Menopause - The Real Deal

Many women enter perimenopause feeling unlike themselves long before they ever connect it to hormones. Blood tests come back “normal”, reassurance is given, yet the fatigue, anxiety, weight changes and sleep disruption continue. In this episode of Menopause – The Real Deal, Michelle Rowlinson is joined by integrative women’s health practitioner Angeles Grover to explore why so many women feel dism...

Michelle sits down with executive coach Jo Ibbott to peel back the layers of the menopause experience that often remain hidden behind closed office doors. For many women, the physical symptoms are only half the battle; the true challenge lies in the quiet erosion of confidence and the sudden, disorienting shift in professional identity.  Jo shares her personal "aha" moment and explains how the "br...

Kate Driver is a naturopath specialising in perimenopause and menopause, who combines functional testing, personalised nutrition, and herbal medicine to get to the root of the symptoms so many women face. If you’ve ever felt like a failure after doing all you could to feel less exhausted and foggy, then hope is at hand! Kate is here this time to share 25 years of her invaluable experience in shini...

Are you tired of being told "It's just your age" or "You're probably stressed" while your body feels like it's been hijacked? In this episode, Michelle drops the taboos and tackles four common myths that mislead women and even health professionals about perimenopause and menopause.  Discover the scientific truth about when the hormonal transition can truly begin (spoiler: it's often earlier than y...

Welcome to an enlightening episode where we challenge a lifetime of self-doubt, while giving you two podcasts for the price of one.  Michelle and her guest, Jami Shapiro, the founder of Silver Linings Transitions, author of This Explains So Much, and host of the Grandma Has ADHD podcast engage in a unique and revealing conversation for both podcasts, about how a whole generation of women have been...

In this deeply compassionate no-nonsense episode, Michelle speaks with Philippa Scott, a therapist who knows exactly what it's like to be a high-performer quietly burning out behind the scenes. Philippa shares her personal journey through two major burnouts, the intense struggle of navigating parenthood and perimenopause, and why traditional self-care and mindset tools simply didn't work for her. ...

What if the masterpiece you're meant to create wasn't in your twenties but in your second act, and it's only just getting started?  This time Michelle speaks with Ildiko Sealey, creator of the podcast New Business in Later Life and The Routine Club. Ildiko is proof that reinvention doesn't come with a deadline, detailing her journey from art school and social housing to studying textiles and train...

Welcome back to the podcast where we get real about midlife health and help you stop surviving and start thriving. This time, Michelle dives into a topic so many women deal with in silence: chronic, dragging, frustrating pain.  Her guest is Dr. Bradley Shepherd, a chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner who specialises in helping women in their 40s and 50s reduce chronic pain by addressi...

What happens when a confident, creative powerhouse suddenly finds her motivation, identity, and career confidence dipped in fog? This time, Michelle goes international with guest Alexia Murray, an actress, writer, and creative force who thought she was ready for perimenopause, but was shocked by its impact.  Alexia shares the story of her five months of depression and total loss of confidence, and...

In this week’s show, we’re dedicated to cutting through the myths and the fluff to share the facts and information all women need to hear.  Starting perimenopause can feel chaotic, leaving you second-guessing every reaction, memory, and physical change. Michelle addresses the common experience of being dismissed by a GP, being told you are too young, that it is just stress, or that "it's all in yo...

Have you ever noticed how some of the biggest life changes end up leading to something far bigger than yourself? This week, Michelle is joined by Rachel from Our Remedy, who after co-founding a healthy cafe, suddenly found herself facing serious health challenges that threatened to change everything. After failing to find the support she needed, Rachel began to share her story with the world, and...

Ever feel like you're doing all the right things in midlife, but your body just isn't responding? This week on Menopause, the Real Deal, Michelle is joined by Karen Darlington, a menopause coach who's been helping women transform their health and confidence for over eight years.  Inspired by her own early menopause journey, Karen combines nutrition, strength training, yoga, and mindfulness to give...

This week, Michelle talks with Mellanie Parry, a powerhouse who turned personal adversity into leadership. Mellanie's story highlights how she was told she was "too young for perimenopause" by her GP despite chronic symptoms, leading to a breakdown at forty-five before receiving HRT, and which sparked a huge personal reinvention Mellanie used this as the fuel to create a community of over eighty t...

After introducing his system for reversing illness and shifting emotional patterns in the previous episode, Stephen Leggett returns to the show to put theory into practice with a live healing session on the show. This unique experience provides an intimate look at how releasing trapped emotions related to self-worth and past trauma can create immediate changes in the body and mind. It explores the...

Stephen Leggett joins Michelle to discuss his journey from living with type 2 diabetes for 20 years to successfully reversing it, not once, but twice.  He shares the deeply personal moment that sparked his permanent healing journey and introduces his unique system designed to help people reverse illness and break free from cycles of medication and destructive habits. He also reveals how deeply ing...

This time, Michelle sits down with certified women’s hormone practitioner and weight loss coach, Ali Farhat—known online as "That Menopause Guy."  Ali shares his deeply personal journey, revealing how his mother’s struggles with menopause and the medical system’s dismissal of her symptoms ignited a fire in him to change how women experience this stage of life. He also examines the common mistakes...

Menopause can often feel like a confusing and challenging journey, leaving you to wonder why your body seems to have a mind of its own. From unpredictable hot flashes and frustrating brain fog to mood swings and sleepless nights, these symptoms can make you feel like your body is a complete stranger.  But what if there was a simple, accessible set of tools to help you navigate these changes?  In t...

Have you ever felt like you’ve lost your spark, and weren't quite yourself anymore? That's exactly what Suzi Ford, this week’s guest has faced.  When menopause arrived during the isolation of COVID lockdown, it shook her world in ways she never expected. Fast forward three years, and Suzi has not only found the right support and begun her HRT journey, but she’s also transformed her health, losing...

If you’ve ever felt like your workplace was unsupportive when it comes to the menopause, then this episode is for you. This week’s guest is Jen Francis, known on TikTok as Menopause Jen Official, who walked away from her role as a digital marketing manager when a lack of menopause support and outdated attitudes from her employer made it impossible to stay.  Since then, Jen has created a growing co...

In a world where health myths about menopause can spread faster than the truth, how do you know  who to trust? This week on the show, Michelle is joined by the amazing Dr Sooj, the renowned health content creator whose educational videos have helped to tackle medical misinformation, and make guidance relatable and accessible to everyone through such channels as the NHS, the Department of Health an...

In this fascinating conversation, Michelle talks to the incredible Daviana, who shares her personal journey of transitioning from male to female, discussing the challenges and revelations she faced along the way. From her early awareness of feeling different as a child in the 80s to her experiences in the military and the impact of societal norms on her identity, Daviana provides an insightful per...

Michelle is joined by the incredible duo of best-selling author Kate Halfpenny and women's health pioneer, Kym, to discuss the often-overlooked experiences of women navigating menopause. Kate shares her journey of writing her book, "Boogie Wonderland," which candidly explores her personal challenges during midlife, including perimenopause and family dynamics. Kym examines the need for tailored fit...

If you’ve ever walked out of a surgery feeling like you didn’t get answers, this is for you. In this episode, Michelle shares 6 practical tips to help you approach your GP with confidence, get the most from your appointment, and feel heard. You'll Discover: Why many GPs lack training in menopause care How to prepare before you book so you can maximise your time Simple ways to guide the conversatio...

In this episode, Michelle interviews Hanna Kok, a coach with over 30 years of experience in body mind spirit connection, who focuses on how forgiveness affects health. Hannah explains her approach to managing menopause symptoms through emotional healing and forgiveness work rather than diet and exercise alone. She shares client success stories and shares forgiveness techniques we can all use. Hann...

What happens when a husband publicly asks how to support his wife through menopause and thousands of women flood the comments? Jesse Robertson, a dad and TikTok creator, found out firsthand when one honest post transformed his parenting channel into a platform for menopause education. In this unique episode, Jesse shares his experience from complete ignorance about menopause to becoming an unexpec...