Dietitian, author, and podcaster Esther Blum is known as celebrity and wellness ambassador Gwyneth Paltrow's "menopause mentor." In her private practice, Blum helps women diagnose and treat menopausal symptoms. Moreover, she has published five books on women's hormones, diet, and nutrition. Blum spoke with us about her passion for women's health and why she chose Simmons.
Tell us about the work that you do.
I am an integrative dietitian and menopause expert. I test and treat menopause symptoms with diet, supplements, and lifestyle recommendations. This may include exercise, stress management, sleep hygiene, and so forth. I really believe in treating the whole person and getting to the root cause of their hormonal imbalances.
How did you become interested in women's health, diet, and hormones?
I have a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in clinical nutrition. I spent the first five years of my career working in hospitals. I would be giving people diet instructions for 10 minutes after they recently suffered a heart attack, and then I would never see them again. I did not feel like I was making a difference in this context, so I decided to go the functional medicine route. I wanted to understand further the root causes of chronic illness and address prevention.
Once I left the hospital and opened my own practice, I began to see menopausal women. In traditional clinical settings, caring for menopausal women has been getting worse and worse. Typically, women go to their doctors with all sorts of menopausal symptoms. Even in their early forties and mid-forties they tell their doctor how awful they are feeling, and their doctors won't even check their hormones. The doctor may suggest a birth control pill or an IUD. Under certain conditions, the doctor may suggest undergoing a hysterectomy. These are not viable solutions for women. Moreover, medical school curriculum and residencies do not address menopause, even though every woman goes through it.
I have now been treating menopausal women for a long time, and recently published a book on the subject, entitled See Ya Later, Ovulator! I have been helping women master menopause with nutrition, (bioidentical) hormones and self-advocacy. I have realized that addressing hormone imbalances also improves women's mental health.
What are some of the insights into women's health and nutrition that you offer in your books?
If someone asked me what three things they can do to feel better, I would suggest the following:
1). Consume protein at every single meal. Menopausal women have a high risk of losing muscle mass, due to the decline in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. When you do not eat optimal protein, that only contributes to the problem. Ideally, you should consume 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. This often equates to 4-6 ounces of protein per meal for at least three meals per day.
2). You must optimize sleep. You can help achieve this by limiting your alcohol and caffeine intake and getting regular exercise. It's a good practice to get outside early in the day and expose yourself to natural light to regulate your circadian rhythms. Limit your time on social media (particularly in the evening) and prioritize sleep and winding down. Sleep regulates your insulin output and helps support gut function. Getting adequate sleep also can prevent the weight gain that accumulates during perimenopause and menopause.
3). Engage in strength training. Lifting weights is just as effective as taking Metformin [a medication for Type 2 diabetes]. This kind of activity optimizes muscle mass. A loss in muscle is correlated with a decrease in bone density and an increase in falls and fractures – a leading cause of death for people over the age of 65. Lifting weights also fights insulin resistance [a metabolic dysfunction], which prompts our bodies to store excess fat, and the "menopot" belly many women develop at this time.
Why did you choose Simmons?
My grandfather and my father were both physicians. Although I am interested in healthcare, I knew that I did not want to go to medical school. I looked at the requirements for a nutrition degree, and it was all the science minus the physics and less chemistry.
I was enrolled in Boston University, but then transferred to Simmons because of their wonderful Nutrition program. I went from classes of 500 students to classes of 6 students. The department was amazing. I learned so much from Professors Marjorie Gann, Marion Mason, Nancie Herbold, and [Visiting Professor] Judith Gilbride. At Simmons, I received the best of the best and I consider myself so lucky to have been educated there.
What is most rewarding about your career?
There are a thousand answers to this question! First of all, I love working for myself, and I find this very exciting. The results that I get for my clients are especially rewarding. We work together to get the root cause of their health problems that no doctor or other practitioner has ever addressed for them. I have had clients who have been dismissed or gaslighted in the past, but I help to make them feel validated. The tests and the treatments that I administer help support women's bodies, intuition, and wisdom. I'm also grateful to have created partnerships with functional medicine MDs, NPs, and NDs who can prescribe my clients bioidentical hormones so they can fast track their results.