The Happy Menopause

It’s October at last and my regular listeners will know that my new book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish comes out this month. This book has been burning away inside me for a long time now, as there simply isn't enough information out there to support women during this hugely transitional phase of life. So I've drawn on my clinical expertise as a nutritional the...

September is the perfect time to be thinking about new beginnings and of course midlife can often provide an opportunity for a whole new perspective too. As reproductive hormones subside, you’ll have the headspace to become more aware of yourself and to focus on your own choices, so it can be a time of big change. Many women decide to step away from the corporate world at this time to work indepen...

This interview is Part 2 of my exercise series and is full of brilliant advice from former Team GB rower, medallist and women’s health and fitness coach Baz Moffat on the best ways for women in midlife to exercise. It was actually recorded some months ago, just before lockdown, but much of the advice became irrelevant at that stage because we couldn’t access all those public spaces that we’d discu...

Welcome to Season 2 of The Happy Menopause podcast. We're kicking off with a fascinating episode which focuses on hair, because dry and thinning hair can be one of the most frustrating symptoms of the menopause. Of course, hot flushes, anxiety and fatigue can have a hugely negative impact on women, but there’s something about hair that is particularly emotive. I think many of us carry our ide...

Summer is here and lockdown is easing in most places so I thought this would be a good time to start thinking about new adventures. Midlife is a time which can be transformational and enormously liberating because the hormones that have driven your decisions, approach and emotions for years start to subside and there’s some space for you to become more aware of yourself and consider life from a di...

In this episode, we hear from expert nutritional therapist and host of The Happy Menopause podcast, Jackie Lynch, as she explores a nutritional approach to managing stress. It’s been a bruising few months in lockdown and everyone has faced different challenges, which can’t have been easy. Whatever’s been going on with you, the chances are that your stress levels have been going through the roof at...

Sleep can feel like the holy grail for women in midlife – something you’re desperately searching for which is incredibly hard to find. There are many reasons that sleep can be elusive during the menopause – hot flushes, night sweats, palpitations and anxiety can all play their part in disrupting our slumber. And when we don’t get enough sleep, this dramatically affects our health and well-being –...

Exercise is a non-negotiable for women in midlife. It can make a material difference to bone density and muscle tone which both decline significantly during and post-menopause, and of course it’s also crucial for heart health, mental health and stress management. And with self-isolation now part of our daily lives, it’s more important than ever at the moment, for our overall well-being. In this ep...

International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It’s all about getting the message out there and enabling and empowering women to make a difference to their lives. So I thought it was the perfect opportunity to interview Rachel Weiss, the founder of Menopause Café, a grassroots project to support women in midlife and raise awareness in local...

The menopause might be the end of a chapter, but it’s also an opportunity for a whole new one. This stage of life can actually be transformative and enormously liberating on a number of levels, because the hormones that have driven your decisions, your approach and your emotions since puberty start to take a back seat. It’s an opportunity for a whole new perspective and a new start, where you can...

Low libido is one of those extra little gifts from the menopause which you may not have expected. As sex hormones start to decline, it can have a very real impact on your va va voom and there are lots of ways this might affect you – vaginal dryness might make sex too painful; you may lack body confidence – it’s hard to feel desire for your partner if you’re not feeling very desirable yourself; fat...

It’s that time of year when you might be looking to lose a few pounds which isn’t an easy task for women in midlife. As if the menopause wasn’t tough enough, with all the different symptoms you experience, the gradual increase in weight that comes with the menopause can often feel like the last straw! This is the time in life where even women who’ve never had to watch their weight may start to not...

Hot flushes can be a real nightmare for some women during the menopause. They're disruptive, embarrassing and uncomfortable, especially at work, in a social situation or at night. So what can we do about it? There are lots of ways that diet and lifestyle can pro-actively address hot flushes, and there are also some fabulous clothes out there that can help you keep your cool when you’re temper...

Do you spend most of your time thinking about and looking after other people? It’s something women seem hardwired to do, but how good are you at looking after yourself and putting your health and happiness first? Our nurturing gene seems to have a blind spot when it comes to our own wellbeing, yet the menopause is the very time when self-care is incredibly important. “Your health in those 10 years...

It’s World Menopause Day, so we are celebrating women in midlife and shouting about the menopause in all its glory. Over the past year, the taboo around discussing the menopause has been gradually chipped away, which is encouraging, but there’s very little portrayal of the menopause in the arts, so I’m excited to tell you all about new play called Mid Life which is coming to the Barbican in London...

It’s World Menopause Day today and we’re celebrating women in midlife with this special episode. There’s no better day to be busting the taboo about discussing the menopause and raising awareness of the different symptoms women experience and the range of solutions available to them, which is why I’m speaking to the brilliant team from Pausitivity . They’ve made it their business to get menopause...

Have you ever had a little wee when you sneeze, cough or exercise? Honestly? Because it wouldn’t be surprising. It’s called stress incontinence and it happens to 1 in 3 women, yet it’s the one thing we never speak about. 40% of women are too embarrassed to consult their doctor about it and just accept what the media has coyly termed “whoops” moments as an inevitable part of ageing. But it doesn’t...

The menopause can be stressful enough for women without the challenges of dealing with it in front of your colleagues. 75% of women of menopausal age are in work and will be affected by a range of symptoms, from hot flushes which are uncomfortable and can embarrassing; flooding which can be a nightmare if access to a toilet is restricted; or anxiety and loss of confidence which might impact your p...

For centuries, people have used herbs in a medicinal capacity, from ancient civilisations through to today, where many modern pharmaceutical drugs are originally derived from plant extracts. Drop into any health food store and you’ll find a whole range of herbal supplements; chat to your friends and they may swear by a miracle herb that banished their hot flushes but you might not find it so effec...

Forget hot flushes! Anxiety and loss of confidence are some of the most underestimated and upsetting symptoms of the menopause. Many women are taken by surprise in their mid to late forties to suddenly discover that they’re doubting themselves and their abilities; feeling overwhelmed by tasks or projects they previously handled with ease; or simply experiencing a residual sense of anxiety which is...

“Your next position is your best position”. Variety is the spice of life when it comes to the ideal posture and exercise, according to Christien Bird, Women’s Health Physiotherapist. Regular exercise is crucial for women in midlife, not just to support bone density, but also to reduce the risk of heart attacks, which increases as oestrogen levels drop, post-menopause. Exercise is also a great stre...

In the UK, 13 million women are going through a menopause, which can last anything up to 15 years. In the US, 6,000 women hit the menopause every single day! So it’s not exactly a niche subject, yet, it’s not something we easily talk about either. This means that many midlife women can feel isolated and worried by a range of symptoms they hadn’t expected which can disrupt their life. The good news...

Join Registered Nutritional Therapist Jackie Lynch as she takes you on a journey through midlife to learn how diet and lifestyle can help you take control of your menopause symptoms. Each month Jackie covers a range of topics, from managing hot flushes or dealing with anxiety to intimate health and strong bones. She'll introduce you to some fascinating guests who can offer real insight into m...