Rochelle Bernstein, MD

11/21/2025

🚨 Did you know? Menopause increases your risk of cardiovascular disease! 🚨

After menopause, women are at a higher risk of heart disease due to declining estrogen levels. Estrogen helps protect your heart by keeping blood vessels flexible and aiding in the control of bad cholesterol levels.

But don't worry! By staying active, eating a healthy diet, and managing stress, you can help reduce your risk.

Take care of your heart during menopause and beyond! ❤️

11/20/2025

🌸 Menopause and Acne: What's Going On? 🌸

Thought you left acne behind in your teen years? Think again! During menopause, hormonal fluctuations can lead to an increase in pimples and acne. The drop in estrogen combined with a relative increase in testosterone can trigger your skin to produce more oil, leading to those unwanted breakouts.

But don’t worry—you're not alone, and there are solutions! Gentle skincare, staying hydrated, and talking to your dermatologist about hormone-friendly treatments can help keep your skin clear and glowing.

11/18/2025

Many women are surprised to learn that blood sugar often shifts in midlife, even in those who eat well and stay active. Hormone changes affect how your body uses insulin, how easily you build muscle, and how quickly you store fat. All of that can influence energy, cravings, sleep, and long-term metabolic health.

My latest post breaks down what’s actually happening, why it matters before any diagnosis shows up, and simple steps that make a real difference.

As women move into perimenopause and beyond, hormonal shifts can create a perfect storm for changes in blood sugar and metabolism. Even women who have never had concerns about insulin resistance may start to notice patterns that feel out of the ordinary. Declining estrogen affects how the body uses....

11/18/2025

✨ Age is Just a Construct—Embrace Your Power at Any Stage! ✨

Ladies, it’s time to break free from the idea that age defines us! Menopause isn’t a limitation—it’s a time to rediscover our strength, wisdom, and joy. 💪

🔥 Here’s the truth:

- Your Best Years Are Now: Age is just a number, not a barrier. Whether you're in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, there’s no expiration date on living your life to the fullest.
- Redefine What’s Possible: New career? Yes. Adventure? Yes. Thriving relationships? Absolutely! Menopause is YOUR time to do things on your terms.
- You Set the Rules: Society’s expectations don’t matter. YOU decide what aging means, whether it’s staying active, pursuing passions, or reinventing yourself.

💫 Let’s celebrate the beauty, confidence, and limitless potential that comes with this stage of life!

11/14/2025

👩‍⚕️ Let’s Talk Menopause
Many women are surprised to learn that symptoms like brain fog, vaginal dryness, or heart palpitations are linked to menopause. Don’t hesitate to bring these up with your healthcare provider—there are effective treatments available, including non-hormonal options! 🌸

11/13/2025

Better Sleep in Menopause
Night sweats keeping you up? Cooling bedding, mindfulness practices, and avoiding caffeine late in the day can promote better rest. 🌙

11/12/2025

Holiday stress and food go hand in hand—but if it feels harder to resist the treats lately, there’s a reason. 🍪

During menopause, changes in estrogen make it tougher for your body to regulate stress hormones like cortisol. That means when the holidays pile on extra demands, the urge to reach for food, for comfort, distraction, or energy, can feel stronger than ever.

This week’s Purely Empowered post explains why stress eating shows up so often in midlife and how to interrupt the cycle before it starts. No guilt, no restriction—just understanding your body’s cues.

✨ Exclusive for Purely Empowered subscribers — less than $1/week ($50/year).

The holidays are coming—Thanksgiving around the corner, Christmas and Hanukkah not far behind—and for many women, that can mean more than festive lights and celebrations. It’s also a season of juggling family expectations, work deadlines, travel, and tables full of tempting treats. For women i...

11/06/2025

Hot flashes, sleep, brain fog, s*x, weight.

There’s new research on all of it — straight from this year’s Menopause Society meeting.

This week on Purely Menopause, I recapped the most important patient-centered updates, including:

• the newest FDA-approved non-hormonal option for hot flashes
• research that menopause does not shrink the brain
• when estrogen actually helps sleep (and when it doesn’t)
• the nuance behind testosterone dosing for women
• early data on GLP-1 meds + MHT for weight in midlife

This is evidence-based, real-world information that helps you advocate for yourself and make decisions that match your goals.

The 2025 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society, held October 21–25 in Orlando, covered perimenopause, menopause, s*xual health, brain function, bone health, sleep, and more. Here’s a patient-focused recap of the most important updates and what they could mean for your health.

11/01/2025

You’re working out, staying active, doing all the right things…but still feeling tired or not seeing the results you expect?

It might not be your training—it might be your fueling.

During and after menopause, your body uses energy differently. Declining estrogen changes metabolism, muscle synthesis, and recovery. Many active women unknowingly slip into a low-energy state—eating what “used to be enough” but isn’t anymore.

In my latest post on Purely Menopause, I explain:
🍳 How to recognize signs of under-fueling
🥗 What “enough” really looks like for active midlife women
💪 Why consistent protein and recovery meals protect strength, bone, and metabolic health

This post is free for all Purely Curious subscribers, and you can sign up for free anytime.

👉 Read it now at purelymenopause.com/blog

You’re not here to shrink—you’re here to stay strong. 💥

One of the most overlooked shifts during the menopause transition is nutrition. The same foods and habits that fueled you through your 30s may not serve you as well now, especially if you’re active and want to keep your energy, strength, and endurance. Whether you’re running, lifting, hiking, sk...

10/30/2025

Painful s*x, dryness, or loss of desire are common after menopause but absolutely treatable.

Local estrogen, nonhormonal moisturizers, systemic hormone therapy, pelvic floor therapy, and/or vaginal dilators can restore comfort and pleasure.

A menopause specialist can help you find the right solution safely.

You don’t have to give up intimacy — you just need the right tools.

10/29/2025

Every woman’s menopause experience is different so your care should be too.

Some thrive with lifestyle changes alone; others benefit from hormone or nonhormonal therapy. The key is tailoring treatment to you — your health history, your goals, your comfort.

Evidence-based menopause care isn’t about “fixing” you. It’s about helping you feel like yourself again.

10/28/2025

Mood changes in menopause are common, but they’re not “all in your head.”

Estrogen affects neurotransmitters that regulate mood, sleep, and energy.

With the right combination of therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes, balance is possible.

Reach out — help exists, and it works.