Menopause Across Borders

🌍 Rethinking Menopause: What We Can Learn from the Blue Zones

In the U.S., menopause is too often framed as decline — a problem to be managed, medicalized, or silenced. But is this the only way women experience midlife? Or can we learn from cultures where aging is embraced,

and vitality extends into the later decades of life?

That question is at the heart of my current research project.

🔹 The Blue Zones and Longevity

The “Blue Zones” — Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Ikaria (Greece), Nicoya (Costa Rica), and Loma Linda (California) — have been studied extensively for their extraordinary longevity. Diets rich in plants and fiber, strong social connections, and active daily living are all part of the picture.

Yet, one question remains underexplored: how do women in these regions experience menopause compared to women in the U.S.?

🔹 Culture, Lifestyle, and Menopause

In the Blue Zones, women remain active and integrated into community life well into older age. Food is simple and natural, and aging is respected.

By contrast, many U.S. women report feeling isolated or treated as though their bodies are failing. Symptom management often defaults to prescriptions rather than lifestyle-based support.

Could these cultural differences explain not only longevity but also how women transition through menopause?

🔹 My Research Project

I am launching a global project to gather firsthand accounts from women in perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause — beginning in the Blue Zones and expanding outward.

This is not just about data points. It is about amplifying women’s voices, uncovering differences, and finding opportunities to reframe how we approach midlife health.

Loma Linda offers a unique perspective: a U.S.-based Blue Zone shaped by faith and whole-food living. Its example raises an important question: is it possible to create a “Blue Zone approach” to menopause here in the United States?

🔹 An Invitation to Collaborate

I invite colleagues, researchers, and practitioners in women’s health, nutrition, and wellness to connect with me. Together, we can highlight the importance of cultural context in menopause and spark new conversations about how to support women globally.

If you know women who may be interested in contributing their story, please share my project with them.