The Midlife Edit
Oh, I’m so glad you are here!
I’m Courtney Wagner — Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and founder of The Morning Pause and Food is Medicine Kitchen. I spend most of my time helping midlife women survive the rollercoaster otherwise known as menopause — and thinking about what’s missing in women’s health. Spoiler: a lot.
I created The Midlife Edit because there’s one thing almost every woman I talk to mentions: loneliness. It doesn’t seem quite right, does it? We’re busier than ever with jobs, kids, taking care of parents, life — yet somehow totally alone when it comes to what’s happening to our bodies, minds, and identities in midlife.
The Midlife Edit will drop monthly and it’s a space for women to share their raw and unfiltered experiences of midlife. We are going to talk about everything and anything because community is crucial to our well-being and livelihood. We absolutely have to lean on each other to get through this intact!
Alright…deep breath. I’ll go first.
Here’s my story.
Looking back, I’m pretty sure perimenopause snuck up on me in my late 30s or early 40s (yes…changes can happen that early). Exact year? Unclear. Brain fog is real. I had three kids, a demanding media job, and one day found myself crying in my car in a parking lot, completely spent.
I felt disconnected from my family, my marriage, and frankly, myself. Sure, some of that was just “doing it all”, but now I know my hormones were also holding the puppet strings behind the scene.
Fast-forward a few years: insomnia, itchy skin (and by itchy skin, I mean the sensation of bugs crawling on my skin at night), shingles (yes, shingles), mood swings, low libido, marital doubts, low energy, and the most unpredictable periods (heavy, painful, irregular). Still, no one…not one doctor mentioned the words perimenopause, menopause or hormones. Lifestyle changes? Nutritional changes? Never brought up. I was left bewildered, feeling like I was the only woman my age going through this and desperate for some answers. See…there’s that loneliness factor creeping in again. I’ll add that I was simultaneously putting on a facade like I had it all together…nothing to see here.
Women deserve better. We need practitioners who are menopause literate. (hot tip: check The Menopause Society directory — look for the certification seal next to their name.) We need mothers and daughters to share experiences and talk about the changes that will come about one day. We need corporate America to recognize menopause in the workplace. We need to normalize menopause and the language that goes with it.
And most of all, we need each other. Because no one should have to white-knuckle their way through midlife alone. The more we talk, the more we learn and grow, and the better we can care and advocate for ourselves — and each other.
Now I’m in my 50s, am post-menopausal and menopause literate. I have learned what my midlife body needs to thrive. I have learned what foods to put into my body to help me feel my best. I’ve learned how to build muscle and keep my bones strong so I’m not feeble in my old age. I’ve learned how to chill out and give myself grace. And I’ve learned the importance of friendship and connection in midlife. Oh, and I’ve learned that, for me, hormone therapy was a game changer. I can sleep through the night, no more hot flashes and most importantly…I feel like a better version of my old self.
P.S. I had so much more that I wanted to say but feared I’d put y’all to sleep if it was too long! I’ll have to write Part II.
Now that' I’ve shared my story…who’s next? If you feel like sharing your’s will help others, please get in touch at courtney@themorningpause.com …I’d love to feature your journey.
Grateful for this community already and it’s only just beginning!
Courtney
