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Navigating Menopause in a Modern World
Why Menopause Feels Different Today
It feels like we're living through a time where so many are struggling with their health, experiencing a general sense of unwellness and a multitude of chronic conditions. And frustratingly, this often persists despite medical interventions and what seems like a "healthy" lifestyle. Too often, the focus is on managing symptoms rather than addressing the underlying causes, leading to a cycle of further issues.
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As a Functional Wellness Practitioner, with over two years studying and training to a level 5 with the College of Functional Wellness, I believe there's a path to feeling better by understanding the interconnectedness of our bodies and lifestyles.
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(Disclaimer: Please note, I am not a trained physician and cannot diagnose or give specific medical advice or prescribe medications. My role is to help you see the bigger picture, understand how different factors influence your health, and support you in making positive changes.)
What is Menopause and Why Might You Be Finding it Tough?
Menopause is the natural biological process marking the end of a woman's reproductive years, typically confirmed 12 months after the last menstrual period. Perimenopause is the transitional time leading up to menopause.
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You might have heard older generations say, "Oh, I sailed through mine, what's all the fuss about?" And there might be some truth to that.
My mother's generation often had a different pace of life. While certainly not without their challenges, many were stay-at-home mothers, often with more downtime and a diet based on fresh, home-cooked food, sometimes even grown in their own gardens.
Fast forward to today, and the reality for most women is vastly different. We're often juggling raising children, managing the household, and working full-time. We're racing between school runs and after-school activities, tackling work deadlines, shopping, and trying to keep up with the endless demands of modern life. And then there's the added pressure from social media to maintain a youthful appearance, dress a certain way, and have a picture-perfect home and family – the list goes on!
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I highly recommend reading - Unwell Women: A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World
by Elinor Cleghorn
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​​These are all stressors, but then we add in convenience foods, eating on the go, skipping meals, overeating, comfort eating, and ultra-processed foods. Not to mention the endocrine-disrupting chemicals lurking in everyday products like some cosmetics, food packaging, toys, carpets, pesticides, and even our furniture as flame retardants.
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So, is it any wonder that as you approach your late 30s or early 40s, when your natural hormones begin their shift, your body might feel like it's hitting the brakes and asking,
"Hold on, did someone change the channel?... because what in the world is going on here?"​​
​​​These changes can be subtle or can feel like they've come out of nowhere, leading you to worry about early dementia or a mental health crisis – something we hear frequently at our local Menopause Support Group.
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Perimenopause symptoms typically start in your early 40s, but they can appear even in your mid to late 30s. While blood tests can indicate hormone levels, they don't always capture the full picture of how your hormones are behaving in your body. And often, you won't be offered these tests under 40 unless you seek private care.
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Understand your symptoms better - download my free symptom checker to take to your next health appointment! [Link to your download]
The Impact of Modern Life on Your Menopause Journey
So, where does this leave you as you approach menopause? The cumulative effect of these modern-day stressors and exposures to hormone-disrupting chemicals may have placed a significant burden on your system, making the hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause feel even more impactful.
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As Claire Snowden-Darling, one of the College of Functional Wellness founders, wisely states,
"Every time we put food in our mouths, it has a hormonal reaction."
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Hormone imbalances, particularly fluctuating oestrogen levels during peri-menopause and the decline in menopause, can disrupt the body's inflammatory responses. Oestrogen has anti-inflammatory properties, so its reduction can lead to increased inflammation. This chronic inflammation can worsen existing health conditions or contribute to new ones, making the menopausal transition a potentially challenging period for women's health.
So, where do we go from here?
​​​​​Despite the challenges that modern life can present, the good news is that by simply starting with some small, manageable steps, you can begin your journey towards feeling better within yourself. It's about making sustainable changes that support your body's natural processes as you navigate perimenopause and menopause.​
To support you on this journey, I offer a couple of pathways:
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1-2-1 Functional Menopause Coaching.
Together, we'll delve into the six key pillars of your well-being: nutrition, blood sugar balance, stress hormones, sex hormones, digestive function, and immune function. We'll create a tailored plan to address your unique needs and you will have free access to my pdf guides that dive deeper into a range of topics
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Alternatively, for those who prefer a self-led pathway, I have created my
12-week Metamorphosis Programme.
An affordable, self-led programme that works for you, it includes an interactive journal to record your progress, weekly topics that build up your knowledge on how to support yourself nutritionally and emotionally, and as an optional bonus, access to my Wisdom Well programme, designed to enlighten you to just how truly amazing you and your body are and how you are connected to much more than you realise - think the Woo meets Science
