The Dr Louise Newson Podcast

In this podcast, Dr Louise Newson is joined by Petra Coveney, Founder of Menopause Yoga - the UK’s first specialist style of yoga to support women going through the menopause.  Petra, who is a member of the British Menopause Society (BMS) for health practitioners and a senior yoga teacher and trainer, developed Menopause Yoga to meet the physical and emotional needs of women going through menopause. Last year, due to demand from women and yoga teachers, she launched the world’s first Menopause Yoga Teacher Training course at Newson Health, which is accredited by the UK’s main governing bodies the British Wheel of Yoga and Yoga Alliance Professionals. Her aim is to train a yoga teacher in every town so that women across the country can practice locally where they live. The course has drawn teachers from all over the world, many of whom have trained at Newson Health. In April 2020, she piloted the first online Menopause Yoga classes and in May she is launching the first online Teacher Training course, which includes Dr Louise Newson as a Guest Speaker. Dr Newson’s book on the Menopause is a core course reading text.   In this podcast, Dr Newson and Petra discuss:  Petra’s own menopause journey,   What inspired her to develop Menopause Yoga,  Combining western medical science with eastern Indian Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine,  The Chinese concept of post menopause as a woman’s ‘Second Spring.’  How yoga, breathwork and meditation can support women to transition positively through menopause,  How to reduce stress levels, master your hot flushes and change your perception of menopause.  Why it is important to educate women about the menopause, to feel empowered and embrace post menopause.  Petra Coveney's Three Take Home Tips: Stressful thoughts exacerbate all menopause symptoms. Learn simple breathing exercises to calm your mind and tap into your parasympathetic nervous system that helps you to Rest & Digest.  Writing a daily journal will help you to release negative, stressful thoughts and recognise which foods, drinks, activities, thoughts, etc trigger your menopause symptoms. Every woman is unique. Gaining insights into your triggers will aid your self-growth.  Nourish & Nurture yourself. Eat well, Sleep well. Pamper yourself.   Petra will be returning to Newson Health later in the year to run women’s workshops here at Newson Health. You can find out more on her website: www.menopause-yoga.com    Instagram: @Menopause_Yoga 

In this podcast, Dr Louise Newson chats to Cari Rosen; author, writer and editor of Gransnet.com. Gransnet was set up following the success of Mumsnet. Gransnet has 320k users, bringing in 3 million page views a month. Many perimenopausal and menopausal women feel socially isolated and alone when they experience symptoms that often they don't even realise are related to their reducing hormone levels. It can be very useful to share symptoms and also discuss experiences with other women. Increasingly, women are turning to platforms such as Gransnet where they can be frank and open with people they don't know and seek out support at various times of the day and night. In this podcast, Dr Newson and Cari discuss the various ways women can support each other during the perimenopause and menopause, as well as dispelling some myths about the menopause and HRT along the way.  www.gransnet.com Cari Rosen's Three Take Home Tips and reasons to visit Gransnet: Know you're not alone - there is always someone to talk to. Share your experiences. It can be so helpful to talk to someone who has gone through something similar and come out the other side. If you are feeling frustrated, it's good to share those frustrations with others that aren't your nearest and dearest.

In this podcast, Dr Louise Newson is joined (virtually!) by Lorraine Candy - co-founder of the podcast series 'Postcards from Midlife'. Lorraine and Dr Newson chat about the stigma surrounding the word “menopause” and how we need to work together in order to break that down and really empower women so they can receive the correct help and treatment. They also discuss menopausal symptoms such as anxiety and fatigue and how they can have a massive, negative impact on women's lives if left untreated.  Dr Newson and Lorraine also talk about how important it is for women to receive the right dose and type of HRT. Many women wrongly think that HRT is a single treatment, whereas in fact, there are different hormones available and also different doses. The importance of exercise, nutrition and wellbeing is also discussed. Lorraine also talks very openly about her own experience and how she struggled for several years before receiving the right help.  www.postcardsfrommidlife.com Follow Lorraine on Instagram: @sundaytimeslorraine @postcardsfrommidlife Lorraine Candy's Three Take Home Tips: Feel your power - you have lived an amazing life and have an enormous amount of experience. Don't let that inner voice tell you you don't have the confidence. Arm yourself with information before any visits. Seek out the facts and write them down so you don't forget. Talk to your friends, family and other women about what you're going through. Let's spread the word!

In this podcast, Dr Louise Newson is joined by Kate Irvine and together they discuss Kate's online perimenopause and menopause survey, The Big M.  Kate began her survey as a way to find out how women really feel about the perimenopause and menopause, including which aspects of the Big M women find the most difficult, whether they felt they could discuss it with anyone and whether they had any help getting through it. Kate hopes to be able to use the information given to help other women in the future. Kate also intends to compile the detailed responses into a  book which helps women to feel better about what they are going through, she and Dr Newson discuss how the idea for the book came about, and how Kate hopes it will work.  During this podcast, Dr Newson and Kate touch on several different topics which the survey highlighted, such as realising you are perimenopausal, how helpful GPs can be (or otherwise), women leaving the workforce because of their symptoms, the over-prescribing of anti-depressants and symptoms such as vaginal atrophy. Ultimately they agreed that talking is vital and makes you feel better, and Kate hopes that (if published!) reading her book will be like having a chat with friends about a common issue.  The survey is still open for responses, or if you just want to email her about any aspect of your menopause experience you can reach her at: kate@thebigm.net  Kate Irvine's Three Take Home Tips: Don't feel alone! Don't be frightened to talk about it - communicate with your friends. Look for helpful evidence-based advice such as the resources on menopausedoctor.co.uk and the British Menopause Society website If your GP hasn't been the most helpful, look for a doctor that specialises in the menopause. They should be better informed.

In this podcast, Dr Louise Newson is joined by Kathryn Pinkham, Founder of The Insomnia Clinic, the UK’s largest insomnia service.  Kathryn, along with her team at The Insomnia Clinic, help people who suffer with poor sleep and insomnia using NHS recommended techniques. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia is a structured programme which helps people to identify and change unhelpful behaviours and thoughts which maintain poor sleep.  In this podcast, Dr Newson and Kathryn discuss: Why sleep is important but how putting too much pressure on sleep can cause us to get even less  How sleep hygiene can make a sleep issue worse for poor sleepers  The cycle of insomnia and how to break it Tips to strengthen your sleep drive to fall asleep faster and wake less but also how to improve quality of sleep  The importance of managing anxiety in boosting energy levels  Techniques to manage anxiety    Kathryn Pinkham's Three Take Home Tips to Aid Sleep:  Shorten your time in bed - go to bed later and get up earlier. Even if it's just by half an hour. Set your alarm and then turn it over. When you wake up in the night, resist the urge to look at the clock. Spend time managing your worries and anxieties instead of focusing on your lack of sleep. If you focus on lowering your stress levels then your sleep should improve too.  https://www.instagram.com/theinsomniaclinic

In this week's podcast, Dr Newson is joined by Emma Ellice-Flint, a clinical nutritionist and former chef. Emma works alongside Dr Newson at her clinic, Newson Health Menopause and Wellbeing Centre and treats patients with all conditions, but digestive wellness and hormone balance are topics close to her heart.  In light of the outbreak of Coronavirus, Emma chats to Dr Newson about the different things we can do to help support our immunity and keep our bodies healthy. Emma describes the certain foods, drinks and nutrients that are beneficial for our overall health as well as those that can strengthen our immune systems. Emma has also written this informative article explaining how we can all adopt immunity boosting changes and habits. Emma Ellice-Flint's Three Take Home Tips for Staying Healthy: Rice is a family favourite! For a healthier alternative, try swapping it out for brown rice instead Broccoli, cabbage, garlic and onions are prebiotic, immune boosting vegetables and are great if you can eat them everyday Wherever possible, try and keep up your exercise during this time - in any shape or form! Website: www.emmasnutrition.com Instagram: @emmas_nutrition  Facebook: @emmasnutrition 

Avrum Bluming was a clinical professor of medical oncology at the University of Southern California and spent four years as a senior investigator for the National Cancer Institute. For more than two decades he has been studying the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy administered to women with a history of breast cancer. He is also the co-author of the book “Oestrogen Matters”.  In this podcast, Dr Newson talks to Avrum about the numerous health benefits of oestrogen in women, including reducing future risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and dementia. It is a very sobering thought that as many women die from osteoporosis as breast cancer, yet so many women are denied oestrogen in HRT for the wrong reasons. Avrum's wife was diagnosed with breast cancer many years ago and he talks about treatments for breast cancer which can lead to an early menopause.   https://estrogenmatters.com  Avrum Bluming's Three Take Home Tips About HRT: If every woman in the US started HRT, the median life expectancy of women would extend by 3.3 years If you ever hear "If you must take hormones, then take the smallest dose possible for the shortest period of time" - there is no scientific support for this! Women can take HRT for as long as they need. Some of the benefits of HRT, particularly for your bones, last as long as you continue to take it. If you stop taking the hormones, bone degeneration occurs at an accelerated pace.

In this week's podcast, Dr Newson is joined by Lauren Redfern, a researcher who has been exploring the experiences of women using testosterone as part of their HRT treatment. Lauren has been spending time at Newson Health Menopause and Wellbeing Centre over the past year observing many different aspects of women’s care; from the moment they make contact with the team right through to their consultation. She is interested in hearing stories from women first hand about their treatment journey and is particularly interested in the gendered aspects of hormonal care. Lauren hopes that her work will provide insight into the realities facing women negotiating menopausal care in the UK today; something that she feels is currently vastly underrepresented in both social and public health research.   If you would like to know more about Lauren’s research you can visit her website www.laurenredfernwrites.com or follow her on Instagram @laurenredfernwrites where she posts about everything from the history of hormones to updates on her research.   Lauren's Top Three Facts about Testosterone and Menopause care: Time is an underestimated benefit in healthcare. Women need longer than 10 minutes to adequately explain their symptoms to a doctor. Menopause isn't just hot flushes and something to "get through" - the symptoms can have a massive impact on a woman's life. Testosterone is not just the male hormone, it is essential for re-balancing female systems, just as it is for men.  Newson Health Research & Education

In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by yoga teacher, Claudia Brown who runs workshops at Newson Health Menopause and Wellbeing Centre.  Claudia is an Om Yoga magazine columnist and runs classes, workshops and retreats in the West Midlands. She also works with professional footballers, teaching yoga at Doncaster Rovers Football Club! Together, Dr Newson and Claudia discuss ageing well and the menopause, demystifying meditation, how yoga is more than physical postures and why everyone should give it a try.  Claudia's Top Three Tips for beginning your yoga journey: Just do it! Don't be afraid to start, ask for recommendations and try different classes to find the right teacher. Don't get caught up in buying the right outfit or equipment. You can practice yoga in just about anything! Don't talk yourself out of it because of your body size - it isn't relevant to your strength or how your body moves. You will always be among friends in a yoga studio. www.yogabyclaudia.com  Twitter – yogabyclaudia  Instgram – yogabyclaudia  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/yogabyclaudiauk/  To find out more about Claudia's yoga workshops at Newson Health, or to book your place, click here.

In this engaging discussion, sexual health expert Samantha Evans shares her insights on the challenges women face regarding libido and intimacy during menopause. With a nursing background and co-owner of Jo Divine, she emphasizes the importance of communication with partners and provides practical tips, such as using appropriate lubricants and even introducing sex toys. The conversation also tackles the stigma surrounding female sexuality, advocating for openness and education to enhance intimacy and sexual wellbeing during this significant life transition.