Menopause is not likely on your radar, but perimenopausal symptoms can begin 10-15 years before your final period (in your late 30s). This is the perfect time to learn about your hormones, what to expect as they begin to change and what in your environment might disrupt them; why and how to chart your cycles; and which health investments you should make in your health now for a smoother transition later (for example, being strategic about laser hair removal).

Perimenopause is likely in full swing, and life is probably brimming with activity. You may feel like you have no time for yourself. Learn about your hormones and the symptoms of withdrawal, ask your burning questions about HRT, check in on your pelvic floor, find practical solutions to disruptive symptoms, and most importantly, address the stress that can negatively amplify your transition.

The average age of menopause is 51. This stage is not simply the end of your cycles, every part of you can be impacted. Make it your villain era. Practice radical self-care; know the significant health risks associated with estrogen withdrawal —heart disease, osteoporosis, dementia, body composition changes— and what to do to manage them; check in on your pelvic floor; update your sex ed. for the changes in store; reflect on your role in society and what you want moving forward.

Your final cycle is well behind you, but you still want to manage your post-meopausal health strategically. Bones, muscles, brain, bladder, heart, and, sex, nutrition, exercise are all important. You deserve the best information that represents your body. Women often stop seeing a gynaecologist just at the time when the most issues crop up. You should not accept reductions in quality of life —like incontinence, vulvar pain, UTIs, or even decreasing bone mass— as simply the result of aging.