Menopause.exe:running_with_limited_resources "Hacking the Hormonal System Update" - EMF 2026

[applause] Okay. Hello everyone and welcome to my talk. My name is Amy. I am a certified menopause coach. Uh my background is really in the medical field. So my hardware is sort of the human one. Uh so if I call estrogen a plug-in or progesterone a firewall, I'm just very delighted I used the right terminology. So really, why talk about menopause in the first place? So menopause affects over 1.1 billion individuals worldwide. But this number also doesn't include transgender men or non-binary individuals. So despite its universal impact, it's still quite quiet and not really talked about. This leaves uh individuals feeling isolated, unsupported, confused, and just left out of the conversation. So today I want to talk about menopause by just opening the conversation, talk about what it is, why it happens, look at a little bit of data, uh and to really do this, uh with a little bit of science, maybe some laughs, some honesty, curiosity, and a whole lot of self-compassion. So for me, menopause showed up in my mid30s and it really ramped up uh towards the end of my the end of my late 30s. Uh it kind of felt like a party I didn't want to be at. It was organized by an unqualified party planning organization. They invited hot flashes, brain fog, insomnia, and really anybody that could cause any type of chaos in my life. And the worst part of my party was there was no cake. And so that was very disappointing. Uh so the hormone fluctuation for me just felt like my whole life was just falling down around me and everything that could go wrong went wrong. And it really left my transition into menopause very unpredictable, very confusing, very frustrating, and at times very terrifying. And I think it's important to share my story. We share our stories and our struggles. uh because it's really ne never meant to be carried on your own. So talking about it with some honesty and some curiosity really gives space for others to kind of be able to be let in to also talk about their experience. [snorts] So really who who experiences menopause and so when we talk about menopause it's mainly talked about as as a woman's issue. Uh but biologically it is a very complex transition that affects far more than we acknowledge. Um so we have women who experience we also have trans um gender men and non-binary individuals who still retain their ovaries. Uh we have individuals that have cancer treatment. They have gender affirming um care and any other medical or surgical intervention. And these these are the individuals who can experience menopause. So the pathway may be a little bit different uh but the impact of changing hormones can be significant regardless of how someone arrives there. So really what what is menopause? So during menopause, the ovaries gradually slow their production of estrogen and progesterone, but the brain will continue to send signals to the ovaries, hormonal signals to the ovaries, but usually the ovaries get to a point that they're just like, nah, not anymore. We're not having it. So the communication between the brain and the ovaries that just kind of really gets out of sync. So there's uh three parts to menopause. So we have pmenopause which is really the the transition and this is when periods become a little bit more irregular. Um early symptoms start to show up. Uh it can last for several years and by several years I mean anywhere from 4 to 10 years. Um and it can start as early as your 30s. They are starting to discover that it is starting much earlier than they actually are saying that it is starting. And this is important because this is kind of really the longest phase is pmenopause. And if for some reason your symptoms don't add up with the age of what they think menopause or pmenopause should be happening, then you kind of fall into this take two paracetamol, come back in one month, we'll see if it worked type of loop. And then we have menopause. And menopause isn't really a phase. It's more of a moment in time. And this is kind of when uh this is when you go 12 months without any type of period. Uh [snorts] the symptoms really start to peak around this time and this is usually between the ages of 44 and 51. And then after that you kind of just have the future and this is postmenopause. So the body s starts to really adjust. the symptoms hopefully start to kind of quiet down a little bit as your body kind of finds this new kind of uh stabilized hormonal level. Uh but there are also some longterm health considerations in this phase that is good to uh keep in mind that I'll cover in a in a little bit. Okay. So now we have the who, the what, the why. Um, but yet a lot of us don't really fit into like the typical menopause manual. Um, and and that's just because of several reasons of assuming that women are the only individuals that go through menopause. Healthcare informs using gendered language, delayed recognition of symptoms, and not everyone experiences it the same way. Everybody's journey is a little bit different. So because it is a little bit different for everyone and it involves uh many different individuals um I'm going to refer to menopause moving forward as this kind of hormonal system update or HSU um as we move forward through this uh talk. Okay, just a little bit more science. Um so estrogen and progesterone are not just reproductive hormones. they really just uh they support every system in our body. So for estrogen, it is a huge multitasker. Uh it regulates serotonin and dopamine in the brain. It keeps the blood vesicles flexible in the heart. Um it uh maintains bone density. It supports collagen for the skin. It helps keep the tissue elastic in the bladder. Prevents urinary problems. uh it helps uh reduce inflammation and also modify it. And then we have progesterone who's kind of the quiet assist in all of this. Uh it helps deeper uh trigger deeper more restful sleep. It's a natural anti-anxiety. It offsets estrogen to kind of balance out mood and it supports insulin uh sensitivity. So that's why when your hormones change, it feels like everything is just coming from every direction. So now we start moving into oh what does this kind of feel like? What does this look like? And I call this the common experience. And I call them the big threes because um we're talking hot flashes, mood swings, and brain fog. And these are the big threes because they are the loudest, they are the most visible, and they are the most talked about. So really they get the spotlight for the symptoms. Uh but the problem with this is you begin to have tunnel vision. And when you have tunnel vision about something, anything out of the tunnel vision, meaning all other symptoms, they just run the risk of being overlooked. And that's where the really where the real harm can begin. It leads to gaps in care, misdiagnosis, lack of empathy, and honestly, some really terrible punchlines to jokes that I think a lot of us going through HSU just don't find hilarious. Okay. So, maybe you're saying, "Okay, Amy, what are the other symptoms of of of HSU?" So, some more wider and uh more common symptoms uh are things dizziness, lightadedness, problems with heart palpitation, problems with your hair thinning out, weight gain. Um, and then again with the skin and some of the other stuff that I talked about that estrogen plays a role in, but in real in reality, there's actually over a 100 plus symptoms that have been linked with HSU. Uh, and I would love to put them all on a slide so that you guys could see them. Uh, but a we have limited amount of time and that really wouldn't be a slide. It'd be more of a medical encyclopedia and we need s snacks and a sequel. So just know that there are many many symptoms that can go with it and it's important that not only our anyone going through HSU learns about these symptoms but also people who are supporting us understand what these symptoms are as well because you don't you want to be able to connect the dots of what is going on in your life because you don't want to just treat one system uh one symptom have multiple appointments come back for another one and miss the whole picture of really what might be going on in your life. And this is why people end up managing discomfort rather than understanding the actual changes that are going on. So all these symptoms really start to stack up in someone's life and it can look very different. And so some people they wake up super tired again just from not sleeping. They stare at their coffee like it's completely betrayed them. Then 9:00 a.m. rolls around. You're googling on your phone, where is my phone? On the phone that you think you have lost. Then you go to work. You're in a mid meeting and you're negotiating with your armpits to just like keep it cool. There's only 10 more minutes left in this meeting. Lunchtime comes around. Someone asks, "Hey, how you doing?" You start crying because they put mustard on your sandwich at lunch when you asked them not to. 2 p.m. No more energy. Your energy has left the building with your will to answer another email, another phone call, or just look someone in the eye. And then you get home, it's time for bed, you're exhausted, your head hits the pillow, and the next thing you know is you have the Netflix sound that just turns on your head. And it's like, we're going to binge watch anxiety the entire series. Then the night sweats, [sighs] your bed becomes a sauna, and not a good one. And then this just happens over and the cycle just keeps going like Groundhog's Day over and over again. And this can be from barely noticeable for some people to full-blown system chaos on a daily basis. So these are the kind of long-term um health considerations to keep in mind kind of towards this postmenopause um phase uh of HSU. Uh and I do want to just say that most of the evidence in general and for this talk uh comes from studies conducted uh in a population of women. And while more research is needed to be inclusive for everyone, this information remains just as important for anyone experiencing HSU. So some quick things to keep in mind as you go through um HSU. uh is to keep in mind osteoporosis. Um bone density decreases by about 20% uh risk of fractures one in three and in and individuals over the age of 50. Cardiovascular is another big one 2.6 times higher of a cardio uh vascular event happening and 30% develop hypertension within a year. And then metabolic changes. So increased insulin resistance um and higher risk of developing uh diabetes. And so no matter where you are in your journey in which phase that you are in uh this is this information is about supporting your body preserving your health and giving yourself kind of the best possible uh found foundation for the years ahead. So this isn't something to just keep in mind when you once you get into that kind of future phase uh because this is a complete recalibration of your body. Um and then we kind of move into the mental side of stuff. So we have the physical stuff but then we have um the mental side because um apparently the body wasn't complicated enough on its own. We have to [sighs and gasps] uh go ahead and put in some mental stuff. So um what seems to be common that I notice is there when I speak to individuals about HSU is there's this kind of journey that they go through and it starts really kind of with this fear like uh okay what is going on what is happening to me and then it slowly moves into this kind of phase of understanding that okay yeah there is there is something going on this is a neurological thing my hormones are changing And then there's the recognition and it's when you kind of realize, hm, I'm not alone. I'm not doing this on my own. There's a lot of support out there. And this mental side of it really can be very difficult for a lot of individuals. This is where I found myself struggling the most. Um, my thoughts became very unfamiliar, emotions became very unpredictable, and I just really couldn't trust my own reactions or myself. And so, also those who do struggle or have struggled with mental health um, issues, this can be a very difficult phase as well because it feels even heavier and sometimes it just reopens old shadows and that's just another thing to tackle in this journey. And then it goes maybe just a little bit deeper. And so estrogen and progesterone interact with the serotonin and the dopamine which are the messengers and motivation, mood, uh focus, emotions. Uh and so it's a little beyond just the brain fog of, you know, you walk into a room and you say, "Okay, why was I here? I'm going to go out of the room and back in. No, I still don't know why I'm here." But it's more of dementia- like symptoms. It's driving somewhere familiar and then you get there and you have no idea why you were there. Uh completely forgetting a conversation you had less than 24 hours ago. And these things can become very frightening and it it's less about HSU and more about okay maybe I have dementia and there's this battle that happens in your head and then there's anxiety and overthinking and it's kind of the 3:00 a.m. spiral. You know, you lay in bed. Did I lock the door? Did I put the emergency brake on the car? No, I don't think I did. Did my car roll down the hill? Did it smush someone like a grape? Do I have a good lawyer? Do I have money to pay for the lawyer? And then it keeps going and then you say, "Why am I not sleeping? I should be sleeping. I have a meeting tomorrow. It's a very important meeting. Maybe I should buy a goat." And then you have the mood changes, but they become more noticeable and a little bit what feels more irrational. It could be 10:00 a.m. uh you're doing just fine. 10:15 there's a dog food commercial and you're just crying about it. uh 10:30, your partner comes in in eating an apple like a feral cat, and you just want to strangle them. [laughter] [snorts] And then all of these things layer on top of each other that layer on top of careers and families and responsibilities and kids, and it just keeps going. And then you get to this point of burnout that is just this exhaustion. and you find yourself living in a world of I just can't anymore. [snorts] And sometimes it's even more than the 3:00 a.m. spiral or the burnout. Uh there are some really deeper uh mental risks that come with the hormone fluctuation and there's depression, there's intrusive thoughts, there's suicidal ideiations. uh and this is truly where I found myself uh was in this very depressive uh suicidal ideiation and this is where I lived for a very long time and it was very scary and it was very terrifying. So each part of HSU kind of carries its own risks. So if you're in the uh perry menopause perry menopause uh 1 in 10 uh report suicidal thoughts uh in menopause um [clears throat] the suicide rates uh are highest between the age of 45 and 55 but also still when everything levels out in postmenopause uh suicidal ideiations still do persist. So the fluctuation of hormones really really can mess with your mental state and then we have relationships and families and so it happen HSU happens in a relationship ecosystem. So partners may notice a shift in things that are going on with you uh but they don't really recognize what's going on. uh family members see irritability but maybe they don't see just the overwhelming exhaustion and the internal changes that are going on. Uh and the symptoms may happen in one person in their body but the impact can be felt by others around us. And that statement isn't about blame or placing fault in someone of what they are going through. It's just recognizing that biological changes can affect the way that we connect and the way that we communicate uh and the relationships that we have. [snorts] And what I can suggest is patience and understanding. And it really can change how that is in a relationship so that relationships can become a source of support rather than an additional s uh an additional source of stress. And then we have just the social side of it and the energy um required to engage with the world suddenly feels very different and your social battery battery has just shrunk. The group chats are too loud. The phone is ringing straight to voicemail. Someone wants to do weekend plans. You just kind of say, "Let's circle around next month." Someone invites you to a birthday party. are like that sounds lovely from my couch and dinner plans maybe. Do I have to wear pants? No. So, your social life can feel like a real loss. And again, this is why understanding and patience really matters because when you do the people around you, the judgment becomes uh compassion, guilt becomes grace. And if they also agree to not wear pants, you've probably found your people. Because HSU is still so silent, there's a lot of pressure and kind of this expectation to just carry on like nothing has changed. So many people continue to say, "Ah, I'm fine." and they're while they're masking symptoms, they're struggling through the day, feeling increasingly alone and just quietly losing confidence. So over time, kind of pretending that you're okay becomes very exhausting and it can bring um this kind of shift in your identity of just who you are affecting your confidence and really anything else around you about yourself. Uh, and this is partially too because we're just kind of asked to just cope with it. Uh, anyone out there that is experiencing HSU, if you feel like you have lost a part of yourself, uh, you're not alone. This is very common. Uh, this season doesn't define who you are. And something that can be very powerful and beautiful is it is okay to just say, "I'm not okay." And when we say this to the people who around us who support us that we say I am not okay. They are there to help pick us up because your worth is not measured in how well you hide your struggles. Now a lot of us are still going to work during this phase and this so HSU it shows up when we have uh careers we're leading teams we're building our own expertise and we're bringing years of knowledge and experience to the workforce. Uh yet many in HSU are finding that their symptoms are affecting their confidence, their performance and their ability to thrive at work. And the result is that organizations are they lose talent, very valuable talent at the exact moment that they need it because women are I'm sorry, individuals are peaking in their uh careers around that age of 44 to 51 and that is the peak of HSU. So experienced leaders are stepping back. Skilled professionals reduce their hours and high-erforming employees turn down really wonderful opportunities or they just leave the workforce altogether. And it isn't a talent problem. It's a support problem. But without understanding and support, too many talented individuals are forced to step away from their careers and probably many that they actually love. So when when when people reduce their hours, step away from leadership opportunities or leave the workforce entirely, organizations don't just lose those valuable um individuals and their experience, they are losing productivity uh and the financial investment that that the company has also put into the individual and the talent that they have. And so just to quickly touch on what kind of the annual loss looks like uh economically within the within the workforce. Uh so you can see for three three of the company or countries that uh kind of apply to everyone here. [snorts] Uh this is the annual loss of uh of of money due to individuals stepping back from the workforce. uh and the cost of that gap is very significant and again this isn't about blaming anyone who is in this phase of their life and in the HSU. Uh really it's far from that. Uh this is just to point out that this loss is actually very preventable. Uh and it's just because the workforce is a system that was never designed to support any phase of life that is HSU. But the good news is we are not destined to lose our talent. Uh there is a change that is coming within companies. Um uh so 45% of employees in the United Kingdom now have HSU policies. Uh in the US they're doing more with uh insurance cover coverage. The Netherlands they have more well-being. Uh in Germany is also recognizing this kind of economical decrease and starting to create policies as well. And by creating policies it reduces the stigma. It makes it easier for people to ask for support before they reach the point of just pure exhaustion in leaving their jobs and stepping away. Uh so we don't need to oh sorry [clears throat] we need to humanize what billions of individuals are navigating while they can continue to contribute to the workforce. They lead teams. They bring their experience to the table. So, how do you really support someone that is in HSU? And there's so many things you can do. I have just listed just a few. Um, but the thing that's really important to remember is that it's not about having all the answers if you are supporting someone or fixing it. That's that's really not what we need. Um but what we do need is an environment that is created where we feel understood, we feel validated and we feel empowered. Um I think my husband will hate this but uh through through my journey I had an amazing support system. Um he never tried to fix anything. Uh he made me see uh feel loved and heard uh and seen and not alone. uh he put in the work to [snorts] educate himself and to learn about not only what I was going through but what all individuals go through so that he can be a support just beyond me uh but to also be there for others. So after the talk he will be out there if anybody wants to talk to him. So he doesn't know about that yet but it's probably better than pulling him up on stage and asking him to speak. So, he should be happy about that. Okay, so now it's time to start hacking the HSU, right? It's time to kind of tweak it to give it the update that it really clearly needs because working harder isn't the goal. I think plenty of us out there are maxed out as it is. So, it is really about working smarter. So, think of this as your open-source manual. ah see computer terms. Okay. So really what it comes down to is what you can do yourself uh what you can ask for uh different types of setups and solutions uh in medical and realistic uh steps that you can take. Uh I'm not going to go through every single one of these uh but I do have more information afterwards so that uh you can have that information to take with you. So if you uh want to take a picture of this that is uh that is good. Uh so on the physical hardware hacks it's about moving daily tracking your symptoms asking for a proper HSU uh review from your GP. um build your own care team and whatever that looks like whether it's uh your GP, it's your partner, it's your friends, but but build your team that feels right for you and talk about what uh hormonal and non hormonal options that you have and for the mental and emotional reprogramming. So one thing that I think is very important is to is to name it and just to say what it is that is going on. Uh you can ask for a mental health screening. Uh give yourself a little bit of grace. Um find your anchors in your life. Um but there's also outlets like therapy and mindfulness. Um there's sleep support that also can help network and relationship upgrades. Um just communicate what is going on. Um seek out sh seek out shared experiences. Uh again build your chosen family that's around you. Learn about HSU together. Like I said that was one of the most powerful things that my husband did was he just educated himself so that when I were I was in moments of just like throwing my hands up and saying I have no idea. He was there to kind of help guide and find support groups. There's plenty of them out there. Listen, we all need to talk about it. Sometimes it's over a glass of wine or a whole bottle of wine, but there are people to talk to about it. And then in the workplace um understand where your energy window is and then discuss with your workplace if you can do your work schedule around where you have your energy peaks and avoid maybe where you kind of find yourself in the valley of your energy. So change your work hours if you need to. Um, ask your work to change policies. Make policies. Be involved. Help them write the policies. And [snorts] if you have well-being days, use them. Like I said, you don't have to say, "I'm fine." You don't have to just cope. You don't have to push through. I mean, you have to take care of yourself first. So, putting your well-being over your job, yes, it's easier said than done, but it is possible. >> [snorts] >> So what else is important about hacking HSU is know what is going on in your in your country or where you live. Know what the standard of care is. Educate yourself as well so that you know how to better navigate the system. But com countries are really starting to make some really good strides forward in managing and caring for HSU. So many countries are starting to listen to the symptoms and they start treatment on how really it affects your life. Know who manages HSU? Is it your is it your GP? Uh is it a specialist? So figure out how you navigate into the right care and what is the standard of care with hormones versus non hormonal uh treatments. So So find out what the standard of care is within your country. So how to advocate for yourself? So it's different in every country the way to navigate this. Uh but the power that you have stays consistent no matter where you live. Uh and what is important in na in advocating for yourself is figure out what you can say what uh what you can bring with you to your appointments. uh what you can ask for and what are your rights. And if you start to build this, then you really are informed yourself. Then you can be clear, you can be persistent because yeah, your health is worth advocating for. So changing the conversation. So we really kind of inherited a a really crappy system that is built on uh bias uh gaps in data and research. Uh it's shaped by silence and it's also based in assumptions. But the opportunity we have the opportunity to start changing that by opening the conversation uh share experiences and design it for everyone who does experience HSU. So change doesn't require a revolution. It starts with our voices. My voice, your voice, our voices all together because silence is outdated and the community is the upgrade. So, [sighs] no one experiencing hormonal system update is broken, too dramatic, or just too much. That's not it. We are really navigating one of the biggest biological transitions that a human can experience. So advocate boldly, ask for what you need and support generously because this is a system update and together we are we are writing much better release notes. [applause] >> [applause]