During this episode Heather and our guest Dr Clare Spencer do an amazing job of simplifying this incredibly complex topic. You might be thinking…mmm…not the sexiest topic to listen to but, please do because by the end not only will you have a greater understanding about blood tests but you’ll also be reminded about a few basics - understanding how other unmeasurable factors influence your symptoms as those hormones merrily fluctuate away and why it’s so important to disentangle how you really feel during this hormonal storminess.

Heather and Clare drill down into the nitty gritty. dispelling myths and misinformation along the way and give invaluable insight into a very misunderstood topic.

So, would you ever measure hormone levels? If so, is there a right time, what about age factors, what are they actually testing for, how accurate is it, what about absorption levels, are there target levels to aim for, how do you interpret a result, where do environmental factors & genetics come in, how best to avoid tachyphylaxis and what about prescribing HRT for bone health? I know, they cover a lot…we told you it was worth a listen! 

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Getting a good night’s sleep…something we all need to prioritise for our health & wellbeing, but especially if we’re going through, (what can be), a turbulent hormonal transition – the Menopause.

When we hit those zzzs there’s a lot going on - a multitude of restorative processes…tissue growth & repair, brain recovery & rest, memory consolidation…an endless list.

Your job is to give your body chance to get that good night’s sleep.

Whether you’re struggling to maintain consistent sleep patterns or not this is a must listen. It’s incredibly interesting and informative with lots of practical tips & sleep hacks throughout. The key as always - you have to put a bit of effort in yourself!

Understanding the different stages of an average sleep cycle, the do’s & don’ts of catnapping, the myths around sleep and what the term social jetlag means will encourage so many of you to start prioritising what some refer to as, the elixir of life!

To help us discuss this important topic we were delighted to be joined by experienced GP & registered Menopause specialist Dr. Zoe Schaedel who specialises in sleep medicine.

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Lifestyle medicine, how simple tweaks and nudges to lifestyle choices can have a huge impact on helping to manage symptoms associated with the menopause.

We invited Dr Barbara Phipps on to help us unpick what lifestyle medicine is all about. What are the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine which help support health & wellbeing…we discuss how they are all interconnected. It’s not a case of choosing one and discounting the others.

We discuss how making small steps with each of the pillars can be hugely important when going through the menopause, ones like nutrition and physical activity.

Tiny is mighty…incremental steps become sustainable and tend not to be overwhelming.

Listen to hear about Barbara’s ‘54321’ for helping to live in the moment and Heather’s advice of just giving your brain a rest.

Then there’s how socio-economic factors play a role, how CBT can be really helpful, what actually is the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine and how to integrate lifestyle medicine into general practice…well worth a listen.

We’ve decided to switch it up a bit this series so, our Myth busting moments have now been replaced with Nuggets of Knowledge!

Dr Barbara Phipps is a GP who specialises in the care of people living with persistent pain. 

In 2019, Barbara developed an innovative programme for patients in Edinburgh experiencing chronic pain, which is now funded by NHS Lothian. Her approach integrates neuroscience, lifestyle medicine, and patient empowerment to help individuals better understand and manage their symptoms.

Alongside her clinical work, Barbara serves as Deputy Director of Year 5 at Edinburgh Medical School and teaches on the MSc in Clinical Management of Pain at the University of Edinburgh. she is a Fellow of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

https://painplusscotland.co.uk/

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This episode we start the conversation about this incredibly challenging and often misunderstood topic. Much more work needs to be done in this area within communities and within healthcare. To help us navigate our way through the many issues women can face we are delighted to welcome onto the podcast Dr Shasi Prasad a GP, BMS accredited Advanced Menopause Specialist and Women’s Integrative & Functional Medicine Doctor.

Useful links & resources:

·       Women’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets

·       British Menopause society: https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/20-BMS-TfC-Menopause-in-ethnic-minority-women-JULY2023-B.pdf

·       Menopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.uk

·       Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.uk

·       NHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

·       National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/recommendations

Dr Shashi Prasad is a GP, BMS accredited Advanced Menopause Specialist and Women’s Integrative & Functional Medicine Doctor. She is involved in raising menopause awareness in all ethnic communities to help equalise the disparity in menopause care. She has produced a toolkit for the British Menopause Society- “Menopause in Ethnic Minority” which has been published in “The Post reproductive Journal”.

She is a member of Royal College of General Practitioners, British Menopause Society, International Menopause Society and Institute of Functional Medicine.

She runs menopause clinics in New Malden, South West London & in Harley Street: https://www.drshashiprasad.com/

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Continuing the conversation we started in Series 3 episode 5 about the 5 gynaecological cancers, this episode we delve into the complex topics of taking HRT after having cancer, why some women might consider having risk reducing surgery, when is it appropriate to get tested for altered genes and how would you know. To chat through these topics with us and much more we are delighted to welcome back onto the podcast Tracie Miles from the Eve Appeal.

Useful links and resources:

·       The Eve Appeal : www.eveappeal.org.uk

·       The Protector trial: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/fmd/research/protector/

·       Women’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets

·       British Menopause society: thebms.org.uk/publications/tools-for-clinicians

·       Menopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.uk

·       Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.uk

·      NHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

Tracie Miles

Tracie’s nursing career over four decades has focused in the main on gynaecology , specifically oncology , with 28 years as a gynae - oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, complimented by a senior role in cancer genomics within the new NHS services.

Tracie is a member of various all party parliamentary committees, NICE specialist committees looking at women’s health, is a Cochrane reviewer and has published nationally/ internationally on gynae cancers and genomics.

Tracie is a senior lecturer at the University West of England, her passion for translating knowledge, advances in science into practice is satisfied in her role as Information Nurse Consultant to the Eve Appeal, the Gynaecology Cancer Research Charity.

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In Series 3, episode 1, we tackled the macronutrients and glucose spikes as well as a reminder about a few basics we should all be remembering. This time we take a dive into the topic of micronutrients. Why some women might need a wee boost in certain areas going through this transitional stage of life and which nutrients are we actually talking about… the ones that can have an impact on symptoms associated with the menopause. We’re delighted to welcome back onto the podcast nutritionist Jackie Lynch to continue this conversation, and we also touch on a few topics like supplements… on the microbiome… never enough time, fear not we will return to this topic at some point! 

Useful links & resources:

Women’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets

British Menopause society: thebms.org.uk/publications/tools-for-clinicians

Menopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.uk

Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.uk

NHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

Jackie Lynch: https://www.well-well-well.co.uk/

The Menopause Matters, Let’s Talk Podcast is hosted by Dr Heather Currie MBE, founder of Menopause Matters & Ruth Devlin founder of Let’s Talk Menopause.

Heather is a gynaecologist with special interests in menopause, Premenstrual syndrome and cervical screening. She is a trustee and past chair of the British Menopause Society (BMS), Co-editor of post Reproductive Health, the journal of the BMS, Clinical advisor to Scottish government for the Women’s Health Plan for Scotland, and founder and MD of Menopause Matters, set up in 2001. Awarded MBE for services to healthcare in 2021.

Ruth is a retired nurse, an educator, a reflexologist & has training in cognitive behaviour therapy. She is the founder & MD of Let’s Talk Menopause, set up in 2012 & author of the book Men…Let’s Talk Menopause.

Jackie Lynch

Award-winning nutritionist, Jackie Lynch is the founder of the WellWellWell nutrition clinic, where she specialises in women’s health and the menopause.

She is the host of the popular diet & lifestyle podcast The Happy Menopause and is the author of several books including her latest book, The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish (Watkins, 2020)

Jackie’s nutrition clinic was recognised as Menopause Nutrition Clinic of the Year in the 2021 and 2022 London & South-East Prestige Awards.

Her advice features in a range of national media and she has appeared as a guest expert on radio and TV, including Channel 4’s Superfoods.

Jackie is past Chair of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition. She is a Fellow of the British Association for Nutrition & Lifestyle Medicine and a Member of the British Menopause Society.

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Testosterone…a word which conjures up certain expectations for some women alongside causing additional confusion for others. In this episode we set a few things straight for you and to help us do that we were delighted to chat with Professor Susan Davis, the renowned leading specialist and researcher on this topic. This episode once again reinforces the need for evidence based, trusted information and the importance of listening to the right people.

Useful links & resources:

·       Women’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets

·       British Menopause society: https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/08-BMS-TfC-Testosterone-replacement-in-menopause-DEC2022-A.pdf

·       Menopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.uk

·       Digital MM magazine: https://menopausematters.pressreader.com/ (80th edition has additional information & interview with Prof Susan Davis)

·       Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.uk

·       NHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

·       National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/recommendations

·       https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/104/10/4660/5556103

·       https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/3476072/menopause-toolkit-update.pdf

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In this episode we continue the conversation about complementary therapies and delve into the well known restorative effects of reflexology, a renowned source of relaxation for many, although there are a few sceptics out there who wonder how a bit of ‘fiddling with your feet’ can really help! To help us understand everything we’re delighted to welcome onto the podcast experienced reflexologist Sally Earlam. We chat through the theory behind how it can help with symptoms associated with the menopause, what it can help with, is it genuinely relaxing and much more. 

Useful links & resources:

·       Women’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets

·       British Menopause society: thebms.org.uk/publications/tools-for-clinicians

·       Menopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.uk

·       Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.uk

·       NHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

·       Sally Earlam reflexology: https://sallyearlam.co.uk/

·       Association of Reflexologists: https://www.aor.org.uk/

Complementary and Natural Healthcare council: https://www.cnhc.org.uk/

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There’s a whole range of complementary therapies out there to choose from, is it all a load of hocus pocus…are they worth looking into to help give you that truly holistic approach when coping with symptoms associated with the menopause or looking to enhance your overall quality of life and wellbeing…

To help us start to navigate our way through this topic we’re delighted to welcome back onto the podcast Dr Becky McCormick who talks about the benefits of acupuncture and hypnotherapy…can they really help…what if you have a phobia about needles…how long have these therapies really been around…all very interesting!

·      Useful links & resources:

·      Women’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets

·      British Menopause society: thebms.org.uk/publications/tools-for-clinicians

·      Menopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.uk

·      Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.uk

·      NHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

·      The British Medical Acupuncture Society: https://www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk/

·      National Hypnotherapy Society: https://nationalhypnotherapysociety.org/

·      Complementary and Natural Healthcare council: https://www.cnhc.org.uk/

The Menopause Matters, Let’s Talk Podcast is hosted by Dr Heather Currie MBE, founder of Menopause Matters & Ruth Devlin founder of Let’s Talk Menopause.

Heather is a gynaecologist with special interests in menopause, Premenstrual syndrome and cervical screening. She is a trustee and past chair of the British Menopause Society (BMS), Co-editor of post Reproductive Health, the journal of the BMS, Clinical advisor to Scottish government for the Women’s Health Plan for Scotland, and founder and MD of Menopause Matters, set up in 2001. Awarded MBE for services to healthcare in 2021.

Ruth is a retired nurse, an educator, a reflexologist & has training in cognitive behaviour therapy. She is the founder & MD of Let’s Talk Menopause, set up in 2012 & author of the book Men…Let’s Talk Menopause.

Becky is a GP, a Western Medical Acupuncturist, is a clinical hypnotherapist, has training in cognitive behaviour therapy and teaches advanced communication skills for healthcare professionals.

Assistant producer and audio engineer: Gregor Reid

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Another hot topic to cover and one which has improved enormously in recent years. There still remains a disparity of experiences for employees between organisations, with each organisation having to look at what works for them and their staff.

There are however some basics which everyone should be putting in place and to help guide us through this interesting topic we are delighted to welcome onto the podcast Neil Hudson-Basing.

We chat through the need for a comprehensive menopause policy, why co-production and collaborative is important, gaining that valuable feedback from your employees.

Having a structural approach to raising awareness and education, getting that kick start event in place which then starts to open up & normalise conversations. The need for putting in place follow up events using a range of formats to accommodate individual learning styles. What practical, reasonable adjustments can you facilitate for your staff which can make such a difference and provide genuine support.

Then there’s the topic of allyship – what does that really mean and so much more! Definitely worth a listen, some really useful insights and practical tips, especially if you’re a manager struggling to know where to start or wanting to gain a fresh look at your yearly plan moving forward. 

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In this episode we discuss the 5 gynaecological cancers; vaginal, vulva, womb, ovarian and cervical.

We are delighted to welcome onto the podcast clinical nurse specialist Tracie Miles. We cover the key red flag symptoms to look out for, the need to regularly self check certain areas and the importance of getting to know your own normal.

We discuss the importance of cervical screening, more commonly known as cervical smears and why we need to increase the uptake of attending appointments, nationally. Likewise, we highlight the importance of getting the HPV vaccine whilst still at school – all genders.

We chat through what the barriers are for some people accessing these free preventative healthcare measures and what we can all do to raise awareness about the importance of getting a diagnosis as early as possible, which can massively improve survival rates.

We touch on risk reducing surgery, getting into the area of genomics and why some people can be more likely to develop cancer due to their genetics. A topic to discuss further in another episode, alongside the role of HRT following a diagnosis of cancer. 

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Another important topic to cover and one which many of us ignore, to a certain extent, until something untoward happens…often out of the blue.

We chat through the importance of looking into and taking preventative measures from as early an age as possible, very much taking a holistic approach.

What are your bone cells actually up to as you move around day in, day out – there’s a lot going on! We explain the different terminology and why something like osteoporosis is classed as a silent disease.

What are the risk factors…ones that you can’t avoid and ones which you can do something about.

Then there’s the role estrogen plays and the role HRT can play. Lots of food for thought but essentially be aware of what we can all do for ourselves, take action and get that healthy lifestyle sorted.

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With the overlap of symptoms between neurodiverse conditions and the menopause it can all become a very complex topic…having a better understanding of how everything interacts is essential, especially where medication is concerned.

To help to explain everything we’re delighted to welcome onto the podcast Trudi Roscouet who explains brilliantly what it can feel like being neurodiverse whilst going through the menopause and how challenging it can be having that double whammy.

We chat about whether people really need to get a diagnosis, the fine line between establishing the cause of symptoms, how ADHD can exacerbate the menopausal symptoms and importantly an insight into ways to cope with symptoms.

It’s really interesting listening to Trudi as she breaks everything down into relatable, bite sized pieces of information, a fabulous insight.

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Looking after you heart health is a must for everyone, regardless of gender, but there remains a low level of awareness of the importance of heart health in women and then you get those fluctuating hormones into the mix aswell.

We chat through the preventative measures everyone can look into…general awareness of risk factors, the importance of lifestyle factors, movement & exercise as well as keeping a regular eye on your blood pressure. This is the time when a home kit is a good idea to regularly check your blood pressure.

We discuss the ‘hot potato topic’ of the link between menopause, HRT and heart disease - the role estrogen plays when it comes to heart health, alongside the benefits and risks of HRT if required.

A really interesting episode to listen to and relevant for everyone, regardless of age or gender.

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In this episode we focus on the importance of looking at what you’re eating & drinking and why it’s important not to exclude any of the major food groups, starting with the macro-nutrients.

We’re delighted to welcome nutritionist, Jackie Lynch onto the podcast to talk us through everything in more details. We tackle the topic of those sugar spikes, not forgetting the importance of preventative healthcare when it comes to your heart and bone health.

A great topic to start series 3 with giving everyone practical options which can help individuals gain that sense of control back, alongside working towards getting a good quality of life long term. We also have our regular myth busting moment to keep you all on the straight and narrow…in other words combating any misinformation out there!

Jackie Lynch

Award-winning nutritionist, Jackie Lynch is the founder of the WellWellWell nutrition clinic, where she specialises in women’s health and the menopause.

She is the host of the popular diet & lifestyle podcast The Happy Menopause and is the author of several books including her latest book, The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish (Watkins, 2020)

Jackie’s nutrition clinic was recognised as Menopause Nutrition Clinic of the Year in the 2021 and 2022 London & South-East Prestige Awards.

Her advice features in a range of national media and she has appeared as a guest expert on radio and TV, including Channel 4’s Superfoods.

Jackie is past Chair of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition. She is a Fellow of the British Association for Nutrition & Lifestyle Medicine and a Member of the British Menopause Society.

Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/WellWellWellUK

Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/wellwellwelluk/

The Happy Menopause podcast: https://www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast

The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish: https://amzn.to/397BhlA

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2024 Christmas, end of year round up.

We thought it would be nice to end the year with a one off episode to help you keep on track over the festive period and to provide a brief summary of some relevant key messages, now the NICE guidelines have been updated. 

Don’t forget there are 2 series (6 episodes in each) already released, packed with an abundance of information for you to dip in and out of. Available on your usual podcast platform.

We would like to thank you all for listening and we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Useful links & resources:

Women’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org

Menopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.uk

BMS : www.thebms.org.uk

NICE guidelines : www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23

Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.uk

Menopause Matters;Let’s Talk podcast : https://shows.acast.com/menopause-matters-lets-talk

Jackie Lynch/Nutritionist : www.well-well-well.co.uk 

Squeezy app : www.squeezyapp.com : pelvic floor

Daisy Network : www.daisynetwork.org : Premature menopause/POI 

The Eve Appeal : www.eveappeal.org.uk : 5 gynae cancers

Endometriosis UK : www.endometriosis-uk.org

The Royal Osteoporosis Society : theros.org.uk

PCOS : www.womens-health-concern.org/shop-items/polycystic-ovary-syndrome/

PMS: www.pms.org.uk/

CBT self help guide : ‘Living Well Through The Menopause' & ‘Managing Hot flushes and Night sweats; A cognitive behavioural self-help guide to the Menopause’ by Myra Hunter and Melanie Smith: https://tinyurl.com/bde7f86k

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Do menopausal symptoms have an impact on relationships, and do our relationships affect our views on and use of HRT …well, we’re all different, but for some people if can really have a significant impact. 

For those it does affect, whether at home or within the workplace, we’re delighted to say Dr Claire Macaulay has joined us again, this time with her other hat on as a sex and relationship therapist.

Even if you don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about this is definitely worth a listen!

Useful links & resources:

The Eve Appeal: https://eveappeal.org.uk

The Squeezy app: https://squeezyapp.com

Women’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets

British Menopause society: thebms.org.uk/publications/tools-for-clinicians

Menopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.uk

Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.uk

Pleasure Possibility : https://www.pleasurepossibility.com

LoveLab: https://bit.ly/RADICALCOUPLESTHERAPY

Claire is offering a 50% discount on a LoveLab Relationship Diagnostics Call The 50% discount code for our audience is - LOVELABGIFT

NHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

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No one is too young to be menopausal. Sadly this statement is true with a significant percentage of people falling into the POI bracket which means they will be under 40 years old and then a further group of people falling into the early menopause bracket which is between the ages of 40 and 45 years.

We talk about the relevance of blood tests and how to provide adequate support and treatment.

We chat about the importance of replacing estrogen, if possible, if you go into an earlier menopause and we tentatively start to chat about testosterone…to be continued! 

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Periods… wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a period free life, just saying…

Currently HRT is the first line treatment for menopausal symptoms but, there is no way of predicting how you as an individual might react to HRT before trying it and remember, we’re all different.

Why it’s important to have a check up 3 months after starting HRT - what side effects are normal to experience and what should you be concerned about.

We discuss the importance of not mucking around with well researched regimes and what do we actually mean by regimes… plus the importance of keeping it as simple as possible.

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CBT is a fabulous option to consider if HRT isn’t a viable option; either you can’t take it, don’t want to take it or it just doesn’t suit you. 

CBT also works really well in combination with HRT.

Dr Becky Smithson joins us to give us an insight into how it all works alongside explaining the human stress response…

You will also learn that CBT isn’t just useful when going through the menopausal transition, it’s useful throughout life, for all genders.

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