Confident & Unstoppable: Navigating All Stages of Menopause on the Trail

Topics we will cover include:

• Hydration and fueling
• Pelvic health considerations
• Strength training (for muscular strength and endurance, as well as maintaining
  and/or improving bone mass
• Layering strategies
• Altitude adjustments

You’ll receive trail-tested guidance to help you keep moving with strength and confidence!  During this talk, we will also address the very real, and often frustrating, symptoms that many people experience during perimenopause and menopause, symptoms that can feel especially challenging in group hiking environments. These may include:

• Low-energy days or weeks
• Unexpected exhaustion on the trail
• Nausea
• Bloating
• Headaches
• Brain fog
• Hot flashes

Because many people fear slowing others down, these symptoms can create unnecessary pressure, yet they are exceedingly common and entirely normal. In this session, we’ll normalize these experiences, explore why they occur, and share practical strategies for managing them with confidence.   By understanding your body’s changing physiology and equipping yourself with smart tools and techniques, you can continue to thrive in the mountains, on your own terms.

This seminar will be held at the Mountaineers Seattle Program center in Goodman A, and will go from 6:30 to 8:30PM.

instructor Bios:

Dr. Algerae Bergstrom, PT, DPT

Dr. Algerae Bergstrom, PT, DPT is a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in ortho-pelvic health physical therapy across the lifespan, treating all genders and ages. She is passionate about  mentoring, patient education and interdisciplinary collaborations. She is the founder of Hilom
Physical Therapy. 
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Dr. Algerae grew up in the Puget Sound and loves all things water-related! She grew up kayaking, rowing, sailing (fair-weather style), swimming, and playing competitive basketball. Currently, she enjoys traveling, open water swimming, loves connecting with local foods and cultures, and SCUBA diving. 
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She earned her doctorate from the University of Washington and has built her career around her  passion for normalizing pelvic health. She is often heard saying, "That's common, NOT normal, AND totally treatable!"
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Dr. Algerae practices evidence-based physical therapy with a holistic lens, partnering closely  with patients as well as a trusted network of medical, mental health, diet/nutrition, and  movement specialists. Patients are a whole system, not one body part. She states "collaboration, not competition, serves our patients best."    Dr. Algerae is passionate about her patients and believes (outside of evidence-based treatments) humor is the best medicine. 

Riana Giusti, MS, CN
 
Riana holds a Master’s degree in Whole Foods Nutrition and Research from Bastyr University and a Bachelors degree in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics from University of California at Davis. She previously directed a brain-health focused nutrition teaching kitchen, while cooking with and counseling families to treat a variety of cognitive and neurological disorders (Alzheimer’s, dementia, and cognitive impairment). Riana has worked as a culinary nutrition instructor, personal chef, and in professional kitchens throughout Seattle.  In her 1:1 client work at Starkel Nutrition, she focuses specifically on functional nutrition for aging, metabolic health, and hormonal balance.   She is trained in interpreting functional labs—including advanced genetic, cardiovascular, hormone, and micronutrient testing—and uses these insights to guide highly personalized nutrition and lifestyle protocols.  She approaches each case like a puzzle, helping clients understand the “why” behind their symptoms and empowering  them to make meaningful, lasting change.
 
Her areas of focus include:

• Cognitive & Mental health Nutrition (Depression, Anxiety, ADHD)
• Cardiovascular Health & Cholesterol Management
• Longevity Nutrition & Healthy Aging
• Blood Sugar Management (Insulin Resistance, Prediabetes, Type 1 & Type 2
  Diabetes)
• Women’s Health (Pre-Conception, Perimenopause, Menopause, Hormonal
  Support)
• Rebuilding a Healthy Relationship with Food and Body
• Sports Nutrition
• Health At Every Size (HAES) and Weight Neutral provider

Riana is also a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and a member of the Association for Weight and Size Inclusive Medicine, Integrative Women’s Health Institute and the Center  for Mindful Eating. She has 15+ years of experience working in the nutrition field in the areas of intuitive eating and body image work, blood sugar management, metabolic and inflammatory disorders, and culinary education.
 
In her personal time, she enjoys lifting heavy sh*t, hiking and biking around Seattle, playing  frisbee with her Australian shepherd Appa, blasting music in my kitchen while taking  strong creative license with recipes, and savoring dark chocolate—these moments keep her grounded and remind her why sustainable, joyful health matters.

Sheri Goodwin – Hiking Trainer – Overseas Hiking Guide
 
Sheri taught Physical Education and Health in the Shoreline School district for 13 years before  starting her dream business - Transformational Trekking - where she now trains and takes  women on hiking adventures around the world. 
 
She holds a Master's in Education, and a Bachelor’s in Physical Education with an Endorsement in Health from the University of Puget Sound.  Sheri is a Personal Trainer through the National  Personal Trainers Institute (NPTI) and she also coached cross country and track &  field in the Shoreline school district for 19 years. 
 
Sheri's own trekking adventures in Nepal, Patagonia, Peru, Ireland, Scotland, up Kilimanjaro,  along the Camino de Santiago, the Alps of Europe, the Wonderland Trail and more, as well as  her professional experience as a teacher, coach, and trainer has helped her train women for the past 13 years for their dream treks.  And over the past 10 years, she has been giving hiking conditioning talks at Seattle Mountaineers. 
 
Sheri turned 50 this year and with it has come many thoughts on aging well through the hormonal changes that her body is going through.  She intends to stay strong and healthy for trekking for another 50+ years.  As you can imagine, she is very excited to be a part of this new talk with experts Dr. Algerae Bergstrom, PT, DPT and Dietitian Riana Giusti, MS, CN addressing  these very topics.