Let’s Talk Menopause…
WOMEN"S HEALTH WEBINAR
WEDNESDAY 21st APRIL 7pm
£15pp
The contents of this blog are unashamedly for the female audience of Studio36, so men you can look away now!
Bet that’s got you interested. And that’s fine too.
Let’s Talk Menopause.
I don’t just mean right in the middle of it phase, but the peri & post and all aspects of it. This is relevant to all women. Hormonally women are very different from men. No surprise, but evidence is stacking up that the depleting oestrogen we experience in menopause has a massive impact on many aspects of our health- not least our brain. Fairly important then. The menopausal ebb in oestrogen doesn’t just result in the joy of hot flushes, but we are also at an increased risk of cognitive decline. Menopausal brain fog is a real thing, but it’s one of the symptoms often ridiculed/brushed over and certainly often underestimated. On a very concerning note, evidence suggests 2 out of 3 Alzheimer’s patients are women. I’m not sure about you but considering approximately 50% of the population has to navigate their way through this challenging process, I have been dismayed at the very limited support & information available to guide us through this stage and help us make evidence based informed decisions. We are not a ‘one size fits all’ species. We are all unique in our needs therefore differ greatly when it comes to managing our symptoms. Some women sail through, and others have a horrendous time- and I want to know why! What can we do to help support our hormone balance?
Here are some menopausal symptoms that friends, family and clients have described:
Feeling out of sorts
Lacking confidence, self-doubt
Brain fog/ forgetfulness
Night sweats
Hot flushes
Being ‘off’ or ‘unhinged’
Sleep deprived
Joint pains
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Vaginal dryness / atrophy
Low libido… need I go on?
HRT as a treatment can be hugely successful and is definitely a life saver for many when it comes to managing difficult symptoms. However, a bespoke regime that is tailored to each individual is fairly elusive in my experience. Possibly you have a different story. There is also the fact you would need a degree in Endocrinology to work out all the options available.
Ultimately the person I felt I got the most help from was my nutritionist friend Jane McClenaghan.http://www.vital-nutrition.co.uk I attended a menopause webinar, learnt loads and then went for an individual Zoom session where she did a deep dive into my symptoms and really analysed my individual needs. As you might imagine my diet is not too bad, and I think I’ve nailed a decent exercise regime! However there were definitely things that Jane detected I needed to change – I’m still a work in progress but definitely feel much better and like myself than before.
So, whether going down the HRT route or not- how can we best support ourbrains, bones joints and waistlines? How much does our weight, sugar intake, quality of sleep, exercise or stress levels influence our experience of menopause? What food can help support hormone balance? What supplements are worth it? Is fasting a good idea? How can we support ourselves better into older age, and protect our brains?
I have been chatting to Jane and she has agreed to do a Webinar session primarily for the Studio36 audience. The plan would be address a lot of these issues, open up the conversation and give us all a chance to ask questions and share ideas. Some of you may remember I hosted a medical menopause expert in the studio a couple of years ago. It was a very interesting evening, even more so when some of us had a half hour chat at the end about our experience of menopause. Women are great, and hearing about similar experiences can be very reassuring.
JOIN THE WEBINAR - 7pm WEDNESDAY 21st APRIL
If you are keen to join please contact me on alisonlyons@studio36ni.com or text 07484 642470 and get on the list. Your friends and family welcome too! I will put you on a WhatsApp group and sort out payment shortly. Also if you have any questions you particularly want answered, or topics covered related to diet and menopause please let me know.
Chat soon,
Ali x
P.S. One last thing on this subject. I would highly recommend this book as a source of information. Lisa Mosconi did an amazing podcast with my favourite Dr Rangan Chatterjee https://drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/ which was just fantastic and also well worth a listen to. This book talks loads about menopause and brain health, and strategies to deal with it.
