup wholemeal flour
scant cup rolled oats
1/2 cup linseed
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup flaked almonds
2 pieces stem ginger, finely chopped
1&1/2 cups raisins
1/2 tsp nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger
2 cups soya milk
1 tablesp malt extract

Mix and leave 30 mins
190 gas mark 5 for 75 mins bake
Should be soft dropping consistency
They recommend baking parchment lined loaf tin

Enjoy

Sally

OoYum, Sally. I Can't wait.

Questions about your symptoms.

When you look in the mirror, are you on your back, or standing in WW posture with legs astride and mirror on the floor, or hunched over sitting with the mirror in your hand, looking down? Or hanging from the chandelier?

Re the shoulderbag thing, is it a soft bumping or a solid thumping that produces the pain? Can you produce the same pain with your hand on your belly? Can you produce the pain by pressing in other spots? What happens if you sling the bag over one shoulder and rest it on your butt?

Maybe the pain is not prolapse-related at all? Maybe you need to see somebody who palpate your body and help you to identify the bits that are hurting?

It does indeed sound like you are inflamed from top to bottom. Alemama listed some anti-inflammatory foods somewhere. Ginger was another one, pineapple, and garlic too, I think.

Cheers

Louise

Thanks Louise. I'll search the archives for anti inflammitory. I keep chandelier swinging strictly for sexualy purposes (ha!). For self exams I stand with knees bent, holding mirror in hand.

The handbag is just normal walking pressure. I do ususally swing it round that back instead. It's not pain, I'm just aware that it's not comfortable. Just like sink against belly when peeling potatoes is not good either. I have had LOTS of palpating. Last gynae found this sore bit on my front all and poked about in it, making it sorer. She didn't really offer any explanation but neither did she express any concern. I have another appt with her (she's the best so far) in a few weeks and I will definately keep it.

I really shouldn't moan when I read about my sisters with all these little ones to care for. At least my time is my own. Sometimes I make art and I've been wanting to make some prolapse related art so that at least something good comes out of it. I did this today. I have a blog I and can upload them to if anyone wants to see.

Off to get myself a pineapple.

Sally