If you’ve noticed more bloating, puffiness, or random aches and pains lately, you’re not imagining it. Inflammation often ramps up during perimenopause—and it can make everything from joint pain to brain fog feel worse.

Joint pain is one of the most common symptoms of perimenopause—yet it’s rarely discussed in the same way hot flashes or night sweats are. Research shows that between 51–70% of women in the menopause transition experience joint pain, stiffness, or backache, and for about one in four, it can be severe enough to disrupt daily life.

If you’ve ever left a doctor’s office feeling dismissed, told “it’s just stress” or “you’re too young for menopause,” you’re not alone. For too many women, getting honest answers about perimenopause feels like pulling teeth. The reality? Most doctors are not thoroughly trained in menopause care. In fact, a 2019 survey found that fewer than 20% of U.S. OB-GYN residency programs offer any education on menopause at all. That means you could be sitting across from a well-meaning provider who has never received in-depth training on the very symptoms disrupting your life.

These 3 simple nutrition habits for perimenopausal women over 40 boosted my energy, balanced my hormones, and helped me feel like myself again. Try them today!

If you're bloated, gassy, constipated, breaking out, gaining weight, or feeling more fatigued than usual, it might not just be your digestion acting up. It could be your hormones. More specifically, it could be your gut and hormones, intertwined in a way that no one has warned us about. The gut and your hormones are in constant conversation—and when that conversation goes sideways, so do your symptoms.

If you're in perimenopause and sweating your way through a brutal summer—you’re not imagining it: the heat can make your symptoms worse. Hormonal shifts during perimenopause affect everything from how your body regulates temperature to how well you sleep and manage stress. When you add 90+ degree days and sticky humidity, even the most manageable symptoms can become overwhelming.

If you’ve ever wondered why your energy has flatlined, your motivation is inconsistent, or your ability to focus has taken a nosedive, you’re not alone. Many women in their 40s and early 50s suddenly find themselves feeling off, frustrated, and wondering what happened to their old selves. The truth is, you're not lazy. You're in perimenopause. This transitional phase leading up to menopause brings real changes—especially when it comes to energy, brain function, and stress resilience.

If you’ve found yourself more anxious, teary, irritable, or overwhelmed than ever before—and you’re in your late 30s or 40s—you’re not alone, and you’re not just “bad at coping.” For many women, these emotional changes are one of the first signs of perimenopause, even before their periods become irregular. And yet, this side of the perimenopause journey is still rarely talked about.

If you're in your 40s and starting to feel "off"—you might wonder: Is this perimenopause? Or is something else going on? It's a fair question; many women don't feel equipped to answer it. That's because perimenopause is notoriously tricky to diagnose. But here's the empowering truth: understanding what's normal during this phase of life—and what might need a second look—can help you feel informed, grounded, and in control of your health.

Hair loss during perimenopause is incredibly common, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating or emotional. For many women, it can feel like one more thing their body is doing without their permission. The good news? You’re not stuck with it forever. Once you understand why it’s happening and what your hair needs during this transition, there’s a lot you can do to support regrowth, slow shedding, and rebuild confidence—strand by strand.

Most women are familiar with the term "hot flash," but many don't realize this is just one part of a broader picture. Vasomotor symptoms can also include night sweats, sudden feelings of anxiety, flushing, and even heart palpitations. These intense and often unpredictable moments are classic symptoms of vasomotor instability, a hallmark of perimenopause.

If you're in perimenopause and feel like your body is working against you—think stubborn belly fat, mood swings, brain fog, and energy crashes—blood sugar might be the missing piece you haven't considered. When blood sugar rises, your body releases a hormone called insulin to help shuttle that sugar out of your blood and into your cells. When everything is working smoothly, your energy stays stable, your cravings are manageable, and your hormones stay more balanced. But when blood sugar is constantly spiking and crashing (from processed foods, skipping meals, stress, poor sleep), your body is continually stressed—and your hormones suffer.

If you're like me, you probably have woken up drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, and staring at the ceiling. Welcome to the nightly battle many women face as their bodies struggle with perimenopause. Perimenopause typically occurs in your 40s (but can start in your 30s and last well into your 50s) and brings hormonal changes that can make sleep feel impossible. You're not alone if you've been tossing and turning, waking up multiple times a night, or struggling with daytime fatigue. Studies suggest up to 85% of women in perimenopause experience some form of sleep disturbance.

Perimenopause brings many changes, and your skin is no exception. As estrogen levels fluctuate and gradually decline, your skin may become drier, thinner, and more prone to wrinkles. Collagen production slows, hydration decreases, and skin cell turnover isn't as efficient as it once was. This hormonal shift can also lead to increased sensitivity, breakouts, or even unexpected changes in pigmentation. While these changes can feel frustrating, the good news is that the right nutrition can make a significant difference in maintaining a radiant, resilient complexion.

Do you ever walk into a room and completely forget why you're there? Or struggle to find the right word mid-sentence? If so, you're not alone. Brain fog is one of the most common and frustrating symptoms of perimenopause. Brain fog during perimenopause is largely driven by hormonal fluctuations, particularly declining estrogen. Estrogen plays a major role in brain function, including memory, focus, and overall cognitive performance. As levels drop, it can impact neurotransmitter activity, leading to forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and that frustrating "mental haze."

As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause, many women notice changes in their vaginal and urinary health that can affect comfort, intimacy, and overall well-being. These changes are part of what’s known as Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM)—a condition that impacts both the vagina and urinary tract. Now, let's be honest here, there are no good perimenopause symptoms. However, the ones that affect your genitals and urinary tract are particularly difficult to manage. Understanding what’s happening and what you can do about it can significantly affect how you feel.

As estrogen levels drop, testosterone remains steady, becoming more dominant. This hormonal imbalance can stimulate the growth of terminal hairs—thicker, coarser, and darker hairs—on areas like the chin, upper lip, and jawline. The softer, finer “peach fuzz” associated with estrogen may thin out or stop growing, leaving areas like the face and arms with less hair coverage. Testosterone influences certain areas more than others, leading to noticeable facial hair while hair in other areas, like the underarms or legs, may grow more slowly.

Kicking off the new year with Dry January is a fantastic way to hit a reset, especially during perimenopause—when our bodies are already dealing with hormonal changes. While alcohol might feel like an easy and familiar way to unwind, it can actually stir up a whole lot of trouble. Skipping booze once in a while can be a game-changer for women in perimenopause. Drinking during perimenopause is like adding fuel to an already roaring fire. Here are a few ways that alcohol causes chaos: disrupted sleep, increased hot flashes and night sweats, mood swings and anxiety, spiked blood sugar, and slowed metabolism.

A new year usually means New Year's resolutions for many of us. Whether we stick to them or not is a whole other story! Health and wellness goals are some of the most common, and for women in perimenopause, these goals take on even greater significance. Perimenopause brings fluctuating energy levels, heightened stress, and challenges to emotional and physical balance. By focusing on practices that nurture your Qi, or life force energy, you can recharge your internal battery, reduce perimenopause symptoms, and encourage balance in your mind and body.  

If you've noticed mood swings, brain fog, disrupted sleep, or heightened anxiety during perimenopause, your gut health might be partly to blame. Many of us think gut health is solely about digestion, but it plays a vital role in our overall well-being—especially during perimenopause. Your gut, often called your "second brain," is intricately connected to hormonal health. It produces many neurotransmitters—like serotonin and dopamine—influencing mood, energy, and sleep. As hormones fluctuate in perimenopause, the balance of your gut microbiome and the production of these critical chemicals can be disrupted, amplifying physical and emotional symptoms.