Why Siloed Healthcare Is Letting Women Down in Midlife
Women are being failed by a system that still sees menopause as a niche concern—if it sees it at all.
We’re told that menopause is natural, that we’ll get through it, and that our hot flushes and mood changes are “just part of getting older.”
What we’re not told is that the decline in hormones during perimenopause and menopause—particularly oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEAS—directly increases our risk for serious chronic diseases.
Here’s what happens when hormones decline:
Your bones begin to weaken—oestrogen is protective for bone density. Without it, fracture risk skyrockets.
Your cardiovascular health changes—oestrogen helps regulate insulin and cholesterol. Without it, metabolic risk increases.
Your brain feels the impact—there are oestrogen receptors all through the brain. Without hormone support, cognitive changes and neurodegeneration are more likely.
Your mental health declines—mood, motivation and resilience drop as hormones disappear.
And yet, even with this clear data, the healthcare system continues to treat women in fragments.
Your rheumatologist looks after your bones.
Your cardiologist monitors your heart.
Your endocrinologist treats your metabolism.
Your psychiatrist manages your mental health.
But how many of them are trained in menopause hormone therapy (MHT)? How many are prescribing it?
The answer: not enough.
This leaves women in a conundrum. Their doctors warn them that MHT is dangerous. Yet those same doctors also tell them they’re at risk of osteoporosis—and offer no integrated plan to prevent it.
Do nothing, and your bones turn to dust. But try to do something, and you're told the solution is risky.
This is where the system breaks down. Siloed care is failing women. It’s costing us time, energy, health, and clarity. We are sent from specialist to specialist, handed more scripts, more referrals, more confusion.
Meanwhile, the root cause is never addressed.
This is why I continue to love my work as a naturopath. My job is to think holistically. To connect the dots. To see the whole picture. To listen to what’s not being said and map the true drivers of symptoms.
You deserve more than bandaid care.
You deserve a practitioner who sees the full story.
If you’re stuck between fear and frustration, unsure who to trust or where to start—book a clarity call. Let’s map your health story together.
