06/26/2026
100% of women who live long enough will go through menopause...
So why does it feel like such a mystery?
I love learning and I can’t stop. Won't stop. 😄
But this is one area I've felt hesitant and intimidated around deepening my understanding.
I'm still a few years out from the transition myself, but perimenopause symptoms can start up to 10 years before… so I may not be as far off as I think.
More importantly, I coach, train, and do bodywork on women in midlife every single day. At some point, ignoring this topic for my clients just wasn't an option anymore.
So, as is my go-to, I decided to start reading. A few books, gaining different perspectives and best practices for actually thriving through this transition, not just surviving it.
My first read was "The Menopause Moment" by Dr. Kelly Casperson, MD and WOW: my eyes are already much more open and there’s no going back now!
A few things that really stuck with me that you might find helpful:
🟢Most people wildly underestimate what menopause actually is. It's more than just hot flashes or the end of monthly periods. The decade (ish) around menopause is wild hormone fluctuations, just like throughout puberty….followed by reaching menopause and living with hormone depletion for the rest of your life, plus the downstream effects that has on everything: sleep, weight, brain, mood, energy, fragility, etc.
🟢Women have to advocate hard for themselves. Exhaustion, night waking, brain fog, unexplained weight gain -- these are real symptoms, not something to just push through. I already see this with coaching clients, and it's validating and makes much more sense in the context of hormone fluctuations and deficiency.
🟢The fear around HRT (hormone replacement therapy) side effects is largely rooted in one flawed study from 2002. The overblown risk narrative has done a real disservice to women for over 20 years.
🟢HRT may have significant preventative health benefits. The research is more promising than most people realize, indicating higher quality of life AND a 30% overall decrease in mortality when started in the first 10 years of menopause.
I'm already onto my next read -- "Unbreakable" by Dr. Vonda Wright, which is much more focused on longevity and lifestyle. Very much in my lane already, and I’m excited for the valuable nuggets of wisdom I will gain from this one.
I'm sharing this journey as I go because I know a lot of you are navigating this in real time -- or will be soon. 💕
What books have been most impactful for you around hormones or the menopause transition?
Drop them below so I can add them to my list!
