August 31, 2022

‘Grin and Bare It’: It’s time to break the stigma surrounding menopause

In a time when it’s more important than ever to champion for women’s health, the stigma surrounding menopause needs to end Here, Alessandra Henderson, Founder and CEO of Elektra Health takes us through why talking openly is the first step to making an impact.

Elektra Health, a health service helping to decrease the taboo around menopause. For Founder and CEO Alessandra Henderson who spoke this year the Advertising Week New York, menopause health is an important topic to destigmatise for the sake of women’s wellness. 

“Menopause is such a massive topic within the women’s health space and we’re so excited to be bringing new solutions to women who are deeply craving it. Broadly,  the women’s health space is slowly moving forward. And there are some real trends back to really make some progress in this space,” she says. 

Many people are surprised to hear that menopause is often a 10 year journey. There are 34 symptoms of menopause and often 80% of women report symptoms of menopause that are largely ignored by their health practitioners. 

“Hormonal health has a massive impact on emotional, mental and physical health. But when I started Elektra, there was a huge gap in menopause education. It was almost like the dark ages of a very fragmented landscape that was deeply confusing,” she says.

Women might control the wallet and the financial decisions, says Henderson, but they do not control their own healthcare.

Alessandra Henderson

“Hormonal health has a massive impact on emotional, mental and physical health. But when I started Elektra, there was a huge gap in menopause education. It was almost like the dark ages of a very fragmented landscape that was deeply confusing,” she says.

“So when you’re going into that sacred space with the doctor and you have 10 minutes a year to ask for help and 75% of women are shown the virtual door these days without any help. What are women supposed to talk about or where do they go from there?,” asks Henderson.

Luckily for her, she is beginning to see public conversations shift, and a part of that comes down to bringing men into the conversation. 

“I loved seeing Michelle Obama earlier this year on her podcast, sharing her experience with menopause and hot flashes in the White House. It’s those times of chipping away from the top, as well as just empowering women to have conversations with their friends, partners and their doctors. That’s going to change the game from a taboo topic. And we’ve got to create safe spaces for women and men to do that,” she says. 

The goal for Elektra Health moving forward is to continue to build a holistic platform that integrates education and empowerment for women. 

“We need to change the conversation about these 34 symptoms. They’re all pretty bad and you wouldn’t wish them on someone that you love. In saying that it’s really important that we don’t just focus on the difficult components, but we also try to set a standard and help women understand that this is an opportunity. And to help bring a bit of joy, creativity and remove the fear from the conversation and really talk about empowerment,” says Henderson.