Sarah Bonza MD, MPH, FAAFP, DipABLM, NBC-HWC is one of our speakers, for the upcoming virtual conference, Menopause! The Virtual Conference, in which she will deliver the lecture Invisible to Invincible: Conquer Menopause, Defeat Entropy, and Reclaim Your Vitality.
Dr. Bonza is a Menopause specialist, Family Physician, and a Wife and Mother. She is a board-certified family physician who is passionate about helping women through the midlife transition, combining holistic and traditional medicine in her practice, Bonza Health. Her team includes physicians, naturopaths, wellness coaches, nutritionists, fitness professionals, yoga instructors and meditation facilitators. During her training at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, she received the American Academy of Family Physicians Arnold P. Gold Award for Humanism in Medicine.
Many people still see menopause as a taboo or overlooked topic. How do you challenge those perceptions in your work?
Menopause has been ignored, dismissed, and buried under decades of silence, leaving women feeling confused, alone, and gaslit by a medical system that should be helping them. But our generation is demanding better. We refuse to be dismissed with vague advice to “just deal with it.” Through Bonza Health, I make it my mission to challenge outdated perceptions by giving women the real answers they’ve been searching for. When a woman tells me she feels off—exhausted, anxious, struggling with weight gain or brain fog—I don’t brush it off as “just aging.” I explain what’s happening in her body, from hormonal shifts to metabolism changes, and offer science-backed solutions, whether that’s hormone therapy, nutrition, strength training, or targeted lifestyle shifts.
On social media and in my writing, I talk about menopause openly and unapologetically—because it’s not something to suffer through in silence. Women deserve real information, real options, and a doctor who listens. We are the first generation to say enough—and menopause should be treated with the same urgency and respect as any other major health transition.
What is one of the biggest misconceptions about menopause that you want to debunk?
One of the biggest misconceptions about menopause is that it’s just a phase of hot flashes and mood swings—something women have to “tough out” until it’s over. The reality is, menopause is a major biological shift that affects every system in the body, from brain function and metabolism to heart health and bone density. It’s not just about discomfort in the moment; untreated symptoms can have long-term consequences, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline.
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What does your work focus on? What groundbreaking changes or insights have you seen in this area recently?
The real shift I’m seeing isn’t just in the science—it’s in the women themselves. This generation refuses to accept the status quo. They’re not willing to suffer through hot flashes, weight gain, fatigue, mood swings, or low libido and be told, “That’s just part of aging.” They’re actively seeking answers, questioning outdated advice, and demanding real options. Women want to understand their hormones, optimize their health, and maintain their strength, energy, and confidence well into midlife and beyond. They aren’t looking for a one-size-fits-all approach—they want guidance tailored to their bodies and their lives. Every day, I’m inspired by the women I work with. They’re informed, proactive, and unwilling to fade into the background.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s menopause conference?
What I’m most looking forward to at this year’s menopause conference is connecting with colleagues who are just as passionate about advancing women’s health as I am. There’s so much valuable work being done—research that’s reshaping how we approach hormone therapy, functional medicine strategies that offer new solutions, and lifestyle interventions that give women real control over their health.
What will your session at the conference focus on? Can you give us a sneak peek into what attendees can expect?
In my session, Invisible to Invincible: Reclaiming Your Vitality in Menopause, we’re getting to the heart of what really helps women feel like themselves again. Menopause isn’t just a phase to endure—it’s a turning point that can either steal your energy or become an opportunity to rebuild strength, confidence, and health. We’ll talk about why so many women feel dismissed when they ask for help, and what they can do to take back control. From hormone therapy to strength training, nutrition, and mindset shifts, I’ll be sharing practical, science-backed strategies that help women stop feeling stuck and start feeling strong again.
If attendees walk away with just one key insight from your talk, what do you hope it will be?
We are not our mothers.
The women before us didn’t have the knowledge, the options, or the advocacy that we do today. They were told to suffer in silence, to accept exhaustion, weight gain, mood swings, and a loss of vitality as an inevitable part of aging. But we know better.
We have access to science-backed solutions—hormone therapy, nutrition, strength training, and lifestyle changes that can dramatically impact how we feel in midlife and beyond.
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What do you think is the most exciting innovation or shift happening right now in menopause care or education?
One of the most exciting shifts in menopause care is the debunking of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study and the return of evidence-based hormone therapy as a critical tool for women’s health. For years, the WHI’s flawed conclusions led to fear, misinformation, and the unnecessary suffering of millions of women. Now, we’re finally seeing a course correction. The research is clear—hormone therapy, when started at the right time, offers cardiovascular protection, preserves bone density, improves cognitive function, and enhances overall well-being.
How can healthcare professionals, workplaces, or society better support women through menopause?
Workplaces need to start treating menopause with the same consideration they give other health conditions that affect performance. That means flexible work arrangements, temperature control adjustments, access to healthcare benefits that include menopause care, and, most importantly, an open conversation that removes shame and stigma. Women aren’t looking for special treatment—they’re looking for the support that allows them to continue thriving in the workforce without unnecessary struggle or sacrifice.
Menopause isn’t just a personal experience—it’s a workplace issue, a healthcare issue, and a societal issue. Too many women, at the peak of their careers, are stepping away from jobs they love, not because they’ve lost ambition or drive, but because unrecognized and untreated menopause symptoms make it nearly impossible to function at their best. Mood swings, brain fog, unpredictable hot flashes, and exhausting sleep disturbances aren’t just inconvenient—they’re disrupting careers and livelihoods.
What is one piece of advice you wish you had received about menopause earlier in life?
I wish someone had told me, stay strong—literally.
Keep lifting, keep moving, don’t stop focusing on your strength. I was shocked when I started losing muscle in my early 40s, despite doing everything I thought was “healthy.” It wasn’t just about aesthetics—I felt weaker, less powerful, like I was fading away.
What I didn’t realize then is that muscle isn’t just about strength—it’s about longevity, metabolism, and resilience. The hormonal shifts of perimenopause accelerate muscle loss, and without intentional strength training, it’s all too easy to lose ground. I tell every woman now: pick up the weights, build muscle, and protect your strength. You are going to need it more than you think.
Are there any projects, books, or initiatives you’re working on that you’d love for our audience to check out?
I’m currently refining my Vitality Code, a comprehensive approach to menopause care that brings together traditional medicine, functional medicine, and lifestyle medicine to help women feel like themselves again. At the heart of this process is my Cycle of Better: Feel Better, Think Better, Do Better, which focuses on addressing symptoms first, then shifting mindset, and finally integrating long-term habits for strength and longevity. This isn’t just about managing menopause—it’s about thriving through midlife with the right tools, support, and community. Through one-on-one guidance, group coaching, and a network of women who uplift each other, I’m creating a space where women don’t have to navigate this transition alone. It’s time for better care, better conversations, and a better way forward.
I was shocked when I started losing muscle in my early 40s, despite doing everything I thought was “healthy.”
If you could give menopause a rebrand with a new name, what would you call it?
I’d call it The Midlife Power Shift—because that’s exactly what it is. Menopause isn’t just the end of reproductive years; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take control of your long-term health. This is the turning point where women can extend not just their lifespan, but their healthspan—the years they feel strong, vibrant, and fully alive.
It’s a time to learn, adapt, and take action, because the choices made now will shape the next several decades. Instead of seeing it as something to endure, we should recognize it for what it truly is: a call to step up and invest in the future version of ourselves.
If you could have dinner with any historical or celebrity figure to chat about menopause, who would it be and why?
Menopause is the turning point where women can extend not just their lifespan, but their healthspan—the years they feel strong, vibrant, and fully alive.
If you had to describe your session at the conference using only three words, what would they be?
Honest. Actionable. Life-changing.
What’s the wildest or most unexpected question you’ve ever been asked about menopause?
Is this the end of sex?
What’s one myth about menopause that you’d love to see turned into a comedy skit?
I’d love to see a comedy skit about how perimenopause and puberty are basically the same rollercoaster ride—just in reverse. Living with a 13-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son, I’m constantly reminded that we’re all experiencing our own mood swings, unpredictable skin, and insatiable need for Retin-A. One of us is battling breakouts, the other is fighting wrinkles.
If you could create a menopause-friendly invention that doesn’t exist yet, what would it be?
I think it’s what many of us desire: The fountain of youth—but not the kind you drink from.
The real secret isn’t in a pill or a potion; it’s in the habits we build, the way we move our bodies, the food we nourish ourselves with, and the perspective we choose to take on aging. Strength training, hormone balance, deep sleep, meaningful connections—these are the things that keep us vibrant. If there were a way to bottle the feeling of waking up strong, clear-headed, and energized, I’d patent it in a heartbeat. But the truth is, we already have the formula—it’s just up to us to use it.
