Health Coach Jo

In the past few weeks, there has been a significant increase in media attention for more women to be prescribed testosterone. Some of these articles have been written by lay people and it appears that the information provided has been misrepresented to support personal opinion.

Misinformation risks medicalising a normal life stage and render women dependent upon clinicians, some of whom may also be overly promoting treatment with testosterone, which is associated with a high placebo response. Testosterone is not an “essential” hormone for women, as women who have effectively no testosterone production, such as women with no functioning adrenals or ovaries, do not have to have testosterone treatment to be well. Women in whom the ovaries have been removed surgically, still have some testosterone produced by their adrenal glands. So, the frequently used descriptive term, “deficiency state” is incorrect and alarmist.

Whilst some women do benefit from the addition of testosterone, this is not the case for all women and in the interest of patient safety, it is important that women are advised within readily available clinical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), British Menopause Society (BMS) and the International Menopause Society (IMS). These were developed to support patient safety, not to prevent women from accessing treatment.

The only current evidence-based factual indication for the addition of testosterone to standard HRT, is for persistent low libido in postmenopausal women, after all other contributory factors have been addressed. There is no evidence to support claims that testosterone will help with other symptoms associated with menopause or prevent bone loss or dementia.

Ongoing research may provide evidence for other indications for use of testosterone by women, and we all agree that more research is needed.

https://thebms.org.uk/2024/07/bms-statement-on-testosterone-2/

I met these lovely ladies yesterday at my Menopause Cafe, and we had a good chat. I can’t wait to see them again at the next one.

It’s so important that women have a safe space to talk, and share their experiences, and more importantly know that they are not alone.

If you’d like to join us next time, please get in touch for more details.

Huge thanks to for letting us use the hall.

Welcome to the Menopause Cafe Chislehurst, South East London! Join us for an open, friendly, and informal conversation about menopause.

This is a safe space to share experiences, ask questions, and connect with others going through similar journeys. Whether you’re just starting to navigate menopause or have been on this path for a while, everyone is welcome.

Come along to enjoy a cuppa while we chat about this important stage in life. We can’t wait to see you there!

Menopause Cafe is an informal discussion group, open to all ages and genders.

To book a free place, please visit Eventbrite link in bio or contact me.

Jo Berthelot
[email protected]

www.menopausecafe.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/menocafe17/
Twitter and Instagram:
LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/company/71500453/admin

This is the same age women experience perimenopause and menopause. Is it a coincidence? No, because the scientific research shows there is a link between menopause and an increased risk of anxiety and depression.

Our bodies go through physiological changes, and there is clear evidence that suggests our brain changes too.

The symptoms of menopause haven’t changed for centuries, so we need to let go of this theory that menopause is the problem, it’s a natural part of the ageing process that WILL happen to every woman! As a society we need to change, and get to a place where women don’t have to hide it, make excuses for it and more worryingly apologise for it! This has to stop!!!

Women - be open and talk to each other, seek guidance from older relatives and friends who have been through it. Arm yourself with the education, spot the symptoms and support it with lifestyle changes. You’re not alone.

Men - just because it doesn’t affect you directly, it will affect you indirectly whether it be through a family member, partner or colleague. Educate yourself and support the women in your life.

Medical Profession - the approach to menopause is outdated! You need to stop treating women in silo. A gynaecologist isn’t trained in the brain, and neurologists are not trained in menopause and women need support in both of these areas and more. We need healthcare professionals who are looking at women as a whole. There has to be more education, funding and research for women’s health.

In fact, most GPs don’t receive any menopause training. It should be mandatory in medical school at the very least!

Also, more shockingly women are underrepresented in clinical trials because of their menstrual cycle, it was only in 1993 that it become mandatory to include women in clinical trials and more often than not these trials are done on men and male rats.

Employers - stop the gender bias! Women don’t work hard for their entire career to be disposed of just because they reach menopause. They deserve better! 10% of women will leave the workplace due to their menopause symptoms, and I have no doubt that in many cases that’s due to a lack of support.

Come along to this event on Sunday 30th June 11-5pm, it’s going to be a great day for adults and kids.

I’ll be skipping near the Scout Hut at 11.45-12pm and have plenty of ropes if you want to join in and learn some new skills. IG:

I’ve set up a Facebook group specifically focused on menopause and healthy ageing (see screenshot below). Just search Menopause & Healthy Ageing with Health Coach Jo and you should be able to find it. See you there.

I’m sometimes asked what is the most important change people can make to improve their health, and I find it so hard to answer, because:

1. It all depends what issues my clients have, so my approach would be tailored to their individual needs. It’s not a one size fits all approach.

2. All healthy lifestyle choices I recommend are important for good health (nutrition, fitness, sleep, managing stress, efficient detoxification etc), which is why I promote healthy lifestyle changes incorporating all of these areas (and more).

But, if I had to pick ONE thing to improve health, I’d remove ultra processed food from the diet (I’d love to see them banned completely!).

Many of the illnesses we’re seeing today are down to our nutrition (or lack of it), either by flooding the body with chemicals or toxins our bodies can’t metabolise or detoxify or depriving our bodies of the vital nutrients we need to thrive (in many cases it’s both!) and it’s as a result of our food choices.

I don’t say this to judge, most of us are unaware of what we’re consuming on a daily basis. There are so many ways we’re being let down by the food industry - difficult to read food labels, misleading marketing on the front of food packets, the awful ingredients hidden including high sugar (in its many different forms), salt, inflammatory oils, additives, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides.

The good news is that we can choose what we eat, and there are always healthier alternatives. We may not be able to stop the production of these fake foods, but we can stop giving these companies our hard earned cash and maybe even avoid being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity which is causing a health pandemic today!

Our bodies are like a car, we need the correct fuel to use it efficiently, and if we use the wrong type of fuel, it will cause lots of problems and the car won’t function correctly. It will also be expensive to rectify. Use the same approach when it comes to fuelling your body.

Prevention is better than cure!

If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got!

Sometimes we get caught on a path that is not what we want, and it doesn’t align to our values.

This could be chosen for us or expected by others, or maybe it just happened by accident. It’s so easy to fall into a habit, we wake up one day and think ‘how did I get here!’

Each day is a new opportunity to do something different, what makes YOU happy? what do YOU believe in? What is important to YOU?

YOU decide how to live your life, so don’t let anyone or anything else choose for you.

Trust me, the personal growth from this exercise is powerful.

To my Endo warriors, I hear you, I see you!

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women in the UK (approx 1.5 million women), and it can take on average 8 years to get diagnosed.

Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial tissue deposits outside the uterus and bleeds (like a period) which causes inflammation.

It can cause the following symptoms:

🌺 Pain in the lower tummy or back (depending on where the endometriosis is located)
🌺 Pain during/after s*x
🌺 Difficulties getting pregnant
🌺 Heavy periods
🌺 Fatigue/lack of energy
🌺 Diarrhoea, constipation, bloating or nausea

The condition is painful, debilitating and embarrassing, and it can affect all areas of your life.

It can disrupt your social life and relationships, and women can lose or leave their jobs because they don’t receive the correct support.

Most people haven’t heard of it and some assume it’s just a ‘bad period’, but it’s so much more than that, and without a formal diagnosis to back it up, women are left alone to battle through these symptoms affecting their lives every single day.

Women can be told it’s ‘normal’ or ‘learn to live with it’ when they go to their GP (it happened to me for 7 miserable years!). It can only be diagnosed and treated through a laparoscopy, so you will need a referral to a gynaecologist. My sister diagnosed my condition and the doctor eventually (reluctantly) referred me and that’s when I was finally diagnosed and treated for my symptoms.

If something doesn’t seem right, the pain is too much, your symptoms are worse during your menstrual cycle or you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above (although that list is not exhaustive), keep going back to your GP until they refer you to a specialist. You don’t have to suffer in silence.

I’ve gone through it and I’m trained to help women naturally manage their hormones, so reach out if you need any help.

This list is not exhaustive, and these symptoms can vary from woman to woman, but every woman will experience perimenopause / menopause at some point in their life, and the symptoms can last up to 10 years!

It’s not an illness or disease, it is a natural part of the ageing process, which causes s*x hormones to decline and eventually the ovaries will stop producing egg cells. You’re officially in menopause when you haven’t had a menstrual period for 12 months.

Medical gaslighting is all too common for women who are perimenopausal. GPs do not receive any formal training on the menopause, which means many women receive inadequate support and misdiagnosis. This can affect their relationships, careers, and mental health.

There isn’t anything you can do to stop it, but there are so many ways you can support it for a smoother transition.

Want to know how? Drop me a message.

We all have the power to make a difference to our health and wellbeing and it’s never been more important to start taking action.
 
Our lifestyle, habits and behaviours around what we eat, how we move, sleep, rest, manage stress and engage with our family, friends and community can support or undermine our health. It’s the small things we do day-in-day-out day that over time, really matter to our health and wellbeing
 
As a Health Coach, I’ve joined the UK & International Health Coaching Association in the campaign because I’m committed to helping and supporting you to make a positive difference to your health and wellbeing.
 
Making healthy changes can be easy with small, consistent steps which we can build up to the big, sustainable win: your better health!
 
Here are some suggestions for the small steps that you can start taking right now…
 
🥗 eat a whole food diet (as nature intended)
☠️ avoid ultra processed food (UPF)
💦 stay well hydrated by drinking water
🌾 Increase your fibre intake
🍫 eat less saturated fat and sugar

Ignore the front of food labels, and read the back, that is where you will find the ingredient list which will show you exactly what’s inside (and any hidden additives and preservatives). It will also start with the ingredient with the highest content so If you see sugar (in one of its many different forms), or saturated fats, do yourself a favour and choose a healthier alternative.

Follow the link in my stories (also saved in the healthy tips highlight) to the Find Your Healthy Week Directory for more help to !
 
What can you start doing today to ? Drop me a comment below and let me know!

World Sleep Day!
15 March 2024

Prioritising sleep was one of the best changes I made to my own health, and it has a positive impact on well-being. I no longer wake up feeling tired and unrested.

I have in the past viewed sleep as an inconvenience, why did I want to sleep when I could be awake doing something else, trying to get through my never ending to do list. However, now I know better and good sleep hygiene is a non negotiable.

When you don’t sleep well it has a knock on effect the next day, you feel tired, irritable and more emotional. Your pain receptors are more sensitive, and you produce more stress hormone. It also increases ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry so you eat more.

Do you sleep well? I’m not just taking about how many hours you sleep. Consider the following:

💤 Duration: how much sleep have you had over a 24 hour period?

💤 Efficiency: do you fall asleep easily, and stay asleep?

💤 Timing: what time do you go to sleep?

💤 Regularity: do you go to sleep and wake around the same time everyday?

💤 Alertness: can you focus and hold attention during the day?

💤 Quality: are you satisfied with your sleep?

My top tips for a good night’s sleep:

😴 Prioritise sleep - consciously make the choice to go up to bed at a certain time and aim for 7-9 hours sleep

🥘 Don’t eat before bed, the process of digestion can keep you awake and prevent you from getting deep, restful and restorative sleep.

📱 Avoid mobile devices, the blue light suppresses melatonin (the hormone that helps you sleep)

☕️ Avoid caffeine and alcohol which can disrupt your circadian rhythm

📝 if you have anything on your mind, write it down or journal. It can help the mind relax.

🧘 Try some relaxation techniques before bed - breathing exercises, light stretches, meditation

Our NHS is on its knees! I believe people go into the profession because they really care and want to help, but they are set up to fail, and there’s only so much a doctor can do during a 10 minute appointment where you’re only encouraged to discuss one issue.

The body systems are interlinked, and if one system of the body is not functioning properly, it can affect various other body systems. The only way to find out what’s going on is by taking a full health history which can’t be done in 10 minutes. Therefore, it’s much easier for them to prescribe a pill, which doesn’t get to the root cause of the problem.

Ideally, patients who can manage their health with lifestyle changes, shouldn’t be taking an appointment away from someone who really needs medical attention and intervention, so I will always encourage the women I coach to take back some control of their physical and mental well-being.

It’s empowering when you start making conscious decisions to improve your health and it’s effective. However, it’s not always easy to break old habits and work out what is good for you, and that’s where a health coach comes in. They have time for you, and will guide and support you on your journey to a healthier, happier you!

It’s so easy to get caught up in the rush of life, and the consequences of that means you stop prioritising yourself and listening to what your body needs. You can become so detached from yourself that it’s hard to go back. This can make you feel overwhelmed, so you just continue to make poor life style choices and it’s a vicious cycle. Long term this can result in poor physical / mental health.

I strongly believe in preventative care, because prevention is better than cure, but if you are experiencing symptoms, it’s your body’s way of letting you know something is wrong, and it’s more effective to find the root cause of the problem, rather than just treat the symptoms because that never truly resolves the issue.

I’ve posted a lot about what I cover as a Health Coach, but I also wanted to explain what’s not covered in my practice.

❌ Unhealthy Dieting

I’m not interested in making people feel hungry (hangry) and deficient in vitamins and minerals. It’s not sustainable long term and skinny doesn’t mean healthy! In my experience, living a healthy lifestyle which includes healthy food and daily movement will naturally manage weight and improve your physical and mental health.

❌ Trying to conform to unrealistic beauty standards.

Quite frankly, it’s bullsh*t! You are beautiful just the way you are, and your uniqueness makes you, you! There are a lot of companies out there who want to make money off of your insecurities, and most of the time it doesn’t fix the issue.

If you’re rushing around stressed, not sleeping, not nourishing your body, not hydrating and not exercising, nothing you try will fix it in the long term.

My goal is to help you be the healthiest version of yourself. No comparison to anyone else, except who you were yesterday. Together, we will tap into what your body needs to work more efficiently, which long term will improve your health and wellbeing.

Changing your mindset and living a healthy lifestyle will make you feel great inside and that will radiate on the outside. Anything else is just a mask. Save your money by not buying more lotions and potions (that can just add to your toxic load) and use your energy and time to make healthy choices (your future self will thank you for it).

We move, we change, we jiggle, we age and that’s ok. We need to normalise it! What matters more is how you’re feeling on the inside.

Back our call for a national breast screening awareness campaign Screening finds most breast cancers early, when survival is almost 100%. That means if more women attend screening, we can save more lives from breast cancer. But the NHS target for how many women should be screened for breast cancer has just been missed for the fourth year in a row. If we want to s...

Self-Care January

No. 29 - Menopause / Perimenopause

I wanted to cover the menopause this week for two reasons:

1. If you’re a women, you will go through the menopause at some stage, regardless of your age today (if you haven’t done so already)
2. It can be an extremely stressful and difficult time for women, and can negatively impact mental health.

The menopause isn’t an illness or disease, it’s a natural part of ageing, and marks the end of your menstrual cycle (periods). You’re officially in menopause when you haven’t had a period for 12 consecutive months, usually around the age of 50.

These changes can start 10 years before you hit menopause, and this is called perimenopause. It usually affects women in their 40’s, but it can happen in your thirties.

Symptoms of menopause include:
🩸 irregular periods
🔥 hot flushes
😰 night sweats
😴 insomnia
😥 anxiety
😡 irritability
⛔️ low libido
🌵vaginal dryness
🦴 loss of bone density (which is why I advocate for weight resistance training)
⚖️ Weight gain around the abdomen

So, what causes these changes? Put simply, your ovaries start making less oestrogen and progesterone, the hormones that regulate menstruation creating a hormone imbalance.

Why do we need to talk about it more? Women aged 45–54 years have the highest su***de rate (the most common age of perimenopause and menopause). Whenever I work with women, I’m always considering what will help them now and as they age. I want the ladies I support to be thriving physically and mentally so this transition is as smooth as possible.

If you want more support on the menopause, just get in touch and I’ll be happy to help.

Self-Care January

No. 28 - Gratitude

Writing things down is a great way to clear your mind and organise your thoughts, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

It also helps to prioritise what you want to focus on first, and there’s nothing better than ticking tasks off your list once it’s done. You can almost feel the weight lifting off your shoulders.

You can also write down what you’re grateful for (a gratitude journal). It can help improve your mental well-being, enhance your mood, reduce stress, and cultivate a positive outlook, by focusing on the positive aspects of life.

It’s so easy to focus on negative thoughts and feelings, maybe something didn’t go the way you planned, maybe someone didn’t treat you the way you had hoped, or maybe there are things you want that you can’t have, these situations can make you feel sad, angry or resentful, and these feelings can chip away at you over time.

I think sometimes when we’re only focused on negative things, we start to expect it, and when this happens we start to see the negative in everything, which can make you feel on edge, so the next time something bad happens you go from 0-10, whether that’s sadness, anger or another emotion. (I’ll share in my stories what happened to me last week that demonstrates this exact situation). ⬆️

When you flip your perspective, it allows you to focus on positive things you may otherwise take for granted, and you’ll find that you have less space for negative thoughts and feelings. It doesn’t dismiss what’s happened, and doesn’t stop bad things from happening, but it gives you some control on how you react to the situation.

Want to try it? If so, tonight before bed, write down three things you’re grateful for and repeat it a few times this week and see how you feel.

Self-Care January

No. 27 - Happiness Hormones

Endorphins are neurotransmitters produced by the body, also known as “feel-good” hormones. They help reduce pain, lower stress, induce feelings of pleasure and improve your sense of well-being.

Exercise, laughter and activities that bring you joy encourage the release of endorphins, so YOU have the power to naturally lift your mood.

Here are some things you can try to boost your endorphins:

🏃‍♀️ Exercise (moderate to vigorous intensity) - I’ve already mentioned how beneficial exercise is for your body, but it can really help lift your mood. It’s one of the main reasons I move my body as often as I do.

😆 Laughter - spend time with friends and family that lift you up and make you laugh. Laughter is the best medicine!

🎵 Music - upbeat music has been shown to lift your mood, so play your favourite tune and dance like no-one is watching!

Dopamine plays a key role in the brain’s reward system, influencing our habits and cravings (good and bad). Be mindful about how your choices can impact your well-being, and try to make conscious choices that cultivate positive habits.

Oxytocin, also known as the ‘love hormone’ is an essential hormone for childbirth and breast-feeding. Levels can also increase during physical contact including kissing, cuddling, massage and s*x. (consensually of course!).

Serotonin is made from the essential amino acid tryptophan, so it has to be obtained by the foods we eat. This hormone influences many body functions including hunger, sleep, learning and memory, body temperature and libido. Low levels of serotonin are associated with anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions.

What brings joy will differ from one person to the next, so find something that makes you smile and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

Self-Care January

No. 25 - Meditation

I’m not a meditation expert, but I’m getting better at it (practice makes progress). I’ve done it enough times to see the benefits, and it’s a great way to reduce stress and anxiety.

Once you get through the fidgety, weird and uncomfortable stillness, the mind starts to calm, and now I’ve done it a few times I find myself really craving this space.

Our minds can have a lot going on, imagine a room full of books all over the floor (thoughts), meditation seems to put all of these books back on the shelf where they’re meant to be.

Here are some of things I’ve noticed:

🧘‍♀️ I feel more self aware
🧘‍♀️ It helps me be present - I’m a multitasker and I’m always planning the next thing, so I can sometimes miss what’s going on in the here and now.
🧘‍♀️ I feel more in-tune with my body
🧘‍♀️ my mind and body feels lighter
🧘‍♀️It’s a great opportunity to do deep breathing exercises

I love the sense of calm and inner peace it brings. I use two apps and for guided meditation and there’s lots of free videos online.

If you’re feeling stressed, try it! It may not feel comfortable the first couple of times (like any new skill), but keep with it even if it’s just a few minutes a day.

When you make time for self-care, it creates less space for unhealthy habits and negative thoughts so you naturally start to feel better and more positive.

Self-Care January

No. 23 - Stress

When we’re stressed our body goes into the “fight or flight” response, which is a natural reaction to stress. It prepares the body to stay and fight or prepares the body to run! This response would’ve saved us from a tiger or bear many years ago.

We don’t face the same dangers nowadays, but the stress response is EXACTLY the same, except it’s caused by modern stressors, eg. deadlines, unhappiness at work, money worries, toxic relationships etc…

So, what happens? The sympathetic nervous system causes the release of adrenaline and cortisol, which increases the heart rate, blood pressure, and energy levels. Breathing becomes rapid to supply more oxygen. Pupils dilate to enhance vision, and muscles tense, ready to respond. (It’s actually pretty amazing!)

It’s worth noting however, non-essential functions like digestion and reproduction temporarily slow down! This is why some people experience digestive problems and infertility when they’re constantly stressed.

The parasympathetic nervous system should calm us down again, however, if the perceived threat is constantly there, so is a high level of stress resulting in chronic stress. This is not sustainable, and is actually detrimental to our health, so it’s imperative that we find ways to reduce stress.

Managing stress is easier said than done, but there are some strategies that can help:

🕵️ Identify stress - when is it happening and why? It’s much easier to manage stress when we know what’s causing it.

👀 Flip the lens - your perspective isn’t always fact, and that internal voice isn’t always kind. Sometimes viewing the situation from a different perspective can help see the situation differently.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Acceptance - if you can’t change it, don’t worry about it. No amount of stress will help.

🎯 Set goals - problems can feel overwhelming, break them down into small managable tasks, and tackle them one step at a time.

The more you support your body, the better it will function. This is where self-care really helps.

Remember, you can’t control the things that happen to you, but you can control the way you react to them!