The Dr. Jules Plant-Based Podcast
Hey, I’m Dr. Jules! I’m a medical doctor, teacher, nutritionist, naturopath, plant-based dad and 3X world championships qualified athlete. On this podcast we’ll discuss the latest in evidence-based and plant-based nutrition, including common nutrition myths, FAQs and tips on how to transition towards a healthier dietary pattern and lifestyle that creates little friction with your busy life!
The Dr. Jules Plant-Based Podcast
Beyond Hot Flashes: Understanding the Change and Thriving Through Menopause
Menopause represents a profound biological transition that affects millions of women, yet most enter this phase with more questions than answers. In this comprehensive two-part exploration, we break down what's actually happening in your body during perimenopause and menopause—and why symptoms like hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings, and weight gain aren't just things you need to "tough out."
The hormonal rollercoaster of menopause affects nearly every system in your body, from temperature regulation to mood, bone density, and cardiovascular health. As estrogen and progesterone production declines, the hypothalamus (your brain's thermostat) struggles to regulate body temperature, leading to those notorious hot flashes and night sweats. Sleep becomes disrupted as melatonin and serotonin levels fluctuate, creating a vicious cycle where poor sleep increases stress hormones that further worsen symptoms.
Beyond the immediate discomfort, menopause brings significant long-term health considerations. Post-menopausal women face increased risks of cardiovascular disease, accelerated bone loss, metabolic dysfunction, and even cognitive decline. But these changes aren't inevitable sentences—they're biological processes we can influence through both medical approaches and lifestyle modifications.
Modern hormone replacement therapy is much safer than many believe, especially when started before age 60. The six pillars of lifestyle medicine—nutrition, physical activity, sleep hygiene, stress management, avoiding risky substances, and social connection—provide powerful tools for managing symptoms and protecting long-term health. A plant-predominant diet rich in phytoestrogens, combined with regular resistance training and stress reduction techniques, creates a foundation for thriving through this transition.
Menopause isn't the end of vitality—it's the beginning of a potentially powerful new chapter that deserves science, support, and solidarity. With knowledge as your compass and practical strategies as your toolkit, you can navigate this transition with confidence rather than confusion. Your best years aren't behind you—they're unfolding right now.
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Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules
Hey everyone, welcome to Season 2 of the Dr Jules Plant-Based Podcast, where we discuss everything from plant-based nutrition to the main pillars of lifestyle medicine style medicine. Yo, plant-based buddies, welcome back to another episode of the podcast. Today we're going to be talking about menopause. We're going to break down this very misunderstood, misrepresented and under-researched condition in two parts. Part one understanding the change. So if you've ever experienced hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings or weight gain, this episode is for you, and if you live with someone who's experiencing these symptoms, you may want to tune in as well. So for millions of women, these symptoms aren't just getting older. They're signs of biological transition that deserves more respect, more clarity and more support. Now here's the reality. Most women enter menopause with more questions than answers. Medical appointments are rushed, treatment plans are inconsistent and our cultural narrative paints menopause as the end of vitality instead of what it actually is A new phase of strength, self-knowledge and liberation. But only if we understand what's going on inside of the body. Today, we'll talk about the hormonal rollercoaster that is menopause and we'll explain what's happening biochemically and, I'll hope, to give you the knowledge you need to take control of this transition instead of just surviving it. If we start by defining our terms. Menopause is defined as 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. Typically, it occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, but the average age is 51 to 52. Perimenopause represents the years leading up to menopause, when hormones begin to fluctuate. Very often, this is when the symptoms start In terms of the hormonal shift. As women age, the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen and less progesterone, and this decline affects nearly every system of the body, from temperature regulation to mood, to bone density, to cardiovascular health and risk factors. But menopause is not a disease. It's a natural biological transition. But that doesn't make the symptoms any easier to deal with. Now, in terms of these symptoms and why they happen hot flashes occur because estrogen influenced the hypothalamus and that's your brain's thermostat, and as estrogen declines, heat regulation gets chaotic. Now, in terms of night sweats, it's the same mechanism, it just happens at night. And in terms of sleep disturbance, well, melatonin and serotonin can also drop with estrogen and this worsens sleep. And very often these causes or these symptoms, they cause stress, which can, in return, increase stress. Hormones like cortisol, and having high levels of cortisol before going to bed is going to lead to less sleep in terms of quantity and in terms of quality, and the vicious circle begins Now in terms of mood swings and anxiety. Even on top of the poor sleep, estrogen impacts dopamine and serotonin pathways directly and indirectly. In terms of brain fog, cognitive processing can also dip temporarily during this transition. For all of the hormonal shifts that I've already mentioned.
Speaker 1:In terms of weight gain, low estrogen will shift fat storage patterns towards storing more visceral fat than subcutaneous fat. It can lead to insulin resistance and increased metabolic dysfunction diabetes. We know that visceral fat is more inflammatory and this increases the risk of pretty much all types of chronic diseases of pretty much all types of chronic diseases. Now, if we consider vaginal symptoms or urinary symptoms, often combined under the name of genitourinary syndrome, we have loss of libido, we have vaginal dryness, we have urinary incontinence, all caused by the drops in estrogen. It leads to less lubrication and thinning of vaginal tissues. Now these symptoms are real, they're not in your head and you don't just have to tough it out. We actually have possible alternatives or solutions that may improve your quality of life. Now, on top of the acute symptoms that menopause can cause, it's important to know that it can also increase long-term risks of chronic diseases. Now, estrogen protects blood vessels and after menopause, cardiovascular risk rises sharply. And estrogen also plays a very important role in maintaining your bone density. Post-menopause women can lose up to 20% of bone mass within 5-7 years. Estrogen helps regulate glucose metabolism, can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and then type 2 diabetes, which severely impacts the risk of other chronic diseases. And estrogen also plays a role in protecting your brain. So Alzheimer's disease is much more common in postmenopausal women and we can see cognitive decline being accelerated once women reach the postmenopausal state.
Speaker 1:What about practical strategies? What can be done to alleviate these symptoms? Now here's what we know works and what you can maybe start exploring today. Start by tracking your symptoms. Using an app or a journal to note patterns is very useful for you and for your doctor. Knowledge is power, and I encourage my patients to download either a period tracker or a menopause symptom tracker. Knowing how your symptoms evolve means knowing how your hormones fluctuate, so it's very important to have that baseline because after three to four months of patterns, we're able to predict how certain symptoms will either evolve and get better or get worse, and if we should be treating them or not.
Speaker 1:Now I really want you to ask about hormone therapy or HRT, now. Modern HRT is much safer than many people think, especially when started before age 60. It can help with symptoms and long-term health. But unfortunately, the Y study created some phobias of replacing hormones and for years, women were left to suffer and to tolerate symptoms that do not need to be toughed out. Now, nowadays, we've reviewed these studies, we've conducted new ones and we know that modern hormone replacement therapy can be used safely in the vast majority of women who have no contraindications, and this improves health and improves chronic disease risk and long-term health outcomes.
Speaker 1:Now, if you think you're entering your post-menopausal era, consider getting blood work done not just hormone levels, but also cholesterol, fasting, glucose, thyroid levels, maybe even vitamin D. And if you really want to improve your symptoms, it's time to double down on prioritizing sleep Now, even if it's disrupted, set a schedule. And if you're really serious about improving your sleep, consider going back and listening to my episode on sleep. We'll talk about how sleep stages evolve into sleep cycles and how different stages have different roles in body repair and in emotional repair, and how we can go about having a better night's sleep. And also, if you're entering your peri or post-menopausal era, consider building a team around you, find a provider who knows about menopause and HRT, read up online, write down a set of questions that you want to make sure to have answered. Knowledge is power, and having knowledge about what's happening inside your body will empower you to make better decisions and more personalized decisions about your health. Now, if you're going through menopause, or even just approaching it, I want you to know you're not broken and you're not past your prime. You're stepping into a possibly a powerful phase of life and, with knowledge and support and the right tools, you can feel vibrant, clear and in control.
Speaker 1:Menopause is not just something you need to tough out. It actually can help, and there are a lot of lifestyle changes that we'll discuss in part two that can help as well. We have a lot of different tools that can help with menopausal symptoms. We have hormone replacement therapy, medications like venlafaxine, gabapentin a lot of different things can help. A lot of different things can help. But what if I told you that menopause relief wasn't just found in a pill, but in your plate, in your sleep, your sneakers and even in your social life? So in this part two, we are going to explore the six evidence-based pillars of lifestyle medicine that can help you thrive during menopause and not just survive.
Speaker 1:Now here's the thing Menopause isn't just about estrogen. It's about the body recalibrating itself after decades of hormonal balance. And while hormone therapy medications can help, they won't address the root causes of inflammation, poor sleep, insulin resistance or mood swings. And that's where lifestyle medicine comes in, as an adjunct to therapy, something you use with modern medicines and not just instead. Now, these aren't band-aids. Instead, these aren't band-aids, these are tools, real, practical, powerful strategies backed by science and rooted in your daily habits. Your lifestyle can absolutely improve or worsen menopausal symptoms.
Speaker 1:Now, what about nutrition? Now, what about nutrition? Remember that food is information, and menopause is the perfect time to re-evaluate your diet, because food directly influences hormones, inflammation, gut health and mood. Fiber from whole plants not only helps regulate estrogen metabolites and supports healthy weight, it actually gets fermented by the good gut bugs in our microbiome, and then they reward us by producing short-chain fatty acids that get reabsorbed into our circulation, cross the blood-brain barrier and impact pretty much every metabolic process we have, from weight to hunger, to metabolism, to mood. And let's not forget about phytoestrogens that are found in soy, flax and lentils. They bind to estrogen receptors, act like CIRMs or selective estrogen receptor modulators, and may even reduce hot flashes. And let's not forget that a whole food, plant-based diet is an anti-inflammatory diet and has been shown to reduce joint pain, improve mood and stabilize everything from inflammation to blood sugar. And two nutrients crucial for the postmenopausal female are calcium and vitamin D, both crucial for bone health, and we could probably include vitamin K2, although it's less studied, still crucial for bone health. Now, a plant-predominant diet isn't just safe for menopause, it's ideal.
Speaker 1:Other than nutrition, physical activity plays a major role in managing postmenopausal symptoms and I tell my patients to move to balance their hormones, and exercise is one of the most powerful hormone balancers we have. Exercising reduces hot flashes and night sweats, it boosts mood and cognition via serotonin and dopamine, and it helps build lean muscle, which tend to decline after menopause. It protects against osteoporosis by stressing the bones and it reduces the rates of heart disease, which tend to go up in post-menopause. My tip would be to combine resistance training, at least 2-3 times a week, with aerobic activities like low, steady state cardio, for example, at about 150 minutes per week. Muscles aren't just meant to make you move. When you contract them and you stress them, they produce myokines, anti-inflammatory compounds that impact a ton of metabolic processes, from mood to anxiety, to concentration and to metabolic health.
Speaker 1:Another very important tool in the postmenopausal toolbox is sleep, and sleep disruption is one of the top complaints during menopause and one of the most under addressed Now. The estrogen and progesterone decline that you see in the postmenopausal state directly influence melatonin and GABA, and these are both key sleep regulators. This worsens insulin resistance, inflammation, mood swings, increases cardiovascular risk, cancer risk. If you're not sleeping well, inflammation gets worse and then sleep gets worse and you enter into this vicious circle. If you're trying to improve your sleep, remember to avoid caffeine and alcohol in the afternoon. Cool your bedroom and consider relaxation tools like breath work or yoga, meditation, reading a book, limiting blue light exposure and maybe increasing the amount of magnesium-rich foods in your diet.
Speaker 1:The goal is to slow down your sympathetic nervous system and increase parasympathetic tone or traffic through the vagus nerve, which puts you in this rest and relax state. Now, people that have a lot of stress tend to be in the sympathetic fight or flight state. Stress increases stress hormones and this can be your worst enemy during menopause. Chronic stress amplifies everything from hot flashes to fatigue to emotional reactivity, and it hijacks your sleep and actually worsens belly fat. High cortisol levels will shuttle fat storage away from subcutaneous stores into visceral fat the fat that you accumulate inside of organs around them in your belly. Visceral fat is much more harmful to increase inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases. So try to find stress management tools like breath work, the box, breathing, mindfulness, journaling or walking in nature, and make sure to set boundaries and give yourself permission to slow down. Now, if you don't manage stress, your hormones will manage you.
Speaker 1:Also watch out for risky substances. Now this is not just about avoiding cigarettes. It's also about minimizing the substances known to disrupt hormones or to worsen symptoms. Alcohol increases night sweats, sleep disturbance. Ultra-processed foods will disrupt gut health and blood sugar. Caffeine can worsen anxiety and also interfere with sleep. So if these substances are playing a role in your diet, maybe consider reducing or limiting them before going to medication.
Speaker 1:Now let's not forget the underrated hormone regulator, social connection and one of the most protective factors for women. Health in menopause is connecting with other people. It reduces cortisol, it increases oxytocin, the anti-stress and pro-love hormone, and it decreases the rates of depression and cognitive decline. So to connect with more people, consider volunteering, consider a walking group, maybe start a menopause circle for mutual support and spend intentional time with friends and try to laugh more often. Now let's be clear there's no magic fix, but there is a formula and it's in your habits.
Speaker 1:These six pillars won't just help you manage menopause. Hopefully they'll help rewrite what it means to be in this phase of life Better energy, better sleep, better mood, better bones, less brain fog and, most of all, clarity that your best years are not behind you. But you need to change. You need to see the power of lifestyle habits Now. Menopause deserves science, support, solidarity, more research and remember that you're strong, you're smart, you're still evolving.
Speaker 1:This is not the end. It's the beginning of the next beautiful chapter. There's a reason that women are the ones making babies and bringing them to life and going through menopause. The men in your life won't admit it, but you are so, so strong and so much stronger than we are. I've seen women deliver babies, go through menopause, go through cancer and come back the other side stronger than ever. So make sure to advocate for yourself.
Speaker 1:Track your symptoms, track your menstrual periods, get to know your body so that you can recognize when it starts to change. Ask questions, seek answers and make sure that menopausal symptoms are not taken lightly. You deserve to live a high quality of life, but managing menopausal symptoms starts with you. It starts with eating better and exercising more, managing stress and sleep and connection, and avoiding substances that are known to worsen symptoms. And after that or with that, consider hormone replacement therapy. Modern therapies are much safer than you think and, for a lot of women, are much safer than you think, and for a lot of women, they give them their life back Right on. Thanks so much for listening. I hope you've learned something that will help you manage the menopausal transition better. Take care, we'll see you at the next episode. Peace, hey, everyone, go check out my website, peace.
