A gathering of experts and women in Taguig highlighted shifting views on menopause, transforming it from a taboo into a phase of proactive health management. Speakers emphasized bioidentical hormones, personalized care, and lifestyle changes to navigate symptoms effectively. This event underscores a global trend toward informed, empowered aging for women.
Menopause, coined in 1821, marks the natural end of a woman's reproductive years, typically between ages 45 and 55, when ovaries stop releasing eggs and periods cease for 12 months, according to the World Health Organization. It can occur earlier, before age 40, due to genetics, autoimmune conditions, or treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or ovarian surgery. Globally, women are entering this stage healthier and living longer; in 2021, those aged 50 and older comprised 26% of all women worldwide, up from 22% a decade earlier, with a 60-year-old woman in 2019 expecting another 21 years of life.
On a Tuesday morning in late October, women gathered at Culture Salon MNL in Global City, Taguig, to discuss hormones, hot flashes, brain fog, and "menopause rage." Hosted by Michelle Aventajado, the event featured Dr. Candy Drilon-Dalman, a Functional and Integrative Medicine physician and co-founder of Centro Holistico; Dr. Venisse Valdez, medical consultant at Centro Holistico and CEO of ASL Pharma Philippines; and Claudine Viquiera, CEO of ProAge and certified menopause coach.
"Back in the 1980s and 1990s, hormone therapy had a bad reputation," Drilon-Dalman said. She highlighted bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), derived from plants like soy or yams and molecularly identical to natural hormones, unlike synthetic versions that can cause side effects and liver strain. "It’s not about reversing time," she emphasized. "It’s about restoring balance."
Valdez described hormones as "messengers," noting that disruptions in estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, or cortisol affect the whole system. Centro Holistico uses personalized testing, lifestyle mapping, and holistic therapies, including nutrition, acupuncture, and addressing sleep, stress, diet, and relationships. With up to 48 symptoms like insomnia, anxiety, weight gain, and loss of libido, Viquiera shared her perimenopause experience starting in her 30s, leading her to advocate through ProAge. "I was tired of everything being labeled ‘anti-aging.’ Aging is natural, we just need to age well," she said. Her advice: "Keep notes. Know your body. Information is power."
Testing involves baseline hormone checks, ideally on day 21 of the cycle, with retests every four to six weeks for BHRT users. Beyond labs, experts prioritize patient feedback on energy, sleep, and mood. Discussions covered low-tox living to support liver detoxification, reducing estrogen buildup, and plant-based beauty options via partnership with Culture Salon.
The event also touched on earlier puberty in girls due to processed foods, dairy, sugar, and poor sleep, causing estrogen dominance. Modern BHRT protects against cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline. Centro Holistico's Biovitalis offers peptide, stem cell, and exosome therapies for longevity and fertility support, though Drilon-Dalman stressed foundations like sleep and nutrition.
Skincare routines were recommended: ProAge products for hydration with hyaluronic acid, and Instytutum's Swiss formulations with retinol and Vitamin C for rejuvenation. These approaches frame menopause as a transition for reassessing health priorities with science, empathy, and empowerment.