It’s been a big couple of weeks for menopause-related news
While I’ve been confined to bed (I backed up my tooth infection with a really bad cold), a lot has been happening in the menopause world. The North American Menopause Society had their annual conference, and the Australian Senate inquiry into menopause released their report.
North American Menopause Society Annual Conference
The Menopause Society conference is aimed at health professionals and is quite detailed. If you are looking for up-to-date, evidence-based information about menopause, I recommend reading Dr. Jen Gunter’s summaries here and here.
Australian Senate Inquiry into Menopause
The Australian Senate inquiry into menopause was really interesting and very relevant for us Aussies. It was started last year to look at the health and economic impact of the menopause transition on Australian women. Here are the five key findings:
Lack of Understanding Among Health Professionals Menopause is not well understood by health professionals. Some medical practitioners receive only one hour of training on menopause during their degrees. One doctor even mentioned that he was taught menopausal women are either “mad” or “sad.” No wonder we feel misunderstood!
Based on this low level of education, the inquiry recommended that more menopause education be made mandatory during medical degrees.
Flexible Work Hours for Menopausal Women Employers should allow flexible work hours for women in the menopause transition. This was proposed as “reproductive leave” that all genders can take when needed.
Public Awareness Campaign Menopause is also not well understood by the general public. A national awareness campaign should be developed.
Challenges with Medication Accessibility Medications for menopause can be hard to source and frequently go out of stock. Additionally, the most effective medication options aren’t on the PBS, making them inaccessible for many.
Lack of Research There isn’t much research available on menopause and its mental and physical impacts, primarily due to a lack of funding.
The Importance of Talking About Menopause
When I look at all of these findings, it makes me realise that we need to talk about menopause more. We should discuss it with our friends, colleagues, mums, daughters, and nieces. If we don’t talk about it, the medical profession won’t know it’s a problem, our workplaces won’t be informed, funding for studies won’t be allocated, and nothing will change.
Take action
So that’s my call to action for you this week: have some menopause discussions! If you aren’t in the age group yet, ask someone older about their experience. If you are in the menopause transition, talk to your kids or workmates about it. If you’re past it, share your experience with your grandkids. Or feel free to email me. Talk about it. Don’t hold it in.
Need Support?
If you need help during this difficult time, perhaps my private coaching program will be the support you need. Check it out here.
Physical Activity tip of the week - Vitality 30
All of the study I have done tells me that keeping fit is essential during the menopause transition. It can help manage symptoms, keep brain health optimal and support a stressful lifestyle. So I have created a new 30 minute fitness class that I’ve called Vitality 30. It includes yoga stretches, gentle HIIT, and strength training. It will start on World Menopause Day, Friday 18th October. It isn’t quite ready for bookings yet, but comment below if you’re interested.
Gentle Nutrition tip of the week - plant protein
Protein plays a crucial role during menopause for maintaining muscle mass, bone health, metabolic function, hormonal balance, weight management, and blood sugar control. Plant protein is a great way to get the benefits of protein along with fibre and vitamins and minerals.
This weekend I plan to make a big pot of minestrone with butter beans to get my plant protein fix.
Stress Management tip of the week - yoga
Yoga is a fantastic way to manage stress while getting a gentle workout for the body too. And booking in for the term relieves some of that “will I, won’t I?” stress. I recommend booking soon for term 4 as spots will sell out quickly. You can do that by clicking here.
