Sheri Goddard

For as long as I can remember, I have always been involved with my own personal health and well-being.

Even before it became "in vogue", I always looked for "natural" and alternative solutions to health, appearance, and energy challenges that I faced.

As an Esthetician and salon owner, I had been teaching women and coaching them about how to improve their skin and their diets.

As a young adult, people I worked with would seek me out for my advice and recommendations to some of their health issues.

This began my career as a coach, mentor, teacher, and author on the subject of natural health and wellness.

As I turned forty-two years old, I remember I began noticing some changes taking place in my body.

First my periods became irregular. Then my joints began to ache.  When I laughed too hard, there was the occasional, embarrassing incontinence.

"Only "old" people did that!"

I thought something was seriously wrong. I knew I was too young to be starting the "life change" as my Mom always called it.

Gradually I began the hot flashes and the night sweats too. I began noticing the decreased libido and vaginal dryness.

It was becoming obvious as to what was going on, but I wanted confirmation.

I made a special appointment with my gynecologist.

Well, to confirm my suspicion, she said that it was the beginning of my menopause.  I was not too young to start menopause. She wanted to give me a prescription for hormone replacement therapy.  I took it with me but I really felt like I needed to do some research on my own before having this filled.  I had to know in my heart that it was going to be the best choice for me.

My doctor didn't ask me about which supplements I was taking, what my diet was like, or if I was exercising. She didn't seem to relate my lifestyle with any of my symptoms.

My grandmother was a hypochondriac who took a variety of drugs which her doctor knew about but was apparently powerless to stop her from taking. The outcome is that she died from mixing her drugs and since then I have been very wary of any medication whether prescribed or not.

Questions began to plague me.

Such as:

- Why didn't my Mom have to take any hormones and she got through menopause just fine?

- Why is this happening to me at such a young age?

- I have heard that when Estrogen declines, you can get certain types of cancers. What if I get cancer?

- What about my bones, are they going to get real brittle, am I going to get Osteoporosis unless I go on HRT?

- Am I going to age faster unless I go onto HRT?

- Will it protect me against strokes?

- Is my skin and vagina going to dry up unless I use HRT?

- Some information says that menopausal symptoms are only temporary?  Is that true?

- Will I ever be interested in being intimate with my husband again?

- How come, in other cultures in other countries women don't have the problems with menopause that we seem to have?

It sounds silly now, but I had a huge concern whether I was going to get through this change and still be okay, physically, mentally and spiritually.

The secret I found was that lifestyle is everything.

First, I joined a health club near my home.

I worked long hours at this time.  So, either before being at work in the morning or after work at 7pm, I would go to the health club and work out.  At first it seemed too time consuming, but I had to see if it would help make me feel better.  I was desperate for the truth.

As Dr. Christine Northrup says, "Exercise tells your body to stay vigorous, vibrant, healthy and growing. Sitting on the couch and eating junk food, drinking too much alcohol gives your body the message: get old, deteriorate, and go into decline."

To my surprise, by doing some aerobics and lifting weights 2-3 times a week, my aching joints were feeling more "normal."

Okay, that was a start.

Next, I started paying attention to my "healthy cookbooks."

I pulled out recipes and started re-acquainting myself about different sugars, sugar substitutes, vegetable oils to use, etc.  I had been eating better before working in the Chiropractic office, but when I worked long hours, sometimes I took short cuts to be able to deal with everything on my plate.  We ended up eating out a lot because of getting out of the office so late.

At that time, one of my loves was coffee.  I started cutting down on coffee and in the mornings I substituted Morning Thunder Tea instead.  I didn't use sugar in my coffee, but with some teas, I prefer to use a little Agave Raw Nectar.
It tastes wonderful and it doesn't affect the blood sugar levels as white sugar does.

Now I use Yerba Mate primarily for my tea.  It is a popular South American tea and seems to be an acquired taste.  It is delicious to me with a little Agave.  And it has so many antioxidants and health benefits.

I loved desserts, but I tried my best to cut down on those.

I love to stir fry veggies (I am lucky, I love all veggies) and add tofu or chicken.  It is easy, pretty quick and very healthy.

I also started using my crock pot which could not be easier as long as you remember to shop for the ingredients.  It is so nice to come home and have a healthy dinner ready and waiting.

I made a better attempt at remembering to take the good supplements I already had from my husband's chiropractic office.  But I could tell my body was still screaming for help. Things seemed to be improving, but I was still searching.

In the office we also used an "Ion Cleanse" for the patients who were interested in detoxifying the body of heavy metals.  I used it, but not consistently.  So I put myself on a regular program and started out three times a week.  I was amazed at the color changes of the water and the visual it provides as you are releasing toxins.  This made me start with the questions again.  I was making valuable changes in my health, would I always have to do this to keep my body "clean on the inside?"

Did you know your local library has CD's you can borrow and listen to on your walkman or download to your iPod?  I started checking out ones that would be inspiring for me to listen to, like Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracy, Eckert Tolle, Mark Victor Hansen, etc.  We need this so badly on a daily basis, since we are bombarded by so many negative influences.

I took a meditation class and attended on a weekly basis in the 1980's.  I started making a point to sit quietly for 10 minutes each day and concentrate on my breath.  There are books written and seminars given on the proper way of breathing.  As a habit, most people breathe shallowly.

We take breathing for granted - actually deep breathing can be rejuvenating. The more oxygen you get into the body, the more carbon dioxide poison you will eliminate from the body, causing greater purification of the blood, cells and organs of the body.

Another thing I realized was, I was probably not getting enough rest.  At one time, five to six hours seemed to be enough for me.

I decided to put myself on a schedule and see what I would feel like after getting eight hours of sleep, and then I could adjust it either way if it was too much or too little.  After getting into the habit of going to bed at a certain time every night, it felt really good.  I woke up feeling rested and ready for the day.  So, you too, should experiment with how much rest makes your body feel the best.

Even if you have to short cut something else, try it.

I started keeping tabs concerning how many glasses of water I drank on a daily basis.  I had learned years before how important adequate amounts of water are for the whole body to function properly.

I am not sure how aware you are of this, but here are a few benefits of drinking enough water daily: helps to rid the body of waste, helps to maintain proper muscle tone, can relieve constipation, suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat, and helps with fluid retention.  Don't underestimate the power of water in the body.

By implementing all of the things above, I was starting to notice a HUGE difference in how I felt, and also my attitude toward life.

The more I read, the more I realized that menopause is not a disease; it is a natural progression in life.

It seems to me it is more like a "rite of passage" just as menstruation when we are teens, or having a baby and becoming a Mom.  It is a new chapter for us to explore options, discover strengths and create a blueprint to follow on our own terms.

I felt so happy, I felt like I was in control of my health and my life.  It was going to be okay after all.

I have made it my personal mission to help women understand and become empowered and pro-active in their menopause transition.

I almost succumbed, thinking to myself, "my doctor knows better than I".  I almost had that HRT prescription filled but I listened to that inner voice that told me to do my research and then make an intelligent choice that was right for me.  And it may be right for you too.

That is for you to decide but please use my blog and all the resources I am providing for you to gain knowledge before becoming another statistic that may develop serious problems from using Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Best In Health,

Sheri Goddard

The natural healing force within us is the greatest force in getting well.  -Hippocrates