Libby Weaver - Rushing Womans Syndrome: The Impact of a Never-ending To-do list and How to Stay Healthy in Todays Busy World

Other books by Dr. Libby :

Accidentally Overweight (Hay House, 2016)

Published by Little Green Frog Publishing Ltd:

Exhausted to Energized (2015)

The Calorie Fallacy (2014)

Sweet Food Story (2014)

Beauty From the Inside Out (2013)

Real Food Kitchen (2013)

Real Food Chef (2012)

Womens Wellness Wisdom (2016)

Published by Pan Macmillan Australia:

The Energy Guide (2017)

First published and distributed in the United Kingdom by:

Hay House UK Ltd, Astley House, 33 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JQ

Tel: +44 (0)20 3675 2450; Fax: +44 (0)20 3675 2451; www.hayhouse.co.uk

Published and distributed in the United States of America by:

Hay House Inc., PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100

Tel: (1) 760 431 7695 or (800) 654 5126; Fax: (1) 760 431 6948 or (800) 650 5115; www.hayhouse.com

Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by:

Hay House SA (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 990, Witkoppen 2068

info@hayhouse.co.za; www.hayhouse.co.za

Published and distributed in India by:

Hay House Publishers India, Muskaan Complex, Plot No.3, B-2, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110 070

Tel: (91) 11 4176 1620; Fax: (91) 11 4176 1630; www.hayhouse.co.in

Distributed in Canada by:

Raincoast Books, 2440 Viking Way, Richmond, B.C. V6V 1N2

Tel: (1) 604 448 7100; Fax: (1) 604 270 7161; www.raincoast.com

Text Dr. Libby Weaver, 2010, 2017

Previously published by Little Green Frog Publishing Ltd., 2011

(ISBN: 978-0-473-20403-7)

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or otherwise be copied for public or private use, other than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews, without prior written permission of the publisher.

The information given in this book should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice; always consult a medical practitioner. Any use of information in this book is at the readers discretion and risk. Neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for any loss, claim or damage arising out of the use, or misuse, of the suggestions made, the failure to take medical advice or for any material on third-party websites.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-1-78180-816-0 in print
ISBN 978-1-78180-897-9 in ePub format
ISBN 978-1-78180-898-6 in Kindle format

Interior images: 14, 49, 58, 88, 89, 107, 141, 150, 151

Dr. Libby Weaver;120 masia8; all other images Shutterstock

For Kate, with thanks.

When I write, I hibernate and the work brains and hearts of numerous special humans allows me to do this. Thank you particularly to Kate, Maddy, Sarah, and Chris. I am very grateful to you.

Thank you to Amy, Julie, Sandy, and the team at Hay House UK for bringing this book to life in the northern hemisphere. I sincerely hope it makes a difference to womens health globally.

When I first caught a glimpse of what I have come to call Rushing Womans Syndrome, I wanted to assist women to take better care of their precious selves. I also want to take my hat off to them for all that they contribute to this world. You do all you do because of your deep care for people and the world. I simply want to help you to not do this at your own expense. Thank you amazing women everywhere.

Rushing Womans Syndrome evolved out of my observation of a shift in womens health and behavior over the past 18 years.

Never before in my work have I witnessed so many females in such an intense rush to do everything and be all things to all people. Never before have I seen the extent of reproductive system problems that I now see. Women are wired. Many of them are tired too. Tired yet wired. And this relentless urgency, this perception that there is not enough time combined with a never-ending to-do list, is having significant health consequences for many women.

The perceived need to rush, whether we show it on the outside or keep it under wraps, is changing womens health in a detrimental way. Sex hormone-based health issues, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, infertility, and debilitating menopause symptoms, not to mention exhaustion, have never been greater, while the role of stress is undeniable when you look at both our bodys chemistry and the scientific research.

Imbalanced hormones, depleted adrenal glands from long-term overproduction of stress hormones, sluggish thyroid glands, and the impact of all of this on our health, as well as the people around us, concerns me greatly. Yet what concerns me just as much is why we do it. Why do we think and behave in ways that are leading to this significant, downward spiral in our health? The answer lies in our biochemistry and our belief systems.

Once you understand what is really going on, you will see that the swing between rushing and not rushing is driven by our beliefs, and our behavior is the expression of those beliefs. Unless we question the beliefs upon which our actions are based, the actions will likely continue.

Regardless of the circumstances, when you feel or perceive that your life is challenging, no matter how big or how small those challenges, they have an impact. What you perceive is then hormonally generated by your biochemistry.

For many, the body cannot keep up with the rate of change the world now asks of it and so it is imperative that we take steps to create periods of downtime: days, weeks, or months when we can truly rest. Just as we cant go without sleep for too long, the psyche cannot push on for too long without getting some quality rest. If it does, science and our intuition both tell us, there will be consequences.

All species on the planet evolve every time they reproduce. The idea is that each new generation will be better equipped to cope with the prevailing conditions, the environment. Our challenge is that our surroundings are changing at a rate never before witnessed in human evolution.

Science tells us that human beings have been on the Earth for 150,000200,000 years. Our ancient ancestors were nomadic and lived off the land, and ate what surrounded them, as they moved. As hunters and gatherers, the weather conditions, climate, and seasons influenced our daily movement patterns and what we ate. Daily tasks revolved around what needed to be done to stay alive and we ate food as it came from nature primarily green leaves and other more concentrated foods, such as meat, fish, fruits, nuts and seeds only as the opportunity arose.

It was only 7,50010,000 years ago that our ancestors began to stay in one place for longer periods of time. The birth of agriculture allowed us to grow crops, and for the first time in human history we consumed the milk of other animals. While our patterns of living and eating were still based on natures seasonal rhythms, and at the mercy of what could be completed within daylight hours, we no longer had to chase our food down and had a relatively consistent supply of food.