Description

Dr Somlota explains menopause with clarity, compassion and warmth, making a complex and misunderstood stage of life easy to understand. The chapters helped me make sense of changes I had been experiencing but did not fully understand or had the words to describe. Reading this book reassured me that what I was going through was real and valid.

This is an excellent and accessible read for women currently navigating menopause, but it is just as valuable for those who have yet to reach this stage. The author’s approachable writing style makes the book easy to read while still being deeply informative. It serves as a supportive and reassuring guide for any woman seeking understanding, confidence and comfort during this transition.

I highly recommend this book and am grateful to the author for writing it and for reminding us that menopause is not a disease but a natural part of life. (Siphokazi Nyamakazi – Patient)

The book I wish we had as medical students and Registrars in training… it simplifies and demystifies the concept of Menopause so well leaving one feeling informed rather than overwhelmed. It also offers a simple to the core understanding for the partner who might not be understanding of what their partner is going through…. This is definitely going to be a permanent feature in my practice. (Tembisa Tini – Gynaecologist)

True to her name, Nontembeko (the trusted one), does exactly what she set out to do – she decodes menopause in a way that is simple, honest, and deeply informative. This book is far more than a guide to menopause; it is a reminder that life does not pause or make excuses for being life. Instead, it invites us to use every landmark – even the challenging ones – as navigation points toward growth and greatness.  What makes this book exceptional is the seamless integration of the author’s own life experiences into the often-misunderstood maze of menopause. It transforms confusion into clarity and replaces fear with understanding. Reading this book made me realise that menopause is not a giant monster – it is the very definition of life. There is a quiet, powerful beauty in menopause – a season where wisdom deepens and a woman steps fully into herself.

Thank you, Dynamite – proof that power truly does come in small packages, especially when it comes to understanding hormones, their roles, and our bodies.

I hope every woman blessed to read this book comes to realise that menopause is a beautiful becoming. Thank you, Ntembsy, for a well-written, accessible, and empowering read. (Nomandla Tsibiyana – Gynaecologist)

Thank you Ntembsy for writing a book that’s truly empowering women to speak out about menopause. It’s shocking how often we experience symptoms like weight gain, brain fog, mood swings, and discomfort during sex, yet we struggle to talk about it openly. Many of us aren’t even sure what’s happening, and the stigma around menopause only adds to the confusion. Your book will help women understand these changes and give them the confidence to discuss them without shame. As healthcare professionals, we’ll also be equipped to provide better support and guidance . Thank you for helping us break the silence around menopause.

P.s love this quote women are given knowledge, they don’t merely cope – they lead themselves into the next chapter of life with strength, dignity, and purpose. (Lungi Mbali – Pharmacist)

Thank you for trusting me with your work at such a sacred stage of it’s journey. I’ve taken time to read these chapters slowly and intentionally, not only as a Pharmacist but as a friend and woman who has watched you walk this calling with excellence and integrity over the years.

First and Foremost, this book carries your voice in its truest form. It is deeply compassionate, culturally grounded and emotional intelligent. The kind of balance you strike between medical authority and human understanding is exactly what  a woman needs (myself included), especially in a space that has been misunderstood and silenced for far too long.

What resonated deeply was how your steady faith and the lessons you learned from your parents and grandmother quietly shape both the book and the woman behind it. The values of discipline, humility, prayer and consistency are evident in how you show up – not only as a Clinician, but also as a mother, wife, a supportive friend and a guide. You have a way of reminding those around you to pause, to take care of ourselves, and to honor our bodies and seasons without guilt. That grounding presence is felt throughout the book.

From a professional standpoint, this book is a resource I will actively use. As a Community Pharmacist, I often encounter women who struggle to articulate what they are experiencing or why their bodies feel unfamiliar. This book offers them a language, context and reassurance. It will serve as a trusted reference for my patients – a source they can turn to as they learn to understand themselves better and navigate the later stages of reproductive health with clarity and confidence.

This book reflects your calling, discipline and compassion. It is a meaningful gift to woman’s health and a true extension of who you are. I am incredibly proud of you and deeply grateful to have witnessed your moments of success up close. Thank you for giving us a gift that validates woman, restores understanding and affirms dignity through every page. (Andy H. Ganyile – Pharmacist)

For me, the book is meant to show women that their life isn’t over (as society has deemed it in past) but a new chapter is starting and learning from the past and embracing the new can make it an incredible journey.

It reminds women to be intentional about their lives. Many times women put everyone and everything before themselves but stepping into this position helps women to learn new things about self, relearn forgotten dreams and ambitions or sometimes unlearn things that held them back or kept them in pain.

Overall, this is the book everyone (women and men) needs to reads (Boitumelo Sikhosana – Dietician)

This is the book I needed when I started on my perimenopause and menopause journey.  It is a very bewildering and overwhelming journey for women and yes, often just endured in silence and acceptance.  This is also the age where children are finishing school and starting university so there is the added financial stress, change of routine and dealing with the changing behaviour of their children.  The chapters you have sent me reflect a calmness and positivity to a situation that most women feel they have no control over.  Not easy being a woman!  But it can be an exciting time to change and evolve and discover the real you that you were suppressing while being a good employee, good mom and all round capable person.

You truly are a really admirable person.  You are a busy lady, running your practice, running your home, being mom, studying, writing a book – and yet you are so calm and unflustered.  I have full faith in you and am glad you are journeying with me during my future years. Your book is going to be a huge success! (Mrs Janet Huyssteen – Patient)

This book chapter is a powerful reflection of the stance the author chose to take—to turn personal adversity into a story of triumph, purpose, and service. Through her journey, she reminds us that even the most challenging seasons of life can become sources of strength and guidance for others walking a similar path. I was especially moved by the story of the little girl from Tsomo, where life once seemed uncertain and limited, yet unfolds into the journey of a shining professional—one who goes beyond a medical role to become a true servant, led by compassion and a deep commitment to others.

What makes this work truly exceptional is how the author courageously draws from her own lived experience of navigating the stages of menopause, transforming it into a positive and practical tool for understanding and empowerment. She offers clarity on what is happening within the body, while gently guiding women toward effective coping mechanisms through exercise, consistency, nutrition, and restoration. This book does more than inform—it reassures, grounds, and empowers. It reminds every woman that she is not alone, that her experience is valid, and that there is strength, dignity, and hope in this journey. (Mr Thembani Mrwebi – Personal Trainer)

I must say that this book came at exactly the right time in my life, as I have recently started experiencing strange and very uncomfortable changes and symptoms in my body. From reading the book, it became clear that I should stop guessing, suffering in silence, or relying on unsolicited information, and instead seek proper medical assessment for accurate classification and appropriate medical care.

I now understand my mother better. When she was my age, she had a stormy character — often irritated, sweating at times, and generally not as pleasant as we remembered her to be. However, in later years, she seemed to return to her old self. At the time, she never explained what she was going through, and we assumed her behaviour was due to the challenges of raising five children, some of whom were teenagers, as well as the pressures of financial responsibilities. This book helped me realise that she was most likely experiencing menopausal changes.

Despite being an impatient reader, I found this book to be an easy and engaging read. I felt seen, understood, and able to relate deeply to the experiences described. I especially appreciated the soothing and reassuring tone used by the author, which brings comfort during what can feel like a very confusing and overwhelming phase of life.

When going through such a storm, one naturally asks, “What’s next?” I found the section on the recommended protocol particularly helpful. It covers all the key lifestyle aspects, including diet, exercise, sleep, supplementation, and recommended medical tests, with practical and relevant guidance. However, I do believe that some individuals may still require individualised diet and exercise plans from dietitians and exercise specialists, especially in cases involving obesity or other medical conditions.

I also appreciated the clear categorisation of activities according to the different phases: late reproductive age, perimenopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal. This structure makes the information easy to follow and allows readers to apply the guidance according to their specific stage.

Overall, this book is informative, comforting, and empowering. It encourages women to seek proper care, understand their bodies better, and navigate this stage of life with confidence rather than fear or uncertainty. I wish you all the best. (Nomandla Pupuma – Dietician)

Decoding menopause takes a topic that is often whispered about, and outright misunderstood and breaks it down in a way that feels clear, honest and deeply human.

Dr Somlota sets the scene by sharing her background with honesty and vulnerability. She shares her truth of childhood scars that were centered on teasing her about her dark skin and how her mother’s love and affirmations helped her to rise above and embrace her beauty. She grew up in a big family with 6 siblings, raised by teachers who cultivated a strong culture of learning and sharing what you have with others. Her grandmother instilled the value of living a prayerful life in discipline. In her book Dr Somlota reflects on how her childhood dream of becoming a doctor came into reality and how her lived experiences from childhood remain intertwined in her journey as a doctor, which is dominated but not limited to, caring for women in different seasons of their feminine hormone rhythms.

Dr Somlota’s book is initiating a conversation intended at demystifying menopause as many women suffer in silence, often because of lack of understanding and absence of words in their vocabulary to describe what they are going through. She uncovers the truth to realize that menopause is not an illness, but a natural biological transition that should be embraced through understanding its multisystemic effects. She explains that beyond the hormonal transition of menopause, women should realize the health impacts that entail the increased risk to develop osteoporosis; increased risk of strokes and heart attack encompassed in cardiovascular risks; and the emotional dysregulation that often impacts relationships at home and at work. She explains the mechanism behind these silent transitions which require awareness and a culture of women to adhere to the recommended surveillance screenings and partner with healthcare professionals that are skilled to walk this journey.

This is a very empowering book, written with compassion and deep understanding from a perspective of an experienced gynaecologist who has walked alongside thousands of women through this transition. She reassures us that what we are experiencing is real, valid and shared by many other- even if it’s rarely spoken about openly. It is a useful read to empower women to navigate this transition with strength, dignity and purpose knowing that it is a normal God intended season that should be embraced. More importantly, we learn from this book that as women, we should listen to the signals that our bodies send. We should invest in empowering ourselves with knowledge, weight bearing strength training to prevent osteoporosis and frailty as we age and enhance our nutrition to match our needs as grow.

I would like to congratulate Dr Somlota on bringing Decoding menopause as a useful resource to reframe menopause as a transition that deserves knowledge, preparation and self-compassion. (Prof Feziwe Mtwazi – Nephrologist)