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Perimenopause Power: Navigating the Change with Science & Self-Care
This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.
Welcome back to the Women’s Health Podcast. I’m your host, and today we are going straight into a season of life that far too many of us walk through in silence: perimenopause. If you are between your late 30s and your 50s and you’ve been thinking, “Why do I feel like a stranger in my own body?” this episode is for you.
Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, when estrogen and progesterone start to fluctuate. The North American Menopause Society explains that this phase can last several years and often shows up as irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems, mood changes, brain fog, and shifts in weight and libido. Mayo Clinic notes that these changes are normal, but that does not mean you have to just suffer through them.
Today, imagine we’re sitting down with a perimenopause expert, like a gynecologist such as Dr. Mary Jane Minkin from Yale School of Medicine, who has spent decades educating women about this transition. Here are the kinds of questions I would ask her on your behalf.
First, I’d ask Dr. Minkin to define perimenopause in plain language and to describe the earliest signs she wants women in their 30s and 40s to watch for, especially cycle changes, sleep disruption, and mood shifts. I’d ask her how a listener can know whether what she’s feeling is perimenopause or something else, and what kind of evaluation she should request from her clinician.
Next, I’d ask about the emotional side. Many women describe feeling dismissed or gaslit in medical settings. Blooming Leaf Counseling and the Marion Gluck Clinic both highlight how common it is for women to be told “you’re just stressed” when hormones are clearly shifting. I’d ask Dr. Minkin how a woman can advocate for herself in the exam room, what language to use, and what red-flag responses from a provider mean it may be time to get a second opinion.
We would then move into treatment choices. According to the North American Menopause Society and clinics like Premier OBGYN of Ridgewood, options range from lifestyle changes to non-hormonal medications to menopausal hormone therapy. I’d ask: Who is a good candidate for hormone therapy, and who is not? What does the latest evidence say about benefits and risks? For those who cannot or do not want hormones, I’d ask about non-hormonal medications, nutritional strategies, strength training, and stress management practices like yoga and meditation.
I’d also bring in empowerment. Every Mother and Jean Hailes for Women’s Health emphasize that understanding your body is a radical act of self-care. I’d ask Dr. Minkin what one or two daily habits give women the biggest return: is it tracking symptoms, lifting weights, prioritizing protein, protecting sleep, or building a support circle of other women going through the same thing?
To close the interview, I’d ask her for three questions every listener should bring to their next appointment, so they walk in as an informed partner, not a passive patient.
Here are your key takeaways. First, if you are noticing changes in your cycle, sleep, mood, or energy in your 40s, you are not broken and you are not alone; you may be in perimenopause, and there is real help available. Second, you deserve evidence-based options: from lifestyle changes to non-hormonal treatments to hormone therapy, you have a menu, not a mandate. Third, your voice is a vital sign. Tracking your symptoms, asking direct questions, and seeking providers who truly listen is an act of women’s empowerment.
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Published on 2 days, 5 hours ago