Women on Fire®

Nicky Pellegrino is a best-selling author in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. She writes delicious novels about Italy and her stories are filled with food, friendship, and love. And the kind of people who will feel like they’re your friends.

If you’ve never read one of her Italian novels we recommend you do with a full tummy and prepare to have your passport ready.

Nicky's also the author of Don’t Sweat It: How To Make ‘The Change’ A Good One. It's a candid, honest and warm guide to perimenopause and menopause. Nicky wrote it after perimenopause crept up on her and threw her usually-together self into turmoil.

The empowering book tells the story of Nicky's own experience from rage to missing libidos. It also includes other women's stories and the latest research on perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause.

Nicky’s currently writing her 15th novel which increasingly features women in midlife. Her latest release is P.S. Come To Italy.

Born in Liverpool, Nicky’s half Italian, and spent her childhood summers in Italy, hence the Italian flavour of her novels. She’s been based in New Zealand for 30 years after meeting her husband at a wedding.

Well known for wisdom and the wit of her storytelling she’s also a former editor and currently a freelance writer on a diverse range of subjects including health.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Writing about a hot flush when you haven't had one (4:08)

• Coming of age - what is midlife (4.37)

• Pushing back against invisibility (6:20)

• Why it's a bad idea to write a book about menopause when you're in peri and why she did (7:25)

• Stumbling into peri and the beauty of post- (12:00)

• Imposter syndrome (14:12)

• Throwing out bras and other body changes (15:15)

• Wine and coffee - BFF no more (16:10)

• A missing libido (16:57)

• Recurring themes in menopause with loss of confidence reigning high (19:01)

• Lack. of knowledge - are there better ways? (24:00)

• There aren't any roadmaps (25:00)

• The importance of self-care, mental health, friends, and laughter (26:00)

• Laugh more, it's good for you!

• The Italian Experience and culinary tour (28:36)

• What she wished she'd known about perimenopause and menopause (32:00)

• Despite the hype, HRT isn't the be-all and end-all (31:26)

• Advice to women (36:55)

• Suggestions for aspiring novelists (41:28)

  
  

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Episode Resources:

• You can follow Nicky Pellegrino on Instagram here

• And on Facebook here

• Or visit her website here

• To find out more about her culinary tours to Italy click here

• For a manuscript assessment click here

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

• Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here

• Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here

• Visit the website here

• Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here  

  
  

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

As we head into Season 2 of Women On Fire® we have some interesting topics ahead for your knowledge base.

The lid has cracked open on the menopause conversation (1:38)

Even as early as our mid-30's shift can occur (2:16)

Some common symptoms (2:50)

Menopause may not be as far off (in terms of age) as you think! (3:10)

What is perimenopause (3:22)

What we're covering this season (3:52)

Who's our guest for episode 2? (6:08)

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

• Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here

• Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here

• Visit the website here

• Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here  

  
  

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

In case you're wondering, EDC stands for endocrine-disrupting chemicals and they, along with xenoestrogens, can play havoc with hormonal balance. Therefore, they have the potential to magnify perimenopause/menopause signs and symptoms.

In this episode, Jenna explains them more.

In this episode, she talks about:

• We live in a toxic world (0:09)
• Explaining EDC's (0:53)
• About xenoestrogens (2:43)
• Examples of EDC's and xenoestrogens (4:07)
• Detox your life (5:58)

Episode Resources:

• Environmental Working Group here 
• Skin Deep Database here 
• Book: Toxic Bodies 
• Book: Non Toxic: Guide To Living Healthy In A Chemical World 

We were excited to debut at number 45 of the Top 60 Menopause podcasts recently.

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

• Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here
• Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here
• Visit the website here
• Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here 

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®.

Disclaimer: Our Mini Pauses are for information purposes only. They come from a holistic vantage point and from collating (often conflicting) scientific data if it’s available. They should not take the place of medical advice.

Even though it's no longer swept under the covers, the life stages of perimenopause and menopause can be confusing. And post-menopause needs its own toolkit.

Additionally, there can be an overwhelm of information out there so how do you sort the wheat from the chaff?

Jenna explains some basic facts that every woman should know.

In this episode, she talks about:

• How the conversation has opened up (0:14)
• Fact #1: how do you know you're in menopause? (0:54)
• Fact #2: it doesn't happen overnight (but it will happen!) (4:17)
• Fact #3: the most common signs and symptoms (6:30)
• Fact #4: your WOF is due (11:05)

Episode Resources:

• Episode #103 with Dr Linda Dear aka Menodoctor here  
• Australasian Menopause Society here  
• Book: Menopause Manifesto by Dr Jen Gunter 
• The 34 Symptoms Of Menopause 
• Episode #113 Queen Menopause with Ali Daddo here 

We were excited to debut at number 45 of the Top 60 Menopause podcasts globally recently.

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

• Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here
• Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here
• Visit the website here
• Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here 

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®.

Disclaimer: Our Mini Pauses are for information purposes only. They come from a holistic vantage point and from collating (often conflicting) scientific data if it’s available. They should not take the place of medical advice.

Alison Brahe Daddo - or Ali as she is commonly called – was only 16 when she burst onto the Australian modelling scene in the mid-80’s. 

Many of us, in both Australia and New Zealand, grew up seeing her gorgeous face on the pages and covers of Dolly, Cleo and Cosmopolitan magazines and as a model for companies like Portmans, Nivea, Covergirl and Jacqui E.  

Ali went on to marry TV presenter, actor and heartthrob Cameron Daddo in her early 20s and the
couple moved to the United States for Cam’s career. While there, Ali left the modelling industry and fulfilled her dream of becoming a mother to three children. She’s also worked as an educator, teaching Bodyfulmind exercise and heading up a program that prepared couples for birth, labour and post-partum. She went on to earn her teaching degree in Early Childhood from UCLA and has
trained in Rudolf Steiner Education.  

Since returning to Australia in 2017, she and Cam – now married for over 30 years - co-host the hit podcast “Separate Bathooms” and Ali is also a writer on parenting, relationships and the joys of being a woman. She’s also a patron of RizeUp Australia, a charity that assists domestic abuse families into new homes and safe lives. 

Her first book, Queen Menopause, Finding Majesty In The Mayhem is wonderful. Described as a friendly, frank, compassionate and comprehensive companion for any woman experiencing menopause, it truly is! 

In this episode, we talk about:

• Introducing Ali (0:8)
• Coming up with the name Queen Menopause (3:20)
• Reframing people pleasing (5:33)
• Models have self-doubt and insecurities too (8:47)
• Marrying young and relocating to America for 25 years (11:04)
• Juggling moving home, perimenopause, family and ageing parents (12:42)
• Who am I becoming? Menopause can be a time of vulnerability (17:51)
• Mr Worry & Miss Negative, how our brains can be impacted (21:00)
• The health benefits of menopause (22:28)
• Relationship challenges and how to navigate them (27:52)
• Menopausal divorce and suicide (31:06)
• The positives of post-menopause (35:04)
• Looking at the woman in the mirror (38:12)
• The wise women of the world (39:01
• Educating family, partners and workplaces (41:11)
• Ali's message to women in - or coming up to - perimenopause (45:44)
• Ali's message to women in post-menopause (48:10)

Episode Resources:

• Ali's book: Queen Menopause, Finding Majesty In The Mayhem  
• Ali and Cam's podcast: Separate Bathrooms
• Rebecca Ray psychologist 
• Menopause @ Work Australia - Thea O'Connor 

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

• Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here
• Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here
• Visit the website here
• Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here 

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

Do you feel like you've put on weight overnight? Especially around the belly?

And do you feel like no matter what you do, you can't budge it?

It's common and there can be a lot of reasons behind it. But just as importantly there's a lot you can do. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• About menopausal weight changes (1:16)
• Visceral fat and subcutaneous fat (1:46)
• It's complicated (2:18)
• Sleep and weight (2:32)
• Growing older (3:05)
• Insulin and blood sugar (4:20)
• Thyroid and thyropause (5:19)
• What you can do about it (6:42)

Episode Resources:

• Weight, Shape and Body Composition Changes At Menopause 
• Weight Gain and Menopause 
• Fat Mass Changes During Menopause 
• Effect Of Menopausal Status On Body Composition and Abdominal Fat Distribution 
• Blog: 10 Reasons You Could Be Putting On Weight 
• Blog: How To Lose Weight Using The 80/20 Rule 
• Email Jenna here
  

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

• Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here
• Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here
• Visit the website here
• Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here 

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

Disclaimer: Our Mini Pauses are for information purposes only. They come from a holistic vantage point and from collating (often conflicting) scientific data if it’s available. They should not take the place of medical advice.

Vinka is a functional nutritionist, whose mission is to help everyone feel their best. 

She uses modern and traditional diagnostic tools including blood work analysis, genetics, hormone testing and the symptoms of the body to diagnose root cause issues for her clients. 

Vinka's a self-professed science geek who loves learning about the human body. She says
she gets a buzz helping her clients set and reach their health goals by learning how to implement realistic diet and lifestyle changes.  

In this episode, we talk about:

• What is a functional nutritionist? (1:47)
• Let's talk thyropause (4:02)
• What a thyroid test should encompass (5:04)
• Breathwork tools (14:50)
• Signs and symptoms of thyroid disorders (16:04)
• Perimenopause is a window of opportunity for health (20:50)
• How to look after your thyroid with food (24:23)
• The importance of soil for our food (28:18)
• You are what you absorb (30:28)
• How's your poop? (31:37)
• Fermented foods for your gut (32:25)
• About bloating (36:15)
• Do you have food sensitivities? (37:54)
• Cravings, what gives? (39:57)
• Cholesterol (41:42)

Episode Resources:

• The Thyroid Debacle 
• Wild Fermentary 
• Turmeric Soda recipe 
• Seaweed Chips 
• 40+ Club For Ageless Goddesses

Find Vinka:

Visit the website here
Follow Vinka on Instagram here 

Follow Vinka on Facebook here 

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here

Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here

Visit the website here

Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here 

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

Holly Zachan was 40 years old, juggling a business and being mum to two young children when she was blindsided by a diagnosis of hypoactive (underactive) thyroid disease.

After reacting to her medication, she started to connect the dots with some of her symptoms and perimenopause.

From there, she realised she needed to take stock and reassess her life.

Holly shares her story.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Introducing Holly (1:00)
• On being diagnosed with hypothyroidism (2:00)
• Hypothyroidism treatment and a rude awakening (5:24)
• Learning to stop and change her attitude (7:37)
• How things change after 40 (9:06)
• Macronutrients and the importance of carbohydrates (10:00)
• Discovering perimenopause (11:48)
• Putting the pieces back into a stable place (15:40)
• Lessons learned to share with other women (22:02)

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here.

Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here.

Visit the website here.

Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here .

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

Lisa Tamati is a woman in menopause.

She's also a former endurance athlete, best-selling author, and a health optimisation, longevity, high performance and mindset coach.

Lisa is relentless and wrote a book of the same name. It tells of the highs and lows and the sheer tenacity it took to help her 74-year-old mother recover from an aneurysm and subsequent brain damage. 

Indeed, Lisa doesn't take no for an answer because she believes nothing is impossible. Even when she's told it is!

In this episode, Lisa shares her story and her journey with menopause. In addition, she imparts wisdom about DNA, epigenetics, hormone methylation and perimenopause/menopause and post-menopause.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Introducing Lisa (1:01)
• Lisa's book Relentless (3:15)
• Running ultra marathons around the world (4:31)
• Breaking free and finding positivity (11:53)
• Physical shifts and turning 40 (13:51)
• Nothing is impossible (16:23)
• Hormones, perimenopause and fertility (21:48)
• Grief, fertility, IVF & surrogacy (22:22)
• DNA, epigenetics, ageing & hormones (29:23)
• The birth control pill (34:51)
• DNA, genes & hormone methylation (36:02)
• Supplementation/HRT (38:00)
• Perimenopause/menopause/post-menopause lifestyle overhaul (39:44)
• Stacking habits and micro changes (41:58)
• Fatter or leaner in survival mode? (47:04)
• The information age & AI (48:29)
• Women helping women (50:50)
  

Episode Resources:

• Relentless - How A Mother And Daughter Defied The Odds  
• Lisa's website - lisatamati.com 

Follow Lisa:

On Facebook here 

On Instagram here 

On YouTube here 

On LinkedIn here 

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here.

Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here.

Visit the website here.

Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here .

We're honoured you've joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

On this episode of Women On Fire® we're talking about the beauty of ageing, common concerns such as hair changes and pigmentation as well as makeup.

As we grow older our hair changes, our skin changes and the way we look changes. 

And sometimes we're not quite sure what to do. 

The good news is that there are a lot of tools and options on hand and we've given you an overview in this episode.

On this episode, we talk about:

• The changing face of midlife beauty (1:13)
• 70-year-old Isabella Rossellini and Lancôme (2:55)
• Beauty in midlife (4:27)
• Ageing skin and estrogen (5:42)
• The nuts and bolts of midlife beauty (6:39)
• Hair (9:48)
• Brows and lashes (12:23)
• Magnifying mirror (15:38)
• Facial hair (16:55)
• Pigmentation (18:25)
• Makeup (19:50)
• Concealer (20:32)
• Foundation/primer/tinted moisturiser (21:25)
• Mineral powder/bronzer (22:10)
• Brows/liner (22:50)
• Blush (23:07)
• Lippy - gloss, stain, stick, tint and liner (23:05)
• Appearance medicine (25:30)
• Xenoestrogens/endocrine disruptors (25:55)

Episode Resources:

• Isabella Rossellini: The Beauty Of Ageing 
• Latisse 
• LiLash 
• fLash 
• Revitalash NZ  Revitalash Australia  
• Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Illuminating Glow NZ 
• Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Illuminating Glow Australia Jane Iredale Amazing Base
• Aspect Minerals Powder  - Adore Beauty Australia and New Zealand
• Peachy Lip Co. Nudist Lip Liner 
• Dior Contour Clear Lip Liner  @ Sephora Australia and New Zealand
  

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here.

Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here.

Visit the website here.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch our interviews here .

We're honoured you joined us and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts so we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

Disclaimer: Our Mini Pause's are for information purposes only. They are not diagnostic and should not take the place of medical advice. 

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus was written in the 90s and became the biggest-selling relationship book of all time. 

Since then, author John Gray has written over 20 more books including Beyond Mars and Venus which takes into account how times have changed. 

John's wisdom is legendary and he's been a guest on many well-known shows such as Oprah and Dr Oz. 

In this episode, he goes into the link between our sex hormones, our masculine and feminine sides, and their effect on relationships and libido. 

Suitable for all ages as well as peri/menopause (so share it with everyone), John addresses the subject from a heterosexual viewpoint but it can translate to same sex relationships as well. He covers this in more detail in Chapter 9 of Beyond Mars and Venus, Mars and Venus In The Bedroom. 

On this episode, we talk about:

• Where John's journey began (3:37)
• Working with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (3:58)
• Understanding our differences (6:40)
• Beyond Mars and Venus (9:27)
• Men and women (and our masculine and feminine sides) are biologically different (10:00)
• Testosterone thinks, estrogen feels (16:06)
• Hormonal balance (19:11)
• The changing hormones of menopause (20:00)
• Supplements to nurture your adrenal glands (23:00)
• Producing female hormones in menopause (24:50)
• Overdependency, negativity bias, and the stress response (29:49)
• I'll do it myself (32:44)
• Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone behavioural drivers (38:38)
• Therapy raises estrogen (43:01)
• The alchemy of making love (45:16)
• Sharing and complaining produces estrogen - but there are pros and cons (47:49)
• How to get what you want (55:48)
• Perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause (1:01:42)
• Get naked in your mind first (1:06:00)
• Libido (1:07:08)
• The importance of sexual regularity (1:09:21)
• How to have the conversation - a script (1:12:2)

Episode Resources:

• Free gift: How To Get Everything You Want In Relationships 
• Course: How To Get More Me-Time 
• Course: Understanding Men  
• Course: Secrets To Great Sex 
• Book: Beyond Mars and Venus 
• Book: Mars and Venus in the Bedroom 
• All books 
• John's website: marsvenus.com 

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here.

Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here.

Visit the website here.

Subscribe to the YouTube channel to watch the interviews here .

We're honoured you joined Women On Fire® and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That way, we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

On this episode of Women On Fire® we're talking about sex drive and the effect of menopausal hormones.

Many women find they lose their libido in perimenopause / menopause however others find just the opposite.

It can be frustrating but there are things you can do so don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.

On this episode, we talk about:

• Worrying about libido (1:18)
• Painful sex (1:33)
• Best sex ever (1:50)
• Estrogen and sex drive (2:16)
• Use it or lose it (3:02)
• Responsive and spontaneous desire (3:12)
• The pelvic muscle system (3:08)
• It's not just your hormones (4:48)
• Tips to improve your desire (5:37)

Episode Resources:

• Dyspareunia or painful sex 
• Management of libido problems in menopause 
• Pelvic floor muscle strength and its correlation with sexual function
• Learn about Femift here 
• Learn about Elvie here 
• Listen to episode #105 with Dr Mirjana here

Find out more about libido here.

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here.

Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here.

Visit the website here.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch our interviews here .

We're honoured you joined us and hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts so we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

Disclaimer: Our Mini Pause's are for information purposes only. They are not diagnostic and should not take the place of medical advice. 

Show Notes: 

Dr Mirjana Janjic is a women's health specialist with a specialist interest in state-of-the-art medical laser treatments for stress incontinence, vaginal atrophy, vaginal prolapse and snoring. 

These are all common issues during menopause but many women are too embarrassed to talk about them. The good news is they're usually treatable.

Indeed, after training with specialist gynaecologists in Europe who are the pioneers of minimally invasive gynaecological laser procedures, Dr Mirjana introduced the innovative approaches to Melbourne, Australia and then Auckland, New Zealand. 

Dr Mirjana is a Fellow of the Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), Fellow of Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia (CPCA) and a Board Certified Aesthetic Medicine Physician (AAAM).

Would you rather see our smiling faces? 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here 

In this episode, we talk about:

• Introducing Dr Mirjana (1:03)
• Urinary incontinence (2:00)
• Stress urinary incontinence (2:40)
• Fear, embarrassment and anxiety (3:38)
• There are ways to treat it (4:30)
• Urge urinary incontinence (5:05)
• Overactive bladder (5:49)
• Why declining estrogen in menopause affects the bladder and the vagina (6:18)
• What is vaginal atrophy? (8:11)
• What is vaginal prolapse? (10:30)
• What is the difference between vaginal atrophy and prolapse? (11:19)
• How do I know if I have vaginal prolapse? (12:41)
• Many women aren't aware they have dysfunction. (14:00)
• What does vaginal medical laser treatment help? (15:00)
• How does vaginal medical laser treatment work? (16:38)
• Does it hurt? (17:35)
• What happens during treatment? (18:00)
• What is collagen remodeling? (18:57) 
• Smoking and the vagina (20:00)
• What can I expect to feel during treatment? (23:18)
• Lifestyle and prevention (29:57)
• Midlife snoring treatment (33:33)
• Advice to women in perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause (33:43)

Episode Resources:

Visit Dr Mirjana's website here .

Follow Dr Mirjana on Facebook here .

Follow Dr Mirjana on Instagram here .

Or on LinkedIn here.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Women On Fire®.

We're honoured you joined us and hope you enjoyed it. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts so we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®.

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire® please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

On this episode of Women On Fire® we're talking about perimenopause or the period of transition as you lead up to menopause.

Often called 'peri' which means around or near perimenopause can begin as early as your mid to late 30s but - on average - in your 40s. 

Peri can be a confusing and overwhelming time so don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.

On this episode we talk about:

• What is perimenopause aka peri (1:05)
• How long does perimenopause last? (1:28)
• Sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone (1:50)
• Hallmarks of peri (3:06)
• The estrogen rollercoaster (3:15)
• Symptoms of perimenopause (3:29)
• Everyone is different (4:00)
• Some of the most common signs (4:29)
• There is no test for perimenopause (7:41)

Episode Resources:

Find out more about perimenopause here.

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here.

Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here.

Visit the website here.

We're honoured you joined us and hope you enjoyed it. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts so we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

Disclaimer: Our Mini Pause's are for information purposes only. They are not diagnostic and should not take the place of medical advice. 

Show Notes: 

Dr Linda Dear has the perfect training behind her to work with women navigating the waters of perimenopause/menopause. 

Indeed, her background brings a wealth of knowledge of both holistic wellness and academic/medical training to the table.

Not only is Dr Linda a NAMS (North American Menopause Society) Certified Menopause Practitioner,  she's also a medical doctor with a fitness background.

In her younger years she was a competitive British gymnast who won bronze at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and from there she went on to become a personal fitness trainer and Ashtanga yoga teacher.

In addition, she completed a psychology degree and post-graduate training in the ACT model of psychotherapy. 

And as if that's not enough, Dr Linda graduated from London Medical School and added a post-graduate diploma in obstetrics and gynaecology. 

So to say she's well-qualified to help women take a multi-pronged approach to manage menopause is something of an understatement.

Would you rather see our smiling faces? 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here 

In this episode we talk about:

• NAMS, psychology, yoga & med school (1:10)
• Women in perimenopause & turning 40 (3:08)
• Becoming the Menodoctor (3:50)
• Medicine's blind spot: perimenopause (5:02)
• The psychological impact of peri (6:59)
• So much more research is needed (11:11)
• There is no test for perimenopause (15:29)
• What is your 'Menopause Moment'? (16:30)
• What if you bleed 12 months after your Menopause Moment when you are officially post-menopause? (22:55)
• How to talk to your GP (25:28)
• The symptoms of peri (31:26)
• The Menopause Buffet - treatment options and getting rid of false friends (37:00)
• The main course of the buffet (41:52)
• The Australia and New Zealand MenoSurvey (46:54)

Episode Resources:

• Ginger water recipe 
• The Australasian Menopause Society (AMS).
• Take part in the Australasian MenoSurvey here.
• You can follow Dr Linda Dear on Instagram here.
• Or visit her website here.

We're honoured you joined us and hope you enjoyed it. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts so we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®.

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire® please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

There is so much conflicting advice and data about caffeine and alcohol especially during perimenopause and menopause. 

So we took a look into the subjects. And the truth is, it's confusing for everyone.

Everyone is different and this is very true of women going through peri- and post-menopause.

So this episode lays out a few facts, a few theories, and a few experiences.

Thank you for listening to this episode. 

We're honoured you joined us and hope you enjoyed it. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts so we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

Disclaimer: Our Mini Pause's are for information purposes only. They come from a holistic vantage point and from collating (often conflicting) scientific data if it's available. They should not take the place of medical advice. 

Show Notes: 

Rebecca Gibney is one of Australasia's most-loved actresses. A household name in both Australia and New Zealand, her performance as Julie Rafter on Packed to the Rafters earned her a Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality and two Silver Logies for Most Popular Actress.

But accolades aside - and she has many more - Rebecca has been winning hearts on our screens for decades. From The Flying Doctors and Halifax fp TV series to the film, The Dressmaker she has shared her beauty, talent and charisma with us.

Now in her 50s, she is refreshingly candid about filters and growing older as well as sharing her wonderful sense of humour on social media. 

Currently starring as beautiful Daisy and executive producing the popular rom-com series Under The Vines Rebecca drops in for a quick visit to Women On Fire® to talk about Daisy, menopause, and growing older. 

Rebecca is a genuinely delightful person and we were thrilled to have her as our guest. She shared some wonderful tips and advice. And don't be fooled by her humbleness, she was included in Who Magazine's World's Most Beautiful People in 2018 when she would have been around 50. 

Would you rather see our smiling faces? 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here

In This Episode We Talked About: 

• Daisy on Under The Vines 
• Being real (1:20)
• The beauty of ageing (2:50)
• Rebecca's menopause journey (3:52)
• Lifestyle and habits (4:55)
• Menopause in front of the camera (8:00)
• Growing older (8:53)
• Laughing at herself (9:34)
• On being a Caussie and loving Australia and New Zealand (10:33)

You can watch Under The Vines on TVNZ in New Zealand and Acorn TV around the world. 

Thank you for listening to this episode with the beautiful Rebecca Gibney. 

We're honoured you joined us and hope you enjoyed it. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts so we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®. 

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire® please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information. 

LotsaLocks® by MenoMe® is formulated to alleviate the hair thinning and loss that's common during perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.

As a result of this, approximately 2/3 of women experience some form of hair thinning in midlife due to hormonal shifts.

Scientific studies show the ingredients in LotsaLocks® help to mitigate this. Learn more in this mini pause episode.

Episode Resources:

Find out more about LotsaLocks® by MenoMe® here.

Women On Fire® is sponsored by MenoMe®

Follow MenoMe® on Instagram here.

Follow MenoMe® on Facebook here.

Visit the website here.

We're honoured you joined us and hope you enjoyed it. If you did, we would be grateful if you would leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts so we can reach as many women as possible with Women On Fire®.

If you would like to contribute to Women On Fire® please contact jenna@meno-me.co.nz  for more information.