December 2007

Last September, Saturn moved into Virgo where it will remain until the summer of 2010. Already my world has been rocked.

Put simply, Saturn represents structures or systems and Virgo represents health and the individual within a community. During this period (Virgo being an earth sign) the earth's health will feature strongly; for example, we will witness the continued rise of environmentalism as a government issue (structure/Saturn). Over the next three years people will be increasingly interested in their personal health and health products. Services offered within the pages of Vitality, for example, will thrive as more find themselves making healthy choices.
At a personal level, any relationship that has an unhealthy base or structure will not function well and our attention will be turned toward addressing such problems. Saturn is very realistic, and if we have been ignoring one thing in order that everything else will run better, Saturn will ask us to look at that ‘one thing’ and address it. To make it more interesting you can look at your natal/birth chart and see what is in Virgo and in which house, and then look online for Saturn in Virgo in the 8th house (for example). Better yet, if you're experiencing restriction or financial concerns, the past coming up, endings, you might want to consult an astrologer. It is always important to be informed in order to respond in the best possible manner (that sounds like a Virgo talking).

So when I examined how Saturn in Virgo was impacting my personal life, my jaw dropped. Every single item was happening in spades, and as luck would have it, I was addressing it in a healthy way. I had enlisted the help of professionals who understand systems, like a business consultant, and a great therapist to touch base with about my journey, and I signed up for The Art of Living course for a system of breathing and yogic exercises to suit my body. I also started seeing a naturopathic doctor for help in creating a regimen for my physical body as I move into menopause. In other words, I enlisted Saturn’s troops to re-evaluate how I do things, to see what is really going on, and then compile a healthy strategy for living where I am supported by better systems, healthier relationships.

I would also like to share with you healthy living strategies any woman can use after 40 years of age. We need nutritional changes, hormonal changes, and weight-bearing exercise, and what is listed here is a Saturn-like strategy for staying healthy.

Nutritionally we need to get off foods that leach the calcium out of our bodies: alcohol, smoking, animal meats, carbonated drinks, salt, sugar, and caffeine. We need to take vitamin E, essential fatty acids (Udo’s Choice is good), bioflavonoids with vitamin C, and a good calcium/magnesium supplement (2:1). I take one that contains barley greens because it is ten times richer in calcium than milk. Fifteen minutes a day of sunlight on your hands and face will stimulate your body to produce the vitamin D it needs (which helps us absorb calcium).

As women age they can have too much estrogen in their bodies, so this is about balancing that situation. Estrogen needs progesterone to balance itself in the body. Estrogen produces cells (like cancer cells) and progesterone slows that process down. We need natural progesterone cream. Wild Yam cream is good but not strong enough to reverse osteoporosis like a clinically produced natural progesterone will (synthetic progesterone is not healthy). Check www.hormonebalance.com

Yoga is a great way to help balance the endocrine system, and develop a practice of weight-bearing exercises and inverted poses. Inverted poses, such as Handstand, Shoulder-stand and supported Legs-Up-the Wall help to cleanse the glands of the endocrine system that produce hormones, and increase the health of the immune system. These poses reduce hot flashes, for example.

Forward bends oxygenate the organs, bringing calmness to a body that can become moody under stress. All yoga helps with osteoporosis, particularly weight-bearing poses like Downward-Facing Dog. Back-ward bend poses stretch the spine so that you keep the spaces between the vertebrae plump and supple, preventing height loss. I enjoy doing yoga with other people, and tend to practise the five Tibetans more easily on my own at home. You might want to look at The New Yoga for People Over 50 by Suza Francina, The Five Tibetans by C. Kilham, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause by Dr John R Lee M.D., and Take Charge of Your Body by Dr. Carolyn De Marco  M.D.