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    Friday Five: Oestrogel update and simple weight loss tips

    enJuly 24, 2020

    Podcast Summary

    • Companies respond to inflation with price drops and improved servicesRyan Reynolds lowers Mint Mobile prices, PlushCare offers online healthcare, and Heathrow Airport ensures travel safety – companies adapt to challenges with proactive measures

      Companies are responding to inflation by lowering prices. Ryan Reynolds from Mint Mobile made this clear by implementing a reverse auction during a promotional event, offering unlimited wireless service for just $15 a month. Meanwhile, PlushCare is making healthcare more accessible by allowing new customers to speak with board-certified physicians online and potentially receive FDA-approved weight loss medications. Elsewhere, Liz Earle shared her recent travel experience, highlighting the well-organized measures taken by Heathrow Airport to ensure safety during the pandemic. Despite the inconvenience of wearing masks throughout the journey, she appreciated the precautions and the opportunity to visit her family in Italy. Throughout the discussion, the importance of proactive measures – whether it's managing inflation, improving access to healthcare, or ensuring safety during travel – was evident.

    • Liz Recommends Comfortable Masks from Holistic SilkLiz recommends Holistic Silk masks for their comfort, style, and disposable charcoal filters. Use code 'LIZ LOVES' for a 15% discount. Be aware of potential dosage inconsistencies with EstraGel and estradose.

      During the discussion, Liz shared her experience with a comfortable and stylish mask brand called Holistic Silk. She highly recommends their masks, which are made of soft mulberry silk, fit well, and come with disposable charcoal filters. The brand offers a 15% discount using the code "LIZ LOVES" for her followers. Unfortunately, there was also an update on the ongoing issue with Oestra Gel and its dosage. Many women using EstraGel for HRT have reported their supply being switched to a similar product called estradose, made by the same company, but causing concerns due to potential dosage inconsistencies. The packaging of estradose is identical to EstraGel, and sometimes even over-labeled with EstraGel stickers, leading to confusion. It's essential for women using these products to double-check their supplies and consult their healthcare providers if they notice any changes.

    • Mislabeled HRT gel causing concerns over authenticity and efficacyHundreds of complaints about mislabeled HRT gel, estradose, leading to concerns about its authenticity and efficacy. Importance of accurate and effective HRT treatments for women's menopausal symptoms.

      There have been numerous reports of the menopause hormone replacement therapy (HRT) gel, estradose, not working effectively and causing a return of menopausal symptoms for women. Despite these reports, estradose bottles have been found to be overlabeled with estrogel labels and packed in estrogel boxes. This situation goes against trade descriptions and raises concerns about the product's authenticity and efficacy. The MHRA's yellow card reporting app has received hundreds of complaints about this issue. Efforts are being made to change the prescription of estrogen gel to ensure women receive genuine estrogen products. However, it is unclear whether the lack of efficacy of estradose is due to its manufacture or storage conditions. Regardless, it is important for women to receive accurate and effective HRT treatments to manage their menopausal symptoms.

    • Reporting medication side effects and monitoring cat healthReport any symptoms or ineffectiveness of Estradose to the MHRA through their yellow card app. Monitor cats' health closely using Pretty Litter's health monitoring litter. Invest in high-quality bedding like Boll and Branch's organic cotton sheets for a better sleep experience.

      For those using the medication Estradose, it's crucial to report any symptoms or ineffectiveness to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) through their yellow card reporting app. This helps ensure that any potential issues can be traced and addressed. Additionally, Dr. Hodgson has provided valuable advice on this matter on her website, menopause doctor.co.uk. For those planning to propose, Blue Nile offers an easy and convenient way to design a unique engagement ring online, with a $50 discount using the code "listen." Another important takeaway is that cats often hide signs of illness or pain, making it essential to monitor their health closely. Pretty Litter, a veterinarian-developed health monitoring litter, can help detect early signs of illness by changing colors, potentially saving cats' lives and money. Lastly, investing in high-quality bedding, such as Boll and Branch's organic cotton sheets, can lead to a more comfortable and satisfying sleep experience. With 96% of customers reporting that these sheets get softer with each wash, it's a worthwhile investment for those seeking ultimate comfort.

    • Caring for loved ones and ourselves leads to better healthMother's Day gift ideas from 1800flowers.com, sleep 7-8 hours for a healthy weight and microbiome, download 'A Happier, Flatter Tum' ebook for digestive health tips

      Taking care of ourselves and the important people in our lives can make a significant difference in our overall health and well-being. This Mother's Day, consider giving back to the amazing moms in your life with thoughtful gifts from 1800flowers.com, where you can save up to 40% on Mother's Day bestsellers using the code ACAST. Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for overall health, especially during times of increased health risks like the ongoing pandemic. Simple lifestyle changes, such as getting enough sleep each night, can help in this regard. Studies show that sleeping 7 to 8 hours every night can help keep us slimmer and maintain a healthy weight. Moreover, adequate sleep supports a healthy microbiome, which in turn helps prevent weight gain. For those looking to learn more about maintaining a healthy weight and improving digestive health, download the free ebook "A Happier, Flatter Tum" to discover the benefits of beneficial gut bugs and ways to beat bloating and other IBS symptoms. So, take care of yourself and your loved ones this Mother's Day and beyond by focusing on simple yet effective lifestyle changes.

    • Free ebook download in July, live sessions with guests in AugustListen to Lizzie's free ebook download in July, sign up for her newsletter for a magazine subscription offer, and join her live sessions with guests starting in August.

      Lizzie from LISALTE Well-being is offering a free ebook download for the entire month of July 2020. Starting from August 1st, 2020, it will cost 4.99. She also encourages listeners to sign up for her free newsletter and take advantage of a magazine subscription offer with extra perks. Lizzie will be hosting live sessions on Instagram, Facebook, and her website next week, featuring guests like Kerry September and Josh Wood. A fan named Tracy expressed her appreciation for Lizzie's content, including her Italian posts on Instagram. So, make sure to take advantage of these free and discounted offers while they last and join Lizzie for her upcoming live sessions.

    • Expressing gratitude and appreciation for mothers, self-care, and flexibilityCelebrate moms with thoughtful gifts, prioritize self-care on a budget, and embrace flexibility in yoga and health insurance.

      Expressing gratitude and appreciation for the special people in our lives, like our mothers, is important. It's never too late to start treatments like HRT, even during significant life transitions like menopause. This Mother's Day, consider giving back to the amazing moms in your life with thoughtful gifts from 1 800 Flowers or Quince. Quince offers high-end goods at affordable prices while ensuring ethical and responsible manufacturing. And for those seeking flexible health insurance options, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Plans may be worth exploring. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the importance of self-care, even when on a budget. Quince provides an excellent solution for those looking to splurge on luxurious items without the hefty price tag. And, as a reminder, everyone deserves nice things, regardless of their financial situation. Lastly, the importance of flexibility, whether in our yoga practice or in our health insurance plans, was emphasized. Flexibility can lead to improved well-being and peace of mind. So, take care of yourself, show appreciation for the moms in your life, and enjoy the little things.

    Recent Episodes from The Liz Earle Wellbeing Show

    How to balance stress and live longer, with Dr Torkil Færo

    How to balance stress and live longer, with Dr Torkil Færo

    Do you wear any kind of fitness tracker? On this podcast, Dr Torkil Færø joins Liz to share how wearable pieces of tech can help us better understand our heart rate variability (HRV), and ultimately live a longer and healthier life.


    Torkil explains what our HRV can tell us about what's going on in our bodies - and how it this number can even alert you to serious health issues such as heart attacks and disease.


    Liz and Torkil discuss how we can optimise our HRV with our diet, exercise and lifestyle tweaks such as cold showers, supplements and fasting - plus, the impact alcohol can have here.


    The episode also covers how having a positive attitude to ageing may be able to help you live longer.


    Links mentioned in the episode:




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Vaginal oestrogen could save your life, with Dr Rachel Rubin

    Vaginal oestrogen could save your life, with Dr Rachel Rubin

    With more than half of women experiencing at least one urinary tract infection in their lifetime, Liz chats to urologist and sexual medicine specialist Dr Rachel Rubin to reveal why UTIs must be taken more seriously.


    Rachel shares the realities of how dangerous UTIs can be, plus how the lack of knowledge on this common infection is just another example of medical misogyny.


    Rachel talks Liz through the symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and how vaginal oestrogen could be lifesaving.


    Links mentioned in the episode:




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Get fit in just 11 minutes, with Lavina Mehta

    Get fit in just 11 minutes, with Lavina Mehta

    Struggle to find the time to fit in your workouts? Award-winning personal trainer Lavina Mehta joins Liz to share how you can get fit with just 11 minutes of exercise every day.


    Lavina talks Liz through exercise ‘snacking’ and why this can be a better approach for midlife women, plus why we should exercise for sanity not vanity and prioritise strength over cardio. Liz and Lavina also reveal a simple trick to help mitigate glucose spikes after meals, and try out a live exercise snacking session.


    Links mentioned in the episode:




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Finding love online in midlife, with Garance Doré

    Finding love online in midlife, with Garance Doré

    Have you ever used dating apps or websites? Beauty brand founder and author Garance Doré joins Liz to chat about how they both found love in the digital landscape. Garance reveals why she doesn’t fear heartbreak, and how our parents’ behaviour often influences our own with our partners.


    Liz and Garance also talk through their experiences of being in relationships with a significant age gap, and how this affects their perception of their own ageing bodies.


    Links mentioned in the episode:



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Are weight loss drugs too good to be true? – with Johann Hari

    Are weight loss drugs too good to be true? – with Johann Hari

    Can a 'magic pill' can fix the obesity epidemic - or are we creating even more problems? Author Johann Hari joins Liz on this podcast to discuss the benefits - and 12 potential risks - of new weight loss drugs, such as Ozempic.


    Johann reveals his motivations to use weight loss drugs personally, plus talks through shocking statistics on the realities of being overweight on our health.


    He also shares some of the positive effects that may come with these anti-obesity drugs beyond fat loss, along with the risks - including malnutrition and eating disorders.


    Meanwhile, Liz questions the true cost to our health here and whether we’re opening a Pandora’s box of unknown adverse effects when considering these drugs.


    CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains bad language and frank chat about suicide, sexual assault, and eating disorders, so please take care while listening.


    Links mentioned in the episode:



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Why your UTIs keep coming back, with Dr Kate Stephens

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    Do you struggle with urinary tract infections (UTIs)? Dr Kate Stephens, a doctor of microbiology specialising in the human microbiome, joins Liz to share how we can better support our vaginal microbiome and avoid recurring UTIs.


    In this episode, brought to you in partnership with Optibac, Kate and Liz discuss the common causes of UTIs and why perimenopause and menopause often leave us more vulnerable to them.


    Liz and Kate talk through the best bacteria strains for intimate health, and address old wives’ tales - like whether cranberry juice can fight a UTI.


    Links mentioned in the episode:




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Are we too shy of the sun? - with Dr Leland Stillman

    Are we too shy of the sun? - with Dr Leland Stillman

    Have we become too shy of the sun or are we right to be extra cautious? Dr Leland Stillman joins Liz to share why he believes current advice about sun exposure is only skin deep.


    Leland discusses his perspective on how light impacts our eyes and our overall wellbeing, and Liz questions whether we can really avoid damaging our skin when seeking more sunlight.


    Leland shares how he keeps his skin safe in the sun plus how light may impact the gut, while Liz asks whether a vitamin D supplement is the same as getting it from light itself.


    Links mentioned in the episode:




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Healthy fats, weight loss and ‘reversing’ diabetes, with Eric Edmeades

    Healthy fats, weight loss and ‘reversing’ diabetes, with Eric Edmeades

    You’ve likely heard of pre-diabetes. But what about post-diabetes? Serial entrepreneur and Wild Fit founder Eric Edmeades joins Liz to share why we need to change our approach to type 2 diabetes - along with the practical changes needed to reverse it.


    Liz and Eric discuss why we should view type 2 diabetes as more of an injury rather than a disease with a life-long sentence, plus why it’s important to distinguish between pre- and post-diabetic in healthcare plans.


    They also cover the benefits of ketosis and autophagy, the importance of cutting down on sugar for our health, and other lifestyle changes that we can make to cut the risk of pre-diabetes.


    Links mentioned in the episode:




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Is mould sabotaging your health? - with Dr John Kim

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    Inside this episode, John and Liz discuss whether everyday household mould might be the cause of sickness, and how mould could have even played a role in Liz’s daughter's own ill-health over the years.


    John and Liz also cover how to avoid mould getting inside food - such as coffee and grains - why juice cleanses can't actually detox the body effectively, and other endocrine disruptors that may be lurking in our homes.


    Links mentioned in the episode:



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease, with Patrick Holford

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    Patrick, who is also the chief executive of the Food for the Brain Foundation, talks Liz through the role omega-3s and B vitamins play in protecting our brains, and they also discuss 30 factors associated with a heightened risk of Alzheimer's.


    Liz and Patrick cover foods to include in your diet, such as eggs and nuts, and the foods to avoid (spoiler: sugar!), plus key supplements that might help to protect our brains from cognitive decline.


    Links mentioned in the episode:




    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Related Episodes

    Menopodcast Season 2 Episode 9

    Menopodcast Season 2 Episode 9

    Julia preparing to leave the country!

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    Talk about eating habits on movie sets. A big part of our lives and careers.

    Bible Study - Cultural Catchup

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    The book was written in the late 90’s and the info about how hardly anyone talks menopause and how doctors get very little education on it - half a day is dedicated to the subject. HALF A DAY.

    Talk about the history of medicine and how it seems like it takes ages to catch up. And how medicine still focuses research on men, not women’s. We need separate studies!

    We learn that menopausal women are not lucrative for Gynecologists. Disappointing!

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    Class and ethnic difference in medical care for women around our country is disheartening

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    It can be super stressful financially to look ahead and consider taking care of parents in their later years and/or planning for our retirement.

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    Hot flashes

    Incontinence

    Insomnia

    Snoring

    (afternoon slump)?

    Brain fog

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    Cancer

    Heart disease

    Eyesight loss

    Hearing loss

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    Massive thanks to Caroline for being brave and speaking so articulately, we hope you enjoy listening!

    Find out more and join our EquiTeam community https://bit.ly/3vUrGvm

    Liz Earle’s E-Book  https://lizearlewellbeing.com/product/menopauseguides/

    Dr Louise Newson https://www.balance-menopause.com

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    You can find Victoria on Instagram at

    @ginge_unhinged