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So you have symptoms of menopause or perimenopause. This might sound scary or daunting, but just like moving from childhood to adolescence, from there to adulthood and then, perhaps, to motherhood, menopause is your body going through a natural shift.
“Menopause is not a disease; it’s a transition,” says Denise M. Millstine, M.D., a specialist in women’s health and integrative medicine. “If women are lucky to live long enough, they will all go through menopause.”
Here are five tips to help you successfully navigate menopause.
1. Change the way you think about menopause
Dr. Millstine explains, “It’s important to change the narrative around menopause. We have this idea that when women go through menopause, they become shriveled up and no longer useful to society.
“During menopause, you lose your reproductive potential, but think of what you’ve gained — you’ve typically gone through decades of life, building wisdom and life experience,” she says. “Socially, we have some work to do to look at middle-aged and aging women not as people to be ignored but to be seen as powerful.”
2. Get information about menopause from reliable sources
Learning about perimenopause and menopause from trustworthy sources is the best way to prepare for what’s ahead.
“In the same way that we had the ‘becoming a woman’ talk in middle school, there should be a talk for women in their forties about menopause, but that rarely if ever happens,” Dr. Millstine says.
“So, unfortunately, women get fed information from all different sources,” she continues. “Some are accurate, but other are inaccurate and potentially even dangerous. So it’s important to look for information from reliable sources — people who are trained and not trying to sell you something.”
Sources Dr. Millstine suggests include:
- Your healthcare team.
- The Menopause Society (formerly The North American Menopause Society).
- The New Rules of Menopause: A Mayo Clinic Guide to Perimenopause and Beyond, by Stephanie S. Faubion, M.D., M.B.A.
3. Advocate for the menopause care you need
Not every healthcare professional is knowledgeable about menopause. As a result, sometimes menopause symptoms are overlooked or undertreated.
“Most doctors, especially in years past, weren’t trained in menopause care,” says Dr. Millstine.
She recommends, “If you’re not getting the answers that you need — particularly if you’re being dismissed — I would encourage you to seek out certified menopause practitioners. These healthcare professionals have made an effort to become specifically trained in menopause.”
4. Focus on healthy living
Menopause is a good reminder to take care of your body. Exercise, nutrition and healthy habits are more important than ever. The North American Menopause Society specifically recommends that you:
- Exercise regularly, and include bone-strengthening exercises to counter osteoporosis.
- Prevent weight gain, especially abdominal fat, which is associated with chronic disease.
- Do Kegel exercises to help with urinary incontinence if leakage is a problem for you.
- Avoid smoking, stress and overexposure to sunlight.
- Practice good dental hygiene, including brushing, flossing and getting regular checkups.
- Drink lots of water.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet focused on controlling cholesterol, blood pressure and triglycerides as well as preventing diabetes.
Dr. Millstine recommends a plant-centered diet, such as the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet. She also notes that some foods can trigger menopause-related symptoms.
“I would focus on limiting those ultraprocessed foods,” she says. “Then think about diet triggers for your symptoms. If you eat spicy food and you get hot flashes, or you drink red wine and you get more hot flashes, adjust your diet accordingly.”
5. Watch out for scams and misinformation
When people enter a new life stage, like menopause, they can be vulnerable to scams, especially if they sound similar to medical interventions.
“I would be cautious with anything that seems too good to be true,” says Dr. Millstine. “Just because you can buy it at your local drugstore doesn’t mean it’s safe or effective.”
For example, some people advocate for “balancing your hormones” or “custom-compounded hormones.”
“This idea that your hormones are out of balance is wrong,” she explains. “When you go through menopause, your hormones are predictable. They’re appropriate for being in your 50s. We don’t balance hormones, but we do sometimes use hormones when women have symptoms, particularly vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes or night sweats.”
Dr. Millstine adds, “I think the biggest area of confusion is compounded hormones. Many boutique practices use compounded estrogen or progesterone products, including pellets that are inserted under the skin. It’s expensive, and there is little oversight. Women would be better off getting pharmaceutical-grade hormones that are regulated, effective and covered by insurance.”
Luckily, menopause symptoms don’t last forever
If you have a natural menopause — instead of having your ovaries surgically removed — your ovaries wind down over time. Dr. Millstine says, “There’s a period of perimenopause during which symptoms are unpredictable. This can last for several years.” But eventually, most women’s symptoms subside. “When you haven’t had a period for 12 months or more, you are diagnosed as postmenopausal.”
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
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