Two years ago, I had a rude awakening. Having been used to having the same figure since age 18, my weight suddenly went up 16 kilos in a little over a month, at the age of 63. I am not a big eater and have experimented with every diet appropriate for a pescatarian since my twenties.
Although never quite satisfied with my weight, I had never experienced such extreme weight gain with no explanation. In addition, I suffered from insomnia, hot flashes, increased short-term memory loss, and lack of bladder control, resulting in trying not to laugh or sneeze. This was no way to live.
I was obviously devastated. I went from guilt to shame. What did I do to cause this? I exercise avidly and eat healthily. My weight had been stable for years, yet all of a sudden I couldn’t fit into my clothes.
I began gaining more weight until I reached almost 20 kilos above my normal weight. I had blood tests done to check my hormone levels, which came back normal. I began using the estrogen hormone patches that the gynecologist prescribed, but they did not help.
Looking for answers, I found The Hormone Shift, an informative book by Tasneem Bhatia, an expert in integrative health and board-certified in integrative medicine and nutrition. She explains that most women are unaware of the hormone issue. They are not told about the hormone shift as they get older, and they simply blame themselves for their body changing in very unattractive and, more importantly, unhealthy ways.
This is partly because most doctors, including gynecologists, are men. They receive almost no training in women’s issues and think of women as “little men.” We are not little men!
Lifestyle changes
Bhatia writes about the importance of nutrition, focusing on protein, resistance-training exercises (mainly lifting), jumping to strengthen our bones, improving bone mass, and hormone therapy. All this, in addition to good sleeping habits and reducing stress.
In reference to healthy eating, her suggestions do not reveal anything surprising. Avoid white everything – flour, bread, pasta, rice – and sugars. Don’t eat a lot of starches and fried food, and stay away from processed foods, sweetened soft drinks, canned foods, etc.
I ate all the right things and exercised at least two hours a week, as she recommends. However, as I predicted, nothing helped. Discouraged, I went back to my family doctor, who suggested Wegovy shots.
Prescribed medications
Wegovy is similar to Ozempic, which is traditionally used to assist obese patients who have type 2 diabetes. It mainly consists of semaglutide, which mimics the effects of the gut hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP 1).
Though pricey, after a month of deliberating and suffering from a body I did not recognize, as well as the other effects of menopause, I finally tried it.
Wegovy is self-administered weekly with a syringe very similar to that of a diabetes pen. But it is not a cure on its own. It affects metabolism and decreases appetite, but you must also do the work, exercising at least two hours a week and eating a lot of protein.
It is also not a quick fix. It took me five months to lose 10 kilos. Then I plateaued. I read that there is another medication similar to Wegovy called Zepbound, which is equally effective. My doctor gave me a prescription, started me on a low dose, which was increased every month, as he did with the Wegovy.
After another two months, I reached my weight goal, eliminating most of the negative effects of menopause at the same time.
There is the risk of regaining the weight once you stop using the shots, but there are solutions. You must continue eating a healthy but low-calorie and low-carb diet, rich in protein, and continue exercising.
In addition, there is a nutritional over-the-counter supplement called GLP-1, a dietary product that naturally increases the body’s GLP-1 hormone levels. It assists in appetite reduction and metabolic health, though less potent than the semaglutide injectable alternatives.
Expert advice
There are great experts in the field, such as Dr. Mary Claire Haver, author of The New Menopause; Dr. Stacy Sims; Michael Hunter; and others. Ironically, Hunter – yes, a man – is my favorite for understanding menopause in a totally different way. Check out one of his YouTube videos.
He reveals in one of his Instagram posts that in the Mayan culture, menopausal women are revered. They are seen as guides to wisdom, having passed their menstrual phase in life, and for that they are respected. Their hot flashes are seen as spiritual fire.
Interestingly, their physical symptoms actually go away because their menopause is framed in respect and reverence, not shame. This actually shifts their biology.
So, whether you are a woman or a man, you are most likely to be affected by menopause experienced by yourself or your partner. Let’s deal with the symptoms but, at the same time, change our attitudes toward this rite of passage.