Menopause is not just about hot flashes and night sweats, there are many other health concerns that become greater once estrogen levels fall. With this drop in hormones, we are at a considerable increased risk for heart disease, anxiety & depression, cognitive changes, bone loss and joint pain, weight gain, hair loss, and an overall feeling that things are “falling apart.” As holistic healthcare providers, we can provide support by educating these women on the process, while also providing a wide spectrum of treatment options.

This lecture is intended to help you learn a systemic approach to knowing the risks associated with menopause, but also form a comprehensive approach to helping these women through this sometimes uncomfortable journey. We will discuss important questions to ask, which labs and imaging are helpful and how often you should do them, what supplements are important for women at this age, the types of diet and exercises that are best for maintaining lean muscle mass - and a brief introduction to hormone replacement therapy, including the current long term safety studies for associated risks.

From Dr. Ellis' website: Dr. Ellis is is a seasoned naturopathic physician and educator living in Seattle, Washington. She began practice in 2002, and her clinical experience has taken me from a rural clinic in Nicaragua to a 12-year private practice in Seattle. She has worked for a number of years in the translational science department of a Seattle genetic wellness startup (Arivale), lectured at medical conferences for physicians, and examined data from thousands of individuals to get a better understanding of therapies and lifestyle changes that improve health outcomes over time.

She is inspired to take this knowledge of emerging scientific research and personalized wellness back to my passion: clinical practice. She is also an NUNM graduate.

Description: There’s a dynamic interplay between women’s hormones, circadian rhythms and sleep that impacts their well-being throughout the lifespan. Let’s look at these dynamics across the menstrual cycle, and during the menopausal transition. A growing area of understanding is in how chronotype impacts symptoms, with evening type women experiencing more hot flashes and night sweats than morning types. This is due to the multiple levels of the circadian system that ideally are entrained to work in synchrony. Learn how to entrain the body clock for optimal hormonal wellness, along with naturopathic treatment of the sleep disorders that increase among women with age.

Catherine Darley, ND, is the leader in natural sleep medicine. She combines her knowledge of sleep disorders with her training as a naturopathic physician to bridge these two fields. As a naturopath, her expertise lies in providing natural and effective treatments for sleep problems. She treats people of all ages and especially enjoys working with teens and their families. She founded The Institute of Naturopathic Sleep Medicine Inc in Seattle which is dedicated to patient care, public education about sleep health, and consultation with high-risk populations such as first responders. Dr. Darley regularly writes articles and trains healthcare providers in the treatment of sleep disorders. She has served as adjunct faculty at Bastyr University and National University of Natural Medicine. Dr. Darley regularly gives interviews for outlets such as Shape, Health, Oprah.com and New Day Northwest, among others. In her personal time, Catherine advocates for later secondary school start times and enjoys being outside in nature. You can find her on Instagram at Skilled Sleeper.

This presentation will examine the changes brought about by the menopausal transition, with particular attention to their impact on healthy and pleasurable sexual expression. We will review possible solutions, adaptations and a range of treatment options. Resources for patients and providers will be included.

Gretchen Frey earned her bachelor’s degree at Colorado State University and her MD degree at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She completed her residency program in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Colorado Affiliated Hospitals program in Denver. She was in private practice for 32 years before retiring in 2021, and now speaks and writes on topics related to reproductive health and human sexuality. Areas of particular passion and expertise comprise menopause and hormone therapy (including gender affirming therapy), sexual difficulties and sexual pain. Dr. Frey provides educational presentations to numerous types of healthcare professionals. She also teaches community courses through the University of Denver’s OLLI (older adult learning) program. She has appeared as a guest on podcasts dealing with sexuality, sex positivity and reproductive health. Dr. Frey and her husband have five grown sons and two grandchildren. They divide their time between Colorado and Italy, where they love to hike, bike, ski and explore new places.

Stephanie Kaplan, ND has been a naturopathic physician in Portland, Oregon since 2001 and specializes in serving older adults and those at the end of life. She meets her patients wherever they are living and dying through her home visit practice.

With a focus on geriatric and palliative care, Dr. Kaplan supports and advocates for patients in collaboration with their other health providers to find creative solutions for their medical, social, and psycho-spiritual concerns. She meets the individual needs of our elders and the dying with the vast offerings of naturopathic medicine, including nutrition, movement, mindfulness, craniosacral therapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and medication management.

Dr. Greenberg's lecture on Hair at the last Naturopathic Women's Health Conference, has proven a favorite in our CE collection. Join us as she shares her significant experience and insight into dermatology and women's skin support needs.

Dr. Julie Greenberg is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and Registered Herbalist RH(AHG) who specializes in integrative dermatology. She is the founder of The Center for Integrative & Naturopathic Dermatology Inc, a holistic clinic that approaches skin and hair problems by finding and treating the root cause. She is also the founder of RootCauseDermatology.com, a medical education website that trains functional medicine practitioners on how to treat dermatological conditions using her cutting-edge approach. Dr. Greenberg holds degrees from Northwestern University (BA), Stanford University (MBA) and Bastyr University (ND). Her research on the gut microbiome of acne patients has been published and presented at multiple conferences. She teaches dermatology classes at naturopathic medical schools and is a highly sought after speaker at conferences across the U.S.

Natalie Gustafson, PharmD, specializes in a holistic approach to medicine, with a focus on how compounded medications can help accomplish this goal. She's been published in NDNR where she discussed optimal thyroid management, and has been an invited speaker for the Integrative Dermatology Symposium, National University of Natural Medicine, the Oregon Association of Naturopathic Physicians, Central Oregon Health Council, Hawaii Doc Talks, the British Columbia Naturopathic Association and Institute of Women’s Health & Integrative Medicine to name a few. During the day, she can be found practicing as a compounding pharmacist and ensuring compliance and quality, where she is the owner and Director of Pharmacy at Lloyd Central Compounding Pharmacy. In her downtime she enjoys practicing yoga, puzzling and taking pictures of her cats.

How we nourish ourselves during the important time of perimenopause into menopause is often overlooked. In this presentation Ellen Goldsmith speaks to and cooks to the most common issues of peri-menopause and menopause through the lens of food as medicine and Chinese medicine. The ancient traditions and practices of Chinese medicine “nurturing life” (yang shen) is key to our feeling well and our longevity.

Ellen Goldsmith, MSOM, L.Ac., Dip. C.H,. is a licensed and board-certified acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist and author of the book, Nutritional Healing with Chinese Medicine: + 175 Recipes for Optimal Health, a book to help people understand and put the nourishing wisdom of Chinese medicine into everyday lives, where it matters most; the kitchen. She is senior faculty of the National University of Natural Medicine’s College of Classical Chinese Medicine teaching Chinese dietetics and the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine teaching food energetics to integrative medical fellows. She lectures widely and practices out of Portland, Oregon and teaches online. She can be reached for consultations, speaking and teaching engagements through her website: pearlnaturalhealth.com