“Oops, oh sorry, I shouldn’t have said that!”, he said.
We’d only just met, but I know embarrassment when I see it.
The train we were on had just pulled into the station, so there wasn’t time to explain why he hadn’t insulted me at all.
If I could rewind conversation to the start, and have it over again, this is what I’d say…
When you asked me what my job is, and then made a comment to say I’m ‘at menopause’, it wasn’t an insult. You didn’t need to apologise or feel embarrassed.
I didn’t take it as an insult, at all.
What I mean is.. it shouldn’t be an insult
Many, many people would think differently, perhaps more so of your generation.
You’re retired, with a different perspective of ageing (and menopause) to me.
I don’t think it’s just a generational thing though.
The more we question our societal beliefs over the meaning of menopause, the better.
That bit is a choice.
There is even research to show that how a society views menopause as a whole, directly influences the symptoms that show up (and severity of them) for an individual within that society.
Is it an insult to say someone is menopausal?
I can see why it has been.
When it was synonymous with being ‘less’ of a woman, when we were expected to move aside to make way for younger women, and men, to take over, because our value has been, shockingly, in parallel to the function of our ovaries.
The way I see it, menopause is only an insult if we continue to see it as ‘all downhill from here’.
These days, we have more choices, more knowledge, perspectives and strategies that serve us well in how we manage this time of life, instead of it being something we’re at the mercy of.
No, when you implied I’m menopausal. You were kind of right.
I’m PERI menopausal. And proud of it.
Not all women get to this chapter of life.
I’m here and I’m ready for it.
If you recognise that you’re peri-menopausal (or post-menopausal), and want to increase your confidence in your approach to your health now and for the future, then get in touch here. I’d love to hear from you.
If you’ve not yet joined my online community – Finding Yourself In Menopause – then check out the link below.
We are available to all women who are seeking reassurance not just information.
Do you feel wary of bringing up the subject of menopause, around other people?
The last couple of years it seems like it’s ‘everywhere’.
Books, tv programmes, podcasts, social media, news articles. Many women tell me that it’s great the information is getting out there, but they’re actually quite overwhelmed by it all.
It’s not just the amount of information available to us.
I’ve noticed a huge change in the conversations about menopause, since I first started studying this in 2014 and then menopause coaching in 2016.
Many women tell me stories about how the increased visibility in the media has made it easier to talk about it with friends.
These conversations can increase awareness and curiosity, which is great, right?
Whilst it doesn’t always follow that this leads to increased acceptance, or even being able to solve all your own problems, it can certainly help with one of the most common issues that people tell me about; the feeling of loneliness that can surround this profound life transition.
For every woman who tells me how much it helps to talk about it, and the reassurance they get from that, there’s an equal number of people who say “I don’t know how to bring it up. I don’t want to offend anyone. I don’t want to be judged for it. I’m afraid of being put on the ‘past it’ pile”
(not my words btw)
I find it frustrating but unfortunately, very understandable.
There’s still a lot of stigma and misunderstanding around this part of our lives. Particularly in workplace and career settings.
I get it, of course. We’re not all the same.
Not everybody wants to talk about this part of their life, and that’s okay of course.
I’m certainly not saying you should or need to.
I’m saying, you have a choice.
In whether you want to or not, and in how you talk about it.
From my experience with guiding people through this thing of ‘talking about menopause’ – in group workshops, small and large group settings, where the women attending could be complete strangers, or friends, or colleagues, or just members of the same group or club – I’ve noticed a few things that I’d like to share with you now.
About what works well, and what doesn’t, for it to be useful for everyone involved. Let’s get into that now…
1.)Have you ever felt concerned of being judged harshly, or pigeon-holed, of being overlooked for promotions?
Or having to face some kind of backlash for your choices or your personal experience – even with friends?
Did you know there is workplace law to protect you from many of these pitfalls?
Whilst we don’t have a ‘menopause law’ not yet anyway, there are protected characteristics, age and gender being part of that.
In the UK, ACAS provide fantastic free help on this – check it out if it interests you.
The other thing is, you don’t have to share much to feel supported, particularly in a small group setting.
Many of my small-group clients have mentioned how relieved they felt to be able to say ‘oh gosh me too!’, they were just waiting for someone else to start the conversation.
This is regardless of whether it’s a conversation between colleagues or good friends.
2.)Starting the conversation could happen in a thousand different ways (it doesn’t need to be painfully awkward!)
You could mention an article you’ve read and ask if anyone else has seen it.
You could mention a particular thing you’re doing at the moment, or something you’ve recently become aware of.
I remember one lady who had a few one to one sessions with me, saying that she’d started the conversation at work by saying how much more energetic she was feeling, now she could sleep through the night and wake up feeling refreshed.
Eventually the conversation came around to energy and why sleep commonly goes awry, and the role of menopause in that.
‘Talking about menopause’ doesn’t necessarily involve divulging very personal information or pushing yourself towards awkward vulnerability.
You get to choose how much you share.
3.) If you’re feeling uneasy about bringing up the conversation of menopause, you’re definitely not alone in that.
Employers can be just as anxious about approaching this topic as employees, there can be pitfalls for both parties.
That’s why it can be really useful to bring in a specialist, to provide a general ‘introductory session’, to start off the conversations in a way that is inclusive for all.
This is one of the services that I provide (of course you knew I was going to say that!). It can be a one-off or a series of events either in person or online, to suit your needs.
Did you know the current statistics show one in ten women will leave a job due to menopause, resulting in potentially huge upheaval for both employer and employee.
It could be so easily avoided by providing some support, so that women feel valued and comfortable in their workplace, and are able to continue in their careers.
4.) Sometimes there is is a concern that by introducing the topic of menopause, some people may be offended.
The old myths and misunderstandings surrounding menopause and midlife are just that, old and outdated, but they can still be hurtful to some.
You’re right that it does need to be approached in a sensitive way.
Trying to avoid upsetting people by avoiding the conversation completely, doesn’t solve it.
Not everyone is ready to talk about it, not everyone will want to, and that’s okay.
Some people really do struggle, so it can be tricky to know where to start.
I’ve built up a ton of knowledge and expertise in coaching over the last ten years, so I feel qualified to say that one of the most helpful things you can do for anyone (even if you’re not sure if it is menopause they’re struggling with), is to listen to them.
You don’t need to have all the answers but you do need to know how to listen really well, and without judgement.
5.) Talking about menopause is more than a chat about HRT.
In fact in my experience as a coach I would go as far to say that talking about almost anything in your life, as a woman at midlife, is talking about menopause!
The changes we go through, it’s not just a ‘biological event’, it’s a whole body/mind transition, our body and brain are going through a major reshuffle (or kerfuffle? you decide!) – of course it’s going to affect each of us differently.
On that note, don’t assume it’s going to be an entirely ‘negative’ conversation.
Sometimes laughter and jokes can hide the struggle or embarrassment, but there is also genuine joy to be found – without making us the butt of the joke (have you read my blog on the Ten Best Things About Menopause, yet?)
Some of the most common topics in my workshops and group discussions don’t always sound like they’re directly about menopause, but they are…
Stress, confidence, motivation, relationships; they’re all indirectly or even directly affected by what’s happening at menopause.
Bottom line is; there’s no rush or pressure to go in at the deep end – whether you’re with friends or at work.
I advise that you aim for connection (the basis of support) – you don’t have to share every physical or mental ailment to do that.
6.) For many workplaces, there is often an existing framework around ‘mental health’ or wellbeing at least.
This can be the ideal stepping-stone for talking about menopause.
After all, it commonly affects not just physical health but mental health, too.
Plus, it’s no longer acceptable to write this off as a ‘woman’s problem’ to deal with on her own. The more inclusive conversations we have, the better.
I’ve been invited to many workplaces and mixed groups where it was recognised that everyone needed to understand more about all this, they just didn’t know how to go about it.
How do you go about it?
Well, as discussed above, pick any starting point.
It could be about mental health, or menopause, or any other aspect of health. Be aware that menopause crosses over into many areas of health – it’s not all about hot flushes and HRT.
In a workplace situation, let the conversation move towards some of the more practical aspects, as appropriate.
For example, what can an employer reasonably do, to help support their female staff? -well, as it turns out, there are many answers to that and it doesn’t have to include huge budgets and policy changes if you’re not ready for that yet.
There are some really simple and effective ways of increasing awareness, replacing myths with helpful advice, and improving the capacity for conversation and support overall.
Get in touch if you want to know more.
As you’re likely aware, menopause can touch so many aspects of our lives.
It’s not a disease to eradicate, it’s a part of our lives that we need to be acknowledged by those around us, in a respectful way.
If you’re looking for help or advice in this area, get in touch here.
If you’ve not yet joined my online community – Finding Yourself In Menopause – then check out the link below.
We are available to all women who are seeking reassurance not just information.
Menopause has for too long been characterised by the words ‘loss’ and ‘decline’.
I want to push the pendulum the other way, to point out what you can gain – in a great way – from going through menopause*
*results may vary.
Of course, we all go through our own individual experience.
With this blog, I’m intending to highlight what can go really well for us when we’re acting on our needs – physically, mentally, spiritually.
I’m writing this from some personal experience (currently at peri menopause) but mostly from the hundreds of conversations I’ve had with clients.
1.) You become your own Wise Woman, the Elder. Nobody can dispute the wisdom and life experience you’ve gained.
2.) More fire in your belly on what really matters to you and what you’re willing to let slide (or not slide) – no more nonsense, lots more fortitude!
3.) You can ditch the patriarchal driven values that say our usefulness to the world is attached to youth and an ability to bear children. At menopause, we can have unequivocal say over our own worth, and we express it however we choose.
4.) You know who you are, what you need, what you want and what you’re capable of. It’s driven by curiosity rather than a need to please or fulfill the requirements of others.
5.) Stronger friendships and sisterhoods, as you find the people who really get you, and who you really want to be around.
6.) For those that require contraceptives to prevent pregnancy, you can look forward to ditching them! (please still practise safe-sex though)
7.) Plants. You gain loads more house plants. A near obsession with house plants (or is that just me?!)
8.) You end up adapting and amending your boundaries to reflect who you are, now. Physical, emotional, mental boundaries. It’s easier to say ‘no’ or ‘let me get back to you’ – far easier than ever before!
9.) You gain even more self respect, as you review who you’ve been and all that you’ve been through. Along with thousands of moments to practise self compassion and kindness.
10.) Freedom from periods, and period products, the dreaded leaking and the worry that comes with perching on a pale coloured sofa.
What would you add?
If you’re reading this and feeling annoyed, pissed off or wondering why you’re missing out – get in touch.
I’d love to send you some further support and guidance – send me an email here and tell me what you need help with.
If you’ve not yet joined my online community – Finding Yourself In Menopause – then check out the link below.
We are available to all women who are seeking reassurance not just information.
If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, generally not feeling great mentally or emotionally – what do you do, to shift it quickly?
[June 2023]
There’s a lot of advice out there in the world of health and wellness, as preventative strategies.
Things you could choose do to help take a side-step around anxiety, emotional rollercoasters, low moods, irritability.
For example.. eat for blood sugar regulation, do what you can to support sleep, engage in different types of meditation or mind-body activities that feel soothing.
HOWEVER…
What about IN THE MOMENT, when it all gets too much?
When you’re irritable and upset, anxious and overwhelmed?
When the freedom of being able to choose is hijacked by the primitive part of your brain, so you might feel really stuck…
What then?
I’m not going to suggest protein and fibre in those moments. Or meditation apps.
Or supplements that we know are supportive of brain health!
‘In the moment’, even if that lasts a few hours or a whole day,
you need a way to move through those low feelings.
Because I promise you, it will shift again.
How can you make that happen, so how you feel doesn’t derail your day?
When you’re starting to spiral within yourself, when it’s overwhelming and upsetting and you just feel lost in all those feelings that start to resemble despair…
There’s TWO things you need to do,
and it doesn’t matter which order you them but I do want you to do them as soon as you can.
1.) Tell someone how you’re feeling
Tell someone you trust will hear you, even if they don’t exactly relate or know what to do. Being there to listen IS helping.
I encourage my clients to write a post in our community. Or to send me a message.
Say it in three words or three hundred. Whatever you can.
It’s important you break the feeling of isolation.
2.) Move
Move your body, try to avoid staying still.
It could look like… going up and down the stairs a few times.
Or circling your shoulders whilst standing up.
Swaying from side to side, looking around the room as you twist your body.
Or 10 jumping jacks.
Or a walk with the dog, any dog lol, that starts slow and then gets a bit faster.
Or it could be lying on the floor, bringing knees to chest and back down again, stretching your arms overhead.
All the other helpful things, like what you eat, how you exercise, supplements, what you do for sleep etc
they’re all great, are still worth the effort and DO work.
(you know caffeine and sugar exacerbate stress, low moods and low energy, right?)
The helpful preventative strategies, the benefits of lifestyle choices are running in the background, and sometimes you need something now, in the moment.
It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you as such, and perhaps how you’re feeling is a reasonable response to other things happening,
but you do need to do something differently to move through it.
There’s no single ‘right answer’ for this, and the two things I’ve shared above have come from years of helping not only myself but hundreds of other women, too.
This is a topic we frequently revisit in the Finding Yourself In Menopause, online community.
If you’ve not yet joined my online community – Finding Yourself In Menopause – then check out the link below.
We are available to all women who are seeking support not just information.
There was a specific moment as a child, when I realised that not everyone lived like my family.
I know you’re just dying for me to say we lived in a tin hut up a mountain.
That would have been very cool, but untrue.
I was ten maybe eleven when my whole class travelled to the Lake District, to spend a week in an old farmhouse. A kind of outward-bound type of trip.
Picture a dusty dormitory of bunkbeds, ghosts hiding in every corner, a stream to play/fall in, surrounded by mountains begging to be explored.
A proper middle of nowhere place, absolutely idyllic, probably a nightmare for the teachers.
Definitely a nightmare for the bus driver, who couldn’t drive the whole way down the track.
And my idea of heaven. Home away from home. Not that we lived in a farmhouse, but I was brought up on mud pies, poprivets and bailing twine.
I took my own walking boots instead of having to wear some from the pool of borrowed gear, so, y’know, that gave me a boost of confidence and I felt like a pro.
At a time in life when I didn’t feel very confident about very much at all.
It didn’t phase me one bit that for the whole trip, it was absolutely bloody freezing.
A lot of my friends complained of the cold and the fact that there was no central heating.
And that right there was the moment.
Central heating?
I didn’t really know what they meant by that.
At our house, every day when we came home from school, mum would ‘set the fire’ and then light it. Sometimes a helping hand with some old oil from the garage.
And of course the Rayburn stove was going for most of the year, too. That wasn’t so unusal for where I lived, in a rural community.
So, I just assumed everyone else was the same as us.
You just don’t know, what you don’t know.
Until you do know. And then it’s like.. whaat? why didn’t I know this before?!
I hear those words fairly regularly, from the women I help. Not because of childhood memories. Because of midlife and menopause.
You don’t know, what you don’t know.
In my experience, it’s definitely worth assuming that there’s always something more to learn, to understand.
Some of the most dangerous (as in, holding you back) words sound like “I already know that”.
I’ve heard a small handful clients say that, over the last seven years.
Sadly, it held them back. They weren’t as open to hearing different perspectives, and I really can’t do that bit for you.
Curiosity on the other hand, that can really take you somewhere.
If you’re curious, and want to find out more, get in touch with the link below. I’d love to hear from you.
The thing with alleviating menopause symptoms, is that treating each problem as a separate issue, isn’t going to work very well. It could be hot sweats, weight gain, disturbed sleep, low energy, or many others I could mention.Trying to alleviate each symptom as they arise, can become a frustrating battle with yourself.
Way back in the early days of my menopause coaching, I was taught the ‘systems over symptoms’ approach by the remarkable Jessica Drummond in the US. This, combined with the knowledge I’d already gained from Burrell Education on their ‘peri to post menopause programme’ for health practitioners, both transformed the conversations and the experiences I was having with my clients.
I want to show you how you can harness this essential information and apply it, for yourself.
There are three essential elements for hormonal balance:
Liver health
Brain and Adrenal gland health
Blood sugar management
What does this even mean?
In a nutshell, it means supporting the body systems which have the strongest effect on what the hormones are doing.
As the largest organ in your body, your liver is the ultimate multi-tasker. On its daily / nightly jobs list are several hundred essential functions. There’s a hormonal clean-up operation on that list which would be greatly beneficial in terms of how your menopause symptoms are making you feel.
The adrenal glands do what they say on the tin, release adrenaline (adrenal-ine) when you need to react quickly. But – there’s a bit more to it that is really worth understanding, because these teeny glands have a huge role to play in how you feel in any given moment.
Optimal blood sugar management isn’t just for diabetics, oh no. Getting this bit nailed, can be make or break for everything from weight gain to anxiety and sleep.
I’ve been talking about these three things since about 2016. It’s easy to overlook them because the reality is, the practical application of this triad doesn’t sound quite as convincing or as sciencey (as someone with a BSc and MSc I’m reckon I can say sciencey is a real word).
For example, ‘eat lots of vegetables, drink water, be sure to poo often, take time off to do fun things that light you up, have a regular bedtime routine’ See what I mean? It doesn’t sound as appealing as my triad on first glance, above.
So why do those three things underpin ALL my advice?
Liver Health
The liver is the main centre for oestrogen balance. Get this bit ‘right’ and you can reduce your symptoms dramatically. Particularly oestrogen dominance issues like weight gain, sore breasts, PMT, reduced libido, irritability, disturbed sleep.
The majority of the processes for making and clearing away oestrogen (oestradial, for most of your life) happens in the liver. Remember though, it’s not the liver’s only job.
Your body is so clever (hell bent on survival) that if you’re inadvertently giving your liver extra clearing up jobs to do (e.g. excessive sugar, alcohol), or you’re not getting enough rest and downtime to allow the hormonal processes to occur, you’re already sabotaging the system. The result is just as you’d guessed; increased severity of symptoms.
Adrenal Gland Health
You have two adrenal glands, one sitting on the top of each kidney. Think of walnuts and you’re not far off the size. Small things that pack a powerful punch.
Every time your brain decides you’re in a fight / flight / freeze situation (real or perceived), your adrenal glands get the message to release adrenaline, to help ‘keep you going’. At this point, body resources including the jobs of the liver, are diverted towards survival.
Hormonal balance is shifted away from ‘thrive’ and menopause symptoms are more likely to occur here. Once the situation calms down, adrenaline dissipates and all is well again.
Think of an exciting rollercoaster ride or running for the train. Your body is designed to cope well with this short, sharp stress (or not, depending on how much you hate rollercoasters haha).
This is fine, until the source of fight / flight / freeze becomes more than a temporary event. When it’s a continual occurrence e.g. stress at work, unresolved problems at home, continual alerts on your phone, no time for you to relax… it becomes a cortisol issue AND a menopause issue.
The more we ask the adrenal glands to release cortisol (I use the word ‘ask’ with some sarcasm), the more the body pours its hormone building and balancing resources into making stress hormones. Chronic cortisol competes with the calming and sleep promoting progesterone. It can feel like a jittery anxiousness and tiredness, at the same time.
This is the reasoning behind my advice around taking proper time off, winding down in the evenings with a short bedtime routine, sprinkling some self-care through the day, giving yourself five minutes to breath slowly and deeply, not relying on caffeine and sugary carbs to get through the day.
The other reason for taking care of your adrenal glands, is that they produce the DHEA hormone which is a precursor to oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Once the ovaries retire, this becomes even more important. Well worth looking after that little hormone factory.
Blood sugar management
Nope, not diabetes. Same hormones though. As we get older (not just related to menopause), you become less sensitive to insulin – the hormone which has a key role to play in managing the amount of sugar (or teeny tiny carbs, as they’ve been broken down into teeny tiny molecules).
This means, you naturally need more insulin to get the same response in the body. That’s ok, your body can work with that, it’s normal. But if you keep promoting the release of insulin beyond the normal and expected (snack between meals, fruit at every meal etc), it will lead to an increased tendency for anxiety, tiredness, weight gain, potentially sleep issues and hot sweats too.
If you’ve followed me for more than five minutes you’ll know my love of saying ‘protein and natural fats at every meal’. Well, this is a large part of the reasoning behind that advice.
Keeping blood sugar levels stable can mean a few changes in daily habits, but it really is worth it for the pay-off can be weight loss, improved moods, better sleep, improved focus and concentration, reduced hot flushes.
As with any cool sounding triad (the great pyramids, the fire triangle, the three bears.. any more, anyone??), each side relies on each other. It’s a dependent relationship. Taking action on one side, helps the others, doing something for all three, and you’re starting to feel better.
Once the three sides are in place, even if in a small way, we can start to make progress with the fun stuff – to find ‘you’ again.
As always, you choose where you start. I’ll encourage you from this page, or get in touch and I can help you a little more closely to speed up the process of feeling back to normal.
