Hormones and Health: A Journey Through Womanhood

In this episode, Alyssa and Nadia dive into a deeply personal conversation about aging, menopause, and what it means to be a woman as your body changes.

Alyssa opens up about feeling younger than she looks at 48, sparking a discussion about how we perceive ourselves versus how we appear to others. The conversation quickly shifts to menopause and perimenopause — topics that dominate Alyssa's social media feed and conversations with friends her age. While hot flashes get all the attention, the reality includes forgetfulness, mood changes, sexual dysfunction, and vaginal dryness.

Alyssa reveals that she missed her first period last month (and no, she's not pregnant). This milestone has her questioning whether to start hormone replacement therapy now or wait for symptoms. The research suggests HRT can protect brain health, bone density, and heart health — but Alyssa isn't someone who takes pills unless absolutely necessary.

Nadia draws parallels between menopause symptoms and her own menstrual cycle experiences, noting how women are constantly attributing body changes, mood shifts, and physical symptoms to hormonal fluctuations. She reflects on doing multiple projects on women's health for school, discovering there's shockingly little research and funding in this area.

The conversation takes a vulnerable turn as Alyssa grapples with what menopause means for her identity as a woman. Society has taught women that femininity means soft hair, a certain figure, attractiveness, and the ability to have babies. With menopause, many of these markers fade — hair thins, bodies change, fertility ends. It's messing with Alyssa's head, even though she knows logically these societal expectations shouldn't define her.

Both agree that women face constant internal struggles and external pressures that men simply don't experience in the same way. But they also find empowerment in it — Nadia feels deeply in touch with her body because of her cycle, and Alyssa celebrates women's intuition, sensitivity, and the literal magic of creating human life.

The episode wraps with Nadia sharing exciting news: she landed a co-op doing clinical research at Mass General Hospital, focusing on food insecurity, food banks, SNAP benefits, and Medicaid.

Takeaways

• Looking in the mirror can feel disorienting when you feel younger than you look

• Hot flashes are just the tip of the menopause iceberg — symptoms include forgetfulness, mood changes, pain with intercourse, and vaginal dryness

• Hormone replacement therapy may protect brain health, bone density, and heart health

• There's a lack of research and funding for women's health issues

• Menopause can trigger an identity crisis around femininity and societal expectations of women

• Women constantly attribute physical and emotional changes to hormonal fluctuations throughout their lives

• The expectations and daily struggles women face are different from (though not necessarily harder than) what men experience

• Despite the challenges, there's something empowering about being deeply in touch with your body

• Women's intuition and the ability to create life are genuinely magical

Chapters

0:10–2:08 – Feeling Young But Looking Old
2:09–5:27 – Menopause on Social Media and the Symptoms No One Talks About
5:28–7:24 – Alyssa Misses Her First Period (And the Hormone Replacement Dilemma)
7:25–10:50 – Nadia's Perspective: Blaming Everything on Your Period
10:51–12:41 – What Menopause Means for Identity as a Woman
12:42–14:26 – Daily Internal Struggles: The Expectations Women Face
14:27–16:30 – The Magic of Being a Woman (Despite Everything)
16:31–17:51 – Nadia's Big News: Clinical Research Co-op at Mass General