Real Menopause Talk

Rhian Stephenson is a busy woman who manages to make other women's lives less busy, less complicated and more vital. Formerly CEO of Psycle, she now runs her own company, ARTAH, as well as a young family, including a two year old daughter and a brand new baby girl. She grew up in Canada in a natropathic environment and was an accomplished athelete so it comes as no surprise that she lives and breathes fitness and overall health. In this episode, we discuss her keen interest in keeping women wonderful through Perimenopause and beyond, recognising that it is a demanding time of life when we need to feel our best and how nutrition and simple, highly effective supplements are at the core of great health. Rhian is offering all Real Menopause Talk listeners 10% off when they visit Artah: To access Rhian's generous discount go to https://bit.ly/ARTAHRMT You can find Rhian at artah.co and on IG @artahhealth

Dr Shahzadi Harper started her career as an NHS GP but knew she had more to achieve in the future. She now runs The Harper Clinic which specialises in Menopause and is co-author of The Perimenopause Solution, which I highly recommend. Symptoms she sees in clients every day include low sex drive, low confidence and a general sense of having lost a sense of self, "Why should women lose their sparkle?" she asks. Women's health needs greater attention. For example, erectile dysfunction has been addressed as a matter of importance over the years but Menopause affects every single woman, not just a select few. In this episode, we learn how Dr Harper set up her clinic - it's probably not what you're expecting! - and her vital ingredients for re-building confidence and how to feel lighter and brighter. You can find Dr Shahzadi Harper on IG @drshahzadiharper (The Perimenopause Doctor) and @theharperclinic

Laura Shuckburgh is the very embodiment creating a fresh start by following your instinct, heart and soul. She discovered Perimenopause when she found herself crippled by sudden out-of-the-blue anxiety, to the point where she had to stay in bed. After a lot of research and soul searching she took control and began her "Part 2" living life in a way she wanted and that fulfilled her and made her happy. In this episode, we find her in her camping car in the South of France on her great big adventure, coaching women through Perimenopause and Menopause, travelling and falling in love. You can find Laura on IG @marvellous_midlife and https://marvellousmidlife.co.uk

Linda Davidson enjoyed an acting career that spanned fifteen years, with enduring success in television and theatre. She retired from acting and entered the world of the internet and tech at a prime time when the world wide web was on the brink of world domination. She is now in Global Transformation, is a mentor to many and runs ground breaking programmes in tech and education as you will hear. In this episode, we talk anxiety, the disappearance of libido, the media's role in normalising Menopause and the fact that, nearing her 58th birthday, she's still kickin' it.

Dr Nichola Conlon has cracked the code to reversing some of the effects of Perimenopause plus a whole lot more. "The effect that Perimenopause has on us in terms of ageing is quite shocking in terms of biological age." She talks us through the science behind the role of estrogen in whole body function and what NAD+ can do for humans. Spoiler alert… reverse biological signs of decline in the brain and the whole of the physical body. It is a fascinating and exciting listen. As a younger woman, she shares her insights into Menopause which is food for thought for the generation coming up behind us. She has given all our listeners a Discount code to see the results from Nuchido Time + for ourselves. Just use code RMT10 at the checkout. https://nuchido.com You can find Nichola on IG @nuchido and @drnicholaconlon

Kim is a busy, successful woman in Perimenopause. She is a mum, a nan and a coach to many high performing women…who are often also going through Perimenopause. To HRT or not to HRT is a big question and has been for Kim herself. The request she get the most is, "Can I please have my smile back?" so Kim shares how she would suggest we might do this for ourselves and what is helping her with her own desire to come back to the joy in life. We discuss the changes in attitude towards hormone replacement therapy, including her own and all the ways to optimise your health with or without HRT. We also go into encouraging good energy and positive exercise plus the role that cortisol plays in the body and how it can exacerbate anxiety. She holds a wealth of knowledge and power and is ready to, "Bring The Fire" which, incidentally, is the title of her book coming out in September 2022 - so look out for it folks! "As Oestrogen drops, women give fewer monkeys about what other people think. They can be more honest." You can find Kim @kimrainecoaching and at https://kimrainecoaching.com

Victoria is a mum of two, a wife and works for a large bank. She is a writer, content creator on IG and podcaster. She is also a fierce advocate for Women's Health. At just 38, she is 4 years post hysterectomy and has had 19 operations due to severe endometriosis. Victoria tells a deeply moving story that sees her still finding her way through Menopause and all the challenges that brings, especially in terms of mental health. Despite her intense symptoms, she is a ray of light. Determined, vibrant and outgoing, she brings humour to even the darkest moments and is so open, humble and engaging, you can't help but want to listen to what she has to say. She encourages women to ask questions - a lot of questions - and to know what you are entitled to and what an HRT check really looks like. "We need to see that Menopause has no gender, no age - it just needs understanding." You can find Victoria on Instagram at @ginge_unhinged

Lee is a celebrated psychologist and wellbeing consultant, a radio host, award winning entrepreneur and proud dad. As a champion of Menopause awareness and education, Lee has been dubbed the Trojan Horse of Menopause - a moniker he is happy to adopt. In this episode, Lee opens up about how he has found triumph in the face of adversity and when his immune system failed him, how he found a deeper resilience becoming a father and learning to walk at the same time as his daughter learnt to walk. As a keen advocate for helping women stay in the workplace, he explains why a lack of Menopause understanding can be a barrier at board level and how men can approach Menopause with curiosity and sensitivity. "When you include men in the discourse, they start to recognise how important women are in their lives." There is also a surprising silver lining for men as they discover more about women's health… You can find Lee at https://essentialise.co.uk

Nicci is a married mum who was born here, grew up in South Africa and recently moved back to the UK. After her hysterectomy due to fibroids, she found herself barely capable of even the smallest daily tasks such as taking a shower and was totally unprepared for such a radical change to her character post op. In fact, she was unprepared full stop. She tells us of her deep struggle to regain control of herself, her life and work. This is essential listening for anyone who is about to have a hysterectomy of any sort or if you know someone who is. Her advice and her list of questions pre-surgery are absolutely essential and something everyone should know. Now a powerful Meno Warrior and advocate for women's health, you can find Nicci @themwordandme

#MakeMenopauseMatter Diane is the OG Menopause Warrior. After her own incapacitating experience of Menopause, she decided that nobody should ever have to go through what she and her loved ones had to endure. From this, MenopauseSupport and the MakeMenopauseMatter campaign were born. In this episode, she tells her story and all I shall say at this point is, thank goodness for her dogs and her husband Martin. Diane and her team at Menopause Support work tirelessly to make the changes she wants to see and, to date, the MakeMenopauseMatter campaign has close on 200,000 signatures. As well as educating and changing the world for the better, she reminds us to look at ourselves, "Have you spent your whole life prioritising other people? Maybe you should move yourself up the list a little more. This can be a wonderful time of transition and transformation and is full of Opportunity." You can find Diane, and please take a moment to SIGN & SHARE the petition at https://menopausesupport.co.uk and on IG @dianedanzebrink