With less than 2,000 signatures needed to make the total 200,000, I felt it was a great opportunity to re-release Diane's Episode for any of you who may have missed it and to get those signature numbers up! I will leave the link right here to sign the petition - please do if you haven't already . #MakeMenopauseMatter   Diane is the OG Menopause Warrior. After her own incapacitating experience of Menopause, she decided that nobody should ever have to go through what she and her loved ones had to endure. From this, MenopauseSupport and the MakeMenopauseMatter campaign were born. In this episode, she tells her story and all I shall say at this point is, thank goodness for her dogs and her husband Martin. Diane and her team at Menopause Support work tirelessly to make the changes she wants to see and, to date, the MakeMenopauseMatter campaign has close on 200,000 signatures. As well as educating and changing the world for the better, she reminds us to look at ourselves, “Have you spent your whole life prioritising other people? Maybe you should move yourself up the list a little more. This can be a wonderful time of transition and transformation and is full of Opportunity.” You can find Diane, and please take a moment to SIGN & SHARE the petition at https://menopausesupport.co.uk and  here: https://www.change.org/p/make-menopause-matter-in-healthcare-the-workplace-and-education-makemenopausematter on IG @dianedanzebrink

The word ‘menopause’ was not used in Donna’s household growing up, even when her mother underwent a hysterectomy. But Donna knew. Donna Klassen, co-founder of Let's Talk Menopause, dedicates herself to providing a platform that educates, destigmatizes, and offers vital community support surrounding menopause.   She and I may have different experiences of Menopause but we both come at it with the same heart and a desire to ensure nobody feels isolated or alone during this deeply nuanced life transition.  Diagnosed with estrogen-positive breast cancer at 52, Donna's journey into postmenopause was accelerated following a double mastectomy and an oophorectomy. As she grappled with symptoms like hot flashes and brain fog, she was met with a notable absence of guidance from her medical community. Drawing from her tenure as a clinician and director at The Motherhood Center of New York, where she witnessed the transformative power of community in areas like infertility and postpartum depression, Donna is passionate about championing menopause and ensuring it's understood and supported by all. In this episode we discuss attitudes, progress and legislation in the US compared to the UK just as the bill for the Menopause Research and Equity Act 2023 was going to Congress. Donna is all about the very simple but powerful, ‘and’. Nothing need be one or the other, it can be many things and this is especially true when it comes to menopause symptoms and, in fact, this whole life phase which is a time of vulnerability and opportunity. She encourages us all to put ourselves out there and ‘Go Big!’ You can find Donna on the website and on social media as @letstalkmenopause and I believe even at the time of release, you can still fill out a form HERE that allows you to write directly to your member of Congress and leads to the website letstalkmenopause.org  You can handpick your Menopause Therapist right HERE

When I started this podcast, I was thinking of women of a similar age to me who were going through the Menopause Transition. I soon learned there are many types of Menopause, all equally significant and rarely spoken about. The list includes surgical menopause, early menopause, premature menopause and trans menopause. Today, I have the privilege of being able to share a trans male menopause story.  Tate Smith is an award-winning trans activist, consultant, and speaker, passionate about trans male visibility, educating others and debunking common myths surrounding trans people. Tate's accolades include being named one of Attitude Magazine's 10 LGBTQ+ Trailblazers To Watch Out For In The Future, and in 2022 he was selected as a LinkedIn Top Voice, and nominated for PinkNews' Community Role Model. I was so delighted to meet Tate to hear his deeply personal, often challenging experience which he tells with candour, charm and humour, no mean feat given the level of vulnerability he opens himself up to. There are so many avenues we could have ventured down as there is so much to talk about - isn't there always?! We had to discuss testosterone and its effects - bear in mind here Tate's end game but also listen out for the potential benefits - we also touch on male privilege and insights he has gained having presented female for 19 years and now living as his true, male self.  His menopause symptoms will be familiar to many of you and, as he says, "we're all in this together".  You can find Tate as @tatemichaelsmith on IG, and Linked In and at https://tatesmith.uk Go to Real Menopause Therapy HERE I hope you have a peaceful and joyful holiday period and I look forward to seeing you in 2024.

Julian wants to bring Menopause out of the darkness and he's well placed to do so as founder of Propaganda Agency and chair of Gen M.  We start our conversation with some of Julian's working background because, whilst interesting in its own right, it gives some context to how and why he does what he does today in the 'Menosphere'.  We get a little bit of the history of make-up as we know it today, his former company Illamasqua and I tell you, he is a visionary.  It's easy for those of us who are in this space to simply demand the highest quality solutions to Menopause symptoms but Julian offers an alternative perspective and one that really got me thinking. We still need to reach so many millions of women who remain unaware of what is happening to them in Perimenopause and some of them are scared. Awareness must come first. Of course none of us want to be taken for a ride as a consumer but his view is good food for thought.  Julian shares with us how he became such a champion of the underdog that is Menopause and the real emotional trigger that encouraged him along this path. It is a story which many of you may find deeply upsetting and is one that you will know if you have heard of David Salmon. It is truly heartbreaking and still needs to be told so nobody else may suffer the same.  Julian talks about how men can help, how brands are innately powerful in our society and how women don't need to be told what to do: "A Choice. That's what women need, a choice." You can find Julian @Julian Kynaston on Linked In  Click here for Real Menopause Therapy Sign Up Here For Free

This is possibly one of the most important episodes yet because of the information, passion, honesty and balance that Catherine offers. Catherine initially built her career in finance, working for an investment bank. When she 'met' Perimenopause, she soon realised that brain fog had no place in her life as she needed to be switched on at all times and function at a high level. She began to puzzle out what was going on. Once she realised what was happening and that it was normal, it was a huge relief and opened up the headspace to investigate how to support herself on a practical level, through this transitional time. This ultimately fuelled her passion to bring awareness to Menopause today and in essence, this is why and how this podcast began in the first place: to help women with their personal puzzle and to bring relief, knowing their experience is normal and shared by many others. Catherine talks sense, real sense about symptom management as well as the broader picture of respecting one another's freedom of choice. And yes, we even discuss the recent NICE guidelines on CBT and HRT - we dare to go there! :-) "There's no magic bullet to Menopause because of the individual nature of the experience." Catherine O’Keeffe is a Menopause Workplace Consultant, founder of Wellness Warrior, and creator of the Menopause Success Summit. Catherine is the author of the best seller All you need to know about menopause. She helps organisations implement a comprehensive menopause strategy that leads to meaningful change. She’s helped hundreds of companies choose support over silence including Workday International, StateStreet, Department of Health, Sainsburys, and Microsoft. Catherine is on a mission to shatter the menopause taboo, for good. You can find @Catherine O'Keeffe on LI and @wellnesswarrior.ie on IG Access Real Menopause Therapy HERE

Jodie Patterson sees herself as a Starfish - she has the ability to stretch far and wide and reach people as she does so. At 53, she has perfected the art through many careers, self-grown businesses, 5 children (currently spanning 30 - 14 years of age), volunteer work, art and a vibrant life of travel and friendships.  Jodie is a Native New Yorker who grew up on the Upper West Side in a creative neighbourhood and an actively Black family. She comes from a long line of activists and entrepreneurs and continues this lineage with many successes along the way, clearly drawn towards women with strong voices who inspire, she embodies these qualities too. 'The Bold World' is one of the most striking and memorable books I have ever read. I cried, I laughed, I resonated and learned. It is Jodie's story of her life so far and the transformation of her family both immediate and extended. When her son, Penelope, came to her aged 2 and said, "Mama, I'm not a girl. I am a boy." it blew her world wide open. In this book, she shares just how. I am not letting go of my own copy but I am giving it out to everyone I know and you should too.  This episode is not all about Menopause. It is about identity, creativity, community, freedom, curiosity, transition and transformation and how all of it is an inside job, "We can be who we are from the inside out."   You can find Jodie on IG @jodiepatterson and https://jodiepatterson.com and you can find "The Bold World" wherever you choose to get your books. If you are in the UK, you may have to be a little more patient for it to arrive but it is well worth the wait :-)

Selene Yeager is an elite athlete who started professionally competing at 40. She's also a Health & fitness writer who lives what she writes as a NASM certified trainer, USA Cycling coach, Pn1 certified nutrition coach, pro licensed off-road racer, and All-American Ironman triathlete and content creator for Feisty Media.  Selene is grounded and into her own zone and power, Post Menopause. But it didn't start off like that. Perimenopause was a deeply confusing time to her because, like so many of us, it caught her unaware, She lost muscle seemingly overnight, her joints started aching like never before and her sleep became unusually erratic. She is keen to share as much information about this time of life as possible and to make sure that we all do the same in order to take the shock, confusion and fear out of it. We must share all the information from night sweats to vaginal dryness and everything in between.  In this episode we discuss the changing landscape of elite endurance sports - spoiler alert: more mature women are competing and they're winning! We talk about new studies emerging on women that are relevant to hormonal health, muscle health and brain health and one that has just dropped on low carb availability: could you be sensitive to carbohydrate deprivation? Is intermittent fasting or low-carb dieting not feeling good to you? And why should we exercise after all?  You can find Selene on IG @FitChick3, on https://seleneyeager.contently.com and if you haven't found it yet - listen to Hit Play Not Pause, you're in for a treat.

Dr Colette Haydon oozes French charm and is wonderfully frank and easy to talk to. She gives real, raw insights into how menopause was for her and feels it is crucial to be honest with those who ask - especially when it comes to the question, "How long does it last?" At 64, she still has symptoms from time to time so what does she do about it? Colette gives a great explanation of how night sweats and disturbed sleep create anxieties and additional symptoms, she talks about the crucial role of therapy for her in dealing with these anxieties when she felt she couldn't do so in her usual way and she shares The Secret of Beauty. Having worked as a pharmacist and consultant for major brands in the cosmetics industry, she set up her own range of skincare in her late 50's. Colette explains why your favourite moisturiser has stopped working for you and how to bring joy to your daily skincare routine, "It's a moment with yourself. It's just lovely." You can find Dr Colette Haydon on IG @lixirskin and on her website lixirskin.co.uk and her products are available at Sephora, John Lewis, Selfridges, Liberty, Harrods and many more.

100 Episodes in!  There have been occasions when I have not expected to reach 100 episodes. As anyone knows, who has a podcast, there is a huge amount of time and effort that goes into putting even 1 episode together, especially when it is created by one person from conception to release. So why do it? Right from the beginning, I wanted people's stories to be told. I didn't want anyone else to feel as lost and confused as I did when Perimenopause hit.  It seems there are thousands more people like me and I have the honour of meeting just a few of them - to share their stories, their expertise, knowledge and energy. I love meeting these brilliant, inspiring people - they lift my day and I hope they lift yours too.  Imagine my joy, when the gorgeous Lisa Stockman, a truly inspiring stylist - reached out and we ended up meeting in person - for real - in person and she came all the way from Melbourne to London!  So we had to do things a little differently and film an episode. I will be the first to admit that it doesn't work so well as a podcast in audio-only form but we had so much fun and I hope it goes some way to showcase Lisa's talent. I know I left feeling inspired to up my getting-dressed game (buttoning my shirt properly and zipping my fly is a start - see video 🤦🏼‍♀️)  Lisa is a natural born stylist who has actively been picking out clothes for people from the age of 9! She gives the gift of confidence with simple, easy to do tips and tricks that really make you feel great.  She gives us the inside scoop on shopping for jeans, the benefits of a v-neck, how to style shirts, blazers, shoes and it's all within everyone's grasp.  "Tits Up, Shoulders Back, Ladies" xoxo You can find Lisa on IG @lisastockmanstylist and her website https://www.lisastockman.com.au Head over to YouTube for the full effect. Please share REAL MENOPAUSE TALK The Podcast with everyone you know and LEAVE A REVIEW  as this is what will ultimately make the difference and it helps us keep the podcast going.  🌎 😍 🙏 Follow us wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to our newsletter by signing up on the website realmenopausetalk.com😃 #realmenopausetalk #perimenopause #menopause #fashion

When Chana and I spoke for this recording, it was right at the beginning of the current conflict in Israel and Chana lives right in the heart of Jerusalem. This speaks volumes for the kind of person she is - giving, calm, centred and willing to share her insights so that others may benefit.  In this episode we talk about her illustrious career in Hollywood, the extreme trauma and injury she experienced which left her in great physical pain, her 10 year Perimenopause which included horrendous brain fog, "like thinking through molasses", and the difference between feeling depressed and suffering from depression, which many of us understand first hand.  Chana's most recently published book, 'Very Well' is a novel about Menopause. And it makes for a fascinating read. She weaves the way she healed her debilitating pain into the stories of the characters so that the reader can understand how to move through life with less suffering and more joy. She has another book on the way - so get yourself on the list! You can find Chana at https://www.chanastudley.com and @chanastudley on IG on LinkedIn and where ever you get your books.

It is very clear that Dr Monica Williams cares deeply for people and their complete wellbeing. It seems she always has done, as though caring is written into her DNA. ⁠ ⁠ Having trained originally as a paediatrician, and worked in family medicine for over 25 years, Dr Monica now takes care of as many people as she can through functional and integrative medicine. ⁠ ⁠ Today, we discuss the differences that women of colour may experience when it comes to Perimenopause and Menopause. Dr Monica shares her own experience of fibroids and the impact of stress on general health. We talk about how education and being aware and prepared can change the course of someone's physical condition, how to address concerns around Menopause even when they feel taboo and the importance of making sure that everyone - EVERYONE - has access to the healthcare they deserve. ⁠ ⁠ You can find Dr Monica on IG @deep-rooted-health and at https://www.deeprootedhealth.org⁠

If you have been around here for a while, you cannot have failed to have encountered Amanda Thebe - fitness and women's health expert, fount of knowledge on all things Menopause and exactly the person you would want to have a good natter with.  I am fortunate enough to have her as my guest this week! As author of best-seller Menopocalypse, host of her FB Group Menopausing So Hard, member of the Canadian and North American Menopause Society and with 30 years in the fitness industry, she has seen it all and isn't afraid to tell it how it is.  In this episode, we talk about her own Menopause, of course, the most common symptoms women endure - the migraines, weight gain, anxiety, brain fog and depression - the glorious hindsight of Perimenopause, her methods for not only getting through, but getting the most out of this phase of life and the freedom it can ultimately bring. All, naturally, in the most relatable way.  You can find Amanda on IG @amanda.thebe, on her website https://amandathebe.com and of course her book is available in book stores IRL and online.

We're back to round off Season 5, all with a fresh new look and more fabulous guests. It is SO good to have you here. Thank-you for your continued support and feedback.⁠ ⁠ It is thanks to today's guest, that we go right back to our roots. The reason Real Menopause Talk was set up in the first place was to share real life experiences of Peri to Post Menopause and share our tips, struggles and successes. ⁠ ⁠ And this is exactly what you will find as Michelle Baines and I have a chat in this episode. She reached out to me, wanting to share her story so far so that others can relate and nobody need feel alone, which was how she felt when she first started experiencing symptoms.⁠ ⁠ Her headaches, digestive issues, depression and anxiety became overwhelming and even the day before we recorded, she had spent 3 hours in her car, in tears. When it's bad, it's bad and I'm sure we can all understand how that feels. ⁠ ⁠ This all highlights the importance of education of our doctors, ourselves and the generations coming up behind us. For physical AND mental health support. ⁠ ⁠ Michelle has one message here: "Be more Brave" ❤️⁠

If you're a friend of the show, you will remember the lovely Victoria Hardy from Season 3, when she talked about how surgical menopause changed her life at home and at work, the struggles, frustrations and the way she handled the hurdles - powerfully, I would say.  We get to catch up with her here, about a year on from our last conversation: she's come a long way, transformed how she feels and... she's written a book. But it is so much more than a book. 'My Menopause, My Journal, My Rules' is somthing to be treasured. It's a work of art, an intimate look into Victoria's life, a diary, it's interactive, it's other people's stories, it's informative and supportive, encouraging and a massive great hug just when you need it. After all, "Being yourself is a fucking Superpower!" In this episode, Victoria fills us in on her most recent year, what made her choose to write a book, how she created such a beautiful work, her transformation and what propels her to continue speaking up about menopause and being a proud representative for those in surgical menopause. You can find Victoria on IG @ginge_unhinged and TikTok @gingeunhinged and you can buy her book 'My Menopause, My Journal, My Rules' at gingeunhinged.com and on Amazon.

Lisa and Adrienne are joyous company and in our time together, they taught me a thing or two about keeping life interesting and fun! They met in North Carolina, where they now live together, at a running club - and they've been running together ever since.  Between them, they have an extraordinary list of credentials, including physical therapy, integrative manual therapy, personal training and massage therapy. Having studies as atheletes, the natural progression for them, was to share their knowledge and insight into living well, especially post Menopause, with all women, not just the super athletic.  In this episode, they share their personal and individual experiences of Menopause, what they have learnt from it and from each other and how they are navigate ageing. For most of us, the notion of 'getting older' hold negative connotations but Lisa and Adrienne and turning this idea on its head - just wait until you hear how they continue to challenge themselves and enjoy life - true renegades!  You can find Adrienne and Lisa on their website: agelikearenegade.com and on socials as @age_like_a_renegade

When you meet somebody who just 'gets it' and who solves every problem they encounter with an openness and a curiosity that is at the same time intriguing and calming, it is so easy to listen. Jacqui Burge is just that person.  Going from a rock and roll lifestyle, touring with Nirvana in the 90's, into the Health & Wellness industry was a natural progression for Jacqui. This may sound like a contradiction but it actually makes perfect sense and many of us have lived our twenties and thirties like rockstars and are now embracing good long-term lifestyle choices and health.  In this episode we talk about the benefits of tequila at lunchtime - yes really! - about solutions for constipation (at last an episode that addresses the reality) and sleep issues and, of course, her protein and supplement business with co-founder of XO Jacqui, Alexis Davis. A business run by women for women that truly understands the demands on us, the physical transformations we go through and the support we need.  You can find Jacqui at xojacqui.com and on IG @xojacquiproducts and the protein blend is available on Amazon.

Daria Tiesler has many stories to tell.  A former pro-athlete, mother, wife and high end personal trainer, she calls herself a 360 degree Transformation Coach and she really does delve deep into creating profound wellbeing for her clients by looking at the spiritual as much as the physical.  In this episode, she shares her life and experiences, why she feels so strongly about training women who are Peri to Post Menopausal, why she wants them to set new goals and really live their lives to the fullest. We also talk about the greater meaning and purpose of Perimenopause - what this transition can bring when it comes to the change in attitude towards ourselves along with the challenges of making ourselves a higher priority on a long list of things to do.  Daria talks freely about the benefit of exercise on maintaining healthy balanced. hormones and the added bonus that, "if we add lean muscle mass, we don't have to work as hard at this." Choosing our time, and the people in our lives wisely has powerful, positive consequences and Daria is here to share them all. You can find Daria on IG @daria.tiesler and her website houseofholisticperformance.com And on a final note, we're thrilled to have been mentioned by Feedspot as number 28 out of the 60 Best Menopause Podcasts - thank-you Feedspot!  https://blog.feedspot.com/menopause_podcasts/

Siobhan McCarthy is the Co-Founder of Living M. Living M is the most luxurious thing to happen to my skin since Perimenopause began and I say that from the bottom of my heart. It is also so much more than skincare - there is a warm community and camaraderie that brings women together. For many of us, it's easier to see when our symptoms began; for Siobhan, it was in her late 30's when Perimenopause simply wasn't on her radar and because they weren't "the classics" she thought she was probably imagining it. I am sure many of you can relate. And sure enough, just as one thing is under control, another pops up elsewhere. In this episode, we discuss her experience of eczema, dry eye, surprising skin changes and, her least favourite symptom - brain fog. Siobhan also brings up the relevant and interesting topic of resistance to ageing and how this can feed into something of a denial when it comes to Menopause - especially because of the way society has viewed women in Menopause.  "The fear of dying is human, the fear of ageing is cultural."  Speaking to Siobhan makes me smile, I hope listening to her makes you smile too.  You can find Siobhan on wearelivingm.com and on IG, FB and Twitter all as @wearelivingm

Maryjane Fahey is an artist, creator, writer, straight talker, and Founder of Glorious Broads.  Maryjane is the Original Glorious Broad - calling out ageism, discovering bold kindred spirits on the streets of New York, creating beauty, writing for the soul, lifting weights and sipping martinis. She draws the most inspiring, creative and glamorous people to her as she is one herself and takes absolutely zero crap.  Every time I visit her website or IG page, I feel enriched. Maryjane and all her Glorious Broads are exactly who I want to be - they are themselves - unapologetic, open, interesting, curious, and magnetic at all ages. They're a feast for the senses and make you think - understand who you are and who you can be. And it's all with a sense of fun and great enjoyment!  In this episode, we talk about art, pleasure, the changes friendships go through, working out who you are, partners, sex, sensuality and her philosophy in life, "Take more chances when you see the exit is nearer. I always thought I would write a play and now I'm doing it. Push yourself to take those chances in life." You can find Maryjane at gloriousbroads.com and on socials as @gloriousbroads Photograph by Russ Rowland

Elizabeth Sherman has many qualifications in the realm of Health and Wellbeing. She is a Master Certified Health and Life Coach who helps women in Perimenopause and Menopause manage their symptoms as well as other stressful demands that accompany this life season.  She has her own podcast, Done with Dieting, which offers tools and skills to feel good around food and to make smart choices more easily. Who would you like, alive or dead, to run your life with you? It's a fun concept and one that can actually propel you forward to succeeding in all sorts of areas of living with power and fun. In this episode, we discuss a later-in-life diagnosis of ADD and ADHD - what this looks like to others, navigating a new way of identifying and communicating this with the people around you.  We also talk about complicated relationships with food and how to address what may be lifelong beliefs now that we really need to fuel ourselves optimally.  Plus, Elizabeth shares some illuminating insights into the relationship so many women have with pleasure and how to find pleasure in healthy choices.   You can find Elizabeth here:  Website: [www.elizabethsherman.com] Podcast: Done with Dieting [www.elizabethsherman.com/podcast] Facebook: [www.facebook.com/totalhealthbyeliz] Instagram: [www.instagram.com/donewithdietingpodcast] LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethsherma]   And on a final note, we're thrilled to have been mentioned by Feedspot as number 28 out of the 60 Best Menopause Podcasts - thank-you Feedspot!  https://blog.feedspot.com/menopause_podcasts/