Menopause is having a moment. From Amy Schumer’s funny TV ad for Midi Health, to Drew Barrymore discussing having hot flashes mid-interview, menopause talk has become mainstream. And that’s something Ingrid Kotch, MD is happy about.

Also known as alpha-gal allergy or red meat allergy, alpha-gal syndrome is on the rise in Massachusetts, particularly on Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard, where lone star ticks have expanded and become established.