Digesting the "Menopause Moment": Info Snacks To Reduce TL;DR!
A Confession, Warning, and Suggestion
Hi Beautiful Friends,
Confession:
Here’s a procrastination post stemming from more writer’s splat with a splash of neuroticism.
Is “Menopause” “Mainstream?”
It’s hard to turn your head these days without seeing the word “menopause.” A few weeks ago after being sent “menopause” content from mainstream publications from three different people in one day, I had a moment where I felt like, “well, my goal to keep talking/writing about this stuff until it becomes mainstream has been reached. Is there any point in going on?”
At the same time, I received notes from readers and friends letting me know that my content helped them figure out how to approach their doctor’s appointments and care. One friend recently switched to a NAMS-certified doctor by using the link I shared, and when she went into her appointment, the doctor was so impressed with her knowledge that the OB asked, “Where are you learning all of this?” When my friend mentioned my substack, the doctor said, “Tell her to keep going.”
I’m going to keep going, especially because many of the articles I’m sent from the mainstream are essentially photocopies of each other. Moving “menopause” into the “mainstream” has created a watered down, simplified reduction that is not sufficient for informed choice.
We need to keep going!
We need to understand the science of our bodies and be aware of the ongoing research.
Warning:
Everyday I’m absorbing more content that shapes what I’m currently writing and it all seems so important to share. As a result, like my pug Penny, my posts keep growing on the content feeding them until sometimes they seem to be bursting at the seams. I can’t seem to stop adding info, which delays publishing.
Consider yourself warned that the post I’m about to publish in the “Endochronology” series is not short. It may even induce a horrifying phenomenon I recently read about.
TL;DR: (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
I first read this term in another substack post, and when I found out what it meant I felt a pang of ouch. I resemble that remark. The term hurts not just because my posts are what some might call long (although compared to books they’re short), but as a tall person, I find it mildly offensive that something isn’t worth reading merely based on its length. If something is long because it repeats itself or because it contains irrelevant content, skip it. In fact, this description is apt for much of the “mainstream” content I’ve read recently.
Suggestion: Info Snacks!
Information has never been more readily accessible, and its consumption can develop into a form of addiction, one that I’ve been monitoring in myself and is mostly under control.
Just like limiting food and alcohol, I’ve had to limit inundations by sources of information so that I can resist the temptation to overindulge.
If I find something that will add value to my research and life, but it’s something that will take more than ten mintues to read, which in the grand scheme of things is not that long, (I mean, what else are you doing regularly that fills up ten minutes, but, let’s be honest, might not be helpful?), I try to file it someplace I can easily locate rather than digesting it the moment it crosses my path.
I also try to enjoy it in snacks! I’ve tried to break up my posts under headings, like mini chapters, so you can enjoy these as info snacks. These info snacks are shorter than the “new” article released in a “mainstream” publication that repeats the same info we’ve already learned.
Studies have shown that learning new things helps stave off aging of the brain, which is particularly important through perimenopause and beyond. Why not do something good for the brain by diving deeper to learn content that gives us a better understanding of our bodies, our minds, and our choices?
As that fun lady on Instagram always says:
“Now go get yourself a snack! And have a great day!”
Yes, keep going!