Photos by Susan Fried

This week on The Day with Trae, Menopause Mentor Danyale Thomas returned for another Menopause Monday to discuss with host Trae Holiday about different supplements that can help combat specific symptoms of Menopause, particularly weight gain.

"As estrogen declines, we tend to become insulin resistant. Then, that causes visceral fat to show up around our midsections, and visceral fat is hard to lose because estrogen has declined," Thomas said. "It can cause type two diabetes, and it also can cause a heart to be affected. Heart disease is the number one killer of women during menopause years. So the weight gain contributes to that because it puts more stress on our heart."

Thomas highlighted the use of nootropics, substances that target cognitive ability, as well as memory, learning technique, and thinking, with her favorite being ashwagandha.

"It's probably the most well-known Ayurvedic derivative and the way I use it is to help lower my stress level and to keep me calm. Because that's the way I feel like anxiety rises, as your estrogen declines," Thomas said. "We're not able to stabilize our moods the way we used to. With ashwagandha, I find that I'm able to settle in and focus and alleviate some of the stress that comes out throughout the day."

Thomas explained that pairing nootropics with other positive changes like a routine in your life can lead to better results and healthier patterns that minimize menopause symptoms.

"I have a morning routine that I'm dedicated to, dedicated to making sure that I exercise, making sure that I choose the right foods for my body," Thomas said. "It makes a difference for us to be more vigilant and conscious about our health choices and more vigilant about who we contact and talk to about those health choices."

Finding the right nootropics or remedies to implement in one's life is essential in starting the path toward the best treatment, as symptoms vary between women. For example, caffeine, another nootropic, will produce different results than ashwagandha.

"It gives you that energy boost, but sometimes we don't always need the energy boosts," Thomas said. "We need the focus so that we can make better choices for ourselves."

Before looking into nootropic treatment, Thomas emphasized the importance of speaking with your health provider before trying any new substance.

"Before you start it, you should check with your health care provider. Because you want to check and make sure that anything you're already taking doesn't somehow contribute to you not feeling well by taking something else," Thomas said. "Because these are naturally derived, people don't really know how they're going to affect you. So you have to use it with a grain of salt, make the choices best for you, and ease into it. But always start with talking to your healthcare professional."

To reach out to Danyale for more information regarding menopause, you can contact her here.  

For the latest updates on community news, join us live with Trae every weekday at 11 am on Converge Media platforms and The Day With Trae YouTube Channel.