Middling Along

Sarah Graham on Rebel Bodies and the gender health gap revolution

Join me as I chat to award-winning freelance health journalist Sarah Graham - she is the founder of the Hysterical Women blog, specializing in health, gender and feminism and writes for the i newspaper, the Telegraph, the Guardian, the BMJ and many others. 

Her book, ‘Rebel Bodies - A guide to the gender health gap revolution’, was published on 5th January and it is a compelling account of all the ways women, trans, non-binary, and queer people are gaslit, ignored, and let down by the medical establishment. Rebel Bodies grew out of, and weaves in stories from, the blog, and covers topics from endometriosis to menopause and everything in between. (Content warning: there is brief discussion of baby loss, and suicide/suicidal ideation in this interview.)

We discuss:

• The intersection of Sarah’s own pregnancy with the process of writing the book - including a chapter that included some harrowing tales of other people’s experiences - and how that impacted on her own experience of pregnancy and birthing.
• The story from the book that had, and continues to have the biggest impact on Sarah, and the one she knew she had to include.
• Some of the shocking statistics highlighted in the book, for example: that endometriosis is estimated to cost the UK economy £8.2 billion a year and that women are seven times more likely than men to be misdiagnosed and discharged in the middle of a heart attack. 
• The ‘suicide gender paradox’ - it was news to me that women actually attempt suicide at higher rates but men are more likely to die from their attempts - again, the suicide rate for women peaks around the time of peri/meno - yet often when we try to point this out the argument is shut down because rates are far higher in men, so this seems to me to be a really important consideration. 

 

We of course had to cover the current NHS crisis and the impact of many years of underfunding, and Sarah gives us her analysis of the Women’s Health Strategy for England, published in 2022.  

I’ll leave you with this quote, which talks about PMDD but could just as easily apply to the peri/menopause, and which really resonated with me: “From a feminist perspective, how do we acknowledge the very real impact of PMDD on sufferers’ mental health without fuelling the idea that women’s menstrual cycles make us irrational, overly emotional and less competent, trustworthy, or reliable?”  

 

You can find Hysterical Women at https://hystericalwomen.co.uk/ and Sarah is on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahgraham7 and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarahgraham7writer 

Rebel Bodies is published by Bloomsbury: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/rebel-bodies-9781399401142/ - please do consider supporting your local indie bookstore if you buy a copy!

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/

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Karen Newby on putting the ’spark plugs’ into our nutrition and fuelling up our midlife bodies and souls!

Karen Newby is a registered nutritionist with over 10 years’ experience coaching women through the menopause - she’s also the author of The Natural Menopause Method, published in October 2022. 

Karen’s beautifully designed and easy to read book is a comprehensive guide to nourishing our bodies and our minds at this critical stage of life. It’s the kind of book that I know I’ll keep to hand to dip in and out of, refer back to and remind myself about better nutrition whenever my good intentions slip! The book is peppered throughout with “Small Shifts” which are a great place to start if you’re feeling a little bit of overwhelm at trying to change too much too quickly. There’s also a whole section dedicated to ‘symptom troubleshooting’ (eg aches and pains, allergies and intolerances, brain fog, fatigue, hot flushes, insomnia and more…) - including explanations of ‘why is this happening to me’ and therapeutic foods that may help. 

 

Karen’s food philosophy is very much ‘eat more, not less’ - making sure we are giving our bodies the right fuel and ‘spark plugs’ as she calls the key nutrients! We cover so much in this episode - from how to move away from ‘beige food’ for kids to family meals we can all enjoy, and ditching our reactionary approaches to eating in ‘fight or flight’ mode and moving towards a state of rest and digest. 

 

We also look at the impact of falling oestrogen on our sensitivity to sugar and why increasing our intake of anti-inflammatory foods at this time of life is so important. 

 

You can find Karen at https://karennewby.com/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/karen.newby.nutritionist/ 

 

Karen also talks in our interview about her recipe collections available at https://my.whisk.com/

The Natural Menopause Method: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-natural-menopause-method-a-nutritional-guide-through-perimenopause-and-beyond-karen-newby?variant=39740126167118

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/

or subscribe to my Substack at https://middlingalong.substack.com/ 

Gemma Westall on her 12 year wait for answers - and her passion for helping others entering early menopause

Gemma Westall began her perimenopause journey at just 27 years old but didn't actually realize for another 12 long years. Despite repeated doctors appointments and expensive specialists trying to figure out what was wrong, Gemma finally understood that she was perimenopausal when she happened to watch an Instagram Live between Davina McCall and Caroline Hirons!

Starting HRT at 39 changed her life - within days her brain fog lifted and the persistent UTIs she had struggled with for so many years became a thing of the past. With renewed enthusiasm and energy, she started to question the ‘information gaps’ for those entering perimenopause earlier in life. Any information she could find was aimed directly at menopausal midlifers, which lead her to creating Ageless Menopause Information on Instagram, signposting others to the information she wishes she'd had in her twenties. 

Gemma is also a yoga teacher and teaches menopause yoga workshops - we talk about how yoga helps her quieten down the outside world so that she can listen more intently to what her body and mind need right now.  After years of negative self-talk and fearing her own body, Gemma is now bolder, stronger, and using her energy to help others on their perimenopause journey. 

You can find Gemma at www.instagram.com/ageless.menopause.info

 

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

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Breeda Bermingham thinks that Midlife Women Rock (and I have to say I agree!)

Breeda Bermingham is an award-winning menopause coach on a mission to change the global story for menopausal and midlife women. Breeda coaches women individually and in group settings focusing on symptom management along with the positive aspects of menopause transition. She is a staunch believer that the taboo around menopause continues to limit and disempower women in their middle years, and needs to be removed in order to enable women to thrive. She’s also the best-selling author of  “Midlife Women Rock - A Menopause Story for a New Generation.”

We talk about how our generation is finally bringing about the tipping point for societal change to break through the shame, stigma, and taboo surrounding menopause. Back in 1910, the average age of reaching menopause was 56, with an average life expectancy of 58, so it’s clear to see where the correlation between ‘old age’ and menopause is rooted - but now with many of us spending upwards of 30 years post-menopause, that narrative is both inaccurate and damaging. Midlife women have so much to offer in terms of their creativity and their potential for leadership. 

Breeda and her fellow campaigners have succeeded in bringing the topic of menopause mainstream in Ireland with the launch in October 2022 of the nationwide education and awareness campaign which resulted from the government’s 2019 Women’s Health Taskforce. 

Since then much has changed globally of course around the narrative, with more of us sharing our stories. That said, we still have a long way to go in breaking taboos - most critically in the workplace - where a few courageous voices sharing their experiences can make a huge difference to creating a culture where the topic is as normalized as any other life transition. Breeda is leading the way in telling a new, more positive story about the second half of women’s lives, one where our changing hormones allow us to recalibrate, refocus, and tap into our full power. 

You can find Breeda at https://midlifewomenrockproject.com/ and her book at https://midlifewomenrockproject.com/book/ 

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/

or subscribe to my Substack at https://middlingalong.substack.com/ 

 

Kate Codrington on the seasons of menopause and midlife, and slowing right down this holiday season

If you’re listening to this close to release in December, then I invite you to step away from the hustle and bustle of holiday prep for a soothing half an hour in the company of Kate Codrington - make yourself a warm drink, grab a blanket, and nestle in! 

 

Kate is the author of Second Spring: the self-care guide to menopause. Published by Harper Collins, it’s the first book to give a psychological map for menopause, one of the top ten self-help books of 2022 according to The Independent.  Kate mentors people in perimenopause and beyond, runs nature-based Yoga Nidra sessions, hosts the Life - An Inside Job podcast, and creates multi-level art textile projects. When she’s not doing these things you’ll find her playing in her compost heaps.

 

Kate walks us through the seasons of pre-, peri-, and post-menopause: from our Autumn of editing out the things that no longer serve us, where we slow down, and recalibrate after years of looking after others, to our Winter, accepting, softening and hunkering down, to our Second Spring as rebirth and a time for discovering new creative pursuits. 

 

We also talk about how Kate uses yoga nidra in her practice (meditation for people who hate meditation as she calls it!) - helping to restore calm and reduce the overload on our frazzled nervous systems. Kate’s website - https://www.katecodrington.co.uk/ - has a wealth of free resources available, including yoga nidra. 

 

You can find out more about her books Second Spring at https://www.katecodrington.co.uk/second-spring-the-self-care-guide-to-menopause/ and you’ll also find Kate at https://www.instagram.com/kate_codrington/

 

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

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Lizzie Penny on Workstyle, menopause after breast cancer, and why the world of work needs a radical shake up

My guest this time is Lizzie Penny - an entrepreneur and a campaigner for ‘Workstyle’ - the freedom to choose when and where you work. She is fascinated by how new working practices can fundamentally redefine inclusion at work, whilst also improving wellbeing and step-changing productivity. She has co-authored a book on Workstyle with business partner Alex Hirst, published October 2022.

Having undergone treatment for breast cancer herself at the height of the pandemic, she is now supporting her husband through his own cancer diagnosis, whilst also coming to terms with her own early menopause brought on by cancer treatment - oh and she’s also mum to three young children. 

So much to unpack in this episode - we talk in detail about what ‘workstyle’ is (and why it is different from flexible or hybrid working) - and why it is is so important for levelling the playing field for groups who might be structurally excluded from the workplace: older workers, carers, those with chronic illness or disabilities, those with mental health challenges, parents, and neurodivergent people. 

By 2050 21% of the UK population will be over 60 - and with many of us needing (or wanting!) to work for longer, and with many industries struggling to attract skilled workers, organizations must get to grips with adapting current working practices and appealing to a range of ‘workstyles’.

We talk about how creating a trust-based culture underpins the success of remote-first, autonomous teams, and how we need to make technology work for us (not the other way around) to build in healthy work-life boundaries. 

We discuss Lizzie’s own experience of going into early menopause as a result of her cancer treatment - and hear how connecting virtually with others has been a tremendous source of support. Lizzie eloquently puts forward the case for workstyle as a key component of allowing those going through perimenopause, or who are post-menopausal, to stay engaged with, or return to work, in a way that suits them.  

You can find Lizzie and Alex’s book ‘Workstyle: A revolution for wellbeing, productivity and society’ here https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/lizzie-penny/workstyle/9781399802949/ and you can find out more about Hoxby at https://hoxby.com/ 

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/

or subscribe to my Substack at https://middlingalong.substack.com/ 

 

Amy Bennie on what it’s like to enter menopause at 16, and how to get support if you have Premature Ovarian Insufficiency

My guest this time is Amy Bennie - Amy is the chair of Daisy Network, the only charity dedicated to providing medical and psychological support for women with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency. 

Amy was just 16 years old when she was told her ovaries just were not working - and for many years thought perhaps she was the only one in the country as she’d been told it was very rare. For several years, having no real understanding of what was happening to her, she suffered with anxiety, agoraphobia, and panic attacks…it was only in her early 20s that she discovered the Daisy Network and realized she was not as alone as she had thought.

For 90% of those with POI, there’s currently no discernable underlying cause - which can be hard to come to terms with. We also cover why hormone therapy is so vital for those with POI, to prevent osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, and promote good brain health. 

Amy is now dedicated to helping those through their diagnosis and raising awareness of POI within the wider community. She is author of the book 'Daisy Network - Our Guide to Premature Ovarian Insufficiency' and works as a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor.

You can find out more about the support offered by the Daisy Network at:

https://www.daisynetwork.org/ 

https://www.instagram.com/thedaisynetwork/ 

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/

or subscribe to my Substack at https://middlingalong.substack.com/ 

 

Susan Saunders wants to help us all Age Well and thrive beyond menopause

Join me this time as I chat to author and health coach Susan Saunders as we talk about aging well and what we can do to reduce our chances of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

 

Susan's determination to age well grew out of her personal story. She spent 12 years caring for her mum, who had severe dementia. When her mum was diagnosed, Susan was 36 years old with a toddler, a new-born and a full-time job. Her world was turned upside down – not only was she mum, wife, and boss, she was now a carer too. What made this even harder to bear was that, as a teenager, she’d watched her mum going through the same thing with her mother. 

 

Susan started researching everything she could about aging well. That led her to start The Age-Well Project blog and then a book of the same name, written with her friend Annabel Streets, plus a follow up book The Age Well Plan. Susan is only the third person in the UK to qualify as a coach with neuroscientist Dr Dale Bredesen, author of The End of Alzheimer's, and she now helps women across the world reduce their dementia risk through her coaching programmes. 

 

We talk about the influence of the APOE4 gene - which apparently 20% of the population carries - and how the impact of lifestyle is considerably more important to our risks of developing Alzheimer’s than our genetic make up. 

 

Susan’s next book is on post-menopausal health (due out summer 2023) and she talks us through the ‘window of opportunity’ post-menopause to take action to prevent the chronic diseases of aging - such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and dementia. 

 

One new piece of information I learned in our interview was that our bones are constantly being remodelled and renewed - and that oestrogen and progesterone are critical to driving this process - so when our levels of these hormones drop away, our bone health can dramatically deteriorate if we don’t take action to counteract those changes.

You can find Susan at https://susansaundershealth.com and more info on her books at https://agewellproject.com/our-book/ or find her at https://www.instagram.com/susansaundershealth and https://www.instagram.com/agewellproject 

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/

or subscribe to my Substack at https://middlingalong.substack.com/ 

 

Barbie Boules on how what we eat (and drink - or not drink) helps us optimise our brain health

My guest this time is Barbie Boules - a registered dietitian and certified health coach with over 22 years of experience.  Her goal is to help her clients achieve optimal wellness without the pseudoscience and unsustainable rules of faddy dieting.  

 

She tells us about her holistic approach to wellbeing and aging well, emphasizing nourishing foods, quality sleep, daily movement, managing stress and prioritizing self-care. We talk about what foods and nutrients we need to prioritize in order to age well - with a particular focus on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (something that both our mothers have in common)...did you know women are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as men are?

 

We also cover the impact of alcohol on our brain health, why women (especially in midlife) can find alcohol more challenging to metabolize and why we might want to reassess our relationship with the booze if we aim to age well. 

 

Barbie has recommended some great books to read if you’re interested in learning about the links between nutrition and brain health, namely: 

Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety by Dr Drew Ramsey (https://drewramseymd.com/books-publications/eat-to-beat-depression-and-anxiety)

Brain Food by Dr Lisa Mosconi (https://www.lisamosconi.com/brainfood - we also touch on Dr Mosconi’s excellent new book The XX Brain)

This is Your Brain on Food by Dr Uma Naidoo (https://book.umanaidoomd.com/) 

and The MIND Diet by Maggie Moon (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-MIND-Diet/Maggie-Moon/9781612436074) 

… all of which are going onto my teetering to-read pile!

 

You can find Barbie and her brilliant down to earth advice (and some yummy recipes) on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_cognition_dietitian/ and at www.barbieboules.com 

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/

or subscribe to my Substack at https://middlingalong.substack.com/ 

 

Dr Nichola Conlon on how oestrogen levels impact our brain and how we can reverse our biological age

Join me this time in the first of a (slightly serendipitous) series of three episodes on the topic of aging well. 

 

Dr Nichola Conlon is a scientist specialising in the study of healthy aging.  Nichola has a passion for sharing the latest breakthroughs, with a skill for translating science in a digestible and engaging way, encouraging people to age well.  

 

We talk about the science behind some pernicious peri symptoms - brain fog and fatigue - how and why our diminishing oestrogen levels play havoc with our many millions of mitochondria which then leads to a drop in our energy levels. Did you know our hormones are responsible for creating neural connections in the areas of our brain involved in memory and learning? Mind, blown...

 

We dig in to why our chronological age and our biological age might very well be different. Shockingly research has shown that in just six months of perimenopause our biological age can increase by up to nine years - and by the end of perimenopause our biological age may have jumped up by a total of 20 years!

 

The good news though is that only 20% of our rate of biological aging is predetermined by our genetics - the other 80% is modifiable through lifestyle changes. 

 

We also cover how oestrogen levels dropping impacts our immune system, creating chronic low-grade inflammation in our cells - and how we can tackle that to improve our overall cellular health.

 

We then move on to how critical NAD is for both energy levels and cellular repair, how wildly inconvenient it is that levels of NAD start to fall at the same time we experience falling levels of oestrogen and how we can boost our levels of NAD - tune in to find out more. 

 

As a science nerd I found this whole conversation absolutely fascinating - I hope you do too!

 

You can find out more about Nichola's company Nuchido here: https://nuchido.com/ 

 

You can also find her on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/drnicholaconlon where she discusses all things science and aging.

 

 

If you enjoy the podcast please help us grow by sharing this episode, or writing a review.

You can also find me at www.thetripleshift.org 

connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacthomas/ 

follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/

or subscribe to my Substack at https://middlingalong.substack.com/