The Happy Menopause

Do you experience a range of unexplained symptoms - eczema, skin rashes, fatigue, headaches, IBS, joint pain, poor sleep, or random allergic reactions with no clear trigger? If HRT isn’t helping - or even making things worse - or if your blood tests keep coming back normal but you still feel awful, histamine intolerance could be the missing piece of the puzzle.

This little-understood condition is tricky to diagnose but more common t...

Do you have a dream? I bet you do - most of us do! But do you dare to make it happen? It’s easy to feel stuck at this stage of life and wonder, Is this it? The truth is, it’s never too late to make a change, whether big or small.

My latest podcast guest, Sally Evans, is living proof of that. An award-winning wine producer with a small vineyard near Bordeaux, France, Sally turned her life upside down at 52. When her youngest child le...

In this episode, we’re talking about strength - not weight, not size, but pure, functional strength. Because let’s be honest, we can spend way too much time worrying about one and not nearly enough about the other!

Strength is vital at any age, but as we hit midlife and beyond, it becomes essential. It boosts confidence, protects our bones, and keeps us active for longer. After all, what’s the point of making it to 90 if you’re too ...

Weight loss can feel like an uphill battle for us midlife women. What worked before no longer seems effective, and that’s often due to a slowing metabolism. Years of yoyo dieting may have played a role, but this shift is also a natural part of this life stage. If your body is stuck in fat-storage mode, no amount of eating less will bring the results you’re after.

But there’s hope! In this episode, I’m joined by Petronella Ravenshear...

Feeling a little apprehensive about the festive season? It’s not just one day, is it? The celebrations seem to start in early December and go on... and on. Your calendar fills up fast – often with events you’re not even excited about!

And let’s face it, most of these involve endless food and drink, which can take a toll on your waistline, sleep, and overall wellbeing in just a few weeks.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m sharin...

The build-up to Christmas can be hectic and stressful, and the thought of carving out a full hour for a yoga class (or any workout) when there’s so much to do can just add to the pressure. 

This is the 2nd in my 3-part series to help you cope with the challenges of the festive season. I’m releasing them on Thursdays through December or you can listen to all of them straight away, by signing up at www.TheHappyMenopause.com

In this epi...

Christmas can be a lot of fun and create some wonderful memories. But let’s face it, all that festive joy doesn’t happen by accident. Behind the scenes, pulling all the strings and juggling all the plates, there’s usually a woman making the magic happen. We really do take on a lot at this time of year. So, if you’re already feeling overwhelmed by all the planning, shopping, wrapping, prepping, and cooking that lies ahead, don’t wor...

 For many of us, alcohol is woven into our lives, whether it’s a glass of wine at dinner or a night out with friends. It provides the backdrop to most big occasions, both happy and sad. 

But how does it affect us during menopause, when our bodies are changing in so many ways? And how does it influence our hormones and our health? 

The festive season is fast approaching, and with that can come a lot of pressure, because there’s always...

This is a special episode which shines a spotlight on nutrition to celebrate World Menopause Day, It’s actually a re-release of one of my most popular episodes, which I thought you might like to discover or rediscover, because it’s packed with useful information and foodie tips. 

I thought it was important to focus on foods to balance out my other special, which is on this year’s WMD theme of HRT. In that episode, BMS menopause spec...

HRT (or MHT) isn’t natural territory for The Happy Menopause podcast, but as it’s the theme for this year’s World Menopause Day, I thought it would be remiss of me not to cover it.

HRT has become a pretty contentious issue in recent years, with a lot of people being very entrenched in the strongly for or strongly against position. And amongst all that there are quite a lot of self-styled experts, who are anything but expert in the m...

Aromatherapy is much more complex than just lighting a scented candle. The essential oils of flowers, plants, wood, nuts or seeds can have a powerful effect on the body. In this episode, we explore how aromatherapy might support us in midlife, menopause and beyond. 

My guest is Amy Anthony, a certified aromatherapist and aromatherapy educator who’s an expert in this intricate area. She practices as an aromatherapist in New York City...

Tune into this short message for some VERY exciting news. 

I’m going to introduce you to The Happy Menopause Club, which is where all the cool midlife women hang out! 

There’s loads of great content on there for you that I’ve prepared especially for you and I tell you all about it in this short clip. 

If you can’t wait to find out about it, visit thehappymenopause.com and sign up straight away. I can’t wait to see you there. 

This mont...

Medicinal herbs have been used for centuries to support our health and wellbeing. In fact, some Chinese and Egyptian texts about the use of herbs date back to 3000BC. In this episode I explore the role of herbs in menopause, and how to introduce them into our self-care programme to manage those pesky symptoms. 

My expert guest is medical herbalist, Hannah Charman. She brings 25 years of clinical experience to the podcast and support...

Premenstrual disorders can make life incredibly miserable. Any woman who’s struggled with PMS will know that, and I covered that specific issue in the closing episode to Season 5. This episode is a follow-on from that, as I drill down into PMDD – premenstrual dysphoric disorder. 

Although it occurs in the 2nd half of the cycle, this isn’t just a severe form of PMS. It’s a hormone-based mood disorder caused by a severe reaction to th...

September is a good time for new beginnings, so if you’re thinking about how to build up your strength and fitness if you’ve let things slide a bit this summer, this is the episode for you. 

In this episode I chat to the brilliant Cara Metz. She’s an absolute testament to the transformative power of healthy living. A dancer from a very early age, she went on to become the Latin American British Open champion and developed a career a...

You know when it’s coming don’t you? That time of the month, when people start to tiptoe around you and discretion is definitely the better part of valour amongst your loved ones. Woe betide the fool that dares to suggest you’re a little hormonal – especially if it’s a man! Yep, I’m talking about PMS, premenstrual syndrome, which is the focus of this month’s episode 

PMS can make life miserable, and it can affect different women in ...

Do you ever wonder what you came upstairs for, forget where you’ve parked the car or find yourself grappling for the right word that just won’t come? These are all common concerns for women in midlife because brain fog is one of the classic symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.

In my latest Best Bit to celebrate half a million downloads for The Happy Menopause podcast, I’m focusing on brain fog because all that hormonal turmoil p...

Chronic insomnia can be very stressful – not only are you feeling tired and worried about how you’ll cope the next day, but you’re probably also worrying about all those stories you’ve heard about the potential long-term health impact of not sleeping. And that means that you’re even less likely to get to sleep! 

Women are generally much more prone to sleep disorders than men, and when we reach the perfect storm of midlife, things ca...

Welcome to my latest Best Bit, part of my series to celebrate half a million downloads for The Happy Menopause podcast, and the chance for you to catch up on some of the brilliant episodes you may have missed. This edition focuses on vaginal dryness, which is rather the Cinderella of the menopause. 

In recent years, we’ve become more confident about discussing our menopause – some women will mention their hot flushes without turning...