I usually don’t send newsletters on Mondays, but today is a special day for me.

It’s my menopause day!

If you don’t know when the exact date of YOUR menopause day was (if you’re in post-menopause), I’d say you’re pretty normal.

I only know mine because I’ve been tracking it for a couple of years.

The exact medical definition of menopause is the day when a woman has gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.

So we’re only “in menopause” for one day.

On average, menopause happens at age 51. 

I’ll be 51 in exactly 31 days so I’d say I’m right on schedule.

Starting tomorrow, I’m called “postmenopausal.”

Why am I telling you this? I mean, who cares, right?

Well…I care. Because biologically it means a lot for my hormones, which will continue to change every single year as long as I’m alive.

One of those changes is declining estrogen levels, which means losing more lean muscle mass than I’m comfortable with if I’m not proactive about it.

I’m on a mission now to do everything I can so I’m not frail later.

I’m also compelled to have this conversation with as many other women who care as I can because for some reason, (we can just say it, right? the reason is the patriarchy) there’s been cultural hesitancy about talking openly about menopause.

 And if no one is talking about it, no one is learning about it.

All women are grossly underrepresented in medical research, but it’s even worse for menopausal women.

One thing we do know without a doubt though is that it’s never too late to build muscle. Study after study shows women in their 90’s successfully building muscle.

 Happy Menopause Day to me!