Menopause marks the end of the reproductive years for a woman, after which they stop menstruation permanently. While it may seem like a straightforward process, it is a difficult thing to go through. As your body experiences a lack of estrogen, there are different effects that take place.

According to the National Institute of Aging, women who are going through the transitional phase of menopause experience things like hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, joint and muscle discomfort, moodiness and irritability, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating.

However, more often than not, these symptoms and difficulties get ignored or misidentified. Talking to a doctor can bring clarity as well as relief in the form of medication.

If you are looking to get some relief from these disruptive symptoms though sustainable modes, changing your diet could be the answer. The food one eats can play a big role in how our bodies feel at a certain point in time.

A new study published in journal Menopause suggests that a fully plant-based, or vegan, diet could offer a surprising and highly effective solution to alleviate many of these unwelcome menopausal symptoms, providing much-needed relief.

Menopause And Vegan Diet

Besides helping with menopause symptoms, the study also found another good thing: weight loss. Women who ate vegan for the study lost about 8 pounds on average. This extra benefit means that a plant-based diet not only helps with hot flashes and other menopause issues but also helps you manage your weight. It’s like getting two benefits in one for women in their middle years.

Processed or Whole, Plant-Based Still Wins

Scientists think that a plant-based diet might help with menopause symptoms by changing the levels of something called advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in women's bodies. These AGEs are like tiny troublemakers that can mess with how hormones work. They can affect important hormones related to insulin, reproduction, and even those released by fat cells. This suggests that what you eat can truly impact your hormone balance during menopause.

Experts believe that a plant-based diet, especially one rich in soy, can offer significant benefits for managing both hot flashes and weight during menopause. They also point out that given the well-known advantages of such a diet in lowering the risks of heart disease and cancer, women in midlife should seriously consider adopting more plant-based foods into their meals.

Our body is like a self-maintaining machine, it is equipped to help us heal ourselves, recharge after a long day’s work as well as having its own warning system to ensure places that need help come to notice, i.e., pain. However, did you know your brain could also actively be stopping you from developing mental health conditions? Yes, your brain and body are not as defenseless as you may think it to be, with the help of sleep, your brain is actively keeping you from developing certain issues.

The brain has a unique way of getting rid of waste, almost like a personal cleanup crew. This process, called the glymphatic system, is thought to work best while we're sleeping. But what happens if our sleep is disrupted?

Researchers believe that a lack of good sleep might stop this system from working correctly, leading to a build-up of waste or toxins in the brain. Some are suggesting this buildup could increase a person's risk of developing dementia.

How the Brain Clears Out Waste

Every cell in your body creates waste, and outside the brain, a system called the lymphatic system takes care of it. But the brain doesn't have these vessels, so how does it stay clean?

About 12 years ago, scientists discovered the glymphatic system. It uses a fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord, called cerebrospinal fluid, to "flush out" toxins. This fluid flows through the brain, collects waste, and then drains it away.

Waste products

According to the National Institute of Health one key waste product is a protein called amyloid beta (Aβ). When Aβ builds up, it can form plaques in the brain. These plaques, along with other protein tangles, are a clear sign of Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia.

Sleep and waste

Studies in both humans and mice have shown that Aβ levels increase when you're awake and then drop quickly while you sleep, like the 2018 study published in the Annals of neurology.. This supports the idea that the brain is more actively "cleaning" during sleep.

How Is Sleep Connected To Dementia?

If sleep helps clear toxins, what does long-term disrupted sleep, like that from a sleep disorder, mean for your brain's health?

Sleep Apnea

This common condition causes a person's breathing to stop and start repeatedly during the night. This can lead to a long-term lack of sleep and reduced oxygen, both of which may cause toxins to build up in the brain. Studies have linked sleep apnea to a higher risk of dementia, and some research shows that treating sleep apnea helps clear more Aβ from the brain.

Insomnia

Having trouble falling or staying asleep over a long period has also been linked to an increased risk of dementia. While these links are promising, scientists are not yet sure if treating these sleep problems directly lowers the risk of dementia by removing toxins from the brain.

Does Sleep Aid Brain Health?

Another study, published in the Nature publication 2024, showed that neurons act like miniature pumps. During sleep, these neurons produce rhythmic bursts of electrical energy that create waves. These waves are not just a sign of a sleeping brain; they actually push fluid through brain tissue, effectively washing away waste.

This discovery helps explain why a good night's sleep is so important for brain health. As Dr. Jonathan Kipnis, the senior author, said, "We knew that sleep is a time when the brain initiates a cleaning process to flush out waste and toxins it accumulates during wakefulness. But we didn’t know how that happens."

The researchers believe the brain might adjust its cleaning method based on the type and amount of waste, similar to how we adjust our hand motions when washing dishes—using big, slow movements for large messes and faster, smaller ones for sticky spots.

Panic attacks, anxiety, tremors are common for people to experience, and until recently there was not a sustainable solution for it. However, some women revealed how they use this popular heart medicine, propranolol, to not only reduce these symptoms, but to also ensure that they perform better in different situations like dates and presentations.

Described by many influencers to be a ‘magic pill’ that helps us calm down their jitters, new data shows a rise in the number of prescriptions for propranolol. However, is it safe? And what are the health implications of using the same?

How Beta-Blockers Like Propranolol Work

According to Cedar Sinai experts, when you face a stressful situation, your body goes into "fight-or-flight" mode. This response is triggered by stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline, which make your heart beat faster and your blood pressure rise. Doctors explain that beta-blockers interrupt this process. They prevent those stress hormones from causing those physical reactions.

• Selective beta-blockers mainly affect your heart.
• Nonselective beta-blockers, on the other hand, have a broader effect, including on the brain.

Experts note that for anxiety-related issues like panic attacks or performance anxiety, nonselective beta-blockers can "turn down the volume" on your body's stress response. This allows you to think more clearly and cope better.

Propranolol For Anxiety: Does It Help?

Doctors often prescribe a nonselective beta-blocker called propranolol to help with anxiety, panic attacks, and PTSD. It's usually taken as needed for specific stressful situations, not for daily use.

One of its benefits is that it works quickly—in about 20 to 30 minutes—without causing sleepiness or brain fog, which is a common side effect of other fast-acting anxiety medications.

Doctors explained that many patients are more open to trying propranolol because it's typically known as a heart medication, which helps remove the stigma some people feel about taking "psych meds."

Propranolol for Migraines: Does It Help?

According to the National Library of Medicine, Beta-blockers are a common and effective type of medicine used to prevent migraines. The most frequently used one is propranolol.

Treatment with propranolol typically starts at a low dose of 40 mg per day. This can be gradually increased up to 320 mg daily, if needed. It's important to be patient, as it can take up to 12 weeks at the right dose before you notice the full benefits of the medication.

Is Propranolol Safe for Pregnant Women?

The role of propranolol in pregnancy has been an important conversation. Some important notes about propranolol and pregnancy that were addressed in the MothertoBaby medical journal are

Getting Pregnant

It is not known if propranolol makes it harder to get pregnant. It can, however, cause erectile dysfunction in men, which could make conception difficult.

Miscarriage

There have been no studies to see if propranolol increases the risk of miscarriage.

Birth Defects

Every pregnancy has a 3-5% chance of birth defects. It is not known if propranolol increases this risk. However, studies on beta-blockers in general have not shown a higher chance of birth defects.

Other Pregnancy Issues

Some studies have linked propranolol to slower baby growth, but it’s not clear if this is caused by the medicine itself or the health condition being treated. The medication does not appear to increase the risk of other problems like premature birth.

Baby's Health After Birth

If you take propranolol in late pregnancy, your baby might have temporary symptoms like a slow heart rate or low blood sugar. Not all babies will have these symptoms, but it’s crucial to tell your healthcare providers so they can monitor your baby and provide the best care.

Long-Term Effects

No studies have been done to see if propranolol affects a child's learning or behavior later in life.

If you are pregnant or planning to be, it’s important to talk to your doctor before stopping or changing how you take your medication. They can help you weigh the benefits of treating your condition against any potential risks.

Till Death Do Us Part, or maybe not. The classic marriage vow is to stay together “in sickness and in health” bounds couples to support each other no matter what. However, new research shows that when illness strikes, this promise isn’t always kept, especially if it is the wife who becomes ill.

A major new study published in February 2025 in the Journal of Marriage and Family found that marriages are about seven times more likely to end when the wife becomes seriously ill compared to when the husband does. While most marriages survive a health crisis, this gender gap raises difficult questions about caregiving, emotional support, and the psychological toll of illness on relationships.

The Study: Tracking Couples Across Europe

Researchers Daniele Vignoli, Giammarco Alderotti, and Cecilia Tomassini followed more than 25,000 heterosexual couples aged 50 and above, across 27 European countries, over an 18-year period. Couples were surveyed repeatedly about their physical health, mental health, daily functioning, and relationship status.

The study focused on two groups: couples aged 50 to 64 and those aged 65 and older, to understand how age and life stage may influence relationship stability when illness strikes.

Younger Couples: When Wives Get Sick, Divorces Rise

The most striking findings came from couples between 50 and 64. When wives reported poor health but husbands remained well, the marriage was significantly more likely to end compared to couples in which both partners were healthy.

The same was true for limitations in daily life. If the wife struggled with everyday tasks but the husband did not, the couple’s risk of divorce increased. Interestingly, the reverse pattern, a sick or limited husband with a healthy wife, did not significantly increase the likelihood of divorce.

Mental health also played a role. Wives experiencing depression were more likely to face separation, whereas husbands’ depression did not have the same effect.

Older Couples: Depression Matters Most

Among couples in which at least one partner was 65 or older, physical illness was less strongly associated with divorce. Instead, depression became the main predictor of marital breakdown, but again, only when it was the wife who was depressed. If husbands were depressed but wives were not, the marriage was just as likely to continue as if neither partner had depression.

The Psychological Angle: Caregiver Stress and Gender Roles

Why are marriages more likely to end when the wife gets sick? The researchers did not test specific explanations but suggested that caregiving roles may play a central part. In most heterosexual marriages, wives traditionally take on the bulk of caregiving tasks. When they become unable to fulfill that role, couples may experience more stress, both practically and emotionally.

Psychologists suggest that men may enter marriage with an implicit expectation of being cared for. When illness requires them to become the primary caregiver, some may find the role emotionally overwhelming or inconsistent with their expectations, leading to marital breakdown.

Financial dynamics may also matter. Women in this age group are often more economically vulnerable and may face barriers to leaving a stressful marriage even when they want to. This means that when divorces do happen, they may be driven by the healthier spouse, in this case, the husband.

Previous Research Paints a Similar Picture

This is not the first study to highlight this troubling trend. Earlier research on couples in which one partner was diagnosed with a brain tumor or multiple sclerosis found that 21% of marriages ended when the wife was the patient, compared to just 3% when the husband was the one who was ill.

That sevenfold difference reinforces the idea that illness affects women’s marriages more than men’s — a finding that has serious psychological implications for women facing chronic disease.

Life After Divorce: The Resilience of Singles

Interestingly, research also shows that people who have always been single, sometimes referred to as “single at heart”, often cope better with illness or life transitions than those who divorce later in life. Lifelong singles typically maintain strong friendships, community ties, and the skills needed to navigate daily life on their own.

This raises an important point: the fear that single people will have “no one” to care for them may be misplaced. Marital status does not guarantee emotional or physical support, and as this study shows, women may actually face a higher risk of abandonment when ill.

A Call to Rethink Support Systems

The findings carry significant implications for public health and mental health services. If women are more vulnerable to relationship breakdown during illness, they may need additional psychological, social, and financial support.

Experts suggest normalizing conversations about caregiving roles early in marriage, encouraging men to participate more equally in domestic and emotional labor, and providing counseling for couples navigating health crises. Strengthening social safety nets and peer support networks could also help buffer the psychological stress of both illness and divorce.