Justhuman founder Roshini Sanah Jaiswal launches podcast on menopause and women's health

New Delhi: Roshini Sanah Jaiswal, founder of neurocosmetics brand Justhuman, has launched It Was Menopause All Along, a podcast that brings together public figures, medical experts and women to discuss menopause, brain health and the challenges surrounding diagnosis and treatment in India. The podcast explores menopause through conversations with specialists in gynaecology, neuroscience, dermatology and sexual wellness, alongside women sharing their personal experiences. It addresses issues including perimenopause, brain health, hormonal changes and the long-term health implications associated with menopause. According to the announcement, Indian women reach menopause at an average age of 46, around five years earlier than women in many Western countries. This means perimenopause often begins in the late 30s or early 40s, before many women or healthcare professionals identify it as a possible cause of symptoms. The company also cited projections published in Scientific Reports (Nature, 2024), which estimate that more than 400 million Indian women will be aged 45 and above by 2026. The announcement notes that untreated menopause has been linked to accelerated bone loss, increased cardiovascular risk, cognitive decline and long-term effects on brain health, many of which can be addressed through early diagnosis and treatment. Speaking about the podcast, Roshini Sanah Jaiswal said, "For generations, women have been told that menopause is simply something to endure. But the truth is that many women don't even know they're experiencing it. They blame themselves for the anxiety, the brain fog, the sleepless nights, the sudden shifts in confidence and identity. And that is the concern, because today we have answers, we have treatments, and we have science that makes endurance completely unnecessary. Every woman deserves to know that." The first episode features entrepreneur and television personality Seema Kiran Sajdeh, who discusses her experience of living with acid reflux, osteopenia, stress and depression before recognising these symptoms as being related to menopause. Sajdeh said, "Women are told they're stressed. They're told they're overreacting. They're told they're getting older. The concern isn't that women experience menopause, it's that so many experience it without understanding what's happening to them and without being told that help exists. That's the gap that needs to be closed." The first season also includes conversations with politician Mahua Moitra, journalist Shoma Chaudhury, culture journalist Bandana Tewari, gynaecologist Dr Duru Shah, neuroscientist Dr Sarah McKay, dermatologist Dr Michelle Henry, celebrity aesthetician Harshna Bijlani, Hello! magazine editor Ruchika Mehta, artist and influencer Manjri Varde, sexual educator Leeza Mangaldas and Kim Vopni, also known as The Vagina Coach. Commenting on the guests featured in the series, Jaiswal said, "These are some of the most informed, educated, resourced and well-connected women you'll meet and menopause still blindsided them. Now imagine the millions of women who do not have access to the same information, expertise or support. India does not need more menopause awareness. It needs a menopause revolution!" She added, "It Was Menopause All Along was built on a single belief: that every woman deserves answers sooner not at 55, after years of misdiagnosis and self-blame, but now, while she can still act, advocate for herself, and live the second half of her life with full information. If via the podcast, we help one woman recognise herself in these conversations and reach for help sooner, the change is already being made." Watch the first episode