If there is one single eternal truth in this world, in my humble opinion, it's this: 'Things change'.

Whether it is the bright light of day with all its sunny promises that gradually fades into the restful though darker hues of night; or the seasons that go from wet to dry to cool and then hot, each bringing its own special brand of magic and masti; or, more prosaically (or even Prozac-ally, given the age we live in) just the way we grow older every day, change is all around us. That there is equal beauty in each change that occurs is something we all agree about, except when it comes to our physical selves.

While in our impatient childhood and youth, we could hardly wait for each passing year to take us to that coveted goal of adulthood, now we do all we can to slow down, if not halt the march of time. But, of course, time and tide wait for no woman and our bodies too must obey this most basic rule of the universe.

This ephemeral nature of life was brought home to me rather forcefully a few months ago when a routine annual check-up turned up three growths in my left breast. My informed and educated mind immediately went into overdrive, fast forwarding me through a mastectomy, tearful family conferences, chemotherapy, radiation…all this even before I could get off the examining table and out of the hospital gown! That they turned out to be two benign cysts and a fibroedanoma is an outcome I thank God for every single day. But what it made me realise is that my body is changing, slowly but surely. It is no longer that of a 25-year-old, there for me to use and abuse as I desire. As I edge closer to my 40s, I am becoming, as my surgeon so succinctly put it, a victim of my hormones.

I could, if I let myself, go into a blind panic over the impending Big Change his words implied. The Change that is lurking around the decade, waiting to rob me of my fertility, my libido, my good mood, my nights of peaceful, cool slumber. Or I could calmly accept the fact, even as I pop my Vitamin E and Evening Primrose Oil capsules, that life as I know it will surely change once I hit menopause. There, I said it. Menopause. A word that only means the end of menstruation, when the ovaries stop producing eggs or ova, but has the power to inspire dread in most of us who face it.

Having decided not to buy into all the bad press that surrounds this very natural phenomenon, I will try to regard it as a step in the ladder of life, as all ancient societies did and traditional cultures still do. I will accept, as nature wants me to, that my childbearing years are behind me. That I no longer need to worry about period pain incapacitating me during a vacation, or a missed period signifying yet another year of feeding, burping, diapering and colicky nights. I will not see it as a full stop to the vibrant and active life I now lead, but rather as a comma, waiting for yet another exciting episode to fill that space.

I will take heart from the fact that in traditional cultures, even of today, there is little or no evidence of the negative symptoms modern people associate with menopause. Many women actually experience a kind of relief after losing their periods, they also report feeling a new freedom and a rebirth into a new and exciting stage of life. I will try not to see it as a door closing on me, but as a chance to break free from the shackles of femininity, no longer a slave to my glands and hormones.

What makes for such varied responses to what is basically just a physical change? The state of your body, that's what. In conditions of good health, the body adjusts to the ovarian reduction in oestrogen by signalling other glands (especially the adrenal glands) to produce more oestrogen, which prevents the complete loss of the female hormone.

The problem arises if the adrenal glands are weakened, as is the case for many of us, due to a lifetime of poor diet and health habits. They may, therefore, be unable to meet the needs of the body when menopause begins. So the time to take stock of your body is now, and don't limit yourself to getting in shape for your next birthday/anniversary/New Year's celebration. Think of it as making regular deposits in your hormone fund, the dividends of which you will reap in the demanding years ahead.

Diet
A high-fibre diet, low in fat and animal protein is what will help the body adjust more easily to changing hormonal levels. Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, soy products, seeds and nuts are all highly recommended. Foods that contain phytoestrogens, which are plant-produced oestrogens that promote bone health and help prevent cancer, are extremely beneficial and include tofu and other soy products, carrots, apples, potatoes, flaxseeds and yams.

Supplements
According to Ayurveda, as menopause is associated with the movement into old age, the Vata (air) stage of life, the general treatment is anti-Vata. Herbs that tonify the female reproductive organs are very helpful, including aloe gel (kumari), shatavari, saffron and ashwagandha, taken in milk decoctions if possible.

Among western herbs, the best choice to alleviate menopausal symptoms is black cohosh. Chaste berry (vitex agnus castus) can be particularly helpful during peri-menopause when the hormones start going crazy. During this time, progesterone levels often start to decline before oestrogen levels fall, which can lead to depression, headaches, bloating, fatigue, irritability and breast tenderness. Most allopathic doctors agree on Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant and Evening Primrose Oil, a richly endowed source of the omega-6 essential fatty acid GLA that helps regulate hormonal levels and relieves menopausal symptoms.

Exercise
Regular physical exercise, which means at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five to six times a week, is an excellent way to keep raging hormones in check. Working out with friends provides much-needed emotional support, yet another contributing factor to your overall health. Resistance training is essential to maintain bone health. Yoga provides flexibility and the wherewithal to help calm your mind, which can be the deciding factor on how menopause affects you. Or do what a friend of mine with two teenage daughters did: she hired a dance instructor to come home once a week and teach the three of them salsa. The only problem: her husband now insists he's going through male menopause and wants to learn belly dancing!