72. Menopause Done Better with Samantha Montpetit-Huynh
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If there’s one thing we learn even less about than postpartum, it’s menopause! This week on Mom Strength, Surabhi chats with menopause and midlife health coach, Samantha Montpetit-Huynh to discuss tips for dealing with menopause symptoms, how to embrace aging, as well as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
We discuss:
Menopause & Perimenopause → 0:02:35
Embracing Aging → 0:08:11
Advice & Tips for Menopause → 0:11:48
What to Expect with Menopause → 0:19:40
Hormones → 0:21:13
Symptoms → 0:24:45
Societal Pressures with Menopause → 0:35:22
Coping with Menopause → 0:38:30
Weight Loss → 0:45:37
Meditation → 0:48:33
Advocating for Yourself in the Workplace → 0:50:36
Hormone Replacement Therapy → 0:52:32
Additional Resources → 0:57:12
Today’s episode is sponsored by Embodia https://www.embodiaapp.com/ - use code momstrength to save $20 off your first month’s Tier 3 membership. Learn more about How I use Embodia as a Pelvic Physiotherapist!
Samantha Montpetit-Huynh Bio
Samantha is founder of SamCoreTrainer where she coaches women 40+ with the most comprehensive online health management program for women during menopause and midlife. Samantha is a serial entrepreneur, media expert, speaker, teacher, mentor, course creator and author. She was featured on CBC’s The National in January 2023 and more recently on CTV’s Cityline in April 2023, talking about fitness in menopause with Tracy Moore. Samantha has been a recognized expert in her field for 2 decades and was awarded The Abundance 2019 Personal Trainer of the Year and CanfitPro’s 2021, Specialty Presenter of the Year.
Connect with Sam & Important Links:
—Follow Sam on Instagram or Facebook @samcoretrainer
—https://www.samcoretrainer.com/
—Book a free discovery call: https://calendly.com/samcore/30min
—Books Sam recommends: Estrogen Matters, Estrogen Fix, The Hormone Cure
Connect with Surabhi:
Website: https://www.thepassionatephysio.ca
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Surabhi: [00:01:19] Hi everyone. And welcome back to another episode of mom strength. This is your host Surabhi Veitch. And I'm really excited to have on Samantha Montpetit Huynh today, Sam is the founder of Sam core trainer, where she coaches women 40 plus with the most comprehensive online health management program for women during menopause and midlife, Sam is a serial entrepreneur, media experts, speaker, teacher, mentor, course creator, and author.
She was featured on CBC's the national back in January. Of 2023 and more recently on CTV city line in April talking about fitness and menopause with Tracy Moore. Sam has been a recognized expert in her field for 2 decades and was awarded the abundance 2019 personal trainer of the year and can't fit pros 2021 specialty presenter of the year awards.
Amazing. I'm so excited to have you on here. Welcome Sam.
Sam: Thank you so much. Now you can take a deep breath.
Surabhi: Yeah. It's like, how much can I talk before I like actually have to pause and breathe? Right. Um, this is awesome. Today, we're going to talk all about [00:02:19] menopause and. Most of us, despite having our periods and, you know, being in our bodies, we know nothing of menopause.
We say we don't know anything of pregnancy postpartum, which is also true. And then we know even less of menopause.
Menopause & Perimenopause
Surabhi: So can you tell me what is menopause for people who are like completely clueless about what it is? Yeah.
Sam: So this is basically the end of your fertility cycle, right? It's when your ovaries really start to break down and you're no longer ovulating.
So no more making babies. And so the term menopause itself, the actual word is only one day. It is the last day of the 12th month of no menses, and so a lot of women who have their periods like, oh, I'm not in menopause, but there's a big gap of about three, it can lead up to 15 years of perimenopause, that is preparing you for that one day of menopause, and you're still menstruating.[00:03:19]
You can have a very regular cycle, but can also be very erratic, but then there's other things that come into play as well. Um, kind of little light bulb moments that would show you that you are in perimenopause. So when you hear people like me and other menopause experts and practitioners talk about menopause, they're really talking about perimenopause up to menopause.
And then all the years after until you die is considered postmenopause.
Surabhi: Okay. So menopause, I remember seeing a post that you shared on this and I had, I didn't know that I just thought menopause was once you stop having your periods. And so it's 12 months of not having a period, not having 12 months.
Sam: It's the last day of the 12th month, which can be somewhat frustrating for women because the closer they get to that stage, they might have, okay, eight months, no period. They're like, okay, I'm down to the wire only four months to go. And then they get a period. Wow. To start counting all over again. Okay.
Surabhi: [00:04:19] And so that process can take 3 to 15 years of perimenopause. So what are some of the signs that you're in perimenopause? So,
Sam: I mean, the typical more obvious signs is erotic, uh, periods. And it's usually that you're off your cycle by at least seven days. Right. So if you're somebody who's very regular, you're every, whether it's every 21 days or 28 days, if you start, if you have your next cycle and then you're off by seven days, that's usually your first indication that you're in some stage of perimenopause.
So basically all perimenopause is, is now your hormones are starting to fluctuate from what the norm is leading up to that stage. Right. So, but that's a more obvious. Sign. Whereas I've got a girlfriend right now who is 54. She still has a regular period right on track. She's, she's actually kind of pissed off about it because she's like, why am I 54 and I still have a regular period, but she's got all kinds of other symptoms.
So she has hot [00:05:19] flashes, she has night sweats, she can't sleep, she's not sleeping well at all. Irritability, her anxiety is through the roof. And even though, you know, if you were to look up menopause symptoms, there's kind of these standard 20 to 30 symptoms. But because, and you already mentioned this, we don't really know anything about menopause.
It is so under research. It's probably like the lowest on the podium because number one, we're women. Number one, so we're not nearly as, you know, researched like men. And then menopause, I mean, Menopause has so much stigma, why would you even research about menopause? Like, what's the point?
Surabhi: It's kind of like, what's the point looking at older women and who cares, right?
Like, that's the societal message. And we see it in movies, in media, in like the women who are hired and it's always this youth, youth, youth, but the reality is we are all getting older. And that is a very normal part of our lives. Yeah. And
Sam: I'm sorry, but at 52, I'm pretty freaking smart. I've got a lot of wisdom behind me.
I've [00:06:19] got a lot of value. So for you to write me off just because I'm too bad for you sucks for you because you're missing out on a lot.
Surabhi: Yeah. And like, when you think about 50, I almost think like, it's like halfway through your life. It's not even like old, you know what I mean? Like it's when you think about, like in our society, we think youth is zero to 18 and like, after 30 is old, you know, like that's what the message we've been fed is.
But when you start to think about it, You're still really young when you're like thirties and forties and even fifties. It's not like you're old. And so we need to recognize that so many people lived so much more of their life actually post menopausal. Yes.
Sam: And I'm glad that you said that because there was a post that I keep saying that I've had a couple of interviews lately and I, I've shared it on my Instagram, so I got to go back and find it.
But there was a doctor who said that women spend the majority of their life in menopause. Wow. So if you think about it, right, we're not an, um, of their adult life, right? So we're, we're an [00:07:19] adult at 18. Yeah. And if we're hitting perimenopause, some women hit perimenopause in their thirties, mid thirties. But most, most practitioners would say at the age of 40, you're definitely at some stage of perimenopause.
So that's 22 years. So at 40, if you, there's a big potential. You're gonna live another 30 or 40 years. You're living the majority of your adult life in menopause. Wow. And so, yeah, I, I agree with you that 50, we're just, we're, I'm just beginning. Are you kidding me? Not that long ago at 50 women were dying.
Yes. Right. That was the end. But now the first generation that we can live another 50 years, like I know there's other people who live to a hundred, but now that the older we're getting and the more advanced science and health and stuff like that, there is a much better chance we could live another 50 years.
So I say to people. So.
Embracing Aging
Sam: You know, at the age of 50, if you're feeling crappy and I'm talking about women going through menopause, and if you don't do something, how are you going to spend the rest of your next 50 years? You're just [00:08:19] going to throw in the towel? Yeah. It doesn't make sense. We hold a lot of value and this whole, when I see people on Instagram at 30 going, I'm old, I'm like, girl, what are you talking about?
I couldn't laugh. I laugh, but that is very much societal, right? Like this idea that you're washed up. And um, I love following you because you talk so much about sexual health and self and self pleasure and there, and we're starting to see also a larger swing of women talking about once they hit 40 and 50, they're having the best sex they've ever had.
Surabhi: Listen, that is what I keep hearing. And I'm like, I'm actually, I'm super excited for this age because you start to, it's the wisdom that comes with age. It's the wisdom that you realize you finally realized that all of that messaging about body image and telling you how you should look, how you should act, how you should be as a woman is bullshit.
And you start just living free. Right. And that, that doesn't happen in your twenties. [00:09:19] Nope.
Sam: Nope. So insecure in my thirties, so insecure, like, you know, getting undressed and, and, you know, um, with the lights on in front of my husband, which is, I mean, for 28 years. So insecure would never do that, right? Would never do anything racy.
It was always very standard. And now, I mean, I went back to Costa Rica and it's almost like I've got a new lease on life. I'm going through some, I joke with my naturopath, I'm going through some midlife crisis. I'm out dancing all the time. I'm having great sex with my husband. And so I can totally relate to this.
And my naturopath says that estrogen is your polite hormone and when it starts to decline, that's when women start giving no fucks.
Surabhi: Hey, this is actually the most positive thing I've heard ever about estrogen declining. So for those of you who are like, I've got low estrogen, let's look at the positives of that.
Right. Yes.
Sam: Yes.
Surabhi: Yes. And. Off. So often I think of it being referred to as a [00:10:19] disease state. Oh, you have menopause, you have even postpartum, you have, it's a normal state of being, but we look at it as like this disease injured state. And yes, there can be injuries and trauma and stuff. However, overall, it's a very normal state of being.
It is normal to have low estrogen when you're breastfeeding is normal to have low estrogen as you, you know, as you age and as you enter menopause and. post menopause. So I'm so glad you brought that up. Um, and I'm so glad to hear about your renewed lease on life and the best sex. Like this is so good to hear because so often I find, especially those of us who are, who have young children, it's this feeling when I entered motherhood anyways, it's this feeling of.
I love my best years are in my past and that the sexiest time of my life was in my past and it's not true, but I'm, I'm only now I'm five years. [00:11:19] My oldest is five my youngest is two and a half so I'm now starting to recognize that. But for the past few years, there was a feeling of, oh, like, I guess, you know, I can't wear that anymore.
I can't, I, I'm not, you know, attractive anymore. Like that type of like insecurity from the messages that society feeds to us. And I know for sure, I see older clients who have their children older and, or they have older kids or they've never had kids and they feel that pressure even more.
Advice & Tips for Menopause
Surabhi: So what are some things that you have?
To share some tips, let's say tips or advice for people who are entering this perimenopause and menopause and how to cultivate that self confidence on how to cultivate that, um, feeling of this isn't the end for me. This is just the beginning. Yeah. So, I mean,
Sam: it's. You know, there's kind of two sides to it.
I could say, you know, just start doing the deep work and, and, and look within and, and yes, we all know this at a logical level, but a lot of women who are going through perimenopause and [00:12:19] menopause because of the hormonal changes, there's not one function in the body that is not affected by menopause, period.
Period. Okay. It affects our brain, our, the way we think, the way we function, the way we sleep, the way our muscles work, the way our boat, like everything, it affects everything. So for some women, even though they know logically that they have to work on themselves because, you know, maybe they've gone through, I mean, I don't want to say maybe, 99. 9% of women have spent the majority of their, of their lives, even if they're not, if they don't have children, taking care of others, serving others. And when they finally get to the stage, they're like, okay, it's my time. But now I don't even feel like I'm meant to. I don't even have the bandwidth to even go there because these fluctuating hormones, you can have good days.
And some days you're just ready to throw into the towel and say, okay, well, I guess that life is going to suck for the next 40 or 50 years. Right. Yeah. Really important is educating yourself first. No question. Educate yourself, find yourself your own team. Right. [00:13:19] So this is why in my, when I coach my clients, we have a group, which is really, really, really, really important.
And every single woman who is a client who I've worked with in the past I'm working with now, they all say the power of the group has made such a change because they don't feel alone. Right. They feel inspired. They don't feel isolated. And these are a lot of women who are, you know, worked really hard up the corporate ladder and they're very driven.
They're very strong. They're very educated. But they feel like now that they're going through menopause, like somehow their body has let them down. Yes. And they feel pretty isolated again, because of the lack of education and the support. So getting your people around you is really important. Yes. Doing, um, educating yourself, but then you have to be an advocate for your health, especially when it comes to your healthcare provider, which is so challenging because most health, health can't even say it.
Healthcare providers are not educated in menopause, so it can be very. Very frustrating, right? But once they really start to [00:14:19] understand that what's, what's going on, there's nothing wrong with them. Just like you said, it's not a disease. And that makes me think of this, um, this event that, that we put on every year, twice a year, it's called High Heels and Hot Flashes.
And I have a comedian who wraps up the night and she said how when she was first going through menopause and she was talking to her friend about it, her friend stepped away from her. And she said, it's not a disease. You can't catch it. Like what's wrong with you because there's so much stigma, right? So there's, so, so getting that information, being an advocate for your health and understanding that once you start making small changes, because, and we can talk about things like hormones and all that stuff in healthcare, but once you start making these, these small changes and actually taking care of you, not looking, not coming at yourself and I mean, this all kind of lines with diet culture and everything else, right?
Treating yourself the way you deserve to be treated, not the way someone told you should and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. Following toxic people on [00:15:19] Instagram and Facebook. We already know this, right? Yes. And aligning yourself with people who, um, you know, if you're, if you're worried about your, your self confidence, which most women.
I've dealt with at some stage of their life, align yourself with other people who kind of emulate what you're hoping to be. And I mean, I'm hoping that's not like a stick figure with a six pack. I mean, if that's your goal, then knock yourself out. But really that's kind of hard to achieve for most women.
And then once you can do that, then it becomes a little bit more natural. But I guess my big message is don't try to do it yourself. Yeah. It's really, really hard. And you know, one thing I always say about women is they're great at taking care of people, but they suck at asking for help. They really, really do.
And this is the time of any that you need to ask for help and you need to be an advocate for your health. Because again, it's your choice, how you want to feel for the next 20, 30, 40 years. And, you know, feeling good about yourself, [00:16:19] having a great sex life, if that's something that you want to do, is really important for overall health, for our mental health and everything.
Surabhi: Heart health, everything. And I'm so glad you said that because women do... It's socialized in us since we were children to be caring, to be empathetic, to be serving of others. And part of it is we haven't practiced asking. So you're now 45, 50. And for the first time in your life, you have to learn a new skill.
And I always say all it is, is a new skill. All it is, is a new skill, right? You just haven't practiced it. So yes, it's hard. Just like learning the piano is hard if you've never touched it before. So instead of expecting it to feel easy, Expect it to feel awkward, expect it to feel like walking through molasses and, you know, asking for help is one thing and also learning to take care of yourself, the self parenting.
Yes, so many of us are doing that as adults and it's. It sucks because we, I wish we had learned that as girls growing up to take care of ourselves and you know, sleep enough, eat [00:17:19] enough, all of those things, but we didn't and so we're like the first generations having to learn this and it is hard. And so doing that in community I love that you have a group, because that is so impactful, especially I find as you get older because when you get your period you're in your school with your peers, so you have this community.
When you have babies oftentimes there's mom groups. Yeah, but when there's menopause, what there's no perimen menopause groups, that's, you know, widely known. It's never talked about on even the radio. I was thinking about how many ads there are for erectile dysfunction, you know, half of men above 40, like literally every day.
I hear this out on the radio, no matter what channel I'm during the day. My kids have heard this. Um, yeah, there's nothing about clitoral dysfunctions and blood flow down there. And, you know, low libido for women, because apparently that stuff doesn't matter, but we have to advocate for ourselves because it does matter.
Sam: Yeah. Because we're just a hole, I'm sorry about my inside voice. [00:18:19] Yeah. Yeah,
Surabhi: exactly. Right. So this is. This is such an important conversation. And tell me about, so you mentioned sleep, hot flashes, night sweats. I've actually experienced all of those things. And now I'm like, I wonder if I'm in perimenopause.
Um,
Sam: or it could also just be, and now is this recently or is this more when you were early postpartum?
Surabhi: Interestingly for me, it's when I eat dairy. Or drink alcohol. Those two things are my triggers and what happens is my period is delayed on those months that I, like, let's say I'm going out for drinks or something, or, um, then I get the few days before my period I get, um, intense hot flashes, night sweats, and, um, anxiety, pre period anxiety.
When I, I only know this because I don't usually drink and cause I'm so like a postpartum and tired. That's not what I'm going to add. I'm already tired enough, [00:19:19] but now it's spring. I started to notice, Hey, I'm going out. I'm having a few drinks and now, oh my gosh, my period is different. So even being able to relate that back to what has changed in my life.
You know, because I know for me, it's not the stress levels, it's certain habits. And can you talk a little bit about that?
What to Expect with Menopause
Surabhi: Because I know some people have been through menopause where it wrecked them, the, the mental health challenges, the hot flashes, the hormonal flux. What, what is normal? And what is a sign of, hmm, maybe this isn't a normal experience, maybe you need some, you know, hormonal support or something like that?
Sam: Well, it's kind of hard to say what's normal, because just like everything, like everybody's pregnancy and postpartum experience is different, everybody's menopause experience is different. Women really need to... Follow their intuition and and follow their own, um, their own path. Right. So for them, whatever is okay.
So what I'm going to say is what's [00:20:19] normal is whatever they've experienced up until I would say. You know, mid 30 ish, let's see. And then if all of a sudden they start noticing something is different, like you do with the dairy and the alcohol, right? How old are you? 37.
Surabhi: 37. Okay. But I've been, I've been lactose intolerant for a long time.
I didn't know it until I had my first child and that when, that's when it really started impacting me. So I've been dairy free mostly, but here and there when I'm eating out, drinking, there's dairy in whatever cake or whatever. And then it impacts me and not right away. It's these small changes I'm noticing and I'm very self aware.
So for me, I'm like, Oh yes, I'm noticing these changes, but I'm just thinking many people aren't. So they don't understand the impact that they're, they're not even just their food, but their habits and their stress levels and their lack of sleep, how that's impacting their.
Sam: Yeah.
Hormones
Sam: And so one thing I talk about when I talk about hormones is hormones are the puppeteer and we're the puppets.
So when our hormones are good, we're good. [00:21:19] And when they're not, right. So you know, in a regular cycle, we know that our ovaries release more estrogen in the first half of our cycle. Estrogen under the two main sex hormones is the one that kind of. Is the partier, right? So I, I call them like, it's, it's the yin to, um, to progesterone's yang.
It's the one that gives you more energy, um, lubricates you in all the right places, gives you curves in all the right places, you know, and this is typically when people have more energy and can lift heavier at the gym, blah, blah, blah. Then you've got progesterone that was released in the second half of the cycle.
And this is the one that wants to play it safe. It wants you to stay home. It doesn't want you to party. And it wants you to store fat. for pregnancy and breastfeeding, right? So when we enter perimenopause out of the two main sex hormones, it's progesterone that declines more rapidly. Okay. And because progesterone also has a sedative effect and helps us to manage the most common [00:22:19] things I hear.
So this is what I'll hear when people were like, I'm still, I still have a regular cycle, all of that. It might be a little bit heavier, but it's, it's fine. And people kind of fluff it off. Right. Cause I'm like, now it's a little bit off, but okay. Um, and they just relate it to age, but age, but as women age, the hormones are changing.
Most common thing I hear is number one, I can't sleep as well. And remember, progesterone has a sedative effect. It helps our body calm down and absolutely assist us in our sleep. But then number two, it also helps us to manage stress. So now, yes, cortisol is our main stress hormone, but progesterone works really, really well with it.
But also, progesterone and estrogen help to block the negative effects of cortisol. So it doesn't let cortisol get all out of whack, right? When cortisol is released, And the threat is gone. Cortisol goes back down and progesterone and estrogen, you know, work together to create [00:23:19] homeostasis. But now that progesterone is tanking, what we're noticing is disruptions in sleep.
And then women are saying, and I, and I'm really cognizant of this, um, because I'm very, Cognizant of, of, of people's mental health. But what a lot of them will say is I feel like I'm going crazy because I've always been able to go. Sure. My life is stressful. Sure. I'm busy. Like, why wouldn't I be? I'm, I'm 42.
I've got kids and I've got work and I've got this and that. And it's a very stressful lifestyle. And this is also usually a time when, you know, women have worked really, really hard to climb up the corporate ladder. Yes. The pressure on is to, you know, keep up with the job. Keep performing. Yep. But now they can't.
Physiologically, they can't. They're much more short tempered and because they're not sleeping well as much. They can't focus. They've got brain fog. They're in the middle of a sentence. They're like, I have no idea what I was going to say. They sit at the computer and they're like, why am I here? And then they walk away and they're like, Oh yeah, that's right.
And then they come back. So a lot of these things, when I hear this, I think that's very [00:24:19] much like, , postpartum, it is the sleep disruption. I can't finish a sentence because I'm so exhausted. And I'm just like going and I'm living on coffee. And yes, it becomes a vicious cycle, but it is because of these hormonal changes that at a literally at a physiological level, we can't manage stress as well.
So then what is the first thing that women want to do is, um, you know, and especially this is also a time where if, um,
Symptoms
Sam: I don't know if you've ever heard about like the mental, the mental belly, I hate that term, but.
Surabhi: I've never heard that term. That's awful term.
Sam: It's an awful term. Um, but it's, or it's just like the, the, the, the mummy tummy or whatever, which I see all the time.
I used to say it all the time, but I'm way more self aware and understand that that's not a cool thing to say. Yeah. But people understand what I mean by this. And all of a sudden they start noticing weight gain. Yes. They can't sleep properly, all of this stuff. So then what do they do? They say, well, you know what I'm going to do, Sam, I'm going to exercise more and eat less.
Surabhi: Diet and exercise. [00:25:19] And do you know that I've had my patients being told by their doctors to do that though? Oh, for sure. Yeah. Oh, if you just lose weight, your, your symptoms will improve. But it's like, um, and it's for everything, whether it's pain. I've had one of my clients had difficulty breathing from a viral infection.
She was told to lose weight. This person is not overweight. This is an average size person. And it's a anyways. Like for literally everything. So this is where that self advocacy comes in
Sam: big time, big time, but at any time when women should be being more conscious and focusing on stress reduction and understanding that less is more is during perimenopause.
I'm telling you right now. Over exercising and eating less will just cause you to increase cortisol levels even more because even though cortisol is our main stress hormone and secondary job is to store fat. Yes, and research shows that [00:26:19] any physical changes that happen in the body, it's going to be about 3 to 5 years before we hit menopause.
That's when we really start noticing metabolic changes. So over exercising and stressing your system is a bad, bad strategy, but that's what we do. Cause that's what we've been brainwashed forever. And maybe it worked when we were 20, but when you're 40, your body's not 20 girl.
Surabhi: You're literally twice as old, right?
Sam: And now your hormones are all over the place, even though. Again, you have a regular cycle, but there's other things that are happening. And so the more self aware, and it's not just because it might be because what women will say was, well, you know what, maybe I'm just burnt out. Yeah. And if you're burnt out, that's even worse because now your adrenals are tanked.
Right. You're not even producing cortisol anymore. We do need cortisol. We just don't need it up at the ceiling all the time. Yeah. Well, that is your body's telling way of telling you to slow down. It's not because you're lazy. It's not because you have to be more [00:27:19] disciplined. Doesn't mean that you have to measure your food more.
It doesn't mean you have to track your calories, all this other stuff. And literally your body is telling you, you need to slow the F down. Yeah. And when you slow the F down and you actually listen to your body. If your body is meant to release weight, it will, but all of a sudden, wow, I'm sleeping more. I can focus better.
I can put a sentence together.
Surabhi: And I'm so interested because we don't know the answer to this because we don't we live in a time where burnout is so high and exacerbated by the pandemic and everything else. I would be so interested to see how menopause impacts communities where it isn't the norm to overwork send your kids to a million activities to do it all all the time.
Maybe their transition to menopause is so beautiful and just. Natural,
Sam: right? In indigenous cultures, it is, it is a time of wisdom, [00:28:19] and women are put on a pedestal. And so we should be, like I said earlier, we have a lot of wisdom. So if you were to throw us out, just because of what your interpretation of what age and ageism and all that other stuff is.
Yeah. In Japan, apparently their symptoms are way lower. Yeah. And there's some theories because they eat a lot of soy. So soy is a phytoestrogen and it does help your body to produce more of the natural estrogen that is declining. The good estrogen, by the way, um, and I believe in Chinese, um, they, it's a similar experience where they don't have a lot of, um, a lot of symptoms and a lot of complaints.
Like it's just, it's just a normal transition. But if you think about like a lot of these other cultures, they move a lot. More. Yeah, everywhere. They have their bikes everywhere. Yeah,
Surabhi: a lot more. They're not sitting in a car. They're not sitting. Yeah.
Sam: And eating fast food every time they turn around.
Surabhi: [00:29:19] And the other thing is what like the other like portion size too.
And I find that here. There's such a, um, immediate coffee, coffee, coffee, like that's the first thing we go to when we're tired and coffee negatively impacts like the caffeine impacts our hormones and our sleep.
Sam: It increases cortisol for sure.
Surabhi: And I have heard this, that it impact people become more sensitive to caffeine as you get older women, right.
Um, and so all of the solutions that we try to DIY right more, Oh, I'll just drink more coffee. I'll just have more this. I'll just sleep less because I have more to do. It's actually detrimental to our health.
Sam: 100%. So what you had said earlier about the caffeine, yeah, so women definitely, I mean, again, because hormones are changing, it can absolutely affect our sensitivity to certain things.
So the more we get, the closer we get to menopause, we become more, instead of being insulin sensitive, we become more insulin resistant. So we [00:30:19] cannot metabolize and convert sugar into energy nearly as well as before, right? So those women who have big, warm bowls of oatmeal in the morning, which I used to do all the time, guess what?
That body can't convert it back into energy nearly as much, and then you wonder why you're gaining weight, right? And then another thing with you were talking about the alcohol and the hot flashes, two of the biggest, , correlations with vasomotor symptoms. So those hot, hot, the hot flashes and the night sweats is caffeine and alcohol.
Right.
Surabhi: Listen, that was enough for me to be like, all right, I'm just not going to drink. And I literally, I don't drink that much now anyway, but it was so bad. I couldn't sleep. Like I just, it brought me back to postpartum hot flashes at nighttime when I was just like drenched. Yes. And you're trying to nightmares and you're trying to nurse your baby.
Oh yeah. It was awful. And I was like thinking, Oh my God, is this how it's going to be? But I'm like, I haven't had this in so long. And it it's. And it's, you're right. It's actually caffeine too, because I, never started drinking [00:31:19] coffee till last year and now it's so, um, I don't drink it daily, but I am very sensitive to it.
Sam: See, I love my coffee. I love it. Like if I could have an intravenous,
so when people say, are you going to tell me to stop drinking coffee? I'm like, hell no. I said, unless. It is going to exacerbate symptoms or cause and then it's up to you because all, you know, you know, that saying you can only lead a horse to water. I can only give you the information, give the tools, you make the educated decision.
And if you decide you want to continue, okay, but then we'll try something else. Right. But those definitely are two things. And for me, I know a lot of people are so addicted to coffee. So I have a, another client of mine, she's a, um, an accountant and she's. Under a lot of stress right now and she is also a perfect example of this of this perimenopausal woman she's been in she's been with it firm
I think it's a little over 30 years She goes i've always loved the hustle and grind. It's so amazing But this year she's like I just want to [00:32:19] tell everybody to fuck off and I want to leave She goes, and I don't know what's wrong and I was like, well, there's nothing wrong with you. Right. It is because of these hormonal changes are in play.
Surabhi: It almost sounds like actually like she's finally awake, like she's awakened to. The fact that this is not supporting our health and like, like you said, that wisdom that comes right. Like, I actually think that's amazing. Yeah,
Sam: I mean, and obviously she's in a very male dominated industry. So when I was being interviewed the other day about menopause in the workplace, she had so many, you know, she was putting up her hand.
She had so many recommendations because she also feels fearful that if she does say anything, then, you know, Not that she'll lose her job, but maybe she'll be passed up for an opportunity when she gets a performance review, that sort of thing, because there's so much stigma associated with that, right?
But the thing is, is with perimenopause and menopause, even though absolutely a lot of women struggle, for me, touch wood, and I always say [00:33:19] this when I talk out loud, I'm talking my best. My only symptom is I did experience a little bit of weight gain, but for me, I became like allergic to air. What? Oh, my, I wake up in the morning.
My eyes were weeping. Then with crusted shut. And I was sneezing all the time. It would be the middle of winter. And I'm like, okay, am I allergic to snow? Maybe that means I have to move to the Caribbean. Like, I don't know. And she's like. Because of the hormone changes you absolutely because it affects remember it affects every system.
It can absolutely make you more histamine sensitive. Oh, wow. And so again, but because there's very little to no research in menopause, nobody's talking about that. Yeah. Right. And then when I spoke with my doctor about it, I said, yeah, since menopause, like my, my allergies got really bad. She goes, well, you know, I wouldn't necessarily say it's menopause.
Like this is just something that happens. And I was like. But then how could you say it's not? Has it been researched? Yeah. You literally don't know. Yeah.[00:34:19]
Right. Cause I'm always going to challenge her. She actually knows that. Um, but that's the thing is like, we don't know what we don't know. So if something is different, there's a pretty good chance. If you know, you're at this stage and you're going through menopause, that there is a hormonal component to it because now our hormones are all over the place.
There's no longer the homeostasis.
Surabhi: Yeah. And it's so interesting that whenever I think of menopause, the first thing I think of is like the loss of your periods. Right. And you just said that some people are still regular, but then they have all these other symptoms. And that's the important part is people may never attribute it to perimenopause or menopause because they're still regular.
Periods, but they could be having the hot flashes or the brain fog and the, I, there's a lot of people in this age range, you know, late thirties forties who have mental health shifts and their stress management [00:35:19] seems. Really, really challenging.
Societal Pressures with Menopause
Surabhi: And they blame themselves, of course, all the time. Oh, it's me.
I'm not doing enough. I need to be better. But I'm like, you're already doing so much. I had a client who had, it was three kids, makes each of them separate lunches because they like different things from scratch. Okay, she works a corporate job, always the earliest at work because she works in a male dominated field, has to show up before everybody else to prove herself because if she slips up once they make a comment, right?
And then her kids are in different competitive soccer, dance, all their activities, she's driving them. So when is there rest? So our culture and our, the way our society operates promotes like a disease like menopause, right? Like a state of, yeah.
Sam: For sure. For sure. And then they wonder why they come to the stage and they feel so depleted and they feel like, Oh my God, now I have to deal with this and I might as well just forget it.
Like I'm, I'm just not going to do anything. [00:36:19] Right. And if any time I say to women, menopause is your opportunity to finally actually do something for yourself. I love that. The ball is in your court now, even though it's been your court your whole life. But I understand too, having small children, like I get it.
I have kids and all this and now my girls are 18 and 21. But still, I'm telling you right now, if anybody's listening, I would take a room full of toddlers over one teenager any day.
Surabhi: Um, well, and you know, people always say that the smaller kids, smaller problems, older kids, older, like bigger problems. And I, I see that everyone thinks the busiest time is postpartum. I'm like, it's not, you know, it's going to get busier because your kids have their opinions. They want their activities.
They want their things. And That's why for me, I, I put my, poured myself into motherhood for 18 months and I burned out and I was like, no, this life is not for me. I need to, yes, be a mom, but I also need my own hobbies, my own interests, my own passions. But most people don't hit that until [00:37:19] their kids have moved out and they don't start to even think about it.
Now for me, I'm thinking why, and is it societal? Am I just. I don't know. I'm like a go, go all in. So maybe I burnt out extra hard because I was like so intense, but I really want anyone who's listening to this. You can change it anytime if you have been operating a certain way. You can change if your kids are three, five, 10, like yours older, right?
Yep.
Sam: Yep. And you know what? Um, also, you know, people might be listening now and going, okay, well maybe I do wait until my kids are out of my house, but then, but now your parents are older. Yeah. So now you're in the sandwich generation, but now you're spending all your free time taking care of your parents.
And I've had like women reach out to me and say, Oh, I couldn't do that now because now I've got like my, my, my, you know, I've got my, my mother in a nursing home and I've got this and that. It's like, okay, so when are you going to take care of yourself when your parents die? Yeah. And then, [00:38:19] and then you're,
Surabhi: and now you're older and now you can't rely on your kids, you know, it's like, it's this vicious cycle and someone at some point you need to decide that you matter and that you're going to do something for yourself.
Coping with Menopause
Surabhi: And what are some simple steps that people can take because it is overwhelming. So what are some simple life changes or lifestyle changes or movement changes that they can make to. Support their health in this, in this transition.
Sam: Honestly, guys, I know this isn't going to sound like rocket science. It's no different of what you would do at any other stage in your life.
You really need to try your very best to get seven to nine hours of sleep in. But I understand though, if you've got a bit, like if you're going through perimenopause and you don't have any more progesterone, you might be that person who not only has, like, you might have a difficulty time sleeping, but if you don't, you're waking up between two and 4am and you're staring at the ceiling and you're wondering what's going on and you're wide awake.
Okay. And usually it's a sign of low progesterone and dysregulated cortisol, right? Cause cortisol should be lowest [00:39:19] at that time, right? If it's backwards and you're like wide awake and you're all revved up, those are people who are wired and tired, right? People who are like gone through like adrenal fatigue or adrenal failure.
Um, so I would also suggest at this point, like if you're really struggling, I don't and some doctors don't believe in this, but I believe in getting your hormones checked, Finding out where you're at. And, and having some sense of, okay, it's not me, I'm not crazy. My hormones are way out of whack and now maybe I can get some hormonal support to make me feel better.
Yes. So moving your body, guys, if at any time you should be moving your body and prioritizing strength training, I can't, yes, because the closer we get to menopause, okay, so leading up to menopause. Starts in your 30s, you start losing muscle mass at, say, 2 to 5% per decade. You hit menopause, it's 2 to 5% per year.[00:40:19]
Oh my gosh, that's huge. Not only is this going to directly affect your metabolism, right? And your resting metabolism. So the amount of calories you burn just sitting here, listening to us talk right now on this podcast. Right. But also you are starting to rapidly lose bone density to where a significant increase of developing osteoporosis and menopause in and also heart disease and Alzheimer's metabolic disease.
So, exercise itself can help with all of those things, but also prioritize and lifting weights and weights heavy. Five pounds is not going to cut it, and it's not going to help to slow you down. Well, I think of Tracy Anderson. Do you know who she is? No. That's because you're a lot younger than me, so I'm dating myself.
Surabhi: The name sounds familiar, but...
Sam: So, she became famous because she was Gwyneth Paltrow's, um trainer oh, okay. And she was on, on Oprah, like 20 years ago when Gwyneth lost [00:41:19] all this weight after having Apple, I think her first daughter. And she's like, I work out with her two hours a day and we do these things. And we do like two hours a day.
And Tracy Anderson came on and said, no woman should lift heavier than four pounds. And I was
Surabhi: like, your kids weigh more than that.
Sam: I thought I was like, what if you have a baby? Most babies who come out of the vagina are more than four pounds, but don't like anyways. So you want to lift because you're literally fighting time now women and people say, Oh, you're being so, um, dramatic.
Yeah. Cause maybe then you'll listen to me. You literally are fighting the clock with bone density, all of these things. You're sick. Women are at it, not just an increased risk, a significant. Increase risk of developing all of these, um, all these, these health related conditions just from menopause and hormonal changes.
So moving your body prioritizing strength training 2 to 3 times a week, [00:42:19] but also during that perimenopause, you must make a concerted effort. To focus on downregulation of the central nervous system. So start meditating and people were like, oh my goodness, yes, I can't, I don't
Surabhi: have time for this. And you're like,
Sam: I don't have time.
You don't have five minutes and 24 hours. Yes you do. Because you know what? If something happens, all of a sudden you're gonna find the time. That's all. That's always the way it is. Cuz we live in a reactive society. We do. Yeah. But literally five minutes of deep breathing, go outside and stroll. Don't go on a power walk.
Don't try to get your heart rate up cuz you're not trying to lose weight. You're just trying to bring down your central nervous system because now you're fighting against cortisol, all of these things, but making a concerted effort. Do yoga, not ashtanga yoga, not hot yoga. I want you to do vinyasa, like do restorative yoga,
Surabhi: yoga, nidra.
Like there's so many, the one thing that you just said is so impactful. It's the stuff that we should have been doing our entire [00:43:19] lives. And each decade that passes, we just, I think many of us think we're invincible. We can get away with smoking, drinking, um, like all, like lack of sleep, burnout. We think we're going to be fine.
And then disease happens or something happens. And one of the things that for those who are listening, osteoporosis never scared me. Yeah. Just sounds like, okay, you get old or
Sam: you, it's an old people thing.
Surabhi: My mom has osteoporosis over the pandemic. She, she went into that zone. She lost so much muscle mass.
I'm telling you, she's now lifting weights. And I saw her body change literally from, you know, we're, we're petite, but that size to like. All the muscle gone and from the pandemic, not like working from home, not really doing her regular day to day things. It changes fast. And when I used to work in the hospital, people come in to the hospital from 2 things falls.
And like UTIs very basic [00:44:19] preventable things, by the way, right? And when you fall, hip fractures alone, put you in the hospital, it might seem like a minor thing, but the consequences of that, the deconditioning, the impact on your heart, and then the risk of infection. And subsequent death. They're high.
People don't understand this.
Sam: I was going to say that. Isn't there like, I think, um, uh, falls over the age of 60 or 65. There's like a more than 50% chance of never going to, they're never going to walk again. And they're that much closer to death. That's
Surabhi: it. I don't know the exact stat, but the number one risk of like injury or not injury, um, death essentially is falls.
falls. Like from a preventable, from a preventable thing.
Sam: I know.
Surabhi: And so many people, young people, I'm like, they have terrible balance. I'm like, we'll fix it now. Like let's work on it now because we can't, we will never be able to prevent death. We'll never be able to prevent everything, but the goal is to be resilient, to build that muscle mass, to build that balance, [00:45:19] that strength, that coordination so that you can at least live a good quality of life.
Because like you said, at 50, you might have another 30, 40, 50 years ahead of you. And. Thank you. People are like, I'll, I'll live when I'm old, you know, when I'll go traveling when I'm old. And I'm like, you're not, you won't be able to enjoy that. If your body is not
Sam: broken down,
Weight Loss
Sam: you know how many women like when they reach a kid, I would say like 99. 9% of the women who reach out to me when I ask them, like, they're like, you know, and I want to lose weight and, and some people will say, and I know I shouldn't say that. It's like, that's fine. That's valid. You just can't tell someone else to lose weight. But then when I asked them why they want to lose weight, yes.
Oh, because I want to move without pain. I want to be able to travel. That's a big thing. I have these big goals that I want, and I don't want my knees to go to me. My back hurts and this and that. And I was like, okay, let's play devil's advocate for a second. What if you could do all those things and you didn't lose weight, just saying, and then I'm like, oh, I didn't even think of that.
Right. But that is because, you know, as much as I'm [00:46:19] saying to you, the people who are listening, I want you to lift. I want you to lift heavy. You're also, you're actually also focusing with these exercises. I'm not telling you to do burpees. I mean, if you want to do burpees, knock yourself out, but I don't do them.
Um, I'm not training to be a Navy SEAL. Like what, what is the point of me doing a burpee? I don't understand zero points, right? But I focus on functional movement because one of the first things that, uh, that people, seniors in general, I don't know the numbers between a male and female, um, that people lose is to be able to get up and sit down off the toilet.
And then, yeah, basic things why you have to squat. But then people say, I don't like squatting. It's like, you don't have a choice. Do you want to put that level, that riser on your toilet? Do you want to have a bar beside your toilet?
Surabhi: Oh, or like, what are you going to do in public when there's no support?
Right. And getting up and down off the floor is another thing, like in my culture, I'm Indian. So we sit on the floor. It's very common. So [00:47:19] that's one good thing. Cause you're you practice hip mobility, ankle mobility, like strength, at least functional strength. And So even just at home, once a day, when you're thirties and forties, get down on the floor, have a meal on the floor, be on the computer on the floor.
Just even practicing that is such a simple change that can help you as you get older. And, yeah, it's so, it's so important. Cause weight loss is often the most visible thing and people want to come get help. Cause They feel bad because society makes them feel bad because their body has changed
Sam: and I know a lot of weak, very weak and unhealthy thin people.
So I'm just putting that out there.
Surabhi: It's true. It's true. And back when I used to run a lot, I was very thin, but I was very weak. I was very fit for cardio, but very weak and I would get back pain and ankle sprains all the time and knee pain like now I'm bigger, I'm stronger, knock on wood, less injured, you know, it's, it improves your quality of life and I love that you bring that up.
Okay. So we talked about menopause, what [00:48:19] it is. Some of the key symptoms that may lead you to believe that you're in perimenopause, some of the things that you can do for your health that are very simple and easy to do, even today, starting today, and remembering too, that it doesn't have to be all or nothing.
Meditation
Surabhi: If even once a week you meditate, that's better than nothing. And, um, one tip for meditation and mindfulness is. Because, um, I started practicing because I became a new mom and I was finding that my anxiety was really high stress. It's really high before I got out of bed and responding to crying, screaming babies, I would just breathe in my bed for a minute.
Yeah, like just start your day with calm instead of starting your day with a reaction to an alarm, a reaction to a screaming child, a reaction to, oh, I'm late, or, oh, I have this big meeting today. Just start it with calm. And build that into your day so that it's doable, achievable, and you can be consistent with it.
Right. Um, I love all of that.
Sam: When Rio was, [00:49:19] so my first one, she's 21 years old, but when she was a baby and she was screaming her head off. And then I remember talking on the phone with my stepmother, she could hear and she goes, leave the house. And I was like, what? And she goes, if you've done everything, just go on the porch and take a couple of deep breaths.
She goes, never in the history of time has any baby ever died of crying and I was like, oh,
wow. And she was like, yep. Just, you need to leave. You need to like breathe. And I'm on the porch and then you can go back. But again,
Surabhi: it was that because you need to calm yourself before you can also respond to somebody who's again, needing you all the time. And yeah, my first was very, uh, I don't even like to use the word needy.
She had needs. She still has needs and, that's when that motivated me to be like, I need to manage this nervous system because I can't be there for anybody else. If I'm constantly living on this like edge and that's, I would say 90% of women right now, mothers, women, they're living on their edge and it's not your fault.
It's [00:50:19] the system, but at the same time you can take individual, responsibility for your own health. Because if you don't, who will?
Sam: Thank you. Thank you. I think we could just wrap it up just by that. No, I'm kidding.
Surabhi: Exactly. Is there anything that I've missed about menopause?
Advocating for Yourself in the Workplace
Surabhi: You mentioned menopause in the workplace.
What are some ways people can advocate for themselves in the workplace?
Sam: You know, it's, that's a tough one because there is a lot, , because there is so much stigma and, you know, 99% of workplaces, like we live in a patriarchal society, so they're usually run by white men at the top making all the decisions, right?
So they're worried about if they say anything, then, you know, they're going to get even more stigmatized. So really it, when it happens, it's not the woman's responsibility. It's not the woman, it's not the employee. It is the employer to get educated. Um, one of that client of mine who's a, uh, an accountant said, you know, like they have all kinds of lunch and learns at my, at my office.
And she goes, that's really, they're really good. Like they're important social issues, like racism in the workforce and LGBTQ. [00:51:19] She goes, but there's nothing about women's health and menopause. She goes, why can't we have a conversation about that? Right.
Surabhi: And men need to learn about that too.
Sam: Absolutely. They do.
Like when I started transitioning in the last, I would say about a year and a half, two years, I sat down and explained to my husband in detail what hormones do and what was going on. And he's like, Oh, so instead of him just saying, Oh my God, why are you so moody lately?
Surabhi: Right. Cause that's what most, that's what many men will do.
They'll just roll their eyes and be like, oh, hormones. But like you can say it's hormones, but do you actually understand that the hormones impact your behaviors, your actions, your everything, everything,
Sam: everything. And believe me, the women who's going through it, we don't like it. We don't like it. So if we're, you know, another term, menorage or whatever, like, we don't like that we're irritable, that we didn't sleep in the middle of the night while you're snoring beside us.
And we want to like, pummel you in the head. It [00:52:19] brings me back to postpartum. The baby's screaming, they're like, trying to deal with the baby. It's kind of the same thing. So Education is really, really key,
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Sam: but I did want to just quickly touch on just in case anybody's thinking about hormones hormone replacement.
Yes. Yeah, that absolutely is an option. And I did talk about it a little bit earlier about getting your hormones tested. But even if, and the reason why I say that is because a lot of doctors believe that hormones should only be prescribed if you have symptoms. Right. So they are considered now, finally, an article came out in the Globe and Mail.
It was just a little while ago saying that hormone therapy should be the first line of defense for, uh, for, um, menopausal women's symptoms because they would typically, um, a lot of doctors writing out antidepressants. They're like, you're like, Oh, I'm not depressed, but I'm pissed off because you're ignoring what I'm saying to you because I have something going on.
Right. Um, so absolutely hormone replacement therapy can really, really help with sleep and just energy. [00:53:19] Getting your mojo back, hot flashes, night sweats, a lot of this brain fog, like it is considered the gold standard, right? It's really, really important. But at the same time too, you've got to, it's, it's gotta be something that's an informed choice.
Um, because you know, hormones for the longest time got a really, really bad rap. And there was only ever one study that was done over 20 years ago, right? And, um, and it was using synthetic hormones, which some people still use, and that's up to you. So you can get synthetic or bioidentical. Synthetic are made in a lab, and then bioidentical are made from plants.
And they do replicate more closely what your body actually produces. But honestly, you don't need to have symptoms to go on hormones. And I've got a girlfriend of mine who, she waited a year. To get into a menopause clinic at St. Mike's hospital. And she walked in after her doctor had pushed back and a gynecologist was giving her every reason why she shouldn't.
You should have a mammogram first and you should, um, go on blood pressure medication, all of this. [00:54:19] She finally went to the menopause clinic and the woman and the doctor said, why are you here? She goes, I don't have any symptoms. She goes, but I want to be proactive and I want to be able to protect my bones.
I want to protect my brain because again, we are a significant increase of developing Alzheimer's heart disease, um, osteoporosis and the doctor, she goes, the doctor didn't even blink and said, yep, that's good enough reason for me and gave her a prescription. Wow.
Surabhi: It's really important. But it takes so much pushback to even get to that doctor.
Sam: Because this is the fad reality. Like I said, you know, this is the time when you're really going to have to be loud and you're really going to have to advocate for your health. If you know that you want hormones or you want to at least learn more from somebody who's not going to be dismissive. Yeah, you really need to.
And then if you have to go on a waiting list to speak to a menopause, um, a menopause expert, because again, most doctors are not taught about menopause, then do that. But
Surabhi: listen, most general practitioners do not know [00:55:19] enough about women's health, even pregnancy postpartum. Like we've talked about, you know, the, the exercise part, they don't know exercise.
They have like one week of education around injuries. So anything
Sam: about, they don't know about nutrition.
Surabhi: And, and it's not, I'm not, you know, saying that's a bad thing. It's just, we as, uh, the public need to understand that that's not their expertise. So don't expect them to counsel you on nutrition or movement or return to exercise postpartum or menopause.
Because the best thing they can do is refer you to someone who is the expert, right? And
Sam: that's what, that's what they need to do. Remember, there's a reason why they're called general practitioners. Yeah. So general information across the board, they're not experts in any one field. And that's what doctors need to do when it comes to menopause.
They don't need to dismiss you if they're not even willing to have the conversation around hormones. You need to find yourself a new doctor. Period. Yes. Yes.
Surabhi: Absolutely. And, um, super grateful we live in Canada where hormone replacement therapy hopefully is, [00:56:19] you know, covered or accessible. So for those who are living elsewhere who don't have that, obviously, if your insurance covers it, or if you don't even have insurance, that becomes another challenge.
So this is why lifestyle changes also need to be happening at the same time. Um, and I would say probably even with hormone replacement therapy, you still need those changes.
Sam: Okay. I'm so glad that you said that because some people will think if I go on hormones, that's fine. I'm going to do anything else.
Yes. Hormones are kind of like the, the, um, the icing, the whipped cream and the cherry on top. Yeah. That's not the layers of the cake and the foundation. You still need to really focus on lifestyle behavior. You absolutely right. And then once you do that, then add hormones on the top, like just as a You know, extra sprinkles.
It kind of just wraps everything up in a nice bow.
Surabhi: Thank you so much, Sam. I have some questions for you on your own personal, you know, thoughts and,
Additional Resources
Surabhi: um, what you enjoy reading or listening to these days. What's a book or podcast that you find has been life changing? Um,
Sam: [00:57:19] well, again, I'm talking about menopause.
So the three books that really got me fired up about this whole thing, which I tell all my clients, um, three does estrogen matters. The estrogen fix. And the hormone cure. Those are three really great books. They're easy reading. Um, they're not complicated and all sciency and it really helps to take the fear around hormones and how it can actually positively impact your life.
Um, so that's more on the, like, you know, the science part and the menopause part, but I like just following a lot of, um, um, you know, self development gurus. I love Mel Robbins. I love her. I want to go for coffee with her. She is the most amazing human. I mean, how am I saying, I don't even know her personally, um, but I just love her.
I love Jen Shincero. She's the one who wrote those books. Uh, you are a badass. Mm. They're a badass at making money. Again, just because during this time of menopause, a lot of [00:58:19] women are really, mental health could take a really big hit and women really feel defeated. They feel alone, especially those women who did really well, you know, and that this.
Up until then with their lives, right? Like they were exercising regularly, doing really good at their careers, and they feel like everything's falling apart. And I really feel like listening to people who can help lift you up and remind you how awesome you are, and that it's so important to, like as Brene Brown, who she made it very, very popular, set boundaries.
Yeah. Say no to other people so you can say yes to yourself like what a concept again I know I'm being totally like I'm dripping with sarcasm, but this is the opportunity when this is the time when you actually do that, and then a whole new world man are you kidding I'm 52, and yeah I've got some more aches and pains and I'm stiff and I've actually got an injury in my tendon I've got bursitis in my tendon, but I'm stronger than I've ever been.
And I'm just happy. And I just, I really feel good. And you can do that way again, but you want to [00:59:19] make a conscious effort to actually do it.
Surabhi: I was going to say, I follow you obviously on Instagram. And so you can see your energy and like, sometimes we we're so quick to blame everything on just age alone.
Like, Oh, as you get older, you get less energy, you get weaker bones, you get more injuries. There are tons of people with that same bursitis who were 20 with those same injuries and stiff bodies. I see now stiffness. Early twenties late teens because of the lifestyle that they've had that we didn't have growing up phones computers I'm so I feel so fortunate that I grew up before that time and I didn't have you know, a laptop to last, you know 25 like it's Developmentally it impacts you so so much of the time we think This is the way it is because of age, and sometimes it is with the hormones and the menopause and the perimenopause, but many of these things that fatigue, you can improve that through lifestyle changes, getting the hormonal support that you need.
And even just understanding that [01:00:19] we are not. Invincible. We will change. Our bodies will slow down. That is normal. That is a good thing. That is, that means we have the blessing of getting older
Sam: and listen to your body. Listen and actually work. What I say to people work with menopause, not against it. Stop treating yourself like you did even 10 years ago.
Because that ain't working. Right?
Surabhi: Think about the difference between age 10 and age 20. Huge developmental changes through puberty. But why would we not expect the same type of. you know, changes in other decades, right? Like whether it's physical.[01:00:57] Maybe it's not physical changes this time, but it's mental and emotional and all of those other things. So, um, I love that.
Self Care
Surabhi: What are three things you like to do for yourself every day for self care?
Sam: Well, I absolutely have to walk. Well, I have, I have two dogs to walk anyways, but I love, I love, I love just love getting out and walking every day for sure.
So I move every day, regardless of whether it's walking. I'm at the gym about three times a week. I started spinning today. So I feel good about that. What else do I do? Oh, I always start my day with, um, a 10, a five or 10 minute meditation. So again, even though I'm promoting meditation, I'm not telling you to do it for an hour.
I do for five to 10 minutes and I journal for a lot of people would be like, that's so hokey, but man,
Surabhi: it's not, it is so impactful.
Sam: You can change your life because I'm literally focusing on slowing myself down. And when I start my day with those things, I really feel a difference when I don't do it. Yeah, I really do.
I'm more, again, more irritable and more anxious, actually. Um, [01:01:57] I have noticed a little bit more increase in anxiety and I never really struggled with that at all, but I've noticed that in the last year. So that really just helps me set the tone, remind myself how awesome I am and why I do what I do. Yes.
Right. So yeah, I have to say those three things.
Surabhi: And I think that because I have young kids, it's, I've learned from them. They just color for the sake of coloring. They're not trying to create and produce. They just are invested in the act of doing that. And as we grew up, we think we're, we don't need to do that anymore.
But journaling is an opportunity to just be present and. Even if you don't write anything spectacular, it's just that act of taking the time to be with yourself and get your thoughts down and I, um, I used to journal for a long time and I stopped because I got too busy in school and life. And recently I've gotten back to journaling and listen, we're all very wise people.
I think humans have wisdom internally, but they're too busy to access that. And so when you pause and you slow [01:02:57] down, you can actually. Access that wisdom instead of like feeling like everyone else has to tell you what to do, you know, your body. Right. And it's, and
Sam: we overcomplicate health. Like they're like, Oh my God, what is it that you do, Sam?
I just told you, I just moved my body for the, Oh yeah. And I journal, Oh.
Surabhi: That's not exciting. I don't know. It's not sexy. Yeah. It's not like try this five second hack to whatever body.
Sam: Yeah. And even though I do, I, I, you know, I offer monthly, you know, different things I do online. I, and I'll, and, um, sometimes there is a workshop that I run that calls menopause hacks for health to get people to sign up.
It's not a hack. I'm literally going to tell you, can you please have your 5 to 10 fruits and vegetables a day that we, that, you know, have Canada's been telling us to do for, I don't know how many years, can you please drink your water? Can you please go to bed and not go to bed with your screens in your face?
Yes,
Surabhi: it's, yeah, it's the basics that actually matter. So tell [01:03:57] me, I probably know the answer to this already or maybe I don't. What are you really passionate about right now? It could be about menopause, it could be about something else, your choice.
Sam: I'd have to, yeah, you know what, I'd have to say, um, I'm really passionate about what I do. And I said this to my husband, , I've said it to him a couple of times, I haven't said it lately, but in the last year, I said the smartest thing I did was change the focus of my business specifically towards menopause, because I feel like this, this demographic is not even a demographic.
It's not even the right word. These women are so underserved and it breaks my heart. And so I feel lit up every day that I can just. inspire them to move and not treat themselves like shit and stop over exercising and yeah, eat more food than 1200 calories a day. I mean, on and
Surabhi: on. And you know, you're working with an age right now that did not grow up with the information that let's say 20 year olds now have [01:04:57] even about gender expression, all of that stuff.
The women who are now in their forties and fifties, this may be the first time anybody's. Taught them about their bodies. So that would be really, rewarding work and also really impactful and your passion for that shows when you, when you share your content. So, um, I'm very grateful that you shared your energy and wisdom with us, because this is something that all of us who have a vulva will be going through at some point and it's important.
It's very important. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
Sam: Abolish white supremacy.
Surabhi: Yeah, that would be, I think that would be my, my thing too. I think so many things that are trickling down from that and everything, patriarchy, capitalisms, literally everything. Um,
Sam's Mom Strength
Surabhi: what do you think is your mom's strength? [01:05:57] Me?
Sam: Yeah. And you know what? I wouldn't have said that a couple of years ago.
I would have been, I would have been too proud. Um, too shy. I wouldn't have said it, but this is what, and again, this is what I do with my clients. We don't lift ourselves up nearly enough and I know that I bring a lot of value and I, and I'm not in any way saying I'm perfect because I still every once in a while I'll, I'll still struggle with a little bit of imposter syndrome, but then I'll slap myself in the face and go, Samantha, like, what are you doing right now?
Stop it. Right? You're off.
Surabhi: And you know what I noticed when women lift themselves up, it creates. Not that anyone needs permission, but it gives other women also permission to do so. Because when I see people proud to be themselves, I'm like, I love this. They're magnetic, right? Like I want, I want more of that.
Sam: How many women have said to me, I wish I could have the confidence that Lizzo has?
Surabhi: I thought of Lizzo too. As soon as I was like, I think of Lizzo [01:06:57] and you know, people are so quick to judge somebody based on their appearance, their body size, this and that, but having the confidence to just be who you are.
And she says herself, she's like, I'm not being fat. Isn't my brand me being me and living is my brand. And she happens to be in a fat body. And, you know, those are huge light bulb moments for us because we don't have to be prove ourselves. We can just literally be, and that is the revolution. Yeah. Just letting yourself be and not trying to shrink yourself, change yourself and all of this stuff.
Yeah.
Connect with Sam
Surabhi: So if people want to work with you, connect with you, what do you, um, how can they do that? What kind of services do you offer?
Sam: Well, they can reach out to me too at samcortrainer. com or they can message me on Facebook or Instagram at samcortrainer. I do offer a free discovery call. So you would just go on my website at samcortrainer.
com and you would book that. And, um, like you said in the, in the introduct, uh, introduction, I do offer a very comprehensive approach, um, for [01:07:57] women's health going through perimenopause and menopause. I just finished talking to a client. She said, you know, when I first signed up with you, I had a completely different idea of what it was going to be than what I'm so happy because yes.
By trade. I am a personal trainer. I've been a personal trainer for almost 22 years, but the fitness, even as, as important as it is, it's just one small piece of what I do because it's not a lack. Most people, unless you've been living under a rock know that they should exercise and again should eat the fruits and vegetables and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
And, but it's not about that. It's about, um, working on themselves and that's what I help women do because, um, I don't give meal plans. I don't do that sort of thing. I love it. Um, but it really comes from a more holistic approach.
Surabhi: I love that. And I would say that's why. You know, our work aligns is, you know, I'm a physical therapist and I'm a coach, but [01:08:57] I, it's not about here, let me rub your back or I work all virtually because I put the power back in people's hands.
And that's what you're doing. You're teaching them, you're educating them, you're showing them the, these are the things that can impact your life. And I feel like that's what ultimately we want. We want to feel empowered in our own bodies. We don't want to give up our power to our doctors and everybody else.
And I think that this approach is so. Great. Especially for those women who are working their way up the ladders and they're in those jobs and they're successful and they're, they want to do it all, but they can't. And sometimes asking for help from a coach, from somebody who is the expert is the way to support your health and your wellbeing.
So Sam for Instagram at Sam core trainer. Yes. I will take the links to all of those things. I'll take a link to your discovery call if you send me that and that way people can book in with you. If you are in perimenopause menopause. Thinking about this, want to learn about it, please, please just go follow her and check it [01:09:57] out.
And if you listen to this episode, please share it on your Instagram, tag us both, let us know your thoughts, share it with your friends, your aunties, your grandmas, everybody in your life, because this is information everybody needs to know.
Sam: Awesome. Thank you so much. It was, this has been great. I love chatting with you.
It's been awesome. Thank you.
