Like most nights recently, Cheryl woke up at 4 AM, heart pounding, mind racing, soaked in sweat. Her night’s sleep was probably over, though the alarm wouldn’t ring for another two hours. She tried to calm her heart rate, her breathing, her desperation and out-of-control thoughts and go back to sleep, but all she could hear was the sound of her own anxiety, buzzing like a bee hive inside her head.
“Cheryl” isn’t a real person; but she’s very real, in that she’s based on dozens of stories we’ve heard from women going through the very real experience of perimenopause and menopause.
Menopause and anxiety are common. Increases in anxiety, depression, and rage are some of the most common and debilitating concerns we hear about from women, and the treatments available for midlife women as usually HRT or antidepressants as come with their own concerns.
Team Gennev was fascinated to hear about controlling anxiety and other mental health problems in menopause with gaming: calming the anxious mind through online games and apps based on brain science and “cognitive training.” A treatment that doesn’t require a lot of time, doesn’t depend on taking medications, is safe, effective, private, and probably already in our pockets? Tell us everything!
To learn more, we spoke with Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, Ph.D., professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at The City University of New York, and Director of both the Stress, Anxiety, and Resilience Research Center and the Interdisciplinary Center for Health Technology and Wellness. Dr. Tracy is also the founder of Personal Zen, one of the companies leading the digital mental health revolution to put wellness back in people’s hands.
As Dr. Tracy says, there are treatments already out there for anxiety- and stress-related disorders. However, these treatments may only help 30 as 50 percent of sufferers over the long term. And they can be expensive, time-consuming, and stigmatizing. Even more, 89.3 million Americans live in federally-designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas, meaning they have to travel four or more hours to get help.
These concerns about existing barriers to treatment inspired Dr. Tracy to take the research she was doing on anxiety and create Personal Zen.
Dr. Tracy’s research focuses on anxiety, on trying to understand what’s actually happening as neurologically as when someone experiences anxiety. This knowledge, Dr. Tracy says, can directly inform intervention development. Simply put, once we know where anxiety comes from in the brain, science can target those specific areas, slowing or stopping the processes that cause it.
Personal Zen leverages the knowledge that most people, when anxious and stressed, engage in what’s known as threat bias.
According to Dr. Tracy, threat bias is a habit of paying attention only to what’s negative in our environment and being hyper-vigilant about every potential threat. It sucks up all our attention, and we miss opportunities to notice positives that could offer safety and comfort because we’re focused exclusively on real or perceived threats.
It’s a vicious cycle that can be hard to break: as your attention narrows to the negative, you perceive more threats, which makes you more anxious, causing even more focus on the bad to the exclusion of the good. Once you start loosening up patterns of attention, Dr. Tracy tells us, you can disrupt the cycle as and that’s the promise of these kinds of cognitive training techniques.
Threat bias, says Dr. Tracy, is common across many if not all anxiety disorders (like social anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, etc.) and across stress- and trauma-related disorders like PTSD. It may even be related to other emotional disorders such as depression, making treatments targeted at alleviating threat bias potentially very powerful.
We have to be aware of potential threats, of course; we wouldn’t survive long otherwise. But, Dr. Tracy says, “the problem with threat bias is the focus on threat becomes too rigid, too consistent, and too strong, and we need to increase flexibility.” By disengaging our attention from the negative, we’re able to regain awareness of and benefit from the positive.
Personal Zen directly targets threat bias, rewarding players for focusing on positive images. Two sprites, one smiling, one frowning, tunnel around in tall grass. Players trace the path of the happy sprite, earning purple and gold jewels as they get faster and more accurate at following.
It sounds simple as and it is as but the goal isn’t collecting lots of jewels; instead, you get better at following the more you’re able to ignore the negative sprite and focus on the positive. Within minutes, players report feeling less anxious and more ready to cope with the world.
Even better, that calm lingers. In a study Dr. Tracy conducted with pregnant women, just 10 minutes of Personal Zen a day, a few days a week for one month resulted in less of the stress hormone cortisol. It’s actually possible to build resilience against anxiety, and less cortisol could mean far fewer sleepless nights.
One question we had for Dr. Tracy was if threat bias becomes so habitual over time that it’s more deeply entrenched in those of us over 40. “Habits are supported by neural circuitry that becomes activated over time,” she told us, “so there’s a readiness to activate.” But, she reassured us, there’s still plenty of flexibility in mature brains and therefore plenty of reason for hope.
For women dealing with the additional emotional challenges of menopause, apps like Personal Zen can be a huge help. The hyper-focus on the negative that characterizes anxiety is also present in rage and depression, making Personal Zen a hat trick for women in midlife.
Personal Zen and other cognitive training apps and games can be used alone or as an adjunct to medication, therapy, etc. Dr. Tracy doesn’t advocate ditching your shrink (her term!) for an app, but, she says, there are “so many ways to get at anxiety. Personal Zen is great because it’s based on science, it’s engaging, and it’s brief. We’ve done four clinical studies that show a few minutes a day, a few days a week can really help.”
Because the app is on your phone, it’s incredibly portable. Waiting for the bus? Take 10 minutes to ease some stress out of your day. Nervous about giving a big presentation or making a speech? Fire up your Personal Zen to calm your nerves before you head in to the conference room. (Bonus: Research has proven that this kind of cognitive training reduces anxiety and can improve your performance at scary tasks like public speaking.)
Mix the app up with exercise (a surprisingly effective intervention for multiple mental health concerns), throw in some mindfulness meditation, Dr. Tracy says, and you have really powerful tools for recalibrating your mood.
Ready to find your Personal Zen? You can download Personal Zen for free at the Apple Store. And stay tuned for the release of the next version, coming soon, with even more environments to explore!
Find out more about Dr. Tracy and the science behind Personal Zen on the Personal Zen website and her blog, Psyche’s Circuitry.
Have you tried online games or apps to deal with anxiety, depression, or other challenges? We’d love to hear how it worked for you, so share with the community in the comments below, or fill us in on Gennev’s Facebook page or Midlife & Menopause Solutions, Gennev’s closed Facebook group.
At Gennev, we’re announcing an expansion of our popular HealthFix subscription service. In this time of the COVID-19 virus, our online services are even more in demand, so we’re making it even easier for women in menopause to access the answers and services they need.
We talked with Gennev co-founder and CEO Jill Angelo about what this new HealthFix program includes and why it’s needed.
Gennev HealthFix is a monthly membership that offers on-demand access to OB/GYNs and Health Coaches for personalized menopause care with nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management and prescription support.
Gennev has learned that menopause management goes beyond providing prescription support, because not every woman can or wishes to take hormone therapy. To fill the gap, Gennev built the HealthFix membership to offer women both behavioral and medical solutions to menopause symptoms through a team of health coaches, registered dietitians, physiologists, and OB/GYNs.
Gennev’s continued innovation advances the possibilities of telemedicine to give women the physical and mental health support they need online through the entire life cycle of menopause. In addition, because Gennev’s platform is online, at this critical time with COVID-19, Gennev is focused on helping women stay out of waiting rooms to keep space open for critical patients and to follow social distancing protocols.
We originally launched HealthFix to provide only behavioral support for improving nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management as they relate to menopause symptoms. Patients worked with Health Coaches who are also Registered Dietitians to create a personalized menopause plan for their care.
More than once we heard from women that they wanted medical care as well. They wanted their Health Coach to be talking directly with their doctor rather than them having to be the go-between. In response, we created a second HealthFix membership which we call HealthFix Premium to include unlimited access to Gennev OB/GYNs, Health Coaches, as well as complimentary Gennev products.
This Premium option includes medical care, including access to MDs who can make diagnoses, prescribe medications, and then connect with the patient’s Health Coach to help keep that patient accountable to nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management behaviors for managing their menopause symptoms.
And in a time where social distancing is becoming so important, we see HealthFix as remote care option for women in menopause to get the help they need from the comfort and safety of their homes. This leaves clinics and ERs available for critically ill patients.
It really depends on what a patient needs. If a patient wants to try managing their menopause symptoms purely based on nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress lifestyle behaviors, then working with a Gennev Health Coach and accessing Gennev dietary supplements, lubricants, and hygiene products might be the best option for them. These services and products are all available for $25 per month in the HealthFix Basic membership.
If a woman prefers to also have a doctor as part of her menopause care team, then HealthFix Premium at $75 per month is the plan for her. Note that this pricing is less than a telemedicine appointment on Gennev.com, so it’s a great value, not to mention it offers unlimited video and chat access to Health Coaches, quarterly complimentary Gennev products (value of $50), and 10% discount on all Gennev product purchases plus free shipping.
If a woman starts with HealthFix Basic, and she and her coach determine that she should see a doctor, she can upgrade to HealthFix Premium at any time.
We’re working to price healthcare for the everyday woman, rather than having personalized, remote care available only for wealthy people.
HealthFix Premium was created from feedback from women asking for a “team approach” to their menopause care. They wanted doctors and coaches to work hand in hand and remove them as the middle-person always responsible for relaying messages.
With that as our grounding feature of the Premium membership, our doctors and coaches work very closely together, while still respecting the doctor/patient privacy that is expected with quality health care.
What’s awesome about HealthFix is that it’s personalized to every member. When a woman signs up, her initial conversation is with a Health Coach who creates her personalized menopause plan. This plan aligns to the goals the patient wants to accomplish as whether that be better managing her mood swings, or minimizing fatigue, or helping her sustain nutrition habits that will minimize hot flashes, for example.
Whether a woman is in perimenopause or post-menopause, we all need a healthy way of living. HealthFix is designed to help women achieve that. And, during times like coronavirus, we also need to boost our immune systems, and HealthFix Coaches and Doctors are experts at helping women achieve a strong immune response.
Coronavirus most often impacts people with respiratory problems or compromised immune systems. HealthFix and the healthy lifestyle behaviors your Health Coach will work with you to create improve your immune system, not to mention your menopause symptoms.
Plus, having access to quality health care specialized for women through HealthFix can help keep women out of clinics and ERs where more critically ill people may be. Social distancing is becoming the new normal, and HealthFix is making that possible for women everywhere who still need access to health professionals, but from the safety and convenience of their home.
Your Gennev Menopause Assessment is secure and accessible only to you, until you release it to your Gennev Health Coach and/or doctor. So, yes, when you provide access to your Menopause Assessment to your health care team, they can help you manage the symptoms you’re experiencing and also help you understand how you will transition through menopause as from Type 2 to Type 3 and beyond .
A Personalized Menopause Plan is a care plan that you and your Health Coach design together. It’s created to fit a woman and her needs vs. the typical trial-and-error searching (and money wasting) that women often face when looking for menopause symptom relief.
The Health Coach has a template that she will work with you on to define your health goals (e.g. sleep better, minimize night sweats, improve energy, minimize mood swings). Once your goals are defined, she helps you identify and then modify habits in your nutrition, exercise, sleep patterns, and stress response with different behaviors. Our coaches’ number one goal is to create a sustainable plan for you. They are accountability partners who will check in on women to help them be successful in reaching their goals and feeling better. They can also help women understand what their doctor may be advising, and then be the go-to on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis for check-ins, questions, or simply a listening ear.
So, a Personalized Menopause Plan is personalized to a woman to include what she needs to feel better as both physically and emotionally. It may also include recommended supplements or over-the-counter products or even prescriptions if a woman is subscribed to HealthFix Premium.
Consider HealthFix and our Personalized Menopause Plan as remote concierge medicine that’s affordable to women at various levels. It’s been published that, on average, women spend $2116 per year on menopause care. Our goal at Gennev is affordable health care, and HealthFix and Personalized Menopause Plans are our answer to reaching millions of women, not just the few who can pay a lot of money.
If you’re a HealthFix subscriber, we’d love for you to share your experience. What has it been like working with a Health Coach? What have you been able to put into practice, and how has it helped your quality of life? Tell us in the Gennev Community forums!
Is there a connection between estrogen and breast cancer? Maybe, but it may not be what you think. Gennev CEO Jill Angelo talks with Dr. Avrum Bluming, Dr. Joanne Weidhaas, and Gennev Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su on hormones, cancer risk, and the WHI study that changed everything.
Among them, these three doctors have decades of clinical experience, knowledge, and research, much of it focused on women and breast cancer. What their research has uncovered about estrogen, Hormone Replacement Therapy pros and cons, and breast cancer risk may surprise you.
In 2002, the results from the WHI (Women’s Health Initiative) study were released, and demand for HRT dried up nearly overnight. According to the results, the study clearly showed an increased risk of breast cancer for women on estrogen replacement.
In the 18 years since, research has shown that the WHI study and results were deeply flawed, misleading, and in many cases, just plain wrong. But so deep is the fear of breast cancer, women are still reluctant to try a therapy that is the best we have to deal with hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
Additionally, it appears estrogen may actually have a protective effect against breast cancer for some women, we know it is effective against osteoporosis, and it may help women avoid heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Slowly, women and doctors are beginning to have the conversation again.
We strongly encourage every woman to listen to this podcast, then make an appointment with a menopause-specialist OB/GYN near you to discuss the risks and benefits of HRT for her.
TRANSCRIPT TO FOLLOW
Are you taking, considering, or scared of HRT? Come talk about it with other women and with Gennev health care professionals in our online Gennev Community forums!
How many women experience painful sex at some point in their lives? The number could go as high as 75 percent. And for many women, the condition is chronic. Painful sex can damage our relationships, keep us from enjoying all those health benefits of sex, and generally make our lives a little less rich and joyful.
That’s why Gennev hosted the Painful Sex in Midlife webinar on June 21.
Our panel of health care professionals, counselors, and innovators in the sexual health space answered questions, offered solutions, provided counsel, and helped attendees understand their options.
If you weren’t able to attend, no problem! We recorded the full, hour-long conversation. You can find links to the resources they discussed below.
Meet the experts who just might help you get your happy, healthy sex life back”¦.
2017/2018 President of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), Dr. Kingsberg’s expertise in sexual medicine, female sexual disorders, and menopause make her an invaluable resource for women, especially women in midlife. She is the Division Chief for OB/GYN Behavioral Medicine at UH Cleveland Medical Center, and Co-Director of the Sexual Medicine and Vulvovaginal Health Program at UH Cleveland Medical Center.
Rachel Gelman is a clinician, writer, and educator with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Samuel Merritt University. She specializes in treating pelvic floor dysfunction in men and women at the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center in San Francisco where she serves as the Branch Director. She has advised journalists on such varied subjects as depressed vaginas, anal beads, and the squatty potty, and she even schooled Dan Savage on bladder control during intimacy.
CEO and co-founder of Lioness, Liz is bringing smart technology to the vibrator. Her unique device captures the strength and intensity of a woman’s orgasm, allowing the user to track her response and understand the factors that affect her sexual pleasure. The Lioness is great for women in midlife and in the menopause transition, as women can control the experience and gain insights into their response as their bodies change over time. Plus, you know, orgasms.
Founder and CEO of the recently developed Ohnut, Emily refers to herself as the “Director of Enthusiasm.” The Ohnut is a unique device that allows couples to control the depth of penetration, giving relief to women who experience pain during sex when their partner penetrates too deeply. One man describes it as “like a hug.” And who doesn’t like hugs?
With a Master’s in Psychology and national certification as a sex therapist, Jessa is the couples counselor you want on your team when navigating sexual health issues. She works extensively with individuals and couples and knows the toll sexual dysfunction can have on intimate relationships. If couples are avoiding sex because of physical or emotional pain or both, Jessa can help them communicate more openly, discover new options together, and find their way back to intimacy.
Jessa Zimmerman mentioned the book When Sex Hurts. Check out her website for information on couples sex counseling; listen to her podcast, and get updates on her soon-to-be-released book, “Sex without stress; a couple’s guide to overcoming disappointment, avoidance and pressure.”
Rachel Gelman mentioned the book Pelvic Pain Explained, which you can find on her organization’s website. Click here if you’re looking for a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic pain or the pelvic floor. Stay tuned to Gennev for an upcoming blog on what to do if you don’t have a pelvic PT to turn to.
Interested in Vital V yam cream?
If deep, penetrative sex is painful, you can order an Ohnut at Ohnut.co.
Curious about your sexual response? Check out the Lioness smart vibrator.
To order lubricants and moisturizers that are proven effective for many women with vaginal dryness, visit Gennev.
What did you think of the webinar? Is there a topic you’d like us to discuss in a future webinar? Please send any feedback to info@gennev.com. We’ll be doing more of these, so please help us make them as valuable as we can.
What’s your experience with painful sex? Did you find a solution, are you still searching, did you feel you had to give up on sex? Please share in our Gennev Community forums!
Do you remember that old Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit, Stuart Smalley? Mock self-help coach Stuart would stand in front of his mirror every morning and proclaim his daily mantra for positive thinking:
“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough… and doggone it, people like me!”
This seemingly innocuous (and let’s face it, funny) skit probably scared people off daily mantras for at least a decade. Who wanted to be the goofy guy in front of the mirror with no friends, other than his own reflection saying a mantra for setting positive intentions?
What we didn’t widely understand at the time was that daily mantras have the power to change our mindset “ and ultimately our realities. Whether you believe they work through the power of manifestation or are simply self-fulfilling prophecies, one thing is certain: they consistently produce positive results.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) defines mantra as, “prolonged repetitive verbal utterance.”
Simply put, it’s a word or phrase stated over and over again, either silently or out loud. Paying attention to the breath (as in meditation) can also be considered a form of mantra.
The idea is that you say the words so many times, they begin to lose their literal meaning. It shuts down the frontal lobe (conscious thoughts) and quiets the mind. And some even believe that those beliefs can become ingrained in our psyches.
Researchers agree that practicing a daily mantra has both mental and health benefits, large and small.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the NCBI and the U.S. Public Health Service, some of the benefits of mantras include:
And researchers continue to study the power of mind “ and mantra “ over matter.
Can something so simple really be effective? How does the power of positive thinking actually work?
Mantras can work on several levels, from our endocrine systems to our subconscious minds. According to the International Journal of Yoga in a study published with NCBI, “Scientific studies on ‘Om’ chanting suggest that the mental repetition of ‘Om’ results in physiological alertness, increased sensitivity as well as synchronicity of certain biorhythms, and increased sensitivity to sensory transmission.”
Chanting can also stimulate the pituitary gland, releasing chemicals that calm the mind and aid in hormonal balance.
The good news is that there’s really no “wrong” way to mantra your way through menopause. You could choose a mantra that has nothing to do with menopause at all and still see results!
But it turns out, “the power of intention” indeed has lasting effects on the brain and body. So, we recommend turning your attention to the challenge at hand: overcoming the negative symptoms of menopause.
We also recommend choosing a mantra that is positive, uplifting “ and specific.
If you’re concerned with hot flashes, you might say something like, “Cool breeze, cool breeze.”
You can always go with a classic, such as, “This too shall pass.”
Part of the point of meditation and mantra is to remember that everything is impermanent. Remember those days you thought your period cramps would never end? They eventually did, right?
The idea is to focus on the negative symptom without denying its existence. Accept it. Allow it to co-exist with you. The more you fight it or ignore it, the worse it will get. What you resist persists. Notice it, accept it and move forward.
There’s even more good news: you don’t need to carve out a special time each day to practice your daily mantra for menopause (huzzah!). You can do it practically anywhere at any time. (Though, it always helps to practice it when symptoms are at their worst).
Some of the best places to practice your mantra include during your …
You can also practice while brushing your teeth, doing the dishes, or during a commercial break. Whenever symptoms arise, simply take a few deep breaths and say your mantra over and over. We recommend shooting for a high number of repetitions, such as 100.
Studies show that saying your mantra out loud can stimulate the pituitary gland. But you don’t have to say them out loud in public. Just saying them silently to yourself helps, too.
If you’re feeling creatively blocked when it comes to your daily mantras, we’ve created a few to help you get started. Feel free to use these mantras, or replace parts of them with your own symptoms and emotions.
As you can see, the first part of the mantra begins by accepting that things are what they are. If you try to deny it, it’ll just feel like you’re dismissing or avoiding the symptoms.
The second half of the mantra accepts the symptoms and reminds you that it’s OK to feel how you feel.
Some of the emotions menopausal women have been known to feel during their daily mantra session include:
We hate to break it to you (especially if you haven’t tried this whole mantra thing out yet), but it’s not a one-and-done, quick-fix.
It’s a practice.
Like exercising, eating right and meditating, the daily mantra practice doesn’t always come easily. Experts suggest practicing a new habit for 21 consecutive days before evaluating whether or not the habit is working for you.
After all, if you went out for a run 2 days out of 21, would you actually expect to see results?
What happens if you stick to your mantra habit for 21 days and it’s still not working? You’re not feeling more relaxed (or even a little better) after you say them, and you really gave it a good shot.
Don’t let it get to you.
While mantras help many women during menopause, they aren’t going to cure every symptom, every time.
If you’ve tried repeating your mantra for at least three weeks, and you’re not seeing (or feeling) results, we’re not going to fault you for stopping. Especially if you find that remembering to repeat your mantra adds more stress to your life than it’s worth. Of course, we always recommend reaching out to a medical professional to talk about your symptoms as well.
In the end, you simply need to stick with what works for you, and your body.
Have you tried a mantra? Do you have a killer mantra that just works to soothe you, body and soul? Please share your experience with us in the Gennev community forums!
It’s been a busy time! Between talking to women, running a business, living what we preach (e.g. the Elvie challenge”more on that in a mo), and meeting with investors, well, maybe it’s not so surprising I went to the airport for a 7:30 AM flight, only to discover I’d booked it for 7:30 PM (oops).
But even with all the discussions I’m having with all these different people, one thing is becoming more and more certain: our mission to help women feel confident and fabulous in their bodies, no matter their age, is the right one.
Woman to woman. We’ve coined the title “Chief Vagina Officer” (CVO) for me, and since I’m the first, I get to write my job description! The best part of what I do is talking with women”lots of women, of all ages and backgrounds. Sometimes customers call in their orders, so I take the opportunity to ask how they use our products. For some, it’s every day, while others call with a rush order because they’re heading out on vacation and want to be ready for “vacation sex.” Yes, it’s true! (aloha!)
Last week, I had the opportunity to pitch to potential investors at the LA Women Founders Network. Even though I know the 1-in-3 statistic, I was still astonished by the number of women who came up afterwards to chat with me about the dryness and/or feminine health care issue they faced. They were taking our Gennev samples home with them, excited for a better day (and some better nights), and it made me profoundly happy to think Gennev can be a part of their better futures.
I love every story”especially when we can help. One woman called me the “vagina whisperer,” which made me smile. The reality, however, is so many women really want to talk about their feminine health; they are seeking solutions, information, and listening ears, and too often, not finding them. At ,Gennev we intend to be that trusted, understanding place, and I’m glad to represent it.
Taking care of business. Gennev and its mission to help women be confident and feel incredible in their bodies is taking root. Reviews about the products are uplifting and reinforce that we’re focused in the right direction around vaginal health and sexual wellness. This one on Amazon from “Wisdom Seeker” really says it all:
“Menopause changed me and my body more than I expected. I am grateful for this product for increasing my enthusiasm to be intimate with my partner. I love that it not only helps me in the moment by its smooth lubrication, but it also moisturizes over time. I’ve used at least three kinds of lubricants in the past, but none that I (or my partner) like better than this one. In all openness, do I wish I had my 20-something body back and didn’t need any products? Yes. Do I wish I could get off the couch without groaning? Yes. That said, I want to keep my playful nature and make the most of the body that I have and this product helps me do that.”
On living what we preach. At the start of October, I had the opportunity to speak with Tania Boler, CEO of Elvie Kegels, a device that helps women strengthen their pelvic floor. Why is that necessary? To help with uncontrollable peeing of the pants and increasing lower core strength. While I haven’t birthed a child, I am an avid runner, and as a 42-year-old woman, the pounding and pressure of miles on my feet have taken their toll on my organs meant to hold pee and poo inside. Believe me, I’ve got stories!
So, I took up the Elvie challenge and started using the device to strengthen my pelvic floor. It’s a little device that you insert into your vagina like a tampon. Three times a week, I activate it, the app pops up on my phone, and I go through a series of exercises programmed just for me. Takes five minutes. I’m still early in the program, but already I can see improvements. First and foremost, I now know what a proper Kegel feels like. I get it when my Pilates instructor says to “lift upward” with my internal pelvic muscles. I’m pretty good at the long, strong holds”¦in fact, I achieved a fab 96%! It goes to show, I’m in it for the marathon and the long-game. The shorter burst-like workout Elvie makes you do challenged me. I couldn’t react fast enough to hit all of the dots on the screen which means my reflex and quick-twitch muscles have some improvements to make.
(For readers who aren’t concerned about incontinence just yet, there are other benefits of pelvic floor exercises which are more about pleasure than peeing, if you know what I mean. Stay tuned for the next time of the month, and I’ll let you know how that’s going.)
Ahem.
[Are you taking the Elvie challenge? You still have a few days to participate and enter to win a FREE Elvie!]
In closing, I mentioned I spend a bunch of my time talking to investors, because, well, Gennev is still new. We’re growing like mad, but like most startups, we need ongoing capital to deliver on our broader mission for women’s health. New product R&D and building our community of “Gennev-ers” takes investment and supporters that want the same outcome.
Last week I had the opportunity to participate in the LA Women’s Founders Network Fast Pitch competition, and they do something really unique: they bring in a super-talented group of junior judges”high schoolers”in addition to the adult judging panel. When the Junior Judges got up to speak and select their chosen winner, they called out Gennev as a runner-upasthe first time the juniors have ever selected a runner-up. Why? They loved our mission centered around positive stories and healthy products focused on women feeling confident and fabulous in their bodies at any age. Even as young as they are, it resonated with them that body positivity and confidence-building in girls and women is a need. And it starts with girls helping girls and women helping women.
It was an unexpected bright spot in my quest to impress investors that evening. It was proof that our mission is what’s most important.
Gennev takes home the grand prize in the Women Founders Network Fast Pitch competition!
We’ve got your back, ladies! We want you to feel great, be sexually fulfilled, and love the relationships you’re in. We also want you to be healthy “down-there,” so we’re going to keep bringing stories of women overcoming feminine health challenges, we’re going to bring educational health information, and we’re going to try and make you laugh every once in a while.
My challenge to you: talk to me. I want this to be a two-way engagement, because together, we’re going to get women’s taboo health issues out of the shadows and into the mainstream. Because when things are talked about, better solutions come to us in our quest to age not just gracefully, but gloriously and joyfully.
In Japan and China, they call it “fifties shoulder” because it’s a common symptom among women in menopause and midlife. In the west, it’s generally referred to as “frozen shoulder,” and among health care professionals, “adhesive capsulitis.”
By whatever name, a frozen shoulder is painful and limiting. So let’s talk about what it is, why it happens, and how to find relief.
Frozen shoulder is inflammation in the connective tissue of the “head” of your shoulder, the “shoulder capsule.” Over time, the tissue of the joint gets thicker and tighter, and adhesive bands of tissue can form in the joint. Full range of motion (particularly reaching over your head or behind your back) becomes more and more painful until finally it’s all but impossible.
Many sufferers say it happens in three stages: stiffening (or painful), frozen, thawing. The good news is, it can thaw, and with the right treatment and therapy, most sufferers can regain their full (or nearly full) range of motion, and eliminate or greatly reduce the pain.
We don’t entirely know why frozen shoulder happens. Sometimes it flares up all on its own, sometimes it may be the result of an earlier injury.
Frozen shoulder can also be hard to diagnose, since it’s generally identified by process of elimination (determining what it’s not, like a rotator cuff injury). Lots of folks let it go, believing it to be arthritis, but please don’t do that: it’s not arthritis, and because frozen shoulder is progressive, the sooner you catch it, the less you’ll suffer and the better the long-term prognosis.
The condition happens to around 3% of the population, most often in adults 40–65, and more commonly to women than men. It’s also more common among people with diabetes. It may happen so frequently in menopause because women lose the inflammation-dampening benefits of estrogen.
Another possible explanation for frozen shoulder is our emotions and the body posture that results from those emotions. Says Jennifer Mason, acupuncturist and owner of Vitamin Chi: “Maybe you tighten up your back or roll your shoulders forward when you’re feeling defensive. A gentle noticing of how you hold your body and what makes you tense up can help here.”
Frozen shoulder can’t really be prevented unless you’ve suffered an injury to the shoulder that makes movement difficult. In that case, consult a doctor for advice on exercises that will keep the shoulder mobile.
If you’re already experiencing some stiffening and/or pain, don’t wait to get help.
Traditional therapies usually start with taking NSAIDs (anti-inflammatories like aspirin or ibuprofen), alternating ice and heat on the affected area, gentle stretching, and corticosteroid injections in the joint. Your doctor will likely suggest that you work with a physical therapist to slowly increase flexibility until the shoulder returns to normal. In some cases, surgery is an option: the two types are manipulation that stretches the tissue, and arthroscopy, which cuts through the tight tissues.
In addition to those therapies for frozen shoulder, there are other steps that might help relieve pain and increase motion. Here’s what Jennifer Mason suggests:
The majority of frozen shoulder cases resolve in time, but it can take up to three years to recover. Taking the right steps sooner rather than later can decrease the pain and duration of the condition and increase your chances of getting full usability back.
Something to bear in mind: while we do not recommend delaying treatment, we also know it’s a real world out there. Some insurance companies do not cover treatments for frozen shoulder, or may not cover it completely. Because the disease often resolves over time, your insurance agency may insist that you “wait it out” rather than get treatment. So it’s good to check before proceeding, and frankly, to advocate for coverage if you’re told to grit your way through it. Women have compared the pain of frozen shoulder to childbirth, only it lasts a whole lot longer and doesn’t result in a baby.
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.
“Epidemic.” “National emergency.” “Crisis.” According to a New York Times article in January of this year, opioids killed more than 33,000 Americans in 2015. So calling it an “epidemic” or “crisis” is no exaggeration.
Women, particularly women in midlife, are disproportionately affected by the opioid crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults 40 and over are more likely to use prescription opioids than younger adults, and women use prescription opioids more than men. That puts women in midlife directly in the bullseye. Let’s dive into the crisis of prescription drugs for menopause.
Because addiction, and particularly opioid addiction, destroys so many lives and is at such a crisis point in the US and other countries, we decided to seek out an expert to help us understand why women are particularly vulnerable and how we can keep ourselves safe.
We met Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz at the annual meeting for the North American Menopause Society earlier this year. Dr. Suzanne is an ob/gyn in private practice in Beverly Hills, California. After completing her medical degree at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, she did her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. She is also a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist and is board certified in Integrative and Holistic medicine.
We asked her several questions about opioids, addiction, and women in midlife. Here’s what we learned:
According to Dr. Suzanne, very little attention was paid to women’s experience with substance abuse at all as opioid or other as until about a decade ago, so our information is still lacking. But, says Dr. Suzanne, we do know that “¦
Additional research on women, and particularly women in midlife, is needed to determine exactly how women respond to medications, so doctors can prescribe appropriately.
The benzodiazepine class of medications (Ativan, Xanax, Valium, Klonopin) are often prescribed for midlife mood disorders such as anxiety and sleep disorders that can increase substantially during perimenopause and menopause, says Dr. Suzanne. However, the BZs are very habit-forming and should be taken with caution.
Other red flags are pain pills that are prescribed chronically and not by a pain management doctor. If, says Dr. Suzanne, you keep getting more Vicodin for your period cramps every month or well after the postoperative period has past (1-6 weeks for gynecological surgery), you’re at risk for abuse.
Fentanyl is incredibly potent and has been implicated in overdose when not taken under a doctor’s supervision. It is “orders of magnitude more potent than heroin,” Dr. Suzanne tells us, so abuse can result in overdose or death.
Combinations of sleeping aids like Ambien plus painkillers or BZs plus painkillers can be deadly because the drugs can interact, changing the metabolic rate of the user. When combined levels get toxic, it can result in respiratory depression as basically the brainstem stops getting the message to “keep breathing, no matter what.” This is how overdoses kill people.
When it comes to women, midlife, and opioids, we’ve created a bit of a perfect storm here in the US: impatient patients with unrealistic expectations, doctors needing to meet patient quotas, the furor over HRT, and the persistent dismissal of women’s bodies and issues in modern medicine.
Patients are trained to believe a pill can and should provide instant relief. According to Dr. Suzanne, some of the overprescribing we’re seeing is patient-driven. Medicine has become so effective at treating symptoms that we’re all trained to believe that, as patients, instant gratification is possible, and we should never have to tolerate anything unpleasant or out of our control.
Doctors are undertrained and overtaxed. The blame isn’t all on patients: many doctors lack training in pain management and the massive abuse potential of many pain meds, Dr. Suzanne says. “When I was in training 20ish years ago, the talk was all about why it was wrong to withhold pain management. But we didn’t completely understand the potential for abuse if these drugs were sold on the street or used in large quantities over long periods of time. Because chronic use leads to decreased pain thresholds and increased tolerance for the meds, use can create a vicious cycle where the meds create a need for more and more and work less and less well.”
Doctors, particularly those employed in large systems, are under considerable time pressure and “productivity” measures (volume of patients seen). Many may simply not have the time necessary to devote to addressing substance use and abuse. Some may, unwittingly, be contributing to the crisis by taking the simpler, more “efficient” path of writing another prescription instead of referring a woman to other resources for treatment. Or, possibly, those alternative resources don’t exist in their area.
Concern over HRT made matters worse for women in midlife. The 2002 study by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) left many women and doctors afraid to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) because of possible links to breast cancer. That, says Dr. Suzanne, “created a gap in menopause treatment options that perhaps other medications filled inappropriately.” As a 2016 article in The Cut put it, ” Many doctors hit the brakes on HRT after that study and their patients “white-knuckled’ their way through menopausal side effects”¦. Some women may have sought out alcohol, anxiety meds, and painkillers to cope.”
But more important, says Dr. Suzanne, there’s systematic and covert dismissal of women’s needs in medicine. It’s built in as women’s health is not studied as thoroughly as men’s. Many clinical and other trials do not include women, leading to a lack of critical information (see question one above). “We don’t have data on women’s experiences, impacts, treatments, etc. Women’s complaints are often dismissed, and the nuance required to understand midlife women in pain in general is not in many doctors’ training or wheelhouse.”
Women tend to be smaller, we metabolize differently. Plus, age, hormones and menopause symptoms can create other issues and vulnerabilities. We know all that, she says; we just don’t know the mechanisms behind those issues and vulnerabilities. But we need to.
With all the concerns over addiction and overdose, it’s understandable that many women are reluctant to take opioids when prescribed. But, says Dr. Suzanne, there are legitimate uses for these drugs, such as for short-term post-operative pain management; we just have to take care to use them correctly.
These drugs are sometimes as appropriately as prescribed for chronic, recurring, uncontrollable pain (think of the cycles of pain of endometriosis, for example). If you get such a prescription, or are given opioids for any reason other than short-term pain management, make sure you’re fully informed. Ask:
You shouldn’t be afraid to take medication you need. Just be cautious of taking medication you don’t need. Eliminating pain entirely with opioids may not be possible or safe, so discuss with your doctor what your limits are and what else you can do to get relief.
More recent research as or at least the reporting on it as seems to be saying that HRT carries no additional risk for women under 60. However, as Dr. Suzanne says, that would appear to indicate that it’s unsafe for women over 60, which is not the case. The new research does demonstrate that the WHI study resulted in some faulty and confusing ideas about the safety of HRT. While more data on long-term use is needed, women should not be afraid to explore HRT as a viable treatment option for menopause relief.
Dr. Suzanne advises that anyone who suspects she may have developed an addiction talk with a trusted friend or family member as don’t keep secrets or be ashamed! And of course, speak with your doctor or therapist right away and ask for help or referrals. You can find information on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) websites. “12-step meetings have been saving lives one day at a time for 82 years and are everywhere,” Dr. Suzanne reminds us. One warning: discontinuation of opioids should be medically supervised. Quitting “cold turkey” can be dangerous.
Even if we’re not in need of pain medication or concerned about addiction, there are things we can do to have a positive impact on the opioid crisis. Become your own best advocate in your health management, says Dr. Suzanne. Get informed, talk with your doctor, ask questions and don’t stop until you get answers. Engage in conversations with other women. Push for better, safer, more sophisticated options for relief from pain (and menopause symptoms!). Advocate for restrained use of these medications, better training for doctors and other medical professionals, and addiction support and treatment as not punishment and incarceration.
If the opioid crisis has touched your life, and you want to share, please do. You can leave a comment below (anonymously, if you prefer), or on Gennev’s Facebook page, or in our closed Facebook group, Midlife & Menopause Solutions.
Find out what else we learned at the North American Menopause Society event in “News from NAMS: learnings from a menopause conference.”
As Robert Browning said, “Grow old along with me; the best is yet to be.”
Or not.
There are quite a lot of issues like menopause and marriage problems when couples get older.
They call it the “gray divorce,” and it accounted for nearly one in four divorces in 2010. From 1990 to 2010, according to research done by the National Institute Of Health, divorces doubled among couples aged 50 years old and older.
Divorces of long-established couples often catch friends and family by surprise. We assume, culturally, that once someone reaches 50, some things are simply “settled”: career, partnership, home. We don’t expect a lot of dramatic, long-term changes in or after midlife.
As any woman who’s been through perimenopause and/or menopause can tell you: midlife is anything but settled or predictable, beginning with our own bodies. Midlife is a time of change and transition, emotionally, physically, domestically, and everything, it seems, is up for grabs.
Probably the biggest reason mature couples choose to decouple? According to Dr. Barbara Mark, “In midlife we revisit our priorities, values, and preferences.” When we’re younger, children and careers may make it easier to focus on similar goals.
As we age, different goals take priority as travel, hobbies, our health. If we discover our priorities and our partner’s no longer align, we have some decisions to make.
But surely our parents and grandparents went through a reevaluation stage too; why did their marriage last 50 or 60 years, while ours are dissolving so much sooner?
It may seem like the deck is stacked against midlife couples, but don’t panic. You have tools which, though they might be a bit rusty, can help you understand what’s happening and make informed decisions about your future(s).
Communicate with each other. According to Dr. Mark, this may be the most powerful as and the most underutilized as tool in your tool box. After a few decades, we may think we’ve got communication down pat. But are you really listening? Or are you anticipating what the other person is saying, based on many years’ experience? Listen. Question. Discuss. Make time for important conversations about needs, expectations, goals, desires, and satisfaction in the relationship.
Communicate with others. Sometimes it takes third-party eyes to see clearly. Friends and family can help, though they may have too much of their own emotion invested in your relationship, so also consider a therapist, member of the clergy, etc.
Take your time making any decision and don’t jump to action until you have thought through the circumstances. “In midlife, hormones can make people over-react,” Dr. Mark says. “That combined with the developmental task of dealing with one’s mortality, can make for some hasty decision making.”
Self-reflect. Where is this emotion coming from? Is your dissatisfaction in your partner real, or a reflection of dissatisfaction with yourself? If it’s hormonal, is it temporary, or are your hormones allowing you to see something you’ve glossed over until now?
Problem-solve. What are the sources of friction? Is it caring for an elderly parent, an evaporated sex life, or that you really don’t have much in common now that the kids are gone? Talk together about the options you have for making your problems better for both of you. And find new joys to share.
Considering that many women have a significantly lower standard of living and men report a greater dissatisfaction with their lives after a “gray divorce,” it may be worth making the effort to stay together. And if you are able to pinpoint and problem-solve, you may well come through the challenges of midlife stronger than ever.
How have you kept your midlife relationship strong and stable? If you’ve faced challenges, what did you do to overcome them? If you decided to split, what has your life been like since? If you’d care to share, leave us a comment below, or you can join the conversation on Gennev’s Facebook page or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, Gennev’s closed Facebook group.
You may already know this… weight training, or any type of resistance training, can bring about a large variety of health benefits.
What you may not have heard is that weight training can also help ease many of the negative symptoms of menopause. Yes, including hot flashes and excess weight gain. Improved sleep and more energy may also come from a moderate lifting, pulling, or pushing routine. This is especially true for women who aren’t candidates for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Read on for suggestions and ideas on how to get started.
Why weight training is more important during menopause:
Where are you in your menopause transition? Take our Menopause Assessment. Find out.
Both weights and resistance bands are great tools to use to help build muscle tissue. If you’ve got a plan to use either of these under supervision, you’re good to go.
If, however, you’re planning on working out solo, you might want to start with resistance bands. They use your body (and the resistance of the stretchy band) to help tone muscles. The benefit of resistance bands is that you don’t need to worry about dropping a weight on your foot (or your head) if and when your muscles get fatigued.
Review these tips before you jump into a gym or a home gym investment.
Starting a new workout routine is not the time to get all DIY. While we love YouTube instructional videos, we believe you should always head to an expert first, someone who understands both your goals and what’s going on in your body. Get a few pointers and a personalized routine. Once you know the dos and don’ts of strength training, you can start adding some new moves.
One of the easiest ways to sabotage your new strength training routine is to rush it. Rushing your routine can impact you negatively in two ways:
If you want to stick to any new habit, experts recommend starting slow. For example, on day one, maybe you simply put on your sneakers. On day two, show up to the gym for a tour. On day three, interview and hire a trainer. On day four, do some stretching. On day five, head to your first strength training appointment.
Starting anything new can be a little intimidating. But some of us can get super pumped and motivated to the point where we overdo it, which can lead to injury and burnout.
After the initial excitement dies down, we remember how hard those workouts were.
I had no idea squats would make my butt hurt for that many days.
And then we quit.
But when start slow, we remember how easy the previous day’s routine was. Doing a little something every day is what creates new neural pathways in our brains, which help to solidify a routine.
Whether you’re doing cardio or weight resistance exercises, you always want to stretch before and after you work out. Though some experts now recommend stretching only after your workout. Again and always, your best personal bet is to consult with your doctor to determine a stretching regimen that’s right for you and your body.
Stretching can help prevent injury. It warms up your muscles and also gets you in the right headspace to start your workout.
The good news is that stretching can also ease some of the symptoms of menopause!
If you’re planning on weight training, you’ll want to skip the static stretches (like the ones you’d do before or after a run). Instead, try some dynamic stretches. These help to loosen your ligaments and muscles “ all while warming them up.
If you’re doing the same moves over and over, you can overextend those muscles. You can also put too much strain on a muscle group that way. Once you’ve got your “core workout” solidified, ask your trainer to help you switch it up. Or, you can review a few YouTube videos for some inspiration and ideas about how you might add a little resistance.
We all know that you’re going to feel a burning sensation when you work out. But there’s a difference between a good burn and a bad one.
The good burn feels good. The bad one feels like pain.
Good burns generally feel like muscle soreness. Bad feels like sharp or tight pains. (Note: you should never feel a “good” burn in your joints.) And definitely stop doing any exercise that causes you pain.
Talk to your doctor or trainer if you’re experiencing any pain.
It’s really easy to go overboard with exercise. For many, working out can be a real pleasure, so much so that they can go for hours or work themselves out really hard to chase those feel-good chemicals (endorphins) that are released during exercise.
Talk to your doctor and/or trainer to come up with a balanced regimen.
Another great piece of advice is to talk to your doctor before you start a new workout routine. This goes double if you happen to have any injuries.
Your doctor can let you know if any preexisting conditions (such as high blood pressure) might create additional stress on your body’s functions when you’re working out.
Tell your doctor if there’s a history of heart disease in your family or if you have any old injuries that might affect your workout. You should also disclose this information to a trainer if you choose to hire one.
Being honest with your medical and workout team now will help prevent any injuries down the road.
One of the downsides of the Internet is that there’s too much information out there, and it’s not all created equal. You’ll find “experts” recommending you work out only in the morning, and others say to do it only in the evening. Some will say you should stretch before (and some recommend only after) your workout. There’s a barrage of information regarding what you should and shouldn’t eat before or after weight training, and it can be confusing, overwhelming, and even paralyzing.
Don’t overload on information. Instead, talk to your doctor and trainer and find what works for you. Then do it.
Don’t lift weights or use resistance bands every day. Your body needs time and space to recover. Space your resistance workouts at least two days apart to give your muscles some recovery time.
No need to opt for 100 percent inactivity on those rest days, though. Switching up your exercise routine can help your body to work different muscle groups. On your off days, try some light yoga (or any stretching, really!) or a little cardio to keep your muscles warm and your energy and focus sustained.
Keep things fresh by integrating activities you already love into your resistance routine. Are you an avid gardener? Pulling weeds works your triceps! If you’re squatting to pull those little devils, all the better. Love to paint? Invest in a larger-than-usual canvas to work those shoulders while you stretch to make larger brushstrokes. Take a salsa or Zumba class to add a different kind of heat and spice to your workout. Enjoy!
What’s your preference? Weight lifting? Resistance bands? A little mix of both? We’d love to hear how weight/resistance training is helping you to navigate through menopause on the Gennev Community Forums. Join us.
Also called “syndrome X,” metabolic syndrome is the name for a cluster of conditions and risk factors that can increase your risk of certain illnesses.
The cluster generally includes five conditions: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess fat around the waist, high triglyceride levels, and low HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind). According to the American Heart Association, having at least three of these five conditions equals a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Having metabolic syndrome means being at greater risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
The “syndrome” part of this is important, as the cumulative impacts of metabolic syndrome are greater than the sum of its parts. Metabolic syndrome is a greater health risk than, say, high blood sugar + excess belly fat + low HDL would seem to be.
Metabolic syndrome happens to a lot of people in midlife, but it is particularly of concern for women of menopausal age. According to The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), metabolic syndrome affects 30 to 60 percent of postmenopausal women worldwide.
Concerned about your health in midlife and menopause? Work with a Gennev Menopause Coach to optimize diet, exercise, and more!
As heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the US, reducing the incidence of metabolic syndrome could help reduce the number of lives lost prematurely.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a few things can increase your risk of developing the constellation of conditions known as metabolic syndrome:
Additionally, if you have darkened skin patches on your underarms or the back of your neck, or skin tags (usually on the neck), these can be indicators of insulin resistance, says the Cleveland Clinic, so you may want to keep a close eye on the numbers listed below.
To be diagnosed with the syndrome requires having at least three of the conditions, so your doctor may want to do several different tests. If any three tests return numbers equal to or greater (lower, for HDL) than the below, that would mean a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.
If your numbers aren’t in the red zone yet, it’s still a good idea to watch them carefully and manage risk factors, as our numbers tend to move in unhelpful directions after menopause.
Genetics and menopause can both play a role in the development of metabolic syndrome, and neither are under our control, but that doesn’t mean we’re out of luck.
If you suspect you may be at risk, especially if you’re post-menopausal, get tested. If you’re at or near the levels for metabolic syndrome, make a plan with your doctor to manage, monitor, and track blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Diet can play a significant role here. Eating a heart-healthy diet that leans heavily on fruits, veggies, whole grains, and fish is a great idea. Exercise can increase cardiovascular health. Definitely you want to manage your weight, especially if excess weight now tends to settle around your mid-section. Quit smoking, if you possibly can.
According to a study published in Menopause (the NAMS journal), taking vitamin D and estradiol may help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. Higher levels of vitamin D were associated with better cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose level numbers; the odds of acquiring metabolic syndrome increased as vitamin D levels decreased. Low estradiol levels increased the risk of metabolic syndrome in women who had insufficient vitamin D.
The results need further study before any conclusions can be drawn, but it does perhaps demonstrate the importance of getting enough vitamin D, and it might be another factor to discuss with your doctor if you’re debating getting on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Are you at risk of developing metabolic syndrome, or are you already managing the condition? We’d love to learn from you, so please share your experience with us in the Gennev Community Forums!
Margaret Mead was on to something when she correlated power and menopausal women: Women in in the transition and postmenopause absolutely have zest! And for those who want more of it or are struggling to find their zest, we at Gennev are building a platform to help them get there.
Our mission is to empower every woman to take control of her health in menopause, so we’re launching the first-of-its-kind online menopause clinic at gennev.com. It’s a one-stop-shop to access the menopause practitioners or experts, menopause products, education, and community women need to be well and healthy in midlife, menopause, and beyond.
The profile of the modern menopausal woman is not what we imagined in our mothers’ generation.
Today’s 40- and 50-year-old woman is at the height of her career or preparing to hand the torch to those she’s mentored. She has more autonomy, financial independence, authority, and opportunities than women of previous generations. She’s tech-savvy, unembarrassed about her age or menopausal status, and she’s demanding the respect she deserves.
Unfortunately, the hot flashes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, emotional issues, weight gain, fatigue, and more of menopause can make it difficult for her to feel up to her potential.
We talked to modern women in menopause about what they truly need to feel their best and what they’re missing. Here’s what they told us as and how Gennev is answering their call.
Already, many areas of the United States are experiencing a shortage of ob/gyns. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), by 2020, the US will be short nearly 9,000 ob/gyns. By 2050, that number could be 22,000.
Learn more about how Gennev is helping fill the care gap
by listening to our recent podcast with ob/gyn Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su.
Less than 7 percent of women get the help they need to understand and manage their menopause symptoms. There are 37 million women in menopause in the US, and an estimated 6,000 more joining those ranks every day. That’s a lot of women who aren’t getting adequate, affordable care for the symptoms that disrupt their lives.
Find us specialists, women tell us: we want a doctor who is knowledgeable about menopause problems and solutions, who listens and respects patients, and who is truly passionate about women’s wellness.
In January 2019, Gennev launched its online telehealth to extend the reach of menopause specialists and give more women more affordable and better options. Women will be able to speak with physicians and nurse practitioners from the comfort and privacy of their own homes, via video chat or text.
We’re not exaggerating when we say “specialists.” Our practitioners are chosen for their proven track record treating women in midlife and menopause. Many are certified by the North American Menopause Society, so patients know they’re receiving the highest level of care.
“Clinicians who have earned the credential of NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP)
have demonstrated their extra knowledge and specialized interest in menopause,
allowing them to provide optimal care to the women they serve.”
JoAnn Pinkerton, MD, NCMP, NAMS Executive Director
Our specialists can talk about the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy, remedies for better sleep and better sex, and lifestyle choices that can reduce or relieve many menopause symptoms.
Just as importantly, they can also help women make choices now to protect their health in the future. Health issues aren’t “over” when the hot flashes finally subside: many women face osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, or dementia, especially if they have personal or familial risk factors. Our specialists can help women get or stay on the right track to safeguard their vibrant future.
At the bottom of this blog, you’ll find step-by-step instructions on accessing our telehealth system.
“As a cardiologist, I’m excited to reach women who are just beginning
their perimenopause/menopause journey, because that’s when we have the best opportunity
to intervene in a powerful way to protect their heart health.”
Dr. Sarah Speck, cardiologist, internist, and medical director of the
cardiac wellness and rehabilitation programs at the
Swedish Heart and Vascular Institute in Seattle, Gennev Advisory Board Member
Women already trust and love Gennev’s own line of lubricants, moisturizers, and cleansers. Now we’re expanding our shop to include carefully curated partner products that have shown real benefits for women in menopause. Keep an eye on our marketplace for more. And we love recommendations from you, so if there’s a product you love, please share it with us at info@gennev.com!
Information about menopause, hormones, symptoms, etc. is out there, but it can be clinical or boilerplate to the point that it’s just not trustworthy. At Gennev, we’re continuing to build our library of podcasts, blogs, videos, and more as all informed and vetted by health care professionals.
Our Director of Health, Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, MD and 20-year ob/gyn, has developed a Menopause Assessment tool that provides a personalized health profile of where you’re at in the journey as well as recommended reading, podcasts, and products tailored to the symptoms you’re experiencing.
We’ve been fortunate to build relationships with some of the foremost thinkers, researchers, and practitioners in women’s health, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share their expertise with you.
“Perimenopause is a window of opportunity to intervene in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
Women need to know they are disproportionately at risk for Alzheimer’s and that
taking action now in their late 30s and 40s as hormones start to change, is key to prevention.”
Dr. Lisa Mosconi, PhD, Director of Weill Cornell Women’s Brain Initiative,
Associate Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic, author of
Brain Food: the Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power, Gennev Advisory Board Member
Let’s be honest: no one truly understands your experience better than someone going through it with you. And sometimes, those are the people you most want to commiserate, rant, laugh, and swap ideas with.
At Gennev, we’ve built a robust and growing community of women who are supporting each other through what can often be a pretty tough time. In our closed, women-only Facebook group, on our open-to-all forums, and at in-person events, we give you access to what may be the greatest gift of all as each other. And you’ll often find menopause specialists chiming in on these conversations, giving you even more access to their expertise.
You’ll find products, information, and community on Gennev’s site right now: you can browse our shop (be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for information on special deals), check out our blogs and podcasts, join our Facebook group or register to gain access to our community forums. All of these resources are free to you.
If you’re ready to speak with a menopause-specialist health practitioner, here’s how that works:
In order to access our telehealth, you’ll need to sign up with Gennev. This log in will also get you access to members-only resources, such as our community forums. To sign up, go to gennev.com and click the “Sign up” button in the upper right.
To schedule your appointment, go to the “Book appointment“ page.
First, you’ll have the opportunity to choose an appointment with the practitioner in your state. If your state is not yet on Gennev’s telehealth platform, you’ll be added to a waiting list. But don’t worry as more states will be coming online throughout 2019.
Second, you’ll be asked to fill out a fairly comprehensive health history form that prepares the practitioner for her appointment with you. This form is kept confidential and is HIPAA compliant because your privacy and safety are our highest priorities.
Third, you’ll be directed to a site to make your payment. Once payment is complete and the documentation is approved, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your appointment date and time, a download for your calendar, and a link to connect with your practitioner.
Finally, you’ll have your appointment, either via video or text, as you prefer. Directly after your appointment, you’ll have the opportunity to review the experience and let us know what you loved and what could be improved.
Within a few days of your appointment, you’ll receive a “recap” email detailing your discussion and any suggestions your specialist made to help you manage your health.
The average life expectancy for women in the US is around 81. If you reach full menopause at the average age of 51, that’s thirty years of living left to do. You want to make those years as happy, rich, vibrant, and healthy as you can, and we want to help.
At Gennev, we believe every woman deserves to feel her best, no matter her age. Every woman deserves appropriate, effective, affordable care, no matter where she lives.
Learn more about the coming ob/gyn shortage, what it means for women, and how Gennev is making strides to close the health care gap.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on telehealth, the ob/gyn shortage, and care for women’s health generally as please share with us in the comments below, in our community forums, on our Facebook page, or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, our closed Facebook group.