Menopause relief is not only possible, it’s simple, or at least it should be. That’s what I’ve always believed. Here in the United States, the land of limitless options, it can feel overwhelming when you begin to experience “the change.” What product, what practice, is the best one out there for me? Meanwhile, I’m experiencing hot flashes, changes in weight, shifts to libido, and insomnia. I don’t have time to mess around. The fear around menopause is real, and yet, I also know menopause should not be something to fear. It’s natural and ancient; it should be something to celebrate, a rite of passage into the next stage, a way of honoring the female body. So, when I began experiencing the change myself, I wanted to learn more about these symptoms and how to move through them. I started looking online for answers and found one, hidden in the secrets of Japanese health and culture, when I was reading through Amazon reviews on health products. I know there are so many products out there, but when I read this, I stopped. It felt like I was talking to myself.
Amazon Review: Effisoy
“Effisoy was suggested by my naturopath doctor, Dr. Melissa Gallagher, to add to my vitamin regimen. I had a bladder prolapse. I have been taking this supplement for about a year and a half and I like it a lot. It digests well and the symptoms of heaviness and leaking are way less. I believe soy has the ability to slow aging. I’m 62 and am told often that I look younger. There is controversy about soy, in general about GMO’s and quality. I trust Dr. Gallagher on this. (You can find many of her videos online) She writes that it’s one of her favorite products and it is good for me too.” An Effisoy client, February 2020
Naturopaths say YES to Effisoy
What stood out to me right away was that naturopaths said to use this supplement. Typically, I tend to only trust naturopathic doctors, which is not always easy or affordable. However, when I do have the chance to work with one, I get to be with a specialist who uses science and nature to understand and treat what’s happening to me. It feels specialized. When I read that a naturopath highly recommended Effisoy, I knew I had to look into it more. Naturopaths don’t typically recommend something unless they really believe in it, and they won’t just sell me on something to hit a quota.
I started to do some research into Effisoy and read a lot from their website, as well as other reviews on Amazon. What struck me about this review and others was the shared symptoms—the heaviness and bladder leaking—and the hope for some relief on the body. It’s a hope I imagine a lot of us share, to age gracefully, as some folks say. The idea of my energy returning and being able to tap into some of that youthfulness again was also quite intriguing. Don’t get me wrong; I love so many parts of the process of getting older. I like that I don’t have to worry so much, and that I feel like I’ve finally settled into myself, and that I have a bit more time to do what I want to do. And yet, I still feel like my sixteen-year-old self trapped in a sixty-year-old body. That childlike wonder is what I miss, and after learning about this product, I began to think that maybe it could actually help me transition smoother.
A Little Bit of Science
In the course of researching Effisoy and other products, I had to do my research! I learned that so many of these menopause symptoms are shared amongst us. We are not alone. This is a brief scientific overview of what is actually happening in our bodies. Hot flashes, insomnia, weight gain, overall heaviness, and bladder leaking are caused by changes in hormone levels, specifically estrogen and progesterone. When these two powerful hormones fluctuate, our bodies respond. However, these responses can cause changes in body temperature, sleep cycles, weight, libido and more. Here in the States, these side effects are quite common. 3 of 4 women experience hot flashes during menopause, and more than 50% of women have problems with sleeplessness. But what really struck me as I began to learn more is that these symptoms of ours, ones we believe we just have to live through, are not universal.
The Secret Ingredient to Healthy Menopause
In comparison, women in Japan experience far fewer symptoms due to both biological and cultural factors. Japanese women have the longest life expectancy in the world, report significantly fewer signs and symptoms of menopause, and tend to have fewer health issues in general. The reason? It seems there are a few, but the biggest one that stood out to me was how much high-quality, non-GMO soy is consumed in Japan compared to what most folks eat here in the States. I know there is a lot of controversy around soy here because of the way the soy market has exploded into GMO’s, genetically modified organisms. Soy used to be the “hot thing” and now, people seem to stay away from it. But then I learned why. I learned that there’s a big difference between the GMO soy that is used in a lot of soymilk products here and the fermented soy that Effisoy uses.
Effisoy is a supplement, a pill you take once a day, and its main ingredient is fermented soybeans. The fermentation process makes the compounds of the soybeans, especially a primary chemical called isoflavone, easier to digest and smoother on our bodies. This is big for me because I have a sensitive stomach and don’t like anything that causes pain. Here’s how it works. This sneaky isoflavone tricks our bodies into believing we have more estrogen than we think! No joke, as my grandchildren say. It stimulates the synthesis of DHEA, another key hormone, which then activates our empty estrogen receptors. That stimulation, think of it like a receptor massage, gives the illusion that there is more estrogen than our bodies are producing and yet, all of this is achieved without any synthetic nonsense! So many other hormonal replacement therapies (or HRTs) use something fake which has always scared me a bit. The idea that Effisoy uses what’s already there and just jumpstarts our system back into a place of smooth sailing feels like a miracle.
Let’s Celebrate Menopause!
I think it is time to reimagine menopause in our country. Instead of hot flashes, insomnia, and weight gain, what if we could celebrate our bodies easing into this next chapter? What if we could get rid of the pain and heat and discomfort? What if we felt light and strong, rather than heavy and weak? Menopause is not shame; it is transformation. I’m excited to get Effisoy and see what it does with my body. After tons of research, it seems like the best product out there right now, and I love that it comes from a place of ancient knowledge, something that has been used for centuries but forgotten for so many people here in the States. Youthfulness, ease and graceful aging, here I come!