I hope you’re enjoying your post-Thanksgiving week. Let me take this opportunity to say thank you for being a loyal subscriber. Without readers like you, there would be no newsletter!

Here at thePause, I want to keep you engaged and informed by giving you the information you’re hungry for. (Hungry? Did someone say hungry after all that turkey and stuffing??)

And to do that, I’d love to offer you a menu of delights, as well as an opportunity to weigh in on what you’d like to chew on. (Sorry for all the puns. I’ll stop now.)

In fact, menopause was/is so stigmatized that it was referred to as “The Change,” much like cancer was - and still is - referred to as “The Big C.” Enough of that nonsense!!

Since I had been through menopause and knew firsthand how it can change and challenge you, and convince you that you very well might be losing your mind, I wanted to write about it, not only to help other women but also to help me understand more about what was happening.

An article I wrote for Family Circle gave me the perfect opportunity to interview some of the most prestigious menopause experts and pick their brains. An article for Jenny Craig offered me a chance to explain the three stages of menopause. PBS Next Avenue’s article gave me a reason to look into menopause and the workplace and also why doctors are failing us. And dozens of articles, like this one, for Alloy, a fabulous website co-started by former Marie Claire editor-in-chief, Anne Fulenwider, have allowed me to scratch my itch and explore a phase that we all, if we are lucky enough to live long enough, will pass through.

But this is not just about me. It’s about you, and what you want to know. I’ve been through it, and I’ve delved into it, both personally and professionally.

Is it:

• Sleep

• Weight

• Energy

• Moods

Or maybe it’s:

• Hair

• Skin

• Nails

• Teeth

There’s a chance it could questions about your:

• Bones

• Bladder

• Inner thermostat

• Friends & family

In other words:

• It’s probably anything and everything

So, go for it. Jot down some ideas in the comments section at the end of this newsletter and I’ll make sure to take each and every comment into consideration. That’s the least I can do to give back and say thanks for being here.

P.S. Don’t despair. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

For a Pause

1. Yes, menopause is trending. And it’s mostly because people are paying attention because celebrities are speaking out. Here’s an example of what’s going on, in case you don’t see it all around you.

2. With one holiday behind us and more to come, here’s some handy information about how to feel better when you overdo it.

3. A reader wrote to me a while back about losing your sh*t from hot flashes and the like and how her family just doesn’t get it. Missed that one? Voila.

4. You deserve time out; you know you do. Just 15 minutes a day can reset your inner calm…with some sand. This cute timer will remind you to just. do. it.

One More Thing

“Wisdom born of pain” is still worth it, don’t you think?

The medical information in our newsletter is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for qualified and direct medical advice from your physician or other qualified clinician.

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