Death, Getting Healthier and Menopause

This past Saturday was a full day. A friend and I went to a “Gathering of Family and Friends” to honor the life of a friend gone too soon.

Rich passed away at the age of 55. Rich was one of the nicest people I have known. He always had a smile, could make anyone laugh and had a heart of gold. He also had a demon in his life. That demon was alcohol. Officially, alcohol was not the cause of death but I believe alcohol was at the root of it.

I had been going back and forth on whether or not to go to Rich’s gathering – don’t like going to them on my own. Saturday morning, I received a text from a friend asking if I planned to attend. I replied that I would go if she did. I am so glad we did. There was more laughing than tears – which is just how Rich would have wanted it. We ran into so many friends – some that I have not seen in 10+ years. We reminisced, laughed and hugged. It seemed as though time had stood still, and we were still those crazy kids of so many years ago. After the last goodbyes. I walked to my car, smiled and was extremely thankful for the friends who made growing up so much fun.

The gathering was a few miles from my hometown, so I decided to make it a visiting day. First, I stopped by my mom’s and visited with her for a couple hours. After the gathering, I went to see a couple who are like a second set of parents to me. On the way home, I met my sister at a friend’s house, where we had supper and visited until 10 p.m.

I woke Sunday feeling happy and peaceful. Life, overall, has been good to me. I grew up with the best friends a girl could ask for – many still in my life plus some pretty special ones that have come along later in life. I am close to my family, have a man who adores me (I kind of like him too), and two amazing sons who are doing well in life.

Mike and I continue to work on a healthier lifestyle. The best part for me is that he now does the majority of the cooking. He has amassed quite the collection of cast iron cookware – new and old. This has brought about a new benefit for me. He cleans the pots and pans! Mike has purchased a few pieces of exercise equipment and has been using them daily. He has cut back on coffee, is drinking more hot tea and keeps a thermos of water nearby at all times. All of this is paying off. His once high blood pressure is now under control – with no prescription medications needed! He has also lost 15 pounds so far. It is my turn to get back into a regular exercise routine.

This is a time when I need to ask advice from the ladies out there. I am post-menopausal, and do not want to go through hormone replacement therapy but rather find a more natural approach to reducing symptoms. I am thankfully past the hot flash stage (kept me from doing much of anything last summer) but still can be moody, am experiencing dryness (skin and other) and have trouble sleeping. A co-worker recommended Estruven. I tried it for a few months but the ingredients are not all natural. I have searched online and there are too many alternatives to choose from without spending days reading information and reviews. Any recommendations?