Lifelong Wellness

According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, 2 million women in the U.S. reach menopause each year. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development estimates that 11 percent of women of reproductive age have experienced infertility problems. Chapel Hill Gynecology reported that 80 percent of women suffer from some kind of hormonal imbalance. Oftentimes, this happens in periods of transition, such as puberty, perimenopause, menopause, and unhealthy lifestyle habits.

All of that to say, women are complex and require specialized care.

This is where AMANDA RICKER, a locally based nurse practitioner and owner of Women’s Wellness for Life, steps in.

Ricker started her virtual platform in January to have more in-depth conversations with women about hormones, hot flashes, periods, fertility, motherhood, loss, change, and birth. Some of her areas of interest and special focus include sleep and rest, nutrition and exercise, PCOS, and sexual health.

“My business serves to support women by having the longer conversations about their health from a holistic framework and by educating them about multiple tools to help them feel better,” she says. “Educate them about what’s happening in their body during these hormonal transitions.”

Prior to opening Women’s Wellness for Life, Ricker spent nineteen years in the health care setting as a registered nurse, family nurse practitioner, and certified nurse midwife. She’s also a certified menopause practitioner.

It’s estimated there are fewer than 1,500 certified menopause practitioners in the U.S.

Now that she has her own business, a good portion of all of her initial visits involve asking her patients questions and really listening to what’s going on. One of the biggest benefits Ricker has seen since leaving the traditional medicine setting is having time to get to know her patients and ask them about their relationships, diet, exercise, and listening to all components of their health.

“Specifically looking at menopause or perimenopause, it requires a longer conversation,” she says. “My goal was to be able to spend more time with my patients so I can understand all of the contributing factors to why they feel that way, whether it be hormonal or lifestyle or medications that they’re already taking or even stress as a contributing factor.”

Looking ahead, one of the most stressful and joyous seasons is approaching: the holidays. It can oftentimes bring copious sweet treats, time spent with family, and cherished family traditions, but it can also be one of the most stressful times of the year.

Ricker explains that one of the best ways to combat holiday stress is prioritizing stress modification and being intentional about it.

“Oftentimes, it comes down to our schedules,” she says. “I try to remind our patients that it’s the daily practices that really impact our overall stress. If we focus on allowing time daily to rest and reset – you’re already moving in the right direction. Learn to recognize how your body expresses stress such as tense shoulders, headaches, stomach knots, shallowing breathing, hypervigilance, etc.”

To view more of photographer Aris Harding’s work, go to arisharding.com.

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