Hi there. I’m d’Alene.
Just like you,
I’m working my way through the ups and downs of aging and the minefield that is menopause. I’m a Certified Holistic Nutritionist who’s passionate about fitness, nutrition, and living a beautiful life in my 50s and beyond. I’m here to share all I’m learning about how to THRIVE through the challenges of middle age in order to help others live a healthy, happy, and purposeful life.
My journey…
started at age 45 when emergency surgery for ovarian cancer (thankfully misdiagnosed!) and industrial strength antibiotics put me flat on my back for nearly six months and catapulted me into early menopause from out of nowhere. After all I’d just gone through, I was now faced with debilitating hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings, insomnia, and weight gain.
Countless trips to MDs, Naturopaths, even a “witch doctor” or two, and my head was spinning. All signs – and every “expert” - pointed to some form of hormone replacement therapy as the only solution. I tried everything they prescribed – creams, pills, pellets, you name it - and pretty much just felt worse.
Could assaulting my body with a flood of hormones really be the only solution?
I barely recognized myself anymore. I tried everything the doctors prescribed and only felt worse.
I refused to accept that this is what midlife was supposed to be,
Or that as one gynecologist told me, “you just have to grit your teeth, it’s only ten years.” How could a totally natural transition have such a grim diagnosis?
This is where I said, “enough is enough!” and took matters into my own hands. I did a deep dive into every morsel of medical research I could dig up and set up camp in the library to read every book I could find on holistic methods and modalities for overall health (and got certified as a Holistic Nutritionist along the way). All of this led to crafting the protocol that would allow me to regain my energy and health without resorting to hormones.
Here’s what I learned… I call it my Menopause Manifesto.
Menopause is not a disease. Medical intervention is an extreme measure that focuses on masking symptoms rather than looking at how the transition can be eased by considering a woman’s whole body and life as a complex system naturally seeking equilibrium.
It all starts in our gut. That’s where so many of our internal processes, from digestion to mood to hormonal balance begin, and it’s where they can be either optimized or derailed entirely based on our inputs.
What we eat matters. Our dietary choices can be either health-promoting or disease-promoting, and these choices have a trickle-down effect on every single aspect of our physical and emotional health.
It’s more than physical. But the physical manifestations are aggravated by the emotional and even spiritual upheavals that often appear at midlife.
The solution is simpler than we think. The exact details are different for every woman because each woman experiences menopause in a highly personal way, but the answer is universally elegant in its simplicity.
These principles are what guided me in the creation of both the Mastering Menopause protocol and the Vital Femme line of nutritional supplements, and they continue to inspire me every day in creating a life I love.
I have achieved a level of health and happiness during menopause that I never had before, and you can do the same!
My highest goal is to share everything I’ve learned to help women harness the incredible power of menopause to reclaim their energy and vitality and to use this time of natural transition to realign their physical and emotional health so that they can truly thrive. When you join the community, you’ll receive periodic updates on the most important research and tips for healthy, happy living.
Here’s to sunshine, health, and happiness!