In the last 5 years so much has changed in the menopause space.
We see it.
We feel it.
We are experiencing it with the explosion of TV shows, podcasts, books, products and more.
And as I have said in the past, this needs to be celebrated in every way.
It is a wonderful thing for women and our larger society that we are now having open and honest conversations on this topic.
Women's Health Tropes
HOWEVER, there is still a stereotypical narrative being used by many in the menopause space. It is based on fear mongering and negative women’s health tropes.
I can’t tell you how many posts I see on my newsfeed weekly along the lines of
“Your symptoms are because of hormonal decline.”
Or
“If you don’t replace your depleted hormones during menopause you will never feel better.”
Or
“Menopause is a hormonal deficient state.”
Or just the obsession that many menopause experts have about focusing on symptoms as if that is the ONLY way to experience menopause.
Without realizing it, these conversations are reinforcing two key negative thoughts that are very strong in our society.
1. Women’s hormones are bad and need to be controlled.
2. Menopause doesn’t exist without symptoms.
So how should the menopause conversation be framed.
What would be more appropriate language?
I want to suggest 4 clarifying points that would help us to reframe the existing paradigm and bring some nuance and specificity in the conversation.
Clarity #1
Women are hormonal beings. That means that everything that goes on in our body is related to our hormones, especially our reproductive hormones. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what stage of life you are, our reproductive hormones run the show. Once we understand that and reclaim the negative connotations around women’s hormones we can start to embrace what being a hormonal woman actually means.
Clarity #2
Women have some critical hormonal fluctuating stages throughout our life cycle. The first one is puberty, the second is pregnancy, and the third is perimenopause. We HAVE to view and understand menopause hormonal fluctuations in the context of our hormonal lifecycle.
Perimenopause and menopausal hormonal imbalance or fluctuations is not disease, a deficiency, or something that needs to be fixed. It is part of the natural normal changes that a woman experiences throughout her WHOLE life.
Clarity #3
Having said that, we DO need to ask why some women suffer so much with debilitating symptoms. Even if your symptoms are within a manageable range, I don’t believe that women should ever suffer, struggle or experience pain “just because of their hormones”.
We should not use the “Menopause is a hormonal deficient state” as an excuse as to why you have symptoms or why they are “inevitable”. If we are hormonal beings, and our hormones are always fluctuating then does being symptomatic come with the territory? I don’t believe that it should.
Clarity #4
So if we say peri-menopause and menopause hormonal fluctuation is normal BUT women do experience symptoms and those symptoms should not be taken as a pre-requisite part of their health experience, then how do we understand women’s lived experiences in midlife that includes symptoms?
In my opinion, this is where the menopause conversation has missed a critical piece of the puzzle.
We do not live in isolation today.
Our bodies are exposed to and bombarded by triggers that are constantly impacting our health, wellbeing and hormonal balance.
From the toxins, environment hazards and medication that we are exposed to, to the stress that is part of our daily living, to the food we eat, to the sleep that we are not getting, to the sedentary lifestyle we lead, to the social connection that has declined in recent decades.
All of these issues profoundly impact our hormones.
We are not talking enough about the external reasons that exacerbate or stimulate hormonal fluctuations and imbalance.
We are not talking enough about how ALL our hormones like cortisol and insulin, not just the reproductive ones, can impact symptoms.
We are not talking about how our health journey in the 25 years prior to peri-menopause can impact how symptoms show up.
And we are definitely not talking about how each woman’s lifestyle habits are impacting her symptoms.
It can difficult today to distinguish between normal/biological hormonal fluctuations and imbalance and that triggered by the external factors mentioned above. In fact, it’s pretty difficult to know how a woman’s hormones would naturally behave without being exacerbated by these factors because in today’s world our bodies are profoundly impacted by all these things.
However, I do know what happens with my clients when we work on identifying how these external triggers are showing up in their lives and intentionally and proactively supporting their hormonal health and balance and remove these triggers.
I know what happens when my clients start implementing simple and easy practices that support their hormones, reduce their fluctuations and bring them closer to optimal ranges.
I know what happens when my clients pay attention to how their bodies feel, how they respond to certain triggers by noticing their symptoms and how they develop a deep awareness about how they can take more control over their symptoms management.
Hormonal imbalance and fluctuations are going to happen to midlife women – it is part of the definition of this life stage.
But the extend of your hormonal imbalance and resulting symptoms are not inevitable. And you can get back in control with the right support and guidance.
There one last thing I want to address. Much has been said about the medicalization of the menopause conversation.
Whether it be talking too much about hormones, HRT, symptoms or again using the language of hormonal decline or deficiency, there has been a lot of criticism that experts are medicalizing the issue.
My personal opinion is that part of this criticism is fair, especially when the conversation is being had by conventional Western medicine practitioners. Their language of understanding health and wellness IS very medicalized and is part of a larger misunderstanding of the health and disease framework.
However on the other hand, just because we are using words like hormones and symptoms, does not mean that by definition we are medicalizing the conversation. Menopause should be an open yet deep and meaningful conversation for society. It should be a conversation about women’s health and how we want to age in a healthy way. It should be seen as part of a larger conversation of supporting women throughout their life cycle. It can include medical strategies but more importantly lifestyle and proactive health strategies.
Does that mean we are medicalizing the conversation?
I don’t think so.
There is no question that the more we talk about menopause the better it is for everyone.
But as with any topic, the complexities are often overlooked in exchange for simple stereotypes and easy sounds bites. Unfortunately that doesn’t serve the women who are going through menopause and need our understanding and support.
It doesn't help to remove the stigmas, stereotypes and fear-mongering that reinforce the negative language.
And iIt doesn't help them connect to a totally different way of experiencing this stage of life!
(Disclaimer: I have not talked about HRT here as I have talked about it in the past on this and other platforms. For my approach to HRT and a deep dive into the pros and cons, you can watch my HRT Masterclass.)
Comentários