Thriving In Menopause

While menopause is typically a natural transition, medically-induced menopause is another scenario altogether, coming at a time in a woman's life when she is already undergoing serious health challenges. To understand more on the subject, we’re joined on the podcast by Professor Martha Hickey, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne (since Feb 2010) and Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University, CT. She is the lead in a world-first study, What Happens After Menopause (WHAM), that explores just how women who experience medically-induced menopause are affected. The findings might surprise you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of the podcast focuses on a menopausal symptom that is very common but can be quite distressing to experience - female pattern hair loss. From an ever-widening hair part to temples that are creeping backwards, the good news is there is much to be done to halt the thinning. Our expert to guide us through the options is Chelcey Salinger IAT, a consultant trichologist at the Australian Trichology Centre, Sydney and Adelaide, (www.hairlossspecialist.com.au) who specialises in hair loss, baldness, alopecia areata, hair breakage, hair damage, psoriasis and other scalp problems in women and men. Chelcey is the executive director of the International Association of Trichologists (USA). She is involved in the education of Trichologists, tutoring students all over the world and supervising the clinical training of students in Australia. To find a registered trichologist, visit www.iattrichology.com.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been an explosion of interest in recent years in the gut microbiome, but in contrast, the vaginal microbiome is largely undiscussed. Understanding this delicate habitat is never more essential than during perimenopause and menopause, when the microbiome can undergo significant changes, leading to a range of health conditions. To help us learn more about how we can support our vaginal flora through this transition and optimise our vaginal health, we are joined by Dr Moira Bradfield Strydom (PhD), the founder of Intimate Ecology clinical and education services. A Naturopath, educator and researcher with over 20 years clinical experience, she has a passion for helping people experience optimal health in sustainable and sensible ways.  Clinically, she has a niche interest in recurrent vaginal infections, optimal vaginal and genitourinary health, hormones and the genitourinary microbiomes. Moira completed a PhD through Griffith University which focused on the vaginal microbiome and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. She also holds a Bachelor of Naturopathy and a Masters degree in Acupuncture. In addition to her role as a Naturopath, Moira has lectured extensively at a tertiary level and in the area of holistic genitourinary health, educating her fellow practitioners to offer support in an often-overlooked area.  Find out more about Moira and her services at www.intimateecology.com.au  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mental health effects of perimenopause can be severe and swift - often arriving at a time in a woman's life when she may have no other symptoms and be completely unaware of what is happening to her. Craig Gaunt became aware of this knowledge gap after losing his wife, Debbie, to suicide in 2019, following severe and sudden mental health issues that have since been partially attributed to the hormonal effects of perimenopause. To honour Debbie, the Gaunt family set up the Debbie Gaunt Foundation, which works to fund projects aimed at providing a greater understanding of the mental health impacts of perimenopause and other conditions that affect women's mental health. To find out more, head to debbiegauntfoundation.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meno belly, the accumulation of belly fat and increased weight in the mid-section that occurs during peri and menopause, can be one of the most bothersome parts of the transition for many women, especially when compounded by uncomfortable bloating. We unpack what causes both, and what steps women can take to lessen their impact.  To guide us through the subject is Dr Ceri Cashell, a GP from Sydney’s Northern Beaches who specialises in hormones and their impact on health, in particular for women during peri/menopause. She is also a co-founder of Healthy Hormones (www.healthyhormones.au), an online menopause community offering free learning and support for health professionals and all Australians. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a life transition that happens to 50 per cent of the population, menopause has no shortage of misconceptions and confusion surrounding it. To help us dispel some of the biggest misunderstandings about menopause, we're joined in this episode by Dr Sarah White. Dr White is the Chief Executive Officer of Jean Hailes for Women's Health (www.jeanhailes.org.au), Australia's leading non-governmental organisation providing women's health information and education to the general public and health professionals. She's also a member of the National Women's Health Advisory Council and the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Women's Health Products Group, and is still actively involved in women's health research today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to this special extended podcast in honour of International Women's Day, in which we are joined by three special guests to address a crucial issue: women's healthcare rights, and how we can go about closing the gender health gap. Helping us to unpack what the gender health gap is, how it impacts women and what is being done to close the gap, we are joined by the following inspiring women:  Dr Sarah White, CEO of Jean Hailes for Women's Health, Australia's leading non-governmental organisation providing women's health information and education to the general public and health professionals; and member of the National Women's Health Advisory Council, which provides the Australian Government with advice and recommendations to improve health outcomes for women in Australia Shelly Horton, TV journalist, keynote speaker and media personality, renowned perimenopause and menopause warrior, and co-creator of online courses about confidence, health advocacy and peri and menopause in the workplace. Dr Romy Listo, Deputy Chair of the Australian Women's Health Alliance, and a 2024 Churchill Fellowship recipient investigating models to support and destigmatise reproductive health in the workplace. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Sharon Naismith is a clinical neuropsychologist from the Brain and Mind Centre and Charles Perkins Centre, who is leading a world-first project looking at the focus of sleep disruption in accelerating cognitive decline, which can lead to dementia. On today's podcast episode, Professor Naismith helps us understand why sleep problems are so rife during menopause and how we can ensure our sleep issues are put to bed before they go on to cause serious health issues later in life.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we're feeling fatigued, stressed and burned out - not to mention grappling with menopausal symptoms - carving out time for ourselves can seem like an impossible task. But as life coach Danielle Colley explains in this episode, ensuring that we are allowing ourselves the necessary amount of work, rest and play in our lives, is absolutely crucial for our health and wellbeing, and can even make our menopause journey smoother. She explains how we can go about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In November 2023, an inquiry on Issues related to menopause and perimenopause was referred to the Senate Community Affairs Committee. Co-sponsored by Labor Senator Marielle Smith and Greens Senator Larissa Waters, the motion hoped to shine a light on menopause and the physical, social, economic, mental and wellbeing impacts for women. Lasting nine months and following 266 written submissions as well as public hearings in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth, the Committee reported its findings in September of this year. Today on the podcast, Senator Marielle Smith joins us to share the recommendations and what they could mean for women's health in the future. To see the full list of recommendations, visit www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Menopause/Report   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this podcast episode, we welcome back Michelle Bridges, fitness icon and mastermind of the 12WBT program and her new menopause-specific program, The Menopause Method. Today, we explore the many ways that exercise supports our bodies through the menopausal journey and focus on the kinds of exercise we should be doing to best support our health and wellbeing as we enter into this phase of our lives and beyond. If you need some motivation to kickstart you into moving more, you've come to the right place! 12wbt.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sexologist Christine Rafe is a sex and relationships expert for Womanizer, a brand dedicated to supporting women's sexual health and pleasure. Womanizer recently teamed up with the Kinsey Institute, world renowned for its research on human sexuality, to conduct a fascinating new study that looks at the importance of both masturbation and sex as effective tools for helping to manage menopausal symptoms. In this podcast, Christine shares details about the study and how we can go about enjoying the benefits for ourselves. womanizer.com/au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accredited practising dietitian and bestselling author Jaime Rose Chambers has now written a new book, The Peri Diet. In this podcast episode, Jaime shares her best tips for eating for a happy and healthy perimenopause and beyond. Learn which foods can help to minimise your symptoms, control menopausal weight gain, combat the key hormonal changes that occur at this time of life and set you up to for a long, healthy future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM is a psychiatrist and researcher at Monash University, internationally acknowledged as a leader and expert in the field of women’s mental health, in particular, for her innovative work on reproductive hormones and mental illness. In this episode of the podcast, Professor Kulkarni will be discussing mental ill health during menopause, particularly depression and anxiety, and shares what needs to be done to help women experiencing these symptoms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Menopause mouth' is a term that reflects the many changes and symptoms that can affect our mouths throughout the menopause transition, from dry mouth to 'burning tongue', to gum issues and bad breath. To talk us through how we can best combat these symptoms, we're joined in this episode by dentist to the stars, Dr Gamer Verdian, Chief Executive Officer at D-Group, which encompasses both the luxurious Dental Lounge in Sydney’s Double Bay, as well as Dental 99, which offers essential dental treatments for as little as $99. @DrGamerVerdian @DentalLoungeSydney www.dentallounge.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Gemma Munro is an internationally recognised, award-winning speaker and presenter with a PhD in performance psychology. Through her talks with global audiences (including Google, Amazon and Paypal), as well as her online coaching program, she's a catalyst for immediate and sustained shifts in mindset, behaviours and results.  Dr Gemma sees perimenopause and menopause as a portal of transformation, encouraging women to harness the amazing power that comes with this stage of midlife to transform it into a catalyst for positive change, rather than a stage of life we need to "get through". In this podcast, she shares how we can tap into this power and embrace a new way of living, no longer bound by the influence of others or society in general and able to embrace our own desires and dreams. drgemmamunro.com   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Rodney Baber is Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, and Past President of the International Menopause Society and Australasian Menopause Society. In this episode, Professor Baber explains what really happens inside our bodies when we experience hot flushes and night sweats, and the latest treatments available to minimise their impact on our lives.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Judy Craig is a GP, Cosmetic Physician and the medical director and founder of Natural Looks Cosmetic Medicine in WA (naturallooks.com.au). In this podcast episode, Dr Craig shares how women can overcome the changes and challenges presented by menopause, to continue enjoying a fulfilling sex life. This includes addressing a range of menopausal symptoms including vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, incontinence, delayed or impaired orgasm and reduced libido, all part of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bridget Foliaki-Davis is a Sydney-based/Auckland-raised award-winning chef, qualified nutritionist, and author of six cookbooks, who has cooked on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Faced with her own significant health challenges, including obesity, fatty liver disease and pre-diabetes, she learnt about the importance of gut health to assist her in managing her conditions. Not only did she lose weight and transform her health, she also vastly improved her debilitating perimenopausal symptoms.  In this podcast, she explains the importance of good gut health during menopause, and shares her unique no-exercise, food-based approach to weight management, gut health and mental stability, which thousands of people worldwide have followed to help them lose weight and gain health sustainably, via the Bridget’s Healthy Kitchen digital recipe books and ingredients and her 28 Day Boost Camp online gut health boot camp. Check out www.bridgets.shop for more See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can the way we think about the menopause transition have an impact on our experience of it as a whole? And if so, how do we go about changing our attitude towards menopause to make this life change more successful? In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr Emmanuella Noble shares helpful tips on how to reframe your perspective on menopause and, in doing so, make your menopausal experience both easier and more positive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.