I recently listened to a Huberman Lab podcast that discussed weight loss concepts that you don’t typically hear about. Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, reviews a number of unique, evidence-based hacks for weight loss. Because we are all inundated with information about the “best” ways to lose weight - keto, intermittent fasting, pills, exercise regimes, etc.

In part one of this series about menopausal weight gain, we discussed the reasons why women tend to put on weight during perimenopause and menopause. Now let’s discuss what to do about it. Many of the variables that impact weight gain during this phase of life can be modified by focusing on what you eat, how you move your body and determining if medications and/or hormone therapy might be right for you.

According to a 2018 CDC report, 56% of women and 42% of men in the U.S. tried to lose weight within the previous 12 months. And research suggests that approximately 80% of people who shed a significant portion of their body fat will not maintain that degree of weight loss for 12 months - and most dieters regain, on average, more than half of what they lose within two years.

I can’t tell you how many women come to me with stories of being discounted by their OB-GYNs or primary care practitioners. Many women’s primary providers (OB-GYNs and family medicine) are failing women suffering through menopause - telling them “This is normal and it will pass” or offering them inadequate treatments like antidepressants. And so many women feel like they are losing control over their bodies and wellbeing.

If you have struggled to find the help you need to address menopausal symptoms, you are not alone. Despite the discomfort women experience during menopause, and treatment options that can improve one’s quality of life and perhaps prevent several chronic diseases, very few women are successfully treated. Today, American women can spend a third or more of their lives struggling with menopausal symptoms and related conditions, many without a clear understanding of what to expect, how to respond, and what treatment is possible.

According to an article in AARP, nearly 6,000 women reach menopause every day in America. The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) reports that approximately 75 percent of women experience some kind of menopausal distress. And sadly, for close to 20 percent of these women, night sweats and hot flashes are severe enough to interfere with nearly every significant aspect of their lives: work, relationships and sleep.

You might have heard the term “vaginal rejuvenation” and wondered, what in the world does that mean? Does my vagina really need to be, look or feel younger or more lively? What’s important to point out is that vaginal rejuvenation is about far more than aesthetics. This treatment is really about enhancing function and feeling. My patients turn to me for vaginal rejuvenation because they are having some level of dysfunction that is compromising their quality of life or relationships and they’re looking for a solution.

As we have explained in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series on Women’s Sexual Health - experiencing problems with sexual response, desire, orgasm or pain is a common, and complex, issue. So many women suffer from unsatisfactory - and challenging or painful - sex lives. The causes can be hormonal, psychological or related to medications or other comorbidities. So how should women approach treatment? Thankfully, there are many options.

As discussed in our previous post, so many women have some form of sexual dysfunction. It has even been reported that the majority of women - up to nearly 87% according to one scientific literature review - suffer from sexual challenges, whether it’s a declining interest in sex or an increased difficulty reaching orgasm.   So what’s to be done? One component of women’s sexual dysfunction that is garnering increased focus is testosterone.

The topic of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) makes many men uncomfortable; it is oftentimes difficult to discuss with anyone - friends, loved ones or your physician.  You should know, however, that you are not alone. The Massachusetts Male Aging Study reported that approximately 52% of men report some level of erectile dysfunction.