in conversation with Dixie Lincoln-Nichols: “life in the pause”

“midlife”. what comes to mind when you hear or see this word?

i know for me, nothing really. you see, i prefer not to subscribe to society’s dictates on what IS or ISN’T for me or my life. HOWEVER, menopause or what i like to call “the pause” is an “experience” (the term i use for myself) that many of us women, especially Black women didn’t know much about until recently.

my mom told me 20 years ago, i’d be 55 like her so i had nothing to worry about. well, i was 43 when the pause started for me. i had been without a moon cycle for over a year – menopause is not having a moon cycle for a year. perimenopause is the time before the moon cycle stops and can last up to 10 years.

i was 47 when i realized i was post menopause. my experience came due to hyperparathyroidism. that is when the parathyroid that regulates calcium is out of balance. i experienced headaches  daily for over a year and kidney stones almost yearly for years.

let’s get into the 50 pounds that literally came out of nowhere. the sugar cravings and consuming things i hadn’t eaten in 20 years (candy, cakes, junk food galore). my hair texture even changed.

fast forward 4 years and everyone from Halle Berry to Taraji P. Henson are talking about the pause and the disproportionate impact it has on Black women.

why is that? how is that? there are plenty of theories. i decided i’m going to start a conversation series around this topic. to give information and resources to those who don’t know what’s going on with their bodies and have no idea where to begin.

we have to talk about it. i sat down with Dixie Lincoln-Nichols who is a pioneer for women’s wellness. she has a podcast that is centered on the pause. 

please join me for this episode of the conversation peace™, as we talk about the pause and its effect on not just our bodies but our minds and life.