Ahead of World Menopause Day, nutritionist Lisa Tarquini talks to Tatler about this often ignored topic and Hong Kong’s first Menopause Festival
Considering how little support and credible research we have available on menstruation, which almost half of the global population experiences from approximately 12 to 50 years old, it’s little wonder there is even less of either dedicated to the stage in a person’s life when menstruation tapers off.
Societal perception of women and public policies around the world—mostly in the form of abortion and birth control rights—speak volumes on how women are often valued first and foremost (if not only) for our ability to bear children. Firstly, women are much more than that. And secondly, if the ability to procreate is recognised as valuable, then the effects on one’s overall well-being from having and then losing this ability should be recognised as well.
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This is why it’s important we have more open conversations about menstruation, but also about menopause—instead of ignoring this physically, emotionally and mentally trying stage of a woman’s life.
Ahead of World Menopause Day and and Hong Kong’s first Menopause Festival, both on October 18, Front & Female spoke with Lisa Tarquini, a registered nutritionist, advocate for women’s health and founder of The Menopause Space, which is a platform to educate and empower those who are impacted by menopause and to drive conversations on the topic.
For those who don’t know, what are perimenopause and menopause?
Perimenopause is a phase of menstrual irregularity, fluctuating hormone levels and a variety of symptoms. It can start ten years prior to a women’s final menstrual period to one year after menopause. Perimenopause is difficult to diagnose and is usually diagnosed via symptoms.
Natural menopause is diagnosed when it has been 12 months since a women’s final menstrual period and not the result of other causes. This can occur between the ages of 48-53 and at any stage of a woman’s life cycle for reasons such as premature ovarian insufficiency or early menopause, medically induced menopause from chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or surgical menopause due to removal of the ovaries.
Menopause is not always an “older woman’s” issue.