Premenopause Anyone?

My premenopausal symptoms started visiting me at age 35. I remember being at my doctor's office. I think I cried during the entire appointment. While the nurse drew my blood, I cried. While I waited to see the doctor, I cried. I had no idea why I was crying. Crying had become a pretty common thing. I could be in the grocery store or anywhere and out of nowhere, the tears would come. When the doctor told me what he thought was going on, I remember asking, "Don't you think I'm a little too young for this?" His answer was, "When a woman turns 35, after that, don't be surprised at anything that happens." That provided absolutely no comfort for the deep depression, tears, mood swings, and insomnia I was experiencing at the time.

I'm long past 35 and menopause is not far away. The average age for menopause is somewhere around 50-51. But the symptoms can start way before. Here are some of the premenopausal symptoms you may experience: fatigue, depression, weight gain or loss, hair loss, anxiety, feelings of gloom and doom, heart palpitations, mood swings, irritability and sudden tears, hot flashes, headaches, memory loss, vertigo, light headedness, increase in allergies, incontinence, sleeplessness and the list goes on. For an excellent article, check out this website. http://www.thirdage.com/menopause/28-cues-that-menopause-is-on-its-way.

The main symptoms I've recently experienced include anxiety, heart palpitations, mood swings, sudden tears, hot flashes and insomnia.

I'm not a person who is quick to get a prescription filled. I try to refrain from taking prescription meds unless absolutely necessary. So just yesterday, I set out to find a natural product, a supplement that would help with my symptoms.

I started my search by looking for notes from a conference I attended earlier this year. One of the speakers was a medical doctor who used to practice as a gynecologist. However, he's now into holistic treatment. As he spoke, I wrote down two natural supplements he mentioned that, as he put it, "...every woman should have." Well, after an aggressive search for my notes, I finally found them. One of the products he named is called L-theanine (pharmaceutical grade only.)

I immediately got on the Internet to research the product and found out that L-theanine is the exact same product found in green tea and it's excellent especially for menopausal symptoms like anxiety, mood swings and others. It helps with relaxation. Needless to say, I immediately went to the Whole Foods store and purchased the product. But before I left home, I drank two cups of green tea!

One of the things I read in the research is the fact that the product works really fast. Well, on the same day I purchased it, I took the first capsule, and now, just a day later, I can't tell you the difference I feel. I feel like a brand new person! For a supplement, it works really fast.

If your symptoms are similar to mine, I recommend you try the product. To make sure you're getting pharmaceutical grade, make sure you see the word, "suntheanine" on the package.

Here's a link to the product I purchased at Whole Foods. I paid $25. Amazon has it for $32 for a 2-pack of 60 capsules per pack. Check it out and let me know what you think.

How to Create Real Wealth

The title of this post is the same as the title of a book I authored, "How to Create Real Wealth: A Practical and Spiritual Guide For Women."

The title sounds like a book about building up monetary and material wealth. After all, who doesn't want those? But that's not what it's about. It's a book about building personal and spiritual wealth.

I wrote this book for the person who is focusing on monetary and material wealth, the person who thinks success and fulfillment can be found in these. If this describes you, after reading my book, you will have a totally different perspective on what success and fulfillment really is. You'll find that success and fulfillment comes through:

1. Investing in Yourself
2. Investing in Others
3. Investing in a Relationship with God

...not necessarily in that order.

The Changing Seasons of Life

When I was driving home from taking my granddaughter to school this morning, I noticed that the huge oak tree in my back yard that was once covered with deep green leaves was now covered in brown and bright gold leaves. It was windy outside and I could see leaves falling from the limbs of the tree. It was a reminder that winter is here.

Winter brings death. Winter weather kills. It kills plants and flowers. The grass on the ground turns brown. No need to mow the lawn in the wintertime. The grass is dead.

Winter, spring, summer fall... Did you know that the seasons of nature were created in a way that actually reflects the order of our lives. There is a season for planting, a season for reaping, a season for resting and a season for dying. Just like seasons tell nature's story, they also tell ours.

In life, the skill of successful living is in knowing, understanding and embracing each season of life you are in. Knowing and acting according to what is relevant for a particular season is critical for a life that is peaceful, productive, well-balanced, well-lived and a life that is pleasing to God.

And while winter is the season for dying, remember, there can be no spring without winter.

Step Out on Faith

Did you go to church today? Hopefully you did, and hopefully you received spiritual food for the week. My husband and I went to church with my niece, Janee. She's a student at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas where my husband and I were visiting this weekend.

The minister preached about faith. At the end of the lesson, he went to Matthew 14 to the story of Peter walking on the water. He pointed out the fact that we commonly hear comments condemning Peter for his lack of faith.

In Matthew 14: 22-33, Jesus had walked out onto the sea to meet his disciples who were in a boat. The Bible says that when the disciples saw Jesus, they thought He was a ghost. But Jesus told them who He was and when He did, Peter got out of the boat and walked out on the water to meet Jesus. On his way, he became fearful and started to sink.

The main point the minster made is this. While Peter might have allowed doubt and fear to enter into his mind causing him to start sinking, at least he had the courage to take the first step. None of the other disciples did.

Our challenge from the minister was, "Instead of condemning others for their lack of faith, examine your own faith."

Acceptance: "The Speeding Ticket"

I can't recall another time when I was so angry. No... mad is a better word. I had been out of town for a few days and was anxious to get home. So without realizing it, I was drivng a little faster than I normally do. I saw the officer as soon as I topped the hill, and as I glanced at my speedometer, I noticed that I was going about 75 miles per hour. As I drove past him, I thought, "Please don't get me!" But unfortunately, he pulled onto the highway, turned on his red and blue lights, passed up a couple of other cars and pulled right behind me. And when all was said and done, I had gotten a ticket!

I was furious! Especially when the officer seemed to ignore the fact that my husband was also an officer of the law. He couldn't have cared less about that bit of information. "Sir," I said as I smiled at him. "I am the wife of a police officer." I thought for sure this would get me off the hook.

Needless to say, my day was ruined. I couldn't believe I had gotten a ticket. I thought to myself, "Am I being punished for something? Why me! Why me! How dare he give me a ticket!"

As I headed back into town, I thought about the yoga workshop I was supposed to attend at the yoga center that evening. But because I was so upset about the ticket, I kept trying to talk myself out of going. I just couldn't get the officer out of my mind. I couldn't think about anything else.

As I drove up to the center, I could see that the workshop had already started. After sitting in my car for a few minutes, I decided to go on in. I took my place at the back of the class and joined in on the stretching exercises. I struggled to get the image of the officer and his ticket out of my head.

After a few minutes, I could feel myself really start to get into the workout. It was amazing how a good workout could calm the mind. After about half-way through the workout, the instructor asked us to sit on the floor, close our eyes, cross our legs and place our open palms on our knees. As I sat there in the meditation position, the events of the day started to melt away. The anger was dissipating, and I began to feel in control again. My mind felt still and more peaceful. Then something happened. In the darkness and stillness of the moment, out of nowhere, a word came to the surface of my mind. I wondered where it came from. I knew it didn't come from the outside, spoken by someone else. I knew that my feeble mind wasn't the originator. I immediately recognized it as a message sent from my soul. It was the word "acceptance."

The message I received was clear. Don't resist. Accept. After recognizing what it all meant, I surrendered. I made peace with the situation of the day, the situation that left me with a speeding ticket. Instead of seeing the officer as someone imposing an inconvenience and a hardship on me, I now saw him as someone holding me accountable for my actions. I took full ownership of my ticket and the entire situation.

Let the Healing Begin

No doubt, this year has ushered something into your life that left you with a scar, a wound, a hurt that just won't seem to go away. Perhaps you lost someone in death, a divorce, or some other painful event. Maybe you learned you have an illness and there's no cure. Or perhaps someone close to you has health challenges. Maybe your wound came as a result of losing your job, your house or your car. Your scar could have come through the disappointments of a wayward child who just can't seem to be able to get it together.

No matter how you got your wound, healing is necessary. There are several things to recognize when it comes to healing a wound:

1. Healing is necessary for good spiritual and emotional health.
2. Healing takes time.
3. Healing begins with acceptance.

There are three things that speed up the healing process:

1. A thankful, appreciative heart.
2. A prayerful heart.
3. A forgiving heart.

Wishing you success as you begin the process of healing.

God is Still in Control

On January 1 of this year, I wrote down a list of things I want to do and accomplish this year. I wrote things like, I want to publish my second book. I want to market the children's curriculum I wrote, and a few other things. But, today, as I sit here at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center next to my sister's hospital bed, watching the infusion of "treatments" going into her body, I can't help but think, "This was not on my list of things to do this year."

It's amazing how God can change your plans. On March 10, my sister's doctor called with the dreadful diagnosis of breast cancer. Her life... our lives changed. But I know that God is still in control. When I feel like crying, or feel like questioning God, I remember that God made us for His good pleasure, to do with us whatever He wills. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works..." (Ephesians 2:10).