Navigating menopause can be a confusing yet transformative journey, and for many women, it’s a time to embrace self-care and prioritize wellness. This natural phase of life brings changes that can feel overwhelming, but with the proper support and strategies, the transition can feel almost seamless.
We sat down with Adult Nurse Practitioner Melissa Rhodes, founder of Nashville-based Ona Skincare, to learn more about menopause and the adjustments we can make to our daily routines during this phase to feel (and look) like the best version of ourselves!
Menopause + What to Expect
First and foremost, it’s important to understand what menopause is and why it happens. Most often, menopause is described as a natural phase in life where women — typically in their 40s or 50s — stop having monthly periods.
In addition to no longer having periods, women often experience a myriad of symptoms, including weight gain, hot flashes, and mood swings. “Some less common symptoms of menopause can be itchy skin, brain fog, muscle or joint aches, frozen shoulder, allergies and asthma, or hair loss,” adds Melissa.
Lifestyle Adjustments to Make
Looking at the list of potential symptoms can feel daunting, but Melissa says there are many simple lifestyle changes women can make to help alleviate pain and discomfort — everything from going on more walks around your neighborhood to yoga and weight training for maintaining muscle mass.
Now is the time to decrease high-intensity interval training workouts because these can spike cortisol and stress hormones, which may already be high at this time of life. Moderate and regular exercise not only helps keep cortisol levels from spiking, but it also maintains bone and muscle that often diminish with age.
Melissa adds that reevaluating your diet can be beneficial during menopause. “Eat whole foods with plenty of protein and fiber,” she explains. “Increasing fiber and protein helps with changes in digestion and maintains lean muscle mass, which often decreases during menopause.”
Sleep hygiene and a consistent sleep schedule can also help alleviate symptoms during menopause. Melissa recommends maintaining a cool, dark bedroom and avoiding things like alcohol, caffeine, and screens a few hours before going to sleep. Some women also benefit from the hormone Progesterone, which can help with sleep if symptoms are severe.
Skincare Adjustments to Make
As hormones fluctuate during menopause, your skin may undergo significant changes, too. Common symptoms include drier and thinner skin, increased wrinkles and fine lines, and hyperpigmentation or age spots.
“Skin gets thin and drier as estrogen levels decrease during menopause, so look for skincare products with antioxidants, peptides, and growth factors to keep cell renewal active,” Melissa adds. “Internally, fish oil and collagen supplements can also be helpful for the skin.”
Melissa emphasizes the importance of using a variety of products and not simply relying on heavy cream products or moisturizers. “Our skin is made up of water lipids and protein, but so is moisturizer, so it can actually make the skin lazy and slow down cell turnover if we are just layering a heavy cream with no active products to stimulate cell renewal,” she explains.
You can also visit med spas like Ona Skincare to undergo specific treatments to help with menopause’s skin-related symptoms. Melissa recommends treatments like a DiamondGlow Facial and LED Bed Treatment, which help with exfoliation, collagen production, and decreasing inflammation.
Embracing Replacement Therapy & Natural Supplements
Some older medical research on menopause treatments has been flagged as inaccurate or flawed, and Melissa says that more recent studies highlight the benefits of hormone replacement and natural supplements. In fact, healthy hormones have been shown to decrease health issues like cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, loss of bone and muscle mass, cancer, and — you guessed it — even menopause.
“Many new studies are coming out that show the benefit of keeping hormone levels steady as we age is actually protective if bio-identical hormones are used,” she tells us. “Not to mention, the National Menopause Society now recommends that hormone therapy — not antidepressants — should be the first treatment considered when a woman has anxiety or depression.”
Consult the Experts!
While it may seem obvious, Melissa adds that menopause is still considered a taboo or uncomfortable topic for many, which is why she encourages women to talk to medical experts and ask questions.
Even if you’re not currently experiencing menopause, Melissa says women of all ages can benefit from learning more about the process and their bodies as a whole. She even recommends younger women undergo a baseline test to understand when they are feeling their best and healthy.
“Our goal is to educate and provide a resource for women to be able to identify symptoms and stay healthy inside and out,” Melissa says of the Ona Skincare team. “Anyone who wants to have a better idea of how their system is functioning, or who is having symptoms of hormonal changes, can benefit from an in-depth look at what is going on in their bodies.”
Ona Skincare has locations in Belle Meade (6592 Highway 100, Suite 1) and East Nashville (1013 Fatherland Street). To learn more, visit onaskin.com.
This article is sponsored by Ona Skincare.
