If You Want to Slide, Not Slam, into Perimenopause, You Should: Find a healthcare practitioner who listens to your own unique needs Focus on healing your gut, balancing your hormones, and managing your stress Keep raising the volume on these conversations to help empower all women   Have you worried you are in early or perimenopause but secretly hoped you are not? If you answered yes, you are not alone. The misinformation and stigma surrounding perimenopause, menopause, and beyond is what is keeping so many women from sauntering into this new phase of life, and it's time that stopped. The good news is there are many ways for you to take care of yourself and learn what is going on in your body to approach this new chapter with ease and grace.   Become a Hormone Hottie with Dr. LaKeischa Dr. LaKeischa Webb McMillan is a gifted speaker, OB-GYN and hormone specialist, and an Amazon Best-Selling Author. She has a passion for helping women struggling with depleting hormones and helps them balance their hormones, regain mental sharpness, and have the energy to last the entire day. She has a loyal following of ‘Hormone Hottie’s’ and is here today to share how you can glide, not slam, into perimenopause and beyond.   Why We Need to Keep Having This Conversation Dr. LaKeischa knows firsthand what it feels like to have the rug pulled out from under you regarding your hormones and overall health. She helps women connect the dots between symptoms and how they are showing up daily.  Because of her own journey, Dr. LaKeischa knows how important it is to take the time to care for yourself, heal and get to the root causes of your symptoms through these important conversations. She believes that practitioners should feel privileged to be on this journey with you during this vulnerable time in your health and encourages others to keep raising the volume on these topics.   Not Your Mother's Menopause When it comes to perimenopause, not every woman has the same symptoms or timeline. Each of our bodies is unique, and it is only by empowering yourself through knowledge that you can gain the tools and resources necessary to take care of your body.  This is not your mother's menopause, and it is possible to make empowered decisions about your body by gaining hormone literacy, having the courage to think outside of the box, and standing in your power of how you want to experience this new phase. While there is no magic pill, there are many natural ways that you can get to the root causes of your symptoms and take back your health. Are you confident about your level of hormone literacy and knowing your body? Share how you are working to become your own #healthceo with me in the comments section of the episode page.   Quotes: “You really need to take care of yourself, so that you can continue to take care of others.” (14:20) “That is the beauty of finding the right person to be able to help you. Working with someone that actually is working in something called narrative medicine, where both of you come together, and you exchange your life experiences, and you are moving forward together for a common goal.” (24:26) “What we have to do is continue to have these conversations that amplify it. Because when we do that, when we shine the light on it, we actually take the boogeyman out of it. (26:25) “When you own it, when you own that part of your story, it empowers you. And that’s what I am looking to do for my women. I want you to be able to say ‘I’m not crazy. This is me. This is what’s happening, and this is what I am doing to make sure I can function every day and still show up and give you this bada*s whatever, that’s me’.” (33:28) “We are seeing the symptoms, and we are understanding them more. And that is where the conversations have to be expanded.” (38:47)   In This Episode The biggest needle movers for taking care of you during this time of transition (19:24) The importance of narrative medicine when it comes to finding out your root causes (24:1