Menopause Matters, Let’s Talk

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/recommendationsDr 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/

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-healthTracie MilesTracie’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.

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/factsheetsBritish Menopause society: thebms.org.uk/publications/tools-for-cliniciansMenopause Matters : www.menopausematters.co.ukLet’s Talk Menopause : www.letstalkmenopause.co.ukNHS inform: www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-healthJackie 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 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.

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

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/

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

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. 

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. 

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.