Women's Health

In this episode, Maricia offers a candid look at her menopause journey, which has unfolded over decades. Despite dealing with hot flashes in her seventies, Maricia continues to approach this stage of life with positivity, showing women that aging can be a time of empowerment and reinvention. With warmth and humor, she discusses her approach to thriving in this stage of life—staying engaged with he...

In this episode, Edi shares her powerful story of navigating menopause and the growth she experienced through this transitional life stage. Beginning her journey at the start of the pandemic, she faced physical symptoms, including hot flashes, stiffness, and vertigo, in addition to significant emotional changes.  Rather than feeling defeated, she used these challenges to deepen her connection with...

In this inspiring episode, Kwavi shares her journey of redefining life after 50 and helping other women do the same. As a certified life coach, she encourages women to see midlife as a time of growth, joy, and self-discovery. Kwavi discusses her own experiences with menopause and aging, challenging societal expectations, and embracing this stage with confidence. Kwavi highlights the importance of...

In this episode, Patty shares her journey through perimenopause and menopause, highlighting the physical and emotional symptoms she faced, such as night sweats, migraines, and anxiety. Initially unaware of the menopause connection, she sought medical advice that helped her understand her changing body. She also found that many of her friends and coworkers were going through similar experiences, cr...

In this episode, Darlene and Ben share their unconventional love story, which was challenged and strengthened by Darlene’s menopause experience. Although Ben is 20 years younger than Darlene, he has proven to be an exemplary partner and source of support for Darlene as she struggled with menopause symptoms. In addition to the broader impact of menopause symptoms on her daily life, Darlene also sha...

This episode shares the stories of Stephanie and Karen, two friends based in the north of England. In addition to both experiencing menopause, Stephanie and Karen both battled with breast cancer. The two have supported each other through “the really big stuff” and underscore the importance of strong friendships in midlife. This episode demonstrates that it is never too late to form deep friendship...

This episode features sisters Suzanne and Becky, as they reflect on their menopause journeys. Although they have similar outlooks on this stage of life, Suzanne entered perimenopause after undergoing surgery to manage symptoms due to uterine fibroids. In the episode, Becky and Suzanne recount their mother’s avoidant approach to menopause and more broadly, on differing attitudes to menopause across...

The debut episode of this season features couple Karen and Mark, who got married in the midst of Karen’s menopause journey. Tender, uplifting, and honest: their story captures how good communication through the menopause experience can help strengthen a relationship. Karen has used her own experiences to help other women, and Mark adds an invaluable perspective, as the first male voice of the podc...

Do you have a menopause experience that you’d like to share? Go to https://bit.ly/menopauseunmuted to share your contact details with our production team, who may be in touch.  Seeking guests for our next season of menopause: unmuted! And this season, we’re giving guests the opportunity to invite a loved one, to help share their menopause story. This could be a husband or partner, a friend, sister...

It’s time to talk about menopause in the workplace. In this final episode of the season, Dr. Mary Jane Minkin welcomes guests Barbara Brooks (founder of  SecondActWomen ) and Dr. Nikki Shaffer (Head of Colleague Wellness at Pfizer) for an in-depth discussion on the topic of menopause in the workplace. The ladies bring their expertise and life experience to reflect on common challenges and opportun...

Deborah’s story is one of determined hope and her commitment to carving her own path through life is inspiring. Deborah discusses her complex medical history, and her battles with endometriosis, surgically induced menopause, and migraine. She captures the emotional pain of struggling to conceive and accepting life without having kids. Despite these challenges, Deborah chose to listen to her body,...

In this episode, Gina shares the challenges and opportunities that she faced in midlife. While going through her menopause transition, Gina was met with a cancer diagnosis, and a move across the country. Gina also goes into detail about working in a competitive environment, and how she navigated menopause symptoms and feeling “not cool” in her workplace amongst younger colleagues. She describes he...

In this episode, Sateria paints a vivid picture of what it’s like to live with uterine fibroids. She brings a unique perspective to the conversation around menopause, getting real and vulnerable about her decades-long struggle with fibroids, navigating the healthcare system as a Black woman, and becoming an advocate for women across the globe. Sateria shares aspects of her journey that many women...

In this episode, Deanna talks candidly about relationships, sex and becoming a health coach in midlife. She discusses the realities of going through a divorce while experiencing menopause symptoms, with sleep issues particularly adding stress to this transitional period of her life. Deanna also describes the impact that lowered libido can have on marriage, and shares ways that she has helped to im...

Another season of menopause: unmuted is coming to you soon. And it’s no coincidence we’re sharing this announcement today, which is World Menopause Day. Get caught up now on past seasons of the podcast, and make sure to subscribe or follow the show to keep updated when new episodes drop. Thank you to our menopause: unmuted community for tuning in to the last three seasons of the podcast. Until nex...

Bonus Episode: A Calm Menopause with Dr. Pauline Maki Dr. Pauline Maki, Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Obstetrics & Gynecology, joins this season’s final bonus episode with host Dr. Mary Jane Minkin to talk about managing the emotional symptoms related to menopause, how to reduce stress and help have a “calm” menopause. The experts unpack how estrogen can affect brain function and mood. T...

Sex psychologist Dr. Laurie Mintz joins the series host Dr. Mary Jane Minkin to discuss the joys and challenges of maintaining a healthy sex life during menopause. Dr. Mintz helps address some common questions and misconceptions around sex and menopause, talking about desire, comfort, and communication. This episode explores how women can work to reframe what sex and intimacy mean to them in midli...

In this bonus episode, host Dr. Mary Jane Minkin sits down with online strength coach Susan Niebergall to talk about fitness, particularly strength training, and how it helps support women in midlife. Susan explains ways in which strength and resistance training can help improve muscle mass and bone density and why this is particularly important for women during perimenopause and menopause. She hi...

In the first of our new bonus episodes, host Dr. Mary Jane Minkin is joined by Registered Dietitian and Naturopathic Doctor Dr. Jenn Salib Huber to discuss diet and nutrition during the menopausal transition. Jenn shares her extensive knowledge of how diet interacts with body weight and shape, and bone and cardiovascular health. The conversation also explores the deeply complex relationship betwee...

In this episode Susan shares her pragmatic approach to menopause and how she deals with night sweats and a lack of sleep and the impact of these on her mood, her family and her job through talking and laughter.  Susan is a great advocate for finding comfort in knowing you aren’t the only one, in finding your ‘tribe’ and speaking out. “I really find that the friends are extremely supportive, and it...

In this episode we hear from Barbara, who has dealt with symptoms shared by many women, namely hot flushes, night sweats, and heart health issues, that occur all too frequently as we get older. She found a lack of opportunities to talk about menopause and build a support network meant she had to deal with another common issue: isolation.  Barbara managed her symptoms on her own for over 10 years b...

E2: Mary Beth’s Story In this episode, Mary Beth reflects on how family attitudes and her experiences growing up and going through puberty have impacted her own mid-life journey.  Mary Beth discusses the defining symptoms of her menopause (heavy periods, and bone loss) and how they led her to change her career, becoming a yoga teacher and nutritional coach to help other women with osteopenia and o...

E1: Marilyn’s Story In this episode, Marilyn’s story explores the power of family relationships and self-care in supporting a positive menopause.  Marilyn shares her experiences of how open communication within her family de-mystified menstruation and menopause right from the time of puberty. Conversations with her female relatives gave her strength and guided her to approach perimenopause, along...

The final episode of Season 2 brings different healthcare professional perspectives on menopause. Series host, Dr Mary Jane Minkin, is joined by women's health nurse practitioner, Dr Shelagh Larson, and behavioural psychologist, Dr Sheryl Kingsberg. In a lively conversation, the three women’s health experts delve deeper into the breadth of symptoms and experiences shared by the women in Season 2,...

From working out five days a week to not wanting to go to the gym at all, fitness devotee Carla talks about how she “had to figure out a way of getting back” from the low mood and loss of energy she experienced in menopause, and how setting realistic goals helped her find her way back to feeling her ‘fab ‘n’ fit’ self. menopause: unmuted  is designed to raise awareness, encourage communication, an...