By Barbara Bray
The podcast currently has 12 episodes available.
Brief summary of episode:
Menopause is a period of transition that can affect women in a range of different ways. The way in which we respond to the changes can have a lasting impact on the quality of our health. In today’s episode we discuss how the food we eat can help us to live well through menopause and beyond.
Laura is an award-winning Freelance Registered Nutritionist who specialises in nutrition writing, workplace wellness and nutrition communications.
Laura studied public health and nutrition at the University of Aberdeen. Now, with over 15-years’ experience working in food innovation and academic research she loves reviewing the scientific evidence and translating it into clear messages.
Lynn is a registered nutritionist with many years' experience in public health nutrition and recipe analysis. Having gained many years experience working in various nutrition positions within the UK civil service, she is now works independently, writing, delivering courses and developing recipes.
Lynn and Laura have published their new book ‘Eating well for menopause’ and are here to tell us about it.
Bullet points of key topics.
3.08 Topic #1 The need for a book on eating well for menopause
Women were coming them with questions about what to shop, cook and eat to help deal with the menopause transition. The pair started out with a selection of digital downloads which then became the book.
5.48 Topic #2 The core areas covered by the book
Hot flushes and Sleep issues as these are most common reported issues during menopause and the book covers other topics including hydration and body image.
20.11 Topic #3 Mediterranean diet as a recommended way of cooking and eating
What the Med diet is beneficial for - eg Heart, Weight management and Mood.
Beans and pulses and fruits and vegetables, not just fresh but canned and frozen
26.00 Topic #4 Healthy hydration
Hydration and how some women may avoid drinking due to bladder issues and what the implications of this may be on health/other symptoms.
Take home points
Eat more soya and follow a Mediterranean pattern of eating
Diversify your plant foods
Hydration – keep well hydrated
Notes:
NB: this information does not replace personalised advice from a Health Care Professional
Further Resources:
Eating Well for Menopause: Advice and recipes to improve your health and well-being
By Dr Laura Wyness and Lynn Burns
Available from online and high street bookstores from June 2023
Our Let's Talk Food 'Eating Well for Menopause' series of online courses for women: https://letstalkfood.thinkific.com/pages/menopause
Dr Laura Wyness:
Twitter @laura_wyness
Instagram @drlaurawyness
Lynn Burns:
Twitter @LynnBurnsRNutr
Instagram @lynnburnsnutrition
Depression is one of the leading causes of disease related disability in women and they are nearly twice as likely as men to suffer from an episode of depression. The prevalence has been reported to be particularly high during the menopause transition.
Women with a history of anxiety and depression report worse quality of life during their mid-years.
My guest today is Dr Charlotte Marriot is a Consultant NHS Psychiatrist, a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician and a nature-based coach. She likes to inspire and empower people to make small changes to their lifestyles to improve their physical and mental health and well-being. She is the ideal expert for today’s topic on depression and anxiety.
Topic #1 What is anxiety and how does it differ to depression?
Topic #2 Risk of depression and anxiety in mid-life
The sandwich years and responsibility
Women’s mental load
Importance of self-care
Managing inflammation through diet and exercise, limiting alcohol
The benefits of exercise for symptoms of depression
11mins of walking a day can be protective for our health
Topic #3 Prevention and management
In the UK first point of contact is GP to access primary care support
Private psychologists and therapists can be accessed from British Psychological Association of regulated professionals
Accident & Emergency or Crisis Centres or Third Sector such as MIND will help in an emergency.
Topic #4 Menopause
Depression presents differently in menopause
The two can be confounded but they are not one and the same thing
Importance of monitoring symptoms and communicating them to a health care professional
Take home messages
Eating a healthy diet for example following the Mediterranean dietary pattern
Maintaining physical activity, move a little bit every day in a way that makes you feel good
Getting outside into nature everyday
Notes:
NB: this information does not replace personalised advice from a Health Care Professional. Please see the lifestyle psychiatrist website for information on Charlotte’s work Health, Mental - The Lifestyle Psychiatrist - Worcester, England
Eating a varied diet that is high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish and unsaturated fats, is a good way of eating and not just for mental health.
We discussed the Mediterranean dietary pattern https://www.heartuk.org.uk/healthy-diets/the-mediterranean-diet
Further Resources:
•Lifestyle Psychiatry, Edited by Douglas L. Noordsy, M.D (2019) •Exercise-Based Interventions for Mental Illness, Physical Activity as Part of Clinical Treatment, Edited by Brendon Stubbs and Simon Rosenbaum (2018) •Brain Changer: How Diet Can Save Your Mental Health – cutting-edge science from the expert, Professor Felice Jacka (2019) •The Psychobiotic Revolution: Mood, Food, and the New Science of the Gut-Brain Connection, Anderson, Dinan & Cryan (2019) •The Inflamed Mind: A Radical New Approach to Depression, Edward Bullmore (2019) •Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, James Nestor (2020) •Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild, Lucy Jones (2020) •One Simple Thing: A New Look at the Science of Yoga and How it Can Transform Your Life, Eddie Stern (2020)
Help
British Psychological Association https://www.bps.org.uk/
Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/
Saneline https://www.sane.org.uk/how-we-help/emotional-support/saneline-services
Shout https://giveusashout.org/
MIND https://www.mind.org.uk/
Sleep is crucial for our overall health and well-being, affecting both our physical and mental health. This is why a lack of it impairs a range of functions from task performance and post-physical activity recovery to cognitive performance and mood. Poor sleep quality also impairs decision-making.
What can we do to manage episodes of poor sleep? Is it just sleep that’s an issue and where does tiredness come into it? What impact can menopause have on our sleep?
In today’s episode, I’ll be asking these questions to Dr Jonny Bloomfield, health and performance coach and I’ll also be speaking with Diana Spellman, a company director who will be sharing her story of sleep problems as she adapted to the menopause.
Take home messages
Get up at the same time everyday
Only go to bed when you’re sleepy
Reserve the bedroom only for sleep and sex
If you can’t sleep, stop trying
Avoid daytime napping unless for safety reasons.
Notes:
NB: this information does not replace personalised advice from a Health Care Professional
Further Resources:
Jonny Bloomfield website
Dr Jonny Bloomfield
National Sleep Guidelines - Consumer_V2.0.indd (mammothperks.co.uk)
Sleep environments and sleep physiology: A review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30509635/
Welcome to today’s episode “Letting go of wanting to lose weight” with non-diet counsellor Mel Wakeman and guest Amy Wilkinson sharing her lived experience.
Mel is a highly experienced and neurodivergent registered nutritionist specialising in intuitive eating, non-diet nutrition and counselling for eating disorders, disordered eating and body image issues. She developed an eating disorder herself at 16 (now recovered) which fed her interest in nutrition, before beginning a long lecturing career in 1997. Since launching Wakeman Nutrition in 2017 Mel is on a mission to help folk who find food difficult and stressful, discover freedom, peace, and happiness in their own skin.
Amy is a Coach supporting women and teams in the Food & Grocery Industry to be more assertive and get the recognition they deserve in their careers. Amy’s works with women across the sector to help them be more confident in themselves. Often, the conversation comes back to appearance and weight, which is something Amy has also battled with her whole life. Amy burnt out just over a decade ago, whilst on a restrictive diet and intensive exercise regime. Amy now helps women to be more self-assured so that they can have successful careers without burning out.
03.25 Mel discusses the impact of diet messaging. How the diet culture is causing harm and negatively impacting the image we have of ourselves.
11. 45 Mel talks about relationships with food and Amy shares her history
22.22 Mel discusses menopausal weight gain and Amy shares the changes she has made recently to her lifestyle
32.10 Know your numbers - managing high blood pressure is important and we should check our blood sugar (HBa1c) and cholesterol too.
35.50 Take home messages
Notes:
NB: this information does not replace personalised advice from a Health Care Professional
Further Resources:
List of resources, suggested materials, affiliate links, and social media:
Mel’s website
Wakeman Nutrition
Instagram @mel_wakeman_rnutr
LinkedIn melwakeman
Understanding menopausal weight gain guide.
Mel’s podcast ‘Cake over Keto’
Cake Over Keto | Libsyn Directory
Particularly relevant episodes -
What lies beneath...the number on the scale (and some bonkers history of the bathroom scales), 1st April 2022 and Menopause and Eating disorders, 24th June 2022 could also be a helpful listen
Amy’s website
Amy Wilkinson Coaching | Coaching and facilitation
Amy’s podcast and website
Oh For Food's Sake (simplecast.com)
http://www.ohforfoodssake.co.uk/
Amy’s LinkedIn
(4) Amy Wilkinson | LinkedIn
As we age from mid-life we lose muscle mass and our bone strength gradually declines. Keeping our bone health for as long as possible is important to prevent us from becoming frail.
What does ‘bone health’ mean?
● Bone health is about keeping your bones healthy for life, so you can live well for longer.
● Good bone health can prevent fractures and the health consequences of this - pain, disability, loss of independence, poor quality of life.
How do we maintain good bone health as we age? Is it possible for us to reduce the risk of damage and fractures? To answers these questions and share advice and experiences, I have invited Tanya Grenade and Aliya Porter.
Tanya is a freelance Associate Nutritionist specialising in science communication and bone health and a volunteer with the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
Aliya is a freelance Registered Nutritionist who has a family history of osteoporosis, a debilitating health condition that weakens the bones and causes them to break. She works with clients of all ages to improve their nutrition without breaking the bank or chaining them to the kitchen!
Good bone health throughout life with these 4 steps:
Prevention
Prevention of poor bone health by looking after your bones from a young age is best. During childhood and teens is the time to build your bone strength as at around early to late 20’s your bones will be the strongest they will be (Peak bone mass)
Lifestyle changes
Nutrition and physical activity. Around 35-40 your bone strength gradually declines due to age. As more bone is being lost than made. So at this stage in your life you want to maintain your bone health nutrition and physical activity is a great way to do this.
Early intervention
Being aware of any signs and symptoms or changes in your body. May not notice any symptoms till you get a fracture. But some symptoms are loss of height (this can also happen after pregnancy - pregnancy related osteoporosis), curved back (kyphosis), back pain.
Timely treatment
If you do have a problem with your bone health. Getting the right treatment quickly can help to look after your bones. DEXA scan, UK- Fracture liaison Clinic (FLS) where available as there isn’t 100% coverage.
Aliya's story
Her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother have each had a history of broken bones and long-term pain. She shares with us the range of treatment that they received and the varying outcomes, stressing the importance of presenting early to the doctor with the symptoms and ensuring that intervention starts quickly.
She is now in a position to use her family history to help inform her own treatment. She currently has strategies in place to manage her bone health to stay in good condition for as long as she can.
Key take home messages
Genetics plays a huge role in our bone health yet there are things that we can do to reduce the risk of poor bone health as we age.
These include acting quickly when we experience changes and increased pain. Note down this information and inform a doctor.
Be persistent, especially if you have a family history of poor bone health. An early scan and medical intervention is key to a good outcome.
Diet and exercise has an impact on bone health. Resistance/weight bearing exercises and a diet that contains a diverse range of foods including fruits and vegetables, sources of calcium for example dairy foods and products fortified with calcium are helpful.
Further Resources:
General information about Osteoporosis
Royal Osteoporosis Society website
UK’s largest national charity dedicated to improving bone health and beating osteoporosis
https://theros.org.uk/
Free Royal Osteoporosis Society Helpline
You can call the nurses and they will give you advice on bone health and osteoporosis. They are very knowledgeable and friendly.
https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/free-osteoporosis-helpline/
Check your risk of Osteoporosis
Bone Health Checker: to check your risk of osteoporosis
Answer some questions and a few minutes later find out your risk of osteoporosis
https://theros.org.uk/risk-checker/?campaign=77a866ee-c708-ed11-82e5-0022481b5a28
Exercises beneficial for people with osteoporosis
Strong steady and straight
Exercises for people with osteoporosis
Quick guide: https://theros.org.uk/media/0o5h1l53/ros-strong-steady-straight-quick-guide-february-2019.pdf
Article: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/15/837
Exercises to follow by the Royal osteoporosis Society
There is a guide and Youtube videos. so you can see the exercises. There are seated exercises too.
https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/osteoporosis/living-with-osteoporosis/exercise-and-physical-activity-for-osteoporosis/
Link to all Royal Osteoporosis Society Youtube videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4UZMGWYv80OKhFKc2Y9Q5nGKGkDhLpwG
Tanya Grenade Twitter
https://twitter.com/tanyagrenade
Tanya Grenade - Typeshare
https://typeshare.co/tanyagrenade
Tanya Grenade - you tube video
https://youtu.be/CgcfvR6K-x4
Aliya Porter
www.porternutrition.co.uk
www.facebook.com/porternutrition
Heart disease tends to be considered a man’s problem and high blood pressure, cholesterol, stress and too much drinking and smoking are common problems for men. The reality is that the risk of coronary heart disease increases for women after menopause. The good news is that there are changes that we can make in our daily lives that can reduce the risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke. We’ll hear about how changes to the diet can help reduce cholesterol levels, disease risk and manage other menopausal symptoms.
Join me in this episode to hear from our researcher Dr Laura Wyness.
Laura is an award-winning Freelance Registered Nutritionist who specialises in nutrition writing, workplace wellness and nutrition communications.
Laura studied public health and nutrition at the University of Aberdeen. Now, with over 15-years’ experience working in food innovation and academic research she loves reviewing the scientific evidence and translating it into clear messages.
Her work includes offering online nutrition consultations and she has provided dietary advice for many peri-menopausal women. In collaboration with fellow Registered Nutritionist Lynn Burns, she has helped developed ebooks and online courses on Eating Well for Menopause.
Laura explains her interest in menopause and diet and that women are not as aware of the risk associated with menopause and heart disease.
Topic 1 - Menopause symptoms and impact on heart health and cholesterol level
Topic 2 - Key nutrients and useful foods to include in the diet to help reduce cholesterol level
Topic 3 - Other menopausal symptoms such as poor sleep and bladder issues
Top 3 things people should focus on to improve their heart health
1. Check your cholesterol and BP levels
2. Include heart healthy foods - oats, nuts, soya foods…plenty F&V, beans and pulses, mycoprotein/Quorn foods and adding a portion of oil-rich fish each week
3. Hydrate well – ask yourself are you drinking enough? Staying well hydrated helps your heart do its job and helps your muscles work more efficiently.
List of resources, suggested materials, and social media:
Guide to eating well during the menopause - UCLP© menopause - HEART UK
The Ultimate Cholesterol Lowering Plan - Ultimate Cholesterol Lowering Plan - HEART UK
Heart UK - https://www.heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol/understanding-your-cholesterol-test-results-
HEART UK NHS Heart Age Calculator - What's your heart age? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Let’s Talk Food e-books and courses - LetsTalkFood (thinkific.com)
The Lancet women and cardiovascular disease commission: reducing the global burden by 2030 (2021). Vogel B et al.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00684-X/fulltext
Recommendations from an international team of experts and leaders in the field have been generated with a clear focus to reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease in women by 2030
Note:
“We use the term ‘women’ throughout this talk with no intention of exclusion. It is important to highlight that it is not only those who identify as women who may experience menopausal symptoms.
For example, some transgender men, non-binary people, and intersex people or people with variations in sex characteristics may experience menopause.”
Useful reference: https://rockmymenopause.com/get-informed/transgender-health/
Please note that this podcast is not intended for use by non-medically qualified individuals or as a an alternative to any medical treatment.
Brief summary of episode:
The brain is a complex organ that controls our movement, our emotions and stores our precious memories.
When we talk about brain health, there are a few definitions and the one I have chosen is from World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its inclusive language.
“Brain health is the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioural and motor domains, allowing a person to realize their full potential over the life course, irrespective of the presence or absence of disorders.”
How do we maintain our brain health? Is it possible for us to reduce our dementia risk as we age? To answer these questions and more, I have invited Professor Anne-Marie Minihane from the University of East Anglia.
Prof Anne-Marie Minihane’s research looks at the impact of certain foods and the Mediterranean diet on brain health. She will also discuss the possible effects of menopause on dementia risk.
Bullet points of key topics + chapter markers
1/ Anne-Marie's career in nutritional biochemistry to researching plant-based foods and brain health with a focus on the menopausal period.
2/ The effect of dehydration on cognitive performance and concentration
3/ Incorporating a Mediterranean style plant-based diet. Purple, red and blue fruits, green leafy vegetables and red cabbage and onions, nuts. Using canned and frozen veg. Soffritto sauce and its benefits.
4/ The gut brain connection, enteric nervous system and neurotransmitters. Ensuring sufficient fibre in the diet through wholegrains. Fibre hacks - check your carbohydrate to fibre ratio.
5/ Cognitive health and memory loss. Focus on what you remember!
6/ Menopause and its impact on brain health. Research on the loss of DHA in the brain and the interest in omega 3 and phytoestrogens in the diet. Benefits of oily fish - a plug for sardines from Cornwall, herring and mackerel from Scotland!
7/ One in 14 people over 65 are likely to develop dementia. 12 modifiable risk factors are responsible for 40% of our risk including diet, physical activity, hearing impairment and low social contact.
8/ Information on brain health and more tips from Alzheimer's Research UK.
Please note that this podcast is not intended for use by non-medically qualified individuals as an alternative to any medical treatment.
List of resources:
Brain healthy habits quiz Brain healthy habits - Think Brain Health - Alzheimer's Research UK (alzheimersresearchuk.org)
World Health Organisation - Brain health
Brain health (who.int)
Gill Livingstone report - Dementia prevention, intervention and care
Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission - PubMed (nih.gov)
Brief summary of episode:
The topic today is social isolation and loneliness and you may have heard this well known quote about the impact on our health.
“research by Prof Julianne Holt-Lundstat about the impact of social connection on health outcomes indicates that a lack of social connection is comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day”
We may be living longer lives than our parents, but social isolation and loneliness shortens our healthspan, the number of healthy years of our lives.
In this episode we’ll talk about the risk that loneliness poses to our health and the ways that we can address this and ensure we build a safe and supportive community.
I’m joined by Shazney Spence, CEO & Founder of EQuanimity Lifestyle & Success Coaching and Dr Deborah Morgan (known as Deb), academic researcher in gerontology and social isolation and loneliness at the University of Swansea.
Topic #1 Difference between social isolation and loneliness
Topic #2 Pathways to Social isolation and Ioneliness and identifying loneliness & triggers
Topic #3 Impact on mental health
Topic #4 Alleviating loneliness: strategies to build confidence, self-esteem, self-perception, value & trust
Topic #5 Connection and the power of vulnerability. Learnings from NASA's CONNECT strategy for social isolation.
Summary Tips from Deb and Shazney
a) you can recover from loneliness – you need to talk to someone
b) think about your social connections and who you would connect to in an emergency
c)loneliness is a normal emotion
List of resources, suggested materials, and social media:
A Life Less Lonely, Deborah Morgan https://youtu.be/KowlgUIBVdE
Research on loneliness | Social Care Wales
Dr Deborah Morgan’s website - Dr Deborah Morgan | Loneliness Researcher (wordpress.com)
Twitter Dr Deborah Morgan (@lonelyDeborah) / Twitter
Shazney Spence, CEO & Founder of EQuanimity Lifestyle & Success Coaching www.shazneyspence.co.uk
Shazney’s Instagram link shazneyspence_soulcoach
Is Social Disconnection Comparable to Smoking? Prof Julianne Holt-Lundstat https://youtu.be/dMbRWNiauNE
Brief summary of episode:
Belly fat, middle-aged spread, apple-shape, central adiposity....
Call it what you will, as we age it seems to creep up on us. Over 43% of menopausal women have obesity and in today’s show I discuss with nutritionist, researcher and inventor of the Shape Chart Dr Margaret Ashwell OBE about why having fat around your middle has different consequences to having it elsewhere.
Margaret has spent several years researching weight gain and fat and she will tell us about apple and pear shapes, and which is a better predictor of health risk.
We also have a range of questions from social media followers to put to her...... Bullet points of key topics + chapter markers
Topic #1 What is belly fat and what are the implications of having it in excess Topic #2 Identifying belly fat – the string test, who is most at risk?
Topic #3 Why is it so hard to shift especially at menopause and what are the options?
Listener questions:
What can I do to realistically reduce belly fat?
I’m always craving sweet foods – is it hormonal?
Three things to measure and keep monitoring as you age
List of resources:
Margaret's website: www.ashwell.uk.com
NICE Guidelines: Keep the size of your waist to less than half of your height, updated NICE draft guideline recommends | News and features | News | NICE
Brief summary of episode:
The average healthspan, the number of years that people spend healthy in the UK is about 10 years shorter than the average lifespan. Increasing the number of years that we spend in good health is a priority not just for us as individuals but for our wider society.
Health is determined by a range of different things in our environment and physical activity is just one of those.
As we age our muscle mass and strength decreases and our body fat increases. Physical activity, particularly strengthening exercises are recommended to maintain fitness.
There are added benefits too such as balance, flexibility and endurance which means that we are less likely to fall as we age.
My guests today are Sheni Ravji-Smith, Head of System Organisational Development, Leadership & Wellbeing working across the whole public service system in Greater Manchester and Hayley Lever Greater Manchester Moving Exec Lead & CEO, GreaterSport
Welcome to the show Sheni and Hayley and thank you so much for your time. I’m sure if anyone can get us moving more it will be the two of you. Bullet points of key topics + chapter markers
Topic #1 Hayley explains benefits immediate e.g., mental health benefits as well as long-term benefits of health protection, faster recovery from injuries and long-term conditions as we age. Physical activity and movement is an important part of our lives.
Topic #2 Hayley explains the difference between physical activity and exercise and talks about the small changes that make an impact and Sheni tells us about her journey to strength training.
Topic #3 Identity driven habits – building a lifestyle that brings joy and movement into life. The importance of your WHY.
Topic #4 Hayley talks about the barriers that people face in doing exercise The fear of judgement and lack of identity as a. Sheni tells us what impact exercise had on her in perimenopause.
Topic #5 Menopause and physical activity and the protective benefits as you age such as maintaining both health. Hayley’s talks about the blog she has written on menopause and exercise.
Topic #6 Motivation – Hayley says to find your thing, design it to fit into your life. Sheni shares her experience of breathing and meditation exercises. List of resources, suggested materials, affiliate links, and social media:
#1 Hayley’s blog from her TEDx talk https://hayleyleverblog.wordpress.com/2019/07/20/the-power-of-active-soles-to-change-the-world/
#2 Hayley’s Blog on menopause hayleyleverblog – Hayley Lever (wordpress.com)#3 Atomic Habits James Clear Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear GUEST DETAILS
HAYLEY LEVER
As the Exec lead for GM Moving, her work is located in the devolved and integrated system. Greater Manchester is Doing things Differently. It’s an exciting place to be. Together, leaders from across sectors wrote and launched the GM Moving Plan in 2017. As CEO of GreaterSport, Hayley leads this amazing charity, enabling it to play its full part in the leadership and delivery of the system wide GM Moving Plan.
SHENI RAVJI-SMITH
Sheni is the Head of System OD, Leadership & Wellbeing working across the whole public service system in Greater Manchester, based at NHS GM Integrated Care. She is leading on the Wellbeing and Inclusion system developments across Greater Manchester, including author of the GM Wellbeing Toolkit, as well as a coach and mentor. During the pandemic, Sheni was the Strategic OD & Wellbeing lead at NHS Nightingale NW field hospital, based in Manchester.
Sheni sits on various boards and advisory groups, has a parallel career in cultural and creative production, and is a Short Clore Leadership, and a Creative Leadership Programme alumni.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
Do what you can to move more
Small meaningful changes are best
Choose to focus on what you care about rather than outcomes that are not so important
A helpful App is - Balance App https://www.balance-menopause.com/
SPREAD THE WORD
I would love you to share this podcast with people in your circles who will find it useful. If you could leave a review and rating on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from, that would be fantastic.
Thanks for listening,
Barbara
The podcast currently has 12 episodes available.