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October is off to an abnormally warm start here in Minnesota, which is adding fuel to the hot flash fire. While I wish for fall, I’m bringing you this week's roundup featuring the booming menopause industry, a celebration of coaches, and a check-in on September's first self-care tip.

Grab your favorite beverage and let's dive in.

The Menopause Gold Rush

When I first started my menopause transition, there was nothing. No help. No news. Crickets.

Now, the menopause industry is booming. We're talking about an industry valued at nearly $18 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit between $24-28 billion by 2030.

That's a whole lot of weighted vests, cooling pajamas, and supplements, my friends.

Celebrity-backed brands are everywhere. Doctors, coaches, and influencers are scrambling for their piece of the pie.

Venture capitalists (aka VCs, who’ve rebranded as “private equity”) have also entered the market to the tune of $500 million in just the last five years. This investment promises the explosion of menopause products in the market will not only continue but likely get bigger every year. Those $4,800 hormone-balancing retreats and red-light-therapy vibrators (yes, you read that right) are just the beginning.

And as a personal aside, prior to becoming a coach I was a corporate accountant for almost 30 years. And during that entire time, not once did the involvement of VCs make anything better. Literally zero. It’s not just my GenX status that makes me skeptical about their involvement.

Not All of This Is Good News for Us

We're seeing beauty products hastily rebranded as "menopause solutions,” and with that, an inflated price. Rebranding an existing product with new packaging and marking it up is nothing new but I fear the “pink tax” is getting an upgrade in all of this.

Dietary supplements accounted for more than 94% of the menopause industry revenue in 2024. Some of these supplements have been linked to both short- and long-term organ damage. Remember, just because something is “natural,” doesn’t make it harmless.

The explosion of social media content (over a billion views on TikTok's #menopause hashtag alone) has created a perfect storm where misinformation spreads just as quickly as legitimate solutions. Studies show that medical residents and practitioners have significant knowledge gaps that inhibit their ability to address menopausal symptoms, with 71% of US OB/GYN curriculums reporting two or fewer menopause related lectures per year. This lack of training means women aren’t getting the answers or care they need from the medical community and in turn, get their answers from the loudest content creators that may or may not have any relevant training.

The Real Impact on Care

So, what does all this commercialization mean for actual care? It's complicated.

On one hand, the increased attention and investment have finally brought menopause out of the shadows and into mainstream conversation.

On the other hand, the flood of products create a whole lot of noise making it difficult to separate medicine from marketing.

Bottom line: we need to do our due diligence just like we would for any other product.

Things to look for:

• Check their website:
  • Do they have one and what’s the tone?
  • What’s front and center on their home page?
  • Is there an about page and a way to contact them that isn’t tied to social media?
• Check their credentials:
  • Are their certifying agencies accredited?
  • What kind of doctor are they? Do they have specialized training in menopause?
  • Do their credentials support what they are selling?
• Consider personal experience:
  • Is this someone who hasn’t and/or never will experience menopause?
  • Or is this a 55-year-old woman with her own menopause battle scars?

Keep an eye on this space. I’m currently writing an article for November that will help you separate grifters from properly trained personnel that prioritize your wellbeing, not your pocketbook. In the meantime, check out my July blog post for what a menopause coach is and when/why you would need one.

Celebrating National Coaches Day

Speaking of my July post, October 6th is National Coaches Day, and yes, it's a real holiday! President Richard Nixon established National Coaches Day in 1972 through proclamation 4157, recognizing coaches as highly qualified teachers in specialized fields who become friends and counselors.

While this day was originally created to honor athletic coaches, it has expanded to include all types of coaches who guide us through various facets of our lives.

As a wellness coach specializing in menopause, this day has special meaning for me. My journey into coaching was deeply personal. I founded Beautiful Life Fitness because the system utterly failed me. Just like it’s failed women for generations. And now, I'm afraid it might still be failing us, just in a different way.

My coaching philosophy is rooted in compassion and the Eight Dimensions of Wellness. If you read my post last Wednesday, you know how that philosophy overlaps with the lifestyle medicine philosophy that the IMS has named as their theme for World Menopause Day on October 18^th. Every Wednesday this month I am writing on both lifestyle medicine and the eight dimensions of wellness so make sure you’re on my email list to get notified as soon as each new article is posted.

To all my fellow coaches out there: thank you for the work you do.

Anyone reading this who has ever had a coach who changed their life: reach out to them this weekend. Tell them what they meant to you. Trust me, they'll remember your message years from now.

Self-Care Check-In: How's That Symptom Tracking Going?

Remember September's first menopause self-care tip: Track Your Symptoms. 

So, let's be real. How many of you actually started tracking?

Here's why I'm bringing this up again. Your symptom journal is your best defense against the $18 billion industry trying to sell you everything under the sun.

When you're bombarded with ads for cooling pajamas, special supplements, “hormone-balancing” retreats, and beauty products that promise to erase every wrinkle, how do you know what you actually need, even if all the products on the market were legit?

Your symptom tracker tells you. It's the difference between throwing money at random solutions and making informed decisions about what might actually help your unique body.

Have you noticed any patterns yet? Maybe you've discovered that your hot flashes spike on days you have that extra cup of coffee, or that your sleep improves when you skip the wine at dinner. Maybe you're still figuring it out, and that's okay too. The point isn't perfection, it's awareness.

Thanks to the deeply flawed 2002 study by the Women’s Health Initiative, menopause hormone therapy (MHT, aka hormone replacement therapy, or HRT) usage fell from 27% in 1999 to only 5% today. Up to 95% could be helped by MHT yet still suffer needlessly. MHT is not a fountain of youth, but it can help a lot of symptoms, particularly hot flashes and night sweats.

Knowing the symptoms and their severity goes a long way towards helping you and your doctor make the best decisions for your long-term health, not just during the menopause transition.

Consider this is your gentle nudge to keep at it. In a world where everyone's trying to sell you something, YOUR data about YOUR body is the most valuable tool you have. It helps you cut through the BS, have better conversations with your healthcare provider, and avoid wasting money on the latest menopause "miracle" product that won't work for you anyway.

Easy ways to jump back in:

• Start today: Don't wait for Monday or the first of the month
• Use whatever's easiest: notes app, calendar, actual paper journal
• Track just ONE thing this week: pick your most annoying symptom and pay attention to it

Remember: You're not just tracking symptoms. You're taking back your power in a marketplace that's proven to be more interested in your wallet than your wellbeing.

What's Coming This Week

Reminder that October is Menopause Awareness Month. Check back Wednesday for a closer look at the first two tenets of lifestyle medicine: optimal nutrition and physical activity. If you missed the first installment, check it out HERE.

Plus, don't forget, My Fall Favorites Free Recipe Collection is still available! These are delicious, nourishing recipes designed with your menopausal body and tight schedule in mind. Grab your copy before the season gets away from us! 🍁 🍁 🍁

References:

Menopause Market (2025 - 2030) by Grand View Research

Doctors cashing in by selling women false promises on HRT by Express UK

Menopause Industry Rise by Menopause Rise

Most OB/GYN residency programs in US lack dedicated menopause curriculum by Healio

Proclamation 4157 signed by Nixon