🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Emotional Health Preservation During “Busy Autumn”
Menopause marks the transition from reproductive age to old age in women—a period often referred to as the “busy autumn” of life. Typically occurring between ages 45–55, hormonal and psychological imbalances arise. At this stage, women are usually experienced professionals bearing significant responsibilities across various roles. Helping them navigate menopause smoothly is therefore a critical issue in gynecological medicine today.
Emotions, also known as feelings, represent human responses to daily life—specifically joy, anger, worry, thought, sorrow, fear, and shock, collectively called the “seven emotions.” As the saying goes, “No one is made of stone; who can remain emotionless?” Humans, being social beings, cannot live without emotions. Especially during menopause, declining ovarian function leads to clinical symptoms such as irregular menstruation, excessive sweating, and hot flashes. Some women experience emotional changes like depression, fear, irritability, sadness, suspicion, and loneliness. These emotional shifts, in turn, worsen existing symptoms or trigger new illnesses. Although emotional fluctuations are common during menopause, humans possess rationality. By understanding that emotional extremes harm the body, practicing emotional self-cultivation, and regulating mood, these adverse effects can be minimized or eliminated, enabling a smooth passage through menopause.
Find joy in life. Joy lies in peace, openness, and optimism—key elements for health and longevity. Women entering menopause face changes in body, work, and life. They should learn self-regulation and maintain confidence in the future. Each person can choose personal interests to find happiness—such as calligraphy, meditation, meaningful conversations with friends, gardening, bamboo cultivation, listening to music, playing chess, climbing city walls, or viewing mountains. A cheerful spirit is vital for health, but joy must not be excessive—peaceful joy is key.
Eliminate worries and sorrows. Contentment brings lasting happiness. Menopausal women’s anxieties and sorrows often stem from physiological decline, environmental changes, and shifts in status. Accept natural changes. Be content with one’s position and lifestyle—contentment leads to constant joy. Without contentment, unrealistic expectations lead to disappointment, sorrow, and depression, eventually resulting in illness. Menopausal women must cultivate the mindset of “contentment brings happiness,” where contentment generates joy, joy fosters emotion, emotion nurtures life, and vitality revitalizes both mind and body.
Stay tranquil and detached. Abandon distractions, remain calm and simple-minded, keep the spirit at peace to prevent illness. Menopause is an unavoidable biological phase. There is no need to worry excessively or overthink. Instead, maintain inner stillness and calmly accept its natural progression.
Avoid anger and guard against fear. Anger is the greatest enemy of health preservation. Some menopausal women experience memory decline and reduced coordination, often becoming suspicious or easily angered. Self-restraint is crucial—pause before reacting, weigh pros and cons. Others panic over menopausal symptoms, fearing serious illness—this too must be avoided.
Supplement with medication when necessary. When the above methods fail to adequately regulate emotional changes in menopausal women, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis, appropriate herbal treatment may be used—nourishing the kidneys, calming the heart, regulating liver function, strengthening spleen, balancing yin and yang—to harmonize the spirit and ensure smooth flow of qi and blood, promoting holistic health.
Naturally, other menopausal health strategies exist—dietary care, daily routines, and physical exercise. However, emotional changes are the most noticeable and direct aspect. Focusing on emotional health, maintaining mental stability and optimism, enables women to successfully pass through this inevitable stage of life.