Sexy Ageing

I met Mish Wright at the recent Fuel Women's Fitness Business Summit in Auckland, New Zealand. I knew we would hit it off and so this podcast interview is a collaboration - we are sharing this episode across both our podcast!

Mish Wright, a B.Ed and Dip Teach graduate, is an acclaimed women's health and fitness educator. Awarded Educator of the Year in NZ (2023) and Australia (2021), she heads education at Women's Fitness Education, hosting webinars, a podcast, and blogs. Mish founded the Women's Health and Fitness Summit, innovates training for diverse female life stages, and consults on women's health inclusion in fitness. Renowned for engaging pedagogy, she's a trailblazer shaping fitness education.

You can contact Mish

Kylie Gates is the Creative Director for Les Mills International, a Transformation Coach AND my Co-Host for the Women's Wellness Retreat in Bali in June 2024!

Kylie was on the Sexy Ageing podcast in March 2021. So much has transformed for both of us, including Kylie adding transition and transformational coaching as part of her human design toolbox.

In this episode we cover:

- Living a life at your highest purpose

- Challenges and transitions that happen during midlife (also known as midlife crisis)

- Having the courage to fulfil your dreams

- And some insights into what we will be offering at our retreat in Bali

MHT - menopause hormone therapy - also known as HRT is one of the the first line treatments for women suffering from menopause symptoms. 80% of women taking MHT have seen an improvement in their symptoms and for many women, it's a lifesaver.

And that leaves another 20% of women who are not having the same success. So what happens now?

A shocking realisation that no one was talking freely about menopause in Switzerland, was the catalyst for the work of Dr Adrian Krahn and Dr Joelle Zingraff. They are the Founders of The Women Circle Switzerland, an online support tool helping women understand their menopause journey as well as offering supplement support.

Chrissy Hearn is a riot! With a TikTok handle of "Chrissy50andcranky", Chrissy brings laughter and lightness to women worldwide with her musings on life as a 50+ year old woman.

Chrissy shares her experience through menopause and how she has reinvented herself in her post-menopause years and is ready to help other women do the same. Find and follow Chrissy if this episode resonates with you.

“It’s insulting how a supplement brand can pop out ONE product to fix ALL your symptoms - we aren’t about that” Kirsty Strowger

 From beauty to colon hydrotherapy to one of Australia’s leading women’s health supplements companies, Kirsty Strowger is the OG hustler, business maven, and health trend spotter. 

With long-held passions for inner health and natural healing, Kirsty Strowger started Nature’s Help 2012 as a weight loss supplement manufacturer with over 400 Australian stockists. In 2014 she added to her e-commerce success with the creation of Turmeric Australia, which after a short time was and still is the biggest and most respected online Turmeric range of nutraceuticals in Australia.

In 2020 Kirsty started to work on an idea to get women more engaged with each other around the topic of menopause. The biggest complaint most women had was there wasn’t a dedicated trusted high-quality natural range to go to help alleviate symptoms women were experiencing during this time.

Kirsty then set about doing what she does best. She designed something amazing for the women who created the world's population.

Cara Bradley, a seasoned mind-body expert and menopause performance coach with over 30 years of experience, is widely acknowledged for her transformative wellness and performance teaching and programs. She is passionate about empowering high-performing women to thrive through menopause by optimizing their mindset and lifestyle habits. 

Cara, the author of "On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine," is also the visionary Founder of the Verge Yoga Center. She was named among the "Top 12 Most Powerful Women in the Mindfulness Movement" by Mindful Magazine in 2020.

I know for a lot of women, the physical challenges can be a nightmare but in retrospect, both Cara and I noticed that the mental and emotional symptoms of perimenopause came first. We discuss
* Symptoms of anxiety, isolation, losing confidence, a sense of “fading”

* The work of Dr Lisa Mosconi and brain health during menopause

* The importance of mindset in menopause

* Making your life your greatest experiment 

* Mindset tools to manage symptoms

You can find Cara here

Author Jennifer Chesak is a medical journalist and fact-checker who knows what it’s like to live with chronic illness and get medically gaslighted. “I am the type of girl who does her research—like a lot of it,” she says. “I’ve researched psilocybin at length, specifically how psilocybin affects and may help women or people assigned female at birth, whether therapeutically, spiritually, or recreationally. You’ll find a synthesis of that research—along with personal stories, including my own—in this book.”

No other book on psilocybin investigates the intersection of magic mushrooms with women's health, and Chesak’s intent is to guide you through the growing body of research regarding psilocybin’s potential and provide you the safety details and considerations should you choose to use magic mushrooms.

This informative guidebook is packed full with everything you need to know about psilocybin (A.K.A. magic mushrooms), including its history, potential medicinal and recreational benefits, the latest evidence-based research, how to microdose and trip sit, and more. With The Psilocybin Handbook for Women, and in this interview, you’ll also get the answers to some of your most pressing questions, like:

• Does psilocybin affect women differently?
• Does it matter where I am in my cycle when I use psilocybin?
• Can psilocybin help with menstrual migraines, endometriosis, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder?
• Will psilocybin boost my sex life?
• Do hormones have an impact on the entourage effect?

You can connect with Jennifer

Midlife can be confronting AND it can also be a time to reinvent the second half of your life. I've often spoken of my desire to live the second half of my life with full intention and purpose but to get there, it's quite the journey!

Cue Judy King - Global Speaker | Human Design & Mindset Coach | Coach Trainer | Empowering women to lead boldly, unapologetically embracing their true selves + bring dreams to life!

Judy and I have a decades long friendship and I'm so excited to follow alongside her journey and how she transforming other women's lives with her work.

In this episode, we discuss:

- challenges we face as we age

- embracing adversity

- making friends with our inner critic

And so much more! Completely unfiltered and honest.

You can connect with Judy here:

In this episode, I interview Nikki Ellis, Owner of Cinch Training in Melbourne, Australia. Nikki is a passionate PT and thriving entrepreneur. She is the co-author of two books and was a university academic in the College of Exercise and Sports Science at Victoria University for seventeen years, lecturing in resistance training and teaching thousands of undergraduates during this time.   Nikki has transferred this love of teaching and sharing of knowledge to her successful podcast Find your Fierce with Nikki Ellis as well as running the morning group PT sessions at Cinch.   Nikki has presented at multiple conferences around the World and is passionate about helping you to be your strongest, most confident best as well as creating a community of likeminded people. Nikki is also the host of “Find Your Fierce” Podcast In this interview, we discuss: - living your best life in midlife - our passion for weight training and the power of resistance training to support midlife health and beyond. - Nikki's methodology for training in your 40s, 50s and beyond. - our mutual obsession for spinning classes - a robust discussion on nutrition - fasting, diets and more! - marriage, lockdowns and menopause

My guest, Aamilah is a pioneer in the world of menopause. An expert by lived in experience, she enables women to advocate for themselves and empowers them to make informed choices about their personal hormone health, from menstruation to perimenopause and beyond.

In this episode, Aamilah shares:

- her struggle with endometriosis and finding support

- her hysterectomy and how this propelled her into surgical menopause

- her Islam faith and how this supports her day-to-day life with menopause symptoms

- the support she offers other Muslim women and ALL women who need support during their menopause transition.

As the author of “A Brief History of the Female Body” releasing in August 2023, Dr Deena Emera helps to unpack the purpose of menopause and shares fascinating insights into the evolution of female reproduction. 

Deena started her science education at UC Berkeley, where she majored in Integrative Biology (and Middle Eastern Studies). She completed a Masters at NYU and a Ph.D at Yale where she studied the evolution of periods, pregnancy, and labour in humans and mammals.

Deena is now a Senior Scientist and Writer-in-Residence in the Center for Reproductive Longevity and Equality at the Buck Institute, where she is drawing on her evolutionary background and expertise on female reproduction to investigate the evolution of menopause. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• The big WHY! Why do women experience menopause?
• How and why our bodies evolve as females.
• How some whale species might hold the answer the reproductive longevity
• How environment and lifestyle might impact on your menopause experience
• Delaying pregnancies till later in life
• And how reproductive choice is the CORE of female mammalian biology. 

My guest today is Helen Brown, Head of Media and Investment at PHD in New Zealand. Helen and I have actually met in person, unlike so many of my guests. Helen invited me to speak for a women’s leadership luncheon held at Google HQ on menopause. Helen’s honesty and openness to sharing with other women is BRAVE. Here is Helen’s story.

In this episode, Helen and I discuss:

• Helen’s experience with menopause symptoms in the workplace
• The challenges of not knowing about menopause symptoms and how this impacts on performance at work
• The mental health challenges of menopause symptoms, including brain fog
• How to ask for support at work 
• The ongoing challenges of finding a doctor to support your menopause journey

Body dysmorphia, a distressing psychological condition, manifests as a distorted perception of one's appearance. This internal struggle becomes even more prevalent among midlife women, who face unique challenges in a society obsessed with youth and beauty standards. The pressures of ageing, hormonal changes, societal expectations, and the influence of social media intensify the impact of body dysmorphia during this transformative stage of life. I was so excited to interview Penny Ashton - a New Zealand based, self-employed performer, poet, podcaster, writer and wedding celebrant to discuss our unique experiences with body dysmorphia and how we have come to the wonderful conclusion that we have NO F***S LEFT TO GIVE.

We discuss (in no particular order) porn, Jane Austen, impostor syndrome, diets, Jenny Craig, liposuction, bodybuilding, THAT Gwyneth Paltrow interview, selfie angles, clothing sizes and slut shaming.

To connect with Penny:

Leisl Klaebe and I met online through the Women in Fitness Association L.E.A.D program at the perfect pivot point for both of us. The L.E.A.D program is a deep dive into "living on purpose" and for Leisl and I, we were both at a crossroads professionally. Leisl has had a career in the TV and film industry and over two decades in the fitness industry and she is not the Studio Director at Floe, an innovative online fitness business - the perfect marriage for fitness and production!

This episode debunks the myth of always having one career and opens the discussion of staying true to your purpose, at any age!

We discuss:

• What are the signs that it’s time to move to your next opportunity or career?
• The importance of learning, growing and chasing the magic.
• Making conscious choices and letting go of fear
• The importance of leading well
• Leisl’s philosophy on movement and making it accessible for all

To connect with Leisl

Following on from Episodes 74 and 75 with women who have experienced a hysterectomy and been thrown into surgical menopause, I unpack this topic with Dr Linda Dear, MBBS, FRNZCGP, BA (Hons) Psychology, DRCOG, NCMP and NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner. 

Linda answers the following questions (and more):

* What exactly is surgical menopause?

* What are the reasons a woman would have a hysterectomy?

* What's the difference between a natural and surgical menopause?

* What do women need to know about post surgery care and the onset of menopause?

* How does HRT support surgical menopause and how is it used?

* And what about testosterone?

Sue Salenger is the author of “Sidelined: How Women Manage and Mismanage their Health”. Sue wrote her first book at the age of 80. In this podcast episode, we discuss:

* You’re never too old and it’s never too late

• The challenges with diagnosing women’s health challenges
• Heart disease post-menopause and what we need to know about heart attacks
• The generation differences when seeking adequate healthcare
• The stress - sickness connection
• How we can have a positive experience in our consultations with our doctors.

You can find Sue and her book here:

Becks McCulloch is 46 and had perimenopause symptoms for 7 years before knowing what they were. She just suffered. I want to highlight at this point that Becks was 39 at the time of starting menopause. I often hear from women “I’m too young to be in menopause” and believe me, I thought that applied to me too! When you speak to someone who’s symptoms start in their late 30’s, it’s a bloody wake up call!

In this episode, we:

* compare symptoms and perimenopause experiences

* discuss the struggle to get motivated

* talk about feelings of isolation 

* unpack the role of a menopause support coach

* decide if menopause is "trending"

Becks is a trained and practicing physiotherapist, an accredited Menopause Support Coach and helps other women going through perimenopause with her knowledge, skills and lived experience.

Wishing all the listeners a very Merry Xmas!

Details on Becks:

Dr Ginni Mansberg has been a GP for almost 30 years, is a featured doctor on the Sunrise Breakfast Show in Australia, the author of "The M Word: how to thrive in menopause" and the Founder of Evidence Skincare.

In this episode we cover:

* The Women's Health Initiative and how this affected the lack of education for women approaching menopause.

* The increasing marketing to women in menopause - hot, sweaty and now poor!

* The "M word": the increasing conversation in Australia and Naomi Watts.

* What stops a woman from jumping at the gym?

* The most in depth skincare conversation I've ever had.

* How Dr Ginni developed Evidence Skincare and all the deets on Vitamin A, B3, C, E and sunscreen.

HERE'S THE LINKS!

I know the title of the podcast might seems a bit confronting but I believe it's important to understand that there is a lot to unpack when it comes to menopause, weight gain in menopause and overall women's health for longevity. My guest is Carys Sonnenberg, a NHS GP and Women's Health and Menopause Specialist. She is also the Founder of an online resource, Rowena Health, which provides facts and information for women in menopause.

In this episode, we unpack a lot

• We discuss some of the new marketing messages to women in menopause - the use of the words “meno-belly” “meno-weight” “fix your hormones” "rebalance your hormones”
• Her own experience with perimenopause as a doctor - recognising it in others but not in herself.
• What is metabolic syndrome? What is insulin resistance? What is the relationship to menopause?
• How does metabolic syndrome impact on health and  longevity?
• Weight gain vs HRT vs motivation
• The role of oestrogen in cognitive function.

Having a complete fangirl moment interviewing the iconic Maryon Stewart - I'll call her the OG of natural menopause management. With 28 books under her belt and the latest being "Manage Your Menopause Naturally" released in 2020, Maryon has helped 1000's of women around the world. With my own journey through perimenopause (still going) and my open use of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) , this made for a GREAT conversation. Topics we covered include:

- the importance of nutrition during menopause and nutritional deficiencies in women globally

- why Maryon isn't interested in HRT

- Menopause: a medical condition vs a life stage

- Maryon's own experience through menopause and how she was able to manage her symptoms

- why managing your health before and during menopause is vital for longevity

Georgina is an angel to 1000's of women around the world that have suffered with vaginal dryness - a symptom of menopause. Georgina's own personal story and purpose was the catalyst to creating NatFem Botanicals Soothing Balm which was shortlisted in the Pure Beauty Awards in London this year. As an additional episode for World Menopause Day and complementary to Dr Samantha Newman's episode, we expand further on this taboo topic. Well, taboo till now of course.

We also discuss:

- Georgina's menopause journey and stories from some of her customers.

- the impact of vaginal dryness on libido and intimacy.

- If we can use the anatomically correct word "vagina" on social media now?

- essential PH levels for a healthy vagina.

- lubricants vs moisturisors vs oils.

Dr Samantha Newman is a rockstar women's health specialist with a personal interest in supporting women through menopause. In this World Menopause Day episode, we are breaking the taboos and discussing vaginal dryness, a symptom that affects 30% of women in the menopause life stage - but that's only the percentage of women who will share that. Dr Samantha believes it's much more than 30%.

We discuss EVERYTHING:

* What is vaginal dryness and why does it happen in menopause?

* What are the symptoms?

*What is the impact on women physically, mentally, emotionally and relationally?

* Sex and libido in menopause

* UTI's

* Spin workouts 

* Self pleasure and vibrators

* Lubricants, vaginal moisturisers and oestrogen cream

Clare McCulloch has achieved a feat not too many people have. She has taken up a very competitive sport in her 40's, made the National team and competes regularly overseas. Clare is on Team GB (Great Britain) for triathlon and does it all with the beautific smile and positive energy I remember her for. In this episode, Clare and I discuss the challenges with being an elite athlete in your 40's, our time as the OG Spin instructors at Fire Fit Malaysia, goal setting in midlife and how athletes are discussing menopause.

How do fitness trainers manage their menopause symptoms? It's a NEW discussion for those of us within the fitness industry as many women I know that work within the industry had never had a discussion about menopause or perimenopause symptoms. 

This honest and open discussion with Wendy Elphinstone, Presenter and Trainer from Les Mills Asia Pacific, bares all. From weight gain to anxiety to vaginal dryness - we will give you the heads up! I'm so grateful for women like Wendy who continue to inspire instructors and gym members alike AND own this stage of life with honesty.

(Apologies for the echo in this episode - not quite sure what happened there! But worth listening to nevertheless)

If you've been searching for the answers on what and how you should be eating during the menopause transition, then this is the episode for you! Lisa Walker is the BePure Wellness leading health specialist and clinical manager. Lisa has been in the fitness and wellness industry for eight years and we had the BEST time discussing the FACTS on nutrition at this challenging life stage for women. We cover:

- Lisa's incredible journey to optimal health after an eating disorder

- Protein sources and amounts needed to maintain muscle and health in menopause

- What's up with all the snacks?

- We dissect the Keto diet

- How the microbiome is affected by changing hormone levels

- Lisa's top tips for nutrition for women in menopause.

What do you get when you have two international fitness professionals/podcasters/authors together on the same podcast? A very passionate discussion about exercise of course! Except that so may people are still not exercising or moving in a way that is going to keep them healthy for life. Bevan James Eyles says "we are failing in fitness" but then went on to write the book "I Will Make You Passionate About Exercise"

Bevan and I have known each other for over 20 years in the industry and as we gain the years of experiences, we can reflect on the psychology of exercise adherence and how to help people get moving in a way that is enjoyable and daily. 

You can find out more on Bevan here:

Ingrid Seaburn answers all my skincare woes. As one of the last perimenopause symptoms I'm still battling with, it's so good to talk with a skincare expert in her 50's who knew exactly what I need to do. And it's not all topical! 

Ingrid is a famous facialist having clients such as Delta Goodrem, Teri Hatcher, Pip Edwards (Yes! Founder of P.E Nation) and Rachel Griffiths to name a few. She was also 2 degrees of separation to doing George Clooney's facial but you'll have to listen to the podcast to hear all about that!

To find out more on the fabulous Ingrid and her work, check out:

Sara Kooperman - dancer, aerobics instructor, lawyer, business owner and CEO of SCW Fitness Education and Water in Motion. Sara is a leader, icon and mentor to the fitness industry internationally. I look up to women like Sara for all the incredible change they have made in an industry that I love. She continues to inspire women business leaders and continues to trail blaze for so many of us. For similar inspirational episodes with female fitness industry icons, check out:

(On Apple Podcasts)

In recognition of Pride Month, I was honoured to interview my favourite same sex couple - my sister Tia Minnoch and her partner, Jenny Grant. The menopause journey is a challenge in a relationship where you are trying to explain to your partner what you are experiencing, let alone TWO women going through it together. I'm so grateful that Tia and Jenny were happy to chat with me on the podcast to represent the rainbow community in menopause. 

We also talk about our new Public Holiday in New Zealand - Matariki - the Maori New Year. We all feel honoured to be celebrating this holiday - tune in to find out all about it!

Big question here - why would women consider testosterone as a support aid for menopause? 

Dr Shahzadi Harper, based in the UK, is a menopause and wellbeing doctor specialising in optimising women's health. She is also the co-author of the book “The Perimenopause Solution” with Emma Bardwell.

In this episode, we discuss:

- testosterone for women as a menopause support tool

- why 1 in 3 women will lose their libido in the menopause transition

- if you don't "use it", do you "lose it"

- gender health equality

You can find out more on Dr Shahzadi here:

The "period" talk in my teen years wasn't exactly positive. It was a bit taboo and I remember feeling awkward and embarrassed. Ironically, in my 50's, I am now having conversations where there is a level of awkwardness discussing perimenopause!! BUT, this is not the case with my teenage daughter, Jazz Maia (17) who freely speaks about periods with her friends and our family and knows A LOT about perimenopause.

I hope you enjoy the candid and unedited podcast episode - Let's Talk!

(No harm was done to animals or children in the making of this episode LOL - Jazz was a willing and happy participant - lucky me!)

Niki Bezzant is the author of the #1 best seller "This Changes Everything: the honest guide to menopause and perimenopause".

Niki is an author, writer, speaker and journalist and has been instrumental in educating women on "the change" in New Zealand. In this episode, we discuss:

- Niki's survey on women in New Zealand and the surprising results and feedback she received.

- Mental Health symptoms vs physical symptoms of menopause.

- How New Zealand women can be supported in menopause.

You can find out more on Niki here:

I've been working on a course to help women figure out the menopause transition. This course is a compliment to the podcast and book and is going to help you through the following pillars:

1. Hormones - what's happening?

2. Sleep - why it's so important

3. Fitness Training in Menopause

4. Nutrition for Menopause

5. Stress, Rest and Recovery

6. Joy and Community

Course Discount - "sexyageing10"

LINKS

Kate is a mentor, speaker, facilitator, artist, writer and has been a therapist for 30 years. A pioneering spirit, Kate was the first to graduate as a Menstruality Medicine Circle facilitator, is the host of "Life - An Inside Job" podcast, created the multi-level art textile project The Pants of Empowerment and Threads of Friendship, and creates seasonal Yoga Nidra inspired by the land where she lives in Hertfordshire. With Leora Leboff she co-founded Woman Kind facilitating retreats for menstruating and menopausal folk to build more kindness into their lives.

To find out more on Kate and access her book "Second Spring: the Self Care Guide to Menopause" - check the links.

Leah Simmons is a certified Pilates Instructor, Personal Trainer and Kundalini Yoga Teacher. She has dedicated over 14 years to transforming people’s physiques (including her own) but soon realised that just training your body wasn’t enough to make you happy. After moving to Bali in 2015, Leah embarked on a 4-year journey of self-discovery to uncover exactly what it took to be truly healthy and truly happy.

Leah created KAAIAA; a fitness program to help people unlock the courage and strength inside themselves to go beyond what they think is possible… and ultimately transform their life.

Her philosophy is simple - "Change the way you view yourself and you’ll change the way the world views you"

You can connect with Leah and KAAIAA in the links

I want to thank Kimberley Holiday-Coleman for her honest and candid interview on surviving colorectal cancer and living with a colostomy bag. In a world where midlife women often struggle with their changing bodies, Kimberley cracks open what it means to be positive in your body. Post cancer, Kimberley went on to win a burlesque competition, walk in a Melbourne Fashion Week show and had her photos shared with Dove, all while baring her colostomy bag and post operative scars. 

Today, this mom of 6 kiddos and wife of 22+ years offers a refreshing perspective on body image, self-acceptance, community, her stoma, and finding joy in life after cancer/trauma and dismantling negative stigmas/ break down barriers with the goal to promote positivity for both, ostomy and cancer awareness.

According to a study conducted by the British Menopause Society, 40% of women claimed to have brain fog and forgetfulness during their menopause transition. And so many of us think we have early onset dementia! Tune in to my personal experience with brain fog, forgetfulness and a drop in personal self-confidence. I share stories from other women in this episode too! This content is from my book "My Menopause Memoir" available from amazon.com

When was the last time you spoke about death? And do you know how you would want your life to be celebrated? Do your loved ones know?

I spoke with Dr Kim Fischer about the hard conversation on dying and it was one of the most interesting and uplifting conversations I have ever had about death. Admittedly, there haven't been many!

Dr. Kim Fischer is a board-certified physician anesthesiologist and the founder of Lucid, an advanced care planning coaching service. She has practiced medicine for over ten years and supported countless families through difficult conversations and decisions. These experiences have proven to Dr. Fischer the tremendous value of engaging in end-of-life conversations in times of health.

This is one of the first and most noticeable symptoms for entering the perimenopause stage. This chapter is from my book "My Menopause Memoir" available from Amazon.com