SPECIAL ISSUE: Menopause Is Having a Moment—And The Science Is Starting to Catch Up

Hello Warriors!

As promised, I acted as your eyes and ears at The Menopause Society Annual Meeting in Orlando last week—and let me tell you, the energy was electric. Over 2,000 clinicians, researchers, and thought leaders came together to deepen their understanding of menopause and share the latest science shaping women’s health. And yet, while 63% of women in the U.S.—that’s roughly 107 million of us—are in midlife, there are still only about 4,100 certified menopause specialists nationwide. The gap is massive, but the momentum is growing.

The takeaway? While there’s still a long way to go in advancing women’s health and menopause research, menopause is no longer being treated as an ending—it’s a new beginning. From cutting-edge studies on how lifestyle, mindset, and movement influence hormonal transitions, to evolving perspectives on brain fog, mood, and metabolism, the science is finally catching up to what we’ve known all along: this season of life is not about decline, it’s about design.

I’ve captured the key themes, takeaways, and the most important highlights shaping the future of menopause research and care—so you can stay informed, empowered, and one step ahead.

Keep reading, Warriors—this is where the midlife conversation gets real.

6 Key Themes from the 2025 Annual Meeting

1. “Optimizing Health & Longevity at Menopause and Beyond” – The official theme of the meeting
The focus is shifting away from just treating hot flashes toward supporting whole-body health—brain, bone, heart, and emotional well-being—through and beyond menopause. Longevity and health span (how long we stay well) took center stage, with a new emphasis on sustainable habits like nutrition, strength training, sleep hygiene, and stress regulation.

2. Perimenopause & Its Complexities
The opening symposium spotlighted perimenopause—a long-overlooked phase where hormones fluctuate wildly and symptoms like mood changes, brain fog, irregular bleeding, and poor sleep collide. Clinicians stressed the importance of earlier education, stress management, and nutrition strategies—not just prescriptions—to help women navigate this critical transition.

3. Mind-Brain-Body Integration
Experts dove into how menopause affects brain function, cognition, mood, trauma history, and even gut health. The new model? Treat the whole ecosystem—mental, emotional, and physical—not just the hot flashes. Mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and gut-supportive nutrition were repeatedly cited as frontline tools for mood and cognitive resilience.

4. Weight, Bone, Cardiovascular & Systemic Health
Menopause marks a metabolic inflection point. Beyond medications, the discussion leaned heavily toward nutrition, resistance training, and metabolic flexibility as key protectors against bone loss, cardiovascular disease, and body-composition shifts. Movement and muscle are being recognized as medicine—especially in midlife.

5. Precision, Personalization & Lifestyle Integration
This year’s buzzword was personalization. Rather than one-size-fits-all prescriptions, speakers emphasized tailored plans that blend targeted therapy with lifestyle shifts—nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and social connection. Positive psychology interventions and stress-management frameworks took the spotlight right beside medical treatments.

6. Sexual Health, Pelvic Wellness & Special Populations
Beyond hormones, presenters addressed the importance of pelvic-floor health, sexual function, and intimacy—topics often ignored in routine care. Workshops explored physical therapy, mindfulness for sexual well-being, and trauma-informed care, alongside the latest options for genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).

Top 5 Takeaways That Matter to Midlife Women

1. Menopause = Opportunity for Renewal, Not Just Loss
Midlife isn’t a slow fade—it’s a strategic window for strengthening health and redefining what comes next.

2. Your Brain & Mood Are Central to Menopause
Hormonal shifts ripple through sleep, mood, and focus. Thankfully, neuroscience and psychology are catching up—tools like CBT, mindfulness, and restorative sleep now sit alongside medicine as core treatments.

3. Lifestyle Is the New Medicine
Nutrition, movement, and stress reduction were mentioned in nearly every session. Think Mediterranean-style eating, strength training, circadian-aligned sleep, and social connection as non-negotiables for hormonal balance.

4. Hormones Are One Piece—Not the Whole Picture
Hormone therapy remains a valuable option for many, but the meeting underscored an integrative approach: pair it with lifestyle, mindset, and behavioral health for best results.

5. Midlife Health Is Multifaceted: Bone + Heart + Weight + Sex + Sleep
The message was clear—everything is connected. Focusing on one symptom alone misses the bigger picture of thriving through midlife.

3 Key Research Highlights and Emerging Therapies

1. Earlier Hormone Therapy May Alter Long-Term Health Outcomes

A large retrospective study (“The Timing of Estrogen Therapy: Perimenopausal Benefits and Postmenopausal Risks”) looked at data from more than 120 million patient records. Women who started estrogen therapy during perimenopause (within ~10 years of menopause) had no significantly higher rates of breast cancer, heart attack, or stroke compared to those who started later or never.

Take-away: The timing of hormone therapy may matter a lot. For women entering perimenopause, discussing therapy earlier (rather than waiting until full menopause) could influence long-term outcomes.

2. Early Natural Menopause = Higher Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

A study of over 234,000 women found that those who reached natural menopause before age 45 had a 27% higher relative risk of developing metabolic syndrome (cluster of obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides) compared to later menopause.

Take-away: Early menopause is a red flag for cardiometabolic risk. For women with earlier menopause, more vigilant monitoring of weight changes, blood pressure, lipids, glucose may be wise.

3. Weight, Body Composition & “NuSH” Therapeutics

One of the Plenary sessions was titled “Body Composition Changes in Menopause” and addressed how menopause shifts fat vs. lean mass, and how different therapies could target that. In the program, there was mention of “Nutrient-Stimulated Hormone-Based (NuSH) Therapeutics: Dosing, Outcomes, and Clinical Considerations.”

Take-away: Beyond “move more-eat less”, midlife weight/body-composition changes require hormone-informed, nutrient-informed strategies. If you’re dealing with stubborn midsection, changing muscle/fat ratio, this is a therapeutic frontier.

Ready to go from Confusion to Clarity?

Feeling stuck, confused, or a little gaslit by the “it’s just aging” shrug? Let’s change that—book a free holistic health consult with Crissy. Crissy’s a holistic health coach with real-world medical experience who blends science-backed therapies with natural, doable habits so you can feel like yourself again. After her own 10-year battle with perimenopause, she’s made it her mission to ensure no woman has to suffer in silence. In your consult, you’ll get a judgment-free space, clear next steps, and tools you can use right away. If you’re ready to move from survival to thriving, reach out—Crissy’s got you.

Ready to Warrior Up!

Listen to the Full Episode: Suburban Warrior podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thank you for reading—and remember, knowledge is power! If you’re experiencing symptoms, don’t ignore them. There is help (and hope) out there. Stay tuned for our next newsletter to keep transforming your mindset and rocking your inner warrior!