Menopause Life Magazine (Autumn 2021)

Meet Our Experts Announcing Our

Partnership With

We Introduce Our Chosen Charity

TASTY GREEN AUTUMN SOUP Comedy With Mel Byron

Different Ways To Wear Denim

We Embrace Another WORLD MENOPAUSE DAY

ISSUE 3 Autumn 2021

W

elcome to our

Autumn edition of Menopause Life!

This issue we introduce

you to some of our team

including Directors & Experts.

We also celebrate World Menopause Day and

delve into the history of menopause research.

Autumn fashion shows you

denim and new ways to wear it. Plus, we have gorgeous homewear to inspire you.

Outside we have tips to keep your garden in check.

We talk to two of our Brand Licensees, Hazel & Mari,

and discover how they are

making a positive change in Scotland.

Don't forget to take

advantage of our accredited free training, which is also a big help to employers

too. We've been covered in

several press articles recently highlighting our research

about the issues women face at work.

Experiencing trauma can be

hard and we look at how this

impacts on your menopause.

Find exercises to help you

learn to love yourself again

and discover how to have a more positive menopause.

Brain fog - yes it can be

awkward reaching for that

elusive word, or walking into a room and forgetting why

you went in there! Mel Byron

is back with a comical look at how brain fog can strike.

Enjoy our recipes, yoga,

joint pain relief and more

and remember to share this magazine on your social

media channels to help us spread the word.

Best wishes,

Ellen Harding Editor-in-Chief, Menopause Life Magazine

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CONTENTS

32

Business Directory

2

Yoga & Strength

4

Overcoming

Menopausal

8

Dyspareunia Endorsed By The Best

Vegan Burgers &

Sweet Potato Fries

Honey Soy Chicken

14

Tasty Autumn

17

Banana Smoothie

18

& Seedy Salad

Soup

10 An Exciting

Partnership

13

20

Anytime, Anywhere

22

Fashion

24

26

51

42 Brain Frog

26 Menopause &

Travel

28

CBD Oil: How Can It Help Menopause?

Home & Garden Brand Licensee Spotlight

World Menopause Day

Blood Sugar

30

Breast Cancer Awareness

Positive Sides To

32 39

42

Menopause

Who Do You Love Most?

Single Again

44

46

48

51

52

Hips & Menopause

54

Trauma &

56

Our Charity

58

Inspirational

60

Readers' Questions

61

Menopause

Of Choice

Woman

Business Directory Women's Fitness Club curves.eu/uk email: infouk@curves.eu

Life Cover bouncelife.co.uk email: hello@bouncelife.co.uk call: 0800 014 6781

Coaching katemansfield.com email: kate@katemansfield.com

Relationship Coach - Dr. Sheila French email: sheila@trainmymind.co.uk call: 0781 1357208

Physio Led Hip Programme fixyourhips.com email: victoria@fixyourhips.com

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Mindfulness Coach - Tammy Driver themindfuldiva.com/menopause email: info@themindfuldiva.com call: 0788 0720462 Menopause Nutritionist - Charlotte Hunter charlottehunternutrition.co.uk email: hello@charlottehunternutrition.co.uk call: 0791 9897950

Reach 1.2M Incredible Women.

Advertise With Us! magazine@menopauseexperts.com

Vitality Hub vitalityhub.co.uk email: info@vitalityhub.co.uk call: 0790 4852283

Yoga Teacher - Vicki Baumann yogawithvickib.com email: hello@yogawithvickib.com

Women's Pharmaceuticals vagisan.com email: info@vagisan.com

Advertising Terms Menopause Life Magazine is published quarterly. The Editor welcomes written contributions, which can be supplied, via email to magazine@menopauseexperts.com Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Menopause Experts Group and does not endorse any advertisement that appears in this magazine or it’s websites.

The publisher does not accept liability for loss or damage to any item or materials contributed to the magazine.

No material published may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. All advert submissions have the right to be reviewed by our design team, and will only be published if they meet design standards. All pictures, artwork and editorial contributions become the immediate copyright of the publisher and may be used in other editions or media within the Menopause Experts Group portfolio unless a written instruction is given prior to submission. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2021 MENOPAUSE EXPERTS GROUP LIMITED

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Yoga & Strength

By Vicki Baumann

Can yoga help build strength?

I love getting older! Not something a lot of us will shout from the rooftops, but it does mean we are here!

Alive, living our best lives.

As much as there are lots of positives about getting older – wiser, less ‘bothered’ about sweating the small stuff, time to enjoy friends and family – there are those things that creep up on us that we weren’t expecting.

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Loss of muscle is definitely one – and probably not something most of us will think about. It’s not just about how we look, it’s about keeping our bodies strong as we get older.

I’m 59 and people often exclaim “Vicki your arms!

They’re so toned! What else do you do other than yoga?”

My answer – nothing, it’s all yoga. You do tone up.

You do gain more muscle and strength by practicing regularly.

I went back to my yoga mat after a serious life-changing hit and run accident – when my left foot suffered a severe crush-and-twist injury – leaving me needing to have two operations and spending a year having to learn to walk again unaided. So you can imagine – I had lost so much muscle in both my legs – and particularly the one that had been injured.

I had no flexibility, no strength

and just knew yoga would bring me back to health.

Now, anyone that meets me wouldn't notice the difference – thanks to yoga!

In yoga you get to use your full range of muscles and coupled with deep stretching you will strengthen and build muscle through your own

yogawithvickib.com hello@yogawithvickib.com

natural body weight in all the balancing poses.

Like all things, it doesn’t happen overnight, but over time with regular practice you will see your body start to change.

And as you build your balance, flexibility and strength you can start to

I have compiled just a few examples of some of the yoga poses that I regularly teach in my classes that can help build strength.

I hope that these may prompt you to join a class or a beginners course and become a regular yoga student.

Before starting practicing yoga poses for the first time, please take any health

conditions you may have into account and consult a doctor if you have any concerns.

If you would like to join a beginners course so you can be sure to start from foundation-up, I would be delighted for you to join my next course that starts in September.

You can find more details on my website, I love teaching complete beginners and seeing how quickly you start to see a change in your balance and strength.

Tree Pose (Vrksasana) This pose tones your thigh muscles, glutes and ankles and it also strengthens your core.

It can take time to find your balance, so start with your foot on your lower leg (not at the side of the knee) and work towards bringing your foot to your upper thigh.

Boat Pose (Paripuna Navasana) Helps strengthen the abdominal muscles and lower back.

If the full pose is too advanced for you, try bending your knees with shins parallel to the mat (Half Boat Pose).

Continued on page 6

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Henriette, who undertook my 8-class yoga beginners course in May this year, commented after just a few weeks saying “The best part is, I can feel the difference and see how even my arms are getting more toned”.

spend longer holding poses which, in turn, helps you become more resilient, helps you improve your breath control and lung capacity.

Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana) Strengthens your wrists, forearms, shoulders and spine. It also helps tone your abdominal muscles.

If the full pose is too advanced, bring your forearm flat at right angles to your body and/or bring your top foot over to the floor.

Warrior 1 Pose (Virabhadrasana 1) A strong and powerful pose.

This pose strengthens your thighs, calves and ankles as well as your back muscles, shoulders and arms.

The pose will also help tone your abdominal muscles.

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Practice Mindfulness:

Make the most of the beautiful autumnal colours.

Divorce we’re here.

thegrouphug.com

Overcoming Menopausal Dyspareunia

By Dr. August Wolff & Dr. Susana Garcia de Arriba The term "dyspareunia" is defined as "pain during sexual intercourse" and was first used by Robert Barnes in 1878 in his treatise A Clinical History of the Medical and Surgical diseases of women.

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Here we focus on the so-called menopausal dyspareunia.

The fall of oestrogen, either before, during or after the menopause, causes vaginal dryness in up to 55% of healthy women, and up to 40% 1 of sexually active women complain of pain during intercourse.

Vaginal dryness and dyspareunia have a great impact on women's quality of life, on their sex life and on their relationship with their partner. Peri and postmenopausal women intensify moisturising and nourishment of the skin, face and neck.

Why don't we do the same for our vagina? Our vaginas also need hydration and care, but with a product suited to the special conditions of the vulvovaginal area such as pH, osmolarity and moisturising lipids.

Dr. Wolff's Vagisan Moisturising Cream is a hormone-free oil-in-water emulsion with 23% lipids.

Three clinical studies evidence the improvement of softness and suppleness of the vaginal epithelium overcoming vulvovaginal dryness.

Our clinical data corroborated the correlation between vaginal dryness and dyspareunia. After 6 weeks of usual treatment 2 , 91% of the women improved their feeling of vaginal dryness, 84% improved dyspareunia and 98% improved the impairment of daily life caused by dyspareunia 2 .

Sources: Johnston SL et al. JOGC 2004; 26(5): 503–508 1

ISGE Webinar Hormone-free therapy for vaginal dryness.

Is that possible? Clinical evidence - click here.

2

Treating vaginal dryness is therefore a guarantee of improvement in menopausal dyspareunia.

Advertisement

An effective solution for vaginal dryness.

Dr. Wolff‘s Vagisan Moisturising Cream is hormone-free - Dr. Dawn Harper

Relieves itching, burning, dryness and soreness.

Dual effect provides moisture and soothing lipids to the skin in the internal and external vaginal area Leaves sensitive skin feeling pleasantly supple Helps against pain during sexual intercourse Available with and without prescription

Also available as pessaries, Dr. Wolff´s Vagisan Moisturising Cremolum

Endorsed By The Best We want to celebrate the alliances and friendships we have with professionals involved in making Menopause Experts Group the trusted source of guidance and inspiration for women & men. Here are just a few of our team members we would like to showcase this month, and thank them for their energy and time.

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Dr. Helena McKeown

David Bullock

Adam Pavey

Helena is the former Chair at the British Medical Association.

David is also a Director of Rhizome Media and a Senior communications expert with 15 years experience in editorial and management roles across print, web and app production.

Adam is an experienced employment lawyer, and a Director of Pannone Law LLP.

She is skilled in General Medical Practice, and Community Engagement.

Helena feels proud to be on the board at Menopause Experts Group supplying free education to women and men.

She is an accomplished medic, GP assessor, a charity trustee, and has always been regularly involved in community projects. Her expertise has also been invaluable to press and media during the coronavirus pandemic.

He has outstanding news judgement and editing skills.

David is a former Deputy Night Editor of The Sun newspaper.

He is proud to be a NonExecutive Director, in charge of Press activity. He joined the team to support and raise awareness of the important work that we do in women’s health.

He is proud to sit on the board of Menopause Experts Group as a NED, and supporting the mission to educate not only individuals, as women and men, but companies too.

He has witnessed first-hand discrimination against women and fully understands the importance of supporting them in the workplace, especially during times of ill health, or hormonal changes like menopause.

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Dr. Susana Garcia de Arriba

Dr. Dean Eggitt

Menopause Doctor Ella Russell has been a GP for more than 20 years. She is used to supporting and empowering women to stay well and manage their health conditions and has been delighted that she has developed a following of female patients who have trusted her to support them through their lives, from pregnancy through to menopause.

Susana is the medical advisor to Dr Wolff as well as an experienced pharmacist, specialising in ageing and menopause. She currently works in the gynecology department optimising women’s medication.

Dr Dean is a Principal GP, Medical Educator, Medical Politician, and Media Doctor as well as a Director of Pre Medical School.

Susana’s experience helps other doctors become aware of the various prescribed and over-the-counter treatments for symptoms.

He has been a doctor in the NHS for 15 years and is a GP in Doncaster, UK. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of GPs and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. We are delighted to have his support and endorsment.

Joanna Dase

Hannah Charman

Nishtha Patel

COO for Curves Europe & Africa & Senior International Director. She has contributed to the wellness of millions of women.

After being diagnosed with a chronic illness at 14, Hannah went on in later life to train as a Medical herbalist when the conventional route failed to provide her illness with relief.

Nistha is a fully certified and highly experienced functional medicine practitioner, and clinical nutritionist.

Joanna works tirelessly to support this mission, which is solidly built upon established values, including creating a community of caring support and integrity. We are proud partners of Curves and stand side-by-side together.

This practice makes use of plants whose traditional uses are backed up by modern scientific research and clinical trials. She educates women about alternative treatments through plants.

Having Nistha on our panel helps us pay particular attention to how autoimmune disease can be mistaken for other disease, and or menopause symptoms. Many women suffer in silence.

Conditions can be treated when diagnosed.

menopauseexperts.com

Dr. Ella Russell

Recipes Every season we will bring you delicious menopause-friendly recipes that the whole family can enjoy. Designed to be simple and easy to follow.

Method Burgers

Put the onion in a food processor and blend to small pieces. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan, fry the onion for 10 mins until soft and only just golden. Stir in the garlic and fry for 1 min more. Tip the mixture into a large bowl.

Pop the mushrooms in the food processor and blend to small pieces. Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the mushrooms and fry for 10-15 mins, reduce all liquid and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Tip into the bowl with the onions.

Place the tofu, beetroot, beans, tomato purée, mayonnaise, miso, flour and flaxseed in the food processor with some seasoning and blitz until smooth. Scrape into the bowl with the veg.

Now add the pecans and rice into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Add this mix to the bowl with the tofu.

Use your hands to shape the mixture into patties roughly the same size as your burger buns. The patties will be

delicate, so prepare and refrigerate for at least 30 mins before cooking.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat or use the barbecue, and brush both sides of the patties with a little oil.

Cook for 5-8 mins on each side, turning once after a crust has formed, until slightly charred and hot through to the centre. Avoid moving or turning too often, as they will be more delicate than meat patties. Serve with salad in a burger bun.

Sweet potato fries Leave skins on sweet potatoes & chop into chips.

Spread on a baking tray with a little olive or vegetable oil and season. Put into a medium/hot oven for 20 minutes until baked through.

Serve with the burgers.

Serves 4 Prep Time 30 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Ingredients 1 onion, quartered 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing 2 garlic cloves, crushed 200g chestnut mushrooms 250g smoked or regular tofu 2 (about 100g) cooked beetroot 400g can black beans, drained 1 tbsp tomato purée 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise 1 tbsp miso paste 100g oat flour 2 tbsp ground flaxseed 50g pecans 200g pouch microwave brown rice, cooked vegan bread buns 2 large sweet potatoes For the salad use lettuce, tomato (fresh or sun-dried), red onion and for extra crunch perhaps some chopped gerkhins or cornichons

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Vegan Burgers & Sweet Potato Fries

Honey Soy Chicken & Seedy Salad Sesame seeds can boost your immunity, lower inflammation and help regulate your blood sugar.

Soy is unique in that it contains a high concentration of isoflavones, a type of plant phytoestrogen.

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Ingredients 4 free range chicken breast fillets 100ml soy sauce 3 heaped tsp of honey (manuka honey is best) 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped A selection of mixed lettuce, chopped 1 cup of grated red cabbage 1 finely sliced red onion 1 cup of grated carrot 4 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp coconut oil

Method

Serves 4

Chop the chicken into strips and sit in a bowl with half of the soy sauce for at least an hour to marinade.

Prep Time 20 mins

Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan and add the garlic and chicken and stir fry for 5 minutes.

Total Time 1 hour

Add the honey and the rest of the soy sauce, stir to mix then cover and simmer for approx 15 minutes.

Plate the salad individually.

Check on the chicken regularly and stir as required.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, spoon it out over the salad.

Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the coated chicken and serve. For an extra flavour and crunch, toast off the sesame seeds before sprinkling.

This dish can be served with rice.

This simple and delicious soup can be made in minutes and will give you a natural boost of those essential phytoestrogens.

Ingredients 1 broccoli head 2 leeks A handful of sprouts 2 cups of spinach 1/2 cabbage 1/2 cauliflower 2 spring onions 100ml single cream

Serves 4 Prep Time 15 mins Total Time 45 mins

Method Roughly chop all the vegetables as chunky or as fine as you prefer (leaving the spring onions to one side) and add to a large saucepan.

Cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.

Once the vegetables are cooked, turn off the heat.

Then using a stick blender blend until smooth and slowly stir in the cream.

Serve into bowls and add the chopped spring onions and season to taste.

This recipe can be batch cooked and frozen.

Make a batch to freeze and enjoy a cupful mid-morning.

Every day you will be amazed at how good you feel!

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Tasty Autumn Soup

Banana Smoothie Method Add all ingredients to a blender then blend until smooth and serve.

If you would like some extra crunch, sprinkle a handful of chia seeds, oats and chopped walnuts over the top of the smoothie.

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Ingredients 2 bananas 1 can of coconut milk 2 tsp chia seeds 1 tbsp of manuka honey 2 tbsp oats

Serves 2 Prep Time 15 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Since mood swings and depression are among the more troublesome menopause symptoms, adding bananas to your menopause diet is a good move. They contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is a building block of the 'feel good' chemical serotonin.

An Exciting Partnership Curves Europe & Africa are absolutely delighted to have partnered with Menopause Experts Group, and applaud the excellent services they provide for women.

Curves & Menopause Experts enjoy so many synergies between the brands, and this forms a natural alliance.

Both companies are dedicated to women’s health and empowering women with knowledge and choice. Regardless of age, wellness, fitness - having the right education and understanding of our bodies is vitally important.

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This partnership supports women through every aspect of health, resulting in a better quality of life.

World Leaders Curves have been world leaders in women’s fitness for decades. They have helped millions of women get fit, gain strength and stay healthy via their unique 30-minute program.

The ‘Curves Workout’ combines strength training with cardiovascular conditioning and flexibility.

Strength training has long been the missing link in women’s fitness, progressive resistance stimulates the muscles to stay strong and firm.

This is so important during menopause. Their equipment is designed for safety, simplicity, and effectiveness and features ‘Curves Smart’, a sophisticated computerized personal coaching system providing momentto-moment feedback, enhancing member results.

They also have an app that connects the Curves Community. Members can workout from home, participate in challenges, connect wearables to track

Workouts expand beyond the circuit. Members can join daily, live, coach-led workouts or catch-up with on-demand workouts. The app can be downloaded here.

Curves At-Home The membership option enables members who do not have a physical location nearby to become members and connect with a Curves

Menopause Experts Group Founder Dee Murray said ‘Working with a community of women, including Joanna Dase who has been working tirelessly with Curves for nearly two decades - who feels passionate, as I do about changing the way we look at women’s health in the 21st century, is uplifting and rewarding.

million strong members, all of whom can now gain access to our free accredited training. We can provide all the knowledge and expertise required to help women understand and manage their symptoms better, and Curves will help them also understand how to regain strength and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.’

I look forward to a long committed relationship, encouraging menopause awareness amongst its 2

Friendships are made The gyms are popular with women who want to feel

coach. Receiving coaching and accountability from an established successful community of caring support.

Curves’ Mission Curves' mission is to strengthen women and promote the habit of effective exercise. Together we will help ourselves and members achieve goals, have a better quality of life, and improve the overall physical and emotional health of individuals and communities.

safe and welcomed into an environment that also encourages friendships.

Now, Curves Gyms can also encourage women experiencing menopause, of all ages to join through the special relationship that has been formed between the two companies and their communities worldwide.

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Easy-To-Use App

their progress, and refer their friends directly all from within the app.

Anytime, Anywhere Fitness With Curves

When you join Curves, you join something more than just a gym. You become part of a community of women empowering women through exercise and wellbeing.

A support network to keep you going anytime, anywhere.

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Studies show that regular physical activity, such as the three-day-a-week Curves programme, substantially reduces the risk of conditions including coronary heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.

Wellness. This programme offers daily 30-minute LIVE workouts inspired by the in-club Curves circuit. It includes all five components of a complete workout – warm-up, strength training, cardiovascular training, cooldown and stretching.

It also helps to control weight, contributes to healthy bones, muscles and joints, helps to relieve the pain of arthritis, and reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Curves Workout Wellness was designed during the 2020 lockdown as a way to bring the Curves club experience directly into women’s homes.

During each workout, you have a coach by your side who is there to teach you and keep you motivated. With their support, you are sure to reach your fitness goals in no time. Furthermore, a safety coach is there to guide and motivate you and make sure that you keep a safe form whilst performing exercises.

The Curves workout combines strength training with cardio activity and stretching – all in just 30 minutes – to create lean muscle, raise your metabolism, burn more fat and tone your body. You can now do all of this anytime, anywhere.

Last but not least, you will finish every workout with a stretching sequence.

Thanks to the Curves App, you can join the exclusive programme of Workout

Stretching makes your daily activities easier and safer by increasing your joint mobility

and providing you with a broader range of movement.

Be ready for Wacky Wednesdays! Every Wednesday takes the fun up a level, you will be working out on the themes of Movies, the 80s, Bollywood, Musicals and more, without even realising that you are exercising!

Curves' unique circuit guarantees a full-body workout in only 30mins; the Curves machines are also equipped with a smart system to keep you on track.

Can’t go to your club yet, or perhaps you can’t visit it as often as you would wish? Workout Wellness is the perfect way to keep active at home or to complement your inclub workouts.

Whether you want to gain energy, tone up or lose weight, the Curves programme will work for you.

To join a club, go to www.curves.eu To join the at home workouts join our Facebook group.

Feel the Curves Community via our Social Media:

@CurvesUK

@CurvesUK

Fashion Wow, Autumn already!

Maybe we can squeeze a little bit more sun in if we are lucky.

There is a real focus on denim this season and it's the perfect fabric to take you through if it gets a bit chilly.

Editor's picks, this season.

Perfect for Autumn walks, these trainers are stylish, comfortable and have a little bit of gold detailing which give them the edge.

Classic cup sole leather trainers from Joules RRP £69.95.

These boots are great for teaming with longer dresses and will keep your feet warm as the weather starts to turn cooler.

Studded boots from Joe Browns RRP £67.

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These flattering high waisted jeans are great to dress up with heels or dress down with trainers, either way we think they are great! Inky blue slim jeans from Next RRP £30.

This denim dress is great for weekends or days out, the jacket-like styling makes it a standout.

Prairie denim midi dress from Cotton Traders RRP £49.

This ochre wrap is an ideal addition to any outfit and goes really well as a contrast to denim. Luxury soft scarf from Cotton Traders RRP £12.

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Boho is here to stay and with a denim jacket and boots you will be bang on trend. Brilliant boho dress from Joe Browns RRP £60.

This tunic works brilliantly with black trousers or jeans, it could become your go-to favourite for a relaxing weekend outfit.

Denim tunic shirt from Nutmeg at Morrisons RRP £18.

feeling frumpy?

This statement necklace will work with just about anything and we love it!

Multi-chain long necklace from John Lewis & Partners RRP £26.

It might be time to add a bit of natural sparkle to your life.

Effective. Natural. Safe.

For a go-with-everything earring, pick these lovely hoops. Hammered hoop earrings gold and silver from Boden RRP £30.

For feeling confident, attractive and sure of your inner beauty.

www.saskiasfloweressences.com made with love and integrity in Somerset

finalist in the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Awards

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This fab skirt looks terrific with thick tights and boots and would be an excellent addition to your wardrobe.

Abingdon Mini skirt from Boden RRP £55.

Brain Frog

By Mel Byron, Comedian Don’t even suggest it.

I don’t care how many times I lose them; I am not wearing my reading glasses around my neck on a chain.

What am I, a 1950s Latin teacher ticking off the days to a full pension? If I’m going down that route, why don’t I just let the moustache grow and the hair go white? To be honest that last might be an improvement on the current greenish tinge, which I’m telling everyone is deliberate.

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Long story short, I did lose my glasses in the hair care aisle of Boots, so I couldn’t read the labels. Well, it looked blonde on the box! Only when I went to apply the colour did I realise the damned things were on my head.

You may be shocked to learn that ammonium-based dye

and plastic lenses don’t mix.

So, until the new specs arrive, I have temporary custody of the family magnifying glass.

I’m using it as I type this with one finger, off-colour tonsure hidden under a winter hat.

I look like a menopausal Sherlock Holmes. I deduce that I have Brain Fog. I always thought Brain Fog was a myth, like unicorns or full employment. But it’s real.

I know this because Google said so. Yes, I’ve done the research, so you don’t have to.

According to one website, it can be caused by intestinal disorders. From bowel to brain. That’s quite a distance to travel, especially in an upward direction. It does explain why the doctor quizzed me recently about ‘movements’. Also his shock when I told him I was very happy with my current arrangement - 45 minutes twice a week on Zoom.

melbyron.com

I thought he meant my Zumba classes!

Let us return to the Fog, because, and this will surprise you, I had not forgotten about it.

It is, I also read, sometimes called ‘A Clouding of Consciousness’. What a lovely name. You can almost hear the whale music and the gentle clanging of Tibetan bells, can’t you?

Yes, Officer, that is a 200ml bottle of Eau de (Lady) Gaga, with the tag still on it. It must have fallen into my tote bag whilst my consciousness was a bit overcast with a chance of drizzle. But enough about my bladder. Clang!

For the record, I have never shoplifted. Ok, I once forgot to scan a bag for life at the self-checkout. Bang me up, why not?

Please no, I’ll have to memorise my name and prison number. I’ll never last.

Anyway, I’ve finally remembered the real reason I’m here today.

Does anyone know a good estate agent? I’m looking to buy a bungalow. I want never to forget why I climbed the stairs again.

No more landing-based bafflement for me. But wait, that would involve moving house, and learning a new address. That’s ok, I could write it on the back of my hand. What if I lose my glasses? Oh, beggar. Can you buy those bloody chains online?

Worried about LITTLE LEaks?

Not anymore!

specially designed Giggle Knickers are discreet, washable knickers that keep you dry and fresh all day UK Sizes 4-24 the modern alternative to pads

Find out more at www.giggleknickers.co.uk

Travel

By Chloe Bell

The UK has countless spectacular sights to scribble onto your Autumn bucket list.

littered with literature and a heavy orientation towards outdoor fun. The popular holiday spot is adored by many for good reason.

Are you feeling frazzled and in need of a relaxing retreat away? Do you long to be awoken by birds chirping rather than rush hour traffic roaring? Do you pine for leisurely walks and outstanding sights rather than the same old commute to the office, or maybe your kitchen table and a week of back-to-back Zoom calls?

Situated in North-West England, The Lake District is well-known for its famed national park which is actually the most visited in the whole of the UK. Discover trickling rivers, mountainous terrain and rolling hills. You really won't want to forget your camera when you head there. The Lake District is so much more than its beautiful countryside.

The Lake District may be the next hidden gem to check out this Autumn. Boasting stunning national parks, quaint towns, a history

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If you’re a book fanatic, you can marvel at the very sights that acted as inspiration for many an acclaimed novel.

You can book onto a Beatrix Potter tour or visit the ‘World of Beatrix Potter’ attraction in Bowness-On-Windermereperfect for kids and adults alike. Immerse yourself in her stories, find yourself transported into the world of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck and Mr Toad. The afterwards enjoy a treat in the café.

If your bookworm itch still hasn’t been scratched with all of that, then you can embark on an official literary tour to see more homes of witty wordsmiths including Dove Cottage - the home of William Wordsworth - and Brantwood, where John Ruskin lived.

From there you can head to Windermere to check out the charming village, laze by the lake or rent a bike to see the sights. Get out there and feel that wind whipping through your hair.

If you’re more on the adventurous side, then why not try your hand at water scrambling, abseiling, rock climbing or canyoning at one of the various activity centres dotted about.

Buttermere offers a beautiful lake walk that you can complete in under two hours.

Keswick is another quaint addition that you can amble round and enjoy learning about. Here you can discover the history of pencils and check out the museum and art gallery. If that’s not to your taste you’re able to take a trip up to the nearby Castlerigg Stone Castle and explore to your heart’s content.

If all that sight-seeing is proving to be thirsty work, then don’t forget to swing by Keswick’s very own brewery.

Learn about the brewing process and sample a few cheeky treats.

So, there you have it, a few riveting reasons to pack your bags and head off to the Lake District for a well-deserved holiday this Autumn, it truly has something for everyone.

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If you’re all about the breathtaking sights and getting down with nature, then check out Scafell Pike, a 978-metrehigh mountain famed for its national trust stature and being the highest mountain in England.

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CBD Oil: How Can It Help Menopause?

Menopause Experts is proud to announce a range of CBD oils, now available at menopauseexperts.com/shop

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There are so many discussions being had about CBD oil and the benefits of using it as part of a symptom management supplement.

We thought you might have some questions and have tried to outline all the pros and cons.

Is it legal?

What is CBD Oil?

Will I get high?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid discovered around 1940.

It is one of 113 identified cannabinoids in a cannabis plant, along with Tetrahydrocannabinol otherwise known as THC.

No, because of the low concentration of THC in most CBD Oil products, you will not feel that high sensation associated with cannabis.

It accounts for up to 40% of the plant’s extract according to Wikipedia and science. As of 2019, clinical research on CBD including studies related to menopause symptoms is still ongoing, however, there is increasing anecdotal evidence supporting claims that CBD Oil can help relieve chronic pain and other symptoms.

In some countries, CBD is legally used in clinical practice to help cancer patients and those with epilepsy. In the UK it is legally sold providing the THC content is less than 0.2%.

How it can help symptoms of menopause?

So many symptoms can be relieved by CBD Oil that includes stiffness of joints through inflammation, headaches or migraines, acne, anxiety, depression, mood, appetite, and because you start to feel better in some cases this may also improve your sex life too.

Featured: Natural CBD Oil (THC-Free) 5%/500mg If you have been doing free menopause training with us, you will know that our bodies are full of estrogen receptors.

Well, it turns out that it’s no different for the Endocannabinoid system.

This refers to a collection of cell receptors that interact with chemical messengers (hormones) and help the body in terms of health.

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Former Loose Women star, Andrea McLean can attest to the benefits of taking CBD oil speaking publicly in May 2019.

Her doctor recommended CBD oil to cure hot flushes associated with menopause.

She said “It has ­massively taken the edge off things with the flushes, and it has made me less a ­ nxious because anxiety is still a key thing for me. It is not an antidepressant but what I no longer feel is that sensation of being on high alert.”

Where can I buy safe CBD Oil? We provide it on our shop.

If we did not believe it had benefits, we would not be selling it.

CBD Oil could help to treat the following symptoms: • Osteoporosis • Depression & Anxiety • Mood Changes • Weight Gain & Diabetes • Aches & Joint Pain • Period Pain • Hot Flashes/flushes • Night Sweats • Sleep disturbances • Bone density • Memory

Can I use it even if I’m on HRT? There is no scientific or clinical evidence that CBD interferes with HRT. However, we recommend that you space out the time between taking HRT and taking CBD oil giving each supplement time to work.

Usage & Dosage – How and when to take it?

With our CBD oil, you can use it in several ways. Either neat, just a couple of drops under the tongue, twice a day (do not exceed this). Or you might want to become more adventurous as it can simply be added to food or drink.

We have some great recipes to share with you, read our blogs on recipes.

FREE Prize Draw For your chance to receive a month-supply of Menopause Experts CBD Oil (THCFree) worth £34.97, enter our prize draw by sending an email with the subject 'CBD Oil' to magazine@menopauseexperts.com (terms & conditions apply).

Prize Draw Terms & Conditions By entering this prize draw you agree to disclose your details (name and image) for the purposes of despatching your prize and publicly announcing a winner upon an acceptance.

This also indicates your agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason. You must be 18 or over to enter.

The winner will be selected at random. Any defamatory disclosure on the competition or elsewhere, whether related to or irrelevant to the promotion will be excluded from the winners’ selection processes. There is no entry fee or purchase necessary to enter and purchasing any item will neither lower nor boost your chances of winning. Prize must be shipped to the winners' registered address within 28 days of announcement. There is no cash alternative and the prize cannot be transferred in any way, but the winner can refuse the prize if they so wish.

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Will it work for me?

Home & Garden As we move into the Autumn the jewel colours continue to trend, with bold blues and ochres leading the pack.

If you continue to work from home, we have included some ideas to make your space more exciting and fresh.

Add a few new accessories to change up your scheme and keep it current, often a whole makeover is really not necessary.

Editor's picks, this season.

This Anthriscus dusk wallpaper could give you the perfect backdrop for a stunning living space by Graham & Brown at £55 a roll.

We love this fabulous statement clock in gunmetal. It reflects the light beautifully, has a real element of class and is extremely affordable.

Bushwick Large Statement Fan Wall Clock made.com RRP £39.

Working from home needn’t be boring, this compact desk has tower storage and a pull out keyboard shelf. Westcote Inky Blue double pedestal desk Cotswold company from £599.

This cute gold table or desk lamp has the perfect mix of nature with its rattan stem but also a little sparkle with the gold.

Shell Table Lamp Brass Natural Rattan made.com £79.

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This super stylish vintage looking storage is perfect for putting away out of season clothing and bedding and could be easily used for a quirky side table. Gunner Set of 3 Extra Large Metal Storage Trunks made.com £159.

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This unusual office chair with a brass coloured base could fit perfectly into your home, without your home always looking like you work there!

Montrose Button Back Office Chair from Cult Living RRP £149.

This fabulous pleated bedding set is stylish and affordable all in one beautiful package. At Next RRP £28.

This blue marble wallpaper is so different, very bold and totally striking. Liquid Marble Wallpaper in Blue from ilovewallpaper.co.uk £22 per roll.

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This gorgeous squishy sofa hits the brief perfectly, in plush turmeric velvet it would make a sumptuous addition to your living space.

Patterdale at DFS £999.

Here are our top 10 gardening tips for you, this season.

1.

Compost

2.

Remove Dead Foliage

3.

Clean

Autumn is a beautiful time of year with all the stunning tree colours and leaves on the ground. On breezy days you may need to rake up leaves, but if you do, you can put them on the compost heap and look forward to rich leaf mulch next year. Start a compost heap if you don’t have one, leaf mulch provides nutrients for the soil, helps reduce weeds and allows the soil to retain more moisture.

Pull up weeds and remove old ground cover plants or mulch. Clear the garden of decaying plants to prevent pests and diseases from harbouring there. If possible, leave some leaf piles and untouched areas in your garden as shelter and food sources for hedgehogs and other wildlife.

Take some time to wash out any pots and seed trays, and clean your greenhouse thoroughly inside and out. Your pond may also need to be clean, tidy and refreshed before winter.

4. Harvest Vegetables

Harvest any remaining root vegetables and any cool-weather greens that are ready.

5.

Tidy Up Perennials

Autumn is a great time to trim back spring and summer flowering herbaceous perennials and to split up larger clumps for transferring to new spots around the garden. Do this on a dry day when the soil is not too wet.

6. Prep The Soil

Dig existing soil to a depth of about 25cm removing any stones, weeds or dead foliage as you go. Spread 10cm of peat-free compost or soil improver on top and mix it into the soil then rake to level it out.

7.

Water And Mulch

8.

Plant Vegetables

9.

Plant Spring Bulbs

Give your perennials, bulbs, trees and vegetable garden a good drink of water and spread mulch to reduce weeds and help retain moisture. Lay about 5-7cm of organic mulch on the soil and around plants.

Believe it or not, there are plenty of vegetables that will enjoy the chilly weather to come. Plant cold crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. Garlic is also best planted in autumn.

Plant it in your vegetable patch with the pointed ends up, just below the soil surface and spaced 10cm apart.

Autumn is the best time of year to plant spring bulbs, as they need to be chilled in the ground before they sprout and begin blooming as the warmer weather returns. Spring bulbs like daffodils, tulips and crocuses should be planted about 6 to 8 weeks before the first hard frost.

10.

Look After Your Lawn

Autumn is the perfect time to take care of your lawn by aerating the grass and fertilising it with a phosphorus-rich fertiliser. Aerating the lawn allows oxygen, water, and fertiliser to penetrate the grass roots, resulting in a fuller and richer lawn. Cut the grass for the last time at the end of October then leave it until well into next year. Raise your mower blades to ensure they are slightly higher than usual as the longer grass helps to protect the lawn from winter frost damage.

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Brand Licensee Spotlight

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Hazel (left) & Mari (right), Brand Licensees We introduce two of our new Brand Licensees Hazel and Mari.

Two friends, who met back in 1996 whilst on an aromatherapy massage course together, talk to us about their new venture.

Hazel, a pharmacist with 30 years’ experience, has worked in several practices and presently with the charity

Breast Cancer Now. Mari has worked in retail and call centre management and now works as a clinical aromatherapist within a local hospice.

When they first had perimenopausal symptoms, they started to research but found that the information was confusing and in some cases contradictory. Most of the information was difficult

to find and left them still in the dark about the best way to manage this challenge.

Both of them decided to set up a Facebook support group, initially for their friends, as they grew a larger audience, they invited speakers who spoke on various topics, diet, nutrition, and holistic therapies but they wanted to do more, and take it up to the next level.

Later, they both found Menopause Experts Group, read about Brand Licenses and knew that's what they wanted to do.

Hazel and Mari are passionate about helping women and don’t want other women to worry about their troublesome symptoms.

Their drive to host workshops comes from bringing women together to share their experiences.

They are currently working through their training and are impressed with how comprehensive it is.

It’s factual and interesting and they know it will give them the confidence to take their new business forward.

Both initially want to start their workshops online, “for our online workshops we’re going to actively target younger groups too, to raise the awareness of perimenopause.

We really feel that by including younger women and educating them before they even experience symptoms we could hugely help them to understand the process and empower them to invest in their future health”.

In the future, they plan to go on and hold workshops faceto-face, and are currently seeking great venues to hold these events.

Currently, going through the presentation material and accompanying notes, they are excited to get started.

When asked why they would recommend a Menopause Experts Group Brand License to others, they said:

“The variety of ways you can help people with this resource is amazing, be it workshops, workplace presentations or through a cookery school, it is adaptable and easy to work around my schedule.” ~ Hazel

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“If you genuinely want to help women, get the positive support that Menopause Experts Group offers and buy a Brand License, it provides you all you need to run your own menopause events.” ~ Mari

Award-winning Menopause Experts Group is growing internationally.

We provide exciting opportunities for women to run menopause workshops and events under our brand license.

You will also be able to offer our exciting new range of retail products to those

needing help and support during this significant lifephase.

knowledge needed to run your own business dedicated to menopause.

This amazing business opportunity is open to those who have a passion for women's health and interest in menopause.

Our services offer women a safe space to discuss how they feel, talk about their own unique experiences, and follow our guidance by learning more about You must also be prepared natural menopause and also to accept our comprehensive understand if HRT or other menopause training treatments might be right for (included free), which will them. give you all the valuable

Earn Extra Income, Change Women's Lives.

Click here to find out more.

World Menopause Day

By Ellen Harding

World Menopause Day was established in 2009 by the International Menopause Society and happens on the 18th of October every year.

The day aims to reach out to everyone to improve awareness of menopause and the challenges that surround it.

As we know, it is an often difficult phase of a woman's

life and often symptoms can last a decade or more. That is a long time to suffer without any help.

Luckily the topic is getting wider discussion as you can see, and is starting to be recognised in workplace legislation.

Menopause has been called many things from deficiency disease to 'the

change' and has had some unusual remedies including opium, cannabis and even eating the crushed ovaries of animals.

Whilst this sounds pretty revolting, it perhaps deserves some merit. We do know now that replenishing diminishing hormones is the way to go.

Synthetic oestrogen was developed in 1938, and by

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A Potted History The earliest known references of menopause are difficult to find.

We know Aristotle referred to menopause occurring around the age of 40. A French physician Charles Pierre Louis De Gardanne

coined the term la ménépausie back in 1821, and by the middle of the 19th century medical interest in the subject had increased.

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colleague, sister, or friend.

We plan to change that!

Collectively as women we owe it to ourselves, and those around us, to learn all we can to help our symptoms improve.

What has not changed in present times, is the fact that we still have menopause.

We have free, accredited learning available for both women and men so that this subject is no longer shrouded in mystery and taboo.

Half of the worldwide population will go through it and the other half are left wondering what on earth happened to their partner,

In the 1970s, the International Menopause Society was first established. The first ever International Congress on Menopause was held

Click here to sign up free of charge.

in Paris in 1976. Thankfully, things have moved on quite a bit since then and most countries around the world now have their

Our learning is inspirational and comprehensive, up-todate and written by experts.

It’s not just about hot flushes, the list of symptoms is long and varied. By acting now you could prevent more serious problems like osteoporosis in the future.

Invest some time to take in the learning and be the best version of yourself now, and lessen the impact on the older version of you.

own Menopause Societies.

For example, BMS (British Menopause Society) & NAMS (North American Menopause Society).

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1942, Ayerst Laboratories in Philadelphia in the USA began marketing Premarin. The pharmaceutical industry had now entered the menopause arena with a very early form of what we now know as HRT.

Menopause & Blood Sugar

By Charlotte Hunter When it comes to menopause, blood sugar is big news. Blood sugar (the glucose concentration in blood) becomes problematic when it is too high or too low.

Menopause can tip this delicate balance due to declining sex hormones (oestrogen and progesterone).

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Glucose, a simple carbohydrate found in bread, grains, dairy, fruit, and vegetables, is a crucial fuel source for the body and is activated or stored by insulin (a hormone secreted from the pancreas).

However, during menopause, this advantage diminishes because declining hormones can reduce insulin efficiency, and may trigger a condition called insulin resistance, which reduces the body’s sensitivity to insulin and causes blood sugar levels to spike.

Oestrogen and progesterone help optimise this process, and as a result, premenopausal women generally have superior insulin function compared to men of the same age.

In other words, the body’s cells can’t hear the signals from insulin instructing it to use or store glucose, so insulin rises, but blood sugar remains elevated.

This helps explain why weight gain, especially around the abdomen, is common during menopause.

Imbalanced glucose and insulin contribute to the accumulation of belly fat as the body struggles to maintain metabolic harmony through optimal insulin function.

Sleep deprivation, also common in menopause, can intensify these blood sugar issues. It triggers a stress response, and as a result, our adrenal glands pump out cortisol (a stress hormone), which instructs the liver to circulate stored glucose.

To make matters worse, imbalanced blood sugar can also disrupt sleep quality.

When sugar levels are high (hyperglycaemia), the kidneys work extra hard to flush out any excess glucose via frequent trips to the bathroom overnight.

This can disrupt sleep, cause dehydration, and even exacerbate menopausal symptoms, from hot flushes to anxiety.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) can also disturb a restful night’s sleep.

A drop in blood sugar during the night can prompt the release of cortisol, and the cycle starts again.

So, the question on everyone’s lips...

How do we solve a problem like insulin during menopause?

We have only scratched the surface of some of the issues associated with imbalanced blood sugar. There are many other far-reaching short and long-term effects, including memory, fatigue, cardiovascular function and brain health.

Of course, nutrition is the ideal starting point because simple changes can yield far-reaching results in a short time frame.

For instance, most women do well on a low carbohydrate and snack-free diet simply because their sugar load is much lower. There are also several supplements and medical interventions available to improve the function of insulin.

However, there are some essential areas to focus on, including regular exercise, adequate hydration, stress management, optimal sleep hygiene, and monitoring blood sugar levels with a healthcare practitioner.

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Consequently, it is the fluctuations of sex hormones (associated with menopause), insulin, cortisol, and blood sugar that spells disaster for restorative sleep.

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Breast Cancer Awareness

By Ellen Harding Every October around the world is Breast Cancer Month.

It exists to raise awareness of this terrible disease. Sadly, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world.

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One woman is diagnosed every 10 minutes, which means one in seven of us will at some point in our lives be diagnosed with breast cancer. There are around 55,000 new cases of breast cancer every year, that’s over 150 cases every day.

Scary stuff! But the good news is that over 25% of breast cancer cases are preventable. You could significantly reduce your

risk of developing breast cancer by taking some precautionary measures and by adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Some cases are not preventable such as genetic make-up, age and gender (men can get breast cancer too). However, lifestyle plays a large part in what we can do to help prevent this disease and it is more important than ever for you to make positive choices about breast cancer prevention in your everyday life.

Drink less alcohol There is a strong link between breast cancer and alcohol, as alcohol

breaks down it can produce harmful by-products which can settle in the breast tissue and cause cancers.

Think a little differently about your alcohol intake, opt for low alcohol, don’t drink every day, add some non-alcoholic drinks to your favourite drinks list.

Get yourself fit Aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, which equates to a little over 20 minutes each day, have a plan on how you will achieve this; walking, swimming, or exercise classes.

Make it something you enjoy so that you stay motivated and think of the extra benefits - weight loss, smaller dress size, a more supple and toned body.

Stop smoking The links between smoking and lung cancer are well documented but if you started smoking

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at a young age or have been smoking for a long time, you could be more at risk of developing breast cancer.

Call time on this habit, if necessary get help from the NHS smoking cessation service.

Eat better A healthy diet does not have to be boring. Eat cleaner, less processed food most of the time, fresh fruit and vegetables (organic if possible) and you will notice this having an impact on your overall wellbeing.

A Paleo diet is ideal, it's a chemical-free way of eating,

and very healthy for our bodies.

Weight loss Being overweight is a risk factor in itself - find a weight loss plan that works for you and stick to it as much as possible, don’t get disheartened if you have an off day, just carry on the day after.

Your positive lifestyle choices could prevent you from developing breast cancer – now that is something to celebrate!

It is great to think that a few simple lifestyle changes can

benefit you so much, but it is also essential that you monitor the situation too.

Regular self-checks of your breasts and surrounding tissue should form part of your routine.

Early detection means the best chance of recovery and make sure you attend the breast clinic if you are called for a mammogram.

Breast Cancer UK have a great resource to check your breasts and you can sign up for a monthly reminder at breastcanceruk.org.uk/ checkyourbreasts/

Positive Sides To Menopause

By Tammy Driver

We hear a lot about the downside of going through menopause, but this transitional period can also have many benefits.

Post-menopausal women often speak of experiencing a second Spring, in which they feel more energy, enthusiasm and drive.

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The American anthropologist Margaret Mead termed this rush of physical and psychological energy ‘menopausal zest’.

However in the perimenopausal years as the hormones fluctuate, these post-menopause benefits may seem far off.

Many women in their mid 40s and 50s join mindfulness courses with symptoms such as low mood, irritability, anxiety and exhaustion.

As well as wanting to address these side effects, they are often eager to make other positive transformations in their lives.

The drop in oestrogen which occurs with perimenopause

affects our energy levels and invites us to re-evaluate our lives.

This could mean removing things that no longer serve you, setting boundaries and releasing old patterns of behaviour.

It can also be a time to reassess relationships, career choices and lifestyle.

Here are some positive steps you can take.

Practice Mindfulness Mindfulness meditation has been scientifically proven to reduce menopause side effects such as irritability, insomnia, anxiety and depression.

Rather than resisting the changes of menopause, mindfulness can help you to accept them with a sense of openness and curiosity.

Reflect Menopause is a natural time to take stock of your life. As you move into this new phase, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on how you want your life to be. Take time out to be alone, rest, meditate, journal, walk in nature and get in touch with your inner guidance.

Listen to your body

Declutter

Is it time to make some changes in your life?

Menopause can be a wakeup call that alerts us to the parts of our life which are no longer working. Assess whether you’re heading in the direction of your desires with your career, family and relationships.

Now is not the time to push through and ignore tiredness and exhaustion.

Instead honour your body by indulging in sacred rest and restoration.

As you go through this transition, it’s the perfect opportunity to clear out your home. Ditch old clothes, shoes and makeup that don’t reflect your style anymore.

At this time of our lives we can no longer get away with eating heavy foods, late nights out drinking and burning the candle at both ends.

Look at the items in your home and decide if they suit who you are now and who you want to be. If they don’t bring you joy, then donate or give them away. Being surrounded by things that reflect your personality will naturally raise your energy levels.

Are you living the life of your dreams and if not, what can you do to change that?

Around this time women often feel empowered to take risks and make new choices.

It could be time to reinvent yourself, express your creativity and try those things you’ve always wanted to do.

Instead, it’s time to explore the foods that nourish you and try movement practices such as yoga or dancing that make your body feel good.

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Re-evaluate

By Dr. Sheila French Are you having difficulty thinking, just who? The answer is you!

It might not be easy to say, but in time there is evidence that you will start to believe it, raise your self-esteem and confidence. So don't be shy, give it a go.

Years ago, I certainly gave the wrong answer. Now I know that I should love myself, I help others to learn to love themselves too.

It is so easy to care for others but not so easy to love and care for ourselves. We live in a society that encourages comparison with others, self-criticism of our looks and behaviours and judgement of self.

We can find ourselves being hypercritical at the time of menopause, our body may be changing, we may be suffering adverse effects and as such sometimes feel down on ourselves. This can become a habit of self criticism, and we start to believe it. It can severely dent our confidence and self-esteem. It can affect our overall well-being and challenge our immune system. If this is you, do not despair.

Menopause is the time to learn to love yourself and be compassionate to yourself.

This is not selfish; it is an act of kindness to self. In doing so we can learn to accept our difficulties and manage them.

For example, if you need a rest, take one. Start to put your well-being first.

2. Practice this little selfcompassion break in difficult moments

A study carried out in Australia showed that women who practiced self-kindness and self-love could ease the effects of hot flushes.

Another study in Sweden showed that 30 minutes of relaxation a day and selfcare can help to reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, memory and concentration issues and that it lead to better sleep.

Here are 2 exercises I practice with my clients, and you can do them right now.

1. Mirror work Write out the following affirmation: I love and accept myself I love you

I really, really love you.

Write this out on a piece of paper or pick your own words and stick it on a mirror that you most frequently look at yourself through.

For example, when you feel stressed or are suffering from a hot flush.

Put your hand on your heart and take 5 deep breaths – following the whole breath in and the whole breath out.

Then speak quietly to yourself (this may feel strange, but you will get used to it).

Say things such as “This will pass”, “I will be safe”, “I am taking a moment to be kind to me”.

Change these examples to suit you, what you're doing is changing your thought process to be kinder towards yourself. Give it a go.

Finally, watch out for selfcriticism. Ask yourself: would I talk to a friend like this? Of course not - so from today think of yourself as your best friend and treat yourself accordingly.

Look after you.

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Who Do You Love Most?

Single Again

By Kate Mansfield

Learning to be single again can be an overwhelming process full of fear,

loneliness and uncertainty but it can also be an exciting time of personal growth, newfound freedom, and reinvention!

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At the core of all of my single clients is often a deep-rooted fear of ending up alone, managing life without the security of a partner, and a need for affection, love and that special someone.

divorce, heartbreak and rejection along with the often crazy-making and exhausting world of online dating, and we can see how being single can feel challenging.

But the reality is that so often we put up with so much less than we want and need, just for the sake of the imagined benefits of being in a relationship – the wrong one!

But taking the time to get some help, and pour all of your energy and focus into yourself, to learn about your desires, your needs, your dreams, and what you don’t like, is an invaluable process.

The cliché ‘you can’t truly love another until you love yourself’ is absolutely true, and I teach exactly that.

To start with, I put clients on a dating diet – no apps, no dating, nothing at all – in order to build a solid and happy relationship with 'self'.

This is often a time filled with huge energy and transformation, that perfectly lays the a pathway towards healthy dating and into the kind of relationship that most women only ever dream of.

One with a partner who truly is there to meet her needs, and give her the love that she deserves.

As women we are cultured into serving others – kids, men, family and with work on top we end up burnt out and angry. Layer on betrayal,

Finding new hobbies, gifts and talents as well as a new social circle is also an exciting time. Sometimes it’s the first time in our lives that we have been able to do this.

love – but doesn’t rely on it for your happiness!

Laila is a client of mine. She is a successful coach herself, single mum of 2 young kids and about to turn 47. She was coming out of a miserable 8-month relationship with a man who refused to show-up properly.

She was paying for everything, doing it all, and felt utterly invisible to him.

As you can imagine, Laila was full of doubt, and had many logical reasons as to why being single for a while might present some very real challenges. She agreed to end things, and trust that she could have what she needed.

Like many clients, Laila is now dating several great men, but she’s so in love with herself and her life that she’s not in a rush to find 'the one'.

Many women are frightened of themselves! They don’t trust their judgement, or their ability to go it alone.

Coaching can really help to reframe the past and create a future vision that includes

She’s allowing these men to impress her, to show-up, and she’s having fun. Perhaps one of them will manage to convince her that he’s worth giving up her freedom for – but either way, she’s found herself and that is the greatest gift ever!

“LadyCare Plus may naturally reduce or completely eliminate all menopause symptoms in over 71% of women.”

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Hips & Menopause

By Victoria Smith Specialist Physiotherapist (BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy MCSP) In the last issue we looked at how and why menopause can play a big part in the common hip condition Gluteal Tendinopathy (GT) or Bursitis (quick recap, the most common symptom is pain on the outside of your hip which is often worse with walking and sleeping).

If you do suffer from this menopause related condition, how can you get on top of these painful symptoms?

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In this article we’re going to explore the different treatment options, to help you start to get this frustrating/life-affecting/ sleep disturbing (add in expletives as desired!) thing to settle!

Well, the two main treatment options are physiotherapy and cortisone (steroid) injection. Although if you are prepared to wait it out, we know that around half of the sufferers will slowly recover over time, if they follow simple advice such as reducing any vigorous activity like hill walking or running.

Here are the facts

But if that’s not you and you want to help speed up your recovery we’ll take a look at the other options in a bit more detail.

Unfortunately, there are some thoughts that having multiple injections in your tendon can affect its health. So, that takes us quite nicely to the other option:

Let’s start with the steroid option, the reason being that most people have put up with their symptoms for quite a long time and are often desperate for quick relief!

We know they reduce pain for 60% of people quite nicely in the short term (usually a few weeks or maybe a few months if you are lucky), but we also know that in the longer term they are no more successful than the wait it out approach that we mentioned above.

Physiotherapy The good news is that the correct physiotherapy program has a success

rate of around 80% both in the short term and very importantly in the longer term too!

But what is a good program?

It’s really important that it covers lots of advice about how to change postures (how you sit or stand) and movement habits (like how you go up and down stairs) that are making your symptoms worse (remember that squashed tendon in the previous article).

It should also provide a specific exercise program to build up strength in those weaker muscles (usually the infamous glutes!) and to reteach your tendon how to get healthier.

Other physiotherapy treatments like massage, dry needling and electrotherapy machines can work well alongside your exercises but only appropriate exercises can improve your tendon health. We will go into more detail on exercise in the next issue.

If you do suffer from this painful condition, the Fix Your Hips evidence-based program will teach you how to manage GT, with lifetime access to a video taught step-by-step exercise program, alongside an abundance of detailed ways to modify your problem activities.

menopauseexperts.com

Here are some top tips to help you make sure your program is on target!

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Trauma & Menopause

By Rosaria Barreto

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As life goes by, we experience some wonderful situations which I like to call ‘moments of impact’.

But, we can also go through tough times, or experience traumatic situations, a common example is the loss of a loved one, a car crash or even abuse.

But trauma can also come about in other ways for example divorce, childbirth, and toxic working environments.

By the time you reach menopause you would have experienced many moments of impact and tough times whether you like it or not which have led you to where you are now.

Whilst reading this please keep an open mind when thinking about trauma.

Trauma for one person can be completely different to another person.

There are two types of trauma: physical trauma, for example breaking an arm or cutting your knee open, and psychological trauma, the much more complicated

type as it has, perhaps, a greater impact on our menopause.

Let us start by splitting psychological trauma into acute or chronic trauma. The difference is that acute is a single event, and chronic is continuous or prolonged traumatic exposure.

Menopause is ongoing and the menopause period can be viewed as chronic trauma for many women. The effect that menopause has on a person can be huge, changing body, mind, and life. It’s estimated that 75% of women will experience some menopausal symptoms including insomnia, achy joints and social anxiety,

capacity to live a healthy and wholesome life.

Depression is also a common result of trauma, which can impact the way you view yourself and as a result, your lifestyle choices.

As you age you might notice that you hold fat in more areas of the body than before, “it used to be the thighs and now I can see it around my neck as well”.

On the flip side, research suggests that trauma alongside an unhealthy lifestyle for example heavy smoking, high consumption of alcohol and sedentary living can heighten a woman's risk of menopausal symptoms making the menopausal years even more challenging.

You might often think “why can’t I find the motivation to exercise like my friends” or you may not even recognise that your alcohol consumption is linked to previous trauma. It’s possible that your choices could be linked to past trauma which have affected your

So, does this mean that trauma causes obesity or is obesity a side effect of trauma? In my professional opinion obesity is a side effect of trauma. Trauma often leads to unhealthy lifestyle choices and as a result you may gain body fat, or your muscles may start to diminish causing a downward spiral.

An unhealthy body is not an inevitable aspect of menopause and can be managed. I will share ways to manage the effects of trauma for a healthier life next season.

Rosaria Barreto is a social impact and health entrepreneur who runs 2 businesses and has recently started a social enterprise. Rosaria has a BSc in Exercise and Fitness Management, is a Chartered Physical Activity Professional and Personal Trainer. Rosaria Hosts a Podcast called Mature Movers where she discusses Healthy Ageing Topics with industry leaders. Rosaria loves beach holidays, dark chocolate and salsa dancing.

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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often a result of a traumatic situation and is very much connected to lifestyle choices and behaviours.

which can often leave people depressed.

Our Charity Of Choice We are proud to announce our partnering with chosen charity, Wellbeing of

Women, which improves the health and well-being of women, girls and babies, through research, advocacy and education. Founded by Professor Will Nixon

of University College Hospital in 1964, the charity has funded ground breaking research that saves and changes lives.

Earlier this year, to commence her patronage, The Countess of Wessex held a virtual discussion with chair Professor Dame Lesley Regan, raising that “hidden” women’s health issues such as menopause must be brought "out into the open” and talking about them normalized.

The Countess commented: "it’s about time we really had a grown-up conversation” about women’s health and “don't allow it to be in the in the shadows anymore”.

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Thanks to a growing number of high-profile ambassadors and celebrities speaking openly about their experiences, menopause is never far from headline news and is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

The charity has seen several Patrons over the decades that include Diana, Princess of Wales. The charity is now supported as Patron by HRH, The Countess of

Wessex, who has recently opened up the conversation

surrounding menopause. She spoke very candidly about this issue. Pictured: HRH The Countess of Wessex.

Although all women go through menopause at some point in their lives, the subject has not been spoken widely about until now. Some women experience menopause with no significant symptoms.

However, 75% of women will experience some symptoms

and a third will experience severe symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia, and low mood.

A recent inquiry launched by the Commons Women and Equalities Committee is considering whether enough is being done to address the issue of menopause discrimination.

Wellbeing of Women is deeply committed to improving the health and wellbeing of women. It is the only UK charity funding across the entire spectrum of gynecological and reproductive healthcare, with a strong focus on advancing health across the life course, including pregnancy, childbirth, menstrual problems, fertility, gynecological cancers, and menopause.

With the launch of a new Five-Year strategy in June 2021, Wellbeing of Women will continue to fund pioneering research and will also focus on education and advocacy, empowering women and girls with accurate information on how to make healthy choices.

Its first campaign will focus on the topic of menopause, which will launch in early autumn.

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Professor Dame Lesley

Regan, Chair (Board of

Trustees), Wellbeing Of Women.

As Wellbeing of Women chair, Professor Dame Lesley Regan concludes: “Together we can raise awareness of women's health issues, help break down some of the taboos surrounding them and make the world a better place for everyone. When we get it right for women, everybody benefits.”

DONATE NOW Menopause Experts Group CEO & Founder, Dee Murray says ‘We highly respect and value the work of Wellbeing of Women, and my own son, born 13 weeks prematurely (2002) may not have survived without the research carried out by this charity.

Dee Murray - Founder & CEO, Menopause Experts Group.

We are committed to helping fund-raise in any way we can to help further enable this amazing charity to continue its research into women’s health’.

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Research shows that women find it most difficult to manage symptoms in the workplace. It also shows that women don’t disclose their menopause – or their difficulty working because of it – due to embarrassment, stigma, and fear that they might be discriminated against or stigmatized.

Since its launch in 1964, the charity has funded ground-breaking research in women’s health, including establishing the importance of taking folic acid and vitamin D during pregnancy, the link between HPV and cervical cancer, resulting in cervical screening and HPV vaccination, and discovering the first potential nonhormonal and non-surgical treatment for endometriosis.

Inspirational Woman Featured: Joanna Dase, Senior Director, Curves International & COO, Curves Europe.

We love to champion inspirational women, who has inspired you the most and why?

That’s a difficult question as there are many. One that stands out is Katherine Graham; the first ever female CEO of a Fortune 500 company and editor of the Washington Post.

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A widow who shook off her grief and insecurities to take on a president and a union as she navigated the disrespectful man’s world of the newspaper business.

I find the way Katherine unflinchingly mastered all manner of personal and professional crises with grace - inspiring.

What has been the most defining moment of your life?

Motherhood - the birth of my daughters - it changes your entire perspective; through it you discover your own sense of self.

It is exhausting and exhilarating, pushes you to your limits and gives you a sense of purpose. Yet is often the least acknowledged of all achievements.

It teaches us that success can be a deeply quiet and hidden thing.

How did/does menopause affect you, or your mother?

Maybe an easier question to answer would be what hasn’t it affected! Thankfully as a result of the Menopause Expert training I am equipped with knowledge and understanding of what is happening and what to expect.

There are the vasomotor symptoms - causing night sweats and hot flushes.

The psychological symptoms - causing loss of energy, changes in mood, and memory issues. Physical symptoms that include symptoms like stomach migraines and inflammation.

I find relief and escape in daily exercise with a routine that is built around strength, flexibility and balance.

This combined with a diet designed to provide the necessary nutrients helps manage symptoms.

Where is your happy place?

With horses.

I enjoy combining two of my passions -understanding cultural diversity and horses - by experiencing riding and working with horses all around the world.

Some of my favourites include: Amman - Jordan, Pompeii - Italy, Port Elizabeth - South Africa, the Rocky Mountains Canada and of course Dorset - England.

Observing the way people interact with their horses provides great insights into their culture and from every approach I learn and grow.

Readers' Questions

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If you have any questions you want answered in the next issue, email magazine@ menopauseexperts.com

We hear from so many women who have gone through terrible times during menopause, please get in touch with your questions and we will put them to the panel of experts to find you answers.

Each season we want to hear some of your stories, and perhaps some dilemmas or questions you might have.

My expertise is the mind and emotion.

Let me know what is bothering you, and we can share the solutions together.

Q: I think I am post menopausal as I have not had a period in 3 years but I still get really bad hot flushes, which happen quite frequently and are really unpleasant. I thought I was over all that?

- Roz T A: Hi Roz, thank you for your question. We are postmenopausal for the rest of our lives and unfortunately some of the symptoms stay with us.

Hot flushes are part of the vasomotor symptoms we experience and can often occur in stressful situations.

We would recommend you look at your diet and include those essential phytoestrogens, try some form of regular gentle exercise, see where your stress is coming from and look at how you can reduce it. Hopefully with these small lifestyle adjustments you should see some improvement.

Q: My Hair is really thin, when it was once thick and bouncy now it just hangs down. Is this menopause related? - Linda W A: Hello Linda, It is most likely menopause related, sadly thinning hair is one of the symptoms.

I recommend reading the article on hair thinning in the

Continued on page 62

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With Dee Murray, Retired Adv. Psychotherapist

Continued - Readers' Questions

last issue of the magazine, it has some useful tips on how to deal with it.

If your hair is longer, consider having a shorter, more layered look to give you more volume.

Have a chat with your hairdresser on the best styles to suit your face shape and hair.

Q: I have been experiencing some unpleasant comments at work from some younger women with them mentioning my menopause, it’s making me feel quite uncomfortable.

- Caroline J

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A: Hi Caroline, I am sorry to hear this and it is of course entirely inappropriate. I suggest you speak to your HR Department or your Line Manager.

Legislation now covers this type of behaviour to protect all employees. When you speak to your HR Department, let them know we can offer free training for all members of the workplace (women and men) and direct them to Menopause Experts Training.

Q: I had a hysterectomy about 6 years ago when I was 42 and I now seem to be having perimenopausal symptoms. I thought if I had had a hysterectomy this would not happen? Donna H. A: Hi Donna, Unfortunately education is lacking around this subject and women are not always getting the

correct information postsurgery.

After hysterectomy, our body oestrogen taken away at once (without a hysterectomy this gradually decreases).

Therefore, you are likely to have been suffering perimenopausal symptoms for 6 years already.

You may want to talk this over with your GP as HRT may be an option, if you have no other risk factors.

Look at your diet too, a lot of symptoms can be decreased if you follow the correct diet.

Lastly, think about completing our free training to provide you with more information.

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