Menopause usually begins in the fabulous 40s or 50s, but it's as punctual as a cat—shows up when it wants. Some experience it earlier, especially if they've had surgery or medical treatment that affects the ovaries. Menopause marks the end of menstrual cycles and is officially diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a period. While it is used as an umbrella term to cover perimenopause and postmenopause, it really represents a single point in time, the day you officially missed your period for 12 consecutive months.

The first signals of perimenopause are typically a change in your period. A change in timing, duration, and heaviness. If you find yourself shedding clothes like it's summer in the Sahara or feeling moodier than a teenager, you might be getting some signals. Other signs include sleep disturbances, memory lapses, and saying goodbye to regular periods. In fact there are over 34 symptoms impacting almost every system in your body impacting your physical, sexual, and mental functioning and health.

Perimenopause is the start of menopause where estrogen and progesterone begin to decline and your body tries to compensate, creating an internal  rollercoaster ride. Your cycle gets irregular, and symptoms start popping up. Postmenopause is the stretch after you’ve hit the 12-month mark without a period. Menopause is the grand milestone in between. Think of it as the main event flanked by the pre-show and the after-party. This does not mean symptoms cease necessarily and introduces increased risks for osteoporosis, heart disease, and other metabolic chronic diseases.https://pauz.health/initialAssessment

We offer everything from A to Z to manage the big M. We are your partner to support you with the information you need to make decisions, personalized lifestyle plans and support to take control of your health, and support navigating and accessing health care.

Personalized advice, top-notch supplements, lifestyle tweaks, and a community that gets it. Think of us as your GPS through the menopause maze.

If only! Menopause is as unique as your fingerprint. Some breeze through it, while others feel like they're on a rollercoaster. At PAUZ, we celebrate this diversity—every hot flash, mood swing, and midnight ice cream raid.

The main health risks associated with menopause include genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) which impacts your vulva and urinary tract health leading to risk of atrophy, increased urinary tract infections, incontinence, and more.

Low estrogen after menopause increases your risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis (weaker bones), sarcopenia (muscle loss), cardiovascular disease (heart health matters), brain health, and metabolic chronic diseases such as Diabetes, obesity, and more. and an increased risk of certain cancers.

As estrogen takes a nosedive, these risks ramp up, so Perimenopause is the last off ramp on the highway of life to improve your nutrition, exercise, and emotional wellness behaviors to reduce your risk and increase the likelihood you will live the life you want in your 70’s and beyond! Staying on top of your health is key.

If you find yourself shedding clothes like it's summer in the Sahara or feeling moodier than a teenager, you might be getting some signals. Other signs include sleep disturbances, memory lapses, and saying goodbye to regular periods. Hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings are all part of the package. In fact there are over 34 symptoms impacting almost every system in your body impacting your physical, sexual, and mental functioning and health. 

The gold standard treatment for hot flashes and night sweats is hormone replacement therapy. HRT, in particular estrogen, can reduce the intensity and frequency of vasomotor symptoms of menopause and is substantiated with solid random-control trial evidence. There is some evidence that meditation and acupuncture can help.  

There are also some tricks such as wearing layered clothing that is breathable To manage hot flashes and night sweats, think layers, having a fan on the ready as well as staying hydrated with  ice cold drinks at hand. fans, and cool drinks.

Avoid triggers like spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol. Staying hydrated, practicing relaxation techniques, and maintaining a healthy weight can also help. Some women find relief through hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or non-hormonal medications prescribed by a doctor.

Absolutely. If you’re feeling like a human yo-yo, menopause might be to blame. Progesterone and estrogen can impact mood swings in women. Low progesterone leads to lower levels of GABA which can cause sadness, anxiety, or depression. In perimenopause, declining progesterone can lead to more frequent or intense mood swings.

Low estrogen can also cause mood swings, as well as feelings of sadness, anxiety, or frustration. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help with mood swings caused by menopause. Other influences are sleep hygiene, yoga and meditation as well as aerobic and strength training exercise and nutrition. Mental health professionals can help and make a big difference during this time.  

Coping strategies include regular exercise, a balanced diet, plenty of sleep, and stress-busting activities like yoga and meditation. If it’s really getting you down, talking to a mental health pro can make a big difference.

Estrogen plays an important role in the brain including a protective function as well as impacting how brain cells generate, connect, and die. Therefore, when estrogen declines in menopause women can experience memory problems or ‘brain fog’.

Lower brain glucose levels also result, forcing the brain to adapt in order to maintain function. It can be scary and feel like the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. Initial research however, indicates that ‘menopause brain’ resolves itself over time. 

The evidence is limited here and often dependent on the symptom. While phytoestrogens are great such as soy or flaxseed, you cannot eat your way to restoring your hormone levels. There is some evidence to support black cohosh to help with hot flashes. Ginseng appears to help with shifts in libido.

More well-designed, large scale random control trials are needed to confirm if and how natural supplements such as primrose oil, sage, red clover, dong quai, ginseng, chamomile, St. John’s Wort.

Make sure your healthcare provider is aware if you are taking supplements as they can interact with medications.   If you’re more into herbal tea than pharmaceuticals, you’ve got options. Phytoestrogens (like soy and flaxseed), black cohosh, and evening primrose oil are popular choices.

Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management techniques like yoga and meditation can also work wonders. Remember to consult with your healthcare provider before diving into any new remedy.

During perimenopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helps to stabilize the up and down swings of your estrogen and progesterone, helping with symptoms and supporting your body and brain to start to come up with new ways to function.

As estrogen and progesterone stabilize at significantly lower levels postmenopause, HRT helps to provide a boost to the body. The doses of HRT are no where near ‘bolstering’ your hormones to a level of your 20’s, they are mild and help the body including for women at risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease. While the Women’s Health Initiative Study (WHI) was a major research study initiated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1991 to determine the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), on various health outcomes.

The study raised false concern that HRT caused breast cancer. While subsequent analyses have shown this not to be the full case, the discourse remains within the media, many medical care providers, and women still equate HRT with breast cancer. For women with a personal history of breast cancer, HRT has to be approached cautiously. There is also a consensus that HRT doesn’t need to be routinely discontinued in those older than 60 as long as it is helping; though starting in older age isn’t always recommended, because it can be associated with a small increase in risk of various other conditions: heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and Dementia.

For women who can’t or don’t want to take systemic hormones, other options include topical oestrogen (to treat vaginal symptoms of menopause), some non-hormonal medications, supplements, lifestyle adjustments and behavioural techniques.

Most important is for women to have all the information and decide, based on their own concerns and risk tolerance. Understand your true risks and weigh them against the risks of not taking HRT.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are your BFFs during menopause. A balanced diet rich in fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains helps maintain weight and boosts health.

There are specific nutritional modifications that can help during menopause including increasing your protein, antioxidant and fiber intake, ensuring you are getting healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids, are among a few to adopt.

Regular exercise improves mood, energy levels, and overall well-being, making it easier to tackle menopause brain, sleep disturbances, along with most of the 34+ symptoms of menopause!

Ensuring you are including strength training 2-3 times per week in addition to cardiovascular training and functional training are key!

Making a few tweaks can make a world of difference. The holy grail of lifestyle change in menopause includes: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and mindfulness. This is a critical time to ditch smoking, adopt sunscreen, limit alcohol, and stay hydrated.

Mindfulness and stress management techniques can help with menopause symptoms.  

Nope, you can browse our info and insights without signing up. You can also join PAUZ for free and receive access to more information including our newsletter, early access to events and our community.

If you want support, you can join PAUZ for access to our personalized plans with, or without a personal liaison to guide you through what is happening to your body, treatment options, helping you access care, and make the lifestyle changes you want to make.

Absolutely. If you're in the 'maybe' boat, we'll help you figure it out with our quiz and resources. Anytime is a great time to start to learn about menopause and adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors. Knowledge is power, and we're here to power you up! 

Only spam and bad vibes. Otherwise, if it’s menopause-related, it’s on the table. We’re all about honest, open conversations.

Dive into our content, get access to exclusive newsletters and events, and start feeling like the boss of your menopause. Let’s grab life by the ovaries!