Medicine with Meaning
Medicine with Meaning is the podcast for people who believe health is more than lab results and quick fixes. Hosted by Dr. Julie Taw – a physician who blends clinical expertise with a soulful lens – this show explores the connection between body, mind, and spirit. Each episode unpacks the science behind your symptoms while uncovering the deeper meaning they carry for your life, purpose, and growth.
Listeners walk away with evidence-based strategies they can trust, paired with heart-centered wisdom they can feel. It’s medicine that heals not just the body, but the whole self.
Medicine with Meaning
Understanding Perimenopause: Navigating Hormonal Shifts and Supporting Your Well-Being Ecosystem
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Welcome to another episode of Medicine with Meaning. Today, Dr. Julie Taw dives into a topic that impacts countless women but is often misunderstood and rarely discussed, perimenopause. In this candid conversation, she unravels what perimenopause really is, how it differs from menopause, and why symptoms like mood swings, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and brain fog can catch women by surprise. You'll hear why the changes women experience in midlife are about more than just hormones, and how tending to the whole "well-being ecosystem"including nervous system health, stress, nutrition, and sleep can make this transition less overwhelming. Whether you're going through perimenopause yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode aims to bring clarity, compassion, and practical tips to help make sense of an important life stage.
00:00 Understanding perimenopause changes
05:35 Understanding perimenopause symptoms
10:03 Midlife hormonal and metabolic changes
12:21 Prioritizing health in midlife
16:16 Understanding hormonal fluctuations and women's health
18:06 Adjusting habits for midlife changes
23:58 Discussing menopause support
26:37 Tapping into personal wisdom
30:09 Embracing change and adaptation
33:57 Embracing personal growth post-menopause
35:47 Managing perimenopause without hormones
41:43 Understanding perimenopause and support
43:19 Discussing perimenopause support
Show Website - https://medicinewithmeaning.com/
Dr. Julie Taw's Clinic Website - https://julietawmd.com/
Free Guide - https://go.julietawmd.com/reset
Dr. Julie Taw's Instagram - @julie.taw.md
Media/Podcast Partner: TopHealth - www.tophealth.care
“Disclaimer: Informational only. Not medical advice. Consult your doctor for guidance.”
Hormonal shifts influence the brain, the nervous system, sleep quality, stress tolerance. A woman may suddenly feel more anxious, less patient, because this often happens in the middle of a very full season of life with work, caregiving, family, accumulated stress. Sometimes it's not one dramatic symptom, it's more that the whole system feels less forgiving. They used to bounce back from now hit them harder. That's often how women describe it. Everything feels harder than it used to be a good idea. I'm Dr. Julie Ta, and I'm so glad you're here. So in recent episodes, we've been exploring the different ways our bodies and lives begin asking for change during midlife from energy shifts to connection and of course nervous system support. Today I want to talk about something that many women are experiencing but often don't fully understand until they're in it, and that's the topic of perimenopause. This phase can bring changes in mood, sleep, energy, metabolism, and how your body responds to stress. And yet so many women are told that what they're experiencing is just part of getting older. My hope today is to bring clarity, reassurance, and a better understanding of what's actually happening in the body during this transition. Let's dive in.
SPEAKER_00Dr. Julius, nice to see you again. Um let's start with the basics. What exactly is perimenopause and how is it different from menopause?
SPEAKER_01Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause. It's the phase when hormone patterns begin shifting, especially estrogen and progesterone. But cycles have not fully stopped yet. Menopause is technically reached when you've gone twelve full months without a menstrual period. What's important to understand is that perimenopause can begin years before menopause. And during that time, women may already be experiencing symptoms, even if they're still getting periods. That's part of why it can feel confusing. You may still be cycling, but your body is no longer operating the same way it used to.
SPEAKER_00What are some of the earliest signs women may notice even before their cycles begin changing significantly?
SPEAKER_01So for many women, the earliest signs are not always the obvious ones. It may not start with missed periods. It may start with uh, for instance, sleep feeling lighter or more disrupted. It may be irritability or more anxiety. Some women may feel less resilient to stress, others may feel more PMS, more fatigue, or changes in body composition. And some may just feel like their system is suddenly less steady. Some women notice they're more reactive, others feel more depleted. Or some say, I just don't feel like myself, but I can't explain why. So these changes are often the beginning, and these shifts can be very subtle at first, but they're certainly real.
SPEAKER_00And so you've mentioned that menopause is considered after you have twelve months without getting a period, right? And how would you know when perimenopause is starting? Is there a way to measure that?
SPEAKER_01So there's no real blood test to measure perimenopause. Um, you know, there may be some shifts in the hormones, and you can measure that. You know, typically progesterone levels start to decline, and that may be an early clue, but it doesn't like diagnose, oh, you're in perimenopause. You know, if periods start becoming irregular, let's say, you know, you skip a period, or maybe you go six weeks, you know, um without getting a period, you know, those irregularities can be another sign. But you can experience all those symptoms I just listed even before you miss your, you know, your first period, or before menstrual irregularities. Um there's no actual way to know, oh, this is perimenopause, except it usually happens in your 40s. It can happen earlier, but that's usually an outlier. Um but I would say, you know, if you're in your 40s, especially mid-40s, this is the typical time period. And if you're experiencing, you know, some of those symptoms that I just listed, that is very likely perimenopause.
SPEAKER_00So why do symptoms like mood swings, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and brain fog often catch women off guard during this phase?
SPEAKER_01I think they catch women off guard because many women still think of perimenopause as mainly hot flashes and skipped periods. But hormone shifts affect much more than reproduction in our periods. These hormonal shifts influence the brain, the nervous system, sleep quality, stress tolerance, cognition, and emotional steadiness. So a woman may suddenly feel more anxious, less patient, less focused, or more easily overwhelmed without realizing there's a physiological transition underneath. And because this often happens in the middle of a very full season of life, you know, with work, caregiving, family, and accumulated stress, it can be easy to assume, you know, she just needs to try harder. But often the body is asking for a different kind of support. I often say midlife is often the season when the body stops quietly absorbing the cost of overpushing.
SPEAKER_00And was there a moment in your own life or in your work with patients when you realized how misunderstood this transition can be?
SPEAKER_01Yes, absolutely. What really stood out to me was how many smart, capable women were quietly struggling and not recognizing what was happened. They would describe feeling more tired, more anxious, less clear, or emotionally stretched, and they often blame themselves. They thought they were doing something wrong, or that they should be able to manage it better. But that's the part that feels so important to me that this transition is often minimized, and women are given very little context, and because of that they can feel confused or even alone in their own experience. One of the most healing things is simply helping women understand this is real, this makes sense, and your body is not failing you.
SPEAKER_00So in your clinical work, what are the most common symptoms you see women experience during paramenopause?
SPEAKER_01The most common ones are disrupted sleep, anxiety, irritability, low or inconsistent energy, brain fog. That's a big one. Um worsening PMS can be another. Cycle irregularity, and sometimes it's just you know changes in not just the timing of their cycles, but they get heavier periods or lighter periods. Weight changes is a big one. That's very common. And then just women feeling less resilient overall. So a lot of women also describe feeling more inflamed or just like they're more sensitive in their body. And the things that they used to bounce back from now hit them harder. So sometimes it's not one dramatic symptom, it's more that the whole system feels less forgiving. That's often how women describe it. Everything feels harder than it used to.
SPEAKER_00And I think that uh one of the things that stresses women out a lot is the weight changes, right, during this time. Is there a reason why that happens or is it just hormone fluctuation?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Well, the um hormonal shifts impact our metabolic health. And that can impact, you know, our weight, and it impacts um blood sugar regulation. It can, you know, cause stress in our body and more inflammation. And I do think, you know, midlife is a very full time, you know, for many women. Sort of the peak of our careers. Um, it's a time where our children may need us more. Or very common, you have aging parents that have health issues. And so you're caregiving, not just for your children, but your parents. So it happens, you know, during a very full time in our life, these hormonal shifts. And then um, so so the it's a stressful time, but weight gain is a stressful thing to happen. You know, it's like it's it's like a it's um it's odd to women, you know, they haven't changed their diet, they haven't changed how they exercise, but you know, they're gaining weight. Or very common, they can't lose weight like they did in their 20s and 30s. Like what worked then just doesn't work. They lose five pounds, and that's it. They can't, you know, lose more than that, and it's really frustrating. And that in and of itself, I've seen that stress out many women. It's kind of like, what the heck is going on?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, if if you're doing things right or or what you know to be to work, it's not working anymore. But is it that part of what we've spoken about before that is just like an invitation to do things differently? And that's what most women don't understand. It's not that it doesn't work or that you're you're not able to lose weight anymore, but the way you do things has to change in order for that to happen. It's like the mechanisms work or an actual stop.
SPEAKER_01Well, that's a very good question. And uh what it definitely means is that you need more support in this season of life. And yes, you may need to do things differently. So you may need to be more gentle with yourself, and you may not need to push so much. And I think in our earlier decades, you know, pushing got you what you wanted. But in midlife, that strategy may not work, and you may need to allow and meet your body and your ecosystem where it's at. So, you know, i it is hard to kind of speak in generalities, but in this instance, you may want to go see your doctor and see what's going on, do some blood work, you know, measure your hormones, measure inflammation, measure um metabolism biomarkers, um, you know, things like your blood sugar and fasting insulin. Um you know, are you pre-diabetic? So that you can really hone in on what your body is needing. Um, and then it also brings up the conversation around hormone support. You know, in perimenopause, hormones aren't always the first go-to because it's a fluctuation of the hormones. And so it's not that you don't have enough of the hormones, it's just they're all over the place. And postmenopause and menopause, yes, hormonal support may be the right thing for you, you know, depending on your history and and you know your risk for breast cancer and those things. Um so it's trickier in perimenopause. And then the the other support, you know, besides just really checking in on what's going on in your biological health, right, is all the other parts of the ecosystem, right, that we've talked about. You know, maybe it's nervous system support. And when you support your nervous system, that's gonna support your hormones. Maybe it's boundaries. I just had a conversation with a dear girlfriend of mine where boundaries is something that, you know, may need to be in place. Um maybe it's, you know, relationships. That's part of the well-being ecosystem. Um maybe it's um your daily rhythm and the environment around you. Maybe it is finding meaning and alignment, you know, one of my favorite topics that we talk about in this podcast. So looking at the other parts of the well-being ecosystem, and it may not just be the hormones. Um so yeah, it it really you need to look at the big picture.
SPEAKER_00And many women assume these symptoms are purely hormonal, like you said, but they might not only be that. So how do nervous nervous system load chronic stress, blood sugar, and sleep patterns also influence what they feel, speaking of the broader view of things?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. This is such an important question because symptoms are rarely just about hormones in isolation. Hormonal fluctuations are real, but how a woman experiences those fluctuations is also shaped by the condition of the rest of her ecosystem. So if the nervous system is already overloaded, if she if she's running on chronic stress, if she's depleted, if blood sugar is swinging, if sleep is poor, if recovery is inadequate, those hormonal shifts tend to feel louder. They amplify those hormonal shifts. And that's part of the lens that I use in my practice. I'm not only asking, what are the hormones doing? I'm also asking, what is the state of the ecosystem that is receiving those hormonal changes? Because when the body is already stretched thin, perimenopause can feel much more intense.
SPEAKER_00And we touched a little bit on this earlier about how you know what used to work in the past doesn't necessarily work the same way during perimenopause. Why? Why does it stop working? Why why does it happen? Where you know, you're saying I I'm eating the same things uh as I used to, or I'm working out in the same way, but my my body's just not responding.
SPEAKER_01Well, it's because the body is changing. And what used to be enough may no longer be enough or may no longer be the right fit. A woman may have been able to power through less sleep, skip meals, push hard with exercise, stay in that go mode and recover fairly well. Then suddenly those same habits start backfiring. She may feel more depleted after intense workouts, maybe more irritable when she doesn't eat enough, or this one more anxious after too much caffeine. Um and so it feels like there's just less margin. So it doesn't mean that she's doing everything wrong. It does mean her body's asking for a new approach. And midlife often requires more steadiness, more recovery, more nourishment, more listening to your body and what it's telling you. And it really is a time for self-honoring. It is just part of life changes. And yes, our body is less resilient. I know it's hard to accept that part of midlife. I think, you know, in our 20s, you can be downright abusive to your body, and many of us were in our youthful stupidity. Um, sorry, right? Maybe maybe not you, but um, I know that I was not always kind to my body in my 20s. And she's like, okay, it's okay. We're good. And and you, you know, your dot your body tolerates that. In your mid-40s and beyond, and certainly in my 50s, I do need to be kinder to my body. And maybe that shift is a good thing. It's like we should be kind to our body. Why not? But in our midlife, our body sort of demands it. It's like boundary setting.
SPEAKER_00Your body is burning boundaries.
SPEAKER_01Yes. And that is how you age beautifully, gracefully, um with resilience, because you're gonna put in place a system where there's this sustainability, you know, and you know that's true longevity. You know, treating your body in a way that aligns with what it needs. That's going to change from season to season. You know, if you have a season that's very stressful, I laugh. It's, you know, all of those um midlife moms who are helping their kids with the college application process, that is a stressful period. You know, you're gonna have to align with what's needed in that period. And that period ends, you know, it's probably like, I don't know, nine to twelve months or so. Um, so it really depends on what's needed in your season of life. Not just midlife as a season, but what's happening personally for you in your midlife season. Is it a stressful period? That may require a different strategy than a period where your child's been accepted to college and it's like, ah, you can exhale. Um, this this conversation is happening um it in spring, and this is the time when all seniors are finding out their college acceptance and you know where they're going to be going to college. So that's why it's on my mind right now.
SPEAKER_00And um, Dr. Julie, how long is perimenopause approximately? I guess it varies from women to women, but what's an average an estimate?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it really depends. Um I think the scientific way to explain that would be if we could measure women's hormones on a you know day-to-day basis and see the hormones fluctuating and see how long that lasts, then you would have a precise answer. We do have those tools now available. Um there are devices where women can measure their hormones. So I don't have a precise answer except that um it varies from woman to woman, but that you know, on average it it could be like one to five years, maybe longer. And it varies, and some women don't feel any symptoms. And you know, some women breeze through perimenopause and menopause, and why are they so lucky? Very likely because their well-being ecosystem is well tended to.
SPEAKER_00So you you would say that that has a lot to do then. Like if people actually tend to their ecosystem or the earlier they tend to their ecosystem, they may be able to mitigate a lot more that those stages of life.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely, mitigate their symptoms. And there's also like a cultural context here. Um I think if we start, you know, now it's being talked about, we're talking about it in this episode, it's on Instagram, and we're normalizing, um, well, we're talking about it so it's less mystical, and we're having these conversations, whereas maybe a generation of women ago, it's like they had to go through it alone, they didn't understand it. And and that, you know, it's it's normal to have these symptoms, and we need to find ways to address them, you know, um as a society in these podcasts, as well as, you know, finding help, you know, through the support of your doctor. And, you know, menopause is sometimes even more symptomatic because that is a real deficiency in these hormones, and that your doctor can support you through that through, you know, various treatment options, as well as, you know, a well-being ecosystem approach. And so there are many ways to support women through this journey. But I think the first step, first step is just to talk about it, understand it, seek support, and that you're you don't have to be alone through this process. And it doesn't have to be a scary journey. I find it very empowering. Of course, I'm on the other side now of menopause. I'm now post-menopausal, and I find this season of life just delightful. I just find that I've really come into my own as a woman and that my hormones are no longer fluctuating and I feel pretty steady. And I'm learning to tend to my well-being ecosystem. And that's been a journey. In fact, this podcast has been helping me understand what I need to tend to my own well-being. And, you know, that's a lifelong journey as each season of life changes our body, and then we have to adapt and align with it. But the the foundation is listening to your body, listening to those signals, and understanding what they're saying and having awareness of what is needed. And when we tap into our wisest self, those answers become evident. Well, let me just say that in my own journey, I am learning to tap into that wisest version of me, and those answers for me are becoming more evident. And, you know, that is sort of my mission is to help women do that for themselves. And, you know, sometimes we need the the guidance of a doctor, you know, when it doesn't make sense. But I think each of us has that wisdom, and that's gonna be, gosh, a a new goal that I have for this podcast is just, you know, helping each of us tap into that wiser, wiser self. And and she's uh she's there. We just have to learn to make time for her and to listen to her. That was a little bit of a tangent there.
SPEAKER_00It's really beautiful that you mentioned all these things, and I think especially the fact that we're able to speak about this n nowadays, because like you said, so so many women before us were kind of hiding this. It was kind of like there was shame also around it. I remember even my friends being like, Oh, you're in menopause, mom, that's why you're being so mean. And and that's kind of what happens when you're younger as well, and boys are, you know, they're like, Oh, she's in her period, she's being so mean. Like there's this stigma towards this phases of of development in a woman. But if you think about it, we've gone through it over and over again. Like when we were getting our period for the first time, we were going through changes as well, and our bodies adapted. Like what was working when you were a kid was we were changing so much, maybe as much as people in paramenopause are changing as they're Oh, for sure.
SPEAKER_01That's another period of hormonal fluctuation, right? Um, the the start of our periods and getting used to our periods. You know, you just said something that just touched something in me. It's like, you know, you're right, our periods have been so taboo, and it was a way to like shame girls, and um we didn't talk about it, and then menopause is another time of shaming, and I want to flip that script and um really bring to mind that it's because of our periods and our hormones that we are such powerful beings. We create life through these hormones and our uterus, and and you know, it's like we give life. And so, yes, these hormones sometimes give us symptoms, but it is so empowering, you know, and I want girls to know that, and women like this is what gives us our power, our ability to create life, and um that's a cool thing. Anyhow, I just had that little aha that we need to change that script and that we need to be proud of our period and our hormones because it's what allows us to give life.
SPEAKER_00I was gonna say, yeah, like it's something to be proud of, not to be ashamed of. And and as we talk about it and we become aware of the power of this, then changes are can even become exciting because you you're it's an opportunity to find new ways to adapt rather than become scary, you know, because we don't know what to do. But now we know we're changing. How awesome. Now what do I need to do in these to accommodate to these changes? Because I think that we live in a world where we have to we've been accustomed to accommodate to what's going on. But uh speaking uh onto that pride that you mentioned about, you know, we're women, we have these changes, we have this ability to create life, then we have to let the world accommodate to that beauty as well, to those beautiful changes that we go through as women.
SPEAKER_01Yes, that's so right, and it is all about change and perimenopause and menopause is another change of the hormones. And you know, I just had this insight that we have that life-giving ability, and we do lose that in menopause. And yes, it's a bit of a loss, but then it becomes life-affirming for ourselves. And I think that's what I'm feeling right now. Not that I'm still not caregiving for my children and my family, but it it it's almost a time where it does force you to pay more attention to yourself and your body, remember, because your body is less resilient and you do need to pay more attention. But it's really a time of that self-honor and self-love. And so, you know, you give back life to yourself. And I think that's what I'm feeling right now. It's like, yes, I do have to really deeply care for myself, you know, and it's a a beautiful time, and that um it, you know, because you're you're not so life-giving to everyone else, you know, um, you're able to give back to yourself. You need to give back to yourself, and that's what midlife changes does ask of us. So it is a beautiful time. And I I think I think if you talk to a lot of women in menopause, they all say this. It's like, now it's about giving back to myself because you're kind of done. And you know, I'm a bit of an older mom, but most women in postmenopause, their children are going off to college or they've graduated in many cases, depending on when you had children. And so it's really about less about that active caregiving of of children, you know, when your children go to college. Um, so it's kind of a beautiful time for many women and and that, you know, we shouldn't be afraid of menopause and many perimenopause. They're just part of the natural life changes that are part of this beautiful journey of being a human being.
SPEAKER_00Perhaps there there is a little bit of grief, as you can mention, like you're letting go of that ability to give life outwardly, but now it's like you're entering a time of replenishing. So maybe perimenopause can be that period of like you're getting ready to let go of certain parts of yourself or well, I I think um you're absolutely right.
SPEAKER_01There's this gr l grief, right? Maybe not even that much grief. Some women are like, oh, I'm happy to get rid of my period. Um, but uh yeah, it is uh, you know, also a sign that you're you're entering a new phase of life. And um I would say that, you know, in that giving back to yourself, you you're able to focus on yourself and perhaps you have more space and time to tap in with that higher version of yourself. And I think, you know, when you're so busy um doing all the things that we do up until that point, there's like no space for that. And so I'm really appreciative of having more time and space to focus on myself and connect with that highest self version of myself. I think I'm really, you know, deviating from the topic of perimenopause, and I went into menopause. Sorry about that, but I just don't want I what I want to share is don't be afraid of these changes. And um, though I know perimenopause is is hard because it's just, you know, fluctuations of the hormones and it feels so unsteady. Um, but with the right support, you can get through it.
SPEAKER_00And going back to the ecosystem, Dr. Julie, can you tell us how does perimenopause highlight the importance of supporting the whole system rather than focusing on hormones alone? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, it's it's like you can't control your hormones in perimenopause unless you you get on hormone replacement therapy or you know, um get hormonal support. So let's say you don't get hormonal support and your hormones are fluctuating, then you really try to support all the other parts of the ecosystem that you do have control over. So, you know, nervous system regulation, you know, doing breath work or meditation or yoga, whatever, or taking a walk to regulate your nervous system. Um your daily rhythms, you know, you can control your your rest and your work cycles, work rest cycles, um, your you know, sleep, you know, making sure you're on a good circadian rhythm for sleep. Um what else in that ecosystem? Your relationships and boundaries. Um, that's important to tend to. I think, you know, for busy moms, you know, putting boundaries in place for our families is one place, you know. I think for busy women, adding more is always not the best strategy. It's like I can't give my busy moms one more thing to do, but perhaps, you know, subtracting or putting up a boundary is useful. And then um finding support where you can in your relationships, right? Leaning on those people that you can lean on. And um meaning, which is, you know, the title of our podcast, finding meaning, which is, you know connecting with what matters to you in your life. And of course, relate, you know, relationships, loved ones, that you know, that's one area we find meaning. Or whatever it is that matters to you, connect with that. Um, so those are the ways in which you can work on the other parts of the ecosystems beyond just the hormones.
SPEAKER_00And just to narrow it down a little bit for our listeners, what are some of the most supportive things women in paramenopause can begin doing to stabilize their energy, mood, and nervous system?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I love um this question. I love the idea of supportive, right? We need to find ways to support um our well-being. And I want to make it practical to help stabilize energy, mood, and nervous system. So um first, stabilize nourishment. And I what I mean by this is eat consistently, prioritize protein. Protein is you know so important, but it's also very grounding. So it's important to stabilize our blood sugar. Okay, so eat in a way that stabilizes our blood sugar. And so protein can help support that, and of course, eating less simple carbohydrates and sugar. And so this allows us to not run on fumes, right? Skipping meals is running on fumes. Second, protect sleep more intentionally. Even if sleep is not perfect, you know, the body does better with more rhythm and more recovery. So protect sleep intentionally. Third, reduce unnecessary overload. So that may mean, you know, less intensity, maybe that intense workout even, less multitasking, less stimulation, so maybe less time on your phone, certainly social media, and creating a more realistic pace. So this is that subtraction that I'm talking about, right? Reducing unnecessary overload. Fourth, supporting nervous system, and I want to keep this very simple. So do what resonates for you. And it could be breath work, could be just a 10-minute walk outside, or just a moment of quiet. It may be just like transitioning between roles, you know. So, especially for the for the working moms out there, you know, before you open the door of your home, maybe three intentional breaths, whatever it is, so that you can like decompress from work and then enter mommy mode. Um, so these are ways to support the nervous system. And fifth, this is very important. Stop interpreting every symptom as a personal failure. So this transition in in perimenopause calls for care and not self-criticism. So I I tried to give five kind of easy steps. I know there are a lot of pieces to each step. Pick one, you know, and maybe just start with one step that is doable. And the key is to not do more, but to do what feels like the next best step for you.
SPEAKER_00Uh Dr. Julie, we've reached the end of our episode, sadly, but we have more episodes to go deeper into different topics. Um, before we close, though, is there anything that you would like to leave the audience with?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so certainly if you have symptoms um that are confusing or you know just don't seem like a normal part of perimenopause or want to learn more about, you know, perimenopause through the lens of a doctor, I do recommend that you seek medical attention. Um, it'll be helpful to do that deep dive. I also want to share that this is part of what we explore inside the well-being ecosystem program. I think many women arrive feeling confused by changes in their bodies, their energy, their emotional resilience. And together we look at the bigger picture, supporting the biological, nervous system, and daily rhythm pillars so that this transition feels more understandable, more grounded, and less overwhelming. Because perimenopause is not something to simply push through. It's a phase to meet with better support, better understanding, and more compassion. So I'd love to stay connected with you beyond this episode. If today's conversation resonated, come visit my latest posts on Instagram at juli.tav.md. And leave the word harmony in the comments. Think of it as a small check-in with yourself and a way of acknowledging where you are in this season.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for joining us for this episode of Medicine with Meaning. Perimenopause is not a problem to fix, it's a transition to support with understanding, compassion, and the right kind of care. If this episode resonated with you, share with someone who may need it. And we'll see you next time.