Moving Through Menopause

Lifestyle medicine is powerful stuff and Yoga offers a great set of tools to manage the menopausal challenges of body and mind! Join Physiotherapist, Pilates and Yoga teacher Phillipa Butler and her guest Yoga teacher Kathy White as we present the case for Yoga at any time of life but especially in middle life.

Dr. Susan Baumgaertel is a Physician with many years of experience treating Patients and inevitably those who have cancer. She has enjoyed many years serving on the Board of Directors of Cancer Lifeline, a non-profit organisation in the United States. She is currently the President of the Board.

This episode we are chatting about the common cancers that menopausal women may be more at risk for and the importance of knowing your body to catch any potential issues early on.

Our Top Takeaways

Thanks to my guest

This episode I am taking the opportunity to chat with my Podiatrist, Jennifer Blackburn State Registered Podiatrist as she performs some routine foot care on my feet. But that is not all she gets up to in her clinic and she has a passion for feet and biomechanics (or body mechanics) as do I.

She is of the opinion that healthy feet are crucial to our overall health and wellbeing. And I'm a convert, so she doesn't need to persuade me that looking after your feet is really very important.

We tackle topic including:

Many factors contribute to our individual pain experience including physical, sensory and behavioural factors. Also our sociocultural, cognitive, and spiritual beliefs.

But what about Menopause? Why is pain more common as we approach and traverse this time?

Could our our fluctuating hormonal levels have a part to play? In short the answer is YES!

Join me and members of the menopause collective for this conversation as we explore the complex topic that is pain.

We unpick the many drivers of pain and offer our suggestions for simple self help measures to manage our experience of pain.

Our Top Tips:

Movement is Medicine

Join me as I chat with Melody Murray; Licensed Therapist and author of the book "Mourning The Living - When the loved one you've lost is still alive". 

We chat about how trauma and adverse childhood events affect us as adults and how they can impact our hormonal journey to Menopause. 

Trauma can lead us to experience negative thought patterns, disrupted sleep, disproportionate behavioural reactions, anxiety and depression.

STOP dismissing your own needs, take back control and figure out your own magic formula to live at your top level.

LEARN how to 'bookend' difficult situations with clear communication, boundary setting and self care strategies to deal with a challenging event or encounter.  

Perhaps you are avoiding the things that could be so good for you. Avoidance is our self preservation programme when faced with life threatening situations. But leaning into our discomfort might just help us to move nearer to a resolution. 

If you have checked out of your body, movement can really be the means to reconnect, learn to love and care for ourselves again or for the first time. 

I hope you enjoy this conversation, please share it with a loved one and spread the message that you can heal yourselves. You might just need a little help. 😀

Feel better Fast!

Feeling ‘tip top’ all the time is not normal, let's be honest. Most of us will experience fluctuations in our mood on a daily basis. Think of the emotions like a ladder, there will be events throughout our day, week, or month that might cause us to take a step down or up.  We cannot expect to always be perching at the top. The trick is to be able to spot when we are riding a bit low for a bit long and have a supply of strategies to boost our mood and buck the trend.

This episode I am chatting with Members of the Menopause Collective to explore ideas and suggestions that can really lift your spirits. Join us for this fun conversation for some top tips that can help quickly and don’t break the bank.

Listen on to hear our top tips:

Lynne is living proof that you can cook and eat, your way out of type 2 diabetes. Lynne was diagnosed with gestational diabetes with her first pregnancy and was told that Type 2 diabetes could be in her future. Sure enough In her 40's It did. 

About 50% of women with gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes, but there are steps you can take to prevent it. Her latest best-selling book, “Brownies for Breakfast" is a guidebook for anybody wanting to reverse chronic disease and eat healthy. Find out how to prepare and cook healthy food without compromising on nutrition. If time is of the essence you are in luck because Lynne has a superpower! Getting home cooked nutritious meals on the table in 15 minutes! 

Join me and Lynne Bowman for this conversation to learn about her journey and some of her recipes! Lynne pulls no punches because our health matters! 

The good news is that there is something you can do TODAY for a fitter healthier future, better still it is simple and fun. 

So grab your notebook and enjoy this entertaining grandma's tales of raising her family, eating to reverse Type 2 Diabetes and thriving in her 70's. 

Join me and Nina Manolson as we unpick ways to build a sustainable, caring connection with your body. Would you love to feel relaxed around food & at home in your body. I would! Be your own Valentine this year and give yourself the gift of Body Love. 

Join Phillipa Butler Movement Specialist and Dr. Annie White author of The Calm Code to discover her step-by-step method to rewire the mind and dramatically lower stress and anxiety. Grab some actionable tips you can use right away. Discover why the typical tips to lower stress don't work and what to do instead. 

Dr. Annie has developed a revolutionary step-by-step method to dramatically lower stress and anxiety. Her mission is to help us by offering actionable tips we can use right away.

In her book The Calm Code. Annie developed a method to wire the mind to eliminate high stress and anxiety based on the science of the brain.

It's her mission to help as many people as possible move from "Stressville" to "Calmtown." She knows firsthand what it's like to live in Stressville - as she says, she'd moved in and started decorating.

She went through a tough time where she saw for herself what high stress can do to your mind. She was anxious, irritable, negative - you could say a nightmare on feet. And she almost lost her marriage.

Everything turned around after she used the tools in her book. Once she saw how well they worked, it was her mission to get them to everyone who needs them. These days that's probably everyone but the Dalai Lama.

Free yourself from stress and anxiety today with some quick and easy self care tips.

This episode I am chatting with Sue Thomas, the Sugar Free Coach. We explore the practical daily steps that you can take to gradually improve long term wellbeing and break the cycle of sugar consumption. 

Get ready for some Top Tips to beat sugar cravings get a restful night's sleep, have greater mental clarity, be more productive and feel more confident in your clothes every single day! 

Join me and Alison Bladh a Nutritional Therapist (BANT) and aesthetician as we chat all things skin care. Discover how nutrition, lifestyle and positive mindset can change your life and your skin!. You can feel and look amazing in midlife; I dare you!!!  

Alison's Top Tips Include: 

1. Grab yourself a day cream with SPF30+, a rich night cream, treat yourself to moisturising face masks and exfoliating scrub or peel to care from your skin from the outside in. 

2. Drink good old H2O and eat healthy fats to retain moisture. 

3. Avoid refined sugars to sidestep glycation and sagging skin.  

4. Maintain the health of your gut microbiome and your skin biome by eating a rainbow everyday that you can easily identify as food.  

5. Consider moving more to improve the circulation, mop up antioxidants and even nourish the good bacteria resident in the gut. 

The episode I am talking all things energy with June Tranmer TCM Acupuncturist and Claire Ottewell Aromatherapist. 

If you would like to know more about energy and Meridians, Movement as Medicine and learn more food, herbs and essential oils to support you listen on.... Winter is a time for hibernating but our fast paced modern lives can make this difficult. Why is it when we have time off or a break that we succumb to the dreaded viruses floating about in the air? Gather some top tips from my team of experts to help you boost your energy levels, ward off bugs and look after yourselves through the winter months. 

My thanks to my guests

Father, Coach, Legend. My dad Chris Butler, self taught Athletics Coach to Olympic 400M runner David Grindley. Conditioning Coach for the Wigan Rugby League Team circa 1996; a prizewinning season to end all seasons. Humble, self effacing and still at it now a 'young' 76!!

Fitness matters more as we age and the gains are harder to get. But don't let that get in the way of trying! Enjoy some home truths and wisdom from the lived experiences of someone with no privilege, no training and still exuding % enthusiasm and dogged determination. 

Giving up is not an option! Getting up tomorrow and grabbing life by the horns is the way to go. If you need any encouragement meet the Mr Motivator of the North West. Enjoy this glimpse into my childhood experiences of fitness and movement that makes life better.

This episode I am chatting with Shirley Ward, Registered Nutritionist and Coach. We are tackling the perils of sugar and its detrimental effects on the body and the mind. 

If the hormonal fluctuations of Menopause have you craving sugar, pause before you reach for the biscuit tin. The refined sugar found in processed foods is not our friend and you can exercise your right to choose a healthier option.

Sugar hits the spot there's no doubt about that if a Dopamine 'hit' is up your alley. But the 'high' is inevitably followed by a 'low' which has us reaching for that sugary snack all over again. 

Let us help you jump off the roller coaster and celebrate your success to make healthier choices a habit you won't want to break. 

Do you want to feel Fit and Fabulous After 40

Join our Paid Private Facebook group where we will guide you every step of the way to be more active and eat well.

Your Lifetime Membership includes: Shopping list, Menu plan, Video tutorials, Downloadable nutrition tips and advice including our mindful eating exercise. Virtual movement routines with a focus on strength, balance and posture. Receive 6 guest passes to join Phillipa LIVE online for Pilates or Yoga.

If your heart is beating 'ten to the dozen' or 'missing a beat' every now and again it could be just another symptom of the menopause. All three of us in this episode have experienced this unpleasant and sometimes worrying symptom for ourselves and since many menopause symptom checklists include palpitations (e.g. rapid, irregular, and/or exaggerated heartbeats) this should not come as a surprise. Research suggests palpitations are relatively common, up to 42% of peri-menopausal women and 54% of postmenopausal women report having palpitations. (I)

Are women rushing to the doctors in droves? Probably not, we are shrugging our shoulders, saying 'that was a bit weird' and getting on with life. Although 44%–87% of women aged 40–59 years believed their palpitations required treatment there is currently no level 1 evidence to support managing menopause palpitations. (I)

Why then if palpitations in peri- and post-menopausal women are common are they relatively understudied in comparison to hot flushes then normalised and/or trivialised like many other menopause symptoms. Historically these symptoms have mostly been attributed to anxiety and stress rather than cardiac causes. This may well  be the case but I for one am not impressed by the lack of curiosity about palpitations in peri and post menopausal women. My recommendation is "if in doubt get it checked out"!

In this episode we explore the topic of palpitations and heart health for women around menopause, what is happening, when to be worried, and how we can best take care of ourselves if no fault is found. 

In this episode me and members of the menopause collective uncover the physical and emotional ramifications of an early Menopause. 

Is your body letting you down? Is the overburdened medical system equipped to deal with women equitably and effectively. Are you falling victim to the postcode lottery for healthcare? I do hope not! But if you are there is a solution listen on as we do our utmost to support and guide women to thrive up to through and beyond menopause whether it arrives on schedule or prematurely!

Join me and members of the Menopause Collective as we discuss the diagnosis of Menopause. How do we diagnose Menopause, is there a right way? We tackle testing; when is it appropriate? What about when I have a diagnosis of Menopause, then what? 

Symptoms are our body's was of communicating and we can get better at hearing those messages. Sometimes we need additional support and to take action. Medication can support us but lifestyle medicine is powerful stuff and of all the things we could do moving more is top of my list. 

Take some time to perform a lifestyle review and get in touch with your aspirations for yourself. Now decide your plan of attack, start small but dream big!

Join me and my special guest Dr. T. Dalton Combs; neuroscientist and author.

In this episode we will unpick the causes and consequences of human behaviour. We talk all about how we can all hack healthy habits and live better lives. 

I'm all ears as we talk movement snacks and Intermittent fasting. Movement and nutrition are the most important pillars of health (in my opinion) and contribute the lions share to living a long and healthy life. 

You will come away with some great tips and information peppered with some giggles as always. So pop in the pods or listen in the car (my favourite).

Women are toughing it out, coping alone and putting up with 'stuff' more than ever around Menopause. Checkout this conversation as the Menopause Collective piece the puzzle together and discover how to strike a balance between coping and taking action to help ourselves.

Enjoy our chat and let me know if you have any comments or suggestions for future topics of conversation.  

Host: Phillipa Butler Physiotherapist, Pilates and Yoga Teacher

The episode I am talking with  Fiona Catchpowle the founder of Talking Periods. Why are we talking about periods when Peri-menopause ushers in the end of the monthly cycle? Menopause sits on the reproductive continuum that begins with Puberty and menstruation and ends with Menopause.

Fiona asks "... why don't we talk about menopause? Is it because we don't talk about menstruation? and so she on a mission to equip women with the knowledge that helps us all travel along the 'hormonal highway' with more aplomb.

Perhaps what we need to be asking is, HOW do we talk about periods? We will chew this over and discover more about the menstrual cycle and how it could shine a light on what is come approaching Menopause. Grab a cuppa and join us.

Menopause and Relationships

How can we sustain healthy relationships as we traverse Menopause? Abba said it the best “Knowing me, knowing you, Ah haa”

Join me and members of the Menopause Collective as we gather to bash out this tricky topic and uncover tips to make all our Menopause experiences better.

Try this:

Get to know yourself better,

Learn to express your needs ,

Be accountable when things to awry, and

Remain open to receiving feedback.

Feeling Heard

How do we tackle a desire to feel understood? find your tribe and seek out supportive communities online or in your local area.

Workplaces

Menopause adds another layer of complexity when it comes to navigating relationships in the workplace. Although workplaces are becoming more aware of the menopause conversation this doesn’t mean things will improve overnight.

We must overcome our own propensity to ‘put up and shut up’ and have pragmatic conversations if we are going to improve our lot.

Enjoy our chat and let me know if you have any comments of suggestions for future topics of conversation.

Checkout this great conversation as I chat with Dr Susan Baumgaertel and hypnotherapist Jacquie Whur. Join us as we explore how to get what we need to deal with the challenges tossed at us by Menopause. 

Do we need to have shared experiences to understand the challenges and frustrations that other people face?

Is it really important that others understand what is happening to us?

How can we be more comfortable in our own skin around menopause? How do we navigate that journey; which could be three months for some and eight years of hell for others?

Or could we channel our inner Elsa and "let it go" as we adapt to our new reality and dare I suggest laugh it off?

Why not Move more with Phillipa?

Join me and Dr Ron Eaker Ob/Gyn, author, speaker, and award-winning women’s health educator, as we unpick Menopause and Fatigue. Ron is an incredible source of knowledge and expertise with 30 plus years of experience guiding women through midlife and menopause. If you are struggling with hormonal issues, weight gain, low energy levels, and reduced libido listen on. 

There's one thing we absolutely agree on; the importance of Physical activity! There's not one symptom of Menopause that doesn't respond to appropriate levels of Physical activity. Movement is medicine for the mind, body and soul and has a part to play in managing pesky menopause symptoms, including fatigue.

He emphasises that education is key but we must take action to make the changes that will transform our experience of life. If the second half of your life is losing it's sheen, checkout this conversation to help you to feel like your old self or BETTER!

You can't help noticing that spring is a time of new life, accelerated growth and energy. But menopause might just be messing with your energy levels and your natural instincts for love making. Join us to get the lowdown on libido and get some ideas and suggestions to help fan the flames of your ardour. 

This episode I chat all things menopause and general health and wellness with Dr Bruce Berkowsky. I am the guinea pig as we demonstrate his natural Health Science System. This approach embraces naturopathy, herbology, nutrition, homoeopathy, and aromatherapy. He combines western medical approaches with the traditional eastern healing arts and offers individualised intuitive care to resolve physical and emotional disharmony. 

Our first port of call is to examine what is occurring in a person's life to discover any excess or deficiency in the fundamentals before moving on to supplementation. We begin with food and learn a wonderful recipe for a healthful breakfast smoothie. 

Moving on we talk all things thyroid and the link to other hormonal problems including menopause symptoms! 

Did you ever wonder why digestion seems to be a problem in middle life? Wonder no more! We will discover how stomach acid declines as we age and what you can do to support your digestive processes and improve gut health. 

Next, we hear an in-depth explanation of the benefits of hot and cold water hydrotherapy to help the dry skin of menopause. All from the comfort of your own shower! 

Dr Bruce talks us through his vital Chi skin brushing technique to stimulate the circulation in the skin, remove the dead skin cells and vitalise the skin, to stimulate the flow of chi energy around the major meridians and stimulate lymphatic drainage. Remember the lymphatic system is your ‘sewer system’ that removes the toxins from your cells. The vital chi skin brushing technique is organised in a specific sequence to encourage drainage properly into the appropriate lymphatic nodes. 

Finally, Dr Bruce tells us all we need to know to enjoy an ‘air bath’ before bed and enjoy a restful night’s sleep. Sign me up!!

This episode I chat all things hair-loss with Dr Ben Behnam Board Certified Dermatologist specialising in medical hair loss management. Dr Ben is a dedicated hair loss and hair restoration specialist working alongside his brother Dr Sean Benham Board Certified Hair Transplant Surgeon in their Hollywood practice. Together they founded HiHappyHead.com which focusses on providing customisable prescription grade topical solutions for men and women.  

Did you know that even the most lustrous, voluminous hair could be affected by the hormonal fluctuations of the Menopause transition? Put this together with a genetic predisposition to female pattern baldness and ‘sprinkle on’ some of the stressors we encounter in mid-life, and you may find yourself shedding hair left, right and centre.  

Dr Ben tells me that “some people are genetically predisposed to losing their hair, but it may be that there are other factors that accelerate that underlying tendency. “I have a lot of patients that come and see me in their 30s and they look amazing, and I know they’re going to keep their hair unless something drastic happens.”

But when the Sh*t hits the fan help is on hand!

Dr Ben says “I have some female patients that come in and honestly all we do is put them on protein, collagen and vitamins, I review them 4-5 months later and they tell me they’re much better even without using any prescription drugs”.

It is lucky for us that things are a changing in hair restoration medicine. Only 7 years ago we were seeing 90% males that only 10% females in our practice but over the past five years the mix is changing. It could be that social media has helped to shift the taboo around female pattern hair loss. The great news is that people are talking about hair loss, there is less embarrassment and now we can have this conversation about treatment options.   

Where do I begin? 

Advice from a certified professional is a great starting point. Dr Ben says “patients don't know what they need but they know they have a problem and they come to me for advice. On the other hand, some patients come with ideas of what they want but perhaps that's not the right thing so I will always present all the options. Always begin with simple nutritional, supplementation, and general haircare advice if necessary, explore the options for medical hair loss treatment, injectables and hair transplantation where appropriate.  

Join us to hear the full story!  

This episode members of the Menopause Collective chat all things skin, hair and Nails. From the hair on your head an in all those places that you'd really rather it didn't grow. We talk skin and how we can have a glowing complexion as we move into middle life. Drying out in the most inconvenience of places is definitely something that happens in menopause which is almost ironic when you can be dripping wet and hot flushing and simultaneously dry as the gobi desert.  A top to toe tour of essential oils, nourishment from within and how our thoughts can help or hinder our overall wellbeing. Join us for tips and giggles galore as we share stories and enjoy honest, frank conversation.

Two exercise teachers from opposite ends of the globe chat all things menopause and movement. Join me and fellow fitness teacher Tracy Minnoch-Nuku, Founder of Sexy Ageing. We each have our own experiences of menopause with surprising similarities. We both love to move in our own ways and we are both on a mission to help women transitioning through menopause to find the information, support and inspiration they are seeking. We talk frankly about our own experiences; sharing is caring! 

Contact Phillipa for more information about Pilates online hi@precizion.co.uk 

For Yoga Teacher Christa Fairbrother living with arthritis, and teaching yoga are integrated.  She credits her yoga practice for her lack of pain and specifically aqua yoga because it’s kind to people's joints. It's easy for beginners to start and challenges advanced practitioners in new ways.  I'm all ears and can't wait to find out more,  and I'd love you to join us. 

Love changes over time, and these changes often manifest around 45-65. The ideal form of love involves three components: passion, intimacy, and commitment. Maintaining loving relationships is like getting fit!. Join me and Debbie Marielle Elzea Relationship Specialist, Psychotherapist and Intimacy Coach for Women for some top tips to strengthen or revive your loving relationships.

This episode I chat with Kelli Calabrese Certified Divorce Coach. Kelli was on a journey to heal from her own excruciating divorce and now Kelli is on a mission to help women going through any stages of separation and divorce move from fearful to fearless.    

It is a fact that there is an increase in the number of people facing divorce in January, put this together with Menopause and it could be a recipe for devastation. Join us for some gentle support and tips to help us move towards a future  filled with joy, freedom and peace. 

The Menopause Collective do Memory! Join us to hear how Movement and essential oils can make a world of difference if you are forgetting what you keep forgetting! Strength training boosts BDNF; fertiliser for the brain, a dry inhalation of rosemary oil can really focus the mind and remember to stay hydrated for better brain function! Giggles galore and informative too. It doesn't get better than this! 

Sleep keeps us healthy and functioning well. Menopause messes with our sleep of that there is no doubt. Perhaps you are waking more often or just not waking refreshed when the alarm goes off.  A lack of sleep compounds poor memory and fatigue symptoms also associated with Menopause.  Worse still it can compromise our immune system and drive down our mood. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. So If a better nights sleep is on your agenda, join me and ' the crew' to hear our top tips for a satisfying sleep experience.

This episodes contributors are:

This episode I had the pleasure of chatting with Laurie Lewis, Intermittent Fasting Coach and Author.

Menopause dealt Laurie a crushing blow -- brain fog, lack of balance, memory loss, and the sudden gain of 50 pounds of stubborn hormonal fat. She tried everything she knew to feel better, and the methods that worked in the past made no difference. After four years of struggle, Laurie stumbled upon Intermittent Fasting and started fasting that very same day. The menopausal fog lifted in less than one week, she had more energy and felt more “like herself.” She lost 51 pounds in 15 months and has kept it off for years!

Listen to our conversation and discover the secret to "feel like yourself" again. Grab a cup of black tea or black coffee and make some time to learn all you need to know to begin Intermittent Fasting and achieve Menopause symptom relief.

Laurie says ”Fasting is not hard or scary and It’s not a diet! It’s a pattern of eating; you can eat the foods you love and love you back in your eating window. An eating window makes all the things that matter to you better.” Laurie’s advice is to try it for a month, don’t get on the scale and see how you feel… In her own words it’s not a diet… it’s a quiet!

Now, at 57-years old, Laurie has turned her personal success into the premier thriving Intermittent Fasting coaching business. As a certified health coach (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) she combines her knowledge of nutrition with deep research and practice of Time Restricted Eating. Laurie guides her clients with a dream come true -- eat the foods you love and enjoy the rest of your life feeling vibrantly well.

I had the pleasure of re-entering the workplace at the peak of my peri-menopause. I found myself struggling with fatigue, brain fog and my poor memory. The problem was that I didn't realise what was going on, I thought I was 'past it' and that I couldn't cope. Unfortunately for the National Health Service I am no longer there.

This episode I am chatting with  Dyna Vink live from Ottawa the Capital of Canada. She has a similar story to tell of a career in tech which became untenable. A victim of redundancy she became yet another casualty of the Menopause Lottery. But their loss is our gain and now Dyna is a Certified Health and Nutrition Coach and founder at "Holistic Nutrition Lifestyle".

This episode I had the pleasure of chatting with my Sister-in-Law and registered Nurse Judith Harris. Judith contacted me saying she was enjoying my podcasts and that she would love to share her story if it might help other people. I jumped at the chance to catch up with her and I am grateful to her for her frank retelling of her story. It all began with a hysterectomy at 50, followed by breast cancer treatment during the Covid 19 pandemic, and her most recent health blow which is a diagnosis of osteoporosis. We chat about the importance of exercise for bones and whether we are getting enough of the right advice on diagnosis.

Exercise is not just good for bones and we reveal some research hot off the press to support exercise for Menopausal night sweats. Who Knew? ME!! Despite the hand she has been dealt Judith is ever the optimist and we enjoy an upbeat conversation with some unexpected twists and turns, some stories and some giggles!

Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. It develops slowly over several years and is often only diagnosed when a fall or sudden impact causes a bone to break (fracture).

The most common injuries in people with osteoporosis are:

This Episode Dr Shiroko Sokitch MD was generous enough to give up her time to chat about Menopause and Chinese Medicine. It is very clear that Shiroko Sokitch MD is a doctor who really cares about her patients and here we chat about the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and some therapeutic applications. Watch the Video

Traditional Chinese Medicine

The Menopause Collective return and this episode we are tackling the many moods of Menopause with a focus on Anxiety! 

A Mindful Menopause: How can mindfulness possibly help manage menopause symptoms! It's all about my hormones right? Well yes... and no...

In this episode Phillipa and Sune knock this hot topic back and forth.   

There are many variables which contribute to our experience of Menopause. Just when I thought it was gone for good one of my unpleasant symptoms of menopause made a reappearance! Breast pain was always something which plagued me for a few days each month. During peri-menopause it was more or less constant to varying degrees. I hadn't felt it for 18months and wham bam it returned to me a couple of weeks ago. 

I did a bit of soul searching and the only thing I could think of that had changed was an increase in my stress levels. So time to get back on track with lifestyle interventions to manage my stress:  

1. Mindful Movement Practices; Pilates and Yoga for me

 2. Breathwork and Meditation  

3. Rest and relaxation 

4. Eat well 

5. Slow down and be kind to myself  

How to keep this going through the summer holiday season can be a challenge so we share some ideas for how this can be a possibility that enhances your vacation time.  

If mindless eating, eating with the TV, eating when travelling or working is your nemesis you might be interested to try this mindful eating exercise. Not least because it involves chocolate!! Regular mindfulness practice has been shown to be beneficial in gut health and as little as 10 minutes each day has been shown to have benefits for physical and mental health.

Menopause messes with your mind, I can attest to that!  So this episode I have the menopause collective on the case. Stories and strategies to capably cope with shifting roles and responsibilities, workplace challenges, the empty nest and ways to embrace our creativity and thrive up to, through and beyond menopause.  

Imagine Menopause on your terms! Join Phillipa Butler; Chartered Physiotherapist, Shirley Ward; Nutritionist, Jacquie Whur; Hypnotherapist, June Tranmer Acupuncturist and Nikki Chamberlain; Health coach as we tackle tackle the common symptom of menopause from lots of different angles!   

Did you ever wonder that putting your hand to your head in desperate moments might be an instinctive reaction to soothe yourself by activating Acupuncture points on the forehead that can calm us down.  Or that our eyes are not just a window to the soul but that the calming effects of Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) could be harnessed just by going on a walk in nature.  

Menopause is on the agenda more now than ever before in workplaces which is a step in the right direction, but real acknowledgement and adjustments are required to allow women to continue to thrive and grow in and out of work. For women who  experience a premature menopause or sudden onset after surgery or cancer treatment for instance, retirement is a long way in the future and timely adjustments even more pertinent.  

If you are feeling a bit adrift, be reassured the best is yet to come and making a plan is the first step.  Why not grab some A3 paper, some magazines and a glue stick and build a vision board to really bring that future to life and make your plans a reality.  

This episode I am chatting to award winning relationship coach Ceza Ouzounian. Ceza works with those seeking to regain confidence and control over their body, have a deeper understanding of themselves and learn how to shift their energy to have the relationship they desire. Ceza knows exactly what is required to have a relationship that is full of support, passion and love and she has helped many women achieve their desired relationship. She shares the valuable lessons from her own journey and what she has learned from working with clients to help us achieve a relationship full of love, support & everything we desire.

We chat about why working on yourself is so important in a relationship, how our beliefs and past experiences, and resistances in general, can affect our relationships. I am especially keen to get a handle on how we rekindle romance after the kids leave the nest and coping with intimacy alongside the body image challenges midlife can throw our way.

We share some suggestions on where to begin and simple self help strategies. 

I really enjoyed catching up with my friend and ‘Independent Presenter for Younique’; Jennifer Aldridge Zucker. Jen has been on her own journey to menopause via breast cancer and is one of the most caring and entertaining women I know!

Jen and I met in Colorado Springs and shared the Stage in the Velvet Hills Female Barbershop Competition Chorus. I joined the Chorus shortly after moving to Colorado Springs and it was my best decision. I have always been a singer and I have never felt more welcomed, cared for and appreciated than when I was in the company of those amazing women. I had the privilege of helping us warm up physically with some standing Pilates moves and Jen was front and centre with the most amazing stage presence.  It was around this time she began her journey with Younique and what a journey it has been.

We chat about all things menopause and get some top tips on makeup and beauty for mature skin. Join us as we tackle some common beauty challenges particular to menopause including facial hair, eyebrows, lip creases and much more.

Stressed? It' not new news that stress can cause health problems and have an impact on your emotions and mood.  How do we know we are stressed and what mindfulness strategies can we integrate into our lives to combat this silent killer. Mindfulness can help!! Join me and Sune as we share our suggestions for stress management using mindfulness strategies. 

Mindfulness techniques include developing our intention to grow our awareness, something we return to again and again. Next pay attention to what is occurring in the present moment; observing thoughts, feelings, sensations as they arise and finally be kind to yourself. Non-judging is a difficult skill to master, but it is just that, a skill, and as we know ‘practice makes for improvement!’ So be curious, notice themes, and ask yourself would you say the things you say to yourself to your friend? If the answer is no, then we can work to reframe our thoughts which in turn will generate a shift in our biology and thus our experiences of stressful situations. 

Physical and psychological changes of menopause manifest a whole host of relationship challenges.  But the journey that begins in menopause doesn’t have to be miserable or lonely. Join me and Clinical Hypnotherapist Jacquie Whur as we investigate strategies that can smooth the way to fulfilling relationships at any age! Settle down with a cuppa or set out for a stroll and enjoy, packed with some top tips and some giggles as always.

Manage Stress

How on earth can our thoughts affect our intimate health?? Well stress plays a part in our hormonal balance, Yoga and meditation techniques have been shown to reduce cortisol levels, even just a few deeper breaths can trigger a reduction in the tone of the central nervous system. Movement nourishes and tones tissues generating resilience in tissues and increasing cellular activity as a consequence of increased circulation to the area.

The power of the Mind

Train your mind to look for the good and become your own cheerleader. Evidence is emerging to show that the "absence of positive thoughts can have more impact on our health than the presence of negative thoughts'. Perhaps we can build some gratitude practices into our lives and transform our are the conversations you have with yourself contributing to challenges in our intimate relationships and with intimacy. Learn to 'throw away' your negative thoughts and replace them with something more upbeat. 

Keep it Simple

Lifestyle practices can be our salvation but if it feels like you don't know where to begin but how about if all we have to do is do something 'just for this moment'!  We can choose from a menu of 'brief' evidence based lifestyle practices to prevent pain or problems.