As World Menopause Month 2022 draws to a close I wanted to reflect on how the conversation around the menopause has steadily gathered momentum over the last few years. Good to see more women driven business and projects starting up nd gettong proper funding. Forbes highlighted this in their recent articles. Especially nice to see both Maryon Stewart and Gwen Floyd highlighted here who have recent podcast guest on Thriving Thru Menopause as well Heather Jackson who I have chatted with many times.

But it is is important on the flip side to realise that menopause is still in the shadows for many as Eleanor Mills pointed out in her article.

How have you approached this month? Maybe you took part in an event or maybe it passed you by. In the last few remaining days there might an opportunity for you to

Pause to reflect on the liberating aspects of menopause
What passions and projects you’ve put aside until now. Put the focus back on yourself and what makes you happiest.
Share information openly
Starting a frank discussion about menopause helps clarify and demystify it. Could you use your experience to help others be better informed and approach the process with less anxiety?
What habits do you have that don’t serve any more.
Our diets, our exercise regimes, our rest and relaxation times and our own inner thoughts sometimes need a bit an overall at this time

In all of the above it it small steps to big change……

However, we still have a long way to go as I shared on Instagram where even in so called gender equal Sweden a male senior OB GYN can gaslight a woman for her symptoms and tell her perimenopause doesn’t exist but fashionable to talk about - I suggest he goes back to med school smartish!

Top Takes Outs From 18th World Menopause Congress

The International Menopause Society are holding their meeting in Lisbon this year with some amazing insights coming from papers around the world on transgender issues, POI, breast cancer patients who can’t HRT.

Here is just a snippet of some of lifestyle insights that caught my eye from various tweets

Exercise is important for reducing health risk post-menopause - seems obvious but 47% of midlife women do little or no exercise
Plant-based is the way to go, ensure we have adequate protein and reduce refined sugars. Again the Mediterranean Diet was a winner or a version of it depending on your culture - olive oil and the like are not in everyone dietary repertoire
CBT is highly effective for menopausal insomnia. ACT and Mindfulness can be alternatives and have good science backing too.

Overall it seems like common sense but with evidence, which in a world of massive myth and misinformation is reassuring.

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And also why I joined my fellow Menopause Champions; Rachel Lankaster (Magnificent Midlife), Ann Marier McQueen (Hotflash Inc), Catherine Harland, Kate Codrington, Pat Duckworth, Professors Myra Hunter and Joyce Harper to talk about how we can lift mythbust and raise positive messages about menopause. Some others will join us soon and we will be working key topics of importance to those going through perimenopause and menopause. Correct information is power!!

Podcasts and more….

This week I was joined by Ann Marie McQueen and we had a open flowing conversation about the state of menopause. As one of the few, maybe the only, journalist focused on menopause she has a unique overview which is worth listening to. Link to the full episode is HERE

I got to be on my soapbox talking about mindfulness and menopause with Dr Lucy Burns on the Real Life Medicine podcast

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Did you have a walkman, make mix tapes or wear velvet scrunchies? If so, you were born in the 80’s or earlier this FREE event is for YOU! Perimenopause can start as early as 35 years of age. Symptoms can last up to 14 years.

That is a long time to suffer or to just survive. That is a long time to train, exercise, eat or recover like a man. By joining this event you will not have to say “if I only knew …!”

If you are an athlete or coach athletes 35+, if you deliberately put exercise into your day, if you want to show up fully in life and in sport, then the time to unlock your best performances in sport and in life is now as a woman nearing or in perimenopause and beyond!

My friend and expert Coach Tenille Hoogland has brought together 20 experts on female physiology, training, nutrition, recovery and mindset (including yours truly!) for a FREE masterclass series: Perimenopausal Athletes and Beyond. For 7 days, starting on October 30th, experts talk specifically on the science and evidence-based approach that females athletes can take to optimize training, nutrition and recovery for their unique body.

There are also amazing FREE give-aways from the speakers! From training memberships, cookbooks, supplement guides to first chapters of not yet released books! And you only get these resources by signing up!

Hormones change as we age, and the way we exercise, eat and recover has to change, too.

Sign up for FREE here! >> https://summit.perimenopauseathletesummit.com/clarissa-kristjansson

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I am off to deep further into the world of Medical Qigong and the next stage in my learning journey. Thank y.ou to all of you and a special welcome to all the newbies.

If you are interested in more focused menopause information then consider signing up to the monthly paid subscription where I share that and meditations, qigong practices and you get advanced podcast and event information.

Until next week have a good one

Heart of Menopause

Reflections on World Menopause Month