Real Menopause Talk

Dominique is a mother to two boys and Founder of Periwink. She has has a longterm preoccupation with longevity and health and started biohacking before it became a “thing”.She started lifting in her forties and won state and national records. Clearly already living a healthy lifestyle, her “Peri-slam” was just that, a total slam and when a vulture set up shop in her backyard, she knew she had to take action. From her Peri-slam, Dominique created Periwink: a series of lifestyle, health and movement programmes designed to support the Peri to Post Menopausal transition. She brings women together to train, cook and support one another and, above all, be part of a solid community. You can find her short 5 days courses, 9 week programmes and so much more at: https://periwink.me and on Instagram as @periwink.me

Elizabeth Joseph has declared herself a Menopause Guinea Pig. I n an attempt to combat her debilitating Perimenopause symptoms, she was willing to give anything a go. And now… you name it, she’s tried it from taping and tapping to fart pants and hormone yoga. If she hasn’t discovered it yet, it may not even exist. She has been so open and brutally honest about her entire experience of Perimenopause that she has connected with thousands of women who feel just like she does. Emerging as ‘a great big chuffing butterfly’ from seismic wobbles, she is living proof that this is the time in our lives we get to have some fun and reinvent ourselves. She makes us laugh, inspires and keeps it real. Find her accounts and reports on @elizabethjosephnavigating

Dr Terry specialises in hormonal acne, aesthetic treatments and hormonal balance, especially for Perimenopause and Menopause. She has an impressive list of highly respected medical credentials and is a working mother who understands the pressures and stresses of modern day life. She shares her experience of Perimenopause, what she does to take care of herself and maintain optimum health. She is a fierce believer that you should do what you need to do to make yourself happy, without fear of judgement and to, “Eat Well, Rest Well, Love Well.” You can find Dr Terry at: https://drterryloong.com and @dr_terry_

Louise is a full time TCM Practitioner and mother based in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Her passion is endometriosis and she treats many, many women for fertility. As she grows with her patients and enters Perimenopause herself, she is seeing more evidence of this in her clinic. Insomnia is the symptom that she battles with the most at the moment but she sees it regularly in clinic as well. The trouble with Perimenopause is that there are often fewer physical symptoms and more emotional and mental ones that take their toll. The often dismissed lack of joy, for example but this can be huge, “I want some joy back”, she says. For this reason, she urges us to talk to our partners and others so that they can better understand and support. She is happy to see changes in perception of Menopause beginning to happen: “It’s women changing the narrative now.” You can find Louise at: https://louisecollyeracupuncture.co.uk

Rhiannon runs her own divorce consultancy. Previously a family law solicitor, she now provides practical help and emotional support to people struggling with divorce or separation. In this episode, we cover A LOT. Not only is Rhiannon’s Perimenopause story fascinating but her relationship perspective and advice is gold. A couple of years ago, Rhiannon underwent a hysterectomy, keeping her ovaries. Post operation, she was left with no support other than how to manage after any surgery. It wasn’t until she broke both her ankles and had a bone density scan, that someone recommended HRT. Perimenopause hadn’t been something she talked about much but as she opens up more, her friends are beginning to do the same. Professionally, she has noticed divorce ‘symptoms’ and Perimenopause symptoms have much in common which can be something to consider before making any big relationship decisions. If you are having relationship challenges, or know someone who is, you will want to hear every word Rhiannon has to say and keep her right by your side. You can find Rhiannon at: https://rhiannonford.co.uk @thedivorcenavigator

Susan is a Dyslexia Tutor , mother of three grown-up children (aged 17 - 24) and a Specialist Menopause Yoga Teacher. She is some years Post Menopause and shares her retrospective experience of Peri all the way through to Post Menopause and reflects on what she may have done differently with the knowledge she has today. We have come a long way from women ‘having a turn’ and being sent to a sanatorium but we are still at the tip of the iceberg. She says of midlife, “It’s great! The future looks good. We have so much life to live” You can reach Susan at: susanbowman09@sky.com

Lucy Goff lives London with her husband, daughter and dog. She is not phased by Perimenopause because she knows she has a way through. In this episode she explains that she never envisaged setting up her own company but her own illness lead her down a route to healing that was so powerful that she decided to bring the solution to genuine wellbeing to market. She says of midlife, “It’s the first time in your life when you start to take a real look at what’s working and what’s not.” This ethos of products that disrupt broken markets and show us what really works is what drives her to new creations. You can find Lyma at https://lyma.life

Dr Andie Siggers is a GP and Functional Medicine Practitioner. Carol Milliner is a Health and Lifestyle Coach. They make up half of Change The Change. They each have two children and an impressive passion for fitness having run ultra marathons together. It was this friendship and Perimenopause discussions through running that brought the team together to change the way Menopause was managed. With experts in Nutrition, Fitness, Lifestyle and Medicine, they look at the whole picture of how a woman can restore her whole being mentally and physically and give her ‘health for life’. Neither of them had the ‘traditional’ hot flashes: Andie was poleaxed by uncharacteristic and debilitating exhaustion and Carol found many symptoms creeping into her life. Andie gives us an insight as to why the UK GP system operates as it does with regards to Menopause and tells us how to talk to your GP successfully. To find them visit: https://changethechange.co.uk @change_thechange

Herschel “Buzz” Peddicord lives and works in Wisconsin, USA. He has dedicated his life to female pelvic health. His mother challenged him to find a solution to her many night time visits to the bathroom…so he did. We discuss the two types of incontinence, sexual health and what Buzz has created to solve all of these problems that women can encounter after childbirth and in later life. He describes why incontinence occurs and why it is so important to address it sooner rather than later. “I think that 50 and above is Prime Time for women and you should be able to enjoy it.” He also has a few words to say about what men can do to support the women in their lives. You can find Buzz at https://incontrolmedical.com

Charlotte is a Menopause Nutritionist with an astounding knowledge of hormones and their wide ranges of functions. Due to a myriad of health issues, she underwent a rather sudden hysterectomy at the age of 44 and overnight went into Menopause, feeling as though she had been ‘hit by a bus’. She tells us of her GP’s reaction to her HRT prescription and then throws divorce into the mix as well. Tune in to find out how she supported her health and managed her way through this period of her life. Having always been interested in nutrition, she has a wealth of experience both professionally and personally. Charlotte specialised very early on in Menopause and the management of hormones through food, either in conjunction with HRT or without. She takes a holistic approach to her clients and always looks at the Big Picture to optimise health and wellbeing. To find Charlotte visit: Current website: https://charlottehunternutrition.co.uk Future website (coming soon): https://mymenopausenutritionist.com Enquiries: hello@charlottehunternutrition.co.uk