Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast: 12. Flipping the script on menopause

Episode Summary

Many people view menopause with dread — or live in denial that it will ever happen. Author Kirsten Miller and Dr. Paru David argue that menopause does not have to be a time of gloom and doom. It's not a disease; it's a stage of life, and one that some find empowering.

Episode Notes

We talked with:

• Kirsten Miller is a groundbreaking feminist author in YA literature, best known for her popular Kiki Strike series. In addition to writing novels, Kirsten spent 25 years as a strategist in the advertising industry. During that time she worked for some of the largest agencies in the world, as well as boutique agencies and an eight-person startup. She's proud to have quit at least two of those jobs over ads and incidents described in "The Change."
• Paru David, M.D., is a consultant and assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic. After her internal medicine residency at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, she joined Women's Health Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in 1999. She has published research and given lectures in the areas of menopause, contraception, menstrual migraine and sexual health. She's a contributor to the Mayo Clinic Press book "The Menopause Solution."

We talked about:

• It's time to talk about menopause. Despite the fact that menopause happens to roughly half the population, it's shrouded in secrecy and even shame. That means most people who experience menopause walk into it blind and are surprised by the changes they experience. Dr. David and Kirsten Miller want to change that.
• Menopause isn't the end. Life, careers, interests, relationships — and yes, sex — can extend far beyond middle age. For some women, middle age is a renaissance where they're most comfortable with themselves and thrive in ways they didn't in their 20s or 30s. Kirsten Miller talks about "rebranding" menopause in her book as a time of newfound power.

Can't get enough?

• Purchase the Mayo Clinic Press book "The Menopause Solution."
• Purchase Kirsten's book "The Change." 
  • From Bookshop.org
  • From Amazon
  • From Barnes & Noble  
• Want to read more on the topic? Check out our blog:
  • Menopause: The change that can add challenges to diabetes management
  • Menopause: Unexpected symptoms catch women by surprise
  • Vaginal moisturizers and lubricants: What’s the difference? Which do I buy?

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu. 
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