Menopause Matters, Let’s Talk

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.

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 LynchAward-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/WellWellWellUKFacebook: https://www.instagram.com/wellwellwelluk/The Happy Menopause podcast: https://www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcastThe Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish: https://amzn.to/397BhlA 

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.orgMenopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.ukBMS : www.thebms.org.ukNICE guidelines : www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23Let’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.ukMenopause Matters;Let’s Talk podcast : https://shows.acast.com/menopause-matters-lets-talkJackie Lynch/Nutritionist : www.well-well-well.co.uk Squeezy app : www.squeezyapp.com : pelvic floorDaisy Network : www.daisynetwork.org : Premature menopause/POI The Eve Appeal : www.eveappeal.org.uk : 5 gynae cancersEndometriosis UK : www.endometriosis-uk.orgThe Royal Osteoporosis Society : theros.org.ukPCOS : 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

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.ukThe Squeezy app: https://squeezyapp.comWomen’s Health concern : www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheetsBritish Menopause society: thebms.org.uk/publications/tools-for-cliniciansMenopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.ukLet’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.ukPleasure Possibility : https://www.pleasurepossibility.comLoveLab: https://bit.ly/RADICALCOUPLESTHERAPYClaire is offering a 50% discount on a LoveLab Relationship Diagnostics Call The 50% discount code for our audience is - LOVELABGIFTNHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health

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! 

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.

HRT and the risk of hormone dependent cancers like breast cancer.HRT is such a complex topic which, combined with people’s perception of risk, can all become very confusing and for some far too daunting to even consider…we run through further pros & cons.Remember there’s a potential risk with any medication you chose to take…we continue to discuss the well researched benefits and risks of HRT…There are many alternative options to manage menopausal symptoms if you do develop breast cancer, we chat through what can become a bit of a balancing act…Is there a risk as an individual if you have a family history of breast cancer…and we’re delighted to be joined by our guest for this episode, Dr Claire Macaulay, an oncology doctor specialising in breast cancer who continues to simplify and explain the complexities around this topic.

We’ve decided to take the bull by the horns and tackle the huge topic of HRT. In this episode we discuss which hormones we’re actually talking about that tend to flip about and go all wonky.We talk about tweaking the type, dose and route… taking an individualised approach and what is the ‘window of opportunity’.We run through the benefits and risks, touching on why you might not want to take HRT, for varying reasons.Then there’s the ever-confusing medical terminology - what do we mean by bio-identical hormones and body identical hormones.We’re delighted to be joined by our guest for this episode, Dr Becky Smithson, who gives us an insight into a GPs perspective.