Perimenopause, Menopause, and Midlife with Curiosity A Naturopathic Doctor’s Perspective
Reframing the Menopause Transition with Compassion, Choice, and Whole Person Care
Happy Spring!
We are on the other side of the spring equinox - days are getting longer and warmer - buds and blooms are starting to pop - snow randomly appears and disappears.
Spring for me usually brings some new energy - I tend to have more interest in planning, learning and taking action. My current projects are taking a Wilderness Trekking course through Colorado Mountain Club (currently learning how to navigate off trail using a map and compass - much more fun and math-y then I thought it would be). And starting to study for my North American Menopause Society certification in June. I actually really like taking tests and I am interested to see how facts settle into my 46 year old brain compared to the brain I had back in the test taking days of my 20s. I am also excited to fine tune my knowledge in this realm - there is always more to learn!
As I have been pondering how best to support folks through perimenopause/menopause, I have been thinking about how we think and talk about these transitions. It has been great to see peri/menopause getting more attention lately. More discussion allows for normalization, connection and an expanding menu of options for care and treatments - and a recent uptick in the actual research doctors so dearly need to better guide our patients.
However, I'm seeing and hearing quite a bit of fear as well. A worry that everything must be done exactly "right." That there is only one way to navigate this change. It is understandable that this transition would come with some concern - the dominant narratives of our culture celebrates youth over almost everything - but is this story actually true?
The truth of the matter is, that like most transitions, there are challenges and there are rewards. Most research suggests that women get happier as they get older . A majority of folks 65 and up maintain a satisfying sex life. Many women enjoy the freedoms that come with being out of their reproductive window.
Yes, change and transition is hard. And peri/menopause can be a time of significant upheaval - both mentally and physically. BUT - aging almost always beats the alternative. All of this living (both the good and the bad) is truly a gift. How much we grow and change and transition though our lifespan - what a ride! What if we can approach this phase with genuine curiosity? What if being more curious and less judgmental allows us to let go of some of the fears we have about menopause and be a bit more open to the possibilities.
We don't have to go the route of toxic positivity - it is ok to rage and fret and wonder about how this all works. The body can be unruly, unpredictable and inconvenient. Sometimes we want to know the exact perfect way we can control things to avoid the discomfort - but there is not one right way to ride the waves of perimenopause; some days you might be surfing and others you are getting pummeled in the face.
And, there are no gold stars: you don't win by maintaining the leanest body mass or taking the "best" hormones/herbs/supplements. You get to choose what works for you and maybe here are some "vices" you might choose to keep. We want to be here for a good time AND a long time - I want to help folks do both.
One final thing, do you ever look back at puberty or postpartum and wish you had been harder on yourself? Probably not. Let's extend the grace we wish we had for ourselves back then to ourselves right now. Like all phases, this phase too shall pass, and we will be different when it is over and there are some things we will grieve and miss about those past versions of ourselves, but also some things that are new and interesting and amazing about who we have become. The cycles continue.
OK! That is not exactly the newsletter I intended to write today. I was thinking about writing a practical guide to preventive cardiac screening for women 45 and up :) but the spirits of Spring moved me.
And I promise to talk about one of my current passions - preventative cardiology - soon!
In conclusion: being a human is cool and interesting and hard and strange, leading with curiosity and compassion helps.
Also, I am teaching a small workshop about perimenopause on April 26th at the newly opened Denver Village - if you want to join me for some curiosity, compassion AND community - please check out details below and sign-up soon :)
Workshops!
I have 2 new workshops coming up at The Denver Village!
The first one is a peri/menopause primer - on April 26th - we will be reviewing the range of typical symptoms, red flags to look out for, pros/cons of hormone therapy as well other options for symptom management - plus a lot of time for a juicy Q and A - sign-up here!
Next (and I am so excited for this one because I have wanted to offer it for such a long time) - is Cycle Savvy - a class about menstrual cycles for moms and daughters. May 24 (yes, this is Memorial Day weekend - I didn't realize it when we planned it - so apologies to folks who are headed out of town) - there will be a 30 min parent/child partner yoga class taught by Meredith Cole, followed by a 45 minute discussion of the menstrual cycle led by me! I love educating girls on what to expect with their period, what is the biology behind the cycle and give them the tools they need to manage symptoms. Average age of first menses is 11 - with many starting sooner, so it is time to get the convo going. I think a good age range for this class Is 10-13, but I think folks of all ages will likely learn something new and interesting. Reach out with any questions and Sign-up here!
In Health,
Dr. C