LLN Episode #190: Andrea Claasen - Perimenopause And Menopause Through An Ayurvedic Lens

About Andrea Claassen:

Andrea Claassen is an Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor & Postpartum Doula. She is also a RYT 500 hour yoga teacher, and Wild Woman Circle leader who has been in the wellness space since 2007. Her mission is to help you start to live a cyclical life by living in alignment with the seasons using Ayurveda as your guide.

She does this by teaching her Peaceful Power Practices centered around movement, mindfulness & mother nature through an Ayurvedic lens. You can hear more from Andrea on her Peaceful Power Podcast where she aims to deliver actionable takeaways for you to live a more holistic lifestyle. Connect with Andrea on her website at www.andreaclaassen.com

What We Discuss in This Episode:

In this episode, we talk about perimenopause and menopause through an Ayurvedic lens.

Andrea shares how we usually look at menopause a little bit differently in the West, whereas Ayurvedic looks at honoring our wisdom and all of the life experiences that we've had. 

Andrea explains how we “scope” backwards instead of go forwards. Ayurveda really tries to help you push past.  A lot of that inner work is done there.

There are practices that boost the Ojas - our vital energy. And so going into menopause, we really want to start working on this in the perimenopause years, to have that vital energy flowing and going.  And that might look like honoring the time to rest, especially because we get into those years of our life where we might be go, go, go, go, and then suddenly, we hit this wall and we've lost that energy and that kind of Ojas or that sparkle about us.  And so that's something that we work on building.

There are different foods you can have such as honey. We have this thing called Chyawanprash - kind of like a jam; almonds are actually great for Ojas; milk  tonics are something Andrea recommends as well, which is just heating up some milk on the stove and then putting in herbs depending on what your constitution or dosa needs are, to make it perfect for you.  Dates are also another great Ojas building food. So, all of those are just simple ways that Ayurveda looks at like transitioning from perimenopause to menopause

Lynne mentions how when her mother went through menopause, it was just something you didn't talk about.  There was so much misinformation “out there,” and the fact that it seemed “taboo” to talk about it, made it difficult to get accurate information. But, as women, we all go through that phase one way or another. And somehow, we tend to stop living in the present at this point in life while we  should really be honoring & celebrating this time. 

Andrea shares that this is where that transitioning and just honoring our life is important. She likes ceremonies, just to honor that, “Hey, is the new phase.”  Let’s celebrate and honor it.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, what are some of the areas to focus on during menopause?

1)        Sleep. Focusing on sleep hygiene.  What does that look like? Imagine this: “Yep, I can't sleep. I get on my phone out, or I get on a tablet.”   So, at 2 a.m. you might not be sleeping, so you get on a device. But that doesn’t help you to fall asleep again. Having those phone boundaries, even at night, 2 hours before bed is recommended.  Some people are really TV sensitive as well, so they'll have to get off TV a couple hours before bed. 

a)        Have a routine; whether that be meditation at night to calm down the mind, or a little bit of movement. 

b)        If you're hot, you might want that cooling breathwork practice to release some of that built up. Google some Ayurvedic cooling practices for the body.

Andrea shares that it’s never too early or late to start some practices, so that you can smoothly transition through menopause. For example, PMS. Maybe you have PMS, so we might look at some liver practices, like castor oil packs once a week.  We might look at some diet needs. So, whether it's reducing caffeine, alcohol, dandelion root tea is something that's great.  You know, having oat straw and raspberry leaf tea infusions are something that Andrea likes to give to people who are experiencing intense cramps. 

Andrea discusses some Ayurvedic practices for progesterone, as simple as going outside in nature, giving more hugs, having more laughter in your life. Then, to access estrogen, you're going to do those Castor Oil packs watch your caffeine intake or decrease your alcohol intake. Also, think about what you’re eating. How is your digestion? If you're not able to digest your food, it's going to get stuck and now the liver is working overtime. 

Other areas to look at to help digestion would be to look at the times of day we’re eating our meals. Ideally, this also involves eating at least two hours before bed so that when you hit the pillow, your food is digested. And then, again, lighter, meals at night - not having a heavier steak or meat in the evening. If you're going to eat meat, that noon hour is going to be easier for you to digest it.  Andrea recommends that the first thing to start with is to make lunch your biggest meal, and have an earlier, lighter dinner.  She says that works well for people in perimenopause and the menopausal years. That tends to be one of the biggest things where people feel better.  They have more energy.

What are the top 3 things to focus on in menopause from an Ayurvedic perspective?

Lynne asks Andrea, “What about from an emotional perspective, because we go through so much in those years, is there anything that Ayurveda does to balance that out?”

Andrea shares that we’re working on releasing, which could involve a journal practice, plus you can shout out & release.  Andrea likes to take a pillow, slam it down and yell. In yoga classes, she likes to give permission for people just to sigh it out. 

Andrea shares one of her biggest tips/words of wisdom

“In Ayurveda, it all starts with what can you digest. So this week pay attention to your digestion and ask yourself, how are you feeling?”

Resource from Andrea Claassen:

Andrea’s Book: The Ayurvedic Approach to Healing Your Menstrual Cycle: https://www.andreaclaassen.com/book

How to Connect With Andrea Claassen:

Website: https://www.andreaclaassen.com

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/seasonalandrea

Podcast:  Peaceful Power Podcast

Connect with Lynne:

If you're looking for a community of like-minded women on a journey - just like you are - to improved health and wellness, overall balance, and increased confidence, check out Lynne's private community in The Energized Healthy Women's Club. It's a supportive and collaborative community where the women in this group share tips and solutions for a healthy and holistic lifestyle. (Discussions include things like weight management, eliminating belly bloat, balancing hormones, wrangling sugar gremlins,  overcoming fatigue, recipes, strategies, and much more so women can feel energized, healthy, confident, and joyful each day.

Website:  https://holistic-healthandwellness.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holistichealthandwellnessllc

The Energized Healthy Women’s Club:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/energized.healthy.women

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynnewadsworth

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnewadsworth

Free Resources from Lynne Wadsworth:

How to Thrive in Menopause:  

MENOPAUSE Messing Up your life?  Maybe you’re seeing the number on the scale creep higher and higher and you're noticing your usual efforts to lose weight aren’t working. Then there’s the hot blazes, night sweats, and sleeping fitfully, not to mention that you’re fighting tears one moment, raging the next, and then, the shameful guilt sets in because you’ve just blasted your partner – for nothing…again!

Learn how to successfully and holistically navigate perimenopause and full-blown menopause, and even reconcile all the hormonal changes and challenges that go along with it.

You’ll be feeling energized, healthier, and more in control so you can take on your day confidently and live life joyfully – even in menopause. I've got this FREE solution tool for you. 

Download my guide here: https://holistic-healthandwellness.com/thrive-through-menopause/

5  Simple Steps to Gain Energy, Feel Great & Uplevel Your Health:

Are you ready to create a Healthier Lifestyle?  Would you like to feel lighter, more energized, and even add joy to your life? If it's time to find more balance of mind~body~soul, then I've got the perfect FREE resource to help.  In this guide, you'll find my most impactful strategies and I've made applying them in your life as simple as 1-2-3 (plus a couple more) to help you create a healthier, holistic lifestyle. Uplevel your holistic health and wellness and download the 5 Simple Steps to Health  here:  https://holistic-healthandwellness.com/5-simple-steps-to-a-healthier-you/

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