The next generation of menopause resources has arrived
Once a taboo subject for mainstream media, this year a host of high-profile books, podcasts and resources have launched to coincide with World Menopause Day.
Helping women to understand the menopause and speak about it without shame is helping a new generation of women understand the changes their bodies go through and begin this next phase of life with enthusiasm.
If you’re interested in the menopause, here’s some of the best new modern voices taking on this subject in 2020 and where to find them.
Books
The Shift by Sam Baker
The essential manifesto for any woman staring the second half of their lives in the face and wondering, WTF is going on?
* Invisible to society now you’re past child-bearing age?
* Tired of being disregarded, overlooked and underestimated?
* Wondering what the hell is happening to your body, mind and internal thermostat?
Women over forty are the most ignored demographic in society. And yet this is the time when you are likely to have the most freedom, power, confidence and self knowledge than ever before. Some serious life has been lived: there have been great loves, heartbreaks, births, marriages, careers, betrayals, bereavements and survival.
So what now? What happens when the narrative given to you by society – husband, babies, house – runs out and you become storyless?
Including chapters on menopause, sex, culture, work, rage and freedom, writer and journalist Sam Baker shares her experiences of life post 40 and shows how women to create their own story. This needn’t herald the era of loose clothing and hair dye; or hot flashes and bad sleep (though there is that too). It’s time women north of 40 took a leaf out of the millennial handbook and reinvented things our way.
The New Hot: Taking on Menopause with Attitude and Style by Meg Matthews
When Meg Mathews hit menopause she was shocked at the lack of awareness, understanding and support shown to women – and also found the information available far too dreary. After getting her symptoms under control she became determined to help other women avoid an experience like hers.
The New Hot is her no-holds-barred guide to menopause designed to entertain and empower women in equal measure. It’s full of Meg’s personal insights as well as the latest information and advice from a wide range of menopause and lifestyle experts. Together they cover a wide range of issues, including:
– What the hell is going on? (a meno-audit of the 34 possible symptoms and how to start taking control)
– Hey Doc! I need help (how to ask your GP for the right support and treatment for you)
– Eat to beat your hormones (food as medicine, gut health, supplements and a meno-friendly eating plan)
– Vagina SOS (all about ‘down-there’ healthcare and two pelvic floor exercises that really help)
– To HRT or not HRT? That is the question (the hot topic of benefits, options, risks and who can have it)
– Menopause au naturel (managing menopause symptoms naturally when HRT isn’t for you)
The M Word by Dr Philippa Kaye
The menopause does not have to mean the end of your libido, of sex, of work, or of feeling like who you used to be. The M Word is a complete one-stop guide to the peri-menopause and menopause, covering everything from understanding symptoms to managing relationships to which treatments really work. Discussing HRT as well as self-help and lifestyle tips, this book will be your companion through the years before, during and after the menopause.
Topics covered include:
Hot flushes and other physical symptomsPsychological symptomsSex, libido and contraceptionHRT and other treatmentsLifestyle changesHealth after the menopauseAnd much more!
Written in a positive, uplifting and light-hearted style, with plenty of quotes from real women, this book shows you how to not just survive, but thrive through the menopause, letting you remain you.
The Happy Menopause by Jane Lynch
This practical nutrition and lifestyle guide provides women with the tools to build their own menopause diet which specifically targets the symptoms that are relevant to them. There are so many ways that nutrition can support a healthy and happy menopause, but a one-size-fits-all approach simply won’t work. The reality is that there are many different menopausal symptoms and no two women have the same experience.Jackie explains how the menopause and perimenopause can change your body and how your diet can make a tangible difference to the way that you feel, whether you’re using HRT or not. Each symptom section provides a range of targeted nutritional solutions, practical lifestyle advice and simple recipe tips that you can incorporate into your daily routine.A highly experienced clinician, Jackie specialises in providing real-world guidance to busy women. This book is designed to make the key information as easily accessible as possible and reflects her trademark practical style, which makes it the ideal one-stop solution for anyone juggling their menopause with the demands of a busy job and a hectic family life.
Podcasts
The Shift is a podcast that aims to tell the truth about being a woman post-40, created and hosted by journalist and author, Sam Baker.
In this frank, funny, painfully honest new podcast series, Sam talks to a variety of women about the good, the bad and the ugly side of being a supposedly grown up woman in a world that would quite like to ignore us. Each week, guests including Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes, Sara Collins and Jo Whiley share their experiences of getting older and how they rewrote the rule book. From body image to suddenly discovering all your clothes hate you, from confidence to career reinvention, they talk candidly about mental health, menopause and so much more.
Prepare yourself for a no-holds barred look at what it means to be a woman who’s “shifting” in a society that’s not interested in us. Clue: we’re not having it!
Gabby Logan is middle-aged and unashamed.
But what does it mean to be at the halfway stage of your life? Here, Gabby talks candidly to well-known faces about their own midlife challenges and expectations, drawing on the advice of experts from sleep gurus, nutritionists, and doctors specialising on hormone treatment.
Opening a well overdue conversation about diversity in Menopause. Placing the menopausal experience of Black UK based women front and centre by sharing their stories. Giving a hug, a hand or a high five to those supporting, dreading, suffering or thriving through menopause. Because, believe it or not, there’s a lot to celebrate too!
Online resources
A comprehensive menopause platform from Meg Matthews, tackling everything from individual symptoms to accounts of her own personal experiences.
This site is dedicated to supporting you throughout your menopause journey. This site provides tailored information about all stages of the menopause and the tools and support to help you make informed choices when it comes to managing your symptoms.
What have you found most helpful when learning about the menopause? Share your resources in the comments below!
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