All the advice - none of the clue - where the heck do I start?

It's been a busy week, and one can definitely feel the cooler nights and shorter days creeping in. I might have also seen a first Pumpkin Spice Latte Menu already….

This week I want to give you some guidance on where to start if you recognise that you might be in perimenopause. 

Statistically, it can apply to any woman between the ages of 35 and 60. The average age of menopause is 53. 

I was ‘lucky’ and started really feeling the difference at 38, so I’ve had some time to learn how to embrace this phase. 

Now, I will remind you: I’m not a medical doctor, so it is possible some of the symptoms might be down to something else. But, statistically, generally, an otherwise healthy woman beginning to feel off- not sleeping well, getting hot or cold in ways that are different, having mood swings and gaining belly fat - are usually symptoms of perimenopause. 

They are also usually signs that the body needs some help: whether it’s supplements, HRT adjusted nutrition, and general lifestyle tweaks. 

But first and foremost, and what we don’t talk about often enough before making any changes, the important step is awareness and acceptance. It may sound obvious, but this one took me a while to get my head around. You may have all the knowledge, all the compassion for your clients/friends, and yet - it may still take a moment to accept it is happening to YOU. 

Sadly, there's still a lot of stigma associated with women's ageing. So we may be subconsciously trying to delay this phase of life. What helped me immensely, and hopefully will you too, is looking at it as the ‘next phase’ rather than the downhill phase. 

In fact, the numbers show that women 40+ are generally wealthier and more content with their life and relationships. We run more companies and head more teams, manage households and take on athletic challenges - all while potentially caring a bit less about what other people think.

And THIS is perhaps the biggest pivot (it was for me at least): changing the lens inward and asking: what do I feel? How do I feel? And start taking notes, literal notes. Because without acknowledging this is something that needs to be managed, nothing will change. 

Have a look at my previous articles where I talk about the symptom checklists and what to talk to your doctor about.