Journalist and author Kaz Cooke surveyed more than 8000 women about menopause and their frank, fearless responses inform Kaz' new book It's The Menopause. Told with candour, amusing illustrations and practical advice, the book is an essential guide for every woman navigating midlife. In this episode Kaz discusses some of the highlights.

Grab a copy of Kaz' book at the Prevention Book Club on Booktopia here. 

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Once your periods stop, do all those annoying symptoms vanish? In this episode, menopause specialist Dr Fatima Kahn returns to discuss how life feels after menopause. Dr Kahn treats women on both sides of menopause at the Agora Centre at Epworth Hospital in Melbourne. She also runs the informative Instagram page Menopause Specialist.

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Women's health physiotherapist Caitlin Dunsford explains why your bladder can become less reliable in your 40s and 50s; from suffering embarrassing little leaks when you laugh to waking up for the fourth time in the night with an overwhelming urge to pass urine. Caitlin discusses the reasons your bladder is letting you down, why it may be a symptom of other issues and what you can do about it. 

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Jo Caminiti had no idea that what was happening to her had a name: perimenopause. And now she's determined to make sure other women know that menopause can come in many guises - and it's not always having hot flushes. Here she shares her story, and the signs and signals she didn't understand until much, much later. If you are in your 40s and your health is gets rocky, it's worth you and your doctor putting menopause on the table (despite how remote 'menopause' may seem). Here's the Australian Menopause Society's symptom checklist.

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Many doctors have little training in menopause. In fact they can fail to recognise the signs, and aren't equipped to help women through menopause. So in this episode Dr Sarah White, who is CEO of the Jean Hailes women's health clinics, talks about how to discuss menopause with your GP and get the help and support you need. You can find the Jean Hailes symptom tracker here. Using it can be an effective way to discuss your health problems with your doctor.

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When nutritionist Faye James hit her mid 40s she found herself piling on kilos around her belly. As someone who had always eaten healthily she was bewildered, and decided to investigate. The result is a cookbook, The Menopause Diet,  which Faye and her photographer husband Darrin James have created, packed with very simple nutritious recipes that lean into the foods we need more of during menopause, and avoid ingredients known to trigger hot flushes and weight gain. In this episode Faye shares her story.

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Journalist Melissa Doyle and her best friend Naima Brown discuss how women can find confidence and pride in approaching our 50s. Their book How to Age Against The Machine explores many facets of life after 40, with a view to empowering others. In this episode Melissa and Naima candidly share how during the writing of this book they've reframed their own outlook on ageing and how they've come to feel great about midlife. 

Grab a copy of How to Age Against the Machine from Prevention's Book Club here. 

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It's surprisingly common for women to feel restless, disappointed or just less happy in our 40s and 50s.  In fact, researchers have found that we tend to hit the bottom of the happiness curve in midlife. So how do we find our way back to feeling joyful and inspired by life again?

In this episode clinical psychologist Dr Emmanuella Murray shares how to set yourself on the path back to happiness and live your best life at midlife.

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Among the many roles oestrogen plays in our bodies, it turns out that it is important in cushioning our joints. In this episode Rebecca Sabine, senior physiotherapist at Adelaide's Vital Core Physiotherapy, explains what happens to our joints as our oestrogen fluctuates during perimenopause. She also offers valuable advice for what you can do to keep your joints strong and healthy at midlife.

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Female alcohol and binge drinking coach Kathryn Elliott shares her own journey to sobriety and discusses tips and tricks to help women drink less. 

You can find Melbourne-based Kathryn Elliott at www.thealcoholmindsetcoach.com 

Or, if you are looking for support from elsewhere in Australia, find coaches near you at www.alcoholcoachesaustralia.com.au 

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