MENOPAUSE MATTERS:

Empowering Wellness & Managing Symptoms

Trainer: Kathy Kattashi

Icebreaker: MYTH or FACT

Perimenopause can begin in the mid-40s (sometimes late 30s) with hormonal shifts well before obvious period changes.

Hormone levels fluctuate unpredictably. They spike & crash rather than simply decline.

Irregular cycles don’t mean no ovulation... pregnancy is still possible until menopause.

Perimenopause often begins in the mid-40s, sometimes even late 30s

Hormones During Different Phases of our Life

What do you notice about this diagram?

Perimenopause: The Core of the Menopausal Experience. Why?

Perimenopause: The real game-changer

• Lasts 4-10 years
• Symptoms fluctuate wildly

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Transition to menopause &

post-menopause

Why Perimenopause Takes The Lead

COMMON CHALLENGES along the way:

• Hot flashes, night sweats, poor sleep
• Mood swings, anxiety, rage
• Brain fog, low energy
• Irregular periods, vaginal dryness, low libido
• Joint pain, palpitations, dry skin, hair loss

Symptoms often peak before menopause itself. That’s why this phase takes the lead.

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI):

Early Menopause:

Menopause:

Understanding Menopause Terminology

Average age:

~51

12 months + 1 day = considered to have reached menopause

Ovaries stop producing eggs & hormones earlier than usual. End of natural fertility & start of menopausal symptoms sooner than average.

Average age:

before the age of (45)

When ovaries stop functioning normally before age ____ (sometimes as early as _____ & ___).

40

teens

20s

Unlike natural menopause, POI can be sporadic or reversible.

SOS! No two menopause experiences are the same!

The cause affects timing, symptoms, and impact!

Surgical Menopause:

Chemical Menopause:

Understanding Menopause Terminology

Induced by medications (e.g., chemotherapy, hormone-blocking for cancer). Symptoms may improve after treatment ends.

Happens when both ovaries are removed, leading to immediate drop in hormone levels. Often to manage ovarian cancer risk, endometriosis or ovarian cysts.

Match the clues to:

Perimenopause, Menopause, Post-menopause, Surgical, Chemical, Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI)

Silent Symptoms of Menopause

• Heart Disease is the leading cause of death among women overall, especially as women age. The risk increases after menopause partly due to the decline in estrogen.*
• By age 75-79, a woman's risk can equal that of men.*

*National Library of Medicine: The Postmenopausal Woman

Silent Symptoms of Menopause

• Osteoporosis is a major concern post-menopause, with significant bone loss occurring during the transition.
• About 50% of women over age 65 will experience a fracture due to osteoporosis.*

*Women’s Health Concern: Osteoporosis

Silent Symptoms of Menopause

• Postmenopausal women have an increased risk of type 2 Diabetes due to changes in hormones and weight distribution, particularly after age 50.
• Changes in Weight Distribution AKA increased abdominal fat is associated with higher insulin resistance.

Diabetes UK: Menopause and Diabetes

Silent Symptoms of Menopause

Solutions through Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT or HRT)

What is Menopause Hormone Therapy?

MHT - Choices

Exploring solutions that can support your health

It is the replacement of estrogen, progesterone and for some women testosterone.

Solutions: Other Treatments

Exploring solutions that can support your health

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to manage mood changes + coping strategies &

Talk Therapy

SSRIs & SNRIs

can help manage vasomotor symptoms

Non-Regulated Natural Remedies

Solutions: Lifestyle Changes

The Circle of Wellbeing

Nutrition

Hydration, Protein, Healthy Fats, Fibre

Bone & Muscle Health: Calcium, Vitamin D, Protein

Exercise, Movement, Activity

Sleep Hygiene & Routine

Stress Management

Solutions: Lifestyle Changes Stress Management

Your Adrenal Glands are like your body's first responders to stress

Acute Stress - The Bear Chase

Chronic Stress - Life Overload

Your body responds the same way to real danger (like a bear) and daily life overload, because your adrenals can’t tell the difference…

…but when stress is constant, your adrenals stay busy making cortisol and adrenaline, which can leave less capacity for hormone balance making menopause symptoms worse

BUT they also take on a greater role in producing small amounts of Oestrogen & Progesterone during peri/menopause

THIS IS WHY STRESS MANAGEMENT IS A VITAL MENOPAUSE SUPPORT STRATEGY

What’s the key takeaway you’re leaving with today?

Hormonal Change Drives the Journey

Post-Menopause Brings Health Risks

Solutions Are Personalised

Your Mind-Body Connection Matters