Real Menopause Talk

If you want to know what NASA and Menopause have in common, this is the episode for you. 

Today, we combine Menopause, Business, Sex and Innovation, celebrating openness and creativity - all delivered by Amy Buckalter. 

Amy's early work was with Nike and Sports Brand Management which opens us up to so many possible puns and a world of innuendo while we discuss personal lubrication and intimacy. So I apologise in advance*! But, as you will soon discover, Pulse is indeed a game-changing device and is not only a creation of great beauty but also joy* - read into that what you will! 

Amy shares her experience of Menopause, what drove her to create a solution for vaginal dryness and so much more. Keeping midlife interesting and open to new experiences is what it is all about and Amy is a great role model. So tune in and enjoy!

You can find Amy at lovemypulse.com and on IG @lovemypulse

Clara Mosha is full of life and vibrancy. Previously a Masters Figure Champion in bodybuilding, competitive Strong Woman and Power Lifter she now specialises in coaching women over 40 to be their fittest and strongest yet.

If you know anything about these worlds, you will know that her achievements are no mean feat and if you are resisting the land of lifting, prepare to have your mind changed dramatically and all those popular beliefs blown :-) 

Her focus on coaching midlife women comes as no surprise given how caring she is and her deep understanding not only of the female body but also of the demands put on it outside the gym. As a working mum of twins, she is all too familiar with how crammed life can be and how easy it is to make excuses to neglect ourselves. Diet, sleep and training are all key components to living well in our forties and beyond.

We have a lot of fun talking about role models, perceptions in and out of the gym, the beauty of strength training and, of course, her own experience of Menopause and how she learned to 'tame' her symptoms. You're going to love what she says it has taught her and 'the gift' it gives. 

You can find Clara and Ultimate Physique Training on IG and YouTube @uptbyclaramosha on FB as Clara Mosha and her website https://ultimatephysiquetraining.podia.com/

Dr Lisa Petty @drlisapetty is living proof that education about this life phase... you know the one 😉, yes we're talking Menopause of course, can mean the difference between sinking and riding the storm like a champion. ⁠
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This is why we have to share our knowledge with the generation coming up behind us so that they know, understand, can prepare and live gloriously well.⁠
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Lisa knew exactly what to expect and decided that she was going to glide through Perimenopause. So she did. ⁠
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Lisa describes her process as the intersection between science and woo which I think is perfectly fitting. ⁠
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She offers simple strategies to immediately get out of our head and into our body, reducing stress and increasing our intuition because, as we all know, midlife involves so much mentally, physically and emotionally with more than enough on our plate at all times. ⁠
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In this episode we talk about how mindset is King... or Queen, about The Stirrings, you know that feeling when you know you have more to give but haven't quite found what it is yet let alone how to do it and we finally go there - Boredom! The boredom that can creep in during midlife and you start to wonder, is that all there is? So listen in and discover how to transform something mundane into something miraculous!⁠
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You can find Lisa, the Midlife Alchemist and Women's Coach, here on IG @drlisapetty and on her website lisapetty.com and on both LI and FB as Lisa Petty PHD.⁠

How could we all have NOT known? ⁠
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Dr Heather Hirsch recently appeared on @oprahdaily to discuss Menopause with Oprah herself, Drew Barrymore, Maria Shriver and Dr Sharon Malone and this proved to all of us that there are still millions of women out there who are just as unaware as we all were when we started experiencing Perimenopause. ⁠
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In this episode we talk about education and she actually puts the onus on the medical community to learn about this life stage. We also discuss her new book 'Unlock Your Menopause Type' in which she demonstrates personalising your treatment plan, going through many symptoms individually and offering a variety of solutions. ⁠
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If you want to know some more about HRT / MT / MHT this is an interesting listen as Heather breaks down her opinion on the 'window of opportunity'.⁠
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She also really nails long term self care and reveals the number 1 essential ingredient for great health. ⁠
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'Unlock Your Menopause Type' is out on June 6th 2023.⁠
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You can find Dr Heather on IG @heatherhirschmd and her website heatherhirschmd.com and on all social media with the same handle.⁠

Lavina Mehta MBE is a very busy woman so I was delighted when she agreed to have a chat and share her expertise, her success and of course her personal experience of Menopause with me.⁠
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Lavina’s story is one of giving and she continues to give to all. Starting her online workouts during lockdown with her family, from her youngest son to her elderly grandparents, her ‘exercise snacks’ lead her to be recognised with an MBE. ⁠
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Today she talks about her Perimenopause, why she became an ambassador for Menopause Mandate, how her mum is such an inspiration in the kitchen and how she is such a great role model for the South Asian community.⁠
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Her aim is to bring simple, easy, do-able Menopause and health management that work with you and your schedule no matter how pressed for time you might be. ⁠
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You can find Lavina on IG @feelgoodwithlavina on her website feelgoodwithlavina.com and on all social media with the same handle. ⁠

Kate Oakley went from 25 years in Human Resources to becoming a Personal Trainer. She credits Perimenopause for the shift in thinking from, “I’m too old” to “Why the hell not?!”

Her experience of this life phase hasn’t been plain sailing and she shares her retrospective of body temperature changes, insomnia, anxiety and dramatic mood changes and like SO many of us, she was caught unprepared and unaware of what was happening to her.

Kate is now happier with her own level of ambition than she was in her twenties, feeling great, following her passion and helping women feel and look their very best.

In this episode we discuss weight management, the surprising progress that can easily be made, the power of the scales and how to ditch them for better mental health and what really works.

You can find Kate (soon) on her website https://yourfuturefit.com

and you can see her workouts and message her on IG @yourfuturefit

Amy Anthony is one of America’s top certified Aromatherapists and self-proclaimed Aromatic Gardner, currently based in New York City.

Working in a corporate environment was a success in many ways for Amy but eventually, the plants found her and lead her to become the sought after voice she is today on how essential oils can support our health, connect us with nature, enhance mental clarity and help cope with life’s overall challenges.

Today, Amy shares with us how she supports her clients to find relief from their symptoms, she talks about supporting hormones, oils for energy, sexual wellness and getting into your body. She also shares her personal and very current discovery of fibroids and what she is doing to care for herself at this time. Being so open and telling of her experience re-enforces the power of conversation, especially when it comes to women’s health.

You can find Amy on her website https://nycaromatic.com

and on IG @nycaromatica

Claire Hattrick is on a roll! Mum to twin girls who are now fully grown, accomplished adults, once a car sales executive turned beauty therapist, she is educating as many people as she can as Menopause Advocate.

Clipboardclaire.com started off as a family run project and is now a full fledged business helping women understand Peri to Post Menopause and navigate their way through this time of life and its potential pitfalls.

Claire openly shares her truly extraordinary story of the loss of joy that so many of us experience and find difficult to explain, insomnia and extreme joint issues, and when I say extreme, I mean extreme. She takes us step by step through the nine and a half years she endured before diagnosis of Menopause and subsequent recovery.

She is a deeply passionate and well loved campaigner, striving to end the mystery around Menopause.

You can find Claire on her website https://clipboardclaire.com

@clipboardclaire on IG @clipboardclair3 on Twitter and Claire Hattrick on LinkedIn

Pauline has extraordinary knowledge of the human body and women’s health. How we operate and what we need to operate at our best, is her day to day and she is clearly passionate about every aspect of what she does.

This is another jam-packed episode. Here, Pauline gives us a thorough lesson in understanding the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone in how they work and what they do for us. We discuss the ketogenic diet, metabolic flexibility, how to get the best from intermittent fasting, weight management and how to overcome the evening snack-attack.

As you may agree, Menopause shines a light on how we take care of ourselves, where we need to alter our priorities and even where we need to heal. Pauline is all too aware of this and supports women through the process of cleaning this up, especially from their 40’s onwards.

As a heads up, we talk in some depth about emotional eating as a coping mechanism from adverse childhood experiences and eating as filling an emotional gap all of which is a sensitive subject for many.

“It’s not you. You’re fighting a primal instinct.”

And as a friendly reminder to everyone, the best of you is yet to come.

You can find Pauline on her website https://sowandarrow.com

@paulinejcox on IG

Post Cancer & Surgical Menopause are two huge and hugely important subjects. Dani has experienced both.

She is a mum to 3 girls, a nutrition coach, yoga teacher and many more wonderful things. She is also a delight to talk to.

Surviving Breast Cancer at 33, she then had her ovaries removed aged 39. That’s a lot to take in.

If you are a Cancer Survivor or are undergoing treatment, if you know someone who is a Cancer Survivor or is undergoing or about to have treatment, please listen to Dani’s episode or pass it on.

Today, Dani shares her whole experience from diagnosis through to her current plans. She is wide open about asking questions, finding your tribe, what to eat, the mistakes she made along the way, menopause treatment options and what has been a success for her.

We talk about using certain drugs as treatment for symptoms they may not be widely known for - not re-appropriation as such, more like use with knowledgable application. We also discuss how our body may have different needs Post Menopause, questions to ask your medical teams and so much more…even her husbnd’s love of fish & chips!

“Give it a go! There’s always a real chance it might really work for you!”

You can find Dani on her website https://www.healthywholeme.com/

@healthywholeme on IG

@Dani Binnington on LinkedIn

Katie Isles is delightfully easy company and so willingly open about all the ups and downs that go along with living a life!

This is the blueprint for a normalised, run-of-the-mill conversation that we should all be able to have.

Like so many of us, Katie hadn’t a clue when Perimenopause hit her, aged 45. She suffered crippling fatigue, anxiety, mood swings and was in denial for as long as she could be because she didn’t feel like the Menopausal woman portrayed in the media. She entered what she has called, ‘The Perimenopause Wilderness’.

Katie shares her hugely relatable story about her woeful lack of knowledge- which I say with zero judgement, especially having been in the same position - and how she has pulled herself out of the depths. She is living proof that there are many parts to the jigsaw puzzle which include mindset and sheer determination.

“You will have superwoman days & days where you just want your elasticated jogger & Ginger Nuts.”

You can find Katie using #madformidlife and

@katieisles on IG

@isleskate on Twitter

Jay Courtney is the most fantastic role model for Post-Menopause and clearly a great friend to many.

She shares with us a fascinating insight into life in the 1970’s, when many of us were growing up which provides an added perspective on Menopause and women’s self belief. It has certainly spurred me on even more to embrace the awakening and spirit of change at this time of life.

‘Juicy Crones’ is a most energising and uplifting look at yet another part of life that is overlooked: the. ‘what next?’ after retirement and indeed Menopause and the ensuing discovery of Self.

“Embrace Ageing! And have fun for goodness’ sake!”

This episode reminds me of my Mum and her friends who she would talk to about all the juicy parts of life - straight in, no smalltalk, just the most fruity, raunchy naked truth! So I dedicate this to all of you Juicy Crones xoxo.

You can find ‘Juicy Crones - Free for the Strangest Adventures’ where ever you buy books and for a giveaway at time of release - check us out on Instagram.

Nicola is all about the easy fix - not the quick fix! - the easy, simple strategy that you can implement seamlessly into your already busy life to make it better.

She and I actually met about 25 years ago (ever have that moment where you stop and think, ‘25 years?? God that’s a long time) but knew each other in the realms of a very social group and media. It is now an absolute joy to reconnect in the midlife, women’s health and menopause arena.

Nicola has many brilliant and high powered cards to play when in comes to solutions for women’s health. She is a registered nutritional therapist, clinical hypnotherapist, a Master Practitioner for eating disorders and a member of The Institute for Functional Medicine. All of which come in handy when addressing hormonal imbalances of Peri to Post Menopause in midlife.

In this episode we talk about her health and Perimenopause, nutrition and optimising hormones, cleaning out excess hormones, bowel movements, collagen, stress and island life.

You can find Nicola on IG @urbanwellnessuk and her website information go to:

https://urbanwellness.co.uk/

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.