Michelle speaks with Aanu Benson, a menopause coach from Lagos, Nigeria. Aanu reshaped her experience of over 60 symptoms into a powerful mission to break the silence around menopause. A passionate advocate, Aanu reveals the reality of navigating perimenopause without knowledge or support. She talks about cultural misconceptions, career impact, relationship challenges and the power of lifestyle changes.

Aanu Reveals:

• The 60 symptoms she experienced before realising she was in perimenopause

• How in Nigeria, perimenopause symptoms are often attributed to witchcraft or spiritual curses, leading women to seek inappropriate treatments

• The impact that menopause can have on the careers of women

• How effective lifestyle changes can be for managing perimenopause symptoms

• Why educating younger women is crucial

• Why relationships suffer without understanding perimenopause and its symptoms

• The importance of education and why women must learn that symptoms are hormonal, not personal failings

• Why healthcare and workplace training are so desperately needed

BEST MOMENTS

"I thought I was dying. That's the thing. I thought I was dying. I thought I was going crazy, especially since the doctors didn't have answers."

"Everything went crazy, in my mind, in my body and my emotions and I had no one to explain to me that this is exactly what you're going through."

"I felt like my mind was hovering around, like floating above me, kind of like watching me, but it was not in my body."

"The silence ends with me. I need to do something about this. I cannot watch while another woman just goes off and begins the silence struggle."

"Lots of people feel that perimenopause symptoms are caused by African magic or that it's spiritual or that you've been bewitched."

"There's no one pill, you know, we just have to work on lifestyle adjustments, fitness works, wonders."

"Oestrogen to a woman is just the same as fuel to a car. So once the oestrogen begins to decline, then everything is going to start happening everywhere."

EPISODE RESOURCES

Here's a link to Sister's Keeper 's YouTube Channel for more helpful tips on how to navigate your menopause journey:

https://youtube.com/@sisterskeeper825

Contact Aanu here:

http://bit.ly/40Z2vHt

HOST BIO

Michelle is a highly respected Physiotherapist and Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner with over two decades of experience in the health and wellness industry. After experiencing seven years of debilitating symptoms herself before realising it was perimenopause, Michelle has since dedicated her career to helping other women navigate this transformative stage of life. Her personal journey fuels her passion for educating and empowering women, as well as training businesses and health professionals through her specialised menopause and wellbeing workshops. A best-selling author and sought-after speaker, Michelle combines deep clinical expertise with relatable, real-world experience. Through her podcast, "Menopause - The Real Deal," she offers evidence-based guidance, authentic conversations, and practical strategies. Listeners trust Michelle for her empathetic understanding and her commitment to helping women thrive, making her a leading voice in the menopause space.

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My Book: You, me conquering perimenopause & menopause https://amzn.eu/d/hCcbjag

Website www.panaceapause.co.uk