Purplelight Midlife

23/11/2025

Are you planning your time for joy in your calendar?
It can feel impossible during menopause when we have caring responsibilities for everyone else (kids, parents, partner, work/business...) and no time left for self but your health and happiness is the most important so be kind to yourself before you can help others.
How many hours of joy will you put in your calendar?

17/11/2025

Turning 50?
NHS Scotland will send you some personal and confidential letters for health check, please treat them as love letters.
If you haven't received your screening invitations, contact your GP practice to ensure your details are up to date.
Here are your key health checks:

Bowel Screening: You'll receive a home testing kit every two years (ages 50-74). This simple test detects early signs of bowel cancer.

Breast Screening (women): Mammograms every three years between 50-70.

Eye Tests: Free NHS examinations every two years.

Dental check-ups: Continue regularly.

General Health: Book a GP check to discuss cholesterol, blood pressure, and any concerns about your weight, lifestyle, or family health history. This is a good opportunity to discuss:

Your diet and physical activity
Smoking or alcohol consumption
Mental health and wellbeing
Any specific health concerns

Don't wait for symptoms—early detection saves lives.
Visit www.nhsinform.scot or contact your GP practice.

Take charge of your

NHS inform is Scotland's national health information service helping the people in Scotland to make informed decisions about their own health and the health of the people they care for

14/11/2025

IMS Statement: US HHS Revises Black Box Warning for Menopause Hormone Therapy

Secretary Kennedy of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the removal of certain sections of the black box warning from all menopause hormone therapies (MHT), including systemic and vaginal preparations. The black box warning noted increased risks of myocardial infarction, invasive breast cancer, pulmonary emboli, deep vein thrombosis, and dementia. HHS stated that it is working with companies to update language in product labelling to remove references to risks of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and probable dementia.

In principle, the International Menopause Society (IMS) supports and welcomes consideration of the removal of the black box warning, with appropriate scientific review. Currently that warning applies to all types, all routes of administration, in all individuals. IMS agrees with the removal of these warnings from vaginal estrogen products, given reliable evidence in the medical and scientific literature that the systemic levels of estrogen resulting from vaginal routes of administration and the associate risks are negligible.

However, IMS does not support the removal of all warnings from systemic forms of MHT. Systemic oral or transdermal MHT can increase cardiovascular risks, breast cancer and dementia in certain populations of women, particularly those who initiate hormone therapy at later ages, or who already have evidence of these conditions. For this reason, the IMS maintains that it is important that clinicians inform women of potential risks regardless of any changes to the black box warnings. Individualised weighing of pros and cons, guided by the evidence, should be the principle of prescribing MHT and alternatives in the menopause.

Many women suffer unnecessarily from menopause symptoms, and systemic MHT can be used safely and highly effectively for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms and genitourinary symptoms of menopause, while also preserving preserve bone health. The benefits of MHT outweigh the risks for perimenopausal and younger postmenopausal women with bothersome symptoms and who otherwise have no contraindications. IMS has published World Menopause Day White papers in 2024 on menopause and MHT,https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Menopause-and-MHT-in-2024-addressing-the-key-controversies-an-International-Menopause-Society-White-Paper.pdf
and in 2025 on lifestyle medicine,https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMS-White-Paper-The-Role-of-Lifestyle-Medicine-in-Menopausal-Health-2025.pdf which outline our recommended key/core principles of menopause management.

Ultimately, our care of women should be led by the evidence; hence, the latest IMS Recommendations and Key Messages on Women’s Midlife Health and Menopause have been developed from rigorous systematic reviews, and are now in press, endorsed by a number of national, regional and global organisations. These Recommendations will be available online by December 2025 via the IMS website and our journal, Climacteric.

Fundamentally, the IMS believes that the labelling for menopause products should reflect evidence-based guidelines of scientific societies like the IMS and the Menopause Society through a process involving expert representatives of those societies, and that women are best served when scientific societies, healthcare services and pharmaceutical companies disseminate lay language summaries of those evidence-based guidelines to women.

04/11/2025

Today is my birthday. Can you believe that I am 50? I might look half my age ( dear supermarket cashier, you can stop asking for my ID), but I feel like double fifty (thank you menopause). Some words of wisdom:
1. Nature is your best healer.
2. Live everyday like it is your last one. Do not postpone joy.
3. Invest in yourself.
4. Practice random act of kindness.
5. Travel is the best teacher.
6. Trust your gut. Saying no to average creates space for the great. 7. Done is better than perfect.
8. Focus on what matters.
9. Build your support network.

It is a also sad day as my mum did not call me to say happy birthday. She joined my father in heaven 4 months ago. I am so grateful for everything they did for me and so lucky having them for 49 years

01/11/2025

Great walk yesterday with Outsiders Edinburgh.

28/10/2025

Have you experienced burnout? I attended a great workshop at People First Summit in Edinburgh.

25/10/2025

POI awareness is about premature menopause which happens before age of 40.

It's World POI Day! 💗

A day created to raise awareness and advocate for POI, but really, this day was created for you.

- For those who live with this life-altering condition.
- For those who have been overlooked, unheard, or misunderstood.
- For those who wake up every day to battle an invisible illness.

Today is for you, for everyone affected, everywhere in the world. We are proud to stand beside you. To be your voice. To be your community.

Happy World POI Day and thank you for your bravery, for your advocacy and for your strength to keep fighting for the care, understanding, and respect we all deserve!

19/10/2025

Art of Healing in Menopause When I first started working with women in menopause, I noticed a pattern, so many of them felt disconnected from their bodies.
They were managing symptoms, pushing through exhaustion, and carrying on with work and life… but rarely pausing to ask:
“What is my body trying to tell me?”

Healing during menopause isn’t just about balancing hormones or finding the right supplement and treatment.
It’s about listening — really listening — to yourself again.
It’s about recognising what you’ve ignored, forgiving what you’ve judged, and allowing your body to become your ally rather than your enemy.

In my coaching sessions, we create space for curiosity, honesty, and compassion so you can find answers to your questions..
That’s where healing begins.

So, I’d love to hear from you:
▪️What has your own health journey taught you?
▪️Have you ever felt unseen or unheard?
▪️What helped you reconnect with yourself?

When we speak openly, we remind the world that behind every diagnosis, every symptom, every statistic… there is a woman with a story and a voice that matters.

Let’s keep this conversation going — here, and beyond.

17/10/2025

💛 World Menopause Day 2025 💛
This year’s theme, Lifestyle Medicine in Menopause Care, highlights the convincing evidence that lifestyle medicine plays a vital role in supporting health and wellbeing during and after menopause.

One of the six key areas explored in the IMS White Paper, The Role of Lifestyle Medicine in Menopausal Health: A Review of Non-Pharmacologic Interventions (2025), is Mental Wellbeing, Stress and Menopause.

🧠 Midlife can be a demanding and stressful time - balancing work, family, and health while navigating the physical and emotional shifts of menopause. High stress levels can worsen symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, and disrupted sleep, affecting quality of life and overall wellbeing.

Evidence shows that supporting mental wellbeing during menopause can ease symptoms, protect long-term health, and enhance resilience. Approaches such as mindfulness, relaxation, and cognitive-based therapies are effective, while digital tools, wearable devices, and creative practices offer accessible, personalised ways to manage stress.

continues to advocate for inclusive, evidence-based, and accessible menopause care - supporting all women, regardless of geography, ethnicity, or socio-economic background, have access to the information and care they need.

📄 Explore the full factsheet and all six areas of lifestyle medicine at www.worldmenopauseday.com

14/10/2025

❌ MYTH:
"You just have to suffer through menopause"
✅ FACT:
"HRT is safe and effective for MOST women + lifestyle changes make a HUGE difference"

13/10/2025

Menopause is one chapter in your midlife story, but it's not the whole book. This is also the time to think about long term health:
Bone health – Women can lose up to 20% of bone density in the five to seven years following menopause. Weight-bearing exercise and adequate calcium intake aren't optional nice-to-haves; they're essential protection against osteoporosis.
Heart health – Oestrogen protects your cardiovascular system. After menopause, heart disease risk increases significantly. This makes lifestyle factors like nutrition, exercise, stress management, and not smoking absolutely critical.
Cognitive health – That brain fog? It's real, and it's temporary for most women. But midlife is also when we should be thinking about long-term cognitive health through mental stimulation, social connection, quality sleep, and managing cardiovascular risk factors.
Sexual health – Vaginal dryness, loss of libido, urinary tract infections, pain – these affect up to 50% of menopausal women but remain chronically under-discussed. There are excellent treatments available, from topical oestrogen to moisturisers and lubricants. Your s*x life doesn't have to end at menopause unless you want it to.
Metabolic health – Hormonal changes affect how your body stores fat and processes sugar. Understanding this isn't about fitting into smaller jeans (though if that matters to you, that's valid). It's about reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Mental health – Midlife can bring unique psychological challenges – identity shifts as children leave home, career transitions, caring for aging parents, relationship changes. Your mental health deserves the same attention as your physical health.
If you're struggling with menopause symptoms, book that GP appointment. Too many women suffer unnecessarily because they think they should just push through. You deserve a doctor who listens, who takes your symptoms seriously, and who discusses all available options. If your first conversation doesn't go well, it's okay to seek a second opinion. Your health matters.
This Is Your Invitation to take action. To refuse to suffer in silence. To access support. To make changes that improve quality of your life.
Start now. Reach out to Purple Light Midlife Ltd. Book that GP appointment you've been putting off. Join a strength training class. Talk to your partner, your friends, your colleagues and manager about what you're experiencing.
Menopause affects every woman. Imagine if we all started talking openly about our experiences, supporting each other through the challenges, and celebrating the wisdom that can come with this life stage.
You've got decades of healthy and happy life ahead. Let's make sure they're your best ones yet.

10/10/2025

18 October is World Menopause Day
This year’s theme - The Role of Lifestyle Medicine in Menopausal Health - highlights the convincing evidence that lifestyle medicine offers effective, holistic approaches to support health, reduce risk, and enhance quality of life through menopause and beyond.

International Menopause Society (IMS) launched a lot of resources on their website, including 6 downloadable Factsheets - clear, practical guidance on
🥗 Healthy eating
🏃‍♀️ Physical activity
🧘 Mental wellbeing
🚭 Avoidance of risky substances
😴 Restorative sleep
💞 Healthy relationships