Learn how to restore balance and support clients to do the same in our Hormone Health Course. Use code TAMSENXIIN to receive 25% off.

Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Panic washed over her like a wave. The flood of anxiety was overwhelming and frightening. 

Tamsen Fadal remembers this harrowing moment like it was yesterday. While reading the evening news, the 13-time Emmy Award-winning journalist suddenly found herself, for no discernible reason, stumbling through her words. 

“If I fall over, somebody catch me,” she remembers telling her crew, half-jokingly.

But it was no joke. One of Fadal’s colleagues walked her to the bathroom, where she collapsed on the floor. 

For the first time in 25 years, Fadal hadn’t finished a newscast.

Tamsen Fadal Finds Her Purpose and Spreads Her Message

Though this was undoubtedly a traumatic moment for the journalist and author, it oddly ended up becoming a blessing in disguise. It was the catalyst for Fadal finding her true purpose in life: becoming a menopause advocate and empowering women across the globe.

Following the collapse, bloodwork revealed that Fadal was in menopause. To her utter disbelief, the collapse had been due to a hot flash.

Frustrated at the lack of discussion about menopause, and its accompanying symptoms, the former WPIX reporter and anchor decided to take action. She started interviewing women, interviewing doctors, and connecting struggling women with doctors.

It was also during this time that Fadal enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s Health Coach Training Program. She wanted to learn more about her hormones, and how to take care of herself holistically.

Also during this time, Fadal had the good fortune of meeting television producer Joanne LaMarca Mathisen. They agreed that having conversations with women about menopause was productive, but they aspired to scale their message and their learnings for a wider audience. That inspired them to produce the documentary film The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause, which challenges societal and medical shortcomings and advocates for a revolutionary approach to women’s health.

The response was extraordinary and the reach was astounding. It got picked up by PBS, and it’s now been viewed in over 500 cities in 40 countries. There have been screenings in Mumbai and New Zealand, with upcoming screenings scheduled in Australia, Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

It’s created a movement, providing women the opportunity to share their experiences with menopause and have productive and meaningful conversations in a grassroots way.

Helping Women Take Charge of Their Health and Reclaim Their Lives

As the documentary was being made, and Fadal was embracing her role as a global menopause advocate, she made the decision to leave her journalism career behind.

That’s given her more time to pour her heart and soul into menopause education and support.

On March 25th, her highly-anticipated book, How to Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better Than Before, will hit shelves. 

“Expert-driven and girlfriend approved,” the book is loaded with actionable steps and evidenced-based tools from a team of 42 experts, including neuroscientists, menopause-certified physicians, and sex and relationship therapists. It aims to help women take back control of their health, reclaim their confidence, and become their best advocates.

And though it’s largely about menopause, it’s not solely about menopause. It also focuses on your whole lifespan and health span, and understanding how hormones, nutrition, and exercise affect them.

“IIN talks all about primary nutrition,” Fadal says, “and that's really what this is. That’s what this whole section of our lives is about. We've put ourselves last for a long time, and the purpose of the book is to take charge of that area again and focus on ourselves.”

Ask IIN: How Do You Nourish Yourself With Primary Food?

In addition to science-backed strategies to improve your sleep, simple workouts, skincare tips, and delicious recipes, the honest and humorous book also helps women effectively think about, and process, this under-discussed period of their lives. It also delves into how to navigate menopause in the workplace.

Tamsen’s Tips for Women in Menopause

In addition to her documentary, book, speaking engagements, and social media content (of which she’s built an incredible following), Fadal still spends much of her time having informal conversations with women about menopause and its effects.

During these conversations, she often stresses the importance of getting your sleep stabilized, which can admittedly be challenging because of hormone changes. Poor sleep is a disruptor, and it makes everything else in your life feel out of whack. Getting to bed and waking up at the same time should be priorities, as well as limiting caffeine and screen time. 

Read More: Sleep Expert: Doing These 5 Things Consistently Helped Me Sleep Better

Fadal also encourages women not to settle when it comes to doctors. If the connection doesn’t feel right, or you’re sensing that they don’t really understand what you’re going through and experiencing, don’t hesitate to make a change and move on. It’s important to trust your instincts and not force the issue.

“Don’t beg a doctor to talk to you,” she says, “and understand that if the doctor's not paying attention and not listening to you, you need to move on. Find somebody that you can talk to, who can help you decide whether to do hormone treatments, make lifestyle changes, try supplements, or try another way.”

When you find the right doctor or coach, Fadal says, make sure to take the time to explore, and properly weigh, all the appropriate and reasonable options available to you.

The Future of Menopause Advocacy 

Fadal is hopeful that in the years and decades to come, menopause will evolve to become more of a natural, normal transitional period in one’s life.

And with continued advocacy, the goal (which is already coming to fruition in a significant way) is to have continuous conversations at earlier ages, so when menopause arrives, it’s not such a daunting obstacle to face and come to terms with.

The key is ongoing education and awareness. Fadal is hopeful that women will make the lifestyle changes necessary — eating right, strength training, watching for inflammation, paying close attention to stress levels — well before they turn 50. The earlier that women can implement those changes, the better.

Fadal has her sights set on larger goals, as well, including additional funding for research and awareness. She’s also hopeful that legislative progress will be made to further assist women in menopause and midlife. Those will be more challenging to achieve, but the numbers and the momentum is on her side.

“We are louder than we’ve ever been,” Fadal says proudly. “There are a billion women in menopause right now, and they’re looking for help. People follow the dollars and the numbers, and that’s where they are. And they’re speaking up about it.”

From adrenal fatigue and high blood sugar to fertility concerns and thyroid disorders, hormone imbalances are at the root of many underlying issues. Enroll in the Hormone Health Course and learn to restore balance by making holistic shifts to your diet and lifestyle. You'll also learn how to support clients to do the same. Use code TAMSENXIIN to receive 25% off!