The Struggles of Premature Menopause with Christy Napolitano Wernau & Jewel Kling, MD, MPH (Episode 201)

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) sends about 4% of women into premature menopause before the age of 40. Yet, the condition is little understood and for those experiencing it, incredibly isolating. This week we talk about the struggles women with premature menopause face with athlete and entrepreneur Christy Napolitano Wernau, who experienced premature menopause at age 38. We also talk with her doctor, national expert and leader in menopause, Jewel Kling, MD, MPH, about the unique care women with premature menopause require, especially when it comes to menopausal hormone therapy.Christy Napolitano Wernau is an accomplished entrepreneur and advocate for women’s health. With 27 years of experience at McDonald’s, she became a franchise owner, managing multiple restaurants and teams. She serves as a board member for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), contributing to impactful community work. Diagnosed with premature ovarian failure and experiencing menopause at 38, she is passionate about raising awareness and building a supportive community for women navigating non-traditional menopause. A dedicated wife, fitness enthusiast, and mother, she balances her personal and professional life with a love for travel and wellness. Currently, she’s pursuing a degree in Organizational Leadership with a minor in sociology, and she’s an advocate for self-growth and resilience. Jewel Kling, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine, Chair of the Division of Women’s Health Internal Medicine, Assistant Director of the Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Center and Dean of the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine AZ campus at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her clinical and research interests are in menopause, sexual health, LGBT care, education, as well as efforts to expand the discipline of Sex and Gender specific medicine. Dr. Kling is recognized as an institutional and national expert and leader in menopause. She is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, a fellow and board member of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), and board member of the American Medical Women’s Association Sex and Gender Health Collaborative. She is also part of the transgender and intersex specialty clinic committee at Mayo Clinic Arizona and has been a past co-chair of the LGBTI Mayo Employee Resource Group.Resources

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Perimenopause and menopause hit active women differently. We have a different lifestyle and different goals. And we know our bodies. Whether you run and hike or do CrossFit and ski (or a little of everything!), you’ve had a way of eating and exercising that worked…until the menopause transition, when it all goes out the window as body composition changes, fatigue, body aches, sleepless nights, hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings, and low mojo blindside you out of the blue—despite doing everything right. Your doctor may (or may not) help with hormone replacement therapy. But what about all the active stuff you love? You’re already exercising and eating well. What you want is to feel and perform like you used to. That doesn’t mean fasting, swearing off carbs for life, or just slowing down. It means adjusting your nutrition, training, recovery, and mindset to work with your changing physiology as you hit this phase of life. And we’re here for it. At Hit Play Not Pause, we know the potential of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, because we talk to elite athletes and everyday active women who are still hitting personal bests along with world-renowned sports dietitians, researchers, medical and menopause specialists to help you understand what’s happening under the hood during the menopause transition and more importantly, what you can do about it—from hormone therapy to heavy lifting and everything in between—to feel and perform your best. Host Selene Yeager is a health and science journalist with 30 years’ experience and more than two dozen books to her name. She also lives an active life as a former Ironman triathlete and professional mountain bike racer who still rides, runs, paddles, hikes, lifts, and through her work at Feisty Menopause helps others do the same.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy