What are the best strategies for midlife wellness? How can women and men navigate their hormonal changes with confidence? What’s a therapist’s guide to thriving through midlife changes and embracing change without fear?

In this podcast episode, Jennifer Froemel discusses understanding menopause and andropause. 

In This Podcast:

• Why we need to discuss this 
• Importance of awareness 
• Understanding menopause 
• Strategies for symptom care 
• Understanding andropause

Why we need to discuss this 

The first thing that I want to make sure we address is that it is normal for us to talk openly about this change in life, both for menopause and andropause and perimenopause.

Jennifer Froemel

Everyone, as they age, will get to a point in their lives where they experience their bodies and hormonal systems changing. 

Even though there is sometimes still a stigma around these facts, especially in Western societies where youth is prioritized over healthy aging, these are necessary and important conversations that will ultimately benefit you, and help you live a genuinely better life.

Menopause isn’t just about hot flashes and andropause isn’t just about testosterone. These are times in a human’s experience [when] your normal, internal clock, your body is changing and these hormone changes are not too dissimilar with what we go through in puberty.

Jennifer Froemel

As with puberty, going through meno- or andropause may involve physical, mental, and emotional well-being changes that we need to go through because they are natural and necessary cycles of having human bodies. 

Importance of awareness

Another reason more accessible information on these changes is important is that it raises awareness so that people are not alone in their experiences. 

Maybe some symptoms that you experience that may make you nervous are similar to what someone else is experiencing too, and finding that community to share knowledge also means sharing solidarity. 

Talk it through and normalize it. Hear from other people; “Yeah, the same happened to me and this is what I did to help myself.”

Jennifer Froemel

Mindfulness, which comes from awareness, can help you experience these changes without the fear of not knowing where they come from. 

When you know what is happening because you have the right information, you can more easily clear your mind and process the identity change that you are going through more peacefully and openly.

Understanding menopause

Simply put, menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle, and it is more or less officially diagnosed when a woman misses her period every month for 12 consecutive months. 

It can occur between the ages of 45 and 55, and it can happen earlier or later than these ages. Menopause is usually caused by a decline in your estrogen and progesterone levels and your ovaries reduce hormone production as well. 

Some symptoms may include:

• Irregular periods 
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats 
• Vaginal dryness leading to discomfort during sex 
• Weight gain around your midsection 
• Hair thinning or dryer skin or changes in your skin elasticity 
• Joint pain and general stiffness 
• Sleep disturbances 
• Brain fog 
• Sudden shift in mood changes without a clear cause 
• Depressive episodes in waves of varying intensity 
• Fatigue and a lack of motivation 

Strategies for symptom care

There are many different things that you can do to help yourself through this period of change. 

You can; 

• See a therapist, counselor, and/ or doctor for advice because bodily hormonal changes can impact your mental health 
• Take supplements like magnesium 
• Put your energy into eating well, varied foods, and good amounts of healthy fats, fiber, carbohydrates, and protein 
• Sleep well and take magnesium because sleep is crucial for proper bodily function
• Increase your efforts in general self-care methods 
• Reduce refined sugar intake and be mindful of what you eat, how and when you eat it 
• Practice regular exercise, and it can be anything! Walking, cold plunges, workouts in the gym, or even dance classes or swimming, all of these options are good for you 

With anxiety and depression, sometimes a good amount of vitamin D and vitamin C really help … Get outside, even if it’s chilly then dress for the weather, but get outside and get some sun on your skin for 20 minutes a day, these are some basic things that can help shift your hormones and shift you.

Jennifer Froemel

There is a mixture of natural remedies and scientific remedies. You can see what works best for you but do commit to learning how you can properly care for yourself, wholly and fully. 

Understanding andropause

Unlike menopause, andropause actually happens gradually over the years, and not all men experience significant symptoms, but those that do may experience a lot of physical and emotional changes due to that lowered testosterone.

Jennifer Froemel

Andropause, while it is called male menopause, is different from female menopause. Andropause is usually characterized by; 

• A gradual decline in testosterone levels 
• Occurrences in men between the ages of 40 and 60 
• Fatigue and low energy 
• Loss of muscle mass and strength 
• Increased body fat around the abdomen 
• Decreased sex drive 
• Erectile dysfunction 
• Hair loss or thinning 
• Hot flashes 
• Sleep disturbances 
• Emotional and mental disturbances like irritability, mood swings, increased anxiety, and stress 
• Brain fog 

So, men and women alike, we’re experiencing very similar things because it’s hormones guys! We’re all going through it. It’s real.

Jennifer Froemel

There are strategies that you can use to take care of your body and mind, but it starts with you! And if you need additional support, support is out there and ready for you. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED AND USEFUL LINKS

Donate to Jennifer Froemel’s Lifesaving Work in Nepal

Practice of the Practice Network

Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Audible/Amazon, and Spotify.

CONNECT WITH ME

Visit The Innovative Counselling Partners Practice Website and connect on Facebook.

ABOUT THE FEAR OF CHANGE PODCAST

Change can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. The Fear of Change podcast is all about helping you embrace change and live a more fulfilling life. Hosted by Jennifer Froemel, LCPC, a therapist with nearly 30 years of experience, we cover topics like mental wellness, holistic health, and improving relationships.

Jennifer’s down-to-earth approach makes it easy to understand why we fear change and how to move past those fears. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, relationship issues, or just feeling stuck, there’s something here for you.

Podcast Transcription

Jennifer Froemel 00:00:00 The Fear of Change podcast is part of the practice of the Practice Network, a network of podcasts seeking to help you market and grow your business and yourself. To hear other podcasts like the Sensitive in Nature podcast, go to practice of the practice. Com forward slash network. Welcome to the Fear of Change podcast. I’m your host, Jennifer Cromwell, a therapist dedicated to helping you challenge your perspective. See, fear is only one option and discover that finding yourself is a lot of work, but totally worth it. In each episode, we’ll explore the depths of change, uncovering strategies to embrace it with confidence and resilience. So get ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and transformation. Let’s face our fears together and find the courage to create the life we truly desire. Thank you for joining me. Welcome back to the Fear of Change podcast. We are going into episode three of our series called Overcoming Fear of Change in Midlife. And as I promised today, episode three of the series is understanding perimenopause, menopause and Andro Pores. Jennifer Froemel 00:01:30 very interesting stuff we’re going to talk about. I will throw out the disclaimer here. I am not a specialist in this stuff. but I definitely know enough to be dangerous and really want to talk about it because I feel like for many people I know menopause is definitely out there and perimenopause is definitely out there far more than it was when my mom was going through it, But I really want to shine a light on Andro Paz. And that is the men. The males version of menopause. Because it’s real. And it is not something that I feel like we’re talking about enough. I would love to see, you know, somebody like Dax Shepard talk about it, or, Ryan Reynolds or somebody, you know, even if they’re not going through it, if they could start to, like, maybe look into it or Ben Stiller or somebody, could start talking about it a bit because I think I think men need to understand what their, what they got going on inside of them, too. It is all about hormones, folks. Jennifer Froemel 00:02:39 So today we’re really going to talk about, some some key points. We’re going to talk about breaking the stigma around menopause and perimenopause and, and menopause. and rapports. We’re going to talk about common symptoms and how to manage them. We’re going to talk about the mental health impact of hormone changes and natural some natural remedies versus medical treatments. so really we’re going to just kind of dive right in. I think the first thing that I want to make sure that we address is, here we are really recognizing that it is normal for us to talk openly about this change in life, both from menopause and, and rapports and perimenopause, because really, the reality is that if you are a human, you’re going to have this happen. So it’s super duper important that we don’t just avoid because, you know, that’s not going to get us anywhere. But I’d really like to encourage, like I said, other people to talk about it. And, you know, I think especially with, with men. It’s it’s something that’s super duper important. Jennifer Froemel 00:04:00 as we go through these transitions and it’s normal. we don’t want there to be hiding shame or, people feeling like this is embarrassing. The reality is, is it’s natural as anything. it may not be sexy, but it’s natural. So let’s let’s go into talking about, you know, debunking some myths. You know, menopause isn’t just about hot flashes, and Andropov isn’t just about testosterone loss. Really? These are these times in a human’s experience. Is that your normal internal clock? Your body is changing. And these hormone transitions are not all dissimilar to what you go through with puberty. The effect that physical, emotional, and well your mental well-being have on these changes is very real. You know what we find in hormonal transition. Again, everyone, I think, can reflect back on being a hormonal teenager. You don’t know up from down right, from left. I have to give it up for Nick Kroll in, in his cartoon of, Oh, gosh, what is the name of it? Big mouth. Jennifer Froemel 00:05:28 not a good show for teenagers, necessarily. Maybe later teens. but even for adults, I think it makes you blush. But if you watch the show, guys. I mean, it really takes you through the experience, you know, minus the hormone monsters. But love Maya Rudolph on that show. And again, Nick. Fantastic idea. the reality is, is that you get to see the inside inner workings, the mental, the mental insanity that ensues by these hormone changes. And the same thing happens in menopause and man and man. Pause and pause. and perimenopause is nobody gives you a sign that says, all right, you’ve got it. Though I do have to say give it up to, I think it’s clear. Blue. Easy. They started to create a whole line of of test kits for determining where you are as a woman. in the cycle of change, to to menopause, which that’s pretty. It’s a pretty sweet deal. Pretty good idea there. clear blue. Easy. Jennifer Froemel 00:06:40 the thing that we want to talk about, though, is looking at real scientific research and education, really wrapping your brain around some of those things that do exist. I know, more and more. Again, more data from from women, around this topic. I, I know that Mary, however, is someone that is Mary Clare Haber. she does an excellent job on educating folks on menopause and perimenopause. equally so does, doctor, I want to say Romo. what’s her name again? I’ll have to again look it up. but she she does a great job, too. all about, you know, how women change and and perimenopause and, you know, the beginning parts of menopause, which, again, a lot of people don’t talk about. and then and then really looking at things from the perspective of how do you create a work environment that advocates for menopause, inclusive policies like a flexible schedule or access to wellness programs? You know, training managers in HR teams to support employees experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and mood changes. Jennifer Froemel 00:08:17 You know, some of the things that you could plug in are like, you know, little sections of of the office where maybe there’s like a round circle with a bit of a walking track so people can go out and if nothing else, kind of see that, you know, get in touch with other space, move their bodies to help with that fatigue and, and the brain fog. And again, as we move our bodies, our moods can change, as well as, you know, what what food options are you putting out there? gotta give it up for a farmer’s fridge. Those things are amazing. There. There are these wonderful machines. If you haven’t seen them, that vend healthy, fresh options for humans. So again, making sure that you’re able to address people’s needs as they shift and change, and not having a culture where people are. Oh, yeah. Do you see Janus? Yeah. Did you see yesterday how like, she was sweating terribly. You know, we don’t want people to feel embarrassed about the fact that this is a natural change. Jennifer Froemel 00:09:28 We want them to feel like it’s a safe place to work, and that. Yeah, if you’re having an issue today, if you’re having some fatigue, go home. You know, or, you know, take a take a rest, you know, go to the restroom. Not like bathroom, restroom, but like maybe create a space where people can go lay down or something. or at least, you know, decompress, go sit in a chair that you can, you know, just decompress in. So addressing the the mental health and the emotional health components of, menopause and perimenopause is really important too. One of the things that we see, much like we see in puberty, is there can be pretty drastic mood swings. you can have really increased anxiety and depression, and those transitions can really kind of come and go. I think that one of the pieces I like to talk about with people is the recognition that perimenopause can last quite a long time. And if you’re not aware that maybe you’re going through it again, like I think that’s where it’s like, all right, let’s let’s open the gates to you, you know, having that awareness. Jennifer Froemel 00:10:44 So that way then with that awareness you’re actually able to understand what’s going on in your body and your mind. so I really think that that’s going to be super helpful. the other that I would really recommend doing is, you know, helping yourself and understanding that, you know, your gut health is just as important as your mental health. And so, you know, looking at, you know, folks like the glucose goddess or the glucose revolution, really helps us to see just in fact, what we need to be putting in our body. yeah. The glucose revolution is awesome. as is, you know, help with, you know, getting understanding about what people are going through. And there is such a thing as the metabolic reset by Andrew Hannah. that’s, Andrew h a n o u n. And really, you know, there’s really wonderful things in, finding more education on what to do in the way of, you know, your hormone support, which we’ll get in in a little bit, a little bit more detailed. Jennifer Froemel 00:12:09 it’s it’s really important that, you know, you’re able to take a look at, you know, all of, all these ways that, our life, our life is shifting and changing and, again, not be embarrassed by it. so the other piece that happens in, and again, perimenopause and menopause is the ability to, you know, seek open forums, open discussions to help, to help yourself in, in dealing with all the the transitions that’s happening to you. talk it through, normalize it. Hear from other people. Like, yep, same happened to me. And this is what I did to to help myself. you know, I think a lot of us don’t necessarily know how, in fact, to do that. and so I really think that it’s really helpful to just find what works for you, what groups work for you? your self-worth and your identity really can shift during this time, too. So it’s important that you know, you’re aware of that and that you know that that’s likely going to happen and really helping you to look at holistic approaches. Jennifer Froemel 00:13:27 Again, you’ve heard me talk before ad nauseam about, you know, how movement and food should be our first source of medicine. Mindfulness is another item that you’ve also heard me talking about. Mindfulness can truly help us through some of the discomfort that comes in experiencing menopause and perimenopause. And Andrew, pause because when we’re in our body, even if it does feel funky or awkward, we’re actually able to tolerate it better when we can clear our mind. Instead of having all sorts of brain fog and mixed up thoughts and emotions. Now I will say there has been a great deal of talk about whether, in fact, hormone replacement therapy is helpful or natural supplements are helpful. There are bioidentical, that are made a lot of holistic health practitioners, naturopaths will in fact use more of those bioidentical supplements, to help people go through the hormone, the hormone shift. But there is hormone replacement therapy available now? Again, you really should see somebody, you know, kind of a specialist. I know here in the Chicagoland area. Jennifer Froemel 00:14:51 we definitely will. I really like using the menopause clinic over at northwestern as a resource for people, you know, and just guide them there. And again, maybe that’s not the right place to go initially. as I mentioned, Mary Hager have are is really a great resource. Mary Claire. and, you know, and just looking at things like Amber green, for example, Amber and gummies, Amber green is a very kind of basic, method that, that some women can do. I think it’s over-the-counter. You can probably even get it on Amazon. without going into, you know, deeper levels of hormone replacement therapy. But I know a lot of people have been told, oh. Hormone replacement therapy is scary. It’s bad for you. You can have a heart attack. You can get cancer. There are ways in which to do hormone replacement therapy that isn’t. And and I think it’s coming to a place where people are understanding more and more. It’s all about balance. So, you know, also getting support from your your family and your partners, you know, talking about these conversations, having these conversations, talking about this stuff, recognizing that, yeah, there’s some bonuses to going through menopause. Jennifer Froemel 00:16:17 You know for women you’re you’re not menstruating every month. You can wear white pants without fear. and, you know, I guess for men too, right? You could you could wear white pants without fear. Just don’t wear red underpants. but really, just having that ability to talk about what’s going on and what you need, you know, your partner might be going through and pause before you are through menopause. So you might want to have a sexual life more than your partner does at a point. And so again, it might just be having a conversation about, listen, honey, you know, I bet you might be going through Andrew pause because you, you used to really come at me and want to engage sexually and you’re not doing that anymore. And it’s okay. But what if maybe, just maybe, we needed to, you know, get your hormones tested and find that, like, they’re slightly off and with just a small a small change, a minute change that could come back, do you want that to come back? And of course your partner is going to say yes. Jennifer Froemel 00:17:24 So again, celebrating this life change, really redefining that menopause. And Andrew pause is like a time of wisdom, self-discovery, new opportunity, encouraging people to embrace the freedom that comes along with that phase. You know, like I said, you’ve you’ve got fewer reproductive worries, you know? Yeah, you definitely don’t have to worry about getting pregnant. a deeper sense of self-awareness and again, the ability to prioritize your personal growth. and, and, you know, really like I said, Doctor Mary Claire Haber is, I think, someone who is really doing a great job of helping people through, how to thrive through midlife and beyond. and, and so let’s just talk menopause as a natural biological process. Ultimately, it is marking the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. And it’s officially diagnosed after missing a period for 12 consecutive months. It can occur between the ages of 45 and 55, though it can happen earlier. Can happen later. menopause is usually caused by a decline in your estrogen and progesterone levels, and your ovaries reduce hormone production as well. Jennifer Froemel 00:18:40 So some symptoms of menopause, irregular periods, hot flashes or sudden waves of heat or often sweating, maybe night sweats. Sweats in the middle of the night while you’re sleeping. Vaginal dryness leading to discomfort during sex. Weight gain, especially around your midsection like that. That solar plexus area and sacral chakra area. Weight gain again around the same area. Hair thinning or drier. Skin joint. Pain and stiffness. Like I mentioned, a decreased libido. So a lower sex drive. Sleep disturbances. I think from many people, sleep disturbances is one of the very first symptoms. And so again it’s really checking to make sure you guys have heard me push and other episodes the aura ring because the Uber ring or maybe even your, your Apple Watch can test and keep track of your sleep. I think that’s a great way to, you know, kind of help you through some of that, emotional and mental symptoms that you might be experiencing. you know, such as brain fog. As, as I mentioned before, you know, changes in your skin elasticity. Jennifer Froemel 00:19:59 so, so some of these things are, in fact, you know, some of the things that that we see happen. and so we want to address that. in those mood swings and emotional sensitivity, you might have a sudden shift in a mood change. without clear cause. Right? Like, you might start crying because you think the weather is too scary. and then all of a sudden, you look outside and the sun is shining. You’re like, wait a second. What was that? you might be irritable, emotional, overwhelmed. You might have increase in sensitivity to stress and conflict. you could have racing thoughts, excessive worry or restlessness, maybe even increased social anxiety or nervousness and situations at previously like you really could care less about. There might even be some panic attacks or heightened emotional responses. And again, the depression could kind of come in like waves. You could have persistent sadness or hopelessness, but you could also have like stuff that you really like doing before you could literally be like, I don’t care a bit. Jennifer Froemel 00:21:06 And ultimately fatigue and a lack of motivation, you know, you could just really kind of feel like blah all the time. As I mentioned, the brain fog and cognitive issues, this is where it’s like you have a difficult time focusing. You have a difficult time making decisions. You’re super forgetful, you have mental fatigue. Like you’re just like, I’m exhausted and you could feel spaced out or disconnected a lot. as I mentioned with the sleep disruptions, this is where you can have a difficulty falling asleep, a difficulty staying asleep, waking up feeling un rested, night sweats like I mentioned, or restlessness affecting your sleep quality. So again, some of the things that we like to find in, you know, these and this whole section here, is, you know, for some of the sleep issues, you might find yourself benefiting from some magnesium that you could get from like Whole Foods, or Amazon or a natural path. sometimes that will help with getting you to fall asleep and sometimes even staying asleep. Jennifer Froemel 00:22:14 as I mentioned, Ambien could could be a help. you, you know, a couple, a couple of times a day, you take these gummies, with the brain fog and cognitive issues, because that’s where your sleep hygiene is so pertinent as well as the foods you put in your body? So ensuring that you’re getting enough protein because remember, you are breaking down food and and digesting as you’re sleeping. And so if you’re not getting enough, protein, good protein, in your diet during the day, your body could wake you up at night looking for that good protein. So it’s so important that, you know, to stop the sleep disruptions that you’ve got the protein in there, that maybe you’ve even taken the Ambien, or maybe you even taken the magnesium to help keep you asleep and allow your your muscle elasticity and ligaments to get what they need. and then again, with the anxiety and the depression, sometimes a good amount of vitamin D and vitamin C really help. So a lot of times, especially here in the Midwest, I’ll have clients go get their vitamin D tested, because that could be the cause, especially in our our winters and sometimes even our springs. Jennifer Froemel 00:23:32 so getting that. But but remembering getting outside, even if it’s chilly. Just dress for the weather, getting outside, getting some sun on your skin for 20 minutes a day. These are some basic things that help shift your hormones and shift you. And so again, I think, you know, all of this stuff ends up leading to poor self-esteem and body image issues. And so again, this change in your body weight, the way your skin is, the way your hair is, is going to make you self-conscious, you know, and it’s going to make you feel not like yourself and disconnected from who you are and who you’ve been. So then that’s going to decrease your confidence, you know, both professional settings and personal settings, you know? So again, talking this stuff through, addressing it, adding a good collagen, would definitely be helpful as well, because that collagen is going to help with the elasticity in your ligaments and tendons and your skin and your nails and your hair. so one of the things a lot of people talk about is like, you know, why is it that hormonal changes affect mental health? And the thing is, is that hormones like estrogen and progesterone and testosterone, as well as our friend cortisol and our thyroid hormones directly impact the neurotransmitters. Jennifer Froemel 00:24:53 So that is the neural chemistry that naturally comes in our brain and that comes in our gut. And so it creates things like serotonin, dopamine and Gaba, which help regulate your mood and emotions. So I’m going to say it again. When your estrogen, progesterone and testosterone fluctuate, it can lead to increased anxiety, irritability or depression. All right. And testosterone when the levels are low in men Then it can cause fatigue, depression and low motivation, and then cortisol. Everybody talks about cortisol like it’s the devil. Cortisol is the high stress hormone that can make the body feel anxious and on edge. But the other piece about it is that it’s really important that we recognize we need the cortisol to sometimes make us feel stressed. So we move when things are not good. So how do we support our mental well-being during these hormonal changes? Again, exercise boosts your serotonin and dopamine and it reduces anxiety and depression. And guys, I’m not going cray cray. I’m just simply saying get some walking in, you know, 30 minutes a day minimum. Jennifer Froemel 00:26:13 so helpful to to the serotonin, creation and so forth. balanced your diet. You know, brain functions Improve when you’re eating more omega threes. When you’re eating good, you know, lean protein when you’re good, eating leafy greens and healthy fats. Some healthy fats are avocado, coconut leafy greens. You got kale. You got collard greens. You got spinach. you know, a little bit of romaine in there too. Swiss chard and then protein. We’re talking, you know, chicken. maybe, what are we, chicken turkey? lean, lean beef. And then, of course, our omega threes coming from our fishes, our salmons, those kinds of fish that really give you back some of the good, healthy fat that you need, and some healthy fats. We’re looking at olive oil, you know, being a really good, healthy fat, like I mentioned, avocado, coconut oil. and then our sleep hygiene. Really trying to get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep a night to regulate your hormones is super helpful. Jennifer Froemel 00:27:33 And again, mindfulness and stress reduction. So doing meditation, even if it’s just two minutes a day, get the mindfulness app, get the calm app, get the breathe app. Deep breathing and yoga help manage emotional ups and downs. And I can’t even tell you enough. You know, some of the things that I’m seeing trends in and I’m participating in some of these trends are things like cold, plunging, cold, plunging for 2 to 5 minutes a day. It helps reinvigorate the body, using red light, light therapy in like, a sauna, because that’s infrared light. Those kinds of things help in decreasing inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the killer. And so, you know, sugar, guys, Sugar inflames the body. And so if we’re trying to do things to counterbalance it, like the the red infra light, saunas as well as the, the cold plunges, I mean, you’re definitely counterbalancing it. and again, I said medical and holistic interventions like hormone replacement therapy can stabilize severe mood swings. Jennifer Froemel 00:28:47 supplements, like I mentioned, magnesium, vitamin D, your omega threes. Adaptogens like ashwagandha, maca root. Very helpful. and of course, I’m going to say it, you know, therapy and counseling and sometimes for some people, if, if, if the hormone shifts are that bad, you know, taking an antidepressant or an anti-anxiety med for a chunk of time could really be helpful. But this is, again, where I feel like seeking professional help and guidance through this is so important and not something you want to just kind of like throw to the side. So as I mentioned, there are natural remedies that we find, that are out there as I, as I just discussed, but that healthy diet, you know, rich in high protein, foods, eggs, fish, beans to support your, your hormone production, fiber rich foods, leafy greens, like I mentioned, whole grains, quinoa, couscous, you know, things like that are so helpful. Avoiding processed foods, excess sugar, alcohol, those things all disrupt our hormones. Jennifer Froemel 00:29:59 So I have a lot of friends who will say, man, if I just had more than one glass of wine, I can’t sleep for anything. Yep, that’s why it’s a hormone disruptor. And when you’re already in hormone disruption, naturally even worse. So again, strength training in your exercise is awesome. it really helps improve testosterone and estrogen balance doesn’t have to be that you’re, you know, bench pressing with Arnold Schwarzenegger. but it just means that your strength training so you can use, you know, £10 weights, but you do a lot of reps. yoga and Pilates are really great because it helps with balancing the breath as well as your lean muscle matter. and cardio, like walking and cycling, helps you to maintain your metabolism and your energy levels. As I mentioned, again, meditation and deep breathing, lower cortisol and adequate sleep. Making sure too, that you drink enough water and herbal teas to flush out the toxins, reducing your caffeine and alcohol intakes. And like I said, for women we find that, black cohosh helps with hot flashes and night sweats. Jennifer Froemel 00:31:14 Mocha supports energy, libido, and hormone regulation. Ashwagandha reduces stress, anxiety and again helps balance hormones. Red clover helps with the phyto estrogens that mimic estrogen for symptom relief and for men with Andrew Parr or low testosterone, fenugreek is helpful, ashwagandha is helpful. Zinc and vitamin D, and Tomcat. Ali is a natural testosterone booster for energy and mood. And again, some other alternative therapies that could be helpful acupuncture, massage therapy, essential oils specifically lavender for stress, peppermint for hot flashes, and clary sage for hormone balance. So these are super, super helpful things, all things that you can get your paws on pretty quickly and available. You know, for men, when we’re looking at hormone replacement therapy, it’s usually going to be a gel, or a patch of testosterone. And yes, you can do injections again. But, you know, might you want to stay with a little bit more along the lines of a, of a hormone gel for men or a patch or a cream. And then for women it’s, you know, estrogen and progesterone therapy to, you know, help with hot flashes and vaginal dryness and bone loss. Jennifer Froemel 00:32:43 You know, you’re definitely going to want to get a bone scan to see where you’re at at the beginning of this. so these are some really wonderful things. But, you know, choosing the right approach for you is the most important thing. as I mentioned, northwestern has a center for sexual medicine and menopause. so I would say if you live in the Chicagoland area and you’re starting to go through it, go, go find out where you’re at and really try to figure out, you know, how how do you manage this? because really, that’s going to be that’s going to be the thing. So again, I’m talking about things in our lives that change, and I do I do want to make sure I talk about Andrew pause because Andrew has like I said, while it’s called the male menopause, it’s a gradual decline in testosterone levels and typically occur. It occurs between the ages of 40 and 60 and unlike menopause and drops, actually happens gradually over years. And not all men experience significant symptoms. Jennifer Froemel 00:33:54 But those that do might have a lot of physical, emotional, and cognitive changes due to that lower testosterone. So some of the symptoms of Andrew Parr, as I said, can vary. But again, it’s fatigue, low energy, loss of muscle mass and strength, increased body fat again especially around the abdomen. decreased sex drive, maybe even some erectile dysfunction or maintaining an erection, hair loss or thinning, hot flashes or excessive sweating. Sleep disturbances, emotional and mental things. Again, mood swings, irritability, depression or feelings of sadness. Lower motivation and confidence, increased anxiety and stress, difficulty concentrating or brain fog. So men and women alike were experiencing very similar things. Because it’s hormones, guys, we’re all going through it. It’s real. So again, getting a bone density test for men, just like for women, it’s important we want to decrease the risk of fractures as you are aging. And the only way is to get a bone density scan really to kind of know where you are. Jennifer Froemel 00:35:07 And then again, the metabolic issues puts you at higher risk for type two diabetes as you gain weight. So again, the cause of anthropos guys. I mean, it’s aging. Your testosterone levels naturally decline 1% per year after age 40. Chronic stress with high cortisol can further reduce testosterone and poor lifestyle habits. Lack of exercise. Unhealthy diet. Insufficient sleep. So there might also be, you know, underlying medical conditions like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease. But ultimately, you know, again, it’s the healthy diet, the regular exercise, the stress management, the quality sleep and medical treatment. In terms of hormone replacement therapy, we really just need to pay attention to ourselves and listen. And, you know, again, as our partners are going through it, if we’re not going through it, it’s so important that we support our partners. So again, as I’ve said before, here we go. Ago. Life is life in and we gotta be there to support each other through it. Because at the end of the day, aren’t you worth it? Don’t fear these things. Jennifer Froemel 00:36:24 Know what you’re heading into and know that you are not alone. And know that there are ways through it and that through it. Together we will be better and we will manage. Join me in our next episode where we talk about stress management and self-care, in feeling overwhelmed by overcoming this fear of changes in midlife. Thank you for joining. I’m Jennifer Brummel. I’ll see you next time. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the Fear of Change podcast. I hope you found today’s discussion and lightning and empowering. Remember, change is inevitable, but how we respond to it is what truly matters. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with others who might benefit from our conversations. Join me next time as we continue to explore new ways to handle change and live our best lives. Until then, I’m Jennifer Brummel, encouraging you to face your fears and embrace the journey of self-discovery. This podcast is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regards to the subject matter covered. Jennifer Froemel 00:37:59 It is given with understanding that neither the host, the publisher or the guests are rendering legal, accounting, clinical or any other professional information. If you want a professional, you should find one.