{"id":236656,"date":"2025-09-18T15:31:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T15:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/236656\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T15:31:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T15:31:20","slug":"perimenopause-and-menopause-are-having-a-moment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/236656\/","title":{"rendered":"Perimenopause and menopause are having a moment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Write to us at startingpoint@globe.com<\/a>. To subscribe, sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Perimenopause and menopause, once verboten topics, are now garnering more headlines than Taylor Swift\u2019s wedding<\/a>. There has never been a more socially acceptable time to be middle-aged.<\/p>\n

A quick medical primer: Perimenopause<\/b> is the transition into menopause. It often starts in the mid-40s, though it can begin earlier. There\u2019s a bouillabaisse of symptoms as hormones fluctuate, from night sweats and hot flashes to erratic periods, weight gain, and mood swings. Menopause<\/b> is when you\u2019ve gone 12 months without a period. Some call this reverse puberty; my colleague Brooke Hauser calls it an emotional mosh pit<\/a>.<\/p>\n

My generation didn\u2019t invent this timeless passage \u2014 about 1.3 million women enter menopause every year \u2014 but we\u2019re the first to be so vocal about it. Women feel more comfortable sharing symptoms and asking for relief. Companies are taking notice and adding workplace benefits to help employees manage symptoms. For years, treatment was plagued by flawed research<\/a>, connecting hormone therapy to elevated health risks. Finally, these myths are being dispelled<\/a>, with meaningful consequences.<\/p>\n

States are taking action. This summer, Rhode Island became the first state to require employers to provide workplace accommodations<\/a> for job applicants and employees experiencing menopause and menopause-related medical conditions. <\/p>\n

Maine enacted a law that requires enhanced training<\/a> for medical professionals and more accessible treatment options for women. California and New Jersey have similar legislation<\/a> pending. Five states introduced legislation that would mandate insurance coverage for menopause care; Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed that state\u2019s bill<\/a> into law in July.<\/p>\n

In Illinois, Oct. 12-18 is now Menopause Awareness Week<\/a>, thanks to a recently passed bill<\/a>. (A similar bill, introduced in Nevada, would have designated October as Menopause Awareness Month, but was vetoed by Governor Joe Lombardo, who has clearly never dealt with night sweats.)<\/p>\n

Last year, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts launched an online support group<\/a> specifically for employees experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Local tech startups are capitalizing on the shift. Here in Boston, Embr Labs is designing a wristband<\/a> to help cool body temperature for women experiencing hot flashes.<\/p>\n

What your grandmother used to call \u201cthe change\u201d has even become a cottage industry for influencers, luxury resorts, and food products. Why not travel to the Maldives<\/a> for menopause therapy? Or rearrange your social media feeds to follow charismatic physician influencers such as Mary Claire Haver<\/a>, who share intel on supplements and nutrition, making middle-age appear almost covetable?<\/p>\n

And lest we forget that muscle mass takes a dive during menopause, it\u2019s important to boost our protein intake. For more on this trend, check out my pal Beth Teitell\u2019s meaty dive into the topic: \u201cProtein mania: Why everyone\u2019s eating like a linebacker now<\/a>.\u201d (She also has interesting things to say about weighted vests<\/a>, an accessory I have yet to try. Maybe for my next birthday.)<\/p>\n

Of course, some charlatans want to exploit the menopause momentum. Scams abound, so much so that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a primer<\/a> on how to detect menopause misinformation, with warnings about the proliferation of unregulated dietary supplements and TikTok influencers who tout hormone therapy without the proper credentials. <\/p>\n

As for me: I\u2019ve written about how overwhelmed<\/a> I sometimes feel by the barrage of medical advice cluttering my social media feeds. It\u2019s tempting to wonder if my limp hair is from perimenopause or cheap shampoo. Sometimes I question whether I\u2019m screaming at my kids due to fluctuating hormones or because nobody in my house can put away their shoes. Often, I sit and wonder: Could an estrogen patch make all my problems melt away?<\/p>\n

But, like anything else, it\u2019s complicated. Women need to be discerning consumers. What\u2019s right for your friend with night sweats might not be best for you with erratic periods. Commercialization is a risk whenever an issue finally gets mainstream attention.<\/p>\n

But perimenopause and menopause are more than trends, and we have to separate the hormones from the hype. If I ever get a straight eight hours of sleep again, I just might have the brainpower to do it.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udde9 3 Down:<\/b> Saturate (with)<\/a> | \u2601\ufe0f 76\u00b0<\/b> Cloudy but warm<\/a><\/p>\n

\"CherylCheryl Lloyd, center, lives apart from her children\u00a0because she can\u2019t afford an apartment big enough for them all in Randolph, a Boston suburb that has the highest eviction rate of any Massachusetts community.Erin Clark\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n

Where to go? <\/b>Black families fled to Randolph to escape Boston\u2019s competitive housing market. Now, many face high rents \u2014 and high risk of eviction<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Lawsuit: <\/b>Marwa Khudaynazar, a fired City Hall employee, sued Mayor Michelle Wu and her administration<\/a>, alleging retaliation after Khudaynazar accused a top Wu aide of misconduct.<\/p>\n

Vaccine access:<\/b> Governor Maura Healey pledged that Massachusetts residents would still be able to get routine childhood immunizations<\/a> even if a federal advisory committee, which meets today, recommends limiting access.<\/p>\n

Ralph de la Torre: <\/b>Steward Health Care\u2019s former CEO sued 20 US senators last year for holding him in contempt after he failed to comply with a subpoena. A judge threw out the case<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Drought conditions worsen:<\/b> Worcester and Natick have prohibited \u201cnonessential outdoor water uses\u201d<\/a> and Massachusetts officials recommend that residents elsewhere conserve water.<\/p>\n

Extinct: <\/b>The chairman of Massachusetts\u2019 Fisheries and Wildlife Board resigned, citing internal disputes<\/a> and arguing the state isn\u2019t committing enough money to achieve its biodiversity goals.<\/p>\n

Get \u2019em before they\u2019re gone: <\/b>With federal tax breaks on electric vehicles expiring at the end of the month, consumers across the country are scrambling for bargains<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Trump vs. wind power: <\/b>The administration claims it halted a nearly complete Rhode Island offshore wind farm last month because the developers left unanswered questions<\/a> about its impact on national defense and federal scientific surveys. The developers are challenging the halt in court.<\/p>\n

Mahmoud Khalil: <\/b>An immigration judge ordered the pro-Palestinian activist, a US legal permanent resident whom ICE arrested earlier this year, deported to Syria or Algeria for failing to disclose information on his green card application. Khalil\u2019s lawyers have suggested they\u2019ll appeal. (Politico<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Speaking out: <\/b>Bernie Sanders of Vermont became the first US senator to call Israel\u2019s war in Gaza a \u201cgenocide.\u201d (Axios<\/a>) And Jerry Greenfield left Ben & Jerry\u2019s, the <\/b>ice cream company he co-founded, alleging that its parent company, Unilever, stopped him from speaking out<\/a> about Gaza and other issues.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf42 Picture perfect: <\/b>Visit Lincoln, N.H., and these other New England towns that are p<\/a>erfect for peeping at fall foliage.<\/a> Or stay local and savor Boston\u2019s lofty views and scenic strolls<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfb2 Your move:<\/b> It\u2019s okay to act like a sociopath \u2014 at least while you\u2019re playing board games with your friends. (Atlantic<\/a> \ud83c\udf81) <\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf0a Making a splash: <\/b>Red Bull\u2019s Cliff Diving World Series returns to Boston tomorrow and Saturday for its final round of competition. Competitors will dive into the harbor<\/a> from platforms atop the Institute of Contemporary Art.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc67 Gender gap: <\/b>The Connally family of Canaan, N.H., is celebrating the arrival of a baby girl \u2014 the first to be born into the family in 111 years. (WMUR<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa Supplanted:<\/b> If you think FX\u2019s \u201cThe Bear\u201d is TV\u2019s most anxiety-inducing restaurant drama, you\u2019ve got the wrong woodland creature. Netflix\u2019s \u201cBlack Rabbit,\u201d<\/a> out today, serves up high blood pressure as an appetizer and a panic attack for dessert, writes TV critic Chris Vognar.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcd5 Ben Shattuck: <\/b>A movie adaptation of the New England writer\u2019s acclaimed short story is already generating Oscar buzz, but that doesn\u2019t mean Shattuck has gone Hollywood. See the small, cluttered South Dartmouth hut<\/a> where he writes.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfe0 Who needs homeownership? <\/b>He\u2019s 37 and shares an apartment with two roommates. It\u2019s one of the best decisions he\u2019s ever made<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Thanks for reading Starting Point.<\/p>\n

This newsletter was edited by Teresa Hanafin<\/a> and Andrew Caffrey<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2753 Have a question for the team? Email us at startingpoint@globe.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u270d\ud83c\udffc If someone sent you this newsletter, you can sign up for your own copy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcec Delivered Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n

Kara Baskin can be reached at kara.baskin@globe.com<\/a>. Follow her @kcbaskin<\/a>.<\/p>\n