When you think about the word “menopause,” you probably imagine a woman in her early 50s. In reality, what happens to our bodies after menopause is just as important.

The changes that occur in our bodies during menopause have long lasting effects. Some of the symptoms, such as night sweats, can last into our 60s and 70s. But, even when the obvious symptoms pass, we still have to deal with a “new normal” in terms of our hormones.

As with so many things in life, getting the most from your postmenopausal body starts with understanding. Once we know what is really happening to our bodies, we can put plans in place to get the most from them.

To help the women in our community through this process, I turned to Julie Dargan, who is a registered nurse and an expert on what happens to our bodies during menopause.

Over the course of several hours, we recorded a series of videos to help you fall back in love with your post-menopausal body. I hope that you enjoy them. If you do, please “like” and share this article so that other women can benefit from Julie’s wisdom!

Why Do Postmenopausal Women Have Trouble Sleeping? What Can we Do About it?

As I mentioned before, we tend to think about the obvious symptoms of menopause. In reality, the hormonal changes that go on in our bodies in our 50s and older impact every aspect of our lives. One of the least talked about is how our aging bodies impact our sleep. In this interview, Julie gives some practical advice for sleeping better after 60. You’ll learn the one thing you should never bring into your bedroom and two drinks that may be better for your sleep than wine.

How Can Diet, Exercise and Stress Reduction Help You Lose Weight After Menopause?

It seems like most women in their 60s are way more conscious of their health than they were when they were younger. My family often jokes that I “eat like a bird.” They mean well, but, I am often frustrated by these comments. After all, if I really am eating so well, why is it that I just can’t get the body that I want? Do you sometimes feel the same? Well, if you do, this video will help. In this interview, Julie explains how exercise, stress reduction and the right food can help you to lose weight at any age.

Bringing Your Hormones Back Into Balance After Menopause

In some ways, menopause is an “event,” in the sense that it happens at a certain time and has specific symptoms. In other ways, menopause is the beginning of a much longer process – one which lasts for most of our lives.

The truth is that our hormones never return to what they were before we experience menopause. The changes that occur in our bodies in our 50s have impacts well into our 60s and 70s. But, this raises an interesting question. Are the hormonal changes that take place in our bodies inevitable? Or, are there things that we can do to fight back? In this video, Julie has an answer!

Managing Vaginal Dryness and Other Postmenopausal Challenges

Many older women are embarrassed to talk about the issues that impact their aging bodies. This is especially true when it comes to issues like vaginal dryness. The truth is that there is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. In reality, this is an issue that most women face. In addition, there are quite a few things that we can do to reconnect with and improve the health of this part of our bodies. From making small dietary changes, to applying a small amount of coconut oil before sex, we are in control.

What is Menopause Really? You Might be Surprised!

Finally, Julie and I end with a discussion about the definition of menopause. We talk about some of the misconceptions about menopause, including the belief that our hormones change once and then return to normal. The truth is that the hormonal changes that start in our 40s and 50s impact us for the rest of our lives. In this video, Julie offers some specific tips for dealing with life after menopause.

What did you think of the videos in this series? Do you have any questions for Julie about menopause or postmenopause? Please join the conversation.