Healthy in the Middle

11/06/2025

When men understand the real impact of menopause on our physiology it can make a difference.

If you’re no longer sharing intimacy because it’s become too painful, tell your partner what’s changed. It’s not your feelings, it’s your va**na.

When our partners understand the changing physiology of our body and va**na, they understand why passion is on pause.

Let’s talk to our men.
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10/06/2025

During perimenopause, menopause and beyond the loss of oestrogen commonly thins the va**nal lining. The change in the delicate tissue causes less elasticity, less stretch, poorer circulation and fewer secretions.

This in turn can cause dryness, discomfort and pain, particularly during s*x, pe*******on and when having a smear.

Vaginal oestrogen can make a big difference and is safe for most women. Alternatively there are some lubricants that are available to help with this distressing and uncomfortable symptom.

If you’re struggling talk to your GP who can help and ask them about va**nal oestrogen. And talk with your partner if this symptom is affecting your relationship … understanding the reduction in s*x is due to changing biology not changing emotions is important for our partners.

09/06/2025

Endometriosis doesn’t end with menopause.

Many of us assume that endometriosis goes away after menopause, but that’s not always the case.

Oestrogen certainly plays a role in the pathophysiology of endo but the disease can be active and cause ongoing distressing symptoms beyond menopause (and beyond hysterectomy & o***y removal).

I had a hysterectomy & removal of ovaries in my 40’s due to complications of endometriosis and adenomyosis and like many women, continue to experience symptoms.

Here’s a few reasons why symptoms can continue:

👉 Endo lesions can make their own oestrogen, keeping them active
👉 Oestrogen can still be produced in fat tissue and adrenals
👉 Adhesions from past inflammation can continue to restrict organs, affecting their function and causing pain
👉 Nerves around lesions can remain hypersensitive
👉 Damage to the bowel, bladder, and pelvic floor continues
👉 Central sensitisation of nerve pathways can amplify pain signals
👉 Pelvic organs may have been structurally compromised over time.

Ongoing endo symptoms post menopause are not psychosomatic nor imaginary. They are due to the physiology and they can add another layer to menopause symptoms and challenges!

Let’s not leave endo out of our menopause conversations and support women who continue to struggle with endometriosis beyond menopause.

09/06/2025

Thankful to The House Of Wellness for keeping the conversation going!

08/06/2025

During a coaching program I was delivering, one of my clients had a huge realisation when she said ‘my body isn’t letting me down, it’s asking for my attention.” I often share this reflection with other clients who feel like their body is betraying them.

In perimenopause and menopause, it’s easy to feel like your body is working against you. But I prefer to consider that it’s speaking to you, not failing you.

After years of caring for everyone else, midlife is the time to prioritise caring for yourself and your body. Listen to it. Support it. And stop blaming it.

Women and their body’s deserve the same compassion and attention we often only give to others.

When we stop and listen to the needs of our body and get in tune with what it’s telling us, we can start the journey towards renewed health and wellness and set ourselves up well for our future. Midlife really is the optimal time to pay attention to our body, if we haven’t already done so.

05/06/2025

Last week I was at a business conference chatting to a man I hadn’t met before. When he asked me about my work we ended up having a conversation about why men benefit from understanding menopause.

He told me that he doesn’t know anything about menopause but his wife may be experiencing it as she has noticed hot flushes. He also shared that they are both worried she has early onset dementia at aged 52 as she has been experiencing memory challenges and often struggles to recall words.

By the end of our conversation he was both surprised and relieved to learn that memory changes are a symptom of perimenopause. Now of course I wasn’t making a diagnosis, but I was keen to share that this is not an uncommon symptom and talking to her GP for further assessment would be wise.

In a recent study of almost 8000 women memory changes were the 2nd most common symptom reported in perimenopause. Whilst it is a distressing symptom, knowing it is a common symptom of perimenopause can reduce a lot of anxiety all round.

01/06/2025

Contrary to what you might think men are embracing menopause conversations and they really do get a lot from it!

Engaging men in menopause conversations and training can be a game-changer!

When men understand menopause, workplace culture improves, conversations and support grows, relationships benefit and everyone wins.

So, how progressive is your workplace really? Menopause for Men training provides insight that makes an impact by building awareness, fostering empathy and creating stronger relationships at work and home.

📩 Get in touch to book a session for your people.

29/05/2025

Testosterone plays a key role in women’s health. It supports desire, mood, and energy, and research shows it can improve low s*xual desire when it becomes a problem. But be aware, if a woman has never had high libido, testosterone therapy doesn’t necessarily have the same impact. It seems to be more effective in women who had a high libido but lose it through perimenopause and beyond.

But it’s not just about s*x, there is growing evidence to suggest that testosterone also contributes to strong bones, muscle health, and heart function, making it an important part of overall wellbeing.

Access to testosterone for women varies across the world. In Australia we are fortunate that testosterone has been available to women for many years, but it was only officially approved by the regulators 2 years ago.

As with all hormone therapy, it’s not a one-size-fits-all, and treatment should be based on an individual basis.

Have to a chat to your GP to find out more.

27/05/2025

I often use the analogy of oestrogen being our best friend throughout our reproductive years, because ‘she’ did all kinds of wonderful things to support us and make us feel like ourselves!

When perimenopause arrives, our hormones shift and as oestrogen declines we can feel out of sorts!

It’s only when oestrogen declines that we truly appreciate how much ‘she’ did for us and how much we relied on her.

🌸 Losing oestrogen is like losing your best friend.

🌸 We have to get used to her not being around.

🌸 Allow yourself to grieve her loss.

🌸 And be gentle and kind to yourself as you adjust to being without her.

27/05/2025

25/05/2025

Thank you to everyone who tuned in to The House Of Wellness on Friday night and reached out afterwards, your messages and reflections have been incredibly encouraging.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive and unsurprisingly I have received so many comments, that it was so important to get this conversation into our homes.

The short but impactful segment on Friday’s episode is a reminder to all of us that so much can come from just one conversation ... and that can spark so many important discussions that make a huge difference to women, their families, partners and communities. We are normalising the conversation, and I am beyond grateful to be part of that shift.

It’s time to move the menopause conversation from social media into our living rooms, workplaces and safe spaces.

The truth is, when we rely on social media for our health information, we are open to a lot of misinformation, confusion and dare I say it manipulation. It really is great that menopause is in the spotlight, but we need to mindful that it has also led to marketing campaigns, fear-mongering and selling of miracle solutions that take advantage of women who are needing genuine support and help.

It's time to move menopause conversations into real world conversations. I’m here to help with that, whether it’s connecting for a conversation, guiding you to the right evidence-based support, or coming to your workplace or community event.

I’m here to help with your Menopause Conversation. Let’s talk!

21/05/2025

I’ve been advocating for menopause conversations for 10 years now, so there’s nothing I love more than bringing menopause (and other hush hush conversations) out of the shadows and into the living room.

Having open, honest conversations in our homes with women, men, friends and our families helps to normalise what has long been a taboo topic.

Menopause is a natural phase of life, and talking about it shouldn’t be awkward or hidden. Through shared stories, support, and yes even laughter, we’re making space for women to feel seen, heard, supported and empowered.

When we are open to menopause conversations and seek to understand, we get better at listening, sign-posting to the right, EVIDENCE-BASED information and improving the experience of menopause for EVERYONE.

I’m so grateful to The House of Wellness for bringing this conversation into your living room. Tune in on Friday at 8.30pm, Channel 7