The New Pause
For most of the ten years I’ve been working as a fitness coach, I’ve focused on women.
In that time, there has been a shift. As my clients (and I) have aged, many have moved from the post-partum era, which has its own set of challenges, to the menopausal era. I’ve been reading and learning as much as I can about the changes that happen during this period, and how exercise is such an important part of navigating this time.
On October 6, I had the amazing opportunity to attend a symposium fully dedicated to the menopause era. The New Pause (presented by The Swell (www.theswell.com) and Stripes (www.iamstripes.com) featured speakers from disciplines as varied as oncology and cardiology to meditation and sex therapy.
Throughout the day, the presenters spoke about the inequity that exists in women’s health research and how we are only just starting to connect the dots between the role of changing hormones and a vast menu of physical, emotional and mental changes.
Did you know that it wasn’t until 1993 that the National Institutes of Health mandated women be included in clinical research????
1993.
Thirty years ago.
Before then, no clinical research in the United States was REQUIRED to include women or minorities.
Because of this dearth of research not only specifically into menopause but generally including women, the last 30 years has been one of catching up. Indeed, the last FEW years has seen an explosion in the discussions around menopause and women in mid life.
I believe the uptick in discussion is the result of a generation of women more comfortable with speaking up and speaking out than the previous generation. Additionally, that generation (my generation) have the opportunities to make change, through research, funding and entrepreneurship, as well as education and employment opportunities. These opportunities were simply not as available to my mother’s generation and those women before her.
The vast amount of research and attention done in the menopause realm was on full display at The New Pause. I was introduced to some fabulous leaders in the field, from cardiologist Dr. Jayne Morgan (instagram.com/drjaynemorgan), who connected dots between the symptoms associated with menopause and an increased risk of heart disease in women. It’s not JUST aging that increases our risks, it’s what happens when we lose estrogen. She closed her talk with a powerful statement: Health equity doesn’t mean we settle for less. It means we push for more.
Dr. Lisa Mosconi (instagram.com/dr_mosconi), Director of the Weill Cornell Women’s Brain Initiative, spoke in depth about the connection between menopause and Alzheimer’s, as well as the need for more research funding. At present, only 10% of the $45 billion NIH budget is directed towards funding women’s health studies.
It took almost the whole day to finally get to a speaker who spoke about the benefits of strength training during this phase of life. Dr. Peter Attia (https://www.instagram.com/peterattiamd/), in a pre-recorded interview with Alisa Volkman, founder of The Swell, made it clear from the onset that the number one thing women should be doing in the menopausal transition is strength training. I, of course, wholeheartedly agree. I’m sure Dr. Stacy Sims (https://www.instagram.com/drstacysims/ was asked to be on this panel and had a prior commitment…
I’m often wary of men speaking in this space. I know it’s something I struggle with, and being at The New Pause helped me work through that. In addition to Dr. Attia, there was a fascinating conversation with Dr. Avrum Bluming (https://estrogenmatters.com/) conducted by the powerhouse Dr. Sharon Malone (https://www.instagram.com/smalonemd/). Dr. Bluming’s book “Estrogen Matters” is now on my nightstand.
There was not one panel or talk that I found uninteresting, and want to share the list of additional presenters with you. There are some great resources out there, and you can start with the people I spent the day with at The New Pause.
Dr. Shelby Morgan https://www.instagram.com/sleepdocshelby/
Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://www.instagram.com/drmaryclaire/
Dr. Dendy Engelman https://www.instagram.com/drdendy/
Dr. Ellen Vora https://www.instagram.com/ellenvoramd/
Tamsen Fadal https://www.instagram.com/tamsenfadal/
Emily Morse https://www.instagram.com/sexwithemily/
Dr. Kelly Casperson https://www.instagram.com/kellycaspersonmd/
Dan Harris https://www.instagram.com/danharris/
Lauren Roxburgh https://www.instagram.com/loroxburgh/
Dr. Asima Ahmad https://www.instagram.com/doctor_asima/
Minaa B. https://www.instagram.com/minaa_b/
Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz https://www.instagram.com/askdrsuzanne/
Dr. Somi Javaid https://www.instagram.com/somijavaidmd/
Dr. Sharon Parish https://sexualmed.org/team-members/sharon-j-parish/
Dr. Jennifer Garrison
Dr. Staci Gruber https://www.instagram.com/drstacigruber/
Kathryn Schubert https://swhr.org/
Dr. Heidi Flagg https://www.instagram.com/m_pause/
Overwhelmingly, the energy of the symposium was directed towards advocating. Advocating for women, and for ourselves, in the medical community. The old stories of menopause and aging are no longer applicable. This is definitely a time to engage and embrace our aging.