Rewriting Your Menopause Journey, Part 2: What to Expect

Posted: September 27, 2025 | By: Shanon Peckham

From perimenopause to menopause and postmenopause, the “pause” journey isn’t just one thing – it’s a natural, whole-body transition that marks the start of a new, empowered chapter in a woman’s life. Last blog, we discussed the importance of perspective and taking your needs seriously (especially if others don’t). Today, we’re taking a look at the changes you can expect to go through, what symptoms you can get ahead of early, and which relief solutions work with our bodies to make “the big M” a little bit easier.

If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, make sure to check it out before you dive into the details with us!

Menopause 101

Menopause is a natural “pause” your body needs to recalibrate for life after your reproductive years. The good and bad news is: it shouldn’t take you by surprise. Though menopause is officially marked by an absence of menstrual periods (for at least a year) and usually occurs around age 50, you’ll likely experience symptoms for years before and after this point. Perimenopause, the phase leading up to menopause, can start as early as your 30s and last for a full decade! Likewise, even after you stop having periods (postmenopause), you may continue to experience symptoms (though hopefully to a lesser degree).^1,2

There are a wide variety of symptoms you may experience, most of which occur due to fluctuating hormone levels. As your body prepares to stop menstruation altogether, you’ll likely experience irregular periods, hot/cold flashes, night sweats, a more urgent need to pee, breast soreness, more intense PMS, and an overall feeling of dryness in the body. Insomnia, irritability, mood swings, and depression are also common; others may experience a racing heart, headaches, joint/muscle aches, changes in libido, memory challenges, weight gain, and hair loss/change.^1,2

You’ll probably experience many of these, plus additional symptoms, at varying intensity levels. While it’s important to check in with your doctor as you go through this transition, know that you’re not alone and that you always have options for relief (including holistic support and second opinions). Everyone will have a different menopause experience unique to their body and lifestyle, and that’s completely normal.

Coping with Symptoms

While the symptoms of menopause may be uncomfortable, burdening, or even worrisome at times, there are a lot of ways you can work with your body to create a more comfortable, empowering journey. Everyday choices you make add up, for both your overall health and how your symptoms manifest. We realize it may be unrealistic to avoid/maintain certain habits over the years, but we hope this info can help you get ahead of things and better pick your battles!

Use Youngevity’s pillars of better health to explore and address specific symptom triggers:

Nutrition – Eating a nutrient-rich diet can set you up for better energy, healthy aging, and a more comfortable menopause journey. Prioritizing calcium and vitamin D-rich foods/supplements can help offset menopause-related bone loss, while soy products may reduce the severity of hot flashes and night sweats.³ On the flip side, certain items like spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol can trigger or intensify hot flashes.³ Carb-heavy meals like spaghetti can pack on the pounds more than usual (thanks to menopause-related changes to metabolism³), so it’s best to limit carbs where you can. How often and how much protein you get is also key, especially as you age – make sure you’re getting a decent amount of lean protein every few hours to support a healthy metabolism and ensure good muscle mass.⁴

Need inspo? Check out our YFast and Easy Eats™ recipe libraries!

Exercise – Graceful aging and daily movement go hand-in-hand. Regular exercise not only helps us maintain a healthy weight/appearance, boosts our mood/brain health, improves our sleep, builds/maintains crucial muscle mass, and strengthens joints – it can also decrease the severity of menopause symptoms.^5,6,7

Get back into the swing of things with these easy, accessible workouts!

Sleep – A good night’s sleep offers many of the same health and longevity benefits as exercise: more energy, improved cognitive performance, uplifted mood, improved communication, and optimal health for many vital body systems⁸ – not to mention an easier time with menopause symptoms.⁹ With menopause-related disruptions and insomnia potentially wreaking havoc on your sleep schedule,² it may be a good idea to revisit our Build a Better Sleep Routine in 5 Easy Steps blog and learn more about our Beyond Sleep System at youngevity.com.

Lifestyle – Healthy living and planning ahead can really make a difference when it comes to menopause symptoms. First of all, there’s nothing stopping you from bolstering your overall health and getting ahead of symptoms before perimenopause or menopause begins. For example: if you’re concerned about dry, aged-looking skin, you can get in the practice of drinking more water, boosting your microbiome with fiber and probiotics, and supplementing natural collagen loss while you’re still in your 30s and early 40s.¹⁰ You can also work on reducing your exposure to harmful things in your environment (air pollution/smoke, chemicals, artificial ingredients, etc¹¹) and transitioning away from bad habits (late-night snacking, doomscrolling, ignoring mental health needs, etc) ahead of time to save yourself the trouble (and long-term side effects).

Tracking your symptoms can also help you look after better health and comfort during your “pause” journey. As soon as you begin to notice new symptoms, we recommend taking detailed notes, talking to your doctor or another licensed professional, and making a plan of attack. If hot flashes are your primary symptom, you may want to avoid the heat or dress in layers to make sure you can easily stay comfortable no matter what the weather is like.

The point is: It’s never too late to take control and empower yourself with practical, holistic solutions that work for YOU.

Additional Relief Options

Hormone therapy (AKA: HT, HRT, HMT) can help with menopause symptoms by supplementing the hormones your body isn’t generating enough of during the change.¹² It’s a life-changing treatment for many women, but it’s not for everyone. This treatment has had a bad rap on and off again since its approval by the FDA in the 1940s. As clinical trials scaled up over the years, more risks came to light, which understandably scared off a lot of potential participants.¹³ To sum up what the experts say today: Hormone therapy is generally considered safe, but it does come with some risks (especially for women over age 60 or those with preexisting conditions).^12,13,14 It’s also not a one-size-fits-all situation; if you’re interested in this type of therapy, you’ll need to create a treatment plan with your doctor that takes your unique health history into account.

There are also many non-hormone relief options to consider. There are a handful of prescription medications that can help with symptoms like hot flashes, depression/anxiety, or an overactive bladder.^2,15 Black cohosh and wild yam root have both been studied to relieve menopause symptoms.^1,15,16,17

Here at Youngevity, we offer a wide variety of research-backed, plant-based women’s health and relief support products, including our new Complete Women’s Health System: HOPE. This 3-product system is designed not only to address the underlying causes of uncomfortable menopause symptoms, but also to provide a strong foundation for healthy aging and longevity. Whether you’re peri, meno, or post-“pause”, you can support better health, comfort, and boost your inner light with the right nutrition.

Here’s a breakdown of each formula:

Women’s Probiotic COMPLETE – Delivers the key probiotics you need to support both a healthy, balanced gut and vaginal microbiota.

Rejuvenate, Rewind, Restore – Featuring premium research-backed vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other key nutrients (like Fisetin and D-Ribose), this product is your all-in-one holistic cellular health and longevity support solution.

Life Balance Menopause Support – Each capsule delivers targeted nutrients – including research-backed botanicals like Siberian Rhubarb, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids – known to help address the key symptoms of menopause.