The menopause is a bit of a sexual taboo, even in developed countries like the United States, which is a bit ridiculous when you consider the effect that it can have on the wellness and wellbeing of around 50 percent of the population.
There is a bit of a tendency to not take the symptoms of menopause seriously, and many women have been victims of a healthcare system that tries to tell them it’s all in their heads. Conversely, in Australia, looking into the causes and effects of the menopause is seen as an important holistic and multidimensional approach to providing appropriate healthcare for women.
That does not mean that the actual, biological aspects of menopause are ignored, it simply means that the Australian healthcare system better understands the psychological side to the menopause during the menopause and perimenopausae.
The symptoms that women exhibit both during the menopause and the periomenopausae seem to be quite culturally specific. For example, Western city dwellers are more likely to experience a hot flash whereas in Japan it is so uncommon an occurrence that there isn’t even a Japanese word for it.
There have been various theories about why Japanese women do not seem to get hot flushes. One theory is that the Japanese diet, which is rich in vegetables and soy, provides a measure of protection against the side effects of the menopause. Another thought is that the Japanese culture of respect for older women makes the menopause a more comfortable time, as women feel they are moving to a place of honour rather than being pushed aside to be an invisible older person, as many Western women feel is the case.
Whatever the culture, the symptoms for perimenopause and menopause are largely similar, they are just milder in the earlier stages, whether that be the hot flushes common in the West or the ‘frozen shoulder’ symptom that is often reported in Japan or North Africa.
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