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16 January 2026

Menopause — a truth worth knowing

Menopause is a natural stage in a woman's life, not a disease or "the end of form."

It's a process in which hormones (especially estrogen and progesterone) stop being produced regularly, affecting almost every system in the body.

Dr. Stacy Sims explains it as “reverse puberty” — just as hormones controlled changes in youth, their absence now alters the body's functions.

 

 

 

 

👆Recommended podcast:Menopause is not a sentence – how to take control of changes in your body.

 

🔎 Symptoms – in the body and beyond

 

🚺 Common menopause symptoms

  • hot flashes and night sweats

  • sleep disturbances

  • fatigue and mood swings

  • increased fat tissue (especially abdominal)

  • slower metabolism

  • decreased strength and endurance

  • brain fog / difficulty concentrating

📌 Symptoms result from hormonal changes and shifts in metabolic signals throughout the body.

 

🦴 Additional complaints that are often not discussed

It's worth emphasizing that menopause also affects soft tissues and joints — which some may experience as:

  • pain and stiffness in joints

  • ligament issues

  • shoulder discomfort (e.g., frozen shoulder)

  • plantar tendon pain (fasciitis)

It's not just "overuse" — estrogen helps maintain flexibility and hydration of fascia, tendons, and ligaments, so its decline contributes to stiffness and discomfort. Here, I based it on physiological knowledge about estrogen and connective tissues (e.g., its role in collagen and regeneration) — which comes from general medical research.

 

🧬 Why does this happen?

What underlies the symptoms?

 

Hormones such as estrogen are key biological signals:

  • they regulate glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity,

  • support muscle recovery,

  • provide protective effects on bones and connective tissue,

  • modulate thermoregulation (hence the hot flashes).

When their levels drop:

✔ the nervous and muscular systems "lose conductivity,"

✔ metabolism slows down,

✔ efforts yield different results than before.

 

💪 Training – a key tool for adaptation

Dr. Sims emphasizes that this is the most important "over-the-counter medicine", which:

  • releases signals from the nervous system to the muscles,

  • enhances strength and coordination,

  • affects metabolism and body composition.

 

🏋️‍♀️ What specifically works?

🔹 Strength training (resistance / weight)

  • a few repetitions with a heavier load yield better results than hours of cardio.

  • improves neuromuscular communication.

  • counteracts muscle and bone loss.

🔹 Intensive sprints / short breaks instead of long cardio sessionsDr. Sims points out that long cardio sessions, especially on an empty stomach, may not work optimally and can even raise cortisol, which is not beneficial during menopause.

👉 You don't have to train for hours — just a shorter, well-planned effort is enough instead of an hour of "heart-pounding."

 

🍽️ Nutrition that supports the body

The podcast emphasizes that diet is not just about calories, but the type and timing of meals.

Key rules:

  • Don't train on an empty stomach — getting up and doing cardio right away without fuel hinders recovery and adaptation.

  • Protein in every meal — supports the rebuilding of muscles that estrogen previously protected.

  • Carbohydrates consumed around workouts — help performance and recovery.

  • Healthy fats and micronutrients (e.g., omega-3, vitamin D) — helpful for the nervous system and bones, among other things.

 

🧘 Sleep, temperature, and stress

Many podcast listeners reported typical sleep problems and hot flashes. Dr. Sims said that one can build habits that help alleviate them, including:

  • cooling the body before sleep,

  • relaxation techniques,

  • mindful meal and supplement planning.

 

🔗 ARTICLE SOURCES

Podcast / main source:

Episode page (Mel Robbins Podcast – Dr. Stacy Sims):2. https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-361/

Additional scientific and expert sources (content supplement):

 

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