Everything They Should’ve Taught Us About Women’s Health & Hormones

Somewhere between cycle tracking apps and career milestones, an entire generation of women is realizing something: we were never taught how our bodies actually work after our 20s.

We know what to expect during puberty. Many of us learn what happens during pregnancy. But no one ever sits us down and says, “Here’s what happens in your 30s, 40s, and beyond.”

That’s why so many women are shocked to find themselves dealing with brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, sleep disruption, or unexplained fatigue in their mid-thirties. For many, the assumption is that it’s just burnout. In reality, these symptoms are often hormonal.

Perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause, can begin as early as your mid-30s. It often lasts for years and brings with it a wide range of symptoms: irregular periods, increased PMS, anxiety, memory lapses, insomnia, decreased libido, and more. And yet, most women aren’t aware this stage even exists until their 40s or 50s—if at all.

That gap in awareness is exactly what Ally Tam, co-founder and CEO of Respin Health, is working to change. After learning about Halle Berry’s own experience navigating confusing, disruptive symptoms with no clear answers—even from some of the best doctors in the world—Tam saw the larger problem: women are not being prepared for one of the most significant health transitions of their lives.

Halle Berry, who co-founded Respin Health with Tam, went through multiple misdiagnoses before finally identifying what was happening: perimenopause. Like millions of women, she had never even heard the term before she was in the thick of it. That realization sparked a bigger mission.

With her background in venture capital and consumer wellness, Tam had already seen firsthand how underfunded women’s health is. So she and Berry created Respin Health, a digital health platform that reimagines menopause care—one designed to support women through hormonal transitions with better education, tools, and proactive resources.

But information alone isn’t the only problem.

What’s more concerning is that the healthcare system rarely acknowledges these shifts until they become severe. Women are often told they’re “fine,” that their labs look “normal,” or that they’re just stressed. That kind of dismissal not only delays meaningful care—it teaches women to ignore their bodies.

The deeper issue is systemic: a healthcare and investment model that overwhelmingly prioritizes fertility over long-term health. Nearly 90% of women’s health funding goes to fertility-related research, products, and services. While reproductive care is critical, it leaves a massive gap for women who are not trying to conceive or are past that chapter of life.

Once a woman is no longer in her childbearing years, support falls off a cliff. The innovation, access, and education available to her in her 20s and early 30s fades just as her body begins preparing for one of its most important transitions.

Meanwhile, many Millennial women are hitting their professional peak. These are the high-achieving, hyper-capable women society celebrates. But underneath that ambition is often chronic stress, which has a direct impact on hormonal regulation. Cortisol levels spike, sleep quality declines, inflammation builds, and symptoms worsen.

What results is a silent spiral: stress leads to hormone disruption, which leads to worsening emotional and physical symptoms—many of which are brushed off as “just life.” Even worse, that dismissal often comes from women themselves. Powering through becomes the default setting.

But pushing through isn’t a badge of honor—it’s a warning sign.

We’re taught to treat health reactively. Wait until something breaks. Wait until the pain is unbearable. Wait until your period has been irregular for six months straight. But the longer we wait, the harder it becomes to reverse what’s happening in our bodies.

What needs to change is the way we approach women’s health: from reaction to prevention.

Proactive care isn’t complicated—it’s just not being taught. It starts by learning to recognize what feels off and getting regular hormone and nutrient testing, even when you feel “fine.” It’s building small, sustainable habits around strength training, stress management, and reducing exposure to endocrine disruptors—ingredients in plastics, cleaning products, and personal care items that interfere with hormone function.

It’s also about having better conversations—with doctors, with our communities, and with ourselves. Because none of this is about perfection. It’s about preparation.

How you treat your body in your 30s directly impacts how you feel in your 40s, 50s, and beyond. This isn’t about fearing aging—it’s about owning it.

Women deserve better care and better conversations. Hormonal shifts shouldn’t be something we only talk about behind closed doors or after something goes wrong. They should be part of everyday health education, workplace benefits, and wellness strategies.

We are not “just tired,” “just stressed,” or “just getting older.” We are navigating a deeply biological transition that deserves attention, support, and respect.

If you’ve ever felt dismissed, exhausted, or unsure how to advocate for yourself—this is your sign to start asking better questions and demanding better answers.

To hear the full conversation with Ally Tam, including actionable insights and how Respin Health is working to change the narrative around midlife wellness, listen to Everything They Should’ve Taught Us About Women’s Health & Hormones on the So She Slays Podcast, available now on Spotify, Apple, and all platforms.