It's a peri and menopausal world and I'm happy to be living in it
Strap on your weighted vest, it's been a while since I've chatted all things hormones
I cannot open my Instagram app these days without someone talking, sharing or making me laugh about menopause. How bloody refreshing! I love the science-backed revolution that is happening where midlife women are no longer accepting that this is the taboo subject that generations before us told us it was.
If I’d known even half the information in my 40s that I now know, I would have had an easier and much more informed ride through my peri-menopause years. Yes, every woman will go through peri-menopause but it’s not something a woman just has to “get through”. And menopausal symptoms spand way beyond hot flushes. Getting professional help through this period could actually be key to future proofing your physical and mental health.
Read more about weighted vest HERE - I wear a 5kg vest bought HERE
It was a Peri bad time
If you’re new here, this is also not the first time I’ve written and spoken about my peri and menopause “journey”.
It actually makes me tear up to go back and read this post I wrote at the end of 2020. I’m glad I did (and continue to do) all the mental health work but I’d love to go back to that woman, give her a hug and tell her that everything she felt (in a year that was such a shit show for everyone) had been amplified by symptoms caused by her estrogen exiting stage left, never to return.
Early in 2021, not knowing I’d had my last period seven months before, I wrote this post. I want to hug this woman too. She’s someone who’d always been like a dog with a bone in regards to her health because she’s been up against it since her early 20s but here she’s listed off multiple peri-menopausal symptoms that she could have had help managing, except for her GP advising she couldn’t be treated with hormones until she was post-menopausal!
To celebrate my offical menopause status, I wrote this post and did an Instagram Live chat with my friend Shelly Horton (side but very relevant note: you can pre-order Shelly’s book “I'm Your Peri Godmother” HERE - boy oh boy does Shelly have a peri tale to share). We over-shared a lot about our experiences, yet still I waited until four months later to talk to my GP about hormone treatment.
Why I won’t stop shouting about it
I’ve re-shared all of the above because this was my journey to learning what was happening in my body. Five years on, listening to and absorbing so much from global menopause specialists such as Dr Louise Newson and Dr Mary Claire Haver, I’ve now pieced together all I did wrong in the decade that were my peri years. Yes, I was only working with what I knew at the time, but knowing what I know now has made me particularly passionate about screaming and shouting about it to women younger than me (just ask my younger girlfriends, HAH, they’re sick of me nagging them).
Through the information shared by Dr Louise and Dr Mary Claire, as well as Dr Vonda Wright (orthopedic surgeon) and Dr Lisa Mosconi (Associate Professor of Neuroscience in Neurology and Radiology), I’ve learned so much.
Being informed meant I was able to find and work with a GP who specialises in menopause, someone who is up to date with current scientific research and therefore understands why it’s important that we consider hormone treatment. I’m fully aware hormone treatment isn’t an option for everyone but it’s definitely a conversation all women should be having with a GP or specialist who has trained in the area and knows your medical history. If you’ve had breast cancer, Dr Louise has a lot of information about breast cancer and menopause on her site. And if your GP says you’re too young, that menopause is just something you “go through” or wants to diagnose you off a blood test alone, RUN. Find someone who will listen to you.
Find a doctor in Australia who is a member of the Australian Menopause Society
All of doctors I’ve mentioned above do stress that HRT or MHT is the gold standard when it comes to treating peri or menopause but it’s just one part of the menopausal puzzle. It’s also important in midlife and beyond to look at how we’re fuelling our bodies and how we’re exercising. Spoiler alert: if you’re still doing eating and exercising like you did in your 20s and 30s, it’s probably not working for you and may not help you maintain a healthy and vital lifestyle as you age.
What menopause look likes for me
I turn 58 in a couple of months and am laser focussed on my health because I want to live a vital and vibrant life as I age. I want to maintain my mobility and I want my brain to be as clear as it can be. I want to live my life, not just exist in it.
This past six months has been a bit tricky with some added “bonus” issues in the health department. I have tendonitis in my left hip which is being treated with PRP injections and working with my exercise physiologist. I had a particularly bad bout of COVID a couple of months ago and have had a persistent cough as well as vertigo ever since. And for the icing on the cake, I’m working with a pelvic floor physio ahead of a major op coming up in three months’ time.
Even though it feels like I’m constantly at medical appointments, I’ve not lost sight of the bigger health picture which starts with what I do on a daily or weekly basis to support my menopausal body*.
Hormone treatment - estradiol patches twice a week, progesterone tablet nightly and testosterone gel daily
Supplements - omega 3, fibre, creatine, magnesium, Vit D, NMN, turmeric, collagen (see below)
Exercise - yoga for mental health and mobility, walking (with and without a weighted vest), strength training under the guidance of an exercise physiologist
Sleep - I crave a good sleep routine and feel so much better when I stick to it (see more below)
Food - a protein-led diet of three meals a day with a focus on best-practice nutrition for menopause, most days I’ll include a version of Dr Mary Claire’s menopause smoothie.
*Please note, this is not medical advice - please seek out your own professional advice to make the right choices for you
If you’re still here, thanks for reading. If you’re in your peri and post-menopause years, then welcome to the revolution. What a time to be alive.
{More reading: I really enjoyed Naomi Watts’ book, Dare I Say It. Naomi gives frank and candid stories about her own journey with early menopause, backed up with facts from experts.}
The collagen I’m currently taking
Collagen has been a part of my daily skincare routine for almost five years and I now understand that it also supports my menopausal bone health.
What I didn’t understand until discovering Calmerceuticals is that there are collagen formulas and there are collagen formulas. Calmerceuticals offers a liquid collagen crafted with the highest quality ingredients and made in Australian laboratories.
Yes, you’ll find cheaper collagen offerings in the market but Calmerceuticals makes no apologies for their higher price point with 100% money back guaranteed results. Results may vary according to the individual. Watch the video below for more details.
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Peri and menopause exercise and nutrition support
Unsure where to start when it comes to changing up your exercise and nutrition in peri and menopause? If you’re looking for support all in one place, good news: @28bysamwood now offers a menopause program.
✔️There's a specialist menopause trainer - Tania Monk. I'm loving her strength workouts and love that she just gets it.
✔️And chasing the protein and fibre we need every day is made easier and more delicious thanks to the nutritionist-developed recipes.
There's also a Facebook group just for women in this program. If you're already a 28 by Sam Wood member, this program is free.
Find out more HERE
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I take my sleep very seriously
Quality sleep is my number one health priority every day. These are some of the weapons in my sleep quality arsenal (click post below and swipe for visuals):
Conditions: room cooled to 18 degrees (because QLD!), a comfortable bed, soft, breathable bedding. I was sent these 100% bamboo lyocell sheets from Eittude and promptly got online and ordered more pillowcases and a doona cover because it was love at first sleep!
Pre-bed medication/supplements: progesterone and magnesium
Other helpers: Lula Eye Mask Sleep Balm and Mist; The Goodnight Co Deep Sleep magnesium spray
Sleep tracker: I’ve been wearing the Ringconn ring for about six weeks. Ringconn also tracks sleep apnea, activity, stress, heart rate and blood oxygen.
And I’m definitely all about breathable and comfortable clothes
Sustainable fashion brand Lou Lou Australia offers high-quality breathable bamboo pieces that can be dressed up or down for the every day and travel. You really have to experience these pieces on your body to understand just how soft they feel on.
Shop HERE and save 15% using code NIKKI15
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Thanks you once again for all your thoughts and guidance. I totally agree with what you say about informing younger ladies. It’s been a journey❤️
Do you use tablets for your supplements or do you favour powder form?