The Happy Menopause

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas isn’t it? Of course, that’s not always a good thing if you’re the one organising it and feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point. But even if you absolutely love Christmas (and I have to confess that I do!), there can be a slight sense of dread about the impact it can have on your health and wellbeing, and especially your waistline, with all those extra goodies and social events going on. 

So I’ve decided to have a bit of fun with a Christmas special episode, because I’ve devised a festive nutrition quiz to test your knowledge and to give you some handy tips and tricks to help avoid some of the health traps that line the holiday season. 

Tune in to test your knowledge and to pick up some festive foodie tips along the way: discover the best hangover relieving breakfast; which Christmas classic treat contains the least sugar; which popular snack is highest in salt; which cheese is the lowest in saturated fat, plus lots more handy yuletide info. You’ll even find out the best snack to leave out for Santa, so he completes his rounds in good time. 
 
 Give yourself a Christmas treat and see how well you can score!

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Thanks so much for listening

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

Blood sugar balance seems to be very much in vogue at the moment, so I’ve decided to dedicate this episode to talking through it, because I think there’s quite a lot of confusion around it. 

As a nutritionist, I really believe it’s one of the key pillars to managing menopause symptoms and Nutrition 101 if you want to apply a dietary approach to your health and wellbeing during the menopause. 

But it’s important not to overcomplicate things – if you get the basics of your macronutrients right, everything else will pretty much fall into place and your blood sugar will sort itself out without any help from expensive constant glucose monitoring attachments.

In this episode I talk through:

- the biochemistry of blood sugar, so you understand what’s going on in the body and the internal (and quite natural) reactions that occur when you eat (or don’t eat). 

- how blood sugar balance helps to regulate menopause symptoms by supporting the body’s plan B for producing oestrogen post-menopause

- how to achieve the correct balance of macros to support blood sugar balance

- specific suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including portion advice 

- the role of blood sugar management in regulating stress hormones

- why wearing a constant glucose monitor may not be right for you

- how the body maintains a natural state of balance known as homeostasis 

The episode is packed with practical, evidence-based advice, which is also based on my clinical experience, so tune in for everything you need to know about blood sugar balance. 

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause!

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

Do you ever feel invisible? Perhaps you struggle to get your voice heard. If so, you’re not alone, because this is something that most women have experienced at some point, especially as we move into midlife and menopause. But it’s not something we should put up with, because it’s not right and because, let’s face it, middle aged men don’t experience the same problem, do they? 

I’ve invited Dr Vanessa Collingridge to join me for this episode. I first met her at the Menopause Festival in Edinburgh, where were both speaking and I was intrigued by the title of her workshop  - The Revenge of the Invisible Woman. She struck me as just the woman we need to help us deal with this eternal problem!

Vanessa is a woman with a fascinating history and I really needed a lot longer to talk to her! She’s a broadcaster, author and impact coach, who has researched and presented award-winning history documentaries; is the author of several books and she’s a communications expert too. As an impact coach, she has a passion for developing female talent and helping women find their voice and shares loads of practical advice. 

We discuss the reasons why women feel invisible and why it can be so hard to get your voice heard at any age, but especially during midlife and menopause. Vanessa is full of practical advice about how to get yourself noticed and make your mark in work or social situations, and how to help your loved ones remember that you’re there, so that you’re not taken for granted. 

This episode is a mini masterclass in how to regain your confidence and get the recognition and appreciation you deserve!

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Thanks so much for listening. Bye for now. 

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

On World Menopause day it seems very fitting to look at the menopause from a historical angle and link it to women’s experience today. It hasn’t been an easy ride for middle-aged women over the centuries.  We’ve proven to be quite a mystery to the medical community, which has led to some unusual, hilarious and often very distressing assumptions about what’s going on with the female body. 

To help us unravel all this, I’m joined by oral historian Dr Helen Foster of the East Midlands Oral History Archive at the University of Leicester. As well as being an expert around menopausal themes throughout history, she’s also developed the Silent Archive, working with a group of volunteers to record women’s stories of menopause through interviews, personal audio diaries and conversations. I first heard her give a talk about The Bloody History of Menopause last year at The Old Operating Theatre Museum in London, and I was fascinated so I just had to snap her up for the podcast!

Helen takes us through the history of menopause, explaining the confusion and superstition about menstrual blood that built up over the centuries – did you know that we could turn milk sour and cause all manner of other domestic upheaval during our period? 

We talk about vilification of post-menopausal women who didn’t fit into the norm, which led to many of the witchcraft trials in the 16th century and women being shut up in asylums in later centuries. She also explains the utterly bizarre medical theory of the “wandering womb” which could apparently cause a whole host of mental and physical health issues! 

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. 

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

The theme for this year’s World Menopause Day is cardiovascular disease. You may wonder what that’s got to do with the menopause, so here’s the thing: once you come through the menopause, your body will adjust to the new hormonal version of you and for the most part your symptoms will settle down, just like they did after puberty. But there are one or two key areas that you need to continue to focus on in the long-term – bone health is one, as I’m sure you’re aware. Heart health is another, which is why we’re shining a spotlight on it this year. 

It may surprise you to know that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death amongst women, so it’s much more common than you might think, and your heart definitely deserves your full attention. I come across cardiovascular conditions quite a lot in my menopause nutrition clinic, so I’ve decided to dedicate this episode to sharing a range of diet and lifestyle approaches to support a healthy heart. 

I explain blood pressure and cholesterol, so you know what role they play in the body and how they can impact your cardiovascular health, and I talk you through the different parameters, so that you can understand the basics of any test results. 

Tune in to find out which foods to focus on to maintain a healthy blood pressure and to regulate your cholesterol levels and what you need to avoid or limit to keep on track. I also talk you through the heart healthy diets with the most research, so you can start to tweak your shopping list and meal planning to keep yourself on track. 

This episode is full of all my best foodie tips to help you show your heart some love!

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. 

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

We all know that cooking with fresh ingredients can make a huge difference to our health and wellbeing, but that can be easier said than done when you’re juggling the demands of a busy life. And if you’re not especially confident in the kitchen, it can seem very daunting to start cooking from scratch if you’re worn out after a busy day. But help is at hand in today’s episode, as I’m joined by the brilliant chef Fiona Staunton who’s made it her mission to make cooking good food uncomplicated, quick and easy. 

Fiona is a Ballymaloe-trained chef and the founder of Fiona’s Food For Life, which specialises in in-person and virtual cooking demonstrations to create healthy treats and to take the hassle out of home-cooked meals for the whole family. She’s full of fantastic practical tips to make our lives easier and our meals more delicious. 

We discuss the barriers to cooking healthy food and how to overcome them, especially if you lack confidence in the kitchen. We also explore the key foods that can play a part in managing menopause symptoms and Fiona shares some of her mouthwatering and menopause-friendly recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

I promise you that you’ll feel inspired to get into the kitchen and start cooking straight away, once you’ve listened to what Fiona has to say!

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause.

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

Have you ever tried reflexology? It’s way more than just a fancy foot massage! In fact, it’s been used for thousands of years as a therapeutic practice to support health and wellbeing. I’m a fairly recent convert to the wonders of reflexology and I know it makes a huge difference to me. So to find out more and to understand the research behind it, I’ve called on the help of expert reflexologist and teacher, Sally Earlam to share her wisdom with us. 

She has a background in nursing and has been a reflexologist for 24 years. She’s also a trained teacher and has previously taught the Reflexology Diploma, but now focuses on teaching advanced courses for qualified reflexologists in Menopause, Maternity and Mindful Reflexology.

Sally explains the fascinating history of reflexology and the theory behind it. We discuss the emerging body of research around the health benefits of the practice and how it could make a real difference to hormone balance and your menopause symptoms, as well as more broadly addressing issues such as stress, insomnia and pain management. 

We also discuss what to expect from a reflexology session; why you shouldn’t worry if you’re ticklish (yes, really!); and how to find an accredited reflexology practitioner. 

After chatting to Sally, I booked a session straight away, as I realised that it’s been a while since I had one. I always feel amazing afterwards and have a brilliant night’s sleep. So how about it? Are you tempted? Why don’t you tune in to find out more? I promise you won’t regret it!

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

I’ve always thought that magnesium is every menopausal woman’s best friend. It’s a magnificent mineral and a mega multitasker. So it really does deserve a whole episode of The Happy Menopause! I’ve invited magnesium expert Andrew Thomas to talk us through everything you need to know about this marvellous mineral. 

Andrew is the founder of Better You, which is one of my favourite supplement companies. He founded the business in 2006, and it was the first company in the world to commercialise transdermal magnesium therapy and to develop the delivery of nutrients via an oral spray. We had a great chat about vitamin D in Season 4 (worth a listen if you haven’t found it already)  and he’s back to share his wisdom about magnesium. 

This episode is a real magnesium masterclass, as Andrew explains the 300+ roles of magnesium on the body, why we might be low in it and how magnesium depletion could be the root cause of a number of symptoms.  We also discuss the different forms of magnesium in supplements and Andrew explains the difference between oxides, malates, glycinates, sulphates and citrates and why certain forms may suit some people better than others.  It’s truly fascinating!

We discuss dosage, because supplements need to be treated with respect, especially if you’re on medication or have any medical conditions. And of course we discuss which foods you need to focus on to boost your magnesium levels, because ‘Food First’ is always going to be my mantra for any therapeutic nutritional approach! Tune in – this is an incredibly helpful episode!

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

To kick off Season 5, we’re looking at the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) of the perimenopause and menopause. Because let’s face it, we’ve all got questions and there are some subjects that you might not feel too comfortable asking about. But fear no more!  I’m chatting to the brilliant Julie Robinson, founder of Meno Health and Move It, Or Lose It, who’s helped thousands of women over the years. Her new book has collated some of the most common (and some not so common!) questions and concerns and she’s worked with a number of experts to provide the answers. 

FAQs on Menopause: Your Questions Answered is a great little book and I’d urge you to add it to your bookshelf, because you won’t regret it. In this episode, I pulled out a selection of questions from the book which cover some of the burning issues familiar to so many of us as we go through perimenopause and menopause.

We discuss anxiety, facial hair, HRT, joint pain and managing the menopause at work and Julie shares some really sound, practical advice on how to manage all of these. She’s kind, funny, engaging and has the unbeatable knack of making exercise fun! 

Julie has made it her life’s work to get women and girls of all ages moving more, to support our physical and mental health and wellbeing. She founded Menohealth after her own experience of early menopause, so this is a woman who knows all about the challenges of this phase of life. Julie is a real breath of fresh air and I absolutely loved chatting to her, so tune in to hear more about those key questions that so many of us struggle with.  

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places. 

I’m wrapping up Season 4 by looking at that crucial decade after menopause, when a proactive approach to our health and wellbeing is more important than ever to define the way that we age. In this episode I chat to the brilliant health coach and author Susan Saunders about her latest book The Power Decade: How to Thrive After Menopause.

There are huge positives to life post-menopause: this is the time to create the adventures – large and small – we want in our lives. And the foundation for this? Our health, both physical and mental. Life 50+ is not about decline and deficiency and decrepitude – it’s about an incredible opportunity to live the life we want to live!

As a coach, Susan works with women all over the world to help them reduce their dementia risk through one-to-one coaching, workshops and courses. She trained with Alzheimer’s Prevention neuroscientist Dr Dale Bredesen and has a particular interest in dementia prevention for women post-menopause. She’s also co-creator of The Age-Well Project platform, co-author of The Age Well Project: Easy Ways to  a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life and author of The Age Well Plan: the 6-Week Programme to a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life.

We discuss three crucial areas which make up the cornerstone of Susan’s advice – Meals, Movement and Mindset - and she takes us through the findings of her research to create the approach to live your best possible life post-menopause. It’s incredible how small but consistent changes can make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing.

This is no time to write yourself off! The Power Decade is your moment to lay down the groundwork for a fit, healthy and positive later life. Tune in to hear Susan’s expert advice and find out how to make the most of this stage of your life.

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, remember to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, and please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on.  And do tell your friends and family about it too. I’d be so grateful, because it really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause.

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out  my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.