Midlife Health & Menopause: How to Reclaim Energy, Confidence, and Joy After 40 with Dr. Rajinder Rai

Midlife Health & Menopause: How to Reclaim Energy, Confidence, and Joy After 40 with Dr. Rajinder Rai

Why a pharmacist shifted to women’s midlife care

Dr. Raj spent years behind the counter helping patients from zero to 100—acute, chronic, and long-term care. But when she hit her own midlife, she realized how often women were told, “Everything’s fine. Labs look normal. See you next year,” with no roadmap for what to expect next. In her words, care is too symptomatic and fragmented—one part of your body doesn’t always “talk” to the others. She saw a huge gap: women in midlife need someone to connect the dots when hormones, relationships, careers, kids, and aging parents all collide at once. That’s where her educator-curator role began.

One thing every woman 40–50+ should know

If we’re lucky to live long enough, we’re all going through perimenopause and menopause. Hormones start shifting as early as your 30s and 40s. Tiredness, sleep issues, anxiety, and weight changes aren’t “just how it is”—they’re cues. Your body is talking to you. Pay attention. That insight changed everything for us. After Dr. Raj’s event earlier this year, Monina spoke with her gynecologist, started HRT, and felt a real shift in how she sees aging and how she feels day-to-day. Advocacy matters—and providers who truly understand menopause matter, too.

What Dr. Raj learned from later-life patients

Health can be a slippery slope. We see high-functioning women push through and suddenly face big events—ER visits, new meds, and a cascade that feels like “it came out of nowhere.” During perimenopause and menopause, cholesterol and blood pressure can rise and cardiovascular risk increases (especially for South Asian women). Dr. Raj also sees preventable issues (like untreated pelvic floor dysfunction) snowball into isolation, depression, and anxiety. The flip side? Her centenarian patients who stay active, social, positive, and in control often take the fewest medications. Prevention, education, and community truly matter.

“I’m doing everything right—why don’t I feel great?”

Because one-size-fits-all protocols don’t work. Precision does. If your beloved OB-GYN was perfect for your pregnancies, they may not be the best for midlife care. You have options: conventional routes like HRT (which helped Monina) or alternatives—Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, concierge and longevity care, and more. Choose providers who welcome options, honor your culture, and invite honest conversations. Many of us were taught not to talk about periods or menopause. Let’s unlearn that. Start by sharing stories with friends and bringing your questions to the right practitioners. It’s never too early and never too late to start—what you do today sets up your next decade.

Elevate Her: the next in-person experience

Dr. Raj’s next event—Elevate Her: Celebrating Wisdom in Womanhood—is happening September 27 at Westlake Inn (about an hour north of Los Angeles). Think of it as a gorgeous girls’ getaway with real tools to feel vibrant now and next. Expect diverse experts—from concierge medicine and longevity to Ayurveda and Chinese medicine—plus activations like color analysis and fragrance discovery, and generous brand gifts. Most importantly, you’ll feel the power of women in circle—learning across generations, telling the truth about midlife, and leaving with clarity and community.

Use code F&F20 to get 20 % off of the Elevate Her: Celebrating Wisdom in Womanhood   on September 27, 2025.

You can find Dr. Rajinder at Sunrais Health or on Instagram @sunraishealth @thrivewithdrrai.

Our personal take

We can’t say enough about the energy in the room at her last event. Every hallway chat turned into a meaningful conversation. It was approachable, positive, and so real. If you’re in your 40s or 50s (or even your 30s and curious), share this episode with someone you love. Download it. Save it. Come back when you need a nudge to advocate for yourself. Your midlife can be vibrant, grounded, and yours.

Until next time—keep exploring your midlife journey.