The Dr Louise Newson Podcast

Diane Porterfield-Bourne is a Nurse Practitioner with over 30 years nursing experience. She runs www.bourne2care.co.uk and provides menopause education talks in the workplace and through organised events. She is committed to raising menopause awareness and feels very passionately about women's health and how menopause can affect women physically and emotionally. In this episode, Diane talks to Dr Newson all about her work as well as the ways she works with menopausal women from different ethnic minorities.  Diane Porterfield-Bourne's Three Take Home Tips: Read up on the menopause and discover how it may affect you. Talk to your GP and arm yourself with the correct, evidence-based information. Be open and honest with your families. Explain how you are feeling so they can support you.

In this episode, Dr Louise Newson talks with Diane Danzebrink, both very passionate campaigners on the subject of improving menopause education for women. The two experts discuss the current HRT shortages and media reports following the recent HRT scare and give women the real facts, talking about their grave concerns that women are going to be denied HRT by their doctors for the wrong reasons and how women need to be given the right information to challenge this. Diane Danzebrink's Three Take Home Tips: Don't panic! Don't believe the headlines - go find factual evidence-based advice Take someone with you to your doctor's appointment if you're feeling nervous, and before you visit, look at the Menopause Doctor website for information, visit the Menopause Support website and download the 'Ten things your GP should know about the menopause'

In this episode, Dr Newson is joined by Liz Earle MBE and together they discuss the recent research that was published in the Lancet, concerning the link between HRT and breast cancer. They talk about what this research means to women and discuss other evidence regarding the benefits of taking HRT. www.lizearlewellbeing.com Liz Earle's Three Take Home Tips about HRT: Don't believe everything you see in the headlines - do your research and don't panic! Read up on the subject and listen to experts. Look at all of your symptoms - menopause is so much more than hot flushes and it doesn't need to affect your quality of life.

In this episode Dr Newson and qualified nutritionist and chef Emma Ellice-Flint, talk about gut matters, microbiome research and what foods can make a difference to the gut and whole body health. Topics discussed include: Control how you feel through what you eat, bidirectional communication to/from gut and the brain. The time it takes to make a change to your gut microbiome through what you eat. Fecal transplants, what it is and some recent research. Different types of prebiotics and probiotics and what they are, including kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi. Getting variety into everyday eating, making vegetables the center of your dish. Which good fats to especially eat - extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, seafood. Digestion and the anticipation of eating on digestion. Fasting and ways of doing it. Variety - pushing out your food choices to include more varieties of fruit and vegetables. Individual - what suits one person may not suit another, learn to understand what works best for you. Sleep - good habits around sleep and what you might be able to improve to have a better night's sleep. Read more about Emma on her website here and follow Emma on Instagram and Facebook. Read about Emma’s cookbooks here. Emma's Three take Home Tips for Gut Health: Variety is important! Especially when it comes to vegetables - try to mix it up and try new things. We are all individual and what works for one person when it comes to weight loss, bloating, hormone balance etc might be different for another. Find out how your body works! Sleep is so important. We make better food choices when we are well rested.

In this episode, Dr Newson is joined by former music industry PR guru Meg Mathews. Together, they discuss Meg's reasons for creating her website, MegsMenopause, and why she has worked so hard to improve menopause education for women. Meg talks very openly about her dreadful menopause experience and how she had no idea what was happening to her - as indeed so many women don't. Thankfully she is so much better now, taking the right dose and type of HRT. Meg works tirelessly to educate women (and men) about the menopause and how it can affect their lives. In this podcast, Dr Newson and Meg discuss the different ways women can receive the right help and advice.  Meg's Three Take Home Tips: Share with your family! Your symptoms may also affect those closest to you so it could be helpful to share how you are feeling and why. If you have an inkling of any menopausal symptoms, fill out this questionnaire - if you have 5 or more symptoms then you may want to go and see your GP. Self love! Things can feel so overwhelming during the menopause so take time for yourself and put yourself first. www.megsmenopause.com

Athena Lamnisos is the Chief Executive of the Eve Appeal which the only UK national charity raising awareness and funding research into the five gynaecological cancers – womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal. In this episode Dr Louise Newson and Athena talk about the importance of diagnosing these cancers early which leads to better outcomes for women. Many women are ignoring signs of potential cancer such as vaginal bleeding due to fear or denial which needs to change. Athena talks about ways the charity is working to improve early detection of cancers and also with the research they are involved in and the discussion also includes managing menopause in women who have had treatment for their cancer and how important it is for them to receive the right treatment and advice. Athena's Three Take Home Tips for Understanding your Gynae Health: You need to know your menstrual health and cycle and know what's normal for you. If you no longer have periods, you need to know when your last one was. We need to break down the stigma and taboo around gynaecological health. Learn and use the correct terminology for your body parts so you can describe any symptoms properly. Know your body! Have a look at your vulva and know what is normal for you. This will help so much should you have to explain anything to a medical professional. https://eveappeal.org.uk/

Migraines and worsening headaches can be a very common symptom of the perimenopause and menopause. In this podcast, Dr Louise Newson speaks with Dr Sarah Ball who explains why this can occur and ways of managing migraines for women who have changing hormone levels. Many women wrongly believe they cannot take HRT if they have a history of migraine, so this myth is discussed and the correct advice given. In addition to taking HRT, there are numerous lifestyle measures that can improve migraines which are also discussed. Dr Sarah Ball's Three Take Home Tips About Menopause and Migraines: Look back at your reproductive cycle as a whole, particularly when your periods first began and when on different contraceptives. Are there any patterns? Keep a headache diary - this can be so helpful! Always look at your lifestyle first as there are lots of helpful changes that can be made. However, don't forget to consider your hormones as this could well be the source of the problem. Learn more about Dr Sarah Ball

Diane Danzebrink is a psychotherapist, menopause expert, wellbeing consultant and also a great friend of Dr Newson. She is tirelessly campaigning for improved care and support for menopausal women having personally had a dreadful experience of the menopause after an operation to remove her ovaries to the extent she became suicidal. Diane always promised her husband that if she ever improved then she would campaign and fight so that other women do not suffer in the way she did. In this episode, Dr Louise Newson and Diane discuss the #makemenopausematter campaign Diane has introduced, which now has an impressive 27,000 votes. The aims of this campaign are to improve menopause education amongst doctors and to raise awareness of the menopause within the workplace. The third aim of the campaign has been achieved – which is discussed in this podcast! Dr Newson and Diane also talk openly about the challenges they are experiencing in improving menopause care and education globally. Diane's Three Take Home Tips for Getting the Right Menopause Care: If you are in your early 40s, educate yourself and get a general understanding of what menopause is and what it might bring. Menopause does not have to be negative! This time in your life should be for reflecting on your life and re-setting your goals for the future. If you're listening and are currently going through the perimenopause or menopause, you are not alone! There are places, such as Menopause Support, where you can talk to like-minded women and get support. There are also so many resources such as menopausedoctor.co.uk where you can find evidence-based advice. Visit the Menopause Support website here

Dr Newson talks with Meg Mathews & Athena Lamnisos, CEO of charity Eve Appeal, about best times to discuss menopause with women & children. Menopause being on the curriculum has had a mixed response, but as it can cause many different symptoms, which can go unrecognised for years, it’s essential we start the conversation early so children can recognise potential symptoms in themselves & others & become aware of the health risks of the menopause & optimise health. The Eve Appeal Meg's Menopause

Dr Louise Newson discusses changing hormones with Nurse Tracy Rutter, who has had an interesting & varied career as an army nurse & a school nurse. Tracy talks about changing hormones in adolescent girls & comparisons with changing hormone levels in perimenopausal and menopausal women, her own experience of surgical menopause, how balancing her hormones really improved the quality of her life & her experience of working in the Menopause and Wellbeing Centre. Tracy's Three Take Home Tips: Don't put yourself on the back burner any more! Be brave and seek the right advice and treatment. That 'me time' is really important - remember to take care of yourself. Start keeping a diary to record your symptoms and how you are feeling. It can be helpful for your own mind and also when you visit your GP. Learn more about Nurse Tracy Rutter