BEYOND HOT FLASHES: MOVEMENT IS KEY
Dr. Krista Coombs, DrAc, IFMCP
May 21, 2025
I’m reading an amazing book right now called “Menopocalypse”, by Amanda Thebe, and in this week’s INSIGHTS for Healing by Design, I’d like to share with you a major concept from this book that could transform your life. If you’re in peri or post-menopause, age 35+, then THIS post is for you! And if you are younger than 35 but excited to be well informed about this stage of life, this is a great post for you too!
The gradual transition (for most of us) from our more fertile years into peri-menopause and then into post-menopause is not just about the commonly known symptoms, like hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. This transition in life, for every single woman who gets to live this long, is inevitable, and from personal experience, I implore you to accept with open arms that it involves paying attention to yourself as a WHOLE WOMAN – body, mind and spirit! These can be your best years if you approach them that way.
Author Amanda Thebe is on a mission, like I am, to remind women of their personal power by busting myths about peri-menopause and helping ladies master the fundamentals, like mobility and fitness, which are serious game-changers often overlooked at this time of life.
I know, you’re tired just from all the “doing” you do all day, every day! Who has time for exercise? I hear ya, but please keep reading…
In “Menopocalypse”, Amanda shares her personal story of navigating peri-menopause which hit her hard despite her decades in the fitness and wellness industry. Most of us can relate to this – it’s like the major symptoms of this transition suddenly show up with a vengeance, knocking us off our busy treadmill of doing, leaving us up to our necks in struggle, physically and emotionally.
But, like Amanda says: once you know what’s going on, there’s a path forward, and it’s filled with possibilities, not limitations.
I couldn’t agree more! I’m living proof.
Here’s some SIMPLE but IMPACTFUL ADVICE:
JUST MOVE EVERY DAY!
I know – eye roll, right?
But seriously, we are gathering more and more quality research about the powerful impact movement and muscle building has on longevity WITH wellness for aging women!
Movement is NOT just for weight loss or fitting into that cute summer dress you wore 5 years ago.
Movement is for your brain health, stress management to keep cortisol down and unhealthy weight off your middle, and it’s for your spirit! It can remind you that you’re still very capable of doing anything you put your mind to, no matter what age or phase of life you’re in.
Movement each day does NOT have to be a cardio bootcamp or running marathons or dead lifting like a boss! It can if that is what you like, but honestly, even walking around your garden for 10 minutes (especially in the morning to get first morning sunlight), or doing a 10 minute HIIT workout, or taking a Yin yoga class twice a week, can be transformative. If you, at minimum, ensure some focus on intentional muscle building, you not only improve your brain health but also heart and bone health, two areas that get hit hard as the sex hormones plummet.
And you know what the best part is? It’s never too late to begin.
Perhaps you’ve never exercised before today. Or maybe you have been laid up on the couch because of an injury for the past two months. Just start. Start where you are and build up stamina over time, whether movement once a week for a few weeks, then twice for a few weeks and so on. Doing the work to be healthy is not a sprint, it is a marathon! And that marathon is transformative!
START THESE ACTIONS TODAY
Commit to yourself to move daily: Start with just 10 minutes a day – walks outside, stretching, gardening, and work up to more over time.
Add strength training as a non-negotiable: Use hand weights, resistance bands, bodyweight exercises or even lift soup cans! You need to build muscle and bone density and protect your brain and heart, starting now.
Figure out what gives you the most joy and do that more often: Maybe it’s Zumba classes, Yoga, Tai Chi, swimming, rowing, jogging, dancing… find your passion and do it often.
Set mini-goals and major goals and ensure you track and reward progress: Small wins, my friend, add up to transformation! Knowing WHY you want to be well – gives you physical freedoms, participate in more activities in life, etc – can motivate you to keep up the work day in and day out. Don’t forget to reward your wins, no matter the size, with healthy choices, like movie night, a new top, a trip – your imagination is key here!
Get community support from women who want to thrive like you do: I have a private women’s Facebook group, The EASY YOUniversity, dedicated to teaching women how to Heal by Design through peri and post-menopause. So, if you’d like to be enriched by a group of self-dedicated women, taught by me, JOIN TODAY.
Peri and post-menopause never have to mean drastic decline. You CAN thrive in this second act of life if you have the best knowledge and tools for your YOUnique body, an open mindset, willingness to change to get change, movement, and a community to share your journey with.
You’ve totally got this!
Hugs,
Dr. Krista Coombs xx
DrAc, IFMCP
CHECK OUT HOW TO WORK 1:1 WITH ME (Acupuncture & Consults)