Danyale Thomas Talks Simple Solutions for Menopause Relief on The Day With Trae

This week on The Day With Trae, host Trae Holiday was joined by Converge's menopause mentor, Danyale Thomas, for another installment of Menopause Monday. In this segment, Thomas shared several simple solutions for finding relief during menopause, beginning with pelvic floor exercises.

"I don't think that we can stress this enough. Getting started with pelvic floor exercises early makes a big difference with bladder leaks and vaginal pain that sometimes shows up with menopause," Thomas said. "So get on those kegels and stay on them."

For her second solution, Thomas emphasized that addressing the mental aspect of menopause is just as important as the physical. She explained the importance of couples therapy for those in relationships, encouraging partners to invest in their emotional well-being together.

"There's a lot going on for a woman during this time, and so divorce rates tend to peak at a time of perimenopause and menopause when women are in their late 40s," Thomas said. "The more that women and their partners know about the symptoms that they're facing, as well as the mental-emotional transitions that are happening, they're more likely that their relationship will survive and even flourish if they go into therapy."

For the third solution, Thomas underscored the importance of reducing stress and implementing relaxation practices. She also recommended lifestyle changes, such as reducing alcohol and caffeine consumption, as these substances can trigger night sweats and hot flashes.

"Get rid of the stress but also get rid of the stimulants that are causing you to probably react in your body in a way that you don't want to be reacting," Thomas said. 

Continuing with lifestyle changes, Thomas's fourth solution focuses on maintaining a healthy diet.

"Change your consumption around fat and sugar," Thomas said, emphasizing that these two substances will increase hot flashes and mood swings and create a general sense of unwellness. 

"Replace that with more protein and veggies. Things that are not so processed will do you better," Thomas said. "Be really mindful about the whole foods you're including in your diet."

A significant aspect of this, Thomas noted, is finding healthy alternatives to offset the cravings that menopause may bring.

"You want to be mindful that sometimes the things that you're craving are not the things that help. Finding ways to offset your cravings, but increasing the things your body needs," Thomas said, urging those going through menopause to replace unhealthier treats with protein-based and vegetable-based alternatives.

For her final solution, Thomas talked about the importance of increasing exercise, albeit at a healthy and safe pace.

"You can't exercise the way that you did in your 20s, where we thought that if we ran for an hour, it made a big difference. At this point in a woman's body, less is probably better," Thomas said. "So be really mindful of the types of exercises you're doing, like weightlifting, going for a walk, doing those kegel exercises, getting down on the bar on the floor, stretching, right, and then making sure to rest."

Equally important, Thomas spotlighted the necessity of adequate rest.

"Taking the time to recover, rejuvenate, [and] relax because women's sleep schedules are usually off around this time," Thomas said. "Even if you're not sleeping well, make sure you're giving yourself time to settle in and rest.

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.