‘MenoSTART’: Navigating menopause with ease

This month, our editor caught up with Anastasia Hortman, owner of Hortman Clinics, on how they can help mothers going through hormonal changes.

What is Hortman Clinics and what makes it unique?

Hortman Clinics is a premium wellness centre in Dubai committed to redefining beauty, wellness and health through personalised and patient-focused care. Drawing inspiration from Dubai’s leadership in global healthcare innovation, Hortman Clinics takes a holistic approach, offering tailored treatment plans that empower clients to achieve their individual health and beauty goals.

We recently launched Sofwave, a cutting-edge, non-invasive technology aimed at improving and enhancing the overall collagen and elastin production of skin. We really pride ourselves to be one of the first early Sofwave technology adaptors in the region, highlighting our dedication to being one of the top technology innovators when it comes to their services and overall business ethos.

What made you interested in starting a business in the wellness category?

My decision to enter the wellness industry was driven by a passion for helping people live healthier, more fulfilling lives. In today’s fast-paced world, the need for personalised, holistic care is more important than ever. Dubai’s reputation as a leader in healthcare innovation inspired us to create a space where we could combine cutting-edge medical advancements with a patient-centric approach to wellness. By focusing on beauty, health and overall wellbeing, we saw an opportunity to offer customised treatment plans that not only address specific concerns, but also empower individuals to achieve their long-term health and beauty goals.

What are some of the most taboo topics you think that the general public is still lacking knowledge in?

Topics related to women’s health, such as perimenopause and menopause, are often spoken in hushed tones or among women in privacy. The most common topics that are considered a little taboo or that people don’t know enough about yet include menstrual disorders like endometriosis, hormonal disorders and hormonal imbalance caused due to chronic conditions like PCOS and menopause.

Perimenopause and menopause are not discussed as much as they should be. Can you walk us through the stages a woman goes through and the changes she can expect?

Perimenopause and menopause are stages in a woman’s life when she is transitioning from her reproductive to non-reproductive years. Every woman’s experience is unique, including her symptoms, physical, mental and emotional health.

Perimenopause in a woman begins when she is in her mid-30s and can last anywhere between up to a decade. The ovaries begin to produce less oestrogen, and progesterone levels also fluctuate. While periods still occur, they become irregular.

The next phase is menopause, which usually occurs between 45 to 55 years. A woman is considered to have attained menopause if she doesn’t have a period for 12 consecutive months.

The next phase is post-menopause during which a woman does not get her periods and many of her menopausal symptoms subside or reduce.

You have a revolutionary approach to this phase of a woman’s life. Tell us more about menoSTART.

At Hortman Clinics, this is a very important topic for us and hence we have partnered with Medi-Gyn to offer a unique modern menopause management programme which we have called ‘menoSTART’. Our experts design every hormone balancing protocol for each patient, so that it fits perfectly to their specific needs, but we also believe you must own your menopause, accept it and move forward with positivity during this period.

What kind of techniques and practices are involved?

In our menoSTART programme, we offer the following services:

• Holistic gynaecology consultation
• Functional medicine consultation that evaluates your current concerns, symptoms, medical and health history
• Latest and innovative diagnostics like the TOPI Scan
• Prescription of BHRT/peptide therapy or peptide bioregulators
• Science-driven supplements
• Creating your own Modern Menopause Protocol
• Science-based menopause nutrition, mental and physical fitness, lifestyle hacks to increase your health-span and decrease your biological age
• 24/7 access to our medical doctor

Finally, a follow up for an 8-week period to review the whole treatment is a must.

How impactful is hormone balancing for a woman’s well-being and how does it work?

Women experience hormonal changes all through their life – from menarche to menopause. Hormonal imbalances can wreak havoc in a woman’s body and affect her physical, mental, emotional and psychological health and wellbeing. At Hortman Clinics, our team of experts understand the importance of hormone balancing and work with each individual to create a bespoke treatment.

In addition to our hormone protocols, we also have a functional ‘whole body approach’ to get to the root cause of a condition rather than just treat the symptoms only.

Does biological age differ from chronological age?

Chronological and biological ages are different, and in most individuals, they rarely coincide.
Biological age refers to how old your body appears to be based on cell markers and indicates how fast or slow your body is ageing. Chronological age is what you measure from your birthday.

Ideally, your biological age should be less than your chronological age. However, several lifestyle factors influence the body’s ageing process and therefore its biological age.

You take an integrative approach to women’s health. Why is this so important?

At Medi-Gyn, our incorporated company within Hortman Clinics, the team under the leadership of Irina Bond, focuses on an integrated and comprehensive approach to manage women’s health. We believe that every condition has a specific root cause and simply managing the symptoms is not a long-term solution in today’s day and age, not for a modern woman with many responsibilities on the go.

Taking an integrative approach, we believe we can achieve a total healing of your condition and prevent future flare-ups.

How can our readers book in for a consultation with you?

To book a consultation with Medi-Gyn, an incorporated company within Hortman Clinics, please call +971 55 545 0797 or email info@medi-gyn.com.

For more information, visit www.hortmanclinics.com.

Image Credit: Hortman Clinics