Demystifying Menopause with Alessandra Henderson, CEO of Elektra Health
Alessandra Henderson
Women’s Health Warrior
Founder, Elektra Health
What's your G.O.A.T?
My heroes (in no particular order): Dolly Parton, Michelle Obama, Jane Fonda and my amazing co-founder Jannine Versi.
What would you say to your older self?
Thank you for leading a life filled with curiosity, dancing, adventures, laughter, and passion. Now put down your phone and go spend more time with your amazing family, friends & cheerleaders. (p.s. Great job treating your body and mind so well during menopause!)
Weirdest thing in your tote bag?
An amethyst crystal for healthy mind, body and spirit vibes—very woo-woo for someone who is building an evidence-based women’s health company!
Best gift you gave or received?
Starting a company is hard: physically, mentally and emotionally. But it has also shown me how many amazing people I have in my life who show up in big and small ways. Over the past year, I’ve been humbled and deeply grateful for their time, love and support. The Elektra tribe is strong, and it is the best gift I could have ever asked for.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes: Demystifying Menopause with Elektra Health Alessandra Henderson
It happens to 100 percent of women. Every single one of us will experience menopause. Yet fewer than 20 percent of OB/GYN residency programs offer any menopause training at all. What. How can such a natural, universal experience continue to be such a taboo subject space? The reality is that social stigma, a fragmented health care system and under-investment in women’s health still prevent open, honest conversation around the topic—and that leads to fear and misinformation.
That’s the whole raison d’etre of Elektra Health. At a recent event, we asked women to write down one or two words they associate with menopause, and the majority of the words were negative: old. Crazy. Moody. Over the hill. Sweaty. We want to change this. All of it. We want to promote radical understanding around menopause so no woman ever has to wonder if what she’s feeling is “normal,” because when it comes to menopause, there is no “normal.” So we’re bringing together the best medical experts and providers to ensure every woman receives the care she deserves—and changing the narrative of how we approach and treat menopause. Because the way we talk about it is due for a serious refresh. Here are a few key takeaways to help you start this shift in your own circles.
Get the facts.
Out of 100% of women who go through menopause, 80% will experience disruptive symptoms. There’s an incredibly massive amount of misinformation about how to “treat” menopause, specifically around hormone replacement therapy (HRT). I could write a 300-page book on the “HRT” hysteria (a word that, no accident, is Greek for uterus), but for now I’d recommend a couple helpful resources on why HRT can be beneficial for certain women: this Washington Post article, this one from The Economist, and this great book, Estrogen Matters.
Surround yourself.
The mental and emotional impact of menopause is dramatically under addressed. While most think of hot flashes as a disruptive symptom, the reality is women aged 45-54 have the highest suicide rate across the decades, and up to 40% of perimenopausal women experience depression. It gets me so fired up to think that women are scared and shamed into staying silent about what they’re going through just when they need help the most.
While the average age of menopause in the US is 51, many women don’t know (until they’re in the thick of it) that there’s a phase before this called “perimenopause,” which most women begin around 45 years old. Perimenopause is almost like reverse puberty, when hormones—and symptoms—start acting up. Because the menopausal transition can last 7-10 years, there’s no quick fix. But in an ideal world, every woman should have direct access to a medical provider with menopause expertise who can assess and treat their specific symptoms (shameless plug for Elektra Health!), and supportive friends who share their experience. We also recommend asking the female members in your family about their menopause experience if you can, since studies show that family members often have similar experiences.
Keep it light.
At Elektra we’re about educating women around what's going on with their bodies and providing actionable, evidence-based tips to take agency over their symptoms. But menopause can be challenging for even the most optimistic of women. One of my personal core values is humor & silliness. We do our best to bring levity, humor and lightness to the topic, because life is far too short to spend focused on the doom and gloom of menopause topics.
For more, visit Elektra Health and sign up for weekly “hot topic” posts, covering cutting-edge research & news to keep you smart on the latest science behind menopause.