Did you know perimenopause has 48 signs? ‘Stronger Together’ invites women to recognize them

Perimenopause is often associated with hot flashes, but the recent Stronger Together gathering points to 48 documented signs, including brain fog, joint pain, tingling extremities, and changes in taste and smell. The event brought together ONELIFE, SecondSpring, and Good Habits to put those signs at the center of a conversation about movement, nutrition, and women’s midlife health.

Recently held at Onelife EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong City, Stronger Together invited guests to count how many of the listed signs they recognized in themselves. A wall-sized backdrop displayed all 48 and guests could hold up a numbered card for a photo, sharing their tally without disclosing which symptoms they experienced.

The event’s hosts share the view that perimenopause deserves to be discussed openly rather than endured in silence. We learned that a Philippine survey in which 91% of respondents recognized the word “menopause,” while 88% did not know it raises the risk of heart disease and 70% did not know it raises the risk of osteoporosis. Only 12% felt there was enough community awareness and support around menopause in the Philippines.

Another learning highlighted the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 Census of Population, which puts the number of Filipino women aged 35 to 55—the age range in which most begin perimenopause—at roughly 13 million.

“I spent 30 years building brands that told women what to buy,” said Jasmin Vinculado, Co-Founder and President of SecondSpring. “This one exists because I couldn’t find anything appropriate for my own changing body. There are 48 symptoms of perimenopause, and most women are never educated on 43 of them. That’s not just a marketing gap — it’s a silence born of both stigma and a lack of awareness. Stronger Together matters because one voice is easily dismissed, but a chorus of women is impossible to ignore.”

The program included a moderated conversation with Dr. Stephanie Supan, OB-GYN and Board Director of the Philippine Society of Climacteric Medicine; Ms. Love Matibag, RND, RDN, and US-Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian; and Physiopilates™ Coach Anjoy Santos. The three experts discussed movement, nutrition, and the practical realities of perimenopause.

Each host brought a different perspective. ONELIFE, founded by Tanya Aguila, has spent more than a decade building movement care for women, from pregnancy and postpartum through perimenopause and beyond.

“We meet many women who know their bodies feel different, but may not yet understand why,” said Aguila. “Perimenopause can change how a woman feels, moves, and recovers — and her care should be able to change with her. At ONELIFE, movement is more than another workout. It can be a way to reconnect with your body, build strength for this stage, and feel supported by a team and community that understands what you’re going through.”

Good Habits, a café known for sugar-free and protein-forward menu options, brought attention to strength and nutrition.

“Women are still afraid of the weight room. We’re taught to shrink, not lift,” said Giann Lopena, Founder of Good Habits. “But eating less isn’t the goal — getting stronger is. Muscle protects your bones, your metabolism, your independence through perimenopause and beyond. Protein feeds it, strength training builds it, so we can age better and live longer, with the strength to actually enjoy it. That’s why we’re here.”

ONELIFE describes its approach as movement care made for women. Through Physiopilates™, it brings Clinical Pilates and Physical Therapy together in a personalized approach shaped around women’s changing movement needs.

SecondSpring was founded by Jasmin Vinculado and Carlos Vargas following Vinculado’s experience of medical menopause as a side effect of cancer survivorship. Its SecondSpring Premium Isolate + Collagen contains 23g of USA-sourced whey protein isolate, 2.5g of VERISOL® collagen, and seven vitamins and minerals. The brand says the product is formulated for women in perimenopause and menopause. SecondSpring is MTick® certified, described in the release as a global symbol for menopause-friendly shopping and the first brand recognition of its kind in the Philippines.

Good Habits is a Philippine café brand offering sugar-free, protein-forward drinks and bites, including its Pretty Strong protein series. Co-founded by Giann Lopena, the brand says it aims to show that familiar indulgent flavors can be enjoyed without the sugar or calories, and that eating and drinking well can still feel like a treat, making their offerings “sinfully good and saintly clean.”

1. Capstone-Intel Corporation, “Menopause Awareness and Attitudes among Filipinos,” nationwide online panel survey, 1,210 completed responses (of 20,381 panelists invited), ±3% margin of error at 95% confidence nationally, fielded September 20–27, 2023.

2. Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024 Census of Population, “Age and Sex Distribution in the Philippine Population.”