Okay, I’m confessing right up front: I have a few axes to grind. If you bear with me, I promise to share some solid information in a more balanced tone as well!

I’m inspired to write by articles like the recent one in American Family Physician, titled “Health Maintenance in Postmenopausal Women.” It covers cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and dementia—but doesn’t include one single word about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which can reduce the risk of all three.

Also missing? Any mention of sexual health. Vaginas deprived of hormones are not sexually happy organs! Not to mention, there’s a significantly increased risk of urinary tract infections—not just from dryness, but from changes in the genitourinary microbiome.

Esteemed urologist and researcher Dr. Rachel Rubin estimates that if eligible women were given vaginal estrogen, Medicare could save between $6 and $22 billion every year. That’s not even counting the suffering—and deaths—associated with untreated UTIs. PubMed study link

Can We All Agree?

#1 Menopause (or post-menopause, if you prefer) is not a time of hormone imbalance—it’s a time of hormone loss. Women lose essentially all their estrogen and progesterone, and nearly all of their testosterone.

#2 It borders on malpractice when a woman in peri- or post-menopause is not offered a thoughtful, up-to-date conversation about hormone replacement. We’ve moved past the outdated fears from 2001. It’s no longer okay to say, “I just don’t believe in hormones for older women.”

(If you’re curious, I highly recommend Dr. Rachel Rubin’s interview with Dr. Peter Attia. She covers hormonal and sexual health for both women and men—and it’s a great listen.)

#3 Yes, men have hormones too. And while their levels may decline, they don’t drop off a cliff like women’s do. Fun fact: take two 65-year-olds not on hormones—the man has more estrogen than the woman, because he converts some of his testosterone. She, by contrast, has very little of either.

The Animal Kingdom

Only three species are known to go through menopause: humans, killer whales, and pilot whales. Now, Beluga whales are joining the club. But not even our closest primate relatives go through menopause. It’s thought that we (and these whales) make better grandparents when we’re no longer reproducing. Fortunately, we can replace hormones without needing to reproduce again!

What Happened to All the Hormones?

In the late 20th century, about 40% of American women aged 50–74 were taking hormone therapy. By 2001, that number remained strong. Then came the misinterpreted WHI study—and usage plummeted.

As of 2020, only 4.7% of postmenopausal women in the U.S. are on HRT. That’s not progress.
Source: JAMA Health Forum

But the World Is Changing

The hormone-friendly doctors at Northwest Wellness Center are not alone. More informed, thoughtful voices are speaking up:

• Dr. Rachel Rubin, board-certified urologist and sexual medicine expert

• Dr. Mary Claire Haver, OB-GYN and author of The New Menopause

• Dr. Vonda Wright, orthopedic surgeon and aging-well advocate

• Dr. Ann Hathaway, my dear friend from med school, precision medicine expert, and co-author of Dr. Bredesen’s Alzheimer’s research (you’ll hear her on our summer podcast!)

These women—and many others—are building a smarter, bolder movement around hormonal health. If you don’t have a supportive doctor, find one. If you don’t have a community, build one—or borrow from those already out there.

Menopause is having a moment.
“Oh, my doctor doesn’t do hormones,” is no longer an excuse.
Go find one who does.

If you’re in peri- or post-menopause and haven’t had a real conversation about hormone replacement—now is the time. At Northwest Wellness Center, we believe it’s never too late to invest in your health, your hormones, and your future.

➡️ Please note: Dr. Gordon is not currently accepting new patients, but Dr. Monika Mehrens (does not accept Medicare patients) is welcoming new patients and would love to support you.

Learn more at northwestwellness.net or call our office to schedule.