Real Menopause Talk

Kate is a busy woman. She is a mother of three, a wife, personal trainer and she runs her own business: Owning Your Menopause. All this, and she is refreshing to talk to , down to earth, open and honest. She makes no secret of the fact that she struggles initially with Perimenopause even as a fit, health conscious woman. Furthermore, like most of us, her transition has not been smooth and linear. The difference for her now is that she knows what to do to make herself feel better, when she hits the dips. And she goes all in to help herself and others. Kate’s goal is to help as many women as possible to move through this transition of Perimenopause feeling strong, in control, fit and healthy. In this episode we talk about her experience of Perimenopause, the fundamentals of fitness and overall health, how to get started and how to embrace it as part of your happy, vibrant lifestyle. You can find Kate on IG @katerh_fitness and @owningyourmenopause and for the app and her website information go to: https://owningyourmenopause.com

Farah has a lot to share and great advice to give. In her work as a clinical natropathic nutritionist and dna neutrogenomics (don’t worry, this is a new realm to me too) practitioner, she has most angles covered when it comes to optimal health. She explains how she took her own, at that time miserable, experience of Perimenopause and used herself as a guinea pig through her study and experimentation to bring her to where she is now - better energy than in her 30’s! In this episode, she gives us a wide range of excellent advice on sleep, movement, keeping your vaginal microbiome happy, detox strategy and what to ask for in a blood test; All in the name of symptom management and elimination - much of it that you can do today! “Menopause, for me, is a time to be freed from worry.” You can find Farah on IG @integrity_nutrition_and_ health at https://integritynutritionandhealth.com

Debs Wallbank is what she says she is: Menopausitivity! But it wasn’t always like that. Her story starts in a way that many of us may be familiar with - fatigue, confusion and brain fog. Her list of symptoms then expands into joint aches, itchy skin, depression and many more. She says herself that there weren’t may symptoms that she didn’t have. In this episode, she tells us the whole story and why it is so absolutely essential for everyone to be educated on the fundamentals of Menopause as par for the course. Understanding the simple biology would save lives. We discuss the importance of knowing your options, the benefits and risks of HRT and what to ask your GP. Debs’ personal story may be a work in progress but she has triumphs to share and is excited about what happens next…and so am I! You can find Debs on IG @themenopauseconfidencecoach and at https://menopausitivity.co.uk

Emily Barclay was training for and taking part in triathlons and iron man competitions when she was suddenly struck by debilitating fatigue, seemingly out of nowhere. She had no idea what had hit her and caused such a dramatic change in her physical (and consequently mental) capabilities and being. So she set about getting to the root of it, although it wasn’t as simple as it might have been. In this episode, we explore Emily’s Perimenopause in detail, how it changed her life and how she became the Founder of The Perimenopause Hub. We share the wonder of dogs, discuss the importance of the right kind of support, what is truly important to her and her three wishes as The Perigodmother, “Because ultimately I just want everyone to feel epic again.” You can find Emily on IG @perimenopausehub, on LinkedIn @EmilyBarclay and at https://perimenopausehub.com

BRANDS - LISTEN UP! - This is what women want: We’re powerful, strong, discerning. We need purposeful engagement with the older woman, we want to see the things we need becoming available to us, and that is everything from effective handcream to modern legislation. Claire Lowson’s passion is re-branding age as ‘The Coming of Age’. Did you know, most life decades measure more life satisfaction that the one previous? In this Episode we discuss Claire’s experience, women’s sense of identity at various points of life, optimising the workplace, coming to motherhood in your forties, roles models ‘through the ages’ and so much more. “Let’s re-brand age and make it the place to be.” You can find Claire on IG @clairelowson_supermenopause and at The Propaganda Agency https://propaganda.co.uk

Tania Elfersy is a wife, mum of three, educator, certified transformative coach and author. She has lived in London, Paris, Ho Chi Min City and now resides in Israel. If you are interested in how simple a natural cure can be for Perimenopause symptoms, and how swift, this episode is for you. As I am sure you know, a holiday can transform the way you feel mentally and physically. Tania examines this notion at a deep level and shares how she cured her Perimenopause symptoms (migraines, ,mood swings, night sweats, skin problems and sore breasts) in a matter of days. We talk about Menopause in history, which is truly eye-opening and fascinating, how HRT is not a pre-ordained part of your life (with notable exceptions such as surgical menopause for example), how so many 40 somethings know nothing of Perimenopause and the ancient wisdom of the body. “Our healing is so much simpler than we think.” You can find Tania on her website https://thewiserwoman.com

Maryon Stewart is possibly best known as a tv presenter and author but she is renowned for her charitable endeavours and her work in the field of non-drug medicine specialising in Menopause. If you cannot or choose not to take HRT, this episode is for you. And even if you do choose hormone replacement, there is more to learn about successful symptom management! I ask Maryon, “Am I missing out if I don’t take HRT?” and “How quickly can symptoms be resolved naturally?” We talk about how she managed her own Perimenopause, her book, ‘Manage Your Menopause Naturally’, her Midlife Refuel Club and the importance of doing something that lights up your heart every day. “You can get back to your normal, sexy self again.” You can find Maryon on Instagram @maryonstewartmenopause & on her website https://maryonstewart.com and her book is available in all the usual places.

Kath Berry holds a masters degree in acupuncture for drug and alcohol addiction, is a mother of two and has lived around the world. Ever wondered why you can't party like you used to? Kath has the answers. Currently living in Ibiza, party capital of the world, she found perimenopausal and menopausal women coming into her clinic saying they were not getting any pleasure from recreational alcohol and drug use in the way they had done. For over 4.5 years, she gathered the world’s top brains on Menopause, even coaxing one out of retirement, to collate research, knowledge and understanding into a book - ‘Menopause, A comprehensive guide for Practitioners’ - to educate practitioners further and to bring them up to date on Menopause research to better support their clients. In essence, she has the ‘Blueprint for Menopause’ and she feels it is her responsibility to live this blueprint and to thrive through midlife and the rest of life. In this episode, we talk about sleep, alcohol and cocaine, the importance of sex and staying in touch with your vagina and how Perimenopause is a great time to do a life audit of things that no longer serve you - including friends. “We need to reframe feeling invisible as a new space to be more authentic, a space to wear, do and say what you want and for women as a whole to show up as powerful & influential.” You can find Kath on Instagram @kathbberry & on the website https://www.treatingwomen.com/contact

Dr Ron Eaker is a breath of fresh air. He has a profound knowledge, understanding and appreciation of women (he clearly loves his wife, two daughters and female pets!) and he genuinely wants to support us all. He also wants us to fully understand our bodies and take a holistic approach to feeling good - not adequate - good! “You can really blossom and find joy at this time of life.” Many of us have had negative experiences at this life phase with physicians but if anyone is lucky enough to go straight to Dr Eaker, they will only know understanding, compassion and positive action. This is women’s health at its best! In this episode, we discuss the starting point of expectation, that Peri through to Post Menopause is a natural, normal and inevitable part of life but the symptoms are not. He shares his approach to weight management, stress management and sex drive and how he likes women to live their happiest, healthiest lives. You can find Dr Ron Eaker on Instagram @mymdvip & on his website https://roneaker.com

A mini pod to mark World Menopause Day and a few reasons why some of the wonderful women I met at the rally outside the Houses of Parliament are supporters of the Menopause Mandate and are fiercly advocating for women’s health. With enormous thanks to Carolyn Harris, Mariella Frostrup and Diane Danzebrink for being instrumental in bringing this together among many others and for their comments, thanks go to: Carol Vorderman @carolvorders Kate Rowe-Ham @katerh_fitness Lavina Mehta @feelgoodwithlavina Lisa Snowdon @lisa_snowdon Penny Lancaster @penny.lancaster Sam Simister @genm_official & Victoria Hardy @ginge_unhinged #MenopauseMandate