It has come to my attention whilst putting my 30-day online menopause programme together that when you mention the word menopause, it conjures up a lot of negativity. I read an article recently on life with and without oestrogen, and quite frankly by the end, I felt positively depressed with it's; you're damned if you do and damned if you don't attitude towards this hormone.
Combine this with extensive media exposure about hot flushes and night sweats and jokes at the expense of those that experience these often embarrassing and inconvenient symptoms, lest not forget the list of symptoms from the 7 dwarves of the menopause (itchy, bitchy, sweaty, sleepy, bloated, forgetful and psycho) accompanied with a delightful graphic of 7 men!
According to a recent survey of over 1100 women 'changing the conversation about menopause', 96% of women said they were underprepared for menopause and over 2/3rds said they were shocked by their menopause symptoms, often feeling isolated and afraid of what the future holds for them.
So, it will come as no surprise that women in their forties are terrified about boarding the MenoTRAIN ride, because if the media is to be believed its quite frankly bloody terrifying.
However, this train is compulsory, so you have two choices: do you bury your head in the sand and wait to see if your symptoms hit you like a brick wall or do you prepare yourself for the menopause and get your body in the best physical and emotional shape to ease you through this transitional period, then come out the other side with a positive mindset, a strong body and a new zest for life.
I created my 30-day online menopause programme because last year I worked with many women over 40 who wanted to lose weight. What quickly became apparent was when these women changed their nutrition and lifestyle habits in accordance with my weight loss nutrition and lifestyle guidelines, their menopause symptoms eased or went completely.
So, What's your choice - MenoTHRIVE or MenoFEAR?
