I remember watching the news report, 20 years ago, talking about a study we now know to be deeply flawed. The study claimed a link between hormone replacement therapy and an increased cancer risk. Women everywhere stopped HRT overnight.
My mother was one of them. I won’t share her personal journey, but let’s just say she was one of the millions of women who suffered silently because our world wasn’t ready to help women through this stage of life. My breath catches thinking about how our moms didn’t have access to the conversations we’re having right now. We don’t need to whisper about menopause anymore.
Wait, there are benefits to menopause?
One of the leaders in making menopause mainstream is journalist and author (and our friend) Tamsen Fadal. This week we invited her on our podcast to talk about her new New York Times bestselling book, How To Menopause.
“Menopause is not the end,” explains Tamsen. “It’s the beginning of something else.” And it’s true. Menopause, despite its challenges, can be a time of empowerment. Instead of mourning our youth, us women can embrace wisdom and confidence… and enjoy having no filter. We don’t have to waste time dancing around things. We can handle them head-on.
Believe it or not, there are benefits to getting older–even in perimenopause! First, I know my body and my mind better than ever before. Second, I am more confident in my own skin and sure of my decisions. And third, I have no filter. I am able to say the thing that’s on my mind without hesitation. It doesn’t mean I am rude or unkind, it just means I am way more honest with people around me.
And I like that.
Tamsen wrote her book in the middle of her own menopause journey. In the book, she encourages women to reclaim their lives and talk to their doctor if they are having difficulty. She even includes scripts to use when you are in your appointment. My favorite part? She calls it “brain fog proof” – it’s super simple and easy to understand. Brain fog can be a major symptom of perimenopause and menopause, so it was important for Tamsen to explain things plainly.
Is This Normal?
There have been so many things I have Googled to see if it was normal in perimenopause. For example, the only time I have hot flashes in the middle of the night is if I have had a glass of wine with dinner. This has caused me to really cut down on drinking. Additionally, I blamed my thinning eyebrows for all the plucking I did in the 90s. Turns out your hormone changes can impact those too!
Perimenopause means we are also needing some different things around the house. So it was only fitting that we ended the episode with the “Top 5 Things We’re Buying More Of” now that I am in perimenopause. For example, my new hobby is eating more protein… so I am buying it ALL. I learned so much about menopause from reading Tamsen’s book. Listen to the interview and tell us what you learned.
