Let me tell you something I wish more people understood about cancer (Or hard times) My center of gravity shifted after getting diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2009. A diagnosis is as individual an event as is any human reaction to a life altering experience. The gravitational pull will not always be in the direction of healing. It’s not that simple. But what I can say today, 13 years later, is a fully realized life is not only possible but perhaps for some – like me- the net result of passing through an experience that makes you face your mortality. That cuts very close to the bone. Yes. I am where I am because of it. I would never wish cancer or any serious illness on anyone (thoo thoo) but while we’re here together let me tell you : life is glorious in all it’s shades. I love this image taken shortly after my stem cell transplant, at a dear friend’s home in Goa, on the eve of celebrating my rebirth. I am shaken but oddly calm. Not yet wiser but stepping in the direction of grasping something I’d been searching for my whole life. And I’m melting, I can see a few layers sliding off me like a minor landslide. I’ll never forget this moment, the circle of friends who surrounded me and the inevitability of finding peace in unpredictably. The most real I’ve ever felt in a photo before or since. A way to immortalize a threshold. Thank you @anaitashroffadajania @farrokhchothia @vogueindia I see you in ways you might not even see yourself ❤️ Image credit: @vogueindia
So my relationship with my body and the gym is complicated. I spent hours and hours in obsessive pursuit of a mythical body that was always just out of reach. I developed an eating disorder. The gym was not a happy space.
I’ve managed to rewrite the script and reclaimed my fitness story. I can’t emphasise enough how essential it is to engage in some form of weight bearing exercises while in Menopause. I also wish I had a before picture – from just a few months ago. Somewhere along the line, I had internalised the idea that a woman in menopause is not sexy and attractive and I gave up on my fitness journey. I love pilates and I’ve been a lifelong yoga practitioner but getting into a weight lifting routine felt like too much effort and also a vanity project, not to mention the traumatic memories I have of grinding away for hours in my 20s.
Then I woke up one day, took a good look in the mirror and asked myself: whose body is this? Aside from how I looked, I didn’t FEEL right. That morning I went to my husband’s gym. I found a great trainer @rim.elattar who makes me sweat it out but is also sensitive to my age and requirements (pro-tip: grill your personal trainer and be very upfront about your needs. A LOT of trainers are ill equipped for a menopausal woman’s fitness needs – or too young or don’t care!) called my friend @mitunds and demanded a holistic diet plan for my age (worked wonders!) and changed my mindset. I work out at my own pace to feel strong (I have to keep up with 5 year old twins after all) sleep better and yes- my body is looking snatch for MY age.
Menopause is not the end- it’s the big invitation to reinvent yourself. My upper arms will always be jiggly, my thighs are streaked with stretch marks, my skin is loose and marked by many sunny afternoons on the beach – and I love it. I caress my body and whisper my awe and appreciation. We made it. And we have many more places to go.
#menopausefitness #menopauseawareness #fitnessmotivation #fitnesslifestyle #fitnessjourney
So I thought of this tongue in cheek way to illustrate some of the lifestyle changes and menopausal hacks I’ve incorporated into my life.
I need to start by sharing that for much of my life, travel was as natural as breathing. I covered the globe for work and on my time off wandered across countries and continents in a way that seems effortless today.
Then cancer, chemo, menopause and marriage followed in quick succession and my travel career changed.
I still have a taste for adventure but with waning energy levels and menopausal after effects I can’t fly without my supplements. I highlighted just a few because I’m wary of being prescriptive- please consult a gynaecologist or accredited naturopath who will subscribe according to your needs.
I can’t enter an airport without a shawl AND fan because my internal temp regulation is out of whack. The yoga mat is to combat those morning aches (sometimes I carry my own pillow because of humiliating micro-injuries when I slept wrong or yawned while stretching!) Can we talk about sleep challenges? There’s a correlation between lack of sleep and hormones, but fortunately there’s natural herbs for that. The water-pick is easier on my gums. Hylaronic acid for dry skin not just wrinkles. (Reminds me- I forgot vaginal moisturiser- the dryness and atrophy down there is a one way street without a u-turn) Of course I love comfy undies. Don’t love shape wear, but use it occasionally to wrangle the evolving body. Let’s make menopausal bodies sexy! Like a Bollywood heroine of the 30s or Rubens’ women – can’t we make the leap to embracing our very natural and earthy shape-shifting curves?
I don’t really use hair extensions often but my hair is definitely thinning quicker than Justin Trudeau’s voter base.
…continued in comments
#menopause #menopauseawareness #menopausesupport #tacklingtaboos
In a few years
You will look back and miss this moment
This age.
Your skin
a geography of stories –
The elegance of lips
textured by life.
Hair thinning like a river returning to source
This living light.
In this trembling world
You will only regret
What you allowed to slip through your fingers.
The old ways, they are changing.
You were waiting to meet yourself
In menopausal magnificence
To gather everything that is yours to your chest
Without hesitation.
Without regret.
MUH @jaynadesaimakeupandhair
In a few years
You will look back and miss this moment
This age.
Your skin
a geography of stories –
The elegance of lips
textured by life.
Hair thinning like a river returning to source
This living light.
In this trembling world
You will only regret
What you allowed to slip through your fingers.
The old ways, they are changing.
You were waiting to meet yourself
In menopausal magnificence
To gather everything that is yours to your chest
Without hesitation.
Without regret.
MUH @jaynadesaimakeupandhair
In a few years
You will look back and miss this moment
This age.
Your skin
a geography of stories –
The elegance of lips
textured by life.
Hair thinning like a river returning to source
This living light.
In this trembling world
You will only regret
What you allowed to slip through your fingers.
The old ways, they are changing.
You were waiting to meet yourself
In menopausal magnificence
To gather everything that is yours to your chest
Without hesitation.
Without regret.
MUH @jaynadesaimakeupandhair
Perimenopause is tough.
This is dedicated to all my girlfriends who are navigating the hellish hormonal shifts.
I see you. We got each other. It gets so much better on the other side.
How are you dealing with perimenopause? I’ve heard of some really out there symptoms like intense vertigo and anxiety when driving. It’s okay. Don’t let any medical professional dismiss you. If they do- walk out that door quicker than your mood swing.
#perimenopause #perimenopausehealth #perimenopausesymptoms #perimenopausesupport #perimenopausesucks #menopause
Breathe in God Breathe out a smile.
So in this free wheeling video I’m addressing what I see as two taboos: the topic of menopause and also the topic of a much misunderstood state of being: Surrender.
It’s okay to feel triggered by the notion of Surrender or fearful of the concept, just as we are taught to fear ageing. But it’s time to clear out old patterns of workaholism and optimising our behaviour for validation and to gain society’s approval, which at some point you realise is a losing game.
Surrender is not passive nor lazy nor a sign of weakness but the opposite. Only when your mind, spirit, body and centre is aligned and firm can you relax into present moment and surrender. You can also define it as a sense of flow or acceptance. Menopause is natural. Ageing is natural. You can accept it or struggle and your choice will define your experience.
Mind you- perimenopause is a beast. You are not crazy, get the help and support you need to pass through to the other side!
Here’s a few thoughts about reframing the menopause journey:
1. It’s an awakening to a new, rich stage of life. Get curious about how it will look for you.
2. The symptoms you experience will bring a renewed awareness to your body and probably gratitude for your health as well as a more pro-active approach
3. An opportunity to connect with passions that fell by the wayside because they may have seemed less important than getting ahead. Hopefully this phase will equip us all with a more expansive perspective on what’s important in life and how to draw boundaries.
4. A time for rest, growth and reinvention. It’s been the most personally fertile time of my life even as I’ve learned to prioritise my health and mental well being. Something magical happens when you learn to both work smart and accept nothing less than what you deserve.
What do you think?
#menopause #menopauseawareness #menopausesupport #menopausematters #tabootopics
I took my daughters to the beach the morning of their birthday and gave them 6 decorated rocks each to make a wish and throw into the mercy of the ocean. I try to bring personalised and simple rituals into their lives to give some shape and meaning to their place in this entropic universe (which is by no means a negative thing) And hopefully provide a counter balance to the materialistic thrust of birthday culture accompanied by an avalanche of presents (all welcome and a sign of generosity) When they are slightly older, I’ll share with them these these words: “The only dream worth having is to dream that you will live while you are alive, and die only when you are dead. To love, to be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and vulgar disparity of the life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.” — ARUNDHATI ROY —
This slim book is incandescent. And the translation by @tash.aw captures the nuance and candidness of @elouis7580 essential voice. I’m starting with A Woman’s Battle and Transformations first and moving on to Change and then The End of Eddy. Edouard has a talent of turning his journey from a queer youth growing up in abject poverty to a cultured life in Paris into literary gold. What are some of your summer reads? Always looking for recommendations. Wearing @shopviolladubai crisp cotton set, perfect for the heat. A belated birthday gift from @shreyajuneja
This slim book is incandescent. And the translation by @tash.aw captures the nuance and candidness of @elouis7580 essential voice. I’m starting with A Woman’s Battle and Transformations first and moving on to Change and then The End of Eddy. Edouard has a talent of turning his journey from a queer youth growing up in abject poverty to a cultured life in Paris into literary gold. What are some of your summer reads? Always looking for recommendations. Wearing @shopviolladubai crisp cotton set, perfect for the heat. A belated birthday gift from @shreyajuneja
This slim book is incandescent. And the translation by @tash.aw captures the nuance and candidness of @elouis7580 essential voice. I’m starting with A Woman’s Battle and Transformations first and moving on to Change and then The End of Eddy. Edouard has a talent of turning his journey from a queer youth growing up in abject poverty to a cultured life in Paris into literary gold. What are some of your summer reads? Always looking for recommendations. Wearing @shopviolladubai crisp cotton set, perfect for the heat. A belated birthday gift from @shreyajuneja
Happy Birthday to my Scorpio sister @dipikablacklist ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Happy Birthday to my Scorpio sister @dipikablacklist ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Repost @janicepariat
Now, more than ever.
A poem by one of my favorite poets @nshihab2018
an offering posted by a beloved writer and human @janicepariat
Repost @janicepariat
Now, more than ever.
A poem by one of my favorite poets @nshihab2018
an offering posted by a beloved writer and human @janicepariat
Repost @janicepariat
Now, more than ever.
A poem by one of my favorite poets @nshihab2018
an offering posted by a beloved writer and human @janicepariat
Repost @janicepariat
Now, more than ever.
A poem by one of my favorite poets @nshihab2018
an offering posted by a beloved writer and human @janicepariat
Repost @janicepariat
Now, more than ever.
A poem by one of my favorite poets @nshihab2018
an offering posted by a beloved writer and human @janicepariat
Now reading…
Much more than a glam figure.
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Indo-Canadian actress, former supermodel, social activist and author Lisa Ray ( @lisaraniray) in our Rani pure silk Handloom sari.
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Earrings: @shivampanwarjewellery
Pic Courtesy: @prerna_saklani_
Makeup: @blushed_by_nupur
Location Courtesy: @hyattregencydehradun
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#thedrapeproject #lisaray #sari #doon #dehradun Hyatt Regency Dehradun
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Much more than a glam figure.
Lisa Ray ( @lisaraniray )
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#lisaray #lisaraniray #shivampanwar #sari #canceractivist #doon #dehradun #itsdoon #dlf
