Blog - Page 2 of 49 - Gennev: Expert Virtual Menopause Care

The holiday season is full of joy, connection, and tradition, but it can also bring stress, overwhelm, and sensory overload. Amid the hustle, it’s easy to lose sight of our own needs as we focus on others. This is where interoception”the ability to sense, acknowledge, and interpret bodily signals”becomes a powerful tool for self-care.

What Is Interoception?

Interoception refers to the practice of noticing and understanding the signals your body sends, such as hunger, fullness, satisfaction, thirst, or even tension in your shoulders. It’s a foundational part of Intuitive Eating, a self-care framework created by two dietitians in 1995 that integrates instinct, emotion, and rational thought to help individuals foster a healthier relationship with food.

In Intuitive Eating, interoception helps you connect with your body’s cues to gauge hunger and fullness, and to determine what truly satisfies you. But during the holidays, with their abundance of sensory input”sights, smells, sounds, textures, people, and activities”interoception can extend far beyond eating.

The Holiday Season: A Time to Pause and Tune In

The holiday season is rich with opportunities for sensory and emotional experiences. It’s a time to connect with loved ones, enjoy delicious meals, and reflect on the year. But it’s also a time of heightened busyness, which can make it challenging to care for yourself. Cultivating interoception can help you navigate the season with more intention and balance.

Consider these two levels of interoception:

Macro-Level Awareness

Take a moment to step back and reflect on how the holidays make you feel.

Positive Emotions: What activities, moments, or traditions bring you joy, energy, or peace? Lean into these experiences. Allow them to become part of your personal emotional reservoir”resources you can draw upon when you need a boost.

Negative Emotions: What leaves you feeling sad, anxious, or exhausted? Notice your reactions and instincts. Instead of reacting impulsively, pause to explore strategies that might make these moments less overwhelming.

By labeling your emotions”whether positive or negative”you gain insight into how to approach each situation in a way that aligns with your needs.

Micro-Level Focus

Zoom in on specific experiences, such as food, drink, or activities, and observe how they affect you.

Acknowledge how novelty might influence your reactions: Do you feel the urge to try everything, risking overindulgence? Or do you set strict limits that leave you feeling restricted?

Pause and check in with your body. Notice your breathing, jaw tension, or whether you feel hungry, thirsty, tired, or overwhelmed.

The Pause-Evaluation-Action Cycle

The practice of pausing, reflecting, and choosing your next step can be a game-changer during the holidays.

Pause: Stop and tune into your body. What signals is it sending?
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Evaluate: Are you content with the current sensation, or do you want to change it?
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Act: If you want to continue, keep going and set a time to check in again. If you want to make a change, identify the feeling you want to achieve (calm, focus, satisfaction, etc.). Consider what you need to support that change”relaxation, energy, compassion”and take action.

Repeat this cycle throughout the day to navigate moments of hunger, fullness, satisfaction, and even emotional highs and lows with greater clarity and intention.

A Season of Self-Care and Connection

Whether it’s savoring your favorite holiday dish, managing a packed social calendar, or navigating tricky family dynamics, interoception offers a pathway to balance. By noticing and responding to your body’s signals, you can take better care of yourself while sharing the joy of the season with those around you.

This holiday season, let interoception be your guide to both giving and receiving”starting with yourself.

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Here’s one for the story books, where two twenty-somethings working for a women’s health company DM a Gen X icon and the rest is history.

Gennev’s Director of Performance Marketing and Social Media Manager, Isabella Rusher and Haley Roberts, created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collaborate with the legendary Candace Bushnell. This collaboration has been a dream come true, and we’re thrilled to share the details.

It All Started with an Instagram DM

Like so many great connections these days, we reached out to Candace on Instagram after seeing how she talks so openly about women’s health, and specifically menopause. Her candidness and humor resonated with us, and we knew we had nothing to lose. Luckily, she responded. From there, our team quickly set up a Zoom meeting, and that’s when things fell into place.

During that first virtual meeting, it was clear that Candace shared our passion for breaking the silence around menopause and empowering women to embrace this phase of life.She immediately connected with Jill, our founder and CEO, and their shared vision for supporting women in midlife clicked. We all left that call feeling like we were onto something big.

Meeting Candace in Person: A One-Woman Show

We seized the chance to see Candace live in her one-woman show: True Tales of Sex, Success, and Sex and the City. It was one of the most inspiring performances we have ever seen. Not only was Candace hilarious while sharing her story navigating New York City and becoming a best-selling author, but she used her platform to discuss the experiences of women going through menopause. She approached the subject with confidence, beauty and SEXINESS, words that are often not associated with menopause. We left the show empowered and more passionate than ever to share that feeling with the rest of the world.

The Photoshoot: Bringing It All Together

Next step, bringing the campaign to life. Haley, also a talented photographer, had the honor of photographing Candace. She brought such elegance, style, and fun to the shoot, which made capturing her spirit easy. Isabella was there directing, ensuring that we told the story we wanted: that menopause is a journey women can go through with confidence and grace, and that they don’t have to do it alone with resources available like Gennev, and so many other wonderful menopause care providers.

Working with Candace in person was everything we’d hoped it would be and more. There was such a natural chemistry between everyone on set, and we truly believe that shows in the photos.

Transcending Age Stigmas

For Isabella and Haley, this partnership is especially meaningful because they are 20-something women who, prior to working at Gennev, had little knowledge of menopause and its challenges. They have learned so much about the difficult changes women face in menopause” physically, mentally and emotionally. Candidly, they felt ashamed of their lack of knowledge and ignorance on the topic. They have mothers, grandmothers, aunts and friends who have either gone through menopause, or one day will, and yet they were not equipped with the education or resources to help. With this campaign, we hope to transcend generational stigmas and bring women of all ages together for an inevitable phase of life.

Whether you’re in your teens, 20s, 30s, 50s, or beyond, these conversations matter, and we want to make sure they’re happening.

Conversations around women’s health are becoming less taboo, but at Gennev we’re here to show that menopause is something everyone can talk about”not just women in their inner circles.

What’s Next for Gennev x Candace Bushnell

This is just the beginning of what’s to come. We’re working on creating content that’s going to spark important conversations around menopause, featuring expert advice, personal stories, and a community of women supporting each other. Candace’s voice and influence will help us reach women who might not have considered talking about menopause before or felt comfortable enough to seek help for their symptoms. We’re beyond excited to see where this journey takes us and the incredible women we will empower along the way.

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About ten years ago, I was sitting at a table surrounded by senior women leaders at a tech company where I worked. This was the monthly executive female leader networking dinner that I managed, and I eagerly anticipated rubbing shoulders with experienced and powerful women at the top of their game.

What caught my attention on this particular evening was how a small group was talking about menopause. They were speaking in hushed tones as they talked about lack of sleep, inability to come to work because of extreme periods, and their growing waistlines.

It dawned on me that this community had transitioned from talking about babies, maternity leave and childcare to sharing experiences about a new phase in life. One that was starting to impact their careers and job performance.

Since that moment, there has been a mantra roaming about my head that I just can’t get rid of. How do we change the face of workplace benefits to support women in menopause? Little did I know that I would get to be part of that change years later.

Today, Gennev joins forces with Progyny to bring menopause care to the workplace. This care goes beyond work leave policies, educational sessions, and community forums, to bring menopause-trained OB/GYNs and Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to workplace benefits.

Let me be more clear, this means that specialty menopause care will be covered for employees and their dependents. Gennev and Progyny make it possible for women to effectively advance in their careers and manage their changing health and well-being at the same time.

Why are Menopause Workplace Benefits Important?

If you’re a woman, you’re likely to respond, “”¦because I’m worth it!” In all seriousness, the number one reason for providing employees and their dependents access to menopause-trained OB/GYNs and Registered Dietitians is to improve their quality of life. We know from talking with our patients that 89% experience menopause symptom improvement after working with our clinicians.

I’ve also heard how menopause care improves the ability to perform in their jobs. “Life-changing” and “I got my brain back” are common pieces of feedback. A patient who has been working with a Gennev OB/GYN and a Dietitian for three years recently told us that she “felt like herself again.” You can’t put a number on results like that!

Most importantly, menopause care prevents downstream health concerns commonly triggered during the menopause transition, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, mental health and depression.

In July 2023, Gennev commissioned a study through Milliman on the healthcare costs of menopause, and found that medical and prescription costs for women ages 45-54 with menopausal symptoms are 47% higher compared to women of the same age not experiencing menopause. The expense for these women comes to $1,243 per patient per month compared to $848 per patient per month, respectively.

Now, from the perspective of a business decision maker who needs to manage employee benefits within a budget, here’s a nugget that underscores the case for menopause-covered benefits delivered by Gennev: you will see upwards of 71% cost savings in healthcare cost per person experiencing menopause.

What’s more, according to an April 2023 report from the Mayo Clinic, menopause is costing employers an estimated $1.8 billion in lost work time per year and $26.6 billion annually when medical expenses are added, in the U.S. alone. It’s tough to argue the math when the costs are real.

In a market where women of menopause age comprise 20% of the U.S. workforce and unemployment among women is at an all-time low of 3.4%, employers need women. Not only that, but companies need women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who are skilled workers and experienced leaders.

Offering targeted menopause benefits can be a strategic advantage for talent acquisition and retention. For current employees, it fosters a supportive and inclusive culture that empowers women to excel professionally. For hiring, particularly given how competitive the labor market is, providing comprehensive support for women in this stage of life can truly set an employer apart.

What Can You Do?

If you’re a working woman”whether you’re of menopause age or not”forward this article to your human resources team. Gennev has seen women rise up on several occasions and advocate for specialty menopause care coverage under their workplace benefits. And it works. We hear from large and small companies who are leaning on their Health Plans to expand coverage for menopause care provided by companies like Gennev. We’ve seen workplace benefits and support for mental health and well-being significantly evolve over the past decade. Why should menopause be any different?

If you’re an employer, examine the costs you may be incurring. When I speak with employers, I commonly ask how much they’re spending on health coverage for employees and dependents in the menopause time of life. Most often, their response is, “I don’t know.”

If you need support diving into the numbers, examining near-term and long-term benefits you can offer for menopause care, you can learn more by reading the Gennev Workplace Benefits Whitepaper. If you would prefer to meet with a Gennev workplace specialist, please email partnerships@gennev.com or call 206.894.4292.

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Lack of access to quality, specialized medical care for menopause is causing women to suffer needlessly and the U.S. healthcare system to bear the brunt of unnecessary costs.

Gennev commissioned a study through Milliman, one of the world’s largest independent actuarial and consulting firms, to understand the costs of not treating menopause, and how we can help reduce costs and improve health outcomes in menopause.

The study, Healthcare Cost and Utilization for Women in Menopause found that medical and prescription costs for women ages 45-54 experiencing menopause are 47 percent higher on average than the general population of women in the same age band. The per member per month expense for these women experiencing menopause averaged $1,243, compared to $848 for the total population.

Why Are Costs Higher During Menopause?

According to the study, women ages 45-54 exhibiting symptoms of menopause have a 41 percent higher utilization of professional medical services and twice the behavioral health costs than the general population of women in the same age band.

Furthermore, anxiety, a widely reported prevalent symptom of menopause, can be effectively alleviated by treating the root cause of menopause itself.

“The cost of overlooking menopause goes far beyond financial implications. It exacts a heavy toll on women’s overall well-being”physically, emotionally, and financially,” said Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, Chief Medical Officer at Gennev.

She goes on to say that “”¦there’s a massive knowledge gap. Our study estimates 80 percent of women between the ages of 45 and 54 could be experiencing menopause symptoms at a given time, yet, based on diagnosis and treatment coded in claims data, only 21 percent seek treatment. This discrepancy underscores the importance of not only recognizing the need for comprehensive menopause care and prioritizing coverage, but the critical need to raise awareness about menopause care. We can empower women to navigate this transformative stage with grace and ensure they receive the support and care they rightfully deserve.”

Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Impact Costs?

The study also highlights how women in the study group using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have 11 percent lower overall healthcare costs compared to women using other menopause therapies.

Furthermore, treating menopause can yield far-reaching advantages that extend beyond financial savings. Specifically, women in the study group who use HRT during menopause show 14 percent lower health costs associated with substance abuse disorders as compared to general medical utilizers.

How Can a Menopause-Trained Provider Help?

Regardless of chosen treatment path, Gennev knows the impact seeing a medical professional who is trained in menopause can have to a woman going through it. However, quality menopause care isn’t easy to find. According to a John Hopkins-led survey, only one in five OB/GYNs take the menopause seminar in medical school. That number is likely even less for primary care doctors.

Gennev providers have already helped thousands of U.S. women improve their quality of life by prescribing personalized, evidence-based treatment plans and delivering the virtual support needed for those plans to succeed. Integrated treatment plans may include prescription medication, nutrition, fitness, sleep, mindfulness, and behavioral health therapies.

Learn how a menopause-trained provider can help you feel better.

Read The Full Report: https://www.milliman.com/en/insight/healthcare-cost-utilization-women-in-menopause

If you’re standing out on your back steps in the depths of winter, holding an iced coffee and fanning yourself as your neighbors walk past, muffled to the hilt in sweaters, scarves, mittens, and wool hats, you might be in menopause or perimenopause.

Estimates vary, but anywhere up to 85% of women in the menopause transition experience hot flashes, and for some women, they can be devastating.

HRT (hormone replacement therapy) can be very effective for a lot of women, and the hrt pros and cons we thought we understood may actually be far less than we feared.

But if you can’t or choose not to go the HRT route, there is another medical option – the new FDA approved (non-hormone) medication Veozah. Veozah works by targeting and blocking a receptor in the brain which regulates body temperature. Studies have shown it significantly relieves hot flashes with fewer side effects.

If you are suffering from really bad hot flashes, a Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist can give you a trusted opinion, determine if medication is right for you, and provide prescription support. Book an appointment with a doctor here.

What are the natural remedies for hot flashes without hormones?

We should say from the outset that these alternative medicine for hot flashes and therapies often don’t have major clinical studies to prove their efficacy, or studies have shown little or no benefit beyond what a placebo might do.

However, every woman’s body is different, and we think it’s worthwhile to give you all the information, so you can make the most informed choice for you.

Gennev thanks Dr. Arianna Staruch, Dean for the School of Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University, for her expert assistance on this article. Learn more from Dr. Staruch by watching her presentation at Gennev’s M event.

We do recommend as strongly as that you talk with a doctor before adding supplements to your regimen. “Natural” doesn’t necessarily mean “safe,” and many remedies can interact with medications or conditions, so please talk to a doctor.

Alternative therapies to help with hot flashes

What else is out there? Quite a lot, it turns out.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the act of being aware of everything around you, of being fully in the moment, without judgment. “When you’re mindful, you are actively involved in the activity with all of your senses instead of allowing your mind to wander,” says the Chopra Center. You’re also less concerned with future impacts because you’re wholly in the now, and that can be much a less stressful approach to life.

So how does mindfulness help reduce hot flashes? Well, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study, it may not. What mindfulness may do is help how women respond to hot flashes. Rather than getting upset, mindfulness can help women move through the hot flash, perceiving it as less disruptive and stressful.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture. Recent research from the University of Copenhagen appears to indicate real benefit from acupuncture, reporting “a fast and clinically relevant reduction in moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms during the six-week intervention.”

Women in the study claimed significantly decreased hot flushes, night sweats, and general sweating, as well as improvement to emotional and physical symptoms and skin and hair symptoms. “No severe adverse effects were reported,” which is always good to hear.

Yoga

Yoga. Doing strenuous exercise before bed is generally not recommended as a strategy for avoiding night sweats. However, yoga, qigong, and tai chi may all help promote a better night’s sleep. According to Psychology Today, all of these practices can calm the nervous system, which should, says Functional Nutritionist Nicole Negron, reduce the number, duration, and intensity of hot flashes.

Relaxation breathing

Relaxation breathing. Another tactic for riding out a hot flash (and potentially shortening the duration and lessening the intensity) involves relaxation breathing. This is slow, measured, even breathing in through the nose, out through the mouth, filling the diaphragm before the chest. It’s a great way to reduce stress and stay calm in a hot flash.

Herbal supplements for hot flashes

Again, we remind you to talk with your doctor before adding new substances to your diet. Some herbs can have negative health impacts or interact with medications, so have a frank and full conversation with your doc before introducing new things.

Additionally, supplements, herbs, compounded drugs, etc., are not generally regulated by the FDA, so it’s not always possible to know what you’re getting.

One thing you might do is work with a Naturopathic Doctor to be sure you’re taking the right things in the right amounts in the correct way, and that your treatments are coming from a reputable source.

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh, Latin name Actaea racemosa, previously known as Cimmicifuga racemose. Other common names include black snake root, black bugbane, or rattleweed. Native to North America, it has been used medicinally by First Nation peoples for a very long time, says the US National Institutes of Health, including for women’s reproductive issues.

To date there are 180 scientific articles listed in PubMed that include Black cohosh and menopausal symptoms, including 29 clinical trials. The results from these trials are mixed, with some showing benefit and some no difference from placebo. The most recent published in 2018 in the Journal of Education and Health Promotion showed that black cohosh decreased the number of hot flashes and improved quality of life scores.

A 2017 systematic review of journal articles on herbal preparations for menopausal symptoms showed that there are a number of common herbs that have benefit for menopausal women.

Some of the herbs included in the review are:

Sage for hot flashes

Sage. (Salvia officinalis) Yes, the stuff you’ve eaten at Thanksgiving has shown some effect on sweating as seen with hot flashes, as well as improving memory. However, excessive use of sage may cause rapid heart beat and seizures. In addition, it may lower blood sugar levels which could cause dangerous interactions with diabetic medications, so please talk with your doctor before taking sage as medication.

Red Clover for hot flashes

Red clover. (Trifolium pretense) Most studies seem to indicate red clover has no significant effect on hot flashes, though one study using fermented red clover made great claims of success. The North American Menopause Society says there are few reasons to be concerned about taking red clover except that in some animal studies, there was concern it “may have harmful effects on hormone-sensitive tissue,” so those with a personal or family history of hormone-sensitive cancers should be sure to talk with a doctor first.

Valerian root

Valerian root. (Valerian officinalis) This herb helps to increase levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA and so is known to help promote sleep and decrease anxiety. Some women have found relief from hot flashes in valerian root as well. There are several “do not take if” warnings to be aware of, namely that it can increase side effects of medications, so if you are taking any medications or have any health conditions, talk to your doctor before adding valerian. Also, it can make you sleepy and less functional, so don’t take and then drive.

Maca Root for hot flashes

Maca. (Lepidium meyenii) This herb has gotten a lot of attention lately. However, a systematic review in 2011 of published papers on maca found four randomized trials that showed benefit, but the studies were too small to draw firm conclusions.

Maca root is native to Peru, and its recent claim to fame of increasing libido poses a threat to the sustainability of this plant in the wild. The lack of data to support health claims and the lack of safety information poses a threat to consumers as well, according to the Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2018. It seems this is an herb whose marketing outruns its scientific evidence.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E. Studies in the past has shown that Vitamin E may help with mild hot flashes, says the Mayo Clinic. Supplements are OK; getting it from food is better. Nuts, seeds, and oils from nuts and seeds are good sources of Vitamin E. But don’t go crazy with the supplements as too much Vitamin E can increase bleeding.

Soy

Soy. This staple of Asian diets has long been studied for its health benefits. The isoflavones isolated from soy have also been studied as a dietary supplement. Because the concentrated isoflavones of soy supplements may be problematic for those with breast cancer concerns, we strongly suggest that women eat soy foods rather than take soy pills. In its least-processed forms, such as tofu, edamame, or miso, soy is very nutritious and may actually help reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Soy also may reduce hot flashes.

How to make safe choices

If you’re considering adding a supplement to your diet to help with menopause symptoms, remember that you are adding it in hopes that it will have a medicinal effect as and you wouldn’t take penicillin without a doctor’s advice and oversight, would you? So please don’t add medicinal plants and herbs without that same expert assistance.

If you aren’t sure how to go about finding a safe distributor of quality products, you can start on the US Department of Health and Human Services, at the National Institutes of Health. There, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has considerable resources to help you be an informed, safe consumer.

And always, always talk with your doctor. Without knowing the full range of medications and supplements you’re taking, she can’t identify potential interactions or help you make the best decisions for your health.

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The information on the Gennev site is never meant to replace the care of a qualified medical professional. Hormonal shifts throughout menopause can prompt a lot of changes in your body, and simply assuming something is “just menopause” can leave you vulnerable to other possible causes. Always consult with your physician or schedule an appointment with one of Gennev’s telemedicine doctors before beginning any new treatment or therapy.

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How this Boeing engineer managed her menopause in the workplace

Born and raised in the macho culture of Venezuela, educated entirely in a conservative Catholic school system, and now often the only woman in the room at Boeing, engineer LL is used to keeping anything related to “women’s stuff” on the down-low, pardon the expression.

But keeping frequent, intense hot flashes to yourself isn’t easy. And when you couple those hot flashes with cancer treatment, keeping it quiet can become a real burden. This is LL’s story of managing her health”and her hot flashes”while keeping her cool.

At age 52, LL hadn’t yet gone through menopause. She’d started having periods late (age 17); now it appeared she’d be delayed on the other end as well.

Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer as
estrogen-positive breast cancer, the kind that grows
faster in the presence of estrogen.

As part of her treatment, the doctor prescribed medication that would stop estrogen production and force menopause. But her body refused to cooperate. It took six years before she had her first hot flash. “The doctor kept asking, “Have you had a hot flash yet?’ And when I said no, not yet, he was frustrated. But it’s not my fault; I am not doing it on purpose!”

When it finally happened, LL, a planner, started figuring out how to handle it in the mostly male environment of Boeing. “But how do you plan for something that can happen any time of the day, any number of times, without warning?” An engineer, she naturally started looking for patterns, but discovered only that her hot flashes last 3 to 5 minutes, which wasn’t a lot of help in figuring out how to avoid “sharing” her experience.

Do you deal with embarrassing, even debilitating hot flashes?
Talk to one of Gennev’s menopause experts via our telemed, and
get the help you need from the comfort of your own home.

“I was raised by French Catholic nuns in Venezuela,” LL says, laughing. “I was taught you have to behave like a queen outside of your house. So my husband and daughter were the only ones who knew what was happening! At home I was throwing off my clothes and bitching about how hot I was.”

“At work? I’m the Queen of France, I’m Marie Antoinette. The Queen of France would not show she has hot flashes.”

Keeping hot flashes under wraps”when being “under wraps” is the last thing she wants”is a challenge.

“I’m so relieved when someone says, “Is it hot in here?’ It’s permission to throw off my jacket”Boeing has these wonderful, cozy, reflective, fleece jackets that we must use because we work in a giant, chilly hangar and transit across risky tarmac. Besides, it is always cold in the Pacific Northwest, so fleece is key! But fleece doesn’t absorb water, so you’re slick like a seal under there. When you’re with women, you can say, “Oh ***, I am having a hot flash.’ But with all those guys, no, I am not going to say that. I just hope someone else complains about the heat so I can agree!”

Do they know?

“Do they know I’m having a hot flash?
Oh, no. I was very well trained to be the Queen of France.”

Why hide it? Every woman who lives long enough goes through menopause, and some 80% of those will have hot flashes. Why is it such a big secret?

“Everything that happens to a woman is perceived as a weakness. It’s a male culture, here in the US and in Venezuela. You can see it, she’s a b***h, but he has balls, you know? Things that happen to women, physically, are a detriment. So we hide it, no matter what.

“I sit what we call “ship-side’ with all these guys, next to the airplanes. Mechanics, VPs, execs, directors, managers, engineers, everybody is there. And 90, 95% are men. I don’t let on because I don’t want to answer their questions”not the ones they ask, and not the ones in their eyes that they don’t ask. I’m a very private person about everything, not just this. And besides, I don’t want to be responsible for educating them.

“But the problem of silence is it doesn’t do a damn thing about ignorance.

“I had other issues as well”a period that lasted an entire month, for example. When you don’t know anything, you don’t even know to ask. That can be dangerous. But my only doctor is my oncologist, so when I visit him, I only talk about the annual routine that a cancer survivor has to follow to make sure things are in check, hence, I don’t bother much to talk about menopausal issues. I don’t talk at work. I don’t talk about it either with other women outside of work. So much secrecy, taboo, stigma when we could all be sharing and be smarter. And safer.”

“I’m happy Gennev is doing this work,
I’m happy you asked me to share my story.
Together we can finally be chipping away at the ignorance.”

LL has always been a private person and doesn’t think she’d be shouting her hot flashes from the rooftops, even if it were socially acceptable to do so. But she does believe women shouldn’t have to hide the realities of their biology. A few years ago, during a meeting, someone brought up the TV show The View. The only other woman in the room, a young woman, dismissed it as “a show run by a bunch of menopausal women.” The 12 men in the room exploded in laughter.

“What did I hear? I heard, “The View? A show run by a bunch of decrepit, old women”¦’. I also heard disdain in the Millennial’s tone. I was 51-52 at the time, and not that I was menopausal, as you know my story, but I could have very well been. I didn’t say anything, but now I think I should have.” She sighs. “Like everything, you just cope,” she says. “But maybe it’s better if we work together to make it easier for the world.”

Making it easier, LL says, means helping women be comfortable with it as much as men. “I was taught to be very private in these matters, but I remember being on a camping trip with an extremely open friend. We were in our 20s (so this was 40 years ago!) and she had her period. At one point she stood up and shouted, “I am going into the woods to change my Tampax.’ I was so shocked, but the guys we were with laughed and brushed it off. So I wonder, is the embarrassment more in our heads than in the men’s?”

Ultimately, our workplaces aren’t necessarily hostile to women dealing with menopause, they’re often just casually careless. As LL says, when those in charge don’t experience it, and those who do keep it quiet, discussions don’t happen”¦and neither does change.

“I may start to challenge the silence now,” she says. “Because I have a daughter. Maybe by the time she has her first hot flash, a male co-worker will bring her ice water and that will be it.”

Are hot flashes disrupting your work and impacting your life? Speak with a Gennev menopause specialist who can help you manage your hot flashes with proven lifestyle strategies, as well as medical treatments including HRT and non-hormonal medications like Veozah.

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Oh, those glorious night sweats “¦. “I would wake up 2 or 3 times a night, roasting, my pajamas and even my sheets soaked, heart racing, panicking that I was having a heart attack. I’m a very neat person, so to wake up swimming in sweat completely grossed me out.

“I would wake up 2 or 3 times a night”¦”

“And five minutes later, I was freezing. I was changing pajamas, even my sheets, in the middle of the night, so you can guess how well my partner and I were sleeping. I finally started sleeping in the guest room because it was so embarrassing.”

Night sweats and/or hot flashes affect 75 to 80 percent of women in menopause and perimenopause, and they can go on for years. Because night flashes are so prevalent and because the disruption of sleep they cause can have so many additional negative impacts, we’ve broken down the ways you can find some relief.

What are menopause night sweats?

Oh, that flustered hypothalamus. Estrogen, the “master regulator” as neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Mosconi refers to it, is responsible for the onset of night sweats and hot flashes both.

The hypothalamus regulates our body temperature. This part of the brain has lots of estrogen receptors and hums along happily as long as the estrogen keeps coming.

But when estrogen declines in perimenopause and menopause (and less permanently, at other times of our lives), this brain structure gets confused, not sure if the body it’s regulating is freezing or overheating, and body temperature can roller coaster as the brain tries to figure it out.

The major difference between hot flashes and night sweats is really when they occur: hot flashes during the day, and night sweats at night. Night sweats (and sometimes hot flashes) can also be characterized by excessive sweating, nausea, and headaches in menopause.

How can I get night sweat relief? Some recommendations”¦

There’s no cure for the vasomotor symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, though there are ways to manage the sleep-destroying heat.

“I was changing pajamas, even my sheets, in the middle of the night”¦”

Avoid exercise before bed. Exercise can raise the body temperature and temporarily boost metabolism, even some time later and after a shower.
Steer clear of spicy food and alcohol in the evening. Both have been shown to trigger night sweats in many women.
Keep your bedroom cool. A ceiling fan is great for this, as well as bedding that’s seasonally appropriate.
Nip a night sweat in the bud. If you can interrupt the heat as it’s happening, you may be able to lessen the intensity and duration. One recent discovery we made was koldtec ice towels. They come with a flexible ice strip that you hydrate and freeze, then insert in a soft, moisture-wicking bamboo towel. Because there are six smaller ice pockets, the towel perfectly contours to the shape of your neck and stays in contact with key pulse points on your neck, maximizing the cool. The chill lasts a long time, and when the ice finally melts, the moisture stays trapped in the strip in gel form, so you stay dry. We especially love that they’re machine-washable and anti-bacterial, and that they stay frozen in their travel tube for up to 3 hours, so you can set one next to your bed.
Wear wicking pajamas. Night sweats can pretty quickly shift to an equally miserable cold flash, especially if the pajamas you’re wearing are damp. A great brand to try is Cucumber Menopause Clothing, a line of gorgeous night wear (and, frankly, day wear as they’re that chic) perfect for women who overheat as they sleep. The great thing about the fabric is it moves moisture up and away “at speed,” so you’re not lying there in damp clothes arguing with yourself about getting up and changing. Anti-microbial, the super soft fabric holds up well.
Invest in a cool pillow. While these pillows aren’t inexpensive, you can’t put a price on getting a good night’s sleep. These pillows are often designed with moisture-wicking materials. They draw heat away from the body, increasing airflow to prevent heat retention.
Channel your inner cool. Meditation, mindfulness, deep breathing, biofeedback as learning ways to accept what’s happening in your body rather than fight it can help reduce the discomfort of hot flashes and night sweats.
Talk with your doctor about medications. Antidepressants have been shown to help with vasomotor symptoms. And hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has given some women relief; just be sure to talk benefits v risks and give your doc your full medical history, especially if you have a personal or family history of clots or breast cancer.

Are night sweats dangerous?

When they’re the typical peri/menopause variety, no, night sweats aren’t dangerous. However, because they can interrupt sleep, night sweats have add-on effects that can really disrupt your life, including irritability, fatigue, brain fog, and an uptick in depression or anxiety.

However, night sweats can also be caused by thyroid issues, bacterial infections, low blood sugar, certain cancers, anxiety, and some medications. So if your night sweats come with unexplained weight loss, fever, or coughing, or come back after menopause symptoms have been gone for months or years, please consult a doctor.

Don’t sleep in the guest room. With the right combination of attitude, lifestyle adjustments, helpful products, and medications if necessary, you can get relief from the nightmare of night sweats. Speak with a Gennev doctor who can help you manage your hot flashes and night sweats with proven therapies including HRT as well as non-hormonal medications like Veozah.

“

Hormonal changes caused by declining estrogen levels in mid-life are responsible for a whole festival of physical and emotional changes, including hot flashes, changes in sleep, body composition changes, dry skin, and mood swings to name a few. But here’s a bit of tasty news: By eating foods that help with hot flashes and other menopause symptoms (as well as adding a personal care system like Gennev), you might be able to avoid or reduce the severity of hot flashes.

Here’s What To Eat To Lessen Hot Flashes And Other Menopause Symptoms

Nuts and seeds to combat dry skin. Big-time almond lovers that we are, we’re thrilled almonds made this list. These foods provide healthy fats, protein, vitamin E, zinc, and fiber. The unsaturated fats in nuts and seeds can help retain the skin’s natural oils. Be sure to drink plenty of water to combat drier skin as well. Nuts and seeds are pretty densely caloric so be mindful of the portion size.

Dark leafy greens and the right fruits for better bones. Leafy greens like kale, collards, Bok choy, broccoli, spinach, and romaine lettuce are rich sources of readily absorbed calcium and Vitamin K. With the natural bone loss in menopause, it’s important to get enough calcium through the diet and/or with supplementation as needed (especially if you don’t consume regular dairy products which are high in calcium). Also magnesium, potassium and even boron are good soldiers in the fight against osteoporosis, so pile on the apples, pears, grapes, dates, and raisins.

Omega-3s to ease vaginal dryness. Flaxseed, olive oil, and some fish contain these healthy fats, so, eating more of these foods may help relieve the dryness and thinning of vaginal walls that can make everyday activities and sex painful. We also recommend adding lubricants and moisturizers like the Gennev moisture system to soothe symptoms.

Phytoestrogens to ward off hot flashes and other symptoms. Did you know soybeans have estrogen? Well, have you ever seen tofu having a hot flash? Gennev Dietitians suggest bumping up consumption of tofu, tempeh, miso, and other soy-based products as well as other phytoestrogen-containing foods like pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds, celery, rhubarb, and green beans. Because these foods contain estrogenic compounds, they can relieve some of the symptoms caused by estrogen decline.

Proteinasnatural aging and estrogen decline causes a decrease in lean body mass (muscle loss) and protein is needed to maintain or grow that mass (together with exercise-specifically strength training). Gennev Dietitians suggest including either lean animal or plant-based protein to most meals and snacks to support maintaining muscle and helping with satiety, or feeling full.

Cool off those hot flashes starting now! Our Registered Dietitian Nutritionists are trained to support you in menopause. They will create a personalized nutrition and wellness plan to help relieve your symptoms, so you can thrive starting now.

Avoid These Foods to Help With Hot Flashes & Other Menopause Symptoms

During menopause, some foods are probably best avoided, or at least minimized, as they can make symptoms worse.

Coffee, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, the spicy stuff. We know”add in a movie with Ryan Reynolds in it, and that sounds like a terrific Friday night. But while hot flashes are a problem, spicy foods, can all trigger a rise in body temperature. And you may not be sleeping all that well right now, so reducing caffeine could help that too. Ryan Reynolds movies, however, are not only OK but downright encouraged. Every woman’s body is unique and will have different food triggers so this may take some experimenting.

Sugar. If you find you’re tired a lot, the rises and dips in energy may be partly due to too much sugar in your diet. Fruit naturally contains sugar, but the water and fiber that go with it can help regulate your body’s absorption of sugar, so when you’re jonesing for something sweet, opt for a handful of frozen grapes or a really good peach instead. Since many women find it harder to maintain their weight when estrogen levels decline, ditching the donuts can have add-on (or don’t add on, in this case) benefits.

White carbs. The more processed the food, the easier it is for your body to process the calories from it. That’s why Dietitians recommend whole grain versions of your favorite carbohydrates. You’ll feel fuller longer and get more nutrition from whole grains like brown rice and whole-grain bread or whole wheat pasta.

Hot flashes just won’t quit? Speak with a Gennev menopause specialist who can help you manage your hot flashes with proven lifestyle strategies, as well as medical treatments including HRT and non-hormonal medications like Veozah.

“

“You look hot, Mom!” exclaims your twelve-year-old daughter as she greets you one morning.

Unfortunately, she’s not talking about how good you look in your new top. She’s referring to the beads of sweat dripping down your face. Even more frustrating is that it’s only 8 AM and the AC is set at a chilly 69 degrees. Sound familiar?

Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause. A hot flash is an intense surge of body heat accompanied by sweating and redness in the head, neck and chest.

The actual cause of hot flashes is still not completely understood, but most women will completely agree that they are AWFUL. Here are some tips on how to get rid of hot flashes.

How to say goodbye to hot flashes

According to the National Institute of Aging (a division of the National Institute of Health), the onset of menopause ranges from ages 45 as 55. At that age, we’re just hitting our stride, we have too many things to do, see and accomplish. We’ve prevailed through PMS symptoms throughout our lives; now is not the time to succumb to our hormones!

A medical prescription for hot flashes doesn’t exist, but we can easily and naturally mitigate the problem if we’re mindful about some of our lifestyle choices.

That said, here are four ways to beat the heat and stop hot flashes:

Beware of hot flash triggers

Hot flashes can be brought on by wearing tight clothing, being in stressful situations, and consuming alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods. If you begin to experience hot flashes, be mindful and observe possible causes of them in your day. When you’re having a hot flash, write down what you’re wearing, what you’ve had to eat or drink, what kind of day you’ve had at work. Review your hot flash log after five or so recordings to observe patterns in the triggers. While stress is a tough one to avoid, other choices are easy to change, like wardrobe and alcohol intake. Keep hot flash remedies close at hand, in case one is triggered suddenly.

Meditate

Paced breathing calms the sympathetic nervous system and enhances circulation. If you haven’t tried meditation, now might be a great time, and it only takes a few minutes. Identify a calm space in your home or office and dedicate time each day to focus on you. If you need help getting started, there are terrific guided meditation apps available such as Simple Habit or Headspace.

Keep moving

Studies have shown that women who are active and eat a healthy diet have fewer and less severe menopause symptoms than those who do not practice a healthy lifestyle. Being aware of your nutrition and hormones is key. Even if you’ve never exercised a day in your life, now is a great time to get started. Exercise improves your mental and physical well-being, and doesn’t need to be strenuous to be effective. Find a buddy and walk three or more times a week for an hour, take a yoga class, or spend time in your garden.

Fill your plate with healthy foods

Complementing your exercise routine with a healthy diet is also key in suppressing hot flashes. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that followed 6,000 women for nine years, those whose diets were high in fat and sugar were 20 percent more likely to experience menopause night sweats and hot flashes. Fill your day with fruits, veggies, and whole grains and minimize your intake of added sugars found in sugary drinks, baked goods and coffee drinks. A diet filled with whole, fiber-rich foods can help stabilize blood sugar levels and will have a positive effect on your overall mood.

If implementing all four of these strategies seems overwhelming, try one new technique every week. After a few weeks, you’ll have four powerful tools that will help give you the upper hand on handling hot flashes.

Need more help handling the heat?

Hormone replacement therapy is the most effective treatment for hot flashes. But if hormone medication is not for you, there is also a new (non-hormone) medication that works by targeting and blocking a receptor in the brain which regulates body temperature. Ask a Gennev gynecologist, or your physician, about Veozah for relief of hot flashes with less side effects.

“

Jamie, 51, checked in with us this week:

“My hot flashes in menopause feel like they’ve gone from “bake at 350″ to “broil at 500″. They’re hotter. Flaming hot”¦ Lava-hot”¦ Sweat-trickling hot. Been experiencing what I thought of as ‘hot’ for 2 years now. And lately, something inside has really cranked up the internal temperatures”¦ or, so it feels.

“I’m awake 2-3 times each night, thrashing in sweaty clothes and sheets. It’s disgusting. And then I get chilled just a few minutes later, so I’m looking for the blankets I’ve thrown off, which wakes me up even more”¦ cue the irritability.

“With all this heat, I’d hoped that at least some calories would get burned and I’d be losing some weight. Mmmmm”¦ no. Definitely not the case.” I need help beating hot flashes…

What Jamie mentioned about her temperatures rising… ahem, sparked”¦ a curiosity about heat that led us to research do hot flashes raise your temperature.

Does your temperature rise when you have a hot flash? Here’s what we found

In the National Library of Medicine, body temperatures were measured before, during, and after hot flashes in a menopausal woman. It was surprising to us that the findings shared that internal body temperatures actually fell after each hot flash.

“Where sweating occurred, the skin temperature fell during the flash and rose after it. Finger and toe temperatures always showed a sharp rise at the onset of a flash with a slower fall after the flash. Only the cheeks showed additional temperature rises; maximum, 0.7 degrees C.”

Speeding beats

Another element that was measured was the heartbeat. Is anyone going to be surprised at its acceleration during a hot flash

“The heart accelerated 13% at the onset of the flash but slowed immediately thereafter. The flash interval was sharply demarcated by undulations in the ECG baseline.”

At the core

Another study shared that core body temperature is lower in post-menopausal women than pre-menopausal women. It went on to note that this finding has potential implications for energy metabolism and midlife weight gain.

Despite all the heat and sweating we may be experiencing during menopause, our core body temperatures are decreasing as we age. Fascinating!… And it sure doesn’t feel like that mid-flash, does it?

Stress: A catalyst for hotter hot flashes?

Stress may indeed be an instigator for more and hotter flashes in some women. It’s also what we do with increased, complex, or compounded stressors that may amp up hot flash temperatures and/or the number of hot flashes that happen in a day (or night). Namely, consumables such as caffeine, alcohol, and sugar”¦ all known to affect hot flashes.

Smoking is a behavior that increases the risk for hot flashes. And, a sedentary lifestyle without much movement.

What else is going on lately in your life? Whatever the stressors, they may be impacting your menopause journey, not to mention your immune system. What are those other pre-existing stressors you’ve been experiencing, specifically? Take a deep breath, you’ve been going through a lot.

Overall health and wellness during menopause is based in good self-care

What helps? According to the same study noted above, dabbing areas of the face with cold water can provide prompt relief. It seems an easy one, as long as you’ve got cold water close at hand. Could it feel different or better than a handheld mister or handheld fan? Test drive it and see what works best, feels best, for you.

Additional areas that help decrease menopause symptoms, especially hot flashes, are:

Nutrition in food: Aiming to get as much functional nutrition in the fuel of your food is ideal. It’s not all about perfection, or all about kale, or all about the next food trend. Take special care around sugar, caffeine, and alcohol as those can tend to increase the frequency and intensity of hot flashes. Eat more of these foods that help with hot flashes to decrease the symptoms. Overall, it’s about good fuel and feeling good. Take a look at these on-demand webinars/podcasts for ideas: this one with Dr. Ericka De Law Vella, and this one.
Supplementation: Black Cohosh for menopause works for many women in managing hot flashes. Magnesium Glycinate is also another good one, especially to aid sleep and ease joint pain. Plus, this new daily five: Gennev’s Vitamins For Menopause Vitality pack was created for the new nutritional needs of women in menopause and midlife. Check-in with your doctor, or one of ours via telemedicine, about your current diet and what may help you.
Water, water: Did you know that we’re more easily dehydrated during menopause than we were before? It’s true. staying hydrated during menopause is more important than ever for skin, organ and cell function, mood, and hot flash management.
Movement: Exploring how you can move your body, all the muscles, even a little bit will help you physically, and mentally. Consider it a break, a treat, a reward, and try something new. Our Coach Stasi shares on Instagram and YouTube about this topic.
Skip the smokes: If hot flashes are giving you grief and you’re a smoker, consider talking with others who’ve quit about their experience regarding menopause symptoms since putting down the smokes. Try it yourself, for your best health and meno-management. Estrogen and smoking puts women at risk to more likely to experience hot flashes than those who don’t.
Decrease stress: This is a big one, and yes, it’s a general tip, but the way you decrease stress in menopause for yourself is very personal. Someone may decrease stress by meditating or yoga, another may run, another may wander through a park or on a hike, another may knit or create or write. Even incremental decreases in stress as you continue to find out what works best for you will help in managing all of your menopause symptoms.
On this note, a study shared that de-stressing may ease hot flash symptoms in some women.
Seek support: Whether it’s medical or coaching or another form of health support, more of it will help you to find practical solutions that work for your body and mind, your schedule, your family”¦ your best, whole life.

Want to try HRT for hot flashes? Or the new FDA approved non-hormonal medication Veozah? Both are effective alternatives for relieving hot flashes.. A Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist can give you a trusted opinion, determine if medication is right for you, and they can provide prescription support. Book an appointment with a doctor here.

Finding out what works for you, your body, your life is what really matters most here. Hot flashes, and other symptoms of menopause, can be managed with care and attention”¦ and of course, you’re worth the excellent care you need during this transformative journey.

“

This post is from one of our best-loved guest bloggers, Anne Miano.

A few months ago, I wrote about my experience with menopause hot flashes and what I was doing to deal with them. I’d recently had my ovaries removed and found myself suddenly tossed into menopause and the wicked, unpredictable, thoroughly miserable world of hot flashes.

I got a lot of responses from readers who offered hot flash survival tips of their own, including my friend M who said she requested a box fan for her office. (My giant Hunter fan by my bed continues to be my most prized possession. I love that thing.) Several friends told me funny stories about rushing to the neighborhood market to stand in one of the freezers.

The best new thing I’ve found for hot flashes, though, is a simple paper fan. So simple that I can’t believe I didn’t think of this myself. Instead, I got the idea from my friend Susan, who told me, “Always carry an old fashioned folding fan in your purse. If I’m having a flash then I just admit it and whip out my fan because bite me. I tend to flash when I get hot “ especially in the summer “ because what could be better than a hot flash when you’re already burning up hot, right?”

Susan recommends the fans at World Market, which, as she says, “are cute.” They’re also inexpensive (four for $4) and fairly sturdy. But because I was in a hurry to try out Susan’s suggestion, I used my speedy Prime benefits and ordered fans from Amazon as the four-dozen mini-fan assortment for around $9. You get what you pay for, and the mini-fans won’t last a lifetime, but they fit easily in your purse, so you can always have one on hand.

The two of us sat at the table, happily fanning.

With friend Susan as my role model, I shamelessly pull out one of those fans from my purse whenever a hot flash hits. You’ll find me fanning at the symphony, in client meetings, and in movie theaters. Just recently, when I was out to dinner with a friend and his mother, I started fanning myself in the restaurant and noticed her looking longingly at my little paper fan. Since I always keep a few in my purse, I pulled out another one and handed it to her. No words were needed. The two of us sat at the table, happily fanning.

As it says in my short bio below, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect cooling bedsheet. I knew it would be expensive, and I hesitated buying anything because I didn’t want to be disappointed. After reading Gennev’s “Traveler’s Guide to Menopause” in which they recommended bamboo sheets, I decided to make the investment. Luckily, just as I was going online to search for a set, Houzz.com put them on sale. I was able to grab bamboo sheets for quite a bit less than I had expected.

I’ve become a believer. After sleeping in bamboo sheets for a month, I ordered a second set and packed up all my cotton sheets for Goodwill. Bamboo sheets really work. They’re silky and cool, and they don’t trap moisture. I never feel as though I’m lying in a puddle of my own sweat.

Keep an eye out for sales. And don’t be cheap and buy a bamboo/cotton blend. It’s not the same. Treat yourself to 100% bamboo viscose sheets. They will make a huge difference in your life.

Being upright and moving, not letting myself sit for too long, seems to help.
The hot flashes strike less often.

I did try again to get my doctor to prescribe the antidepressant Effexor, which can help reduce hot flashes. But again she refused. “Keep exercising,” she said. “Let’s see what happens.” Her approach has turned out to be the right one. For me, anyway. As my body has continued to heal from the surgery, I’ve been exercising more and am now back to my old routine of going to the gym every day. I also take short walks with my dog throughout the day. Being upright and moving, not letting myself sit for too long, seems to help. The hot flashes strike less often.

I still keep a journal, marking down when the hot flashes come, what I was doing before, what I’d recently eaten, if I was standing, sitting or lying down. I understand that no one really knows the cause, but I’m convinced that if I can decode my body, figure out the triggers that are distinctly mine, I can keep making hot flashes a smaller and smaller part of my day.

In the meantime, I’ve bought another Hunter fan.

“Speak with a Gennev doctor who can help you manage your hot flashes and night sweats with proven therapies including HRT as well as non-hormonal medications like Veozah.

“

While the world has woken up to the menopause conversation, most of that conversation revolves around defining the problem. And when it comes to the workplace, the problems are real. The Mayo Clinic recently published a study showing menopause symptoms cause an estimated $1.8 billion in lost work time per year in the U.S., and $26.6 billion when medical expenses are added.

For women experiencing menopause, unsupportive working environments can lead to major career interruptions. One survey found nearly 20 percent of women in menopause have quit or considered leaving a job because of their symptoms.

In the UK “ despite the government stopping short of introducing legislation to protect the rights of women in menopause “ employers are enacting workplace policies.

The groundswell is growing, and US employers will also be under the menopause microscope as this conversation continues. While there are many ways an employer can support employees in menopause (including adding Gennev as a benefit), a clear policy is an ideal place to start. We brought together a team of HR professionals, medical experts who specialize in menopause, and seasoned executives to give employers a starting point.

When addressing menopause, there are several places to begin. In this guide, we’ll discuss how to consider women in menopause in all your conversations; how to integrate menopause into your existing benefits ecosystem and/or add new benefits and policies; physical improvements you can make in your facilities; and how to start a conversation that goes beyond the HR team.

Integrating Menopause Into Your Existing Benefits Ecosystem

Step one: Consider her

In many companies, we don’t create menopause benefits because we aren’t thinking about women in menopause. Creating a mid-life female persona can help with that. Here’s a sample persona:

Mona, a Senior VP in her late 40’s, is experiencing the early stages of menopause, also known as perimenopause. Imagine, for a moment, what it feels like for Mona to show up for work and lead her team through a tough week when she is truly exhausted from not sleeping. Or to experience a hot flash in the middle of a presentation that she is presenting to the CEO. Or how the indignities of mood swings can create challenges for how she interacts with her team. All this, and Mona’s eyesight is becoming blurry as well. Mona feels motivated as ever, yet burdened by the challenges thrust upon her by menopause.

When we present this persona for open-enrollment scenarios, we gain insights into how she navigates through the benefits ecosystem that already exists to support a menopause journey. Her uses may include:

Reimbursement of menopause products through Lifestyle accounts. Mona can be reimbursed for cooling pillows, vaginal moisturizer, and sleep support supplements.
Health Savings Accounts are a great way to provide a tax-advantaged approach to covering the cost of HRT medications, nutritionist visits, and appointments with menopause trained gynecologists.
Mental health support is for all stages of life, but particularly important during menopause. Menopause is on the list of mental health support provided and Mona feels more comfortable seeking care because the stigma has been removed around menopause in the workplace.
The hormonal fluctuations women experience in menopause can impact their vision. Mona makes sure to get her annual eye exam because her vision is blurred.
The Calm app offered allows Mona to practice mindfulness and stay in the moment to stave off a hot flash or irritability.
She is entitled to sick days under the company policy and applicable laws, and can use them for menopause symptoms or doctor’s visits.

And while menopause is often framed around cisgender women, it’s important to note that transgender women can experience symptoms too. To assist in their medical transition, trans women are typically prescribed estrogen and sometimes progesterone, and can take hormone replacement therapy as well. If these therapies are reduced or interrupted, the ensuing hormonal fluctuations can lead to menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. (Just as trans women taking hormones can experience PMS-like symptoms in their younger years.)

Step two: Think about whether some policies or benefits should be augmented, or new ones created

As you go through Mona’s journey, we may also come upon areas where we aren’t supporting her as much as we could. In some companies, we may have the ability to add new policies. Of course, these aren’t one-size-fits-all, but rather thought starters for companies seeking to augment their current benefits. These could include:

“Dedicated leave: Some companies in the UK are doing this. Companies in the US can consider adding this to their current sick leave policy, or adding dedicated days off. How amazing for Mona to know that her company sees her, and has offered her the option of taking a few days off to recoup much needed sleep.
“Flexibility: A flexible work schedule, when possible, or arrangements that include work from home may benefit Mona during this time. Consider recommending in the handbook that women experiencing menopause connect with their HR partners, who can help them navigate solutions that may include job-sharing, temporary part-time options, etc.
“Specialized healthcare benefits: More employers are offering specialized telehealth services, and menopause doesn’t need to be an exception. Gennev works with insurance companies to provide in-network benefits, which are often paid for by a combination of the employer and insurance.

Step three: Train staff

Once you have identified existing benefits and policies, or created new ones, it’s important to train HR business partners, or key HR contacts, in menopause support. Ensure they understand what is in the benefits package and company policies. Gennev offers webinars that can educate HR teams on menopause symptoms, how to respond sensitively to requests and how certain accommodations can help.

Step four: Communicate widely to your employees

If Mona doesn’t know what tools are available to support her, she can’t take advantage of them. Consider adding to your benefits documents or company policies a section specific to menopause, entailing how Mona can take advantage of existing benefits and policies, and including any new ones.

When you present the benefits package to the company, call this out specifically. Consider a slide detailing the benefits and policies that apply to her.

Physical improvements and accommodations

It’s not always possible to improve physical space, but even small changes can be a big help for women in menopause. Some potential steps to take:

Review temperature control in your workspace, and as possible, allow employees to make changes, or to work with HR to make changes, in their work area.
Consider creating a “cooling room,” where anyone experiencing hot flashes from menopause or other causes can recover privately, or with others experiencing the same symptoms. This room can be kept cooler than the rest of the office. Consider making a mini-fridge with ice packs available. HR can grant access to that room.
Provide employees with fans and cooling pillows upon request.

Education and company-wide conversations

Discussing menopause carries a great stigma. Women themselves are not always educated on what’s happening. It’s also important that people managers are prepared to support employees “ not just the HR department.

Consider the following resources for women in menopause:

Start an employee resource group (depending on the size of your company). This should be employee-led, but there are models for this at many companies.
Provide webinars and other educational opportunities for women in menopause. These can be through a dedicated menopause clinic, like Gennev, or through other sources.

For the company as a whole, some potential actions are:

Include a section for existing leadership, or in sensitivity training, on menopause, its symptoms and how to support fellow employees experiencing it.
Provide webinars or other training for people managers, like those offered by Gennev, that discuss how to best support Mona.

Make a Difference

Companies today are embracing inclusivity, which comes in many forms “ and ages. The most happy and high-performing workplaces proactively support their employees’ well-being, and are generously understanding. Providing support services for women experiencing menopause is not just kind, it’s smart business. Addressing menopause will increase employee collegiality, productivity and retention, and help all employees to maintain the full potential that they strive to achieve.

“