Your mother’s menopause was treated like a dirty word. “You wouldn't even talk to your girlfriends about it, let alone a podcast,” says Catt Sadler, Emmy-winning journalist and host of the weekly podcast Catt Sadler Now. “They were taught to suffer through it. I feel like we let that generation down, but we're going to turn it around for the next one.”
In her latest podcast episode, Sadler invites actress Maggie Lawson and Lifeforce’s Medical Director Dr. Vinita Tandon to debunk the menopause myths, make sense of the latest research, and learn which science-backed strategies will actually make a difference during this transformative phase of life.
It’s the chat you should be having with your girlfriends and the one your mom wishes she could have had back in the day. This conversation just so happens to have a leading women’s health expert and endocrinologist in the room, too.
Whether you’re approaching your 40s, already in the midst of perimenopause, or well into menopause and mad as hell, watch the full conversation to get answers to all your burning questions. In addition to a hefty dose of female empowerment, you’ll come away with at least three key takeaways that might change how you think about menopause.
1. The 40-5: Five hormones you need to know by age 40.
Knowledge is power, and when it comes to menopause, the 40-5 is the ultimate data set — five essential hormones to track by the time you reach age 40. Understanding your body’s hormonal shifts will better equip you to make informed choices — including whether to opt for hormone replacement therapy — before life-disrupting symptoms take over.
Tell your primary care physician or your gynecologist that you want to start tracking your levels early — before perimenopause. “The sad thing is, you have to request it because it won't be offered to you otherwise,” says Dr. Tandon.
2. Hormone replacement therapy is safe.
Hormone replacement therapy for women has undergone a tumultuous couple of decades, starting with a flawed study that led to mass panic and misleading news headlines that hormones cause breast cancer.
Turns out, estradiol is safe and beneficial for most women, and can even provide protective benefits from breast cancer and heart disease. “It was one of the biggest travesties in medicine,” says Dr. Tandon. “We feel like 30% of women could have prevented their heart attacks if they had been on hormone therapy during these two decades.”
Sadly, misconceptions are sticky and people still link hormone therapy to cancer. “Not only did it affect our mother's generation, but it trickled down to us, too,” says Dr. Tandon.
3. There are upsides to menopause — if you do it right.
No more periods. No more giving a damn what anybody else thinks of you. No more putting everyone else’s needs before your own. Menopause can be a beautiful thing, if you can prevent the worst of it.
In addition to testing your blood for the 40-5, there are lifestyle choices you can make before and during perimenopause to avoid the worst of the symptoms so you can enjoy your golden years.
Listen to the full conversion above for Dr. Tandon’s practical strategies for managing symptoms and tips on the best lifestyle changes, supplements, and medical interventions to make this transition as smooth as possible.
Ready to take control of your menopause journey? Learn more about hormone replacement therapy and save $250 by signing up to become a Lifeforce member.