The Happy Menopause

Jackie Lynch - Nutritionist & Author

Join award-winning nutritionist and author Jackie Lynch as she takes you on a journey through midlife to learn how diet and lifestyle can help you take control of your menopause symptoms.

Each month Jackie covers a different topic, from managing hot flushes or dealing with anxiety to intimate health and strong bones. She'll introduce you to some fascinating guests who can offer expert advice on managing midlife hormonal changes and challenges, so that you truly can have a happy menopause.

Find out more about the podcast and Jackie's work by visiting well-well-well.co.uk or follow on Facebook, Instagram or X at @WellWellWellUK.

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123 episodes
Updated July 2

Episodes123

Newest first

Nov 4, 2021 · 36 min
Foods to Support a Healthy Immune Function, with Ed Joy, Herbalist and Naturopath - S3. Ep 7.
Now that November is here, the cold and flu season is well underway and many of you have probably already succumbed to some sort of lurgy by now. And with the spectre of Covid 19 still lurking, supporting our immune system is very much on the agenda right now, which is why I’ve dedicated this episode to foods that can keep you and your family fighting fit and I’ve found the perfect guest for this. Today I’m welcoming herbalist Ed Joy back to the podcast. He’s a specialist in herbal medicine with over 20 years’ experience and he weaves a combination of homeopathy, naturopathy and nutrition into his work, taking a truly holistic approach. My interview with him on a herbal approach to the menopause was one of the big hits of Season 1 and in this episode I’ll be tapping into his expertise on the different foods that can help our immune system be more robust, because we all need a bit of that right now. Ed shares his top 3 everyday foods for immune support and gives us the inside track on not just what we should eat, but how we should cook it so that we can maximise the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content of our food. There are so many culinary tips and tricks that I guarantee you’ll be fascinated by what he has to say. Ed shares his top 3 foods that every immune-conscious cook should have in their kitchen. We take an in-depth look at the role of the gut microbiome in immune health; discuss the nutritional powerhouse that is broccoli and how to optimise absorption of vitamin C and zinc; explore a whole host of tips around preparing, cooking and storing food; and Ed explains why a finger of ginger every day is just enough to keep you fit and well! If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Oct 18, 2021 · 40 min
How to Strengthen Your Bones & Muscles in Mid & Later Life with Dr Catherine Walter, Academic & Powerlifter - S3. Ep 6.
The theme of this year’s World Menopause Day is bone health, something that really needs to be front of mind for women in mid and later life. Bones contain cells called osteoclasts which dissolve old bone and osteoblasts which build new bone. This regular renewal process helps to keep our bones strong, but bone tissue is reactive and needs impact to grow, which is why resistant forms of exercise are so important. So while the drop in oestrogen post-menopause significantly affects our bone density, we really do have it in our hands to arrest and even reverse that decline. My guest in this podcast is the perfect role model because she’s done just that and now has the bone density of a 20-year-old. I’m sure we’d all like to know how she’s done it! Meet Dr Catherine Walter – she’s a shining light in the world of English-Language Teaching and an Emeritus Fellow in Applied Linguistics at Oxford University, but she’s also a world-record-holding power lifter, who took up the sport at the age of 65 and hasn’t looked back since. Catherine’s story is incredibly inspiring and is a real example to any woman who wants to take control of her own health and wellbeing. We discuss all the ins and outs of power lifting:- what it actually is; how to get started; why it can make such a difference to your health in ways that reach far beyond strength and stamina and how it could help you become a whole new woman. I have to say that just a short chat with her left me feeling hugely motivated to get out there, find myself a power coach and start lifting. Tune in to learn about Catherine’s fascinating journey, her helpful advice for exercising as an older woman and the physical confidence she’s achieved through building her strength which provided her with the ultimate put-down for an annoying guy in a bar! If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Oct 18, 2021 · 35 min
Everything You Need To Know About Your Bones with Sarah Leyland, Osteoporosis Specialist Nurse - S3. Ep 5.
Bone health is a very real concern for women in mid and later life, because when they go through the menopause, oestrogen levels drop rapidly and bones lose strength at a much faster rate. There are 3.5 million people living with osteoporosis in the UK today, and 50% of women and 20% of men over 50 will break a bone because of it. Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to lose strength and break more easily. However, it’s often referred to as a ‘silent disease’ because of under-diagnosis, under-treatment and low levels of public awareness. The theme of this year’s World Menopause Day is bone health, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get some expert advice from a woman who knows all about bones. I’m delighted to be speaking to Sarah Leyland, who is an osteoporosis specialist nurse currently working as a clinical adviser with the Royal Osteoporosis Society. With over 20 years of experience in providing specialist advice, guidance and support, she’s exactly the person we need to tell us how we can support our bone density and reduce the risk of fractures that can be a very real concern for women, post menopause. Sarah and I discuss what bones are made of and how they renew themselves. She explains the various risk factors for low bone density and why it’s important to assess your own fracture risk, as well as talking us through the diet and lifestyle factors that can affect your bones, plus the various treatment options available. It was fascinating to hear about her work at The Royal Osteoporosis Society, which is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to bone health and osteoporosis. They work to improve the bone health of the nation and support everyone with osteoporosis to live well through their support services and advice. Their free Helpline, run by a team of specialist nurses, including Sarah herself, provides information and support to anyone with questions about their bone health or osteoporosis. This really is an episode that covers everything you might want to know about bones, so tune in for her excellent practical advice. If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Oct 7, 2021 · 37 min
How to Make the Most of Your Doctor’s Appointment with Dr Dawn Harper, GP, Author & TV Presenter - S3. Ep 4.
Our family doctor is at the heart of the community and the first port of call for health advice, support and treatment for us and our loved ones. But even before the restrictions around the pandemic, that had become more difficult. With appointments often limited to 10 minutes and a one problem: one appointment policy in many surgeries, what does the menopausal women do, if she’s struggling with multiple debilitating symptoms? And how does she make herself heard? I’ve come across so many examples of women feeling that they’ve been dismissed, ignored and simply not listened to and it’s really heart-breaking to hear those stories. So in this episode I’m tackling the doctor’s appointment – how to get one and how to get the most out of it so that you get the exact support you need. Who better to call upon for this than the nation’s favourite GP, Dr Dawn Harper, who’s worked in the NHS for over 30 years. Possibly best known for her role in the BAFTA-award winning series Embarrassing Bodies, Dawn is a very familiar face on our TV screens, commenting on medical matters. She’s also the author of 12 health and well-being books, but most importantly, she’s still a practising GP, serving her local community. So there’s no one better to give us the inside track on how to manage the conversation with your doctor. We discuss strategies for getting the appointment in the first place; how to make sure you get to see the right person; how a little planning can go a long way; which questions to ask your doctor and why you should never, ever feel embarrassed! Tune in for Dawn’s brilliant practical advice on how to make the most of your doctor’s appointment. If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Sep 2, 2021 · 39 min
How to Manage Hormonal Headaches with Professor Anne MacGregor, Specialist in Headaches & Women’s Health - S3. Ep 3.
Tense, nervous headache anyone? Did you know that during our fertile years, women are 3 times more likely to suffer from headaches than men? Up until puberty and then after the menopause, our propensity for headaches is roughly the same as for men, so those pesky hormones have a lot to answer for. If menstrual migraine is an issue for you, then this episode could be just what you need because I’ve called in the big guns to help us out here. I’m speaking to Professor Anne MacGregor who has spent her career studying hormonal headaches and treating women who struggle with them so there is no one better to advise us here. From her initial doctorate where she explored the role of oestrogen in migraine, Anne has gone on to publish over 200 research papers and authored numerous books on the subject. A specialist trainer, researcher and clinician, she’s really pushed the boundaries of research in the area of hormonal headaches and has supported countless women along the way. She is currently based at the Headache and Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Centre at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London and is a British Menopause Society specialist and trainer. Tune in to find out about Anne’s fascinating journey from her initial research which led to her blazing a trail in the field of hormonal headaches and giving a voice to women who have struggled with this issue for years. We discuss menstrual migraine – what it is, why it happens and what you can do about it; the role of nutrition in brain function; and what to look for in over-the-counter pain relief. There’s so much to learn here and it’s an invaluable episode for anyone who struggles with headaches and migraines. If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Sep 2, 2021 · 35 min
How to Transform Yourself in Your 40s, 50s & Beyond, with Rachel Lankester, Founder of Magnificent Midlife - S3. Ep 2.
Every woman deserves to have a happy menopause – regular listeners will know how important that is to me and that’s the entire inspiration behind this podcast. In this episode we’re going to go a little broader and talk about not just having a happy menopause but how to have a magnificent midlife! This time in a woman’s life can be truly transformational, as the hormones that have driven your decisions, your approach to life and your emotions since puberty, start to subside and there’s headspace for you to focus on yourself and what you want to do with the rest of your life. Rachel Lankester is just the woman to help us with this, because she’s the founder of the Magnificent Midlife Movement which is all about celebrating and empowering women who are over 40, and we could all do with a bit of that! Rachel is on a mission to disrupt negative ageist and sexist stereotypes about older women, menopause and aging. Founder of Magnificent Midlife and host of an inspiring podcast of the same name, she's passionate about changing how society perceives women in midlife and beyond, and also how we view ourselves. She’s full of practical advice on how we can build up our confidence and transform ourselves and our lives so that we can truly make the most of our 40s, 50s and beyond. Tune in for an injection of confidence and some fantastic insights and inspiration on how you can transform yourself and your life at this pivotal time for women. If you've enjoyed this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Sep 2, 2021 · 36 min
How to Reclaim Your Time Off with Fab Giovanetti, Author & Entrepreneur - S3. Ep 1.
September is the perfect time for new beginnings and a different way of doing things. For most of us, things tend to be a little quieter in August, so that we can enjoy a bit of a break and this can be a handy reminder of the importance of work-life balance and getting plenty of free time. So that’s what I’d like to focus on in this episode, because things usually start to crank up again as we move into the autumn and it’s easy to let your good resolutions slide, so that before you know it, the pressure’s piling up again and you don’t know which way to turn. In this episode, I’m chatting to Fab Giovanetti, author of Reclaim Your Time Off who’s going to help us to get the balance right. Fab is an award-winning entrepreneur and social media & marketing expert who’s supported multiple start-ups and helped them establish and grow their brand. She’s also the founder of Creative Impact, a collective of hundreds of creatives aiming to make a positive impact on others and the planet. Fab is a woman who’s been juggling a huge amount of things for a long time and it was this that caused her to stop, take stock and develop some key strategies to improve her work-life balance. This is what led to her wonderful new book Reclaim Your Time Off which is full of advice on just how we can do that effectively, because we midlife women definitely need to give ourselves a break! In this episode we discuss the importance of setting boundaries and how to have the confidence to say ‘no’. Fab talks us through strategies for an effective work-life balance and to help you disconnect from the pressures of work. She also shares her 3-step solution to reclaiming your time off to help you make the most of your free time. If you've enjoyed this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Jul 1, 2021 · 35 min
How to Boost Your Energy & Stop Feeling Tired All The Time with Jackie Lynch, Registered Nutritional Therapist & Author - S2. Ep 17.
This episode of The Happy Menopause is all about energy. Have you lost your Va Va Voom? Do you feel tired all the time? Do you blame your age for your lack of energy? If this sounds familiar, then it’s definitely time to take action, because whether you’re 29 or 69, it’s far more likely that your diet and lifestyle are the main culprits and a few simple changes and new habits could make a world of difference to the way you feel, so that’s what we’ll be focusing on today. Registered Nutritional Therapist and The Happy Menopause host, Jackie Lynch is flying solo in this episode, because nutrition for energy is a specialist subject of hers. In fact she’s written a whole book about it called Va Va Voom: The 10-Day Energy Diet. We’re all feeling a bit weary from the impact of Covid, whether we had it or not. Our lives have changed a lot in the past year and dealing with all the associated issues around the pandemic have ground many of us down, so it wouldn’t be surprising if you’re feeling generally tired. And that’s before we take into account all the hormonal havoc that comes with the perimenopause and menopause, because that also has a significant impact on physical and mental energy. So this episode takes a close look at energy for all you tired midlife women out there – how the body produces it, the different types, the role of different nutrients in the energy production process and Jackie’s written some little quizzes to help you identify whether a deficiency might be playing a part in your symptoms. Tune in for her best energy nutrition tips to help you get your Va Va Voom back so that you feel like a whole new woman! Jackie Lynch is a Registered Nutritional Therapist and founder of the WellWellWell nutrition clinic where she specialises in women’s health and the menopause. Keen to break the taboo about discussing the menopause, she launched the popular diet & lifestyle podcast The Happy Menopause and her new book, The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish is out now. If you've enjoyed this episode, please tell your friends and family, and leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Jun 3, 2021 · 37 min
Beating Brain Fog with Dr Sabina Brennan, Neuroscientist & Psychologist - S2. Ep 16.
Do you ever wonder what you came upstairs for, forget where you’ve parked the car or find yourself grappling for the right word that just won’t come? These are all common concerns for women in midlife because brain fog is one of the classic symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. All that hormonal turmoil plays havoc with the oestrogen receptors in your brain and the resulting forgetfulness, poor concentration and focus, plus an overall sense of your brain not firing on all cylinders can be incredibly disconcerting. I’ve come across many women in my nutrition clinic who were genuinely worried about early onset Alzheimer’s when it was actually all about the hormones. The focus in this episode is brain fog as we get to the bottom of what it is, why it happens and what you can do about it. I’m delighted to be speaking to Dr Sabina Brennan. She’s a chartered health psychologist, neuroscientist and host of the Super Brain podcast, so brains are very much her business! Sabina directed a dementia and brain health research programme for seven years at Trinity College, Dublin where she also led a large-scale research study examining the relationship between brain health, lifestyle, genomics and dementia risk. Her latest book Beating Brain Fog is a wonderful read, with lots of practical strategies to support and tune up your brain. We discuss the different forms of brain fog, and how they can affect you and your day-to-day performance and wellbeing. Sabina gives us strategies for tuning up your brain and explains the importance of novelty and learning. We discuss the role of diet and lifestyle and why a simple smile has a host of wonderful health benefits. This episode is essential listening for any woman struggling with cognitive issues, so tune in for some amazing practical advice! If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
May 6, 2021 · 32 min
Dealing with Vaginal Dryness with Kathy Abernethy, Menopause Specialist - S2. Ep 15.
In this episode, I’m focusing on the Cinderella of the menopause. In recent years, we’ve become a bit more confident about discussing our menopause – some women will mention their hot flushes without turning a hair and the common mental health symptoms such as anxiety and mood swings have also started to come out of the closet, which is a great thing, but we’re still not quite ready to be open about the vaginal symptoms. So now we’re going to shine the spotlight on vaginal dryness which can be a huge issue for many women through the menopause and beyond. To help us, I’ve turned to one of the most clinically experienced menopause specialists in the UK. Kathy Abernethy has been a leading light in the field of women’s health and the menopause for over 30 years which makes her the perfect person to advise us on this tricky topic. A registered British Menopause Society Menopause Specialist with extensive clinical experience, Kathy has consistently championed women’s health and transformed the lives of hundreds of women with her clinical advice and support. There is no better person to give us the lowdown on how to manage vaginal dryness, so tune in to find out what she’s got to say. We discuss moisturisers & lubricants, and why and how to use them. Kathy explains exactly why vaginal scrubs are best avoided, and she’s reassuring and insightful on the subject of locally applied oestrogen. We also talk about the long-term importance of caring for the vagina to avoid the knock-on problems of bladder and urinary tract infections, which are common ongoing issues for women post-menopause. Throw in a bit of nutrition advice from me and you’ve got an all-round approach to managing vaginal health in this podcast! Kathy leads a busy multidisciplinary NHS menopause clinic in London, as well as her own private clinic in southwest London. She is also the director of menopause services at Peppy health, a digital health company, former chair of the British Menopause Society and the author of “Menopause: The One Stop Guide”. She’s full of so much brilliant, expert advice in this episode that I think you’ll feel much more confident about tackling any issues you might have around vaginal dryness, so that you can get the support that you need. Isn’t it time to give your vagina a bit of love? If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Apr 1, 2021 · 34 min
Shining a Spotlight on the Sandwich Generation with Katie Taylor, Founder of The Latte Lounge - S2. Ep 14.
We’re the sandwich generation. That group of - let’s face it - mostly women who are caught in the middle between caring for elderly parents and supporting our children, whatever age they might be. That’s a big burden to be carrying and multigenerational needs have grown even more acute during the pandemic, so that a previously heavy load may have now become intensely pressured and stressful. Add that to the perimenopause and menopause, and you have an explosive combination as the physical, mental and emotional strain starts to tell. Today’s guest has made it her business to shine a spotlight on the sandwich generation, providing support and guidance via her online community to release the pressure valve at this difficult time. Meet Katie Taylor, founder of The Latte Lounge and a woman who has definitely earned her menopause spurs, because she suffered debilitating perimenopausal symptoms for 4 years, which were misdiagnosed as depression and forced her to give up 3 much loved jobs. It was this experience that inspired her to set up the Latte Lounge Facebook Group, to provide support and guidance to women in midlife so they don’t waste quality years of their life as she did. Katie has reached out to medical, health and wellbeing experts to create an advice hub on the Latte Lounge website, where she can signpost her members to evidence-based, practical information and support. The membership which is currently at 20,000 and growing, is a real testament to the power of the sisterhood and shows just how important it is for we women in the sandwich generation to have a support community. We discuss the challenges of the perimenopause and how hormonally-driven psychological symptoms may lead to an inappropriate prescription for antidepressants. Katie explains the importance of community and how reaching out for relevant advice from health experts and moral support from friends, family and colleagues can make a huge difference to women in midlife. The main takeaway here is not to suffer alone if you’re struggling with menopause symptoms. Katie is a one-woman powerhouse. Tune in to find out more about Katie's campaign to support women in midlife. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Mar 8, 2021 · 33 min
Challenging the Stereotypes Around Older Women with Journalist & Motorhome Adventurer, Siobhan Daniels - S2. Ep 13.
International Women’s Day is that time of year when we come together to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year’s theme is choose to challenge, because with challenge comes change. Today’s guest is a brilliant example of this, because she’s passionate about challenging ageism and redefining the narrative around older women. And she’s certainly set about changing things! I’m speaking to Siobhan Daniels, a 61-year old ex-BBC journalist with a fascinating story. She’s given up her home and is travelling solo around Great Britain in a motorhome in a bid to challenge the stereotypes around retired women and have some fun and adventures along the way. Although her odyssey has been rudely interrupted by lockdown, she’s simply parked up in a field and she’ll be on the move again as soon as the rules allow. “Ageless fearless women, that’s what we are!”, she says and she certainly lives up to that impressive description. We discuss ageism in the workplace and Siobhan’s frustration at the sense that younger colleagues were writing off women over-50 as old, which fuelled her determination to change the dialogue around ageing. Her motorhome adventure has given her a new-found sense of freedom, but it hasn’t been without its challenges and she explains the new skills she’s learned – from filling up the water tank and manoeuvring her large vehicle to increased resilience and confidence. She shares her fascinating story from her triumphant departure and her initial travels to the challenges of lockdown and motorhome living. It’s very empowering chatting to Siobhan, and I’m already experiencing itchy feet! She’s a real inspiration to us to step up and become the ageless fearless women she’s convinced that we are, so I hope this interview gives the impetus to think about an adventure of your own, be it small or large. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Mar 8, 2021 · 33 min
Creating a Menopause-Friendly Workplace with Deborah Garlick of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace - S2. Ep 12.
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is Choose to Challenge and that couldn’t be more relevant to what we’re discussing in this episode, because we’re turning the spotlight on the workplace, which can be a very unfriendly place for women in midlife. So much so that some recent statistics suggested that 1 in 4 women consider leaving their job due to their menopause symptoms. The impact of this female brain drain on businesses can be immense, so it makes complete sense for employers to actively create a menopause-friendly environment for their staff and this is where today’s guest comes in. I’m speaking to Deborah Garlick, founder of Henpicked.net and Director of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace. With a professional background in organisational change, she’s passionate about helping people live better lives by raising awareness and understanding of the menopause. Henpicked started as a community for women in midlife, grew incredibly fast and has now developed into an impressive resource for organisations who want to support female employees transitioning through the menopause. Deborah and her team provide guidance and practical support in training, policies and best practice in this critical area. So if you’ve been struggling at work yourself or if you’re a line manager wondering how to support a menopausal team member, this episode will be right up your street. We discuss the challenges women face in the workplace and the steps you can take to help yourself and the processes an employer can put in place to support female staff members who are struggling with menopause symptoms. Deborah is a powerful champion of women at work and we talk about her latest project which is a menopause-friendly accreditation scheme for employers. Tune in to find out how you can change things for the better in your workplace. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Mar 4, 2021 · 35 min
How To Nourish Your Skin From The Inside Out & From Outside In, with Ada Ooi, Skin Specialist - S2. Ep 11.
Skin is a hot topic for most women of any age, but never more so than in midlife, when hormonal changes during the perimenopause can wreak havoc. It can be baffling and infuriating to find yourself grappling with acne in your 40s, especially if it’s never been a problem in the past. And dry skin, ageing skin and wrinkles are all common concerns for women as we transition through the menopause. The skin is a real barometer of your overall health and what’s going on in the body, so it’s not just all about creams and potions. In this episode, we’ll be looking at managing your skin from the inside out as well as outside in and I’ve got just the person for you! This month’s guest is Ada Ooi, a skin specialist trained in acupuncture, aromatherapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and she’s the founder of the 001 Skincare brand. Her interest in skin health developed as a little girl, when she helped her grandfather in his pharmacy in Macau, where he prescribed both western and Chinese medicine. Since then she’s gone on to develop her own multi-faceted approach to skincare, drawing on her experience and her heritage to support her clients. Ada focuses on nourishing and healing the skin from the outside and from within, which is just the right approach for women in midlife. Ada explains how the skin is structured and what we can do to support a healthy skin. She takes us through the TCM approach to managing skin and we exchange ideas about how diet and lifestyle can help you to have a healthy, glowing skin. Ada is full of useful advice about what to look for in skincare products, how to make the most of your budget and the best approaches to manage midlife acne, dry skin and what to do about wrinkles. She’s a goldmine of brilliant tips, so tune in to find out more. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Feb 4, 2021 · 35 min
Managing Heavy or Painful Periods & Dealing with PMS, with Joyce Harper, Professor of Reproductive Science - S2. Ep 10.
This episode is all about periods, because long before you hit menopause day – which is officially 12 months since your last period - you’ll have experienced changes. The hormonal rollercoaster of the perimenopause can cause a lot of period havoc and it may all start sooner than you’d think and last longer than you’d expect. For many women, periods can get closer together and become heavier and more painful, long before they start to get lighter and further apart,. They might stop and start or you might find that life turns into one big period for a while. Many women really struggle with their periods throughout their 40s and yet they just keep juggling all the various balls in their life while they suffer in silence. Does that sound familiar? So in this podcast, I want to be loud and proud about the issue of periods and PMS, so I’ve called in the big guns with Joyce Harper who’s a Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women’s Health at University College London so she can help us understand what’s going on and what we can do about it. Professor Joyce Harper is an author, academic, scientist and educator and Head of the Reproductive Science and Society Group and Director of Education at the Institute for Women’s health at University College London. She’s worked in the fields of fertility, genetics and reproductive science since 1987, written over 200 scientific papers and published three books. Her latest book, Your Fertile Years, What you need to know to make informed choices comes out in April this year. Her years of research and expertise in the field of female health make her just the woman we need to help us navigate the perimenopause and the havoc this can wreak on our periods. Joyce explains in simple practical terms exactly what’s going on with your monthly cycle and why things change as you move into your 40s. We discuss heavy and painful periods, why they happen, and diet and lifestyle strategies to manage them. We also look at PMS and menstrual migraine, that nagging headache that usually starts in the days before your period and tends to be relieved on the first day of bleeding. I really hope this podcast and Joyce’s expert insights will help to shine some light on what might be going on with your periods so that you can take steps to manage your symptoms. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Jan 7, 2021 · 36 min
Why Can’t I Lose Weight? With Tanja Shaw, Weight-loss and Life Coach - S2. Ep 9.
New Year is a great opportunity to take stock, so why not make this the moment for you to take positive action to improve your health and wellbeing? Weight management is usually firmly on the agenda in January and it’s a topic I covered last year when I spoke to Dr Zoe Harcombe, so this year I’m looking at it from a different angle. What do you do if, despite all your stringent efforts, you simply can’t lose weight in a sustainable way? There’s nothing more frustrating than that, so I’ve called on Tanja Shaw to help us with the burning question of Why Can’t I Lose Weight? Tanja is a highly experienced weight-loss and life coach and has helped thousands of women achieve and sustain a healthy weight without resorting to drastic diets, radical regimes or any weird stuff! How good does that sound? She’s also the host of the Fit and Vibrant You Podcast, and the founder of Ascend Fitness + Lifestyle, a holistic health coaching studio in British Columbia, Canada. If you’ve been struggling with yoyo dieting or find it hard to disentangle your emotions from food, Tanja is just the person for some practical advice on a successful weight loss journey, so tune in to find out what she’s got to say! There’s so much great advice in this episode and I was especially struck by what Tanja had to say about not judging yourself too harshly. The theme of being kind to yourself has come up repeatedly from my guests throughout this podcast and it really is so important for women in midlife .It’s interesting to hear it applied to weight management, because this is the area where we typically beat ourselves up when things don’t go according to plan. Give yourself a little love this January and think carefully about Tanja’s advice on how you approach your planning and setting your goals. It will reap dividends! If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Dec 3, 2020 · 36 min
How to Manage Anxiety & Enhance Emotional Wellbeing, with Rachel Weiss, Accredited Counsellor & Coach - S2. Ep 8.
Well, 2020 has been quite a year! As we slide into December, it seems a good time to reflect and check in with ourselves. I think everyone has struggled with their own different challenges over the past few months and this second lockdown here in the UK has felt especially difficult as we’ve moved into winter. It wouldn’t be surprising if you were feeling a bit low and anxious, because whatever your situation, we’ve all experienced a lot of uncertainly and disruption in our lives this year. So it’s more important than ever that we focus on our mental health and wellbeing and that’s exactly what we’re doing in this episode. I’m delighted to welcome Rachel Weiss back to the podcast who is just the woman for the job. I interviewed Rachel earlier this year to celebrate International Women’s Day for episode 14 of season 1and we talked all about the lightbulb moment that led to her founding the Menopause Café, which has grown into a highly successful international movement. She’s also gone on to create the first annual Menopause Festival which is a celebration of women in midlife. If that’s whetted your appetite and you’d like to find out more, you should listen to that episode next, because it’s fascinating! This time Rachel is joining us with her other hat on, because she’s an accredited counsellor, coach and co-founder of the Rowan Consultancy which provides a range of counselling and psychotherapy services. We discuss what’s going on in the brain when we become worried and anxious and how this can impact on our body. Rachel talks us through some simple, everyday strategies to manage our mental health and wellbeing, which she describes as emotional "first aid". Tune in to find out how you can support yourself through stressful situations and when you’re feeling pressured, so that you feel more resilient and better equipped to cope with the challenges of daily life. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever platform you listen on, as it really helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Nov 5, 2020 · 32 min
How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life, with Susan Saunders, Researcher & Author - S2. Ep 7.
Ageing is something that inevitably starts to preoccupy us in midlife, because we all want to be as fit and well as possible as we grow older, and let’s be honest, we’d like to keep looking good too. As my latest guest Susan Saunders remarks, “We all know people who are ageing at different rates. Once you get to midlife, everyone starts to age in a very different way – a small part of that is genetic but a lot of it is down to lifestyle.” Susan has made it her business to compile the very latest research on cellular ageing and some of things she flags up are a real eye-opener in this fascinating discussion on how to age well. Susan Saunders is a TV producer, author and health coach. She's spent the last decade researching how to live a longer healthier, happier life and truly believes that we can change the way we age. The fruits of this research led to her co-authoring The Age-Well Project, a brilliant book on the science of ageing and she’s just published her new book The Age-Well Plan, which is full of simple strategies to apply the science in our everyday lives and help us all to lead a longer, healthier, happier life. This episode is packed with fascinating information about cellular ageing and how we can slow it down to be the best possible version of ourselves as we move through midlife and into old age. Susan is a fount of interesting information about how we can do some very simple things to get results quite quickly. The investment you make into your health now will reap benefits both immediately and in later life, so tune in to find out how you can lay the cornerstones for optimum health and happiness. If you've enjoyed this episode please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Oct 18, 2020 · 20 min
My Top 10 Menopause-Friendly Foods with Jackie Lynch, Registered Nutritional Therapist & Author - S.2 Ep 6.
Following on from last month’s popular episode How Nutrition Can Help You Manage Your Menopause, I’m shining the spotlight on nutrition again for this World Menopause Day special as we look at the top 10 foods to support a healthy menopause. Get your notebooks ready so you can add them to your shopping list! My usual pattern for the podcast is to interview an expert on a menopause related subject, but I’m flying solo for today’s episode, because it’s all about nutrition, which is my own area of expertise. I’m a Registered Nutritional Therapist with a special interest in women’s health and the menopause and my WellWellWell nutrition consultations are available online. My new book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish came out just last week, so I've picked some of my favourite foodie tips for this podcast, to celebrate the launch. Find out why leafy greens are a powerhouse of menopause-friendly nutrients, how they can support your bones, deal with that annoying twitchy eyelid and improve energy levels. We look at the best food sources of vitamin C and calcium, with some practical ideas of how to include them in your diet. You'll discover the different sources of hormone-balancing phytoestrogens; that you can have an egg every day if you want to and get the inside track on how your diet can help to reduce the risk of urinary infections, thrush and a whole host of other niggling menopause symptoms. I've included a lot of my best tips in this session, so tune in and take note - you won't regret it! If you've enjoyed this episode please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.
Oct 18, 2020 · 43 min
Living With Premature Menopause, with Dr Rebecca Gibbs, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist - S.2 Ep 5.
It’s World Menopause Day and this year’s theme is premature ovarian insufficiency otherwise known as premature menopause. It’s a condition which affects 1 in 100 women under 40, 1 in 1000 under 30, and 1 in 10,000 under 20. This is where the ovaries are unable to produce oestrogen and progesterone and the menopause happens many years before it naturally should. It can be incredibly stressful for the women concerned and requires specialist hormone treatment to negate the health risks of an oestrogen deficiency at such a young age. So I’ve reached out to Dr Rebecca Gibbs, who’s the perfect person to discuss this because of her professional specialism in obstetrics and gynaecology and her own personal experience of premature menopause. It was a privilege to chat to Dr Rebecca Gibbs who is a consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist working at the Royal Free Hospital in London and at The Portland Hospital. Rebecca was diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency in her early 30s whilst undergoing fertility treatment. She has used her experiences as both a doctor and a patient to volunteer for Daisy Network, the UK’s premature ovarian insufficiency charity and she’s full of great, practical advice on how to cope with this difficult condition and to live a positively child-free life. We have a frank conversation about the health implications of a diagnosis of premature menopause, the devastating reproductive impact it has on girls and women, the appropriate treatment and how her own experience has changed the way Rebecca approaches all her menopausal patients. Rebecca talks about the excellent support from her GP after her diagnosis, the counselling she received to help her and her husband come to terms with it and how she has created a full, happy and positive life for herself over the past 5 years. We cover the unwitting lack of sensitivity that is often shown towards women who don’t have children and Rebecca is funny and forthright about how she deals with the inevitable: “And when are you going to start a family?” question. We also discuss her work with Daisy Network as their Advice Doctor and all the wonderful support that this charity offer women with premature ovarian insufficiency. Tune in to hear more from this sparky, interesting and highly inspirational woman! If you've enjoyed this episode please leave a 5-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts as it helps to spread the word, so that new listeners can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish. And if you're tired of feeling tired and grappling with brain fog, check out my new book: The Happy Menopause Guide to Energy; Nutrition to Rejuvenate Your Brain & Body. It's available in all the usual places.