Navigating Menopausal Care with Dr. Samantha Dunham

05/22/24 • 32 min

In this episode, Dr. Samantha Dunham joins us for a conversation on the crisis around menopausal care as often, women experience menopausal symptoms without understanding what’s happening and without knowing where to go for help.

Dr. Samantha Dunham is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN), a certified menopause practitioner, and the co-director of the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause at NYU Langone Health. She’s also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Dunham practices general gynecology and preventive women’s health, with a special focus on perimenopause and menopause and their roles in disease development. At the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause, she educates patients on what to expect during perimenopause and menopause and collaborates with them to develop treatment plans tailored to their symptoms and goals.

Menopause is a unique and individual experience. Women experience different symptoms at different stages of their lives, and they’re affected by factors such as ethnicity, genetics, nutrition, diet, exercise, and fitness. Symptoms can include mood changes, sleep disturbances, hot flashes, joint pains, weight changes, brain fog, heart palpitations and more, and can last for up to ten years.

In this episode, Dr. Dunham discusses:

The need for holistic and integrative medical care for women in midlife
Diagnosis of and education about perimenopause
Different hormonal, non-hormonal and complimentary treatments available for the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause
How women should advocate for themselves to receive the integrative medical care they need, including when they are dismissed when trying to talk with their healthcare provider about what they believe are menopausal symptoms

The women who see Dr. Dunham range from those experiencing symptoms to those who want to know more about what to expect during menopause. The unpredictability of menopause is what drives all of them want to understand the changes happening in their bodies.

Listen to this very informative episode to learn more about how menopause might affect you and the medical care you can and should seek to receive to help you navigate and manage your health at midlife to optimize your well-being.

Connect with Dr. Samantha Dunham:

Bio: https://nyulangone.org/doctors/1124045802/samantha-m-dunham
Website: https://nyulangone.org/care-services/center-for-midlife-health-menopause
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthadunham
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/NYULangone
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYULangone
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nyulmc/custom

In this episode, Dr. Dunham discusses:

The need for holistic and integrative medical care for women in midlife
Diagnosis of and education about perimenopause
Different hormonal, non-hormonal and complimentary treatments available for the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause
How women should advocate for themselves to receive the integrative medical care they need, including when they are dismissed when trying to talk with their healthcare provider about what they believe are menopausal symptoms

Connect with Dr. Samantha Dunham:

Bio: https://nyulangone.org/doctors/1124045802/samantha-m-dunham
Website: https://nyulangone.org/care-services/center-for-midlife-health-menopause
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthadunham
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/NYULangone
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYULangone
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nyulmc/custom

Previous Episode

Holistic Wellness and a Purpose-Filled Life

In this episode, we talk about the balance of physical movement and mental clarity, and how they lead to emotional balance and help you set and implement your goals. with guest Sonia Satra.

Sonia Satra, certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner, is an executive coach, author and mind-body thought leader who specializes in personal transformation by integrating the mind, body, and emotion to create lasting change. Formerly an onscreen and stage actress, she had a deep desire to do something more, something that helps and impacts others. This led her to getting her coaching certificate, and at a pivotal moment when she had to choose between an acting role or a speaking gig, she chose the one that fulfilled her.

Sonia is the founder & CEO of Moticise, a program that helps participants move their whole self – mind, body, and heart – toward the thing they want most. With seven purposeful questions guided around a specific goal, it helps determine a specific action item they can take. It uses physical movement to help think through larger challenges and goals.

The balance of our mind, body, and emotions is incredibly important for our overall well-being. We need to be fulfilled by a purpose and secure in our identity. This requires asking ourselves intentional questions and making some changes in our life, sometimes even difficult ones.

In this episode, Sonia discusses:

The courage to change
Why people go through career changes in midlife
Why she went through her own career change
How to define our identity and fulfilling our purpose

Listen to this insightful episode to learn more about the balance of our whole wellbeing, and the importance of living a purposeful life. And remember, when you’re stuck on something, sometimes you just need to get up and move.

Connect with Sonia Satra:

Website: https://www.soniasatra.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/soniasatramoticise/
Instagram: @soniasatra_moticise
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/soniasatra1
Twitter: @soniasatra
YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/motivationalsonia

Next Episode

Building Strength from Within

In this episode, Rebekah Rotstein, NCPT, joins us for a conversation about the unique health challenges women face at midlife particularly regarding bone health and osteoporosis, and ways in which women can maintain and build bone health and muscle strength.

Rebekah Rotstein, a leading expert in Pilates, bone health, and movement education, is the founder of Buff Bones®, a medically endorsed exercise method focused on bone and joint health. Buff Bones® offers on-demand programming, online coaching, and professional training at esteemed institutions like Johns Hopkins Rehabilitation Network. With trained instructors in over 30 countries and free public education webinars through UCLA Health, Rebekah is a global advocate for bone health. She also shares valuable tips, exercises, and information through social media.

Rebekah’s journey began as a ballet dancer, leading her to work in the Sports Medicine department at Smith College as a student athletic trainer in 1994. She later trained and certified in the Pilates method and has taken extensive course in other modalities. After being diagnosed with osteoporosis at the age of 28, she was motivated to advocate for others with low bone mass and to provide innovative education and programming.

Rebekah serves on the Ambassador Leadership Council for the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Women’s Health. She also contributes to the Bone Health Working Group for the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), contributing toand the 2021 recommendations published in the Journal for Women’s Health.

In this episode, we learn more about the Buff Bones® program, as well as Pilates and strength training, exploring their role in bone health and menopause support, and how they benefit individuals with osteoporosis and low bone mass

We can lose 3-5% of our muscle mass each decade after age 30 if we aren’t active. We also loose bone mass in our early 30s and we reach our peak bone mass at age 30-35. And, once we hit menopause, we can lose 20-25% of our bone mass. So, it’s important to take some action now because the lack of action is destined to lead to decline of bone mass that could potentially lead to fractures down the road.

In this episode, Rebekah discusses:

Tips for midlife women to maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis
Exercises we can do to improve our bone and muscle strength, balance and mobility
Addressing joint pain and stiffness through fascia conditioning, movement, and strength training
Benefits of somatic practices and improving interoception

Rebekah emphasizes that while Pilates is excellent for many elements of health, it should be complemented with other forms of exercise like strength training for bone health.. When looking to begin your health journey, start with activities that are enjoyable and seek professional guidance and accountability to make gains and stay consistent.

Connect with Rebekah Rotstein, NCPT: