Menopause Management Isn’t Political

Have you noticed that things that aren’t political sometimes seem political? You know, when people feel they have to take a side, label themselves this or that, and confine their opinions and choices to what’s consistent for their side?

Opinions about abortion are political ... even though abortion itself is really more personal and medical than political.

Opinions about global warming are political ... even though geologic effects of climate and ecology are more scientific than political.

Opinions on your health care are political ... even though your employer, insurance company, and government are less qualified than you are to decide what’s best for you.

And on and on.

The point is that we tend to take sides and politicize things that really aren’t political.

How you manage your menopause is not political. Despite the fact that there tend to be “two camps” of thought, you don’t have to take a side.

Three’s the “Traditional Medical Camp” which promotes pharmaceutical hormone replacement. People in this camp focus on estrogen, and believe you should replace your estrogen when your ovaries stop producing it at the time of menopause. They don’t “believe in” herbs, acupuncture, hypnosis, or diet for managing menopause. And if you request anything other than pharmaceutical management options, a person entrenched in the Traditional Medical Camp will scoff and dismiss your request. They’re loyal to the Traditional Medical way of doing things.

And then there’s the “Alternative and Complementary Camp,” which promotes non-pharmaceutical options and denounces hormone replacement. People in this camp focus on progesterone, and believe progesterone is the solution for all your menopausal woes. They instill fear of estrogen to persuade you to use progesterone instead of estrogen. And if you request hormone replacement, a person entrenched in the Alternative and Complementary Camp will shame you for failing to remain loyal to the “natural” way of doing things. They’re patriots of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

As with politics, every person in either camp is absolutely certain that their way is the best way. They’re sure that they’re right and everyone else is wrong.

Fortunately, your menopause management doesn’t have to fall into one camp or the other. You don’t have to choose sides. You can sample offerings from both camps, form your own opinions, and construct your own management technique.

Think of all the options in both camps a one big smorgasbord.

There’s no need to label one camp good and the other bad. Or one right and the other wrong. There’s no need to take a side.

Wouldn’t it be great if un-politicizing other things were this easy?