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The Happy Menopause

Health & Wellness Podcasts

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 Twitter . Facebook and Instagram @WellWellWellUK.

Location:

United Kingdom

Description:

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 Twitter . Facebook and Instagram @WellWellWellUK.

Language:

English


Episodes

Best Bits #3 – How to Have Great Hair

3/17/2024
Welcome to my latest Best Bit, part of my series to celebrate half a million downloads for The Happy Menopause podcast and to give you the chance to catch up on some of the brilliant episodes you may have missed. We’re looking back at the launch episode for Season 2 for this edition and we’re talking hair! My guest is consultant dermatologist and hair specialist Dr Sharon Wong, who is incredibly generous with her advice. Dr Sharon Wong specialises in treating hair and scalp disorders and she’s an absolute mine of information, as we find out what influences the growth and condition of our hair and how the menopause affects our hair. We discuss the different diet, lifestyle and biochemical factors that can affect our hair and Sharon. She explains the best approach to haircare; how often to wash our hair; what to look for in hair products; and how we can optimise the health and strength of our hair. There really is nothing like listening to an expert talk about their subject. I learned a lot from Sharon in our chat and I’m sure you will too. If you’d like to listen to the full episode, you can find it in Season 2, Episode 1, where there’s even more practical advice to help you take the right approach to your hair care! If you’re a fan of The Happy Menopause, please tell your friends and family, and do give it a 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on. It makes a huge difference to the algorithms which influence the visibility of the podcast, so that more women 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:16:07

S5. Ep. 12. Pilates at Your Desk: How to Move More in Menopause, with Kerrie-Anne Bradley, Pilates Teacher & Author

3/6/2024
Are you a sloucher? Do you spend too much time pinned to your desk? Have you started to get a few niggles in your lower back, neck or shoulders? If it’s yes to all of the above, this episode is the one for you, because it’s all about posture, movement and alignment and it’s packed with practical advice to help with all those lurking issues you may have been ignoring or simply putting up with. My guest is Kerrie-Anne Bradley, former economist turned expert pilates teacher. It was her own experience of too much time at a desk and the subsequent problems with sciatica and other aches and pains that led her to take up pilates. She was so inspired by the results that she retrained with the renowned Fletcher Pilates School and became a teacher herself. She’s the founder of the brilliant Pilates at Your Desk and Move More at Your Desk programmes, including an excellent book of the same name. There’s not much Kerrie-Anne doesn’t know about movement and alignment – in fact she’s puts me through my paces in this interview, so please join in the fun! Kerrie-Anne takes us through her journey to resolve her own aches and pains and explains how pilates made a material difference to her. She also shares a range of simple exercises that you can do at your desk to help deal with neck or shoulder pain; lower back issues, and tight hamstrings and hip flexors. Most of them are subtle movements that you can do in the office without anyone really noticing, which is an added bonus, if you want to be discreet. It really was a pleasure to chat to Kerrie-Anne and I just know that I’m taller and straighter as a result! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Thanks so much for listening. Bye for now. 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:36:45

Best Bits #2 – How to Improve Your Sleep

2/28/2024
Welcome to another of my Best Bits to celebrate the amazing milestone of 500,000 downloads for The Happy Menopause podcast. This time, I’m diving right back into the archive to Season 1 for this one, because my chat about sleep with Professor Russell Foster was absolutely fascinating, and even in this pared-down version, there is a wealth of excellent advice. Russell is the Founder and Director of The Sleep and Circadian Research Institute and Head of Oxford University’s Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology. He’s carried out decades of research into the science of circadian rhythms and sleep cycles and won multiple awards for his work. There’s no doubt that he’s the man to speak to about anything to do with sleep! In this series of extracts, we discuss Russell’s 4-pillar approach to getting a good night’s sleep; learn why sleep apps are mostly a waste of time; understand the science behind our circadian rhythms and how exposure to morning light is the key to a good night’s sleep. Russell is full of fascinating insights and practical tips to make a material difference to the quality of your sleep! If you’re inspired by these Best Bits, you can find the full episode in Season 1, Episode 16 where you can hear everything that Russell has to say about this vital subject. 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:13:48

Best Bits #1 How to Build Strength in Your Bones & Muscles in Mid- and Later Life

2/19/2024
This is the first of a series of Best Bits to celebrate the amazing milestone of 500,000 downloads. Huge thanks to all of you for making this possible by listening! Looking back over the past 5 seasons, there are so many great moments of advice, insight and inspiration from my brilliant guests that it’s hard to choose, but I’ve decided to start with some fascinating extracts from my interview with Dr Catherine Walter. Catherine is an Emeritus Fellow in Applied Linguistics at Oxford University, but she’s also a world-record-holding powerlifter, who took up the sport at the age of 65 and hasn’t looked back since. As you’ll see from these extracts, her story is incredibly inspiring and it’s a real example to any woman who wants to take control of her own health and wellbeing. Tune in to find out about the ins and outs of powerlifting:- what it actually is; how to get started; how it can help your bones; and why it can make such a difference to your health in ways that reach far beyond strength and stamina, helping you become a whole new woman. If you’re inspired by these Best Bits, you can find the full episode in Season 3, Episode 6 where you can hear Catherine’s fascinating story and her excellent advice on strength training. 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:12:03

S5. Ep 11. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex & the Menopause with Samantha Evans, Sexual Health & Pleasure Expert

1/31/2024
In this episode, we talk about vaginas, vulvas, sex and sex toys, because we can! As young people we all tend to assume that older people don’t have sex, but we midlife women know better, don’t we? It may be more complicated for us, for a variety of reasons, but women in mid and later life are still sexual beings and we have every right to enjoy our intimate life just as much as we did when we were younger. But we all know that there can be obstacles to this, such as dryness, pain, recurrent infections and loss of libido, so my guest today is here to help with all that, because there’s nothing she doesn’t know about how to manage all these pesky issues that get in the way of a happy and fulfilling sex life. My guest in this episode is the brilliant Samantha Evans. She has a background in nursing, so she knows all the nitty gritty about our intimate areas and she’s the founder of Jo Divine, an online sex toy company designed to support people to enjoy sexual intimacy and pleasure by using skin-safe products and irritant-free lubricants and moisturisers. We discuss everything from how to manage UTIs and thrush to why and how to use a sex toy to maximise your pleasure. What I love about Sam is that she completely normalises what is a sensitive subject for many of us, and she’s so practical and supportive with her advice. Nothing is off the table with her and it’s a wild ride of a conversation, so get your notebooks ready, buckle in and tune in to hear what she’s got to say! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, remember to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:37:11

S5. Ep 10. Simple Steps to Create a Beautiful Midlife with Tania Dalton, Midlife Women’s Health Coach

1/3/2024
It’s that time of year when a fresh start seems very appealing so you’ve probably already started thinking about changes you might want to make to your life. I’m not a big fan of the radical detox, because it’s not sustainable and your body won’t really enjoy it or benefit from it in the longterm. On the other hand, simple and consistent changes can make a world of difference to your health and wellbeing and my guest for this episode is just the woman we need to help us create a beautiful midlife for ourselves. I’m delighted that Tania Dalton is joining me today, as she’s the most brilliantly positive person. She found herself ill-equipped to manage her own menopause transition and took action to educate herself in the different ways she could begin to thrive through midlife and beyond. She went on to found Beautiful Midlife, an expert health coaching business which empowers women to make small changes to transform their health, increase their confidence and thrive through this stage of life. She’s full of practical advice and wisdom, so let’s hear what she’s got to say. We discuss Tania’s MELT method – Move Beautiful, Eat Beautiful. Live Beautiful and Think Beautiful and she shares some fantastic advice on how to build these four pillars of her Beautiful Midlife approach. Chatting to Tania was a delight, as she’s just the breath of fresh air that we need to start the year feeling positive and inspired. Tune in for a real treat this January! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:37:09

S5. Ep9. Christmas Nutrition Quiz & Festive Foodie Tips

12/13/2023
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas isn’t it? Of course, that’s not always a good thing if you’re the one organising it and feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point. But even if you absolutely love Christmas (and I have to confess that I do!), there can be a slight sense of dread about the impact it can have on your health and wellbeing, and especially your waistline, with all those extra goodies and social events going on. So I’ve decided to have a bit of fun with a Christmas special episode, because I’ve devised a festive nutrition quiz to test your knowledge and to give you some handy tips and tricks to help avoid some of the health traps that line the holiday season. Tune in to test your knowledge and to pick up some festive foodie tips along the way: discover the best hangover relieving breakfast; which Christmas classic treat contains the least sugar; which popular snack is highest in salt; which cheese is the lowest in saturated fat, plus lots more handy yuletide info. You’ll even find out the best snack to leave out for Santa, so he completes his rounds in good time. Give yourself a Christmas treat and see how well you can score! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Thanks so much for listening 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:17:48

S5. Ep. 8. Blood Sugar Balance & the Menopause with Jackie Lynch, Menopause Nutritionist & Author

12/6/2023
Blood sugar balance seems to be very much in vogue at the moment, so I’ve decided to dedicate this episode to talking through it, because I think there’s quite a lot of confusion around it. As a nutritionist, I really believe it’s one of the key pillars to managing menopause symptoms and Nutrition 101 if you want to apply a dietary approach to your health and wellbeing during the menopause. But it’s important not to overcomplicate things – if you get the basics of your macronutrients right, everything else will pretty much fall into place and your blood sugar will sort itself out without any help from expensive constant glucose monitoring attachments. In this episode I talk through: - the biochemistry of blood sugar, so you understand what’s going on in the body and the internal (and quite natural) reactions that occur when you eat (or don’t eat). - how blood sugar balance helps to regulate menopause symptoms by supporting the body’s plan B for producing oestrogen post-menopause - how to achieve the correct balance of macros to support blood sugar balance - specific suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including portion advice - the role of blood sugar management in regulating stress hormones - why wearing a constant glucose monitor may not be right for you - how the body maintains a natural state of balance known as homeostasis The episode is packed with practical, evidence-based advice, which is also based on my clinical experience, so tune in for everything you need to know about blood sugar balance. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:20:25

S5. Ep. 7 - Invisibility and the Menopause – How to Get Yourself Seen & Heard with Dr Vanessa Collingridge, Broadcaster, Writer & Impact Coach

11/1/2023
Do you ever feel invisible? Perhaps you struggle to get your voice heard. If so, you’re not alone, because this is something that most women have experienced at some point, especially as we move into midlife and menopause. But it’s not something we should put up with, because it’s not right and because, let’s face it, middle aged men don’t experience the same problem, do they? I’ve invited Dr Vanessa Collingridge to join me for this episode. I first met her at the Menopause Festival in Edinburgh, where were both speaking and I was intrigued by the title of her workshop - The Revenge of the Invisible Woman. She struck me as just the woman we need to help us deal with this eternal problem! Vanessa is a woman with a fascinating history and I really needed a lot longer to talk to her! She’s a broadcaster, author and impact coach, who has researched and presented award-winning history documentaries; is the author of several books and she’s a communications expert too. As an impact coach, she has a passion for developing female talent and helping women find their voice and shares loads of practical advice. We discuss the reasons why women feel invisible and why it can be so hard to get your voice heard at any age, but especially during midlife and menopause. Vanessa is full of practical advice about how to get yourself noticed and make your mark in work or social situations, and how to help your loved ones remember that you’re there, so that you’re not taken for granted. This episode is a mini masterclass in how to regain your confidence and get the recognition and appreciation you deserve! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause. Thanks so much for listening. Bye for now. 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:37:29

S5. Ep. 6 – A Bloody History of Menopause with Dr Helen Foster, Oral Historian

10/17/2023
On World Menopause day it seems very fitting to look at the menopause from a historical angle and link it to women’s experience today. It hasn’t been an easy ride for middle-aged women over the centuries. We’ve proven to be quite a mystery to the medical community, which has led to some unusual, hilarious and often very distressing assumptions about what’s going on with the female body. To help us unravel all this, I’m joined by oral historian Dr Helen Foster of the East Midlands Oral History Archive at the University of Leicester. As well as being an expert around menopausal themes throughout history, she’s also developed the Silent Archive, working with a group of volunteers to record women’s stories of menopause through interviews, personal audio diaries and conversations. I first heard her give a talk about The Bloody History of Menopause last year at The Old Operating Theatre Museum in London, and I was fascinated so I just had to snap her up for the podcast! Helen takes us through the history of menopause, explaining the confusion and superstition about menstrual blood that built up over the centuries – did you know that we could turn milk sour and cause all manner of other domestic upheaval during our period? We talk about vilification of post-menopausal women who didn’t fit into the norm, which led to many of the witchcraft trials in the 16th century and women being shut up in asylums in later centuries. She also explains the utterly bizarre medical theory of the “wandering womb” which could apparently cause a whole host of mental and physical health issues! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:35:21

S5. Ep. 5 Nutrition for a Healthy Heart with Jackie Lynch, Nutritionist & Author

10/17/2023
The theme for this year’s World Menopause Day is cardiovascular disease. You may wonder what that’s got to do with the menopause, so here’s the thing: once you come through the menopause, your body will adjust to the new hormonal version of you and for the most part your symptoms will settle down, just like they did after puberty. But there are one or two key areas that you need to continue to focus on in the long-term – bone health is one, as I’m sure you’re aware. Heart health is another, which is why we’re shining a spotlight on it this year. It may surprise you to know that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death amongst women, so it’s much more common than you might think, and your heart definitely deserves your full attention. I come across cardiovascular conditions quite a lot in my menopause nutrition clinic, so I’ve decided to dedicate this episode to sharing a range of diet and lifestyle approaches to support a healthy heart. I explain blood pressure and cholesterol, so you know what role they play in the body and how they can impact your cardiovascular health, and I talk you through the different parameters, so that you can understand the basics of any test results. Tune in to find out which foods to focus on to maintain a healthy blood pressure and to regulate your cholesterol levels and what you need to avoid or limit to keep on track. I also talk you through the heart healthy diets with the most research, so you can start to tweak your shopping list and meal planning to keep yourself on track. This episode is full of all my best foodie tips to help you show your heart some love! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode and please give it 5 star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:18:44

S5. Ep 4. Healthy Cooking for the Menopause, with Fiona Staunton, Chef and Educator.

10/4/2023
We all know that cooking with fresh ingredients can make a huge difference to our health and wellbeing, but that can be easier said than done when you’re juggling the demands of a busy life. And if you’re not especially confident in the kitchen, it can seem very daunting to start cooking from scratch if you’re worn out after a busy day. But help is at hand in today’s episode, as I’m joined by the brilliant chef Fiona Staunton who’s made it her mission to make cooking good food uncomplicated, quick and easy. Fiona is a Ballymaloe-trained chef and the founder of Fiona’s Food For Life, which specialises in in-person and virtual cooking demonstrations to create healthy treats and to take the hassle out of home-cooked meals for the whole family. She’s full of fantastic practical tips to make our lives easier and our meals more delicious. We discuss the barriers to cooking healthy food and how to overcome them, especially if you lack confidence in the kitchen. We also explore the key foods that can play a part in managing menopause symptoms and Fiona shares some of her mouthwatering and menopause-friendly recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I promise you that you’ll feel inspired to get into the kitchen and start cooking straight away, once you’ve listened to what Fiona has to say! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on, I’d be so grateful. And do tell your friends and family about it too. It really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:35:18

S5. Ep 1. Exploring the FAQs of the Perimenopause with Juie Robinson, Health & Fitness Coach

9/6/2023
To kick off Season 5, we’re looking at the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) of the perimenopause and menopause. Because let’s face it, we’ve all got questions and there are some subjects that you might not feel too comfortable asking about. But fear no more! I’m chatting to the brilliant Julie Robinson, founder of Meno Health and Move It, Or Lose It, who’s helped thousands of women over the years. Her new book has collated some of the most common (and some not so common!) questions and concerns and she’s worked with a number of experts to provide the answers. FAQs on Menopause: Your Questions Answered is a great little book and I’d urge you to add it to your bookshelf, because you won’t regret it. In this episode, I pulled out a selection of questions from the book which cover some of the burning issues familiar to so many of us as we go through perimenopause and menopause. We discuss anxiety, facial hair, HRT, joint pain and managing the menopause at work and Julie shares some really sound, practical advice on how to manage all of these. She’s kind, funny, engaging and has the unbeatable knack of making exercise fun! Julie has made it her life’s work to get women and girls of all ages moving more, to support our physical and mental health and wellbeing. She founded Menohealth after her own experience of early menopause, so this is a woman who knows all about the challenges of this phase of life. Julie is a real breath of fresh air and I absolutely loved chatting to her, so tune in to hear more about those key questions that so many of us struggle with. 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:39:03

S5. Ep. 2 – Magnesium and the Menopause, with Andrew Thomas, Founder of Better You.

9/6/2023
I’ve always thought that magnesium is every menopausal woman’s best friend. It’s a magnificent mineral and a mega multitasker. So it really does deserve a whole episode of The Happy Menopause! I’ve invited magnesium expert Andrew Thomas to talk us through everything you need to know about this marvellous mineral. Andrew is the founder of Better You, which is one of my favourite supplement companies. He founded the business in 2006, and it was the first company in the world to commercialise transdermal magnesium therapy and to develop the delivery of nutrients via an oral spray. We had a great chat about vitamin D in Season 4 (worth a listen if you haven’t found it already) and he’s back to share his wisdom about magnesium. This episode is a real magnesium masterclass, as Andrew explains the 300+ roles of magnesium on the body, why we might be low in it and how magnesium depletion could be the root cause of a number of symptoms. We also discuss the different forms of magnesium in supplements and Andrew explains the difference between oxides, malates, glycinates, sulphates and citrates and why certain forms may suit some people better than others. It’s truly fascinating! We discuss dosage, because supplements need to be treated with respect, especially if you’re on medication or have any medical conditions. And of course we discuss which foods you need to focus on to boost your magnesium levels, because ‘Food First’ is always going to be my mantra for any therapeutic nutritional approach! Tune in – this is an incredibly helpful episode! 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:37:13

S5. Ep. 3 – Reflexology for Supporting Menopause with Sally Earlam, Reflexologist

9/6/2023
Have you ever tried reflexology? It’s way more than just a fancy foot massage! In fact, it’s been used for thousands of years as a therapeutic practice to support health and wellbeing. I’m a fairly recent convert to the wonders of reflexology and I know it makes a huge difference to me. So to find out more and to understand the research behind it, I’ve called on the help of expert reflexologist and teacher, Sally Earlam to share her wisdom with us. She has a background in nursing and has been a reflexologist for 24 years. She’s also a trained teacher and has previously taught the Reflexology Diploma, but now focuses on teaching advanced courses for qualified reflexologists in Menopause, Maternity and Mindful Reflexology. Sally explains the fascinating history of reflexology and the theory behind it. We discuss the emerging body of research around the health benefits of the practice and how it could make a real difference to hormone balance and your menopause symptoms, as well as more broadly addressing issues such as stress, insomnia and pain management. We also discuss what to expect from a reflexology session; why you shouldn’t worry if you’re ticklish (yes, really!); and how to find an accredited reflexology practitioner. After chatting to Sally, I booked a session straight away, as I realised that it’s been a while since I had one. I always feel amazing afterwards and have a brilliant night’s sleep. So how about it? Are you tempted? Why don’t you tune in to find out more? I promise you won’t regret it! 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:36:04

S4. Ep.16 The Power Decade: How to Thrive After Menopause with Susan Saunders, Health Coach & Author

7/5/2023
I’m wrapping up Season 4 by looking at that crucial decade after menopause, when a proactive approach to our health and wellbeing is more important than ever to define the way that we age. In this episode I chat to the brilliant health coach and author Susan Saunders about her latest book The Power Decade: How to Thrive After Menopause. There are huge positives to life post-menopause: this is the time to create the adventures – large and small – we want in our lives. And the foundation for this? Our health, both physical and mental. Life 50+ is not about decline and deficiency and decrepitude – it’s about an incredible opportunity to live the life we want to live! As a coach, Susan works with women all over the world to help them reduce their dementia risk through one-to-one coaching, workshops and courses. She trained with Alzheimer’s Prevention neuroscientist Dr Dale Bredesen and has a particular interest in dementia prevention for women post-menopause. She’s also co-creator of The Age-Well Project platform, co-author of The Age Well Project: Easy Ways to a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life and author of The Age Well Plan: the 6-Week Programme to a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life. We discuss three crucial areas which make up the cornerstone of Susan’s advice – Meals, Movement and Mindset - and she takes us through the findings of her research to create the approach to live your best possible life post-menopause. It’s incredible how small but consistent changes can make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing. This is no time to write yourself off! The Power Decade is your moment to lay down the groundwork for a fit, healthy and positive later life. Tune in to hear Susan’s expert advice and find out how to make the most of this stage of your life. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, remember to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, and please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on. And do tell your friends and family about it too. I’d be so grateful, because it really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:38:38

S4. Ep 15. Fearless! A Celebration of Midlife & Adventure with Louise Minchin, Journalist, Author & Athlete

5/31/2023
How daring do you feel these days? Sometimes it’s easy for us to write ourselves off in midlife and think the fun and adventure is all over. In this episode, we’re going to explore the extraordinary adventures of some inspiring women who have smashed through barriers, broken taboos and paved the way for the rest of us. I promise you that by the end of the episode, you’ll be just raring to go and start an adventure of your own! My guest will be well-known to many of you, because she was a much-loved presenter on BBC Breakfast for 20 years. She’s used her profile to champion women’s stories and to raise awareness of the menopause, mental health and women’s safety. She’s also a highly successful triathlete who represented Great Britain in her age-group. If you haven’t guessed already, I’m chatting to the brilliant Louise Minchin who’s here to discuss her latest book Fearless: Adventures with Extraordinary Women and to give us all an appetite for adventure. Louise introduces us to a whole host of inspiring women and talks us through the adventures she shared with them, including freediving under ice, cycling across Argentina, wild caving and a swim escape from Alcatraz. We discuss the importance of challenging yourself to build resilience and how vital it is to remain physically confident to ensure we keep fit and well through mid- and later life. Louise is an incredibly positive role model and full of great advice on how to empower yourself to take that first step into adventure so that you can make the most of this latest stage of your life. She was a delight to chat to and I promise you that you’ll enjoy listening to her as much as I enjoyed chatting to her! If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, remember to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, and please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on. And do tell your friends and family about it too. I’d be so grateful, because it really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:38:56

S4. Ep 14. Managing Your Menopause After a Cancer Diagnosis with Dr Carol Granger, Registered Nutrition Practitioner

5/3/2023
Do you ever feel left out of the menopause conversation? If you’re dealing with the menopause post-cancer it can be very frustrating when all the messaging in the media seems to revolve around HRT as the solution to all your symptoms. So in this episode, I’m focusing on the very specific diet and lifestyle steps you can take to manage your menopause if you’ve recently had cancer treatment, or are taking hormone suppressant medication, which means that you can't take HRT, even if you wanted to.. Cancer nutrition is a highly specialised and complex area so I’ve brought in the big guns with my guest for this episode. I’m delighted to be joined by Dr Carol Granger. She’s a registered nutrition practitioner and microbiologist who works with people with a cancer diagnosis, before during and after treatment to complement their treatment and support resilience and recovery. She’s also an executive member of the British Society for Integrative Oncology and has published numerous research papers on nutrition and cancer. Carol is a mine of useful information and shares her practical and expert advice on the do’s and don’ts of diet and lifestyle after a cancer diagnosis. We discuss the importance of the Mediterranean diet; why you need to follow a smart-fat rather than a low-fat diet; and why it’s important to apply caution with certain supplements. This is an incredibly helpful episode for anyone looking to manage their health and wellbeing during and post-menopause after a cancer diagnosis. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, remember to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, and please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on. And do tell your friends and family about it too. I’d be so grateful, because it really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:39:18

S4. Ep. 13. Done With Dieting? Managing a Healthy Weight in Menopause with Elizabeth Sherman, Life & Weight Loss Coach

4/5/2023
Are you fed up with dieting and not making any progress with weight loss? Manging a healthy weight in midlife can be a real minefield and it’s incredibly disheartening if despite your best efforts you’re not really getting anywhere. The female body is complicated and the cocktail of hormones around the menopause can make it a real uphill battle to keep in shape. We often find that the tried and trusted methods of the past don’t really work for us now, so what can we do about that? Surely there’s a better way? Well, there is! And I’ve got just the woman to help us with it in this month’s podcast. In this episode I chat to Elizabeth Sherman, a life and weight-loss coach who supports women through the hormonal shifts of the perimenopause and menopause and who’s made it her business to guide them through the challenges of managing a healthy weight in midlife. She’s also the host of the excellent Done With Dieting podcast which is for all of us who are looking to manage our health, wellbeing and weight in a way that’s successful and sustainable. We discuss the ups and downs of weight management in menopause; explore the issues around emotional eating with Elizabeth’s expert advice for managing this; and we look at the 8 healthy habits you need to get in place to support a healthy weight in midlife. Chatting to Elizabeth was a really helpful reminder of just how complex our body is and why we need to be giving it the best possible support through the menopause and beyond. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, remember to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, and please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on. And do tell your friends and family about it too. I’d be so grateful, because it really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:37:11

S4. Ep 12. The Shocking Inequalities in Women’s Health & the Menopause with Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, Menopause Champion & Founder of Pausitivity

3/7/2023
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is Embrace Equity focusing on forging equality for women and raising awareness around discrimination. And this got me thinking about the inequalities around women’s health and the menopause, because there are a lot of them. It’s still very much a man’s world and it can be hard for women to ensure their voice is heard in the health arena. In this IWD special episode, I chat to a hugely inspiring woman, who’s been campaigning around the menopause for years and who’s made a material difference to the conversation around women’s health. Back in Season 1, I invited Elizabeth Carr-Ellis and her Pausitivity colleagues to share the work they’d been doing around raising awareness of the menopause amongst local communities. I’m thrilled that she’s back with me today for an update and to give us her insights on the ongoing challenges of managing inequality around the menopause. Since we last spoke, Liz has continued to campaign tirelessly, and she even took the menopause to the UK parliament, addressing MPs and peers at the All Party Parliamentary Group on menopause. She’s also been named a Big Issue Changemaker for her work taking the menopause into vulnerable communities. We discuss the postcode lottery of the menopause experience for women in the UK; the shocking truth around the majority of medical research which is based on the male experience; the heart-breaking challenges that women face as they grapple with their menopause symptoms; and the lack of support from government and some elements of the medical community around the HRT shortages. It’s enough to make you want to get out there and (wo)man the barricades! Tune in to find out what concrete steps you can take to ensure that you receive equity around your health and the menopause. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, remember to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, and please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on. And do tell your friends and family about it too. I’d be so grateful, because it really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, 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 my guest. Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.

Duration:00:33:18