That is why I asked Jo and B to create this forum is because I never heard women describing menopause, nor the risks and health issues that can come along with it. Never in my life.
While most mama's here are toteing babes in slings and hanging cloth diapers on the line, some of us, very few, are in another phase, or hiking toward it.

Most women just dont know that in the 20's and 30's it is essential to prepare for that hike into cronehood.

Everytime I think of our women I get very angry with the facts being with held from us. Things like osteoporosis. Few discuss preparing our bones to carry us through the rest of our lives.

No! it is all over the media when it happens, even with stars telling us what pharmaceitucals to take when it happens. But what about PREVENTION???

Heart disease? Obesity? Changes in the vagina and how one night of wild sex with your sweetheart can cause discomfort for 2 weeks after. Or how much easier it is to get a bladder infection or sore urethra. No, my friends, it is not popular nor fashionable to talk about these things.

We need this space. Women need to know that things will change and that wisely, we need to prepare. It is not a shame to be a crone, but it is different.

I happen to suggest this board, and I tend to be the main spokesperson it seems, but please dont feel this area is about me or about herbs.
Herbalism is my life. I am an herbalist and I am proud to be one, actually.

But that is not to say that others find remedy or relief in other modalitys or ideas.

I speak about herbs because I use them daily, research them, study, eat, drink, talk about, teach them and it is what rolls off my mind. It is always intended to help.

But I never do mean to push that nor make others feel bad if they dont use herbs or anything I suggest.

Anyway, I am excited to share that current research is showing good favor toward Ellagitannin, a natural occuring phenol in foods such as red raspberries and pomegranate to actually kill HPV related cancer cells and may stop the growth, reproduction and mutation of breast, pancreas, esophogus, skin, colon, prostate cancers and even has shown favor in some leukemia.
In tests conducted by the Hollings Cancer Institute with Ellagic Acid, G-Arrest(which is the term meaning cancer cells stop mutating) began in 72 hours in both breast and cervical cancer.

Thus far, this has been one of the best preventatives I have come across.
Meeker Red Raspberries so far show the strongest action and most in the seeds.

One must consume 1 cup of berries each day to get the right amount but I was so excited when I researched this.

So eat those berries this summer without guilt. I wanted a raspberries anyway for tea, but now I want them sooner.
lol

KR, I'm glad that you did request for this nook to be set up for us crones and crone-soon-to-be's. It goes a long way in contending with these unique issues, just knowing that I'm not alone.

You mentioned something that I feel I need to insight into, that of pain after wild intercourse. This happened for the first time to me a week ago and it affected me for just under a week, where I literally felt as though I had been punched inside my pelvis. This is why I ordered your Love Tonic, to hopefully increase the circulation in that area and heal the existing condition, as well as warding it off from further occurrence. Is there anything more that I could be doing? TIA!

subbing about that pain after intercourse. lovely, that.

(i'm surgically menopausal but technically still have hormones most of the time. it's those "off" times that get me. yeouch.)

I also have pain after intercourse almost every time. As a matter of fact it sometimes never goes away before the next time. Mine feels like a UTI, but there is no infection.

Jayne, yes, that is what mine somewhat felt like. If it weren't for normal urine flow and frequency, I would have thought that I had an extremely bad bladder infection. I'm now VERY leery of having intercourse because of it. :eyes:

Gosh yes this is horrible to go through isn't it.

I took uva ursi every day to try and be sure I was not getting an infection.

I made the mistake of not using yoni balm my last bout of soreness.

So here is something I am doing to keep myself lubed and nto so dry while workign through this soreness
Flax Seed Goo
May be used internally or externally (oral, vaginal, etc), wherever
lubrication is needed. Water soluble, tasteless, odorless, soothing
and protective, hypo-allergenic.

1 cup Flax Seeds (whole seeds-not ground)
6 cups water
Bring to a boil. turn down heat. Simmer 6 minutes.
Turn off heat, let sit for 6 minutes, strain.

It will keep for up to 2 months in the refrigerator. 2-3 days room
temp. May be preserved with grapefruit seed extract, calcium
ascorbate or similar vitamin C compound, vitamin E, potassium
sorbate, essential oil of lavender, rosemary, sandalwood oil, or tea
tree oil.
I used red clover tincture with no EO when I made this week and I wills ee if it stays preserved with that.

See if that helps soothe

Also soaking in a nice bath with sea salt may help. I know that really helped a couple days when I was having bad soreness.

a daily cup of raspberries can possibly KILL the HPV I have?!? Seriously??
Cuz I *LOVES* me some raspberries. I will certainly keep this in mind!! :D

The women in my family tend to pause early - I'm looking at only another 10 years or so before it's my turn - but my family also are not the kind to withhold a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g LOL But none of them have ever taken Boniva or the others out on the market. They all go to Susan's HFS and talk to their employees (an all-day herbalist-on-duty for the last few years)!

Thank you Kristena for requesting this forum (I do pop in and read sometimes), and thank you Jo and B for granting it here. I look forward to becoming a Crone one day.

Pardon my randomness, AF is just leaving for the month, and I'm rambly tonight. :o

KR, thank you for the extra proverbial "shot in the arm" about lubrication. The soreness that I had wasn't so much a surface soreness, like with an abrasion, but a deep tissue soreness. It seemed to literally be bruised. My only conclusion to what possibly happened, is that we has sex in the morning, which is NOT my better time of the day, so I wasn't as aroused as I probably should have been, before we had intercourse.

Yes indeed Sue.

It is wild as we aren't as 'juicy" or none at all ever. All those younger years of complaining about how wet we get to nothing is a trip! lol

KY mama good for your community to have an herbalist there to help people come in.
The studies doen thus far are best seen with the entire product of raspberry, however you will see marketed products of Ellagic acid coming on the scene.

Well, being a whole plant type of person I am happy someone is bringing this to the forefront. It is the HPV cancer cells for sure, Now as far as killing HPV, that I am not certain. Boosting the immune system with olive leaf and watching stress may be the best preventative against HPV turning into cancer.

And I am so sad that nobody tested my cancer dx for HPV. I often wonder if it was related to Olivias birth that I never healed quite right. But if HPV is the culprit, which in most cases is it, I would like to know! Everyone acted like I was crazy for wanting to know, like hey your cured of cancer so why would you care....well I do care.
I act like it is HPV related just in case.

I think I'll like it here!!

Interesting reading

but

WAIT

Not in menopause yet at 48 so I can't talk about the actual experience.

I think I am juicier than ever though and I want to be referred to as something other than crone when I age......

something pretty and more glorious as it evolves.

Could someone help me think of a good substitute for crone?!

Came back a couple days later to edit since I thought of a good name for the experience I want

"Ethereal Mistress of Life" or maybe "Ethereal Emperess"

! :)

Enjoy the "juicier than ever" as one day the hormones will change and that is one of the aspects I really miss. SO LIVE IT UP GIRL! lol

Crone has taken on a negative connotation, but traditionally she was a wise woman, the community midwife, healer, and helper to the commmunity.

Here is a definition I found in a google search from another perspective.



In ancient times, the crone was revered as an old woman who embodied wisdom and knew the truth of cyclic existence. Crones cared for the dying and were spiritual midwives at the end of life, the link in the cycle of death and rebirth. They were healers, teachers, way-showers, bearers of sacred power, knowers of mysteries, mediators between the world of spirit and the world of form. In pre-patriarchical societies, women's wisdom held healing power, and crone wisdom was the most potent of all. For nearly thirty thousand years, old women were strong, powerful sources of wisdom. Crones were respected and honored in their communities.


But Etherreal Mistress of Life is nice! LOL

And also there is no need to be in menopause to be here. If anyone feels drawn to our womans circle here, it is surely open to anyone going through, been through, or wanting to prepare for this stage of life.

So welcome!

I'm so glad I looked a little deeper into what Amity's has to offer! Am currently in training for my cronehood, which I love more with every passing day. Thanks so much for setting up this forum!

i am surgical menopausal (3 years march 17th). i was having some problems with lubrication and, funny enough as long as i make sure i get 8 glasses of water and do the sun salutation then i get wet like i did when i was 17.

i really love this forum. what i would really really love would be a croning ceremony...

The yoga pose, Bran? Really?

Yes, I was pretty happy with B and Jo set this up. the majority here are young mothers which is awesome. This community changed things for me years ago.

But then some of us are either older, going through menopause early, or surgical/health related jetted into it.

So instead of feeling we have to leave here, we can still stay and support the mothers, and keep our community, while having this space to sound crazy:D It works! lol

What a brilliant idea for a forum from a brilliant woman. Thank you, KR, for asking to have this forum started.