The Happy Menopause

Is your sex life everything you want it to be? If the answer is a hollow laugh and “What sex life?”, then you’re not unusual. It’s very common for women in midlife and beyond to write themselves off as sexual beings and there can be lots of reasons for that, including loss of body confidence, fatigue, anxiety, vaginal dryness, low libido. No matter the reason, we deserve to have the sex life we want – whatever it may be – which is why I’ve called on the brilliant Dr Claire Macaulay for some practical advice to help with that. 
 
 Claire is an oncologist who treats people with breast cancer, but she’s joined the podcast in her other role as a self-confessed sex science geek and founder of the rather brilliant Pleasure Possibility, a coaching programme to help people create the kind of sex life that is right for them. Kind, humorous, pragmatic and totally unshockable, Claire offers some fantastic advice to help you and your sexuality thrive in midlife and beyond. 

Tune in for a no holds barred conversation about how to overcome the various barriers that are in the way of a happy and fulfilling sex life – from the tangible concerns of vaginal dryness and painful sex to the less tangible but equally challenging concerns of body confidence and lack of arousal. Claire encourages us all to be open to the possibility of pleasure in our body and our life in every moment and every day, because once we’re alive to that possibility, we can achieve anything. It’s such a positive message and we can apply that to so many areas of our life. It was an absolute joy chatting to Claire and I promise you that you’ll feel motivated and inspired just listening to her!

If you enjoy this episode, please do tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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. 

2021 was pretty challenging for many of us and it’s good to be turning the page and moving into a new year with all the possibilities that this brings us. January is a great time for transformation and new beginnings and that’s what I’m focusing on in this episode: how can we make small changes that can help us to get the most out of life? And I‘ve got the perfect guest to help us with that!

Meet Tracy Acock, who’s a life coach and mentor. After a lifetime of cancer nursing, she went back to her roots and retired to Cornwall. But then she realised that she wasn’t quite ready to stop and so she retrained as a life coach and now runs The Wellbeing Wisdom Club, a highly successful coaching programme helping women discover tips and techniques to transform themselves and to enjoy their life. Her clinical and life experience combined with her coaching expertise make her the perfect person to advise us on how to make a positive start to this new year.

Tracy shares her wisdom with us and explains how simple steps can make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing. We discuss the different challenges that women can face in midlife and how to overcome them. It was a delight to chat to her and she’s full of practical, helpful advice on how you can transform your life and make 2022 your best year yet! 

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, please do leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple podcasts or whichever platform you listen on and make sure you tell all your friends – it makes a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast and really helps to spread the word. 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. 

Probably the most well-known of the menopausal symptoms, the hot flush has provided endless material for humourists over the years but it’s no fun when it’s happening to you. It can cause huge distress, especially in a professional or social situation or if it’s persistently disrupting your sleep. But help is at hand in this episode with this month’s guest who is just the woman we need to provide us with some practical flush-busting strategies.

I’m delighted to introduce the brilliant Dr Melanie Smith – she’s a clinical health psychologist who played a key role, along with Professor Myra Hunter,  in developing and facilitating the first cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT as it’s often known, for menopause groups as part of an innovative research trial. This research demonstrates that CBT is a valid and effective non-medical approach to managing menopause symptoms and Melanie is here today to explain to us what a huge difference it can make to dealing with hot flushes. 

We discuss what hot flushes are and why they happen. Melanie explains what CBT is and why a psychological approach can help to tackle something that seems to be such a physical problem. We explore the role of stress in triggering and exacerbating hot flushes and Melanie shares some practical strategies to help you combat them. 

If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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. 

Now that November is here, the cold and flu season is well underway and many of you have probably already succumbed to some sort of lurgy by now. And with the spectre of Covid 19 still lurking, supporting our immune system is very much on the agenda right now, which is why I’ve dedicated this episode to foods that can keep you and your family fighting fit and I’ve found the perfect guest for this. 

Today I’m welcoming herbalist Ed Joy back to the podcast. He’s a specialist in herbal medicine with over 20 years’ experience and he weaves a combination of homeopathy, naturopathy and nutrition into his work, taking a truly holistic approach. My interview with him on a herbal approach to the menopause was one of the big hits of Season 1 and in this episode I’ll be tapping into his expertise on the different foods that can help our immune system be more robust, because we all need a bit of that right now. Ed shares his top 3 everyday foods for immune support and gives us the inside track on not just what we should eat, but how we should cook it so that we can maximise the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content of our food. There are so many culinary tips and tricks that I guarantee you’ll be fascinated by what he has to say. 

Ed shares his top 3 foods that every immune-conscious cook should have in their kitchen. We take an in-depth look at the role of the gut microbiome in immune health;  discuss the nutritional powerhouse that is broccoli and how to optimise absorption of vitamin C and zinc; explore a whole host of tips around preparing, cooking and storing food; and Ed explains why a finger of ginger every day is just enough to keep you fit and well!

If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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. 

The theme of this year’s World Menopause Day is bone health, something that really needs to be front of mind for women in mid and later life. Bones contain cells called osteoclasts which dissolve old bone and osteoblasts which build new bone. This regular renewal process helps to keep our bones strong, but bone tissue is reactive and needs impact to grow, which is why resistant forms of exercise are so important. So while the drop in oestrogen post-menopause significantly affects our bone density, we really do have it in our hands to arrest and even reverse that decline. My guest in this podcast is the perfect role model because she’s done just that and now has the bone density of a 20-year-old. I’m sure we’d all like to know how she’s done it! 

Meet Dr Catherine Walter – she’s a shining light in the world of English-Language Teaching and an Emeritus Fellow in Applied Linguistics at Oxford University, but she’s also a world-record-holding power lifter, who took up the sport at the age of 65 and hasn’t looked back since.

Catherine’s story is incredibly inspiring and is a real example to any woman who wants to take control of her own health and wellbeing. We discuss all the ins and outs of power lifting:- what it actually is; how to get started; why it can make such a difference to your health in ways that reach far beyond strength and stamina and how it could help you become a whole new woman. I have to say that just a short chat with her left me feeling hugely motivated to get out there, find myself a power coach and start lifting.

 Tune in to learn about Catherine’s fascinating journey, her helpful advice for exercising as an older woman and the physical confidence she’s achieved through building her strength which provided her with the ultimate put-down for an annoying guy in a bar!  

If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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. 

Bone health is a very real concern for women in mid and later life, because when they go through the menopause, oestrogen levels drop rapidly and bones lose strength at a much faster rate. There are 3.5 million people living with osteoporosis in the UK today, and 50% of women and 20% of men over 50 will break a bone because of it. Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to lose strength and break more easily. However, it’s often referred to as a ‘silent disease’ because of under-diagnosis, under-treatment and low levels of public awareness. 

The theme of this year’s World Menopause Day is bone health, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get some expert advice from a woman who knows all about bones. I’m delighted to be speaking to Sarah Leyland, who is an osteoporosis specialist nurse currently working as a clinical adviser with the Royal Osteoporosis Society. With over 20 years of experience in providing specialist advice, guidance and support, she’s exactly the person we need to tell us how we can support our bone density and reduce the risk of fractures that can be a very real concern for women, post menopause. 

Sarah and I discuss what bones are made of and how they renew themselves. She explains the various risk factors for low bone density and why it’s important to assess your own fracture risk, as well as talking us through the diet and lifestyle factors that can affect your bones, plus the various treatment options available. 

It was fascinating to hear about her work at The Royal Osteoporosis Society, which is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to bone health and osteoporosis. They work to improve the bone health of the nation and support everyone with osteoporosis to live well through their support services and advice. Their free Helpline, run by a team of specialist nurses, including Sarah herself, provides information and support to anyone with questions about their bone health or osteoporosis.

This really is an episode that covers everything you might want to know about bones, so tune in for her excellent practical advice. 

If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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. 

Our family doctor is at the heart of the community and the first port of call for health advice, support and treatment for us and our loved ones. But even before the restrictions around the pandemic, that had become more difficult. With appointments often limited to 10 minutes and a one problem: one appointment policy in many surgeries, what does the menopausal women do, if she’s struggling with multiple debilitating symptoms? And how does she make herself heard? I’ve come across so many examples of women feeling that they’ve been dismissed, ignored and simply not listened to and it’s really heart-breaking to hear those stories. So in this episode I’m tackling the doctor’s appointment – how to get one and how to get the most out of it so that you get the exact support you need.

Who better to call upon for this than the nation’s favourite GP, Dr Dawn Harper, who’s worked in the NHS for over 30 years. Possibly best known for her role in the BAFTA-award winning series Embarrassing Bodies, Dawn is a very familiar face on our TV screens, commenting on medical matters. She’s also the author of 12 health and well-being books, but most importantly, she’s still a practising GP, serving her local community. So there’s no one better to give us the inside track on how to manage the conversation with your doctor. 

We discuss strategies for getting the appointment in the first place; how to make sure you get to see the right person; how a little planning can go a long way; which questions to ask your doctor and why you should never, ever feel embarrassed! Tune in for Dawn’s brilliant practical advice on how to make the most of your doctor’s appointment. 

If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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. 

Tense, nervous headache anyone? Did you know that during our fertile years, women are 3 times more likely to suffer from headaches than men? Up until puberty and then after the menopause, our propensity for headaches is roughly the same as for men, so those pesky hormones have a lot to answer for. If menstrual migraine is an issue for you, then this episode could be just what you need because I’ve called in the big guns to help us out here. I’m speaking to Professor Anne MacGregor who has spent her career studying hormonal headaches and treating women who struggle with them so there is no one better to advise us here. 

From her initial doctorate where she explored the role of oestrogen in migraine, Anne has gone on to publish over 200 research papers and authored numerous books on the subject. A specialist trainer, researcher and clinician, she’s really pushed the boundaries of research in the area of hormonal headaches and has supported countless women along the way. She is currently based at the Headache and Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Centre at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London and is a British Menopause Society specialist and trainer. 

Tune in to find out about Anne’s fascinating journey from her initial research which led to her blazing a trail in the field of hormonal headaches and giving a voice to women who have struggled with this issue for years. We discuss menstrual migraine – what it is, why it happens and what you can do about it; the role of nutrition in brain function; and what to look for in over-the-counter pain relief. There’s so much to learn here and it’s an invaluable episode for anyone who struggles with headaches and migraines. 

If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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. 

Every woman deserves to have a happy menopause – regular listeners will know how important that is to me and that’s the entire inspiration behind this podcast. In this episode we’re going to go a little broader and talk about not just having a happy menopause but how to have a magnificent midlife! This time in a woman’s life can be truly transformational, as the hormones that have driven your decisions, your approach to life and your emotions since puberty, start to subside and there’s headspace for you to focus on yourself and what you want to do with the rest of your life. Rachel Lankester is just the woman to help us with this, because she’s the founder of the Magnificent Midlife Movement which is all about celebrating and empowering women who are over 40, and we could all do with a bit of that!

Rachel is on a mission to disrupt negative ageist and sexist stereotypes about older women, menopause and aging. Founder of Magnificent Midlife and host of an inspiring podcast of the same name, she's passionate about changing how society perceives women in midlife and beyond, and also how we view ourselves. She’s full of practical advice on how we can build up our confidence and transform ourselves and our lives so that we can truly make the most of our 40s, 50s and beyond. 

Tune in for an injection of confidence and some fantastic insights and inspiration on how you can transform yourself and your life at this pivotal time for women. 

If you've enjoyed this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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. 

September is the perfect time for new beginnings and a different way of doing things. For most of us, things tend to be a little quieter in August, so that we can enjoy a bit of a break and this can be a handy reminder of the importance of work-life balance and getting plenty of free time. So that’s what I’d like to focus on in this episode, because things usually start to crank up again as we move into the autumn and it’s easy to let your good resolutions slide, so that before you know it, the pressure’s piling up again and you don’t know which way to turn. In this episode, I’m chatting to Fab Giovanetti, author of Reclaim Your Time Off who’s going to help us to get the balance right.

Fab is an award-winning entrepreneur and social media & marketing expert who’s supported multiple start-ups and helped them establish and grow their brand. She’s also the founder of Creative Impact, a collective of hundreds of creatives aiming to make a positive impact on others and the planet. Fab is a woman who’s been juggling a huge amount of things for a long time and it was this that caused her to stop, take stock and develop some key strategies to improve her work-life balance. This is what led to her wonderful new book Reclaim Your Time Off which is full of advice on just how we can do that effectively, because we midlife women definitely need to give ourselves a break!

In this episode we discuss the importance of setting boundaries and how to have the confidence to say ‘no’. Fab talks us through strategies for an effective work-life balance and  to help you disconnect from the pressures of work. She also shares her 3-step solution to reclaiming your time off to help you make the most of your free time.

If you've enjoyed this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners 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.