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WELCOME TO

Menopauseland

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Do you remember the woes of adolescence? That rollercoaster of physical, hormonal, and emotional changes that marked the beginning of a whole new chapter in your life?


Well, as orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Vonda Wright said during her talk at her Women’s Conversations Conference  that I had the pleasure to attend-, in midlife women go through another pivotal transition that she coined as “Meno-lescence”. 


Clever right?  She is right! When I take into consideration how my hormones, my body, my brain, and my soul are changing, I think this transition is as pivotal as adolescence, if not more.

Just a generation ago, women suffered in silence through symptoms like bone loss, heart disease, and cognitive decline, while their vast wisdom and experience were often dismissed in the workplace and beyond.

 

Today, we are reclaiming our health through hormonal therapy, tailored exercise, nutrition, and more, while challenging outdated stereotypes. By fostering menopause literacy, women are empowered to thrive and change the narrative for future generations.


Because as another of my model figures Mary Claire Haver says, “menopause is inevitable, suffering is not”.
It's all about getting informed and making the best decisions for ourselves. In fact, I am currently enrolled in the Girls Gone Strong's Menopause Coaching Specialist Certification program. (More to come)

Did you know? 

Did you know that by age by age 30 we only have about 10% of our egg supply?


And only 3% at 40?

I honestly didn’t know all this until I tried to conceive at age 37 and I was sent directly to a fertility doctor. Instead of measuring my egg reserve with a simple blood test, my husband and I tried 2 rounds of heavily medicated and expensive Intra Uterine Inseminations (IUI) without success. 


After the trauma of believing that I was pregnant, but it was just a false alarm due to the massive amount of hormones circulating in my body, I finally went to see a less money oriented doctor that prescribed me a very simple blood test to check my ovarian reserve. The test called Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) revealed that at age 38 I had less eggs than a 50-year-old woman.

Not only I wasn’t going to be able to get pregnant, but I had to face menopause earlier than I thought. Coming to terms with that new information, I started my menopause literacy journey because I refuse to live the best last third of my life in poor health.


So even thought I was not experiencing the typical hot flashes, at age 48 I started noticing transitional menstruation cycles, muscle tone loss, severe sight decline, sudden Tinnitus, insomnia, knee joint paint, dry skin and chronic fatigue.
I knew the transition was happening and the earlier I could support my body, the better I could avoid the plethora of symptoms.

Symptoms of Menopause

My Protocol

SIX FUNDAMENTAL BLOCKS

Here are some detailed tips and tricks from my regimen that I use to effectively manage menopause.

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NUTRITION

1. I mainly eat whole foods and minimize processed foods

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2.  I consume adequate protein: I aim 90 g of protein per day (1.5 grams kg of ideal body weight each day). To reach those grams, I often start with a protein smoothie full of berries, greens and added powder protein. My favorite if not working out is CYMBIOTIKA Plant-Based. If working out I switch to VIVO Life Perform because of the added BCAAs


3. I limit added sugars to less than 25 grams per day.

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4. I try to get at least 25 grams of fiber per day. Salads and smoothies help.

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5. I Drink at least 2 liters of water with added minerals every day
 

MOVEMENT

1. I Stretch every day in the morning and in between work sessions. I like looking for specific stretches on Youtube. I really like Cassandras’youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithkassandra

 

2.  I try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. I track my steps with my Fitbit charge 6. Easy to get them in when walking my doggies.

 

3. I lift weights three days a week (push day/pull day/leg day).


4.  I aim for 2 hours and a half of cardio training in zone 2 with some sprints.

5. I also bounce in between working sessions. I like this mini rebounder

6. I recently started using vibration therapy first thing in the morning. I use one of the ten mints already programmed and I feel the lymph circulating. LifePro Rumblex Plus 4D.

 

This vibration plate exercise machine has triple motor oscillating, linear, and Pulse movements. My dogs don’t like it no matter how much I wanted them to try :P

PHARMACOLOGY

This is a Personal decision, and every woman should make her own informed choice.

For me a combination of 0.05 mg estradiol patches biweekly and 100 g progesterone nightly + plus 0.4 mg of topical testosterone cream daily from a compounded pharmacy are core.
 

I personally started HRT one year ago with the lowest dose 0.025 for about 6 months, then I bumped it up to 0.0375 for another 5 months, and I just started on 0.05. I started with a Naturopath who was very expensive and then switched to Midi Health, an online company that takes insurance.

 

SLEEP OPTIMIZATION

I blackout my room as much as I can. We put Slumber Shades Blackout Cellular Shades. These shades provide superior light blocking combining blackout fabric, energy-saving sidetracks, and top and bottom seals designed to block light from entering along the sides. And on top of them we have our typical blackout rolling shades. The combination of the two of them also reduces the ambient noise.

And for those pesky tiny, annoying lights on chargers, smoke detectors, or random gadgets that somehow always light up your room at night, I use blackout stickers, and they’ve made a huge difference.
 

I also track my sleep. I can’t stand any wearable device, but I use an app called Sleep Cycle. This app has helped me realize the things that impact my sleep. It also has sleep aid like guided meditations and white noise. If you snore, it records your snoring, and you can see the depth and duration of said episodes.

 

When I just can’t fall asleep, I program myself with my own voice and listen to my 70 affirmations carefully mixed into a soothing track. I use this Sleep Headphones Bluetooth  Headband and then voilà. I fall asleep. There are some models that have the controls on the sides and when I fell asleep on the side, it would bother my ears and wake me up. 


Lastly, I take Magnesium (Life Extension Neuro-mag Magnesium L-threonate, Magtein, Magnesium) I My prescribed Progesterone also helps me getting a deeper sleep. Both help enhancing the production of GABA, a calming neurotransmitter in the brain, which helps reduce anxiety and support relaxation.

STRESS REDUCTION

1. I try to get some sunshine first thing in the morning. Walking my dogs in the morning allows me to see the sunlight. Getting sun exposure increases brain’s serotonin production, the neurotransmitter linked to mood and well-being.
 

2. Walks in nature! Try grounding: getting your bare hands or feet on natural surfaces, such as grass or soil, can lower stress hormones and reduce markers of chronic inflammation.

immersing yourself in nature, reduces stress, boosts the immune system, improves mood, and enhances mental clarity by connecting you to the calming and rejuvenating energy of the natural world."

 

3. Infrared sauna. I love my infrared sauna! It’s my private space ship! Oh, the amazing meditations I have achieved in there while listening to the perfect music! Infrared saunas promote deep relaxation, improve circulation, detoxify the body, relieve muscle and joint pain, and support overall skin health by gently heating the body from within

 

4. Another far infrared source of relaxion for me is my Gemstone Crystal Heating Pad - Infrared Mat Full Body- Bio Amethyst Mat After doing sports, I like to lay down just a little bit. Perfect for Shavasanah. 

 

5. Tunning forks:  Tuning forks use sound vibrations to restore balance, reduce stress, and promote the body's natural healing processes I do chakra alignment with these. (Sound is everything for me)

 

6. Aromatherapy: Essential oils harness nature's calming power to reduce stress, uplift mood, and promote relaxation through soothing aromatherapy. I have a very nice essential oils curated collection that I purchased from a friend, Joy Musacchiao, in Sedona: the power of smell is undeniable.

SKIN AND HAIR

  1. As you can tell in my videos of the segment Espejito Espejito, I love skin care and hair care.
    You can find my to go skin care items and devices in my Amazon Store.
     

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EDUCATION (HUGE!)

Every woman needs to educate herself to make the best choices, and those choices may look different for each of us. With the right knowledge, we empower ourselves to make informed and confident decisions. Here are some resources to help you get started.

I encourage you follow these trailblazers of “Menopauzies” that are changing the landscape one women at a time, one law at the time:
 

Dr Mary Claire Haver

Dr Vonda Wright
Dr. Kelly Casperson
Dr. Stacy Sims
Dr. Lisa Mosconi
Molly Galbraith

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