# My Menopause Transformation

> MyMT™ is privileged to empower 18,000+ women with the knowledge and solutions to restore their health in midlife

> Admin Email: systems@digitalstream.co.nz


## Posts

### Will increasing your protein intake reduce menopause belly-fat?

Peri-Menopause is an inflammatory phase of the woman's life-cycle.				
		Sex, Myths and Menopause – I saw this well-publicised documentary made by the UK's Celebrity Journalist Davina McCall, a couple of years ago now. She didn’t realise she was in peri-menopause and like millions of women, she was confused about her hot flushes, depression, and brain fog.Whilst she did a great job of busting taboos about menopause, and primarily promoting HRT for women (something that is between a woman and her Doctor), there was a lot missing from her documentary.After a decade of studying the inflammatory effects of menopause as well as coaching thousands of women on the MyMT™ programmes using lifestyle science evidence specific to this life-stage, I was waiting to hear about 'inflammaging' - the science of inflammatory changes that occur with age, and which accelerate as women transition from peri-menopause to post-menopause. Like many documentaries and books I've read about menopause written by celebrities, journalists and even doctors, they are almost always missing the discussion about changes to the cardiovascular system, as well as the liver and gut changes that occur with age.And this is an important point. Because with the world going mad about very high protein diets for midlife women, poor gut and liver health, can affect the uptake of proteins, especially if women aren't sleeping. Avery high protein intake may cause bloating, flatulence and for women already overweight, more weight gain, as it did for Angela, below.   Peri-menopause is known as a systemic (all-over) inflammatory phase of the life-course [McCarthy & Raval, 2022], so focusing on reducing inflammatory changes through specific lifestyle solutions is an integral part of your self-care during menopause.  And please take note, if you are already overweight or obese (a waist circumference over 84cm for women), then I'm also referring to the inflammatory changes occuring in your fat cells. Fat cells have a secret life. If women have a lot of deeper visceral fat, then the fat cells are storing and producing oestrogens that are sourced via the diet, medications, chemicals and plastics (known as xeno-estrogens).All oestrogens are recycled in the gut and for many overweight or obese women, these excess and recycled oestrogens, may be metabolised differently, if they also have a fatty liver. This is why there has also been interest in the mode of delivery of transdermal HRT (skin patch), which bypasses the liver. 		
																														
					Does a high protein diet cause weight gain in already overweight women? 				
		Weight gain in menopausal and post-menopausal women is an important topic. In New Zealand alone there has been an increase in overweight and obese status in women over the past few years and yes, menopausal and post-menopausal women contribute to these stats. New Zealand has the third highest adult obesity rate in the OECD, and our rates continue to increase. (MoH, 2025).The NZ Ministry of Health reports a significant increase from 2019/20 to 2022/24 for women (31.9% to 35.9%) and stats are similar in other western countries as well.Canada stats are similar. During the 2022-2024 period, 34.8% of women over the age of 45 years were classified as having obesity (BMI of 30.0 or higher), while an estimated 30% were in the overweight range (BMI 25.0-29.9). Combined, nearly two-thirds of women in this age group are classified as overweight or obese.Why do women put on weight during menopause? It’s the question that I had to ask myself when I put on 15kg, and yes, I was on HRT. I had no idea at the time that the menopause transition increases susceptibility to weight gain and obesity for so many women. But it's not just to do with our hormones. It was my studies that led me to explore the role of the liver and gut health on menopause-related weight gain.There are also changes occuring in our muscles, espeically the mitochondria in skeletal muscle,(the organelles that help to ‘burn fat’). With changes occuring in the size and density of muscles (sarcopenia), then there are inflammatory changes that may be occurring within the mitochondria, which are also ageing. Muscle tissue is replete with oestrogen receptors, which is why, when oestrogen is declining, there is now such an emphasis on very high protein diets and resistance training. The question is however, for overweight and obese women, who may also have a fatty liver and/or a fatty pancreas, how high is too high? I mention these organs, because it is the gut, liver and pancreas, which are doing a lot of work to turn-over protein in foods, in order for the amino-acids, to be utilised in muscle. Some amino acids do go directly to both skeletal and cardiac muscle. These are the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are leucine, isoleucine, and valine and these proteins largely bypass initial metabolism in the liver and are primarily taken up and catabolized by extrahepatic tissues, particularly skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle. [Paulusma et al., 2022].This is why, for women wanting to manage their weight, or to lose weight, then it’s important to understand protein requirements to offset muscle tissue breakdown and to maintain metabolism.Muscles are at the heart of your metabolism, as is the liver and gut.That's why I enjoyed reading the proposed study into protein requirements during the menopause transition [Simpson et al., 2023]. Based on analysis of nutritional changes during the menopause transition, the authors of the study, identified enhanced bodily protein breakdown as a trigger for weight gain during and after menopause. This mechanism is known as the Protein Leverage Effect. (Simpson et al, 2023].It arises when progressive net bodily protein losses induce increased appetite for protein. If there is not a corresponding increase in the dietary protein concentration, the predicted consequence is excess non-protein food intake. In other words, part of the purpose of the slightly increased protein intake during and after menopause, is not only with the reduction of muscle loss in mind, but also because protein is filling.   The research suggests to get protein intake up to around 20% of total daily intake and for the average woman, this equates to around 1.0 to 1.4 gms/kg/day of healthy, low fat protein. For overweight and obese women, in my own 12 week Transform Me programmes I do focus on whether women are having too much or too little protein. I suggest starting around 1.0gm of protein per kg of body weight per day (1.0gm/kg/day) and move this up to 1.2 or 1.4 gm/kg/body weight as they add in their exercise.This should account for around 20%-25% of total daily intake, a percentage that the research suggests as well. I know that numerous Exercise Professionals and others working in the menopause space, encourage around 30%-40% of the total daily intake of food from protein, however, for women who are overweight and not doing a lot of heavy exercise, then too much protein can stress the kidneys and the liver. [Lonnie, Hooker et al, 2018; Osuna-Padilla et al., 2018].Excess protein converts to excess energy and greater storage in fat cells as well as places stress on an already over-burdened liver.This is why I also have a focus on liver health and improved oestrogen clearance for women who are overweight. Conversely, for those women who are having too little protein in their diet, then this may also contribute to a more rapid rate of muscle breakdown. This is what we are trying to prevent during the menopause transition.When we lose muscle, then this changes our metabolism and we don't tend to 'burn-fat' as efficiently and this loss of muscle may have implications for sarcopenia and osteoporosis further into post-menopause.  “A failure to change the composition of the diet by the introduction of additional protein and removal of excess processed carbohydrates and/or excess fat, may result in an increased energy intake and storage and therefore, increased body weight during menopause.” [Simpson et al, 2022].		
																														
					Minimum Daily Protein Intake for Women				
		What does the minimum daily protein intake look like for an 80kg overweight woman? Not all women who are 80kg are overweight obviously, because this total weight includes both muscle and fat tissue as well as bone.But for women who have increased belly-fat and the deep visceral fat that may lead to a condition called Metabolic Syndrome, then 80 grams of protein spread throughout the day might look like this:		
																														
		Of course, when we focus on our protein intake (not too much and not too little), then we also have to look at our intake of carbohydrates and fats so that we don't overeat!This is important in terms of weight loss management, so for those of you who may be on a high fat diet (e.g. Keto) and you are now increasing protein intake, then please be aware that you need to remove some of this fat! A high protein diet combined with a high fat diet can spell disaster for your ageing liver and gut health as well as your weight.It's why my focus in the MyMT™ Transform Me programme is on 15-20% total fat intake so that women can lose the deep visceral, storage fat and stop gaining.It's this deeper visceral fat that sends women into cardiovascular and metabolic chaos, leading them towards poorer post-menopause health. For overweight and obese women in their menopause and post-menopause transition, weight loss matters to our cardiovascular and metabolic health as we age. 		
																														
		On December 6th, I’m opening up my New Year Visible (and Invisible) Results Transform Me January Sale for pre-registration ready to commence anytime throughout January. Numbers will be limited for this intake as I want to work with women more closely in my coaching community. If you have found that you are struggling with menopause weight gain, especially abdominal and thigh fat, then I invite you to join me, whether you are on HRT or not.With up to NZ$400 savings (for both Transform Me and Rebuild My Fitness), this price won’t be repeated. If you are on my mailing list then please watch out for my emails about this from December 6th, so you get first preference as a member of my newsletter community.  Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian & British  Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																														
		References: Jull J, Stacey D, Beach S, Dumas A, Strychar I, Ufholz LA, Prince S, Abdulnour J, Prud'homme D. Lifestyle interventions targeting body weight changes during the menopause transition: a systematic review. J Obes. 2014; 824310. Kapoor E, Collazo-Clavell ML, Faubion SS. Weight Gain in Women at Midlife: A Concise Review of the Pathophysiology and Strategies for Management. Mayo Clin Proc. 2017 Oct;92(10):1552-1558. Kodoth V, Scaccia S, Aggarwal B. Adverse Changes in Body Composition During the Menopausal Transition and Relation to Cardiovascular Risk: A Contemporary Review. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022 Jun 13;3(1):573-581.Lonnie M, Hooker E, Brunstrom JM, Corfe BM, Green MA, Watson AW, Williams EA, Stevenson EJ, Penson S, Johnstone AM. Protein for Life: Review of Optimal Protein Intake, Sustainable Dietary Sources and the Effect on Appetite in Ageing Adults. Nutrients. 2018 Mar 16;10(3):360. doi: 10.3390/nu10030360.Osuna-Padilla IA, Leal-Escobar G, Garza-García CA, Rodríguez-Castellanos FE. Dietary Acid Load: mechanisms and evidence of its health repercussions. Nefrologia (Engl Ed). 2019 Jul-Aug;39(4):343-354. Paulusma CC, Lamers WH, Broer S, van de Graaf SFJ. Amino acid metabolism, transport and signalling in the liver revisited. Biochem Pharmacol. 2022 Jul;201:115074. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115074. Simpson SJ, Raubenheimer D, Black KI, Conigrave AD. Weight gain during the menopause transition: Evidence for a mechanism dependent on protein leverage. BJOG. 2023 Jan;130(1):4-10. Stachowiak G, Pertyński T, Pertyńska-Marczewska M. Metabolic disorders in menopause. Prz Menopauzalny. 2015 Mar;14(1):59-64. doi: 10.5114/pm.2015.50000. Epub 2015 Mar 25.

### A Tangled Threesome: Circadian rhythm, body temperature and menopause hot flushes.

We're all being told that climate change is a critical concern throughout the world, and as sprng moves into summer soon in my part of the world, and the temperature heats up, I know how tough the outside temperature may be for those of you struggling with hot flushes and night sweats.

Many of my clients in the northern parts of Australia relate to this, I know!

Hot flushes, night sweats and menopause insomnia are all related physiological events. So, when it comes to the regulation of our body temperature in middle-age, and how we respond to environmental heat and heat loss from our body, women differ from men.

I bet that many of you, like me, never gave your heat regulation a thought prior to menopause.

But the skin - our largest organ - is replete with oestrogen receptors.

Not only does this mean that these receptors struggle to find oestrogen to attach to them as oestrogen levels naturally decline during the menopause transition, but because the skin is also replete with sweat glands, there are changes to these as well.

Which is why, when it comes to regulation of heat in menopause, we can't compare ourselves to males.

Women have a greater subcutaneous fat content compared to males and fat isn't a wonderful  conductor of heat. Hence if we put on weight during menopause, hot flushes/ flashes may increase.

When it comes to heat regulation in the female body though, it isn't always about our sweat glands and how we get rid of heat. There are other factors going on too.

And this is why, I want you to know about the curious connection between your circadian rhythm, body heat and hot flushes and why temperature regulation changes with age.


Why you have to sleep to beat the heat!
When I first began to have hot flushes and high blood pressure as I moved into my early 50s, nobody mentioned my lack of sleep or circadian rhythm. The aches and pains arrived not long afterwards as did my feelings of fatigue.

These days I know why those endless expensive supplements and HRT weren’t helping to reduce my body temperature either.

Menopause hormonal changes affect the circadian cycle of the body, which in turn, disrupts temperature regulation, which in turn, disrupts the cardiovascular and immune health of women. It is indeed a 'tangled threesome!'. [Coiffard, Diallo et al, 2021].

‘In mammals, including humans, the body temperature displays a strict circadian rhythm and has to be maintained within a narrow range to allow optimal physiological functions. 

There is nowadays growing evidence on the role of the temperature circadian rhythm on the expression of the molecular clock. The Circadian Rhythm Body Temperature (CRBT) participates in the phase coordination of circadian timekeepers in peripheral tissues, thus guaranteeing the proper functioning of the immune system’.

[Coiffard, Diallo et al, 2021]



Your circadian rhythm (the regulation of your body’s 24 hour clock), strongly influences your human biology and disease states.

Almost all of the functions of the human body show circadian pattern that is under control of biological clocks. Biological clocks differ from the circadian clock. In humans, nearly every tissue and organ has its own circadian rhythm, called a biological clock, and collectively they are tuned to the daily cycle of day and night (the circadian rhythm).

From our blood pressure to our immune health, to our temperature control, to liver health and gut function, our circadian clock matters.

Menopause hormonal changes mess up these biological clocks when you aren't sleeping, or if you do a lot of long-haul flying. Shift work also messes up your biological clocks and your circadian rhythm.  

This may be why, if your HRT isn't working any more, nor are your various supplements to help your hot flushes, especially if you are in post-menopause, then you might want to have a little focus on restoring your circadian rhythm. Yes, in menopause and beyond, it's that important for your healthy ageing and your weight management too.


Every major organ works to your circadian night/day cycle.
The image above of Christine, is a powerful example of how focusing on your sleep matters to blood pressure. She is a nurse, who has worked shifts for many years and didn't understand the vascular (blood vessel) changes occuring during her menopause transition.

Circadian type blood pressure rhythm refers to the daily variation of BP that is generally higher during the day than at night – it’s especially high in the early evening hours when you are getting home from work, or doing all the jobs that you need to get done. If you feel over-heated in the evening, then this is when both blood pressure and temperature increases as part of a normal circadian pattern.

Between 6pm – 9pm is when your blood pressure is high and your body temperature at its highest as well.

For women joining me on my menopause symptom reduction programmes, I suggest new evening routines and foods which are evidenced to help to lower their blood pressure, especially after a busy, stressful day at work. 

Physiological body temperature is approximately 37˚C in healthy humans with approximately, a 1˚ variation within the circadian cycle.

If you want to manage your hot flushes in menopause and you want to reduce your blood pressure and improve your immune health, then you need to sort out your circadian cycle as much as you can. The effects of temperature variability on immune function can't be underestimated. A higher body temperature makes us more vulnerable to infection and immune disorders. (Coiffard et al., 2021).

It’s why the very first module I have in the MyMT™ programmes is simply called ‘Sleep All Night’ – it’s that important to your hot flushes and blood pressure management.


Factors disrupting your circadian rhythm and biological clocks during menopause.

 	The type, timing and amount of food you eat. Women on my programmes know that high protein diets increase heat production in the body. Protein has the highest thermo-genic (heat generating) effect. Many daily protein calculations are derived from sports nutrition studies, so I change this calculation to reflect women’s health and ageing research. Furthermore, our body needs glucose from starch carbohydrates and metabolism of this is better in the morning. Numerous women get off all carbohydrates and go on high-fat Keto diets, but there are certain carbohydrates that we need for our cardiac health and circadian cycle.
 	The level of inflammation in your body going into menopause (those of you with high stress levels or you are doing lots of exercise, please take note!).
 	How efficiently you can dissipate (remove) the heat from your skin as sweat. This emerges as a problem in women during menopause, as skin (our largest organ), changes in response to the decline in oestrogen.
 	Whether you are a shift-worker. Night workers display significant circadian rhythm abnormalities, including disruption of the body temperature. I have lots of shift workers on my programmes and I work with them to put in place strategies that help them prepare for sleeping in the day.
 	Whether you work late into the night and go to bed late.
 	The amount of physical exercise or activity you are doing as well as how aerobically fit you are. One of the things I discuss in the Rebuild My Fitness programme is that how quickly your heart rate returns to normal after exercise is now seen as an important marker, not only as a measurement of aerobic fitness, but also as a biomarker of the circadian management of blood pressure. [Okutucu et al., 2011].


Get in Sync!
The regulation of your body temperature is synchronized by your body clock and this is regulated by light reaching your tiny pineal gland every morning.

This is why our brain needs to register a contrast between day and night – to ensure that our body experiences a reproducible rhythm in behaviour, waking in the morning and sleeping in the evening.

This helps our brain to ‘rest’ and ‘wake’ which in turn helps to regulate the function of other circadian clocks on many peripheral tissues, such as the liver, heart, arteries, skin and lymphocytes.

For women going into menopause and beyond, this is crucial to know, because every one of these regions in the body are declining in oestrogen and as such, our menopause transition affects the function of other organs in our body.

Hence, as women on my 12 week coaching programmes discover, if we sort out our circadian rhythm changes during menopause, then we sort out many of our other symptoms too.

I talk about this in my online Masterclass on Menopause and give you some solutions in this wonderful educational module for you as well. Have a listen to the video below when you can as I explain what's in my 2 hr Masterclass - and yes, because I've pre-recorded it, you can 'pause' me anytime you like as well.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ My Menopause Transformation Founder. 
Learn about the world class MyMT™ Programs.
Can I help you with your symptoms or your weight?

If you are struggling with your mid-life weight, health or symptoms, then come on board into my 12 week online programs.  MyMT™ programs are normally available for NZ$399 each for 3 months and you work with me to problem-solve too. Please do check out the MyMT website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers.

Or as a starting point, you can purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause. This is only NZ$15 (approx. AUS$14, US$9 or UK£7.50).  I hope you can join me in this powerful 2 hour webinar.

The great news is that now you can watch it anytime, anywhere and even pause it whenever you like and go and make yourself a cuppa too.


Learn More


Buy now

https://youtu.be/pMpALfl8pUQ

References:

Coiffard, B., Diallo, A. B., Mezouar, S., Leone, M., & Mege, J. L. (2021). A Tangled Threesome: Circadian Rhythm, Body Temperature Variations, and the Immune System. Biology, 10(1), 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10010065

Kaciuba-Uscilko, H., Grucza, R. (2001). Gender differences in thermoregulation. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 4(6), 533-536

Jehan, S., Giardin, J-L, Auguste, E., et al (2017). Sleep, Melatonin and the Menopausal Transition: What are the links? Sleep Science, 10(1): 11-18.

Molnar, G. (1975). Body temperatures during menopausal hot flashes. J. of Applied Physiology,  38.3.499

Okutucu, S. & Karakulak, U. & Kabakci, G. (2011). Circadian blood pressure pattern and cardiac autonomic functions: Different aspects of same pathophysiology. The Anatolian Journal of Cardiology. 11. 168-73. 10.5152/akd.2011.031.

Reinke H. & Asher G. (2017). Circadian clock control of liver metabolic functions. Gastroenterology, 150: 574–580.

Rizzi, M. et al. (2016). Sleep Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.  Journal of Pain Relief, 5:2, 1-5

Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. Int. Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.

### Hypertension and Menopause: Your morning wake-up heat wave and the Cortisol Awakening Response [CAR].

"Do you know why, when I immediately wake-up, I get a heat surge through my body?” she asked.

The question took me back in time. In my early 50s, I experienced the same phenomenon. Even though I’m in post-menopause now, I still have the odd ‘heat surge on waking-up’ moment.

When this happens, I now understand why. It's a higher Cortisol Awakening Response which leads to a higher blood pressure. So I lie quietly, take some deep, slow breaths to calm my respiratory rate and heart rate, before getting up to start my day.


What is the Cortisol Awakening Response?
I first heard about cortisol and a phenomenon known as the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), when I was studying sport and exercise science and exploring the hormonal and blood pressure changes, which occur in female athletes who over-train.

I never imagined that I would be going back to studying this, during my menopause transition, many, many years later.

You may have heard of Cortisol - it's one of our stress hormones, that I'm always referring to. As a stress hormone it is made in our adrenal glands and as such, it is known as a 'glucocorticoid hormone'.

What this means, is that it is produced from cholesterol circulating in your blood stream. In this case, cortisol is made from the 'good' cholesterol - HDL Cholesterol, in your adrenal glands.

Increased cortisol production occurs when you wake up, exercise or face a stressful event. Your pituitary gland in your brain reacts to these situations and sends a signal to your adrenal glands to produce the right amount of cortisol.

And here's where your morning wake-up heat production is related to cortisol production. Because this powerful hormone is a glucocorticoid hormone, it also has an effect on the tone or elasticity of our blood vessels.

The awakening response is due to higher cortisol levels and for some of you, your adrenals are producing more cortisol, than they should when you wake up. This is turn affects your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. In turn, these metabolic changes also cause the wave of heat to pass through your body as the blood vessels don't dilate as readily as they used to now that you are in menopause or post-menopause.
The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is the acute increase of the cortisol level in the 30-45 minutes after awakening. 
CAR is believed to act as a “boosting” mechanism, to aid in physiologically preparing one for waking up and getting on with the tasks of our day.

As such, the morning hot flashes you may be feeling, may be because you aren’t sleeping well, or your blood pressure and resting heart rate are elevated, or you are carrying more inflammatory changes than you should be.

Because the cortisol-awakening-response is driven by your nerves and hormones (neuro-endocrine system), any irregularities depend on how balanced your hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal glands are.

The connection that these three organs have is known as the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA axis) and the working of this axis is considered to be influenced by, and sensitive to, a host of psychological conditions and stressors.

All of which affect your cortisol levels throughout the day.


Managing Cortisol Levels During Menopause
Workplace and personal stress, over-exercising, insomnia, too much fasting and of course, the hormonal changes that we undergo in menopause, all affect your HPA-axis function, which in turn affects your cortisol response. 
Cortisol is widely recognized as one of our stress hormones. Some is good, too much, isn't good. 

This hormone has a diurnal (day-night) pattern and works in with our sleep hormone called melatonin. Cortisol levels are generally high in the morning and low at night, unless there are disruptions to its normal fluctuations throughout the day, such as when we are busy, exhausted, over-exercising or stressed.
For women going through menopause, high levels of exercise affect cortisol levels
If you do a lot of exercise, particularly heavy, intense exercise, then also be aware that cortisol concentrations increase during exercise.

This powerful hormone helps to free proteins from the muscle, to be used in the liver for the production and use of more glucose. This is why, for endurance athletes especially, they tend to not have the size of muscles that bodybuilders have. Increased exposure to cortisol increases muscle breakdown or catabolism.
It’s the same for women doing lots of high-intensity exercise and not sleeping – the greater the exercise intensity, the higher the levels of cortisol.
As I’m always saying to women who come onto the MyMT™ programmes,

‘without proper recovery, intense exercise can lead to elevated levels of cortisol in the bloodstream and heightened symptoms of physical stress, even when exercise is not being performed. Such as first thing in the morning. For women in menopause, this elevated cortisol, can give them a hot flush on awakening'.

Elevated heart rate and /or elevated cortisol go hand in hand – add on dehydration, inflammation, low blood glucose, low iron levels, and additional stress, then, whether you are an exerciser or not, elevated cortisol can give you hot flashes in the morning on awakening.


Are you waking up to hot flashes  in the morning?
Hot flushes and night sweats differ from the general heat you may feel when you wake-up. Generally, then Cortisol Awakening Response [CAR], doesn't lead to sweating first thing in the morning.

However, an elevated heart rate, the anticipated stress of your day and overnight insomnia, can contribute to an elevated Cortisol Awakening Response and the feeling that you are sweating or having hot flushes.
Declining Elasticity and Tone in Blood Vessels Increases CAR
For over a decade now, I've talked about the changes to blood vessels as women move through menopause. This is known as arterial or vascular stiffness. I also introduce you to this phenomenon in the Masterclass on Menopause, which is now online for you.

Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing, so, numerous changes are occurring around our body. This includes changes to our blood vessels and other organs.

Hormones travel in the blood. They contact virtually all body tissues, however, most of them have targeted actions specific to the different hormone receptors, including in our blood vessels.

As women's oestrogen levels naturally decline during menopause, blood vessels are ageing. This leads to vascular or arterial stiffness and you have the ability to slow down this rate of vascular ageing, simply by looking after your blood vessels. This includes:

 	Stress management
 	Anti-inflammatory nutrition
 	Adequate sleep
 	Weight management
 	Moderate aerobic exercise
 	Not smoking
 	Reducing alcohol intake

The declining elasticity in blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, means that we may feel more bloated, our legs may feel heavy, restless and aching (especially for exercisers). Blood pressure and heat regulation may get out of balance too.

When we have busy, stressful, and/or active lives, the vascular stiffness can leave us feeling exhausted. 

This is why feelings of overwhelm, high cortisol levels, insomnia and burnout, contribute to worsening symptoms as women move through menopause.


How can I manage my blood pressure and hot flushes in the morning?
Understanding why many of you may be feeling the heat on waking up is important, especially those of you in post-menopause and/or whether you are on HRT.

Simply, because there are simple lifestyle strategies you can put in place.  

 	Calming strategies, such as deep-breathing are helpful to reduce your heart rate.
 	Add higher Vitamin C in the morning. Vitamin C reduces vascular stiffness by acting as an antioxidant, scavenging free radicals, and promoting the production of nitric oxide (NO), which relaxes blood vessels. I talk about this important vitamin in all of my programmes - yes, it's that important!
 	You have to sleep! If you aren't sleeping well, then this is crucial to turn around to help manage your blood pressure. If you find you can't go another night without sleep, then try to join me on the MyMT™ programmes.
 	For those of you doing heavy weight training, and eating very high protein diets, just be aware that this strategy can put up blood pressure in women who aren't sleeping well too.

In the normal circadian day/night cycle, cortisol should be high in the morning (but not too high) and over the course of the day, it should be lowering as you head towards evening.

This means that evening is the time of day to put your stress away and allow your body and brain to rest and recover. 

If you are struggling with your symptoms or menopause weight gain, then I hope you can join me on my 12 week programmes sometime. You can read about how they work HERE.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.



References: 

Anderson, T., Wideman, L. Exercise and the Cortisol Awakening Response: A Systematic Review. Sports Med - Open 3, 37 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-017-0102-3

Edwards KM, Mills PJ. Effects of estrogen versus estrogen and progesterone on cortisol and interleukin-6. Maturitas. 2008 Dec 20;61(4):330-3. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2008.09.024.

Elder GJ, Wetherell MA, Barclay NL, Ellis JG. The cortisol awakening response--applications and implications for sleep medicine. Sleep Med Rev. 2014 Jun;18(3):215-24.

Gerber LM, Sievert LL, Schwartz JE. Hot flashes and midlife symptoms in relation to levels of salivary cortisol. Maturitas. 2017 Feb;96:26-32.

Ikeda A, Steptoe A, Shipley M, Abell J, Kumari M, Tanigawa T, Iso H, Wilkinson IB, McEniery CM, Singh-Manoux A, Kivimaki M, Brunner EJ. Diurnal pattern of salivary cortisol and progression of aortic stiffness: Longitudinal study. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Nov;133:105372.

Langelaan, Saar & Schaufeli, Wilmar & Rhenen, Willem & Doornen, Lorenz. (2006). Do burned-out and work-engaged employees differ in the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis?. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health. 32. 339-48. 10.5271/sjweh.1029.

Nijm, J. & Jonasson, Lena. (2008). Inflammation and cortisol response in coronary artery disease. Annals of Medicine, 41. 224-33. 10.1080/07853890802508934.

Woods N., Mitchell E., & Smith-DiJulio K. (2009). Cortisol levels during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16: 708-718

Whitworth JA, Williamson PM, Mangos G, Kelly JJ. Cardiovascular consequences of cortisol excess. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2005;1(4):291-9. doi: 10.2147/vhrm.2005.1.4.291.

### Nutrition Beyond Menopause: Understanding post-menopause inflammation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the ageing of the global population as one of the most significant demographic challenges worldwide and this includes those of you who are already in your post-menopause years. As the first generation of women to come through a diverse array of diets over the past few decades, I'm sure that as I did, you may have arrived in your 50s or 60s feeling rather confused about the types of foods that you should be eating.From Paleo, to high Protein, to Keto, to Fasting regimes and more ... there is so much choice for women these days as to how and why to eat a certain way. However, the dietary focus I want you to have as you move into your post-menopause years, or if you are there already and your symptoms have returned, is a focus on reducing inflammation. The literature on the role of inflammation in health has grown exponentially over the past several decades. Paralleling this growth has been an equally intense focus on the role of diet in modulating inflammation (Hébert et al., 2019) - it's this evidence that I've been following for years and I've been especially interested in nutrition beyond menopause. I know from the thousands of women who have joined me on the MyMT™ programmes over the past few years, that we often don't think about what our personal health needs are with our foods, especially when we are shopping and preparing foods for others. But with the new MyMT™ Beyond Menopause programme on sale over the month of November, it's time to talk about your inflammation! Futhermore, for women aged between 50 and 70 years old, weight gain is one of their main health concerns. So, we tend to get caught up in a range of opinions and diets that may not suit our health as we move into post-menopause. I'm not just referring to our hormones, but to the changes that are occurring in organs such as our heart, muscles, liver, gut, fat cells (adipose tissue) and pancreas.All of these areas are changing as we age and as such, pockets of inflammation may build up inside cells and tissues.		
																														
					Moving from menopause to post-menopause may increase inflammation. 				
		Understanding that menopause as a life-event, leads to inflammatory changes which affects women's cardiovascular and muscular health in post-meonpause, was the turning point for taking back control of my own health and weight.The type, timing and amount of food is now well established in public health science as among the most important influences on health in modern societies. As David Katz, from the Prevention Research Centre at Yale University of Public Health states, "Optimal eating is associated with increased life expentancy, dramatic reduction in lifetime risk of all chronic disease and amelioration of gene expression." (Katz & Mellor, 2014, p.83).There is an extensive body of evidence that relates our diet to our health at specific phases of the life-course. However, too often we are drawn into ways of eating that may not suit our changing hormonal environment as we move out of menopause into post-menopause. That's why connecting the dots between menopause, inflammation, cardiovascular disease and healthy ageing was the 'game-changer' not only for my own health, but for women who have joined me and needed to lose weight and change their health during or after their menopause transition. 		
																														
					Evidence for Anti-inflammatory Foods				
		Diet is one of the most influential lifestyle factors contributing to the rise of inflammatory disorders and because menopause itself, is a vulnerable time for health changes, focusing on our nutrition is a change that we can all implement.This gets forgotten in the marketing of menopause remedies and medications. However, our food matters because research suggests that a potential mechanism underlying the association of diet, inflammation and cardiovascular disease can be identified in the gut microbiota.I've talked about this in previous articles this year too. Our diet shapes large bowel microbial ecology, and changes in the gut microbiota composition are associated with inflammation, including menopause-related depression.Numerous studies have indicated a remarkable role for diet, the gut microbiota, and their metabolites in several inflammatory disorders. (Gambardella & Santulli, 2016).Food is tied to inflammation in two ways.Your diet affects the species of digestive bacteria that grow in your gut (the microbiome) and the chemicals they produce during digestion. Depending on the species, these chemicals either promote or reverse inflammation.Your diet also affects inflammation through its relationship with weight gain and obesity. An anti-inflammatory diet, which is rich in plant whole-foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and low in processed foods, is one that promotes overall health and a healthy weight.In contrast, foods which promote inflammation (pro-inflammatory diet) include foods that have low nutrient content, as well as refined foods such as high sugar, high fat and high salt foods.These types of foods trigger chronic inflammation and also promote weight gain, which can also induce inflammation. So, it’s not just what you eat that can influence inflammation, it’s what you don’t eat as well. This is one of the main areas that I give you coaching support - it's hard to change habits of a lifetime I know! The other point to remember, is that if you consume a diet that is high in processed food, fats and sugars then you will be missing out on the power of phytochemicals – the minerals and vitamins in foods.I talk a lot about micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in my programmes, especially the specific nutrients that are evidenced for women as they move through menopause into their post-menopause years, i.e. the B vitamins, Vitamin C, magnesium, selenium, calcium, folate and of course, potassium for our ageing heart muscle which has to get us through our day – whether you are hiking for miles or you are active and busy.  		
																														
					It's not just about the Mediterranean diet!				
		We all know that there are numerous external factors that impact health as we age. These include smoking, drug-use, environmental pollution, ultraviolet (UV) exposure, mutagens, and a variety of medications, which increase oxidative stress in the body. [Shanaida et al.., 2025].Oxidative stress refers to the imbalance between the production of damaging free radicals (reactive oxygen species) and the body's ability to neutralize them with antioxidants. When oxidative stress builds up, cellular structures and functions may be damaged and ageing occurs more rapidly. Slowing this process of inflammation down is the goal as women move from menopause to post-menopause. Current anti-ageing strategies also have this goal. In this regard, the term 'geroprotector' has gained importance - a term which refers to certain molecules and nutrients that target the biological hallmarks of ageing, thereby delaying the onset of age-related diseases. [Shanaida et al., 2025].One of the measurements of inflammation in the human body is an inflammatory marker known as C-reactive Protein (C-rP).The Dietary Inflammatory Index, used this blood-marker to assess the effect of either an anti-inflammatory diet or a pro-inflammatory diet on biomarkers such as blood sugars, blood pressure, and liver enzymes. The Dietary Inflammatory Index was developed as a mathematical index which assesses the potential inflammatory activities of the diet.A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, nuts, and low-fat dairy products showed the lowest C-rP score according to the Dietary Inflammatory Index studies, and whilst these studies aren't without criticism, the information is relevant to women moving from menopause to post-menopause.Because, an anti-inflammatory dietary focus is also protective against the development and progression of cardio-vascular disease. This is a salient point for women who are also overweight. 		
																														
					Is it only Extra Virgin Olive Oil that protects our health as we age?				
		The traditional Mediterranean diet, whose principal source of fat is extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), encompasses anti-inflammatory nutrients. That's why several studies have established the beneficial role of this diet in reducing cardio-vascular disease, metabolic disorders, and even several types of cancer.But EVOO is not the only nutrient to reduce or prevent inflammatory changes with age. It's also about what the Mediterranean Diet 'isn't'.The Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fats (animal fats). Fats are sourced instead from plant-based monounsaturated fat, mainly from olive oil. The Mediterranean diet is also high in complex carbohydrates, from legumes and is high in fibre, mostly from vegetables and fruits. The emphasis is also on plant-proteins (beans, legumes, nuts and seeds) with minimal intake of eggs, chicken, dairy and meat. There is also an emphasis on whole-foods in an anti-inflammatory diet, and very low, or no, ultra processed food. It is this aspect that also offers value to the reduction of inflammation.  In my programmes, I follow this approach. There is no calorie-counting nor 'macro-counting'. My aim is to free women up from the constraints and anxiety of always counting! My focus is on eating high quality nutrients that are scientifically evidenced to reduce our symptoms and/or weight. I especially focus on the nutrients that are known to help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease - afterall, women's heart health changes as we move through menopause into post-menopause. An anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean Diet has the most evidence behind it for women's healthy ageing. Knowing this should help us to adhere to it and not get swayed by all the different diets that abound in popular media and the fitness and dieting industries.When we adhere to this type of diet for at least 6-12 months, we help to prevent our platelets and red blood cells from aggregating (clumping). This is important to help reduce blood pressure and prevent clots forming in our blood.With a Mediterranean Diet we help to reduce inflammation in our blood vessels, which is known to contribute to the vascular stiffness associated with the ageing of our blood vessels.  'A higher reduction in the concentrations of proinflammatory markers was observed in those who showed a higher degree of adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet.'   [Chrysohoou, C., Demosthenes B., et al (2004)]One of the hallmark foods of the Mediterranean Diet, is the humble tomato. Tomatoes, the second most produced and consumed vegetable in a typical Mediterranean Diet, are a rich source of lycopene, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, vitamin C, flavonoids, and vitamin E. All important nutrients for heart health.Lycopene is a chemical that gives a tomato its red color and is also a powerful antioxidant, and has a higher release when tomatoes are cooked. Lycopene is a nutrient that reduces damage in our cells.In the MyMT™ recipe book which is part of all my 12 week programmes, I have a Mediterranean inspired Italian Tomato Sauce which is well loved by the ladies on my progammes. The recipe is HERE for you. 		
																														
		 As we move into the final phase of the year, I hope you can spend some time exploring any of the My Menopause Transformation programmes. Explore the Masterclass on Menopause if you are new to this community, and explore the numerous Success Stories from women just like you! My programmes all differ depending on whether women are wanting support with weight loss or not, or if they are thinner and leaner, but struggling with symptoms, or have found that their symptoms have returned despite being in post-menopause, or other health concerns have arrived. If you are struggling to take back control of your health at this time of life, then I hope you can explore joining me on MyMT™ - 12 weeks just might change your life.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
					
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		https://youtu.be/3WXiU1911l4References:Chacin-Suarez, A., & Medina-Inojosa, J. (2020). Microvascular and Small-Vessel Disease: An unrecognized connection in women with modern coronary disease. Journal of Women's Health, 29 (6), 1-2.Chrysohoou, C., Demosthenes B., et al (2004). Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Attenuates Inflammation and Coagulation Process in Healthy Adults.  Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 44, (1), 1-7. Gambardella, J., & Santulli, G. (2016). Integrating diet and inflammation to calculate cardiovascular risk. Atherosclerosis, 253, 258–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2016.08.041Hébert JR, Shivappa N, Wirth MD, Hussey JR, Hurley TG. Perspective: The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)-Lessons Learned, Improvements Made, and Future Directions. Adv Nutr. 2019 Mar 1;10(2):185-195. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmy071.Shanaida M, Mykhailenko O, Lysiuk R, Hudz N, Balwierz R, Shulhai A, Shapovalova N, Shanaida V, Bjørklund G. Carotenoids for Antiaging: Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmeceutical Applications. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2025 Mar 13;18(3):403. doi: 10.3390/ph18030403. Willcox J., Catignani G., Lazarus S. (2003). Tomatoes and cardiovascular health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 43(1):1-18. doi:10.1080/10408690390826437

### MyMT™ Education: Nutrition for Women in Menopause and Post-Menopause

Never before, has there been so much focus on different aspects of nutrition for women in their menopause transition, has there? After talking to Health Practitioners on my global zoom calls this week, I hear their concerns - women thinking that they have to go on Keto diets, high protein diets, fasting regimes, supplement regimes and more!

It's a confusing time for women in their menopause transition!

I first became aware of how little I knew about dietary evidence specific to midlife menopause, whilst attending and presenting at the WHO conference on Health and Ageing in Melbourne, Australia, back in 2016.

Whilst it seems a lifetime ago now, I remember listening to Professor John Beard, who was leading the WHO Global Centre for Modern Ageing. His presentation was the first to jolt me into better understanding that midlife menopause and hormonal changes, required a different dietary thinking, which needed a framework of 'healthy ageing' and not 'fitness'.

This was the context from which I began to explore nutrition for women in menopause and post-menopause, i.e. through the lens of women's healthy ageing.

Nutritional choices play an important role in reducing symptoms and in ageing-wll. With the change to the hormonal millieu in menopause, and as this event is the stepping-stone to women's ageing, it's an important time for women to re-consider their food choices.

'Among the various aspects of health promotion and lifestyle adaptation to the menopause and postmenopausal period, nutritional habits are essential because they concern all women, can be modified, and impact both longevity and quality of life.'  (Silva, Opperman et al, 2021). 

Positioning the menopause transition in ageing research opened the door to a variety of symptom management possibilities using food as medicine, not only for myself, but now for the thousands of women who join me on my programmes and in my coaching community.

There's an element of surprise when this happens.

All roads in women's health and ageing research lead to the Mediterranean Dietary approach. It's this approach I've taken and adapted to the specific nutrients that help to reduce symptoms and weight during the menopause transition.


Reducing Inflammation - a key element of nutritional focus in menopause
Part of this approach is ensuring that women are having the appropriate nutrients that fight inflammatory changes that begin to arrive in peri-menopause.

For example, if women are feeling hot and sweating profusely, then this is a sign that their temperature regulation is out of balance.

When this happens, the body is trying to cool down by moving heat to the surface of the skin. Heat generation becomes worse as women move through menopause, because blood vessels lose some elasticity. This is called vascular stiffness.

This is where foods high in nitrates are potentially, cooling foods for women. They help to dilate blood vessels and reduce the rate of vascular stiffness. 

Dietary nitrate has been demonstrated to have a range of beneficial vascular effects, including reducing blood pressure, inhibiting platelet clumping and clotting, and preserving or improving endothelial dysfunction, enhancing exercise performance in healthy individuals and patients with peripheral arterial disease. (Lidder & Webb, 2012).


Nutrition and Post-Menopause Health
It is well known in metabolic and cardiac research that the menopause transition and subsequent endocrine or hormonal changes, are associated with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis and immune dysfunction.

Looking at these clinical end-points is important, because it helps us to explore prevention opportunities according to the lifestyle and ageing research.

For example, when exploring the nutritional research on post-menopause weight gain, dietary intake and fat mass, there is clear evidence that dietary plant carbohydrates that have a low rating on the Glycemic Index rating system (below 55), and whole grains (instead of refined grains), have positive effects on our resting metabolic rate (Silva et al, 2021).

Yet many popular diets these days remove wholegrains, (and yes, some women are gluten intolerant). But cardiac health research shows that wholegrains help to steady blood glucose response and give lasting energy as well as reducing harmful LDL-cholesterol.

Whole-grains are also important for reducing palpitations and protecting the cardiovascular system as women age. [NZHF Wholegrains and the Heart Evidence Paper, 2018]

From our early-50’s onwards, as menopause progresses, our cardiac muscle changes in structure and function, as do our skeletal muscles. And it doesn’t matter if women are regular exercisers or not, their ageing heart and muscles need the nutrients that matter to them to help their cardiac health as they age. Some of these nutrients come from wholegrains.



Helping your clients to adjust their nutrition is a major modifiable risk factor that you can support them with. For midlife women, this means the consideration of heart disease and osteoporosis prevention, as well as weight management - the main conditions that beset western women as they age.

Many women in midlife follow a diet high in fat and protein such, as these types of diets are popular, however, a high-fat diet isn't recommended, especially for women already overweight and oestrogen dominant. (Silva et al, 2021).

I can't reinforce this enough and have written about the detrimental effects of diets high in both fats and animal protein and the load that these are known to place on ageing kidneys.

This is known as PRAL, or Potential Renal Acid Load.


Adopting a Framework for Healthy Eating
When it comes to looking ahead to a potentially healthy ageing, then I'm a great advocate of using the menopause transition to begin to try new approaches.

The lifestyle and disease-prevention science specific to women allows a framework from which to make these adjustments.

Most advice follows learnings from cardiovascular research as well as ageing and longevity research including:

 	Protein sourced from plants, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish and salmon.
 	Fats from unsaturated plant sources or alternative sources of Omega-3 fatty acids and extra-virgin olive oil.
 	Carbohydrates from whole-grains and starch vegetables 
 	A minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day (and up to 10) but not sugar-sweetened beverages.
 	Small to moderate amounts of Dairy foods.

[Silva, Oppermann et al, 2021).

It makes sense to support women into lifestyle change in midlife and nutritional changes are one way of doing this. For those of you who are unsure about what specific changes to help your clients make for symptom management, then please explore the CPD Health Practitioner Course - this is where I go into the specifics of 'food as medicine for midlife clients' with you.

The discovery of phyto-nutrients has changed everything we know about foods for midlife women. 

This term refers to the compounds in foods that contain an abundance of microscopic healing substances. Some scientists call them the 'vitamins of tomorrow' such is their power to heal.

Many pharmaceutical companies are using these phyto-chemicals in plant-derived hormone therapies for women and as I examine many of the ingredients of menopause supplements, then they too have a variety of phyto-nutrients in them, especially B-vitamins which are known to reduce hot flushes in women.

Another example is apples. How many of you were told to eat apples when you were younger? Not only to improve chewing, which helps to reduce dizziness and improve balance in women, because it helps to clear the ear canal), but also to improve your lung health.

If your clients have had long-covid then this is an important food for them to eat. Apples contain quercetin, which is strong enough to improve the inflammatory changes in lungs and to reduce the risk of heart disease as you age.

Most importantly, apples (and tomatoes) are evidenced to help women detoxify their liver - an important part of weight management as they move through menopause and into post-menopause. I cover this in the MyMT Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course.



With the confusion about dietary approaches to menopause these days, I hope you can help your female clients to better understand that the right approached to food and specific nutrients are at the heart of their health as they move through menopause.

Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References:

Feskens EJM, Bailey R, Bhutta Z, Biesalski HK, Eicher-Miller H, Krämer K, Pan WH, Griffiths JC. Women's health: optimal nutrition throughout the lifecycle. Eur J Nutr. 2022 Jun;61(Suppl 1):1-23.

Jin K. Modern Biological Theories of Aging. Aging Dis. 2010 Oct 1;1(2):72-74.

Lidder S, Webb AJ. (2013). Vascular effects of dietary nitrate (as found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot) via the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 75(3):677-96. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04420.x. PMID: 22882425;

Preedy V. & Watson. R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidence-based approach. 2nd Ed. Elselvier Academic Press: London, UK

Schwingshackl L, Morze J, Hoffmann G. (2020). Mediterranean diet and health status: Active ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms. Br J Pharmacol. Mar;177(6):1241-1257.

Silva, T., Oppermann, K, Reis, F. & Spritzer, P. (2021). Nutrition in Menopausal Women: A Narrative Review, Nutrients, 13, 2149, 1-14.

Yoshany, N., Mazloomy Mahmoodabad, S., Bahri, N., Moori, MK., & Hanna, F. (2020). Association between lifestyle and severity of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. Electron J. Gen Med. 17(5): em22, 1-6.

### Liver Repair in Menopause and Post-Menopause Needs Quercetin

After the skin, your liver is your second largest organ. When my own symptoms were overwhelming me during menopause and I was putting on a lot of weight, I never gave my liver a thought. Nor it seems did any of the Health Professionals I visited at the time.For decades , my beliefs were informed through the New Zealand fitness industry and the personal training industry that I founded for global fitness giant, Les Mills, that the key to weight loss was doing lots of exercise, including weight training to 'burn calories'.But when I became overweight in menopause, these beliefs were shattered. No amount of exercise was helping me lose weight. In fact, I had never felt more exhausted or unhealthy and sore.That's when undertaking my doctoral studies on women's health and ageing changed the way I viewed both weight loss and menopause. An article about the high incidence of liver disease in menopause, by Duke University liver-health researcher, Dr Carla Brady, changed my life, and now, the lives of thousands of women who join me on the MyMT™ programmes.It was this research that led me down the path of the liver and how it ages during and after menopause, especially, the liver mitochondria.Your mitochondria are important in the liver. They are the primary site of energy metabolism and as you move through menopause, not only does the health of your liver alter the mitochondria, but so too, does the natural ageing of the liver. This occurs from the age of 45-50 years on. I talk about the specific nutrients that your ageing liver needs, not only in my private coaching community, when women join any of my 12 week programmes, but also on the Certified Practitioner Course, where I focus on evidenced lifestyle science strategies. Your liver health may be more important than you think as you navigate menopause, especially if your hot flushes are bothering you or your sleep is still challenging for you, or your weight is creeping up, whether you are on HRT or not.New research in liver-ageing and longevity helps us to make sense of the nutrients we should be adding to our diet, something that I focus women on in the MyMT™ programmes. 		
																														
					The ageing of our organs offers a 'perfect-storm' when menopause arrives. 				
		Biological ageing is also known as senescence. This term more accurately depicts the processes occurring when there is a loss of specific mechanisms that, throughout our lifetime, have regenerated and helped to maintain our health. One of the positions that I've taken over the past decade since completing my health and ageing studies, is that menopause and symptoms, including weight gain, need to be seen in the context of biological ageing of women - afterall, menopause is the stepping stone into the next phase of our life, our years beyond menopause. With this view, we can better understand that the liver, as one of the largest organs in the body, is also affected by menopause hormonal changes, or in other words, senescence. Your liver is ageing and changing. As Dr Brady states, “There is an interplay of hormonal issues and ageing that create a unique path for development of liver problems and liver disease in menopausal women, making chronic liver disease a significant burden on women’s health in their post-menopause years.”  [Brady, 2015].Through her work, I discovered how the liver and gall-bladder (if women have one) both change in structure and function as women move towards post-menopause.Liver tissue is made up of lots of smaller units of liver cells called lobules. Many canals carrying blood and bile run between the liver cells. Blood coming from the digestive organs flows through the portal vein to the liver, carrying nutrients, medication and also toxic substances.However, as we move through menopause, the size and function of both the liver and gallbladder are changing. The liver shrinks in size and it's blood flow slows. Enzymes which break down amino acids (proteins) and substances such as alcohol, are also declining. The gall-bladder also produces less bile. Bile is the substance that helps to emulsify or break down fats. We have around 20% less bile being produced as we move through menopause. By the time women are 65 years old, this decreased production of bile may reach as high as 40%. (Brady, 2015).Therefore, if your diet is high in fats (including animal fats), then your gallbladder cannot cope with the volume of fats that it has to emulsify. Understanding that the liver is the hero in the story of your mid-life weight loss, energy and health as you age is important, especially for your energy levels and weight loss.		
																														
					Liver Health and Quercetin				
		Our health chaos arrives slowly. And menopause is the 'perfect storm' for these changes.Not sleeping, poor temperature regulation, changing weight, high total and LDL cholesterol, bloating and joint pain may send us into further health chaos as we move through menopause and into our post-menopause years. This is why I also developed the Beyond Menopause programme.Whilst the focus is usually on cardiac health when we visit our Doctor with changing cholesterol and weight during menopause (which it should be), how many of us are being told that our liver health matters too? I will let you reflect on that. In both of the foundation MyMT™ programmes, I have an entire 1 hour podcast/webinar devoted to the scientific evidence about how to turn around your liver health in a way that helps to rejuvenate your ageing liver.The liver is the only organ that is 'adaptogenic' which means that it heals and repairs, but we need to achieve this in a systematic way over at least 6 weeks.For example, food based nutrients continue to be investigated for their role in changing metabolic pathways involved in the detoxification process not only in the liver, but throughout our body (Hodges & Minich, 2015).One of these nutrients is Quercetin. (Sotiropoulou, et al., 2021)Quercetin is a bioflavonoid existing in green vegetables, onions, the skin of red apples, green tea, citrus fruits and red grapes (including wine). Most importantly, quercetin is present in purple berries, especially blueberries. This powerful nutrient helps to protect the liver by reducing inflammation and improving mitochondrial function through multiple mechanisms. With a lens on mitochondrial function, where your energy is produced, quercetin promotes mitophagy (the removal of damaged mitochondria) and enhances mitochondrial biogenesis (the creation of new mitochondria). For those of you who are struggling to lose weight, your liver mitochondria and energy production in the liver, matters in menopause and post-menopause, especially if you are doing a lot of exercise which requires your liver to turn over more glucose than normal to fuel your muscle demands for exercise. If your liver is unhealthy, then this metabolic pathway may become dysfunctional and you end up putting on more and more weight. 		
																														
		Once we understand the metabolic pathways that help to rejuvenate our liver, we have the ability to turn around our energy, weight, cholesterol and bloating at this time of life. As I discovered myself, if we are going to change our health and manage our weight as we age, then the liver is the organ to focus on first. This means that we have to learn how to make some lifestyle adjustments to accommodate these changes.  Otherwise our weight gain creeps on and on as the years advance.With increased weight gain, both cardiac and metabolic health may change as we move into post-menopause. For too many women, what ensues is frustration and confusion about their blood work, as, instead of feeling healthy and vibrant, they may feel exhausted.  Health and medical researchers already know from research on our mother’s generation, that weight gain around the trunk at this time of life sends women into post-menopause heart disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. For many women putting on a lot of belly fat, or if you have the ‘hard-fat’ sitting around your abdomen, then please try to come on board into my ‘Menopause Weight Loss Program .  Why is it 3 months? Because that's how long it takes for you to turn around your liver, reset your hormones for your ageing and discover how to change your nutrition, sleep and exercise habits so that you thrive at this stage of life. I hope you can explore how the MyMT™ programmes and support can help you. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Founder: My Menopause Transformation		
																														
		References: Adams, L. A., Roberts, S. K., Strasser, S. I., Mahady, S. E., Powell, E., Estes, C., Razavi, H., and George, J. (2020) Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease burden: Australia, 2019–2030. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 35: 1628– 1635. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.15009.Armeni E. et al. OR25-02. Presented at: ENDO annual meeting; June 1-4, 2024. Hot Flash Severity Predicts Metabolic-Associated Liver Disease.Bansal R, Aggarwal N. Menopausal Hot Flashes: A Concise Review. J Midlife Health. 2019 Jan-Mar;10(1):6-13. doi: 10.4103/jmh.JMH_7_19. PMID: 31001050;Brady CW. Liver disease in menopause. World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Jul 7;21(25):7613-20. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i25.7613. PMID: 26167064.Le Couteur, D.G., Ngu, M.C., Hunt, N.J. et al. Liver, ageing and disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 22, 680–695 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-025-01099-zPreedy, V. & Patel, V. Eds. (2020). Aging - Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants. 2nd Ed. Academic Press: London, UKSotiropoulou M, Katsaros I, Vailas M, Lidoriki I, Papatheodoridis GV, Kostomitsopoulos NG, Valsami G, Tsaroucha A, Schizas D. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: The role of quercetin and its therapeutic implications. Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2021 Nov-Dec;27(6):319-330. doi: 10.4103/sjg.sjg_249_21. 

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: A Berry Bonanza to calm your cholesterol.

Many women find that they have an increase in their total cholesterol levels during their menopause transition and I experienced that myself. This is known as hypercholesterolemia - high blood levels of cholesterol and it does warrant monitoring as you move through menopause, because it can lead to changing arterial health. Whilst not all cholesterol is 'bad', we must remember that it's the health of the internal lining of the blood vessels, which contributes to changes in our cardiac health too, because any additional inflammatory changes inside the blood vessels, can contribute to cholesterol deposits 'sticking' to the walls of the arteries. Low density lipoproteins (LDL) and very-low density lipoproteins (VLDL) are usually the problem inside inflamed arteries. This is because they more buoyant because they contain more cholesterol in relation to protein. When there is a lot of inflammation in the epithelial lining of the blood vessels, larger lower-density cholesterol deposits (LDL-Cholesterol) can adhere to the walls of the arteries, causing problems with blood flow. Many older women end up with a condition called arteriosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) because of this condition, which can accelerate during the menopause transition. Cholesterol is an essential molecule for healthy functioning of the human body and it's made in the liver. So, women must also look at liver health if they find that their cholesterol is creeping up during their menopause transition.This is why the beta-glucans derived from oats (and mushrooms) are an important nutrient for improving high levels of the unhealthy LDL-cholesterol in midlife women. Combining oats and berries is a great nutritional strategy for women to do and whilst ordinary oats can be substituted in the following Berry Bonanza Smoothie recipe, this particular recipe uses a product called ‘Betaglucare’. This is a powdered product made from Scandinavian oats, which are high in beta-glucans. Beta-glucans are sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants, such as oats and barley. They are often suggested to help to reduce cholesterol and to improve heart health. The anthocyanins in berries also improve heart and liver health. Anthocyanins are water-soluble flavonoids and are responsible for the orange or red-blue color in flowers, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Berries are also high in a nutrient called Quercetin, which helps with liver health as we get older.That's why the combination of oats and berries in this smoothie, makes it a berry-bonanza for your ageing heart and liver. 		
																														
		Berry-Bonanza Heart and Liver Healthy Smoothie2 large handfuls of spinach2-3 cups frozen berries - especially blueberries.1/3 avocado1 packet Betaglucare oat powder OR 1/2 cup of plain oats1 Tbsp slivered almonds5 Tbsp chia seeds1 small diced green apple1/2 cup water (or more depending on the consistency you like).OPTIONAL: 1 Tbsp low-fat plain yoghurtAdd ingredients to blender. Blend until smooth.Recipe inspired by Shivaun Conn, Accredited Health Coaching Australia/ Sourced from: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (ASLM).

### MyMT™ Education: Does daily stress cause liver problems for women in menopause?

The liver is a curious organ – especially as women transition menopause.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the expression “the liver stores the soul and controls the deliberations” indicates that the liver plays an important role in the process of regulating emotion. This is because the liver stores blood and blood stores the soul. Qi and blood are the material bases of emotional activities. Which is why, in Chinese medicine, you cannot understand stress, without understanding it's effects on the liver. [Yu Wei et al., 2018].

It is hard to dispute that for millions of women today, stress is part and parcel of everyday life. I know myself and from the women who join me in my coaching community, that family, social and work obligations can easily overpower precious time and resources, causing both physical and emotional stress to take a greater toll on menopause symptoms and general health, especially fatigue levels.

Stress has been defined as any action or situation (stressor) that places increased physical or psychological demand on one's state of internal balance, or homeostasis.

To meet these increased demands, the body must have the ability to cope, which means that there are also increased neural and endocrine (hormonal) demands on the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal-Thyroid Axis (HPA-Thyroid Axis), in response to repeated or chronic stress.

For women who have had decades of stress, including the physical stress of training and competing in sports or participating in demanding exercise, this is where attention needs to be given to the health of the liver.

Researchers now understand that just one episode of stress messes up liver biochemistry.


Stress and Liver Health during Menopause
Inflammation in the liver can sit around for years. Especially if those years leading up to menopause, have been well, ... 'stressful'.

When chronic stress is present, so too are higher levels of cortisol. This is because the reaction to any given stressor, involves the stimulation of the pathways within the brain leading to the (over)activation of the HPA-Thyroid Axis.

As such, sympathetic nervous system drive increases, releasing larger amounts of cortisol into the circulation.

Higher levels of cortisol stimulates the liver to produce more glucose in response to the increased energy demands on the body, i.e. the 'fight or flight' response. In response to the need for more glucose, the liver produces it from stored glucose. This process is known as gluconeogenesis, which leads to increased blood glucose levels. 

In response to these higher blood glucose levels, the pancreas releases insulin to carry the glucose to the brain and muscles. Which is why, over time, if stress continues and cortisol remains elevated, this can lead to insulin resistance.

‘Psychological stress is associated with a variety of pathological conditions resulting in liver injury through multiple systems, including the sympathetic nervous and adreno-cortical system.’  [Joung, Cho et al, 2019, p. 1].

Stress (both physical and psychological) leads to the reduction in hepatic (liver) blood flow. This is important to understand.

The resulting reduction in oxygen uptake in the liver, due to reduced liver blood flow, causes inflammation in the liver - mainly in the mitochondria, which are the cells that help to burn fats to turn into energy. This inflammation places a lot of strain on ageing liver cells, (Chandel et al, 2000).

Furthermore, when hepatic blood flow is reduced, then this also impacts the health of the gut, through the gut-liver axis. 

The gut-liver axis refers to the bidirectional communication and interaction between the gut, its microbiome, and the liver, influencing gastrointestinal and liver health and disease. [Albillos et al., 2020].

Some of your clients may well be arriving in peri-menopause and menopause, with a tired, inflamed liver, not only from physical or emotional stress, but also from menopause-related insomnia. This places an additional burden on the health of the liver, contributing to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, (NAFLD) and/or Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (M-FLD). [Bagnato et al., 2024]

If your client's blood work has shown that their liver enzymes are high (whether they drink alcohol or not), you might want to discuss the connection between their liver health and stress levels with them.

Peta was the same – as a competitive triathlete and coach, she was frustrated with not being able to lose weight and have the energy she needed to train and compete. As she mentioned,

"I’d lost all my mojo and drive to train. Getting out of bed was hard enough. All the reading I had done had told me that my oestrogen levels were dropping in peri-menopause, so I was stuffing myself with oestrogen products but Wendy’s programme told me I was feeding myself stuff that was making my liver health worse – and the stress o training and lack of sleep and everything plus feeding myself high protein (eggs etc) sports nutrition foods, had turned my body into a cocktail of hormones."


The Demands of the Liver Increase with Training/ High Intensity Exercise:
Female exercisers and women who work in physically demanding jobs must remember that before, during and after exercise or when workloads are high, the liver has a lot of work to do.

When muscles are demanding more glucose (sugar) to function, e.g. as in exercise or sports participation, the liver is busy turning over glucose and lactic acid from its storage cells.

The muscles only store enough glycogen (stored glucose), to produce small amounts (up to 20 seconds) of ATP (the energy molecule) at the commencement of exercise – ATP is needed for muscle contraction.

The harder women train or exercise or the more stress that they experience daily, the more work the liver has to do to keep supplying both the muscles and brain with energy. To achieve this, the adrenal glands are producing cortisol, but it's the liver that is playing a crucial role in the metabolism of cortisol and can produce it locally, converting cortisone to cortisol via the enzyme 11-beta-HSD1. [Thau, 2023).

The higher the production of cortisol, the more that it is also demanding cholesterol from the liver. For more and more cortisol to be produced, the liver is producing cholesterol to help the adrenal glands make cortisol.

The increased production of cortisol then becomes problematic for women in their menopause transition, because it uses up progesterone in the production pathway. When progesterone levels are low in comparison to oestrogen, menopause symptoms may become worse. The role of progesterone cannot be underestimated and if progesterone is low, then symptoms can become worse. The diagram below shows the numerous roles of progesterone in females.

This is why, you cannot help your clients manage their stress levels, without giving consideration to the role of the liver and the inflammatory changes that have occurred over many years. All this, at a time of life, when ageing changes are also impacting the liver's function and size, including the role of enzymes. (Brady, 2015).



The role of the liver and the evidenced detoxification pathways are covered in both the Menopause and Lifestyle Practitioner Course and the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course.

In these courses, I also talk about the impact of alcohol on an ageing and inflamed liver. Hepatic inflammation during menopause, reduces ALDH enzymes, which affects alcohol metabolism. As such, some women find that certain types of alcohol impact the severity of their hot flushes.

Alcohol aromatises into oestradiol, a form of oestrogen. In humans,  oestradiol (E2) is the predominant circulating oestrogen. If women have breast cancer, then they may know all about this type of oestrogen already. 



I hope you can join me on any of the certified MyMT™ Education courses. Please also reach out to the Course Convenor, Georgia, if you have any questions.

Georgia Sweet, Course Convenor

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine


 

References:

Albillos A, de Gottardi A, Rescigno M. The gut-liver axis in liver disease: Pathophysiological basis for therapy. J Hepatol. 2020 Mar;72(3):558-577. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.10.003. Epub 2019 Oct 14.

Bagnato, C. B., Bianco, A., Bonfiglio, C., Franco, I., Verrelli, N., Carella, N., Shahini, E., Zappimbulso, M., Giannuzzi, V., Pesole, P. L., Ancona, A., & Giannelli, G. (2024). Healthy Lifestyle Changes Improve Cortisol Levels and Liver Steatosis in MASLD Patients: Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial. Nutrients, 16(23), 4225. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234225

Brady C.W. (2015). Liver disease in menopause. World J Gastroenterol. 7;21(25):7613-20.

Brown TM, Fee E. Walter Bradford Cannon: Pioneer Physiologist of Human Emotions. Am J Public Health. 2002 Oct;92(10):1594–5. PMCID: PMC1447286.

Chandel, N. S. , McClintock, D. S. , Feliciano, C. E. , Wood, T. M. , Melendez, J. A. , Rodriguez, A. M. , & Schumacker, P. T. (2000). Reactive oxygen species generated at mitochondrial complex III stabilize hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α during hypoxia a mechanism of O2 sensing. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 275(33), 25130–25138.

Demori I, Grasselli E. The Role of the Stress Response in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Psychoneuroendocrineimmunology-Based Perspective. Nutrients. 2023 Feb 3;15(3):795. doi: 10.3390/nu15030795. PMID: 36771500

Gerber LM, Sievert LL, Schwartz JE. Hot flashes and midlife symptoms in relation to levels of salivary cortisol. Maturitas. 2017 Feb;96:26-32. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.11.001. Epub 2016 Nov 3. PMID: 28041591.

Gofton C, Upendran Y, Zheng MH, George J. MAFLD: How is it different from NAFLD? Clin Mol Hepatol. 2023 Feb;29(Suppl):S17-S31. doi: 10.3350/cmh.2022.0367. Epub 2022 Nov 29. PMID: 36443926

Joung JY, Cho JH, Kim YH, Choi SH, Son CG. (2019). A literature review for the mechanisms of stress-induced liver injury. Brain Behav. 9(3):e01235. doi: 10.1002/brb3.1235. Epub 2019 Feb 13. PMID: 30761781; PMCID: PMC6422711.

Seal SV, Turner JD. The 'Jekyll and Hyde' of Gluconeogenesis: Early Life Adversity, Later Life Stress, and Metabolic Disturbances. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Mar 25;22(7):3344. doi: 10.3390/ijms22073344.

Thau L, Gandhi J, Sharma S. Physiology, Cortisol. [Updated 2023 Aug 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-.

Wood, K., McCarthy, S., et al. (2025). “Hiding symptoms and balancing work, family and relationships”: Australian women discuss menopause and the midlife collision. Social Science & Medicine, Vol. 387, 118681.

Yu Wei, Tianfang Wang, Hao Wu, Yamei Huang, Mengying Wu, Min Zheng, Renlai Zhou, Qingguo Wang, Yan Zhao. Biological mechanisms underlying the liver's regulation of emotions in women: A study using the Trier Social Stress Test. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, (5), 2, 2018, (110-118).

Zhang, S., et al. (2019). Impact of chronic psychological stress on
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Int J Clin Exp Med. 12(7):7991-7998

### "I wish I'd found the MyMT™ programme sooner." [Tijana, UK]

"In joining, I wasn’t looking for a magic wand and quick fixes and the reason program works for me is because of the clear, systematic and evidenced way in which you present issues to us, and offer routes we can take. I can’t say I am one of the MyMT-ers who do amazing sporty achievements or needed huge body transformations. But what the program has given me is a better understanding of what is happening to me as I age and how to increase my chances of aging better. Once I started on your programme, so many things just began to make sense. Brain fog, sleep and joint issues I experienced since my early 40-ies and I didn't understand why. I now eat more healthily and exercise in a way that makes sense for my body and stage of life. I now understand my body better and live more comfortably within it as it changes, thanks to you Wendy and MyMT™, and all the carefully selected evidence you present to us within it. Not to mention the feeling that I am not alone and being part of the coaching ‘family’ in your facebook group, where I really value positive, respectful and supportive attitudes of the fellow women." [Tijana, UK]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGpvKOsijzE

### MyMT™ Practitioner: Understanding the role of inflammation in peri- to post-menopause weight gain

It was quite a few years ago now that I heard an interview on New Zealand's national radio about the rapid rise of obesity in the population. At the time I was lecturing in  university level nutrition and health promotion and my ears were atuned to anything about overweight and obesity in the population.

I clearly remember the researcher talking about the geographical locations, ethnicity and age-specific cohorts that had the highest levels of overweight and obesity. I was stopped in my tracks when he said, that European/Pakeha women over the age of 50 living in certain parts of the North Island (Waikato and Hawkes Bay) were the highest group.

When I began to put on weight myself when I reached my late peri-menopause years, I remembered this interview. And yes, I was living in one of those regions at the time.

Demystifying overweight and obesity status during the menopause transition has been a personal interest of mine for the past decade. Not only because I needed to figure it out for my own health, but also because I needed to help other women figure it out as well.

Afterall, when women move from peri-menopause (when periods begin to fluctuate) to menopause (when periods end), they often experience another 'shift' in their weight gain. Many move from overweight status (a waist circumference between 80 - 88cm) to obese status (a waist circumfernce over 88 cm).


What Does Oxidative Stress in Fat Cells have to do with Menopause Weight Gain?
Weight gain associated with the menopause transition isn't only about the change in hormone status as women move into their post-reproductive years. It's also about the inflammatory changes that occur in fat cells which is known as oxidative stress.

The term 'oxidative stress' is a phenomenon caused by an imbalance between the production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and tissues which cause inflammation and subsequent damage to the cellular walls and lining, and the ability the body to manage this inflammation.
When oxidative stress or inflammation occurs in fat cells (adipose tissue) as well as in both liver and gut cells, then this creates a 'perfect-storm' for weight gain during menopause. 
Then there is the role of excess oestrogens in women who are overweight or obese. Fat cells have an affinity for excess oestrogens.

You may be wondering why I'm talking about 'excess oestrogens' when menopause is the time of life where oestrogen production is declining? However, we can also obtain oestrogens from other sources, including animal products, chemicals, the conversion of cortisol when stress is high (physical and emotional), medications, and or course, contraceptives.

Furthermore, a major driver for developing obesity and metabolic dysfunction is the uncontrolled expansion of white adipose tissue (WAT). And herein lies the problem, which I didn't know when I was putting on belly-fat too, and that is, that a critical determinant of body fat distribution and increased WAT is the sex steroid, oestrogen.

Hence, if women are already overweight or obese going into peri-menopause and then menopause and they are having too many oestrogens in their food, in chemicals (xeno-oestrogens) or in various medications, they may see their white fat level increase.

Deeper (visceral) WAT is often associated with metabolic dysfunction and pro-inflammation.

The image below demonstrates the influence of oestrogen on adipose (fat) tissue expansion. [Steiner & Berry, 2022]
Understand the two ways that fat cells expand - one is 'healthy', one is 'unhealthy' in menopausal and post-menopausal women:
White adipose tissue (WAT) can expand via:

(1) Hypertrophy - this refers to the swelling or enlargement of individual fat cells (adipocytes). Hypertrophy tends to occur as women move from menopause to post-menopause and the problem is that it reduces blood flow to the cells. This means that important oxygen can't be delivered to the mitochondria very well - this promotes even more inflammation, or 'oxidative stress' because fat-burning occurs in the mitochondria.

(2) Hyperplasia - this refers to the increase of adipocyte (fat cell) numbers and this tends to be the superficial fat. In healthy, normal weight women, the hyperplasia of fat cells maintains tissue health because it promotes increased blood vessels and therefore, helps oxygen be delivered, which in turn promotes anti-inflammatory signals.
While normal oestrogen levels (pre-menopause) result in hyperplastic subcutaneous adipose tissue growth, reduced oestrogen as women transition from peri-menopause to post-menopause, leads to metabolically unhealthy hypertrophic visceral adipose tissue expansion.

How do we turn unhealthy, inflamed hypertrophic fat cells into healthier hyperplasic fat cells?
There are three main ways to do this:

(1) Improve Adiponectin - this is a hormone your adipose (fat) tissue releases that helps with insulin sensitivity and inflammation. Low levels of adiponectin are associated with several conditions, including obesity, Type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Adiponectin is secreted with the bioactive molecule leptin from normal adipose tissues (together, they are called adipokines). It regulates glucose and fatty acid metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity of peripheral organs and muscles. This is important for weight management. And to increase adiponectin levels, the easiest way to do this (apart from some medications) is to increase your (or your clients) intake of healthy, Omega 3 fats - see below.



(2) Improve aerobic exercise - exercise has adipocyte-specific effects that may alleviate the adverse impact of oestrogen loss through the menopausal transition period and beyond. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, remains the best therapeutic agent available to mitigate menopause-associated metabolic dysfunction, because one of the main functions of aerobic exercise is to facilitate more and larger mitochondria organelles. Aerobic exercise also increases capilliarisation and this is important for fat cells that are hypertrophied (enlarged), because larger fat cells have lowered vascularisation (blood vessels). Enhancing ways for your clients to become more active represents a vital behavioral strategy for you as a Health Practitioner and Health Coach or PT. How to achieve this in a progressive way with exercise prescription is in the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course.



(3) Increase Omega 3 Fats, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and intake of Phytates - all of these foods help to increase adiponectin levels in the body, which in turn reduces inflammation in fat cells. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that stops the production of ROS formed when fat undergoes oxidation. Scientists are investigating whether, by limiting free-radical production and possibly through other mechanisms, vitamin E might help prevent or delay the chronic diseases associated with free radicals.



Overweight and obesity status are complex.

But one of the most relevant changes in metabolic science over the past decade has been the recognition that adipose (fat) tissue is no longer viewed as a passive source of free fatty acids, but instead, it is hormonally active. [Di Domenico et al (2019)]

This is an important consideration for women moving through their menopause transition, especially those women who may already be overweight going into peri-menopause. It's a vulnerable time for their metabolic health, especially if they aren't sleeping.

Metabolic health impacts every bodily system and is predictive of many chronic diseases (Marsh et al, 2023).

To me however, there is so much emphasis on increased high-intensity metabolic workouts (such as Crossfit), but many women in midlife haven't got the time, energy, motivation or joint health to undertake these workouts, simply because they aren't sleeping and changing hormone levels can contribute to low moods and depression.

As such, we need to also look at their diet (increasing adiponectin levels), their movement capability so that they can progressively undertake enough aerobic exercise to stimulate mitochondrial improvement, and of course, improve their sleep, liver and gut health.

All of these factors are important in order for us to succeed as Menopause Weight Loss Practitioners and as Health Practitioners, thus helping our clients to enjoy a healthier life as they move into their post-menopause years.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ REPs Exercise Specialist/ Women's Healthy Ageing Practitioner



References:

Ellulu MS, Patimah I, Khaza'ai H, Rahmat A, Abed Y. Obesity and inflammation: the linking mechanism and the complications. Arch Med Sci. 2017 Jun;13(4):851-863.

Izadi V, Azadbakht L. Specific dietary patterns and concentrations of adiponectin. J Res Med Sci. 2015 Feb;20(2):178-84.

Jiménez-Sánchez A, Martínez-Ortega AJ, Remón-Ruiz PJ, Piñar-Gutiérrez A, Pereira-Cunill JL, García-Luna PP. Therapeutic Properties and Use of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Clinical Nutrition: A Narrative Review and Literature Update. Nutrients. 2022 Mar 31;14(7):1440.

Marsh ML, Oliveira MN, Vieira-Potter VJ. Adipocyte Metabolism and Health after the Menopause: The Role of Exercise. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 14;15(2):444.

Pizzino G, Irrera N, Cucinotta M, Pallio G, Mannino F, Arcoraci V, Squadrito F, Altavilla D, Bitto A. Oxidative Stress: Harms and Benefits for Human Health. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017:8416763. ,

Sanchis, P., Calvo, P., Pujol, A. et al. Daily phytate intake increases adiponectin levels among patients with diabetes type 2: a randomized crossover trial. Nutr. Diabetes 13, 2 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41387-023-00231-9

Steiner BM, Berry DC. The Regulation of Adipose Tissue Health by Estrogens. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 May 26;13:889923.

### "At first I didn't want to change how I lived my life."  [Zelinda, Australia]

Why do people struggle to turn healthy lifestyle intentions into action? 

It's a question that I studied for numerous years doing my Masters thesis. And I have an answer for you!

Behaviour-change research consistently reports that for women especially, three main factors impact on their resolve to change their lifestyle routines and behaviours:

 	Lack of energy
 	Lack of time
 	Lack of motivation

It was the same for Zelinda from Melbourne, Australia. When she posted this post in the coaching community for MyMT™ recently, I kindly asked her to share it with you.

I know that many of you may have felt the same.

"When I began with Wendy at MyMT™ I was sleeping poorly from sweating at night and feeling more anxious than usual. The aches in my joints were accelerating and I felt tired, sluggish, and a good 6 kg overweight - despite eating what I believed to be a good diet and exercising well.

My journey has been a marathon and not a sprint. Despite everything in Wendy's programme making so much sense, there were times when I asked myself why I was bothering to persist if I wasn't going to do what she suggested?

I slipped, regressed and felt frustration and despair. I also saw the success of others posted on the coaching community, and I felt a bit jealous!

But asking myself that question was the best thing that I did.

Because it made me understand that even if I didn’t see much change in my progress I still KNEW, in the face of all evidence in this arena, that the MyMT™ changes would more likely lead me towards being as healthy as was possible for me as I aged.

I realised that I didn't want the alternative outcome … the one in which if I continued as I was, would almost certainly lead to me feeling WORSE over time.

After listening to the Behaviour Change module in the Circuit Breaker programme, I shifted my mindset.

I became curious (without any judgement of myself or others) as to why I didn't feel like making the changes that I knew I needed to make.

Why did making these lifestyle changes feel so hard for me?

But here's what I realised - basically I didn’t want to stop doing what I wanted to do NOW in order to offset FUTURE problems, that in reality, I didn’t know the full force of yet.

Teenage thinking really.
"I asked myself questions as to why I didn't want to make changes".
Instead of waiting for sustained motivation, I decided to set up/change up my mind and environment for success to do what Wendy was suggesting that we do.

I knew that when my motivation waned (it always has in the past), I would then have structural systems, physically and psychologically, in place to support me.

With an attitude of curiosity and continual support in Wendy's coaching community, I explored and identified the personal barriers to change, that I perceived were in my way.

I consciously acknowledged those challenges, extended myself compassion and MOST IMPORTANTLY asked myself how I wanted to behave in the face of these challenges.

Who would I like to be and how would I like to behave in the face of these challenges?

This shift in mindset allowed me to feel more empowered as my values began to guide my behaviour rather than ‘falling into’ self defeating reactive unhelpful ways that were not in line with my personal values and goals.

This took time and continued realignment and support which I got from this programme.

The barriers to change for me basically fell into a combination of biological/ physical, psychological and social. They were both internal and external.

The external barriers were these: 

 	Others around me were not that supportive of my efforts. At best they were uninterested and at worst I was overtly undermined.
 	I was time poor. You know all the usuals: Busy working life, sandwiched between the never ending needs of teenagers and increasing needs of ever ageing parents and in laws (Social barrier).
 	Covid completely curtailed my usual exercise routine (social barrier)
 	My family didn’t like my change in diet that I needed for me during menopause. (Social barrier)
 	I used my knee injury as an excuse not to exercise (Physical barrier)
 	I also had a dodgy back (Physical barrier)


 
"I was staring too long at closed doors."
Then there were the INTERNAL barriers that got in the way of my behaving in line with the MyMT™ principles.

 	Defeating thoughts and behaviours; “can’t be bothered, too hard, poor me, no one helps me, it’s not fair” too tired, I’ll start afresh tomorrow…” etc.
 	I ruminated on resentments that others could “get away with eating empty carbs and crap”, “bloody lockdowns prevent me from exercising in ways I liked and yet others are still able to exercise the ways they wish” etc. etc. blah blah blah.
 	I noticed I became anxious when going out with certain people and this influenced my ability to behave in line with what I was learning on MyMT™
 	I also noticed in that state, I found it harder to identify and /or be creative about what I could do differently for exercise/ eating when I was ruminating about all my excuses!

In short I was staring so long at the closed doors and broken bridges that I couldn’t turn around and either open another door or even find my way to BUNNINGS to build myself a new door to a new room or a new bridge to another place.

I had become my own worst enemy. 

This was my 'transformational realisation'!.

So, I decided that I couldn't go on, not feeling like 'me'!

As part of this new mindset, I applied this learning to all the areas for MyMT.

I overcame a dislike of walking (instead a running which I’d loved but I couldn't do any more because of my dodgy knee), by arranging to walk with a different friend 3 times a week.

One friend I really liked and another two I didn’t know that well but put it out there anyway. Each walk we’d combine it with a takeaway coffee/fresh veggies juice. This really helped both physically, socially and psychologically.

It also led to my starting an outdoor yoga class twice a week with one of the ladies I walked with, that I am still doing and I LOVE it. This, along with Wendy's programme advice, has really helped with my knee and achy joints.

The habits I focused on that set ME up for success as far as eating: meal prep, shopping online for pantry/household and local butcher and green grocer phone orders for foods that Wendy suggests in her programme, to collect.

I piggybacked this online ordering habit with another newly embedded habit - ensuring I spent time to plan and order then collect everything on the way home from my daughter’s sport.

I identified healthy low carb nutritious snacks that were in line with the MyMT™ Food Guide and came to like these.

With the advice from the programme, I also weaned myself off eating after dinner (a massive one for me). I developed a different habit I came to enjoy over time in front of tv: crochet/wordle as it involved my mind and hands.

I became very mindful about why I was eating something and learned from it for next time …. this reappraisal, redirect and reset took time and I couldn't have acheived this, without the MyMT™ programme, as it took away the confusion of 'what' to change.

I did not accomplish it by shaming myself. I identified I was eating to soothe/deal with feelings (boredom, anxiety, tiredness etc.) and learned to identify and use other helpful ways to respond.

I accepted I had to get creative about eating alongside my family in ways that were still in with programme, but meant minimal extra prep but I did not eat what they were eating really, but it was adapted to be in line with program 85% of time. Over time I have come to genuinely prefer my choices …this took time.

I could go on… but how I feel and function now at almost 55 years is an amazing difference.

I feel healthy, flexible, fit strong.

 I have sound mental health and I sleep well. 

Although losing weight was not a primary goal I am really thrilled to have lost 6 kg and am now wearing again a favourite top I bought 25 years ago (pictured).

I have had a yoyo life of weight loss/gain within a 6kg range as well being on/off wagon with what I thought was healthy eating for so long. I am so so pleased and THRILLED to have now developed sustainable changes and habits that are embedded and really feel second nature now.

My weight loss although not the primary goal has now been maintained at the desired weight for over a year now, something (yoyo'ing) I did not think I could stop at the outset.

Best wishes to you all with your own journeys. Thank you all and Wendy from the bottom of my heart for developing this incredible, world-class, lifestyle-change programme."

Zelinda, Melbourne, Australia

### "It seemed like all my joy had been sucked out of me. I'm thankful every day for finding MyMT™."  [Julie, Canada]

The internet makes the world a very small place and it wasn't long before Google Maps told me that Qualicum Beach, where Julie lives, is a small town on Vancouver Island, situated at the foot of Mount Arrowsmith. 

I knew that Julie had been struggling with motivation and feelings of hopelessness as she had emailed me before starting the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme. As she said,

"My self-esteem had never been so low, it seemed like all my joy had been sucked out of me.  I had never been so unsettled and imbalanced in my life.  Then, I found your website....reading your and other women's stories made me realise I was not losing my mind and I was not alone.  I have a strong faith and I thank God everyday for leading me to you. 

If it wasn't for finding this programme and reading other women's comments and struggles I think I would have been walking to my Drs office to simply medicate myself with antidepressants.  NOT what I wanted to be doing."

The link between depression and menopause has been known for years and for many women, anti-depressants during menopause are an important intervention.

It's why if you are feeling down and out, then always seek support from your medical specialist as well, however, there are other powerful solutions to help with menopause-related depression including aerobic exercise, turning around sleep and for women, maintaining social connection is high on the list of important healthy ageing strategies.

When Julie told me she had joined a local walking and running group for the first time ever, I was so excited for her - social connection is a powerful determinant of women's health as they age.

When my own moods were distracting me from enjoying each day, I was curious to understand why I had been so happy, motivated and healthy all my life, but hitting peri-menopause sent my moods and feelings of worthlessness into a tail-spin.

From my work and studies about sport and exercise science over the years, I also knew that exercise is a recognised treatment for mild to moderate depression.

But there is a big difference between the various types of exercise these days, so I also wanted to better understand the most beneficial exercise for women to engage in as they transition menopause that helps with mood and motivation, which Julie had also discovered was lost somewhere in her late 40's.

I spent hours and hours researching how depression manifests specifically in menopause (not clinical depression that is diagnosed differently), so here's what I learnt:

 	When Hot Flushes are more than 5 an hour, our body overheats and becomes inflamed. This inflammation then exacerbates a decrease in SEROTONIN, which is your ‘happy hormone’. When oestrogen is lowering in menopause, serotonin follows it and decreases as well, but when we have too much of our chronic stress hormone called CORTISOL in our body, which has built up over time, then this causes more inflammation which disrupts serotonin levels even more.
 	Sleeping less than 6 or 7 hours a night, is positively associated with worsening depression.



 	Low Vitamin D3, depression and worsening inflammation go hand-in-hand. Vitamin D may be low in menopausal women because we have numerous oestrogen receptors in skin cell target tissues which also lose oestrogen and the ability to convert sunlight to Vitamin D.  (Lerchbaum, 2013)
 	When Liver inflammation is present in cells and tissues or if women are putting on belly fat and have poor gut health, then B vitamins are not absorbed and metabolised very well. Low Vitamin B6 and B12 increases depressive episodes (Feraj, 2017). This is why, for women who want to improve their moods and motivation during menopause, it’s important to turn around gut and liver health and I cover how to achieve this properly in the MyMT programmes. 



 	The gut-brain connection is also important during menopause. Over decades our gut health has changed and too often women develop Gut Dysbiosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or Diverticulitis when they reach their 50’s. With researchers now understanding the powerful connection between the immune system and gut health, this has a profound effect on mental health if our gut health is impaired. Gut inflammation impacts on the absorption of a protein called Tryptophan, which helps to make serotonin. This is all discussed in the MyMT Practitioner Course (pre-register for January 2026, now).



If we have any inflammation that sits within our gut we experience more brain fog, more lethargy and more depression. It’s so important to turn gut health around in menopause and I have Gut Health Renewal plans as part of  the MyMT™ programmes too. [Although this isn't to replace professional diagnosis if symptoms persist]. 

When Julie told me that she wasn't sleeping and had worsening hot flushes, mood swings and feelings of hopelessness, I knew she would benefit from the programme. Not a regular exerciser, you can also imagine my surprise when Julie got hold of me after she finished the programme and told me she had just completed her very first 10km walk/ jog.
"The old Julie is beginning to show herself again and the joyful positive me is slowly returning."
"I have noticed a drastic change in my body since I have become more focused on the dietary advice you have on the programme too.

I also began a 12 week walk/run programme as part of understanding your advice about depression, and it has really helped me take time for myself, solve my symptoms with the programme information and get fit all at the same time.

I even ran my first 10km in a local event - almost coughed up a lung, but I completed it.  

The early morning runs have been a wonderful way to get the morning sun in my eyes, the fresh air in my lungs, quality time with my four legged companion Deja and just some amazing solo time.

Since doing your MyMT™ programme, I've realised that I'm worth fighting for and it is time for me to become selfish and focus on me for a while so I get back to the old me.

I still have a long way to go but I am celebrating every small slice of improvement since coming on board and I now understand how to get through this stage of my life. Just wanted to thank you so much for your passion and dedication to the women of the world."

Julie Starkey, Qualicum Beach, Canada

### "I thought the only thing waiting for me was fat clothes, pain and a heart attack." [Brenda, Tasmania]

"I'm almost at the end of my 12 weeks Transform Me and I am TRANSFORMED!" mentioned Brenda in my private facebook community for the women on my 12 week programmes.

I was intrigued, because a 'transformation' isn't just physical as modern gym-culture would have us believe. In my programmes, the term 'transformation' has relevance in the emotional as well as the acceptance of our ageing. Afterall, you cannot stop this process, only slow it down.

So, I sent Brenda an email asking about her 'transformation'. She kindly shares it with you here.

"I'm 5kg lighter and the best thing is that I'm starting to lose that dangerous weight from my diaphragm now - just a bit more to go. 

However, getting back my brain clarity was amazing ... I'm an author and I used to spend the whole time bashing out stories in a linear fashion like I'm pulling teeth wondering if I'm ever going to be as good as I used to be as I had so much brain-fog and emotional ups and downs.

This month I've sat down and written most of a novel in a patchwork method and kept the whole plot revolving in my head like I'm a professional juggler with a dozen plot balls in the air and none of them fell on my head!

I may have to thank Wendy in the acknowledgements! Thanks for giving my brain back, Wendy. 

I think what I most appreciated learning about, was oestrogen dominance. Learning what actually works to lose weight at this stage of my life.

The big picture of what is going on in menopause was also important and discovering why it's such an issue for our bodies, because we are ageing. 

The smaller focusses on managing joint pain and gut health were life-changing and the food - the fact that I AM allowed to eat complex carbs like whole grains and sweet potatoes, which I love and missed due to poor dietary advice. I shall never be hungry again! And nuts! And chunky cruciferous salads!

I also loved that I don't have to do high intensity workouts - which I hate! But swimming and walking which I enjoy are fine. I'm in Tasmania and love my walks along the beach. 

I also love that I don't have to buy clothes a size bigger to hide my waistline! I can keep all my favourite clothes.

The permission from Wendy to eat the food I love and do the exercise I love and the knowledge to give my body what it needs to perform better, is so powerful.

I feel like my body always knew it needed more sleep, less alcohol, yummy veggies, complex carbs, gentle exercise, but we're so tuned to fighting our bodies and forcing ourselves into crazy unattainable exercise and diet regimes, self-treating stress with alcohol, that we end up not knowing how to figure anything out.

Thanks Wendy. This programme was truly 'transformational' in so many ways." 

Brenda, Tasmania

Related Tag: Losing Weight in Menopause

### Discover the 7 Dimensions of Health for Menopause and Beyond!

When I was lecturing in health and wellbeing at Waikato University many years ago, I used to show students the diagram below, which depicts the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) dimensions of health and the known consequences.Like many women I’ve come across in my own coaching of the MyMT™ programmes, never once did I think it applied to me. I was a regular exerciser, I (supposedly) ate ‘well’, I was pretty motivated and I thought I was a good representative of being ‘healthy’.		
					But that was before menopause hit
				
		When I had my health-markers checked with my Doctor to determine what was really going on with how ‘unhealthy’ I was feeling, the results didn’t lie – high cholesterol, liver health changes (I didn’t drink alcohol) and the borderline hypertension was concerning – because I hadn’t had high blood pressure at all throughout my life.My Doctor had no explanation, other than ‘it’s what I see in menopausal women all the time.’With insomnia, exhaustion, weight gain, mood swings and joint health concerns distracting me on a daily basis, it was a confusing time.The blood work was the ‘wake-up’ call that I needed – at the time my liver enzyme functions were high, Vitamin D and iron were low, cholesterol was high and goodness knows what my inflammatory marker (C-reactive Protein) was doing, because I didn’t know about that then and nor apparently, did my Doctor.All I knew was that I couldn’t go on each day feeling the way I felt. Something had to change and the first ‘change’ I had to make, was asking myself, how on earth I had gotten to this point with my ‘health’?My studies on women’s health and ageing led me out of the confusion, especially the W.H.O. Dimensions of Health.You see, the women whom I was interviewing at the time, had all positioned their ‘healthy ageing’ in doing lots of vigorous exercise. But when I enquired how this was going for them, not one of them felt ‘healthy’.They just trusted that their exercise specialists were giving them the correct information about the exercise and nutrition they should be following in their 50s, to move into their older years in the best health possible.In a couple of weeks, it is World Menopause Day and the theme is heartening to me – it’s Lifestyle Medicine.It’s a great reminder to consider your lifestyle as ‘medicine’! A great starting point for you is to understand the Dimensions of Health, which I have also positioned my Practitioners courses on, but specifically for the menopause transition.I talk about the 7 dimensions in all of the MyMT™ programmes - Circuit Breaker/ Transform Me and my new Beyond Menopause programme. 		
																														
					Health-Disease models help to move people towards 'healthier behaviours'				
		Over the past few decades, health-behaviour researchers (mainly Psychologists) have tried to explain the health-disease relationship through various theories. Two main models exist today:The Biomedical Model. This is based on the direct cause/effect relationship, which explains the occurrence of disease. Appropriate treatments can then able to be presented to patients. The Psycho-Behavioural Model. This is part of social-psychology learning, and incorporates the attitudes and values of individuals and how these influence health-related behaviours.Both of these theories not only help Health Practitioners and Health Coaches to move people towards ‘healthier behaviours’ but also help us to reflect on the reasons behind our health actions each and every day.Understanding the various dimensions of health enables us to examine ALL aspects of personal health, not just ‘fitness’ or ‘dieting’.The W.H.O. define health as ‘not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, but a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. The physical dimension also contributes to emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual dimensions.’Therefore, in order to be considered “healthy,” it is imperative that none of these areas to be neglected.Optimising all these determinants of health contributes to a state of balance and harmony both within ourselves and with the world around us.If we are going to progress towards improved health, [within any medical or physical limitations you may have], then one of the main considerations is that we set about reflecting on how to can change some of our health behaviours and create new ones, whatever the environment that we are in, each day.Health promotion is about putting your own health needs first. With over 20,000 women globally having undertaken my programmes, this is the ONE factor that many find the most difficult to do.That’s why the focus in all of my programmes is one of SUPPORT. And it’s why, in each module or webinar, I not only teach you ‘what to change’, but also ‘how to change’ based on my 7 Dimensions of Women’s Healthy Ageing.		
																														
					Good health starts from the 'inside-out'				
		Just as menopause is primarily viewed as being ‘only’ about hot flushes, or seen in the medical paradigm as requiring ‘only’ pharmaceutical treatments, I often think about the 7 Dimensions of Healthy Ageing and wonder when and how, all of the dimensions of health are being accommodated for clients?One of the messages in the 12-week programmes, is that good health starts from the inside-out (emotionally, spiritually and physically).When we take this perspective and explore the various dimensions of health, there is so much more to health-behaviour change than ‘just food’ or ‘just exercise’.It’s why, one of the strategies that we can focus on, is to reflect on what’s going on in our life each and every day (symptoms included) and frame this against the dimensions of our health.This is a great way to moves towards identifying the routines and habits you want to and can, change.I had to do this, as did Zelinda from Australia. Her fascinating story is HERE for you. 		
																
															
					3 health-behaviour change strategies to try				
		Re-imagining aspects of my own health and how to untangle these began with reflecting on ‘what isn’t working?’Reflecting on this question is a great starting point to ask yourself. You will be surprised at how meaningful this simple question is.As such, I stopped the exhausting high-intensity exercise that had followed me all my working life.I also stopped listening to dietary advice that took a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and was primarily situated in fitness and muscle hypertrophy discourse, which was not evidenced for exhausted women, like myself, who weren’t sleeping and were putting on weight.I also began to better manage my stress levels and put my Master's research on health behaviour-change into action, as well as my doctoral studies.One of my personal reflections was that I wasn’t following the scientific evidence on health, longevity, lifestyle medicine and women’s ageing.That’s why, as part of the lead-up to World Menopause Day on October 8th, which has as its theme, Lifestyle Medicine, I want to share some practical things that you can achieve on your renewed health journey:Start from the inside out.As I mentioned in my Masterclass on Menopause, menopause chaos is invisible. Therefore, talk to your Doctor to get your blood checked and get some baseline results. The ones I suggest that affect menopause symptoms and weight gain are: Vitamin D, Iron, Ferritin (stored iron), C-reactive Protein (an inflammatory marker), Liver Function, Cardiac Function and of course, Thyroid Function. I don’t worry too much about hormonal checks, as these only show if you are in menopause or not. Remember that if you are on HRT, you may also have a false reading about your true menopause status too.		
																														
		Consider the 7 dimensions of health criteria and decide which ones you need to commence with as a starting point.For some of you, nutritional changes may be your starting point, compared to movement and exercise changes, or vice versa. For others, it might be that you want to begin with other aspects of your health, such as your joint or gut health or sleep, or your stress management. Try to go to that ‘self-reflection’ place that you may not have thought about for years. Only when we go-deeper into our true selves do we start to (re) discover our true self. Where is she and how has she been hidden over the years?		
																														
		Support is crucial to behaviour change for women. If you are looking to make some changes to your daily routines in order to improve your health, then do you have the correct support at home, in the workplace, with your friends/ relatives/ work colleagues etc.? I love how workplaces are opening up conversations on menopause. One of the UK ladies, who began with my own programme, but then went on to do Health Coach qualifications and evenutally became a Certified MyMT™ Practitioner, is Nicky (in the banner above). She was exhausted and was under a lot of stress in her role as a Senior Manager at her company and had lost a lot of confidence. We had numerous email discussions and I encouraged her to bring the conversation about menopause into her workplace. Doing this at the time, took her on a journey within her company to bring this topic to the attention of others. As she mentioned.		
							
			
				“I reached out to women in our  leadership team to begin with and had a great response."
 			
					
		They invited me to join the Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging forums they hold to discuss setting up menopause workshops, but also to start to get some open conversations going. I have also been invited to join our “inspiring people ” steering committee, where new policies are discussed.”It was a wonderful initiative from Nicky to achieve this.And then there is Clare from the UK. I came across Clare during the pandemic. Her role then was as a Clinical Psychologist with the NHS. She, more than anyone, understands the magnitude of stress in the workplace and the impact of this on menopause symptoms and, of course, confidence and wellbeing.As she led the mental health team for the NHS, I’m so pleased that she joined me at the time and reflected on how and why she needed some support too.		
																														
		As you think about the lifestyle changes that you would like to make as you think about your future years and your health, I wonder if you have the support that you need in order to help yourself. If not, then I invite you to explore any of the MyMT™ programmes and how they work.These are available to learn more about on the website. It would be my privilege to be there alongside you.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

### MyMT™ Education: Discover the 7 Dimensions of Health for Menopause

When I was lecturing in health and wellbeing at Waikato University many years ago, I used to show students the diagram below, which depicts the World Health Organisation's (WHO) dimensions of health and the known consequences.Like many women I've come across in my own coaching of the MyMT™ programmes, never once did I think it applied to me. I was a regular exerciser, I (supposedly) ate ‘well’, I was pretty motivated and I thought I was a good representative of being ‘healthy’.But that was before menopause hit.When I had my health-markers checked with my Doctor to determine what was really going on with how ‘unhealthy’ I was feeling, the results didn't lie - high cholesterol, liver health changes (I didn't drink alcohol) and the borderline hypertension was concerning - because I hadn't had high blood pressure at all throughout my life.My Doctor had no explanation, other than 'it's what I see in menopausal women all the time.' With insomnia, exhaustion, weight gain, mood swings and joint health concerns distracting me on a daily basis, it was a confusing time. The blood work was the ‘wake-up’ call that I needed – at the time my liver functions were high, Vitamin D and iron were low, cholesterol was high and goodness knows what my inflammatory marker (C-reactive Protein) was doing, because I didn’t know about that then and nor apparently, did my Doctor.All I knew was that I couldn’t go on each day feeling the way I felt. Something had to change and the first ‘change’ I had to make, was asking myself, how on earth I had gotten to this point with my ‘health’?My studies on women's health and ageing led me out of the confusion, especially the W.H.O. Dimensions of Health. You see, the women whom I was interviewing at the time, had all positioned their ‘healthy ageing’ in doing lots of vigorous exercise. But when I enquired how this was going for them, not one of them felt ‘healthy’.They just trusted that their exercise specialists were giving them the correct information about the exercise and nutrition they should be following in their 50s, to move into their older years in the best health possible. In a couple of weeks, it is World Menopause Day and the theme is heartening to me - it's Lifestyle Medicine.It's a great reminder to get your clients thinking about their health and a great starting point is helping them to understand the Dimensions of Health, which I have also positioned my Practitioners courses on, but specifically for the menopause transition. I talk about the 7 dimensions in all of the MyMT™ Education courses. 		
																														
					Health-Disease models help Practitioners to move people towards 'healthier behaviours'.				
		Over the past few decades, health-behaviour researchers (mainly Psychologists) have tried to explain the health-disease relationship through various theories. Two main models exist today:The Biomedical Model. This is based on the direct cause/effect relationship which explains the occurrence of disease. Appropriate treatments are then able to be presented to patients. The Psycho-Behavioural Model. This is part of social-psychology learnings, and incorporates the attitudes and values of individuals and how these influence health-related behaviours.Both of these theories help Health Practitioners and Health Coaches to move people towards ‘healthier behaviours’. The pandemic was a great example of how governments were using these theories to influence population health.Understanding the various dimensions of health, enables us to examine ALL aspects of personal health – whether for our own needs, or those of our clients.The W.H.O. define health as ‘not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, but a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. The physical dimension also contributes to emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual dimensions.'Therefore, in order to be considered "healthy," it is imperative for none of these areas to be neglected.Optimizing all these determinants of health contribute to a state of balance and harmony both within ourselves and with the world around us.If we are going to help our midlife clients progress towards improved health, [within any medical or physical limitations they may have], then one of the main cnsiderations is that we assist them to change their daily behaviours and CREATE health promotion skills.This enables (and hopefully empowers your clients), to keep moving towards, not only the control of their health, but to consider the health promotion behaviours, that they need to take into the environments they are in each day. But there is more to this discussion too. Health promotion is also about putting your own health needs first, so you can be a respected role model for your clients.The role of the Health Practitioner/ Coach and role-modelling health behaviour, came through in my Master's studies. There was a clear perception by the leading Personal Trainers/ Coaches I interviewed, that role modelling health behaviour helped with their credibility, their authenticity and client adherence. Clients are generally more receptive to guidance when they see their coach "walking the talk". It's why I have a focus in my Practitioner and general programmes, not only on 'what to change', but also 'how to change' based on my 7 Pillars of Women's Healthy Ageing.  		
																														
					Good health starts from the 'inside-out'.				
		The rapid growth of Health Coaches globally is a wonderful addition to the support networks for women's health. In the MyMT™ Introduction to the Science and Psychology of Menopause Certified Course, I reinforce the necessity to consider health-behaviour change within the specific needs of clients and the stage of life they are in.  Just as menopause is primarily viewed as being ‘only’ about hot flushes, or seen in the medical paradigm as requiring 'only' pharmaceutical treatments, I often think about the 7 Dimensions of Healthy Ageing and wonder when and how, all of the dimensions of health are being accommodated for clients? One of the messages in the 12-week Practitioner course, is that good health starts from the inside-out (emotionally, spiritually and physically). When we take this perspective and explore the various dimensions of health, there is so much more to health-behaviour change than 'just food' or 'just exercise'.It's why, one of the strategies that we can help our midlife client's to focus on, is to get women to reflect on what’s going on in their life and frame this against all of the dimensions of their health.This is a great way to assist them towards identifying the routines and habits they want to and can, change.  I had to do this too. 		
																														
					3 health-behaviour change strategies to help your clients				
		Re-imagining aspects of my own health and how to untangle these, began with reflecting on 'what isn't working?'Reflecting on this question is a great starting point to ask clients. You will be surprised at what they might share with you!As such, I stopped the exhausting high-intensity exercise which had followed me all my working life.I also stopped listening to dietary advice that took a 'one-size-fits-all' approach and was primarily situated in fitness and muscle hypertrophy discourse, which was not evidenced for exhausted women who weren't sleeping and were putting on weight.I also began to better manage my stress levels and put my Masters research on health behaviour-change into action, as well as my doctoral studies. One of my personal reflections, was that I wasn't following the scientific evidence on health, longevity, lifestyle medicine and women's ageing. That's why, as part of the lead-up to World Menopause Day on October 8th, I want to share some practical things that you can assist your clients with, as they go on their renewed health journey with you as their Coach: Start from the inside-out. As I mention in my Masterclass on Menopause, menopause chaos is invisible. Therefore, encourage your clients to talk to their Doctor to get their bloods checked and get some baseline results. The ones I suggest that affect menopause symptoms and weight gain, are: Vitamin D, Iron, Ferritin (stored iron), C-reactive Protein (an inflammatory marker); Liver Function; Cardiac Function and of course, Thyroid Function. I don't worry too much about hormonal checks, as these only show if clients are in menopause or not. Remember that those women on HRT may also have a false reading about their true menopause status too. 		
																														
		Help your clients to consider the 7 dimensions of health criteria and discuss which ones they feel they could focus on as a starting point. For some women, they will have higher self-efficacy (confidence) for nutritional changes, compared to movement and exercise changes, or vice versa. For others, it might be that they want to begin with other aspects of their health, such as their joint health or sleep, or their stress management. Encourage them to go to that 'self-reflection' place that they may not have thought about for years. Only when we go-deeper into our true selves do we start to (re) discover our true self. Where is she and how has she been hidden over the years?		
																														
		Support is crucial to behaviour-change for women. Have your clients got the correct support at home, in the workplace, with their friends/ relatives/ work colleagues etc. I love how workplaces are opening up conversations on menopause. One of the UK ladies, who began with my own programme, but then went on to do Health Coach qualifications and evenutally became a Certified MyMT™ Practitioner, is Nicky (in the  banner above). She was brave enough to bring the conversation about menopause into her workplace and at the time, took her on a journey within her company to bring this topic to the attention of others. As she mentioned,"I reached out to women in our  leadership team to begin with and had a great response. They invited me to join the Inclusion Diversity and Belonging forums they hold to discuss setting up menopause workshops, but also to start to get some open conversations going. I have also been invited to join our "inspiring people " steering committee where new policies are discussed." It was a wonderful initiative from Nicky to achieve this. And then there is Clare from the UK. I came across Clare during the pandemic. Her role then, was as a Clinical Psychologist with the NHS. She, more than anyone, understands the magnitude of stress in the workplace and the impact of this on menopause symptoms and of course, confidence and wellbeing.As she led the mental health team for the NHS, I'm so pleased that she joined me at the time and reflected on how and why, she needed some support too. 		
																														
		As you work with your midlife clients, I wonder if you have the support that you need in order to help your knowledge. If not, then I invite you to explore any of the MyMT™ programmes and/or Certified Courses. These are available to learn more about on the website.  Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

### MyMT™ Kitchen: A versatile and delicious Indian Coriander Chutney.

There is great variation in experiences of menopause throughout the world and none more so than for Indian women.

For women who continue to live in India, the Indian Menopause Society report that their symptoms may also go on for longer. This is because the average age of menopause of an Indian woman is 46.2 years - much less than their Western counterparts who experience menstrual cessation around the age of 51-52 years).

The reasons for this are numerous, and disparities arise when women living in traditional Indian societies don’t get the information that they deserve to have – this includes with understanding the powerful effect that dietary changes may have on health risk as they move from menopause into post-menopause.

New Zealand-Indian, Shaila Contractor, is no exception. When I first came across her, she told me about the Indian women she was engaging with in her local community, and how much she wanted to help them with their midlife symptoms and health.

As Shaila not only undertook my own Menopause Transformation programme, she realised that in my own recipe book, there was not much emphasis on specific recipes suitable to the Indian culture that followed the principles of dietary change for helping Indian women with symptom, weight and health-risk reduction.

This is when she approached me to ‘do something about it’. We designed a recipe book which meets the cultural needs of Indian women. Each recipe follows the principles for healthy ageing through the menopause transition.

This delicious and versatile Coriander Chutney recipe is one of her favourite recipes. I hope you enjoy it!


 
Shaila's Indian Coriander (Cilantro) Chutney
Ingredients:

 	2 cups of fresh coriander
 	2 or 1 fresh green chili - depending on how spicy you enjoy it.
 	1 small clove of garlic
 	Small piece of fresh turmeric- available in fruit shops
 	2 tbsp of raw peanuts (substitute for other nuts if you are allergic to peanuts)
 	Squeeze lemon juice
 	Salt to taste

Instructions:

 	Wash the fresh coriander leaves thoroughly and chop them roughly. Remove the stems from the green chilies and chop them. Peel the garlic clove. Peel and chop the fresh turmeric into small pieces.
 	In a blender or food processor, add the raw peanuts, chopped green chilies, garlic clove, and chopped fresh turmeric. Blend these hard ingredients into a coarse paste.
 	Add the chopped fresh coriander leaves to the blender.
 	Squeeze in the lemon juice.
 	Optionally, add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavors.
 	Blend all the ingredients together until you get a smooth paste consistency.
 	If the mixture is too thick, you can add a little water to help it blend smoothly.
 	Check the consistency of the chutney. If it's too thick, you can add a bit more water or lemon juice to adjust.
 	Taste the chutney and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt or lemon juice if needed.
 	Transfer the coriander chutney to a serving bowl.
 	Serve it as a dipping sauce with samosas, fritters, or any snacks of your choice.
 	It can also be enjoyed as a spread on toast, with carrot sticks, or homemade chips.
 	Enjoy the vibrant flavors of this homemade coriander chutney, packed with the freshness of coriander leaves and the heat of green chilies. Adjust the spiciness according to your taste preferences for a perfect accompaniment to your favorite snacks!
 	This green chutney is versatile and can be used in many ways in salad dressing, sandwich, dip, sauce, rice seasoning.


BUY NOW - INDIAN RECIPE GUIDE FOR WOMEN IN MENOPAUSE

### MyMT™ | The Mediterranean Diet for Menopause and Post-Menopause

Can nutritional changes throughout the menopause transition help manage menopause symptoms amidst a growing reliance on medicalised solutions and supplement?It's an interesting question isn't it? And one that I asked myself, especially when menopause symptoms, including sore joints, insomnia, palpitations, hot flushes and weight gain, weren't resolved with HRT.That's why, drawing from my background in exercise physiology, nutrition and women’s healthy ageing research, I want to highlight how and why the Mediterranean Dietary approach is now recognised as one of the most important ways of eating for midlife and older women.		
					Why the Mediterranean Diet for Menopause? 				
		Positioning the menopause transition in ageing research opened the door to several symptom management alternatives not only for myself, but for thousands of women around the world, utilizing food as medicine. While each woman’s experience of menopause is different, it was placing this normal life-stage transition into the context of women's ageing and inflammatory research, that offered a departure from the conventional idea that menopause is a sickness that has to be “cured.”Menopause can be normalized by acknowledging that this stage of life is a natural process that is a stepping stone towards our post-menopause years, and as such, incorporating aspects of the Mediterranean nutritional approach, which is well evidenced in women's health, longevity and nutrition studies, made so much sense! I know myself, that whilst seeking the quick-fix menopause supplements and HRT solutions, I didn't understand that nutritional lifestyle solutions were becoming well evidenced for symptom management in midlife women. Today, Scientists have discovered thousands of substances in foods that go way beyond relying on 'just' supplements or hormone therapies.'Among the various aspects of health promotion and lifestyle adaptation to the menopause and postmenopausal period, nutritional habits are essential because they concern all women, can be modified, and impact both longevity and quality of life.'  (Silva, Opperman et al, 2021). This is where dietary changes come into our lifestyle decisions.The menopause transition is increasingly seen as a systemic inflammatory phase that facilitates subsequent neurogenerative (nerve degeneration) and cardiovascular disease, as well as bone and muscle changes. Taking inflammatory changes into account and the fact that cardiovascular disease has the highest prevalence in health risk for older women, a large body of evidence now demonstrates that there is an inverse association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD), Type 2 diabetes (T2D), cognitive disorders, osteoporosis and many other inflammatory conditions. [Mazzocchi et al., 2019; Schwingshackl et al., 2019].		
																														
					Definition of the Mediterranean Diet				
		The traditional Mediterranean Diet is defined as the diet that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s in certain regions of the Mediterranean basin, especially in Greece (Crete) and parts of Southern Italy. While differences existed back then in the interpretation of this diet, it became clear to researchers that olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, was a commonly consumed food.Today, most scientists agree that the hallmarks of the Mediterranean diet include: An abundance of plant foods, including a range of fruits and vegetables and wholegrains - rice, cereals, bread, pastaRaw vegetables in salads and cooked vegetablesLegumes such as chickpeas, lentils and beansNuts such as pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, pine nuts and seeds. Herbs and spices, including rosemary Olive oil as the main source of fatSmall consumption of animal products, including eggs, fish and seafood (2-3 times a week)Low consumption of red meatSmall amounts of fermented dairy products - cheese, yoghurt, goats cheese, kefir.Small to moderate consumption of red wine, taken at mealtimes only. The value of the Mediterranean diet for menopause and post menopause, lies in the specific nutrients obtained. This includes folate for managing hot flushes and improving brain fog; melatonin-rich foods (pistachio nuts and olive oil) and a range of vegetables that offer improvements in fibre content and therefore, gut health. When women get the variety of foods on offer through the Mediterranean diet, then this provides an optimal number of macronutrients (15-20% protein/ 40-50% of healthy carbohydrates/ 30% of healthy fats rather than saturated fats from animal products).Most importantly, the Mediterranean diet has a high content of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) and it's the combination of these, that helps to restore hormonal balance in the body as we transition through menopause and into post-menopause.The discovery of phyto-nutrients has changed everything we know about foods. The term 'phyto-nutrients' refers to the compounds in foods that contain an abundance of microscopic healing substances. Some scientists call them the 'vitamins of tomorrow' such is their power to heal.Many pharmaceutical companies are using these phyto-chemicals in plant-derived hormone therapies for women and as I examine many of the ingredients of menopause supplements, then they too have a variety of phyto-nutrients in them, especially B-vitamins which are known to reduce hot flushes, anxiety and mood swings in women. (Bani et al., 2013; Barnard et al., 2022; Young et al., 2019] Another example is apples. How many of you were told to eat apples when you were younger? Not only to improve chewing, which helps to reduce dizziness and improve balance in women, because it helps to clear the ear canal), but also to improve your lung health.The skin of apples (red skin) contain quercetin. This is known to reduce the inflammatory changes in lungs as women age and to reduce the risk of heart disease as you age.Most importantly, apples, tomatoes and cruciferous vegetables (all foods of the Mediterranean diet) are evidenced to help women detoxify their liver - an important part of weight management as they move through menopause and into post-menopause.		
																														
					Does the Mediterranean Diet help with menopause weight loss and cardiovascular health?				
		It is well known in metabolic and cardiac research that the menopause transition and subsequent endocrine or hormonal changes, are associated with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis and immune dysfunction.Looking at these clinical end-points was important to me, especially with both weight increase and cardiovascular changes, that I was struggling to manage. Thousands of women have a similar experience and it's no surprise to me that over 80% of women who undertake the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz mention that they are overweight.For example, when exploring the nutritional research on menopause and post-menopause weight gain, there is clear evidence that dietary plant carbohydrates, a hallmark of the Mediterranean diet, offer a low rating on the Glycemic Index rating system (below 55), and whole grains (instead of refined grains), have positive effects on our resting metabolic rate (Silva et al, 2021).Wholegrains are also an important component of the traditional Mediterranean Diet.Cardiac health research also reports that wholegrains help to steady blood glucose response and give lasting energy as well as reducing harmful LDL-cholesterol.Whole-grains are also important for reducing palpitations and protecting the cardiovascular system as women age. [NZHF Wholegrains and the Heart Evidence Paper, 2018]From our early-50’s onwards, as menopause progresses, cardiac muscle changes in structure and function, as do our skeletal muscles. And it doesn’t matter if women are regular exercisers or not, their ageing heart and muscles need the nutrients that matter to them to help their cardiac health as they age. Some of these nutrients come from wholegrains, which are an essential part of the Mediterranean Diet. 		
																														
		There is a lot of confusion about nutrition for the menopause transition these days, and numerous women entering menopause may be following a diet high in protein, which is promoted in the fitness industry.If much of this protein is from animal fats, then don't forget that all animal protein is also high in saturated fats, which, for women with fatty liver disease, or who don't have a gallbladder, may be problematic. I can't reinforce this enough and have written about the detrimental effects of diets high in both fats and animal protein and the load that these are known to place on ageing kidneys. This is known as PRAL, or Potential Renal Acid Load.  		
																														
					Mediterranean Diet For Menopause & Post Menopause - here's how to get started? A video for you!				
		When it comes to looking ahead to a potentially healthy ageing, then I'm a great advocate of using the menopause transition to begin to try new approaches. The lifestyle and disease-prevention science specific to women allows a framework from which to make these adjustments and I tell you about the best 5 nutritional changes you can make to get started on your new way of eating for menopause and post-menopause, in the video below. https://youtu.be/FE9f15IkwPUFood is at the heart of your health as you move through menopause and I have all of your dietary and other lifestyle solutions in the world-class My Menopause Transformation programmes.Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References:Bani S, Hasanpour S, Farzad Rik L, Hasankhani H, Sharami SH. The effect of folic Acid on menopausal hot flashes: a randomized clinical trial. J Caring Sci. 2013 Jun 1;2(2):131-40. doi: 10.5681/jcs.2013.016. Barnard ND, Kahleova H, Holtz DN, Znayenko-Miller T, Sutton M, Holubkov R, Zhao X, Galandi S, Setchell KDR. A dietary intervention for vasomotor symptoms of menopause: a randomized, controlled trial. Menopause. 2023 Jan 1;30(1):80-87. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002080. Feskens EJM, Bailey R, Bhutta Z, Biesalski HK, Eicher-Miller H, Krämer K, Pan WH, Griffiths JC. Women's health: optimal nutrition throughout the lifecycle. Eur J Nutr. 2022 Jun;61(Suppl 1):1-23. Jin K. Modern Biological Theories of Aging. Aging Dis. 2010 Oct 1;1(2):72-74.Lidder S, Webb AJ. (2013). Vascular effects of dietary nitrate (as found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot) via the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 75(3):677-96. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04420.x. PMID: 22882425; Mazzocchi A, Leone L, Agostoni C, Pali-Schöll I. The Secrets of the Mediterranean Diet. Does [Only] Olive Oil Matter? Nutrients. 2019 Dec 3;11(12):2941. doi: 10.3390/nu11122941. PMID: 31817038;Preedy V. & Watson. R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidence-based approach. 2nd Ed. Elselvier Academic Press: London, UKSalas-Salvadó J, Becerra-Tomás N, García-Gavilán JF, Bulló M, Barrubés L. Mediterranean Diet and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: What Do We Know? Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2018 May-Jun;61(1):62-67. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2018.04.006. Epub 2018 Apr 18. PMID: 29678447.Schwingshackl L, Morze J, Hoffmann G. (2020). Mediterranean diet and health status: Active ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms. Br J Pharmacol. Mar;177(6):1241-1257.Silva, T., Oppermann, K, Reis, F. & Spritzer, P. (2021). Nutrition in Menopausal Women: A Narrative Review, Nutrients, 13, 2149, 1-14.Yoshany, N., Mazloomy Mahmoodabad, S., Bahri, N., Moori, MK., & Hanna, F. (2020). Association between lifestyle and severity of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. Electron J. Gen Med. 17(5): em22, 1-6.Young LM, Pipingas A, White DJ, Gauci S, Scholey A. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of B Vitamin Supplementation on Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Stress: Effects on Healthy and 'At-Risk' Individuals. Nutrients. 2019 Sep 16;11(9):2232. doi: 10.3390/nu11092232. 		
					Menopause and Insulin Resistance: FAQ				
												What is the Mediterranean Diet for menopause?
					It’s a plant-forward diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil. This eating approach supports hormonal balance, reduces inflammation, and helps with menopause weight loss.
												Why does the Mediterranean Diet help with menopause symptoms?
					It’s rich in anti-inflammatory compounds and healthy fats that support hormone regulation, reduce joint pain, and improve energy—critical for women struggling with menopause symptoms.
												 Is the Mediterranean Diet better than other diets during menopause?
					For many women, yes. It is sustainable, nutrient-dense, and specifically supportive of age-related changes like increased abdominal fat and slower metabolism.
												 How soon can I see results on the Mediterranean Diet for menopause?
					Some women report feeling better within weeks. Research shows significant fat loss and health improvements within 8–12 weeks.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Mediterranean Baked Fish - Symptom relief from the deep.

You don't have to eat a lot of fish to get the wonderful heart and thyroid health benefits that many women need as they transition from peri-menopause to menopause and then move into their post-menopause years.

The Omega-3 fats in fish help to reduce the production of compounds which may cause blood vessels to constrict as our oestrogen levels decline, leading to higher blood pressure with age. Omega-3 fats from fish (and extra virgin olive oil and/or olives) help to protect blood vessels and improve blood flow.

Fish is also considered one of the best sources of iodine, an essential nutrient that helps with immune function and thyroid health. 

Even if you don't like fish, or can't access it readily, or you find that it is too expensive, then perhaps there are other ways you can find that allow you to add fish to your diet.

Canned tuna (in spring water) is fine as is frozen fish. I often purchase frozen blue cod which is harvested from the freezing waters at the bottom of New Zealand's south island. The photo attached is some of this blue cod.

My recommendation is that women try to add fish to their diet at least twice a week. Not only is it great for heart health as we age, but the higher levels of protein help to reduce muscle loss - a condition known as sarcopenia, and the iodine content is important for the ageing thyroid.

Fish is also rich in carnitine, a protein derivative that plays a pivotal role in the transport of fatty acids into the mitochondrial membrane, which is an important pathway in our ongoing energy metabolism.

This process is particularly active in skeletal muscles. Fish can provide 10-20mg of carnitine in a 100gm serving as well as magnesium. A mineral required for muscle metabolism and muscle strength as we age.

I hope that you can make this dish sometime. Now that I'm well into post-menopause myself, it's a regular dish on my dining table too. All the family love it.
MyMT™ MEDITERRANEAN BAKED FISH
Ingredients:

 	Fish (enough to feed your family) - I use Terakihi or Blue Cod fish in New Zealand
 	Olives, chopped
 	Red Peppers, chopped
 	Cherry tomatoes
 	4 garlic cloves, chopped
 	1 tsp paprika
 	1 tsp cumin
 	1 tsp rosemary or thyme
 	1 lemon, juiced
 	2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

 	Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
 	Place olives, cherry tomatoes, red peppers and garlic on a baking tray or large oven dish. Sprinkle with paprika, cumin, rosemary, lemon and olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes.


 	Add the chopped fish to the baking tray or dish (make sure it is coated in the existing juices). Bake for a further 5-10 minutes (until fish is cooked).


 	Serve with rice, salad or sweet potato.

Bon appetit.



Related Tag: MyMT™ How it Works

### MyMT™ Education: The seasons are changing and so are your client's menopause symptoms.

"Sleep touches on nearly every aspect of our physiology and psychology, of our interaction with the world and with others."William Dement (2000), Sleep Research Pioneer. Over 20,000 students took William Dement's course on ‘Sleep and Dreams’  throughout his tenure at Stanford University. He created and pioneered the fields of sleep research, sleep medicine and sleep disorders.  His mission was to educate the world about the importance of sleep, which he believed was dangerously undervalued. His motto, “drowsiness is red alert,” is a message he tirelessly broadcast to his students, trainees, members of Congress and the world at large. According to Stanford University, among Dement’s key achievements were explaining the phases of the human sleep cycle and identifying the physiological basis of dreams. His research helped us to understand that dreaming is how the brain cleanses overnight. William Dement only passed away in 2020. But I wish that he had lived long enough to undertake sleep research specifically tailored to women in menopause. We might have learnt a lot more than we currently know and even he may have asked the following question, Do women need to focus on their melatonin production to reduce menopause symptoms as the seasons change? It's an interesting question isn't it? And I'm asking it, based on relatively new research about our sleep hormone, called melatonin, and the pleotropic effect it has on women's health in menopause.The term 'pleiotropic' means 'effects around the body' and when it comes to melatonin and the menopause transition, the role of this hormone has a greater effect throughout the body than many of our clients may realise.  Melatonin is able to regulate several physiological functions from well-known sleep/wake cycles to nervous system protection as well as regulation of both the immune and hormonal systems. It also influences the energy organelles, known as mitochondria. The researchers called this effect, 'cross-talk' between melatonin and reproductive hormones. [Cipolla-Neto et al, 2022]Every week I get emails from women who are exhausted and exasperated from not sleeping. Is this your clients as well? Sleep can be problematic for women in their midlife and older years, as many of you already realise. Many women also complain to me that they are still not sleeping, despite menopause-HRT and numerous supplements, which are costing them a small fortune.Hence, after reading some of the work of William Dement as well as newer research on the health effects of seasonal change in melatonin production, I'm wondering if, because the seasons are changing, your clients may require renewed attention to their sleep routines and natural melatonin production? 		
																														
					Understanding Melatonin				
		Melatonin is the hormone released from a tiny gland in the brain, called the pineal gland. This gland sets and resets the circadian drive for sleep. As women move through menopause and age, it is well known that melatonin production naturally declines. Melatonin levels decline gradually over the life-span. Researchers believe that this decline may be related to reduced sleep duration and lower sleep depth during and after the menopause.Because of this decline, some deterioration of many functions and processes around the body that are controlled by circadian rhythms may arise.The circadian rhythms are the natural day/ night rhythms that help the human body to function. These circadian rhythms are a 24 hr biological cycle, which are also present in peripheral tissues, including the heart and muscles. Changes to circadian function, including during seasonal variations or daylight saving changes affect body temperature, hormone secretion and locomotor activity. (Shukla et al, 2023).  When the seasons change, melatonin production changes too, hence, symptoms in menopause can also change on a seasonal pattern. Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Insomnia associated with menopause is not only due to declining levels of the reproductive hormones. Reduced levels of melatonin have been shown to decrease with age, specifically as women approach menopause.Experts have proposed that the disturbance of the circadian system is of substantial relevance in menopausal women, because the direct impairment of sleep regulation impacts other symptoms. (Jehan et al, 2017).		
																														
					Regulate Melatonin Production During Seasonal Changes				
		Melatonin is the 'go-to-sleep' hormone. It is secreted from the pineal gland principally in the evening hours, researchers better understand the role of melatonin and it's involvement in a number of other cyclical bodily functions. Melatonin is an important hormone to focus on during the menopause transition. It is exclusively involved in signaling the 'time of day' and 'time of year'. Hence, why women find that international travel may worsen their symptoms, or when the seasons change and daylight savings come into effect.Melatonin is therefore, considered to be the body's chronological pacemaker or 'Zeitgeber'.As sleep research has expanded over the last decade or so, melatonin supplements have been used as a therapeutic chemical in a large spectrum of diseases, mainly in sleep disturbances.Whilst melatonin medications are not as ideal as training your brain to produce it's own melatonin, because taking a synthetic melatonin will reduce your body's ability to produce it's own melatonin, sometimes it may be indicated during seasonal changes in sleep or when women are jet-lagged. With the rapid expansion of sleep research over the past two decades, researchers better understand that this powerful and essential hormone may also play a role in the biologic regulation of mood, depression, cardiovascular system health, reproductive health, gut health and of course, the health of women as they age. Inadequate sleep causes hot flushes and night sweats to become worse, and may contribute to depression and anxiety.Not enough sleep also affects the body’s ability to regulate stress hormones which can also lead to high blood pressure.Getting enough quality sleep is also crucial for maintaining healthy levels of hormones that control appetite and blood glucose levels as well as energy. It's why, if your clients aren't sleeping, they may find it difficult to lose weight.   That's why there's a lot more to this powerful hormone than previously thought.Researchers have discovered that melatonin is not only produced in the pineal gland (in the brain), it's also produced locally in the bone marrow and the retina of the eye, in the gastrointestinal tract, the testes in males, and in human lymphocytes (white cells).As such, when levels of melatonin decline as women age, there are effects around the body. This matters to women in menopause.The inter-connection between all of the hormones via the HPA-Thyroid Axis, means that the natural decline of reproductive hormones during menopause also impacts the production and action of melatonin around the body. This is partly why, changing sleep patterns during menopause and during seasonal variations, impact hot flushes, night sweats, sore joints, depression, blood pressure, heart and gut health.		
																														
					Should Women Have Melatonin Supplements?				
		Exploring the effect of melatonin supplements on women's health and their symptoms during menopause, was the subject of a review article by Treister-Goltzman & Peleg (2021).It made for interesting and curious reading, including the knowledge that disruptions in the circadian patterns of melatonin production, (including via seasonal changes), leads to numerous physiological changes in the body.Many of these changes relate to symptoms during menopause. Whilst the authors of the study mentioned that further studies needed to be undertaken and not all of the studies that they explored in their analysis showed a positive correlation of melatonin with menopause symptom reversal, their analysis of 24 studies on melatonin and women's health, with a total of over 1300 participants, revealed that melatonin supplementation of 3-5mg over 6-12 months helped improve:  Sleep quality in women with a pre-existing sleep impairment (which in turn improved immune function).Bone mineral densityWeight loss in overweight womenMood state.Whilst it is known that levels of melatonin oscillate throughout the menstrual cycle, the problem during menopause and post-menopause, is that ageing is also impacting melatonin levels. These altered melatonin levels as women move into their post-menopause years, may then contribute to bone density concerns and osteoporosis (Shukla et al, 2023), immune health changes, gut health concerns and increased risk for heart disease.		
																														
					Lifestyle Tips for Sleep				
		Helping your clients get on top of sleep problems is an important role of your coaching. We all know that it's difficult to function when we don't have enough sleep.So, for those of you who haven't undertaken the MyMT™ Practitioner Programme, whereby I go into more depth on sleep physiology during menopause, here are a couple of lifestyle changes to share with your clients. Avoid sugary foods and drinks at least 3 hours before bed. Sugar increases the production of insulin which is a hormone that carries glucose to specific tissues and organs around the body. One of these organs is the brain.When insulin is carrying blood glucose to the brain, it crosses the blood-brain barrier and interferes with melatonin production and secretion. Hence, an important aspect for women struggling to get on top of their sleep is to look at their diet, especially in the evening. 2. Recommend foods which contain tryptophan. These foods include salmon, fish, lean beef, turkey, bananas and more! Tryptophan foods help to produce 5-HTP, which helps to produce serotonin which helps to produce melatonin, in the presence of B vitamins. But because Tryptophan is absorbed via the small intestine, if women have gut health concerns, then getting on top of this is a priority. Poor gut health and insomnia go hand-in-hand, and vice versa. 		
																
															
		Millions of women around the world and their health advisors think that menopause is ‘just’ about hot flushes, but it’s not.There are many more changes going on at this stage of life than we realise. Whether it’s sore joints, depression, insomnia, anxiety, brain fog or heart palpitations and hot flushes, it’s important for our health to turn these symptoms around as we age and to understand factors that influence these changes, including seasonal variation.Your education about the influences on menopause symptoms and using evidenced lifestyle solutions to help your clients, is the purpose of the certified MyMT™ menopause courses. I hope you can join me on any of these when you can. Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Women's Health & Ageing Researcher/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																
															
																														
		References: Cipolla-Neto J, Amaral F, G, Soares, Jr J, M, Gallo C, C, Furtado A, Cavaco J, E, Gonçalves I, Santos C, R, A, Quintela T. (2022). The Crosstalk between Melatonin and Sex Steroid Hormones. Neuroendocrinology 2022;112:115-129. doi: 10.1159/000516148Grivas T. & Savvidou O. (2007). Melatonin the "light of night" in human biology and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis. 4(2)6. doi: 10.1186/1748-7161-2-6. PMID: 17408483; PMCID: PMC1855314.Gursoy A., Kiseli M., & Caglar G. (2015). Melatonin in aging women. Climacteric. 18(6):790-6. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2015.1052393. Epub 2015 Sep 25. PMID: 26029988.Hannah Scott, Bastien Lechat, Kelly Sansom, Lucia Pinilla, Jack Manners, Andrew J K Phillips, Duc Phuc Nguyen, Sebastien Bailly, Jean-Louis Pepin, Pierre Escourrou, Ganesh Naik, Peter Catcheside, Danny J Eckert, Variations in sleep duration and timing: weekday and seasonal variations in sleep are common in an analysis of 73 million nights from an objective sleep tracker, Sleep, 2025;, zsaf099, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaf099Jehan S, Jean-Louis G, Zizi F, et al. Sleep, melatonin, and the menopausal transition: What are the links? Sleep Sci. 2017; 10(1): 11-18. doi: 10.5935/1984-0063.20170003Karasek M. (2004). Melatonin, human aging, and age-related diseases. Exp Gerontol. 39(11-12):1723-9. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2004.04.012. PMID: 15582288.Mattingly, S.M., Grover, T., Martinez, G.J. et al. The effects of seasons and weather on sleep patterns measured through longitudinal multimodal sensing. npj Digit. Med. 4, 76 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-021-00435-2Narita, K., Hoshide, S. & Kario, K. Seasonal variation in blood pressure: current evidence and recommendations for hypertension management. Hypertens Res 44, 1363–1372 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-021-00732-zTreister-Goltzman, Y. & Peleg, R. (2021). Melatonin and the health of menopausal women: A systematic review. J. of Pineal Research, 71(2), 1-12Wehr TA. (1997). Melatonin and seasonal rhythms. J Biol Rhythms. Dec;12(6):518-27. West, C. & Egger G. (2017). Lifestyle Medicine, [Chapter 18], To Sleep, Perchance to .... Get everything else right. 3rd Ed. Elselvier Academic Press. Yetish G, Kaplan H, Gurven M, Wood B, Pontzer H, Manger PR, Wilson C, McGregor R, Siegel JM. Natural sleep and its seasonal variations in three pre-industrial societies. Curr Biol. 2015 Nov 2;25(21):2862-2868. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.09.046. Epub 2015 Oct 17. 

### Terrific Tomatoes: Lycopene and Osteoporosis Prevention in Post-Menopausal Women

It’s a disease known as the ‘silent thief’ and this food helps to turn it around!My interest in lycopene, primarily from cooked tomatoes, was piqued, when I began to explore the role of this powerful compound on women’s cardiovascular health. Lycopene is a potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that isn’t produced in the body, so we need to obtain it from our food.So, when new research emerged about the powerful role of lycopene on bone cells and osteoporosis prevention, I was excited for those of you who have noticed that your bone health has been changing with age.As I teach women on my Beyond Menopause™ Programme, the emphasis on heavy weight training and high protein diets is a dominant theme in osteoporosis and sarcopenia prevention these days, but it’s not the only conversation.In fact, for women who aren’t regular exercises, or are already overweight or obese, or aren’t sleeping, going directly to heavy weights and high protein may be detrimental to their health.		
																														
					Risks associated with declining bone health aren't only due to menopause!				
		Osteoblasts and osteoclasts are the major cells involved in the development of osteoporosis.As you may know, osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease, with gradual loss of bone occurring over several years in men after the age of 60 and in women after the age of 50 years.It is known as the ‘silent thief’, since there are usually no symptoms, until we have a DEXA scan, or have a fall and a fracture occurs.Bone is a dynamic tissue. It is continually renewing itself throughout life, with peak bone mass occurring around our mid 30s. Although peak bone mass starts to decline from our mid-30s and early 40s onwards, this decline may accelerate in all women due to these factors:Being too thin or having a current or past eating disorderBeing a smokerBeing low in Vitamin D and calcium intakeHave a high intake of alcoholDrink more than 4 cups of coffee dailyUndertake excessive and intense sport and exerciseHave low antioxidant status(Rao et al., Chap. 22, Aging & Oxidative Stress, Preedy & Patel (Eds), 2020].These factors, either combined or individually, accelerate oxidative stress. This is the term given to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damages cells and tissues in the body – bone included.The good news is, however, that as we age and move through menopause, we can slow down the rate of oxidative damage, including in bones. Whilst it’s important to maintain or build strength through adding some resistance to working muscles, it's also important to consider the type of food that we eat for our bone health.The push and pull of muscles on our bones, helps the bones to remodel, so I have specific exercises for women for their bone health in the MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness programme and in my new Beyond Menopause™ programme which is designed for women in post-menopause. I also have brand new Food Guides and Recipes, specifically for women's health, including bone health and these foods include lycopene!		
																														
					Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant – we need it every day! 				
		Epidemiological evidence in both human and animal studies indicates that ageing and the associated increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) are responsible for bone loss as women age.And as the menopause transition is now known as an inflammatory part of the life-course for women (McCarthy & Raval, 2020), it’s important to consider having a higher intake of antioxidants. An antioxidant is a compound that prevents damage from the effects of oxygen. Phytonutrients in certain plant-based foods are evidenced to offer anti-oxidant benefits.Diseases associated with ROS, including osteoporosis, develop when antioxidants lose their fight against the cellular damage.This is where lycopene-rich foods are beneficial to us.Around 85% of North Americans obtain their dietary lycopene source from tomatoes – cooked and canned, but this powerful nutrient can also be obtained from watermelon, pink grapefruit and pink guavas (Preedy & Patel, 2020, p. 224).To enhance its absorption, lycopene can also be taken with a-tocopherol (Vitamin E), a healthy fat, present in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.This is the primary type of Vitamin E in extra virgin olive oil and approximately 2 milligrams of Vitamin E can be acquired from a tablespoon of olive oil, which is about 10% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin E.It’s no wonder that both EVOO and tomatoes are hallmarks of the Mediterranean diet, which has the most evidence for women’s health as they age. In the video below, I explain how the Mediterranean Diet is evidenced to reduce menopause symptoms and help women age healthily and how you can make the shift, with 5 easy changes. https://youtu.be/FE9f15IkwPU		
					How does Lycopene work to strengthen your bones?				
		Laboratory studies on lycopene suggest that when this compound is added to bone tissue in a laboratory setting, it stimulates cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity.Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a protein-based enzyme found in virtually all body tissues, including the liver, bones, intestines, and placenta.This enzyme plays a significant role in bone health and lycopene helps in this role.It is produced by osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) and involved in bone mineralization - the strengthening of your bones, as it helps to provide a high phosphate concentration for the bone matrix.Lycopene helps to repair damaged or inflamed bone tissue. When bone tissue is damaged or if inflammation is present, lycopene, in laboratory cultures and in studies on post-menopausal women, has been shown to repair this damage (Rao & Rao, 2003).It achieves this by promoting bone formation. (Walallawita, 2020).		
																														
					Join me for Beyond Menopause™ - your 12 week programme which women call 'life-changing'!				
		The Mediterranean Diet benefits the reduction of many diseases of ageing, including for women moving through menopause, osteoporosis prevention.There are numerous compounds in foods promoted in this type of diet, including lycopene and epidemiological evidence supports the beneficial effects of tomatoes and tomato products in the prevention of osteoporosis in the Mediterranean population. (Pérez-López et al. 2009).It's why, in the Beyond Menopause™ programme (and my other 12 week programmes), I have a fabulous Food Guide and Recipe Book for you, with all the fabulous food information you need as you forget about your diets of the past and move into your healthy ageing years ahead.I hope you can join me and the thousands of women globally who are making the time to focus on renewing their health, energy and vitality with MyMT™.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder and Women’s Healthy Ageing Educator/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																														
		References: Faustino R. Pérez-López, Peter Chedraui, Javier Haya, José L. Cuadros,Effects of the Mediterranean diet on longevity and age-related morbid conditions. Maturitas, Volume 64, Issue 2, 2009. ISSN 0378-5122.Rizzoli R, Bischoff-Ferrari H, Dawson-Hughes B, Weaver C. Nutrition and bone health in women after the menopause. Womens Health (Lond). 2014 Nov;10(6):599-608. doi: 10.2217/whe.14.40.Sacco SM, Horcajada MN, Offord E. Phytonutrients for bone health during ageing. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013 Mar;75(3):697-707. doi: 10.1111/bcp.12033. PMID: 23384080Silva, A. N. A., Nunes, G. P., Domingues, D. V. A. d. P., Toninatto Alves De Toledo, P., Akinsomisoye, O. S., Florencio-Silva, R., & Cerri, P. S. (2025). Effects of Lycopene Supplementation on Bone Tissue: A Systematic Review of Clinical and Preclinical Evidence. Pharmaceuticals, 18(8), 1172. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18081172Walallawita US, Wolber FM, Ziv-Gal A, Kruger MC, Heyes JA. Potential Role of Lycopene in the Prevention of Postmenopausal Bone Loss: Evidence from Molecular to Clinical Studies. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Sep 27;21(19):7119. doi: 10.3390/ijms21197119. PMID: 32992481

### MyMT™ Education: Help Midlife Clients Reverse Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance in Menopause

What is Metabolic Syndrome (MetS)?
I remember the conference in New York distinctly.

I remember the conference in New York distinctly.

It was 1995, the year my daughter was born. It was my first time away from her.

However, attending the conference was an opportunity that I didn’t want to miss. I was presenting at an American health and exercise conference and for the first time ever, there were specialist presentations on medical concerns associated with exercise prescription.

Sitting in one of these sessions, it was the first time that I had heard a name given to the cocktail of conditions that I was seeing in overweight middle-aged women coming into the gym.

When taking their physical and healthy history as part of their pre-screening, many of them described abdominal and breast weight gain, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes (insulin resistance) and high cholesterol.

Here I was, for the first time ever, hearing that these conditions were collectively known as Metabolic Syndrome [MetS], or as it is more popularly known, Syndrome X.

Nearly 30 years later, I continue to remember this conference … because as I went into menopause, the same health changes happened to me.

Insulin resistance in menopause is increasingly recognised as a key driver behind these symptoms. The menopause transition is now known to be a catalyst for the development of Metabolic Syndrome and a condition called Insulin Resistance. [Mumusoglu & Yildiz, 2019].

Insulin resistance is a condition where the body's cells fail to respond properly to the hormone insulin, which normally helps glucose (sugar) enter cells for energy. This leads to high blood sugar levels, as the pancreas compensates by producing more insulin. If the pancreas can no longer keep up with the demand, it can progress to prediabetes and eventually, Type 2 diabetes in women in their post-menopause years.

Of concern for women putting on a lot of weight, is that MetS precedes Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular risk as they move from menopause into post-menopause.

But wait, there’s now more! New research also suggests that MetS is linked to the progression of osteoarthritis. (Charton, 2025; Dickson et al, 2019)
Signs of Metabolic Syndrome During Menopause
Metabolic syndrome (MetS), is associated with central obesity and characterised by:

 	elevated waist circumference (over 84cm for women)
 	raised fasting plasma glucose concentration
 	raised triglycerides (blood fats)
 	reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (the ‘good’ one)
 	and/or hypertension

All of these factors may also be implicated in the development of Osteoarthritis and this blog on the link between alcohol consumption and osteoporosis is written with your client-coaching in mind, if you are a Health Practitioner.

According to researchers, this link between metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis can occur via a wide range of metabolic alterations.

Most noticeably, the way that MetS affects macrophages (white cells that remove debris) and chondrocytes (specialised cells that maintain cartilage).

Hyper-glycaemia (high blood sugar) is also a problem for sore joints – something I’ve noticed in many of my clients too – when they begin their lifestyle-change journey to remove sugar and unhealthy fats, their joint pain tends to reduce too.

This is related to Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs), which are produced when sugars bind to proteins and fats.

These AGEs are well known in ageing and longevity health research, because they are harmful and are known to contribute to many diseases of ageing. This is because they bind to receptors on the surface of the macrophages and increase the rate of oxidative stress and inflammatory changes in cells.

These inflammatory processes also compound insulin resistance, making menopause symptoms worse over time.

With an eye on the future health of clients as they navigate menopause, the management of insulin and blood sugar levels is one of the hallmarks of managing metabolic syndrome – and I share some tips about how to do this below.


Could Menopause and Insulin Resistance Be Causing Your Client’s Worsening Symptoms?
If your clients are overweight or obese, tired, feeling sluggish, have developed foggy brain, aching muscles and sore joints, then changing hormones in menopause may not be to blame. Instead the focus may need to be on managing Metabolic Syndrome instead.

Obesity superimposed on menopause and ageing, drastically increases chronic low-grade inflammation (a condition called ‘inflammaging’), and inflammaging is now seen as an important link between obesity, insulin resistance, and age-associated diseases. [Frasca et al, 2017].

This is why understanding the role of insulin is important and I go into this in more depth in the Practitioner course which is a Certified Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course.

For now however, helping your clients with control of insulin release from the pancreas, helps to control their energy levels, moods, hot flushes, sore joints and their weight.

This is one of the most practical ways to support women with insulin resistance in menopause. If your clients aren’t sure about their glucose levels, then the next time they get their bloods checked, they can talk to their Doctor about an HbA1c blood test done (as well as triglycerides and your cholesterol levels). HbA1c is a diabetes test and measures average plasma glucose concentration.


How Insulin Works and Why It Matters in Menopause
To better understand menopause and insulin resistance, it helps to have an understanding of the two hormones that are released by the pancreas when we eat.

These two hormones, insulin and glucagon, interact to help manage our blood sugar levels or blood glucose levels. If both these hormones are out of balance, our blood sugar/glucose levels become unstable.

This can lead to energy peaks and dips throughout the day, worsening mood swings and unstable weight gain.

The pancreas manages Insulin production and release in response to blood sugar levels. It is the most ‘forgotten’ organ that I know, yet its importance and function is crucial to helping clients lose weight.

When foods that are highly sweet or they are ultra-processed foods, such as many junk-foods, are eaten, this causes glucose levels in the blood to increase.

In order for the body to manage these higher blood glucose levels and remove them, insulin is released from the pancreas.

The normal role of insulin is to carry sugar or glucose to nearly every cell around your body. This includes your brain, muscle and liver cells.

Insulin carries glucose. It is your energy storage hormone.

When you eat something such as white bread or white rice, or a cookie or honey, your blood glucose (sugar) rises. This signals the pancreas to release an amount of insulin necessary to carry the available glucose to the brain, the liver and muscles as well as other cells.

There is no energy storage in our muscles or liver cells without insulin. Nor is there glucose which travels to the brain without insulin. It is a crucial hormone which holds the key to unlocking the door to glucose being stored in the liver, muscles and in fat cells.

In normal situations, insulin moves glucose into our brain, muscle and liver cells ready to supply energy for activity and metabolism. Sometimes however, this process gets out of order. This may be from:

 	eating the wrong types of food,
 	eating too much or too little food,
 	drinking a lot of alcohol,
 	having a sedentary lifestyle with very little activity,
 	having too much exercise/sports as with athletes training and competing,
 	carrying too much body-fat,
 	the ageing of the pancreas during menopause, which is the organ responsible for releasing insulin and glucagon (its opposing hormone).
 	the ageing of our muscles and liver (this reduces the efficiency of glucose storage into cells)

All of these factors can cause the pancreas and the liver to become inflamed and therefore, cause your client’s blood sugar levels to get out of balance, either going too high, or too low.

When blood sugar levels are too high, the ageing pancreas works harder than ever to release insulin. If insulin is released too rapidly or too regularly, in response to increased blood sugar levels, then our cells and tissues can’t cope. Nor can we.

Hot flushes may become worse (because insulin helps to regulate temperature), and with the swings and dips in our blood sugar levels, just like hungry children, our moods can also change quickly.

This insulin instability is a hallmark of insulin resistance in menopause.


Why Too Much Insulin Triggers Metabolic Syndrome in Menopause
Too much glucose in the blood can be problematic to women during menopause, because insulin also carries it to fat cells.

Insulin regulates the uptake of dietary fats and glucose from simple carbohydrates into fat cells, especially if women have a large meal, or are sedentary (our liver and muscles use up glucose during exercise), or they are experiencing insomnia.

For many women who have sore joints or are exhausted from not sleeping during their menopause transition, it’s very easy to become more sedentary.

I understand how women feel – the worse my sleep was, the worse my joints and muscles felt, and I didn’t have the energy for exercising, nor did I have the time.

My weight gain and breast tissue increase was also a hindrance to being able to enjoy more vigorous, higher-impact exercise. Something I had done for years.

This is where lack of exercise and insomnia can be problematic to overweight women contributing to a condition called insulin-resistance.

The term ‘insulin-resistance’ comes from the knowledge that cells can become resistant to insulin arriving to deposit glucose into them.

If women become insulin resistant, their liver, muscle and fat cells do not respond to the normal role of insulin properly.

This situation can build up over years due to a diet that is high in carbohydrates (especially processed carbs), but can also become accelerated in peri-menopause when oestrogen levels fall and inflammatory changes in cells occur. This includes in our pancreas and liver.

Insulin Resistance may lead to Metabolic Syndrome … just as I heard about back in 1995, when the Doctor presenting the session spoke about the changing cardiac and metabolic health of our mother’s generation in post-menopause.

As a young ’30-something’ year old at the time, I had no inkling that the same thing might happen to me. Many women who come on my programmes are the same.



When the cells do not respond to insulin, they don’t allow sugars from the blood stream to enter into them.

So, the normal processes for insulin to be taken up by cells is ‘blunted’. This is what causes ‘insulin-resistance’ which can occur on its own, but is always included in Syndrome X, or Metabolic Syndrome.

The key underpinning of Syndrome X is insulin resistance.

When cells don’t allow insulin to do its job, sugars from the foods eaten, including simple carbohydrates, as well as sugar released from the liver, build up in the blood-stream.

Sugar [glucose] in the bloodstream sends a signal to the pancreas to step up its insulin production in an attempt to maintain a normal blood sugar level.

But because the liver, muscle and fat cells are resistant to insulin doing its job, the result is a by-pass of the normal processes and the sugar moves directly to fat cells.

In menopausal women, glucose may then move into storage areas under the diaphragm and into the stomach regions.

This is why insulin resistance in menopause is so commonly linked to stubborn abdominal weight gain.


Lifestyle Tips for Managing Menopause and Metabolic Syndrome
1. Know that nutrition and adherence to it, is your client’s best medicine. As such, you need to understand that the evidence behind the Mediterranean Diet for women in menopause to manage weight has been evolving for years.

2. Selenium is known to reduce inflammation in the ageing pancreas. The pancreas represents a metabolically-active organ and many overweight women also suffer from a fatty pancreas as well as a fatty liver (Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease). A healthy pancreas is essential for the uptake and breakdown of essential nutritional components. Because it changes its morphology and function with age, anti-inflammatory foods are an important component of your client’s diet, especially selenium-rich foods, such as Brazil nuts.



3. Introduce clients to low glycemic index carbohydrates if this is possible within your Scope of Practice. Pioneered by Professor Jenny Brand-Miller from Australia, the glycemic index and glycemic-load rating scale helps to consider carbohydrates that don’t spike insulin levels. I have lists in the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Programme too.



4. Improve Joint Health so your clients can move more freely and get active again. If your clients have sore, aching joints and this is preventing them from being active, then this elevates their risk of developing insulin resistance and/or metabolic syndrome.

In the powerful JOINT HEALTH COURSE, you will discover that there is a nutrient found in olive oil that replaces the loss of oestrogen in tendons. This is why supporting them with nutritional change to meet the specific joint health changes that occur during menopause is so important to share with them.

https://youtu.be/uz_hwsnQE1Y

And yes - you can reverse metabolic syndrome. And it starts by addressing insulin resistance in menopause.

When women develop health changes in their menopause and post-menopause years, it’s hard for them to consider that they have the ability to turn this around using evidenced lifestyle solutions.

It’s the same with insulin resistance – women can reduce and reverse insulin resistance and/or metabolic syndrome.

This is where your role is crucial to their health journey. And for those of you who have joined me on the MyMT™ Health Practitioner training, or any of the other courses, it’s my privilege to draw your attention to this important stage of your client’s life, whether they choose to go on HRT or not!

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.



References: 

Carr MC. The emergence of the metabolic syndrome with menopause. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Jun;88(6):2404-11.

Charton, Alix et al. (2025). Metabolic syndrome is associated with more pain in hand osteoarthritis: results from the DIGICOD cohort. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, Volume 32, S43 - S44

Dickson, B.M., Roelofs, A.J., Rochford, J.J. et al. The burden of metabolic syndrome on osteoarthritic joints. Arthritis Res Ther 21, 289 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-019-2081-x

Frasca D, Blomberg BB, Paganelli R. Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases. Front Immunol. 2017 Dec 7;8:1745.

Godoy-Matos AF, Silva Júnior WS, Valerio CM. NAFLD as a continuum: from obesity to metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2020 Jul 14;12:60.

Ko SH, Kim HS. Menopause-Associated Lipid Metabolic Disorders and Foods Beneficial for Postmenopausal Women. Nutrients. 2020 Jan 13;12(1):202.

Manco, M. ,Nolfe, G. , Calvani, M., Natali, A., Nolan, J., Ferrannini, E., Mingrone, G. (2006). Menopause, insulin resistance and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Menopause, 13 (5), 809-817

Martín-Peláez, S., Fito, M., & Castaner, O. (2020). Mediterranean Diet Effects on Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Disease Progression, and Related Mechanisms. A Review. Nutrients, 12(8), 2236. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082236

Minu S. Thomas, Christopher N. Blesso, Mariana C. Calle, Ock K. Chun, Michael Puglisi, and Maria Luz Fernandez. Dietary Influences on Gut Microbiota with a Focus on Metabolic Syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.Oct 2022.429-439.

Mumusoglu S, Yildiz BO. Metabolic Syndrome During Menopause. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2019;17(6):595-603.

Patni, R., & Mahajan, A. (2018). The metabolic syndrome and menopause. Journal of Mid-life Health, 9(3), 111–112.

Stachowiak G, Pertyński T, Pertyńska-Marczewska M. Metabolic disorders in menopause. Prz Menopauzalny. 2015 Mar;14(1):59-64. doi: 10.5114/pm.2015.50000.

Wang, Q., Ferreira, D.L.S., Nelson, S.M. et al. Metabolic characterization of menopause: cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence. BMC Med 16, 17 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1008-8

Wei, G., Lu, K., Umar, M. et al. Risk of metabolic abnormalities in osteoarthritis: a new perspective to understand its pathological mechanisms. Bone Res 11, 63 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41413-023-00301-9

Weickert M. O. (2012). Nutritional modulation of insulin resistance. Scientifica, 2012, 424780.
Menopause and Insulin Resistance: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the connection between menopause and insulin resistance?

During menopause, hormonal changes—especially a drop in estrogen—can impair how the body responds to insulin. This may lead to unstable blood sugar levels, weight gain, and an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in some women.

Can insulin resistance during menopause be reversed?

Yes. Through evidence-based lifestyle changes like anti-inflammatory nutrition, managing stress, improving sleep, and consistent low-impact exercise, many women can reduce or reverse insulin resistance.

What are the signs of metabolic syndrome in menopause?

Key signs include increased belly, diaphragmatic and breast fat, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar or triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, joint pain, fatigue, and poor sleep.

How does insulin resistance affect weight gain in midlife women?

Insulin acts as a storage hormone. When insulin resistance occurs, more glucose is stored as fat – especially around the belly. This makes weight loss harder during menopause.

 Should women get tested for insulin resistance during menopause?

Yes. A simple HbA1c blood test can provide insight into long-term glucose levels. It’s a useful conversation to have with a GP or menopause-informed practitioner.

### Connecting the dots: Perimenopause Brain Fog and your Magnificent Mitochondria

Your Mitochondria Matter in Menopause!
Do you ever watch those programmes on TV that trace a person’s ancestry? Or perhaps you’ve had your own ancestry traced.

If so, then the ability to do this is thanks to your mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and so on and the number and size of tiny organelles called mitochondria.

A mitochondrial DNA test (mtDNA test) traces a person's matrilineal or mother-line ancestry using the DNA in his or her mitochondria. mtDNA is passed down by the mother unchanged, to all her children, both male and female.

You may have heard about your mitochondria.

Especially if you've been following my posts for a while. After a number of conversations with women about their brain-fog this week, I was thinking about these mighty organelles and the link to brain health as you move into peri-menopause and through menopause.

The major role of mitochondria is to convert dietary fuel into ATP - your energy molecule. Hence, mitochondria are found throughout your body, including in your brain tissue and nervous system pathways.

Our mitochondria are inherited from our mothers via the egg and genetic tracing can be used to trace ancestry from the maternal branches of families. When it comes to our health during menopause, we never think about the health of our mother when we were born do we?

But maternal health and their exposure to toxins over their lifetime influences your health as you move through your life too.

This is because the health and fitness of your mother when you were born, determines the baseline number and size of your mitochondrial cells throughout your body and brain.

Many women complain of forgetfulness around the time of the menopausal transition and because of the association between episodic memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease, this 'forgetfulness' symptom (aka brain fog) is of course worrisome.

However, forgetfulness is a common symptom at other important stages of a female's life, including during puberty and pregnancy, when hormonal changes are occurring.

There's a reason I'm talking to you about forgetfulness and your brain's mitochondria.

Professor Zoltan Sarnyai (that's him in the image below) is a neuroscientist researching mental illness at the Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience at James Cook University in Australia. He's a very clever guy.

It was his presentation at a Lifestyle Medicine conference, that bought my attention to the link between our menopause hormonal changes, our brain-fog, our stress and our mighty mitochondria. Most importantly, he too, recognizes that there are specific lifestyle solutions to help preserve the brains' mitochondrial health with age, and to reduce brain fog during menopause.


Linking menopause hormonal changes with mitochondria in the brain.
There are millions of mitochondrial cells around the body and they have multiple and crucial roles in cell maintenance, survival and wellbeing. Most importantly, mitochondrial cells are where your energy is made.

Mitochondria also play an essential role in the generation of steroid hormones including the female sex hormones. As such, female sex hormones are, in turn, able to modulate mitochondrial activities. (Lejri et al. 2018).

We already know that a large amount of oestrogen in the female body is released from the ovaries.  But as it's released it circulates throughout the body, and crosses the blood-brain barrier to act upon the cells within the brain.

In the brain, oestrogen has a number of roles: 

 	it helps with cerebral blood flow
 	it preserves and maintains nerve transmission.
 	it acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This is why our menopause transition becomes a perfect storm for disruptions to our brain function and cognition. Oestrogen acts directly upon mitochondria in the brain. (Del Río et al., 2018). 

It makes sense then, that as women move through menopause, our brain mitochondria are affected in ways that promote inflammatory changes and nerve transmission may therefore, be disrupted. 

Which is why, it's no surprise that our entry into peri-menopause, the stage before our periods end, increases the incidence of forgetfulness and brain-fog.

And as Professor Sarnyai reminds us, stress (both current and past), has a long-lasting and negative impact on brain mitochondria.

High levels of daily stress, including not sleeping, creates higher levels of inflammation in the brain's mitochondrial cells. These inflammatory changes may lead to a number of symptoms, including:

 	fatigue
 	brain fog and depression
 	memory loss, lack of motivation and feelings of over-whelm
 	pain and soreness in muscles
 	headaches and migraines
 	poor sleep

Do any of these symptoms sound familiar to you now that you are in or past your menopause transition? 

This is what Professor Sarnyai reminded me about - the link between our ageing mitochondria and inflammatory changes and why we have to look after our brain, not only throughout our life, but also, during and after menopause.

Whether you have chosen to go on menopause HRT or not, there are specific lifestyle solutions you can implement too. I tell you about these below, so please keep reading!


What can I do to reduce my brain fog with lifestyle solutions?

 	Manage your stress - "whatever happens with stress in the brain, happens to the body" mentioned Professor Sarnyai. It's a  reminder that focusing on strategies to manage stress is important, including physical stress from over-exercising. If you are doing too much high intensity exercise day after day, then this can cause over-loading on your nervous system too.



 	Feed your brain the healthy Mediterranean Diet, including Extra Virgin Olive Oil - This is the approach I take in the MyMT™ programmes but I've modified it specifically for menopause and post-menopausal women. What we must remember however, is that the energy demands of our brain is high. We need to ensure that we feed our brain. If women are thin and fasting a lot, but experiencing brain fog and anxiety, then it's important to reduce the fasting - your brain needs fuel!Extra Virgin Olive Oil is also important to reduce your brain fog. Around 20 mls daily. It contains two compounds, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. Both these compounds have been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier, allowing them to directly exert their effects within the central nervous system, helping to reduce inflammation and brain fog. Furthermore, oleuropein binds to oestrogen receptors in the brain acting to help nerve pathways function more effectively.  [Malliou, 2023].



 	Exercise aerobically - oxygen is stored in mitochondrial cells, hence your brain mitochondria require a lot of oxygen. Exercising aerobically, whereby you aren't completely out of breath, helps your brain health. How we develop more mitochondria and improve their function as we age, is through daily aerobic exercise.


 	Exercise and Mindfulness help to boost glutamate production in the brain. 80% of all nerves in the brain need glutamate in order to transmit nerve impulses but chronic stress negatively impacts glutamate production. Glutamate is important to memory, cognition, and mood regulation and both exercise and mindfulness have a strong impact on brain glutamate levels. (Pal, 2021).



 	Reduce or remove alcohol. "The effects of alcohol last in the brain for up to several weeks" mentioned Sarnyai in his presentation. If individuals are experiencing changing moods, depression or increased anxiety, then it's important to reduce or remove alcohol. Put simply, alcohol damages brain mitochondria.



 	Stay connected ... social isolation affects brain mitochondrial health but positive social interaction helps to buffer stress.



Menopause hormonal changes, stress, poor nutrition, and ageing, disrupt mitochondria’s many functions. 

This is why longevity and health researchers are finding that when it comes to our metabolism, energy production, immune health repair and regeneration, our tiny mitochondria matter more than we think.

Mitochondrial dysfunction appears in a wide range of brain and other health disorders and during menopause, mitochondrial dysfunction can accelerate.

Over the last decade, accumulating evidence has suggested a causative link between mitochondrial dysfunction and ageing and yes, declining levels of oestrogen has a role to play in this. [Henderson & Brinton, 2010; Lejri et al, 2018;

Whilst millions of women find relief from their brain fog and mood swings with oestrogen replacement medications and/or anti-depressants, and whilst there seems to be a window of opportunity in peri-menopause to take Menopause-HRT, making changes to our lifestyle to help maintain healthy mitochondria is important, as Professor Sarnyai reminds us as well.

Numerous changes occur around the body during and after menopause. These changes are perfectly normal ... until they aren't and start to impact your quality of life.

That's the purpose of the 12 week programmes that I've designed for you. I hope you can join me on whichever programme suits you, or start easy with my Masterclass on Menopause webinar. I tell you about it in the video below.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

https://youtu.be/pMpALfl8pUQ

References:

Arida RM, Teixeira-Machado L. The Contribution of Physical Exercise to Brain Resilience. Front Behav Neurosci. 2021 Jan 20;14:626769. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.626769.

Bennett, S. (2016). Mighty Mito: Power up your mitochondria. Amazon Books: Santa Monica: USA

Berger M., Juster RP., Sarnyai Z. (2015). Mental health consequences of stress and trauma: allostatic load markers for practice and policy with a focus on Indigenous health. Australas Psychiatry. 23(6):644-9. doi: 10.1177/1039856215608281.

Eyre HA, Lundin R, Falcão VP, Berk M, Hawrot T, Leboyer M, Destrebecq F, Sarnyai Z, Reynolds C 3rd, Lavretsky H, Kolappa K, Cummings J. Brain Health Is a Determinant of Mental Health. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2023 May; 31(5):379-381. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.02.005.

Filler, K., Lyon, D., Bennett, J., McCain, N., Elswick, R., Lukkahatai, N., & Saligan, L. N. (2014). Association of Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Fatigue: A Review of the Literature. BBA clinical, 1, 12–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbacli.2014.04.001

Henderson, V. W., & Brinton, R. D. (2010). Menopause and mitochondria: windows into estrogen effects on Alzheimer's disease risk and therapy. Progress in brain research, 182, 77–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-6123(10)82003-5

Kwon, D. (2021). Could Mitochondria Be the Key to a Healthy Brain? Scientific American. Publ. June 18th, 2021.

Lejri, I., Grimm, A., & Eckert, A. (2018). Mitochondria, Estrogen and Female Brain Aging. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 10, 124. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00124

Malliou, F., Andriopoulou, C. E., Kofinas, A., Katsogridaki, A., Leondaritis, G., Gonzalez, F. J., Michaelidis, T. M., Darsinou, M., Skaltsounis, L. A., & Konstandi, M. (2023). Oleuropein Promotes Neural Plasticity and Neuroprotection via PPARα-Dependent and Independent Pathways. Biomedicines, 11(8), 2250.

Melhuish Beaupre LM, Brown GM, Braganza NA, Kennedy JL, Gonçalves VF. (2022). Mitochondria's role in sleep: Novel insights from sleep deprivation and restriction studies. World J Biol Psychiatry. 23(1):1-13.

Micheli, L., Bertini, L., Bonato, A., Villanova, N., Caruso, C., Caruso, M., Bernini, R., & Tirone, F. (2023). Role of Hydroxytyrosol and Oleuropein in the Prevention of Aging and Related Disorders: Focus on Neurodegeneration, Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction and Gut Microbiota. Nutrients, 15(7), 1767. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071767

### MyMT™ Education: Alcohol, Osteoporosis & Bone Health – Understanding the Risks for Midlife Women

Alcohol consumption has long been studied for being detrimental to bones.
The irony wasn’t lost on me. 

Here we were at a recent social event and she was already on her third glass of wine. No, I wasn’t counting. She told me this when she offered to pour me a glass of wine. I turned her down politely.

It was then that we struck up a conversation. I only knew her vaguely and the inevitable question about what I did arrived.

So, I told her about My Menopause Transformation and how I’ve used my physiology and women’s health and ageing knowledge to position this stage of life in lifestyle science.

“Oh, my Doctor has already put me on menopause HRT” she said, waving her wine glass at me. “I was told by her that every woman needs it for her bone health.” 

My smile belied my real thoughts. My mind was saying ‘well, why are you drinking so much alcohol then? Bone mineral density is known to be reduced with alcohol consumption – surely your Doctor would have told you to stop drinking when you went on menopause HRT?’ It would seem not, as she filled her glass again from the now nearly empty bottle.

The incident reminded me of my time at the Women’s Health conference in America – the double-standards of the Pharmaceutical company promoting their latest and greatest menopause medications and menopause HRT – yes, as global production of menopause HRT can’t keep up, especially for the HRT-patch which is currently experiencing a world-wide shortage, the pharmaceutical companies are doing their best to come up with new menopause medications.

While the wine was free-flowing to those attending (mainly Physicians), I noted from the brochure information, in very small writing that the combination of this particular HRT and alcohol, increases hot flashes/ flushes and reduces bone mineral density … two of the very things that the HRT is supposed to reverse.


Excess alcohol intake affects hormonal balance.
‘Alcohol’s Harmful Effects on Bone’ was the title of one of the very first papers written by scientist, Dr Wayne Sampson (PhD) nearly 30 yrs ago.

His work is now backed up by more recent research on the effects that alcohol consumption has (especially alcohol consumption over a longer period of time), on bone mineral density. (Godos et al, 2022).

Bone is a major storage site for calcium and other important minerals. Alcohol disrupts this storage process in a number of ways:

 	Alcohol affects the hormones that regulate and influence calcium metabolism – this includes kidney hormones and growth hormone.
 	Alcohol disrupts calcium absorption from the small intestine.
 	Alcohol disrupts ‘activated’ Vitamin D (after it has undergone modification in the liver and kidneys), which in turn means that calcium absorption may be reduced in the small intestine. Vitamin D levels are especially low in the presence of alcoholic liver disease too and many women already have gut health concerns during and after menopause.

Protecting our bone health as we age, is one of the most important factors to focus on as we age. There is so much emphasis on heavy resistance-training and menopause HRT (hormone replacement therapy) to mitigate bone-health, and yes, based on current medical recommendations, these strategies have evidence behind them.

However, what also has evidence behind it, is the fact that if your clients are drinking more than one glass of alcohol in one sitting and they have been doing this over many years, then their bone mineral density may be reduced considerably. As reported in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Godos et al, 2022),

‘There is consistent evidence that increased alcohol consumption (more than 1 glass daily) is associated with higher risk of osteoporotic hip fracture.’

We all know that drinking culture is big business in many parts of the world. I’m reminded of this every time I come through the duty-free section of the airports and people flock to buy their booze.

There's nothing wrong with having some alcohol of course, but with encouragement from others and because women often feel exhausted and may not be coping with their menopause symptoms, a few glasses of wine or other alcohol, becomes their ‘pick-me-up’ at the end of the day. Their personal ‘reward’ for their busy, stressful lives.


Why does alcohol cause a hot flush/ hot flash?
It took me a long time to understand why, every time I had a glass of wine, I would experience hot flushes. My face would go very red, and my neck would follow! This is very embarrassing when you are out socially!

Since the early 1990s, research on alcohol consumption and its effect on our reproductive hormones, has shown that aromatisation is increased with alcohol consumption in both menopausal and postmenopausal women. 

This is a term referring to the conversion of androgens (sex hormones) to oestrogen, which is the major source of naturally occurring oestrogens in post-menopausal women.

Alcohol consumption increases aromatization and may reduce the rate at which one type of endogenous oestrogen, oestradiol, is cleared from the blood (Gavaler and Van Thiel 1992; Ginsburg 1999; Gordon et al. 1975; Wimalasena et al. 1993).

When oestradiol isn’t cleared, fat cells may store the excess oestrogens instead.

This is how alcohol in menopause and post-menopause may exert its effects on the risk of coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, breast cancer, heat intolerance and weight gain (Tivis & Gavaler, 1994).

Alcohol intake in women also has direct effects on the liver and gastrointestinal tract. For most women, alcohol consumption is likely to have begun before menopause and to have simply continued into post-menopausal years, rather than beginning suddenly after menopause.

And during menopause, this may be a problem.

Because the enzymes that help to clear alcohol from the liver, are changing and reducing with age. (Brady, 2015).

As such, alcohol may remain in the body for longer, and may negatively impact the thyroid's role in regulating body temperature. Specifically, alcohol can interfere with the thyroid's ability to produce the hormones (T3 and T4) that are crucial for thermoregulation. (Balhara, 2013)

When it comes to alcohol and symptoms, I'm not surprised that numerous women on the MyMT™ programmes mention similar experiences with heat intolerance and alcohol consumption. 

For women in post-menopause, they are further into their ageing. As such, structural changes occur to the gut, liver and thyroid, which further interferes with alcohol metabolism and removal of toxins.

Most types of alcohol don't leave the body for 72 hours and alcohol also esterifies (changes) into oestradiol, a form of oestrogen. This can also cause low testosterone in women.

So, if your clients find that they can't beat the heat when they drink alcohol and they are putting on weight, whether they are on HRT or not, then remind them, that excess oestradiol gets stored in fat cells and of course, this includes breast tissue storage.

Breast tissue has the highest affinity to oestradiol, because of the numerous oestrogen receptors.

 It’s no surprise that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has now listed alcohol as a major risk for breast cancer. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including the most common cancer types, such as bowel cancer and female breast cancer. (WHO, 2023).

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of educating Sarah Rusbatch from Australia, on my Menopause Practitioner Course. Sarah’s own story and journey has led her to where she is today – helping women to ditch the booze. They possibly don’t know how important this is, not only to their mental health and menopause symptoms, but also to their bone health.

If your clients feel that they need help and support with alcohol reduction, then please explore Sarah’s great work at Grey Area Drinking. She has also just released a book on this very topic called 'Beyond Booze' and it takes readers through a step-by-step process for removing alcohol. 

Oestrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density and reducing inflammation. Which is why, it is known that its decline during and after menopause may lead to osteoporosis, increased joint pain, and osteoarthritis. This is partly why women are placed on HRT and encouraged to do heavy resistance training.

However, as Coaches and Practitioners, it's important to take an integrated view of all of the causes of lowered bone density risk in midlife and older women and I hope that this article has helped you better understand that moderate to high alcohol consumption can disrupt the ongoing balance between the erosion and the remodeling of bone tissue, contributing to brittle bones as women age.

This imbalance results in part from alcohol induced inhibition of osteoblasts, specialized cells that deposit new bone and I talk about this and numerous other joint health changes in the Practitioner Joint Health mini-course, which is available for you online, anytime. My video about this is below for you.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

https://youtu.be/uz_hwsnQE1Y

References: 

Balhara YP, Deb KS. Impact of alcohol use on thyroid function. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Jul;17(4):580-7. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.113724.

Godos J, Giampieri F, Chisari E, Micek A, Paladino N, Forbes-Hernández TY, Quiles JL, Battino M, La Vignera S, Musumeci G, Grosso G. Alcohol Consumption, Bone Mineral Density, and Risk of Osteoporotic Fractures: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan 28;19(3):1515. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031515. PMID: 35162537

Pohl K, Moodley P, Dhanda AD. Alcohol's Impact on the Gut and Liver. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 11;13(9):3170. doi: 10.3390/nu13093170.

Sampson HW. Alcohol's harmful effects on bone. Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(3):190-4. PMID: 15706795

https://alcohol.org/health-effects/hrt-and-alcohol/

WHO (2023). https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

### "I returned home like a new person mentally and spiritually. It was the hardest thing I've done."  [Cathy, Australia]

"The trip was one of the hardest- things I have ever done in my life, (including running marathons), but it was one of the best experiences of my life. I have been on MyMT™ since May 2020 and it has been an enormous help and still continues to be.

I did the Circuit Breaker programme and Rebuild My Fitness. It was thanks to your programmes, your education and encouragement and my determination to do this that made it possible.

I recently completed a 7 day expedition Kayak trip around Hinchinbrook Island in far north Queensland with 9 other women, all but 1 were in the late 40's - 60's.

We paddled over 100kms in 6 days, lifted 100kg kayaks up and down the beach every day, set up camp, swam, hiked etc.

The last 3 years have also been the most challenging with a tough job helping women and families escaping violence find safe housing and getting them back on track.

I never realised how vicarious trauma can impact the people providing the support, like me. Also caring for my parents who are in their 80's. Add menopause into the mix and my wellbeing was at rock-bottom. I don't know how I would have survived without MyMT™.

Your programme encouraged me to make some changes to my life. I  finally changed jobs in June just prior to going on this adventure which has been a huge help in reducing stress, but on the trip I also took the foods that you advocate for looking after joint health. They thought I was a bit crazy and some asked what and why, so I told them about your programme.

As joint pain has been one of the biggest symptoms for me, I really felt like it was affecting my daily life. That's why I can't speak highly enough of all the nutrients you mention as well as the correct exercise, including using lighter weights.

I used to have a very sore left shoulder (which we thought was a frozen shoulder), sore/stiff right knee and very tight Achillies, and I was worried how I would go on my trip.

I returned home with none of these problems except for my shoulder was still a bit tight when moving in a certain direction ... nothing like it was. We paddled 3-5 hours most days and some it of it was on the open ocean with 1.5 metre swells.

I also retuned home like a new person mentally and spiritually.

It was like whatever was "broken" in me was now fixed, including my feelings of wellbeing. I can't thank you enough for what you have taught me as I've been on my journey of renewal through menopause."

[Cathy, Australia]

### High blood pressure in menopause and beyond: Is this at the heart of your symptoms?

Are you still experiencing hot flushes, even in post-menopause?
What can I do to reduce my risk of heart disease as I go through menopause? 

This is a question often asked by women in menopause and post-menopause who join me on the Beyond Menopause™ program and discover that, despite being on HRT, their blood pressure is elevated.

There are a number of reasons for this, but the most important reason, is that the heart and blood vessels are ageing and changing as women transition from menopause to post-menopause.

In 2010, leading cardiologists from five European countries attended a seminar in Belgium which resulted in an article published a year later called, 'Red Alert for Women's Heart: The Urgent Need for More Research and Knowledge on Cardiovascular Disease in Women.' (Maas, van der Schouw et al., 2011).

One of the main points the article made was that, despite significant differences between men and women in the presentation of most cardiovascular diseases, midlife and older women were still inadequately represented in research on heart disease.

A decade on, according to one of the lead authors, world-renowned Cardiologist from the Netherlands, Dr Angela Maas, some gains have been made, but not enough.

One of these gains has been the understanding that the female heart as it ages, undergoes considerable change when oestrogen and progesterone decline during menopause. So too, do the blood vessels as they lose some of their elasticity and become 'stiffer'.

Hence, menopause really does matter to women's cardiovascular health as they move into their post-menopause years.

How we transition through menopause especially matters to the changing nature of our blood pressure. And for those of you who are still experiencing hot flushes/ flashes despite being on HRT and you are in post-menopause, then don't blame the menopause - because it's not. Afterall, you are through menopause.

It's the natural ageing of your heart muscle, nerves and vascular system (blood vessels).

Hence, I wonder, if you are also getting your blood pressure checked? If it's reading higher than normal, then you aren't alone.

Your midlife heart health offers a critical window for implementing early intervention strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk, this includes understanding how to have the right nutrients for your heart health as you age.

Why we aren't recognising cardiac health more in lifestyle solutions during menopause had me perplexed. At the time that my own menopause symptoms were troubling me, I had no idea that I should be changing my diet and exercising in ways that benefit my cardiac health in my 50s.

As you can see from the image below, hypertension can occur across a women's lifecycle (Wenger et al, 2018). I've added in many of  the potential causes for women in menopause and post-menopause.


What causes your blood pressure to increase (hypertension) during menopause?
Menopause isn’t ‘just’ about hot flushes – it’s about your changing blood pressure too.

What makes your blood pressure increase during menopause? Do you know? Yes, stress contributes to hypertension, but so too does lack of sleep as well as the decline in some of the elasticity in blood vessels - a condition called vascular stiffness.

The term ‘hypertension’ means high blood pressure.

High blood pressure develops when blood flows through your arteries at higher-than-normal pressures. Whilst it's absolutely normal for your blood pressure to change throughout the day based on your activities, lifestyle and dietary patterns, there are specific risk factors that are unique to women in menopause that are separate from genetic risk factors.

These factors include,

 	history of smoking
 	underlying kidney disease
 	being overweight or obese
 	high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol
 	high or low iron levels (especially high iron in post-menopause)
 	low Vitamin D levels
 	living a sedentary lifestyle (or doing too much exercise)
 	changes to reproductive hormones which impact blood vessel elasticity
 	sleep disturbance
 	increased hot flushes
 	high alcohol consumption
 	liver inflammation
 	medications

Have you had your blood pressure checked recently?

If so, then you might like to check it against the new American Heart Association Guidelines (AHA, 2020). The two different numbers are the systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number.

The Systolic pressure is the pressure when the ventricles pump blood out of the heart. The Diastolic pressure is the pressure between heartbeats when the heart is filling with blood.

For most women, a normal blood pressure is less than 120 over 80 millimeters of mercury, which is written as your systolic pressure reading over your diastolic pressure reading—120/80 mm Hg.

Your blood pressure is considered high when you have consistent systolic readings of 130 mm Hg or higher or diastolic readings of 80 mm Hg or higher.


Poor sleep causes high blood pressure during menopause
Your blood pressure increases gradually over time. If you are in your menopause transition and you aren't sleeping, then you may be losing your ability to lower your blood pressure overnight. This disappearance of a nightly dip in blood pressure can be a sign of rising blood pressure.

Specifically for women in menopause experiencing night sweats and/or hot flushes on waking, this is related to blood pressure remaining elevated overnight.

The reason is that one of the chronic stress hormones called cortisol, remains elevated too.

That's why, as I mention in the 12 week MyMT™ programmes, it is essential that women re-train their brain to sleep all night again.

Not sleeping during your menopause transition is the slippery slope towards heart disease in post-menopause. 

And if you are in post-menopause and still having hot flushes, then don't blame menopause - you are through menopause - blame your changing blood vessels and heart muscle, both of which lose elasticity and become 'stiffer', as you age. I talk about this in my online Masterclass on Menopause webinar too. At only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12) you can't afford to miss this 2 part webinar!


MASTERCLASS ON MENOPAUSE WEBINAR


 
Understanding the Circadian Cycle of your Blood Pressure
Like many of your organs and bodily functions, your blood pressure varies, not only within a 24 hr circadian (day/night) cycle, but also throughout the seasons.

Based on your 24 hour circadian cycle, it tends to be lower in the morning and higher towards dinner time. If you've been experiencing worsening hot flushes/ flashes in the evening, then this is why!

But there is also a seasonal influence - during the colder months it tends to be higher than in the warmer months.

Which makes sense, because when we are warmer, the blood vessels dilate more to take heat towards the surface of the skin. When blood vessels are wider, then blood pressure is reduced.

During colder weather, blood vessels become more constricted as the body tries to hold onto heat, so blood pressure is increased to maintain your body temperature. 

Do you have any symptoms of high blood pressure? These include worsening hot flushes, feelings of dizziness, migraines and headaches, blurred vision, anxiety and insomnia.

It took me a while to work out that there was a correlation between my menopause symptoms, especially hot flushes and decreased energy levels and my increased blood pressure and cholesterol, as I moved into post-menopause.

If you've got any of the symptoms I've mentioned and you think that they are related to your changes during menopause, then yes they are! Transitioning through menopause changes your blood pressure, so please get it checked when you can.


 
Are there specific dietary changes I should make for heart health?
One of the most challenging things to do as we age, is to change how we look after ourselves. And according to the thousands of women on the MyMT™ programmes, we also need to learn to put our health at the forefront of our focus.

There are four main evidenced lifestyle strategies that I focus on with women who join me on the MyMT™ programmes.   These include:

 	Restoring sleep patterns to better reflect our circadian cycle.
 	Reducing inflammation in the liver, gut and blood vessels which also contributes to hypertension.
 	Reducing stress.
 	Restoring energy levels through a modified Mediterranean Dietary approach.

For example, it is well known that daily walking improves blood pressure in women, but so too does an increased intake of citrus fruits, which gives women more Vitamin C. This vital vitamin is crucial for reducing hypertension as women age.

Studies on women (aged 35 to 77 yrs) living in Hiroshima Province in Japan, showed that over a 5 month period of ingesting lemon juice daily as well as walking for a minimum of 30 minutes daily, reduced systolic blood pressure (the top number) significantly.

Whilst it's known that aerobic exercise helps to improve the vascular stiffness reported in post-menopausal women (Tanaka, 2020), it is less well known that Citrus fruits such as lemons, contain bioactive compounds such as citric acid, that promote absorption of calcium and magnesium in the small intestine.

Both these minerals are essential for heart and blood vessel function as we age.


What Nutrients are needed for heart health during and after menopause?
You will always find apples and tomatoes in my kitchen, especially as I've moved into post-menopause.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, and this powerful bioactive ingredient is good for your ageing heart. If you can't tolerate cooked tomatoes, then lycopene is also found in pink guava, papaya, pink grapefruit, and watermelon.

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant that fights oxidative stress in your blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and lowering your cholesterol levels [Bin-Jumah et al, 2022].

Apples are also an important contributor to the intake of dietary components linked with cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention.

An apple a day really may keep the Doctor away, because apples, especially the red skin of apples, contain Quercetin - a compound that is found in numerous menopause supplements. 

Quercetin is a polyphenol derived from plants, but is particularly concentrated in the skin of apples. I try and buy organic apples for this reason. Not only is Quercetin evidenced for brain health in older women, but it has a wide range of biological actions including anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities as well as helping to reduce clotting in arteries that are changing with age. (Yao Li et al., 2016).

Apples not only contain quercetin, but are high in Vitamin C and fibre and therefore, have beneficial effects on blood vessel function, blood pressure, lipids (blood fats), inflammation and hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar). [Bondonno et al, 2017].

If you aren’t having an apple a day during and after menopause, then perhaps you should!


Re-discover your health, vitality and energy during and after menopause with evidenced lifestyle-change programmes designed by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)
You will love what you learn on the online 12 week MyMT™ programmes. Circuit Breaker is for you if you are thinner or leaner. Transform Me is for you if you are overweight. Or start with the Masterclass on Menopause webinar HERE.

Not only will you learn how to adjust your lifestyle to better suit your menopause transition, but also how to manage your cardiac health with lifestyle solutions, restore your joint and gut health and if you need to, lose weight and manage hot flushes and more! And yes, I will motivate you to become more active too. It's good for your heart!


Start with the MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause Webinar
Can I help you with your symptoms and/or your menopause weight loss?

If you are struggling with your mid-life weight, health or symptoms, then come on board if you can into my 12 week online programmes.  MyMT™ 12 week programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT™ website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers.

Or as a starting point, you can purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause. This is only NZ$15 (approx. AUS$14, US$9 or UK£7.5).

I hope you can join me in this powerful 2 hour webinar, which is all updated and revised and is now in two parts. The great news is that now you can watch it anytime, anywhere and even pause it whenever you like and go and make yourself a cup of tea too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder: My Menopause Transformation


MyMT™ PROGRAMS


MASTERCLASS ON MENOPAUSE - 2 hr WEBINAR



References:

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019). Cardiovascular disease in women. Cat. no. CDK 15. Canberra: AIHW.

Bondonno, N. P., Bondonno, C. P., Ward, N. C., Hodgson, J. M., & Croft, K. D. (2017). The cardiovascular health benefits of apples: Whole fruit vs. isolated compounds. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 69(B), 243-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2017.04.012

Bin-Jumah, M.N.; Nadeem, M.S.; Gilani, S.J.; Mubeen, B.; Ullah, I.; Alzarea, S.I.; Ghoneim, M.M.; Alshehri, S.; Al-Abbasi, F.A.; Kazmi, I. Lycopene: A Natural Arsenal in the War against Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Diseases. Antioxidants 2022, 11, 232. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11020232

Bowen, K.J., Sullivan, V.K., Kris-Etherton, P.M. et al. Nutrition and Cardiovascular Disease—an Update. Curr Atheroscler Rep 20, 8 (2018).

De Pergola G, D'Alessandro A. Influence of Mediterranean Diet on Blood Pressure. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 7;10(11):1700.

Gordon, A. & Mendes, W. (2021). A large-scale study of stress, emotions, and blood pressure in daily life using a digital platform. PNAS, 118 (31) e2105573118.

Kato, Y., Domoto, T., Hiramitsu, M., Katagiri, T., Sato, K., Miyake, Y., Aoi, S., Ishihara, K., Ikeda, H., Umei, N., Takigawa, A., & Harada, T. (2014). Effect on blood pressure of daily lemon ingestion and walking. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2014, 912684. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/912684

Khoudary, S., Aggarwai, B., Beckie, T., et al (2020). Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 142: e506–e532

Li Y, Yao J, Han C, Yang J, Chaudhry MT, Wang S, Liu H, Yin Y. Quercetin, Inflammation and Immunity. Nutrients. 2016 Mar., 15;8(3):167. doi: 10.3390/nu8030167. PMID: 26999194;

Maas, A. (2019). A woman's heart. Why female heart health really matters. Great Britain: Aster Publ.  Maas A., van der Schouw Y., Regitz-Zagrosek V., Swahn E., et al (2011). Red alert for women's heart: the urgent need for more research and knowledge on cardiovascular disease in women: proceedings of the workshop held in Brussels on gender differences in cardiovascular disease, 29 September 2010. Eur Heart J. 32(11):1362-8. Tasić T, Tadić M, Lozić M. Hypertension in Women. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Jun 3;9:905504. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.905504.

Wenger, N., Arnold, A., Bairey, N. et al ( 2018). Hypertension across a woman’s life cycle. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 71(16), 1797-1813

Related Tag: Menopause Treatment New Zealand

Excerpt: Why is my blood pressure increasing during menopause? This is a question often asked by women in menopause and post-menopause who discover that they have high blood pressure. There are a number of lifestyle solutions that are important for reducing blood pressure. Learn more with My Menopause Transformation™ - Evidenced lifestyle solutions for midlife and older women.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: A Banana and Almond Loaf for Fueling the Midlife Exerciser

My New Zealand Edmonds Cookery book is iconic. It’s the biggest selling cookbook in New Zealand’s history and if you are a Baby Boomer as I am and live in New Zealand, then you will know all about it.

It’s sat in my recipe book cupboard in my kitchen for the best part of 40 years. It’s coated in flour and some of the pages are ripped but the one page that isn’t, is the page with Banana Loaf on it.

These days I adapt many of the old recipes to better suit my post-menopausal health and exercise needs. 

I substitute the sugar and flour which are in most of the baking recipes in this cookbook and use an organic sweetener, such as apple juice concentrate or maple syrup and I now use organic almond flour - it adds more protein to the loaf!

The Banana Loaf recipe is one I’ve adapted to also suit the needs of women in menopause and post-menopause you are regular exercisers. I have a recipe in all of the MyMT recipe books for women on my programmes.

The key to the success of the loaf recipe is having ripe bananas that are turning brown. When I saw three of these in my fruit bowl the other day and because I have a house full of skiers at the moment who are training and competing here in the New Zealand winter, I knew I had to make my (adapted) banana loaf for both myself and them!

Sports Nutrition is an important dimension for midlife women who are regular exercisers. 

One of my teachings in the MyMT™ programmes and Practitioner Education programmes, is that never before have so many women been entering menopause and post-menopause within the context of their sports and fitness participation.

And this is an important consideration.

No matter how much working-out women are doing, the muscles and joints are ageing and changing. This includes changes to the size and function of muscle fibres, especially the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) plays a vital role in muscle contraction and relaxation by regulating calcium ion (Ca2+) levels within muscle cells. It acts as a storage and release site for calcium, essential for initiating and controlling muscle movements.

As women move through menopause, the sarcoplasmic reticulum is changing, which means that calcium regulation is also changing. In women doing too much heavy exercise, such as resistance training, these age-related changes, means that muscles take longer to recover.

No matter your choice of sport or exercise, any heavy exertion induces transient inflammation and oxidative stress, along with wide-ranging changes in the immune system.

If calcium regulation is out of balance with the needs of the working muscles, then women may experience muscle fatigue effects after their workouts.

This includes aching muscles and even muscle weakness and for some, restless leg syndrome.

This where sports nutrition comes into the equation for post-workout recovery and it's not all about protein! Calcium and potassium as well as healthy carbohydrates are essential for workout recovery. 

Nutrition and physical activity are the two main modifiable factors that determine health and well-being as women get older and move into their post-menopause years.

Which is why, it's important to have a focus on post-exercise recovery nutrition and the evidenced role of bananas and almonds in fatigue management after working out.

Bananas offer a unique mixture of carbohydrates, nutrients, and antioxidants that provide good nutrition support during prolonged and intensive exercise. 

Which is why I have adapted this delicious and nutritious Banana loaf recipe for you, taken from my old Edmonds cookbook. I've removed the white sugar and replaced some of this with an organic apple sweetener, and I've used almond flour, rather than white flour.

I hope you can make it sometime and add this goodness to your post-exercise recovery nutrition.


Fueling Post-Exercise Recovery with a Banana and Almond Loaf
Ingredients:

 	3 ripened bananas mashed
 	2 eggs
 	2 tablespoons of organic apple juice (or maple syrup)
 	1½ cups of organic almond flour
 	75 gms of butter (melted)
 	¼ teaspoon of salt
 	¼ cup of milk
 	¼ teaspoon of baking powder
 	¼ teaspoon of baking soda (mixed in about 50mls of heated milk)
 	½ cup of organic raisins

Method:

Turn on the oven to bake at 180 degrees Celsius (356°F). Line a loaf tin with baking paper (I always rub a small amount of olive oil on the tin first for easier removal).

Beat the eggs and stir in the milk and melted butter. Mash the bananas and add these to the wet-mix, along with the concentrated apple juice or maple syrup – whichever you prefer for a sweetener.

Slowly add in the almond flour, salt and baking powder. Heat a small amount of milk (around 50 mls) in the microwave for 20 seconds and add the baking soda to this and then add this to the bowl with all the other ingredients, including the raisins. What this does is to ensure that the baking soda is dissolved well before adding it to the mixture.

The consistency that you want is a medium, so not too thick and sticky and not runny! If it’s too runny, then just add a bit more almond flour, or if it’s too thick, I also add in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil – you decide! If it’s not sweet enough for you, then just add some more apple concentrate or maple syrup to your taste.

Bake in the oven for around 45 minutes, or until you know it’s baked inside, by inserting a small knife or skewer, which comes out clean.

Leave in the tin for 5- 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack or wooden board. I cover it with a tea-towel and use a serrated knife to slice it and have it with grass-fed butter or peanut or almond butter – or just eat it as is!

Enjoy fueling your recovery!

### Are carotenoids the missing ingredient for your aching joints in menopause and beyond?

It was only recognised as a symptom of menopause in 2024 despite at least 70% of all midlife women globally experiencing it.Which beggars belief really that Clinicians have only just caught up with what many women have known for decades and what over 70% of women who have undertaken the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz have also reported … that chronic joint pain is a condition that has arrived during their menopause transition.This new research reports that the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause includes, but is not limited to, musculoskeletal pain, arthralgia (joint pain), loss of lean muscle mass, loss of bone density with increased risk of resultant fracture, increased tendon and ligament injury, adhesive capsulitis and cartilage matrix fragility with the progression of osteoarthritis. [Wright et al., 2024]Many women, myself included, have experienced the persistent pain of muscles, knees, hips, neck and shoulders. It poses quite a distraction, not only with performing every-day activities, but also for women who enjoy their exercise.I've also had numerous women who have joined my programmes over the years, tell me that they are told that their sore joints and aching muscles during menopause is ‘just a part of growing old’ and to accept it.But should women really ‘just accept it’? I know that I didn’t and I’m so pleased that I didn’t when my medical support tried to normalise this ‘growing older syndrome’.At the same time, that the Musculo-skeletal syndrome of menopause was being reported in the Western research, a new study was being undertaken in Japan.The extensive study of over 52,000 people explored geographical variations in moderate to severe chronic pain prevalence across different regions of Japan, as well as examining the associated psychological factors in various prefectures (regions).The results reported what I had learnt as part of my own studies on Musculo-skeletal pain in midlife women, and that was, that Japanese women living on Okinawa Island, reported far less prevalence of joint pain compared to women living in larger cities in Japan.Some of the difference was attributed to psychological determinants, including higher stress levels, mood disturbances and shorter sleep duration in those reporting higher pain levels. 		
																														
					Carotenoids demonstrate a variety of health benefits for women				
		The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the ageing of the global population as one of the most significant demographic challenges worldwide. It's an important issue for women coming through menopause - afterall, this is the gateway to your biological ageing.As such, research which promotes healthy ageing has become 'big business' as governments support and encourage individual responsibility for health as people get older.Current ageing research focuses on developing strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of ageing. In this regard, a ew term has gained importance.This is the term ‘geroprotector’ which refers to molecules that target the biological hallmarks of ageing, thereby helping the body to delay the onset of age-related diseases, and enhance resilience to the inflammatory effects of ageing. This is where the role of carotenoids has gained relevance in the fight against free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons, making them unstable and highly reactive.They are formed naturally in the body as byproducts of metabolism and can also be introduced from external sources like pollution and radiation. While free radicals play roles in normal cellular functions, their excess can damage cells and contribute to various diseases and more rapid ageing. Oxidative stress has been recognized as the main contributor to age-related diseases. These include metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, obesity, dementia, diabetes, cancer, and arthritis. Carotenoids help to fight oxidative stress, thereby reducing inflammatory changes that occur as women move through menopause and into their post-menopause years.  		
																														
		Carotenoids matter to your joint health as you move through menopause. Judging by the results of the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz of over 500,000 women globally, that's just over 70% of you with sore and aching joints. I used to be that woman too! Which is how I became interested in foods that suited my health as I moved through menopause and aged. The sorts of foods that you might be serving the family, may not be what your body needs at this stage of life. Carotenoids are a group of polyphenolic compounds found predominantly in fruit and vegetables, that are orange, yellow and red colour. These carotenoids have been evidenced to contain compounds which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Citrus fruits are rich in carotenoids and tangerines and oranges are high in beta carotenes, as are pumpkins, carrots, orange sweet potatoes and yams. From a nutritional and physiological perspective, the interest in carotenoids has been due to their provitamin A activity, since the contain the main source of Vitamin A that the human body recognises. It has been established that 60% of the intake of Vitamin A in our diet comes from the carotenoid group. This is why carotenoids are promising as foods that reduce the risk of cancer. For those of you with increased risk of breast cancer, or you are in remission, this is important information for you. When you have a moment, then I invite you to watch my brief video below, as I describe how important these carotenoids are to your health as you age. https://youtu.be/zKo_XrAaNCQ		
					Restore your Joint Health with MyMT™				
		Every day, I receive health screening forms from ladies joining the MyMT™ Programmes. There are three symptoms that seem to be ticked every single time I open one of these screening forms. One of those is aching joints and muscles.I can so relate to these women. I still remember the morning I got out of bed and put my feet on the floor and found I could hardly walk because of the shooting pains in my toes and knees. Suddenly I couldn’t get the thought of arthritis, fibromyalgia and more importantly, not being able to be active or ski again, out of my head.Women on my doctoral studies told me similar stories. Which was when I began to wonder if these joint pains were related to menopause ….So, why do legs and joints suddenly feel so sore and 'achy' when women arrive in menopause? I tell you about this in my article on your sore joints and menopause HERE. 		
																														
		References: Elisabete Michelon, Caroline Blaum, Richard D. Semba, Qian-Li Xue, Michelle O. Ricks, Linda P. Fried, Vitamin and Carotenoid Status in Older Women: Associations With the Frailty Syndrome, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 61, Issue 6, June 2006, Pages 600–607, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/61.6.600Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidenced-based approach. Second Ed. Academic Press, Elselvier.Shanaida, M., Mykhailenko, O., Lysiuk, R., Hudz, N., Balwierz, R., Shulhai, A., Shapovalova, N., Shanaida, V., & Bjørklund, G. (2025). Carotenoids for Antiaging: Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmeceutical Applications. Pharmaceuticals, 18(3), 403. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18030403Tan BL, Norhaizan ME. Carotenoids: How Effective Are They to Prevent Age-Related Diseases? Molecules. 2019 May 9;24(9):1801. doi: 10.3390/molecules24091801.Woodside JV, McGrath AJ, Lyner N, McKinley MC. Carotenoids and health in older people. Maturitas. 2015 Jan;80(1):63-8. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.10.012. 

### The remarkable connection between menopause symptoms, sore joints and the circadian rhythm.

The email arrived over the weekend. The lady works north of Perth in the mines. "I'm really concerned about my sleep" she mentioned. "I work shifts in the mines and shift work is wrecking havoc on my sleep patterns. My hot flushes seem worse, even though it's winter, so I'm already dreading summer when it arrives." Hormones play a major role in regulating our behaviour and our physiology. As women move into their midlife menopause transition, many don't think about the fact that the effectiveness of these hormones is dependent on time-based circadian patterns of production and secretion.Nor do women who have physical jobs, think about the influence of not sleeping on their muscle health as they move through menopause. New research (Juliana et al, 2023), suggests that there is a skeletal muscle circadian clock and this plays a vital role in both lipid (fat) and glucose metabolism. Therefore, when women aren't sleeping in menopause, and they are watching the clock ticking away, this has a resultant effect on the musculo-skeletal system. It's as I often say to women on my programmes who love their exercise, as I do too, "if you aren't sleeping, then your muscles aren't recovering from all of that exercise."It this is you or if you are a Health Practitioner or Personal Trainer and your clients are affected by aching muscles, sore joints and insomnia, then it's time to think about the remarkable relationship between the circadian rhythm, menopause symptoms and muscles. Many of us have also sought medical support for our symptoms in menopause, which is an appropriate action, but I wonder if the role of your circadian rhythm on your hormones and your muscles and bones even got a mention? Judging by the thousands of women who have joined me over the years on the MyMT™ programmes, and my own experience, I assume not. That's why, in this article, I wanted to draw your attention to the powerful relationship between the  circadian rhythm and menopause symptoms. For women transitioning menopause who already suffer from insomnia, adjusting to the clock shifts with either shift work or daylight savings can be a tough gig. Simply because many women already have disrupted sleep patterns causing the chronic stress hormone, cortisol to be out of its normal daily pattern as well. This too impacts muscle health and recovery from exercise.If your clients are experiencing hot flushes or waves of heat on awakening, which have got worse with shift work or changes to their exercise routines, then this may be due to elevated cortisol (a chronic stress hormone) levels throughout the night.These elevated levels of cortisol and a disrupted circadian rhythm can contribute to higher blood pressure throughout the night (non-dipping) and first thing in the morning. This phenomenon is known as the Cortisol-Awakening Response. For those of you who have done my Practitioner Menopause course, I want to bring this back to your attention!What is Overnight non-dipping Blood Pressure?First described in 1988, the night time dip has become an accepted measure of cardiovascular risk. The ‘dip’ is defined as the difference between the mean systolic pressure in the day and mean systolic pressure during the night.Over the years, research has shown that poor sleep quality, sleep curtailment, and sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea) are linked with BP ‘non-dipping’ overnight and a surge in blood pressure in the morning. Hence, if your clients are experiencing extreme hot flushes in the morning on awakening, then you might want to talk to them about getting their blood pressure checked. It's also why I encourage women to consider their blood pressure management if they want to sleep all night. Even if women are on menopause HRT, this is an important consideration in their approach to lifestyle changes during and after menopause. 		
																														
		In humans, almost all behavioral and physiological functions occur on a rhythmic basis.This is known as our circadian rhythm. Many of you who have been engaging with my other newsletters, will have heard me talk about this daily rhythm before. This daily circadian rhythm is driven by hormones. So, with reproductive hormones changing in peri-menopause and menopause, the circadian rhythm gets out of balance, thereby influencing menopause symptom chaos, including sore, aching muscles and joints. The term ‘Circadian’ means “about a day” so circadian rhythms are daily fluctuations in human biology that can become messed up as women transition through menopause. This internal clock, which gradually becomes established during the first months of life, controls the daily ups and downs of biological patterns, including body temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones that help our body to stay in balance.Given that nearly all hormones (including reproductive hormones) play a key role in the cross-talk between different systems in the body, when the circadian rhythm gets out of balance (as in both menopause and daylight savings adjustments, or with shift work or staying up late, night after night) the rhythmic release of these hormones changes too.Scientists now know that this altered pattern of hormonal release may contribute to the pathophysiology of a wide range of human disorders, especially during ageing. [Urbanski, 2011].These disorders include high blood pressure and altered cardiovascular effects, altered immune function, altered behaviour associated with seasonal affective disorders such as eating disorders and mental health disorders. For shift workers, such as the mine-worker in Australia who emailed me, not only are menopause hormonal changes challenging enough for sleep disruption, but so too is the added effect of shift work. The accumulation of both of these factors, has an impact on blood pressure and the function of numerous organs, including muscle and bone health. 		
																														
		Helping your clients towards deep, restorative sleep (between 2-4am), is important to reduce their heat fluctuations and night sweats too. When we sleep more deeply, blood flow is directed less toward the brain, which cools measurably. This is a good thing, because temperature regulation mechanisms are situated in the brain and for the brain to recover overnight, then the body needs to be cooler. Deep sleep is an important factor in day-to-day recovery. Deep sleep patterns mean that the pituitary gland releases a pulse of growth hormone that stimulates tissue growth and muscle repair.If women are lying awake night after night AND they are regular exercisers, this release of growth hormone does not reach the threshold it needs to for healing and repairing the body, including the healing of the gut, joints, bones and muscles. This is also why I hear from so many women who are avid exercisers and they don’t understand that their sore muscles and joints are due to not just declining oestrogen, but also to not sleeping! The image below is Sarah from Perth, who is now a MyMT Affiliate Practitioner. Helping her understand that her athletic performance with surf-lifesaving was dependent on sleep and not her training, meant that she took some time off from competing to get her sleep under control. I'm so pleased that she did, because what a comeback she made! 		
																														
		When reproductive hormones change during a woman's menopause transition, this causes disruption to the normal circadian rhythms. Which is why, as women transition into or through menopause, it’s really important to restore this biological rhythm and make lifestyle adjustments to restore sleep!Doing this helps to reduce overnight blood pressure as well as cortisol and insulin levels. As such, sleeping all night is the start to managing menopause symptoms.If women don't do this, then over time, their brain and organs get out of balance. Then the 2-3am ‘awake’ period becomes 'normalised'. When women restore their sleep, they restore their energy levels, their joints heal and their hot flushes and night sweats reduce too.Furthermore, if women are overweight, they too must focus on their sleep routines. This is because fat cells and the role of lipase, an enzyme which breaks down fat and releases it from fat cells, functions on a 24 hr circadian cycle. Scientists who research lipid (fat) disorders, know that circadian clock disruption, causes disruption of the metabolism and transport of fats and proteins, and this disruption may be responsible for the development of a large spectrum of health problems, ranging from cardiovascular diseases, to metabolic syndrome, even to cancer development. [Gnocchi, Pedrelli et al., 2015]		
																														
		 As I often mention in my workshops and online courses, when we've been waking up night after night, then our brain and body reads this as our ‘new normal’. But this is what leads us down the path towards the build-up of inflammation in our cells and tissues.Not sleeping is now recognised as one of the main contributing factors to changing health as women move into their post-menopause years. This is concerning, especially in light of the high rates of heart disease in post-menopause women.The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand have some of the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease globally. America is up there too.But here's the thing - if women aren’t sleeping, the heart and immune system stay under stress all day long, particularly, when if women are regular exercisers or they have busy, stressful jobs or home environments. This causes more inflammation in cells and tissues and in ageing research, is known as oxidative stress or 'inflammaging'.It's why one of the main dietary changes that we can make, no matter where we live in the world, is to move towards a more Mediterranean Style dietary approach. 		
																														
		Ageing is typically associated with impairments of the circadian rhythm and a natural decrease in melatonin (sleep hormone) secretion. Menopause is the natural transition into our ageing, and whilst many of us still feel young as we enter this phase of our life, inside our body there are powerful inflammatory changes occurring, especially if women aren't sleeping well.Understanding how to slow these changes down using evidenced lifestyle strategies is important. When we do, we can help clients to resolve their symptoms, lose weight, improve mood and feel fabulous in their fifties.		
																														
		Many women go on menopause HRT and/or anti-depressants, which helps them enormously (and I don't interfere in any medications women are on, because this is between you and your Doctor), but I am passionate about women also understanding the lifestyle-science solutions that can be easily put into place too. This is what my 12 week Practitioner programme teaches you to focus on. My next course starts this week and I'm excited to meet new Practitioners to help them understand the lifestyle science behind managing menopause symptoms. I hope you can join me one day too. And don't forget the 6 week MyMT™ Weight Loss Coach Course and a brand new 3 week Introduction to the Science of Menopause Course for Health Coaches. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder: MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																														
		References:Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.Geddes, L. (2019). Chasing the Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds. London: Profile Books.Gnocchi D, Pedrelli M, Hurt-Camejo E, Parini P. Lipids around the Clock: Focus on Circadian Rhythms and Lipid Metabolism. Biology (Basel). 2015 Feb 5;4(1):104-32.Harvard Health Report (2017). Improving Sleep. Harvard Health PublicationJehan, S., Giardin, J-L, Auguste, E., et al (2017). Sleep, Melatonin and the Menopausal Transition: What are the links? Sleep Science, 10(1): 11-18.Juliana N, Azmi L, Effendy NM, Mohd Fahmi Teng NI, Abu IF, Abu Bakar NN, Azmani S, Yazit NAA, Kadiman S, Das S. Effect of Circadian Rhythm Disturbance on the Human Musculoskeletal System and the Importance of Nutritional Strategies. Nutrients. 2023 Feb 1;15(3):734. doi: 10.3390/nu15030734. Reinke H. & Asher G. (2017). Circadian clock control of liver metabolic functions. Gastroenterology, 150: 574–580.Rizzi, M. et al. (2016). Sleep Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.  Journal of Pain Relief, 5:2, 1-5Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. Int. Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.Urbanski HF. Role of circadian neuroendocrine rhythms in the control of behavior and physiology. Neuroendocrinology. 2011;93(4):211-22. doi: 10.1159/000327399.Woods, N. et al. (2009). Cortisol Levels during the Menopausal Transition and Early Postmenopause: Observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16(4): 708–718.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Protective, anti-inflammatory Pumpkin Cakes for any occasion.

Throughout the winter, there is always a pumpkin in my pantry. The rich orange colour brightens up meals and I know that after a day on my computer, the beta-carotene is helping my ageing eyes.

Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, which like carrots, the carotenoids in pumpkin create the orange colour. These carotenoids provide anti-inflammatory benefits to the body, especially to an ageing body that is moving through menopause and into the years beyond.

For those of you who are at your computer or on your phones a lot, or you have sore, aching joints and muscles, then please add these protective Pumpkin Cakes to your meals when you can.

I mention this, because beta-carotene is the most suitable and important precursor for vitamin A, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory nutrient. In the body, we need vitamin A for good vision and eye health as well as for a strong immune system, and for healthy skin and mucous membranes.

Taking big doses of vitamin A can be toxic, but your body only converts as much vitamin A from beta-carotene as it needs.

In addition to its rich stores of beta-carotene, pumpkin also contains generous amounts of fibre and plant-derived iron. This is particularly important for those of you who are still menstruating, as you need around 12-15mg of iron daily. If you have already moved into post-menopause, then your iron needs are reduced down to around 8mg daily.

Understanding how to change our diet to adjust to our menopause transition is an important aspect of the My Menopause Transformation 12 week programmes. There are certain nutrients that women need as they age, and beta-carotene is one of these. I hope you, or someone in your household can make these delicious Pumpkin and Chickpea Cakes sometime soon. Bon appetit!
Pumpkin and Chickpea Cakes

 	500g wedge pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm slices
 	1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to fry
 	1 large onion, chopped
 	2 cloves garlic, chopped
 	1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
 	2 tsp spice mix – or paprika or cumin
 	2 x 400g cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
 	1/2 cup roasted salted cashews
 	1/4 cup chopped coriander or parsley leaves

METHOD: 

 	Preheat oven to 180°C fan bake and line an oven tray with baking paper for easy clean-up. Spread out pumpkin on the tray, drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and starting to brown (about 30 minutes).
 	While the pumpkin cooks, heat the remaining oil in a frypan and cook onion over a medium heat until softened (5-6 minutes). Add garlic, ginger and spice mix and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
 	Transfer the roasted pumpkin to a food processor and whizz to a purée. Add onion mixture, chickpeas, cashews and coriander or parsley and pulse to break up chickpeas to a coarse mealy crumb – you want a little texture so don’t purée.
 	Use lightly oiled hands to form 8-12 soft patties – I usually use about a third of a cup for each. Heat a little extra oil in a heavy based frypan and fry over a medium heat until golden (about 5 minutes each side).
 	Serve with a side salad for dinner

### The science behind your changing shape during menopause.

Not all women put on weight in menopause - in fact, some women need to gain weight as they are too thin, and therefore may be increasing their risk for frailty as they age. But with the prevalence of overweight and obesity and a condition called Metabolic Syndrome, being reported the highest in women aged between 50 and 64 yrs (Moreira et al, 2022), if you are putting on belly fat and your diaphragmatic fat is increasing, as you reach your early to mid 50's, then you aren't alone.If this is the case, then I also have some questions for you:   Are you sleeping all night, every night? Are you heavier now, than throughout your life?Are you losing muscle tone or you have sore joints and muscles? Do you feel bloated, ‘puffy’ and tight, especially in your breasts?Do you feel excessively tired after a meal?Do you feel easily frustrated and irritable?Are you on HRT but this isn't helping your weight gain now that you're in post-menopause?Are you currently doing high intensity exercise, but this still isn't helping you lose weight like it did in the past?Do you feel that your breathing has changed and you are more breathless on exertion?When I also experienced all of these issues, I had no idea how much my changing shape during menopause was influenced by a range of factors that had little to do with changing reproductive hormones. These factors included: poor sleepchanging liver and gut healthinflammatory changes in organs due to ageingfatiguechanging Vitamin D levelsnutrition and exercise advice that isn't targeted towards women in mid-lifemuscles that are changing in function with age, and the effect of this on insulin and glucose regulation.The combination of these factors change our metabolism.Add to this, that with the loss of muscle tissue, we also lose size in our essential mitochondrial cells. This means that we may not be burning fat the way we used to prior to our menopause transition. Many of us don't understand that it's not menopause, per se, we need to focus on, but instead a condition called 'Metabolic Syndrome'. 		
																														
		These factors create the 'perfect storm' for our waist circumference increasing, as well as changes to diaphragm and belly fat during our menopause transition. Furthermore, fat cells also produce their own oestrogens. A higher waist circumference correlates with higher oestradiol production in subcutaneous fat. [Hetemaki et al, 2021].This is a part of the reason that women may develop changes to their health as they age. These health changes include Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Being overweight is also a risk for breast cancer. Something else we can't ignore with weight gain in post-menopause.One of the strategies that women take to help manage their weight is to undertake exhausting, high-intensity exercise, but as I often mention, if women aren't sleeping, then this can tip them over into more adrenal exhaustion.The combination of heavy exercise and insomnia leads many women towards adrenal fatigue - symptoms which mimic menopause symptoms.Physiology is the science of how the body works and having taught university-level physiology for years, I began to piece together the real science behind my own weight gain and why, not one thing I was doing at the time, was working to control my weight gain.The weight-gain trajectory that we go on as our hormones change in midlife, is something that may not be being understood by many exercise and health professionals here in New Zealand.I know this, because in my doctoral defence I argued that women in mid-life were being forgotten when it came to understanding health changes in mid-life.It was no surprise that at the online Diabetes Symposium I attended last year, that I heard Professor Roy Taylor from the University of Glasgow mention that women between the ages of 50 - 59  years were one of the highest cohorts to develop Type 2 diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome.With a 15kg weight gain in my early 50's, this was the slippery slope that I was on too. If your body shape is changing and you are struggling with weight gain and 'nothing you are doing is working', then have a read when you can. The Science Behind Your Changing Shape in MenopauseAs we go into menopause our levels of oestrogen and progesterone naturally decline.However, what many women don’t realise (as I didn't either), is that the master reproductive hormones in our pituitary gland actually 'control' menopause.These two master hormones, Luteinising Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), take longer to decline as we age, so in peri-menopause (the time before your periods cease in menopause), they are still trying to send chemical signals to the ovaries to keep producing oestrogen.During your transition through menopause, the cells in your ovaries are dying-off. This is a natural part of your biological ageing but what it means is that there are less ovarian cells available to take the messages from your master-hormones.These chemical messages travel to other parts of your body, where you also have oestrogen receptor cells. This includes your heart muscles, your skin, your liver, your bones and your fat cells - and here's the thing, women have numerous fat cells around the belly, breasts, butt and thighs. This is genetic. We are born with a certain number of fat cells - this of course, explains the difference in body shape between thinner women and overweight women, throughout the life-course. With the changes in muscle size and density as hormone levels change and as women age, body shape can also change more rapidly for many women.This is because muscle tissue has oestrogen receptors too. Hence, they respond to our declining oestrogen environment.With changes to muscle density, our metabolism also changes. Skeletal muscle has the most effect on our resting metabolic rate. Body-builders the world over know that muscle is important for metabolism and because the rate of muscle loss is highest for women during menopause, we don't 'burn' as many calories as we used to.This muscle loss condition is called sarcopenia.Muscle is needed so that we burn fat in our mighty mitochondrial cells. This is where fats are converted into energy.One of the greatest effects on weight gain in menopause is our changing metabolism. Muscle tissue has the most effect on our resting metabolic rate.So, holding onto muscle as we go into menopause or doing strength activities and the right type of cardio activity is really important as we age, but we can only influence muscle tissue, when we are sleeping, eating the right food and looking after liver and gut health.		
																														
		Numerous other factors impact menopause weight gain too. To improve our fat-burning capability when our hormones are against us, we need to achieve these things:Sleep all night.Improve liver health and function by reducing fatty liver.Improve gut health, so nutrients are better absorbed.Hold onto our muscle tone.Manage our blood sugar levels and therefore, our insulin regulation.Managing these factors is crucial for weight loss as we get older. The most important factor to me, is sleeping all night.Menopause has such an impact on our sleep patterns, but so too does our lifestyle, e.g. staying up late, using technology and eating the wrong foods at dinner-time.All of these factors impact on the production of our sleep hormone called melatonin. When melatonin levels are too low before bed-time, then we can experience more hot flushes, night sweats and as many of you will already know, you lie awake.But when this happens night after night, you lose your overnight fat-burning capability too. In the video below, I explain some of these factors to you. I hope you can have a listen sometime. https://vimeo.com/953914824Look After your Liver and Gallbladder for Menopause Weight Loss:Your liver and gall-bladder are also important for your weight loss during menopause. Turning around the health of your liver during menopause is important for fat-loss.The reason for this is because fats are broken-down by bile and bile is stored in our gall bladder.In the past this system has worked well for you - because you've had oestrogen production in your ovaries. But as oestrogen levels naturally decline, we also produce less bile. This changes fat emulsification in your gallbladder. On top of this is the fact that as women in our early 50's, we've had a lot of different changes to our diet over the years which has possibly impacted on the health of our liver. Changes to the liver with ageing and changes to our diet over many years, can also increase inflammatory changes in the liver.When inflammation is present in the liver, then it doesn't absorb the crucial B-vitamins, which we need for our energy. Furthermore, if you already have a fatty liver, then you may not be turning over and absorbing important proteins, which help you to retain your muscle as you age.  For many women putting on a lot of belly fat, or if you have the 'hard-fat' sitting around your abdomen, then please try to come on board into my 'Transform Me' weight loss programme. It's in this programme, that I teach you about sleeping all night along with how to improve your liver and gallbladder health and function. These interventions are the foundation for stopping the weight gain, which is the first step you must achieve.  It's also why I don't promote the high-fat diets that are popular in the fitness and nutrition industries at the moment.Many of these are not evidenced for the health of your liver at a time in your life, when your organs are ageing and changing. Furthermore, if women are already on a slippery slope towards Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, then this is now understood to be caused by increased fat in the liver and pancreas. (Taylor, 2023). As such, women need to just spend a short amount of time (around 6 weeks), looking after their liver health. 		
																														
		Changing oestrogen levels during menopause, sarcopenia (muscle loss), liver health and insulin resistance are all connected to changing body shape during menopause. So too, is lack of sleep. When you aren’t sleeping, you aren’t getting enough secretion of two other important hormones necessary for retaining or building muscle. This is why I reiterate that insomnia has the greatest impact on your weight gain in menopause.Interrupted sleep during menopause throws our muscle-building and fat-burning capability out the door. When we aren’t sleeping properly, two important hormones for glucose regulation, insulin and cortisol, levels tend to remain high throughout the day.Higher levels of these hormones, may counteract fat-burning and muscle repair. This is why the most powerful thing I do for you when you come on board into the MyMT™ Transform Me programme, is to get you sleeping all night.If you aren’t sleeping well, then this is the first breakthrough you need to focus on for halting any further fat-gain, as well as for helping you hold onto muscle.Improving your sleep and your liver health, reduces inflammation in your fat cells, and improves the health of your beautiful mitochondrial cells.These are located all over your body and they are the location of oxygen storage and the location of where fats and glucose are turned into energy molecules. When we lose muscle with sarcopenia, then we also lose the number and size of our mitochondrial cells.When this happens we don’t burn fats as well, nor do we have as much energy. We begin to feel exhausted, and hot flushes may increase in severity as well. I know this, because that was me as well as numerous women who join me on the MyMT™ programme. 		
																														
		I am so passionate about women following a progressive step-by-step process to turn around their weight and their health during menopause.Too many women are turning to crazy diets and exercise programmes when their hormones are changing, but what we need to is to restore the balancing act that our hormones require to pass through menopause.Yes, often this can mean menopause HRT, but this is between you and your Doctor.My focus is that you understand and put into action, the evidenced lifestyle changes that go with this age and stage of  life too.The hormonal changes across the menopause years substantially contribute to increased abdominal obesity which leads to additional physical and psychological health changes, making it tough for women who need to perform at their best in mid-life. If we improve our sleep, lose excess abdominal fat, improve liver health, regulate blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation in our joints and hold onto muscle, then women’s healthy ageing research consistently reports that we are more resilient to health changes that are known to occur in older age.Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References: Davis S., Castelo-Branco C, Chedraui P., Lumsden M., Nappi R., Shah D., Villaseca P. (2012). Writing Group of the International Menopause Society for World Menopause Day 2012. Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15(5):419-29. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2012.707385.Hall K., Guo J. (2017). Obesity Energetics: Body Weight Regulation and the Effects of Diet Composition. Gastroenterology, 152(7):1718-1727.e3. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.01.052. Epub 2017 Feb 11. PMID: 28193517; PMCID: PMC5568065.Hetemäki, N., Mikkola, T., Tikkanen, M., Feng Wang, et al. (2021). Adipose tissue estrogen production and metabolism in premenopausal women. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Volume 209.Hidalgo-Mora JJ, Cortés-Sierra L, García-Pérez MÁ, Tarín JJ, Cano A. Diet to Reduce the Metabolic Syndrome Associated with Menopause. The Logic for Olive Oil. Nutrients. 2020 Oct 18;12(10):3184. doi: 10.3390/nu12103184. Kuryłowicz A. Estrogens in Adipose Tissue Physiology and Obesity-Related Dysfunction. Biomedicines. 2023 Feb 24;11(3):690. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11030690. PMID: 36979669; Mair KM, Gaw R, MacLean MR. Obesity, estrogens and adipose tissue dysfunction - implications for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pulm Circ. 2020 Sep 18;10(3):2045894020952019. doi: 10.1177/2045894020952023.Rezuş E., Burlui A., Cardoneanu A., Rezuş C., Codreanu C., Pârvu M., Rusu Zota G., Tamba BI. (2020). Inactivity and Skeletal Muscle Metabolism: A Vicious Cycle in Old Age. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jan 16;21(2):592. doi: 10.3390/ijms21020592. PMID: 31963330; PMCID: PMC7014434.Taylor, R. (2020). Life without diabetes: The definitive guide to understanding and reversing type 2 diabetes. HarperOne Publ: UK

### MyMT™ Education New Research: Is Grounding the Anti-inflammatory Remedy to Reduce Hot Flushes?

Whether it's on grass, or concrete, a forest track or the beach, then explaining to your midlife female clients to kick off their shoes and 'ground' themselves with the earth's surface for a minimum of 15 minutes, is an important part of your anti-inflammatory menopause symptom management coaching.This practice is known as 'grounding' or 'earthing' and at a time when I was struggling with increased hot flushes, inflammation and high blood pressure, and purchasing so many supplements, this was never mentioned as an important menopause-symptom strategy. Relatively new multi-disciplinary research has revealed that electrically conductive contact of the human body with the surface of the Earth (grounding or earthing) produces intriguing effects on physiology and health. (Menigoz et al, 2020; Sinatra et al, 2023)These effects range from reducing inflammation, improving immune responses, enhancing wound healing, and the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including bone and cardiac health - two significant health conditions that are known to affect women as they move into post-menopause. 		
																														
		Health information is rapidly changing as newer research emerges about approaches to inflammatory states in the body. As many of you already know, through my own research, I've positioned the peri-menopause to post-menopause transition in women's health and ageing studies.As such, paying attention to research on inflammation and how to regulate it matters. Ageing itself is known to be an inflammatory event in a women's life-cycle and menopause is the transition to the next stage of a woman's life - her ageing years.It's an important life-stage for women to reflect on the factors that contribute to inflammatory changes in the body - past and present - especially if they want to take back control of their hot flushes or Vasomotor Symptoms (VMS).		
																														
		Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), commonly called hot flashes or flushes (HFs) and night sweats, are the menopausal symptoms for which women seek treatment during menopause most often.VMS are a form of temperature dysfunction that occurs due to changes in gonadal hormones. Hot flashes are reported by up to 85% of menopausal women (Santoro et al., 2015)Normally, core body temperature remains within a specific range, oscillating with daily circadian rhythms. Physiological processes that conserve and dissipate heat are responsible for maintaining core body temperature, therefore, tight regulation is important for maintenance of optimal internal organ function.Menopause hormonal shifts can disrupt this tightly controlled temperature circuit resulting in exaggerated heat-loss responses. This presents as vasomotor symptoms (VMS) or hot flushes/ flashes. Dysfunction in the regulation of temperature mechanisms during the menopause transition leads to inflammatory changes around the body. This is why the peri-menopause transition to menopause, is known as an inflammatory phase of a women's life-cycle (McCarthy & Raval, 2020).When inflammatory changes are present in the body, cortisol levels can remain elevated. Cortisol is a well-known marker of inflammation in the body. Elevated cortisol levels may then lead to HPA-Thyroid Axis dysfunction.The connection between the pituitary, thyroid and stress hormones during the menopause transition can cause homeostatic imbalances that impact temperature regulation. When this happens to your midlife clients, their blood pressure might increase, as does inflammatory changes in joints and sleep disruption. Daytime hot flushes and/or night sweats might increase too.However, with the knowledge of temperature regulation disruption and how the body naturally regulates temperature, this opens up the curiosity towards the powerful lifestyle solutions that you can help your clients to put into action to turn down the heat and stop the sweat. One of these strategies is simply called 'earthing' or 'grounding'. Every woman who joins me on the 12 week MyMT programmes, will hear me talk about this in their modules, especially if they feel anxious, aren't sleeping, are experiencing hot flushes or have sore joints and muscles. 		
																														
		Grounding or earthing refers to direct skin contact with the surface of the Earth, such as with bare feet or hands, or these days, there are various grounding systems you can purchase as well.Earthing works by connecting the skin to the surface of the earth. This contact then allows Earth’s electrons to spread over the skin surface and into the body. Skin is the largest organ in the body. If skin was peeled off, apparently we would lose about 12 kg (27lb) just like that! (Carver, 2017). The skin on the soles of the feet is eight times thicker than the skin on the eyelids, and it works as a barrier to keep our immune system strong.Skin is also on a circadian cycle and therefore, is linked to temperature regulation in the body, especially through skin temperature. [Lyons et al, 2019].The core body temperature therefore, has predictable fluctuations with higher temperatures in the daylight hours than during the night hours. For women in their menopause transition, these higher daylight hours body temperatures can be problematic and uncomfortable. I know this only too well myself. Oestrogens are well-known as potent neuro-modulators (nerve-regulators) of numerous nerve pathways so, changing oestrogen levels during menopause impact temperature balance. This process is known as temperature homeostasis.When our sleep is affected in menopause and because our blood vessels, sweat glands and nerves lose the role of oestrogen, it's no surprise that we end up with exaggerated heat-loss responses that present throughout the day and night as hot flushes and night sweats. [Deecher, 2007]This is where grounding, or 'earthing' comes into the science of lifestyle medicine. Pioneered by the late American Cardiologist, Dr Stephen Sinatra, one of the most important investigations that he undertook, was to explore the effects of earthing on inflammatory changes in blood vessels and blood viscosity (thickness). (Sinatra et al, 2023). As he mentions, 'thick, clumped blood is the hallmark of not only diabetes but cardiovascular disease as well. Obviously, the lower viscosity or the thinner your blood is, the less vulnerable it is to clotting or thrombosis.' (Sinatra et al, 2023, p.13).This is where walking barefoot for around 30 minutes daily offers an astonishing reduction in blood viscosity and body temperature.Whether on grass, or concrete or sand, barefoot walking helps to re-activate our ancient cooling mechanism and reduce the build-up of inflammation in cells and tissues. It's the natural anti-inflammatory therapy that is free, easy to implement and improves quality of life for women, who feel 'hot' all the time.		
																														
		A number of clinical studies indicate that ground the body generates beneficial and significant physiological changes. These benefits range from improving vascular blood flow to reducing Type 2 diabetes, to improving inflammatory markers. Modern lifestyles, especially wearing synthetic shoes, can prevent the flow of electrons throughout the body, thus restoring the body's own defence mechanisms. As Dr Sinatra mentions, 'when energy supply is restored to the body through grounding, humans have the potential to thrive. Drawing your attention to these practical, lifestyle medicine solutions, is the purpose of the courses that I have for you in MyMT™ Education.Your purpose is to bring these strategies to the attention of your midlife, female clients as they move through one of the most significant inflammatory events in their life - menopause. I hope you can join me sometime on the CPD-Approved Menopause Certification. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References: Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S. T., Oschman, J. L., & Delany, R. M. (2013). Earthing (grounding) the human body reduces blood viscosity - a major factor in cardiovascular disease. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 19(2), 102–110. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2011.0820Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S. T., Oschman, J. L., Sokal, K., & Sokal, P. (2012). Earthing: health implications of reconnecting the human body to the Earth's surface electrons. Journal of environmental and public health, 2012, 291541. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/291541Deecher DC, Dorries K. Understanding the pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) that occur in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause life stages. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2007;10(6):247-257. doi:10.1007/s00737-007-0209-5Koniver L. Practical applications of grounding to support health. Biomed J. 2023 Feb;46(1):41-47. doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2022.12.001. Epub 2022 Dec 5. PMID: 36481428; Lyons AB, Moy L, Moy R, Tung R. Circadian Rhythm and the Skin: A Review of the Literature. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2019 Sep;12(9):42-45. Epub 2019 Sep 1.Menigoz W, Latz TT, Ely RA, Kamei C, Melvin G, Sinatra D. Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations. Explore (NY). 2020 May-Jun;16(3):152-160. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2019.10.005.Santoro N, Epperson CN, Mathews SB. Menopausal Symptoms and Their Management. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2015 Sep;44(3):497-515. doi: 10.1016/j.ecl.2015.05.001.Sinatra ST, Sinatra DS, Sinatra SW, Chevalier G. Grounding - The universal anti-inflammatory remedy. Biomed J. 2023 Feb;46(1):11-16. doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2022.12.002.

### "I think I experienced every symptom in the book and am thrilled to become a Certified MyMT™ Practitioner to help others."

I'd like to introduce Lisa, from The Mind & Menopause Studio to you. After undertaking one of my programmes and completing the requirements of the Menopause Certification, Lisa has joined us as an Affiliate Partner.What this means, is that you can do one of my programmes, but Lisa will guide and support you through it, as part of her offerings as a trained Holistic Counsellor. It gives me great pleasure to have Lisa come on board and yes, she has 'been there too' with her symptoms. As she says, “Going into menopause stressed and burnt out, didn’t set me up for an easy transition - I think I experienced every symptom in the book.As such, I was searching for answers. Sleepless nights, relentless fatigue, weight gain, and anxiety became my norm - until I discovered the MyMT™ Transform Me Programme.It was everything I’d been searching for. I finally understood what was happening in my body and how to work with it, not against it.”Fast forward a few years, and Lisa has now completed the MyMT™ Practitioner Training, calling it “one of the most valuable and empowering trainings I’ve ever done.”With her background as a Holistic Counsellor and now a Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner, she brings both science and compassion to her work.Lisa is now thrilled to be offering MyMT™ programmes to women across New Zealand and beyond, combining them with her own group and one-on-one coaching to provide tailored, real-life support.“I’m beyond excited to officially become an affiliate and offer these life-changing programmes to support other women through their own menopause journey.”You can learn more about Lisa’s work at: www.themindstudio.co.nz/menopause 

### The Goodness of Grains During Menopause and Beyond.

“After this past year of avoiding whole-grains completely based on the diet I was on, I now realise that this was the wrong thing to do now that I'm in my 50's. I’ve lost 5 lbs and I’m feeling amazing. I have so much more energy.”  [Kirsten, USA]
The ‘no-grains, no-carbs’ brigade got me for a while too.

Caught up in the weight-loss and dieting confusion as my weight, bloating, hot flushes and joint pain became worse, I thought that having whole-grains in the form of starch was part of the problem.

It seemed that everyone at the gym was promoting ‘no-grains’ – low carb, high fat and high protein diets were the next ‘thing’ when it came to the nutritional messages endorsed by fitness enthusiasts and popular diets.

I thought that everyone promoting these diets were right. But in an ageing body going through menopause, I realised that a diet designed for body-builders and younger athletes is not designed for women going through menopause. I felt exhausted.

Now after years of following the women’s healthy ageing and cardiac-health research, I’ve turned my back on the ‘no-grainers’.

This is because of the ever-growing scientific evidence on the importance of whole-grains in a heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly diet.

Whole-grains are an integral part of the Mediterranean diet - a diet that is now known to help prevent heart disease in menopausal and post-menopausal women (Pant, Gribben et al, 2023).

Sitting at the Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Conference, the evidence presented on whole-grains and cardiac health was over-whelming.

For women going into, through or out of menopause, this is important evidence that we need to know.


Oestrogen is Important for heart health so in Post-Menopause, the Heart must be helped with dietary changes.
Post-menopause heart disease is the burden of many Western countries around the world.

Women’s CVD risk significantly increases after they shift into menopause, which is not just related to ageing but also, at least in part, to the decline in ovarian hormone concentrations during the menopausal transition and beyond. (American Heart Foundation, 2017).

Oestrogen plays a role in the contraction of the heart as well as the dilation of our coronary blood vessels. This means that the reduction in oestrogen as part of our normal menopause transition has a less than beneficial effect on the size and function of our heart.

This includes increased thickness of the heart wall, vascular stiffening, slower recovery (especially after endurance exercise), and changes to the nerve signaling. [Strait, J. et al. (2012)].

New Zealand, Australia, America and the United Kingdom have the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease. As modernization hits China, post-menopause heart disease is growing in prevalence there too.

When the liver is fatty, it doesn’t clear excess cholesterol or the excess oestrogenic compounds that our body is trying to clear in menopause. This is part of the reason for many women gaining weight during their mid-life transition.

As well, the heart muscle can become stressed from not sleeping and coping with a changing hormonal environment (and for many of you, years of high-intensity sports and exercise), so it needs help to do the job it’s been doing for 50-odd years – beating away delivering blood, oxygen and nutrients to every cell in our body. We need to look after it.



To protect our heart, stabilise our blood sugar, reduce hot flushes (which become worse when blood pressure is high), we need the help of whole-grains.

Cardiac health research suggests 2-3 serves a day.

In the MyMT™ Food Guide (which differs compared to the programme women are on), I get women focusing on brown rice and oats to start with, especially if they are exercising. Both of these whole-grains are gluten free, contain protein and carbohydrates and are part of a heart-healthy diet.

I take a modified Mediterranean approach to the nutritional planning in the MyMT™  programme. The ‘modified’ part is because not all Mediterranean foods suit menopausal women, especially those who aren’t sleeping and/or doing lots of higher-intensity exercise.

The combination of not sleeping and too much exercise can send many women into worsening inflammation leading to adrenal fatigue so these issues must be addressed as well.


Understanding Whole Grains
Not only are whole-grains considered a heart-healthy food, but the evidence on how they help to reduce Type 2 Diabetes by helping our body to maintain better glucose control, is increasing too.

Whole grains began to form a larger part of the human diet around 10,000 years ago, during the agricultural revolution. But refined grains have become more prominent in the past 100 years and have sky-rocketed over the past 30 years.

The latest definition of whole grain is from the European Union HEALTHGRAIN consortium. It allows for the processing of grains in a way that ensures the natural proportions of bran, germ and endosperm remain.

“Whole grains shall consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked kernel after the removal of inedible parts such as the hull and husk. The principle anatomical components – the starchy endosperm, germ and bran – are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact kernel…”. 

It allows for 2% of the grain or 10% of the bran to be removed during processing. This reduces any mycotoxin or agro-chemical contaminants which concentrate in the very outer layer of the grain.

Intact whole-grains are unrefined. This means that they remain unprocessed and close to how they are found in nature. Oats, barley and brown rice are the most common.

What I like about whole-grains apart from their fibre and heart-health benefits, is that for women in menopause, they are also full of natural minerals and nutrients that our brain, gut and heart needs.

Whole-grains you can try are:

 	Whole oats
 	Brown rice
 	Barley
 	Bulgar (cracked wheat)
 	Quinoa
 	Millet
 	Buckwheat.


Join me on any of the MyMT™ lifestyle-change programmes
Our mother’s generation has seen so much heart disease and many of our generation are now looking after and caring for women who are on a range of pills for cardio-vascular disease. We have to try and not make the same mistake and have to rely on medicines to get through our post-menopause years.

My passion is for women to start putting their menopause transition into ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’ and it's why I follow the scientific evidence for women's healthy ageing.

My 12 week online programmes, teach you how to transition into your post-menopause years, understanding better how to look after yourself. If you are interested in joining my July, 2025 intake for the Menopause Weight Loss Programme called Transform Me, then please apply your special promo code TRANSFORM HERE to access NZ$100 off today. My video below explains how all of my programmes work.

It would be my privilege to support you over the next 12 weeks.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

https://vimeo.com/851541619?share=copy#t=0

References:

Babiker, F., De Windt, L., et al. (2002). Estrogenic hormone action in the heart: regulatory network and function. Cardiovascular Research 53, 709-719.

Capurso C. Whole-Grain Intake in the Mediterranean Diet and a Low Protein to Carbohydrates Ratio Can Help to Reduce Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease, Slow Down the Progression of Aging, and to Improve Lifespan: A Review. Nutrients. 2021 Jul 25;13(8):2540. doi: 10.3390/nu13082540. PMID: 34444699

European Union Healthgrain Forum. Online: https://healthgrain.org/whole-grain/

Gorton, D. (2018). Evidence Paper: Wholegrains and the Heart. Wellington: NZ Heart Foundation:

Jull, J., Stacy, D. et al. (2014). Lifestyle Interventions Targeting Body 1-eight Changes during the Menopause Transition: A Systematic Review. Journal of Obesity. Article ID 824310, 1-16.

Mann, J. & Truswell, S. (2007) 3rd Ed. Essentials of Human Nutrition. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK

Pant A, Gribbin S, McIntyre D, Trivedi R, Marschner S, Laranjo L, Mamas MA, Flood V, Chow CK, Zaman S. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in women with a Mediterranean diet: systematic review and meta-analysis. Heart. 2023 Mar 14:heartjnl-2022-321930.

Silva TR, Oppermann K, Reis FM, Spritzer PM. Nutrition in Menopausal Women: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 23;13(7):2149. doi: 10.3390/nu13072149.

Stice, J., Lee, J. et al. (2009). Estrogen, aging and the cardiovascular system. Future Cardiol. 5(1): 93–103.

### "Yesterday, I danced and did squats in my kitchen! I can actually move again." [Jacqueline, NZ]

"I joined your Transform Me programme on 7 October, 2024. The list of physical and mental improvements are remarkable. As of today I've been walking 4 to 6 times a week (usually up and along the ridge I live on), for 7 weeks.I started with 15 minutes active walking out and 15 minutes active walking back, with rest spots to see how far I could get and pushed it out little by little. Last week (Monday) I went a bit OTT with distance on a level walk (7.5km), which upset my knees and my sleep for a few days - on reflection it was a good learning point.I rested up and bought two good knee supports which I now wear out walking and got back to my hills with a more gentle / steady approach. I'm back into an evening dress I bought and squeezed myself into for a special occasion in October 2019 (the zip split during the event, it now fits properly),  and this Christmas I'll be in my Christmas Dress that's not seen the light of day since Christmas 2018 (and even then I was a too tight for genuine comfort - this year it won't be).I simply cannot believe it. I'm calmer, I'm not feeling anxious, I can think clearly, I actually feel awake, I'm not hangry, I don't feel like a moody, irritated, depressed nasty, bitch, I'm sleeping, I'm not overheating.  If I feel so much better after 7 weeks, I can't wait to see what's even better to come.I've just signed up to your Rebuild My Fitness programme.I'm also 53 days Sober. The Sober app tells me I've saved 68,900 calories.Not just those calories, but I also realise now just how much butter - up to 500g to 1kg a week, mostly on big chunks of bread or crackers (comfort food) and cheese, eggs you name it.I find myself shocked at how poorly I've been treating myself, and for the first time ever I begin to see what it is to 'take care of myself'.Today, after completing your programme, I'm now comfortably back into standard size 18 from a 24+ (which WAS scarily ever increasing). I'm also 9 months and 15 days alcohol-free (with support of Sarah Rusbatch's groups and programs), which you recommended to me. My hip to waist ratio is normal for the first time in a decade + (only just but I'm taking the win).   Yesterday I danced and did squats in the kitchen, while I was doing housework - so my goodness I can actually move again. My knees don't crunch and send shooting pains out when I climb or descend stairs. I don't get sciatica pai and my hips aren't screaming. I stuck to your Transform Me program like glue for its 12 weeks and I've maintained the generic principles I learned since.  I've become 14-hour intermittent-faster too, which after your modules, this routine seems to suit my body better. I find I can have a few treats a week and go out for a meal without getting anxious about what to eat.  I don't want to pressure myself now as I feel I've achieved miracles already.  So, I just need to move my thought processes from 'get healthier' to one of 'maintenance and gradual improvement / proactive care'.   I cannot thank you enough for helping me kickstart this journey. I'll definitely be keeping a subscription going beyond 12 weeks. Learning, 'why' not just 'how' in your Transform Me program was my inspiration. I'm recommending your programme to just about every midlife/aging friend I have! Thank you again." Jacqueline, Auckland, New Zealand https://youtu.be/1kGiauzliPg

### MyMT™ Education: New Research – What exercise benefits liver inflammation the most?

There is very little mention of the health of the liver in exercise and sports science studies in female athletes. I know this because for many years I lectured to students on exercise and sports physiology.

My attention turned to this subject as more and more runners, exercise instructors, body-builders and sports and fitness enthusiasts, joined my 12 week menopause weight loss programme over the past decade, concerned about why they were putting on weight as they moved through menopause.

I know exactly how they felt, as I was the same.

Despite significant attention to the marketing of primarily doing resistance training exercise during the midlife menopause transition, which very rightly is targeted towards bone density improvements, my exercise science curiosity lay elsewhere … that of better understanding liver health in overweight women during menopause.

Over 80% of the 500,000 women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz report that weight gain in midlife is their main concern, especially around their diaphragm and stomach regions.

With similar health and weight concerns myself, and as I realised that a new generation of women, who are regular exercisers are moving through menopause, I really wanted to explore the type of exercise that helps their liver health and helps them to turn around a known condition of Type 2 diabetes, called Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease [NAFLD].

We often forget that the modern lifestyles of women, especially decades of high-caloric intake and/ or too much or not enough physical activity, as well as high stress levels, impact the health of the liver.

This is partly why the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has become a significant health problem worldwide for women moving into their post-menopause years.


Liver regeneration only takes 4 to 10 weeks!
The liver is a remarkable organ, mentions researchers from the Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Edinburgh, Scotland, in a 2023 paper outlining the effects of hormones on liver health. The liver coordinates a multitude of critical functions, but fortunately for all of us, it retains the ability to remodel and regenerate damaged tissue. [Kasarinaite et al., 2023]

That is where both nutrition and exercise come into play, however, what we must remember, is that menopause impacts the liver health of women in more ways than we think and the consideration of their past exercise levels, as well as the current state of their liver, helps in ascertaining the best type of exercise for them, if they are overweight and/or exhausted.

This is why, when new research about the type of exercise that is best for women, came my way last week, I thought about those of you who have completed the certified MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course, or for those of you who are Exercise Specialists, and/or completed the MyMT™ Practitioner Course, (taking registrations for the September course now), might want to know about it.

The role of exercise in liver regeneration pathways in midlife and older women, is an important consideration for Coaches and Practitioners. 

But what type of exercise is ‘best’ when we want to have a focus on the liver and turn around NAFLD, because according to a brand new systematic review, 4 weeks of the right exercise is all that women need to reduce the two main liver enzymes that may be high and be contributing to liver damage with age, along with higher low density lipoprotein cholesterol.

These two enzymes are:

 	ALT - Alanine Aminotransferase
 	AST - Aspartate Aminotransferase

High levels of ALT and AST, especially when they are anywhere between 1- 4 times the upper limit of normal, can indicate fatty liver disease. Which is why elevated liver enzymes are often the first indication of fatty liver disease in midlife women. Fortunately, many women get these checked as part of routine blood work as they move through menopause.

If women are experiencing worsening hot flushes and poor sleep, then these enzymes are important to better understand. 

Afterall, there's evidence suggesting a potential link between them as the menopause transition may cause changes in liver enzyme levels. Both ALT and AST tend to increase in early menopause, and while ALT may decrease later, AST levels often remain higher.

What can happen when the liver is fatty, is that these enzymes, normally contained within liver cells, leak into the bloodstream when the liver is damaged, signaling inflammation. While fatty liver disease is a common cause of elevated liver enzymes, other conditions can also cause this.

Obviously, NAFLD is a medical condition that requires intervention from medical specialists, but what about lifestyle support for our clients who are overweight?

How do we as Coaches support lifestyle solutions which assist liver regeneration pathways, especially those clients with NAFLD or Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?


What is NAFLD?
NAFLD is characterized by increased liver fat content in the liver cells (hepatocytes), with a threshold of > 5%. It is a condition that is associated with common metabolic disorders, such as overweight or obesity status, increased cardiovascular risk, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.

But there are a handful of other symptoms that NAFLD has been associated with too, including sleep problems, osteoporosis, skin problems, hypothyroidism, and even polycystic ovarian syndrome.

With many of these conditions impacting the daily quality of life of midlife women in menopause, it makes sense to think about liver health and support.


What exercise is ‘best’?
Aerobic exercise plays a beneficial role in liver regeneration pathways by improving liver metabolic function as well as reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. But what many Practitioners and Coaches, and women themselves fail to understand, is that aerobic exercise enhances hepatocyte (liver cell) regeneration.

This type of exercise can also mitigate the decline in liver function and reduce the risk of liver diseases and according to a new systematic review of the evidence (Xue, Peng et al, 2025), aerobic training is the best mode of exercise to improve ALT and improve levels of the ‘good’ high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

For improvements in AST however, twice a week of resistance training seems better. The researchers suggest that exercise methods have different effects on the main enzyme indicators of NAFLD. The results suggest that:

 	Aerobic exercise is best to reduce some liver enzymes and at least 3-4 times a week for 50 minutes each time.
 	Resistance training (moderate loads) is best for improving AST levels, and twice a week is best.
 	Sustaining the exercise for 4-10 weeks has a better effect on liver improvements in NAFLD patients.


How does aerobic exercise improve liver health?
During aerobic exercise, the liver plays a crucial role in maintaining blood glucose levels. It does this by increasing glucose production through glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. As women exercise, their muscles simultaneously increase glucose uptake. This intricate interplay is primarily regulated by hormonal changes, particularly the insulin/glucagon ratio, and neural (nerve) signals.

Glucagon is a hormone that stimulates glucose production in the liver and the production of this increases during exercise, particularly prolonged exercise, or when blood glucose levels drop.

At the onset of exercise, insulin levels initially decline, then stabilize or slightly increase as exercise progresses. This decrease in insulin is crucial for allowing the liver to increase glucose output also allowing the muscles to draw glucose to them for continued energy production.

For those women who have had a lifetime of exercise, the liver’s ability to match hepatic glucose output to the body's needs, especially during aerobic exercise, is critical for maintaining euglycemia (normal blood glucose levels).

But what many women like myself, who have undertaken a lot of exercise over many years, or have been over-training, fail to understand, is that they continual turnover of glucose in the liver, may itself be influencing NAFLD as they come through menopause.

Overtraining syndrome (OTS) can lead to liver inflammation, especially in midlife women who may be susceptible to hormonal and metabolic changes that exacerbate the effects of overtraining.

The inflammation can result from the body's response to excessive exercise and insufficient recovery. Over time, this, along with not sleeping, has the potential to contribute to liver inflammation, weight gain and worsening fatigue.

I’ve seen this numerous times in those exercise instructors who have normalized their exercise output for years, and don’t know that now that they are in midlife and their menopause transition, their body may not be recovering very well.


Have your clients been overtraining?
Overtraining can lead to liver inflammation and disruptions in glycogen turnover. Studies indicate that excessive exercise can cause liver damage, including fat accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis. Furthermore, overtraining can impact the body's ability to regulate glycogen, potentially leading to fatigue and decreased exercise capacity.

During prolonged, exhaustive exercise, or high-intensity exercise, the liver is simply not able to keep up with the glucose demands. The stimulus to release glucose from the liver exceeds glucose utilization causing a rise in arterial glucose.

Then when glycogen stores become depleted in both muscle and the liver, we often see this as the athlete becoming hypoglycemic or they are ingesting glucose as their fuel supply during the event.


Are your clients highly stressed?
It’s not only over-training that creates increased demands on liver function. Chronic stress burns through glucose turnover in your liver. There is much literature now linking chronic stress with liver inflammation.

When women are busy, active and feeling stressed, there is a higher turn-over of glucose in the liver. This arises because the presence of stress hormones increases the body’s need for glucose.

If you have noticed your clients craving sugar all the time, then look at the amount of stress that they are under and this includes physical stress too. We forget that personal stress can cause women to do a lot of exercise and I’ve seen this for many years in the fitness industry. Therefore, this can cause a compensatory need for glucose and so, the demand on their brain, is for over-compensatory eating – they tend to crave more sugar and simple, low-nutrient carbohydrates!

This is why female exercisers and women who work in physically demanding jobs must remember that before, during and after exercise or when workloads are high, the liver has a lot of work to do.

The harder women exercise or the more stress that they experience daily, the more work the liver has to do to keep supplying the muscles and brain with energy. To achieve this, the liver is working harder than it should to help produce the chronic stress hormone called cortisol.

And when this happens, then precious progesterone is also used up, causing an imbalance between levels of oestrogen and progesterone, at a time of life, when both these hormones need to be in balance.

The effect for many women, is simply, worsening symptoms and/or weight gain.

This is why, for Practitioners and Coaches, it must be remembered that the liver is an organ that may have had considerable changes to its load and ‘stress’ over the years. This may affect the inflammation that builds up during the menopause transition – a time of life, when the liver is shrinking and losing volume as women move into post-menopause. (Brady, 2015).

I talk about these changes due to ageing in the MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course and hope that  you can pre-register for this important lifestyle science course now, in readiness for my final intake of 2025 in September.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)


References
Adams, L. A., Roberts, S. K., Strasser, S. I., Mahady, S. E., Powell, E., Estes, C., Razavi, H., and George, J. (2020) Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease burden: Australia, 2019–2030. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 35: 1628– 1635. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.15009.

Armeni E. et al. OR25-02. Presented at: ENDO annual meeting; June 1-4, 2024. Hot Flash Severity Predicts Metabolic-Associated Liver Disease.

Bansal R, Aggarwal N. Menopausal Hot Flashes: A Concise Review. J Midlife Health. 2019 Jan-Mar;10(1):6-13. doi: 10.4103/jmh.JMH_7_19. PMID: 31001050;

Brady, C. (2015). Liver disease and menopause. World J Gastroenterology, 21(25): 7613-7620.

Cabot, S. (2010). Fatty liver – You can reverse it. Arizona, USA: SCB Inc.

Gerber, L. H., Weinstein, A. A., Mehta, R., & Younossi, Z. M. (2019). Importance of fatigue and its measurement in chronic liver disease. World journal of gastroenterology, 25(28), 3669–3683.

Godoy-Matos AF, Silva Júnior WS, Valerio CM. NAFLD as a continuum: from obesity to metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2020 Jul 14;12:60. doi: 10.1186/s13098-020-00570-y. PMID: 32684985;

Matsui S, Yasui T, Kasai K, Keyama K, Kato T, Uemura H, Kuwahara A, Matsuzaki T, Irahara M. Changes of liver enzymes and triglyceride during the menopausal transition in Japanese women. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2016 Aug;36(6):806-811.

Qi F, Li T, Deng Q, Fan A. The impact of aerobic and anaerobic exercise interventions on the management and outcomes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Physiol Res. 2024 Nov 12;73(5):671-686. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.935244.

Rui L. (2014). Energy metabolism in the liver. Compr Physiol. 4(1):177-97. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c130024. PMID: 24692138; PMCID: PMC4050641.

Satapathy SK, Sanyal AJ. Epidemiology and Natural History of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. (2015). Semin Liver Dis. 35(3), 221-35. doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1562943.

Scheer, V., Tiller, N.B., Doutreleau, S. et al. Potential Long-Term Health Problems Associated with Ultra-Endurance Running: A Narrative Review. Sports Med 52, 725–740 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01561-3

Stevanović J, Beleza J, Coxito P, Ascensão A, Magalhães J. Physical exercise and liver "fitness": Role of mitochondrial function and epigenetics-related mechanisms in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Mol Metab. 2020 Feb;32:1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2019.11.015. Epub 2019 Nov 29. PMID: 32029220

Trefts E, Williams AS, Wasserman DH. Exercise and the Regulation of Hepatic Metabolism. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2015;135:203-25. doi: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.07.010. Epub 2015 Aug 5. PMID: 26477916.

Xue Y, Peng Y, Zhang L, Ba Y, Jin G, Liu G. Effect of different exercise modalities on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 14;14(1):6212. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-51470-4. PMID: 38485714.

### "My friends keep telling me I’m glowing! Even my doctor was surprised by how energetic I looked." - Burcu, Turkey

The Journey of Burcu was not only professional, but personal! Despite all her knowledge as a Health Coach and 'eating clean', she too became confused about her symptoms and weight gain. It's a similar story to my own - so thank you Burcu, for sharing it with us. 

"I’ve learned so much from this course especially about inflammation. I had been experiencing many perimenopausal symptoms, and deep down, I knew I was becoming insulin resistant. I was gaining weight and couldn’t lose even a gram, despite eating clean, exercising regularly, and taking care of myself. Still, my doctors kept telling me that my lab results were “just fine”—but I wasn’t feeling fine.

I was dealing with joint and muscle aches, waking up tired, feeling unwell, experiencing vaginal dryness, low libido, and an overall loss of joy.

It felt like my inner spark had completely faded within just 6–7 months. I was also diagnosed with vaginal vestibulitis and had it surgically removed. My doctor said it was due to inflammation, yet my CRP levels were very low, which also left me feeling confused.

Listening to Wendy on her Practitioner training course, everything clicked into place! I finally understood how inflammation was happening in my body, and that it was the root cause of most of my symptoms.

So I made lifestyle changes to better suit the stage of life I was in. I made the nutritional changes that Wendy recommends and increased my intake of dark leafy greens. At 55 kg, I ensured I was getting adequate protein, but not over-doing it, and eliminated protein powders and focused on whole food sources instead.

I also increased my intake of citrus fruits,  changed my exercise routine, and added more extra virgin olive oil. I also began taking a high-quality omega-3 supplement.

Within 2–3 months, my joint pain significantly decreased. I was able to walk outdoors for an hour each day without feeling exhausted afterward. I returned to resistance training three times a week without any muscle or joint pain. My sleep improved dramatically. Now I go to bed between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m. and wake up refreshed around 7:00–7:30 a.m.

Psychologically, I feel so much better.

I’ve lost 1.5 kg of body fat, and my friends keep telling me I’m glowing in a completely new way. Even my doctor was surprised by how energetic I looked. When I shared that my symptoms had improved significantly, she simply told me: “Keep doing whatever you're doing.”

I’m deeply grateful that my path crossed with yours, Wendy. What you do is incredibly valuable. Now that I have turned my own symptoms around, I am looking forward to helping others in Turkey. Thank you."
Burcu, Turkey


 
Are you ready to lead change in the menopause space like Burcu?
MyMT™ is revolutionizing menopause lifestyle education for health and wellness professionals.

Our mission is to empower you to use evidenced, lifestyle change solutions to help your peri to post-menopausal clients manage menopause symptoms, lose weight and age healthily.

Your role as a trusted advisor, motivator and supporter, is such an important one. But how effective you are in this role, depends on your knowledge that is specific to the age and stage of your clients.

Bringing your attention to the science of the menopause transition (peri – post menopause) is the goal of the MyMT™ Education courses.


LEARN MORE

### Liver Function and Menopause Symptoms: What Your Sleepless Nights Are Trying to Tell You

When you’re plodding the hallway at 2am feeling exhausted and despairing and you know you’ve got a busy day ahead of you, I bet you haven’t given your liver a thought have you? However, you need to.

Your liver has its own circadian clock and if your liver is a bit unhealthy (and whose isn’t after 40-50 years of living in a modern society?) then this may be affecting the quality and duration of your sleep.

Whilst you won’t actually know if your liver is ‘unhealthy’ or not until you have liver function tests done, you may have heard of a liver condition called Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

This important liver problem is due to the accumulation of excessive fat (known as hepatic steatosis), rather than due to alcohol abuse. Scientists studying the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States (NHANES), predict that this highly prevalent condition is only going to worsen in coming decades.

For women transitioning menopause and about to go into the next phase of their life (their post-menopause years), the state of our liver health is an important consideration - especially for those women already post-menopausal and overweight or obese. (Arshad et al, 2019).

There are numerous factors involved in the genesis of NAFLD and this is where our past lifestyle, as well as our genetics come into play.

As many of you will already know from my previous articles, the liver is the site of toxin clearance, as well as nutrient absorption. It works alongside our lymphatic system and digestive system to keep our immune system functioning well.

I often say to women in my private coaching community, that because we are the first generation of women to have engaged with decades of changing food production and availability, as well as many of us having been exposed to the increasing prevalence of household chemicals, pesticides and alcohol over our lifetime, and of course, various medications, excessive exercise and stress, then the liver, gut microbiome and lymphatic system has had a lot of work to do over the years.

What we have to realise, is that if the liver, gut and lymphatic system are unhealthy as we move through menopause, then this impacts sleep  ... and lack of sleep impacts mental health, hot flushes, and for many women, their weight gain too.



Hence, it’s no surprise that many of us have arrived in mid-life and our liver, gut and lymphatic system has simply become tired and unhealthy. For women like Mel, who are regular exercisers, the state of the liver and not sleeping, can add to menopause and post-menopause mental health changes too.

One of the most important medical discoveries of the past two decades has been that the immune system and inflammatory processes are involved in not just a few select disorders, but a wide variety of mental and physical health problems that dominate present-day health problems worldwide.

Chronic inflammatory diseases have been recognized as the most significant cause of death in the world today, with more than 50% of all deaths being attributable to inflammation-related diseases such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and auto-immune and neuro-degenerative conditions (Furman, Campisi et al, 2019).

Like many of the women on the MyMT™ programmes, I had no idea that the health of my liver was also affecting my sleep, hot flushes and weight gain.


Liver Health and Sleep - A powerful connection
Your circadian rhythm orchestrates your metabolism in daily 24-hour cycles. 

Circadian derives from the Latin roots ‘circa’- meaning ‘around’ and ‘diēm’ meaning ‘day’, and like all daily or diurnal rhythms, circadian rhythms are periodic patterns that repeat themselves approximately every 24 hours.

Hence, these rhythms organize your metabolism and metabolic processes based on the timing of both feeding and fasting over a 24 hour period. This is how the body controls and increases its metabolic efficiency. (Poggiogale, 2018).

The circadian system comprises a central pacemaker in the brain and a series of clocks in peripheral tissues throughout the body, including liver, muscle, and adipose (fat) tissue.

When I was pulling together the research for the content of the MyMT™ Transform Me weight loss programme, I became fascinated by both the liver and the circadian rhythm.

Studying women’s health and ageing led me towards better understanding that the circadian rhythm has a powerful influence on all of our body organs.

From our heart, to our liver, muscles, blood vessels, gut, thyroid, adrenals and of course, our brain, the circadian rhythm imparts significant influence on our health, including mental health, as we age.

Our circadian rhythm even influences fat cells, including those in the liver.

Studies in humans report circadian rhythms in glucose, insulin, glucose tolerance, lipid (fat) levels, energy expenditure, and appetite. Several of these rhythms peak in the biological morning or around noon, and this means that eating earlier in the daytime is optimal for food intake.

I talk about this in my ‘Sleep All Night’ module in both of the different MyMT™ programmes which you can explore HERE.

You will learn all about how menopause hormonal changes affect your circadian rhythm, your liver health and your mental health, and of course, the lifestyle steps to take to improve the health of these organs.


Sleep disruptions influence inflammation
As we move through menopause there are disruptions in these daily rhythms.

This may lead to impairment of our metabolism and influence the early stages of metabolic diseases that follow us into older age – we just need to look at our mother’s generation to see the result of changing inflammation as women get older.

The emergence of evidence that circadian rhythm misalignment, induced by mis-timed light exposure, sleep, or food and fluid intake (and, I might add, menopause hormonal changes), adversely affects metabolic, liver and mental health in humans is crucial to understanding why you are putting on belly fat and why your liver is implicated in your sleep quality and your mental health. (Poggiogale, 2018).

This includes the accumulation of inflammation in our liver, which in many women who are putting on weight in menopause, can lead to NAFLD, which in turn may result in changing mental health and increased anxiety (Choi et al, 2021).

If we develop liver inflammation during menopause, LDL-cholesterol can also increase, joints and muscles may become sore and of course, hot flushes can worsen as well as our weight.



Whilst inflammation is a well designed evolutionary process which helps to keep our immune system protected from bacteria, viruses, toxins and infections by eliminating pathogens and promoting tissue repair and recovery, it’s the extent of internal and chronic inflammation, which health researchers caution about (Furman, Campisi et al, 2019).

It’s this chronic inflammation that I’m talking about here.

Chronic inflammation can sit around in our liver for decades and depending on the degree of inflammation and the accumulation of fat in liver ducts, this affects our sleep quality and duration of sleep.

Overnight, our liver is working hard to help organs and tissues repair. But not sleeping due to our mis-aligned circadian clock, means that our liver timing overnight also becomes ‘misaligned’.

Hence, nutrients that would generally go towards healing and recovery of our immune system, may not be allocated. If you are awake between 2am and 4am are missing out on this essential coordinated task between your liver, lymphatic system and immune system.

It’s no wonder that your muscles and joints are aching in menopause if you are an exerciser as well. You aren’t recovering overnight like you used to. That’s why in the MyMT™ programmes, I bring your attention to sleep and not exercise in the first instance.

Inadequate sleep has been associated with poor health outcomes in women as they age, such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiometabolic diseases, depression and the increased risk and progression of NAFLD (Marin-Alejandre, Abete et al, 2019).

I think we all know that when we don’t sleep well, this also disrupts our eating behaviours.

But herein, lies the weight and NAFLD conundrum too – this turn towards too much glucose (as well as unhealthy fats and processed carbohydrates), may also alter insulin levels.

Insulin is the hormone that is secreted by your pancreas in response to blood sugar (glucose) levels.

If blood levels of glucose are erratic, then this can also contribute to worsening liver health – the liver is the site of excess glucose storage along with your muscles. So, if you aren’t a regular exerciser and lead a more sedentary life because you are too tired, then herein lies another problem for women in menopause and post-menopause who aren’t sleeping. Your physical activity levels decline too.

That's why I have three factors you can put into place right now.


My 3 Lifestyle Solutions to Improve your Liver and your Sleep

 	Apples and Tomatoes – eat them daily. Food-based nutrients have been and continue to be investigated for their role in the modulation of metabolic pathways involved in liver detoxification processes. I talk about these foods in my Liver Lover module as part of both MyMT™ programmes. Several publications to date have leveraged cell, animal, and clinical studies to demonstrate that food-derived components and nutrients can modulate processes of conversion and eventual excretion of toxins from the body and if you missed my article about Lycopene in tomatoes and the role of these compounds on liver health, then you can add it to your reading list HERE.

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/851541619

 	Learn to breathe more efficiently. If you think about the location of your liver, it sits underneath the right side of your diaphragm. If you are mainly sedentary, then sitting most of the day may be reducing your liver function. Your liver is replete with lymphatic vessels which help to remove toxins, so improving your breathing, posture and including regular stretching, will also improve your liver health.


 	Reduce saturated fats in your diet UNTIL you sort out your liver health – this includes coconut oils, coconut cream and of course, cream and butter products too.



When you are ready to help your liver, which in turn will help your sleep, which in turn will help your mental health and vice versa, I hope you can join me on either of my 12 week programmes.

There is never a better time to start, but if you are hesitating, then I recommend you complete the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, watch the MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause, go to the Testimonials and Success Stories on the MyMT™ website and find someone like you to read their story.

MyMT™ 12 week programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers.

Alternatively, as a starting point for you, you can purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause. This is only NZ$15 (approx.  AUS$14, US$9 or UK£7.5). I hope you can join me in this powerful 2 hour webinar. The great news is that now you can watch it anytime, anywhere and even 'pause' it whenever you like. You also have access for 3 months.

Dr Wendy Sweet, Ph.D/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.


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References: 

Arshad, T., Golabi, P., Paik, J., Mishra, A., & Younossi, Z. M. (2018). Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the Female Population. Hepatology communications, 3(1), 74–83. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep4.1285

Nirupama Chatterjee, Rishabh Sharma, Pratibha R Kale, Nirupma Trehanpati, Gayatri Ramakrishna. Is the liver resilient to the process of ageing?. Annals of Hepatology, (30), 2, 2025. 101580, ISSN 1665-2681,

Furman, D., Campisi, J., Verdin, E. et al. (2019). Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med 25, 1822–1832. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0

Hodges R., & Minich D. (2015). Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. J Nutr Metab. 760689. doi: 10.1155/2015/760689. Epub 2015 Jun 16. PMID: 26167297; PMCID: PMC4488002.

Koenig G., & Seneff S. (2015). Gamma-Glutamyltransferase: A Predictive Biomarker of Cellular Antioxidant Inadequacy and Disease Risk. Dis Markers. 818570. doi: 10.1155/2015/818570. Epub 2015 Oct 12. PMID: 26543300; PMCID: PMC4620378.

Marjot T, Ray DW, Williams FR, Tomlinson JW, Armstrong MJ. Sleep and liver disease: a bidirectional relationship. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Oct;6(10):850-863.

Marin-Alejandre, B. A., Abete, I., Cantero, I., Riezu-Boj, J. I., Milagro, F. I., Monreal, J. I., Elorz, M., Herrero, J. I., Benito-Boillos, A., Quiroga, J., Martinez-Echeverria, A., Uriz-Otano, J. I., Huarte-Muniesa, M. P., Tur, J. A., Martínez, J. A., & Zulet, M. A. (2019). Association between Sleep Disturbances and Liver Status in Obese Subjects with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Comparison with Healthy Controls. Nutrients, 11(2), 322. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11020322

Poggiogalle E., Jamshed H., & Peterson C. (2018). Circadian regulation of glucose, lipid, and energy metabolism in humans. Metabolism. Jul;84:11-27. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2017.11.017. Epub 2018 Jan 9. PMID: 29195759; PMCID: PMC5995632.
Related Tag: Sleeping Menopause

### From the MyMT™ Kitchen: Beat the Heat with an Anti-Inflammatory Cold Gazpacho Soup

Gazpacho or gaspacho, also called Andalusian gazpacho, is a cold soup and drink made of raw, blended vegetables. Whilst it originated in the southern regions of the Iberian Peninsula and spread into other areas, it is widely eaten in Spain and Portugal.I was reminded of this refreshing soup, not only after reading about the heat-wave currently engulfing Europe, but because this soup is evidenced to have anti-inflammatory effects too.The health promoting effects of fruit and vegetable consumption are widely accepted, and research published in the Journal of Nutrition, about the effects of Gazpacho soup, caught my attention. The study showed that consumption of this vegetable soup for two weeks, reduced markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. [Sánchez-Moreno et al., 2004].The study, a collaborative effort between Tufts University and Spanish researchers, used Gazpacho soup, a Mediterranean soup containing 80% crude vegetables.The study participants had two bowls of Gazpacho every day for two weeks and this antioxidant-rich soup was made from tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, olive oil, onions and garlic.Blood samples for each volunteer were taken prior to soup consumption and on the seventh and fourteenth days of the study. Starting on the seventh day, levels of vitamin C in volunteers’ blood samples were found to have increased by 27% in men and 22% in women, and they remained elevated for the rest of the study.Interestingly, uric acid levels, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and gout, were reduced by 18% in the male volunteers and by 8% in the females.		
																														
					Gazpacho Soup Recipe from the MyMT™ Kitchen				
		Recipe Reference: Gimme Some Oven. 5 – 6 medium sized ripe tomatoes, halved and seeded (if you are able to buy some good quality tomatoes, these will make the soup more flavourful).1 small cucumber, peeled and seeded1 medium green bell pepper, seeded1/2 small red onion, peeled2 small garlic cloves (or 1 large clove), peeled3 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons sherry vinegar1 teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper1/2 teaspoon ground cumin1 thick slice of bread or a ¼ baguette, soaked, crusts removedoptional garnishes: homemade croutons, chopped fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, or any leftover chopped gazpacho ingredients.METHOD:If you have time, remove the seeds from the tomatoes, cucumber and pepper (otherwise just move to step 2).Purée. Combine all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Puree for 1 minute, or until the soup reaches your desired consistency.Season. Taste and season with extra salt, pepper and/or cumin if needed.Chill. Refrigerate in a sealed container for 3 to 4 hours, or until completely chilled.Serve. Serve cold, topped with your desired garnishes.Bon Appetit! 

### What Women Living in ‘Blue Zones’ Can Teach Us About Menopause and Healthy Ageing

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) was invited onto The Flow Space, alongside Blue Zones Researcher Dan Buettner. Together they delve into the lifestyle habits of women in Blue Zones—regions known for exceptional longevity and health. Wendy explains how their dietary patterns, physical activity, and community engagement contribute to a smoother menopausal transition.		
					
									Read Full Article Here

Excerpt: Dr. Wendy Sweet, founder of My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™), delves into the lifestyle habits of women in Blue Zones...

### A Step in Time : How moderate walking helps your menopause symptoms.

Have you forgotten what 'moderate exercise' means to you? Despite my years of teaching exercise prescription to students, I know that I had!I love seeing women in my private coaching group out walking and hiking. With all the increased publicity about weight training for bone health, I feel that walking isn't getting the attention it deserves for the health and symptom reduction of midlife women. Exercise requirements for menopause symptom relief and for improved cardiovascular health as women move through and beyond menopause, requires a different approach to the higher-intensity exercises that many women may have been undertaking over the decades. Many women may also not understand that there are also various ways to gain strength, compared to 'just' weight training in a gym. Which is why a study on Sloped Walking caught my attention recently. Sloped walking is biomechanically different from level-ground walking. It's something that we need to consider adding into our exercise routines, when it comes to strengthening our lower leg, buttock and hip muscles as we move through menopause.I used to think about this when travelling in Europe and living in small mountain villages.You cannot go anywhere without walking up or down a hill and I would see older women walking everywhere, generally with walking poles and/or carrying their groceries up and down stairs and paths that were steeply sloped. And they weren't puffing like I was. Women living in Blue Zones countries succeed in maintaining a traditional lifestyle because they live on islands and/ or live in fairly mountainous regions.When it comes to the type of activity they do, researchers state that their activity levels, throughout their life, have been based on walking - not running or going to the gym to throw around kettlebells.Understanding this research helped with my paradigm shift about 'what exercise was good for me' in midlife ... especially when sleep evaded my ability to recover from all the intense and exhausting exercise I was doing. If you aren’t sleeping, then intense, exhausting exercise changes the HPA-Thyroid-Ovarian Axis balance.This hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis is a chemical pathway where a number of hormones and the nerves ‘talk’ to each other, trying to maintain your hormones in balance.Too often, menopause hormonal changes cause this axis to get out of balance. But so too, does insomnia, weight gain, stress and of course, too much intense, physical exercise.But here’s the thing - whilst the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis is stimulated by a small amount of acute exercise and will initiate numerous neuroendocrine (nerve-hormone) cascades, too much intense exercise may cause this axis to remain out of balance.Over time, this may lead to worsening symptoms. A small amount of more intense acute exercise is fine (1-2 times weekly), but if women are doing more than is recommended, then both cortisol (a stress hormone) and growth hormone concentrations are affected by exercise-induced homeostatic (hormonal balance) disruptions.The hormonal changes associated with overtraining, including blunted cortisol and reduced anabolic (muscle growth) hormones in response to exercise stress tests, highlight the importance of balanced training and recovery and for women in their menopause transition, this also highlights understanding what 'moderate exercise' is. Moderate exercise is the type of exercise which has an intensity level of between 50 – 70%. This is called ‘aerobic exercise’ whereby the body’s demand for oxygen is maintained throughout the workout.Although other more complex formula's now exist in sports science, the simplest formula for you to use for analysing your heart rate range intensity is: 220 - your age x 0.5 = ...220 - your age x 0.7 = ....The two answers you get, will be your 50 - 70% exercising heart rate range. Most intense exercise (including heavy weight training), is ‘anaerobic exercise’ – the body's demand for oxygen exceeds the supply. In this type of exercise, instead of relying on oxygen for energy, the body breaks down glucose stored in muscles for fuel, leading to a buildup of lactic acid. Examples include heavy weightlifting, sprinting, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).		
																														
					Does Moderate Walking Improve Menopause Symptoms? 				
		Walking to help reduce menopause symptoms was the topic of another study that also grabbed by interest recently.Published in the Nurse Practitioner Journal (Amanzai, Sidani et al, 2022), the study authors undertook a systematic review of articles published over the past decade in order to identify studies that evaluated walking programmes specifically designed to measure the occurrence of menopausal symptoms in midlife women.Even if sore joints or menopause weight gain are impacting your ability to walk far, I wanted to share it with you. Amongst all of the different types of walking programmes, from pedometer-based programmes to Nordic walking to a Korean walking programme that I have never heard of called SaBang Dolgi, they all had their benefits - especially for the reduction of menopause-related depression, anxiety and hot flushes (flashes).The SaBang Dolgi programme is a traditional Korean exercise, whereby participants repeat the movements, beginning while watching the front, and walking around in the same place in four directions— east, west, south and north —and maintaining their energy and centre of gravity in the centre of the body using rotation and directionality.The purpose is to achieve emotional stability. I didn't know this, but judging from the images from the studies findings, it looks fun as well. 		
																														
					Walking Interventions for Symptom Reduction during Menopause Differ!				
		In the extensive review on walking, there were a number of different walking interventions.Pedometer-based walking (10,000 steps),Nordic walking (with poles) three times weekly,Specific walking training which increased in intensity over 12 weeks and,SaBang-Dolgi training - the Korean based movement described above, whereby participants attended three sessions a week for 60 minutes per session. For those of you who are either sedentary, or are at the other end of the exercise-spectrum and doing a lot of high-intensity exercise in the gym, and/or you are experiencing depressive symptoms, insomnia and hot flushes, the results are worth noting. Whilst all of the interventions reported changes in menopause symptoms, within the review by Amanzai, Sidani et al, (2022), pedometer-based walking presented the greatest improvement in symptom outcomes.But if you don't have a preference for counting steps, then just remember that all of the types of walking interventions, including Nordic walking and walking freely without poles or pedometers, reported improvement in post-intervention menopausal symptoms of:depression, which saw the greatest reduction post interventions.sleep quality andphysiological markers such as improved blood vessel dilation.As the study authors noted;"Menopausal vasomotor [hot flush] and cognitive symptoms can have an impact on quality of life and employment productivity ultimately resulting in financial losses. While hormone replacement therapy is cited as an alleviator of symptoms, its risks encourage the pursuit of alternative lifestyle modifications such as performing exercise. The benefits of exercise include improvements in stress relief, joint pain, reduce cardiovascular risk, cognitive functioning, sleeping patterns, and overall quality of life." [Amanzai et al, 2022, p. 64]In this fast-paced world, I call walking for exercise, 'the forgotten factor in women's health as they age'.That's why, in my 12- week MyMT™ programmes, I have designed a 6 week walking programme - numerous women tell me that they print it out and post it to their fridge as their reminder to take action!You can see this from the image below of some comments made in my private coaching community when Michelle shared photos of her lunch-time walk in London. The MyMT™ Coaching Community was enthused."I  feel so proud to work in an amazing City that I wanted to show you what I see if I make the effort to walk. Walking along the River Thames keeps you cool. Is anyone else walking of a lunchtime who would like to share their walk?”What unfolded was amazing. So many women sharing their walk with us all. Leann was in the Northern Territory in a place called Kings Canyon.Karen was walking at the bottom of the earth in Invercargill, New Zealand. Natalie shared a photo from her walk along the waterfront in Petone, New Zealand. I shared a photo from my walk in Wanaka, and on a balmy day in Sydney, Donna shared the glorious blue sky and city landscape that was Sydney in winter. We even had one of the Canadian ladies share a photo of a Moose, which she saw on her walk. Many of the women also say that they go walking with a friend and this keeps them motivated too. I love hearing this.Walking and talking is good for women's cardiovascular health in menopause and support from others is a great way to improve one of my 7 dimensions of women's health, which is social connection.Furthermore, at a time of our lives when we are busy, it allows us time to 'think'. 'Walking allows us to be in our bodies and in the world without being made busy by them. It leaves us free to think without being wholly lost in our thoughts. When we live our lives in cars and buildings and gyms, shopping malls and offices are we are constantly in ‘catch-up’ mode with all that is going on in our lives, in this respect, walking is a detour – a scenic route through a half-abandoned landscape of ideas and experiences.' (Solnit, 2000).		
																														
					What's Stopping you from Walking?				
		Menopause is a naturally occurring phenomenon for women, but as I mention in my online Masterclass on Menopause webinar (which you can read about HERE), for numerous women, this stage of life presents with several physical and mental symptoms that are more severely experienced.These experiences can be very distressing for women to deal with, especially because of their personal, social, and work lives mentions Sydora et al (2020) in another scoping review exploring the impact of walking on menopause symptoms. With known barriers to maintaining physical activity in midlife including,sore jointspoor healthlack of time due to family responsibilitieslack of motivationinadequate access to facilities and fear of safety,walking offers a great way to get started ... as long as you don't have sore joints, plantar fasciitis or other medical conditions that prevent this. Walking at lunchtime during your busy day is a great starting point too. It can slow down your thinking and sooth your nerves!As women move through menopause, the nervous system is also experiencing the effects of ageing, as we not only lose oestrogen on receptors along the nerve sheath, but because blood vessels lose their elasticity too.These combined changes may contribute to an elevation of heart rate and increased feelings of anxiety and exhaustion and/or irritability.This is why walking, including stair or hill walking, or other moderate aerobic activity during the day helps.Aerobic activity is the type of activity whereby you breathe rhythmically and don't get too out of breath. The rhythmic movement of aerobic activity helps the nervous system to fire more  regularly, thus decreasing feelings of anxiety.		
																														
					How Much is 'Enough' Walking for Women?				
		When it comes to understanding walking, there is no-one more expert in this subject than Professor I-Min Lee. She has been studying physical activity for decades.As an Associate Epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, she decided to explore the basis for 10,000 steps and whether this was a realistic target for older women to be achieving.She and her research team decided to explore the popular premise whether 10,000 steps a day provides a dose-response relationship for the health of post-menopause women. I'm pleased she did. A goal of 10,000 steps a day is the ‘gold standard’ for millions of people. Over the past decade or so, this benchmark has also sold a huge number of step-counting devices as well as inspired team challenges throughout companies the world over.These are known as ‘wearable technologies’ and over 125 million units were shipped worldwide when this technology first arrived in 2017. That’s a lot of step-counting.And whilst the 10,000 step phenomenon arrived off the back of a marketing campaign to get more Japanese people walking, it's still an important goal to achieve, especially for women who are time-poor and struggling with changing cardiovascular health in mid-life. However, for busy women transitioning through menopause and into post-menopause, 10,000 steps is a challenging number to achieve every day, especially when joints and muscles often become sore and aching.I was the same, hence turning around joint health and restless leg syndrome is important too. That's why I designed you a fabulous joint health webinar - this is in all my foundation 12 week programmes - Circuit Breaker, Transform Me and my new Beyond Menopause programme.I explain how these programmes work in the video below. Alternatively, if you want to just start slowly, then my NZ$15, two-part webinar called the Masterclass on Menopause. It has lots of great solutions in it for you too. Physical activity participation research continues to show a decline in physical activity for women over the age of 50 years who are the highest cohort (along with adolescence girls) to drop out of regular physical activity. With our exhaustion and being time-poor, I'm not surprised.Professor Wendy Brown and her team have been studying this for over 30 years in Australia. And here's the thing - I can attest to this as well.When I wasn’t sleeping and had sore joints and muscles, felt dizzy and my weight was increasing daily, the last thing I felt like doing was my beloved exercise - especially with the emphasis on boot camps, high intensity workouts and a ‘go-hard, or go-home’ training mantra.I wish I had known about Professor Min-Lee’s work at the time and her findings which you can read about beneath the video. https://youtu.be/Wn14ePWUYsw		
					Where did the 10,000 steps goal and pedometer-based counting originate?				
		The 10,000 steps protocol originated back in 1965 when a Japanese company made a device called Manpo-kei.This name translated to '10,000 steps meter’ and it was intended as a marketing tool. So began the notion of needing to achieve 10,000 steps in our health consciousness.Because Professor Min-Lee had already been studying the relationship between physical activity and health in older women, she took her 10,000 steps curiosity to the midlife women demographic too. I’m so pleased that she did.The research looked at over 16,000 women aged between 62 years to 101 years and for 4 years between 2011 and 2015, all participants wore tracking devices during waking hours.The researchers wanted to explore whether increased steps were associated with fewer deaths. The findings from the study are important for us all to know – especially for those women struggling to find the time, energy and motivation to exercise. The key findings from the study include:Sedentary women averaged 2,700 steps a day.Women who averaged 4,400 daily steps had a 41% reduction in mortality.Mortality rates progressively improved before leveling off at approximately 7,500 steps per day.As the researchers concluded, if you want to prevent an early death, then walking matters, and some is better than none.But if you are pushed for time and motivation, then this study suggests you can reap benefits from 7,500 steps a day. That’s 25% fewer steps than the more common goal of 10,000 steps.“Every step counts” says Professor Min-Lee, “but don’t be intimidated by having to get 10,000 steps if you are a woman in menopause or post-menopause.”I often share these pointers with women on my coaching programme, especially those who don't belong to a gym.If you’re typically sedentary then you are probably doing around 2000 steps daily just in your day to day movement, so try to add 2,000 more daily steps.This will give you an average of at least 4,400 daily steps. While 2,000 steps equals one mile (2.2km), it’s not necessary to walk it all at once. Instead, try to take extra steps over the course of each waking hour.This is great advice for all of us.Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Founder & Coach. 		
																
															
		References:Amanzai, H., Sidani, S., Munro, K., Nadeem W., Ansari, H., Zia, T. & Guruge, S. (2022). The Impact of Walking Programs on Reduction of Menopausal Symptoms: A Systematic Review. Nurse Practitioner Open Journal, 62-82. 10.28984/npoj.v2i1.370Brown WJ, Mishra G, Lee C, Bauman A. (2000). Leisure time physical activity in Australian women: relationship with well being and symptoms. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2000 Sep;71(3):206-16. I-Min Lee, Shiroma, E.,Masamitsu K. et.al, (2019). Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women. JAMA Intern Med. Published online May 29, 2019.Noh E, Kim J, Kim M, Yi E. Effectiveness of SaBang-DolGi Walking Exercise Program on Physical and Mental Health of Menopausal Women. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Sep 22;17(18):6935.Pickle NT, Grabowski AM, Auyang AG, Silverman AK. The functional roles of muscles during sloped walking. J Biomech. 2016 Oct 3;49(14):3244-3251. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.08.004. Epub 2016 Aug 6. PMID: 27553849;Solnit, R. (2001). Wanderlust: A history of walking. Penguin Books.Sydora, B.C., Alvadj, T., Malley, A. et al. (2020). Walking together: women with the severe symptoms of menopause propose a platform for a walking program; outcome from focus groups. BMC Women's Health 20, 165, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-020-01037-y

### Collagen, Vitamin C and Menopause: What Every Woman Needs to Know

The collagen industry is booming and women arriving in mid-life are often the target judging by the number of advertisements promoting the need for collagen.With the promise of mid-life nirvana, whereby all our aches and pains miraculously go away, we end up spending hundreds of dollars on supplements, specialists and various nutrition programmes. They don’t call women in their 50s and 60s the ‘consumer generation’ for nothing. With our pantry starting to look like a health supplement shop, it’s easy to believe the supplements work – and many of them do … for a while.Most of my doctoral subjects were the same. Positioning their ‘healthy ageing’ in doing lots of exercise, they also revealed the discomfort and frustrations of sore joints, aching knees and various symptoms that none of them identified with their menopause transition. I was the same.Numerous women arrive into my Menopause and Post-Menopause 12 week programmes indicating that they are experiencing sore, aching joints, especially in the knees. Many of them also explain that they’ve been told by medical and health specialists that this particular problem is an inevitable and natural process in ageing.However, with the growing interest in the musculo-skeletal health of older women, especially in regard to how women can extend their health span and remain active as they age, joint and muscle integrity research for older women has broadened over the past decade.When I was troubled with aching knees and muscles myself, which prevented me from engaging in the activities that I enjoy, the women’s healthy ageing research pointed me towards lifestyle changes, rather than the variety of supplements that I was buying at the time. 		
					Understanding the Link Between Inflammation and Menopause Symptoms				
		What I learnt was that the peri-menopause and menopause transition is a time of life that makes us vulnerable to increasing inflammation in our cells and tissues. (McCarthy & Raval, 2020).This includes in our joints and at the muscle insertion. So for women who are or have been regular exercisers, this is important to note. As such, we need to focus first on reducing any inflammation as well as restoring joint and muscle integrity.For some of you, this may mean changing your exercise type and amount (I talk about this in my Rebuild My Fitness programme), as well as looking at your Vitamin C intake and iron levels.Both Vitamin C and iron are important in muscle, collagen and joint tissue repair and function. (Holwerda & van Loon, 2021; Pullar et al, 2017)Skeletal muscle tissue is in a constant state of remodeling, with mixed muscle protein turnover rates of between 1% and 2% per day.Collagen is the central structural component of extracellular connective tissue, which provides elastic qualities to tissues. Collagen is also in a constant state of remodeling daily.The reason that so many of us have problems with sore joints and aching muscles during menopause, is that oestrogen is involved in the elasticity of muscles, tendons and ligaments.Hence as we move through menopause, and oestrogen levels naturally decline, there is a loss of elasticity and contractile force in these structures.This is why many of you may find that the plantar ligament under the sole of your foot becomes sore and hot as you move through menopause, or you are getting more frequent joint injuries, including ligament and tendon injuries. 		
																														
					This Nutrient Assists in Collagen Repair				
		When my own legs were aching, my joints were sore, my heart-rate was elevated at rest and I had no energy, I was still doing lots of exercise. Afterall, it was what I had always done.But over the months, my pantry became full of supplements – glucosamine and collagen featured too. These supplements were recommended by various health professionals at the time.However, not one of these Health Professionals mentioned that my body also needed something else to assist in the healing of the joints and ligaments.This nutrient helps in the production of collagen and is powerful for reducing inflammation in joints, including restoring muscle tissue.Physical activity and food ingestion are the main stimuli for muscle tissue to help it grow, however, how this muscle turnover happens is very complex and requires certain nutrients as well as optimal iron levels.		
					Vitamin C and Menopause: Understanding the Connection				
		One of the most important nutrients for collagen repair and joint health integrity that will help women as they move through menopause and into post-menopause, is Vitamin C.Not only is Vitamin C required for collagen renewal, but also because it works with iron.If your iron levels are low as you move through menopause, then this has an effect on your ability to restore your joyful joints and maintain muscle density.And if your Vitamin C intake is low, then again, this can delay healing and collagen repair. Which is why you may need PAPAYA and/or Blood Oranges. 		
																														
					Why is Vitamin C important for Collagen repair?				
		The human body loses approximately 3% of its Vitamin C just in normal day to day metabolism, but if women are exercising intensely, then you can double this loss.Vitamin C is a ‘first-line’ anti-oxidant acting as a ‘free radical scavenger’. This means that Vitamin C is an important nutrient that helps to protect cells from the damage caused by harmful substances (called ‘free radicals’), including the damage caused from inflammation.Vitamin C is also important for iron absorption, collagen repair and it helps to make hormones too. The highest concentrations of collagen in the human body are found in tendons, skin, artery walls, the cornea in the eyes, the endomysium (this is the sheath which surrounds muscle fibres which gets tight as we lose oestrogen), cartilage and the organic part of bones and teeth.		
					Your body needs Vitamin C to reduce inflammation				
		Papaya has high vitamin C content. This contributes to collagen production, aiding in skin repair and elasticity, as well as ligament repair.Vitamin C is an antioxidant. It can brighten the skin as well as playing a role in collagen synthesis. Specifically, it may help reduce irregular pigmentation, stimulate collagen production, and improve skin elasticity.These benefits come from the Papain enzymes found in Papaya. But there’s another fruit that is just as beneficial too.The red (or blood) orange (Citrus sinensis) is a pigmented sweet orange variety typical of eastern Sicily (southern Italy). Research supports their contribution to an anti-inflammatory and heart-protective as well as anti-cancer diet.Blood oranges help enzymes to fight harmful free-radicals in the body.When my own menopause symptom journey took me towards women’s healthy ageing research, I learnt how vascular stiffness occurs and how this can also impact the optimal joint function of women.Vascular stiffness refers to some loss in the elasticity of blood vessels, which occurs with normal ageing, so we must learn how to turn this around. It’s an important intervention that I include in my 12 week programmes.Due to the increased stiffness in blood and lymphatic vessels as women move through menopause, the importance of specific nutrients in the diet can’t be over-stated. Hence, Vitamin C is important for improved cardiac health as well. 		
																														
					Symptoms of low Vitamin C intake resemble menopause symptoms!				
		Increasing our resilience as we age is all about turning around our symptoms in menopause or at least preventing the symptoms changing the course of our health as we age. I can’t emphasise this enough.Our cells are always turning over and with this in mind, over the 3 months that women are on the programme with me, I encourage them to change their lifestyle to enable their body to adjust to this life-stage and/or turn existing symptoms around.If you look at the symptoms of lowered Vitamin C, you will see a host of issues from low energy, to easy bruising, to painful, swollen joints, to skin problems and more.These are all factors that get gathered up as ‘menopause symptoms’ and are then normalised within an ‘age-decline’ paradigm. But when you actually make the time to get the right nutrients into your body (and not necessarily from manufactured supplements), then surprisingly, many of these symptoms go away.When you aren’t sleeping, you aren’t recovering from exercise and your inflammation can become worse.This then increases your body’s demand for Vitamin C and other nutrients that the body needs to help re-balance itself. I had no idea about this with my own symptoms and sore joints and neither did many other women on my programme who are regular exercisers. 		
																														
		Research changed my life and I want my programmes to change yours too. At MyMT you join me on either or my 12 week programmes to turn around your symptoms and/or lose weight or to prevent symptoms occurring.The programmes are delivered in a progressive format and as you discover my powerful scientific strategies, you develop confidence and clarity in moving through or beyond this powerful life-stage. I focus you on healing from the inside-out so your symptoms don’t take over your life as they used to do in my life as well.For those of you struggling with your joint health and if you can’t afford the 12 week programme, then don’t forget that I also have a short version of my Joyful Joints module for you to purchase separate to the main 12 week programmes.I tell you about this in the video below or you can purchase it HERE when you are ready. Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD], MyMT™ Founder and Coach/Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.https://youtu.be/f978NZ_6qDs		
					FAQs: Menopause and Collagen
				
												Why does menopause affect collagen?
					As women move through menopause and oestrogen levels decline, there is a loss of elasticity and contractile force in muscles, tendons and ligaments. Collagen, which is central to the structure of connective tissue, is affected by this loss and may lead to issues such as aching joints, sore muscles, and increased ligament or tendon injuries.
												What are signs that collagen is declining during menopause?
					Women may experience aching joints, sore knees, muscle tightness, plantar ligament discomfort, and more frequent injuries to tendons and ligaments. These symptoms often appear during peri-menopause and menopause, especially for active women.
												Can lifestyle changes support collagen during menopause?
					Yes. The blog highlights that focusing on reducing inflammation and restoring joint and muscle integrity through specific lifestyle changes — like adjusting exercise routines and improving nutrient intake — is key to supporting collagen as women age.
					FAQs: Vitamin C and Collagen
				
												Why is Vitamin C important for collagen repair?
					Vitamin C is required for collagen renewal and plays a role in joint and muscle tissue repair. It helps restore muscle tissue and works with iron to support the repair of collagen-rich structures like tendons, ligaments, and skin.
												What happens if Vitamin C levels are low?
					Low Vitamin C can delay healing and collagen repair. It may also contribute to symptoms such as low energy, easy bruising, painful or swollen joints, and skin problems — which are often mistaken for menopause symptoms.
												What foods are recommended for Vitamin C intake in the blog?
					The blog recommends papaya and blood oranges. These fruits are high in Vitamin C and support collagen production, ligament repair, and skin elasticity.
					FAQs: Vitamin C and Menopause
				
												How does Vitamin C help during menopause?
					Vitamin C helps reduce inflammation, supports collagen repair, and improves iron absorption. These functions are important during menopause when inflammation may increase and tissue elasticity declines.
												 Are menopause symptoms sometimes linked to low Vitamin C?
					Yes. The blog notes that many symptoms considered part of menopause — like joint pain, fatigue, and skin changes — can also be signs of Vitamin C deficiency. Addressing this through diet can help reduce or prevent symptoms.
		References:Buscemi, S., Arcolio, G. et al., (2012). Effects of red orange juice intake on endothelial function and inflammatory markers in adult subjects with increased cardiovascular risk. Am. J. of Clinical Nutrition, 95(5):1089-95. DePhillipo NN, Aman ZS, Kennedy MI, Begley JP, Moatshe G, LaPrade RF. Efficacy of Vitamin C Supplementation on Collagen Synthesis and Oxidative Stress After Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Systematic Review. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018 Oct 25;6(10):2325967118804544.Delanghe, J., Langlois, M., De Buyzere, M. et al (2011). Vitamin C deficiency: more than just a nutritional disorder. Genes Nutr., 6:341–346Grosso, G., Galvano, F., Mistretta, F. et al.(2013). Red Orange: Epidemiological Evidence of Its Benefits on Human Health. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, ArticleID157240, 1-11. Holwerda AM, van Loon LJC. The impact of collagen protein ingestion on musculoskeletal connective tissue remodeling: a narrative review. Nutr Rev. 2022 May 9;80(6):1497-1514. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab083.Pullar, J., Carr A. & Vissers, M. (2017). The roles of Vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients, 9, 866; doi:10.3390/nu908086

### Varicose Veins and Oestrogen - the curious connection in menopause.

She was off to get her veins stripped. “I'm doing weight-training workouts and my legs always feel heavy and sore afterwards. This goes on for a few days, but they also ache and get restless at night,” she mentioned to me.This is something I often hear from women navigating menopause and varicose veins, as hormonal changes can alter vein health and recovery after exercise.  I knew she loved her exercise and had done so for decades, so I raised my eyebrows and said, “I hope that you aren't doing heavy power-lifting and holding your breath during the lift, as this can increase your blood pressure and change your vascular health now that you’re in menopause and your hormone levels are changing. The additional load might even make your varicose veins worse.”Her reaction confirmed to me that she had no idea what I was talking about.In exercise physiology the additional pressure exerted through lifting heavy weights and holding one’s breath, is known as the Valsalva Manoeuvre - this can change our vein health — especially for those dealing with menopause and varicose veins.It doesn't have to be weights either – some of you are in physical jobs whereby you are lifting heavy loads too. Some of the nurses who join me on the MyMT™ programmes, know about this heavy, physical work which contributes to changing vascular health as they age. Holding your breath as you lift heavy weights, may contribute to greater pressure on your cardiovascular system. This is because the breath-holding increases your intra-thoracic (chest) pressure. For some women, especially those who are carrying extra weight around their diaphragm and belly, this known phenomenon may contribute to changes to the blood vessels, which are already undergoing changes due to the hormonal changes during menopause.  If you have ever held your breath to lift a heavy object, put it down and felt faint and dizzy, then that's the effect of the Valsalva Manoeuvre.Whether you are an experienced weight-lifter, or you lift heavy loads during your normal working day, then hopefully you are getting your blood pressure checked regularly - especially if you already have varicose veins or spider veins.For those of you with existing vascular or blood vessel inflammation and changing vein health, or for women who have naturally high estrogen levels and are carrying excess weight, especially around the abdominal region, then frequent heavy weight-lifting (more than twice weekly) may actually increase your blood pressure at a time of your life, when your blood vessels are losing some elasticity due to declining levels of estrogen.This may then place women at greater risk of having higher blood pressure with age (Nascimento, da Silva et al, 2018) … or needing your varicose veins seen to by a vascular surgeon.		
																														
					The Connection between Oestrogen Levels and Varicose Veins:				
		Understanding this link is essential for women experiencing menopause and varicose veins, as hormone shifts influence blood vessel health in unique ways.One of the most frequent problems affecting women as they age and impacting their tolerance to exercise, especially high impact exercise, isn't only their changing joint health.It's also their aching lower legs and changes to the venous system (veins) in the lower limbs.If you've been kicking your feet out of the bedding at night and you've had hot feet or you find that your legs are aching for longer after exercise, then you will know what I'm talking about. During menopause, it's known as ‘Restless Leg Syndrome.'That's why I was pleased to find that researchers in Italy (Ciardullo, Panico, Bellati et al, 2000) have found a curious connection between higher oestrogen levels in menopausal and post-menopausal women and the incidence of varicose veins.While this sounds confusing because levels of estrogen decline as women move through menopause, if you are someone who is oestrogen dominant (and puts on body-fat easily or you are already carrying excess weight), then you may have higher oestrogen levels, even during menopause.This is all to do with the fact that fat cells, especially deep, visceral fat cells, love storing oestrogen. Fat cells love to store excess oestrogen. Furthermore excess oestrogens may be taken into our body via a range of factors, including certain food (saturated fats), plastics, medications and environmental chemicals.Alcohol also esterifies (breaks down) into a form of oestrogen.Hence, many of these excess oestrogen compounds are carried into fat cells, which are also hormonally active, and produce their own form of oestradiol. With these excess fat storage levels, some of you who are struggling with excess weight gain, may indeed have higher levels of oestrogen stored in your body – even in post-menopause.When oestrogen levels are higher in the body, this can affect a woman’s vascular health.Varicose veins are veins that are inflamed and have valves that don't close properly. They may appear as enlarged veins, twisted veins or purple veins. Typically, vein screening is used to diagnose them by measuring blood flow and vein health. If you are troubled by your veins, this is often due to the disruption to fluid shifts in and out of the tissues. If you have swollen ankles or your legs are aching after impact-exercise, then these fluid shifts may cause some blood to pool in the veins, especially in lower-leg veins.		
																														
					What are Varicose Veins?				
		Varicose veins are veins that are inflamed and have valves that don't close properly.We all know the unsightliness of engorged and swollen veins. My mother was troubled by these too, and some of you may have experienced these changes in pregnancy as well.Both oestrogen and progesterone are involved in fluid shifts in and out of tissues and in veins. In fact, the decline in progesterone during the menopause transition can cause disruption to the constriction of blood vessels too.  As Ciardullo et al, (2000) mention: ‘Our findings are that high serum levels of estradiol (also spelled oestradiol) are associated with clinical evidence of varicose veins. Our measurements suggest that increased venous distension in menopausal women may be impacted by endogenous oestrogens and that these may play a role in the development of these very common venous vessel abnormalities.” Oestradiol is an oestrogen steroid hormone. It is the major female steroid hormone that is involved in the regulation of a female hormonal cycle.In menopause, the amount of oestradiol declines, but unbeknownst to many women, it is always present, even in post-menopause. And some women produce more oestradiol naturally than others. It's genetic.		
																														
					Reduce the Effect of Varicose Veins				
		If you're managing menopause and varicose veins, lifestyle choices can play a key role in symptom relief and prevention.To keep your veins healthy, you should naturally seek the recommendations of a vein specialist where you’ll likely be referred for vein screenings. But if you want to reduce varicose vein symptoms then the following lifestyle solutions may also benefit you.(1) Change your diet. Don’t get fooled by diets that aren’t designed with our ageing blood vessels in mind. All of the women who come into the 12 week MyMT™ programmes learn how important it is to follow a Mediterranean influenced, anti-inflammatory diet which is evidenced for helping our heart health – and yes, grains are important too.		
																														
		2) Add beetroot/beets to your diet. There is always a flurry of activity in my coaching groups when someone announces that they have added some beetroot juice to their diet.I recommend it to them all (unless they have low BP) and I especially mention it to women who are undertaking moderate exercise and/or training daily and those with vascular problems.Beetroot (or Beet) has compounds (nitrates) which help blood vessels to dilate. Dietary inorganic nitrate from vegetables such as beetroot, is absorbed rapidly and completely in the small intestine with 100% bioavailability.Numerous women get put on anti-hypertensives in mid-life, but I wonder how many know to have their beetroot as well?It's not just beetroot that's important either – there are other veggies too. The vegetables with the highest nitrate contents (>250 mg/ 100 g fresh weight) are celery, cress, chervil, lettuce, red beetroot, spinach and rocket. Add these to your diet as well.		
																														
		(3) Be cautious about heavy resistance training if you have varicose veins and high blood pressure and you aren't sleeping well. All of these factors impact your blood pressure. I've noticed in the fitness industry here in New Zealand, that there is a move to encourage women in menopause to do heavy resistance weights to help prevent osteoporosis. However, this type of training isn't ideal for everyone, especially those of you with varicose veins or spider veins and hypertension – or if you aren't sleeping.For years, I supervised Exercise Physiology laboratories for students. I know that blood pressure changes significantly during heavy weight lifting. This was one of the laboratory sessions that I had students routinely do. It helped me emphasise to students, the need for adequate blood pressure screening in those participating in exercise.Studies from the prestigious Cooper Aerobic Institute in America, also report that the more muscle mass used during a resistance training exercise, the greater the blood pressure response. Hence, performing exercises which utilise both legs and arms in the same movement, such as a ‘clean and press’ or heavy squat, may increase blood pressure in midlife women, more so than single leg/arm exercises, such as a bicep curl.		
																														
					High Blood Pressure Affects your Blood Vessels				
		If you're a middle aged woman and haven't had your Blood Pressure checked and you are starting an exercise programme which involves weight training, then be aware that the more weight you lift, the greater the blood pressure response. Avoid maximal or near maximal lifts if you can until you are well trained or cleared by a registered Exercise Instructor. Staying active is a fundamental part of our healthy ageing and with the right information, women can remain active as they age. This includes doing the right exercise to support our ageing blood vessels.An initial resistance of 30-40% of 1 RM (repetition max) which is the total amount of weight you can lift in one movement) for upper body and 50-60% of 1 RM for lower body exercises is an appropriate place to start.As women go into their menopause transition, their risk for not exercising is as high as it's ever been. This is because there hasn't been a lot of understanding about how to look after ourselves during this life stage.The decline in oestrogen over the menopause transition, causes constriction of blood vessels and loss of elasticity. This may contribute to the risk of high blood pressure and worsening varicose veins. In turn, this may limit the flow of oxygen-rich blood to organs and other parts of your body.If your blood pressure has increased now that you are in your menopause or post-menopause years losing any excess weight also helps, as does changing your diet and of course, watching the type of exercise that you do.Also important, is the need to improve your sleep quality and reduce your stress levels, both of which also cause an increase in blood pressure.This makes it even more important to understand the vascular changes brought on by menopause and varicose veins.If we get this right during our menopause transition, then it will help to set us up to be able to enjoy a healthier future. I so want you to be able to achieve this.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause TransformationP.S. If you haven't listened to my Masterclass on Menopause yet, then have a listen to the video below when you can, as I explain what's in it. I cover a raft of menopausal symptoms, including those you probably didn’t even know were symptoms! Menopause support is just a click away.https://vimeo.com/828202600		
																
															
		References:Ciardullo, A., Panico, S., Bellati, C. et al. (2000). High endogenous estradiol is associated with increased venous distensibility and clinical evidence of varicose veins in menopausal women, Journal of Vascular Surgery, 32(3), 544-549.Jani B, Rajkumar C. (2006). Ageing and vascular ageing. Postgrad Med J. 82(968):357-62. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.2005.036053.Nascimento, D., da Silva, C. R., Valduga, R., Saraiva, B., de Sousa Neto, I. V., Vieira, A., Funghetto, S. S., Silva, A. O., Oliveira, S., Pereira, G. B., Willardson, J. M., & Prestes, J. (2018). Blood pressure response to resistance training in hypertensive and normotensive older women. Clinical interventions in aging, 13, 541–553.Porth C., Bamrah V., Tristani F., Smith J. (1984). The Valsalva Maneuver: Mechanisms and clinical implications. Heart Lung. Sep;13(5):507-18.

### MyMT™ Education: Why do feet become hot and sore during the menopause transition?

Understanding Menopause and Sore Feet
Most women, nor their Practitioners, never give the ageing of the feet and legs a thought during the perimenopause to post-menopause transition ... that is until the client's mobility becomes affected.

Positioning the menopause transition in health and ageing physiology during my doctoral studies, gave me incredible insight about why it is that over 80% of the 500,000 women globally, who have completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz, report that they have sore joints.

Feet suffer significant stress throughout a lifetime and undergo ageing-associated problems.

According to researchers in Greece (Kakagia et al, 2023), this may be due to gradual tissue degeneration affecting the skin, connective tissue, and nerves, along with diminished oxygen supply to the tissues and structural changes to the joints, ligaments and tendons as women age. These physiological changes help explain the link between menopause and sore feet, particularly in active women.

Menopause may be the stage of life when many of these changes occur, especially the menopause to post-menopause transition. 


Plantar Fasciitis and Menopause: Is This the Cause of Aching Feet?
The plantar fascia ligament forms the arch under the sole of your foot. It carry's around 10% to 14% of the total load of the foot.

This means that it plays a dynamic role in walking, running and jumping. If you have clients who want to continue these activities as they get older, then it pays to have a focus on looking after this important structure in ageing feet.

Declining oestrogen during menopause plays a role in making the feet feel hot and sore and this is because the plantar ligament and the fascial sheath are changing with age, and can become inflamed - a condition called plantar fasciitis.

The plantar fascia is known as the 'spring ligament' for a reason. It is a strong ligament that runs from your heel to the metatarsal heads in the front of the foot. 

This powerful ligament helps absorb the shock that occurs when the foot strikes the ground - walking, running, jumping, jogging, dancing - whatever your clients are doing with their exercise, the plantar ligament is helping them to do it. It helps them to 'take-off'.

Plantar fasciitis is a relatively common condition in runners, walkers, and many others who spend considerable time on their feet, especially in jumping-type exercise and sports.

If your clients have hobbled out of bed in the morning, they may not fully understand that plantar fasciitis is characterized by pain at the bottom of the foot in front of the heel, and that this is typically worse with the first steps in the morning or after a long period off the feet, prolonged standing, or following hard exercise.

The pain may then reduce with movement or warming up.

When I reached my menopause transition, I remember hobbling out of bed every morning because I couldn't walk properly. 

This was my first personal encounter with the connection between menopause and sore feet. The soles of my feet were tight, painful and my heels often used to ache, which I attributed to very dry, hard skin on my heels. I've talked to numerous women who experience this as well.

I just thought that after years, of teaching aerobics and running, that this was 'normal' ageing.

Hundreds of dollars later, having paid for orthotics, sports medicine advice and goodness knows how many anti-inflammatories and turmeric supplements, my feet weren't all that better. Not one Practitioner mentioned menopause, nor the inflammatory and structural changes that arrive in the fascia and feet as women age.

It was only when I began to understand that the decline in oestrogen during menopause was the issue and the pain I was feeling, wasn't completely due to plantar fasciitis.

Instead, inflammatory changes to the plantar fascia (see in the diagram how broad this is underneath the foot) was caused by increased drying-up and thickening of the fascial sheath, due to declining oestrogen.


Why Supporting Your Feet Matters: Menopause and Sore Feet
When I heard New York Podiatrist and 'Foot Doctor', Dr Emily Splichal, talk at a conference many years ago, I had another one of my 'lightbulb moments'.

As the plantar ligament is ageing, the foot is one of the most important structures to focus on and strengthen. I teach this to all my client's now via my exercise programme called 'Rebuild My Fitness' -  especially those clients who want to run, jump and hike as they get older.

Dr Splichal can be found on You Tube, and her presentation changed my focus towards looking after my feet. They call her the 'The Barefoot Doctor' for a reason.

In my 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme, I talk about Dr Splichal's work in more depth. I like her rationale for focusing on feet as women get older.

She helped my understanding of the ageing feet. This includes the fact that many knee and hip problems may be associated with changes to the soles of the feet.

This completely opened up my mind to the possibilities of women managing their feet better during menopause. It also helped me realise how little awareness there is about menopause and sore feet among women and health professionals alike.

After-all, it's fascinating that 26 small bones are able to carry our body weight throughout our life. And we don't really focus much on our feet do we?

We all take our feet for granted, but a generation of women are entering menopause, having been exercising for decades, unlike our mother's generation. As such, if women are going to hike, walk, ski, jog or dance, as they get older, then encouraging them to reduce inflammation in the plantar ligament and to visit a Physiotherapist or Podiatrist if they are having problems, is important advice.

But there are also some strategies that Dr Splichal promotes for ageing feet and a plantar ligament that has lost some of its pliability due to dryness.  


Gentle Trigger-Point Release for the Plantar Ligament
Gentle trigger-point release for the plantar fascia is promoted by Dr Splichal for all ageing feet!

She promotes a small ball rolling exercise for the sole of the foot, following the pattern in the image above.

This pattern helps to stimulate the small muscles of the foot to receive signals again from the fascia.

As women get older, this neural feedback mechanism may be lost, not only due to all the type of exercise women may engage in, or the exercise that they've engaged in, in the past, but also due to the declining oestrogen during menopause and the thickening of the fascia, which also contributes to neural desensitization in the sole of the foot.

This is just one way you can help your clients to improve their mobility and to move more freely, including the prevention of plantar fasciitis. If they already have plantar fasciitis, then obviously this needs to be referred to a Physiotherapist or Physical Therapist.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ REPS registered Exercise Specialist (New Zealand)

MyMT™ Education is revolutionizing menopause lifestyle education for health professionals. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) brings you the latest scientific evidence on women's healthy ageing in three CPD approved courses. Click on the LEARN MORE button below.


Learn More



References: 

Kakagia DD, Karadimas EJ, Stouras IA, Papanas N. The Ageing Foot. Int J Low Extrem Wounds. 2023 Sep 26:15347346231203279. doi: 10.1177/15347346231203279.

Menigoz W, Latz TT, Ely RA, Kamei C, Melvin G, Sinatra D. Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations. Explore (NY). 2020 May-Jun;16(3):152-160. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2019.10.005.

Wilke J, Macchi V, De Caro R, Stecco C. Fascia thickness, aging and flexibility: is there an association? J Anat. 2019 Jan;234(1):43-49. doi: 10.1111/joa.12902.

Wright VJ, Schwartzman JD, Itinoche R, Wittstein J. The musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. Climacteric. 2024 Jul 30:1-7. doi: 10.1080/13697137.2024.2380363.

### Interview with Deborah Hutton, TV Presenter, Australia

How to eat, sleep and exercise your way through menopause				
		In this enlightening interview with Deborah Hutton for nib’s The Check Up, MyMT™ Founder Dr. Wendy Sweet (PhD) shares science-backed strategies to help women navigate menopause with confidence.From sleep and nutrition to exercise and mindset, this conversation is a must-read for any woman wanting to feel empowered through midlife and beyond.		
					
									Click here to read the full article

Excerpt: In this enlightening interview with Deborah Hutton for nib’s The Check Up, MyMT™ Founder Dr. Wendy Sweet shares science-backed strategies to help women navigate menopause with confidence...

### PODCAST: Menopause, Exercise and Healthy Ageing with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

I’m often asked about exercise for women during their menopause transition and Jenna Moore from MenoMe wanted to interview me, because as a women's Health Coach, she found herself, that there is so much confusion out there in menopause-land.This podcast is from her series called Women On Fire®.What exercise to do during the menopause transition is one of the most frequent questions I get asked. There are numerous opinions aren’t there?So, this was the basis of my interview with Jenna. And as I said, in scientific exercise prescription guidelines there are a number of factors that come into the consideration for women in their menopause transition. These include:Whether a woman is sleeping. If not, then she is exercising ‘tired’ and this may lead to further immune system changes.Whether she has a history of exercise and therefore, has good ‘physical literacy’ (movement awareness). This influences exercise frequency, intensity, type and time.What her goals are. If she wants a 6-pack abdominals, then this is very different training and nutrition, compared to wanting to be able to participate in recreational activity such as hiking and skiing for healthy ageing. What stage of menopause she is in. In peri-menopause, women are still producing oestrogen compared to post-menopause. The stage of menopause has a direct influence on a woman's ability to recover from exercise, hence, why heavy exercisers may increase their risk for fibromyalgia.‘My focus is on women’s healthy ageing’ I told Jenna and the interview explains my position on some of the controversial topics evolving in exercise discussions for midlife and older women.In this episode, we talk about the right type of exercise, lifting weights, how much protein is ideal and is creatine essential for you. I hope you can listen sometime and share it with any women or clients you know who may be interested. 		
					
									Women on Fire Podcast 
					
		Despite the well-meaning messages out there, lifting more weights, eating more and more protein and taking creatine may not be right for you.It's different strokes for different folks, is my main message to women.It was such a privilege to talk to Jenna about this important topic. Jenna is passionate about supporting women through their experience of perimenopause and post-menopause after being unable to find answers and support with her own rocky journey.A former magazine health and beauty editor, she’s spent the last decade studying and researching menopause and I was so pleased that she found the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course to add to her knowledge in helping other women.Jenna also works with MenoMe®, who sponsor the Women On Fire® podcast and supply evidence-based botanical menopause solutions. Jenna is a member of the International Association of Health Coaches (IAHC) and the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT).Thank you Jenna for the conversation. Don't forget that if you are interested in understanding exercise for women's healthy ageing, then the Rebuild My Fitness program may be right for you. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD/ M.SpLS, B.PhEd/ RN), NZ REPs Exercise Specialist & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicinehttps://youtu.be/yQnCUP1xo3A

### PODCAST: A Career in the Fitness Industry and Thriving Through Menopause

Dr Wendy Sweet Joins the Girl. Woman. Athlete. Podcast				
		We’re thrilled to share that MyMT™ Founder, Dr Wendy Sweet, recently joined the inspiring Girl. Woman. Athlete. podcast to talk all things menopause, midlife health, and the power of exercise during hormonal change.In this episode, Wendy opens up about her journey, the science behind the MyMT™ programmes, and why understanding our changing physiology is key to ageing well. Whether you're navigating perimenopause or post-menopause, this conversation is packed with insights to help you take control of your health and feel empowered through every stage.		
					
									Click to Listen on Spotify

Excerpt: Girl. Woman. Athlete. Episode 9 with Dr Wendy Sweet from My Menopause Transformation

### PODCAST: Managing Menopause with Lifestyle: Dr Deepa Grandon talks to Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

Dr. Deepa invites Dr. Wendy Sweet, PhD, to explain the often-overlooked aspects of menopause, and the role lifestye science can play in reducing symptoms. 
Wendy introduces the concept of "inflammaging," highlighting how chronic inflammation intersects with hormonal changes during midlife.
Wendy advocates for a holistic approach, suggesting that as well as exploring hormone replacement therapies, women should also explore adjustments in diet, exercise, and sleep to alleviate menopausal discomforts.
Her insights offer a refreshing perspective, empowering women to take proactive steps toward improved well-being during this transitional phase.		
					
									Go to PODCAST and ARTICLE Here

Excerpt: In her enlightening article on Dr. Deepa Grandon's platform, Dr. Wendy Sweet, PhD, delves into the often-overlooked aspects of menopause, emphasizing the role of lifestyle factors in managing symptoms...

### Why 'inflammaging' matters to your menopause and post-menopause symptoms.

Women dying at the end of World War 2 in New Zealand, didn't have to worry too much about menopause affecting how they were ageing did they? As you can see from the Statistics New Zealand graph below, the average age of death was under 70 years old.
Interestingly, it was still heart disease (which causes angina, heart attacks and heart failure), and influenza, that led many to an early death.
It's a similar outcome today in the context that heart disease in women aged 50 and over, resulted in more deaths from the 1990s, among New Zealand women than any other single cause. It's a similar issue in other countries too. Heart disease in the post-menopause years, remains the number one cause of early death in a number of countries, including Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. 
Back in the late 1940s and early 1950s, very little was known about the effects that menopause had on female cardiovascular health. Fortunately today, this is changing - mainly due to research on ageing, which has only recently been undertaken specific to women's health.
Life-expectancies have been improving steadily in many western countries, hence scientists now better understand 'how' people are ageing, and also why the menopause and post-menopause transition matter to the way in which women age.  
Menopause and Inflammation 
Menopause is the gateway to biological ageing. In fact, menopause and inflammation are deeply linked, as immune dysfunction and changes in inflammatory pathways contribute to ageing and tissue deterioration.
For Health Professionals who join me on my Practitioner CPD Courses, I talk a lot about ageing and draw their attention to the women's health and ageing research. Positioning the peri-menopause to post-menopause transition in the ageing science matters and this is the position I take in the MyMT™ symptom reduction and weight loss programmes, including my new Beyond Menopause™ program. 		
																														
					The Rise of Chronic Inflammation in Midlife				
		The peri-menopause to menopause transition is now seen as an inflammatory part of a women's life-cycle. (McCarthy & Raval, 2020). This makes the connection between menopause and inflammaging especially important to understand. The continual decline in reproductive hormones, also causes changes to the immune system, lungs, heart, muscles, nerves and blood vessels.
If women aren't sleeping well, then over time, the inflammatory changes may accelerate. It's why, in all of my programmes, I place an emphasis on getting sleep sorted out before anything else .... yes, it's that important! Improving sleep can help counteract the effects of menopause and inflammation, including joint pain, fatigue, and hormonal disruption. 		
																														
					Understanding the role of 'inflammaging' on your symptoms				
		Longevity researchers who study ageing and health have contributed huge amounts of knowledge to the understanding of 'how' we age.
One of these researchers is Australian, Professor Garry Egger, who is known around the world as one of the pioneers of Lifestyle Medicine.
I first heard Professor Egger at a health and ageing conference in Australia when progressing through my PhD. I was fascinated with his insights into the powerful connection between our health, inflammation and ageing. 
It was from him, that I first heard the term 'Inflammaging'. 
Senescence is the process of growing older …. Not that any of us want to be reminded of that, but our cells and tissues have minds of their own. The Inflammatory Theory of Ageing and the Life-Course Theory of Ageing teaches that our cells, tissue and DNA have a pre-programmed life and therefore, as these cells and tissues change with age, then cell division stops.
Over time, larger numbers of old (or senescent) cells can build up in tissues, contributing to increased inflammation. This is also known as ‘inflammaging’.
The central issue in 'inflammaging' is that as we move through our 50s and beyond, our cells and tissues are undergoing changes that whilst part of our natural life-cycle, are also caused by the life-long exposures that our immune system has had to environmental and stress-related stimuli.
If you have sore joints, aching muscles, changes to your bone health or gut health, or you are putting on weight and feeling bloated, or you have brain fog and memory problems, these are concerns that are now related to inflammaging – the inflammation that comes with our ageing and many of us have seen this in our mother’s generation.
This was the first time that I began to look at menopause symptoms through the lens of health and ageing research.
The research from Professor Egger and others has been life-changing for thousands of women on my programmes who are now heading into post-menopause and wanting to turn around their health as they age.
As Practitioners also progress through their CPD Course, they learn about factors that contribute to inflammation as women age (factors that are pro-inflammatory, and most importantly, factors that are anti-inflammatory).
This is not 'just' about food either. It's about sleep, energy, gut health, joint health as well as exercise that is helpful, not harmful. 		
																														
					Certain Lifestyle Factors Increase Inflammaging				
		Understanding the role of 'inflammaging' in the life-course of chronic disease, including post-menopause weight gain, functional decline and frailty across the life-course, has led researchers to focus on the ageing of the immune system.
For women in menopause and going into post-menopause, when periods have ended for a  year or more, there is a greater susceptibility to the occurrence of this low-grade chronic inflammation.
This is now seen to contribute to post-menopause heart disease, auto-immune problems such as fibro-myalgia, and increased vulnerability to infectious disease. (Baylis, Bartlett et al, 2013). 
Whilst there is now convincing evidence that how rapidly we 'age' is connected to our genetic pre-disposition, there are other contributors to ageing that accelerate these inflammatory changes.
I talk about these in my 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar which is now online for you, but some of these pro-inflammatory factors include: 

Exposure to life-long stressors, which in women, affects the accumulation of our chronic stress hormone called, cortisol.
Damage to our DNA, in particular the telomeres which are the protein complexes that protect our DNA.
A modern, western diet, full of processed foods, fats and sugar.
Poor gut microbiome health.
Inadequate sleep which prevents the immune system from healing and repairing overnight.
Being overweight or obese.
A high alcohol intake. 
Smoking.
Chronic Stress
Over or under-exercise.
		
																														
					Your Sleep is Important				
		When we all lead such busy lives, it’s so important to get our sleep sorted as we move through menopause and into post-menopause.
I can’t reiterate this enough.
As I often mention to women on my programmes, when we have been waking up night after night, then our brain and body reads this as our ‘new normal’ and we keep waking up.
But this is what leads us down the path towards worsening inflammation in our cells and tissues as we age and worsening cardiovascular health.
Not sleeping is now recognised as one of the main contributing factors to changing health in the post-menopause years contributing to weight gain and post-menopause heart disease. 
The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand have some of the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease in the western world. 
If women aren’t sleeping, the heart and immune system stay under stress all day long, particularly, if women are undertaking heavy exercise or are in physically demanding jobs.
That’s why I love getting women sleeping all night.
It helps to reduce their worsening symptoms in menopause. Whilst your diet is important in turning around symptoms too, sleeping all night, to me, rates more highly because the human immune system and sleep are both associated and influenced by each other. 
Our immune system is under programmed senescence.
This is the term which describes programmed biological ageing. Think of autumn leaves discolouring and falling from a tree. This is an example of programmed senescence in plants.
		
																														
		Because we are ageing as we move through menopause, our immune system is as well. As such, it doesn’t produce as many immune-fighting lymphocyte cells in our bone marrow. When we don’t sleep, we are behind the eight-ball with our immune health even more.

Sleep deprivation makes a living body susceptible to many infectious agents too.
Sleep deprivation was so frustrating for me as I know it will be for many of you. I knew that my body wasn’t healing and recovering overnight and not sleeping was leaving me too exhausted to recover from the exercise I love to do.
At the time, I also didn’t understand that not sleeping was blocking fat-loss mechanisms overnight and causing increased hot flushes because blood pressure and cortisol remain higher during the day when we don’t sleep.
Cortisol that does not follow the normal daily diurnal sleep/ wake pattern can trigger blood sugar imbalances, food cravings and fat storage, especially around the middle.
As we move into menopause, cortisol needs to be settled down, especially in the context of inflammaging and heart health and we need to understand that as our periods end, our need for iron changes as well. 
High iron levels are now known to impact post-menopause heart disease as women transition through menopause. 		
																														
					Your Cortisol Levels Impact your Sleep Quality				
		But back to cortisol. 
This is one of your chronic stress hormones. 
It works in synergy with your sleep hormone melatonin. If your cortisol levels are too high when you go to bed, then you don’t produce enough melatonin to keep you asleep for the healing hours between 2-4am.
Then, if melatonin levels are lower than normal, you either can’t get off to sleep or you wake up in the night or you don’t sleep deeply enough to have the restorative sleep that you need for all that you do in our day.
“Our capacity to remain healthy is badly affected by loss of sleep and sense of comfort” reports researchers who have looked at the role of sleep on the immune system.
They go on to state that white blood cells, called leukocytes, don’t reach the levels that they should due to lack of sleep and this makes women vulnerable to sickness, flu and immune system health changes.
For women in menopause, this may also lead to the autoimmune problem of fibromyalgia. 
When you don’t sleep and your sleep-wake cycle is affected, then your nervous system is also affected leaving you feeling more anxious and 'wired'. 
Overnight, the nervous system and immune system work together – this is why when women are going through menopause and are waking up night after night, they feel wired, they feel hotter than normal and their muscles and joints remain sore or they put on weight.
In other words they remain ‘inflamed’ but many, like Sharon, in Australia, become frustrated when exercise doesn't help them to lose weight but leaves them injured instead.
The good news is that in more recent years, scientists such as Professor Egger have opened the door on the positive changes that we can make to our daily lifestyle to reduce the speed of inflammaging.  It is becoming known that the progression of many chronic diseases can be slowed or even reversed.
Scientists are also gaining new insights into how exercise may be an effective strategy to mitigate the effects of inflammaging and in the MyMT™ programmes I get women off any exhausting high-intensity exercise, until they are sleeping all night.
This aspect, for numerous women, is the main contribution to their frustration with exercise not helping them to lose weight! It was the same for me as well as the women I interviewed as part of my doctoral studies. 		
																														
					Join me to get the lifestyle-change support you need in menopause and beyond!				
		As you move through menopause and into the next phase of your life, your ‘third age’, the great news is that you don’t need to age like our mother’s generation. We all have the ability to slow down the rate of inflammaging.
How to manage the relationship betwen menopause and inflammation in a progressive manner that doesn't overwhelm you, is in the online MyMT™ programmes.  
Over 20,000 women have undertaken this online lifestyle-change programme in over 50 countries, and it would be my privilege to support and guide you too. 
If you are thinner or leaner, then the Circuit Breaker programme is for you, otherwise the weight loss Transform Me programme is the one to choose, or the Beyond Menopause programme, if you are now through menopause, but still struggling.
If you would like to know how the programmes work, then you can read about them HERE. I hope you can join me and if you are a Health Practitioner, then please sign up to my weekly newsletter HERE. This is designed to give you the evidenced information you need to help your clients!
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References:
Asif N., Iqbal R., et. Al. (2017). Human immune system during sleep. American J. Clin Exp Immunol.,6 (6):92-96
Baylis, D., Bartlett, D.B., Patel, H.P. et al. (2013). Understanding how we age: insights into inflammaging. Longev Healthspan 2, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-2395-2-8

Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2009). Obesity and chronic disease: always offender or often just accomplice. British Journal of Nutrition, 102, 1238-1242.
Ferrucci L. & Fabbri, E. (2018). Inflammageing: chronic inflammation in ageing, cardiovascular disease, and frailty. Nat Rev Cardiol. 15(9):505-522. doi: 10.1038/s41569-018-0064-2. PMID: 30065258; PMCID: PMC6146930.

Franceschi, C. et al. (2018) Inflammaging: a new immune-metabolic viewpoint for age-related diseases. Nat. Rev Endocrinology, 14(10):576-590.
Lee, E., Anselmo, M, Tahsin, T. et al. Vasomotor symptoms of menopause, autonomic dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease. 2022, Am. J. of Physiology, 
McCarthy M, Raval AP. The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation. 2020 Oct 23;17(1):317.
Neves J., & Sousa-Victor, P. (2020). Regulation of inflammation as an anti-aging intervention. FEBS J. 287(1):43-52. doi: 10.1111/febs.15061. PMID: 31529582.
North American Menopause Society (12th Oct. 2022). Hot flashes are not just uncomfortable but also could be hard on the heart.
Theurey, P. & Pizzo, P. (2018). The Aging Mitochondria. Genes, 9(22), 1-13. doi:10.3390/genes9010022

### PODCAST: How to Thrive in Business When Menopause Hits

Sandra Julian invites Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) onto her Podcast 'Business Your Way' to explore how to thrive in business when menopause hits. If you're a middle-aged woman in business who’s suddenly finding it all… a lot harder, you’re not imagining it. You're not broken. You're not lazy. And no, you haven't lost your edge. You’re likely experiencing the profound impact of menopause or perimenopause.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) explains, in this fascinating podcast. Source: Business Your Way		
					
									Click to Listen on Apple Podcasts

Excerpt: This episode explores how to thrive in business when menopause hits by embracing physical & emotional changes...

### 5 Reasons for your Menopause Weight Gain

The Science of Menopause Weight Gain 				
		I remember the morning distinctly. I got out of bed and hobbled to the bathroom, dismayed that my weight was going up not down. I wasn’t sleeping and it seemed like every joint in my body was aching.But it was the belly-fat and diaphragmatic fat that filled me with despair. My breast size was also increasing and exercise was becoming uncomfortable. So many women in their menopause years experience these same changes in the distribution of their weight.So, we go on crazy diets, we exercise more, but nothing really seems to change. Do you wonder why?I can tell you that you aren't alone. Over 80% of the 500,000+ women who have undertaken the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, also say that they are feeling hot, tired and overweight now that they are in their menopause transition.  The symptoms of menopause are numerous and there's a reason for this. A woman's menopause transition is the gateway to the next stage of her life - her post-menopause years, and as such, our declining reproductive hormones affect other organs and tissues around the body.I didn't understand this when I went through menopause 15 years ago, as the hallmark symptoms of menopause were considered to be hot flushes/flashes, brain fog and anxiety. None of the other symptoms were even mentioned.As a university-level lecturer in physiology and sports science, my Doctoral research on women's healthy ageing and exercise led me down the menopause-symptom and menopause weight gain rabbit hole.Midlife is a time of life that many women find that their tolerance to exercise changes. According to much of the physical activity participation research, most women also give up exercising in mid-life (Arigo et al, 2022). I now understand why.When sleep evades you night after night and your joints and muscles are sore, the last thing you feel like doing is exercising for your health. The women I interviewed as part of my PhD found this too. This is also why, if you feel overweight and exhausted, then please be cautious about the emphasis on heavy weight training and high protein diets - your body and metabolic state, including your liver and muscles, may not be ready for these interventions. I hope you enjoy this article about 5 Reasons For Your Menopause Weight Gain.		
																														
					Menopause is an Inflammatory Event in a Woman's Lifecycle				
		As I began to put menopause into the context of the scientific evidence on biological ageing, I learnt that the role of oestrogen around the body is extensive. It's not only the ovaries that women need to focus on.Oestrogen is a powerful hormone that works by attaching to oestrogen receptors throughout the body. These receptors can be found in oestrogen target tissues throughout the body, including in the brain, breasts, skin, muscles, tendons, heart, blood vessels and yes, the fat cells.		
																														
		As women move through their menopause transition and oestrogen is naturally declining, then these receptors also start to die-off, primarily due to natural ageing and the fact that oestrogen isn't available to attach to them. But we also lose oestrogen receptors on target tissues and organs, because of the build-up of inflammatory changes that has occurred due to lifestyle influences and environmental toxin exposure over the decades. The (relatively) new science of this is known as epigenetics. This simply refers to the study of changes in gene expression that occur without altering the DNA sequence itself - much of these changes occur due to environmental and nutrition choices over our lifetime. This helps to partly explain why women differ in their experience of menopause symptoms and weight gain. And also why there are various symptoms that many of us don't attribute to the menopause transition.The role of inflammation in many diseases of older age, especially with regard to cardiac and immune health for women, is important in this context. Our symptoms can be so confusing, can't they? No matter whether you are on a hormonal treatment or not, there are natural, lifestyle changes that are evidenced to relieve symptom chaos and weight gain in midlife. The thousands of women on the MyMT™ Programmes are proof of this. 		
																														
					My 5 reasons for your weight gain during menopause: 				
					1. Does Menopause Affect the Liver?				
		When oestrogen/ estrogen production begins to decline in peri-menopause, the two master reproductive hormones which are produced in the pituitary gland [Luteinising Hormone and Follicle-stimulating Hormone], are still trying to send signals to the ovaries to increase production of oestrogen.However, as I've mentioned earlier, ovarian oestrogen receptors are ageing and dying off. Because all of the hormones are connected in some way around the body, the other hormones in the thyroid, adrenal and pancreatic glands try to readdress this imbalance. So, if you have a lot of stress in your life, (including from exercising a lot when you aren't sleeping), then cortisol levels can increase. Cortisol is your chronic stress hormone and can impact the health of your liver. High cortisol levels, particularly in the context of chronic stress or conditions like Cushing's Syndrome, can negatively impact the liver during menopause, potentially leading to increased fat accumulation and insulin resistance. In other words, a stressful life is the slippery slope to metabolic mayhem. If the liver is inflamed, then it may not be able to metabolise oestrogens, toxins, and cholesterol effectively.This all sounds confusing I know, but even though oestrogen levels are declining during menopause, there are numerous oestrogens present in your food, your environment and in many household chemicals. It's these oestrogens that women also need to be cautious of, because if the liver can't clear EXCESS oestrogens, then they can be taken to fat cells instead. For those of you struggling with your weight, these 'other' sources of oestrogens can be transported to fat cells when the liver is inflamed.Fat cells store these additional oestrogenic compounds as women move through menopause. Furthermore, for women who may be overweight heading into peri-menopause, the fat cells are now known to produce their own oestradiol.Adipose tissue produces oestradiol, a type of estrogen, through a process called aromatization. In postmenopausal women, adipose tissue becomes a significant source of estrogen production, particularly estrone and oestradiol.Hence, oestrogen storage in fat cells cause them to expand and oestrogen can become the 'dominant' hormone in relation to it's opposing hormone, progesterone.		
																														
					2. Ongoing Stress Reduces Progesterone 				
		Whether you are overweight with increasing belly-fat, or not, then there are consequences to your metabolic and immune health, when your chronic stress hormone, cortisol, is out of balance. This can happen when the cortisol-melatonin hormones are out of balance. If you aren't sleeping, then this imbalance may be why. I talk a lot about how to turn around your sleep in all of the MyMT™ programs which you can read about HERE. If your cortisol levels stay elevated in the evening, then it also remains elevated overnight, contributing to feelings of heat and night sweats.  In sports science research, an over-stressed and over-trained female athlete, often presents with disrupted menstrual cycles. This is because the two master hormones, FSH and LH, are reduced in production.This is a female survival mechanism, as in times of stress, reproductive function is preserved. When cortisol levels are higher all the time, they aren't working in synchrony with your sleep hormone melatonin. And when cortisol is always having to be produced by your adrenals, it is using up your precious progesterone, which is low compared to oestrogen.I often talk about this in my seminars and refer to women who may be doing a lot of exercise. Again, too much physical exercise can be a source of stress for some women, especially if they are overweight or putting on weight. It's all about helping your adrenals to rebalance! 		
																														
					3. Other Hormones, Including Sleep Hormones, May Be Out of Balance				
		In all women, there is a powerful connection and 'talking' of many different types of hormones, to keep the body in balance. These hormones are: Hypothalamus and Pituitary hormonesThyroid hormonesAdrenal hormonesPancreatic hormonesThis nerve and hormonal connection is called the HPA-Thyroid Axis. During the menopause transition, our busy lives, our stress, our food, exercise and lack of sleep, can all alter the function of this axis. When this axis is out of balance, you may feel anxious, depressed, moody, have increasing hot flushes (and more severe) and you may have palpitations, sore joints and even more fatigue and weight gain. The way to manage the HPA-Thyroid Axis is through improving the optimal function of the pineal gland - which controls your circadian rhythm. (Hirotsu et al, 2015).This is why the very first module you listen to in my 12 week Transform Me programme is simply called 'Sleep All Night'. It's that important.Especially for those of you wanting to reduce your anxiety, reduce inflammation, improve brain-fog, rebalance your hormones and for many of you, lose weight.		
																														
					4. Low Vitamin D Levels May Make Symptoms Worse				
		Your skin is your largest organ and is full of oestrogen/ estrogen receptors. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is produced in the skin with the help of oestrogen.Therefore, many midlife and older women are at risk of low vitamin D levels and because Vitamin D is now recognised as a hormone, low levels have an effect on other hormones in the body too.When Vitamin D is low, hot flushes are increased and memory loss/ foggy brain may become worse. Vitamin D is involved in the production of calcium and our bones and muscles require calcium to help them to remain strong.Vitamin D is such a powerful hormone for women to monitor in menopause because it is also implicated in melatonin production, which is your sleep hormone. When Vitamin D levels are low, your insomnia increases and serotonin production is reduced, contributing to worsening mood swings and depression.		
																														
					5. Changing Inflammation Impacts your Symptoms and Weight Gain in Menopause				
		One of the most important messages that I have for all women moving through their menopause transition, is that menopause is so much more than 'just' hot flushes or brain fog and changing hormone levels.Menopause heralds in your biological ageing, and this process is known to increase inflammation. In health and ageing science, the term used is 'inflammaging'.It refers to the natural inflammatory changes that occur in the liver, gut, muscles, heart and blood vessels, as women get older. These inflammatory changes are sped up based on our past lifestyle. Don't forget that over the past 4-5 decades, there have been numerous societal and nutritional changes, which are known to impact the acceleration of inflammation with age.This includes processed foods, medicines, chemicals, high impact sport and exercise and environmental pollutants, which have led to cellular changes in our cells and tissues. This is seen through the relatively new science of epigenetics, as I mentioned earlier.By the time menopause arrives, much of this 'invisible' inflammation is switched on as the hormonal environment changes with age. That's why, to turn around our symptoms, we have to reduce the effects of this inflammation.Yes, it can be done!		
																														
		References: Arigo D, Romano KA, Pasko K, Travers L, Ainsworth MC, Jackson DA, Brown MM. A scoping review of behavior change techniques used to promote physical activity among women in midlife. Front Psychol. 2022 Sep 21;13:855749. Cadegiani FA, Kater CE. Hormonal aspects of overtraining syndrome: a systematic review. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2017 Aug 2;9:14. Ferrucci L, Fabbri E. Inflammageing: chronic inflammation in ageing, cardiovascular disease, and frailty. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018 Sep;15(9):505-522. doi: 10.1038/s41569-018-0064-2. Genazzani A.,Petrillo T.,Semprini E.,Aio C.,Foschi M.,Ambrosetti F.,et al. Metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and menopause: the changes in body structure and the therapeutic approach, GREM Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology & Metabolism (2024); Volume 4 - 2/2023:086-091 doi: 10.53260/grem.234026Hirotsu C, Tufik S, Andersen ML. Interactions between sleep, stress, and metabolism: From physiological to pathological conditions. Sleep Sci. 2015 Nov;8(3):143-52. Jaqua E, Biddy E, Moore C, Browne G. The Impact of the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine on Brain Health. Cureus. 2023 Feb 3;15(2):e34605. LaRocca TJ, Martens CR, Seals DR. Nutrition and other lifestyle influences on arterial aging. Ageing Res Rev. 2017 Oct;39:106-119. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2016.09.002. Mair KM, Gaw R, MacLean MR. Obesity, estrogens and adipose tissue dysfunction - implications for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pulm Circ. 2020 Sep 18;10(3):2045894020952019.Mohd Azmi NAS, Juliana N, Azmani S, Mohd Effendy N, Abu IF, Mohd Fahmi Teng NI, Das S. Cortisol on Circadian Rhythm and Its Effect on Cardiovascular System. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan 14;18(2):676. Patni R, Mahajan A. The Metabolic Syndrome and Menopause. J Midlife Health. 2018 Jul-Sep;9(3):111-112. doi: 10.4103/0976-7800.241951. PMID: 30294180;Plunk EC, Richards SM. Epigenetic Modifications due to Environment, Ageing, Nutrition, and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Their Effects on the Endocrine System. Int J Endocrinol. 2020 Jul 21;2020:9251980.Saji Parel N, Krishna PV, Gupta A, Uthayaseelan K, Uthayaseelan K, Kadari M, Subhan M, Kasire SP. Depression and Vitamin D: A Peculiar Relationship. Cureus. 2022 Apr 21;14(4):e24363.Siddiqui R, Makhlouf Z, Alharbi AM, Alfahemi H, Khan NA. The Gut Microbiome and Female Health. Biology (Basel). 2022 Nov 21;11(11):1683.Silva TR, Oppermann K, Reis FM, Spritzer PM. Nutrition in Menopausal Women: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 23;13(7):2149. Sultan S, Taimuri U, Basnan SA, Ai-Orabi WK, Awadallah A, Almowald F, Hazazi A. Low Vitamin D and Its Association with Cognitive Impairment and Dementia. J Aging Res. 2020 Apr 30;2020:6097820. 

### MyMT™ Education: The effect of citrus and their components on inflammation and immunity.

Citrus fruits have been present in the diet of people living in Asia and the Mediterranean basin since the time of the Roman Empire. Not only do these fruits play an important role in the landscape but also in the diet of these populations. [Duarte et al, 2016; Naureen, 2013].

 I talk a lot about anti-inflammatory components in certain foods, on my Health Practitioner Course, and it all starts with citrus fruits.

It is well known in many of these countries around the Mediterranean, that these beautiful, colourful fruits help to improve inflammatory markers as well as our immune health (Miles & Calder, 2021).

Recent research also supports their role in improving cardiovascular health, as well as improved mitochondrial function. (Pollicino et al., 2023)
The menopause transition is now recognised as an inflammatory event, which is why citrus fruits matter to the diet.


As women move through mid-life, inflammatory changes occurring around the body, including in the lungs, means that dietary changes matter. A robust immune system reduces the inflammation that may occur during menopause and the importance of cardiovascular health can't be under-stated.

I first became aware of the powerful effect that citrus intake has on the immune system and cardiovascular health as women age, when exploring why numerous women living in Mediterranean countries, don't tend to experience joint and muscle inflammation, which many western midlife and older women experience.

I was also aware of the evidence from women living in Japan, who use citrus intake to help lower their blood pressure. [Kato et al, 2014].

Researchers now better understand that citrus flavonoids possess several biological activities, which play a number of roles for the reduction of CVD and other metabolic changes (Deng et al, 2021).

Citrus flavonoids do a range of beneficial things! This includes:

 	scavenging free radicals
 	improving glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
 	modulating lipid (fat) metabolism and adipocyte (fat cell) differentiation
 	suppressing inflammation and apoptosis (cell death), and
 	improving endothelial dysfunction.

This is why the intake of citrus flavonoids has been associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes. 


Understanding the power of Vitamin C in Citrus
When my own mid-life menopausal body hobbled along to various specialists with sore joints, aching muscles, sore heels, heart palpitations and feelings of fatigue, not one of them mentioned my new ‘heroine’ of menopause health – Vitamin C – and to be fair to these wonderful specialists, nor did I give this vital vitamin a thought either.

But I should have – and I also needed to take note that the reason there was a lemon tree in my garden at the time, was that I needed to embrace this beautiful fruit during menopause.

Lemons contain limonoids.

This compound is known to exhibit a range of biological activities including,  antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, anticancer, antiviral and a number of other pharmacological activities on humans (Roy & Saraf, 2006). It's no surprise that lemons are a key component of the Mediterranean Diet. (Preedy & Watson, 2020).

Of all the nutrients we're most familiar with, but may be missed by your clients due to the confusing dietary messages for women in menopause, Vitamin C intake is perhaps the most impressive.

Some of your clients may also be experiencing post-pandemic chronic fatigue or immune changes, now that they are in their menopause transition. This is also why you can be promoting citrus fruits and fresh citrus juices to them.

Citrus fruit and fresh citrus juices (diluted) are a particularly good source of both Vitamin C and folate. Both of these nutrients sustain the integrity of immunological barriers and reduce the inflammatory response. 

Furthermore, with a known connection between low intake of folate and depression in older women (Reynolds, 2002) and the connection between low folate and hot flushes (Bani at al., 2013), midlife is the time to take this nutrient seriously.

Positioning the menopause and post-menopause transition in ageing and longevity science changed my life and I want to bring this to your attention so you too, can help your midlife and older clients make the right lifestyle and dietary choices.

I go into the evidence behind these lifestyle strategies in my CPD Practitioner Courses too.

Most roads to clients being able to take back control of their menopause symptoms, including anxiety, heart health, weight gain and immune health, arises from better understanding of the impact that inflammatory changes have on the body as females age.

Peri-menopause is now known as an inflammatory event and this inflammation is particularly evident in the brain, nervous system, blood vessels and muscles and liver. (McCarthy- & Raval, 2020).

You've heard me talk about 'Inflammaging' over the past year. This is the term given to the process of ageing which may result in pockets of inflammation occurring internally in cells and tissues. 

One of the most important changes that women can therefore make to their daily routines, is to incorporate an anti-inflammatory diet. This is where Vitamin C and other anti-inflammatory nutrients come into the mix.

That's the purpose of the MyMT™ Practitioner course - to teach you the evidence behind some of these lifestyle changes. 


Ageing Skin Needs Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a requirement in the collagen-repair pathway, and is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients available . If clients can't tolerate citrus, then they may be able to have apples.

The Quercetin in apples, especially the skin of red apples, is a known immune-system enhancer.

Research from Otago University in New Zealand, supports the role that Vitamin C plays in our immune defense. 

This mighty vitamin supports various cellular functions of the immune system as well as supporting epithelial barrier function against pathogens in ageing skin (Carr & Maggini, 2017).

The skin is your largest organ and it is replete with oestrogen receptors. During menopause and post-menopause, these receptors are declining too - oestrogen is no longer available to attach to them, so they shrink in size and reduce their function.  As such, the skin loses some of its protective functions.


Physical and Emotional Stress Increases Vitamin C Need
Every day as part of the body's normal metabolism, it loses approximately 3% of its Vitamin C.

If your clients have high stress levels or they are doing heavy weight training, then they can double this loss, assuming that their intake of Vitamin C is low. Vitamin C is a ‘first-line’ anti-oxidant acting as a ‘free radical scavenger’.

This means that Vitamin C is an important nutrient that helps to protect cells from the damage caused by harmful substances (called ‘free radicals’). 

Vitamin C is also important for iron absorption, collagen repair, sleeping all night and it helps to make hormones too.

The highest concentrations of collagen in the human body are found in tendons, skin, artery walls, the cornea in the eyes, the endomysium (this is the sheath which surrounds muscle fibres which gets tight as we lose oestrogen), cartilage and the organic part of bones and teeth.

Hence, your clients who are regular exercisers, or your clients who have high stress levels, need to focus on their Vitamin C intake. 

As Miles & Calder (2021) explain,

"In humans, orange juice was shown to limit the post-prandial (after a meal) inflammation induced by a high-fat-high-carbohydrate meal. Consuming orange juice daily for a period of weeks has been reported to reduce markers of inflammation, including C-reactive Protein (C-rP)."

In recent years, there has been increasing public interest in plant antioxidants, thanks to the potential anti-carcinogenic (anti-cancer) and cardio-protective (heart protective) actions influenced by their biochemical properties.

Vitamin C is well known as an important anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient. The pulp and juice from lemons and limes are rich sources of Vitamin C. But, not only are lemons an important source of Vitamin C, but so too are blood oranges.

I first came across the literature on blood oranges when I read historian and food scientist, Helena Attlee’s book called ‘The Land Where Lemons Grow’.

Travelling around Italy, she writes about the cultural and scientific interest in lemons, oranges and mandarins and relates this to numerous health benefits. Blood oranges are grown in Sicily in Italy, Spain and California (I've only just recently found them here in New Zealand).

The red (or blood) orange (Citrus sinensis) is a pigmented sweet orange variety typical of eastern Sicily (southern Italy). Research supports their huge contribution to an anti-inflammatory and heart-protective as well as anti-cancer diet. Blood oranges help enzymes to fight harmful free-radicals in the body.

It's why women on my programmes know that one of the most important kitchen appliances or implements that they need, is either a good quality juicer, or a hand-squeezed one instead.

If you look at the symptoms of lowered Vitamin C, you will see a host of issues from low energy, to easy bruising, to painful, swollen joints, to skin problems and more. 

All factors that get gathered up as ‘menopause symptoms’ and are then normalised within an 'age-decline' paradigm.

But when women make an attempt to get the right nutrients into them, (and not necessarily from supplements), then surprisingly, many of these symptoms go away.



It was a long time before anyone understood why lemon juice cured diseases such as scurvy. But as nutrition research expanded and the role of all the vitamins were discovered, it was assumed that the scurvy was cured when sailors had enough ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).

The first clinical trials were undertaken on guinea pigs and in 1927, a Hungarian biochemist, isolated a compound called hexuronic acid and the guinea pigs fed this compound thrived, whilst the other group developed scurvy.

The experiment demonstrated that the compound (now called Ascorbic Acid or Vitamin C), in lemon juice was the key ingredient. So began a new understanding about Vitamin C and a Nobel Prize for the Hungarian biochemist for his work in 1937.
"The role of the immune system is to protect the individual against pathogenic organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Bioactive components that reduce inflammation are present in high amounts in sweet oranges, lemons, limes and tangerines." [Miles & Calder, 2021]


Teaching your clients how to work with the natural changes that are occurring during their menopause transition and into post-menopause, is fundamental to your role and it's why I enjoy educating Practitioners about this.

There are long traditions of healthy ageing in Mediterranean countries including the Blue Zone’s countries where some of the worlds healthiest and longest-living men and women live. Women living in Blue Zones countries can give us clues as to how to approach lifestyle change during menopause.

I was interviewed by New York Journalist, Shirley Velasquez, on this very subject recently, and if you haven't read her article, it's HERE for you to enjoy and share with your clients.



I’ve based most of the information in the MyMT™ programmes and in the MyMT™ Education courses in women's healthy ageing research.

In many countries where women live to a long age, and experience less cardiac, joint and immune health problems, there is a focus on growing citrus fruits such as lemon and orange trees.

As such, research on citrus fruits has gathered momentum over the decades.

It’s now well evidenced that Bergamot oil has antiseptic and anti-bacterial qualities and is also used as an anti-depressant.

Lemons are also well evidenced as being great for heart and liver health. I find it interesting that poor liver health, cardiac health, immune system concerns and depression are all recognised symptoms in menopause.

It’s really important that women understand how to look after themselves as they transition through this important life-stage, and that's why I have this knowledge for you to share.

My passion is to help women understand what to change with regard to their lifestyle habits and routines to match their changing hormonal environment in menopause and if you are as passionate as I am, then I hope you can join me sometime on one of the courses.

Please reach out to Georgia, the Course Convenor, if you have questions.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References:

Alam MA, Subhan N, Rahman MM, Uddin SJ, Reza HM, Sarker SD. Effect of citrus flavonoids, naringin and naringenin, on metabolic syndrome and their mechanisms of action. Adv Nutr. 2014 Jul 14;5(4):404-17. doi: 10.3945/an.113.005603.

Attlee, H. (2014). The land where lemons grow. Penguin Books: London, UK

Bani S, Hasanpour S, Farzad Rik L, Hasankhani H, Sharami SH. The effect of folic Acid on menopausal hot flashes: a randomized clinical trial. J Caring Sci. 2013 Jun 1;2(2):131-40. doi: 10.5681/jcs.2013.016.

Carr, A. C., & Maggini, S. (2017). Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients, 9(11), 1211. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9111211

Deng Y, Tu Y, Lao S, Wu M, Yin H, Wang L, Liao W. The role and mechanism of citrus flavonoids in cardiovascular diseases prevention and treatment. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022;62(27):7591-7614. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2021.1915745. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

Duarte, Amílcar & Fernandes, Jacinta & Bernardes, João & Miguel, Graça, 2016. "Citrus As A Component Of The Mediterranean Diet. Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, vol. 4(4), 289-304.

Kato, Y., Domoto, T., Hiramitsu, M. et.al (2014). Effect of blood pressure on daily lemon ingestion and walking. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, Article ID 912684, 1-6.

Mahmoud AM, Hernández Bautista RJ, Sandhu MA, Hussein OE. Beneficial Effects of Citrus Flavonoids on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019 Mar 10;2019:5484138. doi: 10.1155/2019/5484138.

Mann, J. & Trusswell, S. (2007). Essentials of Human Nutrition. Oxford University Press: London, UK

McCarthy M. & Raval A. (2020). The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation, 23;17(1):317. doi: 10.1186/s12974-020-01998-9. PMID: 33097048; PMCID: PMC7585188.

Miles E. & Calder P. (2021). Effects of citrus fruit juices and their bioactive components on inflammation and immunity: A narrative review. Front Immunol. 12:712608. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.712608. PMID: 34249019; PMCID: PMC8264544.

Naureen Z, Dhuli K, Donato K, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Bertelli M. Foods of the Mediterranean diet: citrus, cucumber and grape. J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E21-E27. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2743.

Pullar, J., Carr, A. & Vissers, M. (2017). The roles of Vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients (9), 866, 1-27.

Reynolds EH. Folic acid, ageing, depression, and dementia. BMJ. 2002 Jun 22;324(7352):1512-5. doi: 10.1136/bmj.324.7352.1512.

Roy A, Saraf S. Limonoids: overview of significant bioactive triterpenes distributed in plants kingdom. Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Feb;29(2):191-201. doi: 10.1248/bpb.29.191.

Saini RK, Ranjit A, Sharma K, Prasad P, Shang X, Gowda KGM, Keum YS. Bioactive Compounds of Citrus Fruits: A Review of Composition and Health Benefits of Carotenoids, Flavonoids, Limonoids, and Terpenes. Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Jan 26;11(2):239. doi: 10.3390/antiox11020239.

Schwingshackl L, Morze J, Hoffmann G. Mediterranean diet and health status: Active ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms. Br J Pharmacol. 2020 Mar;177(6):1241-1257.

Yamada T, Hayasaka S, Shibata Y, Ojima T, Saegusa T, Gotoh T, Ishikawa S, Nakamura Y, Kayaba K; Jichi Medical School Cohort Study Group. Frequency of citrus fruit intake is associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease: the Jichi Medical School cohort study. J Epidemiol. 2011;21(3):169-75. doi: 10.2188/jea.je20100084. Epub 2011 Mar 5. PMID: 21389640

### MyMT™ Education: Why are your clients experiencing morning hot flushes? The Cortisol Awakening Response [CAR].

"Do you know why, when I immediately wake-up, I get a heat surge through my body?” she asked.

The question took me back in time. A few years ago, when in my early 50s, I experienced the same phenomenon. Many women do, especially as they move into their post-menopause years. The ‘heat surge on waking-up’ moment can be confusing, but there's a logical reason for this and, if you have client's complaining about this, despite them being on HRT, I want to explain all about the Cortisol Awakening Response.
What is the Cortisol Awakening Response?
I first heard about cortisol and a phenomenon known as the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), when I was studying sport and exercise science and exploring the hormonal and blood pressure changes, which occur in female athletes who over-train.

I never imagined that I would be going back to studying this, during my menopause transition, many, many years later.

You may have heard of Cortisol - it's one of our chronic stress hormones. As a stress hormone it is made in the adrenal glands and as such, it is known as a 'glucocorticoid hormone'.

This means it is produced from cholesterol circulating in the blood stream. In this case, cortisol is made from the 'good' cholesterol - HDL Cholesterol, in the adrenal glands.

Increased cortisol production occurs when humans wake up, undertake exercise or face a stressful event. As such, the pituitary gland reacts to these situations and sends a signal to the adrenal glands to produce the right amount of cortisol.

This is why the morning wake-up heat production is related to cortisol production. Because this powerful hormone is a glucocorticoid hormone, it also has an effect on the tone or elasticity of the blood vessels.

Cortisol wakes us up. If the awakening response is also linked to sweating or hot flushes (hot flashes), then this is due to higher-than-normal cortisol levels.

For many women, especially those in post-menopause, this can be due to the adrenal glands producing more cortisol. This is turn affects blood pressure, heart rate and breathing.

In turn, these metabolic changes also cause the wave of heat to pass through the body as the blood vessels don't dilate as readily  - a response to the ageing of the blood vessels, a condition known as 'vascular or arterial stiffness'.
The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is the acute increase of the cortisol level in the 30-45 minutes after awakening. 
CAR is believed to act as a “boosting” mechanism, to aid in physiologically preparing one for waking up and getting on with the tasks of our day.

Salivary cortisol increases and reaches a peak 30 minutes after awakening and then decreases to its lowest level at nighttime. This is the normal rhythmic function of the circadian rhythm.

If this circadian rhythm gets out of balance, so too does the balance between melatonin (the sleep hormone) and cortisol. Blood pressure and resting heart rate become elevated, also contributing to the feelings of heat on awakening.

Because the cortisol-awakening-response is driven by both nerves and hormones (neuro-endocrine system), any irregularities depend on how balanced the  hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal glands are.

The connection that these three organs have is known as the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA axis). The working of this axis is considered to be influenced by, and sensitive to, a host of psychological conditions and stressors.

All of which affect your cortisol levels throughout the day.
Workplace and personal stress, over-exercising, insomnia, too much fasting, being too thin, or being overweight, as well as menopause hormonal changes, all affect HPA-Axis function, which in turn affects the morning Cortisol-Awakening Response. 


Cortisol is widely recognized as one of the chronic stress hormones. Some is good, too much isn't so good. 

Cortisol has a diurnal (day-night) pattern and works in with melatonin, the sleep hormone. Cortisol levels are generally high in the morning and low at night, unless there are disruptions to its normal fluctuations throughout the day, such as when women are busy, exhausted, over-exercising, overweight or stressed.
For women going through menopause, high levels of exercise also affect cortisol levels
It is well known in sport and exercise science, that heavy, intense exercise, cause an elevation of cortisol. During heavy exercise, cortisol concentrations tend to increase, particularly at intensities above 60% of VO2 peak.

This increase is a physiological response to the physical stress of exercise. Whilst most studies have been conducted on males, it seems that moderate-to-high intensity exercise can significantly elevate cortisol levels, with high intensity potentially increasing them by as much as 83% compared to resting levels. [Hill et al., 2008].

Cortisol is an essential hormone in exercise. It's role is to help free proteins from the muscle, to be used in the liver for the production and use of more glucose (gluconeogenesis).

This is why, for endurance athletes especially, they tend to not have the size of muscles that bodybuilders have. Increased exposure to cortisol increases muscle breakdown or catabolism. This is why both the stress of heavy exercise AND the stressful life of women, accumulate in a phenomenon known as allostatic load.
It’s the same for women doing lots of high-intensity exercise and not sleeping – the greater the exercise intensity, the higher the levels of cortisol.
As I’m always saying to Practitioners who undertake my certified courses, or for women who come onto the MyMT™ programmes,

‘without proper recovery, intense exercise can lead to elevated levels of cortisol in the bloodstream and heightened symptoms of physical stress, even when exercise is not being performed - such as first thing in the morning. For women in menopause, this elevated cortisol, can give them a hot flush on awakening'.

Elevated heart rate and /or elevated cortisol go hand in hand – add on dehydration, inflammation, low blood glucose, low iron levels, and additional stress, then, whether your clients are exercisers or not, elevated cortisol may be the cause of hot flashes in the morning on awakening.


Are your clients waking up to hot flushes in the morning?
Hot flashes and night sweats differ from the general heat women may feel on awakening. Cortisol Awakening Response [CAR], doesn't generally lead to sweating first thing in the morning.

However, an elevated heart rate, the anticipated stress of the day ahead and overnight insomnia, can contribute to an elevated Cortisol Awakening Response and the feeling of heat moving down the body.
Declining Elasticity and Tone in Blood Vessels Increases CAR
For a number of years, I've talked about the changes to blood vessels as women move through menopause.

This is known as arterial or vascular stiffness.

I also introduce you to this phenomenon in the Practitioner Masterclass on Menopause, which is now online for you.

Menopause is the gateway to biological ageing, so, numerous changes are occurring around the body. This includes changes to the blood vessels and other organs.

Hormones travel in the blood. They contact virtually all body tissues, however, most of them have targeted actions specific to the different hormone receptors, including in the blood vessels.

As women's oestrogen levels naturally decline during menopause, blood vessels are ageing. This leads to vascular or arterial stiffness. Fortunately, this vascular stiffening can be slowed, not only with HRT, but also by looking after the blood vessels. This includes:

 	Stress management
 	Anti-inflammatory nutrition
 	Adequate sleep
 	Weight management
 	Moderate aerobic exercise
 	Not smoking
 	Reducing alcohol intake

The declining elasticity in blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, means that blood pressure and heat regulation may get out of balance too.

When women have busy, active lives, the vascular stiffness can leave them feeling exhausted, (especially if they are on their feet all day). 

This is why feelings of overwhelm, high cortisol levels, insomnia and burnout, contribute to worsening symptoms as women move through menopause.


How can I manage hot flushes in the morning?
There are simple lifestyle strategies, that Practitioners can share with clients. I go into these in more depth in the Certified Practitioner course, but a couple of these are: 

 	Calming strategies are helpful. This includes teaching clients specific breathing techniques, which reduce heart rate.
 	Resetting the normal circadian day/night cycle. Cortisol should be high in the morning (but not too high) and over the course of the day, it should be lowering as women move into the evening hours.
 	Have a focus on strategies to reduce your client's blood pressure. This is especially important in the evening, before bedtime.
 	Help overweight clients lose weight. Increased visceral fat is associated with increased temperature regulation and oxidative stress. Helping clients to lose weight is an important strategy for managing hot flushes.

If you are struggling to get results with your midlife clients, especially with weight loss, then join me on the Certified Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course. You can read about how they work HERE.

Dr Wendy Sweet, MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.



References: 

Anderson, T., Wideman, L. Exercise and the Cortisol Awakening Response: A Systematic Review. Sports Med - Open 3, 37 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-017-0102-3

Edwards KM, Mills PJ. Effects of estrogen versus estrogen and progesterone on cortisol and interleukin-6. Maturitas. 2008 Dec 20;61(4):330-3. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2008.09.024.

Elder GJ, Wetherell MA, Barclay NL, Ellis JG. The cortisol awakening response--applications and implications for sleep medicine. Sleep Med Rev. 2014 Jun;18(3):215-24.

Gerber LM, Sievert LL, Schwartz JE. Hot flashes and midlife symptoms in relation to levels of salivary cortisol. Maturitas. 2017 Feb;96:26-32.

Hill EE, Zack E, Battaglini C, Viru M, Viru A, Hackney AC. Exercise and circulating cortisol levels: the intensity threshold effect. J Endocrinol Invest. 2008 Jul;31(7):587-91. doi: 10.1007/BF03345606.

Ikeda A, Steptoe A, Shipley M, Abell J, Kumari M, Tanigawa T, Iso H, Wilkinson IB, McEniery CM, Singh-Manoux A, Kivimaki M, Brunner EJ. Diurnal pattern of salivary cortisol and progression of aortic stiffness: Longitudinal study. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Nov;133:105372.

Langelaan, Saar & Schaufeli, Wilmar & Rhenen, Willem & Doornen, Lorenz. (2006). Do burned-out and work-engaged employees differ in the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis?. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health. 32. 339-48. 10.5271/sjweh.1029.

Nijm, J. & Jonasson, Lena. (2008). Inflammation and cortisol response in coronary artery disease. Annals of Medicine, 41. 224-33. 10.1080/07853890802508934.

Powell DJ, Schlotz W. Daily life stress and the cortisol awakening response: testing the anticipation hypothesis. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e52067. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052067. Epub 2012 Dec 20.

Woods N., Mitchell E., & Smith-DiJulio K. (2009). Cortisol levels during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16: 708-718

Whitworth JA, Williamson PM, Mangos G, Kelly JJ. Cardiovascular consequences of cortisol excess. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2005;1(4):291-9. doi: 10.2147/vhrm.2005.1.4.291.

### 5 Reasons for your Weight Gain and Stomach Fat in Post-Menopause.

"If your waist is ‘thickening’, your body-shape is changing and you are going into or through menopause, let me explain why!"
[Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD) Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher]
Understanding the Science of your Belly Fat in Menopause and Post-Menopause
I invite you to watch my Science of Weight Gain in Menopause and Post-Menopause video if you would like a summary. But if you prefer reading in a little more depth, then please scroll down to read my 5 Reasons for Menopause and Post-Menopause Weight Gain article.  I have some lifestyle suggestions for losing your post-menopause stomach fat too.

Wendy 

https://youtu.be/UcPfQa_C_kE
Why am I gaining weight after menopause?
It can be so confusing can't it? The weight gain, especially around the stomach area, as you move into post-menopause. Suddenly the exercise and dieting you've been doing for years, no longer works. I know that feeling myself.

So, what is going on as we move into our 'third age', our post-menopause years, which is determined not so much by age, but by the fact that you haven't had a period for a year or more. 

The first thing you have to realise, is that the transition from menopause, when periods have ended, to post-menopause, (when your periods have ended for a year or more), causes another hormonal 'shift'. Oestrogen and progesterone levels continue to decline, as do the master reproductive hormones in the brain - Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH).

This hormonal  shift may cause even more disruption to your metabolic profile, increasing the risk of overweight and obesity status.

The more your weight goes up, especially around the stomach region, the greater the risk of changing fat distribution and a condition called metabolic syndrome - this refers to a cocktail of problems, including changing insulin sensitivity, high blood sugar levels (causing hunger changes), high blood pressure and increased inflammation in your fat cells. 

This is why, I want you to understand that menopause and post-menopause weight gain, is not 'just' about your ovaries and reproductive system. It's so much more than that, and it starts with understanding that your tissues and organs (including your fat cells) are ageing and the decline in your reproductive hormones affects target tissues and organs all around the body.

Changes occur to different structures around the body, including:

 	your heart, which is losing some muscle volume
 	the blood vessels, which can become 'stiffer' as they lose some elasticity
 	your liver, which is starting to shrink and lose some of the role of the enzymes
 	your gut, which is starting to slow down peristalsis (movement)
 	your muscles, which are starting to lose some of the power fibres as well as increased inflammation in the mitochondria where your energy is made.
 	your nerves, which also become inflamed, including in the brain.
 	your skin, which is starting to acquire brown spots (due to liver changes).

When I learnt all of this during my doctoral studies, and I discovered that so many women struggle with weight gain (as I did too), in their mid-life years, especially as they move into post-menopause, I knew I had to untangle what was  really going on with our post-menopause weight gain.

I hope you enjoy learning about this in my article below.


What causes post-menopause weight gain?

 	Not sleeping
 	Changing liver and gut health, contributing to a condition called ‘Metabolic Syndrome’.
 	Hormonal changes to fat cells producing and storing their own oestrogen, contributing to oestrogen dominance
 	Loss of elasticity in your blood and lymphatic vessels
 	Muscle loss known as sarcopenia
 	Sore joints and,
 	Stress from your busy life

All of these factors interact to create the ‘perfect storm’ for weight gain during and after your menopause transition. This interaction is what can lead to changing metabolic and cardiac health, including energy levels that may decline as well, leading to less physical activity.
Factors leading to post-menopause weight gain
Poor sleep, changing liver and gut health, incorrect nutritional choices and exercise advice that isn't tailored to your changing heart and liver health in post-menopause. Muscle density decline also occurs, and this may affect the way that your body handles glucose uptake and insulin regulation. 

Then there is your stress levels leading to higher cortisol levels, which can contribute to where you are gaining fat - primarily your stomach region. 

It's why, our post-menopause transition, which is the biological gateway to our ageing, leaves us vulnerable to other health changes. The good news is that we all have the ability to turn this around, so if you are putting on weight that you are struggling to manage, then please have a read of the 5 main reasons I attribute to post-menopause weight gain.


5 Reasons for your Post-Menopause (and Menopause) Weight Gain
 1. NOT SLEEPING 
Incredibly, because of the changing hormone levels in the switch from menopause to post-menopause (generally around 52 - 54 yrs old), women can add 1-2 kg a week of central fat gain, when they can’t sleep. Thanks to a Swedish study of 400 middle-aged and older women who recorded shortened sleep duration and weight gain, this is better known. (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010)

The problem is, that not sleeping is the slippery slope towards weight gain as women age. It's why in both of my Transform Me (for weight loss) and Beyond Menopause (for healthy ageing) programmes, I focus women on sleeping all night.

If you aren't sleeping between 2-4am, then what happens, is that your blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate remain higher. So, too does insulin, the hormone that regulates your blood sugar levels. As such, your chronic stress hormone, called cortisol also remains higher.

When cortisol is high, then over time, chronic sleep deprivation is associated with higher levels of cortisol throughout the day. This can lead to changed gut hormones and eating behaviours. These changes all connect to cause greater storage and production of fat in your fat cells.

I've written about this phenomenon HERE.  As I often say to women who are trying to exercise off their weight gain, "If you aren't sleeping, then you aren't losing."

So, when it comes to reversing weight gain in midlife and your post-menopause years, a good night’s sleep is the answer. I know that's easier said than done when you’re suffering from hot flushes, night sweats, having to get up and pee, or restless legs and joint pain. How to turn this sleep deprivation around is in the MyMT™ 12 week lifestyle change programmes - it's the most important information for your healthy ageing that you will learn!

But when you're awake night after night, this means that your glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight.

So too, does your stress hormone called cortisol.

When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine.

As sleep deprivation accumulates, it can increase the risk of heart problems, anxiety and depression; resulting in even more sleepless nights and worsening night sweats - yes, even as you move into post-menopause.

I place a great emphasis on understanding exactly what to do to turn around your circadian rhythm and pituitary production of melatonin, that is specific to menopause and post-menopause.


2. OESTROGEN DOMINANCE
How can you be 'dominant' in oestrogen, when your oestrogen levels are declining in post-menopause, I hear you ask?!

Yes, it used to confuse me as well. That is, until I began to understand the secret life of fat cells as women get older.

When hormonal changes, as well as organ and tissue changes with increasing age, arrive in mid-life and beyond, and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, the fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from the diet as well as hormone-agents in the environment.

Fat cells also have a secret life and are now known to produce their own type of oestrogen, called oestradiol. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and it is harder to shift. The more oestrogen that is stored, the greater the risk of visceral fat developing. This refers to the deeper fat cells that sit around organs and tissues.

This visceral fat is the problem for changing health status as you get older. Because it's this type of fat, that is also producing it's own type of oestrogen.

As the fat cells acquire more and more fat from food and excess oestrogen, then they expand and grow larger. As such, oestrogen becomes the dominant hormone in fat storage areas because the liver and gut can't keep up with clearing it. When oestrogen dominates the internal environment, progesterone levels are lower in comparison to oestrogen.

This is what 'oestrogen dominance' means.

This is why liver health is important to weight management as well as glucose (blood sugar) regulation.

Excess oestrogens are cleared from the body via the liver and gut. But after menopause, the liver changes in structure and function as part of our normal biological ageing of our organs. How to cleanse your liver and improve it's ability to clear excess oestrogen, cholesterol and other toxins can be learnt in the MyMT™ 12 week lifestyle change programmes.


3. MUSCLE LOSS
There is a lot of emphasis on heavy weight training for women in menopause and post-menopause these days, and the reason for this, is because there is some change in the tone and density of muscles and bones, as women move into post-menopause.

However, it isn't everyone! And as I often say, if women aren't sleeping, then heavy weight training (which also needs a diet high in protein, which can be inflammatory to the gut), can contribute to worsening inflammation.

It is true however, that when women do lose some size in their muscles, then their metabolism changes and can slow down. Skeletal muscle has the most effect on metabolism and if muscle loss occurs, then there are changes to the mighty mitochondria, which is where energy is made.

Muscle loss is highest for women during the menopause to post-menopause transition. But the rate of this accelerates when women aren't sleeping or if physical activity has stopped due to sore joints, fatigue or lack of time!  Losing muscle means that women don’t ‘burn’ as many calories as they used to either. This muscle loss is normal, but if too much muscle is lost, then a condition called sarcopenia may occur. This can then contribute to changing bone and immune health as women get older, as well as falls and fractures.

Weight management after menopause requires not only a focus on muscle, but more importantly, a focus on restoring the energy production capability of the mitochondria. This can be achieved with aerobic exercise and foods containing folate, and healthy fats, such as in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

I can't emphasise enough, that restoring joint health is so important for all women as they age and this is what I help you to focus on as well.


4. LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS 
Why aren't all women in their menopause and post-menopause years given a free Vitamin D test?! I'm always ensuring that I ask Doctors this. But I often get a look of disbelief that Vitamin D has anything to do with worsening symptoms and worsening weight gain!

But as women move into their post-menopause years, the skin is ageing and changing. Those of us already in post-menopause know this already! As the skin changes in tone and texture, Vitamin D production may be inhibited too.

Our skin is our largest organ and is full of oestrogen receptors. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is produced in the skin with the help of oestrogen.

Therefore, as women move into post-menopause, many are at greater risk of declining Vitamin D levels. Especially those with darker skin whereby increased melanin levels may inhibit Vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D is now recognised as a hormone, so low levels have an effect on other hormones around the body too. This is due to the feedback system that operates with all of our hormones.

When Vitamin D is low, hot flushes are increased and memory loss/ foggy brain becomes worse, even for those of you in your post-menopause years. 

Gut health concerns may also inhibit the absorption of Vitamin D, as it aids calcium absorption in the small intestine.

Vitamin D is such a powerful hormone for women to monitor in their post-menopause years because it is also implicated in melatonin production. This is your sleep hormone. If Vitamin D levels are low, insomnia increases and your mood hormone, serotonin, is reduced.

Serotonin works with dopamine to help your mood and motivation. So, if you are on menopause-related anti-depressants, then ask your Doctor to also check your Vitamin D levels too.

Restoring Vitamin D and sleep is crucial to your ongoing health and weight.


5. HIGH STRESS LEVELS 
My number 5 reason, is for you not to forget that even though you still ‘feel young’, your internal cells, tissues and organs are ageing.

This means that your body doesn’t resist stress as well as it used to. Blood pressure, heart rate and temperature may increase more rapidly when you feel stressed and overwhelmed as you continue your busy life.

Some stress is good for us, but the problem in post-menopause, is that too much stress (and this includes from not sleeping and/ or too much exercise), increases cortisol levels, which are already increased due to the ageing of the adrenal glands, where your stress hormones are produced.

This powerful hormone is one of your stress hormones but it works in conjunction with melatonin, your sleep hormone.

Too much stress (emotionally and physically) interferes with your sleep, your liver health and your gut health.

All of these factors combined contribute to your insulin levels staying high and you resist overnight fat-burning. It’s a vicious cycle as so many women find.

 	Not sleeping
 	Changing liver and gut health
 	Loss of elasticity in our blood vessels
 	Muscle loss 
 	Sore joints and 
 	Stress from our busy lives

All of these factors interact to create the ‘perfect storm’ for weight gain during our menopause transition and of course, our metabolic health and energy levels may then start to decline  as well. 


Is MyMT™ Beyond Menopause for you? I hope so!
Numerous studies indicate that if women aren’t changing their lifestyle to account for hormonal changes from peri-menopause to post-menopause, symptoms can continue even into the post-menopause years - despite menopause HRT.

That's why I would love you to join me on the MyMT™ Beyond Menopause programme, or if you are still in menopause, then the MyMT™ Transform Me programme is for you.

There is never a better time to start, but if you are hesitating, then I recommend you complete the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, watch the revised and updated MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause, go to the Testimonials and Success Stories on the MyMT™ website and find someone like you to read their story.

MyMT™ 12 week programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but by using the promo code STARTMYMT you will secure savings of NZ$75 making this powerful world-class programme, NZ$324*. Part payments are available for you to select from too.

[*approx.  AUS$300| €170| £145| CAN$265 | US$193]

I hope you can join me when you are ready.

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/MyMT™ Founder & Coach


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References:

Correia, E., Godinho-Mota, J. et al. (2022). Metabolic Syndrome in postmenopausal women: prevalence, sensibility, and specificity of adiposity indices Metabolic Syndrome and adiposity indices. Clinical Nutrition Open Science, 41, 10.1016/j.nutos.2022.01.001

Edwards, B. & Jin Li, [2013]. Endocrinology of menopause. Periodontology, 61, 177–194.

Egger G, Dixon J. Beyond obesity and lifestyle: a review of 21st century chronic disease determinants. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:731685.

Ford, C. et al. [2017]. Evaluation of diet pattern and weight gain in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 117, 1189–1197.

Frasca D, Blomberg BB, Paganelli R. [2017]. Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases. Front Immunol. 2017 Dec 7;8:1745.

Gurka MJ, Vishnu A, Santen RJ, DeBoer MD. Progression of Metabolic Syndrome Severity During the Menopausal Transition. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016 Aug 3;5(8):e003609. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.116.003609. PMID: 27487829;

Harvard Health, [2018]. Lose weight and keep it off. Harvard Health Online Publications. Boston: MA

Janssen I, Powell LH, Crawford S, Lasley B, Sutton‐Tyrrell K. Menopause and the metabolic syndrome: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1568–1575.

Kendall, B. & Ester, R. [2002]. Exercise-induced muscle damage and the potential protective role of estrogen. Sports Med., 32 (2), 103-123

Lerchbaum, E. [2014]. Vitamin D and Menopause: A review. Maturitas, 79, 3-7.

Lombardo M, Perrone MA, Guseva E, et al. Losing Weight after Menopause with Minimal Aerobic Training and Mediterranean Diet. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):E2471. Published 2020 Aug 17. doi:10.3390/nu12082471

Moreira MA, da Câmara SMA, Fernandes SGG, Azevedo IG, Cavalcanti Maciel ÁC. Metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older women: A cross-sectional study. Womens Health (Lond). 2022 Jan 13;18:17455065211070673. doi: 10.1177/17455065211070673.

Moudi, A. et.al [2018]. The relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and sleep quality in menopausal women. Biomedicine, 8(2), 34-40.

Rizzi, M. [2016]. Sleep disorders in fibromyalgia syndrome. J. of Pain & Relief, 5:2.

Ryan, M. Itsiopoulos, C. et al. (2014). The Mediterranean diet improves hepatic steatosis and insulin sensitivity in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Hepatology, 59(1), 138-143.

Santosa, S. & Jensen, M. (2013). Adipocyte fatty acid storage factors enhance subcutaneous fat storage in postmenopausal women. Diabetes, 62,3, 775-782, ProQuest Central.

Szymczak-Pajor I, Miazek K, Selmi A, Balcerczyk A, Śliwińska A. The Action of Vitamin D in Adipose Tissue: Is There the Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Adipose Tissue-Related Metabolic Disorders? Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jan 16;23(2):956. doi: 10.3390/ijms23020956.

Theorell-Haglow, J., Berne, C. et al (2010). Associations Between Short Sleep Duration and Central Obesity in Women. Sleep, 33(5), 593 - 598

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: VIDEO - Making a healthy Tuna Bowl with Michaela from Canada

When Michaela, from Coo's Kitchen, contacted me about changes to her sleep pattern as the season's changed in Canada, I reminded her about her Vitamin B12 levels, and how these impact sleep quality and duration.She had also taken up 'Pickleball' and therefore, was doing more vigorous exercise than usual. As such, she needed to focus a bit more on her protein intake.Tuna is an excellent source of vitamin B12, and if you can get sustainably-caught tuna, then it is an essential nutrient for DNA production, red blood cell formation, and preventing anaemia. Michaela prefers to use fresh tuna, but a single can of tuna can provide a significant portion of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin B12 too, making it a convenient and healthy way to ensure sufficient B12 levels for women. When she told me she was going to make a Tuna Bowl, I asked her to share it in the MyMT™ Kitchen area - an area of kitchen creations and recipes for women on the MyMT™ 12 week programmes.Here it is for you - from Michaela, an Aussie living in Canada, with love! The recipe is below the video. As she says,"This is super easy to make and you can really add any veggies you want. We like our tuna rare, so I always marinate it first for flavour and then sear it in a frying pan. I sear it in a non-stick pan, so I do not need to add any oil.Once I have cooked all the tuna, I then put the rest of the marinade in the pan and cook it for a few seconds until it gets a little thick and then pour it over the tuna."https://youtu.be/UQBGY7lFl7oTuna Bowl RecipeINGREDIENTS: 6 fresh tuna steaksjuice of one lemon3 cloves fresh garlic crushed2 tbsp organic coconut aminos (I am allergic to soy, so this is a great substitute to soy sauce and healthier)1 tbsp freshly grated ginger1 tbsp sesame seeds1 tsp sesame oilMETHOD:Mix all ingredients together and pour over the tuna steaks and let them marinate for about 30 mins a side.Sear in a non-stick frying pan until they are cooked according to your taste. Slice tuna into thin slices.Make your bowl,. You can use, brown rice, lettuce, avocado, spring onions, carrots and any other veggies of your choosing.Pour the rest of the marinade back in the pan (once the tuna is out of the pan) and pour over the tuna. I put a little salad dressing over my bowl just before I eat. Bon appetit!(Serves 6)

### MyMT™ Education: Muscle Changes in Menopause - why heavy weight training is not for everyone.

"Since my body-building competition, I've been trying to grow muscle, but all I've gained is 6kg of mainly fat. My liver had become very unhealthy". [Lyn, Australia]
What your clients do each day of their life and how they live their life affects symptoms in menopause. I'm often telling my own clients this, including former body-builder, Lyn, from Australia.

Since the early 1990s the exercise industry has been expanding rapidly. As greater emphasis has been placed on strength and conditioning, more and more women have been enjoying heavy weight training.

I know this, because back then, I pioneered the personal training industry for global fitness giant, Les Mills.

At the time, exercise-to-music classes were evolving and the emergence of barbell classes, which Les Mills labelled 'BodyPump'. Alongside this, the number of women who were working out in the gym with Personal Trainers was emerging too.

With the trend towards more advanced resistance-training workouts for women, there are many of us who have participated in these types of workouts for decades. Interviews that I undertook for my doctoral studies revealed that these workouts helped women cope with their busy, stressful lives.

However, what the women on my studies also shared with me was that when they reached their mid-40s and early 50s, although they were undertaking the same heavy workouts, they felt exhausted. Hot flushes became worse, sore joints and muscles distracted them and a full night's sleep was a distant memory.

Body-builder, Lyn was the same.


How Lifestyle Factors Impact Menopause Symptoms and Training Tolerance
How long your clients have been exercising, how hard they exercise, the type of exercise they choose to do, how much stress they have in their day-to-day lives, how well they recover from day to day, including how much sleep they get, and how much inflammation has built up in organs such as their liver and gut, and in muscles and joints, all impact the frequency and severity of menopause symptoms.

This is what I explained to Lyn. As someone who has had years of competitive, heavy training, Lyn was carrying muscular and joint inflammation into her menopause transition. Her liver, having had to turn over a lot of glucose and amino acids to assist both exercise and recovery needs, was also inflamed.

She had no idea that menopause hormonal changes would have such an effect on her tolerance to her training.

I see this a lot in my own clients. Many are pushing through with their training, despite not sleeping. However, this contributes to inflammatory changes and increased oxidative stress in muscles, the myofascia (the outer sheath surrounding muscles) and in the liver and gut.


Changes in Muscle Mass and Tissue in Menopause
If you have clients who are regular gym-goers and heavy-lifters, but they aren't sleeping, they have IBS, they feel fatigued and their hot flushes/ flashes have increased in frequency and severity, (whether or not they are on Menopause HRT), then perhaps it's time for them to reduce the load and frequency of their workouts.

This is something that I advise in my own programmes, and it's perhaps one of the hardest behaviours for seasoned exercisers to do!

Numerous changes in both muscle mass and strength occur as hormone levels change during and after menopause. This is due to the effect of oestrogens on muscles, nerves and blood vessels.

Women who are doing heavy workouts, as Lyn used to do, often feel exhausted. But because they have been training for years, they have high pain tolerance due to the necessity to build-up lactic acid during their heavy training. Many don't understand that their recovery strategies may need to change during menopause.

This includes understanding that if their Vitamin D levels, are not optimal, this can impact muscle contraction capability and their ability to recover. Simply because Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption in the small intestine. Calcium is a neuro-transmitter, helping in the neuro-muscular contraction pathway.

With low Vitamin D levels, muscle contractile force is reduced because Vitamin D works on the Type 2B power fibres. (Maltais, 2009). Recovery is also impacted when Vitamin D is low, because this impacts muscle uptake of calcium - an essential requirement in the neuro-muscular pathway.

Chronic stress from insomnia and night sweats, as well as inflammation from heavy training, and low absorption of calcium if gut health problems are present or if Vitamin D is low, can create a vicious cycle of poor muscle recovery from training for menopausal women, whether they are competent exercisers or not.

Iron levels are also equally important, as is nutrition and the increased need for soy isoflavones for recovery.

Do your clients need Menopause HRT? 

Women who workout and who are transitioning through perimenopause might also need to explore Menopause HRT with their Doctor. Afterall, when you are growing muscle mass as Lyn was, oestrogen plays a crucial role in this process.


The Impact of Menopause on Muscle Mass and Recovery: Understanding the Role of Hormones and Sleep
Although the literature has only recently emerged about women and the effects of heavy exercise during menopause, it is well known that whatever the training state of women in menopause and post-menopause, muscle mass in women tends to decrease gradually after the 3rd decade of age.

After the 5th decade of age, an accelerated decline occurs with the changes in oestrogen and progesterone production – this is inevitable, be it due to age or menopause.

One of the most important changes to muscles during the menopause transition, has to do with the decline in Type 2 fibres – these fibres are our power and strength fibres which affect muscle mass and strength.

Type 2B fibres rely on oestrogen and have high numbers of oestrogen receptors which work closely with oestrogen and IGF-1. This is a hormone called Insulin-like growth factor 1, which functions as the major mediator of Growth Hormone, which helps to maintain and build muscle tissue size.

If your clients aren't sleeping night after night, then this impacts their recovery from their workouts and their ability to grow new muscle.

This is because Growth hormone (GH) is secreted as a series of pulses throughout the 24-h cycle and in normal adult subjects, the most reproducible and often the largest GH pulse occurs during early sleep, with the first phase of deep slow-wave sleep (SWS). [Graf, 2019].

And it's not just women lifting weights that are impacted by poor recovery following exercise. It's midlife endurance athletes as well.


Why Heavy Weight Lifting and Intense Workouts Aren't Suitable for Everyone During Menopause
Heavy weight lifting and intense workouts aren't for everyone. 

Especially clients who have been training for decades and have embedded and normalised the type and volume of training they are doing, without any consideration for the skeleto-muscular and neuro-muscular changes occurring during the menopause transition.

Physical activity participation research supports that the midlife transition is a critical window for women dropping out of exercise. For many, this is because they feel exhausted, having aching muscles and joints and of course, may not be sleeping.

However, the right amount and type of exercise during menopause can assist women into improved health as we age. We all know this.

Therefore, as Practitioners, we have to progressively explore turning around client symptoms so that they sleep all night, improve their liver health (where amino acids are turned over which are required for muscle repair and hypertrophy), improve gut health and reduce the rate of muscle loss and weakness.

I'm often saying to my own clients that ‘Exercise should be energising, not exhausting‘. For many of your clients who aren't sleeping well, or aren't recovering well from their workouts, this may mean helping them understand that 'less is more' in the longer term.

That's why I recommend the exercise recommendations on the American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for Physical Exercise for women as they age as a starting point.

This includes promoting enough exercise to achieve mitochondrial health and increased protein turnover in muscles, thus aiding repair, and enhancing neural recruitment of muscles.

The guidelines recommend moderate aerobic activity on at least 5 days per week and 2-3 resistance training workouts a week, including one HIIT session as well as flexibility, balance and gait exercises.

A good body of evidence supports the decline in muscle mass during the menopause transition and for many women, this is an important time to begin a regular exercise routine.

However, for those women who have been training for decades and are in danger, of 'over-training' because they aren't sleeping and aren't recovering well from their existing training regime, then it's also a time to turn-down the intensity and volume of exercise, especially when it comes to heavy weight training, until they have addressed their underlying symptoms, including sleep.

It took me a long time to figure out why I wasn’t able to do the harder, more powerful skiing that I used to be able to do.

But as soon as I looked at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I knew I would find the answer when I better understood what happens to our muscles as we age as Lyn and other women exercisers who join me on my own programmes, have discovered too.

I hope that you can join me on any of the MyMT™ Education certified courses - we are taking pre-registrations now for the September intake of the Practitioner course too, so please make sure you visit the link HERE to pre-register your interest.



REFERENCES: 

American College of Sports Medicine. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Mar;41(3):687-708. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670.

Bengtson, V., Coleman, P & Kirkwood, T. (2005). The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Ed. Johnson, M. UK: Cambridge University Press.

Brunner, F., Schmidt et.al. (2007). Effects of aging on Type II muscle fibers: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of Ageing & Physical Activity, July;15(3):336-48.

Butler-Browne, G., Mouly V., et al, (2018). How Muscles Age, and How Exercise Can Slow It. The Scientist Online Edition.

Caballero-García, A., Córdova-Martínez, A. et al. (2021). Vitamin D – Its role in recovery after muscular damage following exercise. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2336. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072336

Consitt LA, Copeland JL, Tremblay MS. Endogenous anabolic hormone responses to endurance versus resistance exercise and training in women. Sports Med. 2002;32(1):1-22. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200232010-00001.

Graf, A. (2019). Sourced from:  https://www.endocrinology.org/endocrinologist/134-winter19/features/24-hours-in-the-life-of-a-hormone-what-time-is-the-right-time-for-a-pituitary-function-test/

Ko, J., & Park, Y. M. (2021). Menopause and the Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass in Women. Iranian journal of public health, 50(2), 413–414. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v50i2.5362

Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA. Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training. Sports Med. 2005;35(4):339-61. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200535040-00004.

Maltais ML, Desroches J, Dionne IJ. (2009). Changes in muscle mass and strength after menopause. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. Oct-Dec;9(4):186-97. PMID: 19949277.

Miljkovic N, Lim JY, Miljkovic I, Frontera WR. Aging of skeletal muscle fibers. Ann Rehabil Med. 2015 Apr; 39(2):155-62. doi: 10.5535/arm.2015.39.2.155. Epub 2015 Apr 24.

Pierre, T. & Pizzo, P. (2018). The Ageing Mitochondria, Genes, 9, 22; doi:10.3390/genes9010022

Takahashi Y, Kipnis DM, Daughaday WH. Growth hormone secretion during sleep. J Clin Invest. 1968 Sep;47(9):2079-90. doi: 10.1172/JCI105893.

Zouhal H, Jayavel A, Parasuraman K, Hayes LD, Tourny C, Rhibi F, Laher I, Abderrahman AB, Hackney AC. Effects of Exercise Training on Anabolic and Catabolic Hormones with Advanced Age: A Systematic Review. Sports Med. 2022 Jun;52(6):1353-1368. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01612-9.

### Swollen ankles, fluid retention in your legs and menopause.

I could see her limping as she walked along the hospital corridor. We were in the Emergency Room at the hospital unexpectedly - hubbie had crashed off his bike and was waiting to be checked over. Middle-age nurses were everywhere and I was sitting there quietly, observing their swollen ankles and thinking about their aching legs and muscles with having to be on their feet for hours at a time. 
In my former nursing days, that used to be me as well. But in those younger days, I had greater levels of oestrogen and progesterone and a more effective lymphatic system. 
I also had a more efficient cardiovascular system and one-way valves in my legs that weren't ageing and losing some of their elasticity. Afterall, this is one of the primary changes in the body, as women go from peri-menopause to menopause to post-menopause. The blood vessels age very rapidly. 
Numerous women experience swollen ankles and fluid retention as they move through menopause. Some of these nurses that afternoon were no exception. As I observed this middle-aged nurse's puffy ankles, I wondered if she knew about the effect of her changing hormones on her lymphatic system, fluid balance and the cause of her menopause oedema?  




When we arrive in mid-life, both oestrogen and progesterone changes have important effects on both body fluid regulation and cardiovascular and lymphatic function. 
Numerous women end up with tired, swollen ankles and feet, tightness in their breasts and some of you may have also experienced a protruding gut during menopause. 
You may not know that these concerns result from the changes that occur to your liver and your lymph vessels and lymph nodes as oestrogen declines with age.


Swelling of tissues can cause many women distress during menopause and any distension or oedema (tissue swelling) must be checked out with your Doctor obviously, especially if you are on Menopause HRT, and you are taking progesterone.
I mention progesterone for a reason.
Progesterone's role in tissue swelling is complex. It can contribute to edema (swelling) in certain situations. It is a steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal cortex, so in response to stress, the adrenal cortex releases both cortisol and progesterone. Higher levels of progesterone may contribute to tissue swelling and affect water retention in tissues. A condition called Lymphedema.
Lymphedema and your Menopause Changes
The type of swelling that arrives in mid-life is called Lymphedema and if the swelling occurs in the abdominal cavity, this is called ascites. Both situations require you to see your Doctor, so please do this. There may be an un-natural build-up of tissue fluids because of impaired lymphatic drainage and you might need to see a Lymphatic Drainage Specialist too.







Whilst the effects of fluid regulation in middle-aged and older women are controlled by the kidneys, very few of us realise that oestrogen changes in menopause also cause some water and sodium retention, which of course, makes us feel a bit swollen and bloated.
Despite all the attention paid to oestrogen changes as we move through menopause, the role that Progesterone plays in fluid retention and fluid balance is equally important.
Progesterone is the primary steroid involved in blood pressure changes around the time of the menopause and is therefore, important for fluid regulation as well. (Stachenfeld, 2014).
But there is another issue too - our lymphatic system, including the lymph nodes are ageing. 
Not only do the lymphatic vessels lose some elasticity as levels of oestrogen and progesterone decline during the menopause transition, but the lymph nodes are changing with age too.
Can Menopause Cause Swollen Lymph Nodes?
As individuals age, lymph nodes undergo structural and functional changes, including a decrease in the number of nodes, the replacement of normal lymphoid tissue with connective tissue or fat, and alterations in immune cell populations. These changes can impact the lymph node's ability to effectively filter lymph and activate immune responses. 
In both blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, this is known as ‘vascular stiffness’. 
So, when we are sitting or standing a lot or if any of you are taking a long-haul flight, the return of blood back to the heart from our lower extremities isn’t as efficient. We need to help it along otherwise we get swollen ankles or as it’s medically known, oedema.

Vascular stiffness contributes to increased fluid retention and risk of blood clots as we move through menopause.
Leg and ankle oedema is a sign of blood pooling in the veins as well as an inefficient lymphatic system. It is a well-known problem among passengers during and after long-haul flights. And I would say, women in menopause who are on their feet for hours on end, such as the hard-working nurses whom I was observing over the weekend. 
One of the very few studies in understanding fluid retention in long haul flights and the risk of blood clots was done in 2003 by a group of researchers in America.
With more and more people flying for work or recreation, the incidence of a condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) had sky-rocketed. In the past few years, interest has focused on a possible causal link between deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and long-haul flights.  
Earlier studies (prior to 2000) were mainly done under simulated conditions without the high humidity levels on real flights and without the lower oxygen levels that are present on the air craft as it travels at thousands of metres above earth.
Even in these simulated conditions the average fluid accumulation is around 130 mls in the lower leg and ankles after 12 hours of flying.

With the variety of measurements that were conducted in the study on flying and fluid retention, the researchers found considerable retention of fluid in lower extremities and the head.
They measured skin thickness in the forehead, the tibia (front of shin) and just above the ankle. A number of bloods were taken to look for clotting changes and subjects were allowed to drink 1 glass of alcohol. They ate the meals and drank the water offered with meals.
Not one person showed signs of DVT. But what researchers did find was something more interesting to me and I hope you too, even if you don’t fly much.
It’s especially important for those of you who are exercisers as well as those of you who are experiencing swollen ankles during your menopause transition. 
Researchers found that all the subjects retained water in the superficial tissues, thus increasing the thickness of the tissue on average 1.5mm.
This calculated to fluid retention in each lower leg of about 190mls. That's a lot of additional fluid that our lymphatic system has to manage.
Over 1/3 of the superficial layer just under your skin consists of water that is continually exchanging in deeper tissues and cells, so this superficial layer was affected the most. 
What was most important however was this fluid hung around for several days after the flight. And this increased blood viscosity or thickness (measured as haematocrit). It's this that promotes blood clotting or thrombosis for at least a week after a long-haul flight.
The recommendation by the researchers is that all travelers on long-haul flights should wear individually adjusted support stockings before and after the flight.
I would add to that, if you are standing all day, and you've been experiencing swollen ankles and fluid retention, or you are on treatment for breast cancer, then yes, get some support stockings. Especially as you begin to exercise again and stimulate your lymphatic system. 

This is also the premise of why you now see athletes wearing support socks when training and competing. They are trying to decrease swelling and inflammation in tissues. But there’s more to this story too.
With researchers finding that fluid retention in lower extremities (and the head) stays around for a few days, and risk for clots and blood pooling remaining high, it’s important to shift that fluid and improve blood flow back to the heart.
The main changes that occur in our ageing lymphatic vessels are:

Loss of around 20% of their contraction strength (just like our blood vessels).
Around a 70% decrease in contraction frequency.
Increasing loss of lymphatic muscle cells which is linked to oxidative stress (inflammation). Lymphatic muscle cells are linked to contraction of our muscles and propel lymph through valves to the draining lymph nodes. 
A reduction in the levels of proteins that regulate muscle contraction.
A thinning of the lymphatic vessel walls.

As such, we need to better manage and help our lymphatic system as we move through menopause. So, here are 3 things you can do: 

Because the lymphatic vessels don’t contract as efficiently as they used to, then having increased plant sources of nitric oxide is important. You can add beetroot (beets) and celery to your diet or juice them instead.
Learn to breathe better. I talk about breathing in all of the MyMT™ programmes and teach women the best breathing strategy to use to improve tissue oxygenation and to improve our lymphatic system in the programmes.
Because our lymphatic system works really closely with our nervous system, even a stressful day can affect lymphatic drainage. This is also why improving our breathing helps to stimulate the lymph vessels to do their job of removing inflammatory proteins and dangerous toxins that have myriad deleterious effects around the body. 
Get moving (preferably in the morning). As part of our cardiovascular network, our lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump like the heart does. It relies on movement, massage, muscle contraction and improved breathing to function.


All hormones, nutrients and waste products going to and from the cells deep in our tissues, must pass through the interstitial or extracellular matrix (the areas between the tissues and blood vessels).
This depends on a reliable, functioning lymphatic system.
If the lymphatic channels cannot remove toxins properly, no hormone, no gene, no enzyme, and no molecule is going to work optimally, and there will be deposition of waste products into the tissues. 
This is why many of you begin to feel bloated, experience tissue swelling and cellulite increases as you move through menopause.
When we understand that our lymphatic system is so important as we move through menopause, we can drink more water, get our feet up when we can, improve our breathing, wear flight stockings (even at work) and of course, get some massages or do some self-massage.
Then for those of you doing lots of exercise, the same rules apply too.
Exercise (especially, resistance training), also puts up your blood pressure and causes interstitial tissue swelling, so if you find that your recovery after exercise isn’t so great, then come on board with me when you can, as you need to know how to improve your recovery after exercise to match your changing blood vessels and ageing lymphatic system during or after menopause.
It would be my privilege to share my knowledge with you when you join me on either of the MyMT™ 12 week online programmes. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine 
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/775629321
References: 
Inoue, K., Maruoka, H. (2017). Effects of simplified lymph drainage on thebody: in females with menopausal disorder. J. Phys. Ther. Sci. 29: 115–118. 
Iwakiri, Y. (2016). The Lymphatic System: a new frontier in hepatology. Hepatology, 64(3), 706-708.
Knight J. & Nigam Y. (2020). The Lymphatic System 1: Structure, Function and Oedema. Nursing Times [online]; 116: 10, 39-43.
Shang T., Liang J., Kapron, C. et al. (2019). Pathophysiology of aged lymphatic vessels. AGING, Vol. 11, No. 16, 1-12.
Stachenfeld N. (2014). Hormonal changes during menopause and the impact on fluid regulation. Reprod Sci. May;21(5), 555-61.
Zolla, I., Nizamutdinova T., Scharf, B. et al. (2015). Aging-related anatomical and biochemical changes in lymphatic collectors impair lymph transport, fluid homeostasis, and pathogen clearance. Aging Cell, 14, 582–594

### MyMT™ Education: Lifestyle evidence to improve menopause anxiety and cognition.

'Despite the overwhelming prevalence of anxiety in modern society, medications often fail to achieve complete symptom resolution. We highlight the roles of the microbiome and inflammation as influencers of anxiety, and discuss the evidence base for specific nutritional interventions.' [Norwitz and Naidoo, 2021]Most of us know the feelings of anxiety don't we? The elevated heart rate, holding our breath or breathing more rapidly, and the feeling that there is so much more to do in our day that we hurry from one task to another.We talked about anxiety levels of women and this new study in my Health Practitioners zoom call in the previous course.Some of the Practitioners were presenting their case studies and one of them spoke about her client who was stressed and always busy - from early morning to night-time, she was active and busy.As her client hurried from one task to another, she told the Practitioner she didn't have time to eat. Her food recall also suggested this as well. There wasn't much written down. The client mainly lived on soy lattes and cups of tea with sugar, as well as lots of supplements to try and reduce her hot flushes and induce her sleep. But here's the thing.Those menopause supplements weren't helping, nor were they giving her the nutrients that her brain and nervous system needed to help reduce her anxiety levels.Nor was she eating enough omega 3 fats and certain nutrients, such as B-vitamin rich food and calcium-rich food, to not only give her the energy that she needed to get through her day, but to calm her anxiety levels as well as to reduce inflammatory changes that arrive with an over-stimulated gut. Many of us forget that the gut bears the brunt of our anxiety and worry. Changes in the gut microbiome (dysbiosis) and inflammation with higher anxiety levels was a leading finding in the study I was sharing with the Practitioners. We all have various sources of worry and concern that cause us to become more anxious don't we?However, as women arrive in their menopause transition, anxiety is heightened with the ageing of the nervous system and the decline of oestrogen on receptors situated on the outer myelin sheath of the nerves. This also occurs on one of the longest nerves in the body - the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system.As such, it oversees a vast array of crucial bodily functions, including control of mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate. (Breit et al, 2018). If your clients are experiencing increased anxiety and brain-fog or cognition problems, then they cannot ignore the vagus nerve, nor their gut health, nor the accumulation of inflammatory changes on the nerves. It was back in the 1950s that those studying human anatomy and ageing changes, noted that 'starting in the fourth decade of life and continuing into the fifth decade, there is an increase in connective tissue and a reduction in the patency of the blood vessels. With this gradual reduction in blood supply and increase in connective tissue, there seems to be a gradual alteration and reduction of the nerve fibres, especially the larger ones. Beginning in the fifth decade of life, there is a continual decrease in conduction velocity (speed) in the nervous system.' [Wilcox, 1956].If your clients feel that they are a bit wired and their anxiety levels are high, or they feel that they are losing their memory, then reassure them that slowing down helps enormously, as does certain changes to their lifestyle - including nutritional changes and exercise changes. Their nervous system is ageing.Menopause, is the biological gateway to ageing. When I began to explore the ageing research during and after the menopause transition, the evidence indicated that neurological changes in the brain, moved beyond the reproductive hormones. It helped me to move towards better understanding of the relevance of inflammatory changes that arrive in menopause and how we can mitigate these changes, thereby reducing cognitive symptoms.Chronic inflammation is a feature of numerous disorders and diseases of the neurological system, including anxiety. (Norwitz & Naidoo, 2021]. Hence, reigning in your anxiety levels takes more than pills. It also involves specific nutrients that feed the brain, as well as improving gut health and sleep.  		
																														
		The brain is part of the nervous system. It is the ‘mother-ship’ for nerve function. Every single nerve originates from the brain.A typical day for most women is full of anxiety-inducing events. Fort hose in menopause, the decline in oestrogen attaching to receptors in the brain, may compound levels of anxiety, as well as hot flushes. Both the brain and the nerves rely on oestrogen to help with nerve conduction. This is also why the addition of HRT helps many women feel calmer and reduces their anxiety levels. Some herbs do the same and in new research, turmeric (curcumin) gets a special mention as do other nutritional strategies, including omega 3 fats, which I share with you below.		
																														
		Stress Management is also ImportantNegative emotions can shift the microbial ecosystem in your gut by the release of stress hormones which impact the nerves which control our gut and digestive system. As such, individuals suffering from anxiety and brain-fog disorders, exhibit elevated levels of inflammatory markers in the circulation, mentions Norwitz & Naidoo (2021).Whilst the mechanisms as to how this occurs vary, the authors suggest that modulating and managing inflammatory changes in our gut which contribute to heightened anxiety disorders, require specific changes to the diet.   These changes include the following: Get your clients off refined sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup. Sugar attaches to molecules throughout the body and can increase neuro-(nerve) inflammation. Compared with glucose, fructose is more rapidly converted into triglycerides and causes fatty liver and body weight gain as well, as detrimental cognitive changes in the brain due to inflammation. (Iizuka, 2021).		
																														
		Remove artificial sweeteners. Administration of artificial sweeteners to animals have been known to increase anxiety through increasing the production and secretion of stress hormones. Aspartame in particular gets a mention, as it can block the transformation of dopamine and serotonin precursors in the brain and can increase the levels of excitatory nerve transmitters. This, according to the authors (Norwitz & Naidoo, 2021) may contribute to heightened anxiety. 		
																														
		Help your clients find foods that are low gluten or gluten-free to reduce leaky gut syndrome. When it comes to anxiety and improving the reduction of neurological inflammation, gluten proteins may contribute to leaky-gut syndrome. 		
																														
		Increase Omega 3 fats. The omega 3 fatty acids offer potent anti-inflammatory properties that not only support the microbiome and white adipose tissue that contributes to inflammation, but are known to support cognition and mental health. On the practical side, this includes extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish, such as mackerel, sardines and salmon ( Alaskan sockeye salmon gets a special mention in the research, as does krill oil).		
																														
		Increase intake of Turmeric (Curcumin). Turmeric is one of the most heavily studied spices for brain health with its active ingredient, curcumin, explored in Alzheimer's Disease, depression, anxiety-related disorders and anxiety itself. Whilst some studies have challenged the relevance of the health benefits of Turmeric due to differences in the bioavailability of this spice in humans when taken as a supplement, on the whole, if consumed in the of food and with black pepper as well as fats, then it may have benefits for those suffering from anxiety, due to changes in brain inflammatory pathways. 		
																														
		Ensure your clients have their Vitamin D and Vitamin B levels  checked. Vitamin D is a neuro-steroid hormone that regulates neurotransmitters and neuro-trophins. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. In the brain, Vitamin D regulates calcium balance which in turn assists nerve-transmitter levels. It also helps with transmission of mood hormones, dopamine and serotonin. It increases neurotrophic factors such as nerve growth factor which further promotes brain health.Vitamin D is also known to have benefits to the gut microbiome, because it helps to reduce inflammation. I'm often talking about Vitamin D levels for women in menopause and getting these checked, because if your clients are deficient in this vital hormone (yes, it is now known as a hormone), then these low levels may be contributing to their heightened feelings of anxiety. 		
																														
		Nutrition regulates brain function and anxiety disorders through not only nutrients passing directly through the gut-brain barrier, but also by influencing the gut microbiome and levels of inflammatory changes.The gut microbiome and inflammation are inter-related and therefore, work in a two-way relationship with anxiety, brain-fog and depression disorders. Sleep is also important as is regular physical activity, including aerobic endurance exercise.This is why, for your midlife clients, who may be feeling anxious or forgetful, supporting them with specific nutritional approaches may be helpful and of course, they can also discuss pharmaceutical prescription with their GP too.On the MyMT™ programmes, I'm always reminding women that menopause per se is not the issue or the problem.All women go through this life-stage event.When women stop worrying about their hormones and focus on how their body is ageing and changing as they enter their 'third age', then it becomes a game-changer in terms of understanding how to change lifestyle habits in midlife and beyond. It was for me too. If you are ready to lead change in the lifestyle and menopause coaching space, then I hope you can join me on any of the MyMT™ Education courses sometime to extend your knowledge in the area of menopause and lifestyle science. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References: Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G. Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Mar 13;9:44. Fadó R, Molins A, Rojas R, Casals N. Feeding the Brain: Effect of Nutrients on Cognition, Synaptic Function, and AMPA Receptors. Nutrients. 2022 Oct 5;14(19):4137. doi: 10.3390/nu14194137. Grubić Kezele T, Ćurko-Cofek B. Neuroprotective Panel of Olive Polyphenols: Mechanisms of Action, Anti-Demyelination, and Anti-Stroke Properties. Nutrients. 2022 Oct 28;14(21):4533. Johnson H, Ogden J. Much more than a biological phenomenon: A qualitative study of women’s experiences of brain fog across their reproductive journey. Journal of Health Psychology. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/13591053241290656Liao, Huanquan et al. (2023). Association of earlier age at menopause with risk of incident dementia, brain structural indices and the potential mediators: a prospective community-based cohort study. Lancet eClinicalMedicine, Volume 60, 102033.Maier, J. A. M., Locatelli, L., Fedele, G., Cazzaniga, A., & Mazur, A. (2023). Magnesium and the Brain: A Focus on Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(1), 223. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010223Norwitz NG, Naidoo U. Nutrition as Metabolic Treatment for Anxiety. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Feb 12;12:598119. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.Patel V, Akimbekov NS, Grant WB, Dean C, Fang X, Razzaque MS. Neuroprotective effects of magnesium: implications for neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Sep 25;15:1406455. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1406455.Santiago JA, Potashkin JA. Physical activity and lifestyle modifications in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Front Aging Neurosci. 2023 May 26;15:1185671. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1185671. Simpkins JW, Yang SH, Sarkar SN, Pearce V. Estrogen actions on mitochondria-- physiological and pathological implications. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2008 Aug 13;290(1-2):51-9. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2008.04.013.Stephan, B., Wells, J., Brayne, C., Albanese, E & Siervo, M. Increased Fructose Intake as a Risk Factor For Dementia, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 65A, Issue 8, August 2010, Pages 809–814, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glq079Sultan S, Taimuri U, Basnan SA, Ai-Orabi WK, Awadallah A, Almowald F, Hazazi A. Low Vitamin D and Its Association with Cognitive Impairment and Dementia. J Aging Res. 2020 Apr 30;2020:6097820.Wilcox HH. Changes in nervous system with age. Public Health Rep (1896). 1956 Dec;71(12):1179-84. 

### When these blood markers are low, fatigue, dizziness and hot flushes become worse in menopause.

Can menopause cause dizziness (vertigo) and balance problems?
Almost a decade ago in my early 50s, just as I was emerging from peri-menopause and into menopause - the year beyond, when periods had ended, even the thought of being able to ski and hike in the mountains was a distant dream. I was exhausted, sore and worried about my balance. 

Not only, did I feel that I was becoming more dizzy on the uneven terrain in these environments, but I felt as if I had developed car sickness for the first time in my life. Like many women, I was never told about the impact of menopause hormonal changes and ageing on my balance and gait (walking).

From many of your emails to me over the years and from the number of health screening forms that I get to look at, I know that many of you, who have been active all of your life, have had to also curtail some of your activities during menopause.

Not only do you feel exhausted, but some of your exercise pursuits, also cause dizziness, especially getting up and down from the floor, when you are at the gym and doing certain exercises.

If this is the case, the I have a question for you - 'Have you had your blood work checked for iron, ferritin and Vitamin D?'

Changing oestrogen levels impact your iron and ferritin levels:

Understanding that declining oestrogen levels during menopause also change iron and ferritin (stored iron) levels, is important for those of you who feel tired, unwell or you can't tolerate exercise without becoming breathless easily. 

Low iron or ferritin levels may also increase feelings of anxiety and not coping. Just as some of you are finding now that you are in perimenopause or menopause.

You don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from watching your iron and ferritin stores. If you are in perimenopause and still menstruating and you are experiencing hot flushes, night sweats, increased anxiety or sore muscles, then take note to go and get your ferritin, iron and Vitamin B12 levels checked. Add Vitamin D to that list as well.

I’ve come across numerous women who are still competing or participating in vigorous exercise as they move through menopause. Many also have night sweats, hot flushes (hot flashes), anxiety, emotional turmoil and poor recovery and poor performance from their training and competing.

But instead of getting their iron, ferritin or B12 levels checked, they are put on Menopause HRT - there is nothing wrong with this obviously, but often they still get hot flushes and experience dizziness.

I've heard from many women who have to take time off work because of their dizziness.

That's because feeling dizzy can induce nausea, vomiting, balance dysfunction, and as I found myself, especially when exercising, it can reduce your confidence in your body coping with whatever activity you are used to doing.

You don’t have to be an athlete either to suffer from low iron – whether you are sedentary or active, monitoring your iron levels is an important part of your hot flush management and reduction of dizziness (as are balance exercises) as you move through menopause.


Why do I feel so dizzy in menopause?
The connection between menopause, vertigo (dizziness) and oestrogen changes is an intriguing one. 

Which is why I want to thank the researchers at the Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, USA, because I learnt about OTOCONIA (Ogun et al, 2014). This helped me understand why there is the connection between our changing oestrogen levels, our biological ageing and dizziness and balance problems as we go into post-menopause.

Otoconia are bio-crystals which are made from protein and calcium molecules.  

The highest scores for reporting of vertigo (dizziness) problems in the Nebraska study, [dizziness is medically known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)], were reported in women aged between 10-19 years and 40-52 years who reported that they were either in menopause (peri-menopause) or out the other side (post-menopause).

Nearly 50% of the women in the older age group in the Nebraska study, reported that they experienced their first dizziness and balance episodes after menopause and, even more surprising, was that 22% of those who have had their ovaries removed and 32% of women who had a hysterectomy, reported on increasing vertigo episodes.

BPPV occurs when head position changes (lying down, looking up, or turning over in bed) causing short, recurrent vertigo spells.

BPPV is a result of these tiny crystals in your inner ear being out of place.

The crystals make you sensitive to gravity and help you to keep your balance when oestrogen is high, but low oestrogen, low calcium and hair loss in your ear canal with ageing, cause these tiny bio-crystals to get out of place.

Normally, a jelly-like membrane in your ear keeps the crystals where they belong. This is because your sense of balance relies on a finely tuned system that coordinates sensory information (from nerves throughout your body) and visual information to help you determine the position of your body relative to your surroundings.

The role of oestrogen in all of this, is to ‘couple’ or help this jelly-like protein substance to adhere and therefore, help to provide a mechanic force to the sensory hair cells in the ear canal.

This process is essential for us to sense linear acceleration and gravity for the purpose of maintaining our balance. Hence, why balance exercises are important to over-ride the changes to the ear canal during menopause.

But don't forget that low iron (anaemia), low ferritin and dehydration may affect feelings of dizziness too, so please get your dizziness checked out with your medical professional. I talk about dizziness in my own programmes, especially as women get back into exercise on my 12 week, Rebuild My Fitness programme.



A few years ago I wouldn’t have been able to do the skiing and hiking that I can now enjoy. My knees, feet and muscles ached continuously and I was so tired and felt dizzy.

Remembering this and what I began to do about it, is in this short video which I made a couple of years ago. If you know younger women who are also athletes, or you are yourself, you may want to have a listen sometime.

https://youtu.be/0cY_RGJEdZ0

If you are visiting your Doctor for your menopause HRT, then perhaps ask to get iron and ferritin (stored iron) levels checked as well as Vitamin D. All of these blood markers, if low (or if iron is high), impact your symptoms, including feelings of dizziness. And conversely if you are in Post-menopause and therefore, not menstruating any more, your iron and ferritin levels may actually be high.

It is well known in sport and exercise science that female runners are at higher risk of low iron levels. For women in menopause who exercise, it’s the same. But not sleeping, low iron and menopause hormonal changes, also impact on temperature, hot flushes, night sweats and the immune system.



Persistent tiredness, feelings of lethargy, dizziness, upper respiratory tract infections and of course, not sleeping are well known symptoms of over-training syndrome, but so too are night sweats, hot flushes and a temperature regulation system, that is out of balance.

It’s the same for female athletes. 

That's why I'm so impressed with Cheryl and her daughter from New Zealand, who hiked to Everest Base Camp. If there is a hike that is going to test your fitness, health and your resilience, then it is hiking at altitude. How amazing they were to achieve this together and as Cheryl mentioned to me,

"I never wavered from the goal of reaching Everest Base Camp, even though others were having an easier time of it.  The takeaway from it all is to trust your body to not fail ... it won't if given the right mind set and you have the right knowledge, which I had from doing your programme."

Improving her understanding of the role that menopause plays in her fitness was integral to Cheryl's success and you can read her story HERE when you get a chance.

Knowing also that there are essential nutrients that she needs in order to look after her joints and muscles as well as recover-well, was an important sharing of information I had with her in the programme.



Freedom from menopause symptoms and poor health as you age is yours to choose.

With the myriad of symptoms I was experiencing a few years ago as well as the weight gain, I’m so pleased that as part of my own menopause journey, I chose to focus on turning my symptoms around and to look ahead to my healthy ageing.

Doing this, alongside understanding what and how to change specific lifestyle factors, reduce inflammation and boost my ageing immune system, helped me retain my self-identity as well.

It is well known in sports psychology that we suffer most when we believe that we have no control over our lives. But with the understanding of what is going on with our changing physiology during menopause we can take back control. 

For numerous women in my coaching group, this means slowly removing themselves from the thoughts and beliefs that keep them in their current lifestyle routines and habits. Afterall, as their body is changing hormonally, then it's important to change with it.

Through this, we can support our growth and wellness at this time of life. If you are feeling out of control, I hope you can join one of my 12 week programmes sometime. My passion is for you to live your best peri-to post-menopause life free of symptom chaos.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References: 

Castillo-Bustamante M, Çelebisoy N, Echavarria LG, Franco I, Valencia S, Gonzalez S, García A. Balance in Transition: Unraveling the Link Between Menopause and Vertigo. Cureus. 2024 Apr 29;16(4):e59277. doi: 10.7759/cureus.59277.

Dunsky A. The Effect of Balance and Coordination Exercises on Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Mini-Review. Front Aging Neurosci. 2019 Nov 15;11:318. doi:

Kaitha S, Bashir M, Ali T. Iron deficiency anemia in inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2015 Aug 15;6(3):62-72. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00318.  10.4291/wjgp.v6.i3.62.

Miller EM. The reproductive ecology of iron in women. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2016 Jan;159(Suppl 61):S172-95. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.22907.

Ogun OA, Janky KL, Cohn ES, Büki B, Lundberg YW. Gender-based comorbidity in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. PLoS One. 2014 Sep 4;9(9):e105546. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105546.

Sincan, G., Sincan, S., & Bayrak, M. (2022). The effects of iron deficiency anemia on sleep and life qualities. Annals of Medical Research, 29(2), 108–112. Retrieved from https://www.annalsmedres.org/index.php/aomr/article/view/4054

Terauchi M, Odai T, Hirose A, Kato K, Akiyoshi M, Masuda M, Tsunoda R, Fushiki H, Miyasaka N. Dizziness in peri- and postmenopausal women is associated with anxiety: a cross-sectional study. Biopsychosoc Med. 2018 Dec 12;12:21.

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### MyMT™ Education: Understanding the ageing bladder in menopause.

I know that menopause and frequent urination, especially during the early morning hours of the night, affects many of your clients. That's because it's a frequent question in my live zoom calls for the Practitioner course.I also know that it affects numerous women as they transition menopause. When I take my live Masterclass events, it's a question that gets a lot of surprised laughter. Hundreds of hands would shoot up in the air when I asked who was waking up because they needed to pee in the night. Everyone laughed when they looked around the room and saw that they weren’t alone. Increased urinary frequency is a common menopause symptom. But it's one that many women keep to themselves.The changes to the urinary system during menopause can be such a challenge for many, not only during the night, but for those women who experience the sudden urge to pee and some leakage when they are exercising. That was the experience of Romany from the UK - that's her in the banner below. This is because the irritable bladder and urge to pee more frequently, is another symptom of menopause. However, a word of caution too – it can also be a sign of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).Hence, if your clients are experiencing painful urination, or if they have any pelvic or back pain, then they need to head to their Doctor right away. 		
																														
		The Mystery of Bladder Issues in MenopauseUrinary urgency, urinary incontinence, increased bladder activity and reduced bladder control are all bladder symptom experiences impacted by menopause. Here's why. After my very anecdotal survey of hundreds of women during my live events, I wasn’t surprised to find that epidemiologic studies report that approximately 1 in 4 women are affected by pelvic floor and urinary tract disorders with the highest rates in menopausal women. [Wu, Vaughan et al, 2014]. “There is clear evidence that oestrogen regulates the uro-genital tract. The abundance of estrogen receptors (ERs) in the urogenital tract explains why the natural reduction of endogenous oestrogen, the hallmark of menopause, can cause or potentiate Pelvic Floor Disorders (PFDs) and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs).” [Alperin, Burnett et al. 2019]. The female hormone oestrogen is known to have an important role in the function of the lower urinary tract throughout our life.Oestrogen and progesterone receptors demonstrate an influence in the vagina, urethra, bladder and pelvic floor musculature and like most of our organs, when we go into peri-menopause (the start of menopause) and move towards post-menopause, our renal system is experiencing the result of declining estrogen production. You may not know that females have an abundance of oestrogen receptors in the  bladder and urethra. Because of this, as oestrogen levels decline during our menopause transition, this may impact the function of the urinary tract in mid-life women.Furthermore, with the loss of the role of oestrogen in ligaments and joints, the pelvic floor ligaments may change too. This may cause many women to experience stress incontinence and/or increased frequency and urgency in needing to pee.Whilst it always pays to see a healthcare professional who specialises in this area, it also helps to understand what is going on and how women can help themselves as well. So, first things first. If you are coaching women and the topic of their bladder frequency and urgency comes up, then you need to understand that during the menopause and post-menopause transition, their bladder and urinary tract is ageing and changing.		
																														
		Physiological factors that cause bladder symptomsAge-related reduction in bladder capacity, reduced urine flow, diminished urethral pressure, and the inability of the bladder to empty fully after voiding are known changes that occur as we age.But the thing that can upset many midlife women the most, is the feeling of urgency. And this is all to do with the changes that occur to the nerves that infiltrate the bladder wall. As such, stress impacts bladder function in menopause too. The bladder is responsive to stress hormones, adrenaline (epinephrine), and nor-adrenaline (nor-epinephrine).This is because the sympathetic nervous system exerts influences on the urethra and bladder for urine collection and storage. Hence, the urethra and bladder are replete with adrenergic receptors. These receptors respond to the stress hormones, adrenaline, and nor-adrenaline as well as cortisol.As women move into menopause and oestrogen levels decline, there is an effect on the response of the adreno-receptors in the urinary tract. Yes, they can get out of balance, resulting in an overactive bladder.This is more commonly known as ‘overactive bladder syndrome’ (OAB) or detrusor overactivity.The term ‘detrusor’ refers to the involuntary contractions during the filling phase of the bladder that may be spontaneous or provoked and is associated with urgency. This is why the most common symptoms of OAB are urgency, nocturia (night-time urgency), frequency and urge incontinence.As our bladder fills up and stretches, and because oestrogen levels are declining, changes also occur to the nerve signals in the bladder wall.Disruption to these nerve signals can cause nerve irritability and/or urgency and urinary incontinence. All effects which can impact on your client's home, working and recreational life.I know this has occurred for many MyMT™ women, as it did for me too. Learning how to override these sensations is an important aspect of the MyMT™ programs and I teach you about solutions for the ageing bladder in the MyMT™ Practitioner Course as well.		
																														
		How Waking Up To Pee Frequently Impacts the Health of your ClientsNight after night of getting up to have a pee is devastating for your client's energy levels. But researchers suggest that women with OAB have greater physiologic and psychologic stress reactivity than healthy controls. Importantly for women experiencing OAB, stress appears to exacerbate bladder urgency. That's why an overactive bladder can have a huge impact on the quality of your client's daily life. When women are experiencing higher levels of stress or they aren’t sleeping well, then their chronic stress hormone called cortisol, typically increases as does their blood pressure and heart rate.Inflammation increases too and I’ve written about this numerous times in my education newsletters for Practitioners. When cortisol is high, and there is a subsequent increase in both heart rate and blood pressure, this affects the ageing bladder and urethra as well. Bladder control stems from the nervous system which is replete with receptors that respond to stress hormones.At night when women don’t sleep well, cortisol levels remain high, as does blood pressure.This affects the nervous system regulation of the bladder. It’s no surprise that women feel the urge to go more frequently, especially at night. Research suggests overactive bladder symptoms  affect up to 80% of women in menopause (Alperin, Burnett et al, 2019).But as I mentioned earlier, other medical conditions could be at play, such as a UTI or pelvic floor disorder. Be sure to get clients' to talk to their doctor, because there are other treatment options they can discuss too, including oestrogen gels and creams that are suited to the vulvo-vaginal and genito-urinary tract. 		
																														
		If your clients are struggling with OAB symptoms, then please get them to get these checked out from Specialists in your area when you can.Then if you are confused about how to help them with their symptoms and/or their weight gain, I hope you can join me on one of the MyMT™ Courses for Health Practitioners. You will be amazed at what you learn and how simple changes to your client's lifestyle can turn around their symptoms.I hope that you can spend a few minutes reading some of the wonderful stories from Practitioners who have kindly shared their journey with you on the Practitioner Testimonial pages on the website. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ REPS (NZ) Exercise Specialist		
																														
		Alperin, M., Burnett, L., Lukacz, E., & Brubaker, L. (2019). The mysteries of menopause and urogynecologic health: clinical and scientific gaps. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 26(1), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000001209Harvard Health (2013). Overcoming an overactive bladder. Harvard Health Publishing Online. Siroky, M.B. (2004). The Aging Bladder. Reviews in Urology, 6(1), 53-57. Wu, J., Vaughan, C., Goode, P., et al (2014). Prevalence and trends of symptomatic pelvic floor disorders in U.S. women. Obstet. Gynecol. 123, 141 - 148. [PubMed: 24463674]. 

### Are You Caught in the Thickness of Menopause Brain Fog?

Whether it's trying to recall the name of someone, mislaying your car keys or forgetting about the pot on the stove with the rice boiling away to oblivion (you can tell I've had experience with this one) or just feeling 'fuzzy' and forlorn, many of us have experienced brain fog as we move through menopause.
What Is Menopause Brain Fog?
Perhaps your brain fog and fatigue have become worse since you've had your vaccination?  Brain-fog is now a known symptom that people experience as they recover from the virus. But putting this aside, when it comes to our menopause transition, your brain-fog is all to do with the reduction of your oestrogen levels affecting the way your nerves 'talk' to each other.
What triggers menopaupse and brain fog?
As our hormone levels change in menopause, our body is ageing. So too is our brain. This means that there are changes occuring all around our body that are the result of our biological ageing. Peri-menopause is your transition into the next phase of your life-cycle and the changes often clash with our modern, busy lives and none more so, than the way that lowering oestrogen affects the nerves and blood vessels in your brain.

With menopause becoming a hot topic in many media outlets over the past month or so, especially up there in the UK, it's time to understand what's really going on and then put some lifestyle changes in place to reduce your brain fog. If you aren't sleeping, or you feel stressed from your work or home environment, then this also becomes your 'perfect storm' for brain fog as you navigate your biological ageing.

Brain-fog is a subjective term. It's given that name because this is how women feel - it's like a thickness in their head that they can't resolve and in most cases, it means that we become forgetful. The impairment is not fully understood and often is described as slow thinking, difficulty focusing, confusion, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, or a haziness in thought processes. Interestingly for those of you who feel exhausted all the time, it's a known symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome. [Ocon, 2013]. And for women in the workplace, brain fog can be debilitating.

"I felt that I couldn't function when I was in the boardroom. I really thought that I was getting dementia"  Beth explained . "I've been a lawyer for 20 years but when I reached my early 50's (I'm 53 now), I found that I was forgetting things and not sleeping was the worst. I bought so many supplements but became concerned about the hundreds of dollars I was spending on them each month. Nothing was shifting for me until I did your MyMT™ programme."  (Beth, Melbourne, Australia).



I never gave menopause brain fog a thought when I headed into my early 50’s. But it affected me hugely, especially when I had a lot goin going on in my life - from my busy work environment, to studying for my PhD, to rushing around getting everything done to keep the home and family firing on all cylinders.

It wasn't until I kept forgetting things (including the pot of rice on the stove), that I wondered what was going on. My studies on women’s health and ageing were pivotal in understanding that brain fog in menopause and post-menopause, occur as oestrogen levels decline, but also because the nervous system is ageing. So too is our brain.

As such, the part of the brain which controls memory may be affected as women move through menopause. You can see the difference in these brain scans on pre-menopausal versus post-menopausal women out of Cornell University. Oh yes, indeed, the loss of oestrogen during menopause really does trigger changes in the brain.


The Science Behind Menopause and Brain Fog
The brain is an important target organ for oestrogen. In addition to direct effects, oestrogen influences brain function through effects on the vasculature (blood vessel network) and the immune system. [Henderson, 2008].

This is why, when oestrogen is lowering during our menopause transition, it's no surprise that women like Beth above, have trouble focusing on high-level thinking and become forgetful. That's a tough call when you're a lawyer.

However, there’s a bit more to this brain-fog story too.
Why Sleep and Stress Make Menopause Brain Fog Worse
If you aren’t sleeping, then your menopause brain fog may become worse. Women who don’t sleep well in both menopause and post-menopause, especially at the time of night when memory is being consolidated (usually between 2-4am), you may experience more brain fog than usual during the day. And yes, this was me as well.

But it's not just our changing levels of oestrogen that's the culprit. Feeling forgetful is also affected by our changing levels of another brain hormone, called serotonin.

Many of you may have heard of this hormone, because serotonin is a powerful mood hormone and the reason that millions of women get placed on anti-depressants in menopause, is because serotonin production decreases during menopause, especially for those of you who have altered gut health.

This is why women need to focus on natural serotonin-boosting lifestyle strategies as they move through menopause. This includes doing the type of exercise that is well evidenced to boost mood and motivation – aerobic exercise. Yes, a walk in the park, or a slow jog or some cycling or exercise to music, or as many women on my programmes discover, hiking is also great to boost mood and improve brain fog.

I’ve always said, ‘activity absorbs anxiety’ and this is important to note for all of us.



The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a long-term investigation tracking the mental and physical health of more than 3,000 women going through the menopausal transition, concluded that ‘Brain-fog’ is caused by low oestrogen affecting the hippocampus – the region of the brain that controls memory. But it’s worse when we are feeling stressed, busy and overwhelmed.

Based on numerous studies, around 65% of women report memory issues as they go through menopause. So you aren't alone. But why we struggle so much with memory is because the part of the brain called the hippocampus, is affected most. This region in the brain is critical in memory processing.


How To Help Reduce Menopause Brain Fog
There are numerous ways to adjust your lifestyle to reduce the effect of menopause brain fog and I have all the strategies in both of the MyMT™ programmes.

These include:

1. Turning around your sleep and circadian rhythm. I can’t emphasise this enough. If you aren’t sleeping, then your brain isn’t healing and boosting your immune system and memory overnight. When you feel exhausted, your serotonin levels drop and melatonin (our sleep hormone) fails to fire up to go high enough in the evening. This means that the quality of your sleep isn’t deep enough overnight, so your memory bank may not be restoring properly with the amount of sleep that you do get.

2. Regulating your blood sugar levels. Your brain needs glucose to function. Glucose is one of the only nutrients that crosses the blood-brain barrier and is the main source of energy for mammalian brains. Please don’t starve yourself throughout the day, especially if you have a busy day, because your brain fog may get worse. Your brain is so rich in nerve cells, or neurons, that it is the most energy-demanding organ, using one-half of all the glucose energy in the body. And it also needs healthy Omega 3 fats. There’s a reason we need fruits and vegetables … and the beautiful extra virgin olive oil I promote as part of the modified Mediterranean Diet that you will learn about in the MyMT™ Food Guide.



3. Slowing down your thoughts and trying to reduce multi-tasking. As busy, modern women, we have a lot going on in our lives. Many of you may also work in roles that are very competitively based and/or are time-urgent. Whether it’s Beth the lawyer, or rushing around trying to get through all the jobs that you do in a day, or driving the kids to sports, if you added up everything you did in your day, you would be amazed. When women have a lot going on in their lives, there’s a lot going on in the brain. Then, when we are constantly high-level in our thinking and working, the nerves in the brain become ‘hyper-excitable’. This increases anxiety, forgetfulness and eventually, inflammation too.

Sandra used to feel a lot of pressure in her male-oriented workplace. “I was always the one feeling I had to compete and do better than them” she said to me. “But then I began to understand that this was the source of my stress as well as always doing exercise that was competitively based, such as my Boot Camp. My entire day seemed to be undertaken at pace! I feel so much calmer now that I’ve done your programme.”



4. Increase magnesium-rich foods as well as your B-vitamins. Many of us already know the risk of Dementia in our parents’ generation with inflammation in the brain. And according to women on my own programs, this is a constant worry as they move into post-menopause. But it doesn’t have to be! When the nerves become ‘irritable’ as oestrogen levels decline, they don’t send their messages properly. A bit like a really fast heart-rate not being able to deliver oxygen around to our muscles causing us to build up lactic acid which stops muscle performance. It’s the same thing going on in your brain cells. That’s why Magnesium is helpful as are foods that are high in potassium and Vitamin B-rich foods. Our ageing blood vessels and our nervous system need these minerals to function. So, make sure you get them in your diet – it’s what I have in the MyMT™ Food Guide for women on the 12 week programmes.


Is MyMT™ for you? I hope so!
As part of my doctoral studies into women’s healthy ageing and the menopause transition, I have used my extensive background in fitness, nutrition, sports science and health and behaviour-change education, to un-pack our symptoms and align them up against specific lifestyle strategies that you put into action with my support.  MyMT™ has two programmes – one for women who aren’t overweight (called ‘Circuit Breaker’) and one for women who are overweight or putting on harmful belly fat (called ‘Transform Me‘). Both are getting outstanding results and I hope that you can check out the many success stories on the website.

MyMT™ programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers.

If you are struggling to make sense of how to look after yourself as you transition into the next phase of your life, then I hope you can watch the video below and explore the program details on my website. You'll be amazed at what you will learn. I hope you can join me.

https://youtu.be/0aQz2WqqrWQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can menopause cause brain fog?

Yes, menopause can cause brain fog. Hormonal changes, especially declining oestrogen, may impact memory and focus, leading to menopause brain fog.

What causes menopause and post-menopause brain fog?

As hormone levels change during menopause, your brain starts to age alongside your body. This ageing of the nervous system and brain causes additional inflammatory changes. This is known as ‘inflammaging’. So, both hormonal shifts and inflammation, may lead to menopause brain fog, making you feel fuzzy, forgetful, and mentally slow.

How To Reduce Menopause Brain Fog 

 	Make lifestyle changes to help improve sleep quality
 	Regulate your blood sugar levels through a menopause specific eating plan
 	Slow down and reduce mental overload. Make stress management your top priority.
 	Focus on serotonin-boosting activities
 	Increase magnesium-rich foods as well as B-vitamins.
 	Join one of the MyMT™ programmes.


learn more


buy now


References:

Henderson, V. (2008). Cognitive changes after Menopause: Influence of Estrogen. Clin. Obstet. Gynecol. 51(3), 618-626.

McCarthy M, Raval AP. The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation. 2020 Oct 23;17(1):317.

McKay, S. (2018). The Women's Brain Book: The neuroscience of health, hormones and happiness. Hatchett Press, Australia.

McKeowen & Elves (2000). Estrogen actions in the central nervous system. Endocrine Reviews, 20(3), 279-307.

Mergenthalor, P., Lindauer,U. et al. (2014). Sugar for the brain: the role of glucose in physiological and pathological brain function. Trends Neurosci., 36(10), 587 - 597.

Ocon, A. (2013). Caught in the thickness of brain fog: Exploring the cognitive symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Frontiers in Physiology, 4(63), 1-8.
Related Tag: Menopause Symptoms Nz

### "The knowledge I had as a Personal Trainer was being turned on its head at Wendy's Masterclass." [Maxine, UK]

Six years ago, menopause overwhelmed me so much that just the simplest of things would make my heart palpitate. 

Anxiety, low mood, hot flushes and brain fog were symptoms I was trying to navigate every day. Sleep alluded me.

I lost time from work and my relationships were challenged. Then there was the weight gain … at one point I was putting on 1lb per week, even though at the time I was eating well and teaching 10 exercise classes a week!

I tried both HRT and anti-depressants, both of which helped for a while, albeit never fully alleviating all my symptoms.

Then a friend of mine told me about a local Masterclass on Menopause in a town nearby. It meant a late night and I almost didn't go.

I don't know where I would be if I hadn't.

That evening I discovered Wendy, and everything she said made perfect sense!

I had been in the health and wellbeing industry for over 20 years, however the knowledge I had as a Personal Trainer was being turned on its head. It was a light bulb moment for me, realising that exercising more and restricting the calories in my diet were exacerbating my symptoms.

I started the Transform Me Program and quickly saw results, which gave me the motivation to make even more changes. Eventually I no longer felt like I needed either HRT or anti-depressants and with the support of my GP, came off them.

This made me think I needed to use this newfound knowledge to help the countless other woman struggling.

I approached Wendy, enquiring about the Menopause Practitioner Course… and the rest is history …

Fast forward to now … I’m happy, healthy, mainly symptom free, 2 stone (12 kg) lighter and a qualified Lifestyle Menopause Practitioner with MyMT™.

Thank You Wendy, you changed my life!

Maxine Start, Derbyshire, UK

Excerpt: Six years ago, menopause overwhelmed me so much that just the simplest of things would make my heart palpitate. That's until a friend convinced me to go to Wendy's Masterclass on Menopause.

### Re-address your stress and sleep to help your changing heart health during Menopause.

“Stressors that are relevant to the life-experiences of mid-life women (age 40 – 65 yrs) include job stress, caregiving, marital quality and discrimination. The articles we reviewed support the hypothesis that life stress and stressful events that occur in mid-life can impact women’s later-life risk for Cardiovascular (CVD) events.” (Stewart, Kathawalla et al, 2018, p.13).

The emails find me from all corners of the world.

Most contain descriptions of women leading busy, stressful lives. Some describe caring for ageing parents or the loss of their parents. Others describe stressful life events, divorce, or worries and concerns about teenagers.

Many don't fully understand the impact this stress is having on their sleep, anxiety, sore muscles, palpitations and other health concerns such as weight gain and high cholesterol. But I love how these women are trying to make sense of their lives and their changing health in mid-life. And ‘yes’ menopause hormone changes impact their symptoms too.

But inevitably, the issue is deeper than our hormones. It’s also the result of how our modern, stressful lifestyle, may be clashing with our ancient physiology.

The impact that the accumulation of stress (past and present) has on our heart and blood vessels as we age is what I mention in my Masterclass on Menopause. They are the ‘invisible’ symptoms that we can’t see – higher cholesterol, changing blood pressure, increased heart rate and other changes to cardiac function that may appear in blood work but are dismissed as not being relevant to menopause. But they are.



General life stress, including perceived stress and life events, in mid-life was significantly related to later-life CVD risk and mid-life subclinical CVD in the majority of studies published in the past six years and this is why I’m pleased that a relatively new study examining the relationship between stress and cardiovascular changes in mid-life women has emerged from the scientific research.

It confirms what many of us feel as we age – and that is, that our day-to-day stress (and stress exposure over our lifetime) impacts cardiovascular disease in mid-life women. Two-thirds of the hundreds of studies reviewed showed a positive relation between stress and sub-clinical cardiovascular health measures and that the connection between stress and cardiovascular changes occurs through multiple pathways, with the main ones being:

 	Inflammation and thickening of the inside of the blood vessels – (intima-media thickness)
 	Stiffness of the blood vessels leading to higher blood pressure (I often write about this condition, called ‘vascular stiffness’).
 	Plaque development in arteries.

Women in mid-life experience unique stressors, including transitions within their family roles, informal caregiving, job stress, and perceived discrimination. Hence, of interest to all of us from this study was the connection between the types of stress and the cardiovascular changes. This is one of the first studies that has looked at this connection – thank you to the researchers because here’s what we need to be aware of:

 	General day to day stress was related to inflammation and thickening of the inside of blood vessels.
 	An acute stressful event (such as the loss of a loved one) related to arterial stiffness and changes in blood pressure.
 	Stress over the lifetime was related to plaque development in arteries leading to CVD in older age.



Menopause is a time of change – in more ways than just the physiological and biological. In our changing hormonal environment, there are also organ changes occurring and this includes to our blood vessels. Getting our stress under control is an important factor for managing our symptoms and I’m often referring to how to do this in my private coaching community.

Perceptions of feeling stressed and over-whelmed influences so much of our daily behaviours, many of which we do unconsciously. From grabbing an extra cookie for the much-needed sugar-rush when we feel under the pump, to smoking, to drinking more alcohol to yelling at the kids, partner dog, or work colleagues – it’s a tough time getting through the day, without worrying about menopause symptoms. But herein lies the catch-22.

Many of our symptoms are related to the invisible changes that occur inside our blood vessels when we both feel stressed, or we are carrying stressful emotions into our mid-life years. If we don’t do anything about managing or removing our stress, then this is the time of life when we become vulnerable to metabolic dysfunction (thyroid problems, weight gain or Type 2 diabetes) and blood pressure dysregulation.


How do we improve our resilience to cardiovascular changes caused by stress?
There is ample evidence in the literature that positive psychological states and social factors such as optimism, life engagement and psychological wellbeing may be protective against the development of cardiovascular disease, but in the day-to-day grind, it’s hard to stay optimistic and/or engage with life.

But as I’m always saying to women in the MyMT™ coaching community – small changes turn into larger changes when they become routine habits, so making one small change in behaviour to build our resilience every day can have impact over the longer term.

Knowing how stress impacts our blood vessels is the starting point to changing our  behaviour to reduce cardiovascular risk in mid-life. Here are the ‘heavy-hitters’ which help:

 	Change your diet to an anti-inflammatory one and increase your intake of foods which help to dilate blood vessels. I talk about the role of nitrates in foods in all of my programmes.



 	You must focus on turning around your sleep and your circadian rhythm. Finding ways to get natural light into your eyes in the morning is an important part of regulating our blood pressure. The MyMT™ ‘Sleep All Night’ module is the first module you receive in the MyMT™ programmes – it’s that important to our cardiovascular health, especially for those of you not sleeping now, whether or not you are in peri-menopause, menopause or post-menopause.



 	Wholegrains are a necessary part of a heart-healthy diet. So, yes, find an organic, wheat-free bread if you can, or start having oats for breakfast, not bacon and eggs. Oats contain beta-glucans which help with your heart health and I’ve written about this HERE.
 	Ditch the emphasis on high-intensity exercise and heavy weight training (until you sleep all night) and give your arteries the love they need, with aerobic exercise. This is a huge challenge for a generation of women who are addicted to their high-intensity exercise and resistance training however, the work of Professor Hirofumi Tanaka has been revolutionary in understanding the role that aerobic exercise has on our arterial function in mid-life.

As he mentions, “In sedentary humans, arterial stiffness in the central (cardiothoracic) circulation increases with advancing age even in healthy men and women. Daily brisk walking for approximately 3 months improves carotid artery compliance in previously sedentary but healthy middle-aged and older men, as well as in apparently healthy, postmenopausal women to levels seen in age-matched endurance-trained adults.” (Tanaka, 2019, p. 237). 



 	Get some regular massage if you can – especially the type of massage that helps to release the myofascial sheath (the outer sheath surrounding the muscles). Understanding that over our life-time, our exposure to stressful events and chronic stress can increase inflammation in our fascia is an important aspect of helping you to manage stress and cardiovascular health.

Both our nervous system and muscles are changing as oestrogen declines, hence, our muscles become tighter and our fascia acquires inflammation (Castro-Sanchez et al, 2011).

Seeking a trained professional who can help with a little myofascial love during menopause can be an influential part of your menopause symptom-management toolkit.



Sometimes we feel that we can’t do anything about the circumstances in our life – and yes, for many women of our generation this is hard and I used to feel that way at times too.

But when we understand the factors that matter to our health as we move through menopause, then we can make small changes that matter and take back some control of our day to day habits.

It’s what I help women achieve on my 12 week programmes. It’s a privilege to educate them on what they can do at a time of life whereby the stressors that build up daily, become a ‘perfect storm’ for changing cardiovascular health as we move through menopause.

When my own cardiac health changed  as I moved through menopause, I was blind-sided as to why.

But I now reflect on how nobody was making the connection between our day-to-day stress levels, cardiac health and of course, our changing hormonal environment. It's my privilege to connect-the-dots and do this for you. If you would like to learn a little bit about me and how I got to setting up MyMT™ , then have a listen to the 'Meet Wendy' video below.
Would you like help you with your symptoms using easy-to-apply lifestyle solutions specific to your mid-life years?
When you are ready, I hope you can join me on either of the 12 week coaching programmes, which also includes my gut health and brand new heart health module too.

Alternatively, as a starting point, you can purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause. This is only NZ$15* (* approx. AUS$14 or UK£7.5/ US$9).  I hope you can join me in this powerful 2 hour webinar. The great news is that now you can watch it anytime, anywhere and even pause it whenever you like and go and make yourself a cuppa too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder of MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.  


Learn More


Buy now

https://youtu.be/tfvYMh4hIjI

References:

Castro-Sánchez, A. M., Matarán-Peñarrocha, G. A., Granero-Molina, J., Aguilera-Manrique, G., Quesada-Rubio, J. M., & Moreno-Lorenzo, C. (2011). Benefits of massage-myofascial release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2011, 561753.

Stewart, A.L., Kathawalla, UK., Wolfe, A.G. et al. (2018). Women’s heart health at mid-life: what is the role of psychosocial stress?. Womens Midlife Health 4, 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-018-0041-2

Tanaka H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertensio, AHA doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13179.

Yiallouris A, Tsioutis C, Agapidaki E, Zafeiri M, Agouridis AP, Ntourakis D, Johnson EO. Adrenal Aging and Its Implications on Stress Responsiveness in Humans. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019 Feb 7;10:54. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00054.

### Understanding changes in your fat tissue during menopause.

Imagine being a subject in a study whereby you are not only undergoing minor gynae surgery, but you’ve also given your permission for the surgeon to do a biopsy of your fat cells under your skin (subcutaneous adipose tissue) as well as the fat cells deeper around your organs (visceral fat).

I would like to thank the lovely peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women in Denmark who consented to this. It helps me to help those of you in post-menopause better understand why you are putting on abdominal and diaphragmatic fat, that your current exercise and dieting may not be shifting.

Whilst the study was a small one (no surprises there), the subjects (women between the ages of 45-60 years) helped scientists to broaden their understanding about post-menopause obesity.

The study found that our menopause transition was associated with changes in the characteristics of fat cells (adipose tissue) and this is related to metabolic dysfunction. In post-menopausal women (when periods have ceased for a year or more), subcutaneous fat nearer the skin showed fat cell enlargement (hypertrophy), increased inflammation and lack of oxygen (hypoxia).

These subcutaneous fat changes then led to an increase in fat storage more deeper in the abdominal region - the type of fat that is called visceral fat. (Abildgaard, Ploug et al, 2021). As the authors mentioned,

"For a given total fat mass, postmenopausal women store significantly more VAT (visceral adipose tissue) than pre-menopausal women." (p. 1).

The authors believe that the mechanisms behind the redistribution of fat as women move through menopause into post-menopause may be due to spillover of lipids (fats) from subcutaneous fat stores and then these are re-directed towards less favourable locations deep inside the abdomen.

These deeper fat stores are known as visceral fat ... and for women who are post-menopause, this type of fat may lead to changes to insulin levels and increasing circulatory inflammation too.



But here's the curiosity. When we have more deep visceral fat around our abdomen, the fat cells change in ways that causes them to make different types of oestrogen. 

Whilst both oestrone and oestradiol production (two different types of oestrogen) in visceral adipose tissue increase with worsening weight gain (known as adiposity). As such, Hetemäki, Savolainen-Peltonen, et al, (2017) have suggested that as women acquire more deep visceral fat stores and the fat cells expand, overall higher oestrogen exposure in post-menopausal women can occur.

Despite a challenge to the term 'oestrogen dominance' these days, I like this term. I refer to it in my 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause in a way that describes how fat cells which produce and store oestrogen, expand and become enlarged (this term is called 'hypertrophy').

This contributes to localised production of oestrogen in fat cells in women who are overweight and obese. As such, they become 'dominant' in oestrogen storage in their body.  When this happens, and weight around the belly and diaphragm continues to increase, post-menopausal women especially, may head down the slippery slope towards metabolic chaos and Type 2 diabetes, which the wrong type of diet and exercise doesn't necessarily shift.



Menopause and post-menopause weight gain is tricky to navigate. This is especially so, if women are not sleeping.

If you aren't sleeping, then the circadian pattern of how fat cells function is interfered with making menopausal and post-menopausal weight loss tougher. This is why, I always tell women on my 12 week programmes that if they want to lose weight, then they must attend to their sleep patterns first.

When it comes to weight loss in menopause and beyond, I often say in my coaching programmes that menopause itself isn't the issue. This is a natural life stage that we all go through. The issue is that we are ageing.

And because we are ageing, we are not only experiencing changes to characteristics of fat cells, but declining oestrogen (and the master pituitary hormones), also impact our muscle density and function.

For women in their menopause transition, (whether they are on HRT or not), this becomes a double-whammy - fat cells are expanding and muscle tissue is becoming less metabolically active. These two issues combined, may mean that fat becomes increased around the abdomen and our deep visceral fat storage changes.

This may lead to changes with heart-health and it's why, in as women move towards post-menopause in their mid-to-late 50s, the risk for cardio-vascular disease (heart attacks and strokes) remains higher than men of similar age.

Incredibly, because of our muscle loss as we move into post-menopause, we can add 1-2 kg  a week during menopause when we can’t sleep, with much of this going on our belly and under our diaphragm. Then, if we aren't sleeping, or our joints feel sore, or our gut health is changing, it's hard to get on top of how to lose weight or, as I mention to women on my programme, "you must firstly, stop gaining."

The women who join me on the MyMT™ Transform Me programme, know that turning around post-menopause belly-fat has nothing to do with hours spent exercising, or low carb, high protein, high fat, hard-to-adhere to, popular diets. It’s all to do with sleeping all night so that, first and foremost, we stop gaining fat. That was me as well.

Then it's about balancing our blood-sugar levels and reducing the impact of insulin, our blood sugar regulation hormone. Along the way, we also need to focus on giving ourselves a liver rescue so that excess oestrogens in our food chain and environment are metabolised and cleared.

If we have high levels of oestrogens in our diet and through environmental exposure (xeno-oestrogens), then our fat cells store the excess. Our fat cells love oestrogen and store this readily. It's why for many women, they find it confusing as to why doing lots of exercise, doesn't necessarily help them to lose their belly-fat.

That's partly why, the starting point for menopause weight loss, lies with sleeping all night and the health of the liver, not lots of exhausting exercise and fasting regimes that are promoted today.



So, if you are as bewildered as I was, here's the real (and new) science behind managing your menopause weight gain:

 	Not sleeping increases your blood-sugar hormone called insulin - both overnight and during the day. The role of insulin is to shift glucose around your body, especially to your brain, liver and muscle cells where it gets stored in your cells. But when we don't sleep, our blood pressure and heart rate remain higher during the day, which in turn increases two hormones which impact weight gain - insulin and our chronic stress hormone, called cortisol. To lose belly-fat and change our risk for Type 2 diabetes in post-menopause, both insulin and cortisol need to be low, especially at night.  If they remain high, they interfere with the production of your sleep hormone called ‘melatonin‘.

As we prepare to go to sleep and stay asleep, then melatonin levels should be as high as they can be. This is why I teach women what to do to achieve the right balance between melatonin and insulin production as part of the first module they listen to in their private learning area on the 12 week MyMT™ Transform Me programme (on sale throughout January, 2025 HERE). If you want to start losing weight, you must sleep. 



 	In post-menopause, testosterone production increases if you still have your ovaries - this disrupts insulin and cortisol. Your body is amazing. Never forget that. As women going into post-menopause, if we still have our ovaries, we are producing some testosterone. If we have a lot of stress in our lives, then this impacts cortisol and testosterone production too. Managing your stress levels is an important part of menopause weight management.

We all have varying degrees of testosterone being produced as we age and some of you stronger, larger ladies with an adrenal or pituitary body-type might produce more as well.

But levels of this hormone go UP when you are feeling stressed, causing even more production of your stress hormones and a chronic stress hormone known as cortisol. The powerful combination of higher testosterone and high cortisol keeps your belly fat increasing.

Testosterone is an androgen, or sex-related hormone. It is produced in your ovaries, adrenal glands and fat cells. In women, testosterone contributes to over 200 actions in our body, from muscle development, to growing facial hair on our chins, to influencing anger and frustration.

In natural menopause, androgen levels don’t suddenly drop, but at this time of life, you are producing about 50% less than in puberty, which is often the cause of women losing their libido and mojo at this time as well!

But there is something else affecting your weight gain during menopause as well – your decline in muscle.

I call it the 'forgotten factor' in understanding menopause weight gain. A condition called sarcopenic obesity due to muscle changes may arrive during menopause and into post-menopause. Furthermore, sore joints may be preventing you from doing the aerobic exercise you need to do, in order to reduce insulin resistance.

 	Muscle loss in post-menopause contributes to lowered metabolism and fat gain. When we lose oestrogen as a normal outcome of our changing biology, we also lose muscle size and density. It’s a condition called sarcopenia, which is a fancy name for muscle loss. If we aren’t sleeping, then the muscle loss speeds up as your metabolism changes because you aren’t getting the benefit of muscle recovery overnight - even for those of you doing weights.

When we don’t sleep, as I mentioned earlier, one of our chronic stress hormones, called cortisol remains high. An outcome of this may be that as you lose muscle density, then you also lose the number and size of mitochondrial cells. These beautiful cells store oxygen and this is where fat is burned.

In menopause and as a natural part of our biological ageing, we lose precious mitochondrial cells and this wrecks havoc on menopause fat-burning potential. Hence, doing aerobic exercise to boost our mitochondria cells is important, but as I said, get your joints and aching muscles sorted first.



"It's important to understand how women's bodies change as they age because women have higher rates of some diseases than men", said Ananthan Ambikairajah, a PhD candidate at the Australian National University, investigating changes to fat mass in women.

"The implications are important, because central fat has been linked with dementia risk, and central fat is linked with cardiovascular disease risk. More attention needs to be paid to central fat accumulation, because that's the bad stuff," mentioned Ambikairajah.

ALL of these factors combined – not sleeping, increased insulin, high stress levels, testosterone changes and loss of muscle tissue – have the greatest impact on our changing health and weight gain as we move into post-menopause. 

I would love you to transition through menopause and into post-menopause using the powerful lifestyle strategies which I’ve researched specifically to help you manage your symptoms and turn around the weight that may have stacked on as it did for me too.

I talk about this in the video below and why, menopause isn't the enemy - metabolic syndrome is!

I called the 12 week weight loss programme ‘Transform Me’ because that’s what I wanted to achieve during menopause when I felt bloated and uncomfortable and exercise and nutrition wasn’t shifting my weight as it used to do for years.

After I looked into menopause and positioned it in women’s healthy ageing studies, I began to understand why.  If  you would like to learn more, then when you have time, then please visit the My Menopause Transformation website and join me as soon as you can. My January 2025 Visible Results Sale is on now. You can read about this HERE. I can't wait to help you too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation / Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6sbGALw1BE&t=68s

References:

Ambikairajah, A., Walsh, E., Tabatabaei-Jafari, H., & Cherbuin, N. (2019). Fat mass changes during menopause: a metaanalysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 221(5), 393-409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2019.04.023.

Abildgaard J., Ploug T., Al-Saoudi E., Wagner T., Thomsen C., Ewertsen C., Bzorek M, Pedersen BK, Pedersen AT., & Lindegaard B. (2021). Changes in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue phenotype following menopause is associated with increased visceral fat mass. Sci Rep. 11(1):14750. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-94189-2. PMID: 34285301; PMCID: PMC8292317.

Edwards, B. & Jin Li, [2013]. Endocrinology of menopause. Periodontology, 61, 177–194.

El-Zayat, S.R., Sibaii, H. & El-Shamy, K.A. Physiological process of fat loss. Bull Natl Res Cent 43, 208 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-019-0238-z

Ford, C. et al. [2017]. Evaluation of diet pattern and weight gain in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 117, 1189–1197.

Harvard Health, [2018]. Lose weight and keep it off. Harvard Health Online Publications. Boston: MA

Hetemäki, N., Savolainen-Peltonen, H., Tikkanen, M. Feng Wang, Paatela, H. et al. (2017). Estrogen Metabolism in Abdominal Subcutaneous and Visceral Adipose Tissue in Postmenopausal Women. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 102, (12), 4588–4595, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2017-01474

Kendall, B. & Ester, R. [2002]. Exercise-induced muscle damage and the potential protective role of estrogen. Sports Med., 32 (2), 103-123

Lerchbaum, E. [2014]. Vitamin D and Menopause: A review. Maturitas, 79, 3-7.

Moudi, A. et.al [2018]. The relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and sleep quality in menopausal women. Biomedicine, 8(2), 34-40.

Rizzi, M. [2016]. Sleep disorders in fibromyalgia syndrome. J. of Pain & Relief, 5:2.

Ryan, M. Itsiopoulos, C. et al. (2014). The Mediterranean diet improves hepatic steatosis and insulin sensitivity in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Hepatology, 59(1), 138-143.

Santosa, S. & Jensen, M. (2013). Adipocyte fatty acid storage factors enhance subcutaneous fat storage in postmenopausal women. Diabetes, 62,3, 775-782, ProQuest Central.

### MyMT™ Education: Exercise Behaviour Change – Supporting active ageing for women.

'Adopting healthy behaviours implies a multitude of challenges for individuals and unfortunately, medical advice and prescriptions do not guarantee lifestyle changes,' mentions research out of Spain, calling for a greater alliance between Clinicians and Health Professionals, especially when it comes to women's exercise in the menopause transition and of course, exercise adherence. [Godoy-Izquierdo et al., 2024].It's an interesting perspective - a challenge for greater efforts to be made for collaboration between medical practitioners working with menopausal women and sport and exercise experts who are trained in lifestyle behaviour change.A perspective that I agree with. Lifestyle change is an critical part of midlife health management and it tends to be forgotten about, with the main emphasis going on the medicalization of menopause. Whilst medications play an important role in the quality of life of women, the risk is that women believe that the medication will take care of all of their symptoms, to the detriment of lifestyle practices. Whilst not specifically talking about menopause, a similar concern was outlined in the newly published White Paper titled 'Towards a Healthier, Happier Britain' (UKIHCA, 2024).Traditional medical advice and prescriptions, while well intentioned, often fall short in fostering lasting lifestyle changes, according to the report. This is where Health Coaches provide the bridge between Clinicians and health outcomes of their patients.'Health coaches are well-placed to support clinicians to turn the tide on the epidemic of chronic diseases and to offer lifestyle modification and health behaviour change as an evidence-based choice for patients. The expression of chronic and major health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer and dementia are largely lifestyle driven and often preventable; the evidence for this is robust; (but) at what point does it become no longer ethical not to offer patients this choice?' [UKIHCA, 2023]The publication of these two pieces of research is important for all Health Professionals.Not only do they bring attention to the vital role that Health Professionals and Health Coaches, including Exercise Professionals, can play in lifestyle behaviour change strategies, but the reports also bring attention to the need for alliances to be formed between Clinicians and trained Health Professionals. Especially, when it comes to the exercise and lifestyle needs of women in their menopause transition. Is this an alliance that you can foster with local Clinicians in your community? And do you know what they expect of you, depending on your scope of practice? Adopting an active lifestyle during and after menopause, is an important menopause symptom strategy for women to achieve, but it is equally important for Exercise and Health Professionals to understand the evidenced barriers to exercise that midlife women face.These barriers often seem insurmountable to women and numerous health behaviour studies report that many women find that both initiating and maintaining active lifestyles can be challenging - especially during a time of their life when they feel exhausted and of course, time-poor.  This is why Exercise Professionals and Health Coaches need to address the barriers to exercise and activity participation in their counselling of women.Something that I go into in the certified MyMT™ Education Courses for Practitioners including the Introduction to Menopause for Health Coaches Course, and the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course. It's from these courses, I want to share some key strategies for you below.		
																
															
		What Stops Women Exercising?Numerous health behaviour-change obstacles are faced by women every day. The most salient of course, is that they are time-poor.Being pulled in all directions as they juggle work and home-life, caring commitments and other demands, means that addressing this aspect is possibly one of the most crucial for Health Coaches and Exercise Professionals to consider. For example, the Australian Women’s Longitudinal Health Study (AWLHS), reported that barriers to participation include: socio-economic factors poor physical and mental health (including menopause symptoms and sore joints)overweight or obese status.  [Nemoto, Brown et al., 2024].Canadian exercise-behaviour research offers us this understanding too. As reported in the BMC Women's Health Journal, by Deanne McArthur and team, the most common barrier middle-aged women describe as interfering with adhering to regular exercise was attributable to the demands of this life stage at home and looking after others. [McArthur et al, 2014]. This supports the consistency of behaviour-change research, that common barriers for middle-aged women considering initiation of exercise include: lack of time,safety concerns about exercising outdoors, (including the weather), and, not having a family member or friend to exercise with. [McArthur et al, 2014]low self-efficacyphysical and mental wellbeing challenges, e.g. sore joints, fatigue [McGuire et al, 2016]In the UK alone, a 2020 Women in Sport survey suggests that 33% of women, aged 41 -60 yrs, are not getting the amount of recommended exercise (150 minutes per week), in order to benefit their health. As the lead author, Kate Nicholson (Head of Insight and Innovation for Women in Sport in the UK) mentions,'To find relevant solutions, we do not just need to examine barriers to sport and exercise, but must start by understanding women’s broader lives.'Given the importance of managing these behavioural factors, it becomes crucial to design and implement exercise and physical activity programs specifically tailored for middle-aged women - an approach which must also take into consideration the psychosocial, cultural and biomedical factors, that influence the initiation and adherence to women's activity behaviours. 		
																														
		What Lessons can Health Coaches and Exercise Professionals take from the 'Active Women Over 50' Trial?The Active Women over 50 trial was designed by researchers at the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, in Sydney, Australia. It's aim was to test a scalable program for increasing physical activity among women aged 50+.The research program included information on exercise, an activity tracker and email support. The main purpose of the study was to seek participant perspectives of the program, allowing broader understanding of the experiences of women in midlife and how these might inform physical activity interventions specific to this demographic. [Wallbank et al, 2022] There were a number of themes which emerged, including: Age and gender demands on their time, including care-giving.A perception that they were invisible when it came to gyms and inclusion of their needs in menopause and/ or as older women.Bodily constraints and body concerns, i.e. concerns about their changing body and therefore, how they were perceived by exercise professionals. As well, the fact that they had reached an age, where activity was important to their health.Social connection matters - therefore, there is a need to provide opportunities for women to interact with others. [Wallbank et al, 2022]Interestingly, many of the main themes in this study, had similarities to my own doctoral studies, with regard to the experiences of women with their activity participation in midlife.Of note, was the feeling that exercise was a priority for them, but many felt that the emphasis on activities such as Masters sports, were very competitive, and fitness environments with scheduled classes and an emphasis on high intensity workouts, didn't meet their needs. [Sweet, 2018].I've taken learnings from these studies, including my own, as well as a number of others and placed these into the MyMT™ Education courses for you. From weight loss to behaviour change, understanding that women in their menopause transition are uniquely placed to consider the role of exercise in their lives, is an important coaching strategy that we need to pay attention to. Not all of you have exercise prescription in your Scope of Practice, obviously, but as we encourage women towards their healthy ageing, then the role of exercise and physical activity matters. And yes, these terms differ! Back in 1985, Casperson and colleagues, propsed that the terms "Physical activity," "Exercise," and "Physical Fitness"  were terms that describe different concepts. However, they are often confused with one another, or the terms are used interchangeably. So, just as a reminder to you, here are the definitions: Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The energy expenditure can be measured in kilocalories. Physical activity in daily life can be categorized into occupational, sports, conditioning, household, or other activities. Today, this term incorporates  'Incidental activity' which refers to activity performed as part of everyday living, e.g. climbing the stairs. Moderate physical activity has health benefits too. Exercise is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive and has as a final or an intermediate objective the improvement or maintenance of physical fitness. Physical fitness is a set of attributes that are either health- or skill-related. The degree to which people have these attributes can be measured with specific tests. As we remind women that menopause is a time to either get or stay active, it's an important differentiation to make. Many are exhausted, simply because they are getting physical activity in their work roles, and trying to exercise on top of an already, physically demanding lifestyle, or they aren't sleeping. Tineke, in the banner below, was the same.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation		
																														
		References: Biddle, S.J.H. (2021). Physical activity research in Australia: A view from exercise psychology and behavioural medicine. Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, (1)1, 12-20. ISSN 2667-2391,Chrysant SG. The cardiometabolic benefits of exercise in postmenopausal women. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2020 Sep;22(9):1691-1693. doi: 10.1111/jch.13968. Epub 2020 Sep 10. PMID: 32964650.Flesaker MQ, Serviente C, Troy LM, Witkowski S. The role of cardiorespiratory fitness on quality of life in midlife women. Menopause. 2021 Jan 11;28(4):431-438. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001719.Godoy-Izquierdo, D., de Teresa C. and Mendoza, N. (2023). Exercise for peri- and postmenopausal women: Recommendations from synergistic alliances of women's medicine and health psychology for the promotion of an active lifestyle. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2024.107924 Grazioli Elisa , Cerulli Claudia ...  Sacchetti Massimo , Parisi Attilio. Dropout and compliance to physical exercise in menopausal osteopenic women: the European “happy bones” project. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, (5), 2023. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1221409McArthur, D., Dumas, A., Woodend, K. et al. Factors influencing adherence to regular exercise in middle-aged women: a qualitative study to inform clinical practice. BMC Women's Health 14, 49 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-14-49McGuire, A., Seib, C., Anderson, D., (2016). Factors predicting barriers to exercise in midlife Australian women. Maturitas, 87, 61-66.Nemoto Y, Brown WJ, Mielke GI. Trajectories of physical activity from mid to older age in women: 21 years of data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2024 Jan 8;21(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s12966-023-01540-z. PMID: 38191462; PMCID: PMC10773129.Nguyen B, Clare P, Mielke GI, Brown WJ, Ding D (2024) Physical activity across midlife and health-related quality of life in Australian women: A target trial emulation using a longitudinal cohort. PLOS Medicine 21(5): e1004384. Sweet, W. (2018). It's personal and it's professional: The meanings women Baby-boomers attribute to their ageing and 'working-out' with a Personal Trainer. New Zealand: University of WaikatoTowards a Healthier, Happier Britain: The Case for Health Coaching. (2024)UK & International Health Coaching AssociationWallbank G, Haynes A, Tiedemann A, Sherrington C, Grunseit AC. Designing physical activity interventions for women aged 50+: a qualitative study of participant perspectives. BMC Public Health. 2022 Oct 4;22(1):1855. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14237-y. Women in Sport Publication (2021). Inspiring women to be active during midlife menopause. [Downloaded from: https://womeninsport.org/]

### Do you feel short of breath now that you are in Menopause?

Does menopause affect your breathing and lung function … especially when you are exercising?
Menopause and Shortness of Breath
My holiday in France last year was a phenomenal test for my cardiovascular fitness. Hubbie thought it was time to work on his ‘bucket-list' and follow the Tour de France for a couple of weeks. Every day we were hiking or biking up to the finish line of the race – many of which were on the top of high mountain passes as you can see in the photo below.

I was pleased that I had been working on my post-menopause fitness, especially my cardio-pulmonary (heart-lung) fitness, before leaving home.

There was a time when I wouldn't have undertaken a holiday that involved biking up mountain passes. My heart rate would be racing and I would be struggling to catch my breath.

Nobody had ever mentioned menopause and the connection to my changing lung health and the need to preserve aerobic capacity as we age. 

Hot flashes, sore joints and muscles, mood swings, night sweats, changes in blood pressure and energy levels as well as weight gain are all menopause symptoms commonly discussed.

But there are many other symptoms that are less commonly recognised. This includes our changing cardio-respiratory health, which includes our lung function.

Numerous women find that their health is changing in their menopause to post-menopause transition - with or without menopause HRT. Which is why it's so important that mid- life women are informed about the lifestyle changes they need to make to set themselves up for their healthy ageing.

If this sounds like you, and your breathing difficulties have arrived now that you are in menopause, then I invite you to read on.


What causes shortness of breath during menopause?
Declining oestrogen levels as women move through menopause may contribute to the loss of elasticity in lung tissue. Essentially, as women move towards post-menopause, the lungs become a bit ‘stiffer’ and this affects lung capacity with increasing age.

This is of some concern, because measurement of lung volumes and capacities is considered a key indicator of physical health in older women.

In fact, up to 200mls of precious lung capacity may be lost as we move towards post-menopause. If you find that you are more breathless when you climb the stairs or do your usual exercise, then this could be why.

These changes can lead to menopause-related shortness of breath, making everyday activities more challenging.

These lung changes in peri-menopause and again in post-menopause can also contribute to your feelings of anxiety.

So, as a timely reminder, I want you to stop what you are doing, and take a few slow deep breaths through your nose.

When you do this, you will be helping your lungs to expand and fill more deeply. If you're in menopause then rest assured, deep breathing is an essential part of your self-care for your health – as oestrogen production declines, menopause is associated with accelerated lung function decline [Triebner, Matulonga, Jahannessen et al., 2016].

A number of studies report that lung function declines more rapidly among women who are transitioning through menopause and into post-menopause – in particular, the most important changes occur to our Forced Vital Capacity [FVC].

This refers to the total amount of air exhaled in one breath. I think many of us have felt this change as we've moved through our menopause transition. I know that I used to feel that I couldn't quite catch my breath when I was swimming or jogging. And it's not only when we are exercising, but also when we are resting. As Diane mentioned,

“I didn't sleep well last night. It seemed as if I struggled to breathe and I could feel my heart racing as well. The Doctor can't find anything wrong and I feel exhausted. I know it's something to do with menopause.” [Diane, United Kingdom].

The email from Diane felt like deja vu. I used to lie in bed and feel that my breathing was more shallow too. Whilst increased stress levels and anxiety can cause our breathing to change when we arrive in menopause, I personally felt that I wasn't able to breathe in deeply enough to fill my lungs. I also felt I had more phlegm building up overnight. Don’t even mention the snoring!

Experiencing breathing difficulties during menopause is not uncommon, and recognizing this can help in managing the symptoms effectively.

Who knew that our lungs are affected by lowering oestrogen too? I certainly didn't.



Many of us never give our lung function a thought as we move through menopause, but for those of you who sit at a desk all day, then it's important for you to be aware of your changing lung capacity. 

For decades I’ve been a regular exerciser and one of the known benefits of regular exercise is that it stimulates our breathing. But when I began to experience more breathlessness in my early 50’s, especially doing all the high intensity exercise that is promoted to us, I began to get more curious about my lung function and the connection to menopause.

One of the very first studies to investigate the effect of menopause on lung function in a large population-based survey was undertaken by researchers with support from the Norwegian Research Council.

It's known as the European Community Respiratory Health Survey and has been going on for a number of years and has only recently followed up with women transitioning through menopause. I'd like to thank them for including nearly 2000 menopausal women and testing them. Because as you can see from the graph above, our lung function declines as we age.

Part of this decline in lung function is also the reason for women feeling that their anxiety levels are changing as they move into peri-menopause too. If we can't get enough oxygen around our body to deliver to cells and tissues, then there is going to be consequences of this - including an elevated heart rate and feelings that we aren't coping.



As such, there are numerous changes that we have to adjust to and one of these is to improve our lung function. One of the strategies that I teach women on my 12 week programs to do, is to (re) learn how to breathe better.

Researchers have discovered that the lungs play a far more complex role in mammalian bodies than previously thought, especially in middle-age females.

It seems that our lovely lungs don't just facilitate respiration – they also play a key role in red blood cell production and platelet function, and the health of your bone marrow . All of these areas contain oestrogen receptors and therefore, are affected by menopause hormonal changes.

As such, we have to purposefully focus on regulating our breathing every day and engaging in activities that stimulate our lung function to try to reduce the rate of decline.
Lung function and capacity reduces as we move into menopause.


But there are other causes for poor lung function in mid-life too - poor posture from sitting or standing, as well as belly-fat that sits under the diaphragm.

Many women work in sedentary jobs, hence lung function may also change when we sit hunched over computers or we are sitting at desks throughout our day. If we also have the dreaded fat-roll under the diaphragm as I used to, then this impacts on our breathing too.

Sitting all day prevents your lungs from performing to their best. When we sit, our back is rounded, and the anterior, or front thoracic cage shortens and becomes a bit squashed. This means that the tiny intercostal muscles in between each rib cage are not able to do their job properly.

These smaller rib-cage muscles lose oestrogen too, so as we transition through menopause, they don't function as well as they used to in expanding our rib cage and lungs with each breath. Over time, this can contribute to loss of lung capacity and cardio-respiratory fitness.

If this is you, then can you focus on standing up every hour, pulling your tummy muscles in tight and lifting your arms above your head and really getting some function in those ageing lungs of yours?


Lung Function and Weight Loss
The role of the lungs and how they contribute to our circulation, tissue oxygenation, energy levels and our weight management is more powerful than previously thought.

When I was trying to lose my menopause belly fat, I began to focus on the physiology that I had taught students for years, and that is that when it comes to tissue oxygenation and fat-loss, our breathing matters.

Fat is ‘burned' in our lovely mitochondrial cells. Having an efficient respiratory system is fundamental to moving oxygen in and out of your mitochondrial cells. Your breathing, stretching and cardio-respiratory fitness is as important as it ever was as you move through menopause.

Improved breathing helps oxygen to move into your mitochondrial cells. These cells store oxygen. Located deep inside your muscles, lungs and heart, mitochondrial cells are the ‘power-house' of your cell because not only is oxygen stored in these cells, but this is the location of energy production from fats and glucose. 

That's why focusing on your breathing also improves fat loss. For women with increased belly fat and diaphragmatic fat, lung expansion can be reduced up to 40%, because of the location of abdominal and diaphragmatic fat accumulation.

When you improve your breathing, then you assist oxygen to move into mitochondrial cells and this means that fat-burning mechanisms are improved too.


Then there are the muscles between your rib cages - these are changing during your menopause transition as well.
We all know that our rib cage protects our lungs, but did you know that between every rib are small muscles, called intercostal muscles? These muscles are also affected by our loss of oestrogen as we age and like other muscles, they lose their elasticity. This makes them less effective, so they need to be stimulated and exercised.

Some of you might even like to do the stretches below. The one over a swiss ball if you attend a gym or have an exercise ball like this at home, is powerful. You can even just do this stretch over a rolled-up towel lying across your upper-back whilst you are on the floor or if you can't get on the floor, lie on your bed over your pillow.

If you are hunched over a desk all day or you are in a job that requires you to hunch over a lot, (e.g. housekeeping or nursing) then your intercostal muscle fibres become lengthened at the back of your rib cage and shortened at the front. Over the course of the day, your lung capacity and function might be impaired.



If you are mainly sedentary in your working week, then it would be great if you made a plan to do some aerobic, steady-state physical activity in the weekends and focus on your breathing.

Breathing better is something that we all need to do more of. Menopause is time to focus on your respiratory health.

If exercise and your cardio-respiratory fitness is a struggle and you want to get your fitness back now that you are in your 50s, but don't know where to start, then when you have time, have a listen to the video below.

It's about the Rebuild My Fitness 12 week online programme, which is also available for you, either alongside the Transform Me or Circuit Breaker programmes if you have symptoms and/or you are overweight, or purchase the exercise programme on it's own.

I would love to share with you my 30 years of knowledge and experience as a REPS NZ Exercise Specialist, as you improve your fitness, strength, balance and flexibility during or after menopause.

You can do it online in the comfort of your home, so no gym visits if you don't want to [although there are programmes you can download to take to the gym as well].

Part-payments for 3 months are available too and don't forget that the Circuit Breaker and Transform Me programmes are available too. Your promo code as a Newsletter member is STARTMYMT which gives you NZ$75 discount.

Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD]/ NZ Registered Exercise Specialist/ Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher/ MyMT™ Founder  Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine


BUY NOW

https://youtu.be/Wn14ePWUYsw

References: 

Betik AC, Hepple RT. Determinants of VO2 max decline with aging: an integrated perspective. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2008 Feb;33(1):130-40. doi: 10.1139/H07-174.

Filler K, Lyon D, Bennett J, McCain N, Elswick R, Lukkahatai N, Saligan LN. Association of Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Fatigue: A Review of the Literature. BBA Clin. 2014 Jun 1;1:12-23. doi: 10.1016/j.bbacli.2014.04.001.

Memoalia J, Anjum B, Singh N, Gupta M. Decline in Pulmonary Function Tests after Menopause. J Menopausal Med. 2018 Apr;24(1):34-40. doi: 10.6118/jmm.2018.24.1.34. Epub 2018 Apr 30.

Sharma, G. & Goodwin, J. (2006). Effect of aging on respiratory system physiology and immunology. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 1(3) 253–260

Triebner, K., Matulonga, B. Johannessen, A. et al., (2016). Menopause is associated with accelerated lung function decline. American J. of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol 195(8), pp. 1058-1065. 
Menopause and Breathing Difficulties: Frequently Asked Questions
Can menopause affect your breathing?

Yes. During menopause, a drop in estrogen can reduce lung elasticity, making the lungs stiffer. This may lead to noticeable changes in breathing, such as shortness of breath during everyday activity or exercise.

Why do I feel more breathless now that I’m in menopause?

Breathlessness can become more noticeable in menopause and as you get older, due to the changing volume of the lungs. One key change is a reduction in Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) — the total amount of air you can exhale in one deep breath. The muscles between the rib cages are also losing some elasticity and this can cause the ribs not to expand as well as they used to. Activities such as climbing stairs or your gym workouts may feel harder than they used to because the shortness of breath will also increase your heart rate response to exercise and your blood pressure response.

Is shortness of breath a common but overlooked symptom of menopause?

Yes, it is. While symptoms such as hot flushes and mood changes are widely discussed as typical symptoms of menopause, breathing changes are less recognised. However, many women report feeling more breathless or experiencing a racing heart, especially during rest or at night. Many also feel increased anxiety levels, and this can also be due to lung and breathing changes in menopause.

Why does breathing feel harder at night during menopause?

Shallow breathing, phlegm buildup, or feelings of tightness in the chest may become more noticeable at night. These changes are not only linked to hormonal shifts, but also to changes to the lung volume, loss of some elasticity in the muscles between the rib cages and changes to the jaw bones and muscles, which may result in sleep apnoea.

What physical and lifestyle factors can make breathing worse during menopause?

Poor posture from sitting for long periods and abdominal weight gain under the diaphragm are two factors that can restrict lung expansion. As muscles change and some elasticity is lost, these factors are common during midlife and can contribute to feelings of breathlessness. Nutrition that doesn’t support lung health as women move through menopause can also cause changes to breathing, especially phlegm production.

Can breathing exercises help during menopause?

Yes. Deep, slow breathing through the nose can support lung expansion and help counteract the natural decline in lung capacity that occurs with age. Breathing well is a simple and effective daily practice to support respiratory health in menopause.

### In Menopause and Waking Up at 4am, 3am or 2am? Learn Why

What do you think about when you are lying awake at 2am, or 3am or 4am? 

Do you plan your day ahead or are you just despairing because night after night you aren't sleeping and you can feel your energy being sucked out of you?

You know that the day ahead is another busy one and your brain will be fuzzy and fatigued. You won't be functioning at your best will you?

If you feel like this, then you aren't alone. I was like that too, so please keep reading.

What you may not realise is that wakefulness, light sleeping and insomnia (not being able to get back to sleep), isn't just linked to your changing reproductive hormones during menopause, but to a number of other factors too.

For women in their menopause and post-menopause years, these factors include:

 	low Vitamin D,
 	low iron,
 	low calcium intake,
 	too much protein and,
 	the stressful life of the modern, busy woman.

But perhaps of more concern, is that the longer you lie awake night after night, the more your hot flushes and/or weight gain and immune health may become worse over time too.

For many women, as I found myself, the HRT kicks in for a while, but not changing our lifestyle to allow our body to adapt to midlife hormonal changes, then sleep problems can stay around.


Why your Sleep is important to conquer during or beyond Menopause
Scientists divide sleep into two major types: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep or dreaming sleep, and non-REM or quiet, healing sleep. Sleep specialists have called non-REM sleep “an idling brain in a movable body.” 

During this phase, thinking and most bodily functions slow down, but movement can still occur, and a person often shifts position while sinking into deeper stages of sleep.

When we go to bed and start to fall asleep, both phases last around 4 hours or more.


Your deep sleep lowers your blood pressure - this is important to reduce night sweats.
After your REM sleep, comes your deeper sleep, or your non-REM sleep. This is characterised by slow brain waves called delta waves. When your brain slows down, your body enters deep sleep.

Breathing becomes more regular and it's an important stage for your blood pressure to fall. The pulse slows to about 20% to 30% below the waking rate.

This stage is also when your brain is less responsive to external stimuli, making it difficult to wake up. But if your blood pressure doesn't fall, then many women may wake up to hot flashes/flushes or night sweats at this time of night - even those of you in your post-menopause years.

That's why, in my sleep module in the MyMT™ programs, I have a focus on how to reduce your blood pressure before bedtime, so you are entering your deep sleep with a lowered blood pressure.

When you do this, you fall into a deeper, restorative sleep more quickly. It's this deep sleep that is really important for us to have during and after menopause, because this is the time that your body heals, and cells and tissues both repair and renew, especially your muscle tissue. 

But there's more to the sleep story during menopause. We need to have deep sleep in order to activate our immune system and reduce fatigue.

Understanding this, is crucial for those of you who are doing heavy exercise. You have to be sleeping well for your muscles to recover. 
Reduce your Fatigue and Improve your Immune Health
Menopause insomnia not only causes your performance to drop, but your muscles and joints may remain sore for longer, hence, you don't recover sufficiently before the next training session.

Just as deep sleep restores your body, scientists also know that REM or dreaming sleep restores your mind, perhaps in part by helping clear out irrelevant information. A very important task for a generation of women with a lot going on in their lives still!

When we get this deep, restorative sleep (between 2-4am), blood flow is directed less toward your brain, which cools measurably. At the beginning of this stage, the pituitary gland releases a pulse of growth hormone that stimulates tissue growth and muscle repair.

But if we are lying awake between 2 and 4am, then this release of growth hormone does not reach the threshold it needs to for healing and repairing our body.

As I mentioned above, this is why I hear from so many women who are avid exercisers and they don't understand that their sore muscles and joints are due to not just low oestrogen, but also not sleeping!


Why you can't lose weight if you aren't sleeping ... neither can you build and repair muscle.
A full night's sleep helps you to build and retain muscle. It is also necessary for weight management too. 

If you aren't sleeping well, then one of the hormones that helps with muscle recovery and repair, called Growth Hormone remains low overnight. But the blood sugar regulation hormone called insulin remains high. So too, does the chronic stress hormone called cortisol.

This powerful combination of high insulin and high cortisol competes with your sleep hormone, called melatonin. It can remain low in the evening, when it should be high, to activate your sleep drive.

Don't forget, that as a woman transitioning menopause, your melatonin levels are already affected by your changing reproductive hormones, especially oestrogen, due to your natural ageing.

The lower that melatonin is before you go to bed and the lower it stays overnight, the more awake you feel.

The more awake you feel, the busier your brain and the more hot flushes you have .... night after night, it happens ... and over time, your brain and your hormones are now reading this as your 'new normal'.

As many of you already know - the result is daily fatigue, exhaustion, irritability and with your insulin levels all mixed up overnight, the weight starts to increase around your belly too.

That's why in the MyMT 'Transform Me' weight loss programme and the MyMT Circuit Breaker symptom-reduction programme, the first module you listen to is simply called 'Sleep All Night'.

Without this precious sleep, your body doesn't burn fat.


The Role of Your Circadian Rhythm during Menopause and Post-Menopause is Important
In mammals, including humans, the body temperature displays a circadian rhythm.

It is maintained within a narrow range to facilitate the optimal functioning of physiological processes. Normally, your body temperature increases during the daytime and decreases during the night. [Coiffard, 2021].

Many factors may therefore, affect your body temperature, including your  environment, ageing, an imbalance of hormones (especially thyroid and adrenal hormones), sickness and/or medical treatments.

Any disruption to your body temperature also affects your immune system. This is why there is a bi-directional relationship between your body temperature and your biological, circadian clock.

It's also why, during menopause, to beat the heat, you have to sleep! 

One of the strategies that women on my programmes discover is the importance of our evolutionary physiology and the role of the Circadian Rhythm on menopause insomnia.

I teach women how to adjust their circadian rhythm to specifically match their changing hormonal levels during menopause, and to help with temperature regulation, blood pressure and weight gain.


Understanding your Circadian Rhythm during and after Menopause
The term 'Circadian' means “about a day”. This means that your circadian rhythms are daily fluctuations in your biology. During and after menopause, these daily rhythms can become unbalanced, as declining reproductive hormones affect your sleep hormones.

When your circadian rhythm is out of balance, insomnia can follow you into your post-menopause years. For millions of women, this contributes to higher blood pressure, poor immune health and weight gain.

This internal clock, which gradually becomes established during the first months of life, controls the daily ups and downs of biological patterns, including body temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones.

Circadian rhythms make people’s desire for sleep strongest between midnight and dawn, and to a lesser extent in mid-afternoon.

But the changing menopause hormones may cause disruption to normal circadian rhythms, so as women transition into or through menopause, then it's really important to restore this biological rhythm and make adjustments to get back to sleeping all night.

If women don't achieve this, then, over time, their brain and body start to read this 2-4am 'awake' period as 'normal'. Weight goes on and blood pressure starts to increase. 

But here's the thing - because hormones in the body all work in harmony with each other, when your reproductive hormones change as you go into menopause, your other hormones start to adjust to re-balance the body. Especially hormones that control your blood pressure, heat regulation, stress levels and moods.

When I began to look into our menopause symptoms as part of my women's healthy ageing studies, I began to understand that our menopause transition is a natural transition that all women go through.

But for millions of women, this stage of their life can result in all sorts of mayhem, and it all starts with not sleeping well.


Join me for your Masterclass on Menopause Webinar
Thousands of women are experiencing the excitement and renewed energy from sleeping all night and getting rid of their hot flushes and night sweats, whether or not they are on hormonal medications. 

And if you need to lose weight, then you must get your sleep sorted.

Menopause is the transition into the next phase of our lives - our ageing. As oestrogen levels naturally decline, there are numerous changes that occur in our body, from our pituitary hormones which control sleep, to our muscles to our blood sugar regulation.

I've pulled all the scientifically-evidenced solutions together in one fabulous programme which not only helped me,  but is now 'life-changing' for other women too.

If you would like to join me on either of my 12 week online programmes then come on board when you can. If you are thinner you might like to look at the 'Circuit-Breaker' programme and if you are overweight, then look at the 'Transform Me' programme.

You can also start with my 2 hr Masterclass on Menopause which is updated and revised and is now in 2 parts. I have a brief video for you below as I explain why you need to watch it!

I would love you to discover how to sleep all night, reduce your symptoms in menopause and get back to feeling like the 'old-you' again.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMpALfl8pUQ

References:

D'Antono B, Bouchard V. Impaired sleep quality is associated with concurrent elevations in inflammatory markers: are post-menopausal women at greater risk? Biol Sex Differ. 2019 Jul 8;10(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s13293-019-0250-x.

Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.

Geddes, L. (2019). Chasing the Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds. London: Profile Books.

Hartmann C, Kempf A. Mitochondrial control of sleep. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2023 Aug;81:102733. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102733. Epub 2023 Jun 28. PMID: 37390796.

Harvard Health Report (2017). Improving Sleep. Harvard Health Publication

Jehan S, Masters-Isarilov A, Salifu I, Zizi F, Jean-Louis G, Pandi-Perumal SR, Gupta R, Brzezinski A, McFarlane SI. Sleep Disorders in Postmenopausal Women. J Sleep Disord Ther. 2015 Aug;4(5):212. Epub 2015 Aug 25. PMID: 26512337; PMCID: PMC4621258.

Patel SR, Malhotra A, White DP, Gottlieb DJ, Hu FB. Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women. Am J Epidemiol. 2006 Nov 15;164(10):947-54.

Reinke H. & Asher G. (2017). Circadian clock control of liver metabolic functions. Gastroenterology, 150: 574–580.

Rizzi, M. et al. (2016). Sleep Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.  Journal of Pain Relief, 5:2, 1-5

Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. Int. Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.

Woods, N. et al. (2009). Cortisol Levels during the Menopausal Transition and Early Postmenopause: Observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16(4): 708–718.

### MyMT™ Education: Is low selenium intake making menopause fatigue worse for your clients?

Apparently, there is no region of the South Island in New Zealand, that has high levels of selenium occurring naturally in soils.

Russia is the same, as is China, Scandinavia and other parts of the world, including some parts of Australia. The low values around the world are related to the nature of the rocks and the degree of soil weathering.

This is why, the trace element, selenium is now added to soils, animal drenching formulas and fertilizers in many countries.

I know this because of the pioneering work of Emeritus Professor Christine Thomson, from the University of Otago. Back in the 1990s, she gave lectures to those of us in her nutrition lectures, about the role of both selenium and iodine in the human diet.

The studies, which have since gained international attention, included the estimation of selenium requirements in the diet, the role of selenium as an antioxidant in the protection against cardiovascular disease, the relationship between low iodine status, thyroid status and thyroid volume, and the relationship between selenium status and thyroid function. (Thomson & Robinson, 1990).

Her research in iodine and the role of iodine on thyroid function, identified a re-emergence of mild iodine deficiency in New Zealand and her work on selenium led to the inclusion of this important micro-nutrient in the dietary guidelines for New Zealanders.
The importance of Selenium
Whilst women don't need a lot of selenium (and high levels can cause toxicity), understanding how women can reduce their fatigue levels during and after menopause as well as reduce brain fog and hot flushes, by being aware of both selenium and iodine in their diet, is an important lifestyle strategy consideration.

If women have a low intake of selenium-rich foods as well as iodine-rich foods, then this may also become problematic for thyroid function.

When thyroid function isn't optimal, then nor are energy levels. 

And daily fatigue, including muscular fatigue, is a problem that hundreds of women who have joined me over the past decade, have encountered.

The longer I've been working with midlife and older women, the more I better understand that during the menopause transition, one gland that really matters is the thyroid gland.

It's function can get out of balance as women transition through menopause, because it works closely with the ovaries and the adrenals via the HPA-Thyroid Axis - a pathway whereby all the hormones communicate with each other.

The thing that many women don't realise, is that the thyroid gland contains the maximum concentration of selenium of all the organs in our body.

Iodine and selenium are important nutrients.

They are required for optimal thyroid function and without both of these micronutrients, energy levels are low, hair falls out, women put on weight, they may develop aching muscles, experience brain fog and feel moody, depressed and ‘hot’.

Sound familiar? 


Selenium and the Immune System
Selenium plays a role in both immune system functioning and energy metabolism. So too, does iodine. Both of these minerals are essential to human health and we must all obtain them from our diet. 

In New Zealand, as in many other countries globally, the food supply contains low levels of both iodine and selenium (Brough, Gunn et al, 2017). This is due to the low content in soils.

Ever since the 1960s when mass production of wheat took off, high yield wheat grains, grown in selenium deficient soils around the world, was a fast track to the changing health of the population. This included thyroid deficiencies, heart disease, cancer, depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. [Nally & Hailes, 2020)

For women transitioning menopause, no matter where they live, the knowledge that scientists have provided about selenium is important to us.

You see, both selenium and iodine are required for optimal thyroid function and the thyroid gland contains the highest concentration of these minerals in the human body.

Many of your clients with thyroid problems may already know that thyroid hormones are required for the control of metabolic processes, growth and development, especially of the brain and central nervous system. 

So, if they are experiencing anxiety, brain fog, mood swings and changing energy levels, then please take note! 
The deficiency of Selenium (and Iodine) can be problematic for women during menopause and post-menopause.
Selenium deficiency has been implicated in cardiovascular disease, muscle diseases such as fibromyalgia, poor recovery from exercise, thyroid problems and cognitive decline. In a recently published study, selenium, along with Vitamin D and C, in high doses, are now recommended for acute and chronic Covid recovery. (Bae and Kim, 2021).

Because Selenium carries out various functions in normal health and energy metabolism, absorption is also important.

When this super trace-mineral is eaten in certain foods, it is absorbed into the body by specific Selenium-related transporters in the small intestine. Then it's taken to the liver.

After uptake in the liver, selenium may enter the methionine pool. This refers to a long-term storage pool for Selenium.
Methionine is one of nine essential amino acids (proteins) that humans must derive from food and is the initiating amino acid for protein synthesis (formation).
Those of your clients who are exercising regularly and working out, need to know that selenium is an important trace mineral for muscle recovery.


Selenium and Women's Health: Are Women Getting Enough Without Bread and Meat?
In 2017, here in New Zealand, a group of nutrition researchers at Massey University investigated the iodine and selenium intakes in healthy, women aged 50–70 years (n = 97) from three cities in the North Island.

Bread is the majority grain consumed in New Zealand and since the 1960s, when wheat seeds changed towards higher yields, bread consumption, as well as the refined bread consumption, has increased dramatically. With the addition of iodine to bread, iodine levels have stabilised.

The same can’t be said for selenium. 

In this study of post-menopausal women, blood levels of selenium were low in over 50% of them.

At one time, Finland had the lowest intake of selenium in the western world, but they fortified their fertilizers with selenium (as other countries such as NZ has done), and have since changed the equation.

But as women turn away from bread and meat, where are they getting our selenium from?


The Power of Brazil Nuts: A Natural Boost for Women's Health
Brazil nuts (and kidney), became the mainstay sources of selenium in many countries that had low soil content of selenium.

Selenium helps energy, mood, reduces hot flushes and allows the thyroid to do it’s job of regulating temperature, weight and energy levels.
Only 3-4 Brazil nuts are needed daily.
The reason for the high content of selenium in Brazil nuts is that the proteins are high in sulfur-containing amino acids, and seleno-methionine. [ Fairweather-Tait et al., 2010].

I often wonder therefore, if women are getting checked for their iodine and selenium levels or if they are just having their symptoms viewed through the lens of ‘ovarian  problems in menopause’ and get placed on hormonal medications and anti-depressants instead? It’s an interesting thought.



Understanding lifestyle solutions for menopause symptoms is what my certified Practitioner programmes focus on. One of the stances that I take in the MyMT™ Education Courses  is to position the menopause transition in evidenced ageing science.

Afterall, menopause is the gateway to the next phase of a woman's life, just as puberty was the gateway to our reproductive years.

I often remind you that menopause is the 'bookend to puberty' and as such, there are changes going on around the body, not just in the ovaries, as women get older.

As such, adjusting aspects of our lifestyle to accommodate these changes, is an important strategy for all women navigating menopause.

That's why I'm passionate about bringing scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions to your menopause symptom toolbox for your clients - this includes understanding that we must focus on increasing our intake of certain vitamins and minerals, as well as sorting out any problems with gut and liver health, because how we absorb these nutrients is crucial.

Emerging science suggests that adequate selenium status may play a role in healthy ageing. So, let's take care of that through adding a couple of Brazil nuts to our daily diet.

It's a pretty simple solution isn't it?

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References: 

Alehagen U., Opstad TB., Alexander J., Larsson A. & Aaseth J. (2021). Impact of Selenium on Biomarkers and Clinical Aspects Related to Ageing. A Review. Biomolecules. 2021 Oct 7;11(10):1478. doi: 10.3390/biom11101478. PMID: 34680111; PMCID: PMC8533247.

Bae, M., & Kim, H. (2020). Mini-Review on the Roles of Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Selenium in the Immune System against COVID-19. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 25(22), 5346. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25225346

Brough, L., Gunn, C. A., Weber, J. L., Coad, J., Jin, Y., Thomson, J. S., Mauze, M., & Kruger, M. C. (2017). Iodine and Selenium Intakes of Postmenopausal Women in New Zealand. Nutrients, 9(3), 254. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9030254

Fairweather-Tait SJ, Collings R, Hurst R. (2010). Selenium bioavailability: current knowledge and future research requirements. Am J Clin Nutr. 91(5):1484S-1491S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.28674

Nally, A. & Hailes, L. (2020). Just cause and effect: Selenium deficiency in New Zealand. Write Answers Ltd Publ.: New Zealand.

Shreenath AP, Ameer MA, Dooley J. (2021). Selenium Deficiency. [Updated 2021 Dec 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-.

Thomson CD, Robinson MF. Selenium content of foods consumed in Otago, New Zealand. N Z Med J. 1990 Mar 28;103(886):130-5. PMID: 2320341.

Triggiani V, Tafaro E, Giagulli VA, Sabbà C, Resta F, Licchelli B, Guastamacchia E. Role of iodine, selenium and other micronutrients in thyroid function and disorders. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2009 Sep;9(3):277-94. doi: 10.2174/187153009789044392.

Ventura, M., Melo, M., & Carrilho, F. (2017). Selenium and Thyroid Disease: From Pathophysiology to Treatment. International journal of endocrinology, 2017, 1297658. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1297658

### Lowering Blood Pressure in Menopause with Potassium-Rich Foods

I know myself that confusion abounds about ‘what to eat’ to manage menopause symptoms and despite lecturing in nutrition for years at university level, I used to feel that confusion too!

But with the menopause transition known to bring inflammatory changes to our blood vessels, it made sense to explore the nutritional and heart-health science in relation to women’s health and ageing.
What foods help lower blood pressure during menopause?
This research led me towards a better understanding of the traditional diet consumed by older women living in Okinawa (a southern island in Japan).

Their way of eating is anchored in root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants.

Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes and spices, tea, and alcohol are also moderately consumed.

Many characteristics of the traditional Okinawan diet are shared with other healthy dietary patterns, especially that of the traditional Mediterranean diet – a diet known for its benefits to women’s cardiovascular and metabolic health and improved health as they age. [Willcox et al, 2014].

That’s why I want to encourage you to turn your attention to the heart-healthy and blood pressure-reducing benefits of root vegetables and other foods that are rich in potassium.

There is so much emphasis on calcium for bone health as we move through menopause and into the next phase of our lives. And whilst bone health deserves our attention, the other fundamental aspect of our health is to also improve cardiac health and manage the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).

Hypertension is known to be influenced by lifestyle factors, including insomnia, low levels of exercise, overweight status and a diet high in processed foods, which are also high in sodium. [Tasic et al, 2022]

This is where foods that are higher in potassium come in, and it’s why I always have both sweet potatoes and raisins in my pantry.


Potassium-rich foods menopause
Are Raisins Healthy?

There’s a common perception that raisins are unhealthy – that’s because they are around 60% sugar, predominantly fructose and glucose. However, relatively new research suggests that they are a lot healthier than we think (Olmo-Cunillera, Escobar-Avello et al., 2019).

I used to feel guilty about eating raisins, but now my post-exercise urge to grab a handful of raisins makes sense.

After a bout of heavier exercise, I craved their sweetness. Most importantly, though, after exercise, an elevated blood pressure needs foods such as raisins, which are high in potassium, to assist post-exercise recovery.

Whilst backpackers and hikers appreciate the high-energy, low-fat convenience of dried fruits such as raisins, I bet that you may not be very focused on having ½ cup of raisins as you move through menopause.

But a new review of the power of raisins to keep us healthy as we age suggests that you should pack them into your lunchbox too.

“It has been demonstrated that raisins possess a low-to-moderate glycemic index, which makes them a healthy snack. They seem to contribute to a better diet quality and may reduce appetite.

Their antioxidant capacity has been correlated to the phenolic content, and this may be involved in the improvement of cardiovascular health. In addition, raisins maintain good oral health due to their antibacterial activity, low adherence to teeth and an optimum oral pH.

Raisin consumption also seems to be favourable for colon function. Moreover, gut microbiota could be affected by the prebiotic content of raisins.” [Olmo-Cunillera, Escobar-Avello et al., 2019].

If you have high blood pressure and you are moving through menopause, then raisins (organic, preferably) and sweet potatoes are two important foods to include in your diet. Both foods are potassium-rich.


Potassium-Rich Foods and Blood Pressure in Menopause
Potassium is a powerful mineral which packs a punch when it comes to lowering blood pressure as women age.
If you are sulphite-sensitive, however, then just stay clear of the golden seedless raisins however, because during processing, golden raisins (sultanas) are exposed to sulphite (Sulphur dioxide), which prevents them from unwanted bacteria and yeasts.

If you’ve listened to my Masterclass on Menopause, then I explain that cardiac health is the number one health concern of women as they move through menopause into post-menopause.

Yet, as I’ve often mentioned to the Practitioners who come into my certified education courses, the conversations about this from a lifestyle perspective seem to be missing.

Adding potassium-rich foods into your diet to help prevent hypertension is just one focus that I have in the MyMT™ Food Guide in both my online programmes, too. Health Practitioner, Wendy Gordon from Melbourne, has not only completed one of these programmes, but she has also gone on to undertake the Practitioner training too.


Lowering blood pressure in menopause with Potassium-Rich Foods
Potassium is a shortfall nutrient that is not typically found in fortified foods or commonly consumed as dietary supplements. It doesn’t get a lot of mention in dietary conversations for our menopause transition, but it should.

However, a word of caution that if you are on antihypertensives or other cardiac medications, then please check with your Doctor about the amount of potassium-rich foods that are recommended for you.

Potassium is present in all body tissues and is required for normal cell function. This is due to its role in maintaining intracellular fluid volume and the movement of ions across the membranes.

It has a strong relationship with sodium, the main regulator of extracellular fluid volume, including our plasma volume.

If you have been feeling bloated and ‘heavy’ and you are retaining water, then keep an eye on your potassium intake as the levels of progesterone decline during menopause. Declining levels of the hormone progesterone impact fluid balance.

When women eat more foods (including raisins and sweet potatoes), that are higher in potassium, then this allows the kidneys to excrete more sodium in the urine. This is what helps to lower your blood pressure and reduces your risk for heart disease.

With many processed foods containing too much salt, balancing potassium and sodium is fundamental to our health as we age in order to help maintain a healthy blood pressure.

Just ¼ cup of raisins contains 270 milligrams of potassium.
Women need around 2,400 milligrams of potassium daily, so having foods that you can snack on is one way to ensure that potassium intake remains high, especially when you are busy.


Other Potassium-Rich Foods:
Sweet potatoes contain about 475 milligrams of potassium per 1/2 cup, and adding a banana to morning oats is another way to get potassium as is increasing citrus fruit intake. [Duarte, Fernandes et al, 2016].

Evidence from trials on blood pressure suggests 3600–3800 mg/day of potassium from fruits and vegetables may be reasonable for heart and bone health.

This is still 1000 mg higher than the current average consumption of potassium in the modern Western diet.

Improving the potassium: sodium intake ratio has a stronger advantage to heart health than either dietary constituent in isolation. For women in menopause, research suggests that this may be true for bone health also, because both sodium and potassium have opposing actions on calcium excretion. (Weaver, 2013).

But there’s also more to foods such as raisins as a heart-healthy snack.

Raisins are also high in fibre and contain non-haem iron. This is the type of iron that isn’t in red meat, so if you are moving towards a plant-based diet during menopause, then raisins are a great source of iron.

Iron is essential for the creation of haemoglobin in red blood cells, helping in the transport of oxygen. If you are in peri-menopause and still menstruating, and/or you are doing higher intensity exercise, then please get your iron levels checked. As I say to my clients, “Any heart palpitations and/ or increased anxiety, may be due to low iron, especially if women are vegetarian.”


Lifestyle changes for lowering blood pressure in menopause
I know myself how we can get so caught up with all the various dieting and exercise regimes these days, but many of these are not evidenced against our changing heart and metabolic health as we move through our menopause years.

Focusing on cardiac health is crucial, especially for those of you with stressful lives or if you aren’t sleeping. Not sleeping increases the brain, heart, and liver's need for glucose. Hence, the importance of resolving sleep and finding foods which help to reduce blood pressure.

Insomnia is well known to increase the risk of hypertension. This happens because the blood pressure stays elevated, without following the dip that it should take when women are asleep. [Jarrin, Alvaro et al., 2018].

Incorporating foods into our diet that help the body to ‘age-well’ is an important focus for all midlife and older women.

If you need support with knowing the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of how to adjust your lifestyle during and after menopause, then don’t forget that you can also join me on my 12-week programmes if you can.

Transform Me focuses on weight loss, and Circuit Breaker is targeted towards thinner, leaner women.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder: My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.



References:

Anderson, J., Weiter, K., Christian, A., Ritchey, M. & Harold E. Bays (2014). Raisins compared with other snack effects on glycemia and blood pressure: A randomized, controlled trial. Postgraduate Medicine, 126:1, 37-43, DOI: 10.3810/pgm.2014.01.2723

Duarte, A., Fernandes, J., Bernardes, J. & Miguel, G. (2016). Citrus as a component of the Mediterranean Diet. Journal of Spatial and Organizational Dynamics, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 4(4), 289-304.

Jarrin D., Alvaro P., Bouchard M., Jarrin S., Drake C., Morin C. (2018). Insomnia and hypertension: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. Oct;41:3-38.

Knez E, Kadac-Czapska K, Dmochowska-Ślęzak K, Grembecka M. Root Vegetables-Composition, Health Effects, and Contaminants. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Nov 23;19(23):15531. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192315531.

Olmo-Cunillera, A., Escobar-Avello, D., Pérez, A. J., Marhuenda-Muñoz, M., Lamuela-Raventós, R. M., & Vallverdú-Queralt, A. (2019). Is Eating Raisins Healthy?. Nutrients, 12(1), 54 https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010054

Okuda N., Okayama A., Miura K., Yoshita K., Miyagawa N., Saitoh S., Nakagawa H., Sakata K., Chan Q., Elliott P., Ueshima H., Stamler J. Food Sources of Dietary Potassium in the Adult Japanese Population: The International Study of Macro-/Micronutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP). Nutrients. 2020 Mar 17;12(3):787.

Palagini L., Bruno R., Gemignani A., Baglioni C., Ghiadoni L., & Riemann D. (2013). Sleep loss and hypertension: a systematic review. Curr Pharm Des. 19(13):2409-19.

Saleh, J. (2021). Women's heart health is not just about hormones. Nature, Vol 594, 10th June, 2021

Weaver C. M. (2013). Potassium and health. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 4(3), 368S–77S. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.112.003533

Willcox DC, Scapagnini G, Willcox BJ. Healthy aging diets other than the Mediterranean: a focus on the Okinawan diet. Mech Ageing Dev. 2014 Mar-Apr;136-137:148-62.

Williamson G., & Carughi A. (2010). Polyphenol content and health benefits of raisins. Nutr Res. 30(8):511-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2010.07.005. PMID: 20851304.
Menopause and Blood Pressure FAQ
Can menopause lead to high blood pressure?

Menopause can lead to high blood pressure due to changes in the elasticity of the blood vessels as oestrogen levels decline. This leads to inflammatory changes in the blood vessels during the hormonal transition. Additional risk factors include insomnia, reduced physical activity or conversely, high levels of heavy physical exercise, stress, and diets high in sodium.

What are natural ways to lower blood pressure in menopause?

There are numerous ways to lower your blood pressure, but one natural approach is to focus on a diet that includes potassium-rich plant foods. These foods support cardiovascular health and can help reduce blood pressure levels without medication.

Which potassium-rich foods may be beneficial during menopause?

Beneficial potassium-rich foods include:

 	Sweet potatoes
 	Raisins (preferably organic)
 	Bananas
 	Green and yellow vegetables
 	Legumes

These foods are evidenced in healthier blood pressure and improved heart health in midlife women.

Are raisins good for blood pressure in menopausal women?

Raisins are a potassium-rich food that also provide antioxidants. Despite being naturally high in sugar, they have a moderate glycemic index and may support cardiovascular function and recovery after exercise.

Why is potassium important for women going through menopause?

Potassium is a key mineral for supporting blood pressure regulation and heart health. It is not commonly found in fortified foods or supplements, so getting it from whole foods becomes especially important during and after menopause. A diet higher in processed foods also increases sodium levels, so potassium helps to balance up the sodium: potassium ratio in the body.

### MyMT™ Education: The life-long impact of coffee and tea consumption on cardiac health in mid-life.

When did you have your first cup of filtered coffee? Do you remember? I do.It was in the early 1980's. Someone had purchased a flash new coffee filter machine for the ICU staff room. Thinking back, maybe it was our wonderful new American Charge Nurse. She got most of us young nurses up to speed with 'things that really mattered in life' - like good quality coffee ... the filtered kind.Night duty was when I remember enjoying it the most. Sipping on a coffee whilst looking after patients, the cup used to be plonked on top of the ventilator. I know that wouldn't happen now.Coffee and tea consumption has been a part of my life for decades. Are you or your clients the same?I enjoyed a cup in the morning when the kids were young. It's appeared in my sports science and nutrition lectures (it's a recognised ergogenic aid for performance), it's appeared in my weight loss lectures for Personal Trainers (it's a recognised fat-mobiliser) and when the cafe-culture arrived just down the hill from the famous Les Mills World of Fitness where I worked at the time, a good quality coffee took the edge off the stress of work.These days talking about coffee also appears in the My Menopause Transformation programme information because, simply put, stopping to have a coffee or tea throughout our day, helps us to cope with all that life throws at us. Just try not to have the sugar.Not only do busy women find that a cup of tea or coffee helps to relax them, but research suggests that the anti-oxidants are healthy for us and for post-menopausal women with breast cancer risk then a good quality coffee is known to be inversely associated with breast cancer risk and in women carrying a BRCA1 mutation. [Nehlig et al, 2021).Many women are told to reduce their caffeine intake during their menopause transition, and yes, this may be helpful to help reduce anxiety, sleep and hot flushes, because caffeine is known to attach to adenosine receptors in the brain, but for women who have higher tolerance for caffeine, then having 1-2 cups of tea or coffee is fine. In fact, it could help allay their fatigue due to the higher levels of antioxidants.Coffee provides a high content of chlorogenic acids and caffeine, as well as a significant content of nicotinic acid, trigonelline, tocopherols, cafestol, kahweol, and heterocyclic compounds – all known to have antioxidant benefits. [Komes & Busic, 2014].		
																														
		For too long, women in mid-life who are turning to dietary and exercise advice are told to 'give-up' coffee and tea. I would argue that these people doing the recommendation don't know the healthy ageing research or sports science research about the role of caffeine.With research exploring LIFE-LONG coffee and tea consumption on men and women's cardiac health as they age, post-menopausal women especially, won't get the advice from me to refrain from coffee and tea either.But there is one rule for my own clients, and that is not to have caffeine after 2pm. Caffeine attaches to adenosine receptors and has been researched in sleep studies to stay in our system for 6 hours. Hence, additional caffeine may keep your clients awake.With collaboration between researchers at John Hopkins University and the National Institute of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, I now know that the limit on caffeine consumption (mainly from coffee) is 3 cups a day. IS A SMALL INTAKE OF COFFEE CARDIO-PROTECTIVE?Women in post-menopause are the highest demographic to develop heart disease as they age in many western countries globally.  So thank you to the researchers who explored how coffee and tea consumption in the early adult lifespan affects the function of the heart in middle age.The study is called the CARDIA study which stands for Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults.This research has been going on for decades but what interested me was that the researchers explored total caffeine intake (tea and coffee consumption) when participants were around 25 years old in 1985/86 - about the same time that I began to enjoy having coffee (I was already a tea drinker from about my late teens).The participants were followed up at the 7 year and 20 year mark and most importantly, 58% of them were women. The findings were: Drinking 3-4 cups of coffee is associated with improved left ventricular (LV) function in mid-life. It was noted that this study was undertaken in America and therefore, the cups are around 2 times larger than in Europe.Drinking over 4 cups of coffee daily is associated with worsening LV function in mid-life.Drinking tea is not a problem (especially green tea).Coffee contains biologically active substances such as flavonoids (antioxidant compounds that help to reduce inflammation), diterpenes (cholesterol raising substances) and melanoidins (naturally occurring carbohydrates and proteins found in coffee beans) and it is the combination of these substances that increase nitric oxide production.I've written about how important nitric oxide is for women as they age to help dilate blood vessels, which become 'stiffer' as oestrogen levels continue to decline. The odd cup of coffee helps to reduce this arterial stiffness. [Zotti et al., 2023]Whilst short-term increases in blood pressure may occur following caffeine intake, the researchers also found that this was not translated into long term risk for hypertension (high blood pressure). [Nwabuo et al., 2020]. 		
																														
		Menopause, Ageing, and Lifestyle: A Science-Backed Approach to Midlife HealthMenopause is the gateway to our biological ageing, hence, positioning this time of life in ageing studies is important. It's what I talk about with you in the MyMT™ Practitioner Course, and the next intake is in May. You must pre-register for this course first. Numerous symptoms occur in midlife women, because of the life-time exposure to various stressors, including emotional stress and oxidative stress from doing too much exercise, or becoming overweight. And yes, for some women, too much reliance on caffeine in order to 'cope'. But as I mention in all of my courses, we mustn't place 'all' midlife women in the same basket as to why their symptoms occur and this is what I help you to untangle in the courses. Using scientific lifestyle research that's been undertaken on mid-life women (not men or younger people), was important for me to navigate my own menopause symptoms and weight.So, too was looking at menopause through the lens of ageing and through the lens of the life-course. It's also why sharing this research about coffee and tea consumption was important to me. Because I know how much many women, just like to sit down in a nice little cafe and have someone bring us a cuppa instead of having to make it ourselves. That's exactly what I'm doing in the image below. I hope one day you can join me in the MyMT™ community on either of my CPD certification courses. What you will learn to help your clients to reduce their symptoms using the lifestyle applications I have researched might just astound you. "Gosh, what a wonderful course. I absolutely loved it. As a GP working in the field of menopause I learnt so much. I’m currently working 1 day a week focusing perimenopause and menopause and mid life women’s health and am hoping this will develop into another day per week. I have found Wendy’s course so informative and use the knowledge from Wendy’s course every day with my patients." [Dr Julie M., South Australia]Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																														
		References: Harpaz E, Tamir S, Weinstein A, Weinstein Y. The effect of caffeine on energy balance. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2017 Jan 1;28(1):1-10. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2016-0090. PMID: 27824614.Mendoza MF, Sulague RM, Posas-Mendoza T, Lavie CJ. Impact of Coffee Consumption on Cardiovascular Health. Ochsner J. 2023 Summer;23(2):152-158. doi: 10.31486/toj.22.0073. PMID: 37323518;Nehlig A, Reix N, Arbogast P, Mathelin C. Coffee consumption and breast cancer risk: a narrative review in the general population and in different subtypes of breast cancer. Eur J Nutr. 2021 Apr;60(3):1197-1235. doi: 10.1007/s00394-020-02465-0. Epub 2021 Jan 13.Nwabuo, C., Betoko, A., Reis, J., Moreira, H .... Lima, J. (2020). Coffee and tea consumption in the early adult lifespan and left ventricular function in middle age: the CARDIA study. ESC Heart Failure, Wiley Online Library.O'Callaghan F, Muurlink O, Reid N. Effects of caffeine on sleep quality and daytime functioning. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2018 Dec 7;11:263-271. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S156404. PMID: 30573997Zotti, Francesca; Marozzi, Marialuisa Sveva; Vacca, Antonio; Rignani, Federica; Gramegna, Davide; Amodio, Gianfranco; Santoro, Giuseppe; Benedittis, Lorenzo De1; Schirosi, Gabriella; Brosolo, Gabriele; Catena, Cristiana; Cicco, Sebastiano; Sechi, Leonardo A.; Nazzaro, Pietro. COFFEE CONSUMPTION RELATES TO A REDUCTION OF AORTIC STIFFNESS BUT NOT ON MICROCIRCULATION IN WELL-CONTROLLED HYPERTENSIVES. Journal of Hypertension 41, (Suppl 3):p e273, June 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000941828.28614.42

### How to EAT in tune with the luteal and follicular phase of your menstrual cycle in peri-menopause.

I remember 1987. In my late 20's, my days were full of training for the emerging triathlon scene which was part of the changing physical landscape for women, along with the emergence of Jazzercise in the fitness industry.
 Working as a former nurse, I can't believe all the training I did back then on top of my nursing shifts - I had so much energy back then!  1987 was the year that I completed the New Zealand Ironman competition.
I took a few days off work and as you did back then, put my very basic 12-speed bike, running shoes and togs in my little car and drove nearly the length of New Zealand from Dunedin to Auckland. I couldn’t afford the air-fare.
Back in those days, I had no idea how to eat or train for my hormonal cycle - it wasn't talked about. 
In fact, I didn’t know much about my menstrual cycle at all. Nobody talked about this aspect of women's hormonal health.
There was no sport science, no sports nutrition and definitely no discussion about the type of training and nutrition to better suit the ebb and flow of our menstrual cycle.
The research linking hormonal health with exercise training didn't exist until a few years ago, and certainly not to the perimenopause to menopause transition. But it's great that it has emerged, because as we are the first generation of women to enter menopause in the context of being so active, we need to now apply this research to this age and stage of life.

Understanding Perimenopause
Perimenopause is an interesting stage of life for women who are regular exercisers and it differs from menopause.

Perimenopause is the time leading towards menopause when periods begin to change. This stage of life is as different from post-menopause as is chalk from cheese. 

Too often women are thrown into the same 'one-size-fits-all' basket at this life-stage. But they shouldn't be, because during peri-menopause, food and exercise needs differ as oestrogen and progesterone production is only beginning to decline. In healthy women, the ovaries are still producing oestrogen, but levels are beginning to decline.

As such, the levels of declining oestrogen also affects other organs and tissues around the body, including muscles.
 Perimenopause refers to the years leading up to actual menopause, which is the point in time when permanent cessation of your menstruation occurs. 
Globally, the average age that you enter menopause is around 51-52 years old, unless of course, you have gone into surgical menopause after a hysterectomy or after other medical interventions.

Natural peri-menopause begins around your mid-40's. But as you learn in my online Masterclass on Menopause, this can change according to when you began puberty or due to the age you were when you had children.

Peri-menopause is usually the time when symptoms such as hot flushes/ flashes, insomnia, dry or less elastic skin, weight gain, irregular bleeding, sore joints, anxiety, dizziness and/or feelings of depression and lethargy begin.

It's tough for many women and I had many of these symptoms too - which I found confusing and frustrating.

At the time, what I didn't realise, was that my body was ageing and in my mid-late 40's, I wasn't actually in menopause, but perimenopause.

As you move through perimenopause, you enter menopause.

This is the stage when your periods end. You are generally in menopause for a year without periods, and then you enter post-menopause, where you remain for the rest of your life.

Perimenopause is the time when your hormones are fluctuating, not only within the ovaries but within your bloodstream and in other cells and tissues, including in muscles.



When your periods have stopped for a year or more, you have now transitioned into post-menopause. During these years, your oestrogen, progesterone and your pituitary hormone production has reached its lowest levels.

Your reproductive years are over.

But symptoms can persist in women who are in their post-menopause years, especially if lifestyle adaptations aren't made to support the change in hormones.

“Regardless of popular belief, the decrease of oestrogen hormones is not the sole cause of menstrual cessation; rather, many hormones fluctuate to cause this reproductive transition or “climacteric.” (Dillaway, 2004).

For about 8-10 years, you can experience fluctuations in numerous hormones around the body. For women who experience numerous symptoms, this transition may be complex, hence, how women look after themselves during and after this transition matters to health as they age.


Understanding your Menstrual Cycle
Our female physiology is complex … and it’s riddled with fluctuations in sex hormones from one month to the next, especially in the perimenopause transition.

Even as we go into peri-menopause our pituitary hormones are still trying to get the ovaries to produce oestrogen, however, there is a dwindling pool of follicles (clusters of cells that produce ova and hormones) due to our ovarian ageing.

Some of you will have lighter periods, but some of you may have heavier periods. And it’s all to do with how quickly your levels of oestrogen and progesterone decline, unless you have had a hysterectomy.

Your menstrual cycle is typically divided into 3 phases:

 	Your period is called ‘menses’ and occurs from Days 1-5 of your cycle.
 	The follicular or regenerative phase follows and thickening of your endometrial lining in your uterus occurs. This is mainly achieved under the direction of your pituitary reproductive hormones, FSH and LH (follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone).
 	The last phase of the monthly cycle before your period starts again is the luteal or pregestational phase. The corpus luteum is readying itself to support a fetus and the endometrium is thickening. Some of you with endometriosis may experience more bloating and pain at this time of the month. This is when you may feel bloated and experience cravings for sugar and simple carbs, such as bread and baked products. The reason for these cravings, is that this phase is dominated by progesterone, so oestrogen is lower.

The luteal phase of your monthly cycle, when progesterone is in control, is when you may feel more emotional, bloated, lethargic and yes, you might crave certain sweet, simple foods, especially if you are exercising a lot and not managing your post-exercise blood sugar levels.

Even when you are transitioning through peri-menopause, you can still experience these mood swings, bloating and cravings, as your pituitary hormones continue to manage the monthly hormonal messages.


What to Eat During Perimenopause (Luteal + Follicular Phases)
How do you eat for your fluctuating hormones in peri-menopause?

Fortunately there is a lot more research around this area these days, and if you have a teenage daughter involved in lots of sports then plug her into the work of Exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, Dr Stacey Sims from the University of Waikato’s Dept of Health, Sport & Human Performance (where my doctorate is from too). Stacey researches female athletes and hormonal cycles.

In the context of the 'other-end’ of our life cycle – perimenopause, I want to share these main points from a nutritional perspective.

 	Phase 1: (Your period - Menstruation) - Both oestrogen and progesterone are low in this phase, but if your periods are heavy, then eat foods high in folate, Vitamin B12, B6 and iron. Whilst we need lots of deep-green vegies in this phase, some of you might like to have more red meat in this phase, unless you are vegetarian.  Whilst I don't have a lot of meat-meals in the MyMT™ programmes, especially for women in post-menopause when they aren't menstruating any more, for some thinner/ leaner women or those of you who are exercising, up to two meat meals a week is warranted in this phase (NZHF, 2020).

If you aren't a meat-eater, then get healthy Omega 3 fats into you via avocado, salmon, olive oil & nuts. Ensure you also stay well hydrated.



 	Phase 2: The follicular phase towards ovulation is when oestrogen dominates the hormonal environment. You may feel puffy, heavy and put on weight.

When oestrogen dominates, you may feel less bloated if you reduce your animal foods, including eggs, dairy products, chicken and soy-based foods. These foods contain natural oestrogen compounds. I talk a lot about these foods in the MyMT™ Transform Me programme because if you are putting on weight during menopause, then your fat cells can store this additional oestrogen. Fat cells also make their own form of oestrogen too. So, for women who are overweight or obese, if you eat a lot of high-oestrogen foods, your ageing liver is also working harder to clear the excess oestrogen, and saturated fats and cholesterol. As such, add more salads and lighter plant-based meals, or soups, that don’t make you feel bloated.

 	Phase 3: The luteal phase is when progesterone dominates your hormonal environment. For many of you, this can be the craziest phase and it's why millions of women both young and older, experience symptoms related to PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome), which typically includes mood swings and low blood sugar.  This is why an often-reported symptom of this phase are food cravings, especially sugar cravings.



For women in peri-menopause however, when hormones throughout the body are fluctuating, this phase might also include feelings of depression, anxiety, melancholy or increasing hot flushes.

In this phase, balancing up your oestrogen and progesterone levels are important.

So, try adding more plant-based protein to your diet, such as yams, soy-based products, including edamame beans. If you aren't overweight, then you might like to add small amounts of protein from low-fat milk or eggs.

The goal is to balance up higher amounts of progesterone with oestrogen-rich foods.

Adding zinc-rich foods such as fish and salmon is also well documented in your mid-luteal phase (and important for your immune health). Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc, with a 100-gram serving providing about 10.3 milligrams. Zinc is essential for various bodily functions, including immune system support.


Why is it important to drink water during the luteal phase (before your period)?
When progesterone is high, this breaks down muscle more readily, so if you are an exerciser, then include healthy vegetable carbohydrates (sweet potato or brown rice) because carbohydrates work with protein to help maintain muscle.

Research supports that this phase is when you are most likely to crave sugar, so get healthy vegie snacks ready, instead of unhealthy sugary drinks or sweets. This includes sports drinks, which are often high in sugar. Apples are a great snack for you as are carrot sticks and celery dipped in hummus.  Pumpkin Seeds are also high in zinc.

Perhaps the most important factor in the luteal phase however, (before your period), is to focus on hydration. 

Plasma is the watery part of your blood. When hormones, especially progesterone, are high in the luteal phase, plasma volume drops by approximately 8%, meaning that less is available for blood circulation, sweating and maintaining your blood pressure.

This is why the most important factor in the luteal phase (before your period) is to focus on hydration.

When I've visited Switzerland over the past few years, I love the water that flows in the troughs which is glacial-fed and high in calcium and magnesium.

Both these minerals are crucial to help reduce anxiety and improve your heart, muscle and bone health.

As you move through menopause and into post-menopause, hormone fluctuations as part of your cycle should become less intense, but only when you also adapt your lifestyle to better suit these changes. This is why I designed the 12 week MyMT™ programmes for you.

When you are ready, I hope you can join me too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)


References:
Dillaway, H. (2006). When does menopause occur and how long does it last? Wrestling with age and time-based conceptualizations of reproductive aging. NWSA Journal, 18(1), Spring, 1-31.

Gorczyca, A., Sjaard, L. et al. (2015). Changes in macronutrient, micronutrient, and food group intakes throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy, premenopausal women. Eur. Journal of Nutrition, Published Online 5th June, 2015: Springer.

New Zealand Heart Foundation (October, 2020). Meat and poultry: New guidelines for cardiac health. Wellington: NZHF

Sims, S. (2017). ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology. Amazon Publ.
What to Eat During Perimenopause (Luteal + Follicular Phases) FAQ
What should women eat during perimenopause to support hormonal balance?

If your menstrual cycle is changing and you are experiencing heavy periods, then to help support hormonal changes during perimenopause, focus on:

 	Folate-rich foods, such as spinach, kale and other green vegetables.
 	Iron is important, so if you aren’t vegetarian, then have 2 red meat meals per week.
 	Oranges, kiwifruit, apples and purple berries give you Vitamin C and are anti-inflammatory – an important point for those of you experiencing endometriosis.
 	Low glycemic index carbohydrates will aid your energy levels and provide magnesium – oats, brown rice, quinoa and other low gluten grains.

What to eat during the follicular phase in perimenopause?

In the follicular phase, when oestrogen dominates, reduce foods that contain natural oestrogens, especially if you are overweight or obese. Fat cells produce their own type of oestrogen, so this is when you should reduce your intake of eggs, dairy products, chicken and soy-based foods. All these foods contain naturally occurring oestrogens.

When you eat a lot of high-oestrogen foods, your liver is also working harder to clear the excess oestrogen, saturated fats and cholesterol. Don’t forget that your liver is changing during your menopause transition as it is ageing.

So, add more salads, and lighter plant-based meals and soups, that don’t make you feel bloated.

What to eat during the luteal phase in perimenopause?

In the luteal phase, when progesterone dominates your hormonal environment, try adding more plant-based protein to your diet, such as yams and some soy-based foods, such as edamame beans.

Adding zinc-rich foods such as fish and salmon is also well documented in your mid-luteal phase (and important for your immune health), and pumpkin seeds are high in zinc too. If you are an exerciser, then include healthy vegetable carbohydrates (sweet potato or brown rice), because carbohydrates work with protein to help repair and maintain muscle.

Why is it important to drink water during the luteal phase (before your period)?

Plasma is the watery part of your blood. When hormones are high in the luteal phase, plasma volume drops by approximately 8%, meaning that less is available for blood circulation, sweating and maintaining your blood pressure. This is why the most important factor in the luteal phase (before your period) is to focus on hydration.

Excerpt: What should women eat during perimenopause to support hormonal balance?

### "I was on HRT and taking supplements, then I found your programme. Crikey, it all makes so much sense!"

"Thank you for your wonderful program. I have enjoyed the modules and learnt a lot AND experienced some positive changes.

I came to your program in a roundabout way. I've been on HRT for years in response to fierce hot flashes which emerged when I stopped being on the pill to manage periods. So, in my mind that was menopause dealt with.

Then a funny thing happened. I had a chance conversation with a woman colleague as we walked back to our cars after a seminar when brain fog and menopause, which still troubled me, was mentioned.

That was a real 'ah-ha' moment for me. And a huge relief as I had self-diagnosed early dementia for myself aged 58 with a family history of father and grandmother who had dementia in their 80's.

I laughed to myself on the drive home. This was a common symptom, and I was not alone. Serious relief.

So, curious about this, I googled menopause symptoms, and got a further surprise to discover joint pain is also common in menopause. Again, a little bit of relief.

My sore hips at night, had been waking me so often I had quite a nightly ritual of getting up to take ibuprofen and rub on anti-flam. I thought I had early onset osteo arthritis, and I may need a hip replacement, but this wasn't the issue.

Then, a little bit of googling and I was off buying a supplement. MSM because I read about this and several others shown in studies to be beneficial, but found it very hard to buy anything with only one ingredient - my goodness there is a world of menopause and joint supplements out there.

It felt pretty optimistic to be putting my faith in this to be honest.

Then I found your program. Crikey, it all just makes so much sense, and it very empowering to have tools to use to effect change.

I confess I have a pretty healthy lifestyle and find it easy to plan and then stick to small step changes. I am fit, active and have maintained a good body weight, and thought I ate pretty well.

With your programme, I have just made a change a week, starting with sleep - I mostly don't wake up until after 5 now, and if I do wake, I keep my eyes closed and listen to hear the birds. If there are no birds, then I stay in bed and go back to sleep. Seriously easy to get this to work most of the time.

No more cups of tea while I wrote out everything on my mind at 2am.

I've made so many other changes that you suggest too. I do my morning breathing  exercises - versus indoors with eye closed, eating a head of celery a week (such an easy work snack), buying vegie juice at the supermarket (for now, will get on to juicing later this year), making better choices on holiday recently (where possible), choosing juice over coffee, and salad over burger. I've been gradually changing out my meals according to your Food Guide and trying at least one plant based recipe each week - tonight is Pumpkin with Star Anise sauce from Ottolenghi.

My hips feel so very different. It is very easy to stay motivated to make changes as I feel so good.

I shall stay with your program for a bit and listen to the modules again. I wanted to thank you for this work your are doing - much appreciated.

Since doing your programme, I have been reminded of Erik Erikson’s stages of life. Women in menopause are at the Generativity vs Stagnation. So good to feel empowered to firmly choose the former.

Kind regards

Claire

### MyMT™ Education: Supplements and Alternative Therapies for Menopause Hot Flushes - what works, what doesn’t.

The emails arrive in my in-box every week – women wanting to know if I promote supplements for menopause – [no I don’t, because I’m not a Naturopath] – or asking why they are still getting hot flushes, anxiety and insomnia, even though they are taking a variety of menopause supplements. This was me as well. But spending hundreds of dollars on supplements that were marketed to me in menopause, did not solve any of my symptoms into the long term, nor did they help my weight, sleep, blood pressure, gut health or joint pain.  Exploring Supplement's efficacyAt the time, I didn’t understand (nor was I being told by health practitioners), the science behind their efficacy. I had no idea how they worked, what plants they were sourced from (and in many cases, not even plants, but synthetic materials), and how many of them differ in their effect depending if women are in peri-menopause or post-menopause, and if women are on HRT.If you explore over-the-counter menopause supplements, many of these contain B-vitamins and folate as well as phyto-estrogen compounds. Supplements for menopause symptoms are well marketed and judging by economic reports by Forbes (2022), the menopause supplement industry is predicted to grow to $22.7 billion by 2028 as women seek out alternative treatments (Clayton, Forbes Magazine, 2022), then the menopause supplement industry is not going away! Understanding the role of supplements in menopause symptoms is an important consideration for Practitioners, especially as these days, supplements are heavily marketed to midlife women.But it's not just menopause supplements is it?Numerous women take supplements promoted in the fitness and sports industries too, and I don't think that consideration is being given to how these may interact with menopause supplements or HRT. It's an issue I discuss with Practitioners who undertake my 12 week Practitioner training on lifestyle science for menopause. As I scrambled to understand why I was feeling hot and bothered, overweight, anxious, exhausted and depressed and I was already on menopause HRT, my pantry also resembled a health-supplement shop or pharmacy.There were so many different bottles of menopause supplements and yet, none really made any difference or they might only help one symptom and not another symptom.I now understand why. Menopause supplements do not target the different stages of menopause, nor are many supplements evidenced against women's health and ageing studies and the lifestyles of women, including how much exercise they do, as well as the type of exercise undertaken. 		
																														
		Depending on the stage of menopause women are in, their current lifestyle, which includes nutrition, their stress levels, exercise volume and intensity and any underlying medical conditions, and/or are on other medications, and the gut and liver health of the individual, then all of these factors affect whether menopause supplements may work or not.This is an important point. One of the first studies to explore whether botanical and dietary supplements work for women in menopause was undertaken by Associate Professor Stacie Geller and Laurie Sturdee, from the University of Illinois and reported in the Journal of Women’s Health in 2005. [Botanical and Dietary Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: What Works, What Doesn’t]I would like to thank these researchers. Because their studies helped to point me in the direction of changing my nutrition in peri-menopause to include powerful plant-based nutrients, instead of taking too many artificial supplements (and yes, all supplements in a bottle or packet are ‘man-made’).Their studies also helped me to understand that many supplements marketed to women contain powerful herbs such as Black Cohosh, Red Clover, St John’s Wort and/or other herbs that either have anti-inflammatory effects, which improves blood vessel elasticity or anti-anxiety effects that help to slow down parasympathetic nervous system activity.The image below of all the supplements, was taken as I passed through the Boots Pharmacy at Heathrow Airport. When I asked the young shop assistant what the difference was between them all, she had no idea.Hence, my recommendation to all of my clients, is to explain that the ingredients matter and that women are best to see a Naturopath or Alternative Medical Therapist, to discuss supplements and any side-effects or interactions with their current medications, including their HRT if they are on it. 		
																														
		Understanding Black Cohosh  Black Cohosh is an herb which has anti-inflammatory effects.The roots/rhizomes of black cohosh have been used traditionally by Native Americans for a variety of complaints, and Black Cohosh has also been used as a treatment of menopausal disorders in Germany for over 50 years.So, does it work?Well, I will let you decide based on if your clients are taking it. In the study by Geller and Sturdie, it was evidenced to help reduce hot flushes and for some women, anxiety – not other symptoms. As the study states,“The evidence to date suggests that black cohosh is safe and effective for reducing menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes and possibly mood disorders.”Multiple clinical investigations have also suggested that black cohosh extracts are effective in reducing the frequency and intensity of hot flashes among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, whereas other randomized controlled trials have reported no vasomotor symptom (hot flush) benefits at all. [Geller, Shuman et al, 2009].A 2023 review of 22 studies of products containing black cohosh extracts, alone or in combination with other herbs, found that they were potentially beneficial for overall menopause symptoms. As the report mentioned, data on specific symptoms showed improvements in hot flashes but not anxiety or depressive symptoms.So, it’s your client's decision, in conjunction with their Naturopath. Supplements containing Black Cohosh may or may not, have an effect on your client's sleep, sore joints, weight, depression, itchy skin or any other symptom that they may have been experiencing.		
																														
		Understanding Red Clover and St John's WortIf your clients are taking supplements, then please encourage them to look at the ingredients list … because they might also contain phytoestrogen extracts, including soy compounds (phyto-oestrogens), St John’s Wort and/ or Red Clover.The botanicals St John’s Wort and Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.) are popular among women seeking alternative therapies for the management of menopausal symptoms, especially vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes).However, researchers suggest that these supplements may be better viewed as having an effect on cardiovascular outcomes, not vasomotor symptoms.  'Phytoestrogen extracts, including soy foods and red clover appear to have at best only minimal effect on menopausal symptoms but have positive health effects on plasma lipid concentrations and may reduce heart disease.' [Geller et al., 2009].For your clients going into post-menopause, this may be a good thing.Heart disease is the number 1 health concern for women globally who are moving into post-menopause.  St John’s Wort is another herbal product that is marketed heavily to women during their menopause transition. Women think that this is designed to help with hot flush management, but according to numerous studies, there is inconsistent evidence to support the efficacy and safety for hot flushes, but the news is better for help with depression.St John’s Wort has been shown to improve mild to moderate depression in the general population and appears to show efficacy for mood disorders related to the menopausal transition.What I don’t think that many women understand is that they must all be careful about over-the-counter supplements. It’s the same for sports supplements too.There are numerous studies to show that there may be questions about the efficacy of sports supplements as well, and many women also don't consider the interaction of sport and fitness supplements with hormone replacement therapy or menopause-related supplements.  Women taking menopause supplements who are on any medications whatsoever, must report this to their Doctors. And lots don’t.I know this, because a report from Alisa Johnson and colleagues in America, following a large literature review of alternative therapies in menopause, concluded that,“the majority of women using Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) do not discuss it with their health care providers …(and) women often report feeling confused about their options and rely on the internet as their primary source of information.” (Johnson et al, 2019, p. 1).		
																														
		What does work?There is interesting research in the 2019 review by Johnson et al, that the following practices and strategies show promise to help with hot flush management. These include:mind-body practices such as yoga and mindfulness training,stress management techniques,hypnosis,cognitive behavioral therapy,acupuncturehomeopathy, including essential oilsphytoestrogens (e.g. soy derivatives)reflexologyVitamin EEvening Primrose OilCan I also say that the MyMT™ Hot Flush strategies work as well. The foundation for hot flush management is always sleep and liver health, so this is what my own programmes focus on. I talk about these lifestyle strategies in the Health Professional Certification too. Hot flush management is just one component of a variety of symptoms in menopause. I found myself that some strategies worked for some symptoms, there were other symptoms that remained.I wonder if this is a similar experience for your clients as well? Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Founder: My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™) Education/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine		
																														
		References:Johnson, A., Roberts, L., Elkins, G. (2019). Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Menopause. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, Volume 24: 1-14Geller, S. Lee P. Shulman, M. et al (2009). Safety and Efficacy of Black Cohosh and Red Clover for the Management of Vasomotor Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Menopause,16(6): 1156–1166.Geller, S. & Studee, L. (2005).  Botanical and Dietary Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: What Works, What Doesn’t. J. Womens Health, 14(7): 634–649.Hardcastle, K. (2022). Menopause Supplement Industry To Grow To $22.7 Billion By 2028 As Women Seek Out Alternative Treatments. ForbesHemminger A, Wills BK. Vitamin B6 Toxicity. [Updated 2023 Feb 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554500/ National Institute of Health (NIH) Black Cohosh Palmery, M., Saraceno, A., Vaiarelli, A., & Carlomagno, G. (2013). Oral contraceptives and changes in nutritional requirements. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, Vol. 17 - N. 13. Pages: 1804-1813

### MyMT™ Kitchen - Stuffed with antioxidants but which colour has the highest levels?

When it comes to vitamin C and beta-carotene, sweet bell peppers are among the most nutrient dense foods you can buy. Combine them with a carrot and parsley salad and you’ll be ‘stuffed with antioxidants’.Did you know the redder the pepper, the more beta-carotene it contains?Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant, which means that it helps to fight inflammation in the body. It's only obtained from the diet, and is used in our body as it is needed. Few vegetables contain as much beta-carotene as the sweet red pepper.That's why whoever received the red peppers in the meal above, prepared by my daughter, would have eaten more beta-carotene than the person who ate the orange pepper. One pepper has 4 milligrams of beta-carotene, 40-66% of the recommended daily amount. This is important because beta-carotene turns to Vitamin A in the body. Beta-carotene can provide potent protection against cataracts. With macular degeneration occurring in numerous women as they age, it’s important to maintain levels of Vitamin A in the body.Sweet red peppers also contain generous amounts of vitamin C. Half a cup of chopped pepper contains 142 milligrams of vitamin C, that’s 236% of the Daily Value. That’s more than twice the amount you would get from a medium sized orange. As I often say to women on my programmes, we need Vitamin C to help reduce the ageing spots on our skin, with the decline in collagen that occurs as we age. It's all very well taking expensive collagen supplements, but Vitamin C is what is needed to help synthesize (make) collagen. Since vitamin C is fragile, it’s easily destroyed by cooking. Eating peppers raw will enable you to get the most vitamin C. On the other hand, beta-carotene needs a little heat to release it from the fiber cells. To get the most of both nutrients, you could steam or sauté them, so they still have a little bit of crunch.So why don’t you try these delicious stuffed red peppers this weekend?The main filling is cooked organic brown rice, which will ensure that you should stay full even though you may consider this a light meal. I also mixed in some of my other favourite Mediterranean flavours like olives and feta, but really you can use any vegetables and drizzle these with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil. Beta-carotene and fat  Did you know that in order for beta-carotene to be absorbed into the blood stream, it needs to be paired with a little fat? Drizzling the stuffed peppers with a little bit of olive oil will help you get the most of this compound.IngredientsBell peppers (enough to feed your family)Olive Oil (for baking and topping)Cooked brown rice (enough to feed your family)2 tbsp tomato paste2 – 4 cloves of garlic, chopped1 onion (or spring onion), chopped1 x courgette, gratedFeta cheese, crumbledOlives, choppedHerbs of your choice (e.g. basil, parsley)MethodHeat oven to 180 C fan bake and start cooking the brown rice on the stove.Cut peppers in half and brush with olive oil. Put on a baking try and bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven.Quickly fry the garlic, onion and grated courgette in a pan. I also put a tsp of cumin in for flavour.Once the rice is cooked, transfer to a bowl and add in the tomato paste, onion & garlic mix, feta and olives.Pile the ingredients into the peppers and bake for another 10 minutes.Top with herbs of your choice and a dash of extra olive oil.

### All About Supplements and Alternative Therapies for Menopause Hot Flushes

The emails arrive in my in-box every week – women wanting to know if I promote supplements for menopause – [no I don’t, because I’m not a Naturopath] – or asking why they are still getting hot flushes, anxiety and insomnia, even though they are taking a variety of menopause supplements. 

This was me as well. But spending hundreds of dollars on supplements that were marketed to me in menopause, did not solve any of my symptoms into the long term, nor did they help my weight, sleep, blood pressure, gut health or joint pain.  

At the time, I didn’t understand (nor was I being told by health practitioners), the science behind their efficacy. I had no idea how they worked, what plants they were sourced from (and in many cases, not even plants, but synthetic materials), and how many of them differ in their effect depending if women are in peri-menopause or post-menopause, and if women are on HRT.

If you explore over-the-counter menopause supplements, many of these contain B-vitamins and folate as well as phyto-estrogen compounds. Supplements for menopause symptoms are well marketed and judging by economic reports by Forbes (2022), the menopause supplement industry is predicted to grow to $22.7 billion by 2028 as women seek out alternative treatments (Clayton, Forbes Magazine, 2022) - it's an industry that is not going away!

Understanding the role of menopause supplements can be confusing and more than once, I've seen midlife women standing at the menopause-supplement shelf in the Pharmacy, trying to make sense of them all.

And it's not just menopause supplements is it?

Numerous women take supplements promoted in the fitness and sports industries too, and I don't think that consideration is being given to how these may interact with menopause supplements or HRT.

It's an issue I discuss with Practitioners who undertake my 12 week Practitioner training on lifestyle science for menopause.

As I scrambled to understand why I was feeling hot and bothered, overweight, anxious, exhausted and depressed and I was already on menopause HRT, it wasn't long before my pantry also resembled a health-supplement shop or pharmacy.

There were so many different bottles of menopause supplements and yet, none really made any difference or they might only help one symptom and not another symptom.

I now understand why.

Menopause supplements do not target the different stages of menopause, nor are many supplements evidenced against women's health and ageing studies and the lifestyles of women, including how much exercise they do, as well as the type of exercise undertaken. 



Depending on the stage of menopause women are in, their current lifestyle, which includes nutrition, their stress levels, exercise volume and intensity and any underlying medical conditions, and/or are on other medications, and the gut and liver health of the individual, then all of these factors affect whether menopause supplements may work or not.

This is an important point.

One of the first studies to explore whether botanical and dietary supplements work for women in menopause was undertaken by Associate Professor Stacie Geller and Laurie Sturdee, from the University of Illinois and reported in the Journal of Women’s Health in 2005. [Botanical and Dietary Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: What Works, What Doesn’t]

I would like to thank these researchers. Because their studies helped to point me in the direction of changing my nutrition in peri-menopause to include powerful plant-based nutrients, instead of taking too many artificial supplements (and yes, all supplements in a bottle or packet are ‘man-made’).

Their studies also helped me to understand that many supplements marketed to women contain powerful herbs such as Black Cohosh, Red Clover, St John’s Wort and/or other herbs that either have anti-inflammatory effects, which improves blood vessel elasticity or anti-anxiety effects that help to slow down parasympathetic nervous system activity.

The image below of all the supplements, was taken as I passed through the Boots Pharmacy at Heathrow Airport. When I asked the young shop assistant what the difference was between them all, she had no idea.

Hence, my recommendation to all of my clients, is to explain that the ingredients matter and that women are best to see a Naturopath or Alternative Medical Therapist, to discuss supplements and any side-effects or interactions with their current medications, including their HRT if they are on it.


Understanding Black Cohosh  
Black Cohosh is an herb which has anti-inflammatory effects.

The roots/rhizomes of black cohosh have been used traditionally by Native Americans for a variety of complaints, and Black Cohosh has also been used as a treatment of menopausal disorders in Germany for over 50 years.

So, does it work?

Well, I will let you decide based on whether you are taking it. In the study by Geller and Sturdie, it was evidenced to help reduce hot flushes and for some women, anxiety – not other symptoms. As the study states,

“The evidence to date suggests that black cohosh is safe and effective for reducing menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes and possibly mood disorders.”

Multiple clinical investigations have also suggested that black cohosh extracts are effective in reducing the frequency and intensity of hot flashes among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, whereas other randomized controlled trials have reported no vasomotor symptom (hot flush) benefits at all. [Geller, Shuman et al, 2009].

A 2023 review of 22 studies of products containing black cohosh extracts, alone or in combination with other herbs, found that they were potentially beneficial for overall menopause symptoms. As the report mentioned, data on specific symptoms showed improvements in hot flashes but not anxiety or depressive symptoms.

So, it’s your decision, in conjunction with your Naturopath. Supplements containing Black Cohosh may or may not, have an effect on your sleep, sore joints, weight, depression, itchy skin or any other symptom that you may have been experiencing.


Understanding Red Clover and St John's Wort
If you are taking menopause supplements, then I encourage you to look at the ingredients list … because they might also contain phytoestrogen extracts, including soy compounds (phyto-oestrogens), St John’s Wort and/ or Red Clover.

The botanicals St John’s Wort and Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.) are popular among women seeking alternative therapies for the management of menopausal symptoms, especially vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes).

However, researchers suggest that these supplements may be better viewed as having an effect on cardiovascular outcomes, not necessarily, vasomotor symptoms.

'Phytoestrogen extracts, including soy foods and red clover appear to have at best only minimal effect on menopausal symptoms but have positive health effects on plasma lipid concentrations and may reduce heart disease.' [Geller et al., 2009].

For those of you going into post-menopause, this may be a good thing.

Heart disease is the number 1 health concern for women globally who are moving into post-menopause and I talk about how to mitigate the risk of this in the 12-week MyMT™ Beyond Menopause programme. 

St John’s Wort is another herbal product that is marketed heavily to women during their menopause transition.

Many women think that this is designed to help with hot flush management, but according to numerous studies, there is inconsistent evidence to support the efficacy and safety for hot flushes, but the news is better for help with depression.

St John’s Wort has been shown to improve mild to moderate depression in the general population and appears to show efficacy for mood disorders related to the menopausal transition. (Geller & Studee, 2005)

What I don’t think that many women understand is that they must all be careful about over-the-counter supplements. It’s the same for sports supplements too.

There are numerous studies to show that there may be questions about the efficacy of sports supplements as well, and most women I talk to, don't consider the interaction of sport and fitness supplements with hormone replacement therapy or menopause-related supplements.

Women taking menopause supplements who are on any medications whatsoever, must report this to their Doctors. And lots don’t.

I know this, because a report from Alisa Johnson and colleagues in America, following a large literature review of alternative therapies in menopause, concluded that,

“the majority of women using Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) do not discuss it with their health care providers …(and) women often report feeling confused about their options and rely on the internet as their primary source of information.” (Johnson et al, 2019, p. 1).


What does work?
There is interesting research in the 2019 review by Johnson et al, that the following practices and strategies show promise to help with hot flush management. These include:

 	mind-body practices such as yoga and mindfulness training,
 	stress management techniques,
 	hypnosis,
 	cognitive behavioral therapy,
 	acupuncture
 	homeopathy, including essential oils
 	phytoestrogens (e.g. soy derivatives)
 	reflexology
 	Vitamin E
 	Evening Primrose Oil

Can I also say that the MyMT™ Hot Flush strategies work as well. The foundation for hot flush management is always sleep and liver health, so this is what my own 12 -week lifestyle programmes focus on.

I talk about these lifestyle strategies and solutions in the Health Professional Certification too.

Hot flush management is just one component of a variety of symptoms in menopause. I found myself that some supplements worked for some symptoms, but there were other symptoms that remained.

I wonder if this is a similar experience for you as well? 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Founder: My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™) Education/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References:

Johnson, A., Roberts, L., Elkins, G. (2019). Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Menopause. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, Volume 24: 1-14

Geller, S. Lee P. Shulman, M. et al (2009). Safety and Efficacy of Black Cohosh and Red Clover for the Management of Vasomotor Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Menopause,16(6): 1156–1166.

Geller, S. & Studee, L. (2005).  Botanical and Dietary Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: What Works, What Doesn’t. J. Womens Health, 14(7): 634–649.

Hardcastle, K. (2022). Menopause Supplement Industry To Grow To $22.7 Billion By 2028 As Women Seek Out Alternative Treatments. Forbes

Hemminger A, Wills BK. Vitamin B6 Toxicity. [Updated 2023 Feb 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554500/

National Institute of Health (NIH) Black Cohosh

Palmery, M., Saraceno, A., Vaiarelli, A., & Carlomagno, G. (2013). Oral contraceptives and changes in nutritional requirements. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, Vol. 17 - N. 13. Pages: 1804-1813

### The curious connection between your changing gut health, sleepless nights and weight gain in menopause.

There are three questions that are typically asked of subjects who undergo sleep studies:

 	During the last month, have you had problems falling asleep?
 	During the last month, did you ever wake up too early, not being able to fall asleep again?
 	During the last year, have you been troubled by insomnia to such a degree that it influenced your work ability?

Obviously, there are others, but I wonder how you might have answered these. If your answer was yes to any of them and you have arrived in your menopause transition or you are in post-menopause, I'm not surprised.

Insomnia and weight gain are hallmark symptoms of menopause and post-menopause for millions of women. But what many of you may not know, is that there is a greater connection between these factors, than you may think.

The brain-gut-microbiome axis is a bi-directional axis in which the gut and the brain communicate constantly. And according to new research (Neroni et al, 2021), this communication is dependent on three factors:

(a) the correct functioning of the vagal system (the nerve network that runs between the brain, heart and gut).

(b) the correct functioning of the neuroimmune system (the biochemical and electrical processes that connect the nervous and immune systems).

(c) the correct functioning of the circulatory system.

All of these interactions are reliant on one thing - a healthy gut microbiome. 

If the intestinal microbiota aren't healthy or if women have IBS from a condition called Leaky Gut Syndrome, then this bi-directional relationship is compromised. And it becomes compromised during menopause, when we can't sleep.

And when insomnia occurs night after night, so too can the deeper visceral fat, which can lead to changing health.

It's a catch-22 isn't it? Because the intestines are on a 24 hr circadian rhythm, they rely on a good night's sleep to remain healthy.

But if our gut health is out of balance, then this also affects sleep. And lack of sleep affects your weight gain during and after menopause ... whether you're on Menopause HRT or not.

The reason for this, which I've mentioned in past articles, is that the gut microbiota contributes to the production of one of our brain hormones, called serotonin. It does this through the 'tryptophan-pathway'.

Tryptophan is a protein and it is absorbed in the small intestine.

From the small intestine, tryptophan travels up to the brain to help to make serotonin which then helps to produce our sleep hormone, melatonin. 

It's been estimated that 90% of human serotonin is produced by intestinal bacteria that possess the tryptophan gene. (Neroni et al, 2021). But here's the thing - if your gut health isn't optimal, the tryptophan pathway may be compromised.

For women with leaky gut syndrome, tryptophan uptake may be reduced. If they also don't have enough tryptophan-containing bacteria, then this affects sleep quality and duration. It also affects menopause depression, as tryptophan is needed to help produce the mood hormone, serotonin.



I am never surprised when women tell me that their gut health isn't so great as they arrive in mid-life.

Menopause was the first time in my life that I began to feel bloated and felt like I had developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). A good number of women on my coaching programmes tell me this as well.

Many of us end up on numerous supplements, which may or may not work (many are too high in added sugars), or we add even more supplements to our 'go-to' problem-solving list.

As part of our menopause symptom solutions, turning around our gut health is important. I spent hours trying to understand what to do, especially when we are inundated with all sorts of products in the supermarket or pharmacy that purport to solve our gut health issues.

If this sounds like you, then here is some of what you need to focus on after getting your gut checked by your Doctor of course. It may be Chrohn's Disease or Diverticulitis, or any of the myriad of other bowel problems, but first and foremost, get a good diagnosis.

Because our gut has it's own circadian rhythm and works on a 24 hour work/ rest cycle, then sleep is important. 

When our sleep gets out of balance, then so too does our gut. The two are related. Tryptophan is the starting molecule for melatonin production in all cell species (Zhao, Yu et al, 2019). This is why some dietary protein with higher levels of tryptophan is helpful in your diet.



The other thing you can do, is to learn the difference between PRE-Biotics and PRO-Biotics. Both work in different ways to keep our gut healthy. I go into more depth in this in my programmes and is the reason I have a Gut Health module for all  MyMT™ women!

Essentially, we have 3 areas for digestion and absorption - our stomach, our small intestine and our large intestine. So, some of you may have problems at any part of the gut-colon tract. This is why gut-health researchers focus on both pre-biotics and pro-biotics.

It's also why I suggest that Pre-biotics are more important to sort out first than pro-biotics in mid-life. Pre-biotics come from specialised plant fibre that beneficially nourishes the good bacteria already in the LARGE bowel or colon.

While pro-biotics introduce good bacteria into the gut, pre-biotics act as a fertilizer for the good bacteria that’s already there. They help your good bacteria grow, improving the good-to-bad bacteria ratio. This ratio has been shown to have a direct correlation to your health and overall wellbeing, from your stomach to your brain.

Plant fibres help to promote the growth of many of the good bacteria in the gut and to help alleviate constipation. They contain amylose which also helps to reduce insulin. They are therefore called RESISTANT STARCHES.

They don't get digested in the stomach and small intestine, so they travel further down your gut into your large bowel. They are critical to your on-going health.

In fact, they are really important because consuming resistant starches as pre-biotics on a daily basis decreases anxiety, depression, and stress and enhances lower levels of our stress hormone, cortisol. As a summary, the best plant fibres for pre-biotic health are:

- skin of apples

- bananas

- onions and garlic

- jerusalem artichoke

- cooked and cooled kumara

- cooked and cooled brown rice

- cabbage (cooked slightly for better digestion)

- beans



Fermented pro-biotic foods help to reduce inflammation and prevent disease and infection by enhancing immune response in the intestine. Cheese comes into this category too - yes, a saturated fat, but some saturated fats are also important in our gut health.

The Human Genome Project [HGP] in 2002 was the largest study of gut health and indicated that we all have different gut bacteria levels based on how we have lived our lives, so you must figure out what you need to do for you, as far as the amount and type of different pre-biotics and pro-biotics you can tolerate - this includes cheese!

In the research from the HGP studies, animals and humans subjected to a high-fat, high-sugar Western diet demonstrated rapid (negative) changes in intestinal microbial community structure, with increased numbers of harmful bacteria. But within a week, of eating fermented foods and removing sugar and processed foods from the diet, the healthy gut microbial levels were partially restored.
Eat your Cabbage!
World renowned Nutrition researcher and Doctor, Professor Jim Mann from Otago University in New Zealand, states that the bio-availability of nutrients from garlic and cabbage also have beneficial healing effects on bowel health. Cabbage is both a pre-biotic when un-cooked and a pro-biotic when fermented with salt and water, i.e. when made into sauerkraut.

To make sauerkraut, green cabbage is finely chopped and combined with sea salt and water (also known as a brine) and allowed to sit at room temperature for several days.

Cabbage contains lacto-bacillus (a strain of beneficial bacteria) on its surface, and when combined with salt water, these bacteria break down the natural sugars in cabbage into lactic acid. Lactic acid then ferments the cabbage, which turns it into a pro-biotic containing food. Go on, give it a try!

Our gut health is interesting. As we lose oestrogen receptors, this is the signal that we are ageing. As such there are structural and biological changes that occur in our gut and digestive system. For example, our bile production decreases which means that fat digestion is altered and our gut motility (movement) slows down with age.

Furthermore, many women are losing muscle, which changes their need for protein and fats in their diet. But the most important issue for so many of us is that our gut, liver, heart and blood vessels work to our natural, biological circadian rhythm, so if we aren’t sleeping we build up more and more inflammation in our body.

This can also lead to the curious connection between our sleep and our changing gut health too.

I hope that you can join me in my private coaching community sometime when you purchase either of my 12 week transformation programmes. The Transform Me programme is for you if you are overweight. If you aren't quite ready to do this yet, then please have a listen to the video below, on The Science of your Menopause Weight Gain. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder: My Menopause Transformation.

https://youtu.be/tUn2BcVNCGw

References: 

Braniste, V., Leveque, M., Buisson-Brenac, C., Bueno, L., Fioramonti, J., & Houdeau, E. (2009). Oestradiol decreases colonic permeability through oestrogen receptor beta-mediated up-regulation of occluding and junctional adhesion molecule-A in epithelial cells. The Journal of Physiology, 587(Pt 13), 3317–3328. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2009.169300 

Buford T. W. (2017). (Dis)Trust your gut: the gut microbiome in age-related inflammation, health, and disease. Microbiome, 5(1), 80. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-017-0296-0

Gaber, M., Wilson, A.S., Millen, A.E. et al. Visceral adiposity in postmenopausal women is associated with a pro-inflammatory gut microbiome and immunogenic metabolic endotoxemia. Microbiome 12, 192 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-024-01901-1

Grenham S., Clarke G., Cryan J., & Dinan, T. (2011). Brain–Gut–Microbe Communication in Health and Disease. Frontiers in Physiology, 2 (94), 1-15.      https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/phys.2011.00094

Lv WQ, Lin X, Shen H, Liu HM, Qiu X, Li BY, Shen WD, Ge CL, Lv FY, Shen J, Xiao HM, Deng HW. Human gut microbiome impacts skeletal muscle mass via gut microbial synthesis of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate among healthy menopausal women. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2021 Dec;12(6):1860-1870. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12788.

Neroni, B., Evangelisti, M., Radocchia, G. et al. (2021). Relationship between sleep disorders and gut dysbiosis: what affects what? Sleep Medicine, 87, 1-7.

Park MG, Cho S, Oh MM. Menopausal Changes in the Microbiome-A Review Focused on the Genitourinary Microbiome. Diagnostics (Basel). 2023 Mar 21;13(6):1193. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics13061193.

Siddiqui R, Makhlouf Z, Alharbi AM, Alfahemi H, Khan NA. The Gut Microbiome and Female Health. Biology. 2022; 11(11):1683. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11111683

Smith, R. P., Easson, C., Lyle, S. M., Kapoor, R., Donnelly, C. P., Davidson, E. J., Parikh, E., Lopez, J. V., & Tartar, J. L. (2019). Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans. PloS one, 14(10), e0222394.

### MyMT™ Education: A spotlight on gut health from peri- to post-menopause.

Every week in my newsletters I try to come up with a topic that I hope will not only interest you, but help you continue your problem-solving conversations with your midlife clients.Sometimes it's because of a topic in my coaching group, causing me to remember the issues that I struggled with when transitioning through menopause as well and no Health Professional mentioned. My goal in the MyMT™ Education community is to change that!The conversation in my coaching group, that has sparked this article, was about supplements targeted at midlife women going through menopause. My client was asking about the supplements that she was taking. As they were from America, I googled the ingredients, because this enables me to better understand what the main compounds are and what they do.When I googled the ingredients in this particular brand of supplements, they were all ingredients that are used in gut health repair - not one ingredient was to do with menopause ... but then again, one could argue that they actually were.Did you know that gut health changes occur as oestrogen and progesterone levels decline? Has this happened to you or your clients? And if your clients are experiencing insomnia, then did you realise that gut health (and liver health) suffers too - afterall, the digestive system works on a 24 hour circadian rhythm as well.The state of your client's gut health as well as the billions of microbes that make up the gut microbiome, is an important consideration in managing menopause symptoms and/or weight gain.That's why I like this research which has a spotlight on changing gut health in midlife women. (Peters et al, 2022). The menopause transition is a time when numerous women develop Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or constipation or feel bloated. If you have a client who has a distended stomach, then you will know what I mean by this. With so much going on in the lives of women in their peri-menopause to post-menopause years, increased stress and workloads, also contribute to gut health concerns.The result of all this, as well as the changes to the gut microbiome and the fact that peristalsis (gut motility) also changes, means that bloating and discomfort can be a daily distraction. That's why in this post I have my 3 Factors to Forget Bloating - I hope you can share these with your clients and join me on the Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course where I dive into my evidenced solutions for restoring gut health. 1. TEACH CLIENTS TO MOVE and STRETCH IN WAYS TO REDUCE BLOATINGIf your clients are feeling bloated then add gentle stretches to their routine. The stretch in the image below, is known to gently massage the abdominal organs and gallbladder, thus releasing tension. Yoga Instructors call it Pavanamuktasana (pah-van-ah-mook-TAHS-uh-nuh) — or the Wind-Relieving Pose. These types of stretches also help the lymphatic system which changes as women age, with lymphatic vessels losing some of their elasticity. Helping your clients understand how to move trapped air and gas through the colon via gentle movement and stretching is important. As women move through menopause, our changing oestrogen levels impact the tiny microvilli that line our digestive system, causing 'gaps' to increase between them. This is known as leaky gut syndrome. It can lead to IBS.That's why stretching is important. With increased stretching, bile moves more efficiently from the gallbladder into the small intestine. This assists waste products to move along the intestines. Menopause hormonal changes impact a lower production of bile and storage, hence this can be part of the reason for feeling bloated as menopause arrives. 		
																														
		2. EDUCATE CLIENTS TO INCREASE VITAMIN C LEVELSGut health research suggests that our Vitamin C status has a greater influence that we think on the gut-liver axis and this in turn, influences metabolic syndrome (Traber et al, 2019). This condition that can lead to weight gain and cardiovascular problems as well as Type 2 diabetes. 		
																														
		3. RESTING THE GUT OVERNIGHT AND SLEEPING IMPROVES GUT REPAIR AND ABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS I encourage women as much as possible to allow their digestive system to rest for 12 hours overnight. This means that the timing of food and fluid is important. If we can avoid food for around 12 hours overnight (this changes obviously for shift-workers), then the digestive system gets the chance to actually digest and absorb the food that women eat during the day.The gut microbiome is one of the largest organs in the body (along with the skin), and we need to factor it into menopause symptom management for clients, especially if their energy is low. Gut health researcher, Professor Thomas Borody from Australia, reports that the gut is responsible for producing 70% of our energy.There is also a powerful connection between the gut and brain health (which is why our gut is now referred to as our 'second brain').Numerous menopause symptoms are now linked to the health of the microbiome during menopause, including foggy brain, depression, anxiety, insomnia and mood swings. 		
																														
		Knowledge of the gut-brain-microbiome connection has increased 10-fold over the past decade.This has been due to improved brain research as well as genetic research into the gut microbiome. Both have opened the door to better understanding gut health and the link to disease, especially the effect of the accumulation of inflammatory changes as women get older.With menopause heralding in the transition towards post-menopause and the ageing of organs, this is a critical time of life to sleep all night, restore health to the body and support improved gut health, including weight loss.		
																
															
		Functional disorders of the digestive tract, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is four times more common in women living in Western countries during and after menopause. In Japan, China, India and other parts of Asia, the ratio is the opposite. (Glezerman, 2016).That's why, all of this information and so much more, is in the MyMT™ Practitioner Course and the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course. Both courses are certified with various organisations for CPD approval. I hope you can join me sometime. It's my privilege to share this vital information with you. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ Women's Healthy Ageing Practitioner		
																														
		References:Glezerman, M. (2016). Gender Medicine. Duckworth & Co Publ. Nie, X., Xie, R. & Tuo, B. (2018). Effects of Estrogen on the Gastrointestinal Tract. Dig Dis Sci 63, 583–596 Peters BA, Santoro N, Kaplan RC, Qi Q. Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights. Int J Womens Health. 2022 Aug 10;14:1059-1072. Qin R, Tian G, Liu J, Cao L. The gut microbiota and endometriosis: From pathogenesis to diagnosis and treatment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022 Nov 24;12:1069557. Sarmiento-Andrade Yoredy , Suárez Rosario , Quintero Beatriz , Garrochamba Kleber , Chapela Sebastián Pablo. (2022). Gut microbiota and obesity: New insights. Frontiers in Nutrition (9) https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.101821Traber MG, Buettner GR, Bruno RS. (2019). The relationship between vitamin C status, the gut-liver axis, and metabolic syndrome. Redox Biol. 21:101091. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.101091.Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017). Influence of oral and gut microbiota in the health of menopausal women. Front. Microbiol. 8, 1884. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01884Wicaksono WA, Cernava T, Wassermann B, Abdelfattah A, Soto-Giron MJ, Toledo GV, Virtanen SM, Knip M, Hyöty H, Berg G. The edible plant microbiome: evidence for the occurrence of fruit and vegetable bacteria in the human gut. Gut Microbes. 2023 Dec;15(2):2258565. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2258565. 

### The Role of Vitamin D in Menopause - Video:  Is lack of this vital vitamin linked to belly-fat and muscle weakness in women?

Vitamin D and Menopause Symptoms: Why It Deserves More Attention
The role of Vitamin D on women’s menopause symptoms is controversial. But in my mind, it’s not getting enough attention, especially with the increasing advice for women to undertake heavy weight training.

For over 30 years, I have studied and taught exercise physiology and exercise prescription. That’s why I know that no individual can train with heavy weights if their Vitamin D levels are low. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in calcium metabolism and nerve contraction in muscle.
Conflicting Research on Vitamin D and Menopause Symptoms
For every study that says that there is a correlation between low vitamin D and symptoms such as nerve pain, muscle aches and pains and of course, osteopenia (changes to bone mineral content that eventually may lead to osteoporosis), there are other studies that suggest that there is no correlation. That’s why Doctors tend not to test for it as part of our blood work as we move through menopause.

But for a generation of women who are very different from our mother’s generation and who have a lot going on in their lives, and we want to enjoy our exercise, I suggest that you try to get your levels tested if you can.
The Importance of Sunlight and Testing Vitamin D Levels
It’s summer here in New Zealand, so to those of you who work inside, do shift work, or are on the other side of the world in your winter months, this is a reminder about this powerful vitamin, which researchers now know is a ‘hormone’.


Vitamin D in Menopause: Beyond Bone Health
Vitamin D is necessary for the maintenance of the structural integrity and function of your musculo-skeletal system and deficiency is known to result in impaired bone strength and muscle activation.
Low Vitamin D and Midlife Conditions
It’s no surprise then, that fibromyalgia (a condition characterized by muscular or musculoskeletal pain with stiffness and localized tenderness at specific points on the body) is a disorder that manifests in numerous midlife women (Arout et al, 2018), and I was on that trajectory myself.

Low vitamin D status can cause numerous negative impacts on health and well-being for women throughout life. This includes on your fluid balance and lymphatic system. If your rings are tight on your fingers, then you will know what I mean.
Vitamin D and Thyroid, Bone, and Heart Health in Menopause
Vitamin D is also important in maintaining your thyroid health (low levels impact on the work of the parathyroid hormone, causing it to work harder to balance up levels and this can cause greater loss of calcium from bones).

Whilst both weight gain and poor sleep patterns affect post-menopause heart health, research also suggests that Vitamin D exerts a powerful influence on cardiovascular health in menopause, including in the mechanisms leading to arterial stiffness. (Al Mheid et al., 2011; Thompson et al, 2023)

Having this information is vital to gaining back a sense of control over our symptoms and weight during midlife, and as part of my 12 week online MyMT™ programmes, women download handouts as they go along, as well as listen to my webinars.

The handouts are summaries of the main points that are in my videos and webinars. Vitamin D is a topic that I talk about in my coaching community as well.


A Practical Reminder: Get Outside and Get Checked
I hope you can watch this video when you have time. In this I talk about the importance of getting your Vitamin D levels checked.

Many of you may also work indoors or you are on shift-work and these days many of you may even do your workouts indoors too, so it helps to have your levels of Vitamin D checked.

We also need some of this sunshine vitamin directly on our skin, so over the weekend, no matter where you live in the world, get outside if you can, even for a few minutes.

Not only will this boost your Vitamin D levels, but it will help your moods, your temperature regulation, your weight management and that precious sleep as well.

https://youtu.be/ZaYX78Jstpg

References: 

Abed, M.N., Alassaf, F. ., Qazzaz, M.E. et al. Insights into the Perspective Correlation Between Vitamin D and Regulation of Hormones: Thyroid and Parathyroid Hormones. Clinic Rev Bone Miner Metab 18, 87–93 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12018-021-09279-6

Arout, C., Sofuoglu, M., Bastian, L., &  Rosenheck, R. (2018). Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Fibromyalgia and in Concomitant Medical and Psychiatric Disorders: A National Veterans Health Administration Study. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 27(8): 1035–1044.

Ashok T, Palyam V, Azam A T, et al. (2022) Relationship Between Vitamin D and Thyroid: An Enigma. Cureus 14(1), 1-14.

Jones AN, Hansen KE. Recognizing the musculoskeletal manifestations of vitamin D deficiency. J Musculoskelet Med. 2009 Oct;26(10):389-396.

Magalhães, P. M., Cruz, S. P. d., Carneiro, O. A., Teixeira, M. T., & Ramalho, A. (2024). Vitamin D Inadequacy and Its Relation to Body Fat and Muscle Mass in Adult Women of Childbearing Age. Nutrients, 16(9), 1267. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16091267

Nettore, I.C., Albano, L., Ungaro, P. et al. Sunshine vitamin and thyroid. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 18, 347–354 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-017-9406-3

Pál, É., Ungvári, Z., Benyó, Z., & Várbíró, S. (2023). Role of Vitamin D Deficiency in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases. Nutrients, 15(2), 334. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15020334

Szymczak-Pajor I, Miazek K, Selmi A, Balcerczyk A, Śliwińska A. The Action of Vitamin D in Adipose Tissue: Is There the Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Adipose Tissue-Related Metabolic Disorders? Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jan 16;23(2):956. doi: 10.3390/ijms23020956. PMID: 35055140; PMCID: PMC8779075.


 
Vitamin D and Menopause FAQ
Does vitamin D help with menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, mood swings, weight loss or sleep problems?

The role of vitamin D in menopause is controversial. Some studies suggest a correlation between low vitamin D and symptoms such as nerve pain, muscle aches, and osteopenia, but others don’t. This inconsistency is why doctors often don’t test for vitamin D during menopause. That said, vitamin D is known to influence fluid balance, temperature regulation, weight management, and sleep — which are all impacted during menopause.

Can vitamin D help prevent osteoporosis or bone loss after menopause?

Yes. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in calcium metabolism in muscle and in maintaining the structural integrity of the musculoskeletal system. Low levels can lead to impaired uptake of calcium in the small intestine, and this impacts bone strength and contributes to osteopenia and ultimately osteoporosis.

What health issues can low vitamin D cause?

 	Impaired bone strength
 	Muscle strength
 	Osteopenia (loss of bone mineral content that may lead to osteoporosis)
 	Osteoporosis
 	Muscle aches and pains
 	Nerve pain
 	Fibromyalgia (musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, and tenderness especially in midlife women)
 	Thyroid dysfunction – impacts parathyroid hormone regulation, leading to greater calcium loss from bones
 	Obesity
 	Insulin resistance
Fluid retention /lymphatic imbalance (e.g., rings feeling tight on fingers)
 	Cardiovascular issues including arterial stiffness
 	Poor mood regulation or seasonal affective disorder
 	Sleep disturbances
 	Poor temperature regulation including hot flushes and night sweats

### Is low selenium intake making your menopause symptoms and fatigue worse?

Apparently, there is no region of the South Island in New Zealand, that is shown to have very high levels of selenium occurring naturally in soils.

Russia is the same, as is China, Scandinavia and other parts of the world, including some parts of Australia. The low values around the world are related to the nature of the rocks and the degree of soil weathering.

This is why, the trace element, selenium is now added to soils, animal drenching formulas and fertilizers in many countries.
The importance of selenium
Whilst we don't need a lot of selenium (and high levels can cause toxicity), understanding how we can reduce our fatigue levels during and after menopause as well as reduce brain fog and hot flushes, by being aware of both selenium and iodine in our diet, is an important lifestyle strategy for women.

If women have a low intake of selenium-rich foods as well as iodine-rich foods, then this may also become problematic for thyroid function. When thyroid function isn't optimal, then nor are energy levels. And daily fatigue, including muscular fatigue, is a problem that hundreds of women who have joined me over the past decade, have encountered.

During the menopause transition, one gland that really matters, is the thyroid gland. It's function can get out of balance as women transition through menopause, because it works closely with the ovaries and the adrenals via the HPA-Thyroid Axis - a pathway whereby all the hormones communicate with each other.

The thing that many women don't realise, is that the thyroid gland contains the maximum concentration of selenium of all the organs in our body.

Iodine and selenium are important nutrients. They are required for optimal thyroid function and without both of these micronutrients, energy levels are low, our hair falls out, we put on weight, develop aching muscles, experience brain fog and we feel moody, depressed and ‘hot’.

Sound familiar?


Selenium and our immune systems
Selenium plays a role in both immune system functioning and energy metabolism. So too, does iodine. Both of these minerals are essential to human health and we must get them from our diet.

In New Zealand, as in many other countries globally, the food supply contains low levels of both iodine and selenium (Brough, Gunn et al, 2017), because of the low content in soils.

For many of these countries, since the 1960s when mass production of wheat took off, high yield wheat grains, grown in selenium deficient soils, was a fast track to the changing health of the population. This included thyroid deficiencies, heart disease, cancer, depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. [Nally & Hailes, 2020)

For women transitioning menopause, no matter where we live, the knowledge that scientists have provided about selenium is important to us. You see, both selenium and iodine are required for optimal thyroid function and the thyroid gland contains the highest concentration of these minerals in the human body.

Many of you with thyroid problems may already know that thyroid hormones are required for the control of metabolic processes, growth and development, especially of the brain and central nervous system. If you are experiencing anxiety, brain fog, mood swings and changing energy levels, then please take note! 
The deficiency of Selenium (and iodine) can be problematic for women during menopause and post-menopause.
Selenium deficiency has been implicated in cardiovascular disease, muscle diseases such as fibromyalgia, poor recovery from exercise, thyroid problems and cognitive decline. In a recently published study, selenium, along with Vitamin D and C, in high doses, are now recommended for acute and chronic Covid recovery. (Bae and Kim, 2021).

Because selenium carries out various functions in normal health and energy metabolism, absorption is also important. When we eat this super trace mineral in our food, it is absorbed into the body by specific Selenium-related transporters in the small intestine. Then it's taken to the liver.

After uptake in the liver, selenium may enter the methionine pool. This refers to a long-term storage pool for Selenium.

Methionine is one of nine essential amino acids (proteins) that humans must derive from food and is the initiating amino acid for protein synthesis (formation).

Those of you who are exercising regularly and working out, need to know that selenium is an important trace mineral for muscle recovery.


Selenium and Women's Health: Are We Getting Enough Without Bread and Meat?
In 2017, here in New Zealand, a group of nutrition researchers at Massey University investigated the iodine and selenium intakes in healthy, women aged 50–70 years (n = 97) from three cities in the North Island.

Bread is the majority grain consumed in New Zealand and since the 1960s, when wheat seeds changed towards higher yields, bread consumption as well as the refined bread consumption has increased dramatically and with the addition of iodine to bread, iodine levels have stabilised.

The same can’t be said for selenium. In this study of post-menopausal women, blood levels of selenium were low in over 50% of them.

At one time, Finland had the lowest intake of selenium in the western world, but they fortified their fertilizers with selenium (as other countries such as NZ has done), and have since changed the equation.

But as women especially turn away from bread and meat, where are we getting our selenium from?


The Power of Brazil Nuts: A Natural Boost for Women's Health
Brazil nuts (and kidney), became the mainstay sources of selenium in many countries that had low soil content of selenium.

Selenium helps energy, mood, reduces hot flushes and allows the thyroid to do it’s job of regulating our temperature, weight and energy levels.
Only 3-4 Brazil nuts are needed daily.
Even if Brazil nuts are grown in lower selenium soils, they still have enough selenium to help our thyroid function.

I often wonder therefore, if women are getting checked for their iodine and selenium levels or if they are just having their symptoms viewed through the lens of ‘ovarian  problems in menopause’ and get placed on hormonal medications and anti-depressants instead? It’s an interesting thought.



Understanding lifestyle solutions for our menopause symptoms is what my programmes focus on. One of the stances that I take in my 12 week coaching programmes, is to position our menopause transition in ageing science. Afterall, menopause is the gateway to the next phase of our life, just as puberty was the gateway to our reproductive years.

I often remind you that menopause is the 'bookend to puberty' and as such, we can expect that there are changes going on around the body, not just in our ovaries, as we get older.

As such, adjusting aspects of our lifestyle to accommodate these changes, is an important strategy for all women navigating menopause.

That's why I'm passionate about bringing scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions to your menopause symptom toolbox - this includes understanding that we must focus on increasing our intake of certain vitamins and minerals, as well as sorting out any problems with gut and liver health, because how we absorb these nutrients is crucial.

Emerging science suggests that adequate selenium status may play a role in healthy ageing. So, let's take care of that through adding a couple of Brazil nuts to our daily diet.

It's a pretty simple solution isn't it?

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References: 

Alehagen U., Opstad TB., Alexander J., Larsson A. & Aaseth J. (2021). Impact of Selenium on Biomarkers and Clinical Aspects Related to Ageing. A Review. Biomolecules. 2021 Oct 7;11(10):1478. doi: 10.3390/biom11101478. PMID: 34680111; PMCID: PMC8533247.

Bae, M., & Kim, H. (2020). Mini-Review on the Roles of Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Selenium in the Immune System against COVID-19. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 25(22), 5346. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25225346

Brough, L., Gunn, C. A., Weber, J. L., Coad, J., Jin, Y., Thomson, J. S., Mauze, M., & Kruger, M. C. (2017). Iodine and Selenium Intakes of Postmenopausal Women in New Zealand. Nutrients, 9(3), 254. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9030254

Fairweather-Tait SJ, Collings R, Hurst R. (2010). Selenium bioavailability: current knowledge and future research requirements. Am J Clin Nutr. 91(5):1484S-1491S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.28674

Nally, A. & Hailes, L. (2020). Just cause and effect: Selenium deficiency in New Zealand. Write Answers Ltd Publ.: New Zealand.

Shreenath AP, Ameer MA, Dooley J. (2021). Selenium Deficiency. [Updated 2021 Dec 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-.

Ventura, M., Melo, M., & Carrilho, F. (2017). Selenium and Thyroid Disease: From Pathophysiology to Treatment. International journal of endocrinology, 2017, 1297658. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1297658

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: An overnight Focaccia, for your pre-exercise nutrition.

For many years I taught sport and exercise students that endurance athletes rarely compete in the fasted state as this may compromise their fuel stores and performance.

Yet, these days, with rigorous fasting regimes for menopause weight management on the rise, I'm finding that many women who are fasting daily, are also participating in intense exercise (e.g. HIIT classes and weight training) or they are doing endurance exercise. I'm not surprised when they tell me that they often feel exhausted.

From the numerous women I talk to on my 12 week lifestyle-change programmes as well as Practitioners on the MyMT™ Education Practitioner Courses who are working with these women and supporting them through menopause, I realise that many of them don't understand that you can't do extreme fasting AND expect to tolerate and recover from exercise.

This is because if you are living your life in a fasted state from day to day, your muscles aren't replacing the storage forms of glucose, called glycogen.

It is well known in sport and exercise science that the timing and composition of the pre-exercise meal is a significant consideration for optimizing metabolism and subsequent exercise performance. (Ormsbee et al, 2014).

This is where carbohydrate in the form of starch comes in. 

Pre-exercise consumption of carbohydrate, up to 4-6 hours prior to the exercise, increases blood glucose levels. As a result, insulin is released from the pancreas, and liver glucose output is blunted. The role of insulin is to initiate uptake of the glucose into muscle cells, thus storing it, ready for exercise.

If you've ever seen images of athletes competing in marathons or other endurance events and tottering all over the road about to collapse, this is because their muscle and liver glycogen stores have reached rock-bottom.

Understanding that the menopause transition is a vulnerable time for muscle changes, means that if you are a regular exerciser, then it's time that you needed to improve your intake of carbohydrates, especially starch carbs. Carbohydrate feedings prior to endurance exercise are common and have generally been shown to enhance performance, despite increasing insulin levels. (Ormsbee et al, 2014).

Soft breads that are easily digested are great as a pre-exercise food for you. Because our gut health changes as we move through menopause. Our muscles are also ageing and changing, so a soft bread such as Focaccia, is ideal.

My daughter's partner, Harry, is a whizz at making this easy, Overnight Focaccia bread, and when he made this one in the photo above, I knew it was perfect for you to try sometime. The recipe has been sourced from alexandracooks.com and there is a step-by-step process which I have copied here for you.

If you are continually exhausted after you exercise, this is the recipe for you to help you get your pre-exercise nutrition sorted!

I also have all this information in my 12 week menopause exercise programme called 'Rebuild My Fitness'. If you are wanting to understand the specific changes that occur during menopause and how to exercise in ways that help you to improve your cardiovascular fitness, your strength and flexibility, then this is the home-based programme for you.


MyMT™ Easy Overnight Foccacia Bread
(recipe sourced from alexandercooks.com)
Ingredients:

 	4 cups (512 g) flour
 	2 teaspoons (10 g) salt
 	2 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast
 	2 cups (455 g) water
 	Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

 	Whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast first.
 	Add the water: Use a spatula to stir the two together.
 	Slick the surface of the dough with olive oil; then cover the bowl.
 	Stick the bowl in the fridge immediately and leave it there to rise for 12 to 18 hours

NOTE: The recipe states that it is important the dough really be slicked with olive oil especially if you are using a cloth bowl cover or tea towel as opposed to plastic wrap or the lid pictured in the photo below this one. If you are using a tea towel, consider securing it with a rubber band to make a more airtight cover. If you do not slick the dough with enough oil, you risk the dough drying out and forming a crust over the top layer. (see image below)



 	Remove from fridge, and remove the cover.
 	Deflate the dough and transfer to a prepared pan (preferably 9 x 13 inch). If you are using glass baking dishes be sure to grease the dishes with butter before pouring a tablespoon of olive oil into each. (The butter will ensure the bread doesn’t stick.) Don’t touch the dough again for 2 to 4 hours depending on your environment.
 	Then it’s time to dimple it! You can use simply olive oil and salt — I recommend good, flaky sea salt for this.
 	If you are using rosemary, sprinkle it over the dough. Then pour two tablespoons of olive oil over the dough, and using your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt — Maldon is great here.
 	Transfer to the oven immediately and bake at 425ºF (200 celcius) for 25 minutes or until golden all around. Remove focaccia from pans and place on cooling racks.

I hope you enjoy pulling off some of the bread and having it up to 1-2 hours before exercise.



References: 

Alexandra Stafford Focaccia Recipe Link HERE

Ormsbee MJ, Bach CW, Baur DA. Pre-exercise nutrition: the role of macronutrients, modified starches and supplements on metabolism and endurance performance. Nutrients. 2014 Apr 29;6(5):1782-808. doi: 10.3390/nu6051782.

### MyMT™ Education: Foods that shift storage fat to metabolically-active 'burning' fat.

If there were some foods that you could help your clients incorporate into their daily food intake, that contained compounds to help them change unhealthy white fat and turn this to highly metabolic brown fat, would they eat them?For those of your clients holding onto menopause belly fat, then yes, I hope they would.Women often get really confused about what type of foods help to shift stubborn menopause fat and I know from my own experience, that we often turn to diets and exhausting exercise routines to lose this fat. But what if there were certain ingredients that women could include in their diet, that helps to reduce harmful storage fat cells, converting these to more healthy metabolically active fat cells? When the menopause transition arrives, there is a perfect storm between changing hormones, decreasing metabolism, not sleeping and of course, stress. All of these factors contribute to increased storage of superficial white fat around the abdomen, diaphragm and breasts.This type of fat that which often defines menopause weight gain is called White Adipose Tissue (WAT). It's the type of fat that is stored easily on the belly, diaphragm, breasts, thighs and even around the heart (pericardial fat).This WAT fat is superficial fat and is unhealthy fat because these cells store excess energy from food as well as oestrogens that circulate in the plasma. White fat is also hormonally active and produces its own type of oestrogen, called oestrone. Because of these influences on white fat, menopause is a vulnerable time for additional storage of fat and the cells expand.If your clients are struggling with increasing belly fat, then this is the fat that women don’t want.		
																														
		Understanding the difference between White Adipose Tissue and more metabolically-active Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) is important. Brown-adipose tissue is highly vascularised. Because of this, it contains higher numbers of mitochondria. These are the organelles that convert free fatty acids into energy in the form of ATP.Oxygen and fats work together within the mitochondria, to make energy that fuels human metabolism. It’s why you may have heard that mitochondrial cells are your fat-burning cells.So, can we turn white fat cells which are just storage cells, into metabolically active brown fat cells, that help us to manage menopause weight? Well, with the help of six ingredients found in foods, new research suggests that this can occur. It is well known that the management of body weight is primarily based on lifestyle modifications and modulating the absorption of food. Most people know that exercise helps too, but few realise that there are evidenced compounds in foods that help to change storage white fat to metabolically brown fat.How remarkable that our body can do this, and certain compounds in foods help with this process.   Research over the last decade has provided evidence to support the role of bioactive dietary components in the prevention and/or treatment of obesity and associated metabolic disorders.Food-derived components are known to help stimulate energy expenditure by switching white fat to brown fat.Relatively new research indicates that there are SIX main compounds in foods that help white storage fat to move towards becoming brown metabolically-active fat. 		
																														
		Capsaicin and Capsinoids: These compounds are active in peppers. Many of you will know about capsaicin which is an active ingredient of hot pepper. This is the ingredient that is responsible for the pungency and hotness sensation of chilli peppers. Capsinoids are in red peppers and doesn't have the pungency and heat of chilli peppers. Both these compounds have elicited enormous interest in fat-loss supplements because of their role in enhancing fat oxidation (breaks down in the presence of oxygen) and increasing energy expenditure through turning white fat cells towards brown fat cells.  		
																														
		2. Resveratrol: This is a natural stilbenoid, which is a type of natural phenol, produced by several plants in response to injury or when the plant is under attack by pathogens, such as bacteria or fungi. Sources of resveratrol in food include the skin of grapes, red wine, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts. Resveratrol is getting interest in health and longevity research as well as metabolic research, because it helps to improve the size of mitochondria. Many of you have heard me mention that as we lose muscle size and density in menopause, we also lose mitochondria numbers. This impacts the muscle's metabolic activity and the rate of fat-burning. Adding some resveratrol-rich foods and yes, even some red wine, to your diet, will help you to burn fat. 		
																														
		3. Curcumin: If your clients are taking supplements for joint pain or hot flushes, then you might want to see if these contain curcumin or it's other name, diferuloylmethane. Curcumin is a yellow-coloured compound which is found in the extracts of Turmeric roots. Whilst we all know that this is commonly used as a spice in cooking, it has also been recognised for its potential value as an anti-obesity agent (Mantzorou et al, 2018). Although many of the studies have been conducted on mice and rats, results are promising that regular curcumin intake promotes energy expenditure. 4. Green Tea: If any of you have ever taken fat-loss supplements, then these may well have contained tea catechins extracts. Whilst some studies don't support the research on catechins in green tea and their effect on fat-burning, other scientists report that green tea extracts have caffeine, which is known for its thermogenic (heat producing) properties. This thermogenic effect as a result of the caffeine, may well play a role in the increase in brown fat in some studies into the role that green tea catechins play in the recruitment and activation of brown adipose tissue in humans. 		
																														
		5. Menthol: Also known as mint camphor, menthol is either produced synthetically or obtained from peppermint Mentha piperita. For centuries, mint/menthol has been known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic, anti-viral and analgesic effects. Now researchers also know that it enhances metabolic activity in both brown and white  adipose tissue. Menthol is cooling and therefore, plays a role in increasing non-shivering thermogenesis (heat generation) in muscles and now, fat cells. We all know that when we buy some joint or muscle-healing creams, that there is a slight analgesic effect when you put it on your skin. This is due to the menthol and researchers now think that this substance has a promising role to play in regulating energy balance and metabolism in weight management. 		
																														
		6. Fish-derived Omega-3 Fatty Acids: I'm sure that most of you have heard of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). They are the major type of fats found in fish oil supplements and in fatty fish such as salmon. Whilst the supplementation of fish oil has been shown to increase brown tissue and protein levels in rats, more recent research suggests that dietary PUFAs lower the amount of abdominal white adipose tissue. How this happens is still a bit unclear but the researchers suggest that fish oil contributes to brown fat production by stimulating the digestive tract to trigger, via the brain, increases in sympathetic nervous system response. Increased nervous system activity is known to increase adrenaline, which in turn increases metabolism. 		
																														
		Metabolically active brown fat has only recently been discovered in adult humans and this has led to better understanding about the role of dietary molecules that influence healthier brown fat production, whilst lowering unhealthy white fat size.For women in menopause, this is interesting research. Whilst scientists don't quite fully understand how much of these compounds are needed to elicit fat-burning, thermogenic effects, I think it is encouraging that in a world where post-menopause obesity leads millions of women down the path towards changing heart health and Type 2 Diabetes, it helps to know that these studies are being undertaken.  This information and so much more is in the Certified CPD Course, Menopause Weight Loss Coach. If you are training or working with midlife clients desiring weight management, then this self-learning, 6-week course is for you. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References: Andrade J., Frade A., Guimarães J., Freitas K., Lopes M., Guimarães A., de Paula A., Coimbra C. & Santos S.. (2014). Resveratrol increases brown adipose tissue thermogenesis markers by increasing SIRT1 and energy expenditure and decreasing fat accumulation in adipose tissue of mice fed a standard diet. Eur J Nutr. Oct;53(7):1503-10. doi: 10.1007/s00394-014-0655-6. Epub 2014 Jan 28. PMID: 24468941.El Hadi H., Di Vincenzo A., Vettor R. & Rossato, M. (2019). Food ingredients involved in white-to-brown adipose tissue conversion and in calorie burning. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, o1954. https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2018.01954     Mantzorou M., Pavlidou E., Vasios G., Tsagalioti E., & Giaginis C. (2018). Effects of curcumin consumption on human chronic diseases: A narrative review of the most recent clinical data. Phytother Res. 32(6):957-975. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6037. 

### Menopause and Liver Health

Why your liver matters more than you think for your menopause symptoms				
		It took me a long time to turn my back on the popular Keto diet and the high intensity exercise mantra that pervades the fitness and dieting industries today. There's a few women on my programme who have now learnt to do this too, especially those who have moved into their post-menopause years and are on the 12 week Beyond Menopause™ program.After exploring the influence that menopause hormonal changes have on our liver and gallbladder as we age, it suddenly made sense why all that exhausting exercise, high fat and high protein eating, simply made me put on more weight and sent my energy levels crashing. All of my clothes felt tight and I felt exhausted. It was depressing.But my angst about my body weight paled in comparison to the arrival of new concerns - sore joints, aching muscles, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, daily fatigue and cholesterol levels that were climbing through the roof. I could see my Doctor reaching for the prescription pad ready to write 'statins'.My only thoughts were of my mother in her early 60's who put on lots of weight, developed hypertension, took statin medication for years and ended up having a stroke in her early 80's.Suddenly the 'healthy ageing' trajectory that I thought I was on, seemed hopeless. Not only due to my family history, but because of what I was learning in my doctoral studies. The research on women's health and ageing, presented similar declining-health trajectories.However, acquainting myself with this research was also my savior. It allowed me to better understand how to turn around my health at a time of life, when our changing hormonal environment makes us more vulnerable to weight gain and the various co-morbidities such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.These metabolic risk factors are part of the reason that menopause weight gain, liver health and changing fatigue levels shouldn't be ignored.		
																														
					Liver function and menopause - what the research tells us
				
		Professor Carla Brady has researched the liver and the effects of menopause on this important organ. As she mentions,“There is an interplay of hormonal issues and ageing that create a unique path for development of liver problems and liver disease in menopausal women, making chronic liver disease a significant burden on women’s health in their post-menopause years.”  [Brady, C., 2015].Learning that the liver and gall-bladder both change in structure and function as women move towards post-menopause, is an important understanding for all women. Because of normal structural and functional changes as women age, the emphasis on a diet high in saturated fats and proteins as are popular today, may not be helpful for many women who experience abdominal weight gain, bloating and increasing cholesterol levels. If women are also on oral hormone replacement therapy (HT) rather than transdermal patches, there may be additional liver clearance of these synthetic oestrogens occurring, which may place additional burden on the liver. And new research out of Greece, also suggests that those women with a fatty liver, may experience worsening hot flushes, despite being on HRT. (Armeni et al, 2024).Health chaos as women move through menopause may arrive slowly. Not sleeping, poor temperature regulation, changing weight, high total and LDL cholesterol, bloating, worsening fatigue and joint pain may send numerous women into further health chaos as they move through menopause - whether they are on HRT or not. Whilst the focus is usually on cardiac health when we visit our Doctor with changing cholesterol and weight gain during menopause (which it should be), how many of you are being told that your liver health matters too?I'll let you reflect on that.Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is recognized as a cause of liver disease globally – particularly in Australia, where many of you may live (Adams et al, 2020). NAFLD is defined as the presence of excessive liver fat accumulation in the absence of other causes such as excess alcohol.		
																														
					Menopause liver health factors to consider				
		In both of the MyMT™ programmes, I have an entire 1 hour podcast/webinar devoted to the scientific evidence about how to turn around our liver health in a way that helps to rejuvenate our ageing liver. The liver is a remarkable organ. It has a unique capacity among organs to regenerate itself after damage and can achieve this (within reason) in a systematic way over at least 6 weeks. For example, food based nutrients continue to be investigated for their role in changing metabolic pathways involved in the detoxification process not only in the liver, but throughout our body (Hodges & Minich, 2015).If you are paying lots of money for expensive supplements that 'detox' you, then please know that allium foods (onions, garlic and leeks) top the list of foods that have known detoxification actions in the body. 		
																														
		Once we understand the metabolic pathways that help to rejuvenate our liver, we have the ability to turn around our energy, weight, cholesterol and bloating at this time of life. As I discovered myself, if we are going to change our health and manage our weight as we age, then the liver is the organ to focus on first. I worry about women in menopause going on the high-fat, high-protein diets that are popularised as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ diet these days. These diets don't fit with the current scientific research on how we need to eat as we move through menopause.This is why positioning our menopause transition in women’s ageing and following the women's health research changed my life too. It allowed me to better understand how our body is adjusting to our changing hormones in menopause – some of these changes have a lot to do with how the liver and gallbladder change as we get older.And for those of you who have had your gallbladder removed over the years, there are changes to your fat intake that you may need to adjust as well because not having a gall-bladder impacts the dumping of emulsified fats directly into your small intestine. Understanding that the liver is the hero in the story of your mid-life weight loss, energy and health as you age is important.The liver plays a central role in all metabolic processes in the body, especially in fat metabolism.In fat metabolism the liver cells break down fats and produce energy. These cells also produce about 800 to 1,000 ml of bile per day. This yellow, brownish or olive green liquid is collected in small ducts and then passed on to the main bile duct, which carries the bile to a part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Bile is important for the breakdown and absorption of fats. If you don't have a gallbladder, then you don't have this storage capacity role, so the type of fats and when you eat them matters to you as well. As we age our liver is changing. It shrinks in size and the gall-bladder produces less bile. Bile is the substance that helps to emulsify or break down fats. If our diet is high in fats (including animal fats), then our gallbladder cannot cope with the volume of fats that it has to emulsify. Our gall-bladder, which stores bile, where fats are broken down further, also changes.We have around 20% less bile being produced as we move through menopause.Menopause and Fatty Liver Disease In Women Changes in diet and lifestyle have led to a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in Western countries and many Asian countries. This has resulted in a significant increase in the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), [Watanabe, et al, 2015). Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) doubles in incidence in women as they move through menopause. This condition increases inflammation in the liver.		
																														
		I have no idea if you have an over-burdened liver or not – only you and your Doctor do. But if you are putting on weight and feeling bloated and you are on oral tablets of Menopause-HRT and your cholesterol levels are changing, then please get your liver health checked.We are a generation of women who have had over 40 years of living in a fast-changing society, with lots of emphasis on changing food production and chemical consumption and toxins that are harmful to our liver health.Hence, we must understand that if we want to lose weight and improve our health as we age, then our liver matters. Current research supports the effect of inflammation gathered over our lifetime on our changing health as we age. Liver tissue is made up of lots of smaller units of liver cells called lobules. Many canals carrying blood and bile run between the liver cells. Blood coming from the digestive organs flows through the portal vein to the liver, carrying nutrients, medication and also toxic substances.Once they reach the liver, these substances are processed, stored, altered, detoxified, and passed back into the blood or released in the bowel to be eliminated. In this way the liver can, for example, remove alcohol from your blood and get rid of by-products from the breakdown of medications.But here’s the thing - with the amount of fats, processed carbohydrates and animal proteins that our liver has to process in a day, then other vital nutrients and mineral salts may not be able to be readily absorbed into the blood.Women who have a high-fat and high protein diet and may be doing lots of high-intensity exercise or have a lot of stress in their lives, must also be cautious about their liver health. When women are continually exercising or feeling stressed, the liver is over-burdened with having to turn over glucose to fuel the 'fight or flight' adrenaline response.Thousands of women become confused about why their cholesterol is increasing and end up on statins or endless supplements, but what they may be missing is how to adjust their diet or exercise to match the scientific evidence on detoxification of the liver as we move through menopause. 		
																														
		Find out what diet and exercise strategies help detoxify your liverI have lots of strategies in my 12 week programmes, for you to turn around your liver health, but here are two of my favourites: Eat mainly plant fats and until you improve your liver health, then decrease your total fat intake to around 15% of your diet, unless you are doing lots of endurance exercise. (In which case you can go up to around 20-25%). Many foods act as either inducers or inhibitors of enzymes that have bioactive compounds in detoxification of the liver and other organs, but the amount you have is important. Too much kale for example as well as other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and brussel sprouts, can either activate or inhibit the enzymes that help to detoxify the liver - we need some, but not a lot it seems. 		
																														
		Stretch in ways that help to lengthen your diaphragm. Also massage your liver when you can (in the shower is great). If you sit all day at a desk and your liver is compressed from fat that accumulates under the diaphragm as it did for me (and Linda below), then including more stretches for your liver and gall-bladder at the end of the day is a great habit to get into.   		
																														
		The ageing of our organs offers a 'perfect-storm' when menopause arrives. This means that we have to learn how to make some lifestyle adjustments to accommodate these changes.  Otherwise our weight gain creeps on and on as the years advance.With increased weight gain, then cardiac and metabolic health can change as we move into post-menopause. For too many women, what ensues is frustration and confusion, as, instead of feeling healthy and vibrant, they may feel exhausted, sick and overweight instead. Health and medical researchers already know from research on our mother’s generation, that weight gain around the trunk at this time of life sends women into post-menopause heart disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.For those of you putting on a lot of belly fat, or if you have the ‘hard-fat' sitting around your abdomen, then please try to come on board into my Menopause Weight Loss Program called Transform Me.This programme is 3 months long and there is a reason for this - that's how long it takes for you to turn around your liver, reset your body to adapt to your ageing and discover how to change your nutrition, sleep and exercise habits so that you thrive at this stage of life. I can't wait to help you.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																														
		References:Adams, L. A., Roberts, S. K., Strasser, S. I., Mahady, S. E., Powell, E., Estes, C., Razavi, H., and George, J. (2020) Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease burden: Australia, 2019–2030. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 35: 1628– 1635. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.15009.Armeni E. et al. OR25-02. Presented at: ENDO annual meeting; June 1-4, 2024. Hot Flash Severity Predicts Metabolic-Associated Liver Disease.Bansal R, Aggarwal N. Menopausal Hot Flashes: A Concise Review. J Midlife Health. 2019 Jan-Mar;10(1):6-13. doi: 10.4103/jmh.JMH_7_19. PMID: 31001050;Brady, C. (2015). Liver disease and menopause. World J Gastroenterology, 21(25): 7613-7620. Cabot, S. (2010). Fatty liver - You can reverse it. Arizona, USA: SCB Inc. Greger, M. (2020). How not to diet. The groundbreaking science of healthy, permanent weight loss. New York: Flatiron Books.Gerber, L. H., Weinstein, A. A., Mehta, R., & Younossi, Z. M. (2019). Importance of fatigue and its measurement in chronic liver disease. World journal of gastroenterology, 25(28), 3669–3683. Hodges R. & Minich D. (2015). Modulation of metabolic detoxification pathways using foods and food-derived components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. J Nutr Metab. Article 760689. Kim, H., Kissaleva, T. & Brenner, D. (2015). Aging and liver disease. Curr. Opin Gastroenterol. 31(3): 184–191.Kodoth V, Scaccia S, Aggarwal B. Adverse Changes in Body Composition During the Menopausal Transition and Relation to Cardiovascular Risk: A Contemporary Review. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022 Jun 13;3(1):573-581. Rui L. (2014). Energy metabolism in the liver. Compr Physiol. 4(1):177-97. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c130024. PMID: 24692138; PMCID: PMC4050641.Satapathy SK, Sanyal AJ. Epidemiology and Natural History of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. (2015). Semin Liver Dis. 35(3), 221-35. doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1562943.Venetsanaki V, Polyzos SA. Menopause and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Review Focusing on Therapeutic Perspectives. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2019;17(6):546-555. doi: 10.2174/1570161116666180711121949. Watanabe, S., Hashimoto, E. et al. (2015). Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. J. Gastroenterology, 50: 364–377.Wenxia Lu, Sainan Li,Jingjing Li, et al. (2016). Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Gastroenterology Research and Practice, Article ID 1459790, 1-11.

### MyMT™ Education: Help your menopause clients turn down high blood pressure with potassium-rich foods.

I know myself that confusion abounds about 'what to eat' to manage menopause symptoms and despite lecturing in nutrition for years at university level, I used to feel that confusion too!

But with the menopause transition known to bring inflammatory changes to our blood vessels, it made sense to explore the nutritional and heart-health science in relation to women's health and ageing.

This research led me towards better understanding the traditional diet consumed by older women living in Okinawa (a southern island in Japan). Their way of eating is anchored in root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants.

Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes and spices, tea, alcohol are also moderately consumed.

Many characteristics of the traditional Okinawan diet are shared with other healthy dietary patterns, especially that of the traditional Mediterranean diet - a diet known for it's benefits to women's cardiovascular and metabolic health and improved health as they age. [Willcox et al, 2014].

That's why I want to encourage you to help your midlife clients to turn their attention to the heart-healthy and blood pressure reducing benefits of root vegetables and other foods that are rich in potassium. 

There is so much emphasis on calcium for bone health as we move through menopause and into the next phase of our lives. And whilst bone health deserves our attention, the other fundamental aspect of our health is to also improve cardiac health and manage the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).

Hypertension is known to be influenced by lifestyle factors, including insomnia, low levels of exercise, overweight status and a diet high in processed foods which are also high in sodium. [Tasic et al, 2022]

This is where foods that are higher in potassium come in and it's why I always have both sweet potatoes and raisins in my pantry.
Are Rasisins Healthy for your Clients?
There’s a common perception that raisins are unhealthy – that’s because they are around 60% sugar, predominantly fructose and glucose. However, relatively new research suggests that they are a lot healthier than we think (Olmo-Cunillera, Escobar-Avello et al., 2019).

I used to feel guilty about eating raisins, but now my post-exercise urge to grab a handful of raisins makes sense.

After a bout of heavier exercise, I craved their sweetness. Most importantly though, after exercise, an elevated blood pressure needs foods such as raisins, which are high in potassium, to assist post-exercise recovery.

Whilst backpackers and hikers appreciate the high-energy, low-fat convenience of dried fruits such as raisins, I bet that your clients aren’t very focused on having ½ cup of raisins as they move through menopause.

But a new review of the power of raisins to keep us healthy as we age, suggests that your clients should pack them into their lunchbox too.

“It has been demonstrated that raisins possess a low-to-moderate glycemic index, which makes them a healthy snack. They seem to contribute to a better diet quality and may reduce appetite. 

Their antioxidant capacity has been correlated to the phenolic content and this may be involved in the improvement of cardiovascular health. In addition, raisins maintain a good oral health due to their antibacterial activity, low adherence to teeth and an optimum oral pH. Raisin consumption also seems to be favorable for colon function. Moreover, gut microbiota could be affected by the prebiotic content of raisins.” [Olmo-Cunillera, Escobar-Avello et al., 2019].

If your clients have high blood pressure and they are moving through menopause, then raisins (organic preferably) and sweet potatoes are two important foods for them to include in their diet. Both foods are potassium-rich.



Potassium is a powerful mineral which packs a punch when it comes to lowering our blood pressure as we age.

If your clients are sulfite-sensitive however, then they do need to stay clear of the golden seedless raisins however, because during processing, golden raisins (sultanas) are exposed to sulfite (sulphur dioxide), which prevents them from unwanted bacteria and yeasts.

If you’ve listened to my Masterclass on Menopause, then I explain that cardiac health is the number one health concern of women as they age and oestrogen declines.

Yet, as I've mentioned to Practitioners on my education courses, the conversations about this from a lifestyle perspective, seem to be missing.

However, helping your clients to add potassium-rich foods into their diet to help prevent hypertension is just one focus that I have in the MyMT™ Food Guide in both my online programmes too. Health Practitioner, Wendy Gordon from Melbourne, has not only completed one of these programmes, but she has gone on to undertake the Practitioner training too.



Potassium is a shortfall nutrient that is not typically found in fortified foods or commonly consumed as dietary supplements. It doesn’t get a lot of mention in dietary conversations for our menopause transition, but it should.

However, a word of caution that if your clients are on antihypertensives or other cardiac medications, then please get them to check with their Doctor about the amount of potassium-rich foods that are recommended for you.  

Potassium is present in all body tissues and is required for normal cell function because of its role in maintaining intracellular fluid volume and the movement of ions across the membranes.

It has a strong relationship with sodium, the main regulator of extracellular fluid volume, including our plasma volume.

If your clients are complaining about feeling bloated and ‘heavy’ and they are retaining water, then keep an eye on their potassium intake as their levels of progesterone decline during menopause. Declining levels of the hormone, progesterone, impacts fluid balance.

When women eat more foods (including raisins and sweet potatoes), that are higher in potassium, then this allows the kidneys to excrete more sodium in the urine. This is what helps to lower their blood pressure and reduces their risk for heart disease.

With many processed foods containing too much salt, balancing potassium and sodium is fundamental to our health as we age in order to help maintain a healthy blood pressure.

Just ¼ cup of raisins contains 270 milligrams of potassium.

Women need around 2,400 milligrams of potassium daily, so having foods that they can snack on is one way to ensure that potassium intake remains high, especially when they are busy.
Other Potassium-Rich Foods: 
Sweet potatoes contain about 475 milligrams of potassium per 1/2 cup and adding a banana to morning oats is another way to get potassium as is increasing citrus fruit intake. [Duarte, Fernandes et al, 2016].



Evidence from trials on blood pressure suggests 3600–3800 mg/day of potassium from fruits and vegetables may be reasonable for heart and bone health.

This is still 1000 mg higher than the current average consumption of potassium in the modern western diet.

Improving the potassium: sodium intake ratio has a stronger advantage to heart health than either dietary constituent in isolation. For women in menopause, research suggests that this may be true for bone health also, because both sodium and potassium have opposing actions on calcium excretion. (Weaver, 2013).

But there’s also more to foods such as raisins as a heart-healthy snack.

Raisins are also high in fibre and contain non-haem iron. This is the type of iron that isn’t in red meat, so if your clients are moving towards a plant-based diet during menopause, then raisins are a great source of iron.

Iron is essential for the creation of haemoglobin in red blood cells and it helps red blood cells to transport oxygen. If your clients are in peri-menopause and still menstruating, and/or they are doing higher intensity exercise, then please get them to get their iron levels checked. As I say to my own clients, “Any heart palpitations and/ or increased anxiety, may be due to low iron, especially if women are vegetarian.”

I know myself how we can get so caught up with all the various dieting and exercise regimes these days, but many of these are not evidenced against our changing heart and metabolic health as we move through our menopause years.

Focusing on cardiac health is crucial, especially for those women with stressful lives or if they aren't sleeping. Not sleeping increases the brain, heart and liver need for glucose. Hence, helping clients to resolve sleep and allowing them to snack on raisins may help them to reduce their blood pressure prior to bedtime.

Insomnia is well known to increase the risk of hypertension. This happens becuase the blood pressure stays elevated, without following the dip that it should take when women are asleep. [Jarrin, Alvaro et al., 2018].

Incorporating foods into our diet that help the body to 'age-well' is an important focus for your midlife and older clients.

If you need support with knowing the 'how' and 'why' of how to adjust your client's lifestyle during and after their menopause transition, then don't forget that you can also join me on my 12 week programmes if you can.

Transform Me focuses on weight loss, and Circuit Breaker is targeted towards thinner, leaner women.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

For any course enquiries, please email georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com



References:

Anderson, J., Weiter, K., Christian, A., Ritchey, M. & Harold E. Bays (2014). Raisins compared with other snack effects on glycemia and blood pressure: A randomized, controlled trial. Postgraduate Medicine, 126:1, 37-43, DOI: 10.3810/pgm.2014.01.2723

Duarte, A., Fernandes, J., Bernardes, J. & Miguel, G. (2016). Citrus as a component of the Mediterranean Diet. Journal of Spatial and Organizational Dynamics, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 4(4), 289-304.

Jarrin D., Alvaro P., Bouchard M., Jarrin S., Drake C., Morin C. (2018). Insomnia and hypertension: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. Oct;41:3-38.

Knez E, Kadac-Czapska K, Dmochowska-Ślęzak K, Grembecka M. Root Vegetables-Composition, Health Effects, and Contaminants. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Nov 23;19(23):15531. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192315531.

Olmo-Cunillera, A., Escobar-Avello, D., Pérez, A. J., Marhuenda-Muñoz, M., Lamuela-Raventós, R. M., & Vallverdú-Queralt, A. (2019). Is Eating Raisins Healthy?. Nutrients, 12(1), 54 https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010054

Okuda N., Okayama A., Miura K., Yoshita K., Miyagawa N., Saitoh S., Nakagawa H., Sakata K., Chan Q., Elliott P., Ueshima H., Stamler J. Food Sources of Dietary Potassium in the Adult Japanese Population: The International Study of Macro-/Micronutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP). Nutrients. 2020 Mar 17;12(3):787.

Palagini L., Bruno R., Gemignani A., Baglioni C., Ghiadoni L., & Riemann D. (2013). Sleep loss and hypertension: a systematic review. Curr Pharm Des. 19(13):2409-19.

Saleh, J. (2021). Women's heart health is not just about hormones. Nature, Vol 594, 10th June, 2021

Weaver C. M. (2013). Potassium and health. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 4(3), 368S–77S. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.112.003533

Willcox DC, Scapagnini G, Willcox BJ. Healthy aging diets other than the Mediterranean: a focus on the Okinawan diet. Mech Ageing Dev. 2014 Mar-Apr;136-137:148-62.

Williamson G., & Carughi A. (2010). Polyphenol content and health benefits of raisins. Nutr Res. 30(8):511-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2010.07.005. PMID: 20851304.

### Relief for your tender breasts during and after menopause.

“I have to wear three bras to go for a run – my breasts have got so big and sore!” she cried as she left a message on my phone. “They’ve never been this big in my life and I hate how it’s uncomfortable to run."

My personal trainer friend was frustrated. How this bought back memories for me. When my own breast size doubled as I reached my late 40s and early 50s, I was mystified.

Nobody had told me about the effect of changing hormones on my breast tissue. It seems nobody had told my friend either.

Whilst we all need to have breast checks as we move through menopause, because the risk of breast cancer increases the older you are, if you have heavy, tender, lumpy breasts, then have a read as I know how uncomfortable this issue is for many women.

Research attention has been focused on breast tissue for a number of years, because the fat tissue in breasts also plays a major role in the development and progression of breast cancer. In Australia alone, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer for women aged 40 – 59 years. [AIHW, Cancer Data, 2024].

Hence, if you are menopausal or post-menopausal and haven’t had your breast tissue checked, then now is the stage of life to get this done, don’t you think?

Breast adipose tissue is important. Fat covers most of the breast from the collarbone to the underarm and around the center of the ribcage. Its main function is to help sustain the breast micro-environment, storing excess energy and releasing it when required by the body.

One of the main reasons for those of us with large breasts experiencing an increase in size of breasts in midlife, is that breast tissue is producing a considerable amount of oestrogens.

This is what fat tissue does - it has its own micro-environment for producing oestrogen. In fact, breast adipose (fat) tissue contains E1 type of oestrogen and levels in the breast exceed those in the serum by eight times [Yaghjyan & Colditz, 2011].

Hence, from peri-menopause to post-menopause, changes can occur in the breast environment, and for larger women, this may feel uncomfortable.

Lumpy, tender breasts are known as Fibrocystic Breasts. These occur when tiny, fluid-filled sacs form in the milk-producing glands and become swollen and tender.

Women may notice this in post-menopause too. And don't forget that the lymphatic vessels are also ageing and losing elasticity, so this may impact how the breast tissue feels too.

Furthermore, interesting research out of Sweden, which explored the breast density of post-menopause women, found that dense breast tissue in postmenopausal women is associated with a pro-inflammatory microenvironment. (Abrahamsson, Rzepecka et al, 2016).



Having tight, sore boobs is uncomfortable to say the least. Like many women I spent hundreds of dollars on new bra’s and exercised and ate well, but still my breast size increased and so did the pain.

It wasn't until I learnt that our breast tissue is full of oestrogen receptors as well as lymphatic vessels, that I began to understand that by giving up a few foods, and improving both lymphatic and liver health, the lumpy breasts do resolve. 
BREAST LYMPHATIC VESSELS ARE ALSO AGEING
During menopause, your lymphatic vessels are ageing. As such, they begin to lose some elasticity.

This combination of changing lymphatic vessels and the receptiveness of breast tissue to excess oestrogen production can cause the fat cells in the breast tissue to expand. This may contribute to swelling and tension.



Our breast tissue has a high number of oestrogen receptors. 

And whilst, our ovarian production of oestrogen declines during menopause, our breasts may become responsive to the storage of xeno-oestrogens  – this is the term given to environmental oestrogens and excess oestrogens in certain foods and medications.

Breast tissue can attract storage of these additional oestrogens too.

For those of you who are on breast cancer treatments as Lyndie was, understanding this additional capacity of breast tissue to attract exogenous (external) oestrogens is important. Because the more oestrogenic compounds that are stored, and/or produced in fat tissue, the more the fat cells expand, contributing to oestrogen dominance.



What happens when you are oestrogen dominant?

Perhaps the most important consideration of oestrogen dominance as we move through menopause, is that the extra storage of oestrogen in tissues may contribute to an imbalance with oestrogens opposing hormone, called progesterone.

Both oestrogen and progesterone are ideally balanced as your reproductive hormones decline at this stage of life. When oestrogen is stored in fat cells, including breast tissue, then it becomes the dominant hormone compared to it's opposing hormone, called progesterone.

If progesterone levels are low compared to oestrogen (because there is excess fat cell storage of oestrogen), the consequence of lowered progesterone is that cell membrane function and your fluid balance may become impaired. If you feel bloated, tight, puffy and your breasts are sore, heavy and huge, then welcome to oestrogen dominance.
Low levels of progesterone, causes sodium and water retention in cells and tissues. In turn, this can increase your blood pressure too. 
So, if you feel that your breasts are tight and swollen and you’ve gone up a bra size or three as I did, then please read on. It’s what I needed to know when it happened to me!

When sodium is retained, so is water. Sodium retention in cells causes an imbalance of fluid movement in and out of cells.

The ‘puffiness’, bloating and swelling you may be experiencing is water retention and it’s not good for those women already at risk of high blood pressure.

Other symptoms of oestrogen dominance also start to be felt – sore and tender breasts, mood disturbances, low motivation, irritability and of course, weight gain, especially around the middle.


My 3 top strategies to relieve your tight, tender breasts

 	Reduce animal foods in your diet. Many of these are high in oestrogen and have a higher acidic load, which places strain on kidneys. This is measured as PRAL or Potential Renal Acid Load. It’s not forever, but changing your diet to mainly plant-based food helps to ‘break the circuit’ of your oestrogen dominance. This is  because you are reducing saturated fats, which breast tissue loves to store.



2. Restore your liver health. As thousands of women on the MyMT™ programmes know, I have a big focus on liver health and share with them, the scientific evidence on how to detoxify the liver. Your liver is the main organ which helps to clear excess oestrogenic compounds as well as cholesterol, so certain foods are evidenced to help with this detoxification process. Foods include oats, broccoli or broccolini, cauliflower, apples, tomatoes and more!



 	 Improve lymphatic drainage. Your lymphatic system is an important toxin-removal system and during menopause, your lymphatic vessels lose some of their elasticity. A healthy lymphatic system as you age means that you move fluid in and out of cells more easily and you help your blood pressure too. This is why stretching, breathing and some physical activity is important for you in menopause – swimming is my activity of choice when it comes to lymphatic exercise, as is low-impact aerobic exercise, until you are sleeping and have stopped your weight gain and have more energy.



Over 80% of the 500,000 women who have taken my Menopause Symptom Quiz, state that they are overweight.

If this is you, and you’ve been struggling to keep check on your weight, then will you join me on my New Year January intake of the My Menopause Transformation Transform Me program? It’s on sale for you now.

You will love what you learn and love how you feel.

This 12 week online coaching programme has helped thousands of women around the world lose their unhealthy menopause and post-menopause weight.

Each module comes with integrated lifestyle solutions for restoring your sleep, so you burn fat overnight, reducing hot flushes, restoring your liver and gut health, as well as, reducing inflammation in your joints, so you can move more freely.

You also learn how to turn around oestrogen dominance, a condition which keeps you in fat-storing mode as you transition through menopause. Even if you are in post-menopause, then this powerful programme is for you and you can also go on to then do my new Beyond Menopause programme to continue working on your health as you age.

Both Transform Me and Beyond Menopause are developed from my women’s healthy ageing studies and my own desire to take back control of weight gain in menopause.

If you have felt frustrated and despondent about uncontrollable weight gain and you are experiencing increased bloating, hot flushes, moods swings, sore joints or gut health changes, then this ‘Transform ME’ New Year sale is for you.

From now until the end of January 2025 you can save up to NZ$400 in my biggest sale of the year.


LEARN MORE


 

Dr Wendy Sweet,(PhD)/ MyMT Founder/ Member:Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine
References:
Abrahamsson A, Rzepecka A, Romu T, Borga M, Leinhard OD, Lundberg P, Kihlberg J, Dabrosin C. (2016). Dense breast tissue in postmenopausal women is associated with a pro-inflammatory microenvironment in vivo. Oncoimmunology. 5(10):e1229723. doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2016.1229723. PMID: 27853653; PMCID: PMC5087296.

Kothari C, Diorio C, Durocher F. The Importance of Breast Adipose Tissue in Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Aug 11;21(16):5760. doi: 10.3390/ijms21165760.

Monteiro R, Teixeira D, Calhau C. Estrogen signaling in metabolic inflammation. (2014). Mediators Inflamm. 615917. doi: 10.1155/2014/615917. Epub 2014 Oct 23. PMID: 25400333; PMCID: PMC4226184.

Walker RA, Martin CV. The aged breast. J Pathol. 2007 Jan;211(2):232-40. doi: 10.1002/path.2079.

Yaghjyan L, Colditz GA. (2011). Estrogens in the breast tissue: a systematic review. Cancer Causes Control. 22(4):529-40. doi: 10.1007/s10552-011-9729-4. Epub 2011 Feb 1. PMID: 2128680

### MyMT™ Education: Educating (Menopausal) Rita

I remember the movie vividly. It was around 1983 and as a young student nurse in my early 20s, my friend and I went to the theatre to view it. The theatre was entirely full of women, many of them middle-aged.Rita, (played by the fabulous Julie Walters), was a 20-something hairdresser who wanted to return to school and finish her education. Societal expectations at the time, and very limited career choices, meant that Rita grew up in a generation of women who had very little choice in their ongoing education and careers.The film was ‘Educating Rita’. If you are post-menopausal today, you may remember it. Almost single-handedly, the theme of this movie - the basic premise that education means choice – empowered a generation of women to become better educated.As an educator of women’s midlife health and ageing, I often think about the Rita’s of the world, because I come across them nearly every day.Women, who, like me, grew up as the last of the Baby-boomer generation, with very little knowledge about women’s health and ageing, especially the menopause transition. It just wasn’t talked about.Historically, there has been little to no teaching of the menopause, leaving generations of women with a detrimental knowledge gap. (Munn et al. 2022). To me these are the Rita's of the world, especially those who have just entered post-menopause and have had to struggle because they don’t know ‘why’ or ‘how’ to change their lifestyle to help their body accommodate their hormonal changes.		
																														
		For Gen X, this is now changing thankfully. Progress has been made with the first National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines published for menopause in 2015, although lifestyle solutions are not at the heart of these guidelines.That’s why I love the opportunity to educate women on the lifestyle science specific to menopause. Not only women on my programs, but also Practitioners. My role is as an ‘Educator’ and this is a role that Practitioners should take seriously, because it differs from a ‘Teacher’.The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a teacher as 'one whose occupation is to instruct', contrasting this with an Educator, which is described as 'a student of the theory and practice of education.’In other words, being an Educator in the menopause space, means integrating the ‘why’ (theory) and the ‘how’ (practice).Structuring your coaching within this pedagogical framework helps to draw attention to the multi-dimensional aspects of their self-care – an approach that is often described as ‘holistic’.Drawing on this multi-dimensional, holistic approach and positioning lifestyle solutions within women's health and ageing science, has allowed me to structure the MyMT™ Programs in the 7 Dimensions of Women's Healthy Ageing. 		
																														
		What is the holistic approach to women’s health? A holistic approach to women's health integrates emotional, mental, and physical well-being. These are essential components of holistic coaching, allowing our discussions to extend beyond merely avoiding illness.It’s about fostering overall health and creating an environment where women feel empowered to make changes to help them to thrive, particularly during menopause and into their ageing years beyond.With the dominant paradigm for menopause symptom management sitting within a biomedical framework of pharmaceuticals and supplements to replace oestrogen deficiency, many women in their 50’s today, have very little knowledge about lifestyle choices which have been evidenced to assist with their symptoms and weight gain.		
																														
		This imbalance in how menopause is portrayed, was recognised by the Lancet Medical Journal only this year. As the paper stated,‘The framing of this natural period of transition as a disease of oestrogen deficiency that can be eased only by replacing the missing hormones, fuels negative attitudes to menopause and exacerbates stigma. Furthermore, appropriation of feminist narratives by commercial organisations, which position use of menopausal hormonal therapy (MHT) as a way to empower women to regain control of their bodies, while downplaying risks, further endorses the framing of menopause as a disease.’As I have found myself, to elicit meaningful change in healthy lifestyle behaviours, attention should be given to other influences affecting women in their day-to-day life.This includes, socio-economic factors, environmental factors, cultural influences, and of course, their existing knowledge about menopause.All of these factors have an impact on menopause symptoms, simply because, they also impact a woman’s stress levels. Hence, it is these factors that provide us with a conceptual framework for educating and coaching women in menopause.		
																														
		Educating and Coaching within a Framework of Women’s HealthIt was back in 1998 that a conceptual framework for women’s health was proposed by women's health researcher, May Cohen (1998). As she suggested, ‘The health of women involves their emotional, social, cultural, spiritual and physical well-being and is influenced by social, political and economic factors, not just their biology. Such activities must focus not only on diseases that are more common, more prevalent or more serious in women, but also on priority health issues identified by women themselves.’This conceptual framework, placing women at the forefront of their health issues, challenges the disease model of women's health. It was the genesis for the WHO Women, Health and Ageing Conceptual Framework developed in 2007.These frameworks have helped me to educate women and Practitioners, allowing me to contextualize menopause in ageing theories and of course, lifestyle medicine research.Then by 'listening' to women we can understand their unique health concerns, that may not be being addressed by the medical and supplement industry. As we approach another year ahead, I want you to know that the work you do as an Educator in the Menopause space matters, especially when it comes to supporting lifestyle behaviour change.I believe that you are  more than a ‘coach’ – a definition of which is supported by the process of building client-led self-determination and self-efficacy.To me, you are an ‘Educator’ – tasked with helping your clients to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’, nurturing them towards more hopeful and healthier future years ahead.As an Educator, it’s wonderful to have you here with me. And in the words of Rita (Julie Walters) herself, “Education means choice – it still matters today, the world over. And not just for women, but for all of us.”I couldn't agree more. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Women's Healthy Ageing Educator		
																														
		References:Cohen M. Towards a framework for women's health. Patient Educ Couns. 1998 Mar;33(3):187-96. doi: 10.1016/s0738-3991(98)00018-4. PMID: 9731156.Munn C, Vaughan L, Talaulikar V, Davies MC, Harper JC. Menopause knowledge and education in women under 40: Results from an online survey. Womens Health (Lond). 2022 Jan-Dec;18:17455057221139660. doi: 10.1177/17455057221139660.The Lancet. Time for a balanced conversation about menopause. Lancet. 2024 Mar 9;403(10430):877. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00462-8. Epub 2024 Mar 5. PMID: 38458210.World Health Organisation (2007). Women, Ageing and Health:A Framework for Action. Focus on Gender

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Healthy Chocolate Bliss Balls from Louise at Holcombe Clinic

Physiotherapist and business owner of Holcombe Health Clinic, in the UK, Louise Hayes, is a holistic Physiotherapist and an Affiliate Practitioner with MyMT™.This means that she does one-on-one coaching of the MyMT™ programmes for women in her community, wrapping them around her own coaching and exercise practice in a programme called HOW2MENOPAUSE.These amazingly, healthy Bliss Balls, come from her. These are quickly made in the food processor from nuts and dried fruit with additional flavouring of your choice, depending on the occasion."The combination of my own journey and the need to better assist women in the Holcombe community, led me to developing my own menopause solutions lifestyle programme called How2Menopause, in conjunction with the delivery of Wendy's online 12 week programmes. This programme includes our expertise in breathwork, pilates, strengthening classes and of course, joint health! I'm so excited to be able to work with women who visit our clinic as an Affiliate with MyMT™ and we are now offering this bespoke support package to our ladies. The results have been awesome so far, so I am spreading the word. I am now on a mission to help as many ladies as I can and will continue to learn and absorb."		
																														
		HEALTHY CHOCOLATE BLISS BALLS FROM HOLCOMBE HEALTH CLINICINGREDIENTS:1 cup oats1/4 cup almonds4 tbsp milled flax seeds2 tsp cinnamon2 tbsp olive oil200g dates2 tbsp peanut butterGround cacao nibs for coating or you can also use shredded coconut METHOD: Blitz everything except the cacao nibs in a food processor or chop finely and mix until you have a mixture that isn't too dry nor too sticky.Roll into balls, roll in the ground cacao nibs for that chocolate hit, and/or roll in shredded coconut, then place them on a lined tray. Once the mixture is rolled, then place the tray in the fridge for about an hour, so they firm up. SWAPSChange the almonds for hazelnuts or cashewsChange the flax seeds for chia seedsChange the peanut butter for almond butter or cashew butterChange the cacao nibs for cocoa powder or dip them in melted dark chocolate (70% minimum cocoa) after coolingThe challenge is not to have too many all at once! One is sufficient! Dark chocolate is full of flavonoids, which helps to reduce hot flushes. The benefits of dark chocolate are multiple, because this important compound is high in non-heme iron, magnesium and quercetin - a compound with anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits. I hope you enjoy making and eating this delicious chocolate treat from Louise and her team at Holcombe Clinic in the UK. 		
																														
		Is your menopause transition robbing you of your energy, sleep, confidence and/or control over your weight?If so, this self-paced, 2 hour webinar is for you. You can watch it anytime and 'pause' it when you like. You have access in my private member area for 3 months. It's everything you need to know about why your body is taking on a life of its own during peri-menopause to post-menopause. For only NZ$15/ AUS $13/ CAN$11/ UK £7/ US$9, you won't want to miss it.GET WEBINAR HERE ... https://vimeo.com/828202600?share=copy

### MyMT™ Kitchen: Keep your hot flushes at bay on Christmas Day with these delicious recipes.

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt with the thousands of women who have joined me in the MyMT™ community over the past few years and this is that when I mention food that helps to reduce hot flushes and improve our mood, I get the most reaction!

Christmas is often a challenging time when we are in our menopause transition. Not only with all the preparation if you have family arriving on the day, but also because numerous studies on midlife women report that midlife women's lives have complexities that are unique to this life-stage.

In her studies on midlife women, Professor Margi Lachman presents middle age as a pivotal period in the life course in terms of (a) balancing growth and decline, (b) linking earlier and later periods of life, and (c) bridging younger and older generations (Lachman, 2015). Often sandwiched between care-giving roles for teens and ageing parents as well as work and home commitments, there is a lot going on to distract women from looking after themselves. I used to find this as well.

What I didn't realise at the time, was how the 'busy-ness' of life would impact my feelings of anxiety, brain-fog and my weight as I transitioned menopause! I also wasn't focused on foods which would help to reduce my temperature. So, with Christmas on the horizon, I hope you will love these recipes that my daughter, Georgia, has modified from the MyMT™ principles for hot-flush management, for you to meet your nutritional needs on Christmas Day!

No matter how you might celebrate the festive season, it's just around the corner, so in this newsletter, I wanted to share some foodie-tips which I've researched specifically for you. If you watch the Masterclass, I talk about our hot flushes and why these occur. I also talk to you about low glycemic index foods so that we don't overload our ageing pancreas or our ageing liver, with excess glucose.

Eating the right food helps to achieve this. As does (re) learning to sleep all night as this helps to control our blood sugar levels and  hot flushes well. Your goal? - To adjust your diet so that you are including foods that don't spike your blood sugar levels and insulin. These foods are known as low glycemic index foods. They help to boost your mood and help you to manage your blood pressure.

When blood sugar levels are high, then your pancreas is produces more insulin - this hormone regulates glucose in the blood. Higher levels of insulin increase your heart rate and temperature and you get a re-bound drop in blood sugar which then makes your moods go all over the place too. This chaos can lead to hot flush chaos at Christmas.

These fabulous Christmas recipes are modified to meet your needs during menopause. Having the right nutritional compounds as we age, is such an important part of managing our menopause symptoms and our weight. I hope you enjoy trying the Rosemary, Lemon and Tomato Butterbeans and the Butternut Pumpkin Salad any time throughout the festive season.

Happy Christmas from MyMT™.


Butternut Pumpkin Salad with Orange Oil
Modified from Ottolenghi Recipe

 	1 butternut pumpkin
 	2 tbsp olive oil
 	¼ tsp nutmeg
 	1.5 tbsp runny honey
 	1.5 tsp cider vinegar
 	1.5 tbsp oregano
 	A handful of pumpkin seeds
 	Parsley or rocket

Infused oil - Start this at least an hour before you need the meal ready.

 	2 oranges
 	45ml olive oil

Method (serves 4 as a side)

 	Infused oil: Start this an hour before you need the meal ready. Finely shave or peel the oranges and cut the peel into thin strips. Add the olive oil and shavings to a food processor and blitz until the peel is very fine. Leave to infuse for 60 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl and discard the solids.
 	Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius, Fan Bake.
 	Remove any excess peel from the oranges, then cut into small segments.
 	Put the pumpkin, nutmeg and a grind of salt and pepper into a bowl. Toss to combine.
 	Place the pumpkin on a lined baking tray, spacing the pieces so they don’t overlap. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through until cooked through.
 	While they are cooking, put the honey into a small frying pan on a medium heat. Bring to the boil then cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the honey turns to a deep brown. Remove from the heat and immediately stir through the orange segments and the vinegar.
 	Place the pumpkin onto a serving plate. Pour over the honey mixture and the infused oil. Top with parsley and pumpkin seeds.


Rosemary, Lemon and Tomato Butterbeans
Modified from Ottolenghi recipe

 	5 garlic cloves
 	2 mild chilies
 	1 tbsp coriander seeds
 	1 lemon
 	1.5 tbsp thyme
 	4 rosemary sprigs
 	2 tbsp tomato paste
 	100ml olive oil
 	2 cans of butter beans
 	2 large tomatoes
 	You may like to serve it with a bit of sourdough toast or crackers.

Method (serves 4 as a side)

 	Put the first 8 ingredients and a bit of salt and pepper into a medium sized pan on low heat. Heat gently for 25 minutes, or until very fragrant but not at all browned. If the oil gets too hot, turn the heat down.
 	Stir in the butter beans then turn the heat up to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse.
 	Grate the two tomatoes all the way through. You may be left with a skin at one end, which can be discarded. Transfer tomato flesh into a serving bowl. Add a good grind of salt and pepper.
 	Pour the butterbean mixture over the grated tomato. Bon Appetit!

### VIDEO: "My Christmas lilies are blooming, which means it's that time of year to slow down!"

My Christmas lilies are looking magnificent up the back of my garden. It's a seasonal reminder here in New Zealand that the end of the year is upon us, and despite everything going on in our lives, it's time to slow-down and reflect on the year that's been. Has it been a busy year for you? If so, then I hope that you can put your feet up over the festive season and do something for 'you'!I also hope that if it's been a particularly stressful year, then, if you are on holiday as many of you living in the Southern Hemisphere may be, then you also manage to turn around your fatigue and/or weight, in readiness for another year ahead. The co-occurrence of stress and fatigue experienced by women has been studied with respect to the workplace with work-related stress associated with fatigue in a woman's menopause transition. When women 'box-on' and don't get a break from the co-occurence of stress and fatigue, then this has health impacts, especially for cardiovascular and thyroid health.Over the past year, I've had hundreds of emails from women sharing with me, the overwhelm they are feeling with their every-day lives. It's no surprise that with all that's going on in-between caring for others, that they also experience the fatiguing and stressful phenomenon of “the sandwich generation” (simultaneously caring for children and parents and often working outside the home, as well).According to researchers, this is an important gap in our understanding of midlife women’s health. (Taylor-Swanson, Wong et al, 2018). As they mention in their study of women in midlife, "It is feasible that perceived stress could cause symptoms experienced during the menopausal transition to worsen, it is equally plausible that worsening of these symptoms could be a source of perceived stress. Just as stress is the body’s way of mounting a response to meet the demands of changes or challenges, fatigue is a natural by-product of prolonged exposure to stress."That's why I want you all to understand that stress and fatigue go hand-in-hand, as does menopause weight gain and adrenal fatigue!I used to experience the same 'over-whelm' and at the time, had no idea how much this was contributing to my ongoing fatigue, menopause symptoms and of course, never-ending weight gain.Therefore, the end of the year is the time to 'do something about it!" If you aren't sure how to or what, then please listen to my video, put your feet up (or get underway with some healthy activity if you've been mainly sedentary during the year) and if you are overweight, then come on board into my January Visible Results Transform Me Weight Loss sale.Yes, it's that important for your ongoing health to sort out your symptoms, weight and your energy levels. However you celebrate the festive season, thank you for being part of the MyMT™ community.My purpose in this community is help you to help yourself understand the powerful connection between our symptoms of menopause, our weight gain and how natural hormonal changes at this stage of life, impact on our busy, stressful western lives. Happy Holidays. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. https://youtu.be/gPF2m0DK2GwReference:Taylor-Swanson L, Wong AE, Pincus D, Butner JE, Hahn-Holbrook J, Koithan M, Wann K, Woods NF. The dynamics of stress and fatigue across menopause: attractors, coupling, and resilience. Menopause. 2018 Apr;25(4):380-390. 

### MyMT™ Education: Is alcohol making your client’s menopause insomnia worse?

It was an interesting discussion that I had whilst on holiday last year in Switzerland. I was reminded of it recently when a discussion came up in my private coaching community about alcohol and sleep.

The fondue pot was bubbling away in the middle of the table. How the Swiss got to have a national food that involved the shared ritual of dipping bread or small potatoes into a pot of hot melted cheese is beyond me. But here we were, sharing not only a fondue or two but sharing stories as well.

The inevitable “What do you do Wendy?” was asked by the middle-aged woman sitting beside me, who was endorsing the sentiment that if you are going to tolerate fondue, then you don’t drink water, only alcohol. Early on in the night, she was on her third glass of wine.

I'm always hesitant about discussing a topic that doesn't get talked about in public much, especially when visiting foreign countries, but I casually told her, “I have a lifestyle coaching programme for midlife or older women who want to better understand how to change their lifestyle to suit their changing hormones in menopause or post-menopause.”

That's when she told me she was on HRT, but it had stopped working for her in terms of her sleep.

We were having a nice conversation, even if there were some words lost in translation, so I asked her if she had had any lifestyle advice when she went on her menopause-HRT. Afterall, Switzerland is a very progressive country with its health system and has a strong focus on population wellbeing and lifestyle. The Swiss Peri-menopause study (Willi et al, 2020) has also contributed much knowledge about the menopause transition and symptoms in Swiss women, so I took my chance.

When she shook her head to indicate no, I was surprised.

It intrigued me that when she was prescribed HRT, she wasn’t told about the effect of alcohol on her menopause symptoms, especially on her sleep, now that she had moved into post-menopause. By the end of the night, the bottle was largely gone … most of it by my new middle-age dining partner.

Now don’t get me wrong – I’m not a teetotaler at all, and had a small glass of wine myself, but it was the amount she was drinking in one sitting which intrigued me and that she hadn't connected this with her worsening insomnia.

The incident reminded me of the heading in the New York Times after the pandemic. Tucked in between an editorial on the crisis in Ukraine, the heading drew me in – ‘Too many women have a drinking problem.’ (New York Times, Thursday, April 7, 2022 p. 11).

Apparently, the pandemic has made excessive drinking (defined as four or more drinks in a few hours), worse. Especially in women, including midlife women. A new report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse said that mothers increased their drinking by more than 300 percent during the pandemic. I'm not surprised. Home schooling is a tough gig at any time.

It's a similar story here in New Zealand. Data from the Ministry of Health reports that the prevalence of hazardous drinking increased from 2011/12 to 2015/16. These increases were substantial with more than 50% among those aged 45-54 years drinking hazardously and more than than 70% among those aged 55-64 years doing the same.



I find that with the thousands of women who have joined my coaching programmes over the past decade, very few of them are told to reduce their alcohol consumption, especially if they have chosen to go on Menopause HRT.

Many of them are also not connecting the consumption of alcohol with their menopause insomnia. I wonder if it's the same for your clients too?

And yes, I was the same. Arriving home from a busy day working, one of the first actions I took whilst preparing dinner, was to have a glass of wine. As the menopause insomnia took over, I thought it might sedate me. How wrong I was.

Although alcohol generally is classified as a depressant drug, in fact it has both sedative and stimulatory effects. When we arrive in menopause and post-menopause, the 'stimulatory effects' might just take over from the sedative effects. And this is all to do with our ageing pituitary gland.

With our menopause transition arriving as the biological gateway to our ageing, there are numerous changes occurring to our pituitary gland which controls our circadian rhythm. As such, alcohol consumption leading up to bedtime, may result in messing up other hormones such as growth hormone, but also messing with our core temperature.

Initially, core temperature lowers, but then it rises (Roehrs & Roth, NIH). If your clients are experiencing insomnia and feeling hotter than usual after a few glasses of wine now that they are in menopause, this is why.

Sleep disturbance is one of the most common complaints of women as they enter menopause, but we have to remember that alcohol use disorder (AUD) is linked to this ... whether women are on HRT or not.

A 2020 study exploring sleep and alcohol use in women (Inkelis et al, 2020), reminded readers that women are increasingly consuming alcohol at an earlier age and at higher rates.

This is a challenge for women going into peri-menopause, because if they have had a higher than normal rate of drinking for many years, then yes, the liver has had to work harder to manage all that alcohol.

As does the pancreas.

As Practitioners, it's easy to forget about this precious organ with alcohol consumption, but alcohol is high in sugar and therefore, higher amounts of insulin are secreted from the pancreas in order to regulate blood sugar levels.

The pancreas is a gland that secretes digestive enzymes and releases insulin, which regulates sugar levels in the blood.

Therefore, the pancreatic acinar cells are thought to sustain damage from free radicals and other toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism and this increases inflammation of the pancreas.

Hence, high alcohol intake means that the liver, pancreas and brain are having to do a lot more work than usual.

Add this to menopause hormonal changes and some of your clients may have the effects of the hangover and perhaps gut disturbances the next day. This may be a challenge for those of you taking them through exercise sessions.


Have your clients had a lifetime of alcohol consumption?
When your clients reflect back on the past few decades, I wonder if they have been consuming various forms of alcohol for decades?

This is an important question for women to consider, simply because acute alcohol consumption and chronic alcohol consumption have different effects on the body.

We often forget that whilst alcohol consumption has been going on for thousands of years, if your clients are between the ages of 45-60 years, (their midlife years), then I want you to reflect on the incredible increase in the marketing of alcohol to women over their lifetime.

Marketers have also realised that portraying alcohol as a reward for tired women at the end of the day is an effective strategy.

I wasn't surprised to read in Erika Anderson's New York Times article, that in America, new offerings such as 'Mommy's Time Out' wine has reached the market, as has 'Chick Beer'. Low calorie drinks marketed as seltzers have also been heavily marketed to women with producers claiming over $4.5 billion in sales (NY Times, April 7, 2022). How many of these sales can be attributed to middle-aged women in menopause, I have no idea.

But let's get back to the issue of menopause, sleep quality and chronic alcohol consumption. 

Studies show that women who self-reported longer term alcohol dependence had increased sleep onset latency and a decreased time spent in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. (Inkelis, Hasler & Baker, 2020).

In sleep science, sleep onset latency is the length of time that it takes to accomplish the transition from full wakefulness to sleep.

When women don't get into REM sleep, they can wake up more easily. Why this occurs with alcohol consumption is that heart rates remain elevated as does nervous activity. As such, the chronic stress hormone, cortisol stays elevated overnight too.

If your clients have been waking up anxious and have had alcohol prior to bedtime, then they are contributing to overnight feelings of restlessness, heightened anxiety and a higher resting heart rate.



Menopause is a challenging time for numerous women. I didn't know about the effects of many of my lifestyle decisions until my symptoms began to get worse, despite taking menopause HRT and plenty of expensive supplements.

If I had my time again, I would have reduced or stopped alcohol earlier in my menopause transition. Many of my own clients find this too.

As your client's enter peri-menopause, a time when they still have oestrogen and progesterone production, this phase is very different to menopause (when periods have stopped) and post-menopause (when periods have stopped for a year or more).

Women may better tolerate some alcohol consumption in peri-menopause, because they are still producing oestrogen, but this may change during menopause and post-menopause.

For some women on my programmes, this is what they find hardest - by this I mean, that it's harder to change habits, the older they are, but it can be done with the right support. Some women may also require specific medical support and/or specific registered alcohol-cessation programmes.

Otherwise, sleep problems may tip them over into other health problems as they age.

Alcohol and sleep problems go hand-in-hand. Alcohol has a toxic effect on brain circuits, cardiovascular function and hormones that are important to sleep generation.

As such, the menopause transition is a vulnerable time for women who are regular drinkers of alcohol. Not only due to the inflammatory changes that arrive in the liver, pancreas and brain with alcohol, but also due to the contribution of alcohol to sleep disturbances.

Whilst MyMT™ is not an alcohol cessation programme for problem drinkers, I often dirext my own clients to other programmes if necessary and with their interest and permission.

But I do offer them specific suggestions to help them reduce alcohol and it's detrimental effects on their changing and ageing, liver, brain and pancreas. Perhaps you can also share these ideas with your clients:

 	Buy an organic wine that is lower in sugar and alcohol content. Take this to the party if your host doesn’t usually have organic wine available. You don’t want the chemicals and excess of sugar nor do you need the high ethanol content which is all just ‘overload’ for your liver to process.
 	Have some protein if you are drinking, rather than high sugar treats or high salt carbohydrates. Protein will help to lower the effect of insulin production from your pancreas so your blood sugar doesn’t spike.
 	Ask for sparkling water or bottled water as well. This way you have a balance of water and alcohol to slow down your drinking.
 	Don’t eat a high fat meal before going out. Your liver will be too busy trying to process the fats and not the alcohol and excess glucose. It can’t do both. 

I hope you might read Kimberley's powerful story on my Success Stories pages. She too had numerous challenges which affected her mental health and alcohol was one of them.

I'm so proud of her recognising this and getting the right support at the time.

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD) Founder: MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.


 

References:

Action Point from: www.actionpoint.org.nz/trends_in_old_people_drinking

Calleja-Conde J, Echeverry-Alzate V, Bühler KM, Durán-González P, Morales-García JÁ, Segovia-Rodríguez L, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, Giné E, López-Moreno JA. The Immune System through the Lens of Alcohol Intake and Gut Microbiota. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 13;22(14):7485.

Inkelis, S. M., Hasler, B. P., & Baker, F. C. (2020). Sleep and Alcohol Use in Women. Alcohol research : current reviews, 40(2), 13. https://doi.org/10.35946/arcr.v40.2.13

Godos J, Giampieri F, Chisari E, Micek A, Paladino N, Forbes-Hernández TY, Quiles JL, Battino M, La Vignera S, Musumeci G, Grosso G. Alcohol Consumption, Bone Mineral Density, and Risk of Osteoporotic Fractures: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan 28;19(3):1515. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031515.

Pietilä, J., Helander, E., Korhonen, I., Myllymäki, T., Kujala, U. M., & Lindholm, H. (2018). Acute Effect of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Autonomic Regulation During the First Hours of Sleep in a Large Real-World Sample of Finnish Employees: Observational Study. JMIR mental health, 5(1), e23. https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9519

Pohl K, Moodley P, Dhanda AD. Alcohol's Impact on the Gut and Liver. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 11;13(9):3170.
Rohrs, T. & Roth, T. Sleep, Sleepiness, and Alcohol Use. Sourced from: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-2/101-109.htm

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Our 'Go-To' Mediterranean Christmas Platter

Merry Christmas from MyMT™
Start your Christmas morning with this beautiful platter, to keep your symptoms at bay throughout the day!

We have all witnessed the change in dietary patterns over the past few decades haven’t we? Globally, diets have evolved from traditional healthy diets, high in fruits, vegetables, leaner meats and a small amount of dairy and grains, to westernized diets, which are highly processed. These types of diets are known to have deleterious effects on human health, as well as on symptoms in menopause, due to gut and immune health changes.

Meeting micronutrient needs through a healthy diet ensures a good functioning of all body systems, and it's something I inspire women on the MyMT™ programmes to aspire to every day. There are specific nutrients that are known to reduce midlife menopause symptoms, and this is why findings from numerous studies associate the Mediterranean Diet with a favourable inflammatory profile, lower risk of osteoporotic fractures, higher muscle mass and better mobility performance [Kassis et al, 2023].

I often get asked ‘how long do I need to stay on the Mediterranean diet for?’ and my answer is always ‘for the rest of your life because your organs are ageing and this in itself, contributes to inflammatory changes – a perspective now known as ‘inflammaging’.’

Your food choices over the Christmas and New Year period, are an important consideration and to draw the entire family and friends into your healthy choices, why not plate-up this platter, make the beetroot hummus and enjoy watching them enjoy the delicious taste of the Mediterranean too!


The MyMT™ Kitchen: Mediterranean Christmas Platter

 	Roasted zucchini or eggplant (baked in oven for 20 - 25 minutes on 180 degrees Celsius).
 	Dried apricots (or cranberries)
 	Mixed nuts
 	Cherry tomatoes
 	Olives
 	Raspberries (or other berries)
 	Bread or crackers - try traditional sourdough or whole meal
 	Carrot sticks (or cucumber sticks)
 	Low fat cheese
 	Pesto
 	Beetroot Hummus (recipe below)
 	Olive oil and balsamic vinegar

The MyMT™ Kitchen: Beautiful BEETROOT HUMMUS
This recipe makes enough for two jars. I recommend freezing some to keep it on hand, but if you don't want to do this then just half the mixture. 

Note – if you don’t like beetroot, you could follow the same recipe but use red peppers or a herb (like coriander).

 	4 medium cloves of garlic (sliced)
 	2 spring onions (scallions) chopped
 	2 cans of chickpeas (or use dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked) - make sure you drain and rinse the canned chickpeas.
 	handful of parsley and I added 3 Kale leaves (medium)
 	6 tablespoons of tahini (this is crushed sesame seeds, so I used 1/4 cup of sesame seeds that I had in the pantry).
 	Juice of 2 freshly squeezed lemons
 	1 teaspoon salt (I used organic iodised sea salt not Himalayan salt).
 	4 small-medium beetroot, baked with a small amount of olive oil on low heat until soft. Then cooled.


 	Place the garlic, spring onions, parsley and kale (optional) in the food processor or blender. Mince this up.
 	Add the rinsed chickpeas, tahini (or sesame seeds), lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the lemon-infused olive oil) and salt. Then the cooked beetroot. Puree until it becomes a thick paste.
 	Cut up carrot sticks, celery, red peppers and place on a plate to serve with the hummus and yes, some organic corn chips as well.

### MyMT™ Education: Can your clients restore their zest in menopause with zinc?

The question sits in my health screening form and states, ‘Do you feel frequently tired?’ – nearly every single response out of the thousands of screening forms that women have filled in for me over the past decade, says ‘yes’.

This intrigues me and I always wonder two things:

 	If they are vegetarian or vegan (nothing wrong with this) and,
 	If they have gut health problems that have arrived in menopause.

Then I wonder if they know about the marvelous mineral that declines during menopause and ageing, called zinc.

For those women also experiencing frequent hormonal headaches and migraines, or if they are doing heavy weight training, this is a nutrient that must be on their radar -   adequate zinc foods and/ or zinc supplementation is increasingly recognised as having a beneficial effect on the frequency of migraine attacks in women (Ahmadi, Hedieh et al. 2020) and on recovery from heavy exercise (Hernández-Camacho et al., 2020).

Zinc cannot be synthesized within the human body, so external intake is essential to maintain adequate levels in the body. It is the second most abundant trace element in the body, after iron and in the circulation, 70% of zinc is bound to albumin (a protein), and the majority in the body is found in skeletal muscle and bone. (Stiles et al., 2023).

It’s very hard to know if we are deficient in zinc, but if your client's hair is falling out, or they've lost their libido or their energy is at rock-bottom, or they have cracks around their lips or they feel depressed or are experiencing gut health concerns, or they have bad period cramps, or  hormonal headaches and migraines, then they may might want to give this mighty mineral a thought.

Especially if they are also doing heavy weight training and have also come off meat, dairy and seafood, or are undertaking strict fasting regimes.

Many different foods contain zinc, (adult women need around 8mg daily, but more if they are weight training), but those of animal-origin (organs and flesh of mammals, fish, eggs and dairy products) are the richest source of well absorbable zinc.

Plant-based foods, such as cereals, grains, nuts and legumes contain smaller and less efficiently absorbed amounts of this element, so with the turn towards plant based diets that are higher in phytates which reduce zinc absorption or a high fat diet that can overwork your liver, then zinc bio-absorption may be a problem for women needing their energy and optimal hormonal balance as they navigate mid-life.



However, there’s more to my concern about zinc intake and absorption for women in menopause and post-menopause, and that is the relationship with hormonal balance in the body.

Zinc is an essential micro-element that plays many important functions in the body. It is crucial for the regulation of cell growth, hormone release, immunological response and reproduction.

It is also well that a person's nutritional state of zinc can influence their response to vaccination (Cabrera, 2015), and this was something that was learn during the recent pandemic.

In older people (which believe it or not, includes women over the age of 50 yrs), changes to the immune system may mean that zinc is needed in fighting infections, especially respiratory infections. If you’ve ever taken throat lozenges you will already know that many have high levels of zinc added to them. So too do many of those menopause supplements you might be taking.

When I did my doctoral studies on women’s health and ageing, the role of inflammation as the main determinant of our menopause symptoms was obvious.

As women move into their menopause transition and oestrogen and progesterone levels are declining naturally, and they they move into post-menopause whereby periods have stopped for a year or more, their muscles, organs and blood vessels are ageing and changing. I talk about this in the MyMT™ Education Courses.

For women, these changes due to ageing differ from men. Especially in the heart, liver, gut and blood vessels – all organs that have in the past, relied on the role of oestrogen to help maintain optimal health.

Several studies now show evidence that as women move into post-menopause, there is a systemic (all over the body) low-grade inflammation characterized with normal biological ageing.

I’ve written about this in numerous articles and introduce you to the new term to describe this inflammation due to ageing, which is called ‘Inflammaging’. It's often the underlying cause of many of women's health changes as they transition through menopause, which of course, is the biological gateway to the next phase of our life - our ageing.



With ‘inflammaging’ changes, there is oxidative stress that builds up in tissues in such a way that proteins are altered. This is especially relevant in the cells of the regulatory systems – the nervous, endocrine (hormone), musculo-skeletal and immune systems. (Cabrera, 2015).

Zinc is one of the main minerals that helps these regulatory systems. Without adequate intake of zinc, women may experience more inflammation as they age.

If you have encountered your clients mentioning, tingling nerves, changes to night vision, muscle weakness (sarcopenia), fatigue, declining libido, and/or frequent colds, then they may need to consider adding more zinc to their diet, or supplementation.

But a word of caution - zinc is a mineral and your clients can have too much of a good thing. Over-supplementation can contribute to toxicity, symptoms of which include stomach upsets and diarrhea and vomiting. 

Without adequate zinc in the diet, or if we aren’t having the correct diet for menopause and post-menopause, then we just feel like we aren’t firing on all cylinders. It’s that important to our health and energy in mid-life.

For your clients struggling with brain-fog and memory problems as well as depression, then yes, they need to get their checked out with their Doctor, but they may also need to look at their zinc intake, especially if they are on anti-depressants.

In addition, zinc reduces fatigue, mood swings and psychomotor hyperactivity. It is also known that zinc is crucial in aiding in the production of immune system cells and in increasing cell sensitivity to insulin.

Zinc is also needed for the growth of your skin, hair and nails, as it is involved in the proper formation of connective tissues and collagen production. Because of the role of zinc in so many actions and reactions in the body, zinc deficiency may lead to severe changes in the functioning of the body, including the reproductive system. [Nasiadek, et al., 2020]

Despite the need for adequate zinc as women age, the very first zinc deficiency was actually recognised in a male in 1958. He had stunted growth as well as poor eyesight.

If you feel that your eyesight is failing, it might not be all that computer or phone use, it might be that you are low in zinc. The highest concentrations are in your eyes and for those blokes in your life, the highest concentrations for them are in their prostate gland and semen.

If they are low in zinc, then they won’t be firing on all cylinders either. It's why I also encourage women on the MyMT™ programmes to try to get any middle aged males in their life, on the Mediterranean diet that I have for them in my food-guide too.


Zinc Storage in Humans
Most of the zinc that we do have in our diet is stored in muscles and bones and with the changes that arrive in menopause to both these structures, there are no surprises that zinc intake may be compromised.

Many women experience muscle loss, or they may be undertaking heavy weight training or other exercise, in order to preserve muscle. Both situations require adequate zinc intake. Strong bones and muscles need zinc!

But zinc is also needed for our energy levels, which brings me back to why I have the question about energy levels in my own health screening forms.

Low energy, fatigue from not sleeping and changing hormone status, means that women must concentrate on how well they are absorbing nutrients in their diet.

It’s why, in the MyMT™ Certified Practitioner Course, (on sale on December 1st, if you have pre-registered with me) I also include a GUT health module.

If your client's gut and liver health isn’t optimal, then nutrient absorption can be compromised, especially zinc. And because this powerful mineral is a constituent of a large number of over 150 enzymes, (the role of enzymes in the body are to help with chemical reactions, especially in the production of energy), women need zinc in their diet and they need to sort out the health of their gut and liver too.



If your clients are experiencing brain-fog, or their muscles are sorer than usual after exercise, now that they are in menopause, then check their zinc intake.

Adult women need around 8mg daily. For those women who are vegetarian and not eating shellfish or other meats, then you can add foods to your diet such as:

 	Cereals fortified with zinc
 	Yeast fermented breads (these reduce the effect of phytates)
 	Wheatgerm
 	Pumpkin seeds
 	Beans such as chickpeas
 	Yoghurt
 	Cheese
 	Nuts such as almonds and walnuts (100 gms of walnuts provides around 3mg of zinc).

Studies out of the University of Tasmania (Norouzi et al, 2018), have linked dysfunctional zinc signaling with several disease states including cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. All of these conditions are genuine health concerns for women as move into post-menopause.

Diet is established among the most important influences on health in modern societies, but as many women who join my own programmes discover, there is so much confusion about nutrition for women as they reach their menopause and post-menopause years.

And yes, I found it confusing too, despite lecturing in sport and exercise nutrition at university level.

But it was doing this lecturing that made me realise that much of 'what we know about food' is situated in male and athlete research and not in women's health research.

When I made this connection, everything changed! And whilst the food conundrum is only one part of the MyMT™ Practitioner Course and the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course , we must understand that food genuinely is your client's medicine when it comes to their menopause symptoms and weight.

That's why, I hope you can encourage your clients to add some foods that are high in zinc into their day and restore their zest for life.



I hope you can join me sometime. You can read about the MyMT™ online education courses for Health and Exercise Practitioners, including Health Coaches, here or get in touch with the Course Convenor, Georgia, on georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 


References
Ahmadi, H., Mazloumi-Kiapey, S. S., Sadeghi, O., Nasiri, M., Khorvash, F., Mottaghi, T., & Askari, G. (2020). Zinc supplementation affects favorably the frequency of migraine attacks: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Nutrition journal, 19(1), 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-020-00618-9

Agrawal S, Chakole S, Shetty N, Prasad R, Lohakare T, Wanjari M. Exploring the Role of Oxidative Stress in Skeletal Muscle Atrophy: Mechanisms and Implications. Cureus. 2023 Jul 20;15(7):e42178. doi: 10.7759/cureus.42178.

Hernández-Camacho JD, Vicente-García C, Parsons DS, Navas-Enamorado I. Zinc at the crossroads of exercise and proteostasis. Redox Biol. 2020 Aug;35:101529. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101529.

Katz, D. & Mellor, S. (2014). Can we say what diet is best for health? Annual Review of Public Health, 35:1, 83-103

Mann, J. & Trusswell, S. (2007). Essentials of human nutrition. (3rd Ed). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Maares M, Haase H. A Guide to Human Zinc Absorption: General Overview and Recent Advances of In Vitro Intestinal Models. Nutrients. 2020 Mar 13;12(3):762. doi: 10.3390/nu12030762.

Norouzi S., Adulcikas J., Sohal S., & Myers S. (2018). Zinc stimulates glucose oxidation and glycemic control by modulating the insulin signaling pathway in human and mouse skeletal muscle cell lines. PLoS ONE 13(1): e0191727. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191727

Nasiadek, M., Stragierowicz, J., Klimczak, M., & Kilanowicz, A. (2020). The role of zinc in selected female reproductive system disorders. Nutrients, 12(8), 2464. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082464

Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidenced-based approach. London, UK: Academic Press.

Stiles LI, Ferrao K, Mehta KJ. Role of zinc in health and disease. Clin Exp Med. 2024 Feb 17;24(1):38. doi: 10.1007/s10238-024-01302-6.

### Restore your zest in menopause with zinc.

The question sits in my health screening form and states, ‘Do you feel frequently tired?’ – nearly every single response out of the thousands of screening forms that women have filled in for me over the years, says ‘yes’.

This intrigues me and I always wonder two things:

 	If they are vegetarian or vegan (nothing wrong with this) and,
 	If they have gut health problems that have arrived in menopause.

Then I wonder if they know about the marvelous mineral that declines during menopause and ageing, called zinc.

For those women also experiencing frequent hormonal headaches and migraines, or are not recovering well from their resistance exercise sessions, this is a nutrient that must be on their radar.

Zinc intake or supplementation is increasingly recognised as having a beneficial effect on the frequency of migraine attacks in women (Ahmadi, Hedieh et al. 2020) and it is also needed for exercise recovery, because in the circulation, 70% of zinc is bound to albumin, and the majority in the body is found in skeletal muscle and bone. (Stiles et al., 2024).

Zinc cannot be stored in significant amounts, so regular dietary intake is essential.

It’s very hard to know if we are deficient in zinc, but if your hair is falling out, or you’ve lost your libido or your energy is at rock-bottom, or you have cracks around your lips or you are feeling depressed or you have gut health concerns, or you are still in menstruating and have bad period cramps, or you have hormonal headaches and migraines, then you might want to give this mighty mineral a thought. Especially if you’ve come off meat, dairy and seafood.

Many different foods contain zinc, but those of animal-origin (organs and flesh of mammals, fish, eggs and dairy products) are the richest source of well absorbable zinc.

Plant-based foods, such as cereals, grains, nuts and legumes contain smaller and less efficiently absorbed amounts of this element, so with the turn towards plant-based diets that are higher in phytates which reduce zinc absorption or a high fat diet that can overwork your liver, then zinc bio-absorption may be a problem for women needing their energy and optimal hormonal balance as they navigate mid-life.



Zinc is an essential microelement that plays many important functions in the body.

It is crucial for the regulation of cell growth, hormone release, immunological response and reproduction. It is well known that your nutritional state of zinc can influence your immune response (Cabrera, 2015).

In older people (which believe it or not, includes women over the age of 50 yrs), changes to the immune system means that zinc is needed in fighting infections, especially respiratory infections. If you’ve ever taken throat lozenges you will already know that many have high levels of zinc added to them. So too, do many of those menopause supplements you might be taking.

When I did my doctoral studies on women’s health and ageing, the role of inflammation as the main determinant of our menopause symptoms was obvious. 

As we move into our changing oestrogen and progesterone environment and then move into post-menopause whereby periods have stopped for a year or more, our muscles, organs and blood vessels are ageing and changing. For women, these changes differ from men. Especially in the heart, liver, gut and blood vessels – all organs that have in the past, relied on the role of oestrogen to help us maintain health.

Several studies report that as women move into post-menopause, there is a systemic (all over the body) low-grade inflammation characterized with normal biological ageing.

I’ve written about this in numerous articles and the new term to describe this is called ‘Inflammaging’. It's often the underlying cause of many of women's health changes as they transition through menopause, which of course, is the biological gateway to the next phase of our life - our ageing.

In my Transform Me™ weight loss programme and more recently in my new Beyond Menopause™ programme, I talk about Zinc as an essential mineral for women for both weight loss and for post-menopause healthy ageing.


Zinc Regulates Inflammation
With ‘inflammaging’ changes, there is oxidative stress that builds up in tissues in such a way that proteins are altered, particularly the cells of the regulatory systems – the nervous, endocrine (hormone) and immune systems. (Cabrera, 2015).

Zinc is one of the main minerals that helps these regulatory systems.

Without adequate intake of zinc, we experience more inflammation, especially in our nerves (tingling and weakness or increased anxiety in menopause or your night vision is failing), our hormones (feeling depressed, tired and low libido) and in our immune system (we get frequent colds).

It’s that important to our health and energy in mid-life.

Zinc influences cognitive functions, improves memory and minimizes the risk of depression – for those of you on anti-depressants then this is a clue to also look at your zinc intake.

In addition, zinc reduces fatigue, mood swings and psychomotor hyperactivity. It is well known that zinc is crucial in aiding in the production of immune system cells and in increasing cell sensitivity to insulin.

Zinc is also needed for the growth of your skin, hair and nails, as it is involved in the proper formation of connective tissues and collagen production. Because of the role of zinc in so many actions and reactions in the body, zinc deficiency may lead to severe changes in the functioning of the body, including the reproductive system. [Nasiadek, et al., 2020]

Despite our need for adequate zinc as we age, the very first zinc deficiency was actually recognised in a male in 1958. He had stunted growth as well as poor eyesight. 

If you feel that your eyesight is failing, it might not be all that computer or phone use, it might be that you are low in zinc. The highest concentrations are in your eyes and for those blokes in your life, the highest concentrations for them are in their prostate gland and semen.

If they are low in zinc, then they won’t be firing on all cylinders either. It's why I also encourage women on the programme to try to get any middle aged males in their life, on the Mediterranean Dietary anti-inflammatory food guide that I have. It works for them too.



Most of the zinc that we do have in our diet is stored in muscles and bones and with the changes that arrive in menopause to both these structures, there are no surprises that zinc intake may be compromised, especially in those of you, who may be doing intense exercise.

Strong bones and muscles need zinc! But zinc is also needed for our energy levels, which brings me back to why I have the question about energy levels in my health screening forms.

Low energy, fatigue from not sleeping and our changing hormone status means that we must concentrate on how well we are absorbing nutrients in our diet.

It’s why in the MyMT™ 12 week programmes include a brand new GUT health module. If your gut and liver health isn’t optimal, then nutrient absorption can be compromised, especially zinc.

And because this powerful mineral is a constituent of over 150 enzymes, which help with chemical reactions, especially in the production of energy, you can restore your zest with zinc!

As I also explain in the Food Guides, whcih are an integral component of all of the MyMT™ programmes, the role of zinc is integral to weight loss and your belly fat management.

Zinc is essential to the synthesis (production) and action of insulin. I’ve often talked about the role of insulin in my articles, especially with regard to weight management for women.

Insulin is the hormone which is secreted by your pancreas in relation to the regulation of your blood glucose levels.

You need insulin to help move glucose around the body to your brain, liver and muscles especially. If you have brain-fog, or your muscles are sorer than usual after exercise now that you are in menopause, then check your zinc intake too! Adult women need around 8mg daily.

For those women who are vegetarian and not eating shellfish or other meats, then you can add foods to your diet such as:

 	Cereals fortified with zinc
 	Yeast fermented breads (these reduce the effect of phytates)
 	Wheatgerm
 	Pumpkin seeds
 	Beans such as chickpeas
 	Yoghurt
 	Cheese
 	Nuts such as almonds and walnuts (100 gms of walnuts provides around 3mg of zinc).

Studies out of the University of Tasmania (Norouzi et al, 2018), have linked dysfunctional zinc signaling with several disease states including cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. All of these conditions are genuine health concerns for women as they age and move into post-menopause.

Diet is established among the most important influences on health in modern societies, but as many women who join me find, there is so much confusion about nutrition for women as they reach their menopause and post-menopause years.

And yes, I found it confusing too, despite lecturing in sport and exercise nutrition at university level.

But it was doing this lecturing that made me realise that much of 'what we know about food' is situated in athlete research and not in women's health research.

When I made this connection, everything changed! And whilst the food conundrum is only one part of the MyMT™ programmes, we must understand that food genuinely is our medicine when it comes to our menopause symptoms and weight management.

For those of you who are struggling with sore joints, hair loss, depression and all the other symptoms that may arrive in the menopause transition, I hope you can add some foods that are high in zinc into your day and restore  your zest for life.



I hope you can join me sometime. You can read about how MyMT™ programmes work here. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References:

Ahmadi, H., Mazloumi-Kiapey, S. S., Sadeghi, O., Nasiri, M., Khorvash, F., Mottaghi, T., & Askari, G. (2020). Zinc supplementation affects favorably the frequency of migraine attacks: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Nutrition journal, 19(1), 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-020-00618-9

Katz, D. & Mellor, S. (2014). Can we say what diet is best for health? Annual Review of Public Health, 35:1, 83-103

Mann, J. & Trusswell, S. (2007). Essentials of human nutrition. (3rd Ed). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Norouzi S., Adulcikas J., Sohal S., & Myers S. (2018). Zinc stimulates glucose oxidation and glycemic control by modulating the insulin signaling pathway in human and mouse skeletal muscle cell lines. PLoS ONE 13(1): e0191727. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191727

Nasiadek, M., Stragierowicz, J., Klimczak, M., & Kilanowicz, A. (2020). The role of zinc in selected female reproductive system disorders. Nutrients, 12(8), 2464. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082464

Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidenced-based approach. London, UK: Academic Press.

Stiles LI, Ferrao K, Mehta KJ. Role of zinc in health and disease. Clin Exp Med. 2024 Feb 17;24(1):38. doi: 10.1007/s10238-024-01302-6.

### "I crossed that 100km finish line feeling strong. Knowing the correct nutrition for my age and stage in life, was my biggest advantage." [Kylie, Australia]

 "Two weeks ago, I completed my first 100-kilometer trail run and I felt great!"
That was the start of Kylie's email to me.

I knew that she had been training for an ultra-distance event after we exchanged emails about her nutrition requirements for her 50 km running during the time that she has been with me, but I didn't realise that she was extending her distance and had completed the 100km!

I was so inspired, that I asked her to share her journey with you all.

So, she did. This is Kylie's story. I love that she has rewritten her midlife story, as so many women have. 

"On reflection, I think my perimenopause symptoms started in about 2009, when I was 37 years old. My acne returned with a vengeance, and I was feeling nauseous for no good reason. The naturopath I saw mentioned perimenopause (of which I’d never heard of! Menopause yes, peri… what now?!).

Unfortunately for me, this Naturopath left the practice very soon after my first visit, to have a baby, and I never returned. I soldiered on. Two years later, I had surgery on my feet and consequently wound up with a DVT. I was instantly taken off the contraceptive pill and had to deal with not only daily injections but also 12 months of starting to walk again and getting my period every month! What a bore!

Anyway, life went on. I came off the blood thinners, and slowly began to jog a little since my feet had returned to their normal size. For contraception, I also had a go at a copper IUD. That’s when the fun and games truly began. My body did its utmost to reject the IUD, and I eventually gave in and had it removed.

What followed was floods of bleeding, nausea which continued for years even after the removal, hot flushes, mood swings, you name it, I had it.

I should also mention that I have never shared my life with a long-term partner, and I do not have any children. Around this time my mum also asked if I was experiencing any mood swings or hot flushes, as all the women in my family have hit menopause in their early 40s apparently. I was 39 years old.

That's when the penny dropped.

My mum was a part of the generation when a breast cancer diagnosis was blamed on HRT, or so they thought. Since I did not fancy testing the theory on myself, I have not used HRT, especially with my history of a DVT and therefore, began to explore alternative, natural solutions.

Around this time, I was dating on and off and had recognised I was fast losing my sexual desire and hot flushes, night sweats and shivers set in for the long haul. That's when I sought out a female hormone specialist and found a Practitioner who used DNA to assist with treating hormonal issues.

I had great success with this Doctor and only stopped using her services when I was made redundant, and I could no longer afford them. At this time, I was also experiencing the ignorance of menopause in the workplace. My manager told me I could work part-time for eight weeks to “get this issue sorted out", all due to the fact, that according to him, his wife didn’t find it difficult! [*enter suitable curse words and many tears here*).

Prior to leaving my DNA specialist though, she mentioned that a
menopause specific lecture was being given in the coming months here in Perth, and that I might consider attending.

Enter from stage left, Dr Wendy Sweet and her Masterclass on Menopause, if memory serves, January 2019 in Perth, Western Australia."

[NB: The Circuit Breaker programme that Kylie did, is on sale HERE throughout November - savings of NZ$100 when you apply the code MYCBSTORY].


 

This information was exactly what I had been looking for.

I was one of the youngest in the room, and still today I take umbrage at the fact I have experienced this transition in life a whole lot sooner than my friends, but I can’t stop it, so I have educated myself as an attempt to make it a smoother and less traumatic experience for myself.

Wendy's lecture reached me on so many levels. 

Wendy’s background in fitness spoke volumes to me about the strength of her own research and validity of her programs, backed by science. Maybe I should mention here I too am a scientist, of rocks, but nonetheless, I have maintained my interest in research and have always been fascinated by the human body and fitness, and my own health.

A man I had dated was a Personal Trainer and it was around the same time, I took up yoga regularly. With this combination, they introduced me to rolling and myofascial release. I was starting to run 10 kilometers, or longer events, and very much enjoyed running on trails, discovering that it was less harsh on my body.

Working in aged-care at the time, I procrastinated for two years on the cost of buying the Circuit Breaker program and was delighted to find that Wendy was offering a discount during the lock-downs, so I went for it!

I have not looked back.

My life became a flurry of following the main principles in the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme - juicing, eating dinner as early as possible, not drinking alcohol (I pretty much had stopped of my own accord beforehand having discovered the ghastly consequences for myself), swapped my black tea for green tea and regularly taking the vitamins she suggested and trying my best to eat bright colours, lots of dark greens, and more brown than white carbohydrates.

Her strategies for sleep renewal were also very effective. I’m not and never will be, ever, a morning person. Try as I might to get up early on a regular basis, I fail most of the time. But that’s ok. Not everything Wendy suggests needs to be adhered to. As she says, it's important to work with our body and have some trial and error.

My waking and sleeping times are regular, just not early. Working as a Carer, this fits my schedule as I often work late shifts.

My long distance running was a fine rhythmic exercise and I am definitely not fast, so a slower, regular pace with minimal high intensity training was perfect.

I also enjoyed Wendy's coaching posts and opted to pay the monthly fee to remain a part of the community and to have access to the programme once my time was up, and I have now been here for four years.

I have used Wendy’s programme and menu to dovetail with my running career and nutritional needs. As I focused on my long-distance runs, I learnt about my iron, calcium and magnesium needs and the nutrition to support this. It’s a fabulous fit.

I’ve found a happy balance between what running long distances
requires (I’m now a regular 50 kilometer plus runner), and what will keep my now post-menopausal symptoms at bay. How to eat to fuel for, and during, an event, and then, the foods to eat to recover well, has never been clearer or more effective for me, based on her advice.



"Last year I completed a six-day multi-discipline event, bagging me 425 kilometers from the north coast of Iceland to the south. Wendy's advice for exercise-recovery during menopause, helped me to recover from this.

Two weeks ago, I also completed my first 100-kilometer trail run here in Australia and I felt great!

Don’t get me wrong, it was a tough day out in the bush, but 29.5 hours after starting, I crossed that finish line feeling strong and uninjured. I was definitely hungry (and continued to be for the following week!) and my feet hurt, but knowing the correct nutrition for my age and stage in life, was my biggest advantage at this point.

I wish I could impress this on the many middle-age ladies surrounding me at these events, but you can lead a horse to water…… and you know the rest.

I look forward to joining the Post Menopause program when time permits as I value the knowledge Wendy shares. Until then, I will continue to fall on and off the MyMT wagon as life throws its ups and downs at me.

But, I will always come back to what I have learned, because, well, it is what makes me feel good and fit and healthy and happy! Thank you, Wendy, for your support, your availability, and your continued research into allowing us to age with knowledge, grace and a lot fewer hot flushes!

Hats off to those working to educate and inform the general public, and our male partners, fathers, sons and colleagues. Stronger together ladies, stronger together!"

Kylie Sherwin, Australia

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: A post-workout recovery salad which ticks all the nutrient ‘boxes’.

Not all of you are athletes or regular exercisers I know. But if you are, then this traditional Salade Nicoise, with the addition or swap-out of sweet potato for the plain potato, is a post-workout winner.

Sport nutrition, which can also be called exercise nutrition, is the application of nutrition principles for the purpose of improving training, recovery, and performance. Exercise and sport nutrition reflects the close relationship between the academic fields of exercise physiology and nutrition.

I taught sport and exercise nutrition for a number of years at the University of Waikato, but back then, there was very little knowledge and emphasis on the needs of midlife women going through menopause. Whilst many of the strategies are the same as younger female exercisers or athletes, there are a number of factors that are unique to the needs of women transitioning menopause. These include:

 	the stage of menopause women are in and their iron needs, i.e. if women are still menstruating during peri-menopause and menopause compared to post-menopause.
 	the need for greater intake of anti-inflammatory nutrients from food.
 	the need for foods that provide specific nutrients to help the ageing heart, muscles and blood vessels. This includes calcium which is necessary for muscle and nerve action in the body.
 	whether women are experiencing gut health concerns - this can impact the absorption of nutrients, which may be compromised.
 	protein intake and effect of nitrogen secretion on ageing kidneys.

Proper nutrition and fueling/hydration are critical to the body's ability to withstand training stressors, while keeping the body in good health as women age. Not only does this include the type of food, but also the amount of food, especially when it comes to healthy carbohydrates.

The traditional Salade Nicoise originated in Nice, in the south of France. That's where I tasted my very first one too. I still remember the incredible combination of ingredients from the salty anchovies to the texture of the tuna and crunchiness of the beans. Delicious.

I love this recipe for a post-workout recovery, because it is rich in carbohydrates, healthy fats (extra virgin olive oil and olives) and protein from the tuna or anchovies and a few hard-boiled eggs.  Traditionally, it is made of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives and anchovies or tuna, dressed with olive oil, or in some historical versions, a vinaigrette.

The influence of nutrients on our ability to continue as exercisers or athletes as we age is an important one. And whilst sports nutrition can be very technical, depending on the type of sport or exercise and whether women are competing or not or whether they have to make a certain weight (such as in competitive body-building), the basic intake to focus on should be as follows:

 	Carbohydrate intake should be at least 5 to 7 gms/kg of body weight but if you are an endurance exerciser, you may need more than this up to 9 gms/kg of body weight. Carbohydrate intake post-exercise helps your muscles and liver to store the glucose that has been used up during your training or competitions.
 	Protein requirements differ depending on the sport or exercise. Ranging from 1.0 gms/kg/day for health, some Trainers and Nutritionists like their athletes to go up to 2.0 gms/kg/day but this can be a heavy load for your kidneys and gut, so check with your Sports Nutritionist and see how well you tolerate a high protein intake because many calculations are based on younger, male athletes.


 	Fats are also important to the exercising or sporting woman going through menopause, especially if they are still menstruating. Too much fat however, especially saturated animal fats, may place unprecedented load on the ageing liver and gallbladder. It's why I love the healthy, anti-inflammatory extra virgin olive oil and the olives used in this Salade Nicoise.

I encourage you to try this recipe, whether you are an exerciser or athlete or not. 
Niçoise Salade
Makes enough for 2 people

 	2 sweet potatoes
 	A handful of green beans
 	2 eggs
 	Half an iceberg lettuce
 	Olives
 	Cherry tomatoes
 	1 can of tuna (or fresh)
 	Anchovies (optional)

Dressing:

1 garlic glove

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

 	Heat oven to 180 Celsius. Chop the sweet potato into small cubes and bake in the oven until cooked through (approximately 25 minutes).
 	While the sweet potato is cooking, fry the beans in a pan, with a dash of olive oil, on medium heat for 5 minutes.
 	Meanwhile boil a pot of water (about an inch above the height of the eggs). Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and place the eggs in. Cook for approximately 7 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of iced water to cool. Drain the eggs, then peel and halve them.
 	Dressing: Peel the garlic, and smash it under your knife, then chop into small pieces. Combine the garlic, mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl and stir.
 	Place the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, tuna, olives sweet potato, eggs and beans into a salad bowl, and then stir the dressing through.

Enjoy!

### "I crossed that 100km finish line feeling strong. Knowing the correct nutrition for my age and stage in life, was my biggest advantage." [Kylie, Australia]

"Two weeks ago, I completed my first 100-kilometer trail run and I felt great!" That was the start of Kylie's email to me. I knew that she had been training for an ultra-distance event after we exchanged emails about her nutrition requirements for her 50 km running during the time that she has been with me, but I didn't realise that she was extending her distance and had completed the 100km!I was so inspired, that I asked her to share her journey with you all. So, she did. This is Kylie's story. I love that she has rewritten her midlife story, as so many women have. "On reflection, I think my perimenopause symptoms started in about 2009, when I was 37 years old. My acne returned with a vengeance, and I was feeling nauseous for no good reason. The naturopath I saw mentioned perimenopause (of which I’d never heard of! Menopause yes, peri… what now?!).Unfortunately for me this Naturopath left the practice very soon after my first visit, to have a baby, and I never returned. I soldiered on. Two years later, I had surgery on my feet and consequently wound up with a DVT. I was instantly taken off the contraceptive pill and had to deal with not only daily injections but also 12 months of starting to walk again and getting my period every month! What a bore!Anyway, life went on. I came off the blood thinners, and slowly began to jog a little since my feet had returned to their normal size. For contraception, I also had a go at a copper IUD. That’s when the fun and games truly began. My body did its utmost to reject the IUD, and I eventually gave in and had it removed.What followed was floods of bleeding, nausea which continued for years even after the removal, hot flushes, mood swings, you name it, I had it.I should also mention that I have never shared my life with a long-term partner, and I do not have any children. Around this time my mum also asked if I was experiencing any mood swings or hot flushes, as all the women in my family have hit menopause in their early 40s apparently. I was 39 years old.That's when the penny dropped.My mum was a part of the generation when a breast cancer diagnosis was blamed on HRT, or so they thought. Since I did not fancy testing the theory on myself, I have not used HRT, especially with my history of a DVT and therefore, began to explore alternative, natural solutions.Around this time, I was dating on and off and had recognised I was fast losing my sexual desire and hot flushes, night sweats and shivers set in for the long haul. That's when I sought out a female hormone specialist and found a Practitioner who used DNA to assist with treating hormonal issues.I had great success with this Doctor and only stopped using her services when I was made redundant, and I could no longer afford them. At this time, I was also experiencing the ignorance of menopause in the workplace. My manager told me I could work part-time for eight weeks to “get this issue sorted out", all due to the fact, that according to him, his wife didn’t find it difficult! [*enter suitable curse words and many tears here*).Prior to leaving my DNA specialist though, she mentioned that a menopause specific lecture was being given in the coming months here in Perth, and that I might consider attending.Enter from stage left, Dr Wendy Sweet and her Masterclass on Menopause, if memory serves, January 2019 in Perth, Western Australia."[NB: The Circuit Breaker programme that Kylie did, is on sale HERE throughout November - savings of NZ$100 when you apply the code MYCBSTORY]. 		
														
															
		This information was exactly what I had been looking for.I was one of the youngest in the room, and still today I take umbrage at the fact I have experienced this transition in life a whole lot sooner than my friends, but I can’t stop it, so I have educated myself as an attempt to make it a smoother and less traumatic experience for myself.Wendy's lecture reached me on so many levels. Wendy’s background in fitness spoke volumes to me about the strength of her own research and validity of her programs, backed by science. Maybe I should mention here I too am a scientist, of rocks, but nonetheless, I have maintained my interest in research and have always been fascinated by the human body and fitness, and my own health. A man I had dated was a Personal Trainer and it was around the same time, I took up yoga regularly. With this combination, they introduced me to rolling and myofascial release. I was starting to run 10 kilometers, or longer events, and very much enjoyed running on trails, discovering that it was less harsh on my body.Working in aged-care at the time, I procrastinated for two years on the cost of buying the Circuit Breaker program and was delighted to find that Wendy was offering a discount during the lock-downs, so I went for it!I have not looked back.My life became a flurry of following the main principles in the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme - juicing, eating dinner as early as possible, not drinking alcohol (I pretty much had stopped of my own accord beforehand having discovered the ghastly consequences for myself), swapped my black tea for green tea and regularly taking the vitamins she suggested and trying my best to eat bright colours, lots of dark greens, and more brown than white carbohydrates.Her strategies for sleep renewal were also very effective. I’m not and never will be, ever, a morning person. Try as I might to get up early on a regular basis, I fail most of the time. But that’s ok. Not everything Wendy suggests needs to be adhered to. As she says, it's important to work with our body and have some trial and error.My waking and sleeping times are regular, just not early. Working as a Carer, this fits my schedule as I often work late shifts.My long distance running was a fine rhythmic exercise and I am definitely not fast, so a slower, regular pace with minimal high intensity training was perfect.I also enjoyed Wendy's coaching posts and opted to pay the monthly fee to remain a part of the community and to have access to the programme once my time was up, and I have now been here for four years.I have used Wendy’s programme and menu to dovetail with my running career and nutritional needs. As I focused on my long-distance runs, I learnt about my iron, calcium and magnesium needs and the nutrition to support this. It’s a fabulous fit.I’ve found a happy balance between what running long distances requires (I’m now a regular 50 kilometer plus runner), and what will keep my now post-menopausal symptoms at bay. How to eat to fuel for, and during, an event, and then, the foods to eat to recover well, has never been clearer or more effective for me, based on her advice.		
																										
		"Last year I completed a six-day multi-discipline event, bagging me 425 kilometers from the north coast of Iceland to the south. Wendy's advice for exercise-recovery during menopause, helped me to recover from this.Two weeks ago, I also completed my first 100-kilometer trail run here in Australia and I felt great!Don’t get me wrong, it was a tough day out in the bush, but 29.5 hours after starting, I crossed that finish line feeling strong and uninjured. I was definitely hungry (and continued to be for the following week!) and my feet hurt, but knowing the correct nutrition for my age and stage in life, was my biggest advantage at this point.I wish I could impress this on the many middle-age ladies surrounding me at these events, but you can lead a horse to water…… and you know the rest.I look forward to joining the Post Menopause program when time permits as I value the knowledge Wendy shares. Until then, I will continue to fall on and off the MyMT wagon as life throws its ups and downs at me.But, I will always come back to what I have learned, because, well, it is what makes me feel good and fit and healthy and happy! Thank you, Wendy, for your support, your availability, and your continued research into allowing us to age with knowledge, grace and a lot fewer hot flushes!Hats off to those working to educate and inform the general public, and our male partners, fathers, sons and colleagues. Stronger together ladies, stronger together!"Kylie Sherwin, Australia

### MyMT™ Education: What women in menopause can learn from London bus conductors.

Tottenham Court Road is busy as London’s iconic red double-decker buses travel up and down. These buses are modern and very different from the old buses that frequented London’s inner roads in the 1950’s. I wonder what London's pioneering female bus driver, Jill Viner, would think of them, after being the first woman to drive a London bus in 1974.  
As I walked past one of them on my recent trip to the UK, I looked to see if they still have the spiral stairs that take passengers up to the top deck. I spare a thought for the days when London Bus Conductors went up and down those stairs hundreds of times a day and wonder if there were any female Bus Conductors.

I hope that there were, because every time they went up and down those stairs, they may have been helping their heart health, providing a helpful risk reduction for their years spent in menopause.  

Over 50 years ago, the London bus conductors study paved the way for our improved understanding of the link between physical activity and prevention of heart disease.
Professor Jerry Morris published his studies in the Lancet Medical Journal showing that London bus conductors, who had spent their working lives walking up and down the steps of double-decker buses had lower levels of coronary heart disease compared to the drivers of the same buses.
The drivers sat all day, the conductors moved. 
It was the same for London postmen, who spent their days walking to deliver letters when compared to studies of more sedentary clerks and telephonists working in the postal offices at the time.

These studies conducted over 50 years ago opened up an incredible body of knowledge on the links between physical activity and fitness and cardiovascular disease. This comprises both heart disease and blood vessel disease, such as strokes.

Although nearly all of these pioneering studies were conducted on males, it was some of these early physical activity studies that led to the phenomenal growth in exercise and sport science research that has continued unabated since the late 1980’s.
But we must also be cautious in our interpretation of these earlier exercise and sport science studies too. A new report on the invisibility of midlife women in exercise and sports science research, shows that only 9% of this research has been conducted on women in midlife (McNulty et al, 2024).
		
																										
		Gaps in Women's Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health Research:
The notion that a high level of physical activity and/ or fitness might offer protection from the adverse cardiovascular consequences of obesity, has gained considerable momentum over the past 4 decades.
However, from the London Bus Conductors study in the 1950’s to the investigation of San Francisco Longshoremen (dockworkers), by Ralph Paffenburger in the 1970’s, to the famous Whitehall Study which looked at the cardiovascular fitness levels of over 9,000 English male civil servants and their risk for heart disease, there have been numerous gaps in research about women’s cardiovascular health and their physical activity levels.
In fact, it wasn’t until 2004, that women really got a look-in. 
In the United States, one of the largest studies (over 100,000), was conducted on nurses. Thank you to those nurses and the researchers, because this was the start of improved understanding about gender differences in the dose-response relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular health. 
Of note in this nurses study, were that several risk factors in women increased their risk for cardiovascular disease.
Smoking had the highest risk, and this continues today, but so too did: 

family history of heart disease,
menopausal status and hormone use (although the hormone-use concerns have been better scrutinized in further work since and the jury is still out on this) and
physical activity status.  
		
																										
		Taken together, the weight of evidence from epidemiological studies of physical activity or fitness and body fatness over the past 50 years, indicates that a physically active lifestyle and/or a moderately high level of fitness (i.e. not in the bottom 20% of the population) reduces the risk of Cardiovascular disease and Coronary heart disease, especially in the overweight and obese.  There is a dose–response relationship between physical activity and health which is the equivalent of expending approx. 200 kcal/day (where 1 kcal ≡ 4.184 kJ) in meaningful activity. Walking briskly for 3.2 km would meet this target.		
																										
		How physical activity helps reduce women’s risk of cardiovascular disease is also being better understood, thanks to the work of Professor Hirofumi Tanaka.
His studies have highlighted that ageing affects the function and structure of arteries and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), especially in women. Ageing is associated with increased stiffness (reduced compliance) of large elastic arteries; impaired vascular endothelial function and other changes, however, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise intervention (brisk daily walking for 12 wk) improves carotid artery compliance and can restore vascular endothelial function in previously sedentary middle-aged and older adults. (Tanaka, 2019)
It is increasingly known that inflammation plays a central role in the progression of cardiovascular disease, whereby there is plaque formation in arteries.
I talk about inflammation a lot in my seminars, because as women in our 50’s we are the first generation to have been subjected to so many influences on changing inflammation in the body. From processed foods, to chemicals to too much, or not enough exercise, we often hold pockets of inflammation in and around our liver, gut, blood vessels and muscles, which also includes cardiac muscles.
As well, I remind women that menopause itself is the biological gateway to our ageing, and as Lifestyle Medicine Pioneer, Professor Garry Egger from Australia, mentions, “Ageing itself is inflammatory.”		
																										
		Current United Kingdom, Australian, New Zealand and United States physical activity for health guidelines are that, all adults should ‘accumulate 30 min or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week’.
But is this really enough to mitigate cardiovascular risk as we move into post-menopause? Possibly not, say researchers, but I say, “It’s a start, so aim for this at least.”
30 minutes of moderate physical activity/day is likely to be insufficient for the maintenance of a healthy body weight in many individuals and the optimal physical activity ‘dose’ for obesity prevention is still unclear, but in some studies, it is suggested that as much as 60–90 minutes of moderate activity/day in groups susceptible to weight gain is required.
Finding time for this is tough for women who have so much going on in their lives.
Especially if women live in a large city such as London. But if women can find pockets of time during their day to be active (snack-tivity) and also climb stairs briskly and walk briskly in the lunch-break, then this is a great start. Perhaps your clients can do more in weekends when they have more time.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one health concern for women living in western societies as they move into post-menopause, especially if they are overweight or obese.
Prevention during the vulnerable, menopause years is crucial and it’s this that I continue to share with women at my seminars and in the MyMT™ programmes, as well as in my Education Courses for Practitioners. I hope you can join me sometime. 		
																										
		References: 
Daskalopouloua, C., Stubbs, B. et al (2017). Physical activity and healthy ageing: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies. Ageing Research Reviews, 38, 6–17.
Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2014). Beyond Obesity and Lifestyle: A Review of 21st Century Chronic Disease Determinants. BioMed Research International Volume, Article ID 731685, 1-12.

Gill, J. & Malkova, D. (2006). Physical activity, fitness and cardiovascular disease risk in adults: interactions with insulin resistance and obesity. Clinical Science,110, 409–425.
McNulty K, Olenick A, Moore S, et al. Invisibility of female participants in midlife and beyond in sport and exercise science research: a call to action. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2024;58:180-181.
Tanaka, H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertension, AHA Journals, 74(2)
 

### Feeling exhausted? How your fatigue and stress impacts your menopause symptoms and exercise tolerance.

Why have women become so busy and stressed, that this is now affecting their hormonal balance and their tolerance to exercise?
The concept of the Stress Adaptation Response was first conceptualized in the 1950s by Psychologist, Dr Hans Selye.

Since his early research and descriptions of the ‘General Adaptation Syndrome’ (G.A.S.), this syndrome has been seen as a three-stage process of (1) alarm reaction, (2) adaptation stage, followed by chronic stress and (3) the exhaustion stage.

But whilst these stages are well known, researchers now better understand that there is so much more going on in terms of the physiological and emotional responses to stress, as well as the effect on the HPA-Thyroid Axis in women.

The HPA-Thyroid Axis refers to the powerful bio-chemical connections that exist between the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands.

They are key regulatory centres in the body and their respective hormones are influenced by numerous genetic, environmental and developmental factors. As such, many of these hormones get out of balance as we move through life.

For example, imbalances of the HPA-Thyroid Axis are easily triggered by grief, fear, anxiety, excitement, sleep disorders, blood glucose dysregulation, inflammation, low nutrient absorption and of course, by our changing hormonal profile as we move through menopause into post-menopause.

Changes to ovarian function during menopause influence the balance of the HPA-Axis and it’s normal regulation too.

This normal regulation and balance of our hormones is known as ‘homeostasis’. This is the state whereby the organs and hormones as well as the bio-chemistry of the body are continually changing and adjusting to sources of stress (stressors) in order to maintain balance within the body.

There are many events which alter homeostasis, and for women feeling stressed, these events may be physical, chemical and emotional/ personal.



Over 20 years ago, I used to give numerous talks to workplaces on stress, fatigue and wellbeing. I used to show attendees the graph below.

It depicts how athletes, when training, undergo an increased workload to stimulate positive performance changes, and then afterward the gruelling training sessions, they focus on their recovery. Work and recovery – this is how athletes improve performance.

If they don’t get the balance right, then it may be that they are over-training. As such, there is a period of ‘diminishing returns’ – a known phenomenon in sports science, whereby health changes occur, especially in female athletes, whereby their HPA-Thyroid Axis gets out of balance … as does their hormone balance.



As I explained to the women attending my live Masterclass on Menopause (also online HERE for you) this week in Wellington, New Zealand, the concept of ‘too much daily load’ and ‘not enough unload’ is the same for women in peri-menopause and menopause.

Many women these days are feeling busy, time-poor and physically and emotionally stressed. Their body and their hormones are under ‘load’ and as such, if they aren’t recovering well, or resting, or eating the right nutrients, then the HPA-Thyroid Axis is working harder to try to restore balance.

But here's what happens when we are stressed and the HPA-Thyroid Axis is out of balance - women typically go into ‘coping mode’. 

For some women, this means they eat more, or eat less. Perhaps they exercise more, or experience changing moods, from melancholy to anger or they begin to feel anxious. Sometimes, they experience physical symptoms, such as sore joints and aching muscles.

Often, they feel hot and experience poor sleep and night sweats. For many, their caffeine, alcohol, tobacco or sugar consumption increases too - you can see in the diagram that over 20 years ago, I called these 'C.A.T.S.'. Yes, it was the same back then as it is now.

When various sources of stress build up, menopause symptoms become worse. This increase in stress-sources is known as 'allostatic load’ and for women, there are a variety of sources of stress. I wonder how many you can list!

As sources of stress accumulate, the effect on the body may lead to burn-out and exhaustion. Performance and motivation declines which can then lead to ‘diminished returns’, i.e. changing immune health (frequent colds and flus), changing thyroid function (feelings of heightened anxiety, hot or cold feelings and low energy) and changing pituitary function (poor sleep patterns).

I wonder if all this sounds familiar?



The more stressed we feel, the higher is our production of a chronic stress hormone called cortisol.  

Our chronic stress hormone, Cortisol, is a pesky hormone. 

As one of our stress hormones produced by the adrenal glands, balancing cortisol production as the day goes on is important. It has far-reaching effects around the body — including your muscles and bones, heart and blood vessels, lungs, hormone-producing glands, liver, gut and your brain. Some cortisol production is good, but too much over a long time starts to impact our health.

For example, high levels of cortisol can lead to weight gain. Cortisol has an intricate relationship with the hormone insulin, which controls our blood sugar. High or low cortisol can cause hypo-glycemia (low blood sugar), hyper-glycemia (high blood sugar) or both.

When cortisol levels increase, the cells of our body can become resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This may lead to an increase in blood sugar, weight gain and potentially Type 2 Diabetes as women head into post-menopause when periods have ended for a year or more.

High levels of cortisol may also disrupt the other hormone-producing glands, such as our pituitary gland which produces melatonin, our thyroid gland which helps to regulate temperature and metabolism and when cortisol levels are high, then this can also disrupt the balance between oesterogen and progesterone.

With this disruption, we can also lose the protective role of calming progesterone. If you are feeling bloated, tired, wired, angry, frustrated and experiencing sore breasts or loss of hair too, then you will know what I mean about low progesterone.

If you’ve been experiencing an increased heart rate, anger, frustration, memory lapses and/or hot flushes and night sweats, then, as women on the MyMT™ programmes discover, it’s time to manage your production of cortisol.

When cortisol is out of balance and it stays high throughout the day and night, then your menopause symptoms may become worse.  As the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study (2009) suggests,

“Rising cortisol levels have been associated with poor health, including lower bone density in older women, minor cognitive complaints, and could be hypothesized to be related to perceptions of poor health overall.”  (p. 2).

When I went into peri-menopause, the time of our lives when our ovaries gradually stop producing oestrogen and our progesterone declines as well, I had no idea that not sleeping all night as well as the type of exercise I was doing, was connected to my night sweats, hot flushes and mounting feelings of daily stress, anxiety, brain-fog and fatigue.

Like thousands of women going through menopause, I felt emotionally and physically exhausted but boxed-on -  as we tend to do when there is so much to be done. Like so many other women heading into post-menopause, the weight just crept up and up, despite exercise and dieting. 

Emotional and physical stress are accumulative – and it’s not just the ‘here and now’ stress. I’m also talking about the decades-long build-up of oxidative or physical stress that manifests as inflammation and metabolic chaos in our body too.

If your muscles are sore, if you have fibromyalgia, if your gut health has changed, if you have put on weight, and if you are feeling hot and bothered all the time, and you aren’t sleeping, then yes, these are all signs that your body is ‘stressed’.



Identifying the Sources of your Stress is Important to your Symptoms

What are the sources of stress impacting you? Are you doing too much exercise, or not enough?  Do you sleep all night? Do you feel that you are time-poor juggling both workplace and family demands? Perhaps you are caring for elderly parents as numerous women on my programmes are doing too?

To manage symptoms in menopause and to improve your health as you age, you need to address these sources of stress. I can’t reinforce this enough. And there's another reason for this. 

Oxidative or cellular stress and high levels of cortisol production are becoming well recognised as a cause of age-related diseases due to chronic inflammation.

This chronic inflammation arrives in our gut, liver, heart and kidneys as well as muscles and joints as we age. And yes, the brain doesn’t escape the effects of damaged and inflamed cells and tissues either.

In a new study about the brain and stress, the authors state,

'Allostatic load represents the 'wear and tear' of chronic stress on the brain and body and ... women show gender-specific variation for numerous factors such as age, race/ethnicity, adversities and health behaviours, that influence associations between allostatic load and their mental health.' (Kerr, Kheloui, et el., 2020, p.1).



Build your Resilience to Managing Stress Levels in Menopause:

Health and wellbeing in later life is not just about maintaining physical and mental health, but also about creating an environment that enables us to live our life to the full.

With the world going into a huge age shift, the United Nations announced in 2020, that they were naming 2020 to 2030, the Decade of Healthy Ageing.  Our ageing starts during our menopause transition. As such, women particularly, need to focus on their cardiovascular health in order to start to build their stress-resilience. 

Since 1980, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have translated scientific evidence into clinical practice guidelines with recommendations to improve cardiovascular health. Fortunately, these guidelines now look at both men and women differently. This is important.

Women age differently to men, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health and stress. Declining oestrogen levels impact the elasticity of blood vessels and this can lead to a condition called vascular stiffness which I've spoken about in other articles.

With this in mind, one of the main things we can do, to begin building our resilience is to do some exercise - but not just any exercise! To help reduce the effect of vascular stiffness, we need to focus on simple, aerobic exercise.

There is a dose-response relationship between Cardiovascular Disease and aerobic physical activity. Even 1 hour of walking per week is associated with lower risk, but the ideal is 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, as your starting point for improving heart health and lowering your stress levels.

Aerobic exercise helps your circulation and helps to dilate your blood vessels. All necessary factors in reducing blood pressure as our other preventative measures such as reducing your cholesterol levels, losing weight if you are overweight (especially reducing belly fat and getting your waist circumference under 84 cm) and of course, stopping smoking and eating a diet evidenced for cardiac health as I have for you in the MyMT™ programmes.



It's never too late to turn around your health as you age. How to achieve this in a step-by-step progressive way is in the MyMT™ programmes, whereby I use scientifically-evidenced lifestyle solutions to help you manage your symptoms - no matter what other treatments you are on, you need these lifestyle solutions too.

12 weeks might just change how you are feeling and most importantly, set you up for your healthy ageing years ahead.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.



References:

Childs, E., & de Wit, H. (2014). Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 5 161. 1, doi:10.3389/fphys.2014.00161

Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.

Kerr, P., Kheloui, S. et al. (2020). Allostatic load and women’s brain health: A systematic review. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, Vol 59, 100858,

Stewart, A.L., Kathawalla, UK., Wolfe, A.G. et al. (2018). Women’s heart health at mid-life: what is the role of psychosocial stress?. Womens Midlife Health 4, 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-018-0041-2

Tanaka H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertension, AHA doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13179.

Woods, N. F., Mitchell, E. S., & Smith-Dijulio, K. (2009). Cortisol levels during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 16(4), 708–718. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e318198d6b2

### MyMT™ Education: Telomeres, exercise, menopause and the anti-ageing benefits of betaine.

During the past few decades, numerous ageing and health studies have emerged discussing the link between lifestyle factors, inflammation and telomere dysfunction. The tiny 'hard-hat's on the ends of human DNA, that control how rapidly we age. Telomere's become shorter with age and age-related diseases.

We all know that much attention is given to midlife women these days and how they manage their menopause transition. This is a personal decision obviously, although much of the popular media advertising to this demographic, seems more intent on promoting a range of expensive remedies from supplements to skincare.

Many of these remedies don't mention our ageing telomeres however. And not only the importance of the right exercise to slow down the rate of shortening, but also how, a compound called betaine, which is found in a variety of foods, is also evidenced to slow down the rate of telomere attrition with age too.

Understanding the lifestyle factors that help us age more healthily is important, simply because it is well known in geriatric medicine, that women live longer than men. Seven years longer in fact.

This remarkable feat is mainly to do with the length of the telomeres and the role that inflammatory changes play in how quickly we lose telomere length with age. And yes, this all starts in our menopause transition.

Telomere is the name given to the tiny ‘hard-helmets’ on the ends of each DNA strand.

Thanks to Leonard Hayflick’s work on DNA in the 1960s, scientists now know that there is limited regeneration of each telomere over the course of the human life-span. This is called the ‘Hayflick Limit’. Telomere length at birth is similar in both genders, but women have longer telomeres later in life despite the fact that telomere length throughout life, has been shown to be hereditary from the paternal side (Nordfjäll et al., 2005).

Understanding ageing science and ‘how’ we age matters – especially when it comes to the length of telomere’s. Simply because, in midlife, there are factors that we can share with clients to reduce the rate of losing these precious telomeres. The menopause transition is the time for your clients to be aware of this.

In ageing science, the length of our telomere matters. Especially for women entering post-menopause and experiencing declining levels of oestrogen. Thanks to a fairly recent study of Finnish women, (Stenback, Mutt et al., 2019), it is now known that oestrogen and higher compatibility between mitochondrial and genomic DNA have been associated with higher Telomere length in women as they age.

Which surprises me. 

Because, it is well known that high stress levels (both psychological and oxidative stress from doing too much exercise or eating the wrong foods), are associated with shortened telomere length – especially in women. 

Oestrogen and stress - opposite effects on telomere length in midlife women. 



If women have endured a lot of stress over their life-time, and I not only include psychological stress in this statement, but physical stress from high amounts of exercise training too, then making some lifestyle changes, to protect the terrific telomeres, is an important behaviour change strategy.
There is a complex network influencing the maintenance and integrity of telomeres as women age, and this includes genetic, lifestyle, psychological and physiological factors.
All of these factors influence the level of inflammation and oxidative stress in tissues, as women move through menopause. The menopause transition arrives as the ‘perfect storm’ for increased inflammation in the body.

These inflammatory changes occur in the peri-menopause transition, but accelerate as women shift into menopause (when periods end). Oxidative stress levels also increase with insomnia, inadequate dietary nutrients, too much or not enough exercise, overweight and obesity status or other underlying disease states.

All of these factors may speed up the rate of ageing.

But the good news is, with the right approach to lifestyle solutions in menopause, women can 'age-well' and slow down the rate of telomere shortening. 


Slowing down the rate of telomere shortening with age:

 	The right amount and type of physical activity matters.

At the start of last winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Kate, in the banner below, was in France working as a ski-lodge manager with hubbie. The fact that the ski-fields weren’t fully operational, meant that she had more time to explore the Alps wearing her snow-shoes.

Walking and hiking up hills are more moderate forms of aerobic and strength exercise. This is the type that helps to protect our telomeres as we age. Once she had turned around her sleep, joint health and lost 12 lbs, she was on her way to understanding how to exercise moderately, but not excessively, for the protection of her telomere length.



If women are also able to undertake 2 sessions a week of more vigorous activity, this benefits telomere length too. (Lin et al, 2019). Up to 75 minutes of more vigorous activity each week as well as moderate, endurance, aerobic exercise, helps to maintain telomere length (Puterman et al., 2010; Stenback, Mutt et al, 2019).

One of the challenges for women in making sense of the marketing of ‘healthy ageing’ is knowing ‘how much exercise is enough?’ and this came through strongly on my own doctoral research.

Many of the women in my studies, relied on advice from the fitness and sporting industries which typically position ‘healthy ageing’ in higher intensity exercise and sporting feats, but this isn’t always necessary.

In fact,  a higher volume of exercise training and competing may be detrimental to the telomere length - they become more inflamed.

Training for hours and over many years of practice at a professional level correlated negatively with Telomere Length (TL) in professional endurance runners (Rae et al., 2010).

The same association was observed in competitive powerlifters; the TL in their vastus lateralis (quad muscle) correlated inversely with the subject’s record in squat and deadlift (Kadi et al., 2008). These findings suggest an inverted U-shaped relationship between physical activity intensity and TL, with both high and low physical activity levels associated with shortened TL.



But what if your clients don't enjoy exercise, or they have underlying health considerations, that prevent them participating or they are just exhausted?  

Finding ways for your clients to move naturally and stay active is still important – not only to reduce the rate of telomere shortening, but to help reduce the rate of inflammation in cells and tissues. This type of cellular inflammation is known as oxidative stress.

Numerous studies in ageing and health, report that sedentary people over the age of 50 years (men and women) are typically ageing faster – 9 years faster in fact, based on the rate of shortening of their telomere length, compared to people who are more active.

As I mentioned above, subjects exercising with moderate intensity had the longest telomere length.

 	Food choices matter to telomere length.

The evidence over the past few decades that the Mediterranean Diet has emerged as an appropriate plant-centred dietary pattern that may affect women’s health as they age, to me, puts paid to any other dietary plan that women might be following.

This is because ageing itself is known to be ‘inflammatory’ and as such, women moving through menopause into their ageing years, are at higher risk for shortening of the telomeres, because they are ageing. Add to this, not sleeping and/or feeling stressed and over-whelmed, then telomere shortening may be more rapid.

This is when diet becomes important.

Food compounds are known to affect the length of our telomeres including: 

 	Vitamin C
 	Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which are balanced against Omega 6 foods.
 	Foods high in polyphenols are known to be important for reducing the rate of telomere length – all of these types of nutrients help to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation (Preedy & Watson, 2019). For example, the intake of walnuts (organic preferably) reduce the rate of telomere length.
 	Foods high in a compound called, Betaine. This powerful anti-inflammatory nutrient (found in beetroot, wholegrains, spinach and aquatic vertebrates), distributes primarily to the liver, kidneys and brain as well as muscles and reduces inflammatory changes in mitochondria. Betaine regulates energy metabolism and helps to relieve chronic inflammation.



I always know when a food compound is becoming important for our ageing, because invariably it gets marketed to us in expensive supplements.

Betaine is no exception and along with choline, is now available as a supplement that women can take for 'healthy ageing'. But menopause supplements are expensive and I often find that women on my programmes, don't know why they are taking them and what they do.

As well, many nutritionists remind us, that they are indeed 'supplemental to our diet'. A factor I heeded when I realised that I was taking a lot of menopause-related supplements myself, but not changing my diet first and foremost!

Here in New Zealand, the National Nutrition Survey provides information on betaine intake in the average New Zealand diet. Males get more than women in their diet, mentions the report and typically, glycine betaine is primarily found at high levels (⩾150 μg/g) in wholegrain products (wholegrain bread, pasta, flour), while proline betaine was found in fruit, especially oranges and orange juice and vegetables such as cruciferous vegies, spinach, beetroot and (to my relief) betaine is also found in coffee.

And then there is the role of nuts in helping to reduce inflammation - especially walnuts. 

When women have busy lives, walnuts (and other nuts) offer a source of energy and protein. New research on women’s health with age, also reports that walnuts, are rich in two types of fat  - alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid, and these both have anti-inflammatory properties. These types of fat are not only beneficial for heart health, but to also reduce the rate of shortening of ageing telomeres.

Nuts are one of the main components of plant-based food that characterise the Mediterranean Diet. 

Studies show that around ½ cup a day of a variety of nuts from walnuts to almonds, pistachios, peanuts and hazelnuts contain arginine (an important compound to help blood vessel dilation), folic acid (needed for ageing nerves), anti-oxidant vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Reversing the effects of inflammation is important during the menopause and post-menopause years and I talk more about why this is, in the MyMT™ Education Practitioner Course (next course commences in January, 2025). 



As I’m often saying in my newsletter articles to you, menopause symptoms aren't just about our ovaries. Declining reproductive hormones impact other organs around the body, including muscles, heart, liver and the gut. Hence, helping clients to have a focus on these organs is an important menopause-management strategy!

If you are a Health Practitioner, then please join me in January, 2025 for the next 12 week Health Practitioner Course. Please pre-register for the early-bird special HERE.

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine / NZ REPS Exercise Specialist. 



References: 

Aubert G., Lansdorp P. M. (2008). Telomeres and aging. Physiol. Rev. 88 557–579. 10.1152/physrev.00026.2007

Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2009). Inflammatory effects of nutritional stimuli: further support for the need for a big picture approach to tackling obesity and chronic disease. Obesity Reviews, 1-13.

Lin X, Zhou J, Dong B. Effect of different levels of exercise on telomere length: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Rehabil Med. 2019 Jul 8;51(7):473-478. doi: 10.2340/16501977-2560.

Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: an evidence-based approach. Elselvier Academic Press: London, UK.

Rajaie, S., & Esmaillzadeh, A. (2011). Dietary choline and betaine intakes and risk of cardiovascular diseases: review of epidemiological evidence. ARYA atherosclerosis, 7(2), 78–86.

Slow, S., Donaggio, M., Lever, M., & Chambers, S. (2005). The betaine content of New Zealand foods and estimated intake in the New Zealand diet. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 18. 473-485. 10.1016/j.jfca.2004.05.004.

Stenbäck, V., Mutt, S. J., Leppäluoto, J., Gagnon, D. D., Mäkelä, K. A., Jokelainen, J., Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, S., & Herzig, K. H. (2019). Association of Physical Activity With Telomere Length Among Elderly Adults - The Oulu Cohort 1945. Frontiers in physiology, 10, 444. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00444

Stuart C. (2004). Betaine in human nutrition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(3), 539–549, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/80.3.539

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Enjoy more stamina with these Sweet Potato Falafels

Diet plays a key role in the maintenance and optimal functioning of our health as we age and as our menopause transition is the biological gateway to the next phase of our life - our older years - then it makes sense to me that we learn how to adapt our lifestyle to accommodate our menopause transition and move into improved health as we age.

As such the Mediterranean dietary pattern is an example of a prudent choice of lifestyle and is now scientifically accepted to help preserve human health by protecting against major chronic and inflammatory diseases. [Mazzocchi et al. 2019]. One of the dietary approaches that shares similarities to the Mediterranean Diet, is the traditional diet in Okinawa.

The Okinawan diet is known for its emphasis on vegetables, especially root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants. Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes and spices, tea, alcohol are also moderately consumed. (Willcox et al. 2014).

Numerous varieties of sweet potatoes exist throughout the world and all varieties are known to be rich in vitamins, minerals such as potassium and magnesium and fibre. For women transitioning through menopause, one of the most important things to do in terms of diet, is to increase both potassium-rich foods and fibre. Not only are foods high in potassium and fibre needed for enhancing our stamina, but there is consistent evidence showing that menopause is a vulnerable time for changes to the gut microbiome. I've written about this HERE in this previous article so I hope you can read it sometime.

One way to increase fibre and potassium intake is to focus on sweet potatoes. The staple of the traditional Okinawan diet is the sweet potato, not only providing fibre and healthy nutrients, but also providing carbohydrates for energy.

These sweet potato falafels are a wonderful addition to your life and I'm sure the family will love them as well. For busy women with lots going on, you can also make "lots" and freeze them for those busy evenings when you are home late and can't think what to have for dinner.
The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Sweet Potato Falafels
Make lots - these falafels may take a while but they are perfect to store in the freezer and then bring out when you haven't had time to prepare lunch. 

Total time: 1hr 15 minutes

This is the ‘base’ of the dish. You can modify the flavours in this dish by adding certain things e.g. sundried tomatoes, coriander, basil, tomato relish etc. 

 	Food processor needed for this recipe
 	2 tbsp olive oil
 	2 tbsp cumin
 	2 tbsp paprika
 	2 tbsp dried coriander
 	2x medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small
chunks
 	1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
 	A large handful of parsley (or a different herb of your
choice)
 	1 tbsp flour (or Gluten Free flour)
 	½ lemon, juiced
 	Plenty of salt and pepper
 	Serving suggestions: Hummus, yoghurt dip (combine yoghurt, lemon juice and 1 tsp of cumin), salad, flat breads.

Method

 	Turn oven onto 180 degrees Celsius fan bake, and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
 	Place the chopped sweet potato onto the baking tray. Then drizzle with the olive oil and cover with 1 tbsp of each of the dried herbs (cumin, paprika and coriander). Remember to save 1 tbsp of each herb for later. Place into the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes (or until the sweet potato is soft).
 	When the sweet potato is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. You need to leave the oven on at this stage, and you will re-use the baking tray.
 	Then, place the sweet potato, drained chickpeas, parsley, flour, remaining dried herbs, lemon juice and salt and pepper into a food processor. Whiz the mixture until all of the chickpeas are broken down and it resembles the consistency of mashed potato.
 	Spoon out lumps of the mixture and roll it into a ball in your hands. Repeat until you have used up all the mixture. Place the falafel balls back onto the baking tray.
 	Bake for a further 15 minutes (until the mixture has a crispy layer on top).
 	Serve with a hummus or yoghurt dressing, and a salad of your choice or flatbreads.

[Recipe adapted from Deliciously Ella]



References: 

Willcox DC, Scapagnini G, Willcox BJ. Healthy aging diets other than the Mediterranean: a focus on the Okinawan diet. Mech Ageing Dev. 2014 Mar-Apr;136-137:148-62. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2014.01.002.

### Is Eating a High Protein Diet Bad For Your Arteries?

It took me a long time to understand why my menopause hot flushes were getting worse, despite the HRT, and why my weight was increasing, despite the daily exercise, including weight training.Protein consumed in excess of need, does not always promote muscle development. Amino acids left over in the body, i.e. excess to requirement for metabolism, are converted into glucose or ketones, or they are decomposed and exit the body via the kidneys. Feasting on protein in excess of your daily energy needs, encourages glucose and fat synthesis (production) and for women in their menopause transition, who may also have gut and liver health concerns, high amounts of protein, especially animal proteins, which also contain saturated fats, may contribute to fat-gain. It was this aspect of protein metabolism that I never gave a thought to at the time I went into menopause. I certainly didn't give a thought to how the high protein diet (over 1.5gm/kg/day) might also be contributing to hardening of my arteries. At a time when my Doctor noticed that my blood pressure and cholesterol was increasing, there was no mention of how much protein, particularly animal protein, I was having at the time. The high-protein diet mantra that continues to dominate the nutritional information shared from sport and fitness enthusiasts followed me for years. It was the same for Tineke, who used to be a Les Mills BodyPump instructor in the Netherlands.She followed the high protein mantra for resistance training too. It worked, until of course, it didn't work ... simply because she went into her menopause transition and her lymphatic system changed, as did her blood vessels. She began to retain fluid, which made her feel 'puffy' and bloated.  		
																										
		Despite the adoration for a high protein diet during the menopause transition, this isn’t entirely what it seems for midlife women.When I began to realise that much of this advice to have a high protein diet (1.5 - 2.2gms/kg day), was better suited to women doing heavy resistance training, rather than me, who didn't have time to spend hours at the gym, my women's healthy ageing studies took me down a different dietary route - not only in the type of diet, but the amount of protein I was having.If your hot flushes are driving you mad and you are on various supplements that are no longer working for you, then I wonder if you are also on a high protein diet? It could well be the missing link in your menopause-toolbox.I talk a lot about protein in the MyMT™ programmes and women who join me, learn about the contribution of high-protein diets to their hot flushes.You see protein, is ‘thermogenic’ or heat-generating. This means it increases your metabolism. Protein as an important macronutrient, has appeared in sport science nutrition and is heavily promoted for muscle density improvement and strength as women get older (60+ yrs).However, if you are having too much protein during your menopause transition, then this could well be the cause of your higher body temperature and of course, your hot flushes and night sweats, which are keeping you awake. New research out of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (2024) also suggests that high protein consumption (over 22% of total daily intake) may elevate atherosclerosis risk by activating immune cells that contribute to arterial plaque formation, with leucine playing a critical role. Leucine is an amino acid present in eggs, beef and milk, and the effect on the build-up of plaques in arteries, contributing to high blood pressure, backs up other emerging research, that high protein intake may increase the risk of cardiovascular events. [M. Juneau, Institute of Cardiology, Montreal, online, May 30th, 2024]High protein diets have also been linked to Type 2 Diabetes, suggesting that the type of protein is just as important as the amount of protein for our health as we age.With population changes to dietary intake of animal protein in China, a large study exploring the rise of Type 2 Diabetes there, looked at the role of animal protein in this rising condition. The study reported that Type 2 Diabetes risk increased with increasing consumption of total protein and animal protein, red meat, processed meat, milk, and eggs, respectively, while plant protein and yogurt had an inverse relationship. [Fan, Li et al., 2019]		
																										
		What Are the Recommendations for Protein Intake for Midlife Women?The recommendations for high protein diets ‘seems to be at odds with basic research in animals and observational studies in humans showing that low-protein or low protein, high plant carbohydrate diets, delay ageing and increase lifespan’ (Le Couteur, Solon-Biet et al, 2016), stated the research I was reading as part of my women’s health and ageing doctoral studies.This paper was a turning point for not only me, but women on the 12 week menopause transformation programmes.It helped me to untangle some of the source of our hot flushes, night sweats and menopause insomnia. Understanding the Okinawan Ratio was crucial to this.The longest living people (especially women) are the residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa. Not only are they the oldest-living, but in general, many remain free from diseases of older age that beset older women living in Western Societies.If you’ve been following my newsletter articles for a while now (thank you), then you will have head me talk about the high incidence of heart disease as women transition menopause and move into their post-menopause years.Heart disease remains the number one health concern for women as they age, however, in countries such as South Korea, the incidence of CHD is the lowest in OECD countries for women. (Statista.com 2020). What we can learn from this in terms of lifestyle solutions is important. Heart disease is also low, compared to western countries, in the Japanese southern island of Okinawa. Dan Buettner (2017), in his studies of some of the Blue Zones countries, found that there were distinctive dietary differences, including the Okinawa Ratio for protein consumption. 		
																										
		Whilst there are numerous factors that contribute to the health and longevity of Okinawan women, one of these factors relates to their daily nutrition, including food quality, caloric restriction and their protein to carbohydrate ratio.Total energy from their diets was derived from only around 9-10% of protein per day.This ratio differs from the average western diet of around 30-40% intake of protein, often in the form of meat and dairy products (Cordain, Eaton et al, 2005).As such, this lower ratio of protein compared to plant carbohydrates (which was around 75-80% of the total daily diet) contributed to caloric restriction in Okinawan inhabitants.Protein restriction is just one approach that allows for caloric reduction, which is increasingly seen as helping to extend lifespan, however, research continues to confuse many of us, about 'how much is enough?' especially when it comes to midlife needs.My interest was piqued about reducing protein intake because in energy expenditure studies, protein, especially animal protein, is known to be thermogenic. This is the term used for ‘heat generating’. This thermic effect seems to be influenced by the composition and amount of food consumed.I talk about this in more depth in my online Masterclass on Menopause  		
														
															
		There is convincing evidence that a higher protein intake increases thermogenesis and satiety (feelings of fullness), compared to diets of lower protein content, and that this may be good for weight loss and muscle retention, but what's it doing for your body heat?It is well known in exercise and nutritional science that increased thermogenesis from a high protein diet, creates some change to temperature regulation in the body.This isn't so good for women who are frustrated and exhausted from their hot flushes, is it?But there's another problem with diets that are too high in protein - a 'high' protein intake is defined by cardiovascular experts as higher than 22 - 30% of total daily intake. [Juneau, 2024; U. of Pittsburgh, 2024]When I was trying to understand why my hot flushes were so frequent, I remembered from my lecturing days that high protein diets may also cause stress on the thyroid, liver, lymphatic system, kidneys and gut.The result of this is increased inflammation, especially in the epithelial lining of blood vessels.With additional inflammation in cells and tissues, the immune system and thyroid kick in to re-balance the internal temperature. Sweating is your natural response to your body trying to cool down.That's why in the newly revised MyMT™ Food Guide, which is in both of my different 12 week programmes, I teach you not only about cooling foods to eat in menopause, but also how much protein is ‘enough’.The amount of protein for women's health and ageing also differs depending on how much and the type of exercise you do. From 1.0 grams/kg/day up to 1.6gms/kg/day, depending on whether you are overweight, or lean, or exercising or sedentary.  Different strokes for different folks. 		
														
															
		Improved nutrition is a major contributor to increased human lifespan in the last two centuries, but with this improved nutritional knowledge has come food-confusion, especially with regard to protein type and consumption.But it's an important topic for women in their menopause transition, because numerous human health and longevity studies indicate that the reduction of access to total number of calories and/ or protein, delays the ageing process.It is also of note that elevated branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a marker of diabetes mellitus in humans too. (Giesbertz & Daniel (2016).Whilst research in this area continues to progress, and there are numerous women who don't even make the minimal requirements for protein intake (1.0 - 1.2gm/kg/day or up to 15% of total daily intake), women who are overweight in post-menopause and/or have gut health concerns, may need to explore how much total protein (including animal protein), they are having daily. The digestion of animal protein is known to increase the work of the gut, not only due to the work that for the increased thermogenesis, but because the kidneys are ageing and changing. High protein diets may therefore, place undue stress on these important but vulnerable organs. 		
																										
		If you are not coping with your heat regulation, sleep, anxiety, depression, weight or joint problems as you move through menopause and beyond, then will you join me?No matter where you live in the world, I would love to support you to feel like your old-self again. My video explaining the MyMT™ programmes is below. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) MyMT Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. https://youtu.be/n4TcX1weWy8References: Barnard ND, Kahleova H, Holtz DN, Znayenko-Miller T, Sutton M, Holubkov R, Zhao X, Galandi S, Setchell KDR. A dietary intervention for vasomotor symptoms of menopause: a randomized, controlled trial. Menopause. 2023 Jan 1;30(1):80-87. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002080. Epub 2022 Oct 16.Baum JI, Kim IY, Wolfe RR. Protein Consumption and the Elderly: What Is the Optimal Level of Intake? Nutrients. 2016 Jun 8;8(6):359. doi: 10.3390/nu8060359.Buettner, D. (2017). The Blue Zones Solution. National Geographic Publ. Cordain, L., Eaton, SB., Sebastian, A., Mann, N., Lindeberg, S., Watkins, B., O’Keefe, J., & Brand-Miller, J. (2005). Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 81, Issue 2, 341–354.Fan M, Li Y, Wang C, Mao Z, Zhou W, Zhang L, Yang X, Cui S, Li L. Dietary Protein Consumption and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies. Nutrients. 2019 Nov 15;11(11):2783. doi: 10.3390/nu11112783.Halton T., Hu F. (2004). The effects of high protein diets on thermogenesis, satiety and weight loss: a critical review. J Am Coll Nutr. 23(5):373-85. Juneau, M. (2024). Online: High protein intake could increase the risk of cardiovascular events. Kalantar-Zadeh K, Kramer HM, Fouque D. High-protein diet is bad for kidney health: unleashing the taboo. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2020 Jan 1;35(1):1-4. doi: 10.1093/ndt/gfz216.Kitada M, Ogura Y, Monno I, Koya D. The impact of dietary protein intake on longevity and metabolic health. EBioMedicine. 2019 May;43:632-640. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.04.005.Le Couteur, D. G., Solon-Biet, S., Wahl, D., Cogger, V. C., Willcox, B. J., Willcox, D. C., Raubenheimer, D., & Simpson, S. J. (2016). New Horizons: Dietary protein, ageing and the Okinawan ratio. Age and ageing, 45(4), 443–447. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw069Stachowiak, G., Pertyński, T., & Pertyńska-Marczewska, M. (2015). Metabolic disorders in menopause. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 14(1), 59–64. Wolfe RR. Regulation of muscle protein by amino acids. J Nutr. 2002 Oct;132(10):3219S-24S. doi: 10.1093/jn/131.10.3219S.Yoshizaki T, Ishihara J, Kotemori A, Yamamoto J, Kokubo Y, Saito I, Yatsuya H, Yamagishi K, Sawada N, Iwasaki M, Iso H, Tsugane S; JPHC Study Group. Association of Vegetable, Fruit, and Okinawan Vegetable Consumption With Incident Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease. J Epidemiol. 2020 Jan 5;30(1):37-45. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20180130.Zhang X, Kapoor D, Jeong SJ, Fappi A, Stitham J, Shabrish V, Sergin I, Yousif E, Rodriguez-Velez A, Yeh YS, Park A, Yurdagul A Jr, Rom O, Epelman S, Schilling JD, Sardiello M, Diwan A, Cho J, Stitziel NO, Javaheri A, Lodhi IJ, Mittendorfer B, Razani B. Identification of a leucine-mediated threshold effect governing macrophage mTOR signalling and cardiovascular risk. Nat Metab. 2024 Feb;6(2):359-377. doi: 10.1038/s42255-024-00984-2. Epub 2024 Feb 19. PMID: 38409323

### MyMT™ Education: Your client's changing lymphatic system during menopause.

I could see her struggling to walk along the corridor as I disembarked the plane on the long-haul flight between the United Kingdom and New Zealand recently.
She was a woman in her early to late 50s and noticing her discomfort, and always with menopause and changes to the lymphatic system on my mind, I was I was drawn to look at her ankles. They were swollen and 'puffy'.
My thoughts turned to whether she understood that her fluid-balance was affected by both oestrogen and progesterone changes during her midlife menopause transition.
The long flight wasn't helping her either, and memories of my own swollen, aching calves and feet on long flights when I was in my late 40s and early 50s, came flooding back.  




When we arrive in mid-life, oestrogen and progesterone changes have important effects on body fluid regulation, due to changes associated with the ageing of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems. 
Numerous women end up with aching swollen legs and ankles, tightness in their breasts and some may have also experienced a protruding gut during or beyond menopause. 
Many don't understand that these changes are associated with the ageing of their lymphatic system as they move through menopause. Some may find relief if they take progestin in HRT, but oedema or tissue swelling is an issue that needs to be discussed with their Doctor as well. 


The type of swelling that may arrive during menopause is called Lymphedema and if the swelling occurs in the abdominal cavity, this is called ascites.
Both situations require women to see their Doctor, due to impaired lymphatic drainage and many women may benefit from seeing a Lymphatic Drainage Specialist too, or having massage therapy with a qualified Practitioner who understands the changes to the lymphatic system during menopause. It's a topic I talk about in the MyMT™ Education Practitioner Course and the MyMT™ Education Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course too.







Whilst the effects of fluid regulation in middle-aged and older women are controlled by the kidneys, very few women realise that oestrogen changes in menopause also cause some sodium retention, which of course, makes them feel a bit swollen and bloated.
However, despite all the attention paid to oestrogen changes in menopause, the role that Progesterone plays in fluid retention and fluid balance is equally important.
Progesterone is the primary steroid involved in blood pressure changes around the time of the menopause and is therefore, important for fluid regulation as well. (Stachenfeld, 2014).
But there is another issue too - our lymphatic system is ageing. As such, the walls of the lymph vessels begin to lose some of their elasticity. In both blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, this is known as ‘vascular stiffness’. 
Similar to the veins in the cardiovascular system, there are also one-way valves, If these valves also lose some of their elasticity and tensile strength in the walls, then this can cause some leakage of lymph fluid and waste products into nearby tissues. Unlike the cardiovascular circulatory system, lymph doesn't have a heart to pump it around the body and return the fluid back to the venous system. 
Hence, when women are sitting or standing a lot or taking a long-haul flight, the return of blood back to the heart from our lower extremities isn’t as efficient. We need to help it along otherwise we get swollen ankles or as it’s medically known, oedema.

Vascular stiffness contributes to increased fluid retention and risk of blood clots during menopause for many women.
Leg and ankle oedema is a sign of blood pooling in the veins as well as an inefficient lymphatic system. It is a well-known problem among passengers during and after long-haul flights as well as for women who are on their feet for hours on end. 
One of the very few studies in understanding fluid retention in long haul flights and the risk of blood clots was done in 2003 by a group of researchers in America.
With more and more people flying for work or recreation, the incidence of a condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) had sky-rocketed. In the past few years, interest has focused on a possible causal link between deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and long-haul flights.  
Earlier studies (prior to 2000) were mainly done under simulated conditions without the high humidity levels on real flights and without the lower oxygen levels that are present on the air craft as it travels at thousands of metres above earth.
Even in these simulated conditions the average fluid accumulation is around 130 mls in the lower leg and ankles after 12 hours of flying.
This is also an important consideration for women who have had treatment for breast cancer, as Sylvie had (below). Following chemotherapy, fluid may not drain away in the normal way, so the area swells. About 1 in 5 people (20%) will have lymphoedema of the arm after breast cancer treatment that includes surgery to remove lymph nodes. (Cancer Research UK, 2024) 

But back to the study on flying and fluid retention. With the variety of measurements that were conducted in the study, the researchers found considerable retention of fluid in lower extremities and the head.
They measured skin thickness in the forehead, the tibia (front of shin) and just above the ankle. A number of bloods were taken to look for clotting changes and subjects were allowed to drink 1 glass of alcohol. They ate the meals and drank the water offered with meals.
Not one person showed signs of DVT. But what researchers did find was something more interesting to me and I hope you too, even if you don’t fly much. It’s especially important for those of you who are exercisers as well as those of you who are experiencing swollen ankles during your menopause transition. 
Researchers found that all the subjects retained water in the superficial tissues, thus increasing the thickness of the tissue on average 1.5mm. This calculated to fluid retention in each lower leg of about 190mls. That's a lot of additional fluid that our lymphatic system has to manage if we fly long-haul!
Over 1/3 of the superficial layer just under the skin consists of water that is continually exchanging in deeper tissues and cells, so this superficial layer was affected the most. 
What was most important however was this fluid hung around for several days after the flight. And this increased blood viscosity or thickness (measured as haematocrit). It's this that promotes blood clotting or thrombosis for at least a week after a long-haul flight.
The recommendation by the researchers is that all travelers on long-haul flights should wear individually adjusted support stockings before and after the flight. I would add to that, if you or your clients, are standing all day, and have been experiencing swollen ankles and fluid retention, or if women are on treatment for breast cancer, then yes, get some support stockings.
Especially, with the need to commence exercise again after any cancer treatment or long-haul flying, which is also needed to stimulate lymphatic drainage, especially if weight loss is the goal. 

This is also the premise of why you now see athletes wearing support socks when training and competing. They are trying to decrease swelling and inflammation in tissues. But there’s more to this story too.
With researchers finding that fluid retention in lower extremities (and the head), stays around for a few days, and risk for clots and blood pooling remaining high, it’s important to shift that fluid and improve blood flow back to the heart.
Changes to the Lymphatic System with Age
The main changes that occur in our ageing lymphatic vessels are:

Loss of around 20% of their contraction strength (just like our blood vessels).
Around a 70% decrease in contraction frequency.
Increasing loss of lymphatic muscle cells which is linked to oxidative stress (inflammation). Lymphatic muscle cells are linked to contraction of our muscles and propel lymph through valves to the draining lymph nodes. 
A reduction in the levels of proteins that regulate muscle contraction.
A thinning of the lymphatic vessel walls.

As such, we need to better manage and help our lymphatic system as we move through menopause. So, here are 3 things you or your clients can do: 

Because the lymphatic vessels don’t contract as efficiently as they used to, then having increased plant sources of nitric oxide is important. You can add beetroot (beets) and celery to your diet or juice them instead.
Learn to breathe better. I talk about breathing in all of the MyMT™ Education Practitioner programmes as this is beneficial to enhance lymphatic drainage.
The lymphatic system works closely with the nervous system, hence, even a stressful day can affect lymphatic drainage. This is also why improving breathing helps to stimulate the lymph vessels to do their job of removing inflammatory proteins and dangerous toxins that have myriad deleterious effects around the body. 
Get moving (preferably in the morning). As part of the cardiovascular network, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump like the heart. It relies on movement, massage, muscle contraction and improved breathing to function.

I also talk about this in the MyMT™ Education Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course for you and take you on a deep dive into movement for weight loss.

A Poorly Working Lymphatic System Cannot Remove Toxins
All hormones, nutrients and waste products going to and from the cells deep in the tissues, must pass through the interstitial or extracellular matrix (the areas between the tissues and blood vessels). This depends on a reliable, functioning lymphatic system.
If the lymphatic channels cannot remove toxins properly, no hormone medications, no gene, no enzyme, and no molecule is going to work optimally. As such, there will be deposition of waste products into the tissues. This is why many women may feel bloated, experience tissue swelling and/or experience an increase in cellulite during the menopause transition.
When we know that our lymphatic system is so important to our clients' wellbeing and energy during menopause, then you can support them to drink more water, put their feet up when they can, improve their breathing, wear flight stockings (even at work) and of course, get some massages or do some self-massage.
Then for those women who are regular exercisers, the same rules apply. Exercise (especially, resistance training), may increase blood pressure and cause interstitial tissue swelling.
If women find that their recovery after exercise isn't as efficient as it used to be, then recovery strategies, including massage therapy may be helpful. Swimming is also another exercise intervention that can be encouraged. 
It would be my privilege to share my knowledge with you when you join me on any of the Certified MyMT™ Education Programmes. You can meet me in the video below. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine 
https://vimeo.com/953365095
References: 
Inoue, K., Maruoka, H. (2017). Effects of simplified lymph drainage on thebody: in females with menopausal disorder. J. Phys. Ther. Sci. 29: 115–118. 
Iwakiri, Y. (2016). The Lymphatic System: a new frontier in hepatology. Hepatology, 64(3), 706-708.
Knight J. & Nigam Y. (2020). The Lymphatic System 1: Structure, Function and Oedema. Nursing Times [online]; 116: 10, 39-43.
Shang T., Liang J., Kapron, C. et al. (2019). Pathophysiology of aged lymphatic vessels. AGING, Vol. 11, No. 16, 1-12.
Stachenfeld N. (2014). Hormonal changes during menopause and the impact on fluid regulation. Reprod Sci. May;21(5), 555-61.
Zolla, I., Nizamutdinova T., Scharf, B. et al. (2015). Aging-related anatomical and biochemical changes in lymphatic collectors impair lymph transport, fluid homeostasis, and pathogen clearance. Aging Cell, 14, 582–594

### "Your Circuit Breaker program set me on the right track, turned my health around and made me re-evaluate my career!" [Nicky, UK]

We often get ‘stuck’ within the context of our busy, stressful lives don’t we? I still remember Nicky's emails to me when she was a Senior Manager at Kerry Group in the United Kingdom.

Feeling overwhelmed with her symptoms, she was trying to hide how she was feeling, because there was no support in the workplace and at the time, she lacked the confidence to bring menopause to the attention of  her work colleagues.

But following on from doing the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme, Nicky began to have conversations at work, and this grew into her pioneering 'Menopause in the Workplace' conversations as well as policy changes for women.

Since, then Nicky has re-evaluated her career and become a specialised Menopause Healthy Lifestyle Coach. This is her story ...

"It all started when I stopped! 

Before the pandemic hit the UK in March 2020 I was spending a huge amount of time travelling for work. I work for a Global food company called Kerry Group, in Business Development. My life was all about work, extremely busy and stressful and not a lot of time to think or look after myself.

When I arrived in my early 50s, I felt exhausted. I am married with two adult sons who at that time were both living at home. One in the army and the other a tree surgeon. I had recently  had  both hips replaced due to Osteo-arthritis, had carpal tunnel corrective surgery and was also suffering from tennis elbow constantly.

It's no surprise that I was struggling with constant pain in my joints, not sleeping and feeling like I had hit rock bottom. I even convinced myself I was developing early onset dementia as my memory had become so poor and I was constantly feeling “foggy”.

I had always been very fit and had a healthy diet. Having worked in the food industry for 30 years, I thought I knew about food and nutrition, but now I realise that my knowledge wasn't geared up for midlife and women's ageing.

For my birthday the previous year I had bought our third Border Collie Pup, Pip. She requires a lot of exercise so walking everyday was the plan. But even this became hard. I was in so much pain and just didn’t have the energy.

It wasn't long before I began to put on weight as well. This made me feel even more depressed as my weight had been constant since I was 18. 

Gradually, I began to lose my self-confidence and as such, my marriage began to suffer. So, on that day in March 2020 when I was forced to stop and I was at home with time to think, I started to re-evaluate what I was doing and how I was feeling and realised something had to change.

My first thought was 'I want to leave work'  (my husband persuaded me that this was not the answer thankfully). Then I watched a documentary about Menopause with Davina McCall and I suddenly had a Ureka moment … "that’s me!"

I rang my GP surgery and asked to have blood tests , explained all my symptoms, but I met a brick wall as the Dr I spoke to said that blood tests would not tell me if I was in Menopause. Also, with my family history of breast cancer I could not go onto HRT  ( having lost both my Mum and my sister within 6 months of each other a few years earlier).

However, now I began to understand what was happening, I was on a mission! Spurred on by Davina I started to trawl the internet and came across Wendy's MyMT™ website.

After watching Wendy’s Masterclass on Menopause webinar, I debated long and hard about investing the money to do her 12 week Circuit Breaker course.

Now I’m so glad I did .. it changed everything!

The photos below are from before I did the Circuit Breaker course and changed my exercise regime in Sept 2020 and then there is a photo of me now, in 2023. I feel healthier, stronger and fitter and I have started taking my niece to Dance Fitness classes every week as well as walking every day.

I now enjoy my walks with my dog, Pip as well as my other exercise, now that I have so much more energy.



I embraced all the information and started to change my diet - this was tricky as like most women, I was cooking and eating the same way as my sons - but Wendy addressed this, saying that we have different nutritional needs as we move through menopause.

That's when I realised that I didn't need to eat like them and they are both in jobs that are physically demanding. However, we all adjusted during lockdown and it was a team effort, so I just ate what I needed to eat.

This was when I realised I could change things and for the first time, it gave me hope. I started to regain my confidence and took back control of my changing health.   

Grief counselling for my mum and sister followed, and this began to reduce my stress levels. Then with Wendy's Circuit Breaker programme I also began to sleep better which meant I could cope better with the pain. However, over time, the more changes I made, I noticed less inflammation which meant less pain.

Working from home, also meant that I could adjust my exercise to what was being recommended in the MyMT™ programme. It made so much sense not to do high amounts of load-bearing exercise until other health concerns were addressed. I started to do Pilates online and because I wasn’t travelling I could attend 3 online classes a week and do some on my own every day.

The combination of the MyMT™ programme information and the pilates, meant that I began to get my shape back. I lost the stone (7kg) I had gained. I also changed up my exercise to incorporate more myofascial extension and lengthening exercise which my Pilates Instructor was promoting.

With my new found confidence and after emailing Wendy, I also got an appointment with a Menopause Specialist. She assured me that despite my family history, bioidentical HRT was fine.

The combination of this, my new, gentle exercise regime, walking Pip every morning and Wendy’s programme advice, as well as the support and Wendy's posts in the MyMT™ private Coaching Community transformed everything about my life including my Libido. I felt amazing!

THAT'S WHEN BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MENOPAUSE AT WORK ALSO BECAME MY FOCUS!

With my own experiences and nearly leaving the workplace I loved, I became determined that other women shouldn’t struggle like I had, so I set out to make changes at work.

On starting conversations with some of my female colleagues at work we soon realised that a lot of us were in the same boat  - but suffering in silence. None of us understood what was happening to our bodies and minds.

I knew we had a Diversity & Inclusion Committee at Kerry Group and I now had the confidence to join it. Whilst I found the initial discussions uncomfortable, because it was not a subject which was ever discussed freely in our workplace before, I persevered. 

Wendy also made some academic papers available which helped me understand that menopause in the workplace had been well studied but companies were struggling with implementation. 

Now,  fast forward to today – we realised that education was crucial and so we asked Wendy to share her online 2 hr Masterclass on Menopause webinar with employees - male and female, young and old! After an initial pilot trial of it going to 10 women, we are now rolling it out and the response has been amazing.

The webinar has gone global in the company just by word of mouth. I feel so proud of what myself and my colleagues have achieved and we are now planning a training programme which will be rolled out to the whole company (men included).



We also have Coffee & Connect Mornings in our sites attended by both men and women attending. It's fantastic that the “M” word is now common place in our everyday conversations.

The difference over the last couple of years has been amazing. Without Wendy's support, I would never have had the confidence to make changes in the workplace. We even have a male Exec sponsor, so that other men feel comfortable to join us and learn more so that they can support their female colleagues as well as their loved ones at home.

And, the exciting news is that now the year has ended, I have now made the decision to leave Kerry and pursue my newly found passion for nutrition and lifestyle solutions for women's healthy ageing.

That's why I also want to thank you and all the ladies in the coaching group, for helping me my find my new “why” and giving me back the confidence I need to do this. Doing this course, changed my life and since I turned my health around, I have re-evaluated my career and my whole life, really!

I then did your Menopause Practitioners course and began developing the 'Menopause Awareness Campaign at Kerry where I worked, which again, you were a big part of. Following this, I began to coach a few of my colleagues and we set up our own group to support each other. Some of them joined your programmes, but some went on to become Practitioners too.

That's when I decided to take a Diploma to become a Certified Health Coach. I left Kerry Group last year and focused on finishing my Diploma with the College of Naturopathic Medicine. With this additional training, I began to coach women on a voluntary basis and learning a lot in the process. Which was why it was also great to stay in touch with you and your community of Practitioners.

Sometimes the universe sends you the person that you need just when you need them. For me, stumbling across your website in my desperate search for help back in 2019 was that moment.

Thank you Wendy for your continued support and for constantly updating us on your research and motivating us that menopause is a time for change, in more ways than one. It's fascinating!"

Nicola Dear, United Kingdom



Join either of the MyMT™ programmes (Circuit Breaker or Transform Me or my new Beyond Menopause program), so I can support you to thrive during your menopause transition.

Circuit Breaker™ is for thinner women and details are HERE for you.

Transform Me™  is for women who also want support with weight loss. Details are HERE for you.

Beyond Menopause™ is for post-menopausal women who want to change their health and step into those years beyond menopause! Details are HERE for you.

As Nicky found out too, what you learn may just change your life. It would be my privilege to support you.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

### "Everything in my life aligned with my passion to become a Menopause Coach to help other women." [Penelope, NZ]

The Journey of Penelope Perry - A 'serial love of learning', led this librarian to fulfil her passions as a Personal Trainer and qualified Menopause Lifestyle Coach."When I was 24, my beautiful mum died at age 52. Her passing was brought on suddenly through lifestyle choices she had made over her younger years. Her death impacted me in a way I hadn’t yet experienced, and my grief made me reassess my own lifestyle choices.So, I set out to live my life as whole as I could, turning to natural remedies and fitness to keep me healthy. But after many years of hormonal problems starting in my late twenties while trying to conceive, and my thirties after only being successful with one pregnancy (a gorgeous strong daughter), and then a hysterectomy at 44, I found myself seeking real answers in my late forties as to what I would possibly be facing in my transition through menopause.I am a serial learner having spent almost 26 years as a librarian before retraining as a personal trainer at 48 and adding on nutrition and menopause coaching certifications. Everything in my life aligned with my passion to become a Menopause Coach to help other women.When I discovered Wendy and the My Menopause Transformation courses for Health Professionals, I knew that Wendy’s philosophy of menopause in the context of healthy aging suited my own approach to life, and the wealth of knowledge and expertise Wendy delivered would be so valuable for my own client’s needs.		
																										
		There is so much information out there and my client’s want simplified answers, support, empathy and know-how.The confidence I have gained from my studies, particularly the MyMT™ courses, has meant I have helped my clients to discover a more natural approach to their menopause transition and not just to alleviate their menopause symptoms, but to also view the changes as a new long-term lifestyle.To be able to explain why they need to make certain changes based on fact and backed by research, and to do so in a confident, skilled manner, is key in helping them keep consistent with good habits going forward. I wish I’d had this knowledge and help throughout my own hormonal problems in life.It is such a joyful feeling when a client notices how much better they are coping, and you know you have helped them. What a powerfully satisfying experience!"Penelope PerryPJ Perry FITT - Women's Coaching Gore New Zealand		
														
															
			Are you ready to lead change in the menopause space like Penelope?		
		MyMT™ is revolutionizing menopause lifestyle education for health and wellness professionals. Our mission is to empower you to use evidenced, lifestyle change solutions to help your peri to post-menopausal clients manage menopause symptoms, lose weight and age healthily.Your role as a trusted advisor, motivator and supporter, is such an important one. But how effective you are in this role, depends on your knowledge that is specific to the age and stage of your clients.Bringing your attention to the science of the menopause transition (peri – post menopause) is the goal of the MyMT™ Education courses.		
			
									LEARN MORE

### "I'm incorporating what I've learned in the course, into everything we do at Go Girl Physique." [Lizelle, NZ]

Transforming Fitness Through Knowledge and Connection: The Journey of Lizelle Pelser.
Lizelle is a powerhouse in the New Zealand fitness industry and it's exciting to have her join the MyMT™ Affiliate Practitioner Team. I'm so pleased that she agreed to share her story with you. Because through the MyMT™ Affiliate program, Lizelle Pelser isn’t just helping women work out—she’s helping them change their lives.

"I was born in South Africa and I'm now living in New Zealand and my passion for fitness and wellness has been a driving force in my life. 

Not only am I trained as a Personal Trainer, but I'm also a JKA Karate Instructor, and owner of Go Girl Physique in the beautiful city of Timaru, in the South Island of New Zealand.

My focus and dedication is to help women, not just lose weight but to also find strength, confidence, and happiness through their fitness endeavours.

I've always believed that fitness is more than just physical health. It's also about mental and emotional well-being too. Especially for the women I work with, it's about empowerment and self-discovery.

That's why my studio, Go Girl Physique, focuses on helping women, especially busy mums with teenage children, to regain their energy, confidence, and a sense of balance in life. But my thirst for knowledge has always pushed me to seek new ways to serve my clients better and this is what led me to the MyMT™  Practitioner training on lifestyle science for the menopause transition.
A Game-Changing Discovery: The MyMT™ Affiliate Program
I realised that I stumbled upon a game-changer in my professional journey when I discovered the MyMT™ Affiliate program.

It was filled with fresh perspectives, groundbreaking information, and invaluable tools.

I didn’t realize how much I didn’t know until I started taking the courses. It completely shifted my perspective on how I approach fitness and health, especially for women navigating different stages of life.

But what stood out to me the most was how it has aligned with my vision of supporting women through menopause, a key demographic in my client base.

I learned so much about how to help women manage symptoms like weight gain, sleep issues, and mood swings. It made me realize that fitness isn’t one-size-fits-all, and the more we know, the better we can serve.
Bringing Knowledge to the Go Girl Community
The knowledge I gained from the courses has already started making waves at my studio. Through the Affiliate program, I've begun to bring these cutting-edge insights directly to my clients and to my staff. It's made such a difference offering my Pause + Lifestyle programme  in conjunction with the MyMT™ programmes."

I'm incorporating what I've learned into everything we do at Go Girl Physique.

I've realised that it’s not just about the exercises anymore—it’s about fostering a holistic approach to health.

Whether it’s helping women with weight loss, dealing with menopause, or just feeling more confident, this new information gives me the tools to help them in ways I couldn’t before. It’s been incredible to watch their transformations.
Building A Future Together
Looking ahead, I'm really excited about continuing to use the Affiliate program to grow my business and make an even bigger impact.

The fitness world is constantly evolving, and I love being able to stay on the cutting edge. The MyMT™ Affiliate program has opened doors I didn’t know existed, and I can’t wait to see how this will continue to transform the lives of the women I work with.

I've already had so much success with women who have joined my menopause 'Pause + Life Change' coaching programme which I run in conjunction with Wendy's programmes. It's life-changing for so many of my members."

Lizelle Pelser, Owner of Go Girl Physique, Timaru

### MyMT™ Education: Apples - a core consideration for your midlife client's gut and liver health.

Will an apple a day keep the Doctor away for women during their menopause transition?

If we follow the research on the effect of a whole apple (including the skin), on liver health and the gut microbiome, then yes, women who eat an apple a day, may well be improving their symptoms as they move through menopause.

Apples are one of the most highly consumed fruits in the world and I try to have one nearly every day. This salad recipe below has chopped apples in it as well as a type of lettuce available in Europe called 'Lamb's Lettuce'.

How it got that name I have no idea, but this winter green which I found whilst over in Europe earlier this year, is a delicious and ideal addition to a meal for menopausal women! I hope you can share it with your clients.

Lamb's Lettuce is packed with beta-carotene, potassium, Vitamin B9, and fibre, it turns a simple salad into a nutrient-rich dish for women in their menopause transition.

Furthermore, this winter salad which I've made with lettuce, celery, avocado, apple and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and lemon, is a wonderful meal that your midlife client's gut microbiome will love! 

Apples represent the most important dietary source for various flavonoids in our diets, and research suggests that apples offer a beneficial impact on human health, especially gut health. [Wasserman et al, 2019].

Epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples to reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. In the laboratory, apples have been found to have very strong antioxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol. (Boyer & Lui, 2004]

Apples are a rich source of polyphenols and fibre. Their role in gut health is due to a major proportion of the apple polyphenols escaping absorption in the small intestine and moving towards the colon, where they serve as substrates for bacterial fermentation. [Koutsas et al, 2017]

But there is more to apples and improved midlife health and this is because they are a great source of the anti-inflammatory nutrient, called Quercetin.

I've written about this nutrient in the past, especially in relation to the immune health of women transitioning menopause.

“Apples are a widely consumed, rich source of phytochemicals, and epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. In the laboratory, apples have been found to have very strong antioxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol.” [Boyer & Hai Liu, 2004].



It’s the skin of apples that contains the most quercetin, which is just one anti-inflammatory nutrient that your clients will benefit from daily.

The skin of apples also has the most cholesterol and fat-lowering constituents. When my weight and LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad one), reached an all-time high in my early 50s, I learnt about apples and apple skin and how beneficial apples were for liver and cardiovascular health.

For those of your clients who wish to lose weight, reduce their cholesterol, reduce risk of cancer, manage diabetes and reduce liver fat, then how about you encourage them to eat at least 2 small apples a day?

They can stew them as well (no added sugar) and have them with their morning oats or make a simple salad, as in the recipe below.

The research on the role of apples in the human diet was enough to convince me to add at least 1-2 apples a day when my midlife health was at its worst. Using this lifestyle evidence, is how we, as Practitioners, can help our clients understand the foods to eat to reduce their menopause symptoms too.

Not only did I make apples the base for any juicing, but I would eat them whole. They became my afternoon snack along with celery sticks and peanut butter. I also cut them up to take on hikes and I add chopped apples with the skin on to salads now too. 

We often think that food and cooking these days, has to be complicated, but it doesn't at all. So, with apples at the core of the changes in gut health that can occur during the menopause transition, I hope you can encourage your clients to make this simple salad sometime.
The MyMT™ Kitchen: Lettuce, Apple and Celery Salad
(This serves 4 adults as a side salad for dinner, but you can add greater amounts of the ingredients to this salad to suit the number of people at your table).

 	2-3 cups of chopped Lettuce (I sourced organic Lamb's Lettuce whilst in Europe recently).
 	2 stalks of celery chopped
 	2 small apples chopped
 	1/2 avocado chopped
 	1/2 cup of sultanas
 	1/2 cup of almonds chopped.

Put all ingredients into a salad bowl and toss together.

Dressing:

 	1 small lemon freshly squeezed
 	1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Blend together and toss through the salad just before serving. Bon appetit.



References: 

Boyer J, Liu RH. Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits. Nutr J. 2004 May 12;3:5. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-3-5. PMID: 15140261

Koutsos A, Lima M, Conterno L, Gasperotti M, Bianchi M, Fava F, Vrhovsek U, Lovegrove JA, Tuohy KM. Effects of Commercial Apple Varieties on Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Output Using an In Vitro Colonic Model. Nutrients. 2017 May 24;9(6):533.

Li Y, Yao J, Han C, Yang J, Chaudhry MT, Wang S, Liu H, Yin Y. Quercetin, Inflammation and Immunity. Nutrients. 2016 Mar 15;8(3):167.

Wassermann B., Müller H., Berg G. (2019). An Apple a Day: Which Bacteria Do We Eat With Organic and Conventional Apples?  Frontiers in Microbiology, 10.

### The Fabulous Four! Nutrients that regulate body temperature during menopause

"I loved all the food ideas" mentioned Chris in an email to me, "I've gone from 71kg down to 63kg (11st 3lb to 9st 13lb in  UK terms) and it feels great. It also wasn't really that hard and I love how my hot flushes are reduced and my sleep is so much better.  The best thing that I took out of this programme though, was that I'm back to eating what my body needs and wants - not what my teenage boys demand. I feel amazing now."

I bet that many of you, like me, never gave your heat regulation a thought prior to menopause, nor did you realise that our declining oestrogen levels impact our body temperature regulation mechanisms.

The human body maintains a consistent core temperature between 36.5-38.5 ℃elsius [98 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit], and it requires certain nutrients, including water, magnesium, folate and other nutrients derived from our diet, to maintain this healthy temperature.

Although, dehydration and illness can cause changes in the body's temperature regulation, one of the main problems that women in menopause face, is that declining oestrogen levels can cause changes to not only heat regulation, but also to blood vessels and our skin. All of these structures impact temperature regulation for the midlife woman transitioning menopause.

But the skin - our largest organ - is replete with oestrogen receptors. During our menopause transition, these receptors struggle to find oestrogen to attach to them as levels decline and for many of you, these changes in your skin also affect your sweat glands causing them to shrink in size. As such, as you move through menopause, you overheat more readily.

The increased body-heat I felt around 6pm when I was cooking dinner, supervising kids homework and multi-tasking numerous other home activities was energy-zapping. But these days I know better and understand why those endless expensive supplements weren’t helping to reduce my body temperature either.

Yes, not sleeping was problematic, but so too was the fact that I wasn't eating the correct nutrients to help to rebalance my changing heat production in midlife.

With scientists finding a link between circadian rhythm and body temperature variations with the function of our immune system, I’m not surprised that they have called this connection ‘a tangled threesome’. [Coiffard, Diallo et al, 2021].

‘In mammals, including humans, the body temperature displays a strict circadian rhythm and has to be maintained within a narrow range to allow optimal physiological functions. There is nowadays growing evidence on the role of the temperature circadian rhythm on the expression of the molecular clock. The Circadian Rhythm Body Temperature (CRBT) participates in the phase coordination of circadian timekeepers in peripheral tissues, thus guaranteeing the proper functioning of the immune system’. [Coiffard, Diallo et al, 2021]



With the link between temperature regulation, the circadian rhythm and our immune system, it's important that we reflect on our food intake during menopause. Especially as there are certain nutrients that you can include in your diet, which will help you to beat the heat.
The four main nutrients that help to regulate your body temperature during menopause are:

 	Folate
 	Lycopene
 	Magnesium
 	Iodine 

In today's article, I want to remind you of these four nutrients and why, they help you to beat the heat during and after menopause. 

It's no surprise to me that many supplements marketed to women during menopause have folic acid added to them. This is the synthetic form of folate but vegetables such as Spinach, Kale and Parsley are high in Folate. Whilst I knew about the importance of folate in pregnancy, I had no idea that I needed this nutrient to help alleviate my hot flushes and night sweats.

Folate is Vitamin B9. When absorbed into its active form it is converted to tetrahydrofolate. No, you don't have to pronounce this, because it is known simply as Folate.

"Folic acid was effective in reducing the severity, duration, and frequency of hot flashes during menopause. Therefore, it can be recommended as an affordable and accessible method for treating menopausal hot flashes for women."   [Bani, Hasanpour et al, 2013].

Folate is a nutrient that you may have heard of. It is an essential cofactor (helper) for the production of both nor-adrenaline/nor-epinephrine (a nerve transmitter that is related to your stress hormones) and serotonin.

As many of you on menopause-related anti-depressants already know, serotonin production in our brain is reduced as our oestrogen production declines during menopause. But did you know that studies have shown that taking folic acid has effects similar to that of antidepressants too? (Young, 2007).

The total body content of folate is estimated to be 10 to 30 mg; about half of this amount is stored in the liver and the remainder in blood and body tissues. If your liver isn't healthy, or your alcohol intake is high, please take note - alcohol interferes with folate absorption and metabolism and accelerates its breakdown, rather than its absorption. [National Institutes of Health Factsheet]

Folate is absorbed primarily in the duodenum and jejunum within the acid micro-environment at the cell surface on the gut wall, so if you have IBS, Coeliac Disease or other gut health concerns, then this is something to remember.

Folate absorption is important and it's why one of the optional modules I have for you in my programmes, is about restoring your gut health ... with the information in this module, you will understand the evidence behind helping your gut and liver absorb not only folate, but other B-vitamins too.



Lycopene in Tomatoes and other red coloured vegetables are also relevant to our hot flush management during menopause. 

Lycopene is a naturally occurring compound that contributes to the red colour of fruits and vegetables. I'm sure you've heard of this powerful compound, but it's what the lycopene does inside our body that women's health and ageing scientists are discovering, that is helpful for all of us to know.

Lycopene present in tomatoes and tomato products is responsible not only for their red colour but also for health-promoting properties. [Przybylska et al., 2022]. It is characterized by a high antioxidant potential, which means that it helps to reduce inflammation and to reduce high blood pressure - one of the causes of your hot flushes.

Lycopene is a carotenoid antioxidant - these are compounds which help to reduce inflammation inside our cells and tissues. This type of inflammation is known as oxidative stress and during menopause, inflammatory changes contribute to increased heat production and hot flushes.

Plants which grow above ground and conduct photosynthesis are generally rich in carotenoids. We need these in our diet to be sent to our blood and tissues, especially to our liver (hepatic) and fat cells because as humans, we don't make carotenoids. However, they play an important role in the production of retinol (vitamin A) and of course, in cell protection.

Lycopene plays an incredible role in weight loss, hot flush management, heart health, improved bone density in post-menopause and for those of you who struggle with your liver health, then it is now known to help in the modulation of detoxification pathways.

With it's role in liver detoxificaiton pathways, lycopene clears excess cholesterol and other toxins, which in turn reduces inflammatory changes in the liver. As I mentioned earlier, any reduction in inflammation in the body, helps to rebalance and regulate temperature changes. (Hodges & Minich, 2013; Tokac et al, 2015; Walallawita et al, 2020; Wilcox et al, 2003).

Lycopene is found in high amounts in tomatoes but is also present in watermelons, pink grapefruits, apricots, and pink guavas. 

The bioavailability of lycopene is higher in processed tomato products than in unprocessed fresh tomatoes, so grill them, add them to sauces or make soup or drink tomato juice. Just be aware that lycopene bioavailability is also affected by processing methods and storage. Improper processing methods, handling, and storage (i.e., exposure to light and oxygen) can degrade lycopene too.

When we provide lycopene in our diet, this valuable compound is stored and used in high concentrations in the liver, adrenal glands, and adipose (fat) tissues. It's role in these organs is to help to reduce damage from oxidative stress and tissue injury - all of which contributes to reduced heat production.


Discover the Magic of Magnesium
My other favourite nutrient for managing temperature regulation is magnesium and I've written about it extensively in my articles over the years. This mighty mineral helps to relax blood vessels and reduce muscle cramps.

Whether you are on the treadmill at the gym or lying in bed at night, your muscles are continually contracting and relaxing. As such, they are generating heat and contributing to your body's heat production too. This is where magnesium comes in to help you with recovery.

But there's more to muscles and magnesium too. If you have been overheating and experiencing lots of sweating, then you are also losing electrolytes such as magnesium (and other minerals) in sweat. If you aren't replacing them, then you may experience worsening hot flushes, brain fog as well as muscular cramps.

Foods that are rich in magnesium helps to counteract these changes. When we improve our blood vessel dilation, this helps with reducing heat.



As the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, magnesium plays an important role in a variety of body functions, including energy metabolism, protein synthesis and blood sugar and blood pressure regulation. But for women in menopause, it also plays a role in regulating body temperature.

Women should get 320 milligrams per day increasing this to 420mg in post-menopause. Food sources of magnesium include almonds, cashews, soybeans, spinach, fortified oatmeal, potatoes, peanuts, legumes, wheat bran, wheat germ, brown rice and avocados.
Are you looking after your thyroid with iodine?
Unless you are on thyroid medication because you've got an underactive or over-active thyroid, then you need iodine in your diet ... every day. Many soils around the world, including New Zealand's and Australia's, are known to be deficient in two minerals that help to regulate our precious thyroid gland, selenium and iodine.

Much of thermoregulation is ultimately controlled by central neural (nerve) control of blood flow, heat production, and heat loss. Thus, the impact of micronutrient deficiency states, such as iodine or selenium deficiency, on temperature regulation can often be traced to our thyroid and it's role in helping to manage other hormones as part of the HPA-Thyroid Axis.

Menopause and produces some changes in our thyroid gland, which are a normal part of ageing. In fact, research suggests that there is some lowering of thyroid function and this is helpful in relation to our longevity and health. [Gesing, 2015]. Despite these changes however, keep up your consumption of iodine if you can.

A healthy adult body contains 15-20 mg of iodine, 70-80% of which is stored in the thyroid gland. iodine is found in a variety of body tissues including mammary glands, eye, gastric mucosa, cervix and salivary glands. Deficiency of iodine causes goitre and this condition is prevalent world-wide.

As such, looking at your dietary contribution of iodine matters. Good sources of iodine for women include seafood (fish, shellfish and seaweed), commercially prepared bread and iodised salt (if salt is used).

Milk, milk products and eggs are also sources of iodine, however, if cutting back on dairy products and eggs, then explore other dietary sources of iodine too.




Lifestyle solutions are an important aspect of menopause symptom management. Even if you are on menopause hormonal medications and supplements, then changing things up a bit with your nutritional intake is also important.

The My Menopause Transformation programmes help you to turn around your symptoms and/or weight using specific, scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions that I've researched for you. Patricia in the banner below joined me - I hope that one day you will too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) - Read about me HERE.


 

 

References:

Ahad F, Ganie SA. Iodine, Iodine metabolism and Iodine deficiency disorders revisited. (2010). Indian J Endocrinol Metab. Jan;14(1):13-7.

Bani, S., Hasanpour, S., Farzad Rik, L., Hasankhani, H., & Sharami, S. H. (2013). The effect of folic Acid on menopausal hot flashes: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Caring Sciences, 2(2), 131–140.

Folate Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/

Fiedor, J., & Burda, K. (2014). Potential role of carotenoids as antioxidants in human health and disease. Nutrients, 6(2), 466–488. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6020466

Ganguly, P., & Alam, S. F. (2015). Role of homocysteine in the development of cardiovascular disease. Nutrition journal, 14, 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-14-6

Gesing A. The thyroid gland and the process of aging. Thyroid Res. 2015 Jun 22;8(Suppl 1):A8. doi: 10.1186/1756-6614-8-S1-A8.

McKillop DJ, Pentieva K, Daly D, McPartlin JM, Hughes J, Strain JJ, Scott JM, McNulty H. (2002). The effect of different cooking methods on folate retention in various foods that are amongst the major contributors to folate intake in the UK diet. Br J Nutr. 88(6):681-8. doi: 10.1079/BJN2002733. PMID: 12493090.

Milart, P., Woźniakowska, E., & Wrona, W. (2018). Selected vitamins and quality of life in menopausal women. Menopause review, 17(4), 175–179. https://doi.org/10.5114/pm.2018.81742

Przybylska S, Tokarczyk G. Lycopene in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Feb 10;23(4):1957. doi: 10.3390/ijms23041957.

Slopien R, Owecki M, Slopien A, Bala G, Meczekalski B. (2020). Climacteric symptoms are related to thyroid status in euthyroid menopausal women. J Endocrinol Invest. 43(1):75-80. doi: 10.1007/s40618-019-01078-7.

Tjiattas L, Ortiz DO, Dhivant S, Mitton K, Rogers E, Shea TB. (2004). Folate deficiency and homocysteine induce toxicity in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons via cytosolic calcium accumulation. Aging Cell. 3(2):71-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1474-9728.2004.00086.x. PMID: 15038821.

Visentin, M., Diop-Bove, N., Zhao, R., & Goldman, I. D. (2014). The intestinal absorption of folates. Annual review of physiology, 76, 251–274. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-physiol-020911-153251

Young S. N. (2007). Folate and depression--a neglected problem. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 32(2), 80–82.

Walallawita, U., Wolber, F., Ziv-Gal, A., Kruger, M., & Heyes, J. (2020). Potential Role of Lycopene in the Prevention of Postmenopausal Bone Loss: Evidence from Molecular to Clinical Studies. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(19), 7119.

### MyMT™ Education: Understanding Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

I've just returned from presenting at the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine conference in the UK. Sitting in on a session by Dr Darota Komar, who is a specialist in Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, was a reminder about how harmful these can be to the functioning of the HPA-Thyroid Axis. Her presentation was a fascinating insight into how we can help our clients to become more conscious of this aspect of their lifestyle change.According to the Endocrine Society, there are nearly 85,000 human-made chemicals in the world, found in plastics, personal care products, textiles, detergents, flame retardants, foods and other ubiquitous products.At least 1,000 or more of those could be endocrine disruptors, based on their unique properties and are recognised and called EDCs or Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.The main ones that our clients need to be aware of are:Atrazine is one of the most commonly applied herbicides in the world, often used to control weeds in corn, sorghum, and sugarcane crops.Bisphenol A (BPA) is used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is used in manufacturing, food packaging, toys, and other applications. BPA resins may be found in the lining of some canned foods and beverages.Dioxins are a byproduct of certain manufacturing processes, such as herbicide production and paper bleaching.Phthalates are a large group of compounds used as liquid plasticizers. They are found in hundreds of products including some food packaging, cosmetics, fragrances, children’s toys, and medical device tubing.Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring substances with hormone-like activity found in some plants; they may have a similar effect to oestrogen produced by the body. Soy foods, for example, contain phytoestrogens.Triclosan is an ingredient that was previously added to some antimicrobial and personal care products, like liquid body wash and soaps.		
																										
		Even low doses of endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be unsafe. The body’s normal endocrine functioning involves very small changes in hormone levels, yet we know even these small changes can cause significant developmental and biological effects.This observation leads scientists to think that endocrine-disrupting chemical exposures, even at low amounts, can alter the body’s sensitive systems and lead to health problems. This has also been discovered with the increased knowledge available through epigenetics research.It also seems that Bisphenol-A (BPA) is one of the more troublesome compounds that mimics oestrogen. It is known as a xeno-oestrogen, because it changes our oestrogen response.Alarmingly, exposure to BPA in utero has been linked to female reproductive disorders, including endometrial hyperplasia and breast cancer.Xeno-oestrogens may cause Epigenetic Changes to the MitochondriaChanges in oestrogen response caused by EDCs are accompanied by altered methylation in mitochondria. This leads to dysfunctional mitochondria and worsening symptoms for women in their menopause transition. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals preferentially affect oestrogen receptor-α (ERα)-binding genes.Xenoestrogens have extremely high lipid (fat) solubility and are structurally similar to natural endogenous oestrogens. They can bind to estrogen receptors (ERs) -alpha (ER-α) and -beta (ER-β). [Reddy et al, 2022]These ERα are mainly in the mammary gland, uterus, ovary, bone, prostate (stroma cells), liver, and adipose tissue. By contrast, ERβ is found mainly in the prostate (epithelium), bladder, ovary (granulosa cells), colon, adipose tissue, brain, and immune system.		
																										
		One of the main concerns presented in her research was the epigenetic changes that arise from early-life exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. It seems that early life xenoestrogen exposure likely contributes to increased risk of oestrogen-related disease in adults, including breast cancer and endometriosis. (Jorgensen et al, 2016).What actions do women need to take to reduce exposure to EDCs?There were numerous recommendations from Dr Komar during her presentation, but the main ones featured based on recommendations by the Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) are as follows:Ventilate the home for a minimum of 10 minutes, twice a day.Wash all new clothes and kitchen equipment before use.Dust regularly using a damp cloth.Consume organic products as much as possible.Don’t heat food in the microwave using plastic containers.Avoid heating foods in non-stick pans and pots.Don’t eat take-out food from coated cardboard or plastic containers.Avoid using air-fresheners or air-fragrances.Avoid using cosmetics, shampoo, nail polish and other personal products that are not labelled as EDC-friendly.Sweating through exercise helps to remove the toxins from EDCs.		
																										
		This is such important information, and I wish that I had known about these in earlier years, especially as drinking from plastic bottles has emerged in sports nutrition over the years and many women have been drinking from plastic for years!So many women are taking HRT which also attaches to both alpha and beta receptors, but are they removing their exposure to EDCs, so the HRT can be more effective?That’s a good question to perhaps ask them don’t you think?I hope you can join me on any of the MyMT™ Education certified CPD courses, or if you are looking at restoring your own symptoms or weight, then explore the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker or Transform Me programmes. No matter which course you choose, it will be my privilege to support you.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) MyMT™ Education.		
																										
		References: Jorgensen EM, Alderman MH 3rd, Taylor HS. Preferential epigenetic programming of estrogen response after in utero xenoestrogen (bisphenol-A) exposure. FASEB J. 2016 Sep;30(9):3194-201.Reddy V, McCarthy M, Raval AP. Xenoestrogens impact brain estrogen receptor signaling during the female lifespan: A precursor to neurological disease? Neurobiol Dis. 2022 Feb;163:105596. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105596. Epub 2021 Dec 20. 

### "I'm even looking to join a basketball league and get back to one of my favorite sports! I never thought this would be possible." Tara, USA

The happy, smiling image of Tara from Connecticut arrived in my inbox recently. Speaking of her renewed energy to go cycling around the old railway tracks in the woods near her house, I asked if she would share her story - I'm so pleased that she agreed!It wasn't always this way for Tara. As she explains in her story below, she saw her energy levels slowly drain away with her Hashimoto's Disease. "I can't believe the impact your changes have made with my sleeping routine, my energy levels, motivation, and follow through, since starting your program!  I am sleeping soundly through the night and often when I wake up, I can't believe morning has come so quickly.  I will be 56 in October and have been post-menopausal since I was 48. I found out I had Hashimoto's Disease (hypothyroidism) when I was 44, so it has been a LONG and HARD road as I have felt my energy levels and self-discipline dwindling away. Then I found MyMT™!Not only am I now rising earlier, but I am enjoying incorporating more exercises, ranging from simple stretching, to walking multiple times per day, and static strengthening. All very simple, enjoyable, and effective as I begin to rebuild my routines.  I'm even looking to join a basketball league and get back to one of my favorite sports! I never thought this would be possible. I have always eaten fairly cleanly, but now I have really started to focus on eating the foods from the MyMT™ Food Guide that I know will help me to reduce inflammation and increase cellular healing and restoration.  I have also enclosed a photo of my 2nd bible!! My binder full of all your information organized for easy reference, including your daily dozens, shopping list, meal plans, and recipes.  I am excited to continue this journey with you, and am ever so grateful for your hard work and dedication to help women around the world!"Tara, Connecticut, USA

### Fatigue, post-menopause and your ageing gallbladder: Even if you don't have one, focus on these foods.

We never gave their nutrition, nor menopause, a thought. It was the 1980s and as a young nurse, I was working on the surgical ward before moving to the ICU. The four-bed rooms were full of middle-aged women waiting for a cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal). “Fair, Fat and Fifty” was the term that the Consultant Surgeon used to describe the profile of women at risk for gallstones.

And the 'Fair' may not refer to the colour of the hair, mentioned a Doctor from the Netherlands, who emailed me recently. "Long ago, when I was a medical student, the Professor mentioned that the 'Fair' meant the 'Fairer Sex, i.e. female" he kindly shared.

There was never a shortage of patients. Week after week they would arrive for their surgery. I never imagined that in my early 50s I would become one of these ‘Fair, Fat and Fifty’ high-risk women too.

I was reminded of this memory last week when I attended a presentation on Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) at the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine conference.

Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) are industrially formulated, often made to be highly palatable, ready-to-eat food products that are largely or completely derived from substances extracted from whole foods or additives.

These products are typically cheap, readily available, and tend to be energy-dense with poor nutritional quality. Over the past few decades, modern industrialized food systems have enabled large-scale production of UPFs and the rapidly growing displacement of whole foods from contemporary dietary patterns. Currently, UPFs account for over 57% of dietary intake among adults in the United States [Uche-Anya, 2024].

When I take my presentations and in my online Masterclass on Menopause, I often mention that women in their 50s and 60s today, are unique with regard to the fact that we are the first generation of women to move through menopause into post-menopause within the context of the rapidly changing industrial food environment.

Unfortunately, for those of us who have had UPFs and fast-foods over the decades, this is now known to impact inflammatory changes in the liver and gallbladder. There is mounting evidence linking UPF consumption to adverse health outcomes including all-cause mortality, cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, as well as risk factors for gallstone disease such as obesity and metabolic syndrome [Lane et al., BMJ, 2024].

My private coaching group was full of women telling me that they had had a cholecystectomy – removal of their gallbladder.

That’s what has prompted me to talk to you about your ageing gallbladder. Whether you still have a gallbladder or not, then please read on - it’s an important topic, especially for those of you on oestrogen-based hormonal therapy as research suggests that for those on oral oestrogen hormonal therapy, the risk of experiencing gallstones may be higher. (Dhiman & Chawla, 2009; Cabot & Jasinska, 2013; Wang et al., 2017).



Peri-menopause and Menopause are a known risk for Gallbladder problems. So, too is being overweight which increases the risk of getting gallstones by around 80% (Cabot & Jasinska, 2013).
Why is the Gallbladder important?
It's not so much the gallbladder that's important - afterall, this is just a storage organ. It's the bile that it stores that's important. Bile is a greenish yellow, thick, sticky fluid - most of us know this colour from when we are sick and vomiting.

Bile consists of bile salts, electrolytes (such as sodium and bicarbonate), bile pigments, cholesterol, and other fats (lipids). It has two main functions:

 	Bile aids in digestion by making cholesterol, fats, and fat-soluble vitamins easier to absorb from the intestine.
 	Bile assists in the elimination of certain waste products (mainly hemoglobin and excess cholesterol) from the body.

Adult humans produce 400 to 800 ml of bile daily but in women as we age, this can change depending on our diet and how much we are fasting - too much fasting causes a decrease in bile production.

About half the bile secreted between your meals flows directly through the common bile duct into the small intestine. The rest of the bile is diverted through the cystic duct into the gallbladder to be stored.

However as we age and move through menopause, there are changes to the diameter of the extrahepatic bile ducts. These are the small vessels/ tubes that carry bile outside of the liver and as we move into post-menopause, like our blood and lymphatic vessels, these bile ducts are losing some of their elasticity. (Bachar et al, 2003).

Up to 90% of the water in bile is absorbed into the bloodstream, making the remaining bile very concentrated. This concentrated bile is stimulated to release into the small intestine, when food enters the small intestine.

A series of hormonal and nerve signals triggers the gallbladder to contract and the sphincter of Oddi to relax and open. Bile then flows from the gallbladder into the small intestine to mix with food contents and perform its digestive functions.

As we age however, this contraction ability can change because of the reduction in elasticity of the extrahepatic bile ducts.

For women entering peri-menopause and going into post-menopause, this means that there is greater risk for bile and cholesterol deposits to sit in the gallbladder for longer - especially if we are mainly sedentary and don't do a lot of physical activity - movement helps to keep the gallbladder functioning too.
Gallbladder Problems in Menopause and Post-Menopause
Many of us have heard of gallstones and these form in the gallbladder. Gallstones are hard masses consisting mainly of cholesterol and they may form in the gallbladder or bile ducts thus blocking the flow of bile from the gallbladder, causing pain (biliary colic) or inflammation.

Some of you will have experienced gallstones and had a cholecystectomy (removal of gallstones) and some of you may have experienced cholecystitis, which is inflammation of the gallbladder - this is why, if you have pain around your liver and gallbladder region, then get it checked out with your Doctor.

Gallstones form when bile stored in the gallbladder, hardens into stone-like objects. "This process can take years" mentions Australia's Dr Sandra Cabot, a reknowned liver health Physician.

One of the main issues with gallstone formation, relates to high amounts of cholesterol and fats in our diet, as well as a higher intake of ultra processed foods, including sweeteners and additives.

If the concentration of cholesterol in the bile becomes too high, relative to bile acids (which help to break down cholesterol) cholesterol can precipitate out and form stones. As those of you who have had gallstones know, if they get stuck in a duct, the pain can be excruciating ... remnants of my nursing memories seeing women in tears with the pain, remind me of this!

Other conditions include a thickening of bile (this is a precursor to gallstones);  gallbladder polyps (nodules) or a thickening of the wall of the gallbladder. Again, all conditions that need an ultrasound test, so please check in with your Doctor.

Gallbladder conditions are incredibly common and have been for years based on my experience in the surgical wards back in the 1980s!

But what we have to remember however, is that gallbladder problems are first and foremost a digestive and liver problem, hence, another reason to change our diet up a bit during menopause - especially if we are overweight, as I was too. 


Preventing the risk of Gallstones in Menopause
Whilst I have a PDF handout for women on my programmes who have had a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) over the years, here are some key tips for you to consider as you help your gallbladder to move through menopause with you.

For over 40 years, the Nurses Health Study in America , has generated data that helps us understand how to look after ourselves as we age. One of the findings has been about how much cholesterol (as well as protein), may contribute to increased risk of gallstones. (Tsai et al, 2004)

Cholesterol and its derivatives are important constituents of cell membranes and precursors of other steroid compounds, but too much cholesterol isn't a good thing. A high proportion of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-Cholesterol) in the blood is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease and is also known to contribute to higher amounts of cholesterol deposits in bile.

For women at risk (those overweight), higher amounts of cholesterol in bile, can contribute to gallstones.

That's why, despite the encouragement to eat saturated fats from eggs, meat and dairy in both the Keto and Paleo diets, we need to watch the amounts of saturated fats as we move through menopause. I talk about this in all of the MyMT™ programmes.


De-cluttering your Gallbladder in the Prevention of Gallstones
Even though your body needs some cholesterol to maintain your health, the problem is when we have large amounts of it being produced in our liver. Don't get me wrong, cholesterol production is important and your liver and intestines make about 80% of the cholesterol you need to stay healthy.

About 20% comes from the foods you eat, so as we move through menopause, we do need to be cautious about how much cholesterol is formed in our body, because for too many women, higher cholesterol formation may lead to gallstones.

So, it makes sense to follow some of the best advice for looking after our gallbladder and bile production, and this is to:

 	Keep the bile flowing and to prevent bile sludge.
 	Eat healthy Omega 3 fats (plant-based). A common misunderstanding is to go low fat, but if your fat intake is too low, then you won't absorb the fat-soluble vitamins very well. Vitamin D is one of these, and this is essential to get enough of during our menopause transition.
 	Reduce your higher-cholesterol foods - e.g. eat fewer eggs (1 a day is fine), red meats and whole-fat dairy products. Too much pork or bacon may be a culprit too. (Gaby, 2009).
 	Reduce refined sugar processed carbohydrates and omega-6 rich vegetable oils, e.g. margarine and soybean oil (DiNicolantonio & O’Keefe, 2018) which may also contribute to becoming overweight, which in turn contributes to gallstone risk.
 	Increase foods that help to increase bile production and secretion. These foods tend to be bitter foods according to Dr Cabot - Beet leaves, Dandelion leaves, Chicory Leaves to name a few. St Mary's Thistle is also a good herb for the gallbladder.
 	Do some vegetable juicing.
 	Avoid constipation
 	Get any digestion issues checked with your Doctor - one of the more common ones in menopause which may be related to gallbladder problems is known as GERD or Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disorder.
 	Be careful with oestrogen hormone therapies (Dhiman & Chawla, 2006; Wang, 2017)
 	Get support to lose weight if you are overweight - visit MyMT™ Transform Me
 	Try not to do too much fasting - a regular food intake helps to improve and move bile flowing through your gallbladder into your small intestine.
 	Undertake rhythmic aerobic exercise daily.

As I often say, menopause and post-menopause can be a vulnerable time for changing health and our liver and gallbladder health is no exception. Even if you've already had a cholecystectomy, the above principles apply to you as well.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine 



References:
Bachar GN, Cohen M, Belenky A, Atar E, Gideon S. (2003). Effect of aging on the adult extrahepatic bile duct: a sonographic study. J Ultrasound Med. Sep;22(9):879-82.

Cabot, S. & Jasinska, M. (2013). Save your gallbladder and what to do if you’ve already lost it. Phoenix, USA: International Inc Publ.

Dhiman RK, Chawla YK. (2006). Is there a link between oestrogen therapy and gallbladder disease? Expert Opin Drug Saf. 5(1):117-29. doi: 10.1517/14740338.5.1.117. PMID: 16370961.

DiNicolantonio JJ, O’Keefe JH. (2018). Omega-6 vegetable oils as a driver of coronary heart disease: the oxidized linoleic acid hypothesis. Open Heart 5:e000898. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2018-000898

Gerber LH, Weinstein AA, Mehta R, Younossi ZM. Importance of fatigue and its measurement in chronic liver disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2019 Jul 28;25(28):3669-3683.

Harvard Medical School (2019). How it’s made: Cholesterol production in your body. Harvard Health Publishing, Online access.

Lane MM, Gamage E, Du S, Ashtree DN, McGuinness AJ, Gauci S, Baker P, Lawrence M, Rebholz CM, Srour B, Touvier M, Jacka FN, O'Neil A, Segasby T, Marx W. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ. 2024 Feb 28;384:e077310. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2023-077310. PMID: 38418082

Liang KW, Huang HH, Wang L, Lu WY, Chou YH, Tantoh DM, Nfor ON, Chiu NY, Tyan YS, Liaw YP. (2021). Risk of gallstones based on ABCG8 rs11887534 single nucleotide polymorphism among Taiwanese men and women. BMC Gastroenterol. 14;21(1):468.

Marciani L, Cox EF, Hoad CL, Totman JJ, Costigan C, Singh G, Shepherd V, Chalkley L, Robinson M, Ison R, Gowland PA, Spiller RC. Effects of various food ingredients on gall bladder emptying. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013 Nov;67(11):1182-7. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.168. Epub 2013 Sep 18.

Tsai CJ, Leitzmann MF, Willett WC, Giovannucci EL. (2004). Dietary protein and the risk of cholecystectomy in a cohort of US women: the Nurses' Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 160(1):11-8.

Wang, S., Wang, Y., Xu, J., & Chen, Y. (2017). Is the oral contraceptive or hormone replacement therapy a risk factor for cholelithiasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 96(14), e6556. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000006556

Uche-Anya, E., Ha, J., Khandpur, N., ... Chan, A. (2024). Ultraprocessed food consumption and risk of gallstone disease: analysis of 3 prospective cohorts,
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 120, Issue 3, 499-506, ISSN 0002-9165

### MyMT™ Education: Why Social Connection Matters to Health as Women Age

"You might not remember me?", she said as she came in the door at my Masterclass on Menopause seminar one evening. I peered at her face and immediately said, "Joy, it's you." Old primary school friends who have not seen each other for 40 years. But although the years pass by, there is always a glimmer of recognition that takes you back in time and place.I always love the connections that I make during my live-events - sometimes it's old friends, sometimes it's women who are on the MyMT™ programmes. It gives me a thrill and reinforces the research of Canadian Psychologist and Social Behaviour Neuro-scientist, Dr Susan Pinker, that face-to-face connection is important for our health as we age. Thanks to her research on women's health and ageing and the dimensions of women's health as they age, I often say that "Exercise and fitness are not the main determinant of our health as we age.  And whilst it is important, if we aren't sleeping, too much exercise becomes problematic, especially if women aren't sleeping. The purpose of sleep is to heal and restore and when we don't get it, our immune health suffers. In fact, the major determinant of your health as you age is simply, 'social connection' and it's more powerful than we think."  		
																										
		Attending a recent lifestyle medicine conference in Newcastle, UK, last week, I was reminded of Dr Pinker's research on social isolation, when attending a session by Regius Professor Rose Anne Kenny, from Trinity College Dublin. "Lack of social relationships is the highest risk for cardiovascular disease in older people, especially women" mentioned Regius Kenny. Professor Rose Anne Kenny is an award-winning physician and researcher who has been Head of the academic department of Medical Gerontology at Trinity College Dublin since 2006. She is the founding Principal Investigator of The Irish LongituDinal study on Ageing (TILDA) and studies into the dimensions of cardiovascular health in older women, have seen the emergence of the link between social isolation and CVD.Loneliness has emerged as a key social-emotional factor linked to health outcomes, especially in women 50 years and older. And whilst, there are numerous aspects of both social and emotional functioning, including depression, linked prospectively to cardiovascular outcomes, those individuals, with smaller or less diverse social networks, lower perceived social support, and less frequent social interactions have increased risk of incident cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality. (Thurston & Kubransky, 2009; Ward et al., TILDA Study, 2021),As Regius Kenny mentioned in her talk, the problem with loneliness and social isolation, is that over time, this triggers inflammatory changes and increased cortisol and other stress hormones, which link to cardiovascular disease. This is also why, there has been emerging interest and a growing body of evidence on the health benefits of leisure and recreational activities for older people, especially women, and the role that these play in reducing loneliness and social isolation. (Fancourt et al, 2021). 		
																										
		Understanding the Dimensions of Women's Health and Ageing During Menopause
Women in their 50’s today are the first generation to be going into menopause facing the complexities of modern life – and the scientific exercise and nutrition research hasn’t kept up with this pace of life-course change. 
For example, the highest incidence of poor health as women age, stems from post-menopause heart disease.
Many Health and/or Exercise Practitioners have not had the understanding about this from an exercise and lifestyle perspective, so they continue to train women with exercise prescription that has been intended for younger people and athletes. After all, this is the main content of sport, exercise and health-education curricula. 
Healthy Ageing is Multi-Dimensional
What is 'healthy ageing'? 
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines healthy ageing as “the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age.”
Functional ability is about having the capabilities that enable all people to be and do what they have reason to value. This includes a person’s ability to:

meet their basic needs;
learn, grow and make decisions;
be mobile;
build and maintain relationships; and
contribute to society.

Functional ability consists of the intrinsic capacity of the individual, relevant environmental characteristics and the interaction between them. The level of intrinsic capacity is influenced by several factors such as the presence of diseases, injuries and age-related changes.
Understanding this definition, helped me to put the menopause-jiqsaw together and look at why so many women experience worsening symptoms in their 50's especially with changing cardiac, liver and muscle health. With many of these health changes accelerating during the midlife years for women, it enabled me to follow the women’s health and ageing research and position menopause in this scientific evidence.
Part of this, was also exploring the epidemiology of menopause symptoms. Discovering that there are women from different cultures who don’t have the symptom experiences or health changes that many women from western cultures experience, was insightful.
This led me on a journey to explore women's changing health in mid-life and most, importantly, how we could reverse the effects of symptoms in menopause, not by following research that has been undertaken on younger people and males, but by looking at research that has been focused on women in mid-life.
The more I read, the more I began to understand that there were so many gaps in the menopause research, that didn't focus on evidenced lifestyle solutions. 
I also began to question the fitness and nutritional messages that we were subjected to as well. I had become so confused about how to look after myself because of the changing messages around nutrition, Ketogenics, Paleo, exercise, weight loss strategies, menopause supplements, HRT and more. And if I was confused, then I figured that a lot of other women might be confused too.
This was the start of how I began to think about how we, as Practitioners can influence midlife women, by understanding the science of ageing and help to allay the confusion about lifestyle changes during menopause. In the MyMT™ Practitioner Course, I explain much of the science of ageing.  I explain the multiple influences on women's health as they age and why, for millions of women globally, these changes start in midlife menopause. 		
														
															
		Putting on our healthy ageing hat on behalf of our clients and following the research also means understanding that women's healthy ageing, is also about nutrients in specific foods. Whilst I go into this in more depth in the MyMT™ Education Practitioner Course, this knowledge is important to bring to your clients as well. 
For example, when it comes to better understanding global prevalence of both depression and dementia, it is notable that both Japan and Ikaria in Greece have some of the lowest rates compared to western countries. [Buettner, 2016; Rizzi et al, 2014). 
Long-lived women from Ikaria, Greece are known to eat at least 2 cups of green, leafy plants a day. More than 150 varieties of wild greens, such as purslane, dandelion, and arugula (rocket), grow all over the island of Ikaria. These rich, dark, wild mountain greens are a great source of minerals including, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, as well as carotenoids–the colorful pigments the body converts to Vitamin A.
This was one of the first changes I made to my own diet to improve cognitive function and reduce depression.  This is now one of my ‘non-negotiable’ daily nutritional strategies and it is the same for women on the MyMT™ programmes as well.
Centenarians in all of the “Blue Zones” regions have access to leafy greens and hearty vegetables and they make up a large portion of their daily diets. In New Zealand, Australia, the UK and America, where many of you are from, there are plenty of these wild greens available and access to organically cultivated greens including collard, mustard greens, beetroot greens, spinach, silver-beet and kale that have nearly the same plenitude of nutrients.
Today, Ikarians are almost entirely free of dementia and some of the chronic diseases that plague Western countries.		
																										
		The basis of the MyMT™ Education courses, which have CPD approval from various organisations, have come out of my doctoral research on women’s healthy ageing.
If you are finding that your knowledge on various aspects of lifestyle science for women's ageing through the menopause transition isn't informed by the scientific women's health and ageing evidence, then I hope you can join myself and the Course Convenor, Georgia, when you can.
I would love you to have access to all the fabulous information I have in these important educational programmes.		
																										
		References:Buettner D, Skemp S. Blue Zones: Lessons From the World's Longest Lived. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2016 Jul 7;10(5):318-321. doi: 10.1177/1559827616637066.Fancourt D, Aughterson H, Finn S, Walker E, Steptoe A. How leisure activities affect health: a narrative review and multi-level theoretical framework of mechanisms of action. Lancet Psychiatry. 2021 Apr;8(4):329-339. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30384-9.Rizzi L, Rosset I, Roriz-Cruz M. Global epidemiology of dementia: Alzheimer's and vascular types. Biomed Res Int. 2014;908915. doi: 10.1155/2014/908915. Somes J. The Loneliness of Aging. J Emerg Nurs. 2021 May;47(3):469-475. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2020.12.009. Epub 2021Thurston RC, Kubzansky LD. Women, loneliness, and incident coronary heart disease. Psychosom Med. 2009 Oct;71(8):836-42. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181b40efc.Ward M, May P, Normand C, Kenny RA, Nolan A. Mortality risk associated with combinations of loneliness and social isolation. Findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Age Ageing. 2021 Jun 28;50(4):1329-1335. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afab004. 

### Will fasting help to reverse your changing metabolic health in post-menopause?

In September, 1982, the National Cancer Institute in America said, "Changing the way we eat could offer some protection against cancer." A year later in 1983, the American Cancer Society stated its belief that "a greater use of fruit and vegetables can significantly reduce a risk of developing cancer."  At a similar time, over 30 years ago, Professor Valter Longo arrived in America from Genoa in the Northwest of Italy. I listened to him tell his story of how he came to research cancer and other diseases of longevity, at a Lifestyle Medicine conference and I became fascinated with one of the researchers who really has discovered 'the fountain of youth'.  With not a face-cream in sight, it is all about how to manipulate our genes to reset and reprogramme them to grow into healthy cells that 'protect, regenerate and rejuvenate the body to keep us young and healthy for longer.'  (Longo, 2016). His decades of research led him to develop the Fasting Mimicking Diet which is not a complete water-only fast, but a reduced calorie fast that you undergo for 5 days. The photo below is him presenting in the virtual conference.


Fasting is not for the faint-hearted, nor is it for everyone - I don't recommend it for women who are heavy exercisers, nor women who are lean and thin. But it is for the self-determined.

And according to another leading Type 2 Diabetes researcher, Professor Roy Taylor from the University of Newcastle, it's one of the strategies for reducing the build-up of internal fat in the liver and pancreas.

Diabetes research has been changing over the past few years. In the past, the primary focus was on blood glucose levels and insulin production by the pancreas. Whilst this work is still important, researchers today, better understand that the role of the liver and liver fat is equally important - especially for those who are overweight.

Research on liver insulin resistance in relation to liver fat content, has offered a potential breakthrough in understanding that the higher the liver fat, the greater the insulin resistance of the liver.

What this means is that, when both liver fat and glucose are high in the liver, then there is 'resistance' to the role of insulin in moving this fat and glucose out of the liver to areas around the body, especially muscles, where it is needed.

Whilst we think about insulin as a pancreatic hormone carrying glucose around the body, fats are involved in insulin transport too. Afterall, the fats that we eat in our diet, get broken down to free fatty acids and glucose molecules.

This means that when we are thinking about our liver function AND we want to restore control over our body weight, then the liver matters.

This may also be why your higher-fat Keto diet isn't working for you as it has done in the past. Your liver changes in size and function as you age, hence, your liver can't handle the amounts of fats in your diet as well as protein, as you move through menopause.

The gradual accumulation of fat in the liver and pancreas may lead to eventual loss of specialised function of the cells in the liver that help to manage both fats and glucose (sugars).

This is where Intermittent Fasting and Calorie Restriction comes in as a lifestyle strategy for you. 

Back in the 1980's when the American Cancer Institute was preparing its first ever guidelines, I don't think any of us would have given fasting for 5 days a thought. It was a different world back then. None of us would have given menopause a thought, nor our changing health as we aged.

Here in New Zealand the main meal was mostly meat, vegetables and potatoes and back in the 1980s, cooking shows were also emerging giving us some inspiration on what to eat. I wouldn't hesitate to guess that over 30 years later, most women are still doing the same.

I know that until I researched women's healthy ageing and our menopause transition, I wouldn't have given caloric restriction a thought, however, as we navigate health changes during menopause, especially weight gain, it's time to understand it a bit better.
Understanding Caloric Restriction (CR) and Intermittent Fasting (IF)
Caloric restriction (CR) and intermittent fasting (IF) are strategies aimed to promote health beneficial effects by interfering with several mechanisms responsible for cardiovascular disease and other health conditions, such as insulin resistance, high blood pressure, overweight status and inflammatory status. [Savencu et al., 2021]

Whilst much attention has been given to Intermittent Fasting, I like the research behind Professor Longo's Fasting Mimicking Diet for caloric restriction.

His decades of research have led him to find a way to exploit our body's ability to regenerate itself and switch off the built-in mechanisms in cells that make us vulnerable to disease and degeneration.

As Professor Longo's research has found, this process begins in our 30s and 40s. And its fruits and vegetables, not high amounts of protein, that feature the most.

What you will notice from the Fasting Mimicking Diet, is that there isn't an emphasis on protein consumption. A diet high in protein, especially animal protein, causes increased Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 [IGF-1].

IGF-1 is produced by the liver and skeletal muscle and is a hormone that, along with growth hormone (GH), helps promote normal bone and tissue growth and development.

His work has shown that high consumption of animal protein in mid-life (45-65 yrs) switches off the genes that control healthy ageing. As Professor Longo mentioned, "IGF-1 needs to be shut-down so we not only live-longer, but improve our health-span as well." 

I also began to better understand this high-protein connection through my women's healthy ageing research, and having a lower protein intake, is just one of the surprises that I have for women who want to lose weight during or after menopause.



For over 30 years Professor Longo has been studying the health of the world's oldest people from the Blue Zones countries, including his native Italy.

During this time he has become a world-leading and award-winning scientist for his work around calorie restriction and how to 'switch-off' genes that cause disease. A lot of his research has been in cancer prevention, including breast cancer.

There are many women on my programmes who have had breast cancer, so I loved sharing some of his publications with any who were interested to discuss with their Doctor.

There are two main areas of Professor Longo's research that I want to share with you:

 	In the 1990's a group of scientists from UCLA went into a 'biosphere bubble' in Arizona to do the world's first experiments on longevity and our genes. As part of the experiement they had been calorie-restricted and consumed very few calories a day for 2 years. However, by the time they emerged, they were very skinny and very grumpy. So, whilst their biomarkers and blood work improved, this was not the way to live their life. Dr Longo knew he had to find a better way to increase longevity.
 	This led him to look into cellular ageing. What he discovered in his research was that if the cells are starved of nutrients, especially protein and sugars, then they lived twice as long.

Professor Longo lead the charge on calorie restriction and using fasting or modified fasting to improve longevity. His results of over 20 years of clinical research are a game-changer when it comes to improving our health as we age. This includes obesity, diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer and even dementia. Impressive.

As I undertook my own doctoral studies into women's healthy ageing, this longevity research led me towards establishing a new way through menopause that places menopause in healthy ageing studies.

If we don't get this phase of our life sorted and un-do the inflammation that's been building up for years, at a time when our hormonal changes are making us more vulnerable to health changes, then our years ahead can become a whole lot more complicated in terms of our health. Our parents generation has already discovered this.



The research that has emerged from longevity studies had already led me towards coaching women on the MyMT™ programmes about how much our liver changes as we age and how to change our diet to accommodate these changes, especially when it comes to our weight loss in menopause.

For decades, the Italian Professor has been researching cell regeneration and how we can all stay young. His work teaches us that some form of caloric restriction helps to speed-up a process that the body naturally undertakes when we are younger, called apoptosis. This is when the cells regenerate.

But we need a way of activating this process and according to Professor Longo, you enable this, through a form of fasting, which he has called the 'Fasting Mimicking Diet'. His clinically-evidenced regime differs from the popular 5:2 diet promoted by the late Dr Michael Mosley.



The concept of the 'fasting-mimicking diet' is to trick the body into thinking it is experiencing a full fast, like a water fast, except you can eat certain foods during the period of 5-day fasting.

This makes undertaking it much easier psychologically and physiologically according to Professor Valter Longo. I will await hearing this from women on my programme, some of whom are undertaking it this week.

The Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) is based on his years of research. Whilst it's not completely fasting (you can still have vegetables and soups/ broths and a coffee a day), it takes you through a phase of 5 days of graduated caloric restriction.

According to this fascinating research, we should all do this type of Fasting Restriction in mid-life to have a re-set of our genes and metabolism. Recognised internationally as a strategy to delay older-age diseases, mid-life is the time to do this and reducing our protein intake whilst on the fast is important.

It's also a type of diet that we don't need to do all the time.His protocol suggests to restrict caloric intake for 2-5 days (with Day 1 being slightly higher calorie intake) and then eat a normal Mediterranean diet (this is the type of diet I have modified for us in the MyMT™ programmes too) for the other 25 days but to get the right outcomes, then you must complete a 3 month cycle of this.

When you reduce calories, then you are essentially shrinking your liver, gut, pancreas and colon cells (he shared a photo of the colon to prove this!).

When you do this, your body goes into 'starvation' mode. What ensues is the turnover of old cells (autophagy) and regeneration of new cells as you gradually increase your food intake after the fasting period is over.



Now the good news is, that you can still eat twice a day, with a couple of snacks, but on Professor Longo's regime, your food choices must be completely plant-based.

As I shared his protocol and gave some meal ideas that I had put together based on his regime with women in my coaching community, I cautioned that this diet is not for everyone.

If you are doing a lot of exercise, then you won't be eating enough for your energy needs and if you are feeling a bit stressed or you aren't sleeping, then please be aware that increased stress uses up more energy and gives you a faster heart rate and increases your anxiety.

Finally, for those of you who are going through peri-menopause and menstruating heavily, then please be very careful about any fasting and make sure that before you start, you get your iron and B12 levels checked with your Doctor. 

If you are low in these nutrients, then sort these levels out first, because your hot flushes and sleep may become worse if you fast and then don’t have the energy intake your body needs to support menstruation.

I hope you’ve enjoyed exploring Professor Longo’s Fasting Mimicking Diet, as I’ve enjoyed talking about it not only here, but I also provide a module on various forms of fasting and how to do this progressively, for those on my 12 week programmes.  I hope you can explore them HERE sometime.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References:

Longo, V. (2018). The Longevity Diet. Australia: Penquin Books.

Min Wei, Brandhorst, S.,Shelehchi, M., Longo, V. et.al. (2017). Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Sci Transl Med. 9(377), 1-25. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aai870

Nair PM, Khawale PG. Role of therapeutic fasting in women's health: An overview. J Midlife Health. 2016 Apr-Jun;7(2):61-4. doi: 10.4103/0976-7800.185325.

Savencu C., Adina, L., Farcaş G. Bînă Anca,  M. ... Sturza, A. (2021). Impact of Dietary Restriction Regimens on Mitochondria, Heart, and Endothelial Function: A Brief Overview. Frontiers in Physiology, 12

Taylor R. Calorie restriction for long-term remission of type 2 diabetes. Clin Med (Lond). 2019 Jan;19(1):37-42. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.19-1-37. Erratum in: Clin Med (Lond). 2019 Mar;19(2):192. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine

### MyMT™ Education: Why gut health matters for your clients on menopause-related anti-depressants.

2/3 of those on antidepressants in the UK, NZ and Australia are female, and typically in their 50s and 60s.
Why is depression so prevalent in women? This was a question posed by researchers in Canada (Albert, 2015) and one that I have often thought about too. But not just any women - those in mid-life.

The prevalence of major depression is higher in women than in men and here in New Zealand, we are in the top-10 of countries to have the highest rate of antidepressant use in the western world. It is higher in women and the rate of prescriptions increases with age. (Bowden, Gibb et al, 2019). Serious stuff.

I was offered antidepressants myself. At the time, I had no idea that going into menopause was a vulnerable time for my mental health.

However, I was curious as to why, when I have no history of depressive incidents nor post-partum depression (both factors in menopause-related depression), as to why I not only felt emotionally all over the place, but why my Doctor wanted to put me on them.

Since setting up MyMT™, I've read hundreds of pre-entry screening forms, where women indicate that they are taking HRT, Bio-identicals, Anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications for their menopause symptoms.

Whilst I never interfere in this with women because these are all powerful medications that need to be monitored by their medical specialists, what intrigues me the most is that they still report experiencing hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, brain fog and depression.

It doesn't go past me that these medications are not necessarily working for them, especially as they move into post-menopause. I became curious as to why.

The conclusion I come to time and time again, is that menopause symptoms aren't being looked at through the lens of our biological ageing. I'm not just talking about our changing reproductive hormones either.

There are numerous physical changes that go on inside our body at this time too. These changes occur when oestrogen and progesterone naturally decline and exert influences on the deep tissues and cells that make up every structure in our body. This includes our digestive system and colon.

For millions of women around the world, menopause means poor sleep, hot flushes, worsening anxiety, brain fog and feelings of depression. But there's also another symptom that isn't often associated with menopause, nor is it associated with menopause-related anxiety, depression and foggy brain.

And that's the changing health of the gut and digestive system during menopause. 



So, do your client's suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? Or diverticulitis? Or do they swing between being constipated and having diarrhea? Maybe their brain feels foggy all the time and they find it difficult to concentrate?

And perhaps these changes have arrived during their menopause transition and they have no idea that these changes to the microbiome might be related to their feelings of melancholy? 

At least 50% of women in my coaching programs tell me that they are experiencing gut health issues that have mainly arrived since they went into their menopause transition. Unbeknownst to many of them, their changing gut health impacts their anxiety levels and brain fog too.

I have Australia's Professor Rosemary Stanton to thank for my lightbulb moment.

“After 4 generations of a low-fibre diet since modern food processing arrived in the 1960’s & 1970’s, the gut microbiota has changed to the extent that it no longer supports our immune health. Never before have we seen so much chronic disease caused by the western diet. Diversity in vegetables has the single greatest influence on the gut microbiota. The Mediterranean way of eating is the way to turn this all around.”

The link between changing oestrogen levels and gut health could well be the cause of your menopause bloating, IBS or leaky gut and menopause-related depression. 



Knowledge of the gut-brain connection has increased 10-fold over the past decade. This has been due to improved brain research as well as genetic research. Both have opened the door towards understanding gut health and the link to disease, especially the effect of the accumulation of inflammatory changes as we get older.

The gut microbiome is one of the largest organs in the body (along with the skin) but here's what blew me away - when I attended the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine conference late last year, researcher, Professor Thomas Borody, reported that the gut is responsible for producing 70% of the body's energy.

Can you imagine what happens to your client's energy levels, sleep, health and moods, when their gut isn't performing to its best?


What is the gut microbiome and why does it matter to in menopause?
The microbiome is the community of bacteria and other microbes that live in the gut and elsewhere in our body. Researchers now understand that there is an important connection between the human gut microbiome and the brain.

"The connection between the brain and gut is because messages are sent up and down the vagus nerve - the major nerve that runs from our brain to our heart, stomach and intestines. The vagus nerve therefore, has a profound influence on the gut microbiota as well as pro-inflammatory markers. 

The reason for this, is because the vagus nerve transfers stress cytokines (inflammatory markers) between the gut and the brain. So, stress is the 'hammer' which acts on the brain and the gut. When we keep activating our stress response, then this increases the 'leakiness' of the gut. When the gut is leaky, we lose the ability to absorb the nutrients we need for our health and this increases oxidative stress in the body."    [Professor Zoltan Sarnyai, 2019)
When women aren't sleeping the gut isn't healing properly overnight, pockets of inflammation may accumulate throughout the digestive system. 
Add to this, the changes to food and chemical environments over the decades as well as increasing exposure to medicines, then it's no surprise that women may develop worsening gut health in midlife, which may affect their moods and melancholy.

Other changes may occur too. Enzymes that break down food, slowed peristalsis (gut motility) and changes to liver function (we produce less bile to break down fats), also are a hallmark of menopause and age-related changes.

As well, for those of your clients who are high-volume exercisers and/or under a lot of stress, then their body may remain in 'fight or flight' mode. This causes the vagus nerve to be stimulated more often.


The Thyroid Gland Matters to Gut Health:
The thyroid gland produces hormones that are integral to the function of the gut microbiome and the brain.

If your clients do have a digestive disorder, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Diverticulitis, then this inflammation disrupts function in the gut. In turn, the inflammatory changes to the gut, may also disrupt thyroid function. When the thyroid isn't functioning as well as it should (both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism), this causes further disruption to moods, motivation and emotional state, via the HPA-Thyroid Axis.

For your menopausal clients, this HPA-Thyroid Axis and gut dysfunction, may present as increased anxiety, depression and brain fog. Hence, restoring gut health and helping clients to improve the gut microbiome is fundamental to reducing anxiety, brain fog, and/or depression.
3 Things You Can Do to Help your Client's Manage their GUT HEALTH:
When we understand the powerful connection between the brain, the gut, the vagus nerve, existing gut inflammation AND menopause, then we need to focus on these three factors:

 	Sleep All Night - as I keep saying to women, if you aren't sleeping, then you aren't healing and your heart rate stays higher during the day. The gut functions on a 24 hour circadian rhythm as do all of the major organs, so improving sleep, improves the gut and vice versa.  This is why foods containing a protein called TRYPTOPHAN are important. Tryptophan increases serotonin production, which in turn, improves melatonin production.



 	Help Clients to Improve their Food Quality and Vegetable Diversity -

Professor Rosemary Stanton of Australia has been studying the health of the population in Australia for over four decades now. As she stated at the conference - "The way to heal the gut is to have diversity in vegetable intake and increase fibre. This is what the gut has been designed for. Decades of low fibre, processed foods have resulted in worsening health of the population and a plethora of diseases which are mainly related to our changing food environment."

The Iowa Women's Health Study (2019) found a statistically significant association between fibre intake quartiles and validated Mental Health scores in menopausal and post-menopausal women.



3. Understand that, in order to heal, the gut must empty overnight. I encourage women as much as possible to allow their digestive system to rest for 12 hours overnight. This means that the timing of food and fluid is important. If women can avoid food for around 12 hours overnight (this changes obviously for shift-workers), then their digestive system gets the chance to actually digest and absorb the food that is eaten during the day.



A healthy gut microbiome is a diverse microbiome, which has a large number of bacteria. When women have a healthy gut, then this is fundamental to their mental and emotional health.

Whilst some clients may require medical and/or professional nutritional intervention for Gut Health, including a FODMAP diet, underlying any of these interventions should also be sleep, diet and exercise strategies that help to improve gut health as women move through menopause.

I talk about this aspect of menopause and lifestyle science in the MyMT™ Practitioner Course too - details are on the website.

Wendy Sweet, PhD [Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine].


Learn More



References:

Albert P. R. (2015). Why is depression more prevalent in women? Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 40(4), 219–221.

Feraj, J. (2017). Micro-nutrients, depression and inflammation among women of reproductive age. Doctoral Dissertation 993, University of Massachusetts.

Freeman, E.W. (2015). Depression in the menopause transition: risks in the changing hormone milieu as observed in the general population. womens midlife health 1, 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-015-0002-y

Glezerman, M. (2016). Gender Medicine. Duckworth & Co Publ.

Graziottin A. & Serafini A. (2009). Depression and the menopause: why antidepressants are not enough? Menopause Int. Jun;15(2):76-81. doi: 10.1258/mi.2009.009021. PMID: 19465674.

Heitkemper, M., & Chang, L. (2009). Do fluctuations in ovarian hormones affect gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome?. Gender medicine, 6 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), 152–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genm.2009.03.004

Morimoto RI, Cuervo AM. Proteostasis and the aging proteome in health and disease. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 Jun;69 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S33-8. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glu049.

Mahmood Akbar, Pranoy Toppo, Aamir Nazir. (2024). Ageing, Proteostasis, and the Gut: Insights into Neurological Health and Disease. Ageing Research Reviews, 102504, ISSN 1568-1637.

Mulak, A., Taché, Y., & Larauche, M. (2014). Sex hormones in the modulation of irritable bowel syndrome. World journal of gastroenterology, 20(10), 2433–2448. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v20.i10.2433

Nie, X., Xie, R. & Tuo, B. (2018). Effects of Estrogen on the Gastrointestinal Tract. Dig Dis Sci 63, 583–596.

Odamaki, T., Kato, K., Sugahara, H. et al. (2016). Age-related changes in gut microbiota composition from newborn to centenarian: a cross-sectional study. BMC Microbiol 16, 90. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-016-0708-5

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322946988_Prevalence_of_Thyroid_Dysfunction_in_Irritable_Bowel_Syndrome

Sjöstedt P, Enander J, Isung J. Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and the Gut Microbiome: Significance of the Gut Microbiome in Relation to Mechanism of Action, Treatment Response, Side Effects, and Tachyphylaxis. Front Psychiatry. 2021 May 26;12:682868. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.682868.

Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017). Influence of oral and gut microbiota in the health of menopausal women. Front. Microbiol.
Related Tag: Menopause Treatment

Xu F, Xie Q, Kuang W, Dong Z. Interactions Between Antidepressants and Intestinal Microbiota. Neurotherapeutics. 2023 Mar;20(2):359-371. doi: 10.1007/s13311-023-01362-8. Epub 2023 Mar 7.

### "Your Practitioner course captures the concerns of menopausal women I see, who seem to be at a loss to find solutions."

"I have practiced fertility awareness throughout my fertile years from high school to menopause. I’ve also worked in the Complementary and Alternative Medicine industry (CAM) as a Wellness Educator for over 30 years and currently educate girls, and women from puberty through menopause in body literacy for health and informed choice, both online and locally in Vermont, USA.

After now completing the MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Program, I can say it is absolutely the best out there! It captured my interest right from the start when I discovered it.

Even though I've been working with younger women, teaching fertility awareness, I felt a call to help women more my age.

Women with multiple symptoms like anxiety, brain fog, exhaustion, bloat, digestive issues, and weight gain that won’t go away.

Women who want and need to know the facts about what they are experiencing and what their options are to get through this time with renewed health and vibrancy.

The MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Program really captures the concerns of most menopausal women who seem to be at a loss to find solutions to turn around their symptoms.

I can now rely on the evidence-based research whenever a question comes to mind, working with a client or writing a social post. There are lots of menopause programs out there but none like this one that gives you the skills to work with menopausal women confidently and offer them evidenced lifestyle solutions."

Carmen Reyes, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach & MyMT™ Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner

### MyMT™ Education: Are low Vitamin D levels linked to your client's menopause insomnia?

There has been an interesting conversation in my coaching group this week and it is to do with getting blood work tested for Vitamin D levels - it appears that this isn't done any more. Although my own Doctor does do this, so I haven't had any push-back on this for a number of years now .... however, it seems that many women do.

Whcih is a shame, because one of the arguments I would be making, is that if Vitamin D levels are low, then is this the cause of poor sleep patterns in midlife and older women, thereby, sending them into changing cardiovascular and bone health as they age.

Healthy sleep patterns are essential for maintaining both physical and psychological health. But as women move into post-menopause, [when periods have stopped for a year or more], they  may not realise that changing sleep patterns are not just related to their changing reproductive hormones, but to their levels of Vitamin D too.

I love everything about the photo of my cousin, Bridget, in the banner below. In post-menopause now, she looks healthy. Normally living in Italy where the winters are long and dark, there she is on a Perth beach late last year soaking up the sun. Storing it in her body for her return to Italy and a long, sun -deprived winter.


Vitamin D affects the Immune Health of your Clients
Vitamin D is a unique, fat-soluble vitamin, that is now recognised as being responsible for a host of immune responses in the body, including helping to regulate our sleep-wake cycle.

It's not only a vitamin, but is now known to be a hormone - a powerful chemical messenger that is involved in numerous functions in the body.

I've spoken about Vitamin D in relation to skin changes as women move into peri-menopause and menopause in previous articles, but you may not know that Vitamin D receptors are also expressed in the parts of the brain that regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

When Vitamin D status (measured as serum 25(OH)D is low (less than 20ng/mL or 50 nmol/L), research suggests that this can seriously impair sleep. As such, this can lead midlife women down the slippery slope towards chronic insomnia, which can then contribute to heart disease and of course, weight gain.

For most fair-skinned people, 30 minutes a day of natural sunlight exposure (not in the heat of the day), can initiate the release of 50,000 IU (International Units or 1.25mg) of Vitamin D into the circulation within 24 hours of exposure. In darker skinned people, this amount of time yields around 20-30,000 IU.



For nearly a decade now, I've spoken about the importance of Vitamin D in the MyMT™ programmes . Whether women are experiencing insomnia or not, sleep quality and duration is closely linked to their symptoms, especially temperature dysregulation and muscle and joint pain.
Low Vitamin D is also linked to IBS and poor Calcium Absorption
When your midlife clients aren't sleeping, this has an impact on their gut health. Furthermore, if they are also low in Vitamin D, this may be exacerbating their poor gut health. Vitamin D is known to be prevalent in patients with IBS (Yan et al, 2023).

When Vitamin D levels are low, this can impair the role of calcium absorption in the small intestine. If calcium absorption is low, this can also impact nervous system regulation, anxiety and muscle pain.

Joint pain and/or fibromyalgia, may also be due to changing Vitamin D levels. Research from Okura et al. (2008), reports that chronic pain is a marker of Vitamin D deficiency and individuals with both chronic pain and sleep deprivation, are reported as having higher inflammatory markers.

This is partly why Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of auto-immune disease as well as respiratory diseases. Hence, if your clients are doing shift work or spending much of their week inside, then exploring ways for them to get outside more, is part of your menopause-symptom advice too!



For years, it was thought that Vitamin D levels were 'just' related to bone health, however, now recognised as a hormone, this means that this crucial vitamin has far-reaching effects on the health of nearly every organ in the body.

Vitamin D plays a role in hormonal balance. It influences oestrogen and progesterone levels in the body, and levels of these hormones, impact menstrual regularity, menopause, fertility, and pregnancy.

With oestrogen receptors throughout the body, it makes sense that when oestrogen levels decline during the menopause transition, then it's a pretty safe bet, that Vitamin D levels will undoubtedly change as well. If clients can get their levels tested, this is helpful, especially for symptoms of insomnia and muscle aches and pains.

What if your clients can't get enough Vitamin D from sunlight?

With numerous nurses and other shift workers on my programmes as well as women in the Northern Hemisphere who are going into the winter months at the moment, this question is a frequent one in my own coaching groups.

Vitamin D is not found in many foods but the following foods provide good sources for women in post-menopause.

 	Fatty fish such as, cod, trout, salmon, mackerel and sardines.
 	Butter
 	Milk - Food manufacturers also fortify (add) Vitamin D to milk. Whilst I don't have a lot of milk intake on my programmes because of the high sugar content of milk, and because many women may be intolerant to lactose, if Vitamin D is low or if osteoporosis is present, then women are often recommended to have low-fat milk by their medical provider.
 	Egg yolks
 	Cod liver oil



In many diseases of older age for both men and women, there is often low Vitamin D status which commences in mid-life. For women, the change in Vitamin D status generally begins during menopause. 

Part of the reason for lower Vitamin D levels impacting women during menopause, is due to declining skin levels of oestrogen.

Oestrogen receptors can be found throughout the body, including in epithelial tissue (skin). Oestrogens have an important function in many components of human skin including the epidermis, dermis, vasculature, hair follicle and the sebaceous, eccrine and apocrine glands, having significant roles in skin ageing, pigmentation, hair growth, sebum production and skin cancer. [Thornton, 2002].

During the menopause transition, it's not just the ovaries that are affected. Other oestrogen-attracting cells are affected too.

What this means is that women (both fair-skinned and dark-skinned women) don't synthesize (produce) Vitamin D very well in menopause.

It also means that night shift-workers get a double-whammy of both declining skin levels of oestrogen and losing exposure to Vitamin D because they have less available sunlight hours if they sleep during the day.



Menopause is one the most crucial stages in a female’s life. For years, I've been talking to women on my programmes about getting their Vitamin D levels tested. Many continue to tell me that Doctors are somewhat reluctant to do this.

Hence, I was heartened when new research came my way recently stating that numerous education gaps remain in relation to the health-related needs of females during menopause. [Rostami-Moez et al., 2023].

One of these research gaps relates to Vitamin D. 

Hormonal fluctuations, excessive clothing covering, sunscreen use, changes in body fat composition, a vitamin D-deficient diet, and a sedentary lifestyle can all predispose menopausal and postmenopausal women to Vitamin D deficiency.

But there is something else as well and that is menopause itself.

The changing hormonal profile as well as changing skin health, marks a significant shift in vitamin D requirements during menopause. This is why evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency is linked to various menopausal health conditions, such as vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes), poor liver and gut health and of course, musculo-skeletal disorders. [Hassanein et al, 2023].

Women on the 12 week MyMT™ programmes learn very quickly about the relevance of Vitamin D in our symptom and weight management, especially as we move into post-menopause. As a Health Practitioner, I hope that you can share this information with your clients too.

This and so much more information is in the MyMT™ Education Courses, which I hope you can explore if you haven't already.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References: 

Abboud M. Vitamin D Supplementation and Sleep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies. Nutrients. 2022 Mar 3;14(5):1076. doi: 10.3390/nu14051076.

Coppeta, L., Papa, F., & Magrini, A. (2018). Are Shiftwork and Indoor Work Related to D3 Vitamin Deficiency? A Systematic Review of Current Evidences. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 8468742. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8468742

Gao, Q., Kou, T., Zhuang, B., Ren, Y., Dong, X., & Wang, Q. (2018). The Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 10(10), 1395. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101395

Hassanein MM, Huri HZ, Baig K, Abduelkarem AR. Determinants and Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 29;15(3):685. doi: 10.3390/nu15030685.

Iruzubieta P, Terán Á, Crespo J, Fábrega E. Vitamin D deficiency in chronic liver disease. World J Hepatol. 2014 Dec 27;6(12):901-15. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v6.i12.901.

Nagai, M., Hoshide, S., & Kario, K. (2010). Sleep duration as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease- a review of the recent literature. Current cardiology reviews, 6(1), 54–61. https://doi.org/10.2174/157340310790231635

Okura K., Lavigne G., Huynh N., Manzini C., Fillipini D., & Montplaisir J. (2008). Comparison of sleep variables between chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, insomnia, periodic leg movements syndrome and control subjects in a clinical sleep medicine practice. Sleep Med. 9(4):352-61. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2007.07.007. Epub 2007 Sep 4. PMID: 17804292.

Rostami-Moez M, Masoumi SZ, Otogara M, Farahani F, Alimohammadi S, Oshvandi K. Examining the Health-Related Needs of Females during Menopause: A Systematic Review Study. J Menopausal Med. 2023 Apr;29(1):1-20. doi: 10.6118/jmm.22033.

### "I didn't know that you could make some lifestyle changes and improve your sleep." [Jill, Canada]

The email and photo arrived out of the blue - it was from Jill, who lives on Wasaga Beach in Canada. I had to google to see where she lives. That's her in the banner above.

"Here's a picture of me last spring on the beach.  Wasaga Beach is the longest fresh water beach in the world.  And you're correct, I should be swimming every day - I'm lucky enough to live on the beach."

When Jill shared her story with me, I knew I had to ask her to share it with you too. If you are in your post-menopause years too, I want you to have hope that yes indeed, there is a new chapter in your life and a new story that you can write!

"When I had my hysterectomy in 2008 at 53 years old I was already post-menopausal. I wasn't sleeping and was sore but I pushed through the pain and kept lifting weights because I rode horses competitively and, so long as I lifted my weights, I was strong enough to manage the physical discomfort of my riding and my barn chores.

My sport was 'cutting', which is a rodeo event whereby both the rider and horse must enter the herd of cattle and try to cut one cow away from her herd members. It's a very tough sport and popular in Australia as well as North America. My husband and I raised cattle to practice with.

My sleeping irregularities and sore joints never went away and everything peaked last December due to stress. That's when I found you and your wonderful course!

I didn't know that you could make some lifestyle changes and improve your sleep. I didn't know that you could make some lifestyle changes and turn around some of the soreness and stiffness.  Until I started reading the testimonials, I thought once you hit post-menopause, if you were one of the unlucky women who suffered, you just had to keep suffering.

I now know, without a doubt, that I can turn around at least some of the damage that's been done by me being complacent over the years. I'm doing the work, and I'm already feeling the results!

I appreciate the exercises you pointed out and will watch my posture when I do my walks on the beach.  I'm not much of a swimmer, but the lake is right outside my door and there is no reason why I can't swim - I just tend to use the kayak or my stand up paddle board instead.  If swimming would be better, I'll give it a try.

Your knowledge that you've shared has been life-altering already and I'm just at the start of this journey! When working out and diet didn't help with my weight or how tired and lethargic I was, I just didn't know where to turn. Your program was my answer!"

Jill, Wasaga Beach, Canada
MyMT™ Beyond Menopause

### Are low Vitamin D levels linked to your menopause insomnia?

If there's one thing I wish I had been able to help my late-mother with, it would be her sleep. Or rather, her lack of it. As I read the women's health and ageing literature whilst undertaking my doctoral studies, there is no question that if we are going to live healthy, long lives, then sleep quality and quantity matters.I think many of us already know that healthy sleep is not only necessary for maintaining our physical and psychological health. But as we move into post-menopause, [when periods have stopped for a year or more], you may not realise that your changing sleep patterns are not just related to your changing reproductive hormones, but to your levels of Vitamin D too. I tell you about this in my video at the bottom of this article. I love everything about the photo of my cousin, Bridget, in the banner below. In post-menopause now, she looks healthy. Normally living in Italy where the winters are long and dark, there she is on a Perth beach late last year soaking up the sun. Storing it in her body for her return to Italy and a long, sun -deprived winter.		
																										
		Vitamin D is a unique, fat-soluble vitamin, that is now recognised as being responsible for a host of immune responses in the body, including helping to regulate our sleep-wake cycle. It's not only a vitamin, but is now known to be a hormone - a powerful chemical messenger that is involved in numerous functions in the body.I've spoken about Vitamin D in relation to your changing skin as you move into your post-menopause years (when periods have ceased for a year or more), but you may not know that Vitamin D receptors are also expressed in the parts of your brain that regulate your sleep-wake cycle.When Vitamin D status (measured as serum 25(OH)D is low (less than 20ng/mL or 50 nmol/L), research suggests that this can seriously impair sleep. As such, this can lead women in post-menopause down the slippery slope towards heart disease and of course, weight gain.For most fair-skinned people, 30 minutes a day of natural sunlight exposure (not in the heat of the day) can initiate the release of 50,000 IU (International Units or 1.25mg) of Vitamin D into the circulation within 24 hours of exposure. In darker skinned people, this amount of time yields around 20-30,000 IU.		
																										
		For nearly a decade now, I've spoken about the importance of Vitamin D in the MyMT™ programmes . Whether women are experiencing insomnia or not, sleep quality and duration is closely linked to our symptoms (and weight gain) in menopause as well as levels of Vitamin D.If we don't get sleep under control, and our gut health, which, if women have IBS, can impair the role of calcium absorption if Vitamin D levels are low. Then throughout menopause and into post-menopause, symptoms may become worse.Furthermore, if you are someone who is experiencing joint pain and/or fibromyalgia, this can also be due to changing Vitamin D levels too. Research from Okura et al. (2008), reports that chronic pain is also a marker of Vitamin D deficiency and individuals with chronic pain and sleep deprivation is reported to increase inflammatory markers. Vitamin D deficiency also increases the risk of auto-immune disease as well as respiratory diseases. Those of you doing shift-work or those of you working long hours in indoor jobs, please take note. 		
																										
		For years, it was thought that Vitamin D levels were 'just' related to bone health, however, now recognised as a hormone, this means it has a far-reaching effect on the health of nearly every organ in our body. Because we have oestrogen receptors all over our body, when oestrogen levels become low during our menopause transition, then it's a pretty safe bet, that Vitamin D levels will undoubtedly be low. My advice to you? Get your levels tested when you can. What if I can't get enough Vitamin D from sunlight?With numerous nurses and other shift workers on my programmes as well as women in the Northern Hemisphere who are going into the winter months, this question is a regular one. Vitamin D is not found in many foods but the following foods provide good sources for women in post-menopause.Fatty fish like cod, trout, salmon, mackerel and sardines.ButterMilk - Food manufacturers also fortify (add) Vitamin D to milk. Whilst I don't have a lot of milk intake on my programmes because of the high sugar content of milk, if Vitamin D is low or if osteoporosis is present, then women are often recommended to have low-fat milk by their medical provider. Egg yolksCod liver oil		
																										
		In many diseases of older age for both men and women, there is often low Vitamin D status which commences in mid-life. For women, the change in Vitamin D status generally begins during menopause. Part of the reason for lower Vitamin D levels hitting women during menopause, is our changing oestrogen levels. Oestrogen receptors can be found around our body, including in our epithelial tissue (skin), so during our menopause transition, when we begin to lose oestrogen receptor cells, it's not just the ovaries that are affected. Other oestrogen-attracting cells are too.What this means is that women (both fair-skinned and dark-skinned women) don't synthesize (produce) Vitamin D very well in menopause. It also means that night shift-workers get a double-whammy of losing oestrogen and losing exposure to Vitamin D because they have less available sunlight hours if they sleep all day. 		
																										
		Menopause is one the most crucial stages in a female’s life and for years, I've been talking to women on my programmes about getting their Vitamin D levels tested. Many continue to tell me that Doctors are somewhat reluctant to do this.Hence, I was heartened when new research came my way recently stating that numerous education gaps remain in relation to the health-related needs of females during menopause. [Rostami-Moez et al., 2023]. One of these research gaps relates to Vitamin D. Hormonal fluctuations, excessive clothing covering, sunscreen use, changes in body fat composition, a vitamin D-deficient diet, and a sedentary lifestyle can all predispose menopausal and postmenopausal women to Vitamin D deficiency.But there is something else as well and that is menopause itself. The changing hormonal profile as well as changing skin health, marks a significant shift in vitamin D requirements during menopause. This is why evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency is linked to various menopausal health conditions, such as vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes), poor liver and gut health and of course, musculo-skeletal disorders. [Hassanein et al, 2023].Women on the 12 week MyMT™ programmes learn very quickly about the relevance of Vitamin D in our symptom and weight management, especially as we move into post-menopause. I hope that you can join me sometime to find out why. If you aren't sure about joining me, then please start with my Symptoms Quiz on the website and have a listen to what I have to tell you about the Masterclass on Menopause which you also may like to get. This is only NZ$15 and  I explain all about it in the brief video below. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. https://youtu.be/YKEELVCpdb0References: Anagnostis P, Livadas S, Goulis DG, Bretz S, Ceausu I, Durmusoglu F, Erkkola R, Fistonic I, Gambacciani M, Geukes M, Hamoda H, Hartley C, Hirschberg AL, Meczekalski B, Mendoza N, Mueck A, Smetnik A, Stute P, van Trotsenburg M, Rees M, Lambrinoudaki I. EMAS position statement: Vitamin D and menopausal health. Maturitas. 2023 Mar;169:2-9. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.12.006.Coppeta, L., Papa, F., & Magrini, A. (2018). Are Shiftwork and Indoor Work Related to D3 Vitamin Deficiency? A Systematic Review of Current Evidences. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 8468742. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8468742Gao, Q., Kou, T., Zhuang, B., Ren, Y., Dong, X., & Wang, Q. (2018). The Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 10(10), 1395. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101395Hassanein MM, Huri HZ, Baig K, Abduelkarem AR. Determinants and Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 29;15(3):685. doi: 10.3390/nu15030685.Iruzubieta P, Terán Á, Crespo J, Fábrega E. Vitamin D deficiency in chronic liver disease. World J Hepatol. 2014 Dec 27;6(12):901-15. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v6.i12.901.Mei Z, Hu H, Zou Y, Li D. The role of vitamin D in menopausal women's health. Front Physiol. 2023 Jun 12;14:1211896. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1211896. Nagai, M., Hoshide, S., & Kario, K. (2010). Sleep duration as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease- a review of the recent literature. Current cardiology reviews, 6(1), 54–61. https://doi.org/10.2174/157340310790231635Okura K., Lavigne G., Huynh N., Manzini C., Fillipini D., & Montplaisir J. (2008). Comparison of sleep variables between chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, insomnia, periodic leg movements syndrome and control subjects in a clinical sleep medicine practice. Sleep Med. 9(4):352-61. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2007.07.007. Epub 2007 Sep 4. PMID: 17804292.Rostami-Moez M, Masoumi SZ, Otogara M, Farahani F, Alimohammadi S, Oshvandi K. Examining the Health-Related Needs of Females during Menopause: A Systematic Review Study. J Menopausal Med. 2023 Apr;29(1):1-20. doi: 10.6118/jmm.22033. 

### "I sleep deeply and my plantar fasciitis is gone!"  [Lucinda, Australia]

"I came to My Menopause Transformation somewhat jaded and utterly exhausted. Sleep had become a battleground, my body wracked by hot flushes and worries about the weight gain that not even one solid hour of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), a day could shift. No matter what I did, I felt tired beyond measure, and the injuries kept mounting from all that exercise; plantar fascitis, a dodgy knee – as the list got longer, my heart sank further.

That all of this was happening at 43 years of age meant that I felt truly alone.

The only women who understood what I was going through were much older and described menopause as a living hell. When my gorgeous doctor suggested anti-depressants after confirming that, yes, it was menopause at 44, I flat out refused them.

Later, another doctor called me back after a routine blood test to tell me that I had ‘elevated levels’ in my liver, but that it was probably just because I’d had a ‘big night’ before the test.  As someone who’d stopped drinking a few years earlier, this made no sense, and he could offer no other theory.

A young naturopath put me on a low-histamine diet after she discovered my body was chock full of inflammation. As someone who likes to cook and has always eaten a mainly plant-based diet, the high meat-protein, low-carb and hardly-any-vegetable restrictions depressed me. The flushes got worse. I was ready to give up. 

But I started googling one afternoon and MyMT™ kept coming up. I reached out to Wendy, hoping this time things would be different. They were.

To say that Wendy’s program changed my life may sound cliched, but it truly and irrevocably did! 

I began to understand my sleeping issues and made changes that have stuck. I changed how I moved my body, how I viewed exercise and, amazingly, Wendy’s practical advice about plantar fasciitis in her 'Restore your Joyful Joints' module which was, amazingly, part of her programme, cured the problem.

Being able to walk again has been freeing both mentally and physically. I’ve turned around my liver health through what I’ve learned on the program and am losing weight the right way. Utterly life-changing!

Most of all though, it was the loneliness about having gone through menopause earlier than girlfriends and peers that was eased through the incredibly supportive MyMT™ Facebook group and Wendy’s thoughtful, encouraging replies.

As someone who teaches meditation part-time, I feel as though I am, finally, calm and back in control. When I completed Wendy's Transform Me programme, I immediately signed up for her 12 week exercise programme too.

I’m fitter and more confident in all areas of life.  I now sleep deeply and feel a lot wiser about what works and what doesn’t for my body. All of this makes me a much better teacher as well. I no longer feel exhausted by the slightest of physical tasks and am back to gardening with gusto.

I was out walking this morning and reflected that for some time I'd viewed exercise as a drudge, as this thing that had become too hard for me, but now, after following the programme, I exercise because I enjoy the sights and sounds and smells as well as the feeling of moving.

One of the questions Wendy asked was, "What exercise did you love as a child/adolescent?" and for me, it was bushwalking as a kid, and walking everywhere as a teenager and young adult.

The freedom it allowed and the things I used to notice about the world informed my art as now it does again. I'm even making art again (I have a degree in drawing) and I'm sure that's because of the reduction in inflammation and my improved movement and moods.

The work, care and love that is put into MyMT™ made a huge impact on me. Thank you, Wendy, for a truly transformative experience. I’m so glad I took the leap."  

Lucinda Dodds, Australia.

https://vimeo.com/1003099209

### MyMT™ Education: A PODCAST with Jenna on Menopause, Exercise and Healthy Ageing

I’m often asked about exercise education for women during their menopause transition and Jenna wanted to interview me, because as a women's Health Coach, she found herself, that there is so much confusion out there in menopause-land.This podcast is from her series called Women On Fire®.What exercise to do during the menopause transition is one of the most frequent questions I get asked. There are numerous opinions aren’t there?So, this was the basis of my interview with Jenna. And as I said, in scientific exercise prescription guidelines there are a number of factors that come into the consideration for women in their menopause transition. These include:Whether a woman is sleeping. If not, then she is exercising ‘tired’ and this may lead to further immune system changes.Whether she has a history of exercise and therefore, has good ‘physical literacy’ (movement awareness). This influences exercise frequency, intensity, type and time.What her goals are. If she wants a 6-pack abdominals, then this is very different training and nutrition, compared to wanting to be able to participate in recreational activity such as hiking and skiing for healthy ageing.  What stage of menopause she is in. In peri-menopause, women are still producing oestrogen compared to post-menopause. The stage of menopause has a direct influence on a woman's ability to recover from exercise, hence, why heavy exercisers may increase their risk for fibromyalgia.‘My focus is on women’s healthy ageing’ I told Jenna and the interview explains my position on some of the controversial topics evolving in exercise discussions for midlife and older women.In this episode, we talk about the right type of exercise, lifting weights, how much protein is ideal and is creatine essential for you. I hope you can listen sometime and share it with any women or clients you know who may be interested. 		
			
									Women on Fire Podcast with dr wendy sweet & jenna moore
					
		Despite the well-meaning messages out there, lifting more and more weights, eating more and more protein and taking creatine may not be right for you.It's different strokes for different folks, is my main message to women.It was such a privilege to talk to Jenna about this important topic. Jenna is passionate about supporting women through their experience of perimenopause and post-menopause after being unable to find answers and support with her own rocky journey.A former magazine health and beauty editor, she’s spent the last decade studying and researching menopause and I was so pleased that she found the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course to add to her knowledge in helping other women.Jenna also works with MenoMe®, who sponsor the Women On Fire® podcast and supply evidence-based botanical menopause solutions. Jenna is a member of the International Association of Health Coaches (IAHC) and the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT).Thank you Jenna for the conversation. Don't forget that if you are interested in understanding exercise for women's healthy ageing, then the Rebuild My Fitness program may be right for you. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD/ M.SpLS, B.PhEd/ RN), NZ REPs Exercise Specialist & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicinehttps://youtu.be/yQnCUP1xo3A

### MyMT™ Education: The effect of water on gut health (and menopause symptoms) in midlife.

When you walk around the lake-front of the small town where I live, there is a natural spring.

I became interested in it when I went into menopause. Not because of its aesthetic value, but because it reminded me of the small mountain village in Switzerland, which is home to a source of glacial water that runs down off the towering mountains above and into the troughs in the village.

In previous visits to this alpine village, I thought that the troughs were for animals, but they aren't. The locals drink this water and according to the World Health Organisation, this village has pristine water that is ranked high in it's calcium and magnesium content.

Yes indeed, 1 litre of this water running off the Swiss Alps, delivers around 520mg of calcium per litre. That's half of your client's total calcium intake of 1200mg per day. Drink 2 litres daily and there is their calcium intake done and dusted without a calcium supplement in sight.

With the winter cold here in the south of New Zealand where I live, it's a time when women are reluctant to drink water.

But if your clients want to reduce their brain-fog, anxiety, depression, hot flushes/ flashes and improve their muscle recovery and their gut health as they move through menopause, then I want you, as their Coach/ Practitioner, to remind them why.

And this isn't just because of the natural minerals that they can attain from a good source of spring water, but also because newer research suggests that water is one of the most beneficial nutrients for their changing gut health in menopause.



A multidisciplinary consensus on dehydration in 2019 has opened up the discussion about water intake and levels of dehydration in humans - especially now, that there is greater concern about heat intolerance in many countries as climate change arrives.

The direct measurement of plasma osmolarity (pOsm) is the gold standard for determining dehydration and “Dehydration” is a term which, in clinical use, refers to a deficiency in total body water. But this is hard to define as well as to manage in clinical settings, mentions the report. [Lacey, Corbett et al, 2019].

We all know that water intake is essential for survival.

But what does water intake mean to your clients? How much water do they drink in a day? Do you know? Perhaps they are busy drinking other fluids instead of water, without understanding the impact of these on their symptoms?

The functions of water are needed for the management of all menopause symptoms. This includes your client's metabolism, modulation of normal osmotic pressure, which helps their blood pressure, maintenance of their electrolyte balance, and regulation of body temperature. It is also needed to help reduce brain fog and improve mood.

The brain regulates cognitive performance and mood, and water accounts for approximately 75% of brain mass. [Zhang et al, 2019].

Newer research also suggests it is important for your client's gut health too. 

Whilst we all know that we should be drinking enough water to remain cool (around 2L daily), did you know that the type and quality of water also affects the gut microbiome of your midlife and older clients' as well?

No, nor did I. 


Effects of Water Intake on the Gut Microbiome
The effect of drinking water on the gut microbiome is poorly understood mentions a study exploring the associations of plain drinking water source and intake with gut and oral microbiota compositions in a population-based cohort. (Vanhaecke, Britten et al, 2022).

Factors such as lifestyle and diet are now widely recognized as key drivers of gut and oral microbiome compositions, so it was interesting that this new study was one of the first times that water quality, amount and type had been positioned in gut health research and microbiota composition.

The researchers set out to explore plain drinking water source and intake with the composition of the gut and oral microbiota in a large cohort of self-selected participants, some from the US Gut Health Project and others from the United Kingdom.

Water is the main component of the body and represents approximately 76% of muscle mass, so for women entering menopause and for those of your clients in post-menopause, their water intake and quality matters to their ongoing health and symptoms.

We all know that drinking water comes from various origins - albeit these days, primarily via plastic bottles or boxes purchased at the supermarket! But what type of water (tap-water, well-water, filtered water or bottled water) is best for our gut microbiota? This is what this study attempted to explore.

Tap water is obviously subjected to different treatments before its consumption.

Whereas natural mineral water, spring water, and well water, such as in the village where I live and in the Swiss mountain village where I visit occasionally, comes from groundwater, tap water originates either from surface water or from groundwater, but undergoes various treatments depending on government and community requirements and regulations.

Common treatments control the chemical and mineral composition in tap water.

As the authors mentioned, "consumed in large amounts on a daily basis, drinking water may be considered a potential source of microbial gut diversity" (p. 172).

And for women going into and through menopause, their gut diversity matters, because the health of the gut and the gut microbiome influences sleep, temperature regulation, brain fog, anxiety and depression - all symptoms which frustrate numerous women during their menopause transition.



Whilst this new research focused on both men and women, 56% of subjects who qualified for the study were mid-life women.

That's what piqued my interest in it as well as the fact that this study was perhaps the first to specifically explore the links between drinking water consumption, in terms of both origin and amount consumed, and the microbiota of the digestive tract independently of a wide range of confounding factors (demographics, lifestyle, and diet) in a large sample of the general population.

So, what did the study find? 

 	Drinking water source was among the major contributing factors to the variation in gut microbiota composition.
 	Subjects drinking mostly well water had higher microbiota and diversity than the groups drinking either bottled, tap, or filtered water. This higher diversity is beneficial to gut health.
 	The amount of water drunk was also associated with differences in gut microbiota composition between participants who consumed low and high amounts of drinking water. Participants who ranked as low water drinkers (less than 1L daily) were found to have poorer gut microbiome diversity.

Lower gut bacterial diversity, has consistently been associated with impaired gut health and lifestyle diseases. When the gut microbial community has greater diversity, the immune system may be more resilient and robust against environmental influences.

Hence, higher diversity appears a hallmark of healthy gut microbiomes and the researchers concluded that yes indeed, where we source our water from and how much we drink may be an important influence on gut health, which in turn affects the mental health, brain-fog and cognition of women in menopause, via the gut-brain axis.



With many women I come across in my own programmes, telling me that they have experienced long covid symptoms, which interestingly, have similarities to menopause symptoms, it's important to also check this with your clients and move them to a Gut Health Specialist, if this is not in your Scope of Practice.

A growing body of evidence has also implicated the gut microbiome—the trillions of  bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that inhabit the digestive tract—in both covid severity and long covid recovery. [BMJ, 25/01/2022]  

Long COVID has emerged as affecting the health of people through changes to their microbiota as the microbiota is now known to modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses. [Álvarez-Santacruz et al., 2024].
So, no matter which hemisphere you live in, with the variety of climate changes, this article is your reminder that in order to help your client's menopause symptoms and their changing gut health, one of your coaching goals is to discuss their water intake with them - and according to this research, preferably water sourced underground from a well.
If you haven't explored the certified MyMT™ Education courses which focus you on women in their menopause transition, I hope you can visit the Education page of the My Menopause Transformation website. For those of you interested in the 12 week Practitioner course, then my video about this is below.
You can also get in touch with the Course Convenor, Georgia, on georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com. She has the answers to your questions about the courses.
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 
https://vimeo.com/974153794

References:

Álvarez-Santacruz C, Tyrkalska SD, Candel S. The Microbiota in Long COVID. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Jan 22;25(2):1330. doi: 10.3390/ijms25021330.

Daniels MC, Popkin BM. Impact of water intake on energy intake and weight status: a systematic review. Nutr Rev. 2010 Sep;68(9):505-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00311.x.

Krause EG, de Kloet AD, Flak JN, Smeltzer MD, Solomon MB, Evanson NK, Woods SC, Sakai RR, Herman JP. Hydration state controls stress responsiveness and social behavior. J Neurosci. 2011 Apr 6;31(14):5470-6.

Lacey J, Corbett J, Forni L, Hooper L, Hughes F, Minto G, Moss C, Price S, Whyte G, Woodcock T, Mythen M, Montgomery H. A multidisciplinary consensus on dehydration: definitions, diagnostic methods and clinical implications. Ann Med. 2019 May-Jun;51(3-4):232-251. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2019.1628352.

Vanhaecke, T., Bretin, O., Poirel, M. & Tap, J. (2022). Drinking Water Source and Intake Are Associated with Distinct Gut Microbiota Signatures in US and UK Populations, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 152, Issue 1, January 2022, Pages 171–182.

### MyMT™ Education: Gut Health and Menopause Gluten Sensitivity – unpacking your client’s fatigue.

Menopause Gluten Sensitivity & Fatigue Fatigue management has been the topic of my posts this week in my private coaching group for Health and Exercise Practitioners who are on one of my courses. It’s so great to read the discussions in this group and to help Practitioners understand many of the lifestyle solutions that can make such a difference to their clients and help them attract more clients with the results they are getting!After pioneering the personal training industry for global fitness giant, Les Mills, many years ago, I know the power of ‘getting results’ with clients and how much this influences business growth through ‘word-of-mouth’ marketing.Fatigue management in menopause is an important topic. Not only do I know this after having over 16,000 women do my menopause transformation online programmes over the years, but because the data from the MyMT™ Symptom Quiz, from over 500,000 women globally tell me too. 83% of these women mention that they feel ‘continuously fatigued’ – for many, this is despite taking HRT.Many women arrive in their menopause transition exhausted and not sleeping, and wonder why, they are struggling through each and every day. I'm sure you may be noticing this with your clients as well. 		
																														
		How to help clients reduce their fatigue is crucial knowledge for all health and exercise Practitioners to have. To me, this is one of the most fundamental lifestyle interventions that we can support our clients in addressing. Research backs up my own data too.‘Of symptoms experienced by women over the course of the menopausal transition (MT), fatigue is clinically significant … and is one of the most common and distressing symptoms associated with menopause. In a cross-sectional study of 300 women, 85.3% of post-menopausal women and 46.5% of peri-menopausal women reported symptoms of physical and mental exhaustion compared to just 19.7% of the pre-menopausal women. There may be financial consequences for midlife women experiencing fatigue’. [Taylor-Swanson et al., 2018].I’m sure that trying to cope with their fatigue also causes many women to go on various supplements, many of which may not be evidenced for the menopause transition.However, many of them may not understand that their gut health is changing as are inflammatory changes around the body. Hence, they may not tend not to look at their diet or causes of their exhaustion.There are a number of factors which impact fatigue during the menopause syndrome. These factors include high stress levels (which also impacts gut health in women), poor sleep, over-exercising, poor diet, as well as changing liver health and gut health. For millions of women, menopause is also a time when they may experience changes to their gut health, including a condition known as Leaky Gut Syndrome. This is an inflammatory condition which impacts nutrient absorption and immune function.Leaky gut syndrome is an inflammatory disease of the gut lining and occurs due to increased intestinal permeability. This allows for the passage of microbial and dietary antigens across the epithelial layer into the lamina propria and into the blood-stream.Intestinal permeability is a measure of the barrier function of the gut. With the rise in Irritable Bowel Syndrome in midlife and older women, researchers have found that inflammation can be exacerbated when intestinal permeability of the gut wall becomes dysregulated. In some of your clients, this may be because they have developed an intolerance or sensitivity to certain proteins in wheat. There are 2 proteins called gliadin and glutenin and are known as Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA). The highest WGA concentrations are found in wheat germ. (de Punder & Pruimboom, 2013). These proteins also comprise 'glutens' in starch, wheat, rye and barley. Gluten, is derived from the Latin gluten for “glue,” so, as you can imagine, this 'glue' adheres to tiny microvilli in the gut wall, thus building up over time, preventing nutrients being absorbed. These wheat agglutinins also contribute to inflammation if levels are high enough, or if women have a diagnosed Coeliac Disease.Wheat agglutinins initiate intestinal permeability through the release of zonulin. This protein is a biomarker of the intestinal barrier integrity of the small intestine. It reverses the integrity of the gut wall, enabling gliadin and other dietary and microbial antigens, to give rise to inflammation in the gut wall.If your clients are experiencing bloating, IBS or gut discomfort after eating wheat products, then with the changes to the gut wall during menopause as oestrogen levels decline, they may have developed menopause gluten sensitivity.As such, a vicious cycle is created in which, as a consequence of the persistent presence of pro-inflammatory mediators, intestinal permeability of harmful substances may increase even further. This means your clients may feel tired, or they can't recover from exercise, and their immune health begins to change, including worsening of hot flushes ... despite HRT. 		
																														
		Wheat Grain, Gluten and DiseaseA gluten-free diet has been investigated as a treatment option for other medical conditions, and not just for Coeliac Disease. With the recognition that gluten may be pro-inflammatory in many individuals, there has been interest in dietary changes that reduce or remove gluten, in order to treat other medical conditions - these include: Certain forms of dermatitisIrritable Bowel SyndromeSome neurologic disorders such as Multiple SclerosisRheumatoid arthritisDiabetes mellitus and Fibromyalgia. One of the strategies is to explore whether your client can reduce their fatigue and gut inflammation, by restricting some (but not all) gluten in their diet. I’m not talking about coeliac disease, whereby patients have a diagnosed intolerance to gluten and must remove it, but instead, just to reduce the gluten load on their gut lining for a minimum of 6 weeks. Hence, your clients may like to try removing wheat, rye and barley which are known to contain gluten. In contrast however, oats are derived from a different tribe and do not contain pure gluten (Punder & Pruimboom, 2013), so they may be fine with oats, especially organic oats, and to soak them in water overnight to improve the digestibility of them. 		
																														
		What is a GLUTEN Restricted Diet?Reports of gluten sensitivity without Coeliac Disease date to 1978 mentions El-Chammas and Danner (2011) when discussing a gluten-free diet when Coeliac Disease is not present.It was back then, that an adult female patient who had normal small bowel biopsies and whose chronic diarrhoea improved within days of beginning a gluten-free diet, was described in medical journals.Over the decades the concept of gluten sensitivity has gained momentum with insights about improvements in some auto-immune diseases and gut health problems, when wheat products containing gluten have been reduced or removed from the diet. When describing gluten sensitivity, El-Chammas and Danner (2011), mention the “modern” definition of gluten sensitivity, being,a “state of heightened immunological responsiveness to ingested gluten in genetically-predisposed individuals". This heightened responsiveness is expressed in organs other than the Gastro-intestinal tract. From this increased awareness about gluten, there has been an increasing focus on a 'gluten-free diet' over the years too. Some of your clients may already be on this type of diet.A Gluten-free Diet is different from a gluten-restricted diet. When going Gluten Free, this is defined, as a diet completely free of ingredients derived from gluten containing cereals - wheat (including Kamut and spelt), barley (including malts), rye, and triticale, as well as gluten-containing food additives (in the form of flavouring, stabilizing agents, or thickening agents) and foods contaminated with gluten-containing products (such as non-organic oats).As such, an important strategy for you to consider in your coaching practice, is to help women to read food labels.Fatigue management in your midlife clients can't be under-estimated. It's an important issue to consider when exploring your client's symptoms.As Practitioners, we must also remember that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a distinctive syndrome characterized by prolonged fatigue in combination with typical symptoms such as muscle and joint pain, or headaches, tender lymph nodes, recurrent sore throat, significant problems with cognition and concentration, memory, and sleep, and chronic muscle aches and pains after physical activity. (Bjørklund et al, 2019).Many of these symptoms overlap with menopause symptoms, so getting your clients to take them seriously and see their Doctor is also important too. When we become aware of the crucial impact of fatigue on the quality of life of women in their menopause transition, we can support them in ways that help them to take back control ... and for many, this may include getting a Coeliac test, or just reducing their gluten load, so that nutrients which support their energy, such as the B-vitamins and Vitamin D, can become better absorbed. On a final note, we must also remember that wheat and rye are important sources of carbohydrates, especially for women's heart health as they age. In their paper exploring gluten and wheat in women's health, Manza et al, (2024) argue that,'women have always been exposed, more than men, to higher social pressure related to nutritional behaviors and greater engagement in controlling body weight.Hence, they suggest that, 'since the rise of awareness of gluten/wheat-related disorders in the academic and clinical field in the last few decades, misinformation regarding the gluten-free diet (GFD) and its impact on health has been spreading among the general population, however It's a phenomenon that I've seen too and in my own programmes, unless women are diagnosed as Coeliac, I try to encourage them to reduce gluten load and improve gut health first, but then to return to normal ways of eating, which includes some wheat products too.  Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder: MyMT™ Education		
																														
		References: de Punder K, Pruimboom L. The dietary intake of wheat and other cereal grains and their role in inflammation. Nutrients. 2013 Mar 12;5(3):771-87. doi: 10.3390/nu5030771.El-Chammas K, Danner E. Gluten-free diet in nonceliac disease. Nutr Clin Pract. 2011 Jun;26(3):294-9. doi: 10.1177/0884533611405538. Manza F, Lungaro L, Costanzini A, Caputo F, Volta U, De Giorgio R, Caio G. Gluten and Wheat in Women's Health: Beyond the Gut. Nutrients. 2024 Jan 22;16(2):322. doi: 10.3390/nu16020322. Raiteri A, Granito A, Giamperoli A, Catenaro T, Negrini G, Tovoli F. Current guidelines for the management of celiac disease: A systematic review with comparative analysis. World J Gastroenterol. 2022 Jan 7;28(1):154-175. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i1.154.Taylor-Swanson L, Wong AE, Pincus D, Butner JE, Hahn-Holbrook J, Koithan M, Wann K, Woods NF. The dynamics of stress and fatigue across menopause: attractors, coupling, and resilience. Menopause. 2018 Apr;25(4):380-390. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001025.

### Why are my feet hot and sore? Keeping your plantar ligament pliable in menopause.

With the plantar fascia ligament under the sole of your foot, carrying around 10% to 14% of the total load of the foot and playing a dynamic role in walking, running and jumping, then don't you think that if you're going to continue these activities as you age, you might need to look after it a bit better than you are now?

I never knew that our declining oestrogen plays a role in making our feet feel hot and sore, did you?

The plantar fascia is known as the 'spring ligament' for a reason. It is a strong ligament that runs from your heel to the metatarsal heads in the front of your foot. 

This powerful ligament helps absorb the shock that occurs when your foot contacts the ground - walking, running, jumping, jogging, dancing - whatever you are doing up on your toes, your plantar ligament is helping you to do it. It helps you 'take-off'.

Plantar fasciitis is a relatively common condition in runners, walkers, and many others who spend considerable time on their feet, especially in jumping-type exercise and sports.

Those of you who have hobbled out of bed in the morning, will recognise that plantar fasciitis is characterized by pain at the bottom of the foot in front of the heel.

It's typically worse with the first steps in the morning or after a long period off the feet, prolonged standing, or following hard exercise. The pain may then reduce with movement or warming up.

When I reached my menopause transition, I remember hobbling out of bed every morning because I couldn't walk properly. 

The soles of my feet were tight, painful and my heels often used to ache as well. Following years of teaching aerobics, I knew that the feeling I was experiencing in menopause, was the same as when I was in my 20's. The old condition of plantar fasciitis.

The difference was however, that in my early 50's I hadn't been running, jumping or doing high impact aerobics. I was too exhausted.

Hundreds of dollars later, having paid for orthotics, sports medicine advice and goodness knows how many anti-inflammatories and turmeric supplements, my feet weren't all that better.

It was only when I began to understand that the decline in oestrogen during menopause was the issue and the pain I was feeling, wasn't completely due to plantar fasciitis, but instead, due to the plantar fascia (see in the diagram how broad this is underneath the foot) drying up through loss of oestrogen.



According to New York Podiatrist and 'Foot Doctor', Dr Emily Splitchal, when I heard her at a conference, I needed to strengthen my feet and my plantar ligament as I aged, not make it weaker. Dr Splitchal can be found on You Tube, and her presentation changed my focus towards looking after my feet. They call her the 'The Barefoot Doctor' for a reason.

In my 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme, I talk about Dr Splitchal's work in more depth. I like her rationale for focusing on feet. This made so much sense to me when I heard her at numerous health and exercise science conferences I've been attending over the years. She made me realise that some of my aches and pains in my knees and hips, were coming from the soles of my feet.

This completely opened up my mind to the possibilities of managing my feet better as I age. After-all, it's fascinating that 26 small bones are able to carry our body weight throughout our life. And we don't really focus much on our feet do we?

We often take our feet for granted, but as a new generation of modern women who know the power of staying active as we age, if we are going to continue to hike, walk, ski, jog or dance, then we must do some work on reducing the inflammation in our plantar ligament (and yes, also please see your Physiotherapist if you are having trouble). We have to strengthen our feet so that they are ready to do the work that we want them to do as we get older.

If you have a golf ball and/or a tennis ball in your home, then Dr Splitchal suggests to do some trigger-release work on your plantar ligament daily.

As we move through menopause, our plantar ligament dries up. Some of you will feel it tight and 'knobbly' if you run your thumb down the middle of the sole of your foot. Maybe you can feel some tough fibrous knots in there. I know I used to as well.

The goal with trigger-release work on the plantar ligament at the bottom of your feet, is just to press down gently on the spots that Dr Splitchal indicates on the diagram. Work around in that order. It's just a 5-Minute Foot Release you can do in the morning and evening.



When you do, you will be stimulating the small muscles of the foot to receive signals again from the fascia. We lose this mechanism, not only due to all the activity that we do or we have done in the past, but also due to the hormonal changes in menopause and acquiring inflammation with age.

This is just one way you can help to prevent plantar fasciitis or treat it if you already have discomfort under the sole of your foot. But this isn't to replace getting it checked out with your physio too.

Our menopause transition can cause numerous changes in our ability to stay mobile, and I cover all this in my 12 week programmes.

Is MyMT™ for you? I hope so!

If you are struggling with your mid-life weight, health or symptoms, then come on board if you can into my 12 week online Transform Me programme.

There is never a better time to start, but if you are hesitating, then I recommend you complete the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, watch the MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause, go to the Testimonials and Success Stories on the MyMT™ website and find someone like you to read their story.

MyMT™ 12 week programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, with monthly part-payments but please do check out the MyMT website to be alerted to any promotional offers.

Or as a starting point, you can purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause. This is only NZ$15 (approx.  AUS$14 or UK£7.5 or US$8).  I hope you can join me in this powerful 2-part webinar which has been recently updated.

The great news is that now you can watch it anytime, anywhere and even pause it whenever you like and go and make yourself a cuppa too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ REPS registered Exercise Specialist (New Zealand)


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References: 

Menigoz W, Latz TT, Ely RA, Kamei C, Melvin G, Sinatra D. Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations. Explore (NY). 2020 May-Jun;16(3):152-160. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2019.10.005.

Wilke J, Macchi V, De Caro R, Stecco C. Fascia thickness, aging and flexibility: is there an association? J Anat. 2019 Jan;234(1):43-49. doi: 10.1111/joa.12902.

Wright VJ, Schwartzman JD, Itinoche R, Wittstein J. The musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. Climacteric. 2024 Jul 30:1-7. doi: 10.1080/13697137.2024.2380363.

### Lost your Libido? - Let's go looking for it then.

It might be the week of romance with Valentine's day this week, but I'm not thinking about all of the young lovers out there.... I'm thinking of all of you going into and through menopause. Because this is the time of life when women the world over find that their reducing oestrogen levels can cause them to lose their libido too. There's never a topic that get's so many of the MyMT™ women more engaged than libido! It seems that as soon as one woman mentions it in my private coaching group, a flood of comments pour in. I'm not surprised. When my own libido went west during peri-menopause, I just put it down to exhaustion. Crawling into bed at night was simply a mission to get to sleep, more than any other activity! There are so many challenges for women during their menopause transition and for many, a declining libido is just another one of these challenges. I think this image supplied with permission from the wonderful Christchurch artist, Kirsty Collett from Prickle and Pop artwork depicts how so many of us feel when menopause hormonal changes chase away the libido we used to have for years. I love Kirsty's humour too.There's good reason why so many women lose their libido during mid-life hormonal changes and when so many of the women on the MyMT programmes asked me about declining libido in menopause, I headed for the research articles as I always do, in order to keep us all in the loop about yet another symptom in menopause. There are some fabulous specialists in this area, so if you are concerned about your changing libido or you are having pain during sex, then please be aware that your vulval area is thinning as you lose oestrogen. So, just be aware that there are wonderful menopause medical specialists wherever you live in the world whom you can seek out medical or health support from if you need to as well.What's going on with my libido? There are plenty of women who are struggling with numerous symptoms in menopause, not just a lowering libido, and when it comes to our age and stage of life during menopause, we have a lot going on in our lives. You name it - anxiety, feeling time-poor, worried about all sorts of things from teens to ageing parents, work-concerns, let alone all the physiological changes that occur as our hormonal changes send us into the next stage of our life. It's tough and yes, all of this combination of stress can affect our libido too. When we feel exhausted from not sleeping, increased inflammation as well as everything going on in our lives that is affecting our stress levels, then it's no surprise that physical and mental exhaustion affect our libido. But there are other reasons as well, and it's partly to do with increasing cortisol levels. Cortisol is a powerful stress hormone that can build up over time in our body. Higher cortisol levels inhibit sexual arousal. I talk a lot about cortisol management in the MyMT™ programmes, because it doesn't just affect libido when it's higher than normal. It affects your sleep, moods, food cravings, exercise recovery, hot flushes and your immune system too.So, the first message is, that you need to relax and unwind and learn how to turn around your sleep, anxiety and hot flushes. All of these are stressors that arrive in mid-life and have an affect on your libido too.Testosterone is the hormone of your libido.Oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone are all known as hormones of sexual desire and functioning and they have been helping you with your menstrual cycle for decades. The powerful connection between all of these hormones and your lifestyle, means that your libido has been fluctuating since you reached puberty. Although your reproductive hormones are classified as steroids, they act as chemical messengers in your body too. This means that your reproductive hormones do not act in isolation - they also send powerful signals to other hormones in your body to either increase or decrease production. These 'other' hormones include your thyroid, pituitary and adrenal hormones. They all 'talk' to each other, which means that when we aren't sleeping, or have low thyroid function or we are feeling stressed, or we aren't getting the nutrients that our body needs as we age, then these factors impact on our libido too. All hormones are affected by your changing oestrogen and progesterone levels in menopause - there is a powerful connection between your pituitary, thyroid and adrenal hormones and your reproductive hormones including testosterone.Steroid hormones help to control the following functions in the body:Your metabolismInflammation levelsYour immunitySalt and water balanceSexual characteristicsBone and muscle densityFemales do produce some testosterone in the ovaries but what comes as a surprise to many women on the MyMT programmes, is that testosterone is excreted from ovaries (if women still have them) during post-menopause too. Some testosterone is also produced by your adrenal glands. But don't worry - you won't meet the amount of testosterone that males produce. This is around 7 times greater than women, because men use testosterone daily to help in muscle repair, immune health, bone density, reproductive function etc,  - in fact, they need as much as 20 times greater testosterone compared to females - even more if they are weight training and growing muscle or are athletes.One of the most important things that we need to remember is that our hormones are always trying to balance each other out. Every hour of every day, our hormones are adjusting to maintain our metabolism.  One of these hormones is testosterone.For many women who are busy and exhausted and not sleeping, or for those who are losing muscle tone and size, or conversesly, for women who are doing too much exercise, then cortisol levels can be higher than normal. This also affects the levels of testosterone, which can then take a dive as we go into peri-menopause. Cortisol levels should be high in the morning and low at night. If your testosterone is low going into peri-menopause in your late 40's (and this can happen when you feel physically and mentally exhausted and cortisol is high) then as you move into menopause in your early 50's, testosterone levels can drop even further.One of the outcomes might be that your libido dives. But if you have been sleeping well, staying active for your health, maintaining a healthy weight and doing some weights and eating a healthy diet that has enough hormone-making fats - which are all known to be 'testosterone-friendly' strategies - before you went into peri-menopause, then your testosterone levels may not take so much of a dive and your libido might just stay intact.How can we boost Testosterone and lower our cortisol levels?MyMT™ is a lifestyle-solutions programme just for women in menopause that I have researched out of my women's healthy ageing studies, so here are some hormone balancing solutions for you. [Please note, that if you are looking at alternative interventions such as hormone medications to boost libido (and yes, there are now testosterone treatments) then please see your Doctor].Focus on your Food: Testosterone in both males and females is made from cholesterol in the adrenal glands. That’s why scientists are now changing their tune about the relevance of cholesterol in the diet although women with high cholesterol still have some risk for changing heart health, so caution with dietary cholesterol from animal products is still important. Cholesterol helps to make your hormones. This means the right fats are needed to help our hormonal health as we get older. Fats break down to cholesterol as well as help to carry important fat-soluble vitamins that help in the production of hormones. One of the most important hormones for helping boost our immune health and helping us feel better is Vitamin D (and yes, this is now recognised as a hormone!).Get your Sleep Sorted. If you are exhausted and experiencing numerous hot flushes, especially in the evening, then perhaps the last thing you want to do is to share your bed with a partner! As the women on the MyMT programmes discover, our normal circadian 24 hour cycle means that we accumulate heat in the evening. This increases our blood pressure, heart rate and thyroid activity before bedtime, so often women either feel hot before going to bed, or they heat up overnight causing night sweats and throwing off the bed-covers the most important night-time activity. Heat accumulation in the evening also increases your cortisol levels. Then these high cortisol levels compete with your sleep hormone, called melatonin. This is why I teach women how to lower their blood pressure, heart rate and temperature before bedtime, with deep-breathing strategies and changes to the type and timing of their food in the evening. The importance of re-learning how to sleep all night during menopause is more important than anything else women do.  A good night's sleep can be sabotaged in menopause from hot flushes, night sweats, worry, anxiety and of course low oestrogen production. But as so many of the MyMT women discover, when you sleep, you have more energy and your moods return to normal too. Those factors are the foundation for an improved libido as well.Keep your stress hormones down.  Stress has many benefits to the body but as we transition menopause, both emotional and physical stress can send us into more hormonal chaos. If you are always busy, feeling stressed and doing too much exercise, especially cardio, and you aren't sleeping, then you are increasing a chronic stress hormone called cortisol. I talk about this hormone a lot in the MyMT programmes, because when cortisol levels are higher than normal, then this prevents your adrenal glands turning cholesterol into testosterone. The reason this happens is that cholesterol is being used to make more cortisol, rather than progesterone or testosterone. By night time, the cholesterol is all used up making and maintaining cortisol, so your testosterone levels remain low, as you crawl into bed exhausted.A healthy LIVER is critical to your libido. This is because some of the synthesis or manufacturing of all of your steroid hormones, including testosterone occurs in the liver. It's why, one of the most important modules in the MyMT programme focuses women on turning around their liver health. If you are overweight, then this module is equally important. It takes 6 weeks to renew and repair the liver, but the great news is that it is one of the only organs that is capable of repairing as we age. In fact if we are feeling exhausted during menopause, then this is often because our liver isn't working as optimally as it should and we aren't absorbing our B-Vitamins, or getting rid of toxins, including excess oestrogens in our diet, as readily as we could be. Women who have high levels of oestrogen stored in fat cells can become oestrogen dominant in comparison to progesterone and this dominance of oestrogen can lower testosterone levels too. If you are overweight, then it's important to lose your menopause weight. Increase your water intake. Steroid hormones, including Testosterone, are transported through the blood stream by being bound to carrier proteins in your plasma. These carrier proteins are formed from good quality fats and cholesterol in your diet but water intake is equally important to help plasma production.Too much ALCOHOL decreases testosterone production. The enzyme in alcohol (Aromatase), is used to convert testosterone to oestrogen. The more you drink, the more testosterone you lose.Xeno-Oestrogens in the environment also decrease testosterone levels. These are the types of artificial substances that get into your body and mimic oestrogen. Plastics are an example of xeno-oestrogens. The higher the oestrogen levels in your body, the lower your testosterone levels.Poor Thyroid function (hypo-thyroidism) reduces your testosterone levels.  Low thyroid may be because you are deficient in iodine, so ensure you have enough iodine in your diet. This powerful mineral feeds your thyroid. Low carbohydrate diets also contribute to poor thyroid function, which is why the nutrition programme that I have for women in the 12 week online programmes are specific to our needs in menopause. The type of carbohydrate that we eat, especially resistant starches, help to maintain healthy thyroid function. It's why I encourage many of you busy, active girls, to eat more plant-starch during the day.Your BRAIN HORMONES help to maintain a balance of testosterone too. Your brain hormones also decline in menopause and these are called serotonin and dopamine. We have to learn how to produce these naturally, otherwise we can begin to feel depressed and our libido drops too.When we go into peri-menopause, we are still at the mercy of our menstrual cycle. This means that our sexual desire ebbs and flows too. In the first half of our cycle, peaking at ovulation, we are the most fertile which increases our libido. During the second half of the cycle, the egg is no longer viable and our interest in sex wanes, as does our natural lubrication. So yes, timing is everything when it comes to our libido. [I've also come across the fabulous feminine balm from New Zealand Herbalist, Georgina Langdale from Archeus Nature-Based Wellness, if you are looking at improved lubrication 'down there'.  Her website link is here. ]Are you too thin? Low body weight can also lower testosterone production.  With low body fat, excess exercise, poor sleep and inadequate caloric intake, your body detects starvation.  One of your gut hormones called Leptin, plummets, causing the hypothalamus to think that you are in starvation mode. Without leptin, the entire pituitary sex hormone cascade is not enacted.  No Luteinising Hormone (LH), no Testosterone, no Oestrogen, no Prolactin, no Progesterone. This is why adequate body fat levels are unquestionably crucial for all reproductive function.  Some of you will have entered into peri-menopause with very low body fat, meaning that already your Testosterone levels are at rock bottom. Libido goes more quickly.RESISTANCE training boosts your testosterone levels, but those women with naturally high testosterone (usually larger women who are strong and develop muscle very easily), need a little bit more cardio and calming exercise, rather than lots of weight training.  Whilst alcohol and many medications can blunt your libido, the great news is that the right exercise can stimulate your libido. Not too much and not too little. I have lots of different exercise programmes which are all online, for you to boost your mid-life fitness, muscle strength and tone up tired muscles in the brand new ‘Re-Build My Fitness’ programme. Another important module I have in this programme is for those of you who need to strengthen your core and pelvic floor. As we lose oestrogen our pelvic floor muscles sag and sink and they need extra effort as we get older. Many MyMT women go on to do this programme after they have completed either the symptom-reduction programme called 'Circuit-Breaker' or the menopause weight loss programme called, 'Transform Me' but it is also a 'stand-alone' programme.My aim is for all women to get back into healthy levels of exercise.your levels of exercise, once you are sleeping all night and have learnt how to stay on top of your energy levels. Growing muscle stimulates the need for more testosterone. But you can only build muscle, when you understand how to manage your sleep, nutrition, hot flushes, rest and recovery cycles - all of which the online, 12 week MyMT symptom reduction programmes teach you.Understand that your body is ageing and help your partner to understand this too. Fighting ageing has become a well-established endeavour. My computer is full of research articles which position 'resisting ageing' in the physical, medical and social sciences. For many years, menopause has been heavily medicalised and positioned mainly in the biological sciences. However, more and more research is being positioned in the social sciences about this life-stage. I love this research, because much of it brings women's voices and lived experience to the fore. There are numerous cultures around the world whereby women make better sense of the complex relationship that we have with our bodies at this time of life. For example, Margaret Lock (1998) noticed that Japanese women had a social, psychological and biological experience of menopause which contrasted remarkably with that of North American women. The Japanese women whom Lock interviewed identified other events that were significant to them as they passed through menopause. Few mentioned the bio-physical symptoms such as hot flushes and lowering libido, but many mentioned the changing relationship with their children, house moves, as well as the significance of approaching a different time of life where ageing is revered in this culture. Lock noted that 'Menopause' itself is a term that is largely a western, medical name but has social, cultural and geographical variations.Our menopause transition is a challenging time of our lives - I know it was for me too. But when you understand that your body is going through numerous changes not only relating to its biology, but also psychologically, as you step into the next phase of your life, then you can use the right strategies to not only alleviate your symptoms, but also to embrace the years ahead with pleasure and enjoyment too.Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Creator & CoachReferences:Gullette, M. (2011). Agewise: Fighting the new ageism in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Holland, J. (2015). Moody Bitches. London, UK: Thorsons Publ.Lock, M. (1998). Anomalous ageing: Managing the post-menopausal body. Body and Society, 4, 35-61

### Carbs to eat for better sleep. Research for women in menopause.

It was just over a decade ago, that one of the largest sleep studies was conducted in Australia by the Sleep Foundation.

Modeled on the large Sleep in America study at the time, the results illustrated that a considerable proportion of Australians (especially older women), reported frequent sleeping difficulties.

These issues ranged from frequent waking during the night, waking unrefreshed and inadequate sleep. Daytime sleepiness, fatigue/exhaustion, memory concerns and irritability were common issues. [Hillman & Lack, 2013].

If I had of completed this survey at the time, I know that I would have reported on those sleep issues too. But it's all very well having the research isn't it, which serves to explain how deprived of sleep that we can get, especially as we move through menopause? What we really want to know is what to do about it.

It may be that menopause HRT may help as do other medications, and I always encourage women to explore this option with their Doctor, but there are also other things we can do too - this includes thinking about the effect of our nutrition on our sleep.

We all know how important sleep is to our feelings of wellbeing don't we?
But sleep also helps to regulate metabolism. And a healthy metabolism helps you with the management of your menopause symptoms and your weight, if this is concerning to you.
The term 'metabolism' is defined as the whole range of biochemical processes that occur within a living organism. It constitutes the two processes of anabolism (healing and building, e.g. of muscles) and catabolism (tissue break down). In simpler terms, metabolism is the amount of energy (calories) the body burns to maintain itself.

Not sleeping night after night messes up your metabolism.

This means that overnight, if you aren't sleeping, your body remains in a catabolic (breakdown) state, rather than an anabolic (healing) state.

Part of this is to do with higher cortisol levels (one of our stress hormones) and blood pressure overnight and the subsequent changes that remaining in a catabolic state causes to your appetite centre in your brain overnight.

As such, there is a known link between the brain and changes to your gut hormones, called leptin and grehlin. These hormones control hunger and satiety, or fullness to help keep your metabolism in balance. 



Subsequently, when these hormones are out of balance, research suggests that your eating behaviours may be erratic during the day, including your energy levels.

Sleep deprivation changes eating behaviours. Research suggests that subjects who don't sleep well prefer high carbohydrate foods (sweets, salty food and simple, starchy foods).

Craving for salty and or sweet foods has been known to increase up to 45% in some participants who feel sleep deprived. (Sharma & Kavaru, 2010). This may indicate that our food intake is driven by emotional and psychological need when we don't sleep, rather than by the caloric needs of the body. For women in their menopause transition this is another link to potential weight gain as I found myself.

Sleeping all night is more important than we think, but so too, is controlling our food cravings.

How do women control food cravings to enable us to sleep better? This is often the dilemma and in this article, I want you to understand the carbs you need for better sleep.

Your brain requires glucose and needs these nutrients to help to calm it overnight, thereby helping you to sleep.



New Research suggests certain types of carbohydrates are risk factors for poor sleep in menopausal women.

A vast amount of research indicates that all aspects of sleep are inextricably linked with the brain and that the brain does not work properly without sleep. Thus, sleep is described briefly and clearly as follows: sleep is of the brain, by the brain, and for the brain. [Kanda, Tsujino et al, 2016].

So, what are the foods that our brain needs to help us sleep overnight? It's a curious connection and one that I began to explore when my own sleep, or lack of it, was turning me into an exhausted wreck. 

The relationship between insomnia and diet is an emerging area of interest as sleep disorders gain greater attention in mental and physical health studies.

But very few of these studies have been undertaken on women in menopause and post-menopause, which is why this one caught my eye.

Thousands of menopausal and postmenopausal women who participated in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study reported on their carbohydrate intake and type and their sleep quality and researchers followed them up for 3 years.

The findings support what I teach women on the MyMT™ programmes – that the type of carbohydrates we eat matter to our sleep. And it's all about the Glycemic Index (GI) of the carbs. Those carbohydrate foods with a high Glycemic Index diets may be a risk-factor for insomnia, especially in post-menopausal women.

The large prospective study (Gangwisch, Hale et al, 2019) demonstrated that progressively higher dietary GI was associated with increased insomnia incidence over 3 years. This was after adjusting for demographic, behavioural, lifestyle, psychosocial and medical factors.

I've talked about the GI rating of carbohydrates in my articles before.

The glycemic index (GI) is a physiologically based measure of carbohydrate quality. Professor Jennie Brand-Miller and her team from the University of Sydney, have spent years analysing different types of carbohydrates to see the immediate effect on blood glucose levels. Each carbohydrate has then been given a rating.  Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion are rated with a high GI value (over 50) – this is often processed carbohydrate foods such as snack bars. This means that their blood glucose response is fast and high.  Carbohydrates which break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream have a low GI value (under 50).


That's why I loved this further research from the Women's Health Initiative data, linking the glycemic index of carbohydrates to sleep quality.

The researchers found that added sugars, such as caloric sweeteners not naturally found in foods, typically have higher GIs, hence, the source of a sugar also influences the GI rating.

And that evening fruit juice that you might have each evening before bed, gets a mention too. It's high in GI but if you can eat the fruit instead which of course, has the fibre in it, then this lowers the GI rating which is better for you being able to get off to sleep.

The research reported that out of the 7 most commonly consumed fruits in the United States, only 4 had a low GI rating (<55 on the GI rating scale) that didn't effect sleep as much - these were, apples, strawberries, oranges and peaches.

Ripe bananas and grapes were moderate GI and watermelon has the highest GI in the fruits tested. (Gangwisch, Hale et al, 2019).

If you like to eat something before bedtime, make sure it is a food that is Low GI, which means that food with fibre is better. The higher the fibre content of food and fruits, the better for your sleep.



One of the greatest mistakes made in diets today, is that carbohydrates need to be avoided. 

Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for all of us - but what's more important for women in menopause, is the type of carbohydrate.

I do believe that much of the confusion results because the term ”carbs’ is used for processed foods and foods high in sugar and yes, we have to try and remove these sources of carbohydrates from our diet.

However, fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates too. So, are grains. Hence, understanding that carbohydrates are not created equal is important - they differ in type as well as how they affect your blood sugar and insulin levels.

Women on my 12 week programmes soon learn that when our blood sugar levels are high in the evening, then this releases insulin from the pancreas.

This, in turn, directly impacts the secretion of your sleep hormone, melatonin. Your brain loves glucose and high blood sugar levels cause glucose to cross the blood brain barrier. This competes with the production of melatonin.

For those of you exercising after dinner and/or eating or drinking  high GI carbohydrates late at night, including alcohol, then this is an important point to note - these dietary behaviours can affect your sleep quality and duration, especially if you are in post-menopause.


What about starch? Should we have starch foods before bed?
Starches are complex carbohydrates. But again, all starches are not equal when it comes to the GI rating because it depends on the fibre content they contain.

Sources such as white bread and boiled potatoes have high GIs, whereas other fibre-rich sources including legumes, nuts/seeds, and yams have low GI.

When the researchers explored the data from the Women's Health Initiative study, they examined different types of starches according to fibre content. As such, they found that progressively higher consumption of wholegrains was associated with lower insomnia prevalence and incidence.

Increased vegetable consumption was also associated with with decreased insomnia. 

The 6 most commonly consumed vegetables in America which have low GI ratings are - onions, tomatoes, lettuce (both romaine and leaf lettuce), bell peppers and cucumbers. The most commonly eaten vegetable in America is potatoes, but the researchers noted that with most varieties and methods of cooking, potatoes have a high GI rating.

In finding a plausible mechanism between the GI ratings of foods and the connection with insomnia, the researchers suggest that when we have carbohydrate foods that have high GI ratings (whether at dinner or after dinner), then this increases blood levels of insulin.

Remember that when there is a lot of glucose in our blood, the hormone insulin is released by the pancreas in order to move this glucose to the sites where it is most needed - liver, muscles and of course, our brain.

If blood glucose levels are high, there is a lot of insulin released and as such, glucose is removed from our bloodstream and the result is high insulin and low blood glucose (which is now binding to insulin receptor sites).

Hence, this low blood glucose triggers a compensatory survival response which then lowers brain glucose. This causes stress hormones to increase (adrenaline and cortisol), which interfere with the production and release of our sleep hormone, melatonin.

I think that many of us know the symptoms of low blood and brain glucose and high stress hormones. Especially those of you who might do a lot of exercise and run out of energy at times.

Symptoms include - heart palpitations, tremor, cold sweats, numbness, anxiety, mood swings (especially irritability and anger) and of course, hunger!  

If you recognise any of these symptoms and wonder if it's related to menopause, then I would suggest you also look at your diet too.

It is well known in sleep physiology that high blood sugar levels affect your sleep and poor sleep affects your blood sugar levels. It's a vicious cycle. 

As the amount of sleep decreases, blood sugar increases, escalating the issue, which sends many post-menopausal women heading towards Type 2 diabetes.

It's why I always mention to women in my Masterclass on Menopause, that sleep is more important than exercise for losing menopause fat.

If we aren't sleeping, we aren't losing menopause fat. It's as simple as that. 

Wendy Sweet (PhD) Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References: 

Brand-Miller, J. Foster-Powell, K. & Colagiuri, S. (2002). The Glucose Revolution. University of Sydney: Hodder Print.

Hillman, D. & Lack, L. (2013). Public health implications of sleep loss:
the community burden. MJA 199: S7–S10 doi: 10.5694/mja13.10620

Kanda, T., Tsujino, N., Kuramoto, E. et al. (2016). Sleep as a biological problem: an overview of frontiers in sleep research. J Physiol Sci 66, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12576-015-0414-3

Gangwisch J., Hale, L., St-Onge, MP, Choi, L. et al (2020). High glycemic index and glycemic load diets as risk factors for insomnia: analyses from the Women's Health Initiative, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 111, Issue 2, February 2020, Pages 429–439, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqz275

Siddiqui R, Makhlouf Z, Alharbi AM, Alfahemi H, Khan NA. The Gut Microbiome and Female Health. Biology (Basel). 2022 Nov 21;11(11):1683. doi: 10.3390/biology11111683.

Sharma, S., & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and metabolism: an overview. International journal of endocrinology,  270832. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/270832

St-Onge MP, Roberts A, Shechter A, Choudhury AR. (2016). Fiber and saturated fat are associated with sleep arousals and slow wave sleep. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(1):19–24.

### MyMT™ Education: Women's Healthy Ageing During Menopause - Discover my top-4 strategies

The Women's Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP) is a longitudinal study of over 400 Australian-born women, epidemiologically randomly sampled in 1990. In the early 1990's, researcher Professor Szoeke, became very dis-satisfied with the lack of clinical research on mid-life women. Up until then, most of the research connecting lifestyle behaviors and choices with diseases of ageing, such as cardiovascular disease, had been undertaken on men.Her interest in women's brain health led her towards setting up the first ever Women's Midlife Health Project at the University of Melbourne, Australia.Thirty years on, it is still running, although these days, it's known internationally as the Women's Healthy Ageing Project.I first came across Professor Szoeke's work when I was doing my own doctoral studies on women's health and ageing. Her work was pivotal in helping me understand that when it comes to menopause, not only do our symptoms influence how we might age (positively or negatively), but changing our lifestyle matters more than we think."For women living in western countries", mentioned Professor Szoeke, "the two most relevant diseases of ageing are cardiovascular disease and dementia. Therefore, when we look at how women are ageing, it is important to look at the chronic diseases of ageing. A key secret to maintaining quality of life in ageing, is therefore to adapt to change, making the most of abilities and opportunities." [Szoeke, 2021]I'm often telling women on my own programs that I don't care if they are on various hormonal medications for menopause. Not only because this is between them and their medical Doctor and not me, but because I'm more interested in using evidenced lifestyle solutions to help them turn around their symptoms and move them towards their healthy ageing.Lifestyle solutions for women's healthy ageing, encompass a number of factors - sleep, nutrition, exercise, rest, social connection, restoring underlying injuries, improving mental health and cognition (thinking) and aiming to reduce any inflammatory changes that have developed over the years.When we focus on these factors and women understand how to put these strategies into place during their menopause transition, as Professor Szoeke's Women's Healthy Ageing Project Research suggests, women live another decade longer. 		
																										
		Understanding 'Healthy or Successful Ageing':Your role as a Health Practitioner must have an underlying academic framework from which to work within your particular scope of practice.As I've better understood a women's menopause transition in the context of the health and ageing literature, this has enabled me to consider the midlife menopause transition within the broader context of women's healthy ageing.I hope you can do the same too and I talk a lot about this in the Health Practitioner CPD/CEU 12 week course. In 1997, one of the very first academic papers appeared written by Rowe and Kahn introduced the concept of successful ageing, separating the effects of disease from the process of ageing.Since then, a rapidly growing body of literature has been investigating the components of how people age successfully or healthily. This work has led to the multi-dimensional recognition of the ageing process and a new definition of healthy ageing as by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO defines healthy or active ageing as “the process of optimising opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age."Taking this definition into consideration alongside the current World Health Organisation [WHO] definition of health, which was formulated in 1948, we can see that health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Even as far back as 1948, defining 'health' was an attempt to acknowledge that there are numerous influences and dimensions that affect the health of individuals.Taking both definitions into consideration in light of the health challenges that millions of women experience as they transition menopause is important for us as Health Coaches and Practitioners. It gives us a starting point from which to examine their lifestyle behaviours. Supporting lifestyle behaviour change is what we do, so I have 4 of my top tips for you below so you can help your midlife clients step towards the 'healthy ageing'. 		
																										
		Encourage your clients to allow their body to ADAPT to their  changing hormonal environment in menopause. Whether women are  heading into peri-menopause, or they are already in post-menopause, then the body is naturally reducing it's reliance on reproductive hormones. Whilst your clients may also be on menopause HRT, just remind them that from a life-course perspective, their reproductive cycle is ending! Therefore, for some of your overweight clients, excess oestrogenic compounds from environmental pollutants, food, medications and of course, alcohol, may impact their weight, moods and motivation as they move through menopause. 		
																										
		Turn around Circadian Rhythm. The basis of 'good health' is understanding that your client's sleep matters. Between 7-8 hours of deep restorative sleep is crucial to restoring health as women age. To achieve this requires some adjustments to their exercise and nutrition type,  amount and timing. If they are waking up to hot flushes, night sweats or an over-active bladder, then help them to understand that their lowering oestrogen is affecting the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.This is due to the powerful connection between the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals and ovaries, so managing the HPA-Thyroid Axis balance is important.  		
																										
		3. Reduce the intake of ANIMAL FATS if clients are already overweight or obese during their menopause transition. Oestrogen is a powerful hormone but our fat cells love storing it. Animal fats contain hormones too and may contribute to worsening inflammation in the liver, kidney and joints.  Because ageing itself is inflammatory, as the blood vessels, liver, gallbladder gut, nerves and muscles all experience changes as oestrogen declines, then menopause becomes a vulnerable time for additional inflammatory changes in the liver. 		
																										
		Restore your Sore Joints so you can become active again as you age. Healthy ageing depends on remaining functional and active. We all know this. But how do we help clients turn around their muscle and joint pain, so they can return to activity? That was my dilemma as well. When I learnt that we have oestrogen receptors in our tendons, that also lose the attachment of oestrogen, I discovered powerful strategies from the joint-health research that allow our joints to feel healthy again.I now have an entire module about this in my two menopause transformation programmes. One of these strategies is to use cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil instead of all the various other oils that are frequently marketed to women, e.g. coconut oil, soybean oil, canola oil etc. Sarah, who is an Affiliate Practitioner and a Physiotherapist in Perth, Australia now better understands the impact of this for her female clients presenting to her with painful joints during their menopause transition! 		
																										
		We already know from the health of the first cohort of Baby-boomers to reach their older-age, (those women over 65 years currently, that many health challenges of ageing are due to the accumulation of inflammation in cells and tissues.That's why mid-life is an important time for women to take back control and you can help them so much with this.  One of the most powerful strategies in lifestyle behaviour change, is the effect of a knowledgable coach. When women lose the effect of their reproductive hormones, it means they have to make some adjustments to their lifestyle. However, many, as you know are busy, tired and confused, so they give up easily! That's why, whatever your scope of practice I have a variety of courses for you to dip into so that you better understand how to coach your clients through this amazing life-stage. I hope you can join me and Course Convenor, Georgia, sometime. Start by exploring the MyMT™ Education pages HERE. You get beautiful e-books in too which are full of the articles and scientific evidence I know you will enjoy reading.When you undertake a course, you also get to come into my private coaching community for Practitioners and Coaches, so you can also ask your questions in there and feel supported. Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society.		
																										
		References: Chalise, Hom Nath et al (2023). Healthy Ageing: A Basic Concept. Asian Journal of Population Sciences (2), 124 - 128Hoga L, Rodolpho J, Gonçalves B, Quirino B. Women's experience of menopause: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2015 Sep 16;13(8):250-337. Menassa M., Stronks K., Khatmi F., Roa Díaz Z., Espinola O., Gamba M., Itodo O., Buttia C, Wehrli F., Minder B., Velarde M., Franco O.. Concepts and definitions of healthy ageing: a systematic review and synthesis of theoretical models. EClinicalMedicine. 2023 Jan 12;56:101821. Rowe, J. & Kahn, J. Successful Aging, The Gerontologist, Volume 37, Issue 4, August 1997, Pages 433–440, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/37.4.433Szoeke C, Coulson M, Campbell S, Dennerstein L; WHAP Investigators. Cohort profile: Women's Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP) - a longitudinal prospective study of Australian women since 1990. Womens Midlife Health. 2016 Oct 4;2:5. doi: 10.1186/s40695-016-0018-y. Szoeke CE, Robertson JS, Rowe CC, Yates P, Campbell K, Masters CL, Ames D, Dennerstein L, Desmond P. The Women's Healthy Ageing Project: fertile ground for investigation of healthy participants 'at risk' for dementia. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2013 Dec;25(6):726-37.

### Your ageing arteries during menopause and the magic of magnesium.

Women's health and ageing research is replete with cardiovascular disease studies and there's a reason for this. The declining health of our mother's generation have paved the way for this type of research in older women.

For many women, menopause is the start of their changing heart health ... but unlike our mother's generation, researchers now know, that it doesn’t have to be this way.

Menopause is the time of our lives when we are most at risk of high blood pressure and changing heart health and researchers now understand that our mid-life years are the time to change how we look after ourselves. Otherwise, hot flushes, poor sleep and aching joints continue into the post-menopause years.

With women’s death rate from heart disease in America nearly eight times higher than death rates from cancer and New Zealand, Australia and the UK leading the world in heart disease incidence, increasing evidence indicates that hormonal changes in menopause may also be involved (Maas, 2020).

Over 30 years ago in the early 1990's, when I was a former ICU nurse, every now and again, there would be a call to go and help-out the busy nurses in the Coronary Care Unit.  At the time, I didn't give a thought to how many of the patients lying in beds hooked up to cardiac monitors were women who had just arrived in menopause or post-menopause.

But they were - and now that I'm in post-menopause myself and with my women's healthy ageing studies leading me down the rabbit-hole about how the effect declining oestrogen has on other organs around the body, including cardiac muscle and blood vessels, these memories make sense.

Women in their menopause transition and those already in post-menopause are at increased risk for changing heart health as they age. Whilst both weight gain and poor sleep patterns affect post-menopause heart health, new research reports why magnesium exerts a powerful influence on our heart health too.



At the time that I was helping out my colleagues in the CCU all those years ago, over 153,000 post-menopausal women in America were entering one of the largest women's health studies to be undertaken. Today I thank them.

As participants in the Women's Health Initiative Study they were recruited between 1993 and 1998 and their magnesium intake at the time, was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire.

It is well known that magnesium plays an important role in cardiac physiology, helping the heart to contract.

Over the next decade, coronary heart disease was measured in this cohort as well as sudden death. Earlier this year, a brand new women's health study has gone back to this original research, reminding us that as we move into our post-menopause years, [when our periods have stopped for a year or more], having adequate dietary magnesium (not supplements) matters.

When I present my live Masterclass on Menopause seminars, (now available online), I often ask women if they are taking lots of menopause-related supplements. Most were. When I then asked if the supplements were actually working, many weren't actually sure!

I used to feel that way too. It was this that began my own curiosity into the ingredients in supplements and what they were achieving in the body. That's how I began to explore the power of magnesium during and after menopause.



Vascular stiffness in blood vessels

Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing. As such, there are changes to our blood vessels and other organs. In an age whereby media and pharmaceutical companies focus on marketing botox and other external products to promote anti-ageing, the salient point of our internal cellular ageing gets forgotten.

When menopause arrives, there are numerous structural changes that occur in our body, not just changes to our oestrogen and progesterone levels.

This is an important point for all women, not only those who are regular exercisers.  As we lose oestrogen, our blood vessels are ageing and this leads to vascular or arterial stiffness.

The loss of some of the elasticity in blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, means that we may may feel more bloated, our legs may feel heavy, restless and aching (especially for exercisers) and our blood pressure and heat regulation may get out of balance too. When we have busy, active lives, the vascular stiffness leaves us feeling exhausted.

These internal changes going on 'inside' our body are important for all of us to understand.

With vascular stiffness arriving in mid-life and beyond, the risk of cardiac disease as we age increases. As such, one of the strategies that I promote in the MyMT™ programmes is to get women thinking about the magic of magnesium. Australia's women's health expert, Dr Sandra Cabot, values it as important too,

"To have a mineral found in nature, a mineral your body needs, a mineral that is easily and cheaply available (in pill or powder form) and known to be useful in treating or preventing dozens of medical conditions - to me, that sounds like a dream come true."  [Cabot, S. (2004). Magnesium the Miracle Mineral. SCB International Inc.



Why you may need Magnesium in Menopause: 

Magnesium supplements have sky-rocketed over the past decade or so as they are heavily marketed to women in their menopause transition as the panacea for hot flushes, night sweats and other aches and pains.

But there is another important role for magnesium in menopause too. And that is to help reduce our risk of heart disease and to regulate our blood pressure.

New research indicates that for women during menopause, magnesium is an important co-factor (helper) mineral for a number of enzyme functions that work specifically in cardiac mitochondria.

And with my eye on our cardiac health as we age and go into post-menopause, there’s never been a better reason than menopause, to have a little re-think and focus on magnesium!

Magnesium is important for healing and so too, is it's opposing partner, calcium.

The two minerals help to balance and restore muscle and nerve function in the body and help in a heap of other reactions in the body during and after menopause as well.

We need around 320mg to 400mg daily of magnesium and preferably from our diet. As an ‘essential mineral’ this means that our body doesn't make it.

With magnesium involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions involving energy metabolism and blood pressure regulation, it is pretty important to our health and energy.

As you move through menopause, it is also important for:

 	helping hormones to bind to receptor cells
 	the prevention of too much calcium getting into cells
 	muscle contraction and nerve activity (along with calcium)
 	control of blood vessel dilation and tone
 	helping nerve impulses to pass through cardiac muscle.

But perhaps the most important issue, is that magnesium deficiency has been shown to play a role in inflammation and when our body is stressed (as it is when we aren’t sleeping in menopause), then magnesium deficiency also leads to an exaggerated response to even more stress, especially in our cells and tissues, through our nerve-hormonal pathways.

This type of stress is called oxidative stress and makes our hot flushes, muscle and joint pain and weight gain become worse during menopause and when we move into post-menopause, especially if women are regular exercisers.



Why might we become low in magnesium?

Several factors can cause low magnesium. Top of my list, would be an unhealthy liver or gut. If we have inflammation in these organs, then any magnesium that we do have in our diet, cannot be absorbed properly.

Many women don’t have ideal gut health to absorb as much magnesium as their body needs. It's why for my APRIL MyMT™ ProgrammeSale, I've included a bonus Gut Heaalth module, along with my brand new Heart Health module and a Joint Health Module.

Next on my list is doing too much exercise or experiencing high stress levels. When this occurs and we are always in ‘fight or flight’ mode, then the vagus nerve is always stimulated. This increases gut motility or movement. When this happens, the food passes through our gut too quickly, so absorption time is delayed.

When it comes to exercise, magnesium matters. In aerobic exercise, higher intake of Mg has been shown to be associated with less oxygen needs and better  cardiorespiratory outcomes (Zhang et al., 2017) - something that all of you who are active need to know.

Studies have also shown that the quality of our food and food processing means that magnesium can be deficient in our diet. That's why I have this wonderful Salade Nicoise recipe for you HERE. The tuna is high in magnesium.

Alcohol can also decrease magnesium uptake as can osteoporosis medication and poor water levels of magnesium.

The significance of magnesium and its relationship to the origin of life has been traced by researchers interested in the body’s dependence on it. In their 1999 review article on magnesium, Fawcett, Haxby & Male contend,

“The importance of magnesium is derived from the composition of the earth’s crust (rich in iron–magnesium silicate) and the primeval ocean rich in magnesium, to the formation of chlorophyll with magnesium at the centre of the molecule, and finally to its incorporation into the animal cell containing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) with its dependence on magnesium."

When magnesium levels get low, women may experience leg cramps, increased muscle twitching and cardiac palpitations. With these all being known symptoms of menopause hormonal changes, then yes, maybe we do need to look at our magnesium levels every so often.



There are some great ways we can improve magnesium uptake during menopause:  

 	Epsom Salts: Magnesium has been used as a therapeutic agent for hundreds of years and well before pharmaceutical companies sold magnesium to us in bottles! Magnesium-rich waters of Epsom Spa Town have been known to be beneficial ever since the 16th Century (this is where Epsom Salts were discovered).
 	Food Sources: If you want to use your diet to increase magnesium rather than supplements, then get more beans, nuts and whole grains into you. Fish and tuna are also great sources of magnesium. For my amazing women on the MyMT™ programmes, I get them to increase their intake of organic brown rice, green leafy vegetables and they can also have bananas, dark chocolate and of course, a black coffee – all foods and drinks which are rich sources of magnesium and other healthy nutrients.



 	Artesian Water: It was when I was in Switzerland that I learnt about the importance of where we get our water from. In the village where I stayed, water troughs were brimming over with glacial water coming down from the Swiss Alps. In my visits there in the past, I learnt that the ‘magic’ of these waters lay in the richness of two minerals – calcium and magnesium. Further investigation and local knowledge, led me to discover that just 1 litre of this beautiful alpine water delivers around 50% of the daily requirements of calcium and magnesium to drinkers. No wonder I was told that many locals live to a ripe old age! Women from around the world who are in my coaching groups get all this fabulous knowledge as well.

Magnesium is a vital tool in our dietary tool-box as we transition through menopause as are most minerals and vitamins. But if we aren’t absorbing these nutrients then the priority is to turn around the gut, liver and cardiac inflammation that prevents magnificent magnesium from doing its job.

I show you how to do this in my 12 week programmes and it's why I've bundled up these modules in both of my foundation programmes (Circuit Breaker for thinner women and Transform Me for overweight women) this month.  If you are in menopause and post-menopause and your symptoms are troubling you still, then I hope you can join me.

Sometimes we do need a boost from supplements, but other times we can get adequate amounts from improving our focus on the right foods at different life stages.

As I say to each and every one of the women in the MyMT™ Community,

“When it comes to our menopause transition and as we step into our post-menopause years, you don’t need a lot of food, just the right food. That includes the right food for your heart health as you transition menopause - this aspect of our nutrition as we age is being forgotten in a world of unhealthy and not-so-well evidenced dietary claims, many of which don't focus on women going through menopause."

[Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine].



References:

Di Nicolantonio J., Liu J., & O’Keefe J. (2018). Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Open Heart. 5:e000775. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2018-000775 Fawcett, Haxby & Male (1999). Magnesium physiology & pharmacology. Br J Anaesth. 83(2):302-20. doi: 10.1093/bja/83.2.302. PMID: 10618948.

Li, J., Hovey, K. et al. (2020). Association of dietary magnesium intake with fatal coronary heart disease and sudden cardiac death. Journal of Women's Health, 29(1), 1-6.

Lorenzo, I., Serra-Prat, M., & Yébenes, J. C. (2019). The Role of Water Homeostasis in Muscle Function and Frailty: A Review. Nutrients, 11(8), 1857. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081857

Schuchardt, J. P., & Hahn, A. (2017). Intestinal Absorption and Factors Influencing Bioavailability of Magnesium-An Update. Current nutrition and food science, 13(4), 260–278. https://doi.org/10.2174/1573401313666170427162740

Zhang, Y., Xun, P., Wang, R., Mao, L., & He, K. (2017). Can Magnesium Enhance Exercise Performance?. Nutrients, 9(9), 946. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9090946

### "Feeling tired and miserable was no longer an option!" [Patricia, Canada]

Ontario, Canada is a long way from the South Island of New Zealand. When Patricia emailed me and mentioned that she loved her exercise and was really struggling to recover from the exercise that she had easily managed for decades, I 'got it'.

There were a few coaching emails that flew across the Pacific as I worked on helping her to understand the physiological changes that menopause creates in skeletal and cardiac muscle and in the liver.

This includes a slower uptake of calcium into skeletal muscle, a change in Co-enzyme Q10 in cardiac muscle, which declines during ageing (CoQ10 helps in the energy pathways in the mitochondrial energy cells, which are replete throughout skeletal and cardiac muscle) as well as changes to the number and type of muscles fibres that are our power fibres. These are the fibres that assist with jumping, running and strength training.

It's tough when menopause symptoms impact the lifestyle that we've had for years. For those women who have been active, as Patricia has, there is also the consideration that they may be carrying greater inflammatory changes into their menopause transition too, because of their higher-volume of exercise.

When Patricia sent me this amazing photo of her looking and feeling relaxed and fit, I asked her to kindly share her story. 

There's a menopause story inside every one of us and this is hers. 

"I was scanning the internet in search of information to help my relentless menopause symptoms – severe heart palpitations, restless sleep, frequent urination and hourly hot flashes that made my work as a Dental Assistant extremely difficult.

That’s when I stumbled onto Wendy’s MyMT™ programme. What caught my eye was her reference to gut health.

I had a peptic ulcer and bloating so I was already aware of the importance of gut health, but had no idea that this might be related to my menopause symptoms - not one person had mentioned this to me. So I took a chance and signed up.

I now feel like ‘me’ again. This programme is filled with lifestyle tips, healthy recipes, and science-backed information that is specific to women in their menopause transition.

The best thing is that I no longer have heart palpitations, I sleep through the night and no more bloating and very few hot flashes (only when I am rushing around).

At 58 years old, I’m now feeling my best and have the energy to do what I love to do … this includes my Zumba classes, running, hiking and biking. I later did the Rebuild My Fitness programme and this programme helped me understand the changes that occur with our muscles in menopause and how our exercise tolerance changes.

The most important information that gave me clarity was the relationship between oestrogen and progesterone, my heart/ veins/ arteries and my liver function.

I now understand what is happening to my body and why my symptoms were so bad at first and why I can now embrace healthy ageing, rather than fight against it.

Any lifestyle change is never easy. For me in the beginning, it was three steps forward and two backwards as I adjusted to making some changes. Some days were frustrating but with the support of Wendy’s coaching community and her programme, I never gave up!

That's because feeling tired and miserable was no longer an option!

The support I received from Wendy and the ladies in the MyMT™ facebook group was overwhelming and I could not have come so far without it. I’ve learnt that women no longer have to accept that feeling awful is just a part of our ageing and suffer in silence.

There is information and support now available to guide us through this journey together and Wendy’s programme proved to me that healthy and happy ageing can happen!"

Patricia W., Ontario, Canada

The role that you as a Health Coach play in the journey and 'menopause story' of your clients, is such an important one. This is especially so when it comes to empathizing with them, but also understanding what to share with them about specific lifestyle change strategies to help them to feel better.

This is why I have the MyMT™ Introduction to the Science of Menopause Course for Health Coaches. I tell you about it in the short video below. I hope you can join me sometime on this important self-learning 3 week course.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT™ Founder.

https://vimeo.com/840093629

### MyMT™ Education: Menopause Weight Loss, Cardiometabolic Health and Exercise

The Evolution of Fitness and Women's Weight Loss Goals
“I hired a Personal Trainer online for the first time during the pandemic. I was really enjoying the sessions, but I have to admit, I didn't lose any weight whatsoever - in fact my clothes are now tighter and I feel swollen and bloated. 

He has also put me on a high protein diet and I just feel heavy and bloated all the time. I’ve been reading your newsletters and I’m realising that menopause may have something to do with it. I’m 50 years old, have a full time job and have two teens at home as well – I do feel busy and over-whelmed.”  [Andrea, New Zealand]

Whether your clients followed Jane Fonda's workouts or Bill Phillip’s prescriptive ‘Body For Life’ in the 1980s or not, regular exercise has always entered the mind of women who want to lose weight.

In the 1990’s when personal training arrived in New Zealand, workouts moved towards an emphasis on strength training and conditioning. As I was a PT at the time, I saw this 'shift' in exercise prescription away from the Jazzercise focus in the aerobic studio.

As new pathways in fitness education also emerged over the past 2-3 decades, many Trainers not only have backgrounds in body-building, but also strength and conditioning of athletes.

Studying the role of Personal Trainers in supporting lifestyle change was part of my Master’s thesis, so I got to talk to quite a few as part of my interviews – hence, understanding their backgrounds in various sports as well as strength and conditioning for athletes.

This was the knowledge they bought into the fitness environment for their clients - not much was known about a woman's menopause transition and the propensity she may have for putting on extra weight,  despite all the exercise - especially for those women who have a heavier build. Hopefully this perspective is changing now!
The Lack of Menopause-Specific Knowledge in Fitness Education
Working in the exercise-education environment for over 30 years and going on to educate numerous PTs throughout New Zealand, not once in my weight loss lectures did I mention ‘oestrogen dominance’  - a term that, whilst controversial, I use in the context of localised fat storage and oestrogen production in fat cells.

This is known to occur in women who are overweight or obese, with increased abdominal and diaphragmatic fat.

When it comes to exercise and nutrition for women going through menopause, there is still an emphasis on heavy weight training and eating large amounts of protein to turn over muscle. I regularly see this on social media and in other channels.

But if women are already overweight and carrying a lot of abdominal fat as well as not sleeping, these training regimes may be difficult to maintain for women who are exhausted and experiencing a changing hormonal environment.

As I found myself, inadequate sleep may lead to NAFLD and poor muscle recovery. In turn this can contribute to Restless Leg Syndrome, a known symptom of menopause.

Furthermore, high intake of protein for building muscle is often seen as the 'go-to' nutrition for women who work-out, however, the ageing liver, kidneys and pancreas may struggle to process the higher amounts of amino acid intake.

If the protein is mainly meat or other animal products, then this may also be problematic to their ongoing cardiovascular health and the risk of coronary plaques in middle-age and older women. (Bernstein, Qi Sun et al, 2010).


The Growing Concern of Weight Gain and Obesity in Menopausal Women: Insights from Recent Research
According to new research on fat metabolism and health during and after menopause, for women aged 50– 65 years, weight gain is one of their major health concerns (Marsh, Oliveira et al, 2023).

This is understandable as obesity is one of the most common disorders globally, and its prevalence in post-menopausal women is increasing. World-wide, the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled since 1980 – not so long ago for most of us to remember.

It is well known in Type 2 diabetes research that the hormonal changes across the perimenopause and menopause years, substantially contribute to increased abdominal obesity, which leads to additional functional and health challenges with age, including changing cardio-metabolic health.

The term cardiometabolic health refers to overweight or obese status leading to Type 2 Diabetes. 

And according to the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health [ALSWH], high blood pressure, lack of physical activity and low cardio-respiratory fitness, smoking, high perceived stress and income concerns, are the main factors leading towards overweight status in midlife. [Baneshi, 2024].

The analysis of nearly 13,000 women in the ALSWH studies on the cardiometabolic health of this cohort of Australian women, indicate that both obesity and hypertension in middle-age, leaves women with a substantially higher risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease than women without these potentially preventable conditions. [Baneshi, 2024].

As I often say, women don’t become overweight or obese overnight. It’s something that goes on for years. Menopause hormonal changes, also may accelerate the trajectory into worsening cardio-metabolic health too. Therefore, helping clients to untangle the determinants of the multitude of factors impacting their weight gain, is important.

I can’t emphasise this enough.
Abdominal fat is changing during menopause:
Abdominal fat is now considered to be an endocrine organ – it is responsive to hormonal influence and has the capacity to secrete adipokines.

These are important regulators of appetite and satiety (fullness), energy expenditure, inflammation, blood pressure, endothelial function influence, insulin sensitivity, and energy metabolism in insulin-sensitive tissues, such as liver, muscle, and fat.

Adipokines also help to regulate insulin secretion from the pancreas. Hence, increased storage of fat in fat cells can lead to inflamed fat cells, increased presence of cellulite under the skin and over time, contribute to metabolic health chaos. 


The Role of Hormonal Changes, Sleep, and Exercise in Menopausal Weight Gain
Although weight gain per se, cannot only be attributed to the menopause transition, the changes in hormonal levels make women more susceptible to the deposition of abdominal fat in many organs, not only just around the abdominal region and under the diaphragm.

That's why mid-life weight loss journey needs a multi-dimensional approach.  If you are a Personal Trainer or Health Professional, I talk about this in my certified Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course.

One of the problems with women doing too many  intense workout, including heavy weight lifting, to try and lose weight during menopause, has to do with their sleep quality and quantity.

In Sport and Exercise Science, it is well known that exhausted female athletes who aren't sleeping, very quickly develop adrenal fatigue – which can, as I’ve mentioned numerous times, increase cortisol levels causing even more metabolic chaos.

So, if you are frustrated with your changing weight and body-shape in menopause, then here are just some interventions for you to focus on, that I cover in more depth in the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course too:

 	Restful Sleep: women can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when insomnia is chronic.

And we know this thanks to a Swedish study of 400 middle-aged women who recorded shortened sleep duration and weight gain. The problem is that this is what changes our health as we age - my mother included.

When women lose their precious deep sleep between 2-4am, then much of this weight becomes dangerous fat that goes on our belly and under our diaphragm.

As I often say to women who are trying to exercise off their weight gain, "If you aren't sleeping, then you aren't losing."  So, change your exercise to more restorative, aerobic exercise, until you sort out your sleep.



 	Manage a condition known as 'Oestrogen Dominance': Fat cells can store excess unopposed oestrogens.

These may be in the body due to our dietary choices, as well as our exposure to hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in adipocytes (fat cells) and this 'dominates' the internal environment.

As oestrogen becomes the dominant hormone and our liver isn't clearing excess oestrogen (or cholesterol) efficiently, oestrogen storage may cause progesterone to lower.

It's why liver health is important to all women as they age. We clear excess oestrogens via our liver and during menopause, our liver changes in structure and function as part of our normal biological ageing of our organs.



 	Focus your clients on reducing blood sugar and insulin spikes, especially after meals (this is known as post-prandial hyperglycemia).

Blood Sugar Regulation During Menopause: Impact on Weight and Health
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level throughout the day is important, not only to heat regulation and hot flush management, but also to weight gain. As the hormonal environment changes during the menopause transition, insulin production and secretion changes too.

With better control of insulin surges from the pancreas, clients have better control over energy levels, moods, hot flushes and weight. Unstable insulin production in the pancreas can create inflammatory changes in the body as women then move into post-menopause and this contributes to weight gain, even despite the exercise.

Over time, this may lead to Type 2 diabetes and changing cardio-metabolic health, especially if women aren't doing enough aerobic exercise. Dose-response aerobic exercise prescription according to the American Heart Association, is 30 - 60 minutes, on at least 5 days per week, with 1-2 more intense, vigorous sessions (if tolerated).

When aerobic fitness declines, the risk for chronic disease status increases. [Carrick-Ranson et al, 2023]



 	Monitor Vitamin D levels  - Low oestrogen levels in the skin may cause low Vitamin D levels in the body. This increases fat storage.

Vitamin D's Role in Menopause: Sleep, Mood, and Health
Our skin is our largest organ and is full of oestrogen receptors. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is produced in the skin with the help of oestrogen. Therefore, many women are at risk of low vitamin D levels and because Vitamin D is now recognised as a hormone, low levels have an effect on other hormones in the body too. This is due to the feedback system that operates with all of our hormones.

Vitamin D is such a powerful hormone for women to monitor in menopause because it is also implicated in melatonin production. This is our sleep hormone, and when Vitamin D levels are low, our insomnia increases and our mood hormone, serotonin, is reduced.

Serotonin works with dopamine to help our mood and motivation. So, if you are on menopause-related anti-depressants, then ask your Doctor to also check your Vitamin D levels too.  Restoring Vitamin D and sleep is crucial to your ongoing health, depression management and your weight.



 	Help client's to manage stress levels - In menopause and post-menopause, changes to adrenal gland function impacts higher resting levels of cortisol. Hence, blood pressure, heart rate and temperature rise more readily when women are overwhelmed with feeling stressed and if they aren't aerobically fit.

Some stress is good for us, but the problem in our menopause transition is that too much stress (and this includes from not sleeping and/ or over-exercising), may increase cortisol levels leading to adrenal fatigue.

Cortisol is a powerful stress hormone which works in conjunction with melatonin, one of the sleep hormones. Too much stress (emotionally and physically) interferes with sleep.

When women don’t sleep, insulin levels stay high and overnight fat-burning is affected. It’s a vicious cycle as so many women exercisers discover in their frustration with not losing weight despite all the exercise. 

Elaine in the UK was the same. She soon learnt that sleeping all night and managing her insulin levels, comes before too much heavy exercise. Her story is HERE. 



I know full well the weight loss struggles that many of your clients may be facing. I was the same.

It's my privilege to help Practitioners understand that weight management in midlife, is not only about menopause HRT or supplements, it's about sleep, liver health, gut health, sensible eating and 5 days minimum of aerobic exercise with a small amount of resistance training too.

Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD] Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine 

https://vimeo.com/942284623

References:

Baneshi MR, Dobson A, Mishra GD. Transition between cardiometabolic conditions and body weight among women: which paths increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases? J Hum Hypertens. 2024 Jun 12. doi: 10.1038/s41371-024-00923-4.

Belanger MJ, Rao P, Robbins JM. Exercise, Physical Activity, and Cardiometabolic Health: Pathophysiologic Insights. Cardiol Rev. 2022 May-Jun 01;30(3):134-144. doi: 10.1097/CRD.0000000000000417.

Bernstein, A., Qi Sun, M., Hu, F., Stampfer, M., Manson, J., & Willett, W. (2010). Major Dietary Protein Sources and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women. Circulation, AHA, 122(9), 1-8.

Muscella A, Stefàno E, Lunetti P, Capobianco L, Marsigliante S. The Regulation of Fat Metabolism During Aerobic Exercise. Biomolecules. 2020 Dec 21;10(12):1699. doi: 10.3390/biom10121699.

Davis, S. Castelo-Branco, C. Chedraui, P., Lumsden, M., Nappi, R., Shah, D. & Villaseca P. (2012). The Writing Group of the International Menopause Society for World Menopause Day 2012. Understanding weight gain at menopause, Climacteric, 15:5, 419-429,

Jehan, S., Masters-Isarilov, A., Salifu, I., Zizi, F., Jean-Louis, G., Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Gupta, R., Brzezinski, A., & McFarlane, S. I. (2015). Sleep Disorders in Postmenopausal Women. Journal of sleep disorders & therapy, 4(5), 212.

Manco, M. ,Nolfe, G. , Calvani, M., Natali, A., Nolan, J., Ferrannini, E., Mingrone, G. (2006). Menopause, insulin resistance and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Menopause, 13 (5), 809-817

Marsh ML, Oliveira MN, Vieira-Potter VJ. Adipocyte Metabolism and Health after the Menopause: The Role of Exercise. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 14;15(2):444. doi: 10.3390/nu15020444.

Patni, R., & Mahajan, A. (2018). The metabolic syndrome and menopause. Journal of Mid-life Health, 9(3), 111–112.

Weickert M. O. (2012). Nutritional modulation of insulin resistance. Scientifica, 2012, 424780.

### Gut Feelings: Is there a link between increased fruit intake, gut health and your menopause brain fog?

Over the past decade, the gut microbiome has emerged as making an important contribution to human health, with increasing interest into how it may also influence symptoms during and after the menopause transition. 

Feelings of melancholy and sadness are known symptoms during your midlife menopause transition. This is because the levels of your reproductive hormones are naturally declining and these changes in the brain, may affect some of your mood hormones, including serotonin.

However, many women don't realise, that these effects begin in our gut. Yes, that's right. Our gut.

With the fascinating connection between nerves in our gut and nerves in the brain, the gut-brain axis has become an important part of the menopause and brain health research.
What is the Gut-Brain Axis?
This powerful axis connects nerves and hormones between the gut and the brain. Millions of nerves run between your gut and brain. These nerves all 'talk' to each other through this pathway.

During menopause, inflammatory changes in this pathway, known as neuroinflammation, may contribute to feelings of melancholy and brain-fog. Women often think that they are on the path towards dementia with some of the memory problems they experience.

For many women, adding some oestrogen back into the body via hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may help.
What is the connection between menopause and gut health?
Scientists now know that age-related neuroinflammation and brain fog are related to changing gut microbiota (this is the term given to the complex biological system of micro-organisms inside our gut). 

'The gut microbiota has both positive and negative effects on the body and the brain. The scientific literature suggests that the gut microbiome now influences the brain ageing process and the initiation and progression of neuro-degenerative disorders.' [Alsegiani & Shah, 2022, p. 2407].

Those of you who've been reading my newsletters for a while now (thank you), will have read numerous blogs about the link between gut health and menopause hormonal changes. However, this new research brings neuro-inflammation to our attention.

Neuro-inflammatory changes impact brain fog, anxiety, depression and other emotional and memory challenges that women may experience as we move through menopause.

Hence, in exploring how to manage these symptoms in particular, it's important to consider the gut-brain association and the arrival of alterations in the gut microbiome composition, which may lead to a condition called 'dysbiosis'. 

The microbiome is the community of bacteria that lives in our gut and elsewhere. Researchers now understand that brain health and gut health cannot be looked at in isolation. 

"The connection between the brain and gut is because messages are sent up and down the vagus nerve - the major nerve that runs from our brain to our heart, stomach and intestines. The vagus nerve therefore, has a profound influence on the gut microbiota as well as pro-inflammatory markers. 

The reason for this, is because the vagus nerve transfers stress cytokines (inflammatory markers) between the gut and the brain. So, stress is the 'hammer' which acts on the brain and the gut. 

When we keep activating our stress response, then this increases the 'leakiness' of the gut. When the gut is leaky, we lose the ability to absorb the nutrients we need for our health and this increases oxidative stress in the body."    [Professor Zoltan Sarnyai, 2019)

I couldn't agree more!

I know from my own experience that when we aren't sleeping one of the major changes that women experience as levels of reproductive hormones decline, is insomnia, or interrupted sleep.

The catch-22 is, that when we aren't sleeping our gut isn't healing properly overnight. As such, inflammation can occur throughout our digestive system. Researchers now believe that these gut inflammatory changes impact the brain and nervous system too. 



An enormous number of different microbes inhabit our colon and the concentration of these microbes increases gradually from the ileum (small intestine) to the colon (large intestine). 

In normal physiological conditions, the density of the human microbiome is highest in the colon but studies indicate that the amounts and types of microbes are influenced by:

 	stress
 	diet
 	infections
 	medications/ drugs
 	illness
 	ageing (including menopause).

In these abnormal conditions, fecal microbiome biodiversity is decreased, which then influences a condition called dysbiosis.

This term refers to changes in the resident microbe communities. For those of you experiencing changing gut health, such as bloating, diarrhoea or constipation, then studies have shown that gut dysbiosis plays a role in developing and progressing inflammatory changes around the body, including some psychological and autoimmune diseases. [Shreiner et al, 2015]

If you have experienced brain fog, anxiety and feelings of memory loss, then this is where your dietary approaches are important, as is sleeping all night.

At least 50% of women on my coaching pages, tell me that they are experiencing gut health issues that have mainly arrived since they went into their menopause transition.

Unbeknownst to many of them, our changing gut health as we go into a low oestrogen hormonal environment is impacting on anxiety levels, brain fog and depression too.

The question is then, how do we try and keep the gut microbiota healthy and reduce our risk of brain-fog, melancholy and for numerous women, the concern about age-related dementia? 

New research suggests that flavonoid-rich fruit intake in midlife and later life has associations with dementia risk. [Lyu, Jacques et al., 2024]


Flavonoid Intake and Dementia Risk Reduction
The Framingham Heart Study is a study on the health of people living in Framingham, Massachusetts which has been going on for over 50 years now. I used to teach about some of their findings about cardiovascular health.

That’s why my curiosity was piqued with new research talking about the role of flavonoid-rich fruit intake in midlife and up to 70% reduced risk of dementia. With the average age of the participants being in midlife (45 - 59 years) and with 52% of the 2000+ participants being female, it's an important study.

Flavonoids are naturally occurring bioactive pigments found in a wide range of plants. Many have been studied for their neuro-cognitive (brain and memory) benefits.

15 fruit items were identified as being beneficial. These included: 

 	Raisins
 	Grapes
 	Prunes
 	Bananas
 	Cantaloupe
 	Watermelon
 	Apples or apple juice
 	Pears
 	Grapefruit or grapefruit juice
 	Oranges or orange juice
 	Strawberries
 	Blueberries
 	Peaches
 	Apricots
 	Plums

And it seems that those raisin snacks you eat as well as grapes and oranges, may have the most benefit to your brain health. When we eat these fruits, AND we start during menopause, then we may slow down the rate of inflammatory changes in the brain, compared to those who include these foods later in life after 70 years. [Lyu, Jacques et al, 2024]

Then of course, there is that fact that we should also look after our gut health too. I have 3 factors that you can focus on with this aspect of your midlife health as well.


3 Things You Can Do to Help Manage your GUT HEALTH in Menopause
When we understand the powerful connection between the brain, the gut, the vagus nerve, existing gut inflammation AND menopause, then apart from our fruit intake, we can also focus on these three factors:

 	Sleep All Night - as I keep saying to women, if you aren't sleeping, then you aren't healing. this includes your gut. Our gut is also on a 24 hour circadian rhythm as are all of our major organs, so we need to improve our sleep in order to improve our gut. This is why in both of the MyMT programmes, the first module you receive is called 'SLEEP ALL NIGHT' - in this I teach you how to change your diet, how to sleep all night and how to turn around your hot flushes, night sweats and bladder control, so you aren't waking up! As well, if you are on anti-depressants or you already have changing gut health, then there is a Gut Health module for you to listen to as well.



2. Learn the difference between PRE-Biotics and PRO-Biotics: Both of work in different ways to keep our gut healthy. I go into more depth in this in my programmes in the optional Gut Health module for all  MyMT™ women!

Essentially, we have 3 areas for digestion and absorption - our stomach, our small intestine and our large intestine. So, some of you may have problems at any part of the gut-colon tract. This is why gut-health researchers focus on both pre-biotics and pro-biotics.

It's also why I suggest that Pre-biotics are more important to sort out first than pro-biotics in mid-life. Pre-biotics come from specialised plant fibre that beneficially nourishes the good bacteria already in the LARGE bowel or colon.

While pro-biotics introduce good bacteria into the gut, pre-biotics act as a fertilizer for the good bacteria that’s already there. They help your good bacteria grow, improving the good-to-bad bacteria ratio. This ratio has been shown to have a direct correlation to your health and overall wellbeing, from your stomach to your brain.

Plant fibres help to promote the growth of many of the good bacteria in the gut and to help alleviate constipation. They contain amylose which also helps to reduce insulin. They are therefore called RESISTANT STARCHES. They don't get digested in the stomach and small intestine, so they travel further down your gut into your large bowel. They are critical to your on-going health, especially to your brain health.



3. Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) to your diet - at least 20-30 mls daily. Recent data are emerging which demonstrate that the health-promoting benefits of EVOO may also extend to the gut microbiota. For those of us who love the Mediterranean diet, this is good news!

An integral component of the Mediterranean diet, extra-virgin olive oil, is obtained via the mechanical extraction of the olive fruit, without the use of heat or solvents. This precious oil is already well known for its nutritional properties and anti-inflammatory compounds, which exert beneficial effects on a number of markers of cardiometabolic health and chronic disease risk such as Altzheimers Disease.

Now, the health-promoting properties of EVOO extend to the promotion of gut health too because it helps to extend the microbiome diversity.



Whether you are just entering peri-menopause, or you are already in menopause, understanding that this time of our lives is the biological gateway to our ageing years is important.

With changes going on all around the body, for too long this age and stage of life has been positioned in 'sickness'. But it shouldn't be. It needs to be positioned in 'wellness' instead. 

That's what I teach you on the  MyMT™ online 12 week programmes, (these differ depending on whether weight loss is desired or not). Thousands of women have joined me over the years and feel as if they have taken back control of an important stage of life. I hope you can join me too, as I can't wait to show you the way through menopause into your healthy ageing years ahead.

Please start with listening to my Masterclass on Menopause which I tell you about in the video below.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

https://vimeo.com/730684708

References:

Alsegiani AS, Shah ZA. (2022). The influence of gut microbiota alteration on age-related neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. Neural Regen Res. 17(11):2407-2412. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.335837.

Bourre J. (2006). Effects of nutrients (in food) on the structure and function of the nervous system: update on dietary requirements for brain. Part 1: micronutrients. J Nutr Health Aging. Sep-Oct;10(5):377-85. PMID: 17066209.

Ford T., Downey L., Simpson T., et al. (2018). The Effect of a High-Dose Vitamin B Multivitamin Supplement on the Relationship between Brain Metabolism and Blood Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress: A Randomized Control Trial. Nutrients. 10(12):1860. doi: 10.3390/nu10121860.

Heitkemper MM, Chang L. (2009). Do fluctuations in ovarian hormones affect gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome? Gend Med. 2009;6 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):152-67.

Koutsos A, Tuohy KM, Lovegrove JA. Apples and cardiovascular health--is the gut microbiota a core consideration? Nutrients. 2015 May 26;7(6):3959-98.

Lyu, C., Jacques, P.F., Doraiswamy, P.M. et al. Flavonoid-Rich Fruit Intake in Midlife and Late-Life and Associations with Risk of Dementia: The Framingham Heart Study. J Prev Alzheimers Dis (2024). https://doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2024.116

Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., Wei, G. X., & Li, Y. F. (2017). The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 874. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874

Millman, J. Okamoto, S., Teruya, T. et al. (2021). Extra-virgin olive oil and the gut-brain axis: influence on gut microbiota, mucosal immunity, and cardiometabolic and cognitive health, Nutrition Reviews, Volume 79, Issue 12, December 2021, Pages 1362–1374.

Pesonen, H., Laakkonen, E.K., Hautasaari, P. et al. (2021). Perimenopausal women show modulation of excitatory and inhibitory neuromuscular mechanisms. BMC Women's Health 21, 133. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01275-8

Shreiner AB, Kao JY, Young VB. (2015). The gut microbiome in health and in disease. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 31(1):69-75. doi: 10.1097/MOG.0000000000000139.

Terada T., Mistura M., Tulloch H., Pipe A., Reed J. (2019). Dietary behaviour is associated with cardiometabolic and psychological risk indicators in female Hospital nurses-A Post-Hoc, Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients. 11(9):2054. doi: 10.3390/nu11092054. PMID: 31480696; PMCID: PMC6770286.

Li Y, Yao J, Han C, Yang J, Chaudhry MT, Wang S, Liu H, Yin Y. Quercetin, Inflammation and Immunity. Nutrients. 2016 Mar 15;8(3):167.

Vauzour, D., Camprubi-Robles, M., Miquel-Kergoat, S. et al (2017). Nutrition for the ageing brain: Towards evidence for an optimal diet. Ageing Research Reviews, Volume 35, 222-240, ISSN 1568-1637, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2016.09.010.

### MyMT™ Education: The role of RYE in cardiac health during menopause.

“After this past year of avoiding whole-grains completely based on the diet I was on, I now realise that this was the wrong thing to do now that I'm in my 50's. I’ve lost 5 lbs & I’m feeling amazing. I have so much more energy.”  [Kirsten, USA]
Most women joining me on the MyMT™ programmes are surprised that I give them permission to eat bread ... but not just any bread. My recommendation is rye bread and there's a reason for this.

One of the most important discoveries of the past few years, has been that the immune system and inflammatory processes are involved in, not just a few select disorders, but a wide variety of mental and physical health problems which persist across the lifespan (Furman, Campisis et al, 2019).

For women entering menopause (peri-menopause) and moving through to post-menopause, this is relevant information.

Hot flushes/ flashes are now known to be an early indicator of inflammatory changes occurring in the hypothalamus region of the brain and around the body. The higher a women's body weight, the more frequently her hot flushes may occur.

Hot flashes are also considered to be connected to hypertension, especially if they persist after menopause, whether women are taking HRT or not.

As women move through menopause, inflammatory changes may also occur in the gut, the cardiovascular system and the liver, as these organs learn to adapt to the decline of oestrogen.

Because of these inflammatory changes, nutritional changes matter more than ever, especially for cardiovascular health.

This is where wholegrains come in, rather than heavily refined grains. 

Whole grains represent the earliest forms in which humans consumed cereals. Eaten boiled or roughly pounded to a flour, mixed with water and roasted, they were a form of slow-release carbohydrate with a low blood sugar and insulin response. They were also filling and sustaining.

So, whether your clients are bothered by hot flushes or not, or their gut and heart health have changed, or they are putting on weight, and no matter what medications and supplements they may be on, then please take note - regulating blood glucose levels and improving fibre intake are important lifestyle changes for your midlife clients to make.

Whole-grains, especially rye bread, helps your clients achieve this.



The ‘no-grains, no-carbs’ brigade got me for a while too. Caught up in the weight-loss and dieting confusion as my weight, bloating, hot flushes and joint pain became worse, I thought that having whole-grains in the form of starch was part of the problem – it seemed to be that everyone at the gym was promoting ‘no-grains’ – low carb, high fat and high protein diets were the next ‘thing’ when it came to the nutritional messages endorsed by fitness enthusiasts and popular diets.

Now after years of following, the women’s healthy ageing and cardiac-health research, I’ve turned my back on the ‘no-grainers’.

This is because of the ever-growing scientific evidence on the importance of whole-grains in a heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly diet. For women who continue to exercise, it's never been more important to help the heart to restore the energy it needs.

Women’s CVD risk significantly increases after they shift into menopause, which is not just related to ageing but also, at least in part, to the decline in ovarian hormone concentrations during the menopausal transition and beyond. (American Heart Foundation, 2017).

Oestrogen plays a role in the contraction of the heart as well as the dilation of our coronary blood vessels. This means that the reduction in oestrogen as part of the normal menopause transition, has a less than beneficial effect on the size and function of the heart.

This includes increased thickness of the heart wall, vascular stiffening, slower recovery (especially after endurance or intense exercise), and changes to the nerve signaling. [Strait, J. et al. (2012)].

New Zealand, Australia, America and the United Kingdom have the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease. As modernisation hits China, post-menopause heart disease is growing in prevalence there too.



Whole grains constitute a major source of energy and for women who are moving through menopause, the relationship between whole-grains intake, gut health, cardiovascular health and regulation of blood glucose, is an important one.

Intact whole-grains are unrefined. 

This means that they remain unprocessed and close to how they are found in nature. Oats, barley and brown rice are the most common and in many Scandinavian countries as well as Europe, rye is common too.

What I like about whole-grains apart from their fibre and heart-health benefits, is that for women in menopause, they are also full of natural minerals, such as magnesium and other nutrients that our brain, gut and heart needs.

This is where Rye comes in. It is a particularly rich source of dietary fibre and has been consistently associated with lowered risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. (Jonsson, Andersson et al, 2018).

How this happens continues to be under some debate, but several studies have shown that the high content of dietary fibre combined with important bio-active compounds in rye is the main driver of the health effects of this important wholegrain.

Rye is rich in phytochemicals compared to other grains.

I've talked about these nutritional chemicals before. They are plant-made compounds that have functions in the plant such as cellular signalling and protection.

In cereals, the majority of the phytochemicals are found in the bran but the curious thing about rye is that the list of phytochemicals detected is continually increasing - so the density of bioactive compounds in rye is high compared to other grains. (Jonssen, Andersson et al, 2018).

These compounds have health benefits for women during and after menopause. Epidemiological evidence suggests that these plant-based compounds help to protect us from various diseases when consumed regularly as part of the habitual diet.

With regard to rye for women in menopause, these healthful compounds include:

 	Beta-glucans, which help to improve liver clearance of cholesterol
 	Betaine, which helps to improve cardiovascular function
 	Lignans, which are converted by the gut microbiota to phyto-oestrogens (enterodiol and enterolactone).

But perhaps the most important aspect of adding rye to your client's diet, (if they don't have coeliac disease), is that it contains high amounts of dietary fibre.

The high content of dietary fibre in rye, compared to wheat, is regarded as one of the main drivers of the health effects this food has on the human gut microbiome.

As such, research suggests that rye breads, in comparison to wheat-based products, reduce the demand for insulin production.

This is important for women moving through menopause, as problems with blood sugar regulation are know to affect temperature control, sleep, higher cortisol production and weight gain. [Gibson, Thurston & Matthews, 2016].; Jonsson, Andersson et al, 2018].



To protect our heart, stabilise our blood sugar, reduce hot flushes (which become worse when blood pressure is high), we need the help of whole-grains.

Cardiac health research suggests 2-3 serves a day. In the MyMT™ Food Guide, which is part of my own coaching programmes, I get women focusing on brown rice, oats and of course, rye bread to start with, especially if they are exercising, as these wholegrains give women energy and help to replace important carbohydrates in muscle.

All of these grains are part of a heart-healthy diet. 

Higher whole-grain and bran intakes are consistently associated with a 16-30% lower risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease in observational studies (Evidence Report, NZHF, 2018). When up to three serves per day are consumed, cardio-protection is greater.

But there’s more to this story too – the quality of the carbohydrate is most important in women’s heart health and this is also why there is an emphasis on whole-grains. Oats and barley have a greater beneficial effect on total and LDL cholesterol (3-8% reduction), especially in people with raised lipid (fat) levels, due to their soluble fibre content.



Never before have we been so confused about our food. And yes, despite lecturing in sport and exercise nutrition, I had become that way too. That’s why in the MyMT™ Education Courses I focus you on the evidence that is specific for women as they transition menopause.

All references are provided and you can ask me questions in the private coaching community for Health and Exercise Professionals.

I hope you can join me, and add menopause coaching to your toolbox.

Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References: 

Babiker, F., De Windt, L., et al. (2002). Estrogenic hormone action in the heart: regulatory network and function. Cardiovascular Research 53, 709-719.

European Union Healthgrain Forum. Online: https://healthgrain.org/whole-grain/

Furman D., Campisi J., Verdin E., Carrera-Bastos P., ... Slavich GM. (2019). Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med.  Dec;25(12):1822-1832. doi: 10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0.

Gorton, D. (2018). Evidence Paper: Wholegrains and the Heart. Wellington: NZ Heart Foundation.

Jonsson, K., Andersson, R., Knudsen, E., Hallmans, G. …. Landberg, R. (2018). Rye and health - Where do we stand and where do we go? Trends in Food Science & Technology, 79, 78-87. ISSN 0924-2244

Jull, J., Stacy, D. et al. (2014). Lifestyle interventions targeting body weight changes during the menopause transition: A Systematic Review. Journal of Obesity. Article ID 824310, 1-16.

Mann, J. & Truswell, S. (2007) 3rd Ed. Essentials of Human Nutrition. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK

Moazzami A., Bondia-Pons I., Hanhineva K., Juntunen K., Antl N., Poutanen K., & Mykkänen H. (2012). Metabolomics reveals the metabolic shifts following an intervention with rye bread in postmenopausal women--a randomized control trial. Nutr J.,11:88. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-11-88.

Sandberg JC, Björck IM, Nilsson AC. (2016). Rye-based evening meals favorably affected glucose regulation and appetite variables at the following breakfast; A randomized controlled study in healthy subjects. (2016). PLoS One. Mar 18;11(3):e0151985. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151985.

Stice, J., Lee, J. et al. (2009). Estrogen, aging and the cardiovascular system. Future Cardiol. 5(1): 93–103.

Swaminathan S, Dehghan M, Raj JM, Thomas T., Rangarajan S, Jenkins D, Mony P, Mohan V, Lear SA, Avezum A, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Rosengren A, Lanas F, AlHabib KF, Dans A, Keskinler MV, Puoane T, Soman B, Wei L, Zatonska K, Diaz R, Ismail N, Chifamba J, Kelishadi R, Yusufali A, Khatib R, Xiaoyun L, Bo H, Iqbal R, Yusuf R, Yeates K, Teo K, Yusuf S. (2021). Associations of cereal grains intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality across 21 countries in Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study: prospective cohort study. BMJ. Feb 3;372:m4948. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m4948.

### "I felt like I was running on adrenaline yet was totally exhausted." [Aleta, Australia]

"It was 2019 and a year where I felt totally uncomfortable within myself at 54 years of age. 

Stressful events, an all-consuming full-time job and life-threatening family illnesses had caused me to feel like I was constantly on the run and waiting for the next wave of something terrible to happen.

I felt like I was running on adrenaline yet was totally exhausted. Some days it just felt like I was trying to pull myself through quicksand. My sleep was disturbed, and I was constantly changing beds in the night to find the cool sheets. I found myself easily losing the plot, and not coping with even minor things.

Physically my body, well blossomed, much to my horror.

My hips laid down extra padding, my boobs grew so much that they entered the room before I did, and on a 5 ft small-framed woman it was ridiculous and uncomfortable. I ached all over, my inflammatory markers were high and for the first time ever my liver function went awol.

Yet like many other women searching for answers I was exercising daily including gym classes, cycling, walking, weights, and swimming.

I thought I was eating reasonably healthily by following a diet provided by a dietitian four years ago which included a lot of protein like eggs (not the best idea when as I now know from Wendy’s information that I am oestrogen dominant) and low carbs. I did not really drink or eat chips or desserts.

Yet the inflammation continued to the point where I had such severe plantar fasciitis that was not cured by rest in a boot, or anti-inflammatory tablets, or cortisone injections. In the end I had to have surgery with a 12-week recovery period.

It was in the lead up to the surgery, that I grew desperate for answers. I was frightened by the thought of being immobilized, not being able to exercise and putting on yet even more weight.

I started searching the internet for answers on what was happening to me and the link with menopause. One day I came across Wendy’s website, My Menopause Transformation. At first, I was a little hesitant to join because I was like, will this just reinforce all the things I already know?

Yet taking that hesitant step to join in the MyMT™ Transform Me online programme has been the best thing for me both physically and mentally. I consumed the information provided. For me knowing the scientific basis behind what was happening both physically and mentally for me was so important.

I was not going mad and most importantly I did not have to feel this uncomfortable within myself for the rest of my life. As I was basically immobilized, I started to make the changes to my diet first and focused on improving my sleep.

I did the liver cleanse, cutting out dairy, eggs and making green smoothies. Incredibly despite doing only limited exercise such as arm cycling, or chair boxing, the weight started to shift quickly. Without the oestrogen dominance promoting foods, my breasts decreased in size. More importantly my liver functions returned to normal.

My sleep improved and being forced to be at home, allowed myself slower starts to the morning, making sure I sat outside in the morning sunshine. 

Over time as my foot and body healed, I was able to add in more exercise but not at the intensity I had previously been doing thanks to Wendy's knowledge. I now feel that I am at a comfortable weight for my body size having lost approx. 8 kilos over time.

I loved all the information Wendy provides to us, so much so that I also joined the Rebuild My Fitness program. The clear scientific explanations she provides are fantastic for understanding what is happening inside our bodies at the crazy time of life. Wendy herself is amazing, answering emails with compassion, empathy, and helpful suggestions.

The Facebook forum is also terrific, reading other women’s similar stories is validating and the support provided to each other by total strangers all over the world is invaluable. Even though I have been with the programs for a long time, I find myself going back to them when I can feel that perhaps I am slipping a little in moments of stress. Just reading the information helps me to reset.

Joining Wendy in her My Menopause Transformation programs has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I am feeling more like myself, and able to play on the floor now freely with my first grandchild. Thank you, Wendy!"

Aleta Snow, Australia

### Nutrition and Immune Function: Evidence for boosting respiratory immunity during menopause.

Bergamot, Quercetin, Oleuropein ... how many of you are getting these powerful and scientifically evidenced nutrients into your diet every day? Especially, as we continue to navigate the viral chaos that has changed our lives. 

I have numerous ladies in the MyMT™ Community who were diagnosed positive for the current virus that continues to linger on with its variants.  Many are experiencing challenges with ongoing fatigue. Here in New Zealand the health system remains in crisis with winter flus and colds and every day we continue to hear the news that the Covid crisis is not over.

So, here's my question to you. No matter where in the world you live, what emphasis are you placing on your immune and respiratory health as you move through menopause? 

With more and more research showing that post-Covid fatigue syndrome affects both heart and lung inflammation, and because women are more susceptible to changing lung health as oestrogen levels decline, this is my reminder to you that certain nutrients matter.

My nutritional focus in the MyMT™ Food Guide which is included in the  12 week online programmes is an anti-inflammatory one. Developed from women's healthy ageing research, I have now added in a focus on nutrients such as Quercetin, Bergamot and of course, if you have sore joints, then you need to know about Oleuropein - a compound present in cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. These are just some of the nutrients that are now evidenced to improve our immune health and have been reported in the American Nutrition Association [ANA] over the past year as new research emerges about how to stay healthy in a pandemic.

Our menopause transition is a vulnerable time for women.

When we aren't sleeping, or when we have thyroid problems, or if we are feeling anxious, depressed and we are experiencing gut health problems, weight gain or sore joints, then our immune system is suffering.

This week, those of you in Australia and those here in New Zealand are having another go at lockdowns. Whilst all the women on my programmes are facing different challenges in their lives, the best thing I've been sharing with them is to maintain their focus on their immune health. Especially when it comes to the nutrients that are evidenced to help us stay well.

Over the past 2 years, it's been increasingly obvious, that our immune health matters and as such, I've been following the lifestyle science as fast as it is coming out. Some of that research has been from nutritional science sources, so a big shout-out to the American Nutrition Association (ANA) which quickly formed a task-force of clever nutritional scientists to bring together the latest evidence that is helping me to help women on my programmes as well as in my newsletter community. That's you. 

Whilst there is a note of caution from the ANA Task Force, that these nutritional strategies are supportive only, because no large-scale study has been undertaken to provide long-term data, they have provided an overview of foods, nutrients and food compounds backed up by immune science research.

Our immune function matters. Especially during menopause.

I've spoken about the fact that this is a time in our lives when we become more vulnerable to health problems. But this isn't 'just' because our hormones are changing. Our organs and tissues are ageing and ageing itself can set up pockets of inflammation around our cells and tissues. Add to this the inflammation that occurs in mucous membranes from viral infections and you have a cocktail of inflammation that needs to subside ... hence, prevention pays - big time!



Identifying that there is a need to reduce inflammation as well as reduce the viral load, with this approach, the ANA suggest that the following bio-active nutrients may be helpful (please note that this information is not intended as a 'cure' but as immune enhancing prevention only): 

 	Curcumin (Turmeric).
 	Bergamot - part of the citrus fruit family.
 	 Quercetin - This is a plant pigment (flavonoid) found in numerous foods such as  such as leafy green vegetables, broccoli, red onions, peppers, dill, oregano, green tea, apples, berries and red wine.
 	Kaempferol - this is another flavonoid which is found in a variety of plants and plant-derived foods including kale, beans, tea, spinach and broccoli.
 	Oleuropein - in the MyMT programmes, all of the women know that olive oil matters to their joint health! But they also know that it matters to their immune health as well. This powerful immune-boosting anti-inflammatory compound is fond in extra virgin olive oil and olive leaves.
 	Catechins - these are known anti-infectious compounds that are found in certain foods and in Green Tea. Green tea is one of the most popular drinks consumed worldwide. Produced mainly in Asian countries from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the potential health benefits have been widely studied. It's a big component of the types of beverages that I advise women to drink in the MyMT™ programmes too.


 	 Vitamin C - many of us already know that this is an important nutrient for our immune health, but what we need to remember is that it is needed to help white blood cells to fight infections. It is also required to assist the absorption of iron. And adequate iron for those of you in peri-menopause, helps to protect us against vulnerability to infections. If you are in peri-menopause and you are still menstruating, then you need at least 12 mg a day of iron. With the need for Vitamin C, how much time did you spend in the fruit and vegetable section the last time you shopped?
 	 Vitamin A - this terrific vitamin gets forgotten about in times of infection because most people associate it with eye health. And yes, it is important for our eye health, but it also supports the health of mucosal tissues. Our mucosal tissues are the first point of entry for the virus - think about your nose, mouth and eyes! As well, researchers have found that Vitamin A also helps to regulate our immune system via the Gut Microbiome.
 	 Vitamin D - you've heard it before in here and you are going to hear it again. As we go into menopause, our largest organ, the skin, loses the ability to absorb Vitamin D. This makes women in menopause susceptible to respiratory infections because this vital vitamin is well known to help to boost our immune system. Exposure to sunlight or if you can't get into sunlight because of where you live then please look at sourcing a supplement.



10. Vitamin E - Whilst not specifically an anti-viral nutrient, ANA researchers promote this nutrient because it is an efficient anti-oxidant and plays an important role in lung and liver protection. This makes it a powerful anti-oxidant (removes harmful particles) and anti-inflammatory nutrition. It is fat-soluble, which means that it accumulates in lipid (fat) membranes. Some of the best sources of Vitamin E available during the lock-down and that can be stored more readily in your pantry, will be Almonds, Sunflower seeds, Butternut Squash, Avocados and Olive-oil.

11. Zinc and Selenium are also mentioned by the ANA so don't forget your Brazil nuts - 3-4 brazil nuts can provide your daily dose of selenium, so get some of these in your pantry as well. Cashews, Almonds and Kidney Beans are also great sources of Zinc in the absence of fresh fish, oysters or beef.



With staffing shortages in many vocations here in New Zealand as well as Australia and the UK, I want to do a shout-out to those of you having to work as hard as you've ever had to. I know your energy levels will be suffering, because during our menopause transition, there are additional demands placed on our cells and tissues and because we are losing muscle density, the number and size of mitochondrial cells decreases.

This is an important concern for women in midlife, because our mitochondrial cells are where energy is produced. And if we don't have enough energy to get through the demands of our day, our menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and brain fog become worse.

Thank you for being part of the MyMT™ community. Whilst I know that many of you may not afford to join me on the 12 week programmes, I hope you can take up my offer of my post-menopause July SALE (listen to the video below) - apply the promo code MYMTJULY when you purchase. As well, have a listen to my Masterclass on Menopause, which I've put online for you and you can read about it HERE.

Where-ever you are in the world, have a great weekend and eat your apples.

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society. 

https://vimeo.com/724331383

References: 

American Nutrition Association (2020). Personalised Nutrition and the Covid-19 Era.  Online Access

Kato, Y., Domoto, T. et al (2014). Effect on Blood Pressure of Daily Lemon Ingestion and Walking. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, Volume 2014, Article ID 912684

Mortaz E, Bezemer G, Alipoor SD, Varahram M, Mumby S, Folkerts G, Garssen J, Adcock IM. (2021). Nutritional Impact and Its Potential Consequences on COVID-19 Severity. Front Nutr. Jul 5;8:698617. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.698617.

Reygaert, W. (2018). Green Tea Catechins: Their Use in Treating and Preventing Infectious Diseases. Biomed Research Int'al, pp.1-9 Open Access: 

Wenyan Sun, Frost B., & Jiankang Liu (2017). Oleuropein, unexpected benefits! Oncotarget, 8, (11), pp: 17409-17409

### University of Waikato, Alumna Series: Pssst You Can Mention The M Word

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) speaks to the University of Waikato, about her world-leading research into Women's Healthy Ageing and Lifestyle Science Solutions as part of her Masters and PhD Studies.

Dr Sweet (PhD) completed both her Masters and PhD through the University, and at the time, was also a Lecturer in the Health and Human Nutrition Department.

Click the link below to go to the University of Waikato's website to read the article. 


READ MORE

### Feeling anxious? Hot flushes frustrating you? HRT is in short supply in New Zealand, so is there a lifestyle alternative?

Shortages of some hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products have hit the headlines lately and the Radio New Zealand reporting of a national shortage of Hormone Replacement Therapy patches in New Zealand didn't surprise me (18th May, 2024).Afterall, the same situation happened in the UK in 2019 - "HRT: UK faces shortage for menopausal women" shouted the headline on the 19th of August, from the BBC news page.And according to both of these articles, the anxiety associated with these shortages may be sending thousands of women into the very symptoms that menopause-HRT is supposed to alleviate – anxiety, mood swings and hot flushes.The menopause transition can have a considerable impact on many women, especially those living in western societies. For a significant proportion troublesome symptoms may continue long-term.Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most  commonly used treatment for managing menopausal symptoms. Numerous studies show its efficacy [Hamoda et al, 2020; Talaulikar, 2022], although these results may vary for women over the age of 60, as well as between different ethnicities [Kingsberg, 2023], so what happens when HRT prescriptions have exploded, leading to a global shortage of 'the patch'? Are there alternative strategies for symptom relief that are equally evidenced?  That's what I want to share with you in this blog.And no, I'm not recommending that you get off Menopause HRT - this is a medical decision that is between you and your Doctor. But evidence is accumulating that evidenced lifestyle changes will positively benefit you with your symptom reduction as well.  Afterall, as I've stated for a decade now, 'menopause is the bookend to puberty' and we didn't need lots of medications or endless supplements then either.Thinking about this alongside my doctoral studies on women's health and ageing, led me to investigate lifestyle science strategies that all women may benefit from during menopause to reduce their hot flushes/flashes, anxiety and insomnia. If this is you and you're feeling overwhelmed and anxious as you transition menopause and the menopause HRT shortage is keeping your anxiety levels elevated, then please read on. 		
																										
		Menopause is the biological gateway to women's ageingFeelings of anxiety, brain-fog and heat intolerance as women move through menopause can't just be blamed on declining oestrogen and progesterone.Numerous changes occur around the body when reproductive hormones decline. For example, the nervous system is ageing. As oestrogen levels decline, this impacts the irritability of the nerve signal travelling along the nerve, especially nerves in the brain, because the nerve axon and myelin sheath outer membrane, become more vulnerable with age.As such, specific nutrients are known to target enhanced function and conduction of nerves during menopause. This includes the B-vitamins and folic acid [El Soury et al., 2021], Magnesium [Vink & Nechifor, 2011] as well as Vitamin D [Mei et al., 2023] and compounds found in Extra Virgin Olive Oil [Lauretti et al, 2020] and Green Tea [Unno & Nakamura, 2021].Blood vessels are changing with age too. Oestrogen helps to maintain their dilation as they lose elasticity, but so too does numerous nutrients in foods that are known to reduce vascular stiffness - the very thing that menopause HRT is known to help alleviate. [De Bruyne et al., 2019; Preedy & Watson, 2020; Sarapis et al., 2020; Vamvakis et al., 2020]When these structural changes throughout the body clash with a woman's active, stressful lifestyle during menopause, the result is increased hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, mood swings, weight changes (gain and/or loss of weight), poor gut health and for many women, sore joints and aching muscles too. Until I did my women's healthy ageing studies, I had no idea about all these things either.		
																										
		When Women Are Busy and Stressed, this Keeps Their Nerves and Brain in 'Fight or Flight' ModeMenopause HRT is evidenced to help reduce feelings of anxiety and overwhelm as well as hot flushes/flashes. [Zhang et al, 2021; NICE Guidelines, 2023], but what effect is their busy, stressful lifestyle having on these symptoms too?This is where some understanding of the vagus nerve and other nerves, and how they react in 'stress-response mode', and the effect that this has on progesterone levels comes into play.We all know that in moderation, the body thrives on some stress. However, for midlife women faced with declining hormones, insomnia and busy, stressful lives, the 'stress-load' or allostatic load accumulates. If sleep is impacted, then inflammatory changes accumulate too. The increase in inflammatory changes, as well as feeling stressed and being constantly busy increases nervous system activity, blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and metabolism.The roll-on effect of an over-stressed vagus nerve, thyroid and adrenal system, when we aren't sleeping well, is increased inflammation in our body, especially in the gut and colon. [Hirotsu, 2015] and as a consequence, hot flushes may increase in severity and frequency too. It’s why medical ailments such as Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or other digestive problems such as ulcers, are more frequently observed in higher-stress patients and are known to be four times higher in midlife women, compared to men.In fact there is a neurological term for these types of patients known as having a ‘sympathetic dominant metabolism’. This is referring to the fact that the sympathetic ‘fight-or-flight’ nerve pathway is dominating the metabolic environment.If you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed and you aren't sleeping or have an irritable bowel, then you need to balance up your day with a little bit of help from the opposite nervous system pathway - your para-sympathetic pathway.This is your calming nervous system. And during menopause, we need to focus on 'calm, not chaos'. The difference in symptoms when we do this, can be remarkable.		
																										
		One of my ‘Anxiety-Buster’ tips for women who join me on the My Menopause Transformation programmes, is to focus on lower-intensity aerobic exercise that allows the brain and nervous system to slow down. When we do rhythmic activity, such as walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, dancing or rowing, then we achieve ‘flow’.This allows us to move in ways that are more natural for our nervous system and muscles and when we find pleasure in our activity, then our anxiety decreases too.Anxiety and hot flushes are often reported as 'normal' symptoms of menopause and yes, many women are helped by going on hormonal replacement therapies at this life-stage.However, when women take a moment to also reflect on many of the causes of overwhelm and anxiety as well as take action on slowing down, breathing deeply, turning around sleep and changing their nutrition to match their changing hormonal status during menopause, it's surprising how much better they may feel. 		
																										
		It is well known in women's health research that mid-life women experience numerous challenges as they juggle their various commitments. [Thomas et al, 2019]. As I've learnt from the 16,000+ women who have undertaken my lifestyle-change programs, many keep going until they feel exhausted. But when reproductive hormones begin to decline in peri-menopause and women begin to experience increased anxiety, hot flushes, palpitations and mood changes, then this is a sign that the body is going into 'survival mode'. It is also a sign that some blood markers may be low, such as Vitamin D, iron, B12 and ferritin (stored iron). I have written about these HERE. This is where menopause HRT can make a difference, as can some evidenced anti-inflammatory supplements, such as Black Cohosh and Evening Primrose Oil and/or phyto-oestrogen supplementation, however, research is variable on the efficacy of these supplements during menopause.  [Pierson et al, 2009].Women mustn't forget that going through 'the change' means focusing on 'lifestyle change' too. And how to achieve this is outlined in the My Menopause Transformation programs.Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD], Member Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society/ REPs Exercise Specialist		
																										
		ReferencesDe Bruyne T, Steenput B, Roth L, De Meyer GRY, Santos CND, Valentová K, Dambrova M, Hermans N. Dietary Polyphenols Targeting Arterial Stiffness: Interplay of Contributing Mechanisms and Gut Microbiome-Related Metabolism. Nutrients. 2019 Mar 8;11(3):578. El Soury M, Fornasari BE, Carta G, Zen F, Haastert-Talini K, Ronchi G. The Role of Dietary Nutrients in Peripheral Nerve Regeneration. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 10;22(14):7417.Gonzalez, N. (2017). Nutrition and the Autonomic Nervous System. New York: New Springs Press.Hamoda H, Panay N, Pedder H, Arya R, Savvas M. The British Menopause Society & Women's Health Concern 2020 recommendations on hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women. Post Reprod Health. 2020 Dec;26(4):181-209. doi: 10.1177/2053369120957514. Hantsoo L, Epperson CN. Anxiety Disorders Among Women: A Female Lifespan Approach. Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2017 Spring;15(2):162-172. doi: 10.1176/appi.focus.20160042. Epub 2017 Apr 10. PMID: 28966563Hirotsu C, Tufik S, Andersen ML. Interactions between sleep, stress, and metabolism: From physiological to pathological conditions. Sleep Sci. 2015 Nov;8(3):143-52. doi: 10.1016/j.slsci.2015.09.002.Huppert, F., Baylis, N. & Barry, K. (2007). The science of well-being. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.Kingsberg SA, Schulze-Rath R, Mulligan C, Moeller C, Caetano C, Bitzer J. Global view of vasomotor symptoms and sleep disturbance in menopause: a systematic review. Climacteric. 2023 Dec;26(6):537-549. doi: 10.1080/13697137.2023.2256658. Lauretti E, Nenov M, Dincer O, Iuliano L, Praticò D. Extra virgin olive oil improves synaptic activity, short-term plasticity, memory, and neuropathology in a tauopathy model. Aging Cell. 2020 Jan;19(1):e13076. doi: 10.1111/acel.13076. Epub 2019 Nov 24. Lima-Alves, D., Rocha, S. et al. (2019). The positive impact of physical activity on the reduction of anxiety scores: a pilot study. Revue of Assoc. Med., 65(3), 434-440Mei Z, Hu H, Zou Y, Li D. The role of vitamin D in menopausal women's health. Front Physiol. 2023 Jun 12;14:1211896. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1211896.Geller SE, Shulman LP, van Breemen RB, Banuvar S, Zhou Y, Epstein G, Hedayat S, Nikolic D, Krause EC, Piersen CE, Bolton JL, Pauli GF, Farnsworth NR. Safety and efficacy of black cohosh and red clover for the management of vasomotor symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. Menopause. 2009 Nov-Dec;16(6):1156-66. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181ace49b.Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidenced-based approach. Elselvier Academic Press: London, United Kingdom.Sarapis K, Thomas CJ, Hoskin J, George ES, Marx W, Mayr HL, Kennedy G, Pipingas A, Willcox JC, Prendergast LA, Itsiopoulos C, Moschonis G. The Effect of High Polyphenol Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Healthy Australian Adults: A Randomized, Controlled, Cross-Over Study. Nutrients. 2020 Jul 29;12(8):2272. doi: 10.3390/nu12082272. Thomas AJ, Mitchell ES, Woods NF. Undesirable stressful life events, impact, and correlates during midlife: observations from the Seattle midlife women's health study. Womens Midlife Health. 2019 Jan 3;5:1. doi: 10.1186/s40695-018-0045-y.Unno K, Nakamura Y. Green Tea Suppresses Brain Aging. Molecules. 2021 Aug 12;26(16):4897. doi: 10.3390/molecules26164897. Vamvakis A, Gkaliagkousi E, Lazaridis A, Grammatikopoulou MG, Triantafyllou A, Nikolaidou B, Koletsos N, Anyfanti P, Tzimos C, Zebekakis P, Douma S. Impact of Intensive Lifestyle Treatment (Diet Plus Exercise) on Endothelial and Vascular Function, Arterial Stiffness and Blood Pressure in Stage 1 Hypertension: Results of the HINTreat Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2020 May 7;12(5):1326. doi: 10.3390/nu12051326.Vikram Sinai Talaulikar. “Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopausal Symptoms - A Summary of Current Scientific Evidence”. EC Gynaecology 11.9 (2022): 39-45.Vink R, Nechifor M, editors. Magnesium in the Central Nervous System [Internet]. Adelaide (AU): University of Adelaide Press; 2011. PMID: 29919999.Zhang GQ, Chen JL, Luo Y, Mathur MB, Anagnostis P, Nurmatov U, Talibov M, Zhang J, Hawrylowicz CM, Lumsden MA, Critchley H, Sheikh A, Lundbäck B, Lässer C, Kankaanranta H, Lee SH, Nwaru BI. Menopausal hormone therapy and women's health: An umbrella review. PLoS Med. 2021 Aug 2;18(8):e1003731. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003731.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Chickpea Stuffed Smoky Aubergine

The aubergine or eggplant isn't for everyone - especially if you are allergic to plants that fall within the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Aubergine, along with tomatoes, potatoes and peppers, and other crops, can be tricky for women who are troubled by nightshade plants, which can contribute to gut inflammation and irritable bowel syndrome.

But if the humble eggplant, which originated on the savannahs of Africa, but was domesticated in Asia, is on your menu, then this recipe is for you!

Teamed up with Chickpeas, the combination of Aubergine and Chickpeas gives you a potassium boost. Both foods are rich in potassium which, if you don't have leaky gut syndrome, is beneficial for your heart health during menopause.

Chickpeas are a legume. Many dietary guidelines indicate that we all need more legumes in our diet, because they are a great source of dietary fibre, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron - all nutrients that are beneficial to the health of midlife women.


Chickpea Stuffed Smoky Aubergine
Ingredients

 	1 lemon
 	4 aubergines
 	4 tbsp Tahini
 	2 tbsp Harissa
 	1 can of chickpeas
 	1 tbsp smoked paprika
 	1 tbsp cumin
 	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 	Pomegranate seeds
 	Mint leaves
 	Salad: Cucumber, tomato and red pepper diced.

Method:

 	Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
 	Cut your aubergines in half. Place them on a baking tray, and rub with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 50 minutes.
 	Drain the chickpeas and add them to a separate bowl with the smoked paprika, cumin and a dash of olive oil to coat them. Mix together and place on a baking tray with a pinch of salt. Bake for 25 minutes (until crispy).
 	In a separate bowl, combine tahini, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper and a tsp of olive oil. Then add a tbsp of water and stir together.
 	While everything is cooking, make the salad.
 	Remove the aubergines and cut in half. Add cuts into the flesh, and spoon out some of it.
 	Remove the chickpeas. Combine it with the flesh of the aubergine, and then place it back into the aubergine.
 	To plate up, drizzle the tahini paste on top of the aubergines and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and mint. Serve the salad on the side, or on top of the aubergines.

[Modified from a Mob Recipe]

If you are experiencing Gut Health concerns now that you are in menopause, then please also explore my stand-alone module called 'Restore your Grateful Gut'. You can click on the image below to access the information.

### Beyond Hot Flushes: Heat and your Leaky Gut in Menopause

It's a little bit difficult to be talking about heat stress during the menopause transition at the start of a South Island, New Zealand winter, but many of you are also heading into your summer months ... perhaps, you are concerned about beating the heat, now that you are in menopause?

Or perhaps you are in post-menopause, and your hot flushes (flashes) have returned, despite being on Menopause HRT?

As such, you may be as curious as I was about research that has emerged exploring the connection between heat stress, hot flushes and an inflammatory gut condition called 'leaky gut syndrome'.

Every day I read health screening forms from midlife women who note that they have gut health disturbances. 

Many are also on menopause HRT but still experiencing hot flushes/flashes, especially as they move into post-menopause. This is partly why I became curious about the relationship between gut health and menopause - a connection which a lot of women (nor their Practitioners) are making.

The incidence of inflammatory bowel and leaky gut diseases has been on the rise in many western countries for decades, but it's only recently that gut researchers have been interested in the menopause transition. In western countries Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] is 4 times more common in women as they reach mid-life.

According to Dr Marek Glezerman, author of 'Gender Medicine' which explores the gender differences in health and disease,

“Functional Disorders of the digestive tract, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is four times more common in women living in Western countries during and after menopause. In Japan, China, India and other parts of Asia, the ratio is the opposite."

This is an important point for women to note - especially when it comes to their immune health. World renowned scientist and expert in blood vessel repair, Dr William Li, has researched the incredible influence that our gut microbiota has on our immune defences. Just under the surface of the gut lining is your 'immune command centre'  and gut bacteria 'turn on' or 'shut down' immune defences in this area. (Li, 2019, p. 93)

Numerous women find that their menopause transition intersects with changing gut health, as I did myself. Whilst the blame is given to declining levels of both oestrogen and progesterone and the effect that this has on the gut wall as well as the gut microbiome, we also can't exclude lifestyle factors, such as diet, exercise and sleep.
How does oestrogen impact gut health during menopause?
Changing oestrogen levels impact the tiny microvilli that line our digestive system, causing 'gaps' to increase between them. This is known as leaky gut syndrome. It can lead to Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS in women who are either in or through menopause.

And as if declining oestrogen isn't enough, it was research on Heat Stress and IBS that piqued my interest - IBS is made worse with heat stress (Lian et al, 2020).

Whether it be the climate, or high-intensity exercise, or temperature changes during menopause, it seems that too much internal heat, contributes to impairment of the intestinal epithelial barrier in our gut and this can lead to a condition commonly known as leaky gut syndrome.

Leaky Gut Syndrome arises when there are gaps that occur in the intestinal barrier along the gut wall. This is problematic because this gut wall barrier of the gastrointestinal tract (GI Tract) is the largest surface of the body that is in contact with the outside environment, so, gaps in this barrier, mean that pathogens can leak through, thus affecting the body's natural immune response.

It's interesting therefore, that heat stress contributes to severe intestinal epithelial damage - a caution perhaps for those of you exercising in the heat and for women who experience additional heat stress due to the climate or of course, due to menopause hormonal changes.



Under normal conditions, an intact intestinal barrier prevents the transmission of toxins and other substances which can lead to inflammation and an altered immune system.

Hence, when there are gaps in the tiny junctions, and the integrity of the intestines are compromised, a variety of problems can occur, from inflammatory bowel disease to more serious conditions, such as heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes.
Leaky Gut Syndrome has numerous causes:
Although newer research links heat stress to leaky gut syndrome, stress disorders such as endurance exercise, menopause insomnia, food allergies and certain medications also increase permeability of the gut wall.

For those of you who are regular exercisers and going through menopause, then take note that only 60 min of vigorous endurance training at 70% of the maximum work capacity may also lead to the characteristic responses of leaky gut syndrome. (Ribiero et al, 2021).

But the good news is that leaky gut syndrome can be reversed and it's why I have a module on Gut Health in the 12 week programmes. If women are going to get on top of their menopause symptoms and/or weight, then they need to have a bit of a focus on their gut health.

Dietary factors can reverse intestinal leakiness and mucosal damage in “stress” disorders (Camilleri, 2019) and I share some of these with you below.


4 Ways to Heal Your Leaky Gut:

 	Stop Eating Earlier in the Evening! Your gut operates on a 24 hr circadian cycle. Much of our absorption of nutrients occurs overnight when the body is resting. But this is also when the gut motility slows down, so if you want to heal your gut, then stop eating earlier in the evening so the food has time to be digested and absorbed.



 	Increase Vitamin C Intake. It's only been since 2015, that researchers have begun to understand that oestrogen has a role in helping the gut epithelium or lining to turn over cells regularly. So, as we move through menopause, and oestrogen levels are naturally declining, then it makes sense that this is a vulnerable time for our gut health. Vitamin C helps the gut lining to heal. 



 	Fibre and Fermented Foods Help your Gut to Heal: The diet strongly influences the functions of the gut as well as the trillions of microbes that reside into the intestines. Studies have shown that dietary components can significantly alter gastrointestinal functions, either in a harmful or helpful way. Among carbohydrates, dietary fibres are recommended for anti-inflammation properties and intestinal barrier regulation. (Aleman et al, 2023).Probiotics also help repair a leaky gut so adding yoghurt and kefir to your diet is also recommended. Research suggests that the main effects of probiotics are to do with the maintenance of the intestinal wall as well as in the regulation of the transit time of food through the intestines and in the production of short-chain fatty acids which assist in gut health.



 	Monitor your Vitamin D levels. Both Vitamins A and D play critical functions in regulating gastrointestinal homeostasis but perhaps the vitamn that affects the female gut the most when levels are low, is Vitamin D. This is because low vitamin D levels impact the absorption of calcium through the gut wall. Vitamins A and D are necessary for the integrity of the epithelium and gut microbiota, They also modulate immune responses at different levels. (Aleman et al, 2023).



One of the main effects of oestrogen is to support our digestive health. In our monthly cycle, oestrogen is cycling up and down, and this meant that the higher levels of oestrogen helped our gut enzymes to work more efficiently.

Leaky Gut Syndrome leads to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which in turn may impact numerous menopause symptoms - depression, anxiety, weight gain (or loss) and brain-fog, sore joints, hot flushes and of course, menopause insomnia. All these symptoms are affected by changing gut health.

Understanding this connection and then getting on top of it is crucial to your ongoing health during your menopause transition. It's why, improving gut health is an important part of the world-class 12 week My Menopause Transformation programmes. I hope you can join me sometime.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.


 

Click here for GUT HEALTH WEBINAR information


References:

Aleman RS, Moncada M, Aryana KJ. Leaky Gut and the Ingredients That Help Treat It: A Review. Molecules. 2023 Jan 7;28(2):619.

Camilleri M. Leaky gut: mechanisms, measurement and clinical implications in humans. Gut. 2019 Aug;68(8):1516-1526.

Li, W. (2019). Eat to beat disease. London, UK: Vermilion Publ.

Lian P, Braber S, Garssen J, Wichers HJ, Folkerts G, Fink-Gremmels J, Varasteh S. Beyond Heat Stress: Intestinal Integrity Disruption and Mechanism-Based Intervention Strategies. Nutrients. 2020 Mar 11;12(3):734.

Ribeiro F., Petriz B., Marques G., Kamilla L., Franco O. (2021). Is There an Exercise-Intensity Threshold Capable of Avoiding the Leaky Gut? Frontiers in Nutrition, 8.

### The Moment of Midlife: Women’s Midlife Health Research Remains Unfinished

"Back in 1990 there was no market incentive to look after the health of midlife women, because in the eyes of decision makers, they presented no ‘economic value’.  Today, we finally have those numbers. But, what isn't shown, and what economists always find the hardest to estimate, is the indirect costs i.e. the untold story."
[Georgia Sweet, Health Economist/ MyMT™ Education Course Convenor]		
																										
		The news this week that United States Philanthropist, Melinda French-Gates plans to donate US$1 billion over the next two years to organisations supporting women and girls around the world is a welcome one.Although, as we all know, where and how this money gets distributed and spent is crucial and whether it goes to those who matter most – the health and welfare of women and girls’.This got Georgia and I thinking about how we would spend some of this money.We would put it towards research into the causes of symptoms, including symptoms that are still not being related by Doctors to the menopause transition as well as lifestyle science solutions.Through talking to women around the world, as well as Health Professionals studying with us, it is clear that Government’s still do not understand that midlife is a critical window which can determine a woman’s functionality, disease morbidity and mortality in her older years.If we wrote this article a decade ago, it would have been titled ‘The Moment of Midlife: The Women Who Are Being Forgotten.’ That is exactly what I argued in my thesis.Fortunately, the status of the menopause transition has come a long way in this time, as the topic becomes more mainstream.The increased focus on women’s health research, led to better understanding that fundamental differences in physiology and disease states between men and women existed.This research, has already changed the lives of thousands of MyMT™ women.		
																										
		However, there remains gaps and inequities in research, especially as the dominant paradigm takes a pharmaceutical focus.Hence, if I was developing a case for funding from Melinda Gates, I would argue, ‘Women’s Midlife Health Research Remains Unfinished.’Critical knowledge-gaps remain that require well-funded studies. These include:How lifestyle choices across a woman’s life course affect her menopause experience.The impact of midlife hormonal changes on cardiovascular disease and lifestyle solutions. Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 cause of mortality in older women.The impact of midlife hormonal changes on joint issues and lifestyle solutions.Ethnic and cultural differences in menopause symptoms.Differences in the gut health of younger females still producing reproductive hormones and middle-age women in menopause.Perhaps the most important area however, that keeps coming up in conversations we have with Health Practitioners and women from around the world, is to explore the effect of psycho-social stress on menopause symptoms and quality of life, including workplace productivity.This, it seems, remains an important area of research.The research that is just starting to emerge, has explored the link between psycho-social stress in midlife women, menopause symptoms, and their ability to engage and be productive in the workplace.Georgia and I were not surprised by these findings.As a trained Health Economist, Georgia spent the last 5 years analysing and advising the Government on why and how money might be spent on hospitals and infrastructure.Health economics is a branch of economics concerned with issues related to efficiency, effectiveness, value and behaviour in the production and consumption of health and healthcare.Georgia is equally as passionate about supporting women with their health and has now joined me as the Course Convener for MyMT™ Education.I asked Georgia to share her thoughts on the economic value of investing in midlife women’s health. A demographic which typically gets forgotten about when it comes to their economic value to society. As she says below, there is a risk that the current data does not sufficently capture the exponential indirect effects that the health of midlife women has on society.		
																										
		Georgia Sweet:As a Health Economist, when advising on funding decisions, demonstrating that the monetary benefits outweigh the costs is fundamental.It didn’t take me long to realise that the hard work had already been done for me. Economists around the world have calculated the ‘cost of menopause symptoms’ attributing to loss of productivity, absenteeism, turnover, health care appointments, pharmaceuticals and emergency department visits.As you can imagine, the numbers are astronomical. The Canadian Menopause Foundation estimates that there is a 14% drop in the number of working women in Canada between 45 (85.9% work) and 59 (71.9% work)[1].The Mayo Clinic estimates the costs of worker productivity losses due to menopausal symptoms in the USA to be about $1.8 billion and related health care costs total over $24 billion.[2]The NZ Institute of Economic Research, conducted one of the first surveys of 1000 midlife working women, including 150 Māori women in 2023. (NZIER, The Silent Epidemic, 2023]. The results revealed that many women struggle with symptoms that impact their wellbeing, productivity and engagement at work and potentially their economic participation.[3]Can I reiterate, that this study was only undertaken in 2023!When I was undertaking research for this article, what surprised me was that the majority of papers demonstrating the economic cost of menopause were produced after 2018.After looking at the history of women’s inclusion in academic research trials (see image below), it’s no surprise that this research has taken so long to come to our attention.		
																										
		It was only in 1980 that scientific terminology for Menopause was defined.But, it took another 10-15 years for the first cohort studies on ovarian ageing and menopause symptoms to get underway in the mid 1990s. [NIH, Office of research on Women’s Health]However, it wasn’t until I saw the following statistic, that the penny dropped.The number of women aged 55 – 64 in the workforce in New Zealand has increased from 31% in 1990 to 75% in 2022. An increase of 44% in just 32 years! [3]Very simply, back in 1990 there was no market incentive to look after the health of midlife women, because in the eyes of decision makers, they presented ‘no economic value’.Today, in 2024, we finally have the data to present some numbers to decision makers.But, what that data may not capture, and what economists always find the hardest to estimate is the indirect costs i.e. the untold story.		
																										
		Talking everyday with women in the MyMT™ Community has allowed me the privilege of glimpsing into those untold stories. From what I can see, their symptoms and health challenges have an effect on every corner of society.For example, the majority of essential public service roles in health care, education and social services are held by midlife women. Many of the MyMT™ women were deemed essential workers during Covid-19 and had to travel into work. Australian Paramedic, Wendy, in the image above, is one of these women. She nearly gave up her job without any consideration of the financial consequences due to her crippling menopause symptoms.Therefore, when midlife women cannot do their job, we lose many of the foundations of our society. When we think back to the Canadian report which found that 14% of women stop working in midlife, we can visualise the impact menopause is likely having on critical services in our society such as nursing, teaching, and government agencies. Let alone the fact that many of these women who remain in the workplace aren’t as productive, or as attentive, because of the brain fog, anxiety or fatigue they may be experiencing.		
																										
		The economic analysis may also not have taken into account the cost of unpaid work that midlife women engage in.
These costs cannot be underestimated – their ability to pick up a child from school, to look after grandchildren while parents are at work, to take an ageing parent to the hospital, and everything else that is undertaken in between! Menopause symptoms often significantly affect or prevent these important tasks from happening.  
But from our conversations with women and Health Professionals, one of the most important aspects these these economists may have forgotten to consider is the influence that midlife women have on those around them. 
From the knowledge and wisdom they pass on to their families and friends, the food they cook, to their caring roles, midlife women shape the health of those around them.  
When we think about these important roles that midlife women fulfil in the communities they engage in, we can see the exponential effect that their health has on society.
From what we observe every day and what Health Professionals tell us, midlife women often put their health behind everyone else’s around them.
We can’t let decision makers do the same. It just doesn’t make economic sense! 
The health of midlife and older women matters. Society is a better place when this demographic have their health and can continue to contribute in ways that are meaningful to them.
That’s why, Wendy and I both hope that some of the generosity of Melinda French-Gates, is also directed to research specific to their needs, and addresses the known gaps in lifestyle research.
Georgia Sweet, B.Com/ Health Economist/ MyMT™ Education Course Convenor
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine		
																										
		References: https://menopausefoundationcanada.ca/pdf_files/Menopause_Work_Canada_2023EN.pdfhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/aparnarae/2023/10/18/beyond-hot-flashes-a-deep-dive-into-menopause-work-and-the-economy/?sh=5b8872496596 NZIER. (2023). The silent transition: Understanding the impacts of menopause in New Zealand workplaces. A Report for Global Women.Dean E, Moffat M, Skinner M, Dornelas de Andrade A, Myezwa H, Söderlund A. Toward core inter-professional health promotion competencies to address the non-communicable diseases and their risk factors through knowledge translation: curriculum content assessment. BMC Public Health. 2014 Jul 14;14:717.Sioban D. Harlow, Lynnette Leidy Sievert, Andrea Z. LaCroix, Gita D. Mishraand Nancy Fugate Woods. Women’s midlife health: the unfinished research agenda. Women's Midlife Health. 2023. doi:10.1186/s40695-023-00090-5Douthard R, Whitten LA, Clayton JA. Research on Women's Health: Ready for the Future. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2022 Feb;31(2):133-144. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2022.0014. Griffiths A, Ceausu I, Depypere H, Lambrinoudaki I, Mueck A, Pérez-López FR, van der Schouw YT, Senturk LM, Simoncini T, Stevenson JC, Stute P, Rees M. EMAS recommendations for conditions in the workplace for menopausal women. Maturitas. 2016 Mar;85:79-81Macpherson BE, Quinton ND. Menopause and healthcare professional education: A scoping review. Maturitas. 2022 Dec;166:89-95. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.08.009.Whiteley J, DiBonaventura Md, Wagner JS, Alvir J, Shah S. The impact of menopausal symptoms on quality of life, productivity, and economic outcomes. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2013 Nov;22(11):983-90.

### Your sore joints during and after menopause.

Oestrogen has a role to play in cell turn-over and healing of our joints. So, what happens as we move through menopause, when we don't produce as much oestrogen? It's not often that a week goes by when I don't receive messages and emails from women who are curious to know if their sore joints, aching knees and restless legs are anything to do with menopause. It's the same when women come to my live-events. When I enquire who has sore joints and muscles, numerous hands would shoot straight up. Most hadn't realised that their sore joints, aching muscles, sore knees and restless legs were a symptom of menopause.  Surprisingly, many women believe that they are on the trajectory towards osteoarthritis, something that they've also seen in their mother's generation too. The Wear and Tear Theory and the Role of Oestrogen in Joint HealthThat's why I have some questions for you.Is joint and muscle pain affecting your ability to participate in regulat exercise or stay active as you move through menopause or if you are already in post-menopause?Are you experiencing sore knees, or joint pain for the first time since entering menopause?Or has your joint and/or muscle pain increased since menopause?If you answered yes to these questions, you’re not alone. Over 500,000 women globally have completed my Menopause Symptoms Quiz and 80% of them state that they have sore joints. When I reached my early 50’s, my joints began to ache.  I thought it was due to weight gain and years of high-impact exercise. It's no surprise that my past 'exercise life’ flashed through my mind!Many women experience joint and muscle health changes as they arrive in midlife, and I talk about this in my Masterclass on Menopause.  So, if you haven't managed to purchase your 3 months access to this 2 hr webinar (only NZ$15/AUS$13/CAN$11 or £7) that is online for you, then have a listen to the video below, where I explain why you should watch it sometime!Then scroll down to read more about your aching knees and painful joints as you arrive in midlife.		
					
									MyMT™ Restore your joyful joints module - only NZ$49.95
					
		https://vimeo.com/851118375?share=copy#t=0Understanding the 'Wear and Tear Theory of Ageing'As the first generation of women to enter the menopause transition in the context of the changing exercise environment over our lifetime, the 'wear and tear theory' of ageing matters. So too, does the role of oestrogen in our joints and muscles, and for those of you who don't exercise regularly, this is relevant to you.Declining oestrogen levels during menopause cause joints to lose some of the lubrication function. Oestrogen is involved in joint lubrication as well as tendon and ligament elasticity.Furthermore, because progesterone is a natural anti-inflammatory agent and helps joint tissues to relax, the decline in both oestrogen and progesterone, may contribute to worsening inflammation and dryness in your joints.For those of you who have undertaken regular exercise for years, then you may have found that your joints and muscles ache more, or you are experiencing more frequent injuries than you are used to. Is this you? According to the Australasian Longitudinal Studies on Women's Health, it's part of the reason many women give up on exercise during their menopause transition. But here's the good news - it doesn't have to be like this. You can make regular exercise part of your life again and reduce your risk of osteoarthritis too. 		
																														
		The Role of Inflammation and Hormonal Changes in Joint Health During MenopauseWhen I began to look at Theories on Ageing as part of my doctoral studies, I realised that I needed to look through the ‘wear and tear’ lens in relation to joint health during menopause. The 'Wear and Tear Theory of Ageing' was first introduced in 1882, by Dr August Weismann, a German biologist.He believed that cells and tissues have vital parts that wear out resulting in more rapid ageing from the accumulation of inflammation. Like components of an ageing car, parts of the body eventually wear out from repeated use.Scientists now know that there is some basis to this theory. Hence, reducing inflammation and adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet, is one of your goals during your menopause transition. Newer research also suggests that declining oestrogen levels also impact the fascia and there may be an association between increased fascia thickness and reduced joint flexibility in patients with chronic pain. (Wilke et al, 2019).Fascia is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fibre and muscle in place.The tissue does more than provide internal structure; fascia has nerves that make it almost as sensitive as skin. If you've noticed that you are less flexible as you move through menopause or your muscles feel generally 'stiffer', then your ageing fascia may be the reason. Our menopause transition is now recognised as a vulnerable time for increased inflammation and sore joints and increased risk for heart disease, are just a couple of examples of this.  This is why the Menopause transition is the time to focus on a healthy diet and increase certain nutrients that heal and restore your joints. Sleep improvement is also important as is turning around gut health, so you can absorb the nutrients - all solutions which I have for you in the MyMT™ programmes. 		
																														
					
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		Oestrogen plays an important role in our joint and muscle health ...It was when I was teaching exercise and sports science students about the role of oestrogen in female athlete knee injuries that I had my 'lightbulb moment'.If oestrogen is important for joint stability and the maintenance of integrity in the tendons and ligaments (especially in knees), of female athletes, then what happens when we lose oestrogen? This was my curiosity. Oestrogen is essential for our joints and muscles, because its role is to protect and stabilize membranes. As a fat-soluble hormone, oestrogen helps to strengthen the cell membrane and in so doing, it assists as an antioxidant or anti-inflammatory compound.  		
																														
		Changing your diet to an Anti-inflammatory Diet is important:As I often say to women on my programmes, before embarking on too much exercise, it’s important to reduce inflammatory changes in joints and muscles by:Sleep all night which helps with reducing inflammation.Have specific nutrients that support joint health. This is why I want to share with you the powerful nutrient your joints will love!Olive oil, Anti-inflammatory Diet and Joint Health – the powerful connectionWhenever I receive health screening forms in my in-box from women who sign up to the MyMT™ programmes, I look carefully to see if they have ticked the box indicating they are experiencing  joint pain which has come on since they reached menopause. Over 80% of women tick that box. When I ask what their doctor or physio has said about their joint pain, invariably their response is ‘they can’t find anything wrong.’  Through my women’s healthy ageing studies, I discovered the incredible role that Extra Virgin Olive Oil has in reducing inflammation in the body as we age.I encourage the use of omega 3-rich olive oil and discourage the popular dietary emphasis on coconut fats and various cooking oils, which have not been researched specifically against our need to improve joint health in menopause.		
																														
		Nutrients for reducing inflammation in your joints and muscles come from olive oil - especially the nutrients oleocanthal and vitamin E.  According to Australia’s Olive Wellness Institute, adding olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the diet is crucial to reducing joint pain, reducing sore knees and reducing your risk of heart disease as you age.   Olive oil contains tocopherol (vitamin E); coconut oil doesn’t. Tocopherol or vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant necessary for hormonal and joint health during our menopause transition. It helps to repair damaged cell membranes and other foods high in Vitamin E, include sunflower seeds and almonds.Vitamin E is unique among vitamins because the biological activity of it varies considerably and for its adequate absorption, it requires fat digestion to be functioning normally. This means you need a healthy liver!The recommended daily intake from the FDA in America is 15mg daily but in New Zealand the recommended daily intake is 7-10mg, so take your pick! I recommend olive oil on the MyMT™ programmes as this has around 1.5 mg of vitamin E per tablespoon. Avocadoes, almonds, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts are high in vitamin E, as is kumara (sweet potato):“Evidence from randomised controlled trials shows olive oil exerts beneficial effects on markers of inflammation and endothelial function.”   [Schwingshackl et al., 2015].  		
																														
		There is so much information about how to look after our health these days, but as I discovered too, very little of it is supported by research specific to menopause. With menopause heralding the gateway to your biological ageing, it’s time to ensure that your joints stay working for you, and that your bone health is ideal as well. It came through loud and clear from my research studies, that women wanted to maintain optimal movement and function as they aged. I agree!Note:  If you do have joint pain that is causing you increasing pain or discomfort, I encourage you to get it checked out with your physio or medical provider as well.I also encourage you to join me on the My Menopause Transformation programmes and it is my privilege to offer you a SPECIAL OFFER of NZ$50* off as well as my FREE BONUS MODULE in each programme, called 'Restore your Joyful Joints' when you apply the exclusive promo code. If you aren't sure about the programmes, then I invite you to listen to my video below as I explain them to you. Your exclusive promo code is:    JOIN MYMT*  [NZ$349 = approx.  AU$317, US$206, CA$283, £165, €193]My 12 week programmes are: CIRCUIT BREAKER for thinner/ leaner womenTRANSFORM ME for women wanting to lose their menopause weight and restore their joint health.BEYOND MENOPAUSE for women in their post-menopause years, who want to understand the lifestyle changes for their healthy ageing.  How the programmes work, is in the video below.  https://vimeo.com/775629321?share=copyFrom peri-menopause to your post-menopause years, there is never a better time to start, but if you are hesitating, then I recommend you complete the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, watch the MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause, go to the Testimonials and Success Stories on the MyMT™ website and read the stories from women just like you. 
MyMT™ 12 week programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but this exclusive offer of NZ$50 off is yours to use right now. Please apply the promo code JOIN MYMT to either of the Circuit Breaker or Transform Me programmes. 
It would be my privilege to support you. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/MyMT™ Founder & Coach		
					
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		References:Chung E, Mo H, Wang S, Zu Y, Elfakhani M, Rios SR, Chyu MC, Yang RS, Shen CL. Potential roles of vitamin E in age-related changes in skeletal muscle health. Nutr Res. 2018 Jan;49:23-36. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2017.09.005.Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and the Protective role of Estrogen. Sports Med.2002, 32(2), 103-123]Fede C, Pirri C, Fan C, Albertin G, Porzionato A, Macchi V, De Caro R, Stecco C. (2019). Sensitivity of the fasciae to sex hormone levels: Modulation of collagen-I, collagen-III and fibrillin production. PLoS One. 26;14(9):e0223195.Khor SC, Abdul Karim N, Ngah WZ, Yusof YA, Makpol S. Vitamin E in sarcopenia: current evidences on its role in prevention and treatment. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2014;2014:914853. Rosillo, M., Alcaraz, M. et al. (2014). Anti-inflammatory and joint protective effects of extra-virgin olive-oil polyphenol extract in experimental arthritis,The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 25, 12, 1275-1281.Schwingshackl, L., M. Christoph, and G. Hoffmann (2015). Effects of Olive Oil on Markers of Inflammation and Endothelial Function-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 7(9): p. 7651-75.Wilke J, Macchi V, De Caro R, Stecco C. (2019). Fascia thickness, aging and flexibility: is there an association? J Anat. 234(1):43-49. doi: 10.1111/joa.12902. Related Tag: Joint Pain in Menopause

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Crunch your way through this Cabbage, Celery Salad

The literature on the role of inflammation in health has grown exponentially over the past several decades and paralleling this growth has been an equally intense focus on the role of diet in reducing inflammation, especially for cardiovascular health benefits. (Hebert, et al., 2019).The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) was developed in 2004, to provide a scientific means for assessing the role of the diet in relation to how certain foods may promote inflammatory changes in tissues, thereby contributing to chronic diseases. This index now guides many scientific decisions and policies around which foods or types of eating patterns lead to a reduction in chronic diseases. Increasing our consumption of cruciferous vegetables, including cabbage, broccoli, bok choi, brussel sprouts, kale, and cauliflower, has been recommended as a key component of a healthy diet to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as various cancers and cardiovascular disease.Cruciferous vegetables are also known to be important in keeping the gut microbiome healthy, which in turn keeps us heart-healthy. Cabbage, due to its specific properties, has been used in natural medicine mainly for rheumatic pain, vein and lymphatic vessel inflammation, bruises, sprains, mastitis or gastrointestinal problems. Celery also has beneficial anti-inflammatory nutrients that are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women. Salmon can also be added on the side of this spectacular salad for it's anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular health benefits. The role of omega-3 fats for additional heart-health benefits for women has been well evidenced. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat. EPA and DHA are the two main omega-3 long chain fatty acids found in oily fish. The Omega-3 fats found in oily fish are the best way to increase tissue omega-3 levels rather than plant sources or fish oil supplements. [Cochrane Review, 2018].So, with the anti-inflammatory benefits of both of these crunchy foods, don't you think it's time that you mixed them together and added them to your very own MyMT™ Kitchen? The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Crunchy Cabbage, Celery Salad - two waysMakes enough for four people Ingredients2 celery stalks½ cabbage2 spring onion stalks½ cup parsley1 avocado½ cup coriander¼ cup pumpkin seeds¼ cup sunflower seeds2 tbsp sesame seedsSalmon (enough to feed your group)Dressing Option One: 2 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp sesame oil + 1/2 lemon, juicedDressing Option Two: 3 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp mustard + 1 lemon juiced + 1 tsp honeyMethodCut the cabbage, celery, avocado and spring onion into very thin slices. Transfer to a large bowl and add the parsley, coriander, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.Heat a frying pan onto medium-high with a small dash of olive oil. Once the pan is hot, sear the salmon for approximately 4 minutes on each side.While the salmon is cooking, make the dressing that you prefer and then add it to the salad. Bon Appetit!		
																										
		References: Abdelhamid AS, Brown TJ, Brainard JS, Biswas P, Thorpe GC, Moore HJ, Deane KHO, et al; Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (Review). Cochrane Database of systematic Review. (7), 2018Hébert JR, Shivappa N, Wirth MD, Hussey JR, Hurley TG. Perspective: The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)-Lessons Learned, Improvements Made, and Future Directions. Adv Nutr. 2019 Mar 1;10(2):185-195. Jiang Y, Wu SH, Shu XO, Xiang YB, Ji BT, Milne GL, Cai Q, Zhang X, Gao YT, Zheng W, Yang G. Cruciferous vegetable intake is inversely correlated with circulating levels of proinflammatory markers in women. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014 May;114(5):700-8.e2.

### MyMT™ Education: A'choo – the curious link between menopause allergies, heart health and histamine.

The allergies that arise during menopause is a topic that comes up numerous times in my private coaching group. I also see women commenting about it on the comments section of my advertisements. Hundreds of emails over the years have also alerted me to the itching, sneezing, wheezing and food and alcohol intolerances, of menopausal and post-menopausal women. If it's the same for your clients, then I'm not surprised. Menopause changes our immune response and it's all to do with histamine levels, which can also affect the heart and the onset of palpitations (Neuman et al, 2021).If you’ve ever had a glass of red wine and started sneezing, or you have clients who have asthma and this has become worse in menopause, or they are complaining of their itchy skin, or runny tearful eyes, then you need to know about the role of histamine and how levels change as women move through menopause.Histamine is an important component of the immune system because it moderates inflammatory responses in the body.In the early phase of any inflammatory response, histamine is released from mast cells. The majority of these mast cells reside in the gut, but there are also numerous mast cells in the skin, uterus, adrenal glands and cardiac tissue. And for those women who sneeze a lot, also in the nasal cavity.When mast cells detect a substance that triggers an allergic reaction (an allergen), they release histamine and other chemicals into the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that higher histamine levels in women, may also increase the force of contraction of the heart, which then increases resting heart rate, which may in some women, induce arrhythmias (Neumann et al, 2021).Histamine makes the blood vessels expand and the surrounding area itchy, swollen and inflamed. This could be outside your body on your skin, or inside your body in your organs.Mucus might also build up in the airways, which become narrower causing sneezing or asthma-type wheezing. When this type of reaction occurs, this is known as histamine intolerance. However, here’s the kicker for women as they transition menopause. Both oestrogen and progesterone receptors are on these mast cells too. This is why menopause hormonal changes impact the release of histamine from mast cells in response to compounds which stimulate an allergic reaction in the body - and when oestrogen-mimicking hormone disruptors attach to these mast cells as well, the result is an allergic reaction - from sneezing, to scratching to hot flushes, leaky gut syndrome, fibromyalgia or shortness of breath - all signs that you are reacting to 'something' in your food, fluid, or environment. Allergens are everywhere in our home and in the environment. None more so that in and on food. Chemicals on foods that have been sprayed may attach to oestrogen and progesterone receptors and invoke an allergic histamine response.That's why, one of the interventions I suggest to my own clients, is to understand how, changing to organic produce for their fruits and vegetable intake if possible, can make a big difference to not only their gut and liver health, but also their immune health.This is because new research is emerging about the effect of hormone disruptors in certain foods, chemicals and sprays which can cause havoc with our immune system as we move through menopause and into post-menopause. With a powerful connection between gut health, liver health and our immune response, this is important for midlife women to understand. 		
																										
		HISTAMINE AND THE FEMALE MENSTRUAL CYCLEDifferent phases of the female menstrual cycle are known to affect histamine release from mast cells. Peak oestrogen levels correlate with the nasal mucosa becoming hyper-reactive and hyper-sensitive to histamine. This is why, during peri-menopause and as women transition into menopause, their symptoms may change according to their menstrual cycle.When the release of histamine is out of balance, we become prone to chronic low-grade inflammation – also associated with ageing. With the increased presence of chronic inflammation, comes more release of histamine into the circulation and for some of your clients, there is histamine intolerance and a range of allergies that may suddenly appear in mid-life.Histamine intolerance is the consequence of excess levels of circulating histamine causing a range of symptoms that women don’t necessarily relate to their menopause hormonal changes.Some reactions in women are more severe than others, and scientists now know that there may be other influences as well, including:Low Vitamin B6 (absorption can be reduced by antibiotics and hormonal contraceptives).Low Vitamin CCopper deficiencyLow Vitamin DEating foods that contain high levels of histamine e.g. fermented foods such as sauerkraut, processed meat, dried anchovies, fish sauce, spinach, tomatoes, eggplant, fish, chicken, yoghurt, soy, red wine.Eating foods that induce increased histamine release from mast cells - pineapple, bananas, strawberries.Eating foods that are high in preservatives, additives and/or chemical sprays.Stress, both acute and chronic (which also impacts the gut mucosa) may increase the circulating levels of histamine.Poor gut health.Helping your clients turn around histamine intolerance means factoring in all of these connections and exploring what your clients may be sensitive to, whether this is food, alcohol, chemicals, additives, preservatives, stress or the fact that they are oestrogen dominant, as I used to be too. 		
																										
		As my knowledge grew about the role of inflammation on our symptoms in menopause, I began to look at the life-course context in which we have lived our lives and this bought me to the effect of all the environmental toxins that have arrived over the past 40 years … during our generation.Professor Garry Egger used to present at many health and fitness conferences that I’ve attended over the years. His research work is now positioned in obesity research as well as inflammation and ageing research. In his presentations, Professor Egger often discusses the factors that contribute to inflammation in the ageing body – in liver cells, fat cells, joints and muscles and in the gut. Many of these inflammatory changes, he suggests, have begun with increased exposure to environmental toxins over the years. His research has shown that the role of pesticides, herbicides and household chemicals, are equally important to consider removing from our diet, and the same goes for midlife women you may be coaching.In the MyMT Practitioner Course, I talk about how lifetime exposure to many of these substances are now seen to impact epigenetic changes in cells and tissues, contributing to ‘Inflammaging’ – a term which describes the inflammatory changes occurring in our cells and tissues with age – gut cells are also becoming inflamed.Professor Egger also confirmed my belief that modern medicine is not taking a ‘whole body’ approach to turning around inflammation. Inflammatory changes can accelerate in midlife. As Professor Egger mentions, “As Doctors, we have been operating in silo’s. We haven’t been taking into account all of the other factors leading to meta-inflammation which is linked to many chronic diseases as we age.” As such he has been leading research into ‘Anthropogens Theory’  over the past few years – which he defines as ‘An inflamed body living in an inflamed man-made environment.’  [Egger et al., 2015].		
																										
		Liver health is important obviously for clearing toxins, as are Vitamin D levels (this affects mast cells in the skin). Women also need to reflect on what they react to with foods. Because of the number of mast cells in the nasal cavity, then I would suggest that (re)learning to nasal breathe is important for your clients too. This may help to reduce the hyper-activity and inflammation of the nasal nerves. Water intake will also be important.As always though, clients should also see their medical specialist if allergy symptoms are overwhelming them.Numerous treatments are available for allergies these days as well as better knowledge about histamine-reduction dietary approaches, such as 'FODMAP' diets, which may help in the short-term.The histamine content of foods can vary significantly - for example, freshly caught fish contains almost no histamine, whilst the histamine content of cured, pickled or not really fresh fish can me more than 2,000mg/kg. [Reese, 2018]. The histamine content of cheese, another frequently cited histamine-rich food, can also vary significantly. Emmental cheese, Swiss mountain cheese or Blue cheese, contain less than 5mg/kg of histamine compared to other types of cheeses. But as studies report, even the detailed knowledge of the histamine content of certain foods cannot be solely attributed to histamine intolerability. [Reese, 2018]. I tend to agree.For example, if food is the only factor explored in histamine intolerance, this leaves out the role of hormones on the activity of our mast cells as well as the changes occurring in our immune system, including our gut health changes as we move through menopause.If women deal with these, as well as their sleep concerns, and change their nutrition and lifestyle to accommodate their hormonal changes (such as learning to say no to red wine and find an alternative drink instead as I had to do),  then it's amazing how many intolerances go away - and for many, this includes helping to manage their weight gain.Teaching you how to take your clients on their journey of discovery with lifestyle changes is the purpose of the various MyMT™ Educational courses for health professionals. Sometimes women feel so 'stuck' when it comes to their symptoms and what these mean with regard to their ageing years ahead. Many find that they can't find adequate answers to the numerous symptoms that don't quite fit the realm of 'menopause symptoms' - including the arrival of unexplained allergies. But as I've found myself and I hope you are discovering too, it doesn't have to be this way at all. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), My Menopause Transformation Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
			
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		References:Blasco, M.P., Chauhan, A., Honarpisheh, P. et al. Age-dependent involvement of gut mast cells and histamine in post-stroke inflammation. J Neuroinflammation 17, 160 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-020-01833-1Egger G, Colquhoun D, Dixon J. “Anthropogens” in Lifestyle Medicine. (2015). American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 9(3):232-240. doi:10.1177/1559827613512596Hrubisko M, Danis R, Huorka M, Wawruch M. Histamine Intolerance-The More We Know the Less We Know. A Review. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 29;13(7):2228. doi: 10.3390/nu13072228. McCarthy M, Raval AP. The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation. 2020 Oct 23;17(1):317. doi: 10.1186/s12974-020-01998-9.Nowak, K., Jabłońska, E., Ratajczak-Wrona, W. (2019). Immunomodulatory effects of synthetic endocrine disrupting chemicals on the development and functions of human immune cells. Environment International, 125, 350-364. ISSN 0160-4120.Neumann J, Kirchhefer U, Dhein S, Hofmann B, Gergs U. The Roles of Cardiovascular H2-Histamine Receptors Under Normal and Pathophysiological Conditions. Front Pharmacol. 2021 Dec 20;12:732842.Reese I. (2018). Nutrition therapy for adverse reactions to histamine in food and beverages. Allergologie select, 2(1), 56–61. https://doi.org/10.5414/ALX386Shah S. (2012). Hormonal link to autoimmune allergies. ISRN allergy, 2012, 910437. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/910437

### MyMT™ Education: Why your overweight menopausal clients may not need this popular tropical oil.

“Growing up in Fiji, we never cooked with coconut oil” mentioned Losena in an email to me.After reading new evidence noting how we need to be cautious about all the marketing hype with coconut oil, I wanted to hear from her. After all, the marketing is based on the experience of Pacific Islanders using coconut oils for improved health.“The only thing we used for cooking was the coconut meat and the oil was used in our hair. My mother taught us not to cook with it as it affects heart health.”Like most things that appear on our supermarket shelves, coconut products are promoted as the panacea to all sorts of health issues and given a one-size-fits-all label. But for women going into menopause and beyond, it's prudent to be cautious about coconut oils - especially if your client has higher blood markers of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.This is one of the main blood markers that women need to be aware of with a changing hormonal environment in menopause.		
																										
		Over 25 years ago I went on a trip to Fiji to present at a weight loss conference. It was the year that a pharmaceutical company was launching their brand new weight loss ‘magic-pill’. My invitation was to talk to Doctors about the role of exercise in cholesterol management. One of those Doctors was Professor Harvey White, a prominent cardiologist, who still practices in New Zealand to this day.  I sat in on all the sessions after my presentation and heard Professor White tell an interesting story about the rise of heart disease in the Pacific Island communities. He had been studying heart disease in Pacific communities for over 20 years and had seen the introduction of western ways of eating and the increase in cholesterol levels as Pacific Islanders became more sedentary and changed the way they ate. He mentioned, that despite the hype on coconut oil, they didn't eat Coconut Oil in their traditional diets.  Low levels of heart disease in traditional Pacific communities are often used as proof of the benefits of coconut oil. However, the original studies by Professor White and his team, found that coconut was pressed and eaten as coconut flesh and coconut milk was added to meals. Both the flesh and the milk are lower in saturated fat. Coconut oil wasn't used for cooking. It was more commonly used on the skin and hair rather than used as a food. As I put together the Food information for women on my own 12 week MyMT™ programmes, I read the research on the role of coconut oils in the human body. I have this information for those of you interested in the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Certification (now on sale for you).  Like most 'health foods' that appear on the supermarket shelves, these are promoted as a panacea to all sorts of health concerns and given a 'one-size-fits-all' label. But for women going into menopause and beyond, we need to teach them to be cautious about coconut oils - especially if their Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is high. This is the type of cholesterol that may affect cardiac health and vascular function. For women in menopause, the decline in oestrogen production contributes to the decline in elasticity of blood vessels. As you may already have heard from me, this contributes to vascular stiffness which may cause an increase in blood pressure. The combination of high blood pressure and high circulating cholesterol can cause all sorts of health chaos as women go into post-menopause, with many women ending up on cardiac medications at this stage of life. As those of you who follow me on here and read my articles know, I try as much as possible to maintain an anti-inflammatory and heart-friendly ageing research connection. This is partly because the greatest health concern for women as they transition menopause is cardiac health. Heart disease is the number 1 concern for women in post-menopause in numerous countries around the world, especially if they aren't sleeping and/or putting on abdominal fat.		
																										
		In a recently released article by Palgrave Communications, an exposure of 100 of the 'best-selling' diet books was reported."Many people turn to books for nutritional advice, making the contents of these books and the expertise of their authors relevant to public health" stated the article. The books were identified and assessed for both the claims they make in their summaries and the credentials of the authors. Weight loss was a common theme.Yet in addition to weight loss, 31 of the books promised to cure or prevent a host of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and dementia; however, the nutritional advice given to achieve these outcomes varied widely in terms of which types of foods should be consumed or avoided and this information was often contradictory between books. Only 3 of the authors of these books were qualified nutritionists. I was reminded of the importance of science, rather than marketing-hype, when the Journal of the American Medical Association, [JAMA] reported on a brand new study about Coconut Oils. It was a comparison of coconut oil with other fats and the effect on cholesterol levels. The heading didn't pull any punches - 'Coconut Oil's Health Halo a Mirage'  states the headline. The article reported exactly what my own navigation of the women's heart health research reports - that coconut oil significantly increases low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.  This is some of what you will learn in the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course and I tell you about this in the video below.https://vimeo.com/942284623?share=copyDespite the fact that coconut oil is a plant source of fat, it acts the same as a saturated fat in the liver. For those of your clients with a fatty liver, this is important information.    For those clients who are endurance athletes, then yes, they can get away with the increased saturated fats in their diet, because the muscles use this for fuel for performance, but for those clients with a fatty liver or family history of heart disease or who are overweight or obese, then they need to be cautious about their intake of Coconut Oil.  Here are some highlights from the research:Compared with Palm Oil, coconut oil significantly increased LDL-C (the 'bad' cholesterol) by 10mg/dL and total cholesterol levels by 14mg/dL.Coconut oil did not significantly affect triglycerides (circulating fats in blood) nor inflammatory markers. Coconut oil should not be viewed as a healthy oil for cardiovascular disease risk reduction and limiting coconut oil consumption because of its high saturated fat content is warranted.		
																										
		Because I was so confused myself at what oils to use during menopause, I turned to the organisation that does the most research on heart health in New Zealand – the NZ Heart Foundation. They position on these have been updated in a scientific review. [Downloadable on their website]. Their Position Statement confirms what I have been reading as well, “A recent scientific review by the Heart Foundation does not support the use of coconut oil in place of other plant oils that are lower in saturated fat. The review found that the health benefits of coconut oil claimed in marketing are not supported by sound scientific evidence for cardiac health. The main fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid. Lauric acid behaves in the body like a long-chain saturated fatty acid so they are larger than fats present in other plant oils. Whilst coconut does not raise total cholesterol to the same extent as butter, the increase is greater than other plant oils. In general whilst 30mls of coconut oil does not promote weight gain or inflammation, findings in Sri Lanka, where there was a high intake of coconut oil, show high rates of heart disease. Heart disease rates have been low in Pacific countries, because coconut is consumed as flesh and as milk. Coconut oil was not traditionally used in food preparation. The consumption of coconut has been in the context of a traditional Pacific diet with plenty of vegetables (including starchy vegetables), fruit, seafood and a physically active lifestyle.”  [NZHF Position Statement, 2019].How interesting that over 25 years ago, I heard the exact same commentary from Professor Harvey White too.Three large studies spanning 30 years convinces me that as women move through menopause, then educating them to be cautious about the marketing of foods, especially oils, is an important coaching role for us. There are so many oils on the market these days and like many food claims, the messages become confusing.  In light of this research, your midlife clients may also need to be careful of smoothies (especially commercially bought ones) that have as their base, coconut oil and coconut milk. It might taste great, but again, these are high in saturated fats, which impact cholesterol levels and gut and liver health as well.  If your clients do have a fatty liver, then it is beneficial to reduce the total daily consumption of saturated fats and replace coconut oil with olive oil instead. If your clients are thinner and leaner however, and engaging in daily moderate exercise and/ or weight training, then they can afford to have a bit more saturated fat in their diet for their energy levels. Wendy Sweet, PhD/MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																										
		References: Abbasi, J. (2020). Coconut Oil's health halo a Mirage, Clinical Trials Suggest. JAMA, April 28, Vol 323, Number 16.Eyres, L. (2014). Coconut Oil and the Heart: Evidence Paper. New Zealand Heart Foundation Position Statement. Marton, R.M., Wang, X., Barabási, A. et al. Science, advocacy, and quackery in nutritional books: an analysis of conflicting advice and purported claims of nutritional best-sellers. Palgrave Commun 6, 43 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-0415-6

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: An Apple Crumble that the Family will Adore

Will an apple a day keep the Doctor away for women during their menopause transition? If we follow the research on the effect of a whole apple (including the skin) on our gut microbiome, then yes, we will help both our gut and our heart health as we move through menopause. Apples represent the most important dietary source for various flavonoids in our diets and research suggests that apples offer a beneficial impact on human health. [Wasserman et al, 2019]. The soluble fibre in apples, is the same kind as in oat bran, which means that this helps to remove cholesterol deposits in the colon.They are also a rich source of polyphenols and fibre. Their role in gut health is due to a major proportion of the apple polyphenols escaping absorption in the small intestine and moving towards the colon, where they serve as substrates for bacterial fermentation. [Koutsas et al, 2017]Apples are one of the most highly consumed fruits in the world and I try to have one nearly every day. But there is more to apples and improved midlife health and this is because they are a great source of the anti-inflammatory nutrient, called Quercetin.I've written about this nutrient in the past, especially in relation to our immune health. “Apples are a widely consumed, rich source of phytochemicals, and epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. In the laboratory, apples have been found to have very strong antioxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol.” [Boyer & Hai Liu, 2004].It’s the skin of apples that contains the most quercetin, which is just one anti-inflammatory nutrient that you will benefit from daily. The skin of apples also has the most cholesterol and fat-lowering constituents. When my weight and LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad one), reached an all-time high in my early 50s, I learnt about apples and apple skin and how beneficial apples were for liver and cardiovascular health.For those of you who wish to lose weight, lower your cholesterol, reduce risk of cancer, manage diabetes and reduce liver fat, then how about you chomp on at least 1-2 small apples a day?You could also make this delicious apple crumble, which the entire family will adore. I don't even peel the apples now when I make it. Knowing how beneficial the skin is, I just keep it on. This delicious apple crumble has been a family favourite for as long as I can remember. It’s so easy to make it healthy, as you really don’t need the refined sugar that my mother used to put into this delicious dessert. When you are stewing the apples, make some extra and have them on your oats the next morning. Enjoy!		
																										
		AN OLD FAMILY FAVOURITE: Wendy's Apple CrumbleIngredients:3-5 apples depending on size, chopped (I prefer Granny Smith apples for their flavour and sometimes I also add a couple of winter pears).1 1/2  cups oats1/2 cup desiccated coconut1 teaspoon of ground cinnamonFinely chopped almonds or walnuts50g butter, chopped2 Tbsp honeyA handful of raisinsWhipped Cream or plain Greek Yoghurt for serving.Method:Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).Chop apples into slices (remove core) and cook them in a pot with about 1 cup of water until soft (approximately 10 minutes). I also squeeze the juice of a lemon over them so they don't go brown, and no longer add any sugar.In a bowl, mix together the oats, coconut and nuts. Place the  chopped butter in the bowl and kneed the mixture together with your fingers until it forms a crumble mixture which is slightly moist.Lightly butter the baking dish and place the stewed apples in the baking dish, covering the bottom of the dish. Layer the raisins on top and sprinkle over the cinnamon. Then spoon over the honey. Place the crumble mixture over the top.Bake until the crumble is slightly brown. Approximately 15 minutes.Serve yours with a small amount of whipped cream, or low-fat natural Greek Yoghurt, which don't contain sugar, but if the rest of the family want vanilla ice-cream with it, then they can. 

### MyMT™ Education: The Wonder of Walnuts to Decrease Cardiovascular Risk in Midlife Women

As you drive from Portsmouth to Reading in the United Kingdom, you pass one of King Charles' organic farms and his farm shop. With a focus on Heart Health week this week, I was revisiting some of the fabulous nutrition research about the wonder of walnuts for women's heart health, hence my memory about my visit to this shop to buy some walnuts, on my way to one of my UK Masterclass on Menopause live events.  I remember thinking at the time, whether he knew how important walnuts are to women's healthy ageing, especially in relation to helping them to enhance progesterone levels and help their cardiovascular health as they aged. Foods may not directly contain progesterone (apart from butter and other dairy products), but some foods could help trigger the natural progesterone production in your body.Walnuts do this, because not only do they contain contain plant sterols which can stimulate the production of progesterone in women, but they are also rich in Vitamin B6, which also helps to raise progesterone production.  We often don't think about the role of progesterone as we move through menopause into post-menopause, but with a focus on Heart Health in my newsletters this month, I want to draw your attention to cardiovascular health and lifestyle solutions for your clients - hence, this article about walnuts! Walnuts improve endothelial (blood vessel) function, decrease both oxidative stress and some markers of inflammation, and increase cholesterol efflux, i.e. the compounds in walnuts help harmful LDL-cholesterol to be carried away from blood vessel walls by beneficial HDL-cholesterol. When it comes to helping clients to manage cardiovascular changes that accelerate during the menopause to post-menopause transition, the effect of walnuts on multiple CVD targets over relatively short periods of time supports their inclusion in a heart-healthy diet. [Kris-Etherton, 2014].Menopause itself is recognised as an inflammatory event in a woman's life-cycle (McCarthy & Raval, 2020), hence, why I'm always focusing women who join me in the MyMT™ coaching community, on anti-inflammatory foods and lifestyle changes that are specific to this age and stage of life. I'm also focusing them on foods that contain progesterone. This  includes walnuts.		
																										
		Walnuts Decrease Risk of Cardiovascular DiseaseFour major cohort studies conducted in the United States (Adventist Health Study, the Iowa Women's Health Study, the Nurses Health Study, the Physicians Health Study) have all demonstrated a consistent dose-response decrease in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk with increasing nut consumption on at least 5 days per week. [Kris-Etherton, 2014]. These large cohort studies emphasize that for women especially, there is a need to encourage walnut consumption to our midlife clients. Nuts, especially walnuts, are also a rich source of many bioactive compounds that have antioxidant properties, including tocopherols, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, melatonin, and selenium. These are important nutrients for women to help combat fatigue, improve sleep and to reduce inflammation. But there is also more to the benefits of walnuts. These benefits are to do with how they also help to balance up progesterone levels in menopausal women. And for women who are regular exercisers and are constantly tired, this is important information! 		
																										
		Walnuts Contain Progesterone-Producing Vitamin B6Progesterone isn't always a hormone that gets discussed in menopause conversations. The star of the show is primarily oestrogen. However, all hormones work in 'partnership' with another hormone and progesterone is the hormone that works with oestrogen.There has been a lot of research undertaken when it comes to progesterone, but this has generally been in relation to pregnancy. During pregnancy, progesterone levels increase, allowing for normal pregnancy establishment and maintenance. [McGlade et al, 2022].Researchers now better understand that the dysregulation or imbalance of progesterone, can lead to inflammation, which in turn may lead to poor pregnancy outcomes.When I began to explore the decline of all the reproductive hormones in a woman's menopause transition, I discovered that when progesterone declines too rapidly during menopause, this may accelerate inflammatory changes around the body, especially if magnesium status is low.Part of the reason for this, is because progesterone signaling regulates the inflammatory response and when progesterone is naturally declining, this becomes one of the 'triggers' for inflammatory changes in the body as women age. In female athletes, high stress levels, over-training syndrome and inadequate energy intake or low body fat, is well known to impact the production of progesterone, causing it to decline in production, especially if they are amenorrheic (cessation of periods). Those female athletes with low progesterone levels typically experience feelings of anxiety and poor moods, irregular periods, decreased fertility, poor sleep, less adaptation to training, sore joints and poor muscular development. [Castanier et al, 2021].If you think any of these symptoms sound familiar based on what your clients are telling you, then you are correct! Progesterone as a hormone medication, in the form of progestin, is often prescribed to women experiencing these symptoms in peri-menopause by their Doctor, but what about food choices that give us natural progesterone which also helps to combat increased inflammatory changes? 		
																										
		Walnuts Improve the Overall Health of Women as they AgePositioning our menopause transition into women's healthy ageing research changed my life and it's now changing thousands of other women's lives too. The fog has cleared literally, on what we must eat to 'age healthily'. One of these 'must-eat' foods, unless women are allergic, is walnuts. Women consuming nuts at midlife have a greater likelihood of overall health and well-being at older ages. According to researchers undertaking a large study of nut consumption in mid-life women, eating walnuts may represent a simple intervention to explore and promote healthy aging.In the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), researchers reported that better diet quality and a greater dietary flavonoid intake at midlife were related to a greater likelihood of overall health and well-being in women as they age. In over 33,000 middle-aged NHS nurses, researchers observed a significant association between consumption of nuts at midlife and healthy aging.This was broadly defined across four domains -Chronic diseases,Mental health, Cognitive functionPhysical function.When analyzing several specific types of nuts, walnut consumption appeared to have the strongest relation with healthy ageing. Walnuts feature in the list of anti-inflammatory foods in my comprehensive Food Guide that women receive as part of my 12 week programmes. Not only do walnuts contain good fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), but it's these PUFAs that are beneficial for immune and cardiovascular health, primarily because these fats assist in transporting fat-soluble vitamins around the body.These vitamins are A, D, E and K - many of which can be low in women as they transition menopause, especially if women already have health concerns as they enter their mid-life transition.Walnuts are also a valuable vegetarian source of the essential fatty acid omega-3. They contain iron, selenium, calcium, zinc, vitamin E and some B vitamins - all of which contribute to our energy levels as we transition through menopause. If you look closely at menopause supplements, many of these nutrients are added into the supplements too, but tend to be highly processed. There is so much confusion about food choices these days isn't there?Which is why I decided to put some research into the specific nutrients that help to reduce menopause symptoms. For those of you doing the Practitioner programme, you receive much of these findings. As I often mention in my live-events, the future for women is to focus on their health as they age, especially if health changes are already occurring. And for many, this means that food is also their medicine. Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																										
		References:Castanier C, Bougault V, Teulier C, Jaffré C, Schiano-Lomoriello S, Vibarel-Rebot N, Villemain A, Rieth N, Le-Scanff C, Buisson C, Collomp K. The Specificities of Elite Female Athletes: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Life (Basel). 2021 Jun 26;11(7):622.Freitas-Simoes, T., Wagner M., et. al. (2020). Consumption of nuts at mid-life and healthy aging in women. J. of Aging Research, Volume 2020, Article ID 5651737, pp. 1-7.Hardman WE, Primerano DA, Legenza MT, Morgan J, Fan J, Denvir J. Dietary walnut altered gene expressions related to tumor growth, survival, and metastasis in breast cancer patients: a pilot clinical trial. Nutr Res. 2019 Jun;66:82-94.Herrera AY, Nielsen SE, Mather M. Stress-induced increases in progesterone and cortisol in naturally cycling women. Neurobiol Stress. 2016 Feb 11;3:96-104. Kolanu BR, Vadakedath S, Boddula V, Kandi V. Activities of Serum Magnesium and Thyroid Hormones in Pre-, Peri-, and Post-menopausal Women. Cureus. 2020 Jan 3;12(1):e6554. doi: 10.7759/cureus.6554.Kris-Etherton PM. Walnuts decrease risk of cardiovascular disease: a summary of efficacy and biologic mechanisms. J Nutr. 2014 Apr;144(4 Suppl):547S-554S. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.182907.McCarthy M, Raval AP. The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation. 2020 Oct 23;17(1):317.McGlade EA, Miyamoto A, Winuthayanon W. Progesterone and inflammatory response in the oviduct during physiological and pathological Conditions. Cells. 2022 Mar 23;11(7):1075.Murray, C.J.L. The Global Burden of Disease Study at 30 years. Nat Med 28, 2019–2026 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01990-1Steck, S., Shivappa, N. et al. (2014). The Dietary Inflammatory Index: a new tool for assessing dietary quality based on inflammatory potential. The Digest, Vol. 49, July, 2014. 

### "I didn’t understand how much menopause would affect my fitness and weight gain."  [Tineke, New Zealand]

"When I was a Les Mills Instructor in the Netherlands" messaged Tineke to me, "I wanted to always work harder and do something extra. Maybe to impress others? But I have come to the point that I don't have to impress anybody but to just enjoy the moment as I do my exercise. It was a hard lesson to learn, but now I'm much better at 'living in the now' and not putting so many expectations on myself. I didn't understand how much menopause would affect my fitness and that how I exercised, would affect my weight gain.I stopped all higher intensity exercise until I was sleeping all night, thanks to you. Now every morning I walk and I do other body-weight exercises instead.		
																														
		"Every morning when I wake up I now follow your routine and I've been changing my diet to suit your advice. I eat with my family and the thing is, even with the food changes I made, it never felt like a 'diet'.With moving to New Zealand from the Netherlands, I was having too many dairy products, so I reduced my milk intake and eat more avocado now as well as follow your principles for my nutrition in menopause.The best advice however, was the timing of food especially at night. I have a wonderful sleep now. That was the best advice along with what you told me to change my exercise from what I was doing. I am sending you two pictures. One taken when I moved to New Zealand and the other taken recently. It is both me. But I feel and also look like a different person.I was 86kg in the first photo and this morning I'm at 70kg. My joint pain is gone too as I followed your advice for reducing inflammation.When my husband took this photo, I wanted to share it with you. I thought to myself, "Who would understand my happiness? And I thought of you."Tineke B., was from the Netherlands - now New Zealand. When Tineke sent me this story, I asked her if I could share it with you all. She agreed.  What I wanted to share was the change that she had in her beliefs about how to look after herself now that she is in her menopause transition. That's what I love the most about her email to me.As a busy working mother, she was exhausted. However, her beliefs about her exercise and nutrition were still ingrained from her time working as a fitness instructor. But back then she had oestrogen. In peri-menopause, she has less oestrogen production.As such, there are numerous changes that occur to muscles and joints and following years of teaching exercise, her body was tight, tired and inflamed. This was making her menopause symptoms worse.With menopause, comes changes to all of our cells and tissues, including muscles. The ability of these tissues to function, absorb and metabolize nutrients changes as well. Many of you may be experiencing gut changes, which makes nutrient absorption even more challenging, especially if you are doing a lot of heavy, intense exercise on more than 2 days per week, as Tineke was doing.Our move towards post-menopause is a time when we can acquire inflammatory changes too. Once we understand this, then we can begin to change our daily routines and nutritional choices to allow our body to adjust to these changes.It took me a long time to convince myself that when something isn't working, it's time to challenge our beliefs. Tineke was the same.“The moment you change your beliefs, is the moment you rewrite the chemistry of your body” states Dr Lipton in his book.As he mentions, "genes and DNA do not control our biology. Instead they are controlled by signals outside the cell, including energetic messages emanating from our thoughts. This means that the power to create a healthy, joyous life lies in our own hands, not our genetics. When we transform our thoughts and our beliefs about some of the things we do every day, we transform our lives."  [Bruce Lipton, Author: ‘The Biology of Belief’]Thank you Tineke for believing in yourself and your power to 'do things differently' - and for agreeing to share your incredible journey with the MyMT™ community. You look strong, healthy and ... transformed! I can feel your happiness from your photo.The purpose of the MyMT™ programmes  is to give you the knowledge and actionable steps, as well as the right problem-solving support, to take back control of your symptoms and your health or weight as you move through menopause. you achieve this through making small adjustments to your lifestyle.When you're ready, I would love you to join me via the My Menopause Transformation website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXwWqRy3rDw

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: This high fibre, low glycemic index ‘Risotto’ benefits the whole family!

Risotto
Risotto is an Italian rice dish cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency. The broth can be derived from meat, fish, or vegetables. Many types of risotto contain butter, onion, white wine, and Parmesan cheese. This dish isn't a risotto but looks like one!

Whilst Risotto is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy, the problem is the higher fat content of a true Risotto and the fact that Arborio rice is relatively higher in the glycemic index (around 70). Hence, in this recipe, the white arborio rice is swapped out for brown rice, however, if you want to use arborio rice for a more authentic risotto, then please do that, as the addition of vegetables and beans, lowers the glycemic load of this meal.

Switching to a low Glycemic Index (GI) diet doesn't require radical changes to your diet. Nor does it mean only eating low GI foods - it simply means altering the balance between high GI and low GI foods and adding more soluble fibre to your diet as well. This means that digestion is slower and you feel full for longer.

The good news is that making a few simple changes can make a huge difference.

When we are busy and have a lot on in our day, it's hard to think of meals that can meet the needs of the entire family. This is one such meal! Bon appetit!


Recipe
Ingredients

 	1 cup of brown rice
 	1 tbsp olive oil
 	2 garlic cloves, diced
 	1 onion, diced
 	1 courgette, chopped
 	1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
 	½ cup green beans
 	½ cup peas
 	Dressing: Juice of 1/2 lemon, 4 tbsp yoghurt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp cumin and 1tsp coriander.

Method 

 	Cook the brown rice as per the packet instructions.
 	Place the olive oil into a large frying pan and turn the pan onto a medium heat. Fry the garlic and onions for 3 – 5 minutes, stirring continuously so they don’t burn.
 	Add the courgette, green beans and peas to the pan, and cook for a further 10-15 minutes (or until the vegetables are cooked).
 	Once the vegetables are cooked, add the cooked brown rice and the can of white beans to the same frying pan. Stir through and cook on low for a further 3 – 5 minutes. Make sure the rice doesn’t burn on the bottom of the frying pan.
 	Once served, you can pour over the dressing and serve with fresh herbs, rocket or spinach.

### "I think the future is getting brighter for women in menopause with Fibromyalgia." [Sharon, USA]

Menopause and Fibromyalgia
"I love sharing my travel photos as I have come so far with what I am able to do. I did not regain my ability to do stairs until after my kids were born. 
My youngest was in fifth grade when I really started enjoying better health. I will never forget it as I went on his tree climbing/adventure park field trip for the last day of school and climbed trees and ziplined with him and his classmates. It was one of my favorite days." [Sharon, USA]
The story of Fibromyalgia is (mainly) the story of women in menopause. It was over 30 years ago in 1990, that the American College of Rheumatology set classification standards for fibromyalgia. It included numerous tender points and chronic widespread pain in various locations around the body. In 1994, it was identified as a disorder of the Musculo-skeletal system and connective tissue. [Nageen et al, 2022]

Today, in the United States alone, 2% of the general population suffers from Fibromyalgia, with middle-aged women being more susceptible.

Widespread chronic muscular pain, especially when a stimulus is applied to tender points, exhaustion, memory problems, mood swings and irregular sleep patterns are the primary symptoms lasting for 3 months or more – which is why, according to Sharon, who heads the Fibromyalgia Association of America, and who has completed the MyMT™ Practitioner course and is a certified Health and Wellness Coach, this disorder goes un-noticed in menopausal women.



“Fibromyalgia is a complex chronic pain illness that researchers believe is rooted in changes to the central nervous system” says Sharon.

“But it involves much more than just pain. Other symptoms include severe fatigue, sleep disorders, cognitive dysfunction, depression or anxiety, migraines or tension headaches, digestive issues, irritable bladder, pelvic pain, and jaw pain.

You will notice that some of the symptoms are identical to menopause symptoms. This makes it challenging to determine if a woman may be developing fibromyalgia.

That’s why, I believe early diagnosis is critical in managing fibromyalgia. Early diagnosis gives the opportunity to begin health management strategies sooner that could mitigate more disabling symptoms. Additionally, it helps relieve the emotional toll that patients often experience when they are told for years that nothing is wrong with them even though they clearly know they are in pain and struggling.

At the age of 24 I became bedridden with fibromyalgia. I was a very active woman who worked out 6 days a week and I was told to just rest with no other treatment strategies. In a matter of weeks, I became bedridden and had to go on short term disability from work. I really thought my life was over. Luckily, it was not and I am on a mission to help people know that managing fibromyalgia is possible." [Sharon, USA]

From my discussions with thousands of women on my programmes over the years, I know that many have experienced various symptoms of fibromyalgia, including sore joints.

What's interesting is that nutritional research has also been gathering momentum and the power of functional foods in the management of Fibromyalgia symptoms has led me to share some of this with you below.


Functional Foods for Fibromyalgia
Growing evidence suggests that dysfunction of the tiny organelles that make energy in muscles, the mitochondria, cellular (oxidative) stress, and increased inflammatory markers play a role in the progression of the amplification of pain signals in Fibromyalgia.

This is where functional foods come in.

Functional foods are foods that contain bioactive compounds that produce changes to inflammatory markers, or which directly benefit our health. New research suggests that adding these functional foods to the diet may offer a useful alternative in Fibromyalgia management. (Chwan-Li Shen et al, 2022].

The foods listed below are just some of the foods that researchers suggest may play an invaluable role as a source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which over time, help to reduce Fibromyalgia oxidative stress in muscle and in the mitochondria.

These functional foods include:

 	Capsaicin - is a compound found in chili peppers and is responsible for the characteristic burning and irritant effect associated with ingestion. Research suggests that compounds found in capsaicin suppress inflammation in muscle cells.
 	Ginger - is a widely used spice containing phenolic compounds such as gingerols and shogaols, which are largely responsible for various health benefits, including reducing both muscle and colon inflammation.


 	Curcumin - is the primary active component of turmeric, which is one of the main ingredients in curry powder. Curcumin has been used for centuries in Indian and Chinese medicine due to its ability to impact a diverse range of molecular targets. Research on functional foods in Fibromyalgia, also suggests that it is a helpful ingredient to have in your pantry.


 	Grape Seed Extract - rich in polyphenol groups, is a natural plant derivative often produced as a waste byproduct during the winemaking process. In Fibromyalgia research, grape-seed extract is known to be protective of the nervous system with anti-inflammatory effects.


 	Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) – are integral components of phospholipids, the main building block of cell membranes. Adding Avocado, fatty fish, (Fish oil tablets) into your diet may help with muscle and nerve cell repair. [Chwan-Li Shen et al., 2022]


 	Naringin - Naringin and main active compound called naringenin, are two flavonoids seen in grapefruit and other citrus fruits. Naringenin has been shown to cross the blood–brain barrier and is well observed in human serum after ingestion due to its good bioavailability. Much of the research on fibromyalgia features naringin’s neuro (nerve)protective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.
 	Genistein - Soy phytoestrogen isoflavones are rich in soy products and have been found to have strong oestrogenic properties and bind well to oestrogen receptors (ER). Genistein and daidzein are bioactive phytoestrogens found in soybeans. For women, these compounds preferentially bind to Erβ receptors expressed in nerve and immune cells. They have analgesic, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties which have been well reported in various studies.



A final word from Sharon in Michigan: 

"I would like to end by sharing the key to my healing and living my best life with fibromyalgia is education.

The changes I have made to my lifestyle and management strategy all came from education. When we don’t have energy, sometimes we need to find our teachers who can educate us.

This is why I formed my organisation and I am grateful to have found Wendy and her MyMT™ Program for Healthcare Practitioners. Her course and guidance really improved my health after a hysterectomy this past July and it is already helping me with my fibromyalgia clients in menopause.

Knowledge truly is power.”



References: 

Alzabibi MA, Shibani M, Alsuliman T, Ismail H, Alasaad S, Torbey A, Altorkmani A, Sawaf B, Ayoub R, Khalayli N, Kudsi M. Fibromyalgia: epidemiology and risk factors, a population-based case-control study in Damascus, Syria. BMC Rheumatol. 2022 Oct 31;6(1):62. doi: 10.1186/s41927-022-00294-8.

Gendelman, Omer, et al. Time to diagnosis of fibromyalgia and factors associated with delayed diagnosis in primary care. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology 32.4 (2018): 489-499.

Gonzalez, B., Baptista, T. & Branco, J. (2015). Life History of Women with Fibromyalgia: Beyond the Illness, The Qualitative Report, (20), 5, 526-540

Hassett, A., Clauw, D., & Williams, D. (2015). Premature aging in fibromyalgia. Current aging science, 8(2), 178-185.

Ruschak I, Montesó-Curto P, Rosselló L, Aguilar Martín C, Sánchez-Montesó L, Toussaint L. Fibromyalgia Syndrome Pain in Men and Women: A Scoping Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Jan 11;11(2):223. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11020223.

Shen CL, Schuck A, Tompkins C, Dunn DM, Neugebauer V. Bioactive Compounds for Fibromyalgia-like Symptoms: A Narrative Review and Future Perspectives. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 31;19(7):4148. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19074148.

### "I was 15lbs overweight and could barely run 5km. Now I've just completed a half marathon!"

It's been over a year since Martina from Ireland joined me on the MyMT™ programme and to see how happy she was on completing her first half-marathon was so amazing. 

One of the things that I often say to women who join me is to just reflect on how you got to this point in your life whereby you feel so exhausted, emotional and for many of you, overweight. Nearly 2 years ago, Martina was the same.

I had to have some long, hard reflections about my own changing health and exhaustion when I arrived in menopause too. It's a time when we often hand-over our symptom management to our Doctors or Naturopaths or the supplement companies. And yes, there's nothing wrong with this, because when we are desperate we need a quick-fix. My pantry used to look like a medicine cupboard too as did Martina's.

But what we often don't reflect on is 'how we got here' with our changing health nor do we reflect on 'what do we need to do in order to change how we are feeling with regard to our lifestyle?' This is what I am passionate about.

"I’m a teacher in Ireland" mentioned Martina, "and I’m getting in touch with you to thank you. I completed the programme at the end of last year, losing 7kg (15lbs). Now my bloods are turned around and I've managed to keep weight off for a year.

At the time before joining you, I went from being a lean marathon runner with great fitness to an overweight woman (gained 15 kg regardless of diet or exercise) who could barely complete 5 km. I really didn’t recognise the woman looking back in the mirror. 

My bloods were all over the place, inflammation of joints and I was offered five different sets of medications including HRT, anti-inflammatories, sleeping tablets, anti depressants etc. When I asked medical professionals for an alternative they didn’t have one. That's when I discovered your programme.

Over the past year, I’ve remained a member of your online community too and I recently completed the programme again with a friend whose bloods were frightening. Her bloods are now clear with healthy levels of cholesterol and inflammation markers. 

I’ve managed to lose another 7kg bringing me back to my pre-menopause weight from 6 years ago. Also managed to complete my first half marathon in 2 years last weekend. I really do feel and look like myself again.


I just wanted to give you an update and thank you from bottom of my heart.

Martina, Ireland.

I'm so pleased for Martina. And it's not just about her weight either. It's because she is a busy Teacher and her running helps her to cope with all that is going on in her life.

Whilst I don't have too much emphasis on exercise in my foundation programmes, Circuit Breaker and Transform Me, my goal is to get women feeling healthier and more energetic. Menopause changes can wreck havoc on our energy levels and cardiovascular system. The research is very clear on this now.

It's why I'm always reinforcing to you that menopause isn't 'just' about hot flushes - there are so many other things going on inside our body to do with our ageing and our 'ageing' starts around our mid-40s. Welcome to it!

Wendy Sweet (PhD), Founder, My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine 
MyMT™ IS FOR YOU TOO!
If you are ready to tackle your mid-life health and weight with a systematic, scientifically-evidenced programme uniquely developed for women in menopause and post-menopause, then I have a 12 week online menopause-specific transformation plan for you.

The MyMT™ 12 week programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT™ website or subscribe to our newsletter
to be alerted to any promotional offers.

These online programs step you through how to change your routines to suit your changing hormones during menopause and post-menopause and/or lose your midlife weight. Most importantly, every single strategy is backed up by lifestyle science so that you also understand 'why' the changes help you. How it works is all in the video below - I invite you to listen when you can.

https://youtu.be/mFxVwqbBszw

### MyMT™ Education: Understanding the muscle-nerve-calcium connection for menopausal clients

Perhaps your client's are being woken by leg cramps at night?

Maybe they are regular exercisers and don't understand why they aren't recovering the way they used to?

Maybe your clients assume that muscular aches and pains are a normal part of menopause? Or maybe they are taking supplements such as turmeric and glucosamine targeted towards women in middle age and older, hoping for the relief that they  deserve - but these no longer work for them?

The interview I did with a journalist last year was interesting. She had watched my Masterclass on Menopause, and had picked up on a statement I had made, about women backing off high-intensity exercise.

"Why don't you promote high intensity exercise like everyone else does for women in menopause?" she queried.

I'm assuming she hadn't talked to women who had sore knees, plantar fasciitis, aching joints and who weren't sleeping.

Women on my own doctoral studies were the same ... as I was too.

"Menopause has been so heavily medicalised" I mentioned, "and only viewed through the lens of hot flushes, anxiety and depression. But there's so much more to it than these concerns. 

Our muscles are ageing and for women who exercise, this means that the uptake of calcium into their muscle fibres is slower, and this affects the organelles that produce energy too - the mitochondria. 

As such, this affects the muscle contraction speed and many women who come on my programmes complain about aching muscles and restless legs that trouble them at night, keeping them awake. I hear about it all the time as a generation of Personal Trainers  and women who have exercised all their lives, go into their 50s"  I replied.


The Muscle-Nerve-Calcium Connection in Menopause:
1200mg a day. Every day.

That’s the amount of calcium women need from their 50’s onwards. But whilst we’ve all been told that it’s to do with our bone health, I beg to differ.

If you are coaching midlife women who exercise regularly, (especially high intensity or endurance exercise), or they are in a physically demanding job, then calcium intake is not only about bone-health, it’s about muscle and nerve contraction too.

This includes cardiac muscle and the tiny smooth muscles that make up blood vessels. They require adequate calcium too. Several studies reveal that low calcium intake is related to high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension [Mi-Hyun Kim et al., 2012], so we must keep this in mind with our clients as well.

An important aspect of calcium metabolism is plasma calcium homeostasis (balance). This refers to the regulation of calcium ions in the blood plasma, which are kept within narrow limits. You can see this narrow range in blood markers for calcium.

The level of the calcium in plasma is regulated by the hormones parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin, which is influenced by Vitamin D levels. Parathyroid hormone is released by the parathyroid glands when the plasma calcium level falls below the normal range in order to raise it.

If women aren't sleeping, or they are doing too much exercise and not having enough calcium, or they have gut health concerns, then this can be the slippery slope towards calcium being drawn out of bones and teeth in order to balance up plasma calcium needs.

I talk about this in my video below and give you some suggestions to share with clients.

https://youtu.be/vtEoQ30ERVo
A woman's circulatory system, extracellular fluid, muscle, and other tissues need calcium.
Calcium as a nutrient, is most commonly associated with the formation and metabolism of bone. With over 99 percent of total body calcium found as calcium hydroxyapatite in bones and teeth, it provides hard tissue with its strength.

But whilst the emphasis for women in menopause and post-menopause has primarily been about calcium for bone health, there's another reason that it's important.

Calcium is critical for controlling the contraction and dilation of blood vessels. 

It's also crucial for muscle contraction because of its role in helping the nerve electrical current to 'jump' across the gap (synapse) between the nerve and the muscle.



Bone tissue serves as a reservoir for and source of calcium for these critical metabolic needs through the process of bone remodeling. You can guess what happens to bones if calcium levels are low.

Yes, that's right. The bones deplete calcium to help to balance up the plasma levels. This is why, I tell my clients, that if they aren't sleeping (altered HPA-Thyroid Axis) and if they haven't got their nutritional intake of both calcium and magnesium sorted, or if they have gut health concerns, then high-intensity exercise or endurance exercise can deplete calcium stores even more.

It's not 'just' about calcium in food either. Optimal Vitamin D levels are crucial to maintain during the  menopause transition too. 

In the MyMT™ Education Courses, especially the Practitioner course, I talk a lot about Vitamin D levels and have specific information for Practitioners who join me.

This is because Calcium metabolism is regulated in large part by the parathyroid hormone (PTH)-Vitamin D endocrine (hormone) system.

A series of feedback loops help in maintaining blood calcium levels depending on Vitamin D absorption. This is why, during vitamin D deficiency, bone metabolism is significantly affected as a result of reduced active calcium absorption into bones, muscles and in our nervous system.

If your clients aren't getting enough Vitamin D (and I've written how our skin is changing in menopause and Vitamin D absorption is affected too), and they are experiencing weak muscles, poor recovery after exercise or they have restless legs and muscles cramps at night, then have a serious look at their calcium intake, as well as asking about their gut health, if this is in your Scope of Practice. 

The colon is the main site of calcium absorption into your body. 

This means that poor gut health might affect your client's ability to absorb calcium from food. If this is the case, then their priority is to sort out their gut health. [If you need to learn more, then have I have a gut-health module that can be purchased separately from the 12 week programme as part of my Restoration Series).


Sources of Calcium:
Whilst I have a focus on the traditional Mediterranean Diet on the MyMT™ Education programmes, typically this diet is lower in dairy products, especially milk.

That's why other sources such as oily fish, wild salmon (which differs in Vitamin D content from farmed salmon), small fish, nuts, legumes, cereals (which are fortified with Vitamin D in some countries) and certain vegetables are important sources of dietary calcium too.

Georgia and I have just produced my new MyMT™ Food Guides for the women on the 12 week online programmes, and I share some of the calcium foods with you below.



There are numerous symptoms that women experience in menopause, including restless legs and sore, aching muscles.

But as I always say, the 'problem' isn't menopause - this is a natural event that all women go through. The 'problem' is that women don't understand how to change their lifestyle to accommodate this incredible stage of life.

That's what the online MyMT™ Practitioner Course teaches you and I have some of this information in the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course too. I hope you can join me sometime if you are struggling to help your clients make sense of their symptoms, especially musculo-skeletal symptoms, during their menopause transition.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References: 

Astrup, A. (2014). Yoghurt and dairy product consumption to prevent cardiometabolic diseases: epidemiologic and expereimental studies. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 99; 1235S-42S

Bronner, F. & Pansu, D. (1999). Nutritional Aspects of Calcium Absorption, The Journal of Nutrition, 129 (1), 9–12.

Kim MH, Bu SY, Choi MK. Daily calcium intake and its relation to blood pressure, blood lipids, and oxidative stress biomarkers in hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Nutr Res Pract. 2012 Oct;6(5):421-8. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2012.6.5.421.

Kim YS, Hong KW, Han K, Park YC, Park JM, Kim K, Kim BT. (2020). Longitudinal Observation of Muscle Mass over 10 Years According to Serum Calcium Levels and Calcium Intake among Korean Adults Aged 50 and Older: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Nutrients. Sep 18;12(9):2856.

Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: an evidence-based approach. Elselvier Academic Press: London, UK.

Romero-Parra N, Maestre-Cascales C, Marín-Jiménez N, Rael B, Alfaro-Magallanes VM, Cupeiro R, Peinado AB. Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Postmenopausal Well-Trained Women. Sports Health. 2021 Nov-Dec;13(6):613-621.

Seo DY, Lee SR, Kim N, Ko KS, Rhee BD, Han J. Age-related changes in skeletal muscle mitochondria: the role of exercise. Integr Med Res. 2016 Sep;5(3):182-186. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2016.07.003.

### Walk away menopausal anxiety, stress and sore joints.

When both Lyndie and Susi (in the photos above) came into my menopause transformation programmes, they were hardly walking anywhere.However, they both experienced fatigue, sore joints, lack of motivation and for Lyndie, her breast cancer treatments left her exhausted. They were also confused about what type of exercise was best for them. But as they moved through the programme, they began to walk more.Lyndie would get up in the morning and stride out over the hills there in Oxfordshire and Susi, found her way through the snowy trails in a Swiss winter and then as summer approached, she went out hiking. I was so proud of what they achieved with their walking and hiking, because initially, they weren't walking much at all. It's what I encourage women on my programmes to do more of and I encourage you to as well. There have been hundreds of photos posted in my private coaching group over the years and I love my 'virtual travelling' around the world as women share where they are walking.New Zealand’s South Island, the Peak District in the UK, Moose crossing the road in Canada and an Australian beach – all beautiful locations for MyMT™ women who are out walking. Whilst many continue to go to the gym, I also encourage them to walk outside, especially if they work indoors in artificial lighting.They need the benefit of natural light in their eyes to help restore their circadian rhythm ... and they need to walk for their stress relief and to help their sore, aching knee joints. When they have knee joint problems, I encourage them to buy hiking poles and walk using these for balance and support.  I call 'walking for our health', the forgotten factor in our menopause and post-menopause symptoms management and in this article I explain why! 		
																										
		Walking is our (menopause) medicine.Walking for 2.5 hours a week—that’s just 21 minutes a day—can cut your risk of heart disease by 30%. In addition, this do-anywhere, no-equipment-required activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer, lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, keep you mentally sharp and improve your knee joints. Even a quick one-minute jaunt pays off.I learnt all this from reading The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, which has been tracking the health behaviours of more than 200,000 women for over three decades.This study has shown that moderate walking for an average of only 30 minutes a day can lower our risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes by 30% to 40%, and the risk of breast cancer by 20% to 30%.Walking also helps your mood.A number of studies have found that it’s as effective as drugs for decreasing depression, because your mood-elevating endorphin levels increase both during and after the walk.It's an activity that can also relieve everyday stresses too. And many people find that walking helps clear the mind—you may even find the solution to a problem that’s been bugging you.Depression and anxiety disorders consistently feature in menopause symptoms and according to Australian Psychologist, Professor Felice Jacka, depression prevalence globally accounts for 40% of the global burden of disease. Women in menopause are no exception.  		
																										
		Walking is a closed-kinetic chain exercise which means that there is a co-contraction of the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, soleus, and gastrocnemius (calf) muscles, involved in the movements.Not only does walking promote weight bearing and early mobilization in a knee rehabilitation programme, but in numerous studies on osteoarthritis (OA), walking is a first-line non-pharmacological intervention for management of OA knee symptoms.It is now recognised in international guidelines for osteoarthritis management and the minimum is 10 minutes a day. [Jakiela et al., 2021]With so many benefits of walking, this begs the question - Why aren't we all walking more as we move through menopause and into post-menopause? Based on physical activity participation studies as well as the results from over 500,000 women who have undertaken my symptoms quiz for menopause over the past decade, it seems that ... tired women do not exercise. The consistent themes in the literature on physical activity and exercise indicate the following challenges that women experience:Lack of time.Lack of motivation.Lack of energy.Injuries and sore legs, ankles, feet and hips.Numerous sport and exercise psychology studies have linked all of these factors to women’s lack of exercise and physical activity over the past three decades. I wonder which factors you relate to?But there's a bit more to the conundrum of non-participation in physical activity for women as well.Feeling socially isolated and talking to Physicians who didn't understand the severity of their symptoms and the change that arrived to their quality of life, were comments made by women in a new study out of beautiful Edmonton in Canada. "Tired women will not walk" mentioned one participant, whilst another said, "We walk and talk. It's something to achieve, you know, to look forward to, with others experiencing the same symptoms." Reading this study bought back memories of the women I interviewed for my doctoral studies - "You know, I love exercise, but I'm too tired all the time now that I'm in my 50s" said one participant."I'm so confused about why I get injured all the time when I've been doing the same exercise for years" lamented another. (Sweet, 2018). Menopause and midlife are stages in a woman's life that can be marked by debilitating symptoms that impact quality of life, as well as being a vulnerable time for health changes.Whilst the primary treatment emphasis is on hormone medications and supplements, exercise, especially walking, remains a simple solution that has wide-ranging health benefits.Unfortunately however, too much emphasis is often given to different modes of exercise that may be high impact and high intensity. There is also emphasis on doing heavy resistance training for bone health ... and as I've found, heavy lifting when women aren't sleeping, is to the detriment of joint and cardiovascular health. For many women, high-intensity activities are exhausting, especially if they aren't sleeping. High impact exercise may also cause injuries in knees, feet and muscles, at a time when the muscle structure and the blood vessels are changing as they adapt to declining oestrogen and progesterone.Whilst part of the solution to injury management for the knee is to stimulate the foot, the other solution is to change up your exercise interventions so that you do more walking .... preferably outside in nature. You should also try some barefoot walking. The foot is crucial for providing traction for movement and leverage for propulsion. Walking barefoot for at least 15-20 minutes daily, also aids in balance and falls protection as we age. 		
																										
		Since the running revolution in the 1980s which many of us have enjoyed for years, there has been an emphasis by running coaches on how to run and from that perspective, how to walk has been forgotten.When I reflect back on my life in the exercise industry and with all the activities I've done, there hasn't been once, whereby 'how to walk' has been a practice that I've been involved in.Sure, I studied gait analysis from a biomechanical perspective, which was very technical, but during all the years of teaching aerobics and being a PT myself, I never taught anyone how to walk properly. Nor did I think about the fact that I might not be walking properly myself .... especially when it came to grounding the big toe on walking and increasing the stride length.A remarkable 2017 study from Deakin University in Australia also found that both running and brisk walking strengthen our intervertebral discs as well as hydrates them. When discs are hydrated, this helps them absorb pressure and impact and the advantages were particularly noticeable in the lower lumbar region - I'm sure that many of us have had lower back problems as we've approached menopause and I had this problem myself. I never thought that lengthening my stride and pushing off my big toe and 'grounding' it against the earth, was part of the solution to my lower back pain. But it was, and still is. When we walk, we need to lengthen our stride and extend our back leg, pushing the front of the foot into the ground.If we take SHORT strides, then this tightens our pelvis and lower spine, leading to more fascial tightness (the fascia surround your muscles and are important for hydration and function as well as nerve transmission).When you (re) learn to walk well, then you can also change-up your pace a bit too. Dementia research suggests that the pace of walking is another consideration for women as they age. Decline in gait speed and cognition has been found to be associated with increased dementia risk in a variety of studies. [Collyer et al, 2022].In a world where everybody is fixated with counting the number of steps they do each day, this to me, encourages faster walking and shortened stride length, which doesn't help our fascia function, nor does it necessarily help with gluteal and hamstring strength. Hence, don't just focus on number of steps but your stride length too.Stride length is measured from heel to heel and determines how far you walk with each step. According to studies undertaken at Arizona State University Extension, a woman's average stride length is 2.2 feet, or 26.4 inches or 67 cm. And yes, your height matters. In general, people with longer legs have a greater stride length than those with shorter legs.So, my message to you as we focus on joint health, throughout the month of April, is to have a renewed  focus on WALKING. Not only will it help your mood, but your balance as well. As such, in order to walk-well, and maintain an optimal gait you need to STIMULATE your gait. You need to tap into all the fascial systems with each step you take – a process that can only be achieved with a stride length that is long enough.To get you started, I've found this short 2 minute video from another passionate walking advocate, Joanna Hall, who is creator of the UK's Walkactive programme.And the first simple change that she suggests to make to your walking technique?Make sure you are pushing your foot into the ground and lengthening your stride. She calls this an 'active foot' and an 'open ankle'. It's only a couple of minutes long, so have a listen before stepping out for your next walk.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hapNhZNM0jQDon't be intimidated by 10,000 steps - less than this is OK too. Physical activity participation research continues to show a decline in physical activity for women over the age of 50 years who are the highest cohort (along with adolescence girls) to drop out of regular physical activity. With our exhaustion and being time-poor, I'm not surprised.Professor Wendy Brown and her team have been studying this for over 30 years in Australia. And here's the thing - I can attest to this as well.When I wasn’t sleeping and had sore joints and muscles, felt dizzy  and my weight was increasing daily, the last thing I felt like doing was my beloved exercise - especially with the emphasis on boot camps, high intensity workouts and a ‘go-hard, or go-home’ training mantra.That's why I wish I had also known about Professor Min-Lee’s work at the time, becuase it helps us to understand that we don't necessarily need to feel pressured by walking 10,000 steps every day - you can do less.The 10,000 steps protocol originated back in 1965 when a Japanese company made a device called Manpo-kei. The translated to ’10,000 steps meter’ and it was intended as a marketing tool. So began the notion of needing to achieve 10,000 steps in our health consciousness.Because Professor Min-Lee had already been studying the relationship between physical activity and health in older women, she took her 10,000 steps curiosity to this demographic too. I’m so pleased that she did. The research looked at over 16,000 women aged between 62 years to 101 years and for 4 years between 2011 and 2015, all participants wore tracking devices during waking hours.The researchers wanted to explore whether increased steps were associated with fewer deaths. The findings from the study are important for us all to know – especially for those women struggling to find the time, energy and motivation to exercise. The key findings from the study include:Sedentary women averaged 2,700 steps a day.Women who averaged 4,400 daily steps had a 41% reduction in mortality.Mortality rates progressively improved before leveling off at approximately 7,500 steps per day.As the researchers concluded, if you want to prevent an early death, then walking matters, but some is better than none. So, if mortality — death — is your major concern, this study suggests you can reap benefits from 7,500 steps a day. That’s 25% fewer steps than the more common goal of 10,000 steps.“Every step counts” says Professor Min-Lee, “but don’t be intimidated by having to get 10,000 steps if you are a woman in post-menopause.”I often share these pointers with women on my coaching programme. If you’re typically sedentary then you are probably doing around 2000 steps daily just in your day to day movement, so try to add 2,000 more daily steps.This will give you an average of at least 4,400 daily steps. While 2,000 steps equals one mile (2.2km), it’s not necessary to walk it all at once. Instead, try to take extra steps over the course of each waking hour.This is great advice for all of us. That's why I loved seeing the images shared my some of the women on the MyMT™ coaching programmes.For many, a brief walk at lunch-time or early in the morning before the trials and tribulations of the day starts is just one of the changes they are making to get on top of their symptoms in menopause. I love this, because we all have to start somewhere and for over 30 years, it's been my passion and purpose to enable women to become active again. 		
																										
		If you are feeling that your motivation is at rock bottom because you aren't sleeping and you feel exhausted all the time, then please come and join me on either of the  MyMT™programmes. I have included the Joyful Joints module and Gut Health Restoration module and an Intermittent Fasting module in these 12 week programmes and my new Heart Health module, which has information for those of you in your post-menopause years.There is also my progressive 6 week walking programme as well as all the scientifically evidenced lifestyle and nutrition information, which will help you to sleep all night, reduce your hot flushes and renew your energy levels so you can get your life back on track.		
																										
		References:Belavy, D. ,Quittner, M., Ridgers, N., Ling, Y., & Connell, D.(2017). Running exercise strengthens the intervertebral disc. Scientific Reports. 7. 45975. 10.1038/srep45975.Collyer TA, Murray AM, Woods RL, Storey E, Chong TT, Ryan J, Orchard SG, Brodtmann A, Srikanth VK, Shah RC, Callisaya ML. Association of Dual Decline in Cognition and Gait Speed With Risk of Dementia in Older Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 May 2;5(5):e2214647. Hayes SM, Alosco ML, Forman DE. The Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive and Neural Decline in Aging and Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Geriatr Rep. 2014 Dec;3(4):282-290. doi: 10.1007/s13670-014-0101-x. I-Min Lee, Shiroma, E.,Masamitsu K. et.al, (2019). Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women. JAMA Intern Med. Published online May 29, 2019.Jacka, F., Berk M. (2013). Depression, diet and exercise. Med J Aust. 16;199(S6):S21-3. doi: 10.5694/mja12.10508. PMID: 25370279.Jakiela JT, Waugh EJ, White DK. Walk At Least 10 Minutes a Day for Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis: Recommendation for Minimal Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Rheumatol. 2021 Feb;48(2):157-159. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.200914. Epub 2020 Aug 15.Moilanen JM, Mikkola TS, Raitanen JA, Heinonen RH, Tomas EI, Nygård CH, Luoto RM. Effect of aerobic training on menopausal symptoms--a randomized controlled trial. Menopause. 2012 Jun;19(6):691-6. Solnit, R. (2001). Wanderlust: A history of walking. Penguin Books.Sydora, B.C., Alvadj, T., Malley, A. et al. (2020). Walking together: women with the severe symptoms of menopause propose a platform for a walking program; outcome from focus groups. BMC Women's Health 20, 165, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-020-01037-ySydora BC, Turner C, Malley A, Davenport M, Yuksel N, Shandro T, Ross S. Can walking exercise programs improve health for women in menopause transition and postmenopausal? Findings from a scoping review. Menopause. 2020 Aug;27(8):952-963. Tamariz-Ellemann A., Wickham K.A., Nørregaard L.B., Gliemann L., Hellsten Y. The time is now: Regular exercise maintains vascular health in aging women. J Physiol. 2022 Oct 27. doi: 10.1113/JP282896. White DK, Tudor-Locke C, Felson DT, Gross KD, Niu J, Nevitt M, Lewis CE, Torner J, Neogi T. Walking to meet physical activity guidelines in knee osteoarthritis: is 10,000 steps enough? Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Apr;94(4):711-7. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2012.11.038. Epub 2012 Dec 7.

### VIDEO: Improving knees in midlife women from Physical Therapist, John Appel.

One of the most challenging concerns for women in their menopause transition, is their sore knees.I so remember the aching that I used to feel, especially after a day's hiking or skiing. It was the reason I also gave up my beloved high impact aerobic classes too, as well as my BodyPump and Step classes. My knees just couldn't handle all the repetitive actions. What I didn't realise at the time, was that the knee ligaments and tendons (and other joints), are losing some of their elasticity and fluid as women move through menopause.Declining levels of oestrogen cause changes to the integrity and function of joints, including tendons and ligaments. But there are solutions to this, based on lifestyle evidence and it's why, in the MyMT™ 12 week coaching programmes, I have a module called 'Restore your Joyful Joints'. This is also available as a stand-alone module.These exercises and advice by American/Kiwi Physical Therapist and Founder of Pure Performance, John Appel, are in there and as part of a celebration of 'MyMT™ Menopause Joint Health Month for Practitioners, I wanted to share his video with you too. PLEASE NOTE: These simple rehabilitation exercises are not to replace recommendations from a Doctor or Physiotherapist. Stop all exercise if you feel pain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBvMKLoRyXAMenopause doesn’t happen in a vacuum – and it’s not ‘just’ about hot flushes. Women may experience numerous symptoms that confuse them at a time of their life, when they need to operate at their best. This includes their joint and muscle pain. If you are struggling to understand the consequences of menopause hormonal changes with your midlife clients and would like to better understand some of the specific lifestyle solutions, then please explore the certified courses that I have available for you. There is a discount for those of you registered with any of our certifying bodies.  Please email the Course Convenor, Georgia, on georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com to receive the code.

### "Every muscle in my body seemed to ache. I had no idea that my low energy was due to menopause."  [Lesley, Cornwall, UK]

When you retire from teaching after devoting your entire career to supporting others, it's tough not to be able to get on with living the life you dreamed of. This is Lesley's story. She lives in Cornwall in the United Kingdom.

"Every muscle in my body seemed to ache. Hot flushes: common menopausal symptoms but what of the aching joints and muscles?" questioned Lesley.

Not only am I a retired teacher, said Lesley, but I'm also a club athlete (long distance). Except for a couple of foot issues brought on by both my job and my running, I have always enjoyed full health. I also have had 2 children (now adults). 

After retiring at the age of 60, I hoped to work on getting my energy levels back up as well as improve my poor sleep pattern. Both of these things had suffered due to the long and pressurised hours of work that teaching full-time brings.

Whilst both these things improved slightly as I became more relaxed and had time to go on a daily run (different lengths, routes and terrain) here in our part of stunning Cornwall, my weight wasn't shifting.

I expected that as my weekly mileage steadily increased, the developing midriff bulge would steadily disappear. It didn't! I was so confused as to why this wasn't happening especially as hubbie and I have always eaten healthily and exercised all our adult lives.

One of my two sisters, a retired nurse, and I have always been close, so I always asked her advice on any medical issues, comparing notes our pregnancies, births and recently, the menopause. She has had a 5 year "battle" with her GP to be referred to a consultant about her random chest pains, breathlessness and sheer exhaustion.

She was told "it's all in your mind" but the nurse in my sister said differently. So, my sister persisted and through tests was finally diagnosed with angina (of the smaller blood vessels, not the major one, as in our father's case), which the consultant mentioned had most probably been brought on by the menopause.

This is what lead me to My Menopause Transformation. My sister was exploring more information about her cardiac health and menopause.

I also think that there were other influences on me thinking about my health at this life stage, as both my parents were suffering from health problems, and on reflection my mother was diagnosed with diabetes in her 60s, which was seen as age-related.  My brother, who is 4 years younger than me was also diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago, and is now well managed.

That's what lead me to ask myself - 'Was I destined to follow any of these patterns?'

I began to think about my symptoms - some hot flushes, poor sleep and most distressingly, every joint and muscle in my body seemed to ache. I knew that hot flushes were a common menopausal symptom but what of the aching joints and muscles?

All I could think of was a friend and two ex- work colleagues who were suffering from fibromyalgia. Was I heading down this path too?

I was also beginning to feel absolutely exhausted after some runs (the length or type of run were irrelevant) feeling like I was running through treacle although the runs were at a steady pace and I had undertaken these runs for years.

I was recommended a physiotherapist based at the local leisure centre and she was wonderful, but I was then referred to an excellent podiatrist who had a deep interest in bio-mechanics.

Between them, I was back running without pain within a few months, needing only regular check-ups and fascial release physio.

With the success of this and what I was learning, it lead me to thinking about whether I find someone of equal calibre in the field of menopause. I had no idea where to start looking. Then, as if by magic, a Facebook post arrived from New Zealand researcher, Wendy Sweet.

It was only by chance that I saw this, so I decided to look in more detail at who Wendy was, where she was based and also how and why she had set up the MyMT™ programmes.



The more I asked her via email, the more information I got and the information I got was exactly what I wanted. Wendy had struggled with her menopause symptoms, and took various "pills and potions" that didn't alleviate the menopause symptoms.

It was only because of her career paths and physiology and lifestyle knowledge, that allowed her to delve deep into unknown territory and come up with many answers which she has radiated out to many women all over the world.

I joined the programme and within 3 months of following Wendy's advice, my midriff bulge was well on the way to disappearing. It was only 2 weeks ago that I thought, just out of interest, I would weigh myself.

I had amazingly lost all my extra weight - 15 lbs (7 kgs)! My aches and pains in my joints and muscles have now virtually gone as well. If they do increase slightly, I know to get back to more stretching exercises and to make sure I'm eating ALL the correct nutrients she recommends in her programme.

As a teacher, I'm always interested in the educational side of MyMT™ . Wendy is always there with sound advice and regularly releases recent and relevant research findings which are always an absolute fascinating read.

I love finding out about how the menopause and post-menopause changes our bodies and how we can adjust to accommodate these changes. I've had several thoughts/queries about some niggle but before I can email Wendy for advice, she has posted an article on my exact niggle. I'm sure that she is a mind reader!

I have taken on a lot of Wendy's advice and am feeling the immense benefits. My biggest boost recently came from my husband when he commented about how strong I was now running!

That was a real confidence boost and added to my own reflections on how Wendy's programmes improve our health through eating the correct foods at the correct time of day and to find the stretching exercises that work for me.

Confidence also comes from knowing that Wendy will give more tailored advice when it is needed, as there is a Facebook community page to link with other women on the programmes. This programme is truly life-changing."

Lesley Wright, Cornwall, UK. 

If you would like to learn more about any of the PROGRAMMES available to your clients, then go to the 'Programmes' drop-down link on the website or Click on the Learn More link below. You can view my videos and read other SUCCESS STORIES and TESTIMONIALS as well. 

www.mymenopausetransformation.com

"Putting menopause in wellness, not sickness."

### Hot Flushes After Menopause: Will my hot flashes ever stop?

Every day I get emails from women who are thinking about joining me on the MyMT™ programmes, because they feel overwhelmed with night sweats and hot flushes.Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause. Yet many postmenopausal women experience them too. Understandably, they have a huge impact on their quality of life, so finding an effective treatment option is paramount for them. I am surprised by how many are on menopause supplements, hormone replacement therapy and/or anti-anxiety medications …. the same interventions that are supposed to help them reduce their hot flushes, night sweats and anxiety.Clearly, these interventions are not working for them. It's so perplexing, but as I had this experience too, I now better understand why. It's tough when all you do every morning is to strip the sheets off the bed, because they are soaked in sweat. So, I have a question for you:Did you know that when you are experiencing hot flushes/ flashes and/or night sweats, this is a sign that your body is under dis-stress and trying to cool down?		
																														
					What causes hot flashes in postmenopausal women?				
		Unravelling the physiology of hot flushes, begins with understanding temperature regulation. This is under the control of our hormonal system. So, as our estrogen levels decline during our menopause transition and into post-menopause, temperature-regulating hormones in the pituitary region of the brain and our thyroid are affected as well.As I mention in my online Masterclass on Menopause - your reproductive hormones are not the 'problem' - menopause is a natural biological event. The 'problem' with our worsening symptoms as we move into post-menopause, is that many women are not adjusting their lifestyle to accommodate changing hormone levels with age.Hot flash solutions - What are my options?Numerous studies report that if midlife women aren't changing their lifestyle to accommodate the momentum of hormonal changes from peri-menopause to post-menopause, symptoms might continue, even into the post-menopause years when periods have ceased for a year or more.This is because declining estrogen levels effect our blood vessels, muscles, joints, thyroid, pituitary gland, liver and gut too. Hormones all work together to keep our body functioning.Hormones are chemical messengers which control all sorts of functions in the body, from heat management, to blood pressure control, to blood sugar regulation to our sleep cycles and feelings of hunger. When menopause arrives, all of these hormones are affected. This includes our thyroid hormones which help to regulate temperature and metabolism. 		
																														
					How To Reduce Hot Flashes Post Menopause 				
		To help you manage hot flashes during and after menopause, no matter the temperature outside, I’ve compiled these helpful tips. Click through on each of my ‘top-8' factors that influence the frequency and severity of your hot flushes after menopause and during menopause.		
																														
												1. The type and timing of your food and fluids
					Have you experienced a hot flush after eating? It’s not just about reducing sugar and processed food as we age. In menopause, my emphasis is on managing protein intake as well – not too much and not too little. The amount and timing of your protein intake is crucial. Protein is ‘thermo-genic’ which means ‘heat-generating’.When I was trying to understand why my hot flushes were so bad, I remembered from my exercise science lecturing days, that high protein diets cause too much stress on the thyroid, liver, kidneys and gut, especially as we get older. The result? Lots of sweating as your body tries to cool down. That’s why in the MyMT™ Food Guide, which is in both of my different 12 week programmes, I teach you about cooling foods to eat in menopause.
												2. The amount of stress you experience
					We hear so much about ‘stress’ these days, but when it comes to your hot flushes and night sweats, I’m not just talking about emotional stress. I’m talking about the physical stress on your cells and tissues as you biologically age.For decades, our cells and tissues have been accumulating inflammatory changes, especially if you have been doing a lot of high intensity exercise or you haven’t been sleeping throughout your menopause transition.When you reach menopause and your blood vessels become more constricted with the loss of oestrogen and you aren’t sleeping, your chronic stress hormone, called cortisol, remains higher than normal. When cortisol stays around all day, then your thyroid hormones overwork too. An unhappy thyroid combined with menopause hormonal changes causes your temperature and blood pressure to increase, which then has you wiping your brow with excess sweat as your body tries to get rid of the heat.
												3. Are you active or sedentary during your day? 
					Moderation is everything and during menopause, both too much and too little exercise can cause more hot flushes. If you are doing heavy, high-intensity exercise most days or you work in a physically-demanding job such as nursing or farming, then your body doesn’t recover and heal overnight when you don’t sleep.This means that your blood pressure and temperature stay higher overnight. With a higher temperature, your body tries to cool you down. So you sweat more.The same can also be said of women who are mainly sedentary. If you aren’t doing some activity, then there is a risk that you aren’t boosting your cells and tissues with oxygen. This can lead to poor cardiac health which in turn can contribute to worsening hot flushes.Maintaining exercise is vital for reducing hot flashes after menopause, but it has to be the right type and amount of exercise and I have this information in my Rebuild My Fitness program for you. 
												4. If you already have high blood pressure or heart-health issues, then your heart rate may be higher than normal (unless you are on cardiac medication)
					When our heart rate and blood pressure is higher than normal, this increases heat production in the body. As we transition through menopause and we are ageing, our blood vessels lose their elasticity and become ‘stiffer’. Not only are they ageing, but we are losing muscle density as well. What this means is that our muscles (and our sweat glands) change when we lose oestrogen, so our ability to regulate heat and sweating changes too. I talk more about this in my on-demand Masterclass on Menopause which you can read more about HERE. 
												5. The environment and the climate you live in impacts on your hot flushes too.
					New genetic research shows that we all have DNA that are receptive to living in either hot or cooler climates. If we are out of sync with the genetically-set DNA, then in menopause, this can cause more discomfort and hot flushes.I have menopausal women on my programme from Alice Springs in Australia – as one of the hottest places on the continent, I am so thankful that they have come on board. One of the problems with living in such a hot climate is that we tend to live inside in air-conditioning and this changes our Vitamin D absorption which can dive-down in menopause. Vitamin D is a hormone and because our skin is the largest organ in the body and has numerous oestrogen receptors in it, menopause affects our Vitamin D absorption too. When levels are low, then hot flushes become worse and so too, does calcium absorption and cardiac health. That’s why it’s important that women get their Vitamin D levels checked – even more so when it’s so hot outside as in parts of Australia, that it’s cooler to live inside.
												6. Your SLEEP quality and quantity
					I think many of you would have already discovered that it’s a catch-22 between not sleeping and night sweats – on one hand the night sweats wake you up, but on the other hand, when you can’t stay asleep, your hot flushes, night sweats and feelings of anxiety become worse. Yes?Well, there is a reason for this.When we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t recovering and restoring our immune system overnight. We also aren’t fat-burning or recovering from our day-to-day activities. What then happens, is that our adrenal glands make more cortisol.To do this, they use our lovely calming progesterone, which is also why women in menopause experience more anxiety as well – and it’s also why, in both of the MyMT 12 week programmes, the first module you listen to, is how to sleep all night. It’s that important.Poor sleep can make hot flashes worse and makes it a lot more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.
												7. A deficiency in Vitamin D, iron, folate, B12, iodine, calcium and magnesium all impact on the frequency and severity of your hot flushes (and your sleep quality)
					These powerful nutrients are needed to restore hormonal health as you transition through menopause. For example, the beautiful trace mineral called iodine, is a vital component of hormones produced by the thyroid gland that are responsible for a number of important functions in your body. This includes metabolism, nerve and muscle function, regulation of body temperature and blood cell production. If you don’t get enough iodine-rich foods, your hot flushes can become worse. This is why I have a nutritional programme in the MyMT™ programmes, that is rich in iodine and all the other nutrients that we need during menopause and into the years beyond. My nutritional information comes out of women’s healthy ageing research.
												8. If you have leaky gut syndrome OR inflammatory disease of the bowel e.g. diverticulitis or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), then your hot flushes and your sleep may be worse
					Leaky gut affects the entire body and during menopause, the changes to our gut lining occur with the loss of oestrogen. Our gut lining thins and our ability to maintain a healthy gut microbiome becomes more challenging. Unfortunately this can make depression worse too. Whilst I do recommend seeing a suitable health practitioner in case you have certain medical concerns, so many women have developed leaky-gut (as I did too), that I have researched what to do to turn this around. If this is you, then the continual presence of inflammation in your gut and bowel increases heat in the body. When heat and inflammation remain high, then this leads to poor sleep which sets off night sweats. Turning around our gut health is important as a starting point for renewed health as we age. What to do is now in a stand-alone module called ‘Restore your Grateful Gut in Menopause‘ programme is now available as a stand-alone module for you.
																														
		When my own hot flushes were troubling me day and night, especially as I moved into post-menopause, I knew I had to get to the bottom of the science of them.Today, hot flushes/flashes no longer control me or define me. This is the same for many of the women who are following the strategies I have researched and you can read their Success Stories here.There are many menopausal symptoms, and hot flashes are just one of them. If you are not coping with your heat regulation, sleep, anxiety, depression, weight or joint problems as you move through menopause and beyond, then will you join me? No matter where you live in the world, I would love to support you to feel like your old-self again.The menopause transition is a pivotal time for women, as it’s the gateway to our biological ageing. Menopause symptoms don’t just impact our quality of life, they can impact our physical health.To set ourselves up for healthy ageing and help reduce the likelihood of medical conditions that are common in postmenopausal women, it’s vital we take control and educate ourselves. Simple lifestyle changes can make a profound impact on managing our risk of heart disease, blood clots, and weight gain. MyMT™ programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers. It would be my privilege to support you to feel like your old self again.  Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD [MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine]. Read my story HERE. 		
					
									Learn More
					
					
									Buy now 
					
																														
		This price includes full access to whichever of the 12 week programmes you choose: Circuit Breaker  Transform MeBeyond MenopauseDon't forget that I have your back every step of the way, so my private coaching is included in this amazing price as well. Please have a listen to the video below when you have time. https://vimeo.com/851541619?share=copy#t=0References:Andrikoula M, Hardiman P, Prelevic G. Menopausal hot flush: is it only a nuisance or also a marker of cardiovascular disease risk?. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2009;25(7):450-454. doi:10.1080/09513590902972067Arslanca T, Korkmaz H, Arslanca SB, Pehlivanoglu B, Celikel Ö. The Relationship between Vitamin D and Vasomotor Symptoms During the Postmenopausal Period. Clin Lab. 2020 Jul 1;66(7). doi: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2019.191116.Ashok T, Palyam V, Azam AT, Odeyinka O, Alhashimi R, Thoota S, Sange I. Relationship Between Vitamin D and Thyroid: An Enigma. Cureus. 2022 Jan 10;14(1):e21069. doi: 10.7759/cureus.21069.Deeche, D. & Dorries, K. (2007). Understanding the pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) that occur in perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause life stages. Arch. Women’s Mental Health, 10: 247–257.Mayo Clinic. The science behind a hot flush. Mayo Clinic Online, PDF HandoutSharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. International Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.

### A spotlight on your changing gut health from peri- to post-menopause.

Every week in my newsletters I try to come up with a topic that I hope will interest you.Sometimes it's because of a conversation in my coaching group from other women who are just like you, or sometimes I'm reminded of something that I had no idea was anything to do with our menopause transition, because nobody mentioned it to me when I sought help with my symptoms.The topic of gut health has come about recently after a comment in my group about menopause supplements that are heavily marketed to women. I explained that I always look at the ingredients to better understand what the main compounds are and what they do.When I googled the ingredients in these particular supplements that were mentioned, they were all ingredients that are used in gut health repair - not one ingredient was to do with menopause ... but then again, one could argue that they actually were.Did you know that gut health changes occur as oestrogen and progesterone levels decline and as our gut is ageing? Has this happened to you? And if you are experiencing insomnia, then your gut health (and liver health) suffers too - we forget that our digestive system operates on a 24 hour circadian rhythm and is closely connected to the liver, via the gut-liver axis.The gut-liver axis refers to the bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the liver. This interaction involves the exchange of nutrients, metabolites, bile acids, and immune signals, influencing both gut health and liver function. Changes in this axis due to menopause hormonal changes and inflammatory changes due to the ageing of the organs, may contribute to the development and progression of various liver diseases via this axis as well. The state of our gut health as well as the billions of microbes that make up our gut microbiome, is an important consideration in managing our menopause symptoms and/or our weight. That's why I like some new research which has a spotlight on our changing gut health at this time of our lives (Peters et al, 2022). It helps us to understand why we suddenly have some 'urgency' or IBS or constipation or the fact that bloating may have become worse during and after menopause. If your stomach feels distended, then you will know what I mean by this. With so much going on in the lives of women in their peri-menopause to post-menopause years, increased stress and workloads, also contribute to insomnia. The result of all this, as well as the changes to our microbiome and the fact that our gut motility (movement) changes, means that bloating and discomfort can be a daily distraction. That's why in this post I have some gentle reminders for you and my 4 Factors to Forget Bloating are below if you scroll down. If you are feeling bloated then one of the first things you can do to help release and reduce your bloating and gas is some gentle stretches such as in the image below. This type of stretch is known to gently massage the abdominal organs and gallbladder, thus releasing tension.Yoga Instructors call it Pavanamuktasana (pah-van-ah-mook-TAHS-uh-nuh) — or the Wind-Relieving Pose. These types of stretches also help your lymphatic system which changes as we age. Helping our gut and colon to move trapped air and gas through gentle movement and stretching is important. As we move through menopause, our changing oestrogen levels impact the tiny microvilli that line our digestive system, causing 'gaps' to increase between them. This is known as leaky gut syndrome. It can lead to IBS.That's why stretching is important. When we stretch and do specific exercises, these help to move bile from our gallbladder into our gut, thus helping waste products to move along the intestines. Menopause hormonal changes impact a lower production of bile and storage, hence this can be part of the reason for feeling bloated as menopause arrives. 		
																														
		I didn't fully understand the various changes to our organs as we move through menopause - did you? Numerous women are relying on supplements to help them feel better, but as I discovered, this may only be a band-aid as they stop working into the longer term when women don't adapt and adjust their lifestyle.  However, to ease bloating and increased gas, both of which are signs of Leaky Gut Syndrome, which for many women, arrives during peri-menopause and into menopause, then a few lifestyle adjustments are helpful too.  For example, gut health research suggests that our Vitamin C status has a greater influence that we think on the gut-liver axis and this in turn, influences metabolic syndrome (Traber et al, 2019).Metabolic Syndrome is a condition that can lead to weight gain and cardiovascular problems as well as Type 2 diabetes. 		
																														
		With so many women experiencing changing gut health as they move into their 50s, I hope you like my article this week. And rest assured, if your gut health has changed, then you aren't alone. In western countries Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] is 4 times more common in women as they reach mid-life. IBS impacts numerous menopause symptoms - depression, anxiety, weight gain (or loss) and brain-fog, sore joints, hot flushes and of course, menopause insomnia. All these symptoms are affected by changing gut health.  One of the main effects oestrogen has in our body, is to support our digestive health. In our monthly cycle, oestrogen was cycling up and down, and this meant that the higher levels of oestrogen helped our gut enzymes to work more efficiently. The role of enzymes in your body is important. They work hard every second of every day to produce chemical reactions in the body.For example, there are enzymes that help our digestive processes. When you eat that bit of bread, amylase is the enzyme that breaks down the starch in it. Amylase is present in your saliva. Then there is another enzyme called pancreatase. This is produced by our pancreas to help break down fats and proteins.But here's the thing - when we move from peri-menopause into menopause, the time of our life when our oestrogen levels decline, the production of these enzymes is reduced. Only since 2015, have researchers begun to understand that oestrogen has a role in helping the gut epithelium or lining to turn over cells regularly.According to Dr Marek Glezerman, author of 'Gender Medicine' which explores the gender differences in health and disease, “Functional Disorders of the digestive tract, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is four times more common in women living in Western countries during and after menopause. In Japan, China, India and other parts of Asia, the ratio is the opposite."I love research that peaks my curiosity. I too developed gut and digestion problems as I moved through menopause, as have numerous women on my 12 week MyMT™ programmes too. Which is interesting, because I always look to see if they are on anti-depressant medications at the same time. If they are, then I ensure that they understand that current research now allows us to understand the connection between menopause depression and our gut health.Therefore, if women are intent on getting off anti-depressants with their Doctor's support, then they must also work towards restoring their gut health. 		
																														
		There’s also something else impacting on our gut health though and I have Australia’s Professor Rosemary Stanton to thank for my light bulb moment with understanding this. When I heard Professor Stanton speak at this year’s Lifestyle Medicine conference in Australia, my ears pricked up:“After four generations of a low-fibre diet since modern food processing arrived in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the gut microbiota has changed to the extent that it no longer supports our immune health. Never before have we seen so much chronic disease caused by the western diet. Diversity in vegetables has the single greatest influence on the gut microbiota. The Mediterranean way of eating is the way to turn this all around.”		
																														
		Not only are we are the first generation to come into menopause having experienced so many changes to our food environment, but we are also the first generation to have been exposed to substances that have a negative effect on our gut bacteria. And according to researchers, one of the greatest influences on our gut health has been our exposure to antibiotics.The gut microbiome is one of the largest organs in the body (along with our skin) and we need to factor it into our menopause symptom management, especially if your energy is low. Gut health researcher, Professor Thomas Borody from Australia, reports that the gut is responsible for producing 70% of our energy. There is also a powerful connection between your gut and your brain (which is why our gut is now referred to as our 'second brain'), therefore many symptoms that we experience in menopause, such as foggy brain, depression, anxiety, insomnia and mood swings are now also being linked to the health of your gut micro-biome. Imagine what happens to your energy levels, sleep, health and moods, when your gut isn’t performing to its best? It's Ok, don't answer that - I already know.Gut health management is becoming an essential part of health restoration strategies and this is why, I now have an optional webinar on our changing gut health in menopause and post-menopause in my programmes. As Sylvia from the UK discovered, it's an important consideration in managing menopause weight gain.		
																														
		Knowledge of the gut-brain connection has increased 10-fold over the past decade.This has been due to improved brain research as well as genetic research into the gut microbiome. Both have opened the door to better understanding gut health and the link to disease, especially the effect of the accumulation of inflammatory changes as we get older.With menopause heralding in the transition towards our ageing, this is a critical time of life to sleep all night, restore health to our body and for those of you who need to lose weight, this will also have a positive impact on your gut health, anxiety levels and daily energy too.4 Factors to Help Manage your GUT HEALTH:Once we understand the powerful connection between the brain, the gut, the vagus nerve, existing gut inflammation AND menopause, then we need to focus on these three factors:Sleep All Night – as I keep saying to women, if you aren’t sleeping, then you aren’t healing and your heart rate stays higher during the day. You may also be putting on weight and I go into why this is, in the Transform Me weight loss programme. This alone makes you feel more anxious because your nervous system stays ‘wired’ all day long and in turn this stimulates your gut which is serviced by the same nerves as your heart. As I’ve often mentioned before, our gut is also on a 24 hour circadian rhythm as are all of our major organs, so we need to improve our sleep in order to improve our gut. 		
																
															
		Allow your gut to empty fully and heal overnight - I encourage women as much as possible to allow their digestive system to rest for 12 hours overnight. This means that the timing of food and fluid is important. If we can avoid food for around 12 hours overnight (this changes obviously for shift-workers) then our digestive system gets the chance to actually digest and absorb the food that we eat during the day.		
																														
		Improve Your Food Quality and Vegetable Diversity – Professor Rosemary Stanton of Australia has been studying the health of the population in Australia for over four decades now: “The way to heal the gut is to have diversity in vegetable intake and increase fibre. This is what the gut has been designed for. Decades of low fibre, processed foods have resulted in worsening health of the population and a plethora of diseases which are mainly related to our changing food environment.”		
																														
		Move and Stretch More - try to move in ways that help your lymphatic system, gallbladder and colon to release tension. This includes the yoga poses that I shared with you earlier as well as swimming, rebounding and performing exercises that improve your breathing. I have all of these workouts in the MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness programme for you. I hope you can join me on this fabulous 12 week exercise programme if you are wanting to stay healthy through exercise. 		
																														
		I hope you can join me sometime.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ Women's Healthy Ageing Practitioner		
																														
		References:Glezerman, M. (2016). Gender Medicine. Duckworth & Co Publ. Nie, X., Xie, R. & Tuo, B. (2018). Effects of Estrogen on the Gastrointestinal Tract. Dig Dis Sci 63, 583–596 Peters BA, Santoro N, Kaplan RC, Qi Q. Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights. Int J Womens Health. 2022 Aug 10;14:1059-1072. Qin R, Tian G, Liu J, Cao L. The gut microbiota and endometriosis: From pathogenesis to diagnosis and treatment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022 Nov 24;12:1069557. Traber MG, Buettner GR, Bruno RS. (2019). The relationship between vitamin C status, the gut-liver axis, and metabolic syndrome. Redox Biol. 21:101091. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.101091.Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017). Influence of oral and gut microbiota in the health of menopausal women. Front. Microbiol. 8, 1884. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01884

### "When I felt tired, depressed, overweight and my blood pressure climbed, nobody mentioned menopause."   [Dianne, Australia]

"Over the last few years I had gained quite a lot of weight, was often hot at night, was depressed and tired all the time, but I’d never really considered that there was anything I could do about this. My doctor at the time had put me on antidepressants and, re the weight, just said, 'Eat less and move around more.'Having had half my under-active thyroid removed, I just assumed that this was how things would always be. When I reflect back on this now, I realise that not once was the word ‘Menopause’ spoken about in relation to any of my symptoms.A couple of years ago, I became horrified that my painful fingers were starting to grow crooked. Blood tests revealed very high cholesterol and a liver in the red zone. While waiting the four months it took to see a rheumatologist, my partner, Jo-Anne, and I decided to be proactive and do our own research. Who knew that a Google search ‘Why are my fingers going crooked?’ would lead to the topic of Menopause, ageing and ultimately Wendy Sweet at MyMT™?It was Jo-Anne who came across Wendy's MyMT™ website and encouraged me to read the wealth of information on it, fill out the menopause symptom survey and subscribe to the newsletter.  I was really impressed with the comprehensive information, testimonials and the success stories. Initially, I was a bit hesitant to join up, as there are so many diets and programs out there, all promising the miracle fix, while potentially being very unhealthy long term. During the next few months I was in contact with Wendy several times asking questions, despite not having signed up to the program.  I was very impressed with the care that she took, along with her thoroughness in her responses.I thought long and hard before deciding that joining MyMT™ was such a small investment and a risk worth taking. So, I signed up to the Transform Me weight loss programme. [Refer VIDEO below].Now, more than 20kg down, sleeping better, happier and off all medication except the thyroid tablet, it has been the best decision ever!The program simply makes good sense.  I have learned such a lot and there have been so many ‘Ah Ha’ moments. By the time I saw the Rheumatologist, I had been on Wendy’s program for a couple of months, had easily lost several kilos and my fingers were no longer constantly sore. The specialist diagnosed osteo-arthritis and said that, by following Wendy’s MyMT™ programme, which has an anti-inflammatory approach specific to menopause, I was already doing everything that she would have recommended I do. Listening to the webinars as they became available, a couple of times usually, and printing out the associated handouts, was  best for me as I prefer paper to read and reread. Then I set aside time every afternoon to read the Facebook pages. I always found the posts there very thorough and informative. Also the comments and tips from the other ladies were gratefully received. I found that when life got in the way and I missed doing it I felt like I was getting behind and missing out.		
																										
		The Facebook support group, which is included in the program, has been invaluable.  I have been very impressed with Wendy’s prompt and comprehensive answers to members’ questions. They are always informative, well researched (and referenced) and presented in a caring, supportive way.  Additionally, the sharing of stories and ideas along with the support of other women, like me, makes all the difference. I don’t feel like I’m alone in this journey. I’ve also been very lucky to have a partner who has encouraged me to follow the program and make the recommended changes, that have ultimately benefited us both.Thank you, Wendy for your well researched program. Although I entered this journey looking for solutions to my sore joints, I'm now more than 20kgs down, healthier, happier and off nearly all my medications. My life and health is changed forever."Dianne, H - AustraliaThrough decades of research and coaching, Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), put everything she learnt into two 12 week online programmes. You can learn more about the world-class MyMT™ Transform Me Programme that Dianne joined, in the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw7PmwoA5Q&t=34s		
			
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### MyMT™ Education: Can you improve your client's menopause symptoms by changing their gut microbiome?

Knowledge about how the gut-microbiome alters aspects of our immune, metabolic and nervous system health has increased 10-fold over the past decade.

Fortunately, some of this knowledge has also been situated in midlife women's health. 

Whilst this increase in research has been mainly due to improved genetic research, it's also arrived from advances in microbial technology. Both have opened the door to better understanding of gut health and the link to inflammatory diseases as women age.

In western countries Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] is 4 times more common in women as they reach mid-life – also a time of life, when menopause symptoms may cause so much frustration.

With my own gut health changing when I reached my early 50s, it made sense to me that these issues may well be related.

As it turns out they are, and with the huge number of women on my 12 week lifestyle programmes mentioning that they feel that their gut health has changed since arriving in menopause, I wanted to explain why.

One of the main effects of oestrogen is to support digestive health. 

In the usual monthly menstrual cycle, oestrogen cycles up and down. Oestrogen levels rise during the mid-follicular phase and then drop precipitously after ovulation. This is followed by a secondary rise in oestrogen levels during the mid-luteal phase with a decrease at the end of the menstrual cycle. [Reed & Carr, 2018].

During the higher oestrogen phases, gut enzymes work more efficiently.

Understanding the role of gut enzymes and their connection to oestrogen levels is important. 

They work hard every second of every day to produce chemical reactions in the body. For example, there are enzymes that help our digestive processes.

When you eat that bit of bread, amylase is the enzyme that breaks down the starch in it. Amylase is present in your saliva. Then there is another enzyme called protease. Pancreatic enzymes, such as amylase, lipase, and protease, are vital for digesting carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in food.

But here's the thing; when we move from peri-menopause into menopause, when our oestrogen levels decline, the production of these enzymes is reduced. 

Menopause HRT doesn't change these enzymes, which is why many of your clients may find that their HRT isn't helping their gut health and microbiome changes. 



Only since 2015, have researchers begun to understand that oestrogen has a role in helping the gut epithelium or lining to turn over cells regularly. According to Dr Marek Glezerman, author of 'Gender Medicine' which explores the gender differences in health and disease,

“Functional Disorders of the digestive tract, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is four times more common in women living in Western countries during and after menopause. In Japan, China, India and other parts of Asia, the ratio is the opposite."

The nature of menopausal symptoms is common to all women, however, geographical location and ethnicity influence the prevalence of certain symptoms. (Hunter, Chedraui et al., 2012).

This bought my attention to the possible link between changing gut health in midlife women and the frequency of severity of hot flushes, weight gain and other symptoms.

Another important realisation about changes to gut health with age, is the link between certain types of microbes that reside in the colon and how these impact health problems as women age.

For example, in women with menopause-related osteoporosis, scientists have discovered that the microbial organism called Prevotella may be protective against this life-changing bone disease.

And when it comes to women's heart disease, it seems that optimal numbers of Lactobacillus Casei may help to reduce vascular stiffness.

As those of you who have undertaken my Practitioner course know, this condition is associated with women's ageing blood vessels during and after menopause, which can contribute to high blood pressure (hypertension).   [Siddiqui et al, 2022]. It's also why your female clients need to increase their intake of fruits to help prevent cardiovascular disease.



Unnatural shifts in the gut microbiota composition, known as dysbiosis, can lead to several health disorders. Knowing that one of these disorders is to do with temperature regulation problems, is important for women transitioning into and through menopause.

That's why, whether your clients are on menopause HRT or not, looking after gut health is an important lifestyle strategy for you to promote as part of your coaching with midlife and older women.

Numerous factors impact our gut function over our lifetime. This includes our diet, environmental changes (extreme heat and cold), antibiotic exposure, sleep disturbance, physical activity (too much or not enough), hormonal changes and pathological or disease stimuli - all of these factors cause a shift in the gut microbiota. Hormonal changes during menopause are included in this list too.

‘One of the factors that plays a pivotal role in microbiota modulation, although broadly understudied in current research, is the change in female sexual hormones throughout life, including menopause.' [Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017)]

The role of oestrogen in our gut health is more important than we think. Throughout our life, and more so after puberty, oestrogen helps to keep inflammation in our intestines at bay. It does this by preventing us from developing what is known as ''leaky gut'.

Researchers have discovered that dysregulation of oestrogen receptors in the intestinal mucosa of patients with Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis indicates that oestrogen signaling plays a role in the local immune response in the intestine, helping to maintain the integrity of the gut lining, called the epithelium.

The interesting thing is that this is known to occur in a gender- and age-dependent manner (Jacenik, et al. 2019).  So, for women transitioning through menopause, from their mid-40s on, the decline in oestrogen levels impacts our gut health. This may result in a leaky gut and dysbiosis from a changing microbiome.

In turn, the subsequent inflammatory changes in our bowel can increase the frequency and severity of hot flushes. When inflammatory changes are present in the body, your body's natural defence mechanisms are to try to cool you down. Hence, as you already know from when you were sick or had a fever, you begin to sweat.

Hot flushes and night sweats are a sign that your body is trying to cool down. 

It's no surprise to me that many menopause supplements have ingredients that are known to improve the gut microbiota ... but my challenge to you is what are you doing about your diet and sleep? These factors impact your gut health too.

What all this means is that if your clients want to reduce their symptoms during menopause and manage their weight, then sorting out gut health matters. 

This is why I have a module about restoring Gut Health as part of my restoration series and you or your clients can purchase this as a stand-alone module.  


MyMT™ GUT HEALTH MODULE: Learn More



3 Strategies to Teach Your Midlife Clients: 

The gut microbiome is one of the largest organs in the body (along with our skin) but here’s what blew me away with the research. Gut health researcher, Professor Thomas Borody from Australia, reports that the gut is responsible for producing 70% of our energy.

There is also a powerful connection between the gut and the brain (which is why our gut is now referred to as our 'second brain').

Therefore many symptoms that women experience in menopause, such as foggy brain, depression, anxiety and mood swings can also be linked to the health of their gut micro-biome. I might also add insomnia in there too.

If this sounds familiar to you with the clients you are working with, then here are 3 strategies to get you started on helping your clients:

 	Menopause hormonal changes cause gut motility (called peristalsis) to slow down. Understanding this means that women should slow down the amount and frequency of their food intake. Portion control is important as is their overnight fasting for 12-14 hours. This allows time for the food already in the gut to be digested and absorbed.



2. Clients should maintain optimal temperature regulation - not extreme heat or cold. This is difficult with climate change in many countries I know. However, environmental temperature and heat stress are known to modify the gut microbiome. Changes in core temperature have been linked to altered microbiome composition and function.

Those of you living in regions such as the Northern parts of Australia, need to keep this in mind, with your clients. Extreme summer heat causes worsening gut health. (Hylander & Repasky, 2019).

The opposite is true for those women living in countries that have extremes in cold, such as in Northern Canada. As such, reducing exercise intensity in extreme heat or cold environments is recommended.



3. Changing the diet is important as is restricting fats and increasing Vitamin C intake. New research reports that high fat diets mimic the effects of a western diet (Lobionda, Sittipo et al, 2019) and this increases bowel inflammation. Hence, the type of fat your clients have matters, as do the foods that supply your gut microbiota with good bacteria. Prebiotic foods are rich in dietary fibres.

So, what you're clients need are fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, and pulses. The gut can't digest these fibres, so they travel to the gut where they feed the good bacteria that make butyrate. 

This is a primary nutrient that is physiologically produced by the microbial fermentation of dietary fibres. It plays a functional role in maintaining the integrity and function of the intestinal cells. (Leonel & Alvarez-Leite, 2015).

Furthermore, studies also indicate that Vitamin C is needed to help prevent Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (IBO), which is a complication of the increased visceral fat that can arrive during menopause. (Traber, Buettner et al, 2019).

New research is also emerging about the role of the gut microbiome in certain women's health problems. Hence, promoting foods that increase certain healthy microbes in the gut and reduce harmful microbes is an interesting and emerging research purpose, so watch this space!

For example, new evidence on the connection between changing gut microbes and women's health issues suggests that the microbes, Lactobaccillus casei and Lactococcus lactis help to alleviate vascular malfunction and arterial stiffness in overweight post-menopausal women [Siddiqui, Makhlouf et al., 2022].

Two foods that supply these bacteria, include Green Olives and hard Cheese. 



One of the most frequent messages that I give women on my own programmes, is that menopause isn’t ‘just’ about hot flashes, brain fog or anxiety, despite these being the main symptoms dominating public menopause discussions these days.

With interest growing in the dynamic role of gut microbiome disturbances in human health and disease and how oestrogen has a role to play in this, there is increasing justification for my message!

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation
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References:

Agnoletti D, Piani F, Cicero AFG, Borghi C. The Gut Microbiota and Vascular Aging: A State-of-the-Art and Systematic Review of the Literature. J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 20;11(12):3557.

Glezerman, M. (2016). Gender Medicine. Duckworth & Co Publ.

Hunter, Myra & Chedraui, Peter & Blümel, JE & Tserotas, Konstantinos & Aguirre, W & Palacios, S & Sturdee, David. (2012). The International Menopause Study of Climate, Altitude, Temperature (IMS-CAT) and vasomotor symptoms. Climacteric : The Journal of the International Menopause Society. 16. 10.3109/13697137.2012.699563.

Hylander, B. & Repasky E. (2019) Temperature as a modulator of the gut microbiome: what are the implications and opportunities for thermal medicine?, International Journal of Hyperthermia, 36:sup1, 83-89, DOI: 10.1080/02656736.2019.1647356

Jacenik, D., Cygankiewicz, A. I., Mokrowiecka, A., Małecka-Panas, E., Fichna, J., & Krajewska, W. M. (2019). Sex- and Age-Related Estrogen Signaling Alteration in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Modulatory Role of Estrogen Receptors. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(13), 3175. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20133175

Leonel, A. & Alvarez-Leite, J. (2012). Butyrate: implications for intestinal function. Review, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkin, 15 (5), 1-6.

Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition. Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2019 Aug;28:105-110.

Monteleone, P., Mascagni, G., Giannini, A. et al. Symptoms of menopause — global prevalence, physiology and implications. Nat Rev Endocrinol 14, 199–215 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.180

Nie, X., Xie, R. & Tuo, B. (2018). Effects of Estrogen on the Gastrointestinal Tract. Dig Dis Sci 63, 583–596.

Reed B. & Carr B. The Normal Menstrual Cycle and the Control of Ovulation. [Updated 2018 Aug 5]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Blackman MR, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet].

Siddiqui, R.; Makhlouf, Z.; Alharbi, A.M.; Alfahemi, H.; Khan, N.A. The Gut Microbiome and Female Health. Biology 2022, 11, 1683. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11111683

Tomova A, Bukovsky I, Rembert E, Yonas W, Alwarith J, Barnard ND, Kahleova H. The Effects of Vegetarian and Vegan Diets on Gut Microbiota. Front Nutr. 2019 Apr 17;6:47. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2019.00047.

Traber M., Buettner G., Bruno R. (2019). The relationship between vitamin C status, the gut-liver axis, and metabolic syndrome. Redox Biol. 21:101091.

Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017). Influence of oral and gut microbiota in the health of menopausal women. Front. Microbiol. 8: 1884.

### Nutrients that matter to our health in menopause. The darker the chocolate, the better.

Cocoa contains more phenolic antioxidants than most foods. 

Knowing this is great news for those of you throwing some dark chocolate (preferably organic) into your shopping basket over the Easter break. You are doing your cells and tissues a favour if you have some dark chocolate - phenolic anti-oxidants are known to prevent inflammation and damage to cells, especially muscle cells. (Gonçalves et al., 2022)

But for women in their menopause transition, the nutrients that dark chocolate provides, are evidenced to improve mood, reduce anxiety, brain-fog as well as give you more energy - dark chocolate is a low glycemic index food. This means it helps to stabilise blood glucose levels.

The role of anti-inflammatory nutrients in our diet has fascinated me for the past few years ever since listening to Professor Gary Egger at a Lifestyle Medicine Conference in Australia, as I was working on my doctoral studies and designing the MyMT™ programmes. Professor Egger is considered one of Australia's leading authorities on lifestyle and chronic disease.

When I began to understand that numerous menopause symptoms are due to changes in the body that are associated with ageing and inflammation, it made sense to explore nutrients that have positive benefits to reducing inflammation as we age. Afterall, every 'disease of older age' is inflammatory-related.

And as I often tell you, the changes we experience in menopause, make us vulnerable to more rapid accumulation of inflammation, particularly when you take into account our past lifestyle and the stress that builds up over the years.



Another well-known Physician in Lifestyle Medicine is American Physicist, Dr David Katz. His book, 'The Truth about Food - why Pandas eat bamboo and why people get bamboozled' is an interesting read. It was his book that got me interested in the health benefits of chocolate.

Whilst it's best known as an indulgent confection that many of us feel guilty about eating, historically it has also been consumed for its purported healing properties. As Dr Katz mentions in his research on anti-inflammatory compounds and the effects of dark chocolate on human health,

"Cocoa can protect nerves from injury and inflammation, protect the skin from oxidative damage from UV radiation in topical preparations, and have beneficial effects on satiety (fullness) cognitive function, and mood.' However as a word of warning, he also states,

'As cocoa is predominantly consumed as energy-dense chocolate, potential detrimental effects of overconsumption exist, including increased risk of weight gain.' Over the Easter break, please keep this in mind.



The good news for those of you navigating menopause and post-menopause, is that chocolate is high in dietary magnesium. 

Dark chocolate (70%–85% cacao) provides 36 mg of magnesium per 100 kcal serving. This is more than three times the amount provided by milk chocolate which on average is 11mg of magnesium. (Katz et al, 2011).

I talk about the magic of magnesium in the MyMT™ Food Guide, explaining that by the time we reach post-menopause, our body needs up to 400mg a day.

Magnesium along with potassium and calcium all help to reduce risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) and atheroschlerosis (hardening of the arteries) - conditions known to prevail in post-menopausal women globally. Magnesium also helps to dilate those ageing blood vessels that are losing elasticity with the decline of oestrogen as does foods that are high in magnesium (dark chocolate) and foods providing nitrates which convert to nitric oxide, such as beetroot (beets), celery, spinach and arugula.

Cocoa is one of many food sources of substances that increase the production or bioavailability of endothelial nitric oxide (Katz et al, 2011). I often mention these foods in my coaching programmes, especially for women who are exercising and/or active in their jobs. This is because magnesium plays an important role in muscle function and health.

For those of you with restless leg syndrome or muscle cramps at night, then you need to know that magnesium is a co-factor in energy production and helps your muscles to relax.

If you've been on your feet all day or busy in a physical job or you are an exerciser, then perhaps some dark chocolate served with that mid-afternoon snack of celery, apple and peanut butter is indeed a healthy addition to your diet.

Dr Katz's research also suggests that compounds in dark chocolate works to promote the normal rhythm of the heart. For those of you experiencing palpitations (and your Doctor hasn't found anything wrong with your heart), then keep this in mind (as well as your Vitamin C intake which is important for your heart contractions too).



Recently I visited a bookshop and picked up a book on 'Natural Menopause' written by a Naturopath. It had a lot of great, relevant information in it, but much of her advice for improving menopause symptoms was positioned in taking various supplements, including magnesium.

I'm not averse to taking supplements at all, including magnesium, but unlike the information I have in the MyMT™ programmes and Food Guide, there was no list of high-magnesium foods that help to reduce the effects of inflammation in our blood vessels and muscles as we age. There was also no mention of dark chocolate.

Magnesium supplements and numerous other supplements have fast become the 'norm' for women to take in menopause. However perhaps we just need to follow Dr Katz's recommendations and get a natural boost from the pleasure of eating 2-3 pieces of dark chocolate instead. Food for thought.

Have a happy Easter everyone. I hope you can listen to the Masterclass on Menopause webinar and/or join me on either of the 12 week programmes - Circuit Breaker for thinner/ leaner women or Transform Me, for your step-by-step weight loss modules. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/  MyMT™ Founder



References: 

Chen, Y., Shen, F., Liu, J., & Yang, G. Y. (2017). Arterial stiffness and stroke: de-stiffening strategy, a therapeutic target for stroke. Stroke and vascular neurology, 2(2), 65–72.

DiNicolantonio JJ, Liu J, O'Keefe JH. Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Open Heart. 2018 Jul 1;5(2):e000775.

Egger G, &  Dixon J. (2014). Beyond obesity and lifestyle: a review of 21st century chronic disease determinants. Biomed Res Int. 731685. doi: 10.1155/2014/731685. Epub 2014 Apr 7.

Katz, D. L., Doughty, K., & Ali, A. (2011). Cocoa and chocolate in human health and disease. Antioxidants & redox signaling, 15(10), 2779–2811.

Tanaka H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertension. Jul 1:HYPERTENSION, AHA 11913179.

### MyMT™ Education: Is this type of regular exercise as effective as menopause HRT?

Back in 1998, American Gerontologist, John Rowe and Academic, Robert Kahn, wrote a paper called ‘Successful Ageing'. I remember reading it one day during my studies.Sitting in the University library feeling overweight, exhausted and probably, at the time, rubbing my knees, nothing about my ageing felt 'successful' at all.However the paper, gave me hope.It provided a summary of one of the very first studies on the health of older people in America, looking at dimensions of 'successful' ageing. Whilst criticisms of it's narrowed perspective ultimately arrived in academic circles, it served to open the door to better understanding of how people age-well.In women’s health and ageing research, the maintenance of physical activity throughout life is important and it becomes even more important during the menopause transition.This is because the decline in oestrogen levels during menopause is associated with the loss of muscle mass and function, accelerating a muscle-wasting condition known as 'sarcopenia'. (Cho et al, 2022).But the other muscle that we tend to forget about with the decline in oestrogen, is the heart muscle. Research is consistent in reporting that the increased cardiovascular risk in menopause stems from the effects of changing physiology on the cardiovascular system due to ageing. [Tanaka, 2019].These effects include the 'stiffening' of the cardiac and peripheral blood vessels, a condition called 'vascular ageing'. [Nair et al, 2021]. This vascular or arterial stiffness is known to increase both blood pressure and cholesterol in women as they move through menopause. [Tamariz-Ellemann et al., 2022].		
																														
		In women’s health and ageing research, the maintenance of physical activity throughout life as well as social connectedness form some of the pillars of ‘health’ as we age. Healthy ageing for women is multi-dimensional with around 7 determinants affecting women's health as they age, including exercise.But it's not just any exercise.The image below looks a little bit complicated doesn't it? But it just shows that aerobic endurance exercise has the most beneficial effect on both heart and blood vessel health. (Tucker et al. 2022)		
																														
		Furthermore, other newer research suggests that there is a catch for ageing women in that, when it comes to improving vascular (blood vessel) health and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease through exercise, then we need to be doing the type of exercise that mimics oestrogen's protective role on the blood vessel network. (Tamariz-Elleman et al, 2022)This type of exercise includes steady-state aerobic exercise as well as moderate resistance training with only one or at the most two, more vigorous workouts a week. These types of exercise confer heart-health and skeletal muscle benefits to women including: improved dilation of the blood vessels.improved mitochondrial dynamics where energy is produced.improved capillarization (growth of capillaries) in skeletal muscle.activation of oestrogen receptors in muscles thereby supporting capillary growth which in turn improves oxygen delivery to muscles.reduction in arterial blood pressure and menopause-related hypertension in as little as 2-3 months. reduction in blood clot formation (thrombosis).improved platelet function to prevent clots. Are your clients doing enough exercise, or are they doing too much? The amount of exercise that women do as they transition through menopause matters. Some of your clients may feel too tired, or their joints are sore or they have no time nor motivation, so they've given up on it. Yes, I've been there too. However, some of them may be doing too much, especially more vigorous exercise which is leaving them exhausted. With such an emphasis on heavy weight training for bone health as well as Cross-fit type workouts, it's important to reflect on whether they are recovering from these workouts.		
																														
		With the world going into a huge age shift, the United Nations announced in 2020, that they were naming 2020 to 2030, the Decade of Healthy Ageing.For women, ageing starts in mid-life menopause and this is the period in our lives, when we have to be focused on our cardiac health and blood pressure management. Hence, understanding how much exercise confers cardiac health and vascular benefits is crucial. That's why I'm heartened that research from the American Heart Association (2020) is finally catching up with the powerful link between our menopause transition and changing cardiac health. I've mentioned it for years!'Over the past 20 years, longitudinal studies of women traversing menopause have contributed significantly to our understanding of the relationship between the menopause transition and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk ... the menopause transition offers a critical window for implementing early intervention strategies to reduce CVD risk.' [Khoudary, Aggarwai, Beckle et el, p. e1, 2020].Thanks to some of the studies that have emerged from the American Heart Association, we now know that there is a dose-response effect between exercise and cardiovascular disease prevention. Since 1980, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have translated scientific evidence into clinical practice guidelines with recommendations to improve cardiovascular health.Fortunately, these guidelines now look at both men and women differently. This is important. We aren't men and nor do we age the same way that males do.  Observational studies have reported decreased numbers of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) events in subjects who perform regular aerobic activity.There is a dose-response relationship between CHD and aerobic physical activity, and even 1 hour of walking per week is associated with lower risk, but the ideal is 150-200 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. This is your starting point for improving heart health.Aerobic exercise improves circulation and helps to dilate blood vessels - as Menopause HRT can achieve these benefits too, for your clients who cannot or don't want to take hormone treatments, then don't you think it's important to think about their exercise too? The right level of intensity can also make a difference to their ageing blood vessels in post-menopause. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) reports that individuals should engage in 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most (preferably all) days of the week. I outline these guidelines in the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Continuing Professional Development Course. And yes, we can make a difference to our cardiac health and reduce the rate of vascular stiffness with the right amount and type of regular exercise.It was during my doctoral studies that I became aware of the research by the UK's Dr Kate Fitzpatrick, who studied the Hadza tribal women. There is very little heart disease in this population and they are known to walk for around 6-8km daily foraging for food. This is a great goal for all of our clients. 		
																														
		And no, I haven't forgotten our muscles and the prevention of sarcopenia. Strength training also imparts additional cardiovascular benefits, but the literature also states 2 sessions a week of moderate-intensity is 'enough'.Keep this in mind if your clients are doing lots of the barbell exercise classes each week and find that they aren't recovering from these. Heavy weight training without sleeping well can lead to even more inflammatory changes in muscles and bones. However, perhaps the most important exercise we can do each week, is to find ways to move naturally, remain flexible and to find the types and levels of exercise that give us 'pleasure'. Social Scientists, Cassandra Phoenix and Noreen Orr, suggest that exercising for pleasure is the forgotten dimension in women's health and ageing (Phoenix & Orr, 2014). I would tend to agree.There is a lot of emphasis on performance and pain over pleasure with many exercise workout prescriptions. Yet, it is well known in health behaviour and ageing research that we are more motivated to engage in activity when we enjoy it. The other issue that is forgotten about is how tough it is for women to be active when their joints and muscles are sore.That's why low impact exercise is best as well as increasing flexibility - this is now known to help reduce blood pressure as we age (Ko, Deprez et al, 2020). Stretching more, also helps our breathing and posture, as well as lowering the chronic stress hormone, cortisol.  		
																														
		Regular physical activity using large muscle groups, such as walking, running, or swimming, produces cardiovascular adaptations that increase our exercise capacity, endurance, and skeletal and heart muscle strength.Therefore, helping your clients find and make time to get back into exercise is important. Habitual physical activity has been researched extensively and prevents the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) and reduces symptoms in patients with established cardiovascular disease.There is also evidence that aerobic exercise especially, reduces the risk of other chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, depression, and cancer of the breast and colon (Thompson, Buchner, Pina et al, 2004).  It's little wonder that 'Exercise is Medicine' is there?		
																														
		Heart health continues to be the number one health concern for women as they age. This is why I have such a focus on this in my Menopause Weight Loss Coach Professional Development Course. If your clients have changing blood pressure, cholesterol, sore joints or aren't sleeping and are putting on weight, then I hope you can join me sometime. Ignoring these issues impacts their ability to exercise and if they don't get these issues sorted, then it may make their post-menopause ageing years tougher. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
					
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		References:American Heart Association News, (June, 2023). Oral estrogen therapy for menopause may increase high blood pressure risk. American Heart Association (AHA), Khoudary et al., (2020).  Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early PreventionA Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.  Circulation. 142:e506–e532Bowling, A., & Dieppe, P. (2005). What is successful ageing and who should define it?. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 331(7531), 1548–1551. Chen Peng, Li Bo, Ou-Yang Ling. Role of estrogen receptors in health and disease. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 13, 2022.     Cho EJ, Choi Y, Jung SJ, Kwak HB. Role of exercise in estrogen deficiency-induced sarcopenia. J Exerc Rehabil. 2022 Feb 24;18(1):2-9.Enmark E, Gustafsson JA. Oestrogen receptors - an overview. J Intern Med. 1999 Aug;246(2):133-8.Kawecka-Jaszcz K, Czarnecka D, Olszanecka A, Rajzer M, Jankowski P. The effect of hormone replacement therapy on arterial blood pressure and vascular compliance in postmenopausal women with arterial hypertension. J Hum Hypertens. 2002 Jul;16(7):509-16. doi: 10.1038/sj.jhh.1001431. Nair AR, Pillai AJ, Nair N. Cardiovascular Changes in Menopause. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2021;17(4):e230421187681. doi: 10.2174/1573403X16666201106141811.Phoenix C. & Orr, N. (2014). Pleasure: a forgotten dimension of physical activity in older age. Soc Sci Med. 115:94-102. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.06.013. Epub 2014 Jun 11. Pontzer H, Raichlen DA, Wood BM, Emery Thompson M, Racette SB, Mabulla AZ, Marlowe FW. (2015). Energy expenditure and activity among Hadza hunter-gatherers. Am J Hum Biol. 27(5):628-37. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22711. Santos-Parker JR, LaRocca TJ, Seals DR. (2014). Aerobic exercise and other healthy lifestyle factors that influence vascular aging. Adv Physiol Educ. 38(4):296-307. doi: 10.1152/advan.00088.2014. Sinatra, S. (2011). The Sinatra Solution: Metabolic cardiology. Laguna Beach, California: Basic Health Publ.Tamariz-Ellemann A, Wickham KA, Nørregaard LB, Gliemann L, Hellsten Y. The time is now: Regular exercise maintains vascular health in ageing women. J Physiol. 2022 Oct 27.Tanaka H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertension. AHA 11913179. Tucker, W., Fegers-Wustrow, I., Halle, M. et al. (2022). Exercise for Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: JACC Focus Seminar 1/4,Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 80 (11), 1091-1106. ISSN 0735-1097, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.07.004.

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Stalks of Protection for your Liver with Mushroom and Celery Soup

Celery is an acquired taste isn't it? Some of my family still don't like the taste nor the crunch of it, but when I make this soup, they don't know that there is even celery in it. Little do they know how good it is for them. Whilst some of you may also be sensitive to celery, because it produces its own pesticides to protect it from fungi, if you wash the stalks thoroughly, then this should reduce your sensitivity.

The potassium and sodium in celery juice helps to regulate body fluid and stimulate urine production. This makes it an important vegetable to include in your diet, especially as you move through your midlife years, because it helps to rid the body of excess fluid.

But there is more to celery as well. It offers stalks of protection to help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. It is also high in fibre. This makes celery great for managing cholesterol and regulating blood sugar levels. The short-chain fatty acids produced through the fermentation of soluble fibre in the large intestine serve to stabilize blood glucose levels, lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the blood, as well as increase the production of immune cells. [Abd El-Mageed, 2011].

Mushrooms are also beneficial to our health but this depends on the type of mushroom you eat. And whilst we all need to be careful about the amount and type of raw mushrooms that we eat, these fungi are becoming more widely known for their healing powers, especially in terms of lowering cholesterol levels and boosting our liver and immune health. Research is also suggestive that button mushrooms may offer protection against post-menopause breast cancer (Shin, 2010].

So, no matter whether it's hot and muggy outside because you are in the Southern Hemisphere or whether you want a winter-warmer if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you might like to add this delicious One Pot Mushroom and Celery Soup to your diet this week.

Furthermore, if you are pushed for time, then it's a great soup to also make in advance of your busy week and put in the freezer ready for when you need it.
The MyMT™ KITCHEN: One Pot Mushroom and Celery Soup
Ingredients (makes enough for 2 people)

Ingredients

 	2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
 	1 tsp cumin powder
 	6 button mushrooms, chopped.
 	2 stalks of celery, chopped
 	1/2 lemon, juiced
 	1 tbsp olive oil
 	3 cups of veggie stock (boiling water and stock powder)
 	Salt and pepper
 	Gluten free, wholegrain or sourdough bread to serve

Method

 	Place garlic and olive oil into the soup pot and fry on low for 5 minutes (or until garlic is fragrant). Add the cumin when there is 1 minute remaining.
 	Turn the heat up to medium. Add the celery and fry for an extra 3 minutes.
 	Add the veggie stock and the mushrooms to the pot and simmer on low - medium for approximately 20 minutes (or until the mushrooms and celery are soft). After 15 minutes, add the lemon juice.
 	Season with salt and pepper, and serve with a slice of bread.



References: 

Abd El-Mageed NM. Hepatoprotective effect of feeding celery leaves mixed with chicory leaves and barley grains to hypercholesterolemic rats. Pharmacogn Mag. 2011 Apr;7(26):151-6.

Khatun K, Mahtab H, Khanam PA, Sayeed MA, Khan KA. Oyster mushroom reduced blood glucose and cholesterol in diabetic subjects. Mymensingh Med J. 2007 Jan;16(1):94-9.

Shin A, Kim J, Lim SY, Kim G, Sung MK, Lee ES, Ro J. Dietary mushroom intake and the risk of breast cancer based on hormone receptor status. Nutr Cancer. 2010;62(4):476-83.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Discover the power of Parsley to reduce menopause anxiety.

Many of us know that depression and anxiety are major mental health problems in all parts of the world, including for women in their menopause transition. These illnesses are associated with a number of risk factors, including oxidative stress and inflammation.Mental health challenges are so ubiquitous that even the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2030, depression, as a potentially fatal disease, will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. (Friedrich, 2017).For midlife women, it's not only depression that may be challenging, but also anxiety. Most of us know the feelings of anxiety don't we? The elevated heart rate, holding our breath or breathing more rapidly, and the feeling that there is so much more to do in our day that we hurry from one task to another.Understanding menopause-related anxiety is important for all women transitioning menopause. For many, it may necessitate medical intervention. It also necessitates changes to lifestyle. Defined as a state of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear arising from the anticipation of a realistic or imagined, threatening event, often impairing physical and psychological functioning, women with anxiety may appear highly stressed. This anxiety may also trigger more than five (5) hot flushes/ flashes an hour - an elevated risk that is also aligned with changing cardiovascular health in midlife. The link between chronic inflammation and disorders and diseases of the neurological system, including anxiety, is gaining momentum in mental health research. (Norwitz & Naidoo, 2021]. So too, is exploring specific nutrients in certain foods, that help to allay anxiety and improve mental health.This is why, taming anxiety takes more than pills. It also takes sorting out nutrition as well as gut health, so the body can absorb nutrients that are known to alleviate anxiety. These nutrients (like medications) are known as having 'anxiolytic' compounds. Parsley is one of these foods because it contains a beneficial flavonoid called, apigenin. Apigenin is a bioflavonoid that appears to reduce anxiety, affect immune health, modulate hormones, reduce inflammation and improve neuro-transmitter function. It is found in chamomile tea and a variety of vegetables and herbs, including parsley. 		
																										
		Nutrition regulates anxiety disorders by influencing the gut microbiome and inflammation. The gut microbiome and inflammation are inter-related and therefore, work in a two-way relationship with the brain. This is why, for women who experience increased anxiety as oestrogen production declines, dietary changes may allow the body to adjust to this important phase of life. One of the ways you can achieve this, is understanding the nutrients that are evidenced to improve mental health. My Parsley, Carrot, Raisin and Walnut Salad is easy to make and not only is it high in fibre, but it is tossed through with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and fresh lemon juice - both of which, are also known to improve serotonin production in the brain, which reduces depression, anxiety and improves sleep. 		
																										
		Parsley and Carrot Salad by MyMT™[If you use 2-3 large carrots, this fills a medium salad bowl)2-3 large carrots grated 2 large bunches of fresh parsley1/2 cup of raisins (preferably organic)1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (preferably spray-free)juice of one small-medium lemon2-4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (depending on size of salad)Place the grated carrots, chopped parsley, raisins and walnuts into a salad bowl. Mix the lemon juice and Olive Oil together. Toss through the salad and serve with your protein and starch vegies of choice. I generally have this salad with small pieces of baked salmon and some roasted sweet potato with garlic. 		
														
															
		References: Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G. Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Mar 13;9:44. Brown, Lydia & Hunter, Myra & Chen, Rong & Crandall, Carolyn & Gordon, Jennifer & Mishra, Gita & Rother, Viktoria & Joffe, Hadine & Hickey, Martha. (2024). Promoting good mental health over the menopause transition. The Lancet. 403. 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02801-5.Es-Safi I, Mechchate H, Amaghnouje A, Kamaly OMA, Jawhari FZ, Imtara H, Grafov A, Bousta D. The Potential of Parsley Polyphenols and Their Antioxidant Capacity to Help in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: An In Vivo Subacute Study. Molecules. 2021 Apr 1;26(7):2009. doi: 10.3390/molecules26072009.Friedrich MJ. Depression Is the Leading Cause of Disability Around the World. JAMA. 2017 Apr 18;317(15):1517. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.3826.Hantsoo, L. & Epperson, N. Anxiety Disorders Among Women: A FemaleLifespan Approach. Focus Psychiatry Online, Vol. 15, No. 2, Spring 2017.Ly TTG, Yun J, Lee DH, Chung JS, Kwon SM. Protective Effects and Benefits of Olive Oil and Its Extracts on Women's Health. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 27;13(12):4279. doi: 10.3390/nu13124279. Norwitz NG, Naidoo U. Nutrition as Metabolic Treatment for Anxiety. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Feb 12;12:598119. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.Wilcox HH. Changes in nervous system with age. Public Health Rep (1896). 1956 Dec;71(12):1179-84. 

### Is your menopause anxiety making you anxious?

Nurses have been on my mind this week as I've had a number of them register for my Lifestyle Science Menopause Practitioner Course. 

It reminded me to share with you, the amazing story from former Registered Nurse, Wendy Gordon, from Melbourne, Australia. Wendy came on board with me as a MyMT™ Affiliate Practitioner, I couldn't help but resonate with how she was feeling at the time. I hope you can read her story HERE. 

Thousands of nurses were interviewed in the United States Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) and results indicate that yes indeed, our lowering oestrogen in menopause impacts on our anxiety and stress levels. As the study mentions,

'Women were more likely to report high anxiety symptoms when early or late peri-menopausal or postmenopausal compared to when they were pre-menopausal. This is independent of multiple risk factors, including upsetting life events, financial strain, fair/poor perceived health, and VMS (vaso-motor symptoms/ hot flashes).'

I wonder if you've noticed your anxiety levels increasing too? And whether you know that menopause-related anxiety arrives, not only because our nervous system is ageing and changing as oestrogen levels decline, but alongside these reproductive changes, may also be an increase in inflammation in our cells and tissues - this includes our ageing brain and the nerves that we rely on to help us function from day to day.

'Major aspects of human cognitive function are influenced by a variety of factors including genetics, lifestyle, nutrition, disease, trauma, medicines, as well as both normal and pathological ageing' mentions an extensive 2017 review of the ageing brain (Vauzour, Camprubi-Robles et al 2017).

The study reports on a convincing body of evidence demonstrating that notable age-related decline in cognitive (brain) function occurs in all healthy individuals starting from the late 20s and continuing throughout the adult lifespan.

Some headline conclusions from this research are that such decline occurs in all individuals and concerns a wide range of major aspects of cognitive function (i.e. not simply memory) and that ageing of the brain speeds up, not only because of emotional stress, but oxidative (cellular) stress as well as anaemia, changing cardiac health, being overweight and of course, inflammation of the nervous system.



For women transitioning through menopause, this is important information. As I often mention, menopause is a vulnerable time for our health - let alone our mental health. With so much stress in our lives, menopause-related anxiety is a prevalent symptom which seems to arrive at the door of our late 40s and early 50s – HRT aside, what if it didn't have to be this way?

What if we could turn back the clock through understanding that menopause is the biological pathway that we are all on which leads to our ageing years? As such, what if we could follow the ageing science and put into effect some lifestyle strategies that dial down the anxiety and help you to find calm in the chaos?



Your Changing Anxiety Levels During Menopause

Stress and anxiety are interesting phenomena. I’ve studied them both for decades, but not in the context of menopause. But rather in the context of sport and exercise science and the accumulation of physical stress in athletes and regular exercisers.

Some stress from placing increased demand and effort on the body is good in the sense of how we adapt positively to exercise and training loads. For athletes, the need to do this in training is how they increase their performance and 'adapt'. It's called the General Adaptation Response.

However, when athletes place too much load on the body and aren't recovering, then this can be detrimental to their ongoing physical and mental health.  For female athletes who are over-training, their symptoms present as a host of familiar symptoms to women in menopause. These include,

 	Insomnia
 	Fatigue
 	Changing thyroid function which can lead to glandular fever
 	Sore and aching muscles which can lead to fibromyalgia
 	Hot flushes
 	Stiffer tendons
 	Anxiety and brain fog.

Do these symptoms sound familiar to you too? 

The difference for those of us experiencing menopause-related anxiety is that we may not be taking into account our ageing nervous system and brain, and the changes that manifest during menopause.

As our nervous system loses the role of oestrogen in the outer layer called the myelin sheath, it becomes more 'irritable'. Chemical messages don't get sent properly and this increased nervous-system irritability makes our heart rate speed up and we feel more anxious.

Add to this, not sleeping, too much (or too little) exercise, as well as a poor diet, then we start to feel wired, tired, worried and anxious. For many women in mid-life, it’s not long before we experience ‘Burn-out’. I've had women on my 12 week programmes who have had to give up their careers because they aren't coping. That's tough. Really tough.

However, if we don't allow our nervous system to calm down or give it the right nutrients, we run the risk of remaining in the 'red zone' of our adrenals working overtime in 'fight and flight' mode day after day. This spells disaster for hot flushes, depression, brain fog and of course, our temperament.  If you've been feeling irritated with the dog, the cat, the kids or your partner or work colleagues lately, you will know what I mean.


Finding CALM in the Anxiety-fueled mid-life Chaos:

 	If you stop and reflect on what is going on in your life at the moment and whether you feel a bit 'under-the-pump' with it all, I wonder if you are also thinking about how your stress levels impact on the absorption of your beautiful, energy-forming B-vitamins. If you aren't sleeping or feeling anxious, your skin is dry and brittle and/or you are putting on belly-fat by the week (up to 2kg a week can go on during menopause), then my guess is that you aren't focused on your beautiful B-vitamins. How about we change that will we?

Vitamins B6, B9 and B12 help to reduce stress and aid in the transmission of nerve impulses as you age. One of the major changes in menopause is the loss of cells that help to make up the myelin sheath which is the outer surrounding of our nerves. B-vitamins help to repair and restore the function of nerve transmission as we age. As part of the MyMT™ programmes, I encourage women to get blood work done and get their Dr to check B12 levels because if they are low as women transition menopause, then this can give them the feeling of tingling, increased anxiety or poor exercise recovery as well. In which case, good old-fashioned Floradix Formula may help too.



2. Learn to breathe better: Learning to breathe more deeply is fundamental to reducing our stress levels. I teach women on my programmes how to do a simple breathing technique called Diaphragmatic breathing. It works. A growing boody of research reveals that diaphragmatic breathing may trigger body relaxation responses and benefit both physical and mental health because it helps to lower the chronic stress hormone, cortisol. So, when you are feeling anxious, no matter the time of day or night, then work on your breathing. It only takes a few minutes. It's a powerful strategy that I teach women to do in the MyMT™ programmes.



3. Don't over-eat! Many of us know that hormonal changes and feeling exhausted and anxious can cause us to binge-out on the chocolate bars you have stashed in the fridge or the car. Unfavorable dietary behaviours of female nurses, especially among shift-working nurses, including high snacking frequency, short fasting period and large day-to-day energy intake variability was linked to adverse metabolic and psychological health (Terada et al., 2019), so please take note, especially those of you who are nurses as Lydia is in the image below.

Because your digestive system is supplied by the same nerve that stimulates your heart rate and blood pressure (the vagus nerve), over-eating means that this important nerve is stimulated for digestion, rather than slowing down your system. This is why racing around and eating on the go, can cause so many stomach issues in women as they age.



Like millions of women around the world, I've followed conventional wisdom about how to manage my menopause symptoms through various supplements and medications.  I did workouts to try to manage my weight delivered by wonderful young exercise professionals who probably hadn't even heard of menopause, and I followed high fat, high protein popular diets of the day.

At the time, I was also undertaking my women's healthy ageing studies. I'm thankful that I was. Because from the work of Margie Lachman (2004, 2015), I learnt about midlife as being a pivotal time for women's health as they aged. I became curious about what was really going on with our symptoms.

Many of us are not prepared for this perfect-storm in middle age, but it is indeed a period of marked diversity (Lachman, 2004). As Lachman says,

"Not only is our body changing hormonally, but as many of us have found or are finding, we also have to juggle many competing demands, including roles not only as workers, but as spouses, parents, and these days, looking after adult children as well. 

As such, the impact of the accumulation of stress from numerous sources, it's a time when many women experience precursors to health problems (e.g., high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sore joints) or some of the same conditions as their parents (e.g., Type 2 diabetes, weight gain and hypertension). A range of expected (e.g., children leaving home) and unexpected (e.g., loss of parents, being laid off) events may occur during midlife."

That's when I began to realise that not only did I feel stressed with all that was going on in my life, but with menopause arriving, including insomnia, weight gain, then my busy, stressful life, meant that I was indeed 'under stress'.

When our body and brain is under-stress, it is burning through our beautiful B-vitamins. If our B-vitamins aren't being absorbed, our sleep becomes worse, we may put on belly-fat, energy levels crash and we feel that we can't keep up with all that's going on in our busy, active (or inactive) lives. Sound familiar?

Menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing years. This means that there are changes going on all around the body and for too long this age and stage of life has been positioned in 'sickness'. But it shouldn't be. It needs to be positioned in 'wellness' instead. That's what I teach you on the  MyMT™ online 12 week programmes, (these differ depending on whether weight loss is desired or not). Thousands of women have joined me over the years and feel as if they have taken back control of an important stage of life.

I hope you can join me too, as I can't wait to show you the way through menopause into your healthy ageing years ahead.


 


References:

Bourre J. (2006). Effects of nutrients (in food) on the structure and function of the nervous system: update on dietary requirements for brain. Part 1: micronutrients. J Nutr Health Aging. Sep-Oct;10(5):377-85. PMID: 17066209.

Ford T., Downey L., Simpson T., et al. (2018). The Effect of a High-Dose Vitamin B Multivitamin Supplement on the Relationship between Brain Metabolism and Blood Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress: A Randomized Control Trial. Nutrients. 10(12):1860. doi: 10.3390/nu10121860.

Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., Wei, G. X., & Li, Y. F. (2017). The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 874. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874

Pesonen, H., Laakkonen, E.K., Hautasaari, P. et al. (2021). Perimenopausal women show modulation of excitatory and inhibitory neuromuscular mechanisms. BMC Women's Health 21, 133. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01275-8

Terada T., Mistura M., Tulloch H., Pipe A., Reed J. (2019). Dietary Behaviour Is Associated with Cardiometabolic and Psychological Risk Indicators in Female Hospital Nurses-A Post-Hoc, Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients. 11(9):2054. doi: 10.3390/nu11092054. PMID: 31480696; PMCID: PMC6770286.

Vauzour, D., Camprubi-Robles, M., Miquel-Kergoat, S. et al (2017). Nutrition for the ageing brain: Towards evidence for an optimal diet. Ageing Research Reviews, Volume 35, 222-240, ISSN 1568-1637, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2016.09.010.

### MyMT™ Education: The Potential of Parsley to Reduce Menopause Anxiety

Many of us know that depression and anxiety are major mental health problems in all parts of the world, including for women in their menopause transition. These illnesses are associated with a number of risk factors, including oxidative stress and inflammation.

Mental health challenges are so ubiquitous that even the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2030, depression, as a potentially fatal disease, will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. (Friedrich, 2017).

For midlife women, it's not only depression that may be challenging, but also anxiety. Most of us know the feelings of anxiety don't we? The elevated heart rate, holding our breath or breathing more rapidly, and the feeling that there is so much more to do in our day that we hurry from one task to another.

Understanding menopause-related anxiety is important for Practitioners, because for many women, it necessitates medical intervention, and you may be the one to empower women to seek out further medical support.

Defined as a state of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear arising from the anticipation of a realistic or imagined, threatening event, often impairing physical and psychological functioning, women with anxiety may appear highly stressed. This anxiety may also trigger more than five (5) hot flushes/ flashes an hour, an elevated risk that is also aligned with changing cardiovascular health in midlife.

The link between chronic inflammation and disorders and diseases of the neurological system, including anxiety, is gaining momentum in mental health research. (Norwitz & Naidoo, 2021]. So too, is exploring specific nutrients in certain foods, that help to allay anxiety and improve mental health.

This is why, taming anxiety takes more than pills. It also takes sorting out nutrition as well as gut health, so the body can absorb nutrients that are known to alleviate anxiety. These nutrients (like medications) are known as having 'anxiolytic' compounds.

Parsley is one of these foods because it contains a beneficial flavonoid called, apigenin. 

Apigenin is a bioflavonoid that appears to reduce anxiety, affect immune health, modulate hormones, reduce inflammation and improve neuro-transmitter function. It is found in chamomile tea and a variety of vegetables and herbs, including parsley.



Nutrition regulates anxiety disorders by influencing the gut microbiome and inflammation. The gut microbiome and inflammation are inter-related and therefore, work in a two-way relationship with the brain. This is why, for women who experience increased anxiety as oestrogen production declines, helping them to change their diet to allow their body to adjust to menopause may be helpful to them.

One of the ways you can achieve this, is understanding the nutrients that they need to improve their mental health. My Parsley, Carrot, Raisin and Walnut Salad is easy to make and not only is it high in fibre, but it is tossed through with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and fresh lemon juice - both of which, are also known to improve serotonin production in the brain, which reduces depression, anxiety and improves sleep.


Parsley and Carrot Salad by MyMT™
[If you use 2-3 large carrots, this fills a medium salad bowl)

 	2-3 large carrots grated
 	2 large bunches of fresh parsley
 	1/2 cup of raisins (preferably organic)
 	1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (preferably spray-free)
 	juice of one small-medium lemon
 	2-4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (depending on size of salad)

Place the grated carrots, chopped parsley, raisins and walnuts into a salad bowl. Mix the lemon juice and Olive Oil together. Toss through the salad and serve with your protein and starch vegies of choice. I generally have this salad with small pieces of baked salmon and some roasted sweet potato with garlic.



References: 

Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G. Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Mar 13;9:44.

Es-Safi I, Mechchate H, Amaghnouje A, Kamaly OMA, Jawhari FZ, Imtara H, Grafov A, Bousta D. The Potential of Parsley Polyphenols and Their Antioxidant Capacity to Help in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: An In Vivo Subacute Study. Molecules. 2021 Apr 1;26(7):2009. doi: 10.3390/molecules26072009.

Friedrich MJ. Depression Is the Leading Cause of Disability Around the World. JAMA. 2017 Apr 18;317(15):1517. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.3826.

Hantsoo, L. & Epperson, N. Anxiety Disorders Among Women: A Female
Lifespan Approach. Focus Psychiatry Online, Vol. 15, No. 2, Spring 2017.

Ly TTG, Yun J, Lee DH, Chung JS, Kwon SM. Protective Effects and Benefits of Olive Oil and Its Extracts on Women's Health. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 27;13(12):4279. doi: 10.3390/nu13124279.

Norwitz NG, Naidoo U. Nutrition as Metabolic Treatment for Anxiety. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Feb 12;12:598119. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.

Wilcox HH. Changes in nervous system with age. Public Health Rep (1896). 1956 Dec;71(12):1179-84.

### New Research: Turn around your menopause melancholy with this vital vitamin!

If you cast your mind back to your transition through puberty, I wonder if at times, you felt moody, melancholy, grumpy, or angry? Perhaps you felt worthless or un-motivated at times. Perhaps you feel that you've lost any propensity for experiencing  pleasure in your life from normally pleasurable life events - a description of Anhedonia - a word I didn't even know existed, until I was researching menopause and my emotional state.

Perhaps you used to feel angry or easily irritated during puberty? Perhaps you were a 'door-slammer' (as I was) - goodness knows how my mother coped with this in an old, rural house where the slamming of a door reverberated throughout!

Back in those days, I didn't know that my changing hormones were to blame. Over 45 years ago, I don't think any of us even gave our pubescent hormonal changes a thought, including that these hormonal changes could be linked to our moods and melancholy, did we? 

But here we are, arriving in our menopause transition and perhaps, as happens for millions of women world-wide, you feel a bit floored.

Perhaps memories of the emotional upheaval of your mental health in puberty come to the fore. But if all these mental health changes are arriving back during our menopause transition, what's going on? Why is this? And why, as I used to think to myself, am I being offered anti-depressants as the first line of treatment, when I've been happy and healthy for years?

When I learnt from my academic studies, that 1 in 5 New Zealand women get placed on anti-depressants in their mid-life menopause transition and 2/3 of women in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand who are placed on anti-depressants are female and typically in their 50s and 60s, I was quite surprised.

But that was before peri-menopause mood swings and melancholy found their way to me as well.

I was 51 years old and I remember vividly, the day I left my high-intensity spin class at the gym and after walking out to my car, felt like bursting into tears. Where all those exercise-fueled endorphins went at the time is beyond me!



The link between depression and menopause has been known for years. 

This is why for so many women, anti-depressants during menopause are an important intervention and if you are feeling down and out, then always seek support from your medical specialist as well.

Whilst I visited my own GP about my moods and feeling low, but before deciding to go on medication, I wanted to understand the link between depression and menopause more thoroughly. I was curious to understand why I had been so happy, motivated and healthy all my life, but hitting peri-menopause sent my moods and feelings of worthlessness into a tail-spin. As such, I spent hours researching how depression manifests in menopause (not clinical depression that is diagnosed differently in younger people).

So, if you are feeling out of sorts and well ... down in the dumps with little or no motivation, then here's what I want to share with you:

 	Depression is linked to the build-up of inflammation. As we age, our body becomes more inflamed - a natural part of our biological gateway into ageing. Inflammation is exacerbated with our changing temperature regulation too as our body struggles to cool down due to the role that declining oestrogen plays on our vascular system - our blood vessels become 'stiffer'.

When Hot Flushes are more than 5 an hour, our body overheats and becomes inflamed. This inflammation then exacerbates a decrease in SEROTONIN. This important hormone is your 'happy hormone'. When oestrogen is lowering in menopause, serotonin follows it on a downward slide. But there's another factor as well.

If you aren't sleeping and you are feeling stressed, then you may be producing too much of your chronic hormone, Cortisol. This causes more inflammation in your organs, muscles and blood vessels as we biologically age. The accumulation of high levels of cortisol, can disrupt serotonin production more rapidly during menopause.



 	There is a very strong association between sleep disturbance and major depression (Nutt et al, 2008). For women in their menopause transition, this is tough. We all know that sleep is the nemesis of the midlife woman but sleeping less than 6 or 7 hours a night, is positively associated with worsening depression. When we aren't sleeping during menopause, we build up oxidative stress in our heart, muscles, arteries and gut. This is why in both of the MyMT™ symptom reduction programmes, I teach women how to re-balance their sleep hormones using lifestyle strategies and of course, the circadian rhythm research specific to their menopause transition.



 	Low Vitamin D3, depression and worsening inflammation go hand-in-hand. Vitamin D is often low in menopausal women because it decreases with changes to oestrogen receptors in our skin. (Lerchbaum, 2013). I talk a lot about Vitamin D and this connection with menopause with women, because so many of us work inside and if women have darker skin, then their Vitamin D absorption is lower too. If women are also overweight and carrying more belly fat, then because Vitamin D has an affinity to fat in fat storage areas, then the Vitamin D can go to adipose tissue and not to where it is needed - in muscles, bones, nerves and the heart. [Dregan, Rayner, et al., 2020). Whilst it doesn't matter if you are going on Menopause HRT or other medications such as anti-depressants, please ask your Doctor to also check your Vitamin D levels, especially those of you who are emerging from a Northern winter.



 	Is your intake of B vitamins low and how is your liver health? When Liver inflammation is present in cells and tissues (known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease or NAFLD) or if women are putting on belly fat and have poor gut health, then B vitamins are not absorbed and metabolised very well. Low Vitamin B6 and B12 increases depressive episodes (Feraj, 2017). This is why, for women who want to improve their moods and motivation during menopause, it's important to turn around liver health first, especially for women who are overweight.

Changing gut health and factors such as PCOS (Polycyctic Ovarian Syndrome) as well as insulin resistance (pre-diabetes) and peri-menopuase changes are also implicated in NAFLD development. (Carrieri, Osella et al, 2022).



 	The gut-brain connection has become an important factor in menopause depression research. Changes to our food production and processing as well as menopause hormonal changes impacts our gut health during midlife. Numerous women develop Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Diverticulitis when they reach their 50's. With researchers now understanding the powerful connection between our immune system and our gut, this has a profound effect on our mental health if our gut health is impaired.

This is to do with the accumulation of gut inflammation, which may impact on the absorption of a protein called Tryptophan. This important protein is needed in the pathway to make your mood-hormone, serotonin. Tryptophan is absorbed into the capillaries in the intestinal wall. A small amount of the amino acid remains free while the majority of it (roughly 80%–90%) is transported bound to albumin through the blood and into the brain, and it is converted into melatonin via the serotonin pathway. (Laudisio, Barrea et al, 2020).



The great news from so many of the studies that became part of my menopause symptom reduction research, was that many of these came to a similar conclusion to the research by Taylor and Hickey (2014):

Lifestyle factors, such as managing BMI (Body Mass Index) and improving sleep could be used together with nutritional interventions to aid in efforts to prevent or help treat depression in women during the menopause transition. 

Feeling depressed or experiencing frequent mood swings in peri-menopause and menopause is all about the connection between all of your hormones - not just oestrogen, progesterone and serotonin. Obviously, talk to your Doctor about how you are feeling, but also focus on your diet, sleep, exercise and stress management.

I'm always reminding women that our body does not work in isolation. All of our organs in the body are connected via chemical messengers, called hormones. They work synergistically together. The role they play inside your body is to maintain the body in ‘homeostasis’.

This is a term that physiologists and endocrinologists refer to as ‘maintaining the body in a state of equilibrium’. So when one hormone is low, there are chemical and neurological messages sent to other hormones to counteract the environment changes that the low hormone is causing.

As women transition from peri-menopause to menopause,  the production of oestrogen is declining. Because oestrogen is a hormone, when levels are lowered it affects the function of not only progesterone, but other hormones in the body as well, including your mood hormone, serotonin. When serotonin levels are low, this impacts on other hormones produced by your thyroid, adrenal and more importantly, your pituitary glands where serotonin production occurs.

Are there lifestyle solutions to help my moods and motivation during menopause? 

Absolutely YES! If you are experiencing mild to moderate depression or frequent mood swings in menopause, then you can reverse this. You need to follow a specific regime for sleeping, eating, moving and boosting Vitamin D production as well as reducing any inflammation and managing menopause weight gain.

You also need to focus on any gut and liver health repair and your nutrition and sleep, before launching into any vigorous exercise programmes. When you aren't sleeping, then too much exercise can worsen hot flushes, moods and send you into adrenal fatigue which of course crashes your energy levels too.

Brining all this together for you in one progressively-delivered lifestyle programme is what My Menopause Transformation is all about. And in my private coaching community that sits alongside your private member area, I'm with you every step of the way.

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Creator & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



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References:

Boulkrane MS, Fedotova J, Kolodyaznaya V, Micale V, Drago F, van den Tol AJM, Baranenko D. Vitamin D and Depression in Women: A Mini-review. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2020;18(4):288-300.

BMJ 2014; 349 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g7641. One in 10 women in England takes antidepressants, survey shows (Published 15 December 2014) BMJ 2014;349:g7641

Carrieri, L., Osella, A.R., Ciccacci, F.; Giannelli, G.; Scavo, M.P. (2022). Premenopausal Syndrome and NAFLD: A New Approach Based on Gender Medicine. Biomedicines, 10, 1184.

Dregan, A., Rayner, L., Davis, K., Bakolis, I., Arias de la Torre, J., Das-Munshi, J., Hatch, S. L., Stewart, R., & Hotopf, M. (2020). Associations Between Depression, Arterial Stiffness, and Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults in the UK Biobank Population Study: A Mediation Analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 77(6), 1–9. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.4712

Feraj, J. (2017). Micro-nutrients, depression and inflammation among women of reproductive age. Doctoral Dissertation 993, University of Massachusetts.

Gibson CJ, Thurston RC, Matthews KA. (2016). Cortisol dysregulation is associated with daily diary-reported hot flashes among midlife women. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 85(4):645-51. doi: 10.1111/cen.13076.

Laudisio D., Barrea L., Pugliese G., Aprano S., Castellucci B., Savastano S., Colao A.,  & Muscogiuri G. (2020). A practical nutritional guide for the management of sleep disturbances in menopause. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 72(4):432-446.

Lerchbaum, E. (2014). Vitamin D and menopause – A narrative review. Maturitas Journal, 79, 3-7

Ministry of Health Public Health Report 43 (2007). Patterns of Antidepressant Drug Prescribing and Intentional Self-harm Outcomes in New Zealand: An ecological study.

Nutt, D., Wilson, S., & Paterson, L. (2008). Sleep disorders as core symptoms of depression. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 10(3), 329–336. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2008.10.3/dnutt

Vivian-Taylor & Hickey, M. (2014). Menopause and depression: Is there a link? Maturitas Journal, 79, 142-146

Vázquez H, Molina-López J, Herrera-Quintana L, Gamarra-Morales Y, López-González B, Planells E. Association between Body Fatness and Vitamin D3 Status in a Postmenopausal Population. Nutrients. 2020 Feb 29;12(3):667.

### MyMT™ Education: Feeling Forgetful? Understanding menopause brain changes in midlife.

She emailed me from the UK. "My worst symptom is brain-fog" she mentioned. "I work at a computer all day and I'm feeling forgetful. I'm worried that I will get dementia as my mother did. I wonder if you have any solutions? I'm already on the Paleo diet and doing weight training."

It wasn't the first time I've had this type of email. It's hard to explain to women that despite the hype about weight training and a high-protein and high-animal fat diet during menopause, for many women, this doesn't suit their brain health and cognition.

Whilst I reminded this woman to check-in with her Doctor as she may be a candidate for hormonal therapy, I also explained that the best diet for brain health is not a high-protein nor a high-fat one. Nor is the best exercise for our brain health to perform daily weight training.

As many of your clients have returned to work over the past couple of months, I wonder how they may be getting on with their menopause symptoms, including brain-fog, memory problems and of course, anxiety, even though they may already be on HRT? 

Menopause at work is getting a lot of publicity these days, which is heartening, however, there are strategies that you can share with them, if they are forgetful. I share my top-5 with you below.

Symptoms such as forgetfulness, fuzzy head, anxiety and inability to think properly affect numerous women during menopause. Whilst I've talked about these symptoms in the past, I want to remind you of the lifestyle solutions that you can be putting into place.

The changes in oestrogen levels during menopause are associated with the occurrence of menopausal symptoms and cognitive (mental) decline. Indeed, these fluctuations have a significant impact on the whole body, including the central nervous system, and can be responsible for changes in our cognition (thinking and processing information) and our mood. (Hara, Waters et al, 2015).

Some of your clients may also be experiencing symptoms from long-covid, which, when it comes to brain fog, is a double-whammy for women in midlife.  

With millions of women globally entering into their menopause transition, scientists are now catching up on research into menopause brain-fog and memory problems.

This is partly because Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease in older age, is a growing pandemic (Heneghan, Deng et al, 2022), which as many of us already know from looking after ageing parents, is a health condition that presents profound challenges to health care systems, families and societies throughout the world.

Numerous women complain of forgetfulness around the time of the menopausal transition and because of the association between episodic memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease, this ‘forgetfulness’ symptom (aka brain fog) is of course worrisome.

However, forgetfulness is a common symptom at other ages too, especially during puberty and pregnancy – both of which are stages of life whereby there’s a bit of chaos with hormones, particularly oestrogen and progesterone.

Professor Zoltan Sarnyai (that’s him in the image below) is a neuroscientist researching mental illness at the Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience at James Cook University in Australia. He’s a very clever guy.

It was his presentation that bought my attention to the link between menopause hormonal changes, brain-fog, stress levels and the mitochondria. Considering that mitochondria are involved in a multitude of cellular processes, mitochondrial dysfunction has been shown to play a role within several age-related
diseases, including cancers, diabetes (type 2), and more recently, neurodegenerative diseases. (Bartman et al, 2024).

With this emerging knowledge about the link between brain mitochondria and mental health and cognition, don't you think it makes sense to understand the lifestyle solutions that are evidenced to improve brain mitochondrial function with ageing and share these with your clients? I hope so!


The link between mitochondria, menopause and your brain health
Mitochondrial cells are where energy is made. There are millions of mitochondrial cells around the body. They have multiple and crucial roles in cell maintenance, survival and wellbeing.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the primary hallmarks of ageing and is implicated in several age-related diseases, mentions new research on mitochondria and brain ageing (Bartman et al., 2024). These diseases include different forms of cancer, diabetes (type 2), and neurodegenerative diseases.

One of the most popular theories of ageing that I mention in my CPD Health Practitioner Course, is also about 'The Mitochondrial Theory of Ageing”, first postulated by Denham Harman 50 years ago. As explained in Bartman et al. (2024) paper, this theory postulates that ageing is the result of accumulative damage caused by free radicals generated by metabolic reactions or as by-products of cellular processes. Over time, this damage impacts the function of body organs, including the brain.

My interest in this theory of ageing, as well as others, was piqued when I completed my women's health and ageing studies, and from that point on, I have positioned the menopause transition in women's ageing studies. 

Mitochondria also play an essential role in the generation of steroid hormones including the female sex hormones. As such, female sex hormones are, in turn, able to modulate mitochondrial activities. (Lejri et al. 2018).

We already know that a large amount of oestrogen in the female body is released from the ovaries.  But as it’s released, it circulates throughout the body and crosses the blood-brain barrier to act upon the cells within the brain. In the brain, oestrogen has a number of roles including helping with cerebral blood flow as well as in the preservation and maintenance of nerve transmission. Oestrogen also operates as an anti-inflammatory agent in the brain.

This is why, as levels of oestrogen decline during menopause, this stage of our life becomes a perfect storm for disruptions to brain function and cognition. Oestrogen acts directly upon mitochondria in the brain. (Del Río et al., 2018). It makes sense then, that as women move through menopause, their brain mitochondria are affected in ways that promotes inflammation. 

This is backed up in dementia studies whereby growing evidence suggests that up to 40% of all dementia cases are associated with known pro-inflammatory lifestyle related modifiable risk factors, such as alcohol consumption, obesity, and hypertension among others (Heneghan, Deng et al, 2022) and that exposure to most of these risk factors begins a few decades before the onset of dementia. 


It's why I'm always telling you to tell your clients, that their midlife years matter! From dementia to cardiovascular disease to obesity-related health concerns, the midlife years present a critical and unique window for disease-altering interventions. 



Age, stress and other factors such as menopause hormonal changes disrupt the role of the mitochondria and may impact inflammatory changes in brain neurons (nerves). The rate of this change is dependent on your client's lifestyle - past and present.

It’s no surprise that during our entry into peri-menopause, the stage before periods end, increases the incidence of forgetfulness and brain-fog.

However, as Professor Sarnyai reminds us, stress (both current and past), has a long-lasting and negative impact on brain mitochondria.

Chronic stress causes an increase in inflammation in mitochondrial cells. Then these inflammatory changes may lead to a number of symptoms, your client may be experiencing, including:

 	fatigue
 	brain fog and depression
 	memory loss, lack of motivation and feelings of over-whelm
 	pain and soreness in muscles
 	headaches and migraines
 	poor sleep

Do any of these symptoms sound familiar to you? 


Make Changes to your Lifestyle to Reduce Brain-Fog
1. Stay stimulated! Lifestyle has a multipronged impact on cognition and the brain. In Heneghan's new study, the research team reported several lifestyle activities as protecting brain health and cognition in later life. This included frequent engagement in physical, social and intellectually stimulating activities. This includes aerobic exercise.  Exercising aerobically whereby you aren’t completely out of breath, helps your brain health.

Aerobic exercise has numerous biological and psychological effects, such as increasing the gray matter volume in the frontal and hippocampal regions; inducing the release of positive brain hormones; enhancing the connection between brain nerves and improving the function of cerebrovascular vessels along with increasing blood flow with more oxygen and nutrition to brain centres. (Elsayed et al, 2022). These effects are not the same when lifting heavy weights.

I talk a lot about this in my 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme as well as my Circuit Breaker and Transform Me programmes.



2. Change your diet to the MIND diet. Numerous studies on the health of older women now promote the Mediterranean Diet, as I do in my 12 week programmes as well (I've adapted the nutrients specific to menopause and menopause weight loss). But the “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay” (MIND) diet, goes one step further. If you are concerned about dementia and your ever-present brain-fog, then the MIND-study shows that subjects lowered the risk of Alzheimer's Disease by as much as 53 percent in participants who adhered to the diet rigorously, and by about 35 percent in those who followed it moderately well. [Arjmand, 2022; Morris et al, 2015]



3. Exercise and Mindfulness help to boost glutamate production in the brain. 80% of all nerves in the brain need glutamate in order to transmit nerve impulses but chronic stress negatively impacts glutamate production. Glutamate is important to memory, cognition, and mood regulation and both exercise and mindfulness have a strong impact on brain glutamate levels. (Pal, 2021).

4. Sleep all night! Without enough sleep, our mitochondria don’t produce enough energy. Learning the specific steps to turning around your client's sleep is a key teaching in the CPD Practitioner Course too. This includes, understanding why their Vitamin D levels are a key component of their brain function and mitochondrial function.

5. Lose excess weight. Obesity is known to have a negative impact on cardiovascular and metabolic health, but it also impacts brain structure and function. Whilst this is known to be linked to gut health changes, if women are overweight or obese, then gray and white matter may increase in inflammatory changes, thus impacting decreased cognitive function. (Olsthoorn et al, 2021). How to achieve this with your midlife clients who are overweight, is in the certified Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course.



Whilst millions of women find relief from their brain fog and mood swings with oestrogen replacement medications and/or anti-depressants, it is known that there seems to be a window of opportunity in peri-menopause to take Menopause-HRT. Hence, for your older clients who may not be able to take HRT, helping them to make changes to their lifestyle to help maintain healthy mitochondria is an important coaching strategy.

Numerous changes occurring around the body are perfectly normal, including changes to the mitochondria and brain neurons as women age, but what their focus should be on, is to slow down this rate of change. That's why understanding the specific lifestyle changes are crucial to helping your clients manage their health in midlife and in post-menopause. 

How to achieve this with your clients is in my Health Practitioner Courses. I hope you can join me sometime.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References:

Arjmand, G., Abbas-Zadeh, M. & Eftekhari, M.H. Effect of MIND diet intervention on cognitive performance and brain structure in healthy obese women: a randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep 12, 2871 (2022).

Bartman, S., Coppotelli, G., & Ross, J. Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Key Player in Brain Aging and Diseases. Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2024, 46(3), 1987-2026; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb46030130

Elsayed MM, Rabiee A, El Refaye GE, Elsisi HF. Aerobic Exercise with Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay Diet Promotes Brain Cells' Longevity despite Sex Hormone Deficiency in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2022 Apr 4;2022:4146742.

Filler, K., Lyon, D., Bennett, J., McCain, N., Elswick, R., Lukkahatai, N., & Saligan, L. N. (2014). Association of Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Fatigue: A Review of the Literature. BBA clinical, 1, 12–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbacli.2014.04.001

Hara Y, Waters EM, McEwen BS, Morrison JH. Estrogen Effects on Cognitive and Synaptic Health Over the Lifecourse. Physiol Rev. 2015 Jul;95(3):785-807.

Henderson, V. W., & Brinton, R. D. (2010). Menopause and mitochondria: windows into estrogen effects on Alzheimer’s disease risk and therapy. Progress in brain research, 182, 77–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-6123(10)82003-5

Heneghan A, Deng F, Wells K, Ritchie K, Muniz-Terrera G, Ritchie CW, Lawlor B, Naci L. Modifiable Lifestyle Activities Affect Cognition in Cognitively Healthy Middle-Aged Individuals at Risk for Late-Life Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022 Dec 5. doi: 10.3233/JAD-220267.

Kwon, D. (2021). Could Mitochondria Be the Key to a Healthy Brain? Scientific American. Publ. June 18th, 2021.

Lejri, I., Grimm, A., & Eckert, A. (2018). Mitochondria, Estrogen and Female Brain Aging. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 10, 124. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00124

Morris MC, Tangney CC, Wang Y, Sacks FM, Barnes LL, Bennett DA, Aggarwal NT. MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging. Alzheimers Dement. 2015 Sep;11(9):1015-22.

Olsthoorn L., Vreeken D., Kiliaan A. (2021). Gut Microbiome, Inflammation, and Cerebrovascular Function: Link Between Obesity and Cognition. Frontiers in Neuroscience, (15), 1-13.

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Harness your Hormones with the Blue Zones Creamy Broccoli-Peanut Soup!

It's a hard word to roll around your tongue, but Diindolylmethane or DIM, is the compound in cruciferous vegetables that makes experts advise people at risk for breast cancer to eat more cabbage and broccoli as a preventive measure.

This important compound makes broccoli the Queen of the Crucifers, as it has an impact on the metabolism of oestrogens that linger in the liver and gut. So, a shout-out to the Blue Zones team for this delicious Creamy Broccoli-Peanut Soup this week. If you are allergic to peanut butter and peanuts then try it with cashew nut butter instead. I'm sure it will be equally delicious.

DIM is a compound in broccoli that restores oestrogen balance by helping the liver to clear excess oestrogens that are not needed in the hormonal pathway. When you are in your follicular phase, oestrogen is higher than normal. DIM also helps to block aromatase which converts testosterone to oestrogen.

Understanding that there are specific nutrients in certain foods which can result in reduced symptoms, is an important strategy in the MyMT™ programmes. I've spend hundreds of hours researching the Food Guide and recipes that are in my programmes and women love the recipes.

When this recipe was shared by the Blue Zones team, I knew I had to share it with you as well.  I talk about the Blue Zones geographical research conducted by Dan Buettner, in my Masterclass on Menopause.

I was also interviewed about the connection between menopause and women's healthy ageing and the longevity studies that have been conducted in the Blue Zones geographical locations. The article appeared in New York's SHEKNOWS magazine and is HERE for you.


BLUE ZONES CREAMY BROCCOLI-PEANUT SOUP 
INGREDIENTS

 	1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
 	2 large onions, chopped
 	2 cloves garlic, minced
 	3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
 	32-ounce carton vegetable broth, or 4 cups water with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
 	2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
 	1 teaspoon good quality curry powder
 	2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
 	6 heaping cups finely chopped broccoli (mainly florets; some tender stems are fine)
 	Juice of 1/2 lemon
 	Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
 	Pinch of dried hot red pepper flakes, plus more to pass around
 	Chopped roasted peanuts for garnish, optional

METHOD:

 	Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and carrots and continue to sauté until all are golden.
 	Add the broth along with the apples and curry powder. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat. Simmer gently over low heat with the cover ajar for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the carrots and apple are tender. Remove from the heat.
 	Transfer the solid ingredients from the soup pot to a food processor with a slotted spoon. Process until just coarsely pureed, leaving some chunkiness. Stir back into the soup pot. Or, skip the food processor and insert an immersion blender into the pot and process until coarsely pureed.
 	Add the peanut butter to the soup, about half at a time, whisking it in until completely blended. Return to very low heat.
 	Steam the broccoli in a saucepan with about ¼ cup water, covered, for 5 minutes, or until brightly green and tender-crisp to your liking. Stir into the soup.
 	If the soup is too thick, add enough water to give it a medium-thick consistency. Stir in the lemon juice, then season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
 	Serve at once. Pass around more red pepper flakes and chopped peanuts for topping individual servings, if desired.

### Does your ageing, tired thyroid need the magic of these nutrients?

The new study came out of beautiful Nepal - not a country that I would associate with changing thyroid function in some of the population, but apparently so. The study's purpose was to evaluate whether blood levels of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus were out of balance in hypothyroid cases. (Dhungana et al, 2022).

With a wide range of ages of subjects between 20 and 50+ years, and with it including women, I read it with interest.

The outcome was intriguing. The results led the authors to conclude that a significant change in the levels of serum calcium, phosphorous and magnesium was connected with thyroid dysfunction of the study subjects. As such, this might affect bone loss and osteoporosis, including fractures.

My interest in this study was also piqued for another reason.

It backed up another study that I had been reading about the connection between low magnesium levels with thyroid dysfunction. I had been preparing for a zoom session with Health Professionals on my CPD course - and was interested as the study was conducted exclusively on women transitioning menopause.  [Kolanu et al, 2020].

Thyroid problems predominantly affect women.  The incidence is 5-20 times higher in women than in men and are more prevalent as women age. (Gietka-Czernel, 2017).

And whilst many of us know that iodine is a nutrient that is needed for optimal thyroid function, apparently, optimal levels of magnesium are needed for this iodine to be effective - I wish I knew this years ago when doing a lot of exercise!

Thyroid hormones play a vital role in both metabolic and physiologic balance in the body. They perform numerous roles including helping to regulate cardiac output, heart rate, resting metabolism, temperature, brain and endometrium function as well as helping to regulate the stress hormones.

Magnesium is involved in helping to make (synthesize) thyroid hormones. It's an important mineral that helps with the uptake of iodine. 

Numerous women on the MyMT™ programmes mention that they are on thyroid medication and I wonder now, that perhaps as they've moved into menopause, whether their magnesium levels may have been an issue too. Who knows!

The symptoms of thyroid disease might sound familiar to you -

anxiety, heart palpitations, sweating, gaining or losing weight and insomnia are common symptoms for both thyroid and ovarian dysfunction in menopause.

Your symptoms in menopause are closely related to the health and function of your thyroid gland, and yes, as your thyroid gland ages, then some lowered function is normal. (Gesing, 2015; Gietka-Czernel, 2017; Slopien,Owecki et al., 2020).

But your thyroid hormones can also get out of balance if you aren't sleeping, or you are doing too much exercise, or you are overweight (or underweight) or you feel stressed and if your diet isn't as healthy as it should be during this stage of your life.

You may feel cold or tired, sluggish, your hair and skin might become dry or you may gain weight or for some of you,  your hot flushes and brain fog may worsen as does your anxiety levels. 

Normal thyroid function is dependent on several nutrients to regulate the production of thyroid hormones.

Iodine, iron, tyrosine, selenium, and zinc are needed to facilitate the conversion of T4 to T3 A deficiency of any one of these nutrients could result in reduced T3 production, causing you to experience hypothyroid symptoms.

Vitamin A and D also play important roles in cell receptor behaviour to regulate thyroid hormone metabolism and more recent research suggests that magnesium is important too.

The role of magnesium matters to numerous hormones as you can see from the diagram below (Kolanu et al, 2020).

This is why, if your menopause symptoms are frustrating you, then perhaps you need to look at your magnesium intake (around 400mg daily) and your iodine intake (unless you have had a thyroidectomy) and of course, also understand the other lifestyle factors that you may need to put into place to help your thyroid cope with your hormonal changes during and after menopause.


Physiological Changes to your Thyroid in Menopause and as you Age:
As those of you who have been reading my posts for a while may have gathered, I'm always going on about the fact that our menopause transition is the biological gateway to our ageing. In my 2 hr online Masterclass on Menopause I also talk about this.

Natural menopause, when periods end, occurs around 51-52 years old and is a natural biological event that heralds in our ageing.

For too long our symptoms in menopause have been looked at through the lens of 'sickness' but when you look at the ageing science, then everything makes so much sense. Including symptoms that are the result of an ageing thyroid gland. 

As I often say to women, your declining reproductive hormones are not the problem. This is natural. The 'problem' is that our organs are ageing and therefore, we need to change how we look after ourselves at this stage of life, especially if we already have health changes.

In other words, it's time to reverse the damage that the years have thrown at us and 'get back on track' with our health - looking after our thyroid, including exploring your magnesium and iodine intake, is one such lifestyle factor that you have control over.


The thyroid's main job is to regulate your metabolism.
Located in your neck, the thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that wraps around your windpipe and sits just below your Adam's apple. If you look in the mirror, you might see that it looks bigger - is so, then get it checked out .. . you might have Goitre.

Your thyroid produces hormones (chemical messengers) that help to control your body's metabolism - how you burn calories and use energy. This means that the thyroid gland has a direct effect on your weight, energy levels and your ability to absorb nutrients from food as well as your sleep and hot flushes.

When your thyroid produces the right amount of hormones, all is well. But when it produces either too much hormone or too little, many of these bodily processes, become un-balanced. Yes, it's that powerful.

Your thyroid is a busy organ and during menopause, because of the powerful negative feedback response of all of our hormones, menopause is a vulnerable time for our ageing thyroid. So, if your lifestyle is busy and active, your thyroid needs a bit of loving when you move through menopause. You must look after it - especially if you want your energy levels to return and if you want to improve your longevity.


Your thyroid is changing as you age. It is ageing too.
Thyroid epithelium undergoes degenerative processes that lead to both its flattening and a decrease in size (Gietka-Czernel, 2017) as we age. Thyroid cells (also called thyroid epithelial cells) are the major cell type in the thyroid gland, and are responsible for the production and secretion of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).  Many of you may be aware of these hormones because of blood tests you have had over the years.

The consequence of your ageing thyroid gland during menopause and into your 60's, is that its size reduces over time.

This has major implications for us as we move through menopause, especially those of you who are quite active and/or have physically demanding jobs and you are always busy and exhausted.

You see, with a smaller thyroid gland, it's ability to uptake iodine diminishes - to the point that in older women, (over the age of 70 years), it becomes up to 40% lower in activity than in women in their 30's.  If you remember your own mother or another elderly woman you know, feeling tired all the time as she got older, and putting on lots of weight, then this may be why.

In contrast, there are also many women who lose weight as they age and this can be due to hyperthyroidism, whereby too much thyroid hormone is produced, causing the metabolism to speed up. This may be the issue with some of you who are thinner and leaner and are on HRT and you are losing weight, because this medication also impacts your thyroid function.

Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, a more rapid heart rate, hot flushes and/or night sweats and feelings of anxiety. If this sounds like you, then it may be time you looked at your intake of B-vitamins and of course, the food that is high in magnesium, such as wild black rice!


Help Your Thyroid to Thrive - My Top 3 Strategies: 

 	Sleep All Night: I can't reiterate the importance of  a good night's sleep. This is so important to the regulation of your thyroid function and is the foundation to turning around your hot flushes as well. There is a powerful connection between your sleep hormones (produced in your pituitary gland), thyroid hormones and your ovarian hormones - they all 'talk' to each other.  As such, when oestrogen production declines, so too does our beautiful sleep hormone called Melatonin and when we don't sleep this affects our thyroid function too.



Walking the Iodine Tightrope Requires Optimal Gut Health: Your thyroid gland depends on iodine to manufacture thyroid hormone. It doesn't take much, but it does need the right food. Whilst the amount needed is miniscule, your thyroid gland can't do its job without even a tiny amount of this trace mineral.

So hungry is your thyroid gland for iodine, that when it doesn't get enough, the gland grows larger as it tries to suck up as much iodine as it can. Eventually, the thyroid gets larger and this swelling is called a Goitre.

This condition was previously common in countries where iodine (and selenium) is deficient in the soil and therefore, became deficient in the population. But there's another problem as well for women going through menopause and this is to do with the gut.

Iodine from the diet is absorbed throughout the gastrointestinal tract, so too is magnesium, hence, sorting out gut health concerns such as IBS, is equally important for your healthy ageing.  It's why, in my 12 week programmes, I have a Gut Health Restoration module too.

Dietary iodine is converted into the iodide ion before it is absorbed, so if iodine intake is insufficient or you have an under-active thyroid, then your digestion slows down. This in turn may result in constipation.

Because the iodide ion is bio-available and absorbed totally from food and water, if your gut health isn't optimal, then please come on board with me if you can, so you understand how to turn around your gut health too. Having a healthy gut is the foundation for improving the health of your ageing thyroid and your ability to absorb iodine as you move through menopause.

Diet is the sole source of iodine, which in turn is dependent upon the iodine content of water and soil. Iodine is metabolized in our body through a series of stages involving the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid gland and blood [Ahad & Ganie, 2010).

So, if you aren't on thyroid medication (if you are, then talk to your Doctor about your dietary needs for iodine), then have a look at your diet and make sure that you are getting enough iodine-rich and magnesium-rich food. Your body needs around 380-420mg of magnesium daily, with the upper amount as your guide if you are sweating a lot or exercising frequently too.

Salmon, green vegies (if soils are deficient in iodine) and magnesium-rich foods such as Wild Black Rice and nuts and seeds help. Then there is iodised salt, but the double-edged sword with too much salt, is that we need to manage our intake of salt so that our blood pressure doesn't increase, especially as we move into post-menopause.



Don't Exhaust Yourself:  Easier said than done for women in midlife as we still have so much going on in our lives. However, thyroid hormones are altered by energy imbalances and these imbalances are often present in female endurance athletes or women who have busy, active jobs.

It's not so much about the immediate effects of the training/ exercise either. It's about the accumulation of fatigue over the course of your week.

If your nutrient intake isn't sufficient for all that you are doing or you are fasting too much, then your thyroid will be working over-time to keep your metabolism going.

I've taught about Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) for years in my role as a sport and exercise-science educator. OTS appears to be a maladapted response to excessive exercise without adequate rest, resulting in disturbances of multiple body systems (neurologic, endocrinologic, immunologic) coupled with mood changes.

As I often say in my Masterclass on Menopause, women in their early 60's today, are the first generation of women to be doing lots of exercise, especially higher-intensity exercise and heavy strength training, but have little or no idea, how much this is sending them into OTS as they move into peri-menopause and menopause.

The reason this occurs is because of the high levels of our chronic stress hormone called 'cortisol'. When cortisol levels remain higher than they should, our thyroid, adrenals and pituitary hormones change in response to trying to balance out the cortisol. As such, it is well known that many symptoms of overtraining in older female athletes, mimic the symptoms of menopause.

What's the result of too much exercise and not enough sleep or an insufficient dietary intake of not only the total volume of food, but iodine and magnesium-rich food? Yes, your exhausted thyroid plays up as does your cardiac function, your sleep and your weight as well. 



Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach



REFERENCES

Ahad, F., & Ganie, S. A. (2010). Iodine, Iodine metabolism and Iodine deficiency disorders revisited. Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 14(1), 13–17.

Bellastella G, Scappaticcio L, Caiazzo F, Tomasuolo M, Carotenuto R, Caputo M, Arena S, Caruso P, Maiorino MI, Esposito K. Mediterranean Diet and Thyroid: An Interesting Alliance. Nutrients. 2022 Oct 4;14(19):4130. doi: 10.3390/nu14194130.

Dhungana A., Shreevastva, N et al. A study of serum calcium, phosphorous and magnesium level in hypothyroid cases. Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2022) Vol. 12, 1933 - 1937.

Gesing A. (2015). The thyroid gland and the process of aging. Thyroid Research, 8(Suppl 1), A8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-6614-8-S1-A8

Gietka-Czernel M. (2017). The thyroid gland in postmenopausal women: physiology and diseases. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 16(2), 33–37.

Kirkland AE, Sarlo GL, Holton KF. The Role of Magnesium in Neurological Disorders. Nutrients. 2018 Jun 6;10(6):730.

Kolanu BR, Vadakedath S, Boddula V, Kandi V. Activities of Serum Magnesium and Thyroid Hormones in Pre-, Peri-, and Post-menopausal Women. Cureus. 2020 Jan 3;12(1):e6554. doi: 10.7759/cureus.6554.

Kreher, J. B., & Schwartz, J. B. (2012). Overtraining syndrome: a practical guide. Sports health, 4(2), 128–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738111434406

Nerhus, I., Wik Markhus, M., Nilsen, B. M., Øyen, J., Maage, A., Ødegård, E. R., Midtbø, L. K., Frantzen, S., Kögel, T., Graff, I. E., Lie, Ø., Dahl, L., & Kjellevold, M. (2018). Iodine content of six fish species, Norwegian dairy products and hen's egg. Food & nutrition research, 62, 10.29219/fnr.v62.1291. https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v62.1291

Slopien, R., Owecki, M., Slopien, A., Bala, G., & Meczekalski, B. (2020). Climacteric symptoms are related to thyroid status in euthyroid menopausal women. Journal of endocrinological investigation, 43(1), 75–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-019-01078-7

### PODCAST: Menopause and Exercise

What describes you - are you lean and mean and usually a killer on the gym floor and starting to struggle?  Or do you have a patchier relationship with exercise, have put on a few kilos and are just wondering how to get through the day?, mentions research scientist and ZEST Wellness Founder, Dr Anna Campbell, in her introduction to the podcast. Anna and her colleague, Darcy Schack, a research engineer, have a podcast called, Wellness for the Rest of Us, and each week, they speak to experts around the world who are engaged in wellness and health. If you are a fan of podcasts, then I hope you can listen to what I have to say to Anna and Darcy about exercise and menopause? And yes, I have a lot to say!Anna herself is entering menopause, and as she mentioned, "I used to do lots of high intensity exercise, but now I understand why I was so exhausted. I wasn't sleeping, but pushing myself through heavy workouts."It's always such a privilege to be interviewed and share some insights about the connections between menopause hormonal changes and aspects of our everyday lives. For many women, this means exploring the decisions about their exercise.There is a lot of information available about dealing with menopause - some of it confusing and some of it contentious ... especially when it comes to exercise choices.I hope you enjoy our conversation. 		
					
									PODCAST on MENOPAUSE AND EXERCISE

### "Since becoming a MyMT™ Practitioner, I've set up a support group for women. The results have been phenomenal." [Maxine, UK]

"I really feel that there is so much emphasis on HRT for menopause symptoms here in the UK, that women are not aware of the lifestyle evidence. And I used to be the same.

Four years ago, menopause had overwhelmed me so much that just the simplest of things would make my heart palpitate. I had all the usual symptoms - anxiety, low mood, hot flushes and brain fog was something I was trying to navigate every day.

Sleep eluded me. I lost time from work and my relationships were challenged. 

Then there was the weight gain .. at one point I was putting on 1lb per week, even though at that time, I was eating well, and I was teaching 10 exercise classes a week!

Like most women, I tried both menopause HRT and anti-depressants, both of which helped for a while. But they never fully alleviated all of my symptoms.

Then I discovered Wendy's MyMT™ Transform Me programme. Everything she said made perfect sense!

I had been in the health and wellbeing world for over 20 years, however the knowledge I had as a Personal Trainer was being turned in its head. Her programme was a 'light-bulb' moment for me. I began to realise that exercising more and restricting the calories in my diet were exacerbating my symptoms.

So, I began making changes, and quickly saw results. This gave me the motivation to make even more changes. I eventually no longer felt that I needed, either HRT or anti depressants and with the support of my GP came off them.

This made me think I needed to use this new found knowledge to help the countless other woman  struggling.

I approached Wendy and enquired about the MyMT™ Education Menopause Practitioner course… and the rest is history…

Fast forward to now.. I’m happy, healthy, symptom free, 2 stone lighter and a qualified MyMT™ Lifestyle Menopause Practitioner.

I’ve also changed the style of classes I deliver as I realised the volume of exercise was likely to be increasing my symptoms. I’m mainly teaching Pilates nowadays. In these classes. I meet woman daily that are experiencing symptoms of Menopause and so have set up a weekly face to face menopause support group and run monthly Saturday morning workshops.

It’s an uphill battle in the UK at the moment, as HRT is increasingly popular and so woman aren’t so aware of the lifestyle changes they can make either alongside or instead of HRT. However, with my workshops, I see the ‘light bulb’ moment in the participants faces and it makes my job very rewarding. So, I’ll keep educating one woman at a time.

Thanks again Wendy for changing my life - the results with my clients have been phenomenal."

Maxine, The Health Improvement Coach, Derbyshire, UK

www. thehealthimprovementcoach.co.uk

### MyMT™ Kitchen: Boost your Blood Vessels with this Warm Beetroot, Pumpkin, Feta and Walnut Salad

In 2012, I was teaching nutritional papers at a university in New Zealand and came across a study that was perfect for my lectures on lifestyle behaviour change at the time. This week, whilst looking for academic information on lifestyle behaviour change to share with the Health Practitioners on the CPD courses, I remembered this particular study.I was thinking about it as I looked at this delicious recipe and reflected on how, when I was so overwhelmed with my symptoms during menopause, I didn't know that there were certain foods that are beneficial to turning around our menopause symptoms and helping us to lose our menopause weight.These foods are also important for women's health as they age. They meet the compounds required to not only reduce inflammatory changes which arrive during the menopause transition, but they also have compounds which are evidenced to help reduce vascular or arterial stiffness, thereby, improving heart health.These foods include: Beetroot (or Beets): improves nitric oxide which helps to reduce blood pressure. (Clifford et al, 2015)Pumpkin: contains natural pumpkin oil as well as Vitamin A, which help to reduce bladder irritability. (Nishimura et al, 2014)Walnuts: helps to improve melatonin (sleep hormone) production (Verde et al, 2022)Feta Cheese: high in calcium and supports bone health.Extra Virgin Olive Oil: contains compounds which improve women's cardiovascular health and joint function. (Franconi et al, 2020)But back to the weight loss study. Published in Switzerland (Freund & Hennecke, 2012), the intent of the study was to explore the role of changing weight loss rationale and mindset towards the process-goal of 'changing eating behaviour' compared to just focusing on the  outcome goal of 'losing weight'. The results on 126 overweight women were very clear. Developing and maintaining a process focus was related positively to daily success in dieting, as well as to actual weight loss. Furthermore, when the study participants kept a process focus, they had fewer deviations from their diet.In contrast, the outcome focus for the control group of participants who just had an end goal of 'weight loss', had a negative impact on their successful dieting. This group also had more deviations from the diet.It is well known that changing one’s eating behaviour is challenging. I think that this is especially so for women in their midlife years. Not only are habits for food shopping and cooking well ingrained, but so too are the meanings that women give to these habits. The meanings that we give to our habits and routines around food and food preparation, is how our eating behaviour and routines become highly habitualised. For many midlife women with families to cook for, our food choices are often based on the needs of others and not ourselves. But if we can think about process goals, such as changing our eating behaviour, as the study alluded to, and we also consider 'why' we want to change our food choices, then 'change' itself is easier.Thinking about reducing inflammation and improving menopause symptoms and improving our health as we age using food as our medicine, is a great starting point. So too, is adding in process goals to help us get to where we want to get to. Process goals make changing our diet that much easier and getting started means finding recipes that are delicious and filling. By doing this, you can start to change your eating behaviour each and every day.Every single ingredient in this fabulous recipe is beneficial to your midlife health. I wanted to share it with you in the MT™ Kitchen recipe page today in the hope that you too, will use food as your medicine, whether you are reducing your midlife weight, or want to improve your menopause symptoms. 		
																										
			Warm Beetroot and Pumpkin Salad with Feta, Pear and Walnuts		
		Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side

2 large beetroot
Half a butternut pumpkin
Half a can of chickpeas
1/4 of a red onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar1/4 cup of water
1 pear
A handful of walnuts1/3 of a block of feta

Dressing

2 oranges
45ml olive oil

Method (serves 4 as a side)

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius, bake. 
Prepare the pickled onions. Add the red wine vinegar and water to a jar, and leave the onions to soak. Chop up beetroot and pumpkin and place in a baking tray with a dash of olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper the veggies. You are going to leave these in the oven until they are soft (about 45 minutes). At 30 minutes, give them a stir and add the chickpeas in. 
Prepare the dressing, chop the walnuts, feta and the pear. Add everything to a bowl and serve. Bon apetit!
		
																										
		References:Clifford T, Howatson G, West DJ, Stevenson EJ. The potential benefits of red beetroot supplementation in health and disease. Nutrients. 2015 Apr 14;7(4):2801-22. doi: 10.3390/nu7042801.Franconi F, Campesi I, Romani A. Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil an Ally for Women's and Men's Cardiovascular Health? Cardiovasc Ther. 2020 Apr 24;2020:6719301. doi: 10.1155/2020/6719301.Freund AM, Hennecke M. Changing eating behaviour vs. losing weight: the role of goal focus for weight loss in overweight women. Psychol Health. 2012 Oct;27 Suppl 2:25-42.Nishimura M, Ohkawara T, Sato H, Takeda H, Nishihira J. Pumpkin Seed Oil Extracted From Cucurbita maxima Improves Urinary Disorder in Human Overactive Bladder. J Tradit Complement Med. 2014 Jan;4(1):72-4. doi: 10.4103/2225-4110.124355.Verde, A., Míguez, J., Leao-Martins, J. Gago-Martínez, A., & Gallardo, M. (2022). Melatonin content in walnuts and other commercial nuts. Influence of cultivar, ripening and processing (roasting). Journal of food composition and analysis, 105, 104180. doi: 10.1016/j.jfca.2021.104180

### MyMT™ Education: Lost your Libido? Let's go looking for it then.

There's never a topic that get's so many of the MyMT™ women more engaged than libido! It seems that as soon as one woman mentions it in my private coaching group, a flood of comments pour in. I'm not surprised. 

When my own libido went west during peri-menopause, I just put it down to exhaustion. Crawling into bed at night was simply a mission to get to sleep, more than any other activity!

There are so many challenges for women during their menopause transition and for many, a declining libido is just another one of these challenges.

I think this image supplied with permission from the wonderful Christchurch artist, Kirsty Collett from Prickle and Pop artwork depicts how many women feel when menopause hormonal changes chase away our mood, motivation and mojo! I love Kirsty's humour too.



What's going on with loss of libido? 

There are plenty of women who are struggling with numerous symptoms in menopause, not just a declining libido. But with so much going on in the typical life of a midlife woman, it's important to understand that menopause hormonal changes aren't just to blame - busy, stressful lives are to blame too, including on the effect of low libido.

Exhaustion from insomnia and inflammatory changes throughout the body, (which accelerate during peri-menopause and menopause), and high stress levels, are all factors that impact low moods and low libido.

This is because all of these factors, impact a higher production of one of our stress hormones, called cortisol and in turn, higher cortisol levels impact the production of progesterone - one of the main hormones that helps to control moods and libido (as does testosterone).

If cortisol levels are high in your female clients, then progesterone is used up more rapidly in the adrenal pathway in order to keep synthesizing cortisol. This can cause an imbalance with oestrogen. Although animal studies show that during times of stress, both cortisol and progesterone are elevated (Herrera et al, 2016), it is the chronic exposure to stressors (physical, environmental and emotional), that may impact a woman's production of progesterone, causing levels to be low and out of balance with oestrogen levels.

Cortisol is a powerful stress hormone that can build up over time in our body. Higher cortisol levels inhibit sexual arousal because high cortisol affects the balance between oestrogen and progesterone as well as impacting the production of testosterone - another hormone that helps with libido. 

I talk a lot about cortisol management in the MyMT™ programmes, because it doesn't just affect libido when it's higher than normal. It affects your sleep, moods, food cravings, exercise recovery, hot flushes and your immune system too.



So, the first message from me is that if your clients aren't sleeping and feeling busy and exhausted, then start with helping them to turn these concerns around. All of these are stressors that arrive in mid-life also have an affect on libido.
Declining hormones in menopause is a balancing act!
Oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone are all known as hormones of sexual desire and functioning and they have been helping you with your menstrual cycle for decades.

The powerful connection between all of these hormones and the lifestyle that women lead, means that libido has been fluctuating since puberty. Reproductive hormones are classified as steroids, but they act as chemical messengers in the human body too.

Hence, reproductive hormones do not act in isolation - they also send powerful signals to other hormones around the body to either increase or decrease production.

These 'other' hormones include the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal hormones. They all 'talk' to each other and help the body to remain in balance - a physiological process known as 'homeostasis'.

When your clients aren't sleeping, or have low thyroid function or they have high stress levels, or they aren't getting the nutrients that they need in menopause (e.g. due to smoking, IBS, alcohol intake, over-exercising or too much fasting etc), then these factors accumulate and increase cortisol levels, which in turn may impact libido.

All hormones are affected by changing oestrogen and progesterone levels in menopause - there is a powerful connection between the  pituitary, thyroid and adrenal hormones and reproductive hormones including testosterone, through the HPA-Thyroid-Ovarian Axis.



Steroid hormones help to control the following functions in the body:

 	Metabolism
 	Inflammation levels
 	Immunity
 	Salt and water balance
 	Sexual characteristics
 	Bone and muscle density

Every hour of every day, all of our hormones are adjusting to maintain our metabolism.  This includes oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone - another hormone of libido in women. 

Females do produce some testosterone in the ovaries but what comes as a surprise to many women on the MyMT™ programmes, is that testosterone is excreted from ovaries (if women still have them), during post-menopause too.

Some testosterone is also produced by the adrenal glands. But don't worry - this doesn't meet the amount of testosterone that males produce. This is around 7 times greater than women, because men use testosterone daily to help in muscle repair, immune health, bone density, reproductive function etc,  - in fact, they need as much as 20 times greater testosterone compared to females - even more if they are weight training and increasing muscle size or if they are athletes.

One of the most important things that we need to remember is that our hormones are always trying to balance each other out. 

However, as I mentioned earlier, there are many factors impacting a faster rate of decline of the main reproductive hormones, including:

 	High stress levels (past and/or current)
 	Poor diet
 	Insomnia
 	Underweight or overweight status
 	Over-exercising

All of these factors impact the adrenal glands, which impacts cortisol production, which in turn impacts the availability of progesterone and testosterone in the adrenal pathway. Too much stress and inflammation keeps the liver producing higher levels of cholesterol, which is needed to keep producing progesterone, which in turn is needed to keep producing cortisol. If progesterone levels are low and testosterone production is low, then libido is low too.



How can we help clients to maintain optimal progesterone and testosterone levels, and lower cortisol levels with lifestyle solutions?

Although many women will choose to seek medications for their libido, including HRT and/or Testosterone or Progesterone, there are a number of lifestyle-solutions that you can share with them too.

 - Focus on Food which increases Progesterone and Testosterone

Testosterone in both males and females is made from cholesterol in the adrenal glands. That’s why scientists are now changing their tune about the relevance of cholesterol in the diet although women with high cholesterol still have some risk for changing heart health, so caution with dietary cholesterol from animal products is still important.

Cholesterol helps to make your hormones. This means the right fats are needed to help our hormonal health as we get older. Fats break down to cholesterol as well as help to carry important fat-soluble vitamins that help in the production of hormones. One of the most important hormones for helping boost our immune health and helping us feel better is Vitamin D (and yes, this is now recognised as a hormone!).

Eating foods that give natural progesterone can help some women too. I tell you about some of these in the video below.

https://youtu.be/20dM48JoI2g

- Get Sleep Sorted.

If your clients are exhausted and experiencing numerous hot flushes/ flashes, especially in the evening, then the last thing they may want to do is to share the bed! As the women on the MyMT™ programmes discover, our normal circadian 24 hour cycle means that we accumulate heat in the evening.

This increases blood pressure, heart rate and thyroid activity before bedtime, so often women either feel hot before going to bed, or they heat up overnight causing night sweats and throwing off the bed-covers. Heat accumulation in the evening also increases cortisol levels. These high cortisol levels compete with the sleep hormone, melatonin.

Reducing blood pressure, temperature and heart rate before bedtime, is therefore an important lifestyle strategy for women. Strategies and changes to the type and timing of their food in the evening are all discussed in the MyMT™ Education Practitioner Course. 

The importance of re-learning how to sleep all night during menopause is more important than anything else women do.  A good night's sleep can be sabotaged in menopause from hot flushes, night sweats, worry, anxiety, low iron, low Vitamin D and of course low melatonin production (again due to high cortisol levels in the evening).

This is why getting sleep and the circadian rhythm sorted with clients, is a starting point for helping them turn around libido, along with any other medical interventions they may be trying.



- Keep stress hormones low.

We all know that this is easier said than done, with clients. Whilst, stress has many benefits to the body, as women transition menopause, both emotional and physical stress (e.g. from shift work) can contribute to pregnenolone steal.  When cortisol levels are higher than normal, this prevents adrenal glands turning cholesterol from the liver into testosterone because it is being used up in the progesterone pathway to keep making cortisol.

Sex-therapist, Kelly Stirling from Australia, explains this in her Success Story HERE. She sees the result of the stressful lives of midlife women all the time in her clinical practice. 



 - A healthy LIVER is critical to a healthy libido.

This is because some of the synthesis or manufacturing of all of your steroid hormones, including testosterone occurs in the liver. It takes around 6 weeks to renew and repair the liver, but the great news is that it is one of the only organs that is capable of repairing as we age.

In fact if we are feeling exhausted during menopause, then this is often because our liver isn't working as optimally as it should and we aren't absorbing our B-Vitamins, which in turn, help to synthesize progesterone (see my video above).



- Increase water intake.

Steroid hormones, including Testosterone, are transported through the blood stream by being bound to carrier proteins in the plasma. These carrier proteins are formed from good quality fats and cholesterol in the diet, but water intake is equally important to help plasma production and transport.

- Get clients focused on reducing ALCOHOL as this decreases testosterone production.

The enzyme in alcohol (Aromatase), is used to convert testosterone to oestrogen. The more women drink, the more testosterone they lose, the lower their libido.

-Reduce Xeno-Oestrogen uptake from the environment. 

These are the types of artificial substances that get into the body (especially the liver) and mimic oestrogen. Plastics and household chemical exposure are an example of xeno-oestrogens that can be absorbed into the body. The higher the oestrogen levels in your body, the lower your testosterone levels.

- Poor Thyroid function (hypo-thyroidism) reduces testosterone levels.

Low thyroid function may be from iodine deficiency. This powerful mineral feedsthe thyroid gland, which helps to regulate energy levels. Low carbohydrate diets also contribute to poor thyroid function. The type of carbohydrate that women eat, especially resistant starches, help to maintain healthy thyroid function. It's why I encourage many of my own clients to eat more plant-starch during the day.

When women go into peri-menopause, they are still at the mercy of their menstrual cycle. This means that sexual desire ebbs and flows too.

In the first half of the cycle, peaking at ovulation, we are the most fertile which increases libido. During the second half of the cycle, the egg is no longer viable and interest in sex typically wanes, as does our natural lubrication. So yes, timing is everything when it comes to our libido.

- Are your clients too thin? Low body weight can also lower testosterone production. 

With low body fat, excess exercise, poor sleep and inadequate caloric intake, the female body detects starvation.  One of the gut hormones called Leptin, plummets, causing the hypothalamus to think that women are in starvation mode. Without leptin, the entire pituitary sex hormone cascade is not enacted.

No Luteinizing Hormone (LH), no Testosterone, no Oestrogen, no Prolactin, no Progesterone. This is why adequate body fat levels are unquestionably crucial for all reproductive function.  Some of your clients may have entered into peri-menopause with very low body fat, meaning that already their Testosterone levels are at rock bottom. Libido goes more quickly.



- RESISTANCE training boosts testosterone levels and helps bone density (which needs optimal progesterone levels). 

Those women with naturally high testosterone (usually larger women who are strong and develop muscle very easily), need a little bit more cardio and calming exercise, rather than lots of weight training. Whilst alcohol and many medications can blunt your libido, the great news is that the right exercise can stimulate libido. Not too much and not too little.



Finally, women need to be gentle on themselves and understand that their body is ageing. Supporting your clients to talk with their partner to understand how they are feeling is also an important role that we can play as Coaches and Practitioners.  

The menopause transition can be a challenging time of our lives - I know it was for me too. But when we understand that the body is going through numerous changes not only relating to its biology, but psychological changes, then we can support women into lifestyle changes, that help them to embrace the years ahead with pleasure and enjoyment.

Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Creator & Coach



References:

Barth C, Villringer A, Sacher J. Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods. Front Neurosci. 2015 Feb 20;9:37.

Cable JK, Grider MH. Physiology, Progesterone. [Updated 2023 May 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.

Gullette, M. (2011). Agewise: Fighting the new ageism in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Herrera AY, Nielsen SE, Mather M. Stress-induced increases in progesterone and cortisol in naturally cycling women. Neurobiol Stress. 2016 Feb 11;3:96-104.

Holland, J. (2015). Moody Bitches. London, UK: Thorsons Publ.

Lock, M. (1998). Anomalous ageing: Managing the post-menopausal body. Body and Society, 4, 35-61

Excerpt: If your midlife clients have lost their libido in menopause, then help them find it through lifestyle change!

### New Research: Menopause weight gain, oestrogen storage in fat cells and changing cardiovascular health.

'Menopause is usually a cause of many concerns', mentions the 2017 report on obesity in menopause (Kozakowski et al, 2017), 'and one of the most important, is the fear of weight gain'. Overweight and obesity, according to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO) are considered as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health (WHO, 2016). For those of us who have 'been there' with our increased fat distribution during our menopause transition, some of these health issues include: higher blood pressurechanging cholesterol levelserratic blood sugar levels which can lead to Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetesaching ankles and musclesfluid retentionand the issue that got me the most, an inability to tolerate exercise. Like many women reaching their 40s and early 50s, my own weight gain arrived almost out of the blue. I was still exercising, eating healthily, but still I felt bloated and 'heavy', especially in my breasts. In comparison to hot flushes and insomnia, this was one of the most difficult changes in my body to comprehend. 		
																										
		The ageing of the global population calls for a better understanding of the age-specific metabolic changes which differ significantly by gender, mentions the authors of an extensive study exploring metabolic changes in menopause. (Auro, Joensuu et al, 2013). New research also suggests that the menopausal transition period in ageing women is strongly associated with weight gain, which, in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom of menopause (Kodoth et al, 2022).Furthermore, emerging evidence shows that weight changes during menopause increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Metabolic Syndrome in postmenopausal women. [Abildgaard et al., 2021; Fenton, 2021; Samar, et al, 2022; Se Hee Min et al, 2022].Factors that may contribute to these changes include our normal ageing, hormonal factors, changes in diet, poor sleep patterns, poor gut health, fatty liver disease, and reduced physical activity. Many of these factors are talked about in my coaching group by women on the MyMT™ programmes, so I'm not surprised that evidence is confirming these as contributing factors to menopause weight gain and obesity. What I didn't realise at the time of my own weight gain (and mainly breast and belly fat gain) was that the more abdominal and diaphragmatic fat that accumulated, the more that my fat cells were expanding. Much of this expansion was possibly due to oestrogen storage. I had no idea that fat cells generate their own local production of oestrogen and are now recognized as an important endocrine (hormonal) organ releasing an abundance of inflammatory markers. Did you? (Mair et al, 2020). Oestrogens in women are responsible for the accumulation of fat in subcutaneous tissue, particularly in the breast, gluteal and thigh regions and around the abdomen.Prior to menopause, oestrogen receptors connect with circulating oestrogens to maintain our menstrual cycle and to keep us healthy for reproduction purposes.During menopause (when our periods are altered as we progress towards the cessation of them with age), these oestrogen receptors also attract other steroid hormones - mainly androgens (testosterone and androstenedione).Whilst these are typically known as male hormones, don't let that fool you - if you still have your ovaries, you are also producing these androgens as you move into post-menopause. They are also produced in the adrenal pathway, when we are feeling stressed and can't sleep. This occurs when cortisol, our chronic stress hormone, is high throughout the day. But here's the other issue - if you are overweight or obese going into your menopause transition, this has an impact on the conversion of these androgens to oestrogens. It's a confusing time for your fat cells. Because your fat cells love storing excess oestrogens in your body. 		
																										
		Fat is metabolically active and oestrogen has a role to play in this. Our fat cells love to store oestrogen and because women have enzymes that make them store fat around their abdominal region - which is part of our ancient 'survival' physiology - mid-life is a time of our lives, when we become more vulnerable to a condition called oestrogen dominance. I explain this in more detail in my video below. https://youtu.be/Ir7AWqvIEQwBut fat-storage is not the only part of the menopause weight-gain story. Our liver health matters too.If the liver is fatty or inflamed, it can't clear excess oestrogens. When our liver can't metabolise excess oestrogens effectively, our fat cells store these additional oestrogenic compounds as we move through menopause.Hence, oestrogen becomes the 'dominant' hormone in relation to it's opposing hormone, progesterone. This makes us 'oestrogen dominant' and as a consequence of this, progesterone levels can become low. Your hot flushes, bloating, water retention, sleep, sore joints and aches and pains may become worse. What happens then, is what happens to millions of women around the world in menopause - including myself.  Progesterone becomes too low in contrast to oestrogen, so we feel bloated, heavy, sore and uncomfortable. It's exhausting carrying all that excess weight around too.Breast tissue has numerous oestrogen receptors, so they can become swollen, heavy and uncomfortable. For those of us who enjoy exercise, heavy breasts and increasing belly-fat, make exercise that much harder to tolerate. Don't even mention the expense with having to purchase new bras! As well, abdominal obesity is a key factor in the development of Insulin Resistance (my article on this is HERE) and a condition called Metabolic Syndrome. This is a cocktail of health issues (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high triglycerides and for many of you, fatty liver) that arises from being overweight or obese in menopause. 		
																										
		When we store excess oestrogens in our fat cells (including liver and breast tissue) then we can develop a condition called oestrogen dominance. What this means is that oestrogen becomes the ‘dominant’ hormone to the detriment of progesterone as we move through menopause and into post-menopause.However, it's not just the fat cells in the abdominal area expanding with excess oestrogen - fat cells may be expanding around the heart muscle as well. This is known as para-cardial fat and this type of fat increases our risk for heart disease as we age. Furthermore, the layer of para-cardial fat increases the stress on our heart, especially if we aren't sleeping. It's a double-whammy of health chaos as we get older and it's important to turn this around.		
																										
		As I slowly pieced together the menopause-misery jigsaw, I pulled together cardio-vascular research, diabetes and heart-health research as well as physical activity and longevity studies and of course nutrition research that was focused on mid-life women’s health and weight management. When we aren’t sleeping, when our joints feel sore and we are losing precious muscle and becoming oestrogen dominant, then our metabolism changes too. It’s why I loved this insight from research out of the Australian National University, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.If I had this research a few years ago, it would have saved a lot of lonely research of my own. In a review of studies that included more than 1 million pre- and post-menopausal women, the researchers learnt what I and many other women, have discovered in real life – that our waist circumference increases during and after menopause and as such, there is a shift in our metabolism, which can send us into worsening health with age. “It’s important to understand how women’s bodies change as they age because women have higher rates of some diseases than men”, said Ananthan Ambikairajah, a PhD candidate at the Australian National University, who led the study. “The implications are important, because central fat has been linked with dementia risk, and central fat is linked with cardiovascular disease risk. As such, more attention needs to be paid to central fat accumulation, because that’s the bad stuff,” mentioned Ambikairajah.Every extra kilo of weight is an added burden on your joints, heart, liver, cholesterol, muscle function and insulin levels as you age. That's what concerns numerous women on my 12 week Transform Me programme as well. If you are a Health Professional, then you can learn more about the science behind Transform Me, and qualify as a certified Menopause Weight Loss Coach. 		
																										
		References: Abildgaard J, Ploug T, Al-Saoudi E, Wagner T, Thomsen C, Ewertsen C, Bzorek M, Pedersen BK, Pedersen AT, Lindegaard B. Changes in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue phenotype following menopause is associated with increased visceral fat mass. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 20;11(1):14750. S. R. Davis, C. Castelo-Branco, P. Chedraui, M. A. Lumsden, R. E. Nappi, D. Shah, P. Villaseca & as the Writing Group of the International Menopause Society for World Menopause Day 2012 (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause, Climacteric, 15:5, 419-429.Fenton A. Weight, Shape, and Body Composition Changes at Menopause. J Midlife Health. 2021 Jul-Sep;12(3):187-192. doi: 0.4103/jmh.jmh_123_21.Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2009). Inflammatory effects of nutritional stimuli: Further support for the need for a big picture approach to tackling obesity and chronic disease. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 11, 137-49.Kozakowski, J., Gietka-Czernel, M., Leszczyńska, D., & Majos, A. (2017). Obesity in menopause - our negligence or an unfortunate inevitability?. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 16(2), 61–65. Mair KM, Gaw R, MacLean MR. Obesity, estrogens and adipose tissue dysfunction - implications for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pulm Circ. 2020 Sep 18;10(3):2045894020952019.Manco, M. ,Nolfe, G. , Calvani, M., Natali, A., Nolan, J., Ferrannini, E., Mingrone, G. (2006). Menopause, insulin resistance and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Menopause, 13 (5), 809-817 Nelson LR, Bulun SE. Estrogen production and action. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2001 Sep;45(3 Suppl):S116-24.Patni, R., & Mahajan, A. (2018). The metabolic syndrome and menopause. Journal of Mid-life Health, 9(3), 111–112. Samar R., El Khoudary, Alexis Nasr. Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Does Menopause Matter?, Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research, 2022, 100419, ISSN 2451-9650.Varghese M, Griffin C, McKernan K, Eter L, Abrishami S, Singer K. Female adipose tissue has improved adaptability and metabolic health compared to males in aged obesity. Aging (Albany NY). 2020 Jan 26;12(2):1725-1746. doi: 10.18632/aging.102709. Weickert M. O. (2012). Nutritional modulation of insulin resistance. Scientifica, 2012, 424780. World Health Organisation (WHO). Obesity and Overweight Fact Sheets (2020). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

### MyMT™ Education: Menopause Depression and Exercise - A time for change.

The day I left my Doctor's clinic with my first ever prescription for anti-depressants, was the day I pulled out all the research I could find relating to menopause-related depression, including the role of exercise.I was confused as to why, when I have never had depression in my life, it had arrived during my early 50s. The relationship to menopause and the type of exercise I was doing at the time and my weight gain, never crossed my mind. Nor, I imagine, did it cross the mind of my medical practitioner either. That day was pivotal to me. I still remember it.But in a way, I'm pleased that it happened, because it moved me into a new phase of my 'exercise life' and the consideration of the purpose of exercise as I went into my 50s. It moved me away from exhausting higher intensity exercise, to getting back to doing good old-fashioned aerobic exercise.With the continued emphasis on high-intensity performance-based activity and heavy weight training, aerobic exercise has been relatively forgotten in the fitness industry but my aim for those of you who are working in the area of exercise prescription is to change that perspective  for you. Most women have experienced transient feelings of sadness or depressed mood over their life-time. Importantly, for some females, depression can present or worsen during periods of dynamic hormonal flux such as the  premenstrual phase of their monthly cycle, during or after pregnancy, and during the perimenopause and menopause phases of their life. (Bromberger & Epperson, 2018).For women in mid-life suffering from menopause-related depression, it's important that Exercise Practitioners understand the causes of this and of course, the scientific evidence as to the type and amount of exercise and physical activity, that is known to help women reduce the incidence of depression.Australian Psychiatrist and academic, Professor Felice Jacka, is very clear on how and why exercise helps with depression and when I heard her speak at a Lifestyle Medicine conference, it reminded me, as a Sport and Exercise Educator and Health Practitioner, that we need to be very clear on the role of exercise for menopause-related depression. 		
																														
		Why do Women in Menopause Feel Depressed?Depression is a generic term used by the media, the general public and health care professionals to refer to negative mood symptoms that range in severity from unhappy and sad psychological states to major depressive disorder (MDD).There is a gold-standard clinical interview that is undertaken by trained Physicians to diagnose depressive disorders, so please be aware that 'typical' menopause symptoms are included in this clinical diagnosis, fatigue,feelings of worthlessness,insomnia,body-weight changes,difficulty concentrating and heightened anxiety. So you may need to refer your clients for further investigation by their medical specialist if they talk to you about any or all of these symptoms. In relatively new research, Blomberg and Epperson (2018), suggest that for many decades, there has been ongoing debate about whether the menopause transition and/or post-menopause is associated with an increased risk for depressive symptoms or disorder.Exploring outcomes from a variety of longitudinal studies on menopause and depression, including the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health (ASWH) and the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study, the authors concluded that endocrine changes driving the menopause transition and affecting numerous tissues and biological systems including those in the brain are primarily responsible for unmasking the risk for depression symptoms or disorder in susceptible women.But there are other factors too. These include, psycho-social factors (e.g. stress, personality trait, lifetime exposure, social support); health factors (e.g. physical condition, menopause symptoms, health behaviours e.g. smoking and alcohol intake); and biological factors (e.g. genetics, environment).Menopause seems to be a time when all of these factors converge, leaving 1 in 5 women vulnerable to changing moods, motivation and of course, melancholy. 		
																														
		Many women also go on Anti-depressants during Menopause: The history of menopause-related anti-depressant use is fascinating.A medication called Iproniazid, developed in the early 1950's for treatment of tuberculosis, was never intended to become one of the first pharmaceutical anti-depressants.But when Physician's noticed that tuberculosis patients became more cheerful, optimistic and more physically active, further research revealed that the change from melancholy to motivation in these patients was due to the slowing down of the enzymes that broke down the two main mood-enhancing hormones, serotonin and dopamine. [Leibermann, 2003]So began the genesis of anti-depressant pharmacology and alongside the growing interest in psychiatry as a medical discipline in the 1960's and 1970's, the use of anti-depressants to help women in menopause cope better with their melancholy, emerged as a treatment of choice.Throughout the 1970's, the development of Fluoxetine flourished and this was the first Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) medication which helped millions of women cope better with everyday life. In the United Kingdom, two-thirds of anti-depressants are now prescribed to women in mid-life. Anti-depressants interact with receptors located on nerve endings. As such, this interaction changes neural (nerve) functioning and the uptake of our mood hormone serotonin. They are known to help millions of women, including many women who come onto the MyMT™ programmes.However, as a researcher in exercise and sports science, I was also aware of the powerful role that exercise plays in the mental health of women during the menopause transition. In fact, every one of the women I interviewed during my doctoral study, told me that the main reason that they took up exercise over their lifetime, was simply because not only did it make them 'feel good', but as they moved into mid-life, it helped them to cope. (Sweet, 2018).The problem for them however, was that they were undertaking the type of exercise that they had been doing for years, and for many, this was higher-intensity exercise (anaerobic exercise) and heavy weight training.At the time, I was doing this type of exercise too. But this is not the type of exercise that is best suited to women with changing hormones during menopause and who are exhausted from not sleeping and therefore, at higher risk for menopause-related depression.		
																														
		How Much Is Enough?Over the past 30 years, numerous studies have been undertaken examining the benefits of exercise on depression as well as the amount and type of exercise that is most beneficial. Like most lifestyle factors, it seems that the word 'moderation' also applies to exercise. Researchers know that being sedentary increases the risk for depression but conversely, high levels of intense exercise which induce over-training, may not be any more protective against depression either. Proposed explanations for the psychological benefits of exercise include a number of neuro-scientific studies.Many of these indicate that certain neuro-chemicals (dopamine, and other β-endorphins) are produced by the brain, pituitary gland and other tissues and these act as natural opiates that produce compounds which bind to opiate receptor sites involved in pain perception and they have now been implicated in reward mechanisms and positive emotions. [Bouchard, Blair & Haskell, 2008]As such, the exercise prescription that is needed to stimulate these chemical reward systems are recommended to be (Xie, Wu et al., 2021):Frequency:   3-5 sessions per week lasting for a minimum of 4 weeks up to 16 weeks.Intensity:   65 - 75% of maximal effortType:    Aerobic exercise and mind-body exercise e.g. yoga, tai chi, pilates, other types of exercise which emphasise breath-workTime:    30 minutes to 75 minutes		
																														
		This is why, I mainly promote aerobic exercise for women who aren't sleeping and who are experiencing symptoms of depression and cognitive change.For women transitioning into peri-menopause and moving into post-menopause, the importance of aerobic exercise, [i.e. steady-state exercise, up to an hour], needs to return as 'exercise of choice'. It's been forgotten for too long and this is partly because research has not kept up with the exercise needs of mid-life women. Much of the fitness-industry research is driven by sports and athletic conditioning. That's why for the women who join me on the MyMT™ symptom reduction programmes, whether they are on menopause-related anti-depressants or not, I get them back doing aerobic exercise. Not only does aerobic exercise help with blood pressure management but it also helps with improving arterial blood flow and reducing vascular stiffness. The add-on effect with improved blood flow is that aerobic exercise also improves our mental health, through boosting serotonin and dopamine levels - the two hormones of mood management. As we move through menopause, the production of these hormones declines, so aerobic exercise mitigates this.		
																														
		Ann (in the banner above) is a Personal Trainer. For years she was a power-lifter and specialises in this with clients at her gym. But her own menopause transition left her feeling exhausted. As she mentioned, "As a woman going through menopause in all its various stages, there were times when I felt so inadequate and unsure of myself. When I spoke to my GP at the time, he offered me anti-depressants!  In one of our first modules in the Practitioner Course, Wendy shared a quote from Dr Dorothy Barbo, which said, "Menopause is an event in life, not a disease", how true this is. We don't have a disease and personally, I didn't need anti-depressants, what I needed what was the information and science behind what was happening to my body and mind. Now that I have that, I am excited to be able to help other women on their journey and encourage each of us to shout Menopause loudly from the rooftops and normalise it.Thanks Wendy and Georgia of course for showing me the way and giving me the knowledge to help others. You have really helped me shape and change the direction of my personal training business to focus more on menopause and working with women to encourage them to stop doing their endless HIIT classes and get out there and walk/swim/cycle and do some strength training.Thank you for helping me and giving me the ability to help others." Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD) Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine References: *Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2018). Physical activity across the life stages. Cat. no. PHE 225. Canberra: AIHW.Bouchard, C., Blair, S. & Haskell, W. (2008). Physical Activity and Health. Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL.Doyne, E. et al. (1983). Aerobic exercise as treatment for depression in women. Behavior Therapy, 14(3), 434 - 440. Firth, J., Solmi, M., Wootton, R.E., Vancampfort, D., Schuch, F.B., Hoare, E., Gilbody, S., Torous, J., Teasdale, S.B., Jackson, S.E., Smith, L., Eaton, M., Jacka, F.N., Veronese, N., Marx, W., Ashdown-Franks, G., Siskind, D., Sarris, J., Rosenbaum, S., Carvalho, A.F. and Stubbs, B. (2020). A meta-review of “lifestyle psychiatry”: the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders. World Psychiatry, 19: 360-380. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20773Freeman EW. Depression in the menopause transition: risks in the changing hormone milieu as observed in the general population. Womens Midlife Health. 2015 Aug 11;1:2. doi: 10.1186/s40695-015-0002-y. Jacka FN, Berk M. Depression, diet and exercise. Med J Aust. 2013 Sep 16;199(S6):S21-3. doi: 10.5694/mja12.10508.Leibermann, J. (2003). History of the use of anti-depressants in Primary Care. J. Clinical Psychiatry, 5(7), 1-5. Schreiber DR, Dautovich ND. Depressive symptoms and weight in midlife women: the role of stress eating and menopause status. Menopause. 2017 Oct;24(10):1190-1199. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000897.Xie Y, Wu Z, Sun L, Zhou L, Wang G, Xiao L, Wang H. The Effects and Mechanisms of Exercise on the Treatment of Depression. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Nov 5;12:705559. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.705559. 

### MyMT™ Kitchen: Improve your Blood Pressure with this Kumara (Sweet Potato) Mash

The health needs of women during their menopause and post-menopause years cannot be underestimated. For many of you, whether you are on Menopause HRT or not, or other medications, one of the main changes you can make to your diet is to include sweet potatoes.

If you can find the purple variety of sweet potatoes (kumara) and orange sweet potatoes, then please add them to your shopping list. 

The purple pigments contain powerful Anthocyanins, which are now evidenced to improve the status of our blood vessels, which in turn improves blood pressure (Tsang, Smail et al, 2018). The pigments in Orange sweet potatoes, also provide one of the richest sources of beta-carotene, a carotenoid known for its eye health benefits and ability to reduce cancer risks.

Very few women understand that one of the main changes that occurs during the menopause transition, especially the transition from menopause to post-menopause, (when periods have ended for a year or more), is to the inside of the blood vessels and to the outside of the nerves (the myelin sheath). The changes occurring as oestrogen levels naturally decline, means that inflammation increases as does the loss of some of the elasticity of the blood vessels.

If you've been following my articles for a while, you will know that I often talk about a condition called 'vascular stiffness' (also known as 'arterial stiffness').

Newer nutritional research suggests that Anthocyanins in sweet potatoes (and other purple foods), exert their beneficial effects through improvements in gut microbiota, oxidative stress and inflammation, and in the influence of nerve transmitting pathways. For those of you struggling with concentration, memory, brain-fog and anxiety, then please take note!

Making small changes to our diet offers powerful health benefits as we move through menopause. And no, sometimes it doesn't suit family members and this is often why women feel that they can't make changes to their nutrition in midlife. However, I'm sure that if you serve up this delicious kumara mash with either orange sweet potato or purple sweet potato or a combination of both, then the entire family will benefit and enjoy it too.


Kumara Mash with Olive Oil
Serves 6 as a side

 	4 medium Sweet Potatoes (chopped into small pieces)
 	3 garlic cloves
 	1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (you may need less than this)
 	A handful of parsley or spring onions

Method

 	Boil a pot of water with a pinch of salt and add the sweet potatoes and garlic cloves to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook the sweet potatoes until they are soft enough to mash (approx. 15 minutes).
 	Remove from heat and drain the boiling water. Add the olive oil slowly until you get to the right consistency of mash (you may not need the entire amount). Add parsley or spring onions and serve.



References: 

Neela S, Fanta SW. Review on nutritional composition of orange-fleshed sweet potato and its role in management of vitamin A deficiency. Food Sci Nutr. 2019 May 17;7(6):1920-1945. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.1063. PMID: 31289641

Panchal SK, John OD, Mathai ML, Brown L. Anthocyanins in Chronic Diseases: The Power of Purple. Nutrients. 2022 May 23;14(10):2161. doi: 10.3390/nu14102161.

Tsang C, Smail NF, Almoosawi S, McDougall GJM, Al-Dujaili EAS. Antioxidant Rich Potato Improves Arterial Stiffness in Healthy Adults. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2018 Sep;73(3):203-208. doi: 10.1007/s11130-018-0673-2.

### "I couldn't retain information - that's not helpful when you're trying to study!" [Wendy, UK]

"When I first joined MyMT™ by age, I should have been post-menopausal. But because of a combination of a polyp and the HRT I was on, I was still getting regular bleeds.By then I had been struggling for several years. Like Wendy, I was part way through my doctoral studies when the full force of menopause issues hit me. I had long been dreading it as I had seen its effects on my Mum and older sister, but I was heavily into denial.I've never been a good sleeper but it became awful - 2 or 3 hours a night, so I had low or no energy, and felt irritable and low. The hot flushes I could cope with - I didn't have them badly, but the night sweats were something else.And every evening I would ache in my hip joints so badly, and get restless legs, so I was cavorting on the floor trying to get comfortable.But the worst thing of all for me was what it did to my brain - I couldn't think straight, couldn't remember words (and that had always been my strength), couldn't retain information. Not helpful when you're trying to study!Brain fog just didn't do it justice.Not only had my sense of humour disappeared, I felt like my whole personality had changed and I didn't like what I was left with.Furthermore, all the doctors seemed interested in was the wretched flushes, and there was little or no sympathy from most of them about my sensitivity to certain HRTs - I must have tried sixteen different types of pill, patch, spray before narrowing it down to two that helped (but neither were perfect).I began to wonder if I was going mad.I can't even remember where I first saw Wendy's course advertised, but I sat down to watch the introductory video and was just so delighted to find that I wasn't alone.That there was a community who had experienced things as badly or worse than I had, but had a positive attitude towards finding solutions.Part of the problem is how few of my friends shared the same issues, for most it was a few tough months then better.I had one who recommended HRT to me, but that flicked the switch for her, whereas it was only a partial help for me, so I felt very isolated.The first thing that happened was I stopped getting up in the night to go to the loo - I'd been going two or three times most nights, so I was stunned that breaking this habit only took a few nights. It was a small win but it built my confidence in MyMT's systems, and began to help my sleep. Eating earlier, following Wendy's hot flush management routine, and doing some night yoga helped more, and when I was lying awake I took to listening to meditations which focus on breathing.Miraculously I found myself sleeping better than I had for decades.This became SO important because just as I was working my way through the first months on the programme, my husband was rapidly becoming seriously ill.What we had thought was just exhaustion from overwork clearly became something else, and by the end of August 2021 he was hospitalised for what became a 7-month stay fully bed-bound as he was finally diagnosed with a form of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and began treatment.It took so long to diagnose the right strain, that he was too ill to cope with full chemotherapy initially, and there were two nights over the next few months when he was rushed into intensive care and I was told to say my goodbyes.You wouldn't think you'd sleep a wink under those circumstances, but I kept up with my routine and slept for several hours.Fortunately, he began to recover and nearly two years on, no one would know that he'd been ill.What meant most to me was that he was out of hospital and able to accompany me to my delayed graduation the following month - something that had seemed impossible when I had to book the place five months earlier!The other element that has been important to me was learning to exercise.I've always hated exercise and found most forms of it boring, but I also realised that this was contributing to all the aches and pains I was feeling.I have a dog so had always walked a couple of times a day, but now most mornings I make time for a short session - I loved the Rebuild My Fitness programme and the gentle aerobics videos by New Zealand Exercise Instructor, Darryl Goad and his gentle humour. I've even bought a set of 2 kg weights (after borrowing my children's 1kg starter weights) and use them regularly.I do feel like most of the time I have got 'myself' back - sleep is key, of course, but so is diet and the timing of when you eat.I'm not a great fan of either sweet potatoes (kumara to you Antipodeans!) or beetroot, but I have to acknowledge the difference they make to me, so I do try and include them in my diet, and when I forget, I know about it!I'm sure we all take different things from MyMT™, depending on our own unique make-up and experience. I am just so grateful that I had something to cling to through dark times, and a community that was supportive and helpful and positive.I cannot thank Wendy enough for making this her specialism and doing such great things to research and publicise natural ways of getting through this challenging period, through sleep routines, dietary changes and exercise.Over the same period thanks to celebrities raising its profile, a whole industry has burgeoned around menopause, much of which is neither natural nor helpful, purely profitable.I honestly don't know how I'd have coped over the last few years without MyMT™ - I recommend it to anyone who tells me that they're struggling with menopause, including my HRT Consultant!Wendy, Kent, UK

### Reverse Metabolic Syndrome and Manage your Menopause Weight Gain

I remember the conference in New York distinctly.It was 1995, the year my daughter was born. As it's her birthday this week, I was remembering that trip as it was my first time away from her. However, attending the conference was an opportunity that I didn't want to miss. I was presenting at an American health and exercise conference and for the first time ever, there were specialist presentations on medical concerns associated with exercise prescription.Sitting in one of these sessions, it was the first time that I had heard a name given to the cocktail of conditions that I was seeing in overweight middle-aged women coming into the gym. When taking their physical and healthy history as part of their pre-screening, many of them described abdominal and breast weight gain, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes (insulin resistance) and high cholesterol.Here I was, for the first time ever, hearing that these conditions were collectively known as Metabolic Syndrome [MetS], or as it is more popularly known, Syndrome X. Nearly 30 years later, I continue to remember this conference ... because as I went into menopause, the same health changes happened to me. The menopause transition is now known to be a catalyst for the development of Metabolic Syndrome and a condition called Insulin Resistance. [Mumusoglu & Yildiz, 2019]. Of concern for all of us, is that MetS precedes Type 2 Diabetes as well as an increasing risk of cardiovascular changes as we age. With an eye on our future health as we navigate menopause, the management of insulin and blood sugar levels is one of the hallmarks of managing metabolic syndrome and therefore, your changing weight during your menopause transition.If you are overweight or obese, tired, feeling sluggish, have developed foggy brain, aching muscles and perhaps you always feel grumpy, then please don't necessarily blame your changing hormones in menopause - blame your changing insulin and glucose metabolism as well as the changes to your muscles. If any of these symptoms sound familiar, then please read on. Obesity superimposed on menopause and our ageing, drastically increases chronic low-grade inflammation (a condition called 'inflammaging' which I've written about in the past), and inflammaging is now seen as an important link between obesity, insulin resistance, and age-associated diseases. [Frasca et al, 2017].I want you to understand the role of insulin and why it is so crucial to manage the secretion of insulin from our ageing pancreas in response to blood sugar levels. With better control of insulin release from our pancreas, we help to control our energy levels, moods, hot flushes and our weight.Menopause can lead to changing insulin production and secretion. This is primarily due to the ageing of our pancreas. In turn, inflammatory changes in the pancreas may lead to unstable insulin production leading to high levels of glucose in the blood. Whether women are overweight or not, this can lead to Type 2 diabetes.That's why, if you aren't sure about your glucose levels, then the next time you get your bloods checked, make sure that you get your HbA1c blood test done (as well as your triglycerides and your cholesterol levels). HbA1c is a diabetes test and measures your average plasma glucose concentration. 		
																														
		What does Insulin do in the body?To better understand insulin resistance, it helps to have an understanding of the two hormones that are released by your pancreas when we eat. These two hormones, insulin and glucagon, interact to help manage our blood sugar levels or blood glucose levels. If both these hormones are out of balance, our blood sugar/glucose levels become unstable.This can lead to energy peaks and dips throughout the day, worsening mood swings and unstable weight gain. Our pancreas manages Insulin production and release in response to blood sugar levels.If you've eaten something really sweet or highly processed carbohydrates, then your glucose levels in your blood increase. To manage these higher blood sugar levels and remove them, insulin is released.The normal role of insulin is to carry sugar or glucose to nearly every cell around your body. This includes your brain, muscle and liver cells. Insulin carries sugar/glucose. It is your energy storage hormone.When you eat something such as white bread or white rice, or a cookie or honey, your blood glucose (sugar) rises. This signals the pancreas to release an amount of insulin necessary to carry the available glucose to the brain, the liver and muscles as well as other cells.There is no energy storage in our muscles or liver cells without insulin. Nor is there glucose which travels to the brain without insulin. It is a crucial hormone which holds the key to unlocking the door to glucose being stored in the liver, muscles and in fat cells.In normal situations, insulin moves glucose into our brain, muscle and liver cells ready to supply energy for activity and metabolism. Sometimes however, this process gets out of order. This may be from:eating the wrong types of food,eating too much or too little food,drinking a lot of alcohol,having a sedentary lifestyle with very little activity,having too much exercise/sports as with athletes training and competing,carrying too much body-fat,the ageing of our pancreas during menopause, which is the organ responsible for releasing insulin and glucagon (it’s opposing hormone).the ageing of our muscles and liver (this reduces the efficiency of glucose storage into cells)All of these factors can cause the pancreas and the liver to become inflamed and therefore, cause our blood sugar levels to get out of balance, either going too high, or too low. When blood sugar levels are too high, the ageing pancreas works harder than ever to release insulin. If insulin is released too rapidly or too regularly, in response to increased blood sugar levels, then our cells and tissues can't cope.  Nor can we.Hot flushes may become worse (because insulin helps to regulate temperature), and with the swings and dips in our blood sugar levels, just like hungry children, our moods can also change quickly. 		
																														
		Why too much Insulin is a potential problem in menopause.Too much glucose in the blood can be problematic to women during menopause, because insulin also carries it to fat cells too.Insulin regulates the uptake of dietary fats and glucose from simple carbohydrates into fat cells, especially if we have a large meal, or we are more sedentary (our liver and muscles use up glucose during exercise), or for women during menopause, if we aren't sleeping. For many women who have sore joints or are exhausted from not sleeping during their menopause transition, it's very easy to become more sedentary. Especially if we have jobs and home arrangements that demand our time - this includes looking after ageing parents.I understand how women feel - the worse my sleep was, the worse my joints and muscles felt, and I didn't have the energy for exercising, nor did I have the time. My weight gain was also a hindrance to being able to enjoy more vigorous exercise.However, not exercising or remaining active, as well as not sleeping well, may contribute to a condition called insulin-resistance. The term 'insulin-resistance' comes from the knowledge that our cells can become resistant to insulin arriving to deposit glucose into them. If women become insulin resistant, their liver, muscle and fat cells do not respond to the normal role of insulin properly.This situation can build up over years due to a diet that is high in carbohydrates (especially processed carbs), but can also become accelerated in peri-menopause when oestrogen levels fall and inflammatory changes in cells occur. This includes in our pancreas and liver.Insulin Resistance may lead to Metabolic Syndrome ... just as I heard about back in 1995, when the Doctor presenting the session spoke about the changing cardiac and metabolic health of our mother's generation in post-menopause.As a young '30-something' year old at the time, I had no inkling that the same thing might happen to me. Many women who come on my programmes are the same. 		
																														
		When the cells do not respond to insulin, they don’t allow sugars from the blood stream to enter into them. So, the normal processes for insulin to be taken up by cells is ‘blunted’. This is the what causes ‘insulin-resistance’ which can occur on it's own, but is always included in Syndrome X, or Metabolic Syndrome.The key underpinning of Syndrome X is insulin resistance. When cells don’t allow insulin to do its job, sugars from the foods you eat, including carbohydrates, as well as sugar released from the liver, build up in your blood-stream. Sugar [glucose] in the bloodstream sends a signal to the pancreas to step up its insulin production in an attempt to maintain a normal blood sugar level. But because the liver, muscle and fat cells are resistant to insulin doing its job, the result is a by-pass of the normal processes and the sugar moves directly to fat cells.In menopausal women, glucose may then move into storage areas under the diaphragm and into the stomach regions. 		
																														
		Manage Insulin Resistance with my 3 tips: Know that nutrition and adherence to it, is your best medicine. As such, you need to understand that the evidence behind the Mediterranean Diet for women in menopause to manage weight has been evolving for years. This is the type of dietary approach that I take in the MyMT™ programmes and have modified this to suit menopausal and post-menopausal women. 		
																														
		 Go for (mainly) low glycemic index carbohydrates. If you have been following my newsletters for a while, then you will have heard me discuss the low glycemic index. Pioneered by Professor Jenny Brand-Miller from Australia, this rating scale helps us to find carbohydrates that don't spike insulin levels. I have lists in your MyMT™ programme all ready and waiting for you. 		
																														
		3. Improve Joint Health so you can move more freely and get active again. Did you know that your  joints have oestrogen receptors in them? That means when we move through menopause, the reduction of oestrogen affects our joints. So too, does the slower turnover of collagen.If your joints are aching and preventing you from being active, then you are more at risk of developing insulin resistance and/or metabolic syndrome.I have more information in my Joint Health module within my 12 week programmes. In this powerful module, you will discover that there is a nutrient found in olive oil that replaces the loss of oestrogen in our tendons.  This is why changing our nutrition to meet the specific changes that occur during menopause is so important to put into action. https://vimeo.com/891199097?share=copy#t=0When we begin to develop health changes in our menopause and post-menopause years, it's hard to remember that we can turn this around and feel great again.It's the same with insulin resistance - you can reduce and reverse insulin resistance and/or metabolic syndrome. If you don't get on top of managing insulin levels then not only do you acquire more inflammation and gain more weight, but metabolic changes may arise too.If you aren't sure what to do, and/or if you are busy and want to feel supported then I invite you to join me on the 12 week MyMT™ Transform Me weight loss programme when you can. I hope you can join me on my January New Year, Healthier You' promotion HERE.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References: Carr MC. The emergence of the metabolic syndrome with menopause. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Jun;88(6):2404-11. Frasca D, Blomberg BB, Paganelli R. Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases. Front Immunol. 2017 Dec 7;8:1745. Godoy-Matos AF, Silva Júnior WS, Valerio CM. NAFLD as a continuum: from obesity to metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2020 Jul 14;12:60.Ko SH, Kim HS. Menopause-Associated Lipid Metabolic Disorders and Foods Beneficial for Postmenopausal Women. Nutrients. 2020 Jan 13;12(1):202.Manco, M. ,Nolfe, G. , Calvani, M., Natali, A., Nolan, J., Ferrannini, E., Mingrone, G. (2006). Menopause, insulin resistance and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Menopause, 13 (5), 809-817 Martín-Peláez, S., Fito, M., & Castaner, O. (2020). Mediterranean Diet Effects on Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Disease Progression, and Related Mechanisms. A Review. Nutrients, 12(8), 2236. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082236Minu S. Thomas, Christopher N. Blesso, Mariana C. Calle, Ock K. Chun, Michael Puglisi, and Maria Luz Fernandez. Dietary Influences on Gut Microbiota with a Focus on Metabolic Syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.Oct 2022.429-439.Mumusoglu S, Yildiz BO. Metabolic Syndrome During Menopause. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2019;17(6):595-603. Patni, R., & Mahajan, A. (2018). The metabolic syndrome and menopause. Journal of Mid-life Health, 9(3), 111–112. Stachowiak G, Pertyński T, Pertyńska-Marczewska M. Metabolic disorders in menopause. Prz Menopauzalny. 2015 Mar;14(1):59-64. doi: 10.5114/pm.2015.50000.Wang, Q., Ferreira, D.L.S., Nelson, S.M. et al. Metabolic characterization of menopause: cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence. BMC Med 16, 17 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1008-8Weickert M. O. (2012). Nutritional modulation of insulin resistance. Scientifica, 2012, 424780. 

### MyMT™ Education: Blowing hot and cold – the link between body temperature and gut health in menopause.

Knowledge about how the gut-microbiome alters aspects of our immune, metabolic and nervous system health has increased 10-fold over the past decade and fortunately, some of this knowledge has also been situated in midlife women's health.

Whilst this increase in research has been mainly due to improved genetic research, it's also arrived from advances in microbial technology. Both have opened the door to better understanding of gut health and the link to inflammatory diseases as we get older.

While talking about gut health to your clients may not be in your Scope of Practice, it's important to have some insight into this new research, so you can advise clients on alternative treatments that they may consider, if they are struggling with their temperature regulation, depression and/or their weight as they navigate their menopause transition.

In western countries Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] is 4 times more common in women as they reach mid-life – also a time of our lives, when menopause symptoms may cause so much frustration. With my own gut health changing when I reached my early 50s, it made sense to me that these issues may well be related.

As it turns out they are, and with the huge number of women on my 12 week lifestyle programmes mentioning that they feel that their gut health has changed since arriving in menopause, I wanted you to understand this better too.

In recent years, researchers have demonstrated that oestrogen/estrogen and its receptors serve an important role in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.  As such, when oestrogen levels begin to decline, this may contribute to the progression of a number of GI diseases in women, including gastroesophageal reflux, oesophageal cancer, peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer.

Prior to menopause, oestrogen was cycling up and down in a monthly rhythm. As such, the higher levels of oestrogen helped the gut enzymes to work more efficiently.

The role of enzymes in the gut is important. 

Enzymes produce chemical reactions in the body. For example, there are enzymes that help our digestive processes. When you eat that bit of bread, amylase is the enzyme that breaks down the starch in it. Amylase is present in your saliva.

Another enzyme called pancreatase, also assists in digestion. This is produced by our pancreas to help break down fats and proteins.

When women move from peri-menopause into menopause, and oestrogen levels decline, the production of these enzymes is reduced. Unfortunately, whilst Menopause HRT achieves changes in other areas of the body, it doesn't affect enzyme production in the gut.

This is part of the reason why many women find that their Menopause HRT isn't helping their gut health. They may also find that over time, as their gut health changes more, then the ability of their HRT to help regulate their temperature may decline as well.

Only since 2015, have researchers begun to understand that oestrogen has a role in helping the gut epithelium or lining to turn over cells regularly. According to Dr Marek Glezerman, author of 'Gender Medicine' which explores the gender differences in health and disease,

“Functional Disorders of the digestive tract, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is four times more common in women living in Western countries during and after menopause. In Japan, China, India and other parts of Asia, the ratio is the opposite."

The nature of menopausal symptoms is common to all women, however, geographical location and ethnicity influence the prevalence of certain symptoms. (Hunter, Chedraui et al., 2012). This bought my attention to the possible link between our changing gut health and the frequency of severity of hot flushes, weight gain and other symptoms.

Another important realisation about changing gut health during menopause, is the link between certain types of microbes that reside in our colon and how these impact health problems, including temperature regulation, as women age.

For example, in women with menopause-related osteoporosis, scientists have discovered that the microbial organism called Prevotella may be protective against this life-changing bone disease.

And when it comes to women's heart disease, it seems that optimal numbers of Lactobacillus Casei may help to reduce vascular stiffness which is associated with women's ageing blood vessels during and after menopause which can contribute to high blood pressure (hypertension) which in turn may lead to worsening hot flushes in post-menopausal women.   [Maas, 2020; Siddiqui et al, 2022].



Unnatural shifts in the gut microbiota composition, known as dysbiosis, can lead to several health disorders. Knowing that one of these disorders is to do with temperature regulation problems, is important for women transitioning into and through menopause.

That's why, whether your clients are on menopause HRT or not, looking after their gut health is an important lifestyle strategy to consider as part of their  symptom management too.

Numerous factors impact gut function over our lifetime. 

This includes our diet, environmental changes (extreme heat and cold), antibiotic exposure, sleep disturbance, physical activity (too much or not enough), hormonal changes and pathological or disease stimuli - all of these factors cause a shift in the gut microbiota. Hormonal changes during menopause are included in this list too.

‘One of the factors that plays a pivotal role in microbiota modulation, although broadly understudied in current research, is the change in female sexual hormones throughout life, including menopause.' [Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017)]

This is why the role of oestrogen in gut health is more important than we think. Throughout our life, and more so after puberty, oestrogen helps to keep inflammation in our intestines at bay. It does this by preventing what is known as 'leaky gut syndrome'.

Researchers have discovered that dysregulation of oestrogen receptors in the intestinal mucosa of patients with Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis indicates that oestrogen signaling plays a role in the local immune response in the intestine, helping to maintain the integrity of the gut lining, called the epithelium.

The interesting thing is that this is known to occur in a gender- and age-dependent manner (Jacenik, et al. 2019).  So, for women transitioning through menopause, from their mid-40s on, the decline in oestrogen levels impacts gut health. This may result in a leaky gut and dysbiosis from a changing microbiome.

In turn, the subsequent inflammatory changes in the bowel can increase the frequency and severity of hot flushes and contribute to weight gain as the gut enzymes are affected and dysregulation of lipids (fats) may occur. (Ko & Kim, 2020).

When inflammatory changes are present in the body, the natural defence mechanisms are to try to cool the body down. Hence, when we are sick or have a fever, we begin to sweat.

This is why, both Hot flushes/flashes and night sweats are a sign that the body is trying to cool down and a sign of temperature dysregulation. Researchers now believe that this may start in the gut with an altered microbiome (Huus & Ley, 2021) 

It's no surprise to me that many menopause supplements have ingredients that are known to improve the gut microbiota ... but my challenge to you, as a Health Practitioner is, what advice might you be giving your clients about the role of diet in their temperature regulation and their gut health?


How is your client's gut health? Do you ask them?
If you have clients experiencing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis, constipation and/or loose bowel movements, then chances are that they have a gut-health problem.  

What we, as Practitioners, need to understand, is that poor gut health is also known to contribute to foggy-brain, anxiety, depression and weight gain as well as osteoporosis and muscle health concerns. 

Numerous women on my programmes tell me that they are experiencing gut health issues that have mainly arrived since they went into their menopause transition.

The gut microbiome is one of the largest organs in the body (along with our skin) and most importantly, the gut is responsible for producing 70% of our energy.

There is also a powerful connection between the gut microbiome and  brain health (which is why our gut is now referred to as our 'second brain'), therefore many symptoms that women experience in menopause, such as foggy brain, depression, anxiety and mood swings can also be linked to the health of their gut micro-biome. I might also add insomnia in there too.

With this increasing scientific evidence about gut health and menopause, here are 3 strategies to get you started on sorting out your client's gut health naturally. 

 	Menopause hormonal changes cause gut motility (called peristalsis), to slow down. Understanding this means that your client's should slow down the amount and frequency of their food intake, especially if weight loss is desired. Portion control is important as is overnight fasting for 12-14 hours. This allows time for the food already in the gut to be digested. Depending on the type and amount of food, digestion can last for as long as 19-20 hrs.



2. Clients shouldn't be in extreme heat or cold environments. This is difficult with climate change in many countries, especially for those women living in northern parts of Australia. Environmental temperature and heat stress are known to modify the gut microbiome. Changes in core temperature have been linked to altered microbiome composition and function. Extreme summer heat causes worsening gut health. (Hylander & Repasky, 2019).

The opposite is true for women living in countries that have extremes in cold, such as in Canada. As such, thinking about reducing exercise intensity in extreme heat or cold environments, matters as well. That's a double-whammy for worsening gut health during menopause.



3. Restrict fats and increase Vitamin C intake. New research reports that high fat diets mimic the effects of a western diet (Lobionda, Sittipo et al, 2019) and this increases bowel inflammation. Hence, the type of fat that women have matters, as are the foods that supply the gut microbiota with good bacteria. Prebiotic foods are rich in dietary fibres.

So, encouraging your clients to diversify their dietary intake with fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, and pulses, is important. The body can't digest these fibres, so they travel to the gut where they feed the good bacteria that make butyrate. 

This is a primary nutrient that is physiologically produced by the microbial fermentation of dietary fibres. It plays a functional role in maintaining the integrity and function of the intestinal cells. (Leonel & Alvarez-Leite, 2015).

Furthermore, studies also indicate that Vitamin C is needed to help prevent Intestinal bacterial overgrowth. This can be a complication of the increased visceral fat that can arrive during menopause. (Traber, Buettner et al, 2019).

New research is also emerging about the role of the gut microbiome in certain women's health problems, so having foods that increase certain healthy microbes in the gut and reduce harmful microbes is an interesting and emerging research purpose, so watch this space and I talk more about this in the MyMT™ Education Practitioner Course.

For example, new evidence on the connection between changing gut microbes and women's health issues suggests that the microbes, Lactobaccillus casei and Lactococcus lactis help to alleviate vascular malfunction and arterial stiffness in overweight post-menopausal women [Siddiqui, Makhlouf et al., 2022].

Two foods that supply these bacteria, include Green Olives and hard Cheese. 



4. The brain thermostat matters. All temperature changes are regulated in the brain, hence the circadian rhythm matters to women's health as they move through menopause. I talk a lot about this in my Practitioner courses and in my own coaching programmes. Turning around circadian rhythm is crucial for gut health repair and for nutrient absorption, as the gut functions on a 24 hr circadian cycle too.



Dysbiosis (an imbalance) of the gut microbiota in menopausal women is mainly due to changes in oestrogen levels as we age, but there are other factors to consider with your clients too. 

These factors include:

 	stress (past and present)
 	insomnia
 	living in extreme climates
 	history of medication use (including antibiotics)
 	alcohol consumption
 	poor diet
 	high-fat diet
 	long-term oral contraceptive use
 	over-exercise
 	overweight or obese status

Whilst all Gastro-intestinal symptoms should be evaluated promptly and aggressively by your client's medical Doctor, please be aware that bloating can be a sign of a much more serious problem like certain cancers, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, bowel obstruction, diverticulitis, infectious causes, amongst many other conditions.

But if all is OK and clear with your clients', then helping them to get on top of their gut health concerns can be life-changing.

If you would like to know more about gut health, then I also invite you to explore my stand-alone module on gut health. I tell you about it in the video below.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.  


Learn More


Buy now

https://vimeo.com/775629366?share=copy#t=0

References:

Agnoletti D, Piani F, Cicero AFG, Borghi C. The Gut Microbiota and Vascular Aging: A State-of-the-Art and Systematic Review of the Literature. J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 20;11(12):3557.

Chen C, Gong X, Yang X, Shang X, Du Q, Liao Q, Xie R, Chen Y, Xu J. The roles of estrogen and estrogen receptors in gastrointestinal disease. Oncol Lett. 2019 Dec;18(6):5673-5680. doi: 10.3892/ol.2019.10983.

Glezerman, M. (2016). Gender Medicine. Duckworth & Co Publ.

Hunter, Myra & Chedraui, Peter & Blümel, JE & Tserotas, Konstantinos & Aguirre, W & Palacios, S & Sturdee, David. (2012). The International Menopause Study of Climate, Altitude, Temperature (IMS-CAT) and vasomotor symptoms. Climacteric : The Journal of the International Menopause Society. 16. 10.3109/13697137.2012.699563.

Hylander, B. & Repasky E. (2019) Temperature as a modulator of the gut microbiome: what are the implications and opportunities for thermal medicine?, International Journal of Hyperthermia, 36:sup1, 83-89, DOI: 10.1080/02656736.2019.1647356

Jacenik, D., Cygankiewicz, A. I., Mokrowiecka, A., Małecka-Panas, E., Fichna, J., & Krajewska, W. M. (2019). Sex- and Age-Related Estrogen Signaling Alteration in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Modulatory Role of Estrogen Receptors. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(13), 3175. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20133175

Ko SH, Kim HS. Menopause-Associated Lipid Metabolic Disorders and Foods Beneficial for Postmenopausal Women. Nutrients. 2020 Jan 13;12(1):202. doi: 10.3390/nu12010202.

Leonel, A. & Alvarez-Leite, J. (2012). Butyrate: implications for intestinal function. Review, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkin, 15 (5), 1-6.

Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition. Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2019 Aug;28:105-110.

Monteleone, P., Mascagni, G., Giannini, A. et al. Symptoms of menopause — global prevalence, physiology and implications. Nat Rev Endocrinol 14, 199–215 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.180

Nie, X., Xie, R. & Tuo, B. (2018). Effects of Estrogen on the Gastrointestinal Tract. Dig Dis Sci 63, 583–596.

Peters BA, Santoro N, Kaplan RC, Qi Q. Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights. Int J Womens Health. 2022 Aug 10;14:1059-1072.

Siddiqui, R.; Makhlouf, Z.; Alharbi, A.M.; Alfahemi, H.; Khan, N.A. The Gut Microbiome and Female Health. Biology 2022, 11, 1683. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11111683

Traber M., Buettner G., Bruno R. (2019). The relationship between vitamin C status, the gut-liver axis, and metabolic syndrome. Redox Biol. 21:101091.

Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017). Influence of oral and gut microbiota in the health of menopausal women. Front. Microbiol. 8: 1884.

### Losing your menopause and post-menopause weight with the Mediterranean Diet.

When new research arrived in my in-box recently, with the words 'menopause weight loss' and 'minimal exercise'  jumping out at me, it got my attention. I hope it gets yours too - especially if you are in menopause or post-menopause.

There's a common perception in the world of fitness and exercise that everyone has the time, energy and motivation to exercise. In an ideal world, this would be great. But in reality, mid-life women's physical activity participation data, suggests the opposite.

Australian and overseas data typically report that the main barriers to physical activity participation are the same ones that beset many of us in mid-life - work, care giving, illness and injury (Anderson, R. 2008).

Much of this data reflects my own experience during peri-menopause (despite being an avid exerciser throughout my life), when I felt too sore, too exhausted, too overweight and too busy, to do the type of exercise I had enjoyed for decades.

I find this time and time again with women who join me on the MyMT™ 12 week programmes as well. Many try to navigate getting back into exercise, but find they are sore, tired and too overweight to do the type of exercise that is promoted to us from the 'no pain, no gain' brigade.

But there's a problem with this approach for those of you not sleeping, feeling overweight and experiencing sore joints and muscles - your body isn't healing from all the exercise you might be doing to lose weight. In fact, you may even be building up more and more inflammation.

That's why in order to start my menopause weight loss journey, I cut right back on the type and amount of exercise that I was doing.

I realised that this was just one thing that was adding to the accumulation of stress on my body from inflammation, especially when at the time, the emphasis was being given to High Intensity exercise in the ever-changing marketing of fitness and exercise.



That's why I love this brand new research - it backs up everything that I was figuring out through taking a lifestyle science approach to the physiology of menopause.

So, before you go on that special diet and jump into (literally) lots of high-intensity exercise, for your New Year weight loss resolutions, perhaps you want to read on, because the question this research explores is about losing weight during and after Menopause with minimal exercise and the Mediterranean Diet.



During menopause, there is a shift in fat distribution and storage from the hips to the waist.

Research estimates that women may gain an average of 1-2kg or more during menopause due to the number of hormonal changes [including lowering oestrogen and progesterone and an increase in circulating androgens (testosterone)], leading many women towards changing metabolic health in post-menopause (Lombardo, Perrone et al, 2020).

In late 2019, women from Rome who, entered into a large nutrition study looking at the role of the Mediterranean Diet on their fat loss during menopause.

Aged between 50-60 years, all were overweight as they entered this stage of life and undertook a range of biometric tests as baseline measures. All participants were placed on a 2 month, moderate-fat, restricted-calorie Mediterranean Diet - exactly the type that I have researched for the MyMT™ weight loss programme called Transform Me.

The main features of the diet for the study participants was that it was rich in plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole-grains. Extra virgin olive oil was used for fat intake along with a handful of nuts.

Cucumbers, grapes and citrus are a feature of the Mediterranean Diet and have a number of compounds which are essential to help with our blood pressure. 

Cucumbers have compounds which have lipid (fat) lowering effects and anti-diabetic effects. Grapes have compounds which have strong anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits. [Naureen et al, 2022].

Furthermore, as I promote in the MyMT™ programme Food Guide which I have as part of my programmes, the participants were encouraged to lower the amounts of eggs and animal fats that they were eating - [I promote the same approach, as these foods are higher in oestrogen compounds, which we don't need when we arrive in menopause and post-menopause].



Analysis of the food diaries of the Italian study participants showed that their intake had an average macro-nutrient composition of about 0.85g/kg/day of protein, 25-30% fat (from plant sources) and 52-55% carbohydrate (from fruits and vegetables with some wholegrains).

"The change in lifestyle also brought a significant improvement in body circumference and blood pressure as well as improved lipid (fat) blood values including cholesterol." [Lombardo, Perrone, et al, 2020].

This study is important for all of us who are entering our post-menopause years. My own studies on women's healthy ageing reinforced that mid-life is a time when we become vulnerable to health changes with age.

Maintaining muscle and reducing body fat is an important part of managing health as we age, but with many of us too busy, sore or exhausted to exercise, this study shows that we can manage our fat-gain and prevent lean muscle tissue loss when we follow a Mediterranean Diet.

And yes, sleep matters too.


 

While January brings in new beginnings for all of us, it is also my annual sale for the Transform Me weight loss programme.

That's why I have taken NZ$100 off the cost of the Transform Me programme and if you choose to, you can bundle it up with $200 off the exercise programme called Rebuild My Fitness. For those of you with sore joints and aching muscles who can't even think about exercise just yet, I have included the module called Restore your Joyful Joints as well.

I know not all of you put on weight in menopause, and some of you lose weight, and this has its own challenges if you become too thin as you age.

However, as we move into the new year ahead, I'm going to have a focus on your weight and other symptoms in menopause. So, watch out for this month's newsletters as I bring you the information that will help you to understand what is really going on as we age and move through this important life stage.



References: 

 	Anderson, R. (2008). Exercise and dietary behaviour change in a sample of midlife Australian women. PhD by Publication, Queensland University of Technology.
 	Davis SR, Castelo-Branco C, Chedraui P, Lumsden MA, Nappi RE, Shah D, Villaseca P; Writing Group of the International Menopause Society for World Menopause Day 2012. Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric. 2012 Oct;15(5):419-29. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2012.707385.


 	Lombardo, M., Perrone, M. A., Guseva, E., Aulisa, G., Padua, E., Bellia, C., Della-Morte, D., Iellamo, F., Caprio, M., & Bellia, A. (2020). Losing Weight after Menopause with Minimal Aerobic Training and Mediterranean Diet. Nutrients, 12(8), 2471.
 	Naureen Z, Dhuli K, Donato K, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Bertelli M. Foods of the Mediterranean diet: citrus, cucumber and grape. J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E21-E27. doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2743.


 	Pettee G., Sternfeld B., Colvin A., Stewart A. et al., (2017). Physical activity trajectories during midlife and subsequent risk of physical functioning decline in late mid-life: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Prev Med.105:  287-294.
 	Zhao CN, Meng X, Li Y, Li S, Liu Q, Tang GY, Li HB. Fruits for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases. Nutrients. 2017 Jun 13;9(6):598. doi: 10.3390/nu9060598.

### "One in every three women will experience chronic joint pain in her life." [Sarah Dillingham]

Her story will resonate with so many midlife women who find themselves with joint pain, especially wrist pain as they approach their menopause transition. Sarah was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and wears compression gloves and orthopedic braces every day because of joint damage in her wrists.But she felt that the orthopedic support wrist braces that were available to her and others, were clunky and old-fashioned. So, she decided to do something about it! Teaming up with hand-therapist, Trevor Petrie, they decided to produce better joint support products.And there she was doing a presentation at the recent Women's Health and Ageing Conference in Pasadena California that I attended."One in every three women will experience chronic joint pain in her life - whether that's osteoarthritis, autoimmune arthritis or menopause-related joint pain" mentioned Sarah in her presentation. "Joint pain can limit your ability to do everyday tasks and interfere with your quality of lifer."As I've heard this story so many times from ladies on my 12 week programmes, Sarah and I got chatting! I told her that I would like to let you all know about her products, so here we are. I don't often promote products in MyMT™, but I felt that this one may be of benefit to those of you with aching wrists and arthritic fingers. Designed to feel like a "hug for your hand," the compression gloves and wrist braces are designed to help women live life with less pain and more fun.That fits in with the MyMT™ philosophy brilliantly! I have a joint health module in my 12 week programmes, so reach out if you need to explore this too. Here is the link to Sarah's website: https://www.graceandable.com/Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Women's Health and Ageing Educator and Founder of MyMT™Putting menopause into wellness, not sickness for women the world over. 

### Brittle Bones: Why are you drinking alcohol when you are on menopause-HRT?

The irony wasn’t lost on me. Here she was at a Christmas social event I was attending during the week – and on her third glass of wine. No, I wasn’t counting. She told me, when she offered to pour me a glass. I turned her down politely.It was then that we struck up a conversation. I only knew her vaguely and the inevitable question about what I did arrived. So, I told her about My Menopause Transformation and how I’ve used my physiology and women’s health and ageing knowledge to position this stage of life in lifestyle science.“Oh, I’m already on HRT” she said, waving her wine glass at me. “I was told that every woman needs it for her bones.” My smile belied my real thoughts. My mind was saying ‘well, why are you drinking alcohol then? Bone mineral density is known to be reduced with alcohol consumption – surely your Doctor would have told you to stop drinking when you went on menopause HRT?’ It would seem not, as she filled her glass again from the now nearly empty bottle.It reminded me of my time at the Women’s Health conference in America recently – the double-standards of the Pharmaceutical company promoting their latest and greatest menopause medications and menopause HRT – yes, as global production of menopause HRT can’t keep up, especially for the HRT-patch which is currently experiencing a world-wide shortage, the pharmaceutical companies are doing their best to come up with new menopause medications.  While the wine was free-flowing to those attending (mainly Physicians), I noted from the brochure information that the combination of this particular HRT and alcohol, increases hot flashes/ flushes and reduces bone mineral density … two of the very things that the HRT is supposed to reverse.		
																														
		‘Alcohol’s Harmful Effects on Bone’ was the title of one of the very first papers written by scientist, Dr Wayne Sampson (PhD) nearly 30 yrs ago. His work is now backed up by more recent research on the effects that alcohol consumption has (especially alcohol consumption over a longer period of time), on bone mineral density. (Godos et al, 2022).Bone is a major storage site for calcium and other important minerals. Alcohol disrupts this storage process in a number of ways:Alcohol affects the hormones that regulate and influence calcium metabolism – this includes kidney hormones and growth hormone.Alcohol disrupts calcium absorption from the small intestine.Alcohol disrupts ‘activated’ Vitamin D (after it has undergone modification in the liver and kidneys), which in turn means that calcium absorption may be reduced in the small intestine. Vitamin D levels are especially low in the presence of alcoholic liver disease too.Protecting our bone health as we age, is one of the most important factors to focus on as we age. There is so much emphasis on heavy resistance-training and menopause HRT (hormone replacement therapy) to mitigate bone-health, and yes, based on current medical recommendations, these strategies have evidence behind them.However, what also has evidence behind it, is the fact that if you are drinking more than one glass of alcohol in one sitting and you’ve been drinking for years, then your bone mineral density is reduced considerably. As reported in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Godos et al, 2022),‘There is consistent evidence that increased alcohol consumption (more than 1 glass daily) is associated with higher risk of osteoporotic hip fracture.’We all know that drinking culture is big business in many parts of the world. I’m reminded of this every time I come through the duty-free section of the airports and people flock to buy their booze.There's nothing wrong with having some alcohol of course, but with encouragement from others and because we often feel exhausted, for many women not coping with their menopause symptoms, it becomes their ‘pick-me-up’ at the end of the day. Their personal ‘reward’ for their busy, stressful lives.		
																														
		I know myself that it's also challenging when we are distracted with hot flushes when we drink ... especially as we reach our post-menopause years - this designates when you haven't had your period for a year or more.When it comes to alcohol and our symptoms, I'm not surprised that numerous women on the MyMT™ programmes mention similar experiences. For women in post-menopause, they are further into their ageing. As such, structural changes occur to the gut, liver and thyroid, which further interferes with alcohol metabolism and removal of toxins.Most of that alcohol you are drinking, doesn’t leave the body for 72 hours and alcohol also esterifies (changes) into oestradiol, a form of oestrogen.So, if you are finding that you feel hotter and you are putting on weight, then don’t forget that this excess oestradiol gets stored in fat cells and of course, this includes breast tissue storage, where you have numerous oestrogen receptors that are looking for this oestradiol. It’s no surprise that alcohol consumption is a major risk for breast cancer.Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of educating Sarah Rusbatch from Australia, on my Menopause Practitioner Course. Sarah’s own story and journey has led her to where she is today – helping women to ditch the booze. They possibly don’t know how important this is, not only to their mental health and menopause symptoms, but also to their bone health.If you feel that you need help and support with alcohol reduction, then please explore Sarah’s great work at Grey Area Drinking. She has also just released a book on this very topic called 'Beyond Booze'. If you need support with menopause weight loss and symptom management, then yes, come on board with me. My 'New Year, Healthier You, Transform Me menopause weight loss sale starts on Boxing Day and this is my best-ever sale. I hope you can join me.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine		
																														
		References: Godos J, Giampieri F, Chisari E, Micek A, Paladino N, Forbes-Hernández TY, Quiles JL, Battino M, La Vignera S, Musumeci G, Grosso G. Alcohol Consumption, Bone Mineral Density, and Risk of Osteoporotic Fractures: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan 28;19(3):1515. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031515. PMID: 35162537Pohl K, Moodley P, Dhanda AD. Alcohol's Impact on the Gut and Liver. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 11;13(9):3170. doi: 10.3390/nu13093170. Sampson HW. Alcohol's harmful effects on bone. Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(3):190-4. PMID: 15706795https://alcohol.org/health-effects/hrt-and-alcohol/ 

### "Only a year ago, I used to feel tired and sluggish all the time." [Kathryn, Australia]

"I am reflecting on the year that has been 2023. In the dying days of 2022, my resolution was to do something about my downward spiral, get some control over my symptoms and lose some weight. I joined the Transform Me Program.

It wasn’t long before I saw results in terms of improved sleep. For this I will be forever grateful. Within a month I had started to lose some weight [9kg after 11 months]. The coat I am wearing didn't fit me a year ago!

I feel so much better, healthier and lighter. I don’t mean that only literally but figuratively as well. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling tired and sluggish."

Kathryn, NSW, Australia

### "I have so much more energy for my job as a Personal Trainer." [Dorothee, Germany]

"I wanted to say thank you again for having had me on the MyMT™ Practitioner course this year. Since doing your Transform Me program and doing this course, I have learnt so much and my older clients are slowly starting to listen to me as I am a Personal Trainer in Berlin.

It’s astonishing to me that the perception in Germany still is: 'I am 49/50/51 years old, I still have my period on a regular basis and my mood swings (exchangeable with putting on weight, I feel stressed, I am always tired etc.) and my doctor says I am not even in my peri menopause yet”.

So, they don’t want to hear anything about menopause. I find the younger ones (around 40 or so) are much more interested and open minded about this. Germany is soooo far behind, I find I know more about menopause than my gyno.

Since doing your programs, I have more energy throughout the day, I feel more balanced and am generally in a good mood. It goes well with the exercises I am doing for myself and my clients which are now less HIIT but more in the aerobic area. Thank you for all your teachings."

### MyMT™ Kitchen: This festive low GI rice is the best advice!

Rice is a staple food, which has been widely consumed for centuries by many Asian countries. I first began to think about brown rice as a natural source of nutrients for midlife women, when exploring studies on foods to reduce hypertension (high blood pressure) and a condition called 'vascular stiffness' which is known to occur as women transition from menopause to post-menopause.

Studies have suggested that brown rice is associated with a wide
spectrum of health implications such as anti-diabetic, anti-cholesterol, cardioprotective and antioxidant benefits. (Ravichanthiran et al., 2018).

This is because of the presence of various phytochemicals that are mainly located in the bran layers of brown rice. These phytochemicals also have anti-inflammatory benefits, especially for gut health, which as many of you may have experienced, is changing and contributing to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) as we move through menopause.

Understanding that menopause as a life-event, leads to inflammatory changes which affects women's cardiovascular and muscular health was the turning point for taking back control of my own health and weight.

Our type, timing and amount of food is now well established in public health science, as among the most important influences on health in modern societies. As David Katz, from the Prevention Research Centre at Yale University of Public Health states,

"Optimal eating is associated with increased life expentancy, dramatic reduction in lifetime risk of all chronic disease and amelioration of gene expression." (Katz & Mellor, 2014, p.83).

There is an extensive body of evidence that relates our diet to our health. Many of us know this already. But too often we are drawn into ways of eating that may not suit our changing hormonal environment in menopause, nor our ageing.

That's why connecting the dots between menopause, inflammation, cardiovascular disease and healthy ageing was the 'game-changer' not only for my own health, but for women who have joined me and needed to lose weight, reduce their hot flushes/ flashes and change their health during or after their menopause transition.

That's why, this Christmas, my advice is to make this festive, low glycemic index rice salad. Whole grain brown rice had slower gastric emptying rate, which appears to be related to the physical presence of the bran layer. (Pletsch & Hamaker, 2018).

Extended gastric emptying of brown rice explains it's lower glycemic response (blood glucose response) and this is what allows you to not only feel more full for longer, but to also reduce your hot flushes/ flashes too.

If brown rice isn't to your liking, then you could replace it with sweet potato (or Kumara as we say in New Zealand) - another great low GI alternative.

Happy Christmas from MyMT™.


Festive Rice Salad

 	Enough brown rice to feed your friends and family (this recipe makes enough to feed 8 people as a side dish)
 	¼ cup red wine vinegar (or a couple of tablespoons if you are only cooking for 2 or 3 people).
 	1 pomegranate
 	½ cup walnuts or pistachios, chopped. If you are looking for a low budget option, use sunflower seeds.
 	1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
 	5 tbsp olive oil
 	1 small garlic clove
 	A large handful of mint leaves (or parsley if you prefer), chopped finely
 	1 block of feta, crumbled
 	Salt and pepper

Method:

 	Make the rice as per your packet instructions. Once it is finished, transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour over the red wine vinegar and stir through.
 	Place all of the toppings into a bowl. Mix and set aside to marinade for 10 minutes.
 	Pour the toppings on top of the rice and sprinkle with the feta.



References:

Chacin-Suarez, A., & Medina-Inojosa, J. (2020). Microvascular and Small-Vessel Disease: An unrecognized connection in women with modern coronary disease. Journal of Women's Health, 29 (6), 1-2.

Katz, D. & Mellor, S. Can we say what diet is best for health? Annual Review of Public Health 2014 35:1, 83-103

Pletsch EA, Hamaker BR. Brown rice compared to white rice slows gastric emptying in humans. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018 Mar;72(3):367-373. doi: 10.1038/s41430-017-0003-z. Epub 2017 Oct 23.

### Feeling Fatigued? Iron out your menopause fatigue with this important B-vitamin.

"The social, cultural, anthropological and personal effects of chronic fatigue are enormous on human economy and this condition is poorly understood." [Bjorklund, Dara et al, 2019].
Over the past few decades, scientists have been doing a great job unlocking the secrets of ageing. Not only are they discovering how our body breaks down but also how to better manage our health so that we improve our health-span. In general, women outlive men when it comes to longevity research, but I can't emphasise enough, that our menopause transition matters to how well we age.

Fatigue is a known symptom during menopause and it can be the slippery slope towards a clinical condition known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and yes, if you have this, then you need a proper diagnosis and medical support.

CFS is a distinctive syndrome characterised by prolonged fatigue in combination with other factors such as, muscle and joint pain, headaches, tender lymph nodes, recurrent sore throat and significant problems with cognition, concentration, memory and sleep as well as a deterioration after physical activity. (Bjorkland et al, 2019).

As I read the list of symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, it's not lost on me that these are also symptoms of menopause - and a body not coping with the changes that beset us as we move through this life-stage.

The exhaustion that women feel during peri-menopause and menopause may not be diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome obviously, but it is a reality for many. 

Thousands of women who have come into my coaching community complain about their fatigue - not only from not sleeping all night, and post-viral fatigue from Covid-19, but the 'crash-on-couch-at-night' fatigue that arrives from busy days not knowing how to look after themselves as they move through menopause.

Coupled with brain-fog and depression, it's hard for them to focus on all that needs to get done in their day. As such, they turn to what I call the quick-fix energy-grabbing 'C.A.T.S.' - Caffeine, Alcohol, Tobacco and Sugars - in order to cope.



It's often said that vitamins are 'vital to life' and when it comes to our nutritional needs in mid-life, that's a statement I want you to remember, especially when it comes to Vitamin B12.

Whilst all vitamins are indeed 'vital for life', if you are experiencing worsening fatigue, hot flushes, dizziness, tingling and numbness, a sore tongue, concentration or visual disturbances, then don't put them in the "oh, it's just menopause compartment", go to your Doctor and get your B12, folate, iron and ferritin (stored iron) tested.

You may well be deficient in Vitamin B12 or any of these nutrients that your body needs.

All of these nutrients are utilised in energy-production, nervous system conduction and in supporting brain health.  Without enough Vitamin B12, you can feel tired, weak and lethargic. Furthermore, low B12 may cause worsening hot flushes and night sweats as your heart works harder to move oxygen around your body.

Without enough B12 absorption, your red blood cells don't divide normally and can't carry out their job of delivering enough oxygen to tissues and cells to help you with your energy levels. As such you may be anaemic. 

If you have liver health problems, gut health concerns or IBS, then this can affect your B12 absorption as well. It's why I have modules on all of these concerns and how to rectify them in the MyMT™ programmes.

In Greek, the word 'anaemia' means "no blood". But that's a bit of an exaggeration. You have plenty of blood whether you are anaemic or not. However, whether you are in peri- or post-menopause, how well you are making blood cells is key to your successful, symptom-free menopause journey.

And to make beautiful blood cells, you need a body that is absorbing Vitamin B12 (known as Cobalamin).



The discovery of Vitamin B12 was worthy of two separate Nobel prizes. The valuable contribution of clinical reports and studies of patients with a condition called 'Pernicious Anaemia' throughout the 19th Century, resulted in the discovery of this vital vitamin.

Pernicious anaemia is caused by an auto-immune condition, or digestive problems or from not getting enough Vitamin B12 in the diet and/or not being able to absorb this properly.

If you are vegan or vegetarian and you are a regular exerciser, then please make a note to monitor your B12 levels every few months. If you are a heavy drinker, then do the same.

Alcohol consumption is known to affect your absorption of Vitamin B12.

Although there are numerous reasons for Vitamin B12 deficiency, relatively new research conducted on women during their menopause transition, shows that malabsorption of Vitamin B12 is mainly caused by:

 	digestive disorders,
 	an inadequate intake from foods, and,
 	the taking of medications which interfere with absorption. [ Milart et al, 2018].

If you develop Vitamin B12 deficiency and then go on to develop Pernicious Anaemia, then this is an indication that a stomach protein called Intrinsic Factor may be insufficient. You see, you need this Intrinsic Factor to enable your body to absorb Vitamin B12 from your diet.


How do I get enough Vitamin B12 from my diet?
Most people absorb Vitamin B12 from animal foods including fish, eggs, poultry, dairy and meat. However, as I often get women onto a plant-based diet to help to reduce inflammation as they age, then other foods become important too. These include liver, mackerel and herring.

For those of you who are vegan or vegetarian, then Vitamin B12 is not usually present in plant foods but many healthy breakfast cereals are fortified (added to) with Vitamin B12 which, for vegetarians, is readily absorbed.

There are some soy, rice, and nut milks that have B12 added too. These are a readily available source of B12 for vegans and those who eat minimal animal products. Supplementation may be something to consider after you get your blood levels tested.



Whilst all of the B-vitamins are vital to us as we age, the B-group of vitamins need to be taken seriously by busy, active women going through their menopause transition. When oestrogen levels decline, our immune system is affected too.

Women have a higher incidence and prevalence of autoimmune diseases than men, and 85% or more patients of multiple autoimmune diseases are female [Desi & Brinton, 2019]. Women undergo important endocrinological changes at least twice during their lifetime, puberty and menopause, with many women undergoing an additional transition: pregnancy. All these stages of hormonal havoc, leave us vulnerable to immune system disorders and changing health as we age.

That's the purpose of My Menopause Transformation - to take the guess-work out of this stage of life. Whether you are just starting out, or you are throuogh menopause and still struggling with your energy levels, I hope you can join me for my scientifically evidenced-based 12 week programme. It might just change your life too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Founder of MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 


 

References: 

Batista KS, Cintra VM, Lucena PAF, Manhães-de-Castro R, Toscano AE, Costa LP, Queiroz MEBS, de Andrade SM, Guzman-Quevedo O, Aquino JS. The role of vitamin B12 in viral infections: a comprehensive review of its relationship with the muscle-gut-brain axis and implications for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nutr Rev. 2022 Feb 10;80(3):561-578.

Bjørklund G, Dadar M, Pen JJ, Chirumbolo S, Aaseth J. (2019). Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): Suggestions for a nutritional treatment in the therapeutic approach. Biomed Pharmacother. 2019 Jan;109:1000-1007. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.10.076. Epub 2018 Nov 5. PMID: 30551349.

Cocker, J. P. (2016). Vitamin B12: A secondary analysis of status, biomarkers and other determinants in young and elderly women. (Thesis, Master of Dietetics). University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/6297

Desai, M. K., & Brinton, R. D. (2019). Autoimmune Disease in Women: Endocrine Transition and Risk Across the Lifespan. Frontiers in endocrinology, 10, 265. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00265

Health Navigator, New Zealand. Healthy Living Series, Vitamin B12

Milart, P., Woźniakowska, E., & Wrona, W. (2018). Selected vitamins and quality of life in menopausal women. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 17(4), 175–179.

Taylor-Swanson L, Wong AE, Pincus D, Butner JE, Hahn-Holbrook J, Koithan M, Wann K, Woods NF. The dynamics of stress and fatigue across menopause: attractors, coupling, and resilience. Menopause. 2018 Apr;25(4):380-390

### MyMT™ Education: Help clients banish menopause brain-fog with a burst of blueberries

Over the past few decades, the relationship between nutrition and ageing has been extensively studied in both animals and humans.

It was rats that led researchers down the path to the incredible influence that berries, particularly blueberries, have on reducing the inflammation that can build up in our brain and nerves as women move through mid-life and head into their ageing years beyond.

The decline in oestrogen production during menopause has many and varied effects around the female body. Some of these changes to oestrogen levels influence the presence of inflammation in the brain and along the nerves, including in the optic nerves and inside blood vessels.

The nerve endings are particularly vulnerable to changing oestrogen status as women move through menopause. When a nerve signal passes down the nerve, it 'jumps' to other nerves via the nerve endings (dendrites). In menopause, some of this signalling may slow down, causing memory problems and a 'foggy brain'.

This elevated inflammation that is thought to contribute to the decline in cognitive and motor function as we age. (Shukitt-Hale et al, 2019).

There are also inflammatory changes to the blood vessels as women move through menopause and I've written about the effect of vascular stiffness in other articles. This vascular or arterial stiffness cause the blood vessels to lose some elasticity, which can also contribute to higher blood pressure and migraines in women during menopause too.

The good news for women, is that Health and Ageing Scientists have discovered that compounds commonly found in blueberries can help fight this inflammation proving that food really can be medicine.



Blueberries and other purple berries, such as blackcurrents contain anthocyanins, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Compounds from these powerful fruits are also in menopause nutraceuticals.

Nutraceuticals are nutritional elements with medicinal characteristics, hence the name 'Nutra' stands for food and 'ceutical' means therapeutic properties.

Food and food products listed as Nutraceuticals must meet the standards for having medicinal value and for providing health benefits as well as for their use in preventing or treating age-related diseases.

As I positioned menopause in the ageing research, it made sense to explore foods that were evidenced to help us reduce inflammation as we age.



Certain foods, such as blueberries, produce opposing effects against the degenerative and inflammatory processes in the body as we move into and through menopause. Many of these foods are evidenced to have beneficial effects on our immune and digestive systems, hence improving not only how we feel, but our quality of life.

What makes blueberries so special in helping to reduce inflammation and in protecting eye health, is a compound called ellagic acid.

This is believed to help prevent cellular changes and whilst all berries contain some ellagic acid, strawberries and blueberries have the most.

Ellagic acid is a powerful antioxidant. These compounds assist in reducing damage caused by free radicals. The term 'free radicals' refers to harmful oxygen molecules that damage our heathy cells, so in effect, certain compounds in foods, such as ellagic acid, help to detoxify cells, reducing damage in them.

The excessive production of free radicals has detrimental effects on our DNA, collagen, elastin and blood vessels - all of these structures are affected by  changing oestrogen levels in menopause. It's important to protect them from further damage. But ellagic acid isn't the only compound that is beneficial to our cells from blueberries - Vitamin C is important too and berries contain large amounts of Vitamin C. 



Plants are prime producers of secondary substances that are known to help reduce inflammation as we age. These secondary substances, known as polyphenols, are abundant in fruits and vegetables.

Numerous studies have been conducted on various polyphenols exploring which ones help to fight diseases attributed to ageing. Resveratrol is one of these compounds and is found in the skin of peanuts and grapes.

Polyphenols in blueberries are another. Dietary intake of polyphenols, particularly anthocyanins found in blueberries, are being increasingly recognised as beneficial for modern human eye health (Huang, Yan et al, 2018).

The high antioxidant potential of blueberries has been associated with improvement in memory, reduction of neuro-degenerative damage in the brain and in the improvement of eye health as individuals age.

Blueberries and other purple foods are included in the dietary advice I have for women who join me on the MyMT™ programmes and as a Health Practitioner, you can advise women to include these in their daily diet too.

Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach



References: 

Aiyer, H. S., Vadhanam, M. V., Stoyanova, R., Caprio, G. D., Clapper, M. L., & Gupta, R. C. (2008). Dietary berries and ellagic acid prevent oxidative DNA damage and modulate expression of DNA repair genes. International journal of molecular sciences, 9(3), 327–341. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms9030327

Bajwa, S. K., Singh, S., & Bajwa, S. J. (2012). Ocular tissue responses to sex hormones. Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 16(3), 488–489. https://doi.org/10.4103/2230-8210.95762

Huang, W., Yan, Z., Li, D., Ma, Y., Zhou, J., & Sui, Z. (2018). Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Blueberry Anthocyanins on High Glucose-Induced Human Retinal Capillary Endothelial Cells. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2018, 1862462. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1862462

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: A healthy Middle Eastern Cracker for Snackers!

As the end of the year is upon us, I know how busy you must be feeling.

It's always a time of the year, when not only can there be a lot going on, but stress can hit an all-time high. For many women on the MyMT™ lifestyle programmes for menopause symptoms and/or weight loss, this means that the best intentions for looking after themselves can wane with their drop in energy levels.

Our stressful, busy lives can also be the cause of gut health problems during menopause, as is the change in hormone production. Absorption of nutrients can therefore, be problematic ... many of us already know that a gut that is under stress, doesn't absorb nutrients very well.

That's why my mantra is, that just like athletes before competition, we need simple, easily digested, low calorie, nutrient dense foods.

This is where 'crackers for snackers' come into play. These home-made Lavosh Crackers, which originated in the Middle East, have ingredients in them that are evidenced for the reduction of menopause symptoms.

For example, rosemary is a herb of the Mediterranean. Rosemary has significant antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-anxiety and other nerve-protective properties. Furthermore, it shows important clinical effects on mood, learning, memory, pain, anxiety, and sleep. [Rahbardar et al. 2020]

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is also well evidenced in women's health studies, including for cardiovascular health, joint health and reduction of anxiety and hot flushes. I've written about this powerful food HERE, so have a read sometime.


Lavosh Crackers
Source: Radio New Zealand (Gretchen Lowe)
Ingredients
**Optional ingredients

 	**Dried herbs or rosemary - 1-2 tbsp
 	**Fennel, cumin or caraway seeds - 1 tbsp
 	**Chilli flakes - good pinch
 	1 cup cornmeal (not polenta, it's too coarse)
 	1 ¼ cup seeds (I used pumpkin, sunflower and sesame)
 	1 tsp sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
 	¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 	1.5 cups boiling water or more if needed

Method

 	Heat oven to 150C fan bake
 	Cover a large roasting/baking tray with baking paper
 	Mix the first 3 ingredients and any optional extras
 	Stir through olive oil
 	Add boiling water
 	Spread mix thinly with the back of a spoon (about 2mm thick) then sprinkle with sea salt
 	Cook for an hour or until brown then leave in a turned-off oven for an hour or so to fully harden.



References: 

Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar M, Hosseinzadeh H. Therapeutic effects of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and its active constituents on nervous system
disorders. Iran J Basic Med Sci 2020; 23:1100-1112. doi: 10.22038/ijbms.2020.45269.10541

### "As a Personal Trainer, I noticed that my midlife clients weren't coping with their exercise." [Charlotte, Barcelona]

Before Charlotte did the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker course and then went on to become a MyMT™ Practitioner, she had no idea that one day, she would be hosting a 'Menopause Mayhem' lunch for potential clients in her community. She has allowed me to share her story with you all, so that you too, can become motivated to share this important lifestyle science for menopause knowledge with your clients."I am a Personal Trainer based in Barcelona and for a while, I'd been noticing that my clients in their late 40's, early 50's just weren't losing weight or coping so well with my training demands. I am also a nutritionist and was helping them with food ideas and meal plans but nothing seemed to be working. It never really occurred to me that this was due to the menopause so I just continued to work them hard and push HIIT and protein on them.It was around this time that my friends also started to talk openly about the menopause and what they were going through. They were complaining of poor sleep, not being able to drink anymore, of headaches, mood swings and sore joints - and the penny dropped! My clients were going through this incredible change and their bodies were no longer able to cope with my demands, they needed a different approach (which I didn't have a clue about!) so I did the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach course then went onto do the Menopause Lifestyle Science for Practitioners' Course as I didn't feel that I knew enough to really help them yet with all of their symptoms .....and suddenly everything made so much more sense.As well as changing the way I coached my PT clients, I wanted to take the message wider and help more women than just my clients. So, I created a flyer called 'Menopause Mayhem' and sent it out within my community. It was a basic workshop about the menopause - and the ladies signed up. It was astounding how little they knew - and how little help they were receiving. On the back of this, I have now created a 30 day, a 2 month and a 3 month course and started to advertise more workshops.That motivated me to approach the school which my children attend and the Headmaster was incredibly open to the idea of me talking to his staff about the menopause and as a result of that, I was invited back to talk to the parents. This is an avenue I plan to pursue because everyone wins - the school looks great for helping the community and the mums and staff get a funded talk about the menopause.What I've realised is that women really don't know very much at all about the menopause. From one day to the next, they become different people and they have no idea why. They all know of course that oestrogen levels drop but they're not familiar with the symptoms or the changing needs of their bodies or how to handle what is going on by changing their lifestyle. They think their only option is HRT - and that appears to be quite hard to sort out, so I really wanted to be able to offer an alternative that focused them on the specific lifestyle changes they need. The MyMT™ Courses, have given me the opportunity to do that. I believe that education and understanding is the absolute key to getting through the menopause and this course has given me the ability to reach a wide number of women in a short space of time. Of course, a lot of women invest in coming to my workshops and leave with an increased knowledge, but some also decide to invest further and continue with a course and my coaching. I get a HUGE sense of pride from seeing the furious note-taking during my presentations and from being able to answer all the questions that are thrown at me. It's a massive topic and there's always more to learn but the course has given me a fabulous base from which to launch. I've applied the learnings to myself as well as to share them with the ladies out there who want to listen.Charlotte Birch, Barcelona CFitBfit		
																														
		Our mission is to educate and empower you to use evidenced, lifestyle change solutions to help your peri to post-menopausal clients manage menopause symptoms and lose weight.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Start your Sunday well with Sundried Tomato, Mushroom, Hummus Toast

While many of us know that the antioxidant and phytochemical content of tomatoes can be influenced by environmental conditions, including light intensity, water availability, temperature, as well as the ripeness stage, and all this can have an impact on their potential health effects, there is still considerable evidence about the benefits of lycopene in sundried tomatoes on cardiovascular health. 


Carotenoids have received a lot of interest recently in several parts of the world due to their therapeutic potential in altering inflammatory respiratory diseases, especially since the pandemic. [Islam, Muni et al, 2022]

Lycopene is a major dietary carotenoid protecting cells against inflammatory changes. This powerful nutrient is present almost exclusively in tomato and tomato-based products, including sun-dried tomatoes.

I eat cooked tomatoes nearly every day. Alternatively, I have tomato paste in food and/or I make this delicious sun-dried tomato recipe for an easy-peasy breakfast, especially after I've exercised.

The consumption of tomato products with lycopene is an important nutritional strategy for midlife and older women. Research suggests that the consumption of lycopene daily, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases in men and women, breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and ovarian cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. (Górecka et al., 2020). Why wouldn't you have tomato products?!


Sundried Tomato, Mushroom and Hummus Toast
Ingredients

 	Hummus (either make it yourself the day before or buy an organic one without preservatives)
 	1 tbsp EVOO (for cooking)
 	1-2 cloves of garlic
 	Mushrooms
 	Sundried tomatoes
 	Spinach or rocket
 	Toast (I recommend Organic Sourdough or Rye Bread)
 	Toppings: A dash of EVOO, a squeeze of lemon juice and seeds or dukkha.

Method

 	You are going to cook the mushrooms and garlic first in a pan on medium heat with a dash of olive oil. Cook until soft and garlicky.
 	After the bread is toasted, layer on the hummus, greens, mushrooms and sundried tomatoes.
 	Top with salt and pepper, seeds or dukkha, a squeeze of lemon juice and another dash of olive oil.



References: 

Collins, E.J., Bowyer, C., Tsouza, A., Chopra, M. Tomatoes: An Extensive Review of the Associated Health Impacts of Tomatoes and Factors That Can Affect Their
Cultivation. Biology 2022, 11, 239, 1-44

Górecka, Danuta, Wawrzyniak, Agata, Jędrusek-Golińska, Anna, Dziedzic, Krzysztof, Hamułka, Jadwiga, Kowalczewski, Przemysław Łukasz and Walkowiak, Jarosław. "Lycopene in tomatoes and tomato products" Open Chemistry, vol. 18, no. 1, 2020, pp. 752-756. https://doi.org/10.1515/chem-2020-0050

Islam F, Muni M, Mitra S, Emran TB, Chandran D, Das R, Rauf A, Safi SZ, Chidambaram K, Dhawan M, Cheon C, Kim B. Recent advances in respiratory diseases: Dietary carotenoids as choice of therapeutics. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022 Nov;155:113786.

### "As a Physio, I couldn't understand the joint pain I was experiencing during menopause." [Louise, UK]

"I had watched my mum go through menopause and now realise that she never really came out the other end with her health. That's partly what started my journey leading me to have a new passion - menopause! Although, if you asked her, she would say that she didn't have any problems and tried HRT, but it made her feel really poorly.

I'm a Physiotherapist and business owner of Holcombe Health Clinic, south east of London. My career has been varied and as a leader in sports-specific physiotherapy, I've worked at the annual Wimbledon Championships, for the WTA at international tournaments, the Ladies European Golf Tour and the Professional Jockey Association, based predominantly at Chelmsford and Newmarket racecourses.

I'm so used to having the right knowledge to help people, including some of the world's leading athletes, but menopause floored me! I started to experience symptoms of brain fog in my late forties, when I was struggling to remember my clients' names after I had spent the previous ½ hour with them.

I thought I had the early stages of mad cow disease! (some would say that I have completed that journey, and I am now a fully fledged "mad cow"). Anyway, I then started to experience joint pain, which as a physio, I was trying to self-diagnose. I made some musculoskeletal and biomechanical changes, and symptoms changed, but I still had knee pain.

I finally went to a Gynaecologist and asked if HRT would help. He said it would definitely help and 10 mins later and lots of pennies later, I was prescribed Menopause HRT. I took this for about 1 ½ years and experimented with dosage but frustratingly, I was still experiencing knee pain. I was then diagnosed with Grade 4 arthritic changes and therefore surgery would be the inevitable outcome.

That's when I decided that I had to embark on this journey of educating myself on the menopause. I see so many women with joint pain, but yet, I wasn't able to help myself, let alone them at first.

Finding the MyMT™ 'Restore your Joyful Joints' programme on Wendy's website, opened up my curiosity and I decided to complete her Health Practitioner Training on Lifestyle Science for Menopause.

The course fitted perfectly with my holistic and natural healing outlook on managing health. It was an amazing and enlightening course and I have absolutely loved learning about how the body is affected by ageing and hormonal changes at this time of life.

So, with this in mind and all of the changes to my nutrition and lifestyle I've now made, I have now come off the HRT and am managing the symptoms by embracing everything I have learnt. 

The combination of my own journey and the need to better assist women in the Holcombe community, led me to developing my own menopause solutions lifestyle programme called How2Menopause, in conjunction with the delivery of Wendy's online 12 week programmes. This programme includes our expertise in breathwork, pilates, strengthening classes and of course, joint health!

I'm so excited to be able to work with women who visit our clinic e as an affiliate with MyMT™ and we are now offering this bespoke support package to our ladies. The results have been awesome so far, so I am spreading the word. I am now on a mission to help as many ladies as I can and will continue to learn and absorb.

Thank you, Wendy and Georgia for giving me this opportunity. I’m so happy I found your programme and now your constant support and guidance to me as an Affiliate is invaluable, not only to myself but also my clients."

Louise Hayes, Chartered Physiotherapist, Holcombe Health Clinic, UK.

PS: The photo below is my first presentation to women in my community on World Menopause Day. I was emotional because I felt so passionate about being able to help them at a time of life when our symptoms become almost overwhelming! 

Excerpt: "As a Physio, I couldn't understand the joint pain I was experiencing during menopause."

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Conversations in the kitchen and a Mediterranean Platter to share.

CONVERSATIONS IN THE MyMT™ KITCHEN AND SUPPORT AT HOME -

Over the past decade since setting up MyMT™, I’ve seen numerous themes emerging in the menopause space - from workplace legislation changes to pharmaceutical options to nutraceuticals and supplements as well as fitness and nutrition advice.

But whilst these various themes have relevance, the one that is missing more often than not, is the theme about ‘the self’ - in other words, how you manage the direct environment that is under your control.

The most important environment is how you cope at home. If you have family and you are struggling with symptoms or weight gain, then how are they coping trying to help you feel better?

Do they know what’s going on in menopause? Have you talked to them? Have you (and they) watched my Masterclass so you know what’s going on and the lifestyle changes you have control over?

One of the most important things I bring to the attention of women in my 12 week programmes, is to get their family on board with support. This is the most important dimension of behaviour-change success in the psychological literature when change is needed.

Having conversations with my own family helped me to take back control and involve them in helping me to move through menopause positively with the right support. I bought nutrition to their attention as we all moved towards a Mediterranean style diet (a big shift for the 16 yr old male at the time). But we all got there in the end.

This delicious dish was made by my daughter, Georgia, who is visiting from London.

The homemade flat breads, homemade pesto and hummus, halloumi, olives, butter beans, grilled red peppers, and eggplants were a delicious way to share a platter of goodness from the  Kitchen.

My Food Guide and Recipe book is loved by thousands of women who have joined me over the past decade and they know to bring these delicious recipes to the attention of their family members so that they get the support they deserve, after a lifetime of helping others.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)
My Menopause Transformation



PESTO ON THE PLATTER - The Mediterranean Platter had a heart-healthy focus with butter beans, home-made flatbreads, pesto, olives, grilled eggplants, haloumi, hummus and this delicious home-made pesto. Here is the recipe for you.
Pesto Recipe
Ingredients:

200g roasted Cashew nuts

75g Parmesan cheese

Big bunch of herbs such as basil, parsley and oregano. You’ll want a lot if you have some in the garden and try to keep the leaves and avoid thick stalks

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 a lemon

1/2 tsp salt

Method

 	Grate the Parmesan cheese
 	Add the herbs, cashew nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and lemon juice into a food processor and blitz up until smooth.
 	Add more olive oil if required to make smooth and season to taste.
 	Put in the fridge and enjoy when you like. It will last for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

### New Research: Morning Exercise, Blood Pressure Reduction and Weight Loss in Midlife Women

In sport and exercise science, the timing of exercise remains a controversial topic. As new research (Arciero et al, 2022) suggests, some investigators favour morning exercise to enhance muscle adaptations and fuel utilization whereas, others have shown afternoon/evening exercise is most favorable to improve muscle function.

As a sport and exercise lecturer for years, I've always been interested in this research, because I know myself, that there are favourable times of the day, that I feel better doing my exercise. Early morning is one of these times, and I know that from a stress and blood pressure management perspective, pulling on my walking shoes and/or cycling, is a great start to my day.

So, when I saw new research about the differences time of day of exercise according to gender, and that some of the women were either peri-menopausal (still menstruating) or post-menopausal (not menstruating), I couldn't help but share it with you - especially those of you who want to manage your weight.

The researchers concluded that yes indeed, there are differences in how men and women respond to various forms of exercise training depending on the time of day. And when it comes to managing your weight and your blood pressure, then the time of day may matter.

In this particular sports science research published in the Frontiers of Physiology paper, it was morning exercise (AM) that reduced abdominal fat and blood pressure compared with evening exercise (PM) which enhanced muscular performance in women.

This result differed from the men. It was evening exercise that had the highest effect on reducing systolic blood pressure and fatigue.



Why Morning Exercise for Women's Weight Loss is an Important Consideration during Menopause: 

For over 30 years, Professors Rena Wing and James Hill have been over-seeing the National Weight Control Registry [NWCR]  at Brown University in America. For nearly 20 years, I've been following their research and teaching students from it.

These days I'm no longer teaching students, but bringing the fabulous research from the NWCR to the attention of mid-life women on my weight loss programme called Transform Me.

The intent and purpose of the Registry researchers, led by Professor Wing, has always been to explore the factors that contribute to successful or unsuccessful weight loss as well as it's maintenance into the long-term.

With the Registry having been set up in 1994, when many of us were in our 20's, they have now tracked thousands of men and women, categorising them into 'Successful' versus 'Unsuccessful' weight loss individuals. It is the largest prospective investigation of long-term successful weight loss maintenance.

These studies and others have informed the advice I give women on the MyMT™ Transform Me weight loss programme and how, when I was presenting at the World Health Organisation conference on Healthy Ageing back in 2016, I met Professor Wing.



She had just set up a new outreach weight loss programme for middle-aged women - many of whom were overweight, had Type 2 Diabetes and experiencing cardiovascular health changes.

At the time, within the fitness and dieting industries, there was a lot of emphasis on high protein and high-fat Keto diets as well as high-intensity exercise, including heavy strength training for weight management, but as many women know, this becomes difficult to maintain motivation to do, when we aren't sleeping or when our joints are sore.

I was fascinated with the research she had undertaken on 'successful' weight loss participants, because it was completely the opposite to what I had learned in sport and exercise science research, which of course, has mainly been undertaken on male athletes in the past.

As Arciero and authors mention (2022), in their paper on daytime differences in exercise for weight loss and blood pressure, relative to men, women still remain generally under-studied in exercise science and sports medicine research with only ~36% of study populations being women , if they are included at all. Some estimates suggest inclusion of women in sports science research to be as low as 3% (Brookshire, 2016).

That's why, the day that I began to question what I was doing to manage my own weight gain during menopause, was the day I listened to Professor Wing's research. My weight was increasing, no matter what I did as numerous women discover as they arrive in midlife. I was no exception.



As I listened to Professor Wing back in 2016 in Australia, I understood that much of the information about weight loss, exercise and dieting, was informed by exercise and sports science and sports nutrition research and not for women's changing health as they moved through menopause. Especially, when it came to understanding how and when to exercise to reduce blood pressure and improve body-fat levels.

That's why, due to the fabulous work of Professor Wing and her team, I have incorporated some of her work into the MyMT™ programme too. The NWCR research findings are important to all of us in mid-life - simply because 80% of the participants are women in their mid-40's and early 50s who have lost weight and kept it off for over a year. 

Whilst studies have been reported from the Registry for the past two decades, one of the more recent findings from the NWCR studies, was about long-term maintenance of weight loss and the concept of 'morning-ness'.

This is the term given to people who are 'morning people' and comes from studies on sleep and chrono-type, i.e. whether someone is a 'morning' or an 'evening' person.

Overweight and Obesity status has been associated with both shorter sleep duration and poor sleep quality, because the amount of sleep we get influences our two main gut hormones - leptin and ghrelin.

Shorter sleep duration has been shown to lead to decreased levels of leptin, which is a protein that tells our brain that we are full. When levels of leptin are decreased, then this may cause over-eating and uncontrolled appetite, because leptin helps to manage satiety (fullness). 

It is well known that women transitioning menopause don't sleep well. I've talked about this often in my articles and how lack of sleep can contribute to both high blood pressure and changing gut health. It's because of this link with leptin levels, that I always say that you can't lose weight if you aren't sleeping. Your gut hormones and your cardiovascular health, may be against you.

If you are a morning person however, then this runs in your favour when it comes to successful weight loss - 'successful' is deemed as a year or more sustaining your weight loss by Professor Wing and her NWCR team.

Findings from the NWCR has provided valuable insight in the characteristics and behaviours of highly successful weight loss participants (13kgs or more) and how they have kept it off. Individuals report continued consumption of a reduced calorie, low fat diet, regular engagement in physical activity (primarily walking in the mornings) and frequent self-weighing.

But there's another factor as well.



Most of the highly successful long-term weight loss participants (all middle-aged) were 'morning' people who also enjoy a longer sleep duration than those who did not keep the weight off long term.

"Results demonstrated that individuals who have been highly successful at both weight loss and long-term maintenance were more likely to be categorised as 'morning-type' chronotype and reported longer sleep duration and better sleep quality" mentioned the study (Ross, Thomas & Wing, 2016).

Improving sleep quality and setting a new routine for the morning is one of the hallmarks of the MyMT™ programme. This is hard for women who feel stressed, burnt-out and exhausted and who also have a busy morning routine already. 

I often talk about this within the context of stress management in the workplace and why, I believe that the focus on 'only HRT' and workplace legislation changes, don't take into account, that for many midlife women, having flexible working hours is crucial.

Not only in terms of stress management, but because morning exercise is known to have positive impact on their sleep, blood pressure and cortisol levels - all pre-requisites for also turning around their temperature dysregulation and brain-fog.

Sleep research consistently shows that to improve sleep quality and quantity, then our morning routine matters.

This is why, for weight loss, the first module women listen to in the powerful evidence-based MyMT™ programmes, is about sleep quality and starting the day with natural light in our eyes to switch off our sleep hormone melatonin, helping to re-set the day-night circadian rhythm.

Not only is this important for weight loss, but it's also important for our changing cardiovascular health as we age.

Menopause changes can upset your body’s unique bio-chemistry and yes, it also is advised to go to your Doctor to discuss your symptoms as well. However, I also want you to know that lifestyle change is important in order to allow your body to adapt to its ‘new normal.’

This is what MyMT™ delivers to you – all the scientifically evidenced step-by-step strategies which you access over 12 weeks, so you discover how to work with your changing hormones in menopause, not against them. I hope you can join me sometime. Alternatively, start with my Masterclass on Menopause webinar, which has powerful lifestyle solutions for you to consider too.

Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD]/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References:

Arciero PJ, Ives SJ, Mohr AE, Robinson N, Escudero D, Robinson J, Rose K, Minicucci O, O'Brien G, Curran K, Miller VJ, He F, Norton C, Paul M, Sheridan C, Beard S, Centore J, Dudar M, Ehnstrom K, Hoyte D, Mak H, Yarde A. Morning Exercise Reduces Abdominal Fat and Blood Pressure in Women; Evening Exercise Increases Muscular Performance in Women and Lowers Blood Pressure in Men. Front Physiol. 2022 May 31;13:893783. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.893783.

Brookshire B. (2016). Women in Sports Are Often Underrepresented in Science: Studies of Competitive Sports and Exercise Are Still Dominated by Men. Sci. News.

Hill, J., Wyatt H., Phelan S., Wing R. (2005). The National Weight Control Registry: is it useful in helping deal with our obesity epidemic? J. Nutr Educ Behav. Jul-Aug; 37(4):206-10.

Ross, K. M., Graham Thomas, J., & Wing, R. R. (2016). Successful weight loss maintenance associated with morning chronotype and better sleep quality. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 39(3), 465–471.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Moroccan Lamb Rice Pot gives your ageing muscles the nutrients they need!

Many women are moving to vegetarian meals these days and I have more of a vegetarian 'slant' these days too. But when I have a week whereby I've increased my exercise volume, then I do include red meat. We often forget that our thyroid function is changing as we move through menopause, and if you are a regular exerciser, then you need to be aware of this. Exercise, especially higher intensity exercise from heavy weights or cardiovascular exercise, or longer endurance training, may have a negative impact on thyroid function.This is because too much exercise can affect other hormones around the body - including your sleep hormones, stress hormones (especially cortisol), the hormones that control blood sugar and blood pressure and high levels of exercise can also lower your iron levels. Iron is an element that is essential for the human body to make and metabolise the thyroid hormones. The body is dependent upon iron to convert thyroxine (T4) into the active hormone triiodothyronine (T3) via thyroid peroxidase (TPO). Not that you need to know this, but what you do need to know, is that if you are an exerciser and you are still menstruating in peri-menopause, then get your iron levels checked sometime. Yes, it's that important! Iron deficiency (ID) is concerned as the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. (Luo et al, 2021).  It can start out as a decrease in the extracellular iron of the bone marrow and then ferritin (iron stores) may be affected. There is concern in some nutritional papers that iron deficiency is now the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. That's a concern for women in their menopause transition, because iron deficiency is just one of the hormone deficiencies that may lead to adverse effects on thyroid metabolism in women (Luo et al, 2021).Heme-iron is the type of iron found in red meat. It is the type that is highly absorbable and helps to produce haemoglobin in our blood. this carries oxygen around your body. Plant foods, such as vegetables, cereals, beans, and lentils, contain only non-heme iron, so the iron in these foods is not absorbed as well by the body. (NZ Nutrition).Because we need at least 12-15mg of iron during peri-menopause (compared to only 8-10mg in post-menopause, when menstruation has stopped), I thought that those of you who do eat red meat, might like to try this iron-boosting meal. Whether you exercise or not, your ageing thyroid will love you for it. Moroccan Lamb Rice Pot
Serves 4
Ingredients

1 Onion
4 garlic cloves
500g lamb mince
2 tbsp of ras el hanout or baharat spice
1 cup brown rice
2 cups of vegetable stock
2 carrots, grated
1 zucchini (courgette), grated (or you can use cabbage)1/2 cup raisins
1 large lemon, juiced
Salt & Pepper
To serve: Spinach, Dried Apricots, Feta Cheese, Pomegranate Seeds, Peanuts, Mint or Coriander (cilantro).

Method

Heat a large, deep pan to medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil and fry the onion, garlic, lamb mince and spices for approximately 7 minutes (until the lamb has browned). 
Add in the brown rice, vegetable stock, grated zucchini, grated carrot and raisins. Place a lid on the pan, and turn the heat to low to let it simmer for about 20 - 25 minutes (until the rice is cooked).Once cooked, add the lemon juice and salt and pepper. If it needs more flavour add in a bit more lemon juice and/or another tablespoon of spices. 
Serve on a bed of spinach or rocket with your choice of apricots, feta, pomegranates, peanuts, mint or coriander (cilantro).

### Your Changing Muscles in Menopause: Exercise to energise, not exhaust you.

You’re not sleeping well, your gut health is playing up, your blood sugar is crashing frequently based on your monitoring and your hot flushes are through the roof. But still, you head to the gym and lift heavy weights ... because that's what you've done for years.

That was Lyn.

“Menopause changes your muscles and your blood pressure Lyn and doesn’t take notice of whether you are a bodybuilder or not”  was the first thing I mentioned when she shared her experience about her worsening symptoms.

She had been searching for answers. I told her it was normal during menopause to have blood glucose regulation problems … especially when your muscles are ageing and changing when you reach your 50s.

Despite the training that Lyn was doing to facilitate muscle growth, menopause hormonal changes don't differentiate between athletes or not! Numerous changes in both muscle mass and strength occur as hormone levels change during and after menopause. This is due to the effect of oestrogens on muscles, nerves and blood vessels.

Women who are doing heavy workouts as Lyn used to do, are often feeling exhausted. They have high pain tolerance due to the necessity to build-up lactic acid during their heavy training, but they don't understand that their recovery strategies may need to change.

This includes understanding their Vitamin D levels.

New research suggests that this affects muscle contraction capability and recovery too. Iron levels are equally important, as is nutrition and the increased need for soy isoflavones for recovery.

Women who workout and who are transitioning through perimenopause might also need to explore Menopause HRT with their Doctor. Afterall, when you are growing muscle mass as Lyn was, oestrogen plays a crucial role in this process.


Menopause, Muscle Mass and Blood Pressure Changes:
Whether you work-out or not, understanding that our menopause transition is associated with a natural decline in muscle mass and strength is important. Menopause also changes our blood vessels and for some of you, heavy resistance training can cause hypertension (high blood pressure).

The blood pressure response to resistance training depends on a number of factors including the amount of muscle mass recruited, breathing technique, amount of resistance lifted, number of repetitions, speed of lifting and rest between sets.

Furthermore, the Cooper Aerobic Institute, a highly respected exercise and sport science research institute, suggest that when blood pressure is known to be high, the more muscle mass used during a resistance training exercise, the greater the blood pressure response.

This is important to note for women who aren't sleeping.

When insomnia arrives during our menopause transition, exercise tolerance is lowered, because blood pressure remains higher than usual. This means that numerous women who are regular exercisers and not sleeping during their menopause transition, can be thrown into over-training syndrome more easily than in the past.

One of the most frequent questions I receive is to do with muscle mass gains during menopause. How can we prevent the loss of muscle (known as sarcopenia)? Can we over-ride sarcopenia with resistance training?

Well, yes we can … but only to some extent – and this depends on so many other factors, including:

 	Whether you are sleeping for at least 7-8 hours each night. Sleep helps with the regulation of growth hormone production, which is involved in pathways that help tissue anabolism (growth), including muscles.
 	Which stage of menopause you are in. In peri-menopause, your ovaries (if you have them) are still producing oestrogen and progesterone, and this assists in muscle mass and strength. But if you're in post-menopause, then you don't have the benefit of higher levels of reproductive hormones. Your muscles also start to lose their power fibres (Type 2) as you move into post-menopause.
 	Whether you have optimal Vitamin D levels. This powerful nutrient is now understood to be a hormone and it is involved in calcium absorption. Calcium plays a crucial role in muscle contraction and power output when you are training.


 	Whether your iron levels or stored iron (ferritin) are optimal. Optimal iron levels are a pre-requisite mineral for sleep as well as improved oxygen delivery to working muscles. If you aren’t recovering or you feel more breathless, or your hot flushes are through the roof (as Lyn’s were too), or you have very low body fat, then get your iron and ferritin levels checked. It is well known in sport and exercise science research, that low iron (or high iron in post-menopause) are a cause of hot flushes in athletes and extremely low body fat percentage causes disruptions to monthly menstrual cycles. Known as the female athlete triad, it is an increasingly recognized cause in those who participate in intense athletic activity or have low body fat.
 	Whether you have enough, or too much protein in your diet. Having too much protein increases your risk for gut, renal and liver inflammation.
 	Whether you are recovering, resting and 'cycling' your training routine. Women in menopause may take longer to recover, especially if liver and gut health isn't ideal. Inflammatory changes during menopause in the gut and liver, affects the absorption of nutrients such as B-vitamins, which are involved in numerous energy regulation and production pathways.



 	Whether you are having enough healthy carbohydrates in your diet. Many female exercisers are told to focus on proteins and fats these days, but this could be to the detriment of beautiful energy-giving carbohydrates. These not only help you to replace vital glucose into liver and muscle cells to help your recovery, thus helping you to restore your stored glucose (glycogen) levels ready for your next training bout, but certain types of carbohydrate, help your gut health by giving you resistant starch.


 	Whether you are on Menopause HRT or not. Some evidence suggests that women in perimenopause or menopause who are training competitively, may benefit from oestrogen replacement in order to retain muscle mass and strength. [Maltais & Dionne, 2009].


 	Whether you are having the correct supplements for your ageing muscles, including your heart.  Many athletes need supplements, purely because they can't get enough nutrients into them to replace and repair metabolic training and competition demands. Women in menopause are no exception. I’m not talking about protein powders either. I’m talking about your intake of B vitamins, for your energy; Vitamin C, which helps to repair collagen that you are breaking down in your heavy training bouts and CoQ10 for your ageing heart – afterall, this is a muscle that bears the brunt of heavy training such as resistance training, as well. I call the heart and blood vessels, the ‘forgotten factor’ in understanding how and why our response changes when working out in menopause or post-menopause. I talk about this in my online Masterclass on Menopause. 



Changes in Muscle Mass and Tissue in Menopause

Menopause – the universal cessation of human female fertility at around age 50 – presents an intriguing evolutionary puzzle for scientists and women alike. But it's more than just an evolutionary puzzle, it's also about how we are ageing ... and scientists know that the amount and rate of inflammatory changes as we move through menopause, also need to be taken into account.

As Bengston et al (2005) state,

“Ageing is highly complex, involving multiple mechanisms at different levels. The most important mechanisms are linked via endogenous (external) stress-induced DNA damage, occurring throughout one's life."

This is what I explained to Lyn. As someone who has had years of competitive exercise, she was carrying muscular and myofascial inflammation into her menopause transition.

Add to this, her insomnia and hot flushes, and this creates more inflammatory changes in both muscle tissue and the outer sheath surrounding it, called the myofascia.

Chronic stress from insomnia and night sweats, as well as inflammation from heavy training, and low absorption of calcium if gut health problems are present or if Vitamin D is low, can create a vicious cycle of poor muscle recovery from training for menopausal women, whether they are body-builders or not.

Therefore, having regular myofascial release work or massage is an important training and recovery strategy for women who workout.



Although the literature is only emerging about women and heavy exercise during menopause, it is well known that whatever the training state of women in menopause and post-menopause, muscle mass in women tends to decrease gradually after the 3rd decade of age.

After the 5th decade of age, an accelerated decline occurs with the changes in oestrogen and progesterone production – this is inevitable, be it due to age or menopause.

One of the most important changes to muscles during our menopause transition, has to do with the decline in our Type 2 fibres – these fibres are our power and strength fibres which affect muscle mass and strength.

They rely on oestrogen. These fibres are full of oestrogen receptors which work closely with oestrogen and IGF-1(this is a hormone called Insulin-like growth factor 1. It functions as the major mediator of Growth Hormone, which helps to maintain and build tissue size, such as in muscles). 

The loss of muscle mass and strength as women age, also occurs partly due to changes to our nerves and the neuro-muscular junction which controls muscle contraction.

In this respect, calcium intake is as important as protein intake for women who have a high volume of activity. If you experience restless leg syndrome, then look at your calcium intake as well as your Vitamin D levels.

Calcium helps nerves to 'jump' their messages across into muscles and this helps to improve our muscle speed, strength, balance and reaction time. It's why I told Lyn that she needs to get her levels checked because she trains as a bodybuilder.

Many women who are training heavily don't associate menopause with changing skin and Vitamin D absorption - as such, they don't associate low Vitamin D levels with their recovery after exercise, especially if muscle growth is the intended purpose of the training as in the case of Lyn.

One of the target tissues for vitamin D is skeletal muscle, so if you have gut health concerns, then you may not be absorbing enough calcium for all of your muscle contractions if Vitamin D is low.

Vitamin D and calcium absorption in your small intestine, go hand in hand, whether you are an ageing athlete or a recreational exerciser as I am these days too, perhaps get your levels checked, especially as the Northern Hemisphere moves into winter.



Our menopause transition is a critical time to introduce strategies to mitigate the changes in muscle mass and function that contribute to physical disability and frailty later in life. But many of us find that our joints and muscles ache and we don't have the time, energy or motivation to exercise.

Physical activity participation research supports this in midlife too.

However, the right amount and type of exercise during menopause can assist us into improved health as we age. Therefore, we have to progressively explore turning around our symptoms so that we sleep all night, lose some weight if we need to and reduce the rate of muscle loss and weakness.

We all know that physical activity is 'good' for us but as I always say, 'Exercise should be energising, not exhausting'. And no, we don't have to do the volume and intensity of exercise that Lyn does with her bodybuilding!

But if we can do enough exercise to promote mitochondrial health, increase protein turnover in muscles, thus aiding repair, and restore nerve signaling involved in muscle contraction and function, through moderate aerobic activity and 2-3 resistance training workouts a week, then we will all reap the benefits.

Ageing has become an important topic for scientific research, including muscular and strength research because life expectancy and the number of men and women in older age groups have increased dramatically in the last century.

Muscle strength and function is an increasingly important topic in exercise science, because by 2050, the world’s population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22%. This means that there will be 2 billion people aged 60 or older living on this planet. Approximately 400 million will be 80 years or older, over half of them women.

 Furthermore, women are having to work in paid work for longer and therefore, we have to not only remain relevant as we move into midlife, but we also have to boost our resilience. 

Maintaining lean muscle mass is one way to achieve this. Understanding how much your muscle strength and function change as you age matters. 

It took me a long time to figure out why I wasn't able to do the harder, more powerful skiing that I used to be able to do. But as soon as I looked at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I knew I would find the answer when I better understood what happens to our muscles as we age as Lyn and other women exercisers who join me on my programmes, including my 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme, are discovering too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Founder: MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ NZ REPS Exercise Specialist



References: 

Bengtson, V., Coleman, P & Kirkwood, T. (2005). The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Ed. Johnson, M. UK: Cambridge University Press.

Brunner, F., Schmidt et.al. (2007). Effects of aging on Type II muscle fibers: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of Ageing & Physical Activity, July;15(3):336-48.

Butler-Browne, G., Mouly V., et al, (2018). How Muscles Age, and How Exercise Can Slow It. The Scientist Online Edition.

Caballero-García, A., Córdova-Martínez, A. et al. (2021). Vitamin D - Its role in recovery after muscular damage following exercise. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2336. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072336

Consitt LA, Copeland JL, Tremblay MS. Endogenous anabolic hormone responses to endurance versus resistance exercise and training in women. Sports Med. 2002;32(1):1-22. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200232010-00001.

Ko, J., & Park, Y. M. (2021). Menopause and the Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass in Women. Iranian journal of public health, 50(2), 413–414. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v50i2.5362

Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA. Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training. Sports Med. 2005;35(4):339-61. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200535040-00004.

Maltais ML, Desroches J, Dionne IJ. (2009). Changes in muscle mass and strength after menopause. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. Oct-Dec;9(4):186-97. PMID: 19949277.

Pierre, T. & Pizzo, P. (2018). The Ageing Mitochondria, Genes, 9, 22; doi:10.3390/genes9010022

Zouhal H, Jayavel A, Parasuraman K, Hayes LD, Tourny C, Rhibi F, Laher I, Abderrahman AB, Hackney AC. Effects of Exercise Training on Anabolic and Catabolic Hormones with Advanced Age: A Systematic Review. Sports Med. 2022 Jun;52(6):1353-1368. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01612-9.

### "Most women I see in chronic disease aren't aware of the connection with menopause and their symptoms."

One of the privileges for me personally, in setting up the MyMT™ Practitioner Course, is that I get to meet Health Practitioners who are 'doing good' out in their communities. Leanne from Victoria, Australia is one of them and it was such a pleasure meeting her at a Lifestyle Medicine Conference in beautiful Melbourne this year. We had a great catch-up!As both a Registered Nurse and a Health Coach, she found that after doing the MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course, the word 'got out' that she had specialised in understanding lifestyle solutions for menopause management. She was inundated with women asking her questions!"I have continued to be very busy with referrals which is so exciting. The one-on-one Model of Care is not very efficient with the current wait list but I am loving it. I work for a public health service, Goulburn Valley Health, here in regional Victoria, Australia. My program area is Early Intervention in Chronic Disease and primarily my role title is Health Coach although I am a Registered Nurse. My client cohort is mainly women aged 45-70 years of age and most have menopausal symptoms. But I'm so surprised that many of them aren't aware of the connection with menopause hormonal changes and their symptoms. I have become so overwhelmed with referrals since my colleagues have become aware of my recent training with the MyMT™ Practitioner Course. It's been fantastic working with these clients but unfortunately I now have a protracted wait list. Because of this, I have been given consent by my employer to develop an online Menopause Course to help with increasing demand.I have also been approached by our Cancer Wellness Group program to also present this course specifically to women cancer survivors who have completed treatment (which they refer to me individually anyway).  I am so overwhelmed with the response to the training I did with you, within my organisation. But I've realised that there is such a gap in healthcare and the understanding of lifestyle solutions specific to menopause.My ultimate goal is to still to become my own private practitioner and apply for the MyMT™ Affiliate programme. I have already been approached by the women’s fitness studio that I attend, to join forces and develop an overall programme to women with menopausal symptoms and how they can improve their health as they age. Anyway, thank you for the course. The opportunity to share a case-study and gain specific feedback on this and the incredible lifestyle-science and women's healthy ageing information you have shared with those of us on your course, made so much sense. It really was the 'missing link' in the medical work that I do. I believe I am doing you proud in my own way working within the public sector."Leanne C., Australia [RN/ Health Coach/ MyMT™ Registered Practitioner]		
		It is now well researched that chronic disease progression can begin, or be accelerated in menopause. Leanne was amazed at what she learnt. If you would like to discover what Leanne did, then you can pre-register for the early bird sale of the January Menopause Practitioner Course using the link below. 		
			
						Pre-register now

### Good health in later life starts with menopause: Telomeres, exercise and the anti-aging benefits of betaine.

During the past few decades, numerous ageing and health studies have emerged discussing the link between lifestyle factors, inflammation and telomere dysfunction, yet much of the popular media advertising to our demographic, seems more intent on promoting a range of expensive remedies from supplements to skincare.

Many of these remedies don't mention our ageing telomeres however, and the beautiful role of a compound called betaine, which is found in a variety of foods. Understanding the lifestyle factors that help us age more healthily is important, simply because it is well known in geriatric medicine, that women live longer than men. Seven years longer in fact.

This remarkable feat is mainly to do with the length of the telomeres and the role that inflammatory changes play in how quickly we lose telomere length with age. And yes, this all starts in our menopause transition.

Telomere is the name given to the tiny ‘hard-helmets’ on the ends of each DNA strand. Thanks to Leonard Hayflick’s work on DNA in the 1960s, scientists now know that there is limited regeneration of each telomere over the course of the human life-span. This is called the ‘Hayflick Limit’. Telomere length at birth is similar in both genders, but women have longer telomeres later in life despite the fact that telomere length throughout life, has been shown to be hereditary from the paternal side (Nordfjäll et al., 2005).

Understanding ageing science and ‘how’ we age matters – especially when it comes to the length of telomere’s. Simply because there are things that we can be doing to reduce the rate of losing our precious telomeres and our menopause transition is the time to be aware of this.

In ageing science, the length of our telomere matters. Especially for women entering post-menopause and experiencing declining levels of oestrogen. Thanks to a fairly recent study of Finnish women, (Stenback, Mutt et al., 2019), it is now known that oestrogen and higher compatibility between mitochondrial and genomic DNA have been associated with higher Telomere length in women as they age.

Which surprises me. 

Because it is well known that high stress levels (both psychological and oxidative stress from doing too much exercise or eating the wrong foods), are associated with shortened telomere length – especially in women. 



If you’ve had a lot of stress over your life-time, and I not only include psychological stress in this statement, but physical stress from high amounts of exercise training too, then you might just need to change your lifestyle a bit to factor in protecting your terrific telomeres. There is a complex network influencing the maintenance and integrity of telomeres as we age, and this includes genetic, lifestyle, psychological and physiological factors.

All of these factors influence the level of inflammation that arrives as we move through menopause, and turning this around to promote healthy ageing is what I discuss in the MyMT™ programmes – our menopause transition arrives as the ‘perfect storm’ for changing levels of inflammation in the body.

With increasing inflammation from not sleeping, too much or not enough exercise, the wrong diet for our health as we age, becoming overweight and of course, from the incredible changes to our liver, gut and muscles during menopause, these are all detrimental to the length of our telomeres. As such, the rate of decline in our ageing is sped up.

But the good news is, with the right approach to your lifestyle in menopause, you can 'age-well' and slow down the rate of telomere shortening. 


How can we slow down the rate of telomere shortening as we age?

 	The right amount and type of physical activity matters.

I love this image of Kate (below) who is on the Transform Me weight loss programme – at the start of last winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Kate was in France working as a ski-lodge manager with hubbie. The fact that the ski-fields weren’t fully operational, meant that she had more time to explore the Alps wearing her snow-shoes. Walking and hiking up hills are more moderate forms of exercise – and this is the type that helps to protect our telomeres as we age. Once she had turned around her sleep, joint health and lost 12 lbs, she was on her way to understanding how to exercise moderately, but not excessively, for the protection of her telomere length.



When, and if you can, adding in a couple of shorter sessions a week of more vigorous activity benefits us too – but as I’m always saying, only when you are sleeping all night and your joints are better. Up to 75 minutes of more vigorous activity each week helps to maintain telomere length, especially for those who are more highly stressed and enjoy the more vigorous workouts (Puterman et al., 2010).

One of the challenges for women in making sense of the marketing of ‘healthy ageing’ is knowing ‘how much exercise is enough?’ and this came through strongly on my own doctoral research. Many of the women relied on advice from the fitness and sporting industries which typically position ‘healthy ageing’ in higher intensity exercise and sporting feats, but this isn’t necessary. In fact, too much exercise training and competing is detrimental to the length of our telomeres - they become more inflamed.

Training for hours and over many years of practice at a professional level correlated negatively with Telomere Length (TL) in professional endurance runners (Rae et al., 2010). The same association was observed in competitive powerlifters; the TL in their vastus lateralis correlated inversely with the subject’s record in squat and deadlift (Kadi et al., 2008). These findings suggest an inverted U-shaped relationship between PA intensity and TL, with both high and low PA levels associated with shortened TL.

Stacey had this issue as well. Her passion for surf-lifesaving events led her towards the Masters event in Perth last year. Numerous emails between us, meant that not only did she cut back on some training, but she focused more on specific recovery for her ageing and changing joints and muscles. I include her heart muscle in this.



But what if you aren’t an exerciser or you can’t exercise because of your aching joints, your exhaustion or any heart health changes you are experiencing as you move through menopause? 

Well, finding ways to move naturally and stay active is still important – not only to reduce the rate of telomere shortening, but to help reduce the rate of inflammation in your cells and tissues as well. This type of cellular inflammation is known as oxidative stress.

Numerous studies in ageing and health, report that sedentary people over the age of 50 years (men and women) are typically ageing faster – 9 years faster in fact, based on the rate of shortening of their telomere length, compared to people who are more active. As I mentioned above, subjects exercising with moderate intensity had the longest telomeres.

 	Your food choices matter to telomere length.

The evidence over the past few decades that the Mediterranean Diet has emerged as an appropriate plant-centred dietary pattern that may affect women’s health as they age, to me, puts paid to any other dietary plan that women might be following. This is because ageing itself is known to be ‘inflammatory’ and as such, women moving through menopause into their ageing years, are at higher risk for shortening of the telomeres, because they are ageing. Add to this, not sleeping and/or feeling stressed and over-whelmed, then telomere shortening may be more rapid.

This is when diet becomes important.

Food compounds are known to affect the length of our telomeres including: 

 	Vitamin C
 	Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which are balanced against Omega 6 foods.
 	Foods high in polyphenols are known to be important for reducing the rate of telomere length – all of these types of nutrients help to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation (Preedy & Watson, 2019). For example, the intake of walnuts (organic preferably) reduce the rate of telomere length.
 	Foods high in a compound called, Betaine. This powerful anti-inflammatory nutrient (found in beetroot, wholegrains, spinach and aquatic vertebrates), distributes primarily to the liver, kidneys and brain as well as muscles and reduces inflammatory changes in mitochondria. Betaine regulates energy metabolism and helps to relieve chronic inflammation.



I always know when a food compound is becoming important for our ageing, because invariably it gets marketed to us in expensive supplements. Betaine is no exception and along with choline, is now available as a supplement that we can take for 'healthy ageing'. But menopause supplements are expensive and I often find that women on my programmes, don't know why they are taking them and what they do. As well, many nutritionists remind us, that they are indeed 'supplemental to our diet'. A factor I heeded when I realised that I was taking a lot of menopause-related supplements myself, but not changing my diet first and foremost!

Here in New Zealand, the National Nutrition Survey provides information on betaine intake in the average New Zealand diet. Males get more than women in their diet mentions the report and typically, glycine betaine is primarily found at high levels (⩾150 μg/g) in wholegrain products (wholegrain bread, pasta, flour), while proline betaine was found in fruit, especially oranges and orange juice and vegetables such as cruciferous vegies, spinach, beetroot and (to my relief) betaine is also found in coffee.

And then there is the role of nuts in helping to reduce inflammation - especially walnuts. 

When we have busy lives and are always on the go, walnuts (and other nuts) not only give us energy, but new research on women’s health with age, report that walnuts especially, are rich in two types of fat called oleic acid and linoleic acid, and these both have anti-inflammatory properties. These types of fat are not only beneficial for our heart health, but also for our ageing telomeres as well.

Nuts are one of the main components of plant-based food that characterise the Mediterranean Diet. 

Studies show that around ½ cup a day of a variety of nuts from walnuts to almonds, pistachios, peanuts and hazelnuts contain arginine (an important compound to help blood vessel dilation), folic acid (needed for ageing nerves), anti-oxidant vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium (I wrote about magnesium in post-menopause HERE).

Reversing the effects of inflammation is important to all of us during our menopause and post-menopause years. 



As I’m often saying in my newsletter articles to you, menopause symptoms aren't just about our ovaries. Lowering oestrogen affects other organs around our body as well, including our muscles, heart, liver and other important organs.

This is why I’m passionate about women understanding that lifestyle medicine matters – from our exercise to our food to our sleep -  'how' we transition through menopause really does affect our health as we age. And for those women who are already experiencing health changes, it's important to 'turn back the clock'!

What to do is all part of the MyMT™ 12 week programmes of if you are a Health Practitioner, then please join me on January, 2024 for the next 12 week Health Practitioner Course. Please pre-register for the early-bird special HERE.

One of the foods that I have in the brand new updated Food Guides for each programme, is walnuts and my ladies know to try and get beetroot and other high-betaine foods into them too. If you are struggling to understand what to put into place and restore your health and energy, or if you are struggling to help your own midlife clients to navigate their menopause transition, then I invite you to come on board into any of these world-class online programmes when you can.

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine / NZ REPS Exercise Specialist. 



References: 

Aubert G., Lansdorp P. M. (2008). Telomeres and aging. Physiol. Rev. 88 557–579. 10.1152/physrev.00026.2007

Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2009). Inflammatory effects of nutritional stimuli: further support for the need for a big picture approach to tackling obesity and chronic disease. Obesity Reviews, 1-13.

Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: an evidence-based approach. Elselvier Academic Press: London, UK.

Rajaie, S., & Esmaillzadeh, A. (2011). Dietary choline and betaine intakes and risk of cardiovascular diseases: review of epidemiological evidence. ARYA atherosclerosis, 7(2), 78–86.

Slow, S., Donaggio, M., Lever, M., & Chambers, S. (2005). The betaine content of New Zealand foods and estimated intake in the New Zealand diet. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 18. 473-485. 10.1016/j.jfca.2004.05.004.

Stenbäck, V., Mutt, S. J., Leppäluoto, J., Gagnon, D. D., Mäkelä, K. A., Jokelainen, J., Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, S., & Herzig, K. H. (2019). Association of Physical Activity With Telomere Length Among Elderly Adults - The Oulu Cohort 1945. Frontiers in physiology, 10, 444. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00444

Stuart C., Betaine in human nutrition. (2004). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(3), 539–549, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/80.3.539

### "Wow! When I watched the Masterclass, the penny dropped. I've been seeing women with these types of injuries for years."

"I've been seeing middle-age female clients for years as a Physiotherapist here in Perth, Australia, but I didn't fully understand why they were complaining about their tendon injuries - plantar fasciitis , tennis elbow etc). I also noted that their muscles were not tolerating load either and going into a ‘holding pattern’ which would release manually but felt different from my younger clients. The fact that menopause may have something to do with it, never entered my head. But then I also had a friend who I trained with in competitive surf-lifesaving, who all of a sudden was slower than me despite her feeling that she was putting in the same effort but not getting the same results. She was always tired and in some sort of body pain. That's when I began to look into menopause. And whilst I got some answers, there weren't enough. Interestingly at this time, I started to have problems with my own sleep, sore joints and felt so tired all the time. I tried numerous supplements and HRT but the results didn’t last, especially as I moved into post-menopause.  That's when I stumbled upon Wendy’s website and listened to her Masterclass on Menopause. Wow! That was when the penny started to drop.  I signed up and did Wendy’s Circuit Breaker programme.Altering my diet and taking on Wendy's advice around how to recover from my training now, made the world of difference. Suddenly I had energy and was sleeping again. I've now had the best 2 seasons at the Western Australian Masters Surf Lifesaving State Champs that I’ve had in 10 years! Not only did I get a few medals last summer but I actually had energy right to the last event. In previous years I ran out of reserves by the halfway mark.		
																														
		When Wendy offered her Health Professionals training course, it was a 'no-brainer' to sign up and I've loved what I've learnt. It was great revising all my physiology and putting it into the context of women’s ageing and the inflammatory response during menopause.We deep-dived into every single symptom and explored the lifestyle science that is currently available for managing these symptoms, including joint health! I realise that this was the advice that I had been missing with my physiotherapy clients. An unexpected learning for me was the huge role the HPA pituitary axis plays in the menopausal chaos. And how it has been accumulating for decades. Our lifestyle definitely doesn’t help the situation."After the Menopause Practitioner Course, I decided to become a MyMT™ Affiliate Coach. This means I get to coach women through either of the MyMT™ Transform Me and Circuit Breaker programmes alongside my own Physio sessions and Pilates classes.It's exciting that I've added a new dimension to my physiotherapy assessments for middle aged women. This is now reaping great success for them in overall well-being as well as sorting out musculo-skeletal pain specific to their age and stage of life.My first group of ladies going through the My Menopause Transformation programmes got great results and now I'm onto my second course! Already a few weeks in, they are all delighted at the differences in their symptoms, sleep and weight loss.It’s fabulous to have this extra string to my bow as I firmly believe the whole body is important not just the outside bits we can see and feel. And now, based on my new knowledge, I look at my midlife clients tendon injuries differently.As Wendy moved us through the scientific evidence, it became obvious that the menopause transition is the entry to an ageing body, and therefore, there are inflammatory changes occurring deep within tissues and cells, including tendons, muscles and joints.  As far as my business goes, this added string to my bow has made me the ‘go to’ person in my community for middle aged women. Plus, they all stay on to continue to ‘work out’ in the clinic as we have dedicated Pilates instructors and exercise physiologists who take classes.It’s become quite a community of midlife women now.As I move forwards into 2023 I’m so excited to support more menopausal women with lifestyle medicine, so they too can be their best as they move through this transition and beyond. I’m also really keen to consolidate my knowledge and continue to dive deeper into the subject.Thanks Wendy for all the information I have learnt, and the extra advice and words of wisdom you post in the group plus in emails."Sarah Gregson, Physiotherapist/ Body Torque PhysiotherapyIf you live in Perth, Western Australia, then please contact Sarah at Body Torque Physiotherapy, if you would like menopause-specific advice or you are continually injured! She is now a registered MyMT™ Affiliate Coach. 

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: A post-workout, protein-rich smoothie for midlife women.

What post-workout nutrition do you follow? Are you continually spending money on expensive supplements or protein powders? Are you confused about all the different advice on workout foods and amount of protein you need?

Protein intake is a topic that gets a lot of attention from the women on the MyMT™ programmes. Some are having too much, some aren't having enough, and some find that advice from their Trainers conflicts with what I'm giving in my programmes.

The confusion is real. And I totally understand this myself, because despite teaching about protein as a macro-nutrient, in numerous lectures on Sport and Exercise Nutrition, I found that when I got to my early 50s, the amount and type of protein I was having after my workouts, was leaving me feeling tired, heavy, bloated and 'gassy'!

Many ladies on my programmes were experiencing similar issues, which is when I went back to the books to explore protein intake ... but this time, not for athletes, but with women's healthy ageing and the menopause transition on my mind.



In 2019, the Lancet Medical Journal published a paper exploring the effects of animal proteins on human health. I became aware of the paper whilst listening to a session on high protein diets and the effect of these on longevity, whilst at a Lifestyle Medicine conference.

The presenter was discussing the Lancet paper (Kitada, Ogura et al, 2019) and sharing the findings that a lower protein (20-25% daily intake which translates to around 0.8 - 1.2 gm/kg/day) and high carbohydrate diet (50-60% daily intake) with an emphasis on plant proteins, plays a critical role in longevity and metabolic health.

Over the course of that day, I listened to another presentation on the Keto Diet. In this, the presenter was arguing his case for moving people towards a high-fat diet, sourced sourced mainly from animals. But of course, animal sources of food, are also high in protein.

Generally, popular ketogenic advice suggests an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein. For a 2000-calorie diet, this translates to about 165 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, and 75 grams protein per day.

A few months later, I listened to a Sport and Exercise Scientist promoting a very high protein diet for women in menopause for bone health and prevention of sarcopenia (muscle loss). She was advocating heavy weight training and a daily dietary protein intake which equated to an intake of up to 2.2 gms/kg/ day or up to 2.4gms/kg/day.

For a woman in menopause who is around 80 kg this is anywhere between 176 gms of protein and up to 192 gms of protein daily in 25 gram servings. 

The higher amount equated to around 8 x 25 gram servings of protein daily. There was no mention of whether that protein was animal protein, nor the effect on ageing kidneys. If it was animal protein, then this is also a high fat diet too. All animal protein contains high amounts of saturated fats.

These highly respected scientists were all promoting different ways of eating and they each had their validated research to back up their presentations. However, in each of these presentations there was an assumption about how much, or how little exercise people were doing. This is where protein intake may get confusing isn't it?

On that particular day at the conference, I experienced similar confusion too.

With the utmost respect for all the academic experts presenting on dietary protein intake, and with the understanding that all women differ in their dietary protein needs especially depending how much exercise and the type of exercise they are doing, this was a pivotal moment in my own awareness.

Very simply, I realised that I needed to better understand the research as it relates to midlife women.

With my positioning of women’s mid-life menopause in women’s health and ageing science, it made sense to start by looking through this lens, rather than the sport and exercise lens or the weight-loss lens.

Acknowledging all these factors, and supported by studies on the 'Okinawan Diet' which supports 15-20% of our diet as protein, there is also a large body of new evidence from the International PROT-AGE Study Group and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) which concluded that daily protein requirement of healthy individuals over 60 years is 1.0–1.2 g protein/kg/bw.

BUT a further increase is recommended for individuals with acute or chronic illnesses (1.2–1.5 g protein/kg/bw) and if adults have severe illnesses, injuries, or malnutrition then this may go up to 1.8-2.0g/kg/bw).

Protein content in the diet changes depending on various conditions. Therefore, protein intake can be increased or decreased because of health conditions or for specific targets of dietary interventions, such as the amount and type of exercise you do (e.g. heavy weight training versus yoga or walking). Don't forget also, that dietary protein can also  markedly influence food intake by affecting physiological and neurobiological regulatory mechanisms that help to balance both hormones and the thyroid function. [Pałkowska-Goździk et al, 2017].

So, my message to you is that when it comes to protein, the purpose of your intake matters.

This may depend on:

 	the type and amount of exercise you do
 	whether you have a physically active job (e.g. nursing or farming)
 	whether you have fatty liver or an inflamed liver (amino acids from proteins are absorbed through the liver)
 	if you have a healthy gut and pancreas which is where you produce enzymes to break down proteins.
 	whether you are still menstruating or not. If you are menstruating then your protein intake needs to increase to 1.2- 1.4gm/kg/day



The World Cancer Research Fund’s 2018 report on the risks of meat, fish and dairy consumption and cancer, is interesting reading. It backs up a graph that I showed students a few years ago when lecturing about nutrition and cancer risk. The highest consumption of red meat in the world per capita is in Oceania (New Zealand, Australia, Polynesia and Micronesia) with America a close second. It’s hasn’t gone un-noticed by the World Cancer Research Fund, that these countries also have the highest incidence of colon cancer. (WCRF, 2018)

In the 1890s the USDA recommended over 110 g dietary protein per day for working men. Based on the belief that protein was the source of muscular energy (carbohydrates and fats are) and the observation that protein consumption was higher in the more successful (i.e., affluent) social groups or nations than elsewhere, the change in protein consumption began. But priority attention was really given to it in the 1950s and 1960s when the “World Protein Gap” was considered the major cause of infant mortality and retarded development in the Third World. It was deemed that this ‘problem’ could be solved by the application of sophisticated technology to enhance production of protein. So began the modern agricultural industry and the world demand for protein took off.

But there was something else happening by the end of the 1960’s and into the 1970’s as well. The increasing focus on body-image fuelled by the pioneers of the modern fitness industry - Joe Weider, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Charles Atlas. Images of protein-fuelled muscles intersected with the growth of magazines and media dedicated to how to get and maintain the ‘perfect’ body. By 1995, I was setting up Personal Training for the Les Mills group in Auckland. Surrounded in the gym by body-builders and rugby players such as the All Blacks, we were enthralled with the direction that America was taking in the fitness industry with the emphasis on a new 12 week programme by well known body-builder, Bill Phillips. It was called ‘Body for Life’. You could attain your ‘perfect’ body through disciplined attention to weight training, very little cardio and a diet that promoted protein. Lots of protein. In fact, up to 2.0 grams of protein per kg per day, set out in 20 gram portions throughout the day.

30 years later, after having my head in women’s health research, I would be able to look Bill in the eye and say, “It was your body Bill, not mine .. and it wasn’t for life.” Yes, like most stringent diet plans that emerged in the 1980 and 90’s, they just weren’t sustainable. They also weren’t designed for women who don’t have the ability to grow the amount of muscle that men do.

With sports nutrition and workouts on my mind this weekend as well as the fact that the All Blacks are playing in the rugby World Cup final, and they would enjoy this smoothie after their game too, I have this wonderful MyMT™ post-workout Smoothie for you to enjoy. It's also high in calcium, and we need 1200mg of calcium daily, particular after a workout to help reduce muscle cramps.

There's not a processed protein powder to be found, but instead, whole nuts, low-fat yoghurt and delicious purple grapes, a source of the anti-inflammatory compound called Resveratrol, which is found in concentrations in their skin. [Singh et al, 2016].



A MyMT™ Post-Workout Smoothie for you to enjoy:

My swim yesterday was a tough one. I pushed myself to get the combination of aerobic and anaerobic intensity that my body needed after a busy week of sitting at my computer doing numerous zoom presentations around the world.

When I got home, I made up this high-plant protein smoothie filled with delicious anti-inflammatory carbohydrates. Don't forget that you need both carbohydrates and proteins in the first hour or so, after your workout because the carbohydrates help the protein to be taken up into muscles for recovery. I hope you enjoy it. The protein servings are an approximation based on 100 gm servings.



Ingredients: 

 	1/2 cup of blanched almonds (approx. 10 gm protein)
 	1/2 cup of pistachio nuts (approx. 10 gm protein)
 	Purple grapes - palmful
 	100 gms or 1/2 cup of low-fat Greek Yoghurt (approx. 4 gms protein and 125 mg of calcium
 	Freshly squeezed orange juice of 1 medium orange (for Vitamin C)
 	1.5 cups of natural spring water (or enough for the consistency you need)
 	1 small banana (optional)

Place all in a blender or your Nutribullet and whizz away until you get the consistency that you like. Bon appetit!



References: 

Le Couteur DG, Solon-Biet S, Wahl D, Cogger VC, Willcox BJ, Willcox DC, Raubenheimer D, Simpson SJ. New Horizons: Dietary protein, ageing and the Okinawan ratio. Age Ageing. 2016 Jul;45(4):443-7. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afw069.

Lonnie M, Hooker E, Brunstrom JM, Corfe BM, Green MA, Watson AW, Williams EA, Stevenson EJ, Penson S, Johnstone AM. Protein for Life: Review of Optimal Protein Intake, Sustainable Dietary Sources and the Effect on Appetite in Ageing Adults. Nutrients. 2018 Mar 16;10(3):360. doi: 10.3390/nu10030360.

Pałkowska-Goździk E, Lachowicz K, Rosołowska-Huszcz D. Effects of Dietary Protein on Thyroid Axis Activity. Nutrients. 2017 Dec 22;10(1):5. doi: 10.3390/nu10010005.

Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018 Feb 27;15:10. doi: 10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1.

Singh CK, Liu X, Ahmad N. Resveratrol, in its natural combination in whole grape, for health promotion and disease management. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2015 Aug;1348(1):150-60. doi: 10.1111/nyas.12798.

Watford, M. & Guoyao Wu, (2018). Protein. Advances in Nutrition, 9 (5), 651-653,
ISSN 2161-8313

### MyMT™ Education: The impact of menopause depression on stress eating and weight gain.

One of my goals for those of you who are Health Practitioners, Coaches and Exercise Specialists, working with midlife women, is to encourage you to take a broader perspective on your client's menopause symptoms, especially when it comes to understanding menopause weight gain.As such, the consideration of the interaction of the hormonal changes in menopause with lifestyle behaviours, is important.One of the perspectives that has come to my attention over the years, especially with my own challenges with changing moods during menopause, was exploring the link between menopause-related depression, stress-eating and weight gain.I wonder if you’ve noticed this with your midlife clients who may be struggling with mood swings and menopause weight gain?While exploring studies on weight gain in menopausal women recently, I was reminded of menopause-related depression. Nearly 80% of 500,000+ women between the ages of 45 and 65 years, who have completed my menopause symptoms quiz over the past decade, mention that they have experienced menopause weight gain.  I'm sure that numerous women are not making the connection between their changing moods, increased stress, menopause transition and weight gain, so I'm pleased that there are some researchers who are! (Schreiber et al, 2017; Scott et al, 2012). Depression affects up to 25% of women at some time in their lives. Some of it is serious. Some of it is mild. What’s known is that it affects far more women than men and peri-menopause is a vulnerable time, especially if women have already experienced depression in their life and/or post-partum depression. From ‘empty-nest syndrome’ to work and personal influences on stress levels, to hormonal fluctuations as the ovaries go into decline and produce less oestrogen, which impacts serotonin, to inflammatory changes and oxidative stress that occurs when we don’t sleep, all of these factors may impact menopause-related depression. [Hirotsu et al, 2015] Then of course, there are the other contributing factors, including the link between low Vitamin D, low Vitamin B12, low iron and low dietary fibre, all of which may also contribute to menopause-related depression (Freeman, 2015; Ramin et al, 2021; Willi et al, 2020). When I felt a bit emotional myself, I didn’t know whether I was ‘depressed’ or just tired. It’s hard to tell isn’t it? But symptoms of major depression with your midlife clients, must be taken seriously and these include: - A depressed mood for most of the day, nearly every day for 2 weeks or longer.- Loss of interest of pleasure in activities that you usually enjoy.- Fatigue and lack of energy that doesn’t resolve.- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness- Difficulty concentrating- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much- Recurrent thoughts of death.(From: www.womensmentalhealth.org) Understanding these symptoms are important for you as a Practitioner or Health Coach working with midlife women. Red flags in this area, means that you can send them to their Doctor or a Specialist working in the area of menopause depression.  It's also important for you to help women to reflect on the factors that contribute to depression during menopause, so that they can attain support from others close to them.  This includes bringing lifestyle solutions to their attention, including the interesting information about the link between stress-eating, menopause and depression.  Stress has been suggested as one environmental factor that may contribute to the development of overweight and obesity in midlife women, which is why I became intrigued by studies offering a plausible explanation between stress eating and menopausal status, which were then linked to menopause-related depression and weight gain. (Schreiber et al, 2017). It's easy to lie on the couch when we feel a bit low, and reach for the tub of ice-cream or the cookies, so if this is the same for some of your midlife clients, then the research on menopause depression, stress-eating and weight gain helps us to help our clients to be mindful of this and set behavioural goals to change these habits. That's why the article from Schrieber and Dautovich fascinated me.  The researchers called the menopause transition a “window of vulnerability” for the development of depressive symptoms given the changes in hormonal levels (Schreiber & Dautovich, 2017) and due to feeling depressed, women may run the risk of over-eating in order to 'cope'.Sound familiar?Psycho-social factors such as 'stress-eating' play an important role in the association between depressive symptoms and weight, state  Schrieber and Dotavich (2017) in their research on menopause-related depressive symptoms and weight gain.The results highlight the need to focus on both behavioural factors as well as menopausal status when working to resolve menopause symptoms, including weight gain. Understanding this connection is important  - as it was for me as well. 		
																														
		Feeling depressed or experiencing frequent mood swings in peri-menopause and menopause is all about the connection between all of the hormones through the HPA-Thyroid Axis, not just oestrogen, progesterone and serotonin. I talk about this in the 12 week CPD Health Practitioner Course. When reproductive hormones decline during the menopause transition, this impacts other important hormones as well, including serotonin. Serotonin is one of the main hormones that impact memory, cognition and moods in midlife women. Several lines of evidence suggest that oestrogen may produce its effects on cognition and mood through modulation of serotonergic function (Epperson et al, 2012). Hence, the decline in oestrogen production may affect levels of serotonin in the brain.Other factors also impact serotonin production, including lack of sleep, inadequate intake of tryptophan, poor gut health (also related to tryptophan absorption) and stress. All factors which impact menopause-depression and for many women, stress-eating. But there is one other point to make too and that is that Menopause depression is linked to inflammatory changes as well. [Jacka et al, 2018; Mattina et al, 2019] Inflammation arrives in mid-life, not only due to changes to hormonal production of oestrogen and progesterone, but also as cells and tissues throughout the body change, especially if women have a stressful lifestyle and aren't sleeping. The role of 'inflammaging' is something that I share with Practitioners on my Menopause-Coaching programmes. Inflammation comes from numerous sources, so it's good to explore what these sources may be for your clients. For example, when Hot Flushes are more than 5 an hour, the body overheats and becomes inflamed. This inflammation can contribute to an acceleration in the decline of SEROTONIN. But there's other factors contributing to menopause depression too. High cortisol is linked to depression, so too is insomnia. If your clients aren't sleeping and/ or feeling stressed, then cortisol production may be remaining high throughout the day. Higher than normal levels throughout the day causes greater inflammation in organs, muscles and blood vessels as women biologically age. The accumulation of high levels of cortisol, can disrupt serotonin production more rapidly during menopause. The result? Increased risk of depression, stress-eating and weight gain.		
																														
		The health of the gut and liver matter to menopause-depression. When liver inflammation is present in cells and tissues or if women are putting on belly fat and have poor gut health or eating a high fat diet, then B vitamins may not be absorbed and metabolized very well. B-vitamins are important for managing menopause depression.Low Vitamin B6 and B12 increase depressive episodes (Feraj, 2017). This is why for women who want to improve their moods and motivation during menopause, it's important that they get their Vitamin B12 checked as well as improve the health of the liver and gut. This is important for women who are overweight. The scientific evidence emerging from research into the gut-brain connection is increasing in relevance for women in their menopause transition. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Diverticulitis is 4 times higher in women during their menopause transition than in other stages of their life. Researchers now understand that the powerful connection between the immune system and the gut microbiome has a profound effect on mental health. This is because gut inflammation impacts on the absorption of a protein called Tryptophan, which helps to make serotonin. [Jenkins et al, 2015]		
																														
		Helping your Midlife Clients to Reduce Effects of Menopause Depression: (1) Adjust the type, timing and amount of their food intake. Healthy moods require blood glucose regulation. When women don't eat regularly or don't eat the right healthy carbohydrates (especially if they are exercising), this affects insulin production and blood sugar levels.When blood sugar levels are low, the pancreas secretes a hormone called glucagon to re-set plasma glucose levels. But if women are stress-eating foods which are high glycemic index carbohydrates, then the pancreas releases insulin to help regulate blood sugar levels by moving excess glucose to the brain, liver, and muscles. However, if women are sedentary, this excess glucose may be taken up by fat cells (adipose cells) instead. When both glucagon and insulin are un-balanced, mood swings and feelings of depression may also occur because there is a powerful link between the blood-glucose regulating hormones and serotonin production.		
																														
		(2) Focus on restoring sleep patterns and reducing hot flush frequency (I discuss this in the Menopause Practitioner Course). Poor sleep means that the adrenal glands (which produce your 'fight or flight' hormones), become overwhelmed and this impacts on thyroid function. Low thyroid response results in low energy levels and even more stress on the adrenals. When women are feeling stressed or they have oxidative stress from inflammation in tissues, their sleep generally suffers. As such, hot flushes and mood swings may become worse for them. This is why turning around the circadian rhythm matters more for menopause weight loss in menopause than any crazy diet they may be on!		
																														
		(3) Vitamin D levels may need to be checked. Especially for those women living in areas where winters are longer, or they spend a lot of time indoors. Low Vitamin D3, depression and worsening inflammation go hand-in-hand. Vitamin D is often low in menopausal women because it decreases with changes to oestrogen receptors in the skin. (Lerchbaum, 2013).I talk a lot about Vitamin D and this connection with menopause with women, because so many of us work inside and if women have darker skin, then their Vitamin D absorption may be lower too. If women are also overweight and carrying more belly fat, then because Vitamin D is drawn to fat in fat storage areas, the Vitamin D can go to adipose tissue and not to where it is needed - in muscles, bones, nerves and the heart. [Dregan, Rayner, et al., 2020). 		
																														
		In the two to eight year period known as ‘peri-menopause’ the production of oestrogen is declining.Because oestrogen is a hormone, when levels reduce, this may affect the function of not only progesterone, but other hormones in the body, including the mood hormone, serotonin. When serotonin levels are low, this impacts on other hormones produced by the thyroid, adrenal and more importantly, the pituitary glands where serotonin production occurs. Depression that arrives during menopause is frightening - especially if women have never experienced it before. Therefore, for those clients who are experiencing this, then they must follow up with their Doctor. You can also help them to explore lifestyle solutions, including the role of stress and stress-eating on weight gain. No matter whether your clients are on supplements, HRT, bio-identical hormones or medications such as anti-depressants, these lifestyle solutions matter during a stage of their life, whereby managing moods in menopause matters!Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine		
																														
		References:Doyne, E. et al. (1983). Aerobic exercise as treatment for depression in women. Behavior Therapy, 14(3), 434 - 440.Dregan, A., Rayner, L., Davis, K., Bakolis, I., Arias de la Torre, J., Das-Munshi, J., Hatch, S. L., Stewart, R., & Hotopf, M. (2020). Associations Between Depression, Arterial Stiffness, and Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults in the UK Biobank Population Study: A Mediation Analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 77(6), 1–9. Advance online publication.Epperson CN, Amin Z, Ruparel K, Gur R, Loughead J. Interactive effects of estrogen and serotonin on brain activation during working memory and affective processing in menopausal women. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2012 Mar;37(3):372-82. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.07.007. Feraj, J. (2017). Micro-nutrients, depression and inflammation among women of reproductive age. Doctoral Dissertation 993, University of Massachusetts.Freeman EW. Depression in the menopause transition: risks in the changing hormone milieu as observed in the general population. Womens Midlife Health. 2015 Aug 11;1:2. doi: 10.1186/s40695-015-0002-y.Jacka FN, O'Neil A, Itsiopoulos C, Opie R, Cotton S, Mohebbi M, Castle D, Dash S, Mihalopoulos C, Chatterton ML, Brazionis L, Dean OM, Hodge A, Berk M. The SMILES trial: an important first step. BMC Med. 2018 Dec 28;16(1):237.Jenkins TA, Nguyen JC, Polglaze KE, Bertrand PP. Influence of Tryptophan and Serotonin on Mood and Cognition with a Possible Role of the Gut-Brain Axis. Nutrients. 2016 Jan 20;8(1):56. doi: 10.3390/nu8010056.Lerchbaum, E. (2014). Vitamin D and menopause – A narrative review. Maturitas Journal, 79, 3-7Mattina GF, Van Lieshout RJ, Steiner M. Inflammation, depression and cardiovascular disease in women: the role of the immune system across critical reproductive events. Ther Adv Cardiovasc Dis. 2019 Jan-Dec;13:1753944719851950.Schreiber, D, & Dautovich, N. (2017). Depressive symptoms and weight in midlife women: the role of stress eating and menopause status. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 24(10), 1190–1199.Scott KA, Melhorn SJ, Sakai RR. Effects of Chronic Social Stress on Obesity. Curr Obes Rep. 2012 Mar;1(1):16-25. doi: 10.1007/s13679-011-0006-3Vivian-Taylor & Hickey, M. (2014). Menopause and depression: Is there a link? Maturitas Journal, 79, 142-146

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: An Ancient Anti-inflammatory Bone Strengthening Olive Tapenade

There's a lot been written about bone health when it comes to women's health and ageing, but little has been written about the connection between bone strengthening and olives.

I was fascinated when my studies on women's healthy ageing and bone-protecting nutrients led me down the path towards the ancient, anti-inflammatory and bone protective effects of olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Chin & Ima-Nirwana, 2016; Quatrinni et al, 2021).

We all know that skeletal degeneration and osteoporosis is a major concern for women as they transition from menopause to their post-menopause years beyond, and whilst there is a lot of attention being paid to calcium, there is less attention being paid to inflammation - part of the reason for osteoporosis in the first-place ( Andreo-López, 2023; Ginaldi et al, 2005).

So, what practical things can we do about this? That's the question I asked myself when my own bone density showed some decline. After years of high impact sporting activities, I wasn't surprised when the Bone Technician showed me the result. When I went back a year later for a retest, she couldn't believe the 10% turn-around.

"What did you do?" she enquired. "I haven't seen this turn-around in osteoporosis without medications." So, I told her all about the research on the Mediterranean Diet and of course, the association between the anti-inflammatory compounds in olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which influence bone density and prevent osteoporosis in older women.

Several factors contribute to the development of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, including, low-grade inflammation, poor dietary habits, sedentary and unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking and alcohol consumption (Quattrini et al, 2021). An optimal dietary calcium intake is necessary for bone health at all stages of life, but even more so as we age. So, too are the anti-inflammatory foods that we include in our diet, olives being one of them.

I became intrigued about the components in the traditional Mediterranean Diet when undertaking my studies, because I was reading that the incidence of osteoporosis and fragility fractures is lower in the Mediterranean areas. (Chin et al, 2016).

One of the reasons put forward by nutritional researchers working in the area of bone health, is that inflammation and oxidative stress are gaining greater recognition in osteoporosis research. Hence, interest has been growing in nutritional compounds in foods which turn around inflammation, and these types of compounds are an important part of the Mediterranean diet.

When I found this recipe by Olive Oil Sommelier, Dr Carol Firenze (PhD) from Italy, who is the Founder of The Passionate Olive website, and received her permission to share it, I knew I had to include it for you below.  I hope you enjoy making it, knowing that your bone strengthening nutrition will be enhanced when you savor its delicious taste.


Olive Tapenade 
Recipe sourced from The Passionate Olive (with permission)
Ingredients

 	2 cups pitted, cured olives (Taggiasca or Kalamata)
 	1 sprig of fresh rosemary
 	Pinch of fresh thyme
 	1 teaspoon anchovy paste
 	3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Optional pairings: MyMT™ Focaccia Bread (see recipe below), Gluten Free Bread, Sourdough, Crackers. 

Method

 	Make sure all olives are pitted.
 	In a blender, mix the rosemary and thyme (you may substitute a mortar and pestle in this step)
 	Add the olives (or olive pieces).
 	Blend thoroughly until the mixture forms an olive paste. Remove from the blender and place mixture into a bowl.
 	Stir in the anchovy paste.
 	Add the extra virgin olive oil a teaspoon at a time, keeping the olive paste more on the “dry” side.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS  FOCACCIA RECIPE



References:

Andreo-López MC, Contreras-Bolívar V, García-Fontana B, García-Fontana C, Muñoz-Torres M. The Influence of the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern on Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia. Nutrients. 2023 Jul 20;15(14):3224. doi: 10.3390/nu15143224.

Chin KY, Ima-Nirwana S. Olives and Bone: A Green Osteoporosis Prevention Option. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 Jul 26;13(8):755. doi: 10.3390/ijerph13080755.

Firenze, C. (2023). https://thepassionateolive.com

Ginaldi L, Di Benedetto MC, De Martinis M. Osteoporosis, inflammation and ageing. Immun Ageing. 2005 Nov 4;2:14. doi: 10.1186/1742-4933-2-14. PMID: 16271143

Quattrini S, Pampaloni B, Gronchi G, Giusti F, Brandi ML. The Mediterranean Diet in Osteoporosis Prevention: An Insight in a Peri- and Post-Menopausal Population. Nutrients. 2021 Feb 6;13(2):531. doi: 10.3390/nu13020531.

### A'CHOO! The curious link between allergies and hormones during menopause.

It's a topic that comes up numerous times in my coaching group. I also see women commenting about it on the comments section of my advertisements. Hundreds of emails over the years have also alerted me to the itching, sneezing, wheezing and food and alcohol intolerances, of menopausal and post-menopausal women.

If it's the same for you, then I'm not surprised. Menopause changes our immune response and it's all to do with histamine levels.

If you’ve ever had a glass of red wine and started sneezing, or your asthma has become worse in menopause, or you have itchy skin, or runny tearful eyes, then you need to know about the role of histamine and how this changes with age.

Histamine is an important component of our immune system because it moderates inflammatory responses in the body.

In the early phase of any inflammatory response, histamine is released from mast cells. The majority of these mast cells reside in the gut, but there are also numerous mast cells in the skin, uterus, adrenal glands and for those who sneeze a lot, also in the nasal cavity.

When mast cells detect a substance that triggers an allergic reaction (an allergen), they release histamine and other chemicals into the bloodstream. Histamine makes the blood vessels expand and the surrounding area itchy, swollen and inflamed. This could be outside your body on your skin, or inside your body in your organs. Mucus might also build up in the airways, which become narrower causing sneezing or asthma-type wheezing. When this type of reaction occurs, this is known as histamine intolerance. 

However, here’s the kicker for all of us as we transition menopause. Both oestrogen and progesterone receptors are on these mast cells too. 

This is why menopause hormonal changes impact the release of histamine from mast cells in response to compounds which stimulate an allergic reaction in the body - and when oestrogen-mimicking hormone disruptors attach to these mast cells as well, the result is an allergic reaction - from sneezing, to scratching to hot flushes, leaky gut syndrome, fibromyalgia or shortness of breath - all signs that you are reacting to 'something' in your food, fluid, or environment.

In my coaching group this week the focus has been on gut health and how to change this back to normal in 21 days - the evidenced time to turn around leaky gut syndrome for most women.

One of the things I've been suggesting to women is to understand how, changing to organic produce for their fruits and vegetable intake if possible, can make a big difference to not only their gut and liver health, but also their immune health. This is because new research is emerging about the effect of hormone disruptors in certain foods, chemicals and sprays which can cause havoc with our immune system as we move through menopause and into post-menopause. With a powerful connection between gut health, liver health and our immune response, this is important for women to understand.



Different phases of the female menstrual cycle are known to affect histamine release from mast cells. Peak oestrogen levels correlate with the nasal mucosa becoming hyper-reactive and hyper-sensitive to histamine. This is why, during peri-menopause and as you transition into menopause, your symptoms may change according to your menstrual cycle.

When the release of histamine is out of balance, we become prone to chronic low-grade inflammation – also associated with ageing. With the increased presence of chronic inflammation, comes more release of histamine into the circulation and for some of you, there is histamine intolerance and a range of allergies that may suddenly appear in mid-life.

Histamine intolerance is the consequence of excess levels of circulating histamine causing a range of symptoms that you don’t necessarily relate to menopause hormonal changes.

Some reactions in women are more severe than others, and scientists now know that there may be other influences as well, including:

 	Low Vitamin B6 (absorption can be reduced by antibiotics and hormonal contraceptives).
 	Low Vitamin C
 	Copper deficiency
 	Low Vitamin D
 	Eating foods that contain high levels of histamine e.g. fermented foods such as sauerkraut, processed meat, dried anchovies, fish sauce, spinach, tomatoes, eggplant, fish, chicken, yoghurt, soy, red wine.
 	Eating foods that induce increased histamine release from mast cells - pineapple, bananas, strawberries.
 	Eating foods that are high in preservatives, additives and/or chemical sprays.
 	Stress, both acute and chronic (which also impacts the gut mucosa) may increase the circulating levels of histamine.
 	Poor gut health.

Turning around your histamine intolerance means factoring in all of these connections and exploring what you may be sensitive to, whether this is food, alcohol, chemicals, additives, preservatives, stress or the fact that you are oestrogen dominant, as I used to be too.



As my knowledge grew about the role of inflammation on our symptoms in menopause, I began to look at the life-course context in which we have lived our lives and this bought me to the effect of all the environmental toxins that have arrived over the past 40 years … our generation.

Professor Garry Egger used to present at many health and fitness conferences that I’ve attended over the years. His research work is now positioned in obesity research as well as inflammation and ageing research.  In his presentations, Professor Egger often discuss the factors that contribute to inflammation in our body – in our liver cells, fat cells, joints and muscles and in our gut. Many of these inflammatory changes, he suggests, have begun with increased exposure to environmental toxins over the years.

His research has shown that the role of pesticides, herbicides and household chemicals, are equally important to consider removing from our diet. These substances over our lifetime contribute to ‘Inflammaging’ – a term which describes the inflammatory changes occurring in our cells and tissues with age – gut cells are also becoming inflamed.

Professor Egger also confirmed my belief that modern medicine is not taking a ‘whole body’ approach to turning around inflammation. Inflammatory changes can accelerate in midlife. I talk about this in my Masterclass on Menopause.

As Professor Egger mentions, “As Doctors, we have been operating in silo’s. We haven’t been taking into account all of the other factors leading to meta-inflammation which is linked to many chronic diseases as we age.” As such he has been leading research into ‘Anthropogens Theory’  over the past few years – which he defines as ‘An inflamed body living in an inflamed man-made environment.’  [Egger et al., 2015].



Liver health is important obviously for clearing toxins, as are your Vitamin D levels (this affects mast cells in your skin) and reflecting on what you react to. Because of the number of mast cells in the nasal cavity, then I would suggest that (re)learning to nasal breathe is important to help to reduce the hyper-activity and inflammation of your nasal nerves. Your water intake will also be important.

As always though, please see your medical specialist if your allergy symptoms are overwhelming you. There are lots of treatments available these days as well as better knowledge about histamine-reduction dietary approaches, which may help in the short-term. The histamine content of foods can vary significantly - for example, freshly caught fish contains almost no histamine, whilst the histamine content of cured, pickled or not really fresh fish can me more than 2,000mg/kg. [Reese, 2018].

The histamine content of cheese, another frequently cited histamine-rich food, can also vary significantly. Emmental cheese, Swiss mountain cheese or Blue cheese, contain less than 5mg/kg of histamine compared to other types of cheeses. But as studies report, even the detailed knowledge of the histamine content of certain foods cannot be solely attributed to histamine intolerability. [Reese, 2018]. I tend to agree. For example, if food is the only factor explored in histamine intolerance, this leaves out the role of hormones on the activity of our mast cells as well as the changes occurring in our immune system, including our gut health changes as we move through menopause.

If women deal with these, as well as their sleep concerns, and change their nutrition and lifestyle to accommodate their hormonal changes (such as learning to say no to red wine and find an alternative drink instead as my friend and I had to do!),  then it's amazing how many of our intolerances go away - as well as our weight gain. Teaching you how to do this and supporting you whilst you are doing it, is the essence of my 12 week coaching programmes, which you can read about on the website and listen to my videos there as well.

Sometimes we feel so 'stuck' when it comes to our symptoms and what it all means and many of us end up believing that we are destined for an unhealthy ageing as a result because we can't get adequate answers to the numerous symptoms that don't quite fit the realm of 'menopause symptoms' - including the arrival of unexplained allergies. But as I've found and thousands of other women who join me for a few months, it doesn't have to be this way at all.
Can I help you with your symptoms and/or your weight gain?
If you are struggling with your mid-life weight, health or symptoms, then come on board if you can into my 12 week online programmes. Or as a starting point, you can purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause. This is only NZ$15 (approx. AUS$14 or UK£7.5).  I hope you can join me in this powerful 2 hour webinar. The great news is that now you can watch it anytime, anywhere and even pause it whenever you like and go and make yourself a cuppa too.


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References:

Blasco, M.P., Chauhan, A., Honarpisheh, P. et al. Age-dependent involvement of gut mast cells and histamine in post-stroke inflammation. J Neuroinflammation 17, 160 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-020-01833-1

Egger G, Colquhoun D, Dixon J. “Anthropogens” in Lifestyle Medicine. (2015). American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 9(3):232-240. doi:10.1177/1559827613512596

McCarthy M, Raval AP. The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation. 2020 Oct 23;17(1):317. doi: 10.1186/s12974-020-01998-9.

Nowak, K., Jabłońska, E., Ratajczak-Wrona, W. (2019). Immunomodulatory effects of synthetic endocrine disrupting chemicals on the development and functions of human immune cells. Environment International, 125, 350-364. ISSN 0160-4120.

Reese I. (2018). Nutrition therapy for adverse reactions to histamine in food and beverages. Allergologie select, 2(1), 56–61. https://doi.org/10.5414/ALX386

Shah S. (2012). Hormonal link to autoimmune allergies. ISRN allergy, 2012, 910437. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/910437

### MyMT™ Education: 5 Reasons for Your Client's Weight Gain in Menopause and Post Menopause.

Poor sleep, changing liver health, muscle tone and size changes – all of these factors impact a woman's sleep, thyroid and blood sugar hormones as well as their liver health, contributing to weight gain in menopause.It's why, the menopause transition, which is the biological gateway to a woman's ageing, leaves them vulnerable to other health changes in mid-life. If your client's are putting on weight that you are struggling to manage it, then please have a read of the 5 main reasons I attribute to menopause weight gain.  		
																														
		5 Reasons for  Menopause (and Post-Menopause) Weight Gain  1. NOT SLEEPING - Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep. Thanks to a Swedish study of 400 middle-aged women who recorded shortened sleep duration and weight gain, this is better known. (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010)The problem is, that this is what changes our health as we age - my mother included. When we lose our precious deep sleep between 2-4am, then much of this weight becomes dangerous fat that goes on our belly and under our diaphragm.  As I often say to women who are trying to exercise off their weight gain, "If you aren't sleeping, then you aren't losing." When it comes to reversing weight gain in midlife, a good night’s sleep is the answer instead. I know that's easier said than done when women are suffering from hot flushes, night sweats, having to get up and pee, or restless legs and joint pain.But when women are awake night after night, this means that their glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does their stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. As sleep deprivation accumulates, it can increase the risk of heart problems, anxiety and depression; resulting in even more sleepless nights and worsening night sweats. In my courses, I place a great emphasis on understanding exactly what to do to turn around the circadian rhythm and pituitary production of melatonin, that is specific to menopause.		
																														
		2. OESTROGEN DOMINANCE - Have you heard of this condition? I know that I hadn't when my weight blew out to an all-time high as I arrived in my late 40's and early 50's. When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, our fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this 'dominates' the internal environment. As oestrogen becomes the dominant hormone and our liver isn't clearing excess oestrogen efficiently, the role of progesterone changes too. This is why liver health is important to weight management as well as glucose (blood sugar) regulation. We clear excess oestrogens via our liver and during menopause, our liver changes in structure and function as part of our normal biological ageing of our organs. 3. MUSCLE LOSS -  When we begin to lose muscle, our metabolism drops off. Skeletal muscle has the most effect on our metabolism. Muscle loss is highest for women during menopause and the rate accelerates when we aren't sleeping or we have stopped being physically active because our joints and muscles are sore (I know this all to well myself). Losing muscle means that we don’t ‘burn’ as many calories as we used to either. This muscle loss is normal and is a condition called sarcopenia.But the effect of this is that we lose mitochondrial cells which are the location for fat-burning and energy production in our body. So, focusing on restoring energy levels, joint function and some aerobic exercise, especially good old fashioned walking is an important part of the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach. 		
					
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		4. LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS  - Declining oestrogen levels may cause low Vitamin D levels, which increases fat storage. Our skin is our largest organ and is full of oestrogen receptors. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is produced in the skin with the help of oestrogen.Therefore, many women are at risk of low vitamin D levels and because Vitamin D is now recognised as a hormone, low levels have an effect on other hormones in the body too. This is due to the feedback system that operates with all of our hormones. When Vitamin D is low, hot flushes are increased and memory loss/ foggy brain becomes worse. We also experience more muscle soreness because Vitamin D is involved in the production of calcium and our bones and muscles require calcium to help them to remain strong.Vitamin D is such a powerful hormone for women to monitor in menopause because it is also implicated in melatonin production. This is our sleep hormone, and when Vitamin D levels are low, our insomnia increases and our mood hormone, serotonin, is reduced.Serotonin works with dopamine to help our mood and motivation. So, if your clients are on menopause-related anti-depressants, then they should be asking their Doctor to also check their Vitamin D levels too.  Restoring Vitamin D and sleep is crucial to  health and weight. 		
																														
		5. HIGH STRESS LEVELS - Some stress is good for us, but the problem in our menopause transition is that too much stress (and this includes from not sleeping and/ or too much exercise) increases cortisol levels. This powerful hormone works in conjunction with melatonin. Too much stress (emotionally and physically) interferes with sleep, liver health and gut health. All of these factors combined contribute to insulin levels staying high and women resist overnight fat-burning. It’s a vicious cycle as so many women find.Not sleepingChanging liver and gut healthLoss of elasticity in our blood vesselsMuscle loss Sore joints and Stress from our busy livesAll of these factors interact to create the ‘perfect storm’ for weight gain during the menopause transition. 		
					
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		Is the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach for you? I hope so! To achieve sustainable and positive health behaviours and outcomes, evidence suggests that for those people who desire these changes (in this case, midlife female clients), support in behaviour change techniques that promote self-efficacy, self-determination and self-responsibility, are an important determinant for ‘success’. (Robinson & Morrow, 2016)*But clients also need more than ‘just support’ to change their lifestyle health behaviours. They need Health Coaches and Practitioners who have the knowledge, understanding and empathy specific to the stage of life that they are in – their menopause transition.It is my passion to help you understand the science behind menopause weight gain, which allows us as Practitioners to coach from an evidence based framework. Everything you need to know is in the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Level 1 Course. I hope you can join me when you are ready. Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Creator & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ NZ REPS Registered Exercise Specialist		
					
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		References:Edwards, B. & Jin Li, [2013]. Endocrinology of menopause. Periodontology, 61, 177–194.Egger G, Dixon J. Beyond obesity and lifestyle: a review of 21st century chronic disease determinants. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:731685. Ford, C. et al. [2017]. Evaluation of diet pattern and weight gain in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 117, 1189–1197.Frasca D, Blomberg BB, Paganelli R. [2017]. Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases. Front Immunol. 2017 Dec 7;8:1745.Harvard Health, [2018]. Lose weight and keep it off. Harvard Health Online Publications. Boston: MAKendall, B. & Ester, R. [2002]. Exercise-induced muscle damage and the potential protective role of estrogen. Sports Med., 32 (2), 103-123Lerchbaum, E. [2014]. Vitamin D and Menopause: A review. Maturitas, 79, 3-7.Lombardo M, Perrone MA, Guseva E, et al. Losing Weight after Menopause with Minimal Aerobic Training and Mediterranean Diet. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):E2471. Published 2020 Aug 17. doi:10.3390/nu12082471Moudi, A. et.al [2018]. The relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and sleep quality in menopausal women. Biomedicine, 8(2), 34-40.Rizzi, M. [2016]. Sleep disorders in fibromyalgia syndrome. J. of Pain & Relief, 5:2.Ryan, M. Itsiopoulos, C. et al. (2014). The Mediterranean diet improves hepatic steatosis and insulin sensitivity in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Hepatology, 59(1), 138-143.Santosa, S. & Jensen, M. (2013). Adipocyte fatty acid storage factors enhance subcutaneous fat storage in postmenopausal women. Diabetes, 62,3, 775-782, ProQuest Central.Szymczak-Pajor I, Miazek K, Selmi A, Balcerczyk A, Śliwińska A. The Action of Vitamin D in Adipose Tissue: Is There the Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Adipose Tissue-Related Metabolic Disorders? Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jan 16;23(2):956. doi: 10.3390/ijms23020956.Theorell-Haglow, J., Berne, C. et al (2010). Associations Between Short Sleep Duration and Central Obesity in Women. Sleep, 33(5), 593 - 598

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Short on time? Then try this easy anti-inflammatory one-pan salad.

Foods that are more alkaline are designed to help your body to repair and heal inflammatory changes in your body.For those of you, who are experiencing sore joints, aching muscles, migraines or monthly cramping from your menstrual cycle and a higher incidence of allergies, then add some alkaline super foods to your diet.The types of foods that are more alkaline are vegetables and fruits. Importantly, when we combine alkaline fruits and vegetables with low-fat protein and healthy vegetable fats, not only does this help to stabilise blood sugar levels, but assists in gut renewal, liver protection and reduction of inflammatory changes in blood vessels - all important strategies as we move towards post-menopause.  As we age, our daily diet should consist of 60 – 80% alkaline forming foods and 20-40% acid forming foods depending on the degrees of inflammatory changes already present inside the gut, liver and muscle cells.In the MyMT™ Programmes I encourage women to eat alkaline foods every day. There are also well-evidenced alkaline super foods which are rich in nutrients (vitamins and minerals), that contribute to the health of the body. These foods include spinach, kale, capsicum, avocado, broccoli, cucumber and celery, some of which are combined in this easy, one-pan salad for you. One Pan Alkaline Super Food SaladIngredientsChopped vegies: Kale, Beans, Capsicum, Mushrooms, GarlicDressing: A splash of sesame oil combined with lemon juice.* Toppings: Avocado, chopped almonds, sesame seeds.Fry 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic in a pan with olive oil for 2 minutes on low.Add beans and capsicum into the same pan and fry until slightly softened. Add in mushrooms and kale and continue frying until the kale has sautéed.Dress with sesame oil and lemon juice and top with avocado, chopped almonds and sesame seeds.Serve as a side salad or with brown rice or salmon for a main meal.* Citrus are native to southeastern Asia, but have been part of the Mediterranean diet for centuries and are known to have well-documented nutritional and health benefits. 

### Why the right exercise matters for weight loss from peri-menopause to post-menopause

“I hired a Personal Trainer online for the first time during the pandemic. I was really enjoying the sessions, but I have to admit, I didn't lose any weight whatsoever - in fact my clothes are now tighter and I feel swollen and bloated. He has also put me on a high protein diet and I just feel heavy and bloated all the time. I’ve been reading your newsletters and I’m realising that menopause may have something to do with it. I’m 50 years old, have a full time job and have two teens at home as well – I do feel busy and over-whelmed.”  [Andrea, New Zealand]Whether you followed Jane Fonda's workouts or Bill Phillip’s prescriptive ‘Body For Life’ in the 1980s or not, exercise has always entered the mind of women who want to lose weight.In the 1990’s when personal training arrived in New Zealand, workouts moved towards an emphasis on strength and conditioning training. As I was a PT at the time, I saw this 'shift' in exercise prescription.As new pathways in fitness education also emerged over the past 2-3 decades, many Trainers not only have backgrounds in body-building, but also strength and conditioning of athletes.Studying the role of Personal Trainers in supporting lifestyle change was part of my Master’s thesis, so I got to talk to quite a few as part of my interviews – hence, understanding their backgrounds in various sports as well as strength and conditioning for athletes.This was the knowledge they bought into the fitness environment for their clients - not much was known about a woman's menopause transition and the propensity she may have for putting on weight, despite all the exercise. Hopefully this has all changed now! Working in the exercise-education environment for over 25 years and going on to educate numerous PTs throughout New Zealand, not once in my weight loss lectures did I mention ‘oestrogen dominance’  - a term that, whilst controversial, I use in the context of localised fat storage and oestrogen production in fat cells. This is known to occur in women who are overweight or obese, with increased abdominal and diaphragmatic fat.When it comes to exercise and nutrition for women going through menopause, there is still an emphasis on heavy weight training and eating large amounts of protein to turn over muscle. I regularly see this on social media and in other channels.But if women are already overweight and carrying a lot of abdominal fat as well as not sleeping, these training regimes may be difficult to maintain for women who are exhausted and experiencing a changing hormonal environment.As I found myself, if women aren't sleeping well, then their muscles and liver may not be recovering from all the exercise training. If women are also on high amounts of protein for building muscle, the ageing liver, kidneys and pancreas might also struggle to process the higher amounts of amino acid intake. Then if the protein is mainly meat or other animal products, then this may also be problematic to their ongoing cardiovascular health and the risk of coronary plaques in middle-age and older women. (Bernstein, Qi Sun et al, 2010).		
																														
		According to new research on fat metabolism and health during and after menopause, for women aged 50– 65 years, weight gain is one of their major health concerns (Marsh, Oliveira et al, 2023).This is understandable as obesity is one of the most common disorders globally, and its prevalence in post-menopausal women is increasing. World-wide, the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled since 1980 – not so long ago for most of us to remember.It is well known in Type 2 diabetes research that the hormonal changes across the perimenopause substantially contribute to increased abdominal obesity which leads to additional functional and health challenges with age. If we can get on top of our weight gain in menopause, then we help to set ourselves up for a healthier ageing. I can’t emphasise this enough.Abdominal fat is now considered to be an endocrine organ – it is responsive to hormonal influence and has the capacity to secrete adipokines. These are important regulators of appetite and satiety (fullness), energy expenditure, inflammation, blood pressure, endothelial function influence, insulin sensitivity, and energy metabolism in insulin-sensitive tissues, such as liver, muscle, and fat.Adipokines also help to regulate insulin secretion from our pancreas. Hence, increased storage of fat in fat cells can lead to inflamed fat cells, increased presence of cellulite under the skin and over time, metabolic health chaos. 		
																														
		Although weight gain per se, cannot only be attributed to the menopause transition, the changes in hormonal levels make us more susceptible to the deposition of abdominal fat in many of our organs, not only just around our abdominal region and under our diaphragm.That's why mid-life weight loss needs a multi-dimensional approach.  If you are a Personal Trainer or Health Professional, I talk about this in my certified Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course.One of the problems with women doing lots of exercise to try and lose weight during menopause, has to do with their sleep quality and quantity. In Sport and Exercise Science, it is well known that exhausted female athletes who aren't sleeping, very quickly develop adrenal fatigue – which can, as I’ve mentioned numerous times, increase cortisol levels causing even more metabolic chaos. So, if you are frustrated with your changing weight and body-shape in menopause, then here are just some interventions for you to focus on, that I cover in more depth in the MyMT™ programmes:Restful Sleep: we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep. And we know this thanks to a Swedish study of 400 middle-aged women who recorded shortened sleep duration and weight gain. The problem is that this is what changes our health as we age - my mother included. When we lose our precious deep sleep between 2-4am, then much of this weight becomes dangerous fat that goes on our belly and under our diaphragm.  As I often say to women who are trying to exercise off their weight gain, "If you aren't sleeping, then you aren't losing."  So, change your exercise to more restorative, aerobic exercise, until you sort out your sleep.		
																														
		Manage a condition known as 'Oestrogen Dominance': Fat cells can store excess unopposed oestrogens. These may be in the body due to our dietary choices, as well as our exposure to hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this 'dominates' the internal environment. As oestrogen becomes the dominant hormone and our liver isn't clearing excess oestrogen (or cholesterol) efficiently, oestrogen storage may cause progesterone to lower.  It's why liver health is important to us as we age. We clear excess oestrogens via our liver and during menopause, our liver changes in structure and function as part of our normal biological ageing of our organs. 		
																														
		Focus on reducing blood sugar and insulin spikes, especially after meals (this is known as post-prandial hyperglycemia). Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level throughout the day is important, not only to your hot flush management, but also to your weight gain. As our hormonal environment is changing during our menopause transition, our insulin production and secretion changes too.With better control of insulin surges from our pancreas, you help to control your energy levels, moods, hot flushes and your weight. Unstable insulin production in the pancreas can create inflammatory changes in our body as we move into post-menopause and this contributes to weight gain, even despite the exercise.This occurs due to unstable insulin production when blood levels of glucose become too high. Over time, this may lead to Type 2 diabetes. Nutrition is your best medicine when it comes to weight management in menopause.As such, you need to understand that the evidence behind the Mediterranean Diet for women in menopause to manage weight has been evolving for years. This is the type of dietary approach that I take in the MyMT™ Transform Me programme which focuses women on their weight management. 		
																														
		Monitor Vitamin D levels  - Low oestrogen levels in our skin may cause low Vitamin D levels in the body. This increases fat storage. Our skin is our largest organ and is full of oestrogen receptors. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is produced in the skin with the help of oestrogen. Therefore, many women are at risk of low vitamin D levels and because Vitamin D is now recognised as a hormone, low levels have an effect on other hormones in the body too. This is due to the feedback system that operates with all of our hormones. Vitamin D is such a powerful hormone for women to monitor in menopause because it is also implicated in melatonin production. This is our sleep hormone, and when Vitamin D levels are low, our insomnia increases and our mood hormone, serotonin, is reduced.Serotonin works with dopamine to help our mood and motivation. So, if you are on menopause-related anti-depressants, then ask your Doctor to also check your Vitamin D levels too.  Restoring Vitamin D and sleep is crucial to your ongoing health, depression management and your weight. 		
																														
		Manage your stress - In menopause and post-menopause our body doesn’t resist stress as well as it used to, so blood pressure, heart rate and temperature go up more readily when we are feeling stressed and overwhelmed as we continue our busy lives.Some stress is good for us, but the problem in our menopause transition is that too much stress (and this includes from not sleeping and/ or over-exercising), may increase cortisol levels leading to adrenal fatigue.Cortisol is a powerful stress hormone which works in conjunction with melatonin, your sleep hormone. Too much stress (emotionally and physically) interferes with your sleep. When you don’t sleep, your insulin levels stay high and you resist overnight fat-burning. It’s a vicious cycle as so many women exercisers discover in their frustration with not losing weight despite all the exercise. Elaine in the UK was the same and soon learnt, that sleeping all night and managing insulin levels, comes before too much heavy exercise. Her story is HERE. 		
																														
		I know full well the weight loss struggles that many of you may be facing. I was the same. It's my privilege to help women understand that weight management in midlife, is not about menopause HRT or supplements, it's about sleep, liver health, gut health, sensible eating and more gentle exercise, until your body has reduced the inflammation that the additional fat is contributing too. So, spend some time looking at the Transform Me weight loss programme and see if this is right for you. My video about how the programmes work, is below. Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD] Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/851541619References:Bernstein, A., Qi Sun, M., Hu, F., Stampfer, M., Manson, J., & Willett, W. (2010). Major Dietary Protein Sources and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women. Circulation, AHA, 122(9), 1-8.Davis, S. Castelo-Branco, C. Chedraui, P., Lumsden, M., Nappi, R., Shah, D. & Villaseca P. (2012). The Writing Group of the International Menopause Society for World Menopause Day 2012. Understanding weight gain at menopause, Climacteric, 15:5, 419-429, Jehan, S., Masters-Isarilov, A., Salifu, I., Zizi, F., Jean-Louis, G., Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Gupta, R., Brzezinski, A., & McFarlane, S. I. (2015). Sleep Disorders in Postmenopausal Women. Journal of sleep disorders & therapy, 4(5), 212.Manco, M. ,Nolfe, G. , Calvani, M., Natali, A., Nolan, J., Ferrannini, E., Mingrone, G. (2006). Menopause, insulin resistance and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Menopause, 13 (5), 809-817 Marsh ML, Oliveira MN, Vieira-Potter VJ. Adipocyte Metabolism and Health after the Menopause: The Role of Exercise. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 14;15(2):444. doi: 10.3390/nu15020444.Patni, R., & Mahajan, A. (2018). The metabolic syndrome and menopause. Journal of Mid-life Health, 9(3), 111–112. Weickert M. O. (2012). Nutritional modulation of insulin resistance. Scientifica, 2012, 424780. 

### MyMT™ Education: The ageing liver and lycopene in menopause weight loss.

It is becoming better known in lifestyle medicine that diet influences menopause symptoms and women's health.

The diet that influences these factors the most, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and abdominal obesity, is the Mediterranean Diet. [Vetrani, Barrea et al, 2022].

That's why interest has been growing in the compounds in foods that are common in the Mediterranean diet, including the role of lycopene, which is found in numerous red and orange foods.

Tomatoes both raw and cooked are extensively consumed in the Mediterranean regions. Tomatoes are low in fats, rich in vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, carotenoids such as lycopene and polyphenols.

All of these nutrients are beneficial for women looking to reduce menopause symptoms as well as manage cholesterol changes, cardiac health, liver health, including Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). This is often a major contribution to weight changes during menopause. [Rovero-Costa et al, 2019]

I love the smell of the vine-ripened tomatoes coming off my vine at the end of summer. Tomatoes also feature in the Italian Tomato Sauce recipe which is in the MyMT™ Recipe Book in my programmes.

One cup (240mL) of tomato juice provides approximately 23mg of lycopene, which is evidenced to help in menopause and post-menopause cardiovascular and liver health. (Petyaev, 2016).

However, when it comes to the release of the lycopene from the tomatoes as well as enabling the body to absorb this powerful compound, this is optimal when tomatoes are cooked. Heat transforms natural lycopene to a form that is easier to utilize by the human body.



Understanding that liver and gallbladder detoxification pathways respond to certain foods, was a key part of my own weight loss, and it's why I include this information in the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course for you, which is on sale throughout the month of October.

One of the compounds that come in foods that help our liver to 'detoxify' is a compound called lycopene. 

I'm sure that you know that Lycopene is a naturally occurring compound that contributes to the red colour of fruits and vegetables, including blood oranges and grapefruit. But it's what the lycopene does inside our body that women's health and ageing scientists are discovering, that is helpful for all of us to know in order to help our clients succeed with menopause weight loss.

Lycopene is a carotenoid antioxidant - these are fat-soluble pigments of plant origin that are made by plants and help to reduce inflammation inside human cells and tissues. This type of inflammation is known as oxidative stress.  Plants which grow above ground and conduct photosynthesis are generally rich in carotenoids.

Humans don't produce carotenoids, hence dietary sources are important. for distribution to blood and tissues, including the liver (hepatic) and fat cells.  However, these powerful compounds play an important role in the production of retinol (vitamin A) and of course, in cell protection.


The role of lycopene in tomatoes and other vegetables and red coloured fruits.
Lycopene plays an important role in weight loss, hot flush management, heart health and improved bone density in post-menopausal women. For those clients who also struggle with their liver health and weight, lycopene is also known to help in the modulation of detoxification pathways.

The liver is ageing and changing during menopause and therefore, focusing your clients on ways to reduce inflammatory changes in the liver, as well as clear excess cholesterol and other harmful substances (including excess oestrogen), then improving liver detoxification pathways can be an important strategy for you to recommend.

Reducing the intake of saturated (animal) fat is important, as is adding cooked tomatoes to the diet and other red and orange foods. (Hodges & Minich, 2013; Tokac et al, 2015; Walallawita et al, 2020; Wilcox et al, 2003).

Lycopene is found in high amounts in tomatoes but is also present in watermelons, pink grapefruits, blood oranges, apricots, and pink guavas. 

The bioavailability of lycopene is higher in processed tomato products than in unprocessed fresh tomatoes, so your clients can grill them, add them to sauces or make soup or drink tomato juice.

Just be aware that lycopene bioavailability is also affected by processing methods and storage. Improper processing methods, handling, and storage (i.e., exposure to light and oxygen), can degrade lycopene as well, which is why 'fresh' and not supplements or powdered lycopene may be best.

The available research also suggests that lycopene-rich foods are needed daily. This is because its important to keep circulating lycopene at a baseline level for optimal storage and concentration. [Naureen, Dhuli et al, 2022].

When women add lycopene-rich foods to their diet, this valuable compound is stored and used in high concentrations in the liver, adrenal glands, and adipose (fat) tissues.

It's role in these organs is to help to reduce damage from oxidative stress and tissue injury.

Accumulation of excess fat in liver cells and adipose tissue is cited among the major reasons behind tissue dysfunction (Tokac, Aydin et al, (2015) and therefore, weight gain during the menopause transition. Excess fat stored in liver (hepatic) cells, can also contribute to poor gallbladder health called Cholestasis.

Some of you might have heard this term if your clients have had gallbladder problems, because Cholestasis is a liver disease. It occurs when the flow of bile from the liver is reduced or blocked.

Bile is fluid produced by the liver that aids in the digestion of food, especially fats. When bile flow is altered, it can lead to a buildup of bilirubin and this contributes to blocked ducts and even jaundice in those people with underlying liver disease. 

If your clients are putting on a lot of belly-fat, and they are feeling bloated and uncomfortable, then they may be on the path towards developing Metabolic Syndrome. This refers to a cocktail of health problems, due to weight gain, including hypertension, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. All of these conditions are often accompanied by poor liver function.

Therefore, getting your clients to increase their Lycopene intake is just one way for you to help them to restore tired, overworked, inflamed liver cells.

When my own weight reached an all-time high as I went into menopause, I was on all sorts of supplements and HRT. But that wasn't what my ageing liver needed. It needed some lycopene enriched tomatoes and other foods instead.

Middle-aged women are not only bothered by the physical and psychological symptoms of menopause, but are also at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), such as central obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes, which, yes, are partly induced as a result of diminished oestrogen production, but as women on my 12 week programmes are also finding, these diseases are also the result of our lifestyle.

Helping your clients to change their lifestyle is the most important role that you have as a Coach. But what is the evidence behind these lifestyle changes? What is the evidence behind strategies that improve weight management during menopause? 

These are the questions I asked myself, and the answers and the evidence is now in the MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course for you. This course also includes exercise prescription, so you can explore the Learning Outcomes HERE. I can't wait to show you the way with your midlife female weight loss clients.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.


 

References:

Brady CW. Liver disease in menopause. World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Jul 7;21(25):7613-20. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i25.7613.

Fiedor, J., & Burda, K. (2014). Potential role of carotenoids as antioxidants in human health and disease. Nutrients, 6(2), 466–488. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6020466

Hirose, A., Terauchi, M., Tamura, M., Akiyoshi, M., Owa, Y., Kato, K., & Kubota, T. (2015). Tomato juice intake increases resting energy expenditure and improves hypertriglyceridemia in middle-aged women: an open-label, single-arm study. Nutrition journal, 14, 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-015-0021-4.

Hodges R. & Minich D. (2015). Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. J Nutr Metab. Vol. 2015, 760689. doi: 10.1155/2015/760689. Epub 2015 Jun 16. PMID: 26167297; PMCID: PMC4488002.

Naureen Z, Dhuli K, Donato K, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Bertelli M. Foods of the Mediterranean diet: tomato, olives, chili pepper, wheat flour and wheat germ. J Prev Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E4-E11.

Patel, V., Rajendram, R. Preedy, V. (2018). The Liver,  Academic Press. 155-167, ISBN 9780128039519

Petyaev IM. Lycopene Deficiency in Ageing and Cardiovascular Disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016;2016:3218605.

Róvero Costa M, Leite Garcia J, Cristina Vágula de Almeida Silva C, Junio Togneri Ferron A, Valentini Francisqueti-Ferron F, Kurokawa Hasimoto F, Schmitt Gregolin C, Henrique Salomé de Campos D, Roberto de Andrade C, Dos Anjos Ferreira AL, Renata Corrêa C, Moreto F. Lycopene Modulates Pathophysiological Processes of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Rats. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Aug 5;8(8):276. doi: 10.3390/antiox8080276.

Tokaç M., Aydin S., Taner G., et al. (2015). Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of lycopene in acute cholestasis. Turk J Med Sci. 45(4):857-64. doi: 10.3906/sag-1404-57. PMID: 26422858.

Vetrani C, Barrea L, Rispoli R, Verde L, De Alteriis G, Docimo A, Auriemma RS, Colao A, Savastano S, Muscogiuri G. Mediterranean Diet: What Are the Consequences for Menopause? Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Apr 25;13:886824. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.886824.

Walallawita, U., Wolber, F., Ziv-Gal, A., Kruger, M., & Heyes, J. (2020). Potential Role of Lycopene in the Prevention of Postmenopausal Bone Loss: Evidence from Molecular to Clinical Studies. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(19), 7119. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21197119

Willcox J., Catignani G., Lazarus S. (2003). Tomatoes and cardiovascular health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 43(1):1-18. doi: 10.1080/10408690390826437. PMID: 12587984

Excerpt: Humans don't produce carotenoids which help to reduce inflammation. When we consume lycopene in our diet, this valuable carotenoid is stored and used in high concentrations in the liver, adrenal glands, and adipose (fat) tissues where it contributes to reducing damage from oxidative stress and tissue injury.

### Plant Phytoestrogens: Should you have them for your Menopause Symptoms?

Red clover used to grow in the paddocks where I grew up in the South Island of Aotearoa/ New Zealand. In summer the honey bees would hover enthusiastically around the beautiful purple-coloured flowers - how it got to be called 'red' is beyond me.The flowers are globe-like, can vary in colour from a very soft pink to dark purplish pink and are the medicinal part of the plant. Sometimes, as kids, we would pick one and suck on its sweetness. Back then I had no idea that red clover was full of nutrients that are known to act as healing components in cells.Nor did I know that the flowers have oestrogenic activities and would go on to fuel the menopause related bio-identical hormone industry.Go on, have a look at your bio-identical hormone medications if you have them, or those expensive supplements that sit on your pantry shelf as mine used to - perhaps the ingredients list says that they contain red clover. Or maybe they contain other sources of phytoestrogens from soy, flaxseed oil or even, parsley. 		
																														
		There are numerous foods that contain different amounts of phytoestrogens and some of you might benefit from adding these foods to your diet, and some of you might not. It depends.What it depends on, are three main issues:Whether you are overweight and therefore, need to reduce your sources of oestrogen until you lose weight and are in post-menopause, when oestrogen levels are at their lowest, or Whether you have a healthy liver, which is the site of excess oestrogen clearance in your body. If your liver isn't doing it's job of clearing oestrogen, then excess sources may get stored in fat cells. Your fat cells love storing oestrogen and yes, this includes your breast tissue.Whether or not you are sensitive to all forms of oestrogen, e.g. in some breast cancers.What are Phytoestrogens?Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring non-steroid plant compounds that are structurally similar to estradiol, (also called oestradiol). Estradiol, is an estrogen steroid hormone and the major female sex hormone.Oestradiol binds to oestrogen receptors. Hence, certain plant chemicals that mimic the action of oestradiol, bind to these receptors too, thereby helping to regulate the decline of oestrogen in the body. If you are taking man-made pharmaceutical bio-identical hormones or menopause supplements, then have a look at the ingredients list. They will inevitably contain different sources of phytoestrogens. There are four main groups of phytoestrogens: Isoflavenoids Flavonoids StilbenesLignansA wide range of plants and the products that are derived from these plants sources contain oestrogens which has some chemical affinity to oestrogen receptors in the female body. But that’s as far as the similarity goes.They behave differently to female oestrogen and this depends on the status of the internal oestrogen environment. This includes whether a woman is in peri-menopause, so has higher oestrogen production still, or is in post-menopause when oestrogen production has declined and is at its lowest as well as how the plant-sourced oestrogens bind to the oestrogen receptor and particularly to which oestrogen receptor they bind to. The rise of phytoestrogens in the discussion about menopause symptom relief come from studies reporting that one of these isoflavones, called Genistein, has a positive effect on reducing hot flushes and improving cardiac health in post-menopause.This is why isoflavones have increasingly appeared on the shelves of pharmacies and health supplement shops targeting women in mid-life.I'm sure many of you have spent, or are spending a lot of money on these products as I used to as well. The more I read about phytoestrogens however, the more I realised that in peri-menopause, I needed to focus on strategies to lose weight (which included less oestrogenic foods initially). Then, once I was through menopause, I could add foods which contained natural sources of oestrogenic compounds.   		
																														
		The most commonly occurring sources of phytoestrogens are the flavonoids and lignans group. This is why soy-based products, such as soya milk or tofu are heavily marketed to women when they go into menopause.  The main components of soy are proteins, soybean oil and carbohydrates.With soybeans also containing phytoestrogens called isoflavones, they are claimed to help reduce hot flushes and anxiety in women going through menopause, because their role is exerted on the central nervous system and of course, on the reproductive system.  Isoflavones are most closely related to the bean family of the Fabaceae (i.e., Leguminosae, or bean) family. Legumes, and especially soybeans, have been determined to be among the richest sources of Isoflavones in the human diet. A number of epidemiological studies indicate that the high intake of soy-based products in Asian women, including tofu, may have a protective effect on women’s health as they move into their post-menopause years. (Fin-Jen, He & Chen, H., 2013).Isoflavones occur in many types of legumes but soybeans typically contain the highest concentrations of isoflavones. With a similar chemical structure to female oestrogen (one of the main female hormones), they are able to bind to the same receptors that the oestrogen that we produce naturally does.		
																														
		Soybean is called ‘Shu’ in ancient Chinese. It is one of the five main plant foods in China along with rice, wheat, barley and millet. The interest in soybeans in women’s health has emerged because in China and throughout parts of Asia, breast cancer incidence is the lowest in the world (although according to Fin-Jen He and Chen ([2013], this is now rising with the tendency towards more western ways of eating in China).Soy production has never been so prolific. Soy Products include Edamame (immature soybeans), soybean oils, soybean milk, soybean, soy nuts and also flours and of course tofu, soy sauce, Tempeh and Miso. Tofu is a curd made by coagulating soy protein by mineral salts or acid. It is similar to the cottage cheese in Western cultures, which is coagulated cow’s milk.Tofu, like other soy products is high in protein and this is a major source of protein in the Chinese diet, where meat supply was not so abundant until recent years. It is also a great source of Calcium which has typically been deficient in the diet of Asian women.But soy products aren’t for everyone and for my bigger breasted women, I suggest that they keep their soy-latte intake to a minimum. Not because the phyto-oestrogens in soy may or may not be helpful to their symptoms, but because large commercial farms dominant the soy-bean industry so many soy-based products may have unhelpful sprays and pesticide residues that are not so great for our ageing liver – often already over-worked with a lifetime of toxins to clear.Like many supplements and targeted strategies for menopause, it’s a case of ‘different strokes for different folks‘ and it really is up to women to discover how and if isoflavones work for them, especially if they are aiming to reduce or come-off their HRT along with their Doctor's support. As I say to many women on the MyMT™ programmes, “there is no harm in trying“.  Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References:Fin-Jen, He & Chen, H. (2013). Consumption of soybean, soy foods, soy isoflavones and breast cancer incidence: Differences between Chinese women and women in Western countries and possible mechanisms. Food Science and Human Wellness, 2(3-4), 146-161.Mostrom, M. & Evans, T. (2011). Phytoestrogens, Chapter 52. Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology, Academic Press, pp. 707-722.Patisaul HB, Jefferson W. (2010). The pros and cons of phytoestrogens. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2010 Oct;31(4):400-19. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.03.003. Epub 2010 Mar 27. PMID: 20347861; PMCID: PMC3074428.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/healthy-living/nutrients/phytoestrogens

### MyMT™ Kitchen: A perfect way to get your pulses with my Spiced Orange, Carrot, and Chickpea Bake

Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.), commonly known as garbanzo beans, are an old world pulse (i.e., edible seeds). A pulse is an edible seed in the legume family and when it comes to our health as we move through menopause, chickpeas are a great source of plant-protein. One cup of chickpeas gives you around 39 grams of protein - that's more than enough protein in one meal.

The origin of the chickpeas is thought to have been Levant and ancient Egypt [Wallace et al, 2016] which makes sense as the plant prefers temperate and semiarid regions. It's no surprise that India is the world’s leading producer of chickpeas.

For those of you in menopause and post-menopause whereby your periods have ended, then there is another reason that you may want to consider adding chickpeas to your weekly menu. This is because they contain phyto-oestrogens. These are naturally occurring chemicals of plant origin that have the ability to cause oestrogenic and/or anti-estrogenic effects due to their structural similarities to the human hormone oestradiol.

If women are thinner or leaner, as Lyn is in the image below, then I do encourage oestrogenic foods in the diet and this is why I have two separate 12 week programmes, which differ depending if women are overweight or not.

If women are overweight or carrying a  lot of belly-fat, then just ease back on the oestrogen-rich foods, especially animal foods. Fat cells also make their own oestrogens so for women who are overweight or obese, then this may mean that excess oestrogens are not only being stored but also produced in fat-cells (more on this later this month!).

Ensuring that we increase our plant proteins is an important strategy during the menopause transition. If you find that other types of beans bloat you, then look for chickpeas. You can buy hummus and use carrot or celery sticks to dip in the hummus, or try this delicious chickpea and carrot bake recipe. The family love it and I hope you do too.


Spiced Orange, Carrot, Chickpea Bake (modified from Ottolenghi's Test Kitchen recipe)
Makes enough for 4 people 

 	1 large onion, roughly chopped
 	6 garlic cloves
 	a handful of coriander
 	2 1/2 tbsp berbere spice
 	2 tbsp tomato paste
 	2 tbsp runny honey
 	3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
 	6 tbsp olive oil
 	2 carrots
 	2 sweet potato
 	2 tins of chickpeas
 	2-3 oranges: 1 left whole and the rest juiced
 	salt and pepper
 	Slithered almonds


 	Preheat the oven to 200 degrees fan bake.
 	Put the onion, garlic, coriander stalks, berbere spice, tomato paste, honey, 1 tbsp of vinegar, 4 tbsp olive oil and the salt and pepper into a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste.
 	Put the blitzed onion mixture, carrots, chickpeas, sweet potato and orange juice and 150ml of water into a large baking dish. Toss everything together to combine.
 	Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and return to the oven for 30 more minutes (stir through at halfway).
 	Meanwhile, peel and segment the whole orange and then roughly chop the flesh. Put this into a medium bowl along with the chopped coriander leaves, the remaining 2 tbsp of vinegar, the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
 	When ready to serve, spoon the coriander salsa and slithered almonds all over the top.



References:

Wallace TC, Murray R, Zelman KM. The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus. Nutrients. 2016 Nov 29;8(12):766. doi: 10.3390/nu8120766.

### Does alcohol increase the stiffness of blood vessels in menopausal women?

A group of young skiers and their midlife mothers enjoying the end of winter up at the skifield today, caught my attention. They were enjoying a midday wine with their lunch, no doubt well deserved.But one of them caught my attention more than the others.Whilst she was enjoying her wine, her face was flushed red and she was mopping the sweat off her brow. As she had been sitting there for a while, I guessed that it wasn't to do with any exertion down the ski-slope. I was noticing them, because at that very moment, I was having a break and acquainting myself with new research on alcohol consumption and a new link to arterial stiffness. (Hwang, Muchira et al, 2022). I've written about arterial stiffness on numerous occasions, because I believe it is one of the most under-represented symptoms of menopause that isn't getting spoken about.Arterial or vascular stiffness refers to arterial wall changes which arise from gradual fragmentation and loss of the elastic fibres (elastin) and the accumulation of stiffer collagen fibres inside the arterial wall. And it appears that arterial stiffness has now caught the attention of researchers exploring the effect of alcohol consumption and binge drinking on our arteries. Binge-drinking is defined as females consuming 4 or more alcoholic drinks (males is 5 or more) on the same occasion. The study is an important one, not only because binge-drinking was seen to be linked to arterial stiffness, but because the transition from menopause to post-menopause, is now known to be a vulnerable time for changing cardiovascular health and liver health in women. Arterial stiffness not only affects arteries in and around the heart, but it also affects blood vessels in the liver.  The condition is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure (hypertension) in women as they age, and this in turn, may contribute to worsening hot flushes/flashes, especially as women move into post-menopause.Yes, menopause HRT may help your clients to reduce the effect of hot flushes and reduce arterial stiffness, but it also may not. [Chiu et al, 2012].		
																														
		Glancing across at the lady having a hard-time of it with her red face and hot flushes, bought back so many memories for me.It’s hard to know exactly when I made the connection between alcohol and my own hot flushes, poor sleep and embarrassing red face and menopause. But I found that all my usual wines that I had enjoyed for years, I wasn't tolerating any more.On reflection, it was when I moved from peri-menopause into post-menopause that I really noticed it. The more I read about the effect of alcohol on the blood vessels and our liver, the more it made sense, why alcohol and I had to figure out a new way of living together.If this is the same for your midlife and older clients, then I have some suggestions for you below, but first, let's get acquainted with the ageing liver.As women move through menopause, the lovely liver doesn't quite do the job that it used to do, and this includes, with alcohol metabolism and the enzymes that help to break down alcohol compounds and metabolize them in the body.These enzymes are called ADH and ALDH. As these enzymes decline during the menopause transition as the liver ages, women may find that they are more sensitive to alcohol because they cannot convert all that alcohol through the usual pathways in the liver.These enzymes are also crucial in the conversion of alcohol to energy, which the liver uses to maintain the metabolism of alcohol. The more women drink, the harder their liver is working.The bad news is, that if women are overweight, then the liver is using alcohol for energy, and not the precious fat that you need to burn instead. That's why excess alcohol consumption over many years, can contribute to a fatty liver, especially as women move towards post-menopause. When alcohol energy is always available, fat starts to accumulate in the liver cells, resulting in fatty liver, with or without the weight gain. Even for those women who are thinner and leaner and aren't overweight, this fatty liver can still occur. As such, liver function tests are important to check during menopause so get your clients to do this with their Doctor. 		
																														
		Much of the calorie energy in alcohol can't be stored in the body, so the energy has to 'go somewhere. For many women, this means that their skin, especially around the neck and face, may get redder the more they drink. Because this energy cannot be stored, the alcohol (ethanol) is burned off as heat ... and dissipated through the skin. For numerous women, that skin is on their face.A red flushing face when women have alcohol means that their liver may not be very tolerant of alcohol. Alcohol is extremely hard on the liver, causing liver cells to become inflamed.The increased intake, especially from binge-drinking may also cause blood sugar levels to crash afterwards, which leaves women exhausted. For women not sleeping during their menopause transition, this fatigue and daily exhaustion can be a double-edged sword as they reach for a glass of wine or two, at the end of a busy stressful day.Alcohol Metabolism is also affected by the water content of muscles: Alcohol (in the form of ethanol), distributes from the blood into all tissues and fluids in proportion to the relative content of water in the tissues. This means that alcohol also travels to muscle tissue. With muscle density and water content of muscles changing as women move into their post-menopause years, water storage in muscle tissue may also be reduced. In turn, this affects the metabolism of alcohol in muscles as well. Some of your clients may therefore, benefit from reducing their alcohol intake and my suggestions are below. 		
																														
		Alcohol is loved by your liver, because it supplies a ready and steady source of glucose (sugar) and glycogen (stored glucose) reserves.At the same time however, whilst the liver is trying to take up the glucose from the alcohol, it is also trying to clear the toxins and preservatives in alcohol in order to protect the brain.The alcohol is therefore, preventing the liver from absorbing glucose and storing it, which is what the liver wants to do. Hence, many women have cravings for more and more alcohol as the need for glucose in the liver is so great.But women don't need to give up their relationship with alcohol entirely, unless they want to or have addictions that need to be addressed. (See Sarah's website below). Alcohol is part of our socializing - I get that. And social connection is a powerful determinant of women's health as they age. This has been a consideration of why people live longer in many Mediterranean countries where they drink wine and socialize.So, if your clients like to have a drink then this is another important aspect for their ongoing health as they age. The power of relaxing and social connection are important determinants of women's healthy ageing. 		
																														
		With menopause and post-menopause liver changes on my mind and the lady in the cafe up the skifield today, I have these suggestions for you to discuss with your midlife female clients, to help them to reduce hot flushes and the risk of arterial stiffness, when they have alcohol:  Organic wine is lower in sugar and alcohol content. High sugar intake and chemicals can contribute to further overload for an ageing and changing liver.  Add healthy, low fat protein to snacks, rather than high sugar treats or high salt carbohydrates. Protein will help to lower the effect of insulin production from the pancreas, thereby reducing blood sugar doesn't spike.Get clients to place sparkling water or bottled water beside their wine glass. This might prompt them to have a balance of water and alcohol to slow down alcohol consumption. Don't eat a high fat meal before socializing. The liver has to work harder to metabolize fats, especially saturated (animal) fats. So it will be busy trying to process the fats and not the alcohol and excess glucose. It can't do both. I hope that you can explore the MyMT™ Education Courses sometime. I would love you to learn more about the Science and Psychology of Menopause to help you to help your midlife clients. If you have questions about any of these courses, then please email georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com - she would love to hear from you. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																														
		References: Brady, C. (2015). Liver Disease in Menopause. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 21(25), 7613 - 7620.Chiu CL, Lujic S, Thornton C, O'Loughlin A, Makris A, Hennessy A, Lind JM. Menopausal hormone therapy is associated with having high blood pressure in postmenopausal women: observational cohort study. PLoS One. 2012; 7(7):e40260.Cogger, V., Hilmer, S. & Svistounov, D. (2011). Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research,  Article ID 150364, 1-3.Hee Kim, Kisselina, T & Brenner, D. (2015). Aging and liver disease. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 31(3): 184–191. Hwang CL, Muchira J, Hibner BA, Phillips SA, Piano MR. Alcohol Consumption: A New Risk Factor for Arterial Stiffness? Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2022 Mar;22(3):236-245.Roeca, C.,  Al-Safi, Z., & Santoro, N. (2018). The Post-Menopausal Women. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279131/Schilling, C. et. al (2008). Current Alcohol Use, Hormone Levels, and Hot Flashes in Midlife Women. Fertil Steril., 87(6): 1483–1486. National Institute of Health. 

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: A Blueberry and Almond Bonanza for your Ageing Nerves, Heart and Muscles.

The red stains on my chopping board give you a glimpse into my post-menopause nutrition. Those purple stains are from beetroot. Sometimes they are from berries. Sometimes they are from fruits such as pomegranates.

Those purple stains represent my changed and changing eating patterns as I age.

Purple foods are power when it comes to reducing the oxidative stress and inflammation that is now recognised as arriving during our menopause transition and staying with us as we age. 

If you've been following my posts for a while, you will have heard me talk about the term 'inflammaging' and the work of Professor Gary Egger in lifestyle medicine solutions for reducing the natural course of inflammation as we get older.

Gary's work has opened my eyes to the possibilities of dietary changes that we need to embrace as we move through menopause and into post-menopause, especially when overweight. (Egger & Dixon, 2011).

As such blueberries and our calcium intake have been on my mind.

Adding foods that are evidenced to help reduce the inflammation that arrives in our blood vessels during menopause - and which help our nervous system to function better are important.

Blueberries possess abundant anthocyanins, which benefit blood vessel health, including the blood vessels in your eyes if you are starting at a computer all day. (Huang et al, 2018).

But it's not just blue berries that are important. Ensuring that we get 1200mg of calcium daily is important too.

You might think that this is only for bone health, but it's not just for your ageing bones - our ageing nervous system, including the nerves in our brain, need easily absorbed calcium. I tell you about this in my short video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze6aWd0JGYQ&t=10s
Anti-inflammatory Compounds in Blueberries
Anthocyanins are present in blueberries and here in New Zealand, apparently we grow some of the best in the world. But fresh or frozen, it doesn't matter.

What matters is that you understand how beneficial they are for your health as you navigate the inflammatory and blood vessel changes that arrive as part of our menopause transition.

I've written about these changes extensively (vascular stiffness) and in my 12 week programmes, women learn about the lifestyle solutions that are important to put into place in order to turn around the effects that our hormonal changes in menopause have on our blood vessels.

One of these solutions is to have purple foods, in particular blueberries.

Their possible functional mechanisms include the reduction and reversal of oxidative damage, alteration of retinal (eye) enzyme activity, inhibition of inflammation, stimulation of the immune system (very important in light of all the health chaos in the world), reduction of platelet aggregation (clumping), and modulation of cholesterol production and hormone metabolism (Wang et al, 2015).

More and more scientists and consumers realize the vision-related benefits of anthocyanin-rich berries, and the anthocyanins from berries are currently used in ophthalmology for their capacity to improve vision and prevent diabetic retinopathy - those of you with pre-diabetes or diabetes, may recognise this condition as being a complication of diabetes. It's caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina).

But there's more to blueberries than just our eye health.

Study findings from the work of Basu et al, (2010) suggest a cardio-protective role of dietary achievable doses of blueberries in men and women with metabolic syndrome - the cocktail of cardiovascular problems which sit alongside obesity - and these benefits include a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressures and plasma LDL-cholesterol.

I know from ladies already on my programmes that high blood pressure and changing cholesterol are concerns that arrive in menopause.



So, what should we do about our changing and ageing heart, blood vessels and nerves as we move into post-menopause?

Well, let's start by turning our back on some of the expensive menopause supplements which simply contain berry extracts and get into the kitchen, dust off the whizzer or nutribullet and make Wendy’s MyMT™ Blueberry and Almond Smoothie.

I made mine yesterday and yes, it was so delicious that hubbie asked for some too.
Wendy’s MyMT™ Blueberry and Almond Smoothie:

 	½ Cup of Almond Milk or Low-fat Milk (if you aren’t allergic to milk)
 	1/2 cup of beautiful Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
 	Around 10 frozen Boysenberries
 	A palmful of almonds or 2 tablespoons of almond flour
 	1/4 cup of low-fat natural yoghurt
 	[I also added in 2 chopped soft nectarines for added natural sweetness but this is optional]
 	1/4 cup of cold water if the mixture is too thick

Put all in the whizzer (I use a Nutribullet Blender) but a whizz-stick would also work. 

Pour into a glass and enjoy. You may also have some left over for tomorrow so put it into a stainless steel thermos in the fridge, which protects the nutrients from the light.

I hope you can join me on the MyMT™ programmes sometime. There is so much fantastic information to help you to help yourself manage your menopause symptoms and/or your weight. You also have my support every step of the way.

If you do come on, you will receive a wonderful food guide and an e-book with over 100 recipes that have been specially sourced to meet our nutrient needs in menopause and post-menopause.

As I always say to ladies on the programme, when it comes to reducing our symptoms and/or weight gain, "You don't need a lot of food, just the right food." 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References: 

Basu, A., Du, M., Leyva, M. J., Sanchez, K., Betts, N. M., Wu, M., Aston, C. E., & Lyons, T. J. (2010). Blueberries decrease cardiovascular risk factors in obese men and women with metabolic syndrome. The Journal of Nutrition, 140(9), 1582–1587. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.110.124701

Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2011). Non-nutrient causes of low-grade, systemic inflammation: Support for a 'canary in the mineshaft' view of obesity in chronic disease. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 12. 339-45. 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00795.x.

Huang W, Yan Z, Li D, Ma Y, Zhou J, Sui Z. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Blueberry Anthocyanins on High Glucose-Induced Human Retinal Capillary Endothelial Cells. (2018). Oxid Med Cell Longev. Feb 22:1862462.

Mann, J. & Trusswell, S. (2007). Essentials of Human Nutrition. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press

Sama DM, Norris CM. Calcium dysregulation and neuroinflammation: discrete and integrated mechanisms for age-related synaptic dysfunction. Ageing Res Rev. 2013 Sep;12(4):982-95.

Stanek A, Grygiel-Górniak B, Brożyna-Tkaczyk K, Myśliński W, Cholewka A, Zolghadri S. The Influence of Dietary Interventions on Arterial Stiffness in Overweight and Obese Subjects. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 16;15(6):1440.

Wang Y., Zhang D., Liu Y. X., Wang D., Liu J., Ji B. P. (2015). The protective effects of berry-derived anthocyanins against visible light-induced damage in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 95(5):936–944.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Parsley - it's more than a garnish with my parsley hummus recipe.

Each year tons of parsley leaves are placed upon dinner plates worldwide, probably only to be scraped away with the leftovers. But as we move through menopause, parsley gives you the crucial folate that your ageing nervous system and heart need in mid-life.

The photo above is the parsley in my garden. When I learnt that numerous menopause supplements contain B-vitamins, I was curious as to why. However, the role of compounds from the group of B vitamins cannot be overestimated during menopause.

Folate (Vitamin B9) and vitamins B2, B6 and B12 in their co-enzymatic forms are all essential in a network of reactions involved in the energy-producing metabolic pathways for carbohydrates, fats and proteins. B vitamins play an important role in maintaining the functions of the nervous system, so if you've been feeling a bit anxious lately, or your hot flushes are getting you down, then perhaps what your body needs is my parsley hummus.

Numerous menopause supplements contain folic acid. This is the synthetic (man-made) form of folate, a B vitamin (B9) important for red blood cell production, energy metabolism, temperature regulation, nerve and heart function and many of you will already know of its importance in reproduction and pregnancy in the prevention of birth defects.

But do you really need the synthetic form of folate, when you can eat 1/2 cup of fresh parsley instead? This contains around 30-40 micrograms of folate, helping to boost your intake up to the recommended amount of 400 mcg per day.

Parsley is also great for cardiovascular health. Not only is this due to the higher fibre content of parsley helping to lower LDL-cholesterol levels, but research suggests that the flavonoids found in the herb can also reduce inflammatory changes in blood vessels. (Farzaei et al, 2013)

Menopause symptoms can be frustrating at the best of times, but many of these symptoms are a sign that your body isn't getting the nutrients it needs at this time of life. What I've learnt through my research is that by changing our lifestyle in mid-life and including nutrients that our body needs, makes a dramatic difference to symptoms.

That's why as part of the MyMT™ Kitchen this week, I want you to make parsley the main ingredient, not just the garnish on the side. 


PARSLEY HUMMUS
INGREDIENTS

2 cups cooked chickpeas

2 large garlic cloves, peeled, cut in half

2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Salt to taste

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons sesame tahini,

Plain low-fat yogurt as needed

METHOD

Step 1. Put the garlic in the food processor and whiz up. Turn off the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chickpeas, parsley and salt to taste and whiz to a purée.

Step 2: Add the lemon juice and olive oil with the food processor running. Add the tahini and process until the hummus is smooth. It should not be too thick or dry. If it is, thin out as desired with yogurt or water, or with the broth from the chickpeas if you cooked them. Season to taste with salt.



Reference:

Farzaei MH, Abbasabadi Z, Ardekani MR, Rahimi R, Farzaei F. Parsley: a review of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and biological activities. J Tradit Chin Med. 2013 Dec;33(6):815-26.

### "I’ve not had knee joint pain and we are halfway through the Camino de Santiago." [Lesley, New Zealand]

Lesley has been with me on the My Menopause Transformation programme for a long time. When she mentioned that she was going to tackle the 700+km Camino de Santiago, I knew she had to sort out her joint and muscles health.

We are all enjoying her journey as she posts into the MyMT™ private coaching community and I wanted to share some of her journey with you, to inspire you that you can turn around your joint health, sleep and symptoms as you age, so that you can go on amazing adventures!

"I’m a 65yr old grandmother of 5 and retired Emergency Nurse Specialist. I have had a Cardiac Pacemaker since I was 20 for slow heart rate but also need to be careful of my heart rate going too high.

I’ve done some NZ Great Walks over the years but never anything as long as the Camino.

The first 2 days were brutal.

Day 1. From St Jean Pied de Port in France, 28.55km over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles in Spain, took 10 hours.

We had a 8km/3 hour climb to Orisson in very hot sun, (my heart rate hit 175), then more climbing in the mist with a very cold wind at the Alto, (total 1200m climb) followed by a very steep 500m down through the forest finishing in the rain.

Day 2 was tough too. 30.4km in 8 hours descending more than 450m at times on very challenging terrain.

We started in drizzle, then rain for several hours before the sun came up and it heated up.

I’ve not had any knee joint pain but did have some soft tissues issues early on. I did have some pain behind my left knee that was related to posture. I was leaning forward too much as I walked. As long as I stand upright with my shoulders back I’m fine.

By day 5/6 my cousin and I were feeling fine - no longer grimacing when we had to carry our suitcases upstairs.

Heat has been the biggest issue. The temps reach late 20’s by midday with only a slight breeze. We endeavor to get going as early as possible but our, paid for, breakfasts are sometimes not till 8.

I’ve been having salads with masses of olive oil at night and the fish dish whenever possible. Things I learnt to do on the MyMT™ programme.

We are about halfway now - 400km and I’m feeling good. We’ve had a few shorter, mostly flat days lately 16-22km which is nice. There are some big climbs and 30km days in the next 2 weeks, but I know that I will get through them."

Lesley, New Zealand



Menopause is not a disease. But it is a stage of life where changing hormone levels can trigger other health problems. You may benefit from a reset and refocus on your changing health as you move towards your post-menopause years.

If you have arrived in midlife (early 40s – late 60s) you are now in a completely different hormonal environment, as your body prepares for its biological ageing.

You may know that the decline in oestrogen and progesterone during midlife contributes to symptoms. But, have you ever been told why? And have you ever been informed that there are natural, lifestyle solutions that are scientifically evidenced to relieve your symptoms?

No? Neither had I.

I talk about some of these in the MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause. At only NZ$15/ AUS$13/ UK£6/ CAN$11, you can't afford not to listen to what I have to say!

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)


Click here to learn about your masterclass on menopause

### MyMT™ Education: The effect of mindfulness and slow breathing on menopause palpitations

I've had your client's menopause palpitations on my mind this week.According to new research, menopause palpitations are more common than women think. [Carpenter, Sheng, et al, 2022].As the authors noted, 'compared with the abundance and breadth of research on menopausal vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes) and sleep, there is a relative scarcity of research on menopausal palpitations. However, up to 42% of perimenopausal women and 54% of post-menopausal women report having palpitations.'Although 44%–87% of women aged 40–59 years living in America believed their palpitations required treatment, a systematic review found no Level 1 evidence for managing menopause palpitations. This and other evidence suggests palpitations in peri- and post-menopausal women are common yet relatively understudied in comparison to Vasomotor Symptoms (Hot Flushes).As such, the authors contend that, like other symptoms, they may be normalized and/or trivialized, as they have mostly been attributed to psychosomatic (e.g. anxiety, stress) determinants, rather than cardiac causes. (Carpenter et al, 2022). This is a shame, because when it comes to menopause-related palpitations, (yes, your clients need to get their Doctor to check them out), there is something that the Sports Medicine doctors might not be sharing with the menopause Doctors …. and that is, that when women are low in iron, or over-training with all the exercise they are doing which impacts magnesium and calcium uptake in muscles, including cardiac muscle - these situations may lead to palpitations too.There are also other factors that impact palpitations, including: low body fat levels,inadequate calorie intake from fastingchronic insomniastress (past and present)anxiety and,inflammation.Whether your clients are experiencing menopause-related palpitations or not, then it's important that you have some understanding of the link between menopause hormonal changes and anxiety and of course, what suggestions you can make to help them from a lifestyle perspective.Yes, HRT can help (they need to talk to their Doctor), but research also indicates that a specific type of rhythmic, slow breathing may help to claim back calm, remove the chaos in their busy mind and reduce their heart rate when 'life' and menopause-related anxiety and/or palpitations distract them.		
																										
		Menopausal palpitations are described as loud, racing, or skipped heart beats, flip-flops, fluttering, or pounding that occurs with or without dizziness and/or lightheadness.They are associated with demographic, clinical, symptom, and quality of life (QOL) factors states the Journal of Women's Health (Carpenter, Tisdale et al, 2020).Whilst your clients need to have them checked out with their Doctor, you might also suggest that they get bloods checked for Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, potassium and of course, B12 and iron levels.All of these nutrients are important for women's cardiac health as they  move through menopause. Feelings of anxiety are distressing for your clients. I know this myself, so the evidence on slow breathing is important for you to teach your clients.  6-10 breaths per minute and diaphragmatic breathing is best. I describe how to do this below. I just wish that I knew to do this type of breathing when I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed at work and was experiencing palpitations.Yoga helps, so does meditation, but if your clients don't enjoy these activities, then other forms of breathing-related exercise helps to reduce anxiety, including swimming and walking. I talk about this below. 		
																										
		The Physiological Effects of Slow Breathing on Anxiety and Cardiovascular Health as Women AgeIf your clients have got a lot going on in their life, have you ever given the rate of their breathing a thought? Slowing down the rate of our breathing is an important tool for managing menopause symptoms such as anxiety and palpitations.Health and longevity research on HOW to change physiological parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety with improved breathing practices has only emerged in past decade.This is despite the fact that the act of controlling one's breathing for the purpose of restoring or enhancing one's health, has been practiced for thousands of years in Eastern cultures.Slower breathing allows both heart rate and blood pressure to decrease. This is important for your clients to learn, if their stress levels are high or if they have, or still are, experiencing long-covid syndrome.The type of breathing I'm talking about is known as ‘autonomically optimised respiration’.  This term refers to the rate of breathing that has a beneficial effect on:the lowering of heart rate,the lowering of blood pressure andreduced stomach vagal tone - (this refers to the anxiety we often feel in our stomach when we are stressed).To achieve these positive benefits, women need to slow down their rate of breathing to 6-10 breaths per minute, with an increased tidal volume (inspiratory and expiratory capacity) achieved by diaphragmatic activation.Nasal breathing is also considered an important component of optimised respiration for health. [Russo, Santerelli & O’Rourke, 2017].Lungs are Ageing as Women Move Through Menopause: It's important for women going through menopause and into their post-menopause years to understand that their lungs are ageing and therefore, becoming less efficient.This alone can be problematic for their cardiovascular health and subsequent palpitations. The biomechanics of lung ventilation are carefully co-ordinated with blood oxygen, carbon dioxide and pH homeostasis (balance). How women breathe not only reduces anxiety, blood pressure and palpitations, but also has an effect on moods and hot flushes/ flashes too.And the slower women breathe, the better.In fact, 6-10 breaths per minute has the most effect on slowing heart rate and lowering blood pressure. (Russo et at, 2017).If your clients are feeling anxious, whether at work or at home, then please take note of the strategy of slow breathing, including alternate nostril breathing to teach them.		
																										
		If your clients feel busy, time-poor, over-whelmed, over-weight and are experiencing depression, anxiety, dizziness or cardiac palpitations, then can I motivate you to focus them on controlled slow breathing at a rate of 6-10 breaths per minute? I want you to re-learn how to breathe.Diaphragmatic breathing is best. Whilst I teach women how to do this on my 12 week MyMT™ programmes, there are also coaches who are trained as Breathing Practitioners. The beauty about knowing that the research has defined ‘effective’ breathing which has physiological benefits for our health, as a rate of 6-10 breaths per minute is ‘gold’. Even if your clients only manage a few minutes at the end of the day lying quietly on the floor or in bed, closing their eyes and concentrating on pulling their abdominal muscles in when they exhale and allowing the lungs to expand when they inhale, then they will be on their way to helping themselves to reduce anxiety, heart-rate, blood pressure and yes, reducing their belly fat too.		
																										
		Which MyMT™ Education Course Will You Choose?From a biological point of view our menopause transition means that the reproductive hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, are declining as part of our ageing.We all know that puberty is the period when oestrogen and progesterone first arrive, so in effect menopause is the opposite or the book-end to puberty.  As I mention in my online Masterclass on Menopause, your client's menopause symptoms is their body attempting to compensate for the changing balance of hormones as all of the reproductive hormones decline in midlfe. Sometimes, those same hormones end up fighting each other instead of adjusting.  But every one of their symptoms is reversible if the right lifestyle changes are put into place, which then allows the female body to adapt to its ‘new normal’ as it ages.This is what 12 week MyMT™ CPD Practitioner Course teaches you – all the scientifically evidenced step-by-step lifestyle strategies which help you to understand how to help your clients to work with their changing hormones in menopause and post-menopause, not against them.For those of you who aren't ready for the 12 week course, then there are shorter self-learning courses for menopause weight loss coaching and an introduction to the physiology and psychology of behaviour change for midlife women and this is tailored to those of you who are Health Coaches. If you have any questions, then please contact, Georgia, the Course Convenor, on georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com My video below explains a little bit about me and how I came to set up My Menopause Transformation Lifestyle Programmes.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. https://vimeo.com/850772519References: Carpenter JS, Sheng Y, Pike C, Elomba CD, Alwine JS, Chen CX, Tisdale JE. (2022). Correlates of palpitations during menopause: A scoping review. Womens Health (Lond). 18:17455057221112267.Carpenter, J. S., Tisdale, J. E., Chen, C. X., Kovacs, R., Larson, J. C., Guthrie, K. A., Ensrud, K. E., Newton, K. M., & LaCroix, A. Z. (2021). A Menopause Strategies-Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health (MsFLASH) Investigation of Self-Reported Menopausal Palpitation Distress. Journal of women's health, 30(4), 533–538. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2020.8586Carmody JF, Crawford S, Salmoirago-Blotcher E, Leung K, Churchill L, Olendzki N. Mindfulness training for coping with hot flashes: results of a randomized trial. Menopause. 2011 Jun;18(6):611-20. Harvard Health Publishing (2018). Breathing life into your lungs. Online Version.https://www.health.harvard.edu/lung-health-and-disease/breathing-life-into-your-lungs. Herawati I, Mat Ludin AF, M M, Ishak I, Farah NMF. Breathing exercise for hypertensive patients: A scoping review. Front Physiol. 2023 Jan 25;14:1048338. John JB, Chellaiyan DVG, Gupta S, Nithyanandham R. How Effective the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Quality of Life in Women With Menopause. J Midlife Health. 2022 Apr-Jun;13(2):169-174.Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., Wei, G. X., & Li, Y. F. (2017). The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 874. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874Romieu, I. (2005). Nutrition and Lung Health. Int. J. of Tuberc Lung Dis. 9(4), 362–374.Russo, M., Santarelli, D. & O'Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 13, 298-309.

### Have you forgotten what 'feeling healthy' feels like now that you're in menopause?

When I was lecturing in health and wellbeing at Waikato University many years ago, I used to show students the diagram below depicting the World Health Organisation's dimensions of health and the known consequences.

Never once did I think it applied to me. I was a regular exerciser, I (supposedly) ate ‘well’, I was pretty motivated and I thought I was a good representative of being ‘healthy’.

But that was before menopause hit. And before I had my blood work done to determine what was really going on with how ‘unhealthy’ I was feeling. Insomnia, exhaustion, weight gain, mood swings and mobility concerns distracted me from doing the work that I loved to do, which was educating and motivating others to be ‘healthy’.

The blood work was the ‘wake-up’ call that I needed – at the time my liver functions were high, Vitamin D and iron were low, cholesterol was high and goodness knows what my inflammatory marker (C-reactive Protein) was doing, because I didn’t know about that then and nor apparently, did my Doctor.

All I knew was that I couldn’t go on each day feeling the way I felt. Something had to change and the first ‘change’ I had to make, was asking myself, how on earth I had gotten to this point with my ‘health’?

That’s when I began to go back to the books and explore the W.H.O. Dimensions of Health. I was studying these at the time of my Masters degree and then returned to it during my PhD.

You see, the women whom I was interviewing at the time, had all positioned their ‘healthy ageing’ in doing lots of vigorous exercise. But when I enquired how this was going for them, not one of them felt ‘healthy’.

They just trusted that their exercise specialists were giving them the correct information about the exercise and nutrition they should be following in their 50s, to move into their older years in the best health possible.

This week is Women's Health Week. So, with my passion and purpose centred on the health and wellbeing of women transitioning menopause, I wanted to start with getting you to consider your 'health'.

I know from numerous women on my programmes, many no longer feel healthy ... despite trying to eat well, exercise and take all the various supplements that are marketed to us during this stage of life. I used to feel the same.

That's why understanding the Dimensions of Health is a great starting point for you and these are depicted in the WHO diagram below.



Over our lifetime, health researchers (mainly Psychologists) have tried to explain the health-disease relationship through various theories. Two main models exist today:

 	The Biomedical Model. This is based on the direct cause/effect relationship which explains the occurrence of disease. Appropriate treatments are then able to be presented to patients.
 	The Psycho-Behavioural Model. This is part of social-psychology learnings, and incorporates the attitudes and values of individuals and how these influence health-related behaviours.

Both of these theories help health promoters to move people towards ‘healthier behaviours’. The pandemic was a great example of how governments were using these theories to influence population health.

Understanding the various dimensions of health, enables us to examine ALL aspects of our personal health – which the W.H.O. define as ‘not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, but a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. The physical dimension also contributes to emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual dimensions.'

Therefore, in order to be considered "healthy," it is imperative for none of these areas to be neglected.

Optimizing all these determinants of health contribute to a state of balance and harmony both within ourselves and with the world around us.

If we are going to feel healthy as we move through menopause and into post-menopause, then one of the main imperatives is that, if we are feeling unhealthy, then we change our behaviours and CREATE health promotion skills.

This enables (and hopefully empowers us), to keep moving towards, not only the control of our own health, but for those of you who have family to care for, or you are in leadership roles at work, then health promotion is about taking these skills into the environments you are in.

Health promotion is also about putting your own health needs first. 

Feeling unhealthy means making the changes that you need to do, in order to have greater energy to live your best life. Afterall, in menopause, we are over halfway through our life - hence, if what you are doing isn't working for you, some changes are necessary. It's why I have such on focus in my programmes, not only on 'what to change', but also 'how to change' based on my 7 Pillars of Women's Health in Menopause, which I talk about in my Masterclass on Menopause as well.



The rapid growth of Health Coaches globally is a wonderful addition to support networks for women's health.

Many are Nutritionists and/or PT’s who are focused on supporting the health and wellbeing of others, so it's important that they take a broader approach to health discussions and not just focus on exercise or food.

Just as menopause is primarily viewed as being ‘only’ about hot flushes, or seen in the medical paradigm as requiring pharmaceutical treatments (nothing wrong with this either), when and how, are all the other DIMENSIONS of HEALTH being accommodated?

Over the past week, I've been sharing the numerous dimensions of health with the thousands of women in my coaching community as part of Healthy Ageing week with MyMT™ as well as with organisations I've been presenting too.

One of my messages is that good health starts from the inside-out (emotionally, spiritually and physically).

When we explore the various dimensions of health, there is so much more to this than 'just food' or 'just exercise'. Perhaps you can reflect on what’s going on in your life and how you might be able to make small changes that move you towards managing all these dimensions comprising your health?

I had to do this too. Re-imagining aspects of my own health and how to untangle it, started with reflecting on 'what isn't working?'.

As such I got rid of the exhausting high-intensity activity, stopped listening to dietary advice that took a 'one-size-fits-all' approach and therefore, wasn't situated or evidenced for menopausal mid-life women. I also began to better manage my stress levels and put my Masters research on health behaviour-change into action.

That's why, as part of celebrating Women's Health Week, I want to share some practical things that you can do to begin your renewed health journey:

 	Start from the inside-out with your thinking. As I mention in my Masterclass on Menopause, menopause chaos is invisible. Therefore, get bloods done when you can and get some baseline results. The ones I suggest that affect our symptoms and our ageing are: Vitamin D, Iron, Ferritin (stored iron), C-reactive Protein (an inflammatory marker); Liver Function; Cardiac Function and of course, Thyroid Function. Don’t worry too much about hormones – all they do is tell you if you are in menopause or not and remember that those of you on HRT, may have a false reading about your true menopause status if you get your reproductive hormones tested.



 	Choose one or two things to reflect on based on the dimensions of health criteria. For some of you it will be physical, but for others it might be spiritual or relational. I think we all know by now how our levels of stress influence our moods, coping, and of course our eating and exercise habits. So dig deep. Go to that self-reflection place that you haven’t been for years. Go for a walk and ‘reflect’. Only when we go-deeper into our true selves do we start to (re) discover our true self. Where is she and how has she been hidden over the years?



 	Bring others along for the ride. What about your family, friends, work-colleagues? I love how workplaces are opening up conversations on menopause. It's about time isn't it? One of the UK ladies in my group, Nicky (in the  banner above), was brave enough to bring the conversation about menopause into her workplace and this has taken her on a journey within her company to bring this fabulous topic to the attention of others. As she mentioned,

"I reached out to women in our  leadership team to begin with and had a great response. 

They have invited me to join the Inclusion Diversity and Belonging forums they hold to discuss setting up menopause workshops, but also to start to get some open conversations going. I have also been invited to join our "inspiring people " steering committee where new policies are discussed. 

Go Nicky!

And then there is Claire from the UK and her role as a Clinical Psychologist with the NHS. She, more than anyone, understands the magnitude of stress in the workplace and the impact of this on our symptoms and of course, our confidence and wellbeing. It's something she really had to work on herself as NHS employess have faced extraordinary stress since the pandemic.



With this week being Women's Health Week, I hope that you can make the time to hide away and start on your renewed health and wellbeing journey.

Perhaps start by listening to my Masterclass on Menopause if you haven't been able to do this yet. It's a great place to start in order to understand why your symptoms and health during menopause are changing and why menopause isn't 'just' about hot flushes.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Lemony roast potatoes/sweet potatoes with tomatoes and garlic pack a heart-health punch in menopause.

You'll love the smell of garlic and rosemary as this delicious dish roasts in your oven. And when you choose sweet potatoes and mix these with ordinary potatoes you'll be delivering yourself a dose of heart health goodness, especially if you love roast tomatoes. As many of you know who have followed my newsletter for a while, the positioning of our menopause transition in women's heart health and ageing research is, to me, an important one. Despite the dominant narrative about solving many of our symptoms with hormone medications specifically targeting menopause, this still doesn't replace the challenge that many women face every day and that is, 'what do I eat that fits in with the family and which helps my symptoms?'Yes, I had that question too. As my studies on our menopause symptoms lead me towards a different narrative which focuses on our future health as we age, I became interested in the Mediterranean Diet as well as the Okinawan Longevity Studies and how, these traditional diets are known to improve women's heart health. Afterall, this is still the number one health risk that women face as they move through menopause and into post-menopause.  The traditional Okinawan diet is anchored by root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants. Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes such as rosemary, and spices, tea, alcohol are also moderately consumed. (Willcox et al., 2014).Many characteristics of the traditional Okinawan diet are also shared with other healthy-ageing dietary patterns, including the traditional Mediterranean diet and the heart-health diet known as the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). All of these dietary approaches are associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, along with other age-associated diseases. An important consideration for women who already have health changes as they move through their menopause transition and into post-menopause. Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, garlic and rosemary all share a place in heart health nutrition. Experts often recommend sweet potatoes for their high-amounts of beta-carotene, (cooked) tomatoes for their high amounts of lycopene and roast garlic for their anti-inflammatory properties.Toss some fresh or dried rosemary over the top of the vegetables and you will be adding to the medicinal aspects of this dish. I've talked about rosemary before because not only does it grow outside my kitchen window, but it is found throughout the Mediterranean. Rosemary is known to have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective (nerve) properties. Furthermore, research suggests that it shows important clinical effects on mood, learning, memory, pain, anxiety, and sleep. (Rahbardar & Hosseinzadeh, 2020).If some of those symptoms are troubling you during your menopause transition, then how about you make this delicious MyMT™ dish? It gets made in my house nearly every week. 		
																														
		The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Lemony roast potatoes and/or sweet potatoes with tomatoes and garlicIngredientsEnough potatoes or sweet potatoes to feed your family5-6 tbsp olive oilJuice of 2 lemons1 punnet of cherry tomatoes6 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in halfLarge handful of coriander, parsley or dillSalt & pepperFew sprigs of fresh rosemary or a sprinkle of dried rosemary.MethodPreheat the oven to 220C.If using potatoes, cook them in their skins in boiling water for about 10 minutes, then drain. Cut them into slices and place into a wide baking dish. If you are using sweet potato, skip this step as they don’t take as long to cook.Mix the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes. Add the garlic to the dish.Roast for 10 minutes – turn them and add the tomatoes. Roast for another 15 – 20 minutes. Serve sprinkled with herbs.Bon appetite!		
																														
		References:Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar M, Hosseinzadeh H. (2020). Therapeutic effects of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and its active constituents on nervous system disorders. Iran J Basic Med Sci 23:1100-1112. Willcox DC, Scapagnini G, Willcox BJ. (2014). Healthy aging diets other than the Mediterranean: a focus on the Okinawan diet. Mech Ageing Dev. Mar-Apr;136-137:148-62. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2014.01.002. 

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: You'll love the longevity benefits of this delicious sweet potato dish.

I was in Melbourne, Australia, sitting in the large lecture theatre at the inaugural WHO conference on Health and Ageing, when I first heard about the Okinawan Longevity Studies.

The presenter was regaling us with graph after graph about the effect of diet on the health of some of the world's longest living people on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

I was fascinated - especially because what they were explaining from their research was completely the opposite advice to what I had been hearing about from a Nutritionist at a recent New Zealand fitness industry conference.

She had been talking about high protein and high fat for people exercising - the Keto diet had just emerged and she was keen to convince those attending.

At the time, I was the heaviest weight I had been in my life, I felt exhausted and had entered my menopause transition. Up until that point, even though I was lecturing on sport and exercise nutrition, I felt confused about the overwhelming emphasis on a diet, high in saturated fats, such as the Keto diet, that was prevalent in the fitness industry.

With changes to my cholesterol and blood pressure, I was dubious about adding more fat to an already fatty liver that was sending me towards Metabolic Syndrome. This term refers to the cocktail of health problems that may ensue for women moving towards post-menopause who put on weight and experience cardiovascular changes and changes to their insulin response.

That's why sitting in that healthy ageing conference changed my life.

The 'lightbulb' went off for me hearing about a different way of eating - one that was evidenced for women's health and longevity.

My own studies on women's health and ageing had already helped me to position our menopause transition in women's ageing studies and suddenly, the discussion about the Okinawan Dietary approach made so much sense.

It's when I turned my back on diets that are promoted in the fitness industry, which primarily suit younger women and athletes. As you can see below, this approach wasn't really working for me at the time was it?



The traditional diet in Okinawa is anchored by root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants. Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes and spices. Tea and small amounts of alcohol are also consumed.

Many characteristics of the traditional Okinawan diet are shared with other healthy dietary patterns, including the traditional Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). [Willcox, Scapagnini et al. 2014].

When I learnt about all these types of dietary intake for health, as well as viewed the graph that is below, later that day I found a small baked potato shop in Melbourne and bought a dish that was similar to this one that I have for you in the MyMT™ Kitchen.

I can't quite remember the name of it, but I remember distinctly that it kept me full for hours and I hardly needed any dinner that night because I felt so full!

With women's heart health and longevity on my mind, I hope you enjoy this fabulous recipe which I want to share with you in the MyMT™ Kitchen. It makes a great lunch to get you through your busy day.



Sweet potatoes are not only a rich source of Vitamin C, but they are also high in fibre. This makes them great for your gut health too. This humble 'longevity potato' is also gaiing attention as a functional food, necessary for mitigating the rising rate of non-communicable diseases, many of which are related to unhealthy lifestyle choices. [Amagloh, Yada et al, 2021].

Here in New Zealand, the Maori name for the sweet potato is 'kumara'. Grown mainly in the warmer climate in the North Island, it is a starchy root crop, and can be referred to as a “3-in-1” product. This is due to its integration of the qualities of cereals (high starch), fruits (high vitamin and pectin content), and vegetables (high vitamin and mineral content). In other words, it is a food that gives you 'more bang for your buck'!

As much as possible I've tried to replicate the Baked Sweet Potato recipe that I had on that auspicious day in Melbourne when I learnt about the health benefits of the Okinawan Longevity Diet. So, here in the MyMT™ KITCHEN, I share with you, 'The MyMT™ LONGEVITY SWEET POTATO/ KUMARA. Enjoy!



MyMT™ LONGEVITY SWEET POTATO/ KUMARA

INGREDIENTS

 	4 sweet potatoes, wash the skin and cut in half lengthwise (or enough for how many people you are cooking for)
 	1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 	1 can black beans (drained)
 	1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped
 	1/2 cup corn
 	1/3 cup coriander chopped
 	1/4 cup red onion diced
 	2 clove garlic diced
 	1/2 lime juiced
 	2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
 	1/4 tsp sea salt
 	pinch pepper
 	pinch chilli flakes (optional)

EASY GUACAMOLE (FOR TOPPING)

 	1 softish avocado
 	2 tsp lime juice
 	pinch sea salt

METHOD: 

Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthways. Using a fork, poke small holes in sweet potatoes going all the way round, about 1-inch apart. Line baking tray with parchment/ baking paper, and paint sweet potatoes with oil to lightly coat. Bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender.

In a bowl combine the black beans, tomato, corn, coriander, red onion and garlic. Drizzle with the lime juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and chili flakes. Mix to combine.

Prepare easy Guacamole:

Mash avocado in a bowl with lime juice and a pinch of sea salt.

Remove the sweet potatoes. Being careful not to burn your hands, carefully dig out some of the sweet potato flesh with a fork (I hold each potato with food tongs to do this). Mix the kumara mash into the black bean medley, then place back inside the sweet potato casing. Top with guacamole and serve. Bon appetit. 



References:

Amagloh, F. C., Yada, B., Tumuhimbise, G. A., Amagloh, F. K., & Kaaya, A. N. (2021). The Potential of Sweet Potato as a Functional Food in Sub-Saharan Africa and Its Implications for Health: A Review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 26(10), 2971. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26102971

Willcox B., Willcox D., Todoriki H., Fujiyoshi A., Yano K., He Q., Curb J., Suzuki M. (2007). Caloric restriction, the traditional Okinawan diet, and healthy aging: the diet of the world's longest-lived people and its potential impact on morbidity and life span. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1114:434-55. doi: 10.1196/annals.1396.037. PMID: 17986602.

Related Tag: Perimenopause Symptoms NZ

### MyMT™ Education: Is low Vitamin D status associated with blood vessel changes in menopausal women?

Over 60 million women (44%) in the United States are living with some form of heart disease. This is the leading cause of death for women in the United States and can affect women at any age.

In 2021, heart disease was responsible for the deaths of 310,661 women— or about 1 in every 5 female deaths. [CDC, 2023]. In the United Kingdom, heart and circulatory diseases cause a quarter of all deaths and to date, around 3.6 million females in the UK are living with cardiovascular disease. [British Heart Foundation, 2023]

Women's health and ageing research is replete with cardiovascular disease studies. The declining health of our mother's generation have paved the way for this type of research in older women. For many women, menopause is the start of their changing heart health ... but here’s the thing that our mother's generation didn't know - it doesn’t have to be this way.

Menopause is the time when wmany women are most at risk of high blood pressure and changing heart health and researchers now understand that the mid-life years are the time to change how we look after ourselves. Otherwise, hot flushes, poor sleep, hypertension and aching joints may continue into the post-menopause years, contributing to worsening cardio-metabolic health.

With women’s death rate from heart disease in America nearly eight times higher than death rates from cancer, and New Zealand, Australia and the UK leading the world in heart disease incidence, increasing evidence indicates that hormonal changes in menopause may also be involved (Maas, 2020).



How women choose to manage their menopause symptoms with medications is entirely up to them.

But my own experience, is that many women don't realise that drug treatments alone may not keep them healthy - especially when it comes to understanding the powerful connection between the menopause transition and age-related changes to the endothelial lining of their blood vessels.

Over 30 years ago in the early 1990's, when I was a former ICU nurse, every now and again, there would be a call to go and help-out the busy nurses in the Coronary Care Unit.

At the time, I didn't give a thought to how many of the patients lying in beds hooked up to cardiac monitors were women who had just arrived in menopause or post-menopause.

But they were - and now that I'm in post-menopause myself and with my women's healthy ageing studies leading me down the rabbit-hole about the effect of declining oestrogen on other organs around the body, including cardiac muscle and blood vessels, these memories make sense.

Women in their menopause transition and those already in post-menopause are at increased risk for changing heart health as they age.

Whilst both weight gain and poor sleep patterns affect post-menopause heart health, research also suggests that Vitamin D exerts a powerful influence on cardiovascular health in menopause, including in the mechanisms leading to arterial stiffness. (Al Mheid et al., 2011; Thompson et al, 2023)


What is Arterial Stiffness? 
You've probably already heard of the concept of ‘hardening of the arteries’ and the link to changes in the walls of blood vessels due to inflammation and obstructive lesions.  However, as more and more research has been conducted, the term ‘arterial stiffening’ has emerged, especially as this relates to women's cardiovascular status as they age.

Arterial stiffness relates to alterations of the internal wall of the blood vessel, which can cause reduced distensibility of the arterial wall. Essentially the walls become less elastic, which decreases the ability of the arteries to buffer against changing blood pressure.

This stiffening of the large arteries is the central paradigm of vascular ageing in both men and women, (Shirwany & Zou, 2010). While a number of mechanisms are known to contribute to vascular stiffness in women, especially the decline in oestrogen during, menopause, it is also known that Vitamin D status is associated with vascular or arterial stiffness too (Al Mheid et al, 2011).
What is the effect of Vitamin D on the arterial walls?
Although the link between the risk of deteriorating bone health and Vitamin D status is well known in women, low Vitamin D also confers vascular risk too.

According to recent studies, Vitamin D helps to modulate the endothelial lining of the blood vessels, providing protection against inflammation due to ageing. As such, the study by Al Mheid et al (2011) suggests:

"Our findings of increased arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction in indivduals with low 25-OH D, ... might predispose individuals to a higher risk for the development of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and adverse events." (p. 6).


Shift Workers and Vitamin D Levels:
In many diseases of older age for both men and women, there is often low Vitamin D status which commences in mid-life. For women, the change in Vitamin D status generally begins during menopause as the skin is replete with oestrogen receptors which are losing the role of oestrogen.

Furthermore, if you have clients who are night shift-workers, such as many nurses, low Vitamin D levels are often the start of a slippery slope towards more immune health changes and increased inflammation building up in the body, including depression.

Part of the reason for lower Vitamin D levels hitting women during menopause, is our changing oestrogen levels.

Oestrogen receptors can be found all over our body, including in our epithelial tissue (skin), so during our menopause transition, when we begin to lose oestrogen receptor cells, it's not just the ovaries that are affected.

Other oestrogen-attracting cells are too. What this means is that women (both fair-skinned and dark-skinned women) don't synthesise (produce) Vitamin D very well in menopause. It also means that night shift-workers get a double-whammy of losing oestrogen and losing exposure to Vitamin D because they have less available sunlight hours if they sleep all day.



Unlike other essential vitamins that must be obtained from food (these 'essential vitamins' aren't made in the body, so we need to source them from food), Vitamin D can be synthesised in the skin through a photosynthetic reaction triggered by sunlight.

The efficiency of this production is reliant on exposure to sunlight directly on our skin and we produce Vitamin D3 which then undergoes additional transformation (in the presence of oestrogen) to 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which is the major form of Vitamin D that circulates in our bloodstream.

Between the skin cells and the liver, our body carries out this transformation, but another transformation occurs in the kidneys forming 1, 25 (OH)D.

By now, Vitamin D has become a hormone and it goes on to accumulate in the intestine, where it enhances calcium and phosphorous absorption - controlling the flow of calcium into and out of bones to regulate calcium-bone metabolism.

Over 1000 different genes governing virtually every tissue in the body are now thought to be regulated by Vitamin D3.



One of the most important strategies for the women I coach on both of the MyMT programmes  is for them to get their Vitamin D levels tested if possible.

If these are low, then this is one of the only supplements that I encourage them to take - especially for women doing night-shifts and those who are in their winter months.

It's far more important for women to get this Vitamin from good food sources as well - in fact I think it is even more important than any menopause supplement that is on the market (which often don't have good scientific research to qualify the effectiveness of the supplements).

I hope that you can also encourage your menopausal and post-menopausal ladies to get their Vitamin D levels checked with their Doctor. To me, it's one of the most important lifestyle strategies that we can encourage!

Don't forget that I have more information for you on Vitamin D in the MyMT™ Practitioner Course - Georgia has opened up the pre-registration for the January intake, so don't forget to register your interest HERE.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Education/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ NZREPs Exercise Specialist



References: 

Al Mheid I, Patel R, Murrow J, ..., Brigham K, Quyyumi A. Vitamin D status is associated with arterial stiffness and vascular dysfunction in healthy humans. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011 Jul 5;58(2):186-92.

Avolio A. Arterial Stiffness. Pulse (Basel). 2013 Apr;1(1):14-28. doi: 10.1159/000348620.

Benefits of sunlight: A bright spot for human health. Environmental Health Perspectives, (2008). 116(4), 161-167.

Lehnert M. et al. (2018). Vitamin D supply in shift working nurses. Chrono-biology International.

Shirwany NA, Zou MH. Arterial stiffness: a brief review. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2010 Oct;31(10):1267-76.

Thompson B, Waterhouse M, English DR, McLeod DS, Armstrong BK, Baxter C, Duarte Romero B, Ebeling PR, Hartel G, Kimlin MG, Rahman ST, van der Pols JC, Venn AJ, Webb PM, Whiteman DC, Neale RE. Vitamin D supplementation and major cardiovascular events: D-Health randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2023 Jun 28;381:e075230. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2023-075230.

### Give your ageing heart the nutrients it needs for improving your energy in menopause.

Her arms lifted high in the air and the smile on her face, as she reached the top of this hiking trail in BC, Canada, is a testament to what Donna has achieved over the past few months.

The attention she has paid towards restoring her sleep, improving her cardiac health and fitness as well as her sore joints, as she navigates her post-menopause years, has rewarded her with a newly found confidence in her physical abilities.

"I'm at the viewpoint of the M. Gurr Lake Trail in the Central Coast of BC near Bella Coola" she wrote. "I find your programs so interesting.  My joints used to feel so sore all the time too. I really get the theory behind the science as I am a medical laboratory technologist.  Thanks so much for all your research and information.  There's no other program out there like it!"

This is why I'm always reminding women that our menopause changes involve the whole body.

Our declining levels of the reproductive hormones (including our master pituitary hormones) affects organs throughout the body … and when it comes to our changing energy levels, one of the most important organs to look after is our heart.

Cardiovascular disease remains essentially an age-related condition in both men and women. Ageing of the cardiovascular system involves changes that begin in middle age in the heart and the arteries that circulate blood throughout the body.

Progressive age-related changes in cardiac and vascular anatomy and physiology—collectively referred to as ‘cardiovascular ageing’—interact with cumulative exposure to traditional risk factors to impact an individual’s increasing likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease over the life course. (Merz & Cheng, 2016). This is especially true for women whereby thickening of the blood vessel walls, happens more rapidly compared to similar aged males asyou can see in the image below.

As such, women in their menopause and early post-menopause transition may experience changes to their ability to cope with exercise, their ability to sleep or manage their temperature, blood pressure may increase along with cholesterol increases and palpitations may arrive as well.



Over many years of lecturing, I've encouraged university students to look at the data from the famous Framingham Heart Study.

Research has been accumulating from these studies for over 35 years – the duration of most of our lifetime. Whilst much of the early studies were mainly undertaken on males, this has now changed as it has become evident that women and men experience changing cardiac health in different ways. Especially as they move through mid-life and into their older years.

My own challenges with menopause symptoms that lingered despite being on HRT, and my concerns with heart palpitations, hypertension, low energy and changing cholesterol in my mid-50s was confusing. Especially because numerous medical tests found 'nothing wrong'.

This experience reminded me to go back to cardiovascular studies and explore the science of our ageing cadriovascular system (the heart and the blood vessels) and why, when it comes to how our heart works for us to help with our energy levels, the nutrients we give it matters!

Women aged 55 years and older have a risk ratio of 1:3 of developing atrial fibrillation (Vinter, Huang et al, 2020).

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia (disruption to cardiac rhythm), with increases in the worldwide incidence and prevalence, especially in women entering their post-menopause years.

During the past century, a range of risk factors has been associated with AF, severe complications from the arrhythmia have been identified, and its prevalence has been increasing steadily - especially in post-menopausal women. Whereas evidence has accumulated regarding sex-specific differences in coronary heart disease and stroke, the differences between women and men with AF has received less attention. (Ko, Rahman et al, 2016).

However, menopausal palpitation distress is common and associated with demographic, clinical, symptom, and quality of life (QOL) factors, states a relatively new report released  by the Journal of Women's Health (Carpenter, Tisdale et al, 2020).

For those of us who have experienced the frightening feeling of a racing heart or missed heart beats (ectopics), especially just after exercise or as I found, when we have just gone to bed, I'm not surprised at what this study shares,

'Compared with the abundance and breadth of research on menopausal vasomotor symptoms [hot flushes] and sleep, there is a relative scarcity of research on menopausal palpitations.  Menopausal palpitations are described as loud, racing, or skipped heart beats, flip-flops, fluttering, or pounding that occurs with or without dizziness and/or light-headedness. Prevalence rates by sample were:

 	18.6% of 12,425 American women
 	28.7% of 300 Spanish women
 	28.8% of 293 American women
 	34.1% of 299 Moroccan women,
 	38.0% of 81 Brazilian women
 	46.8% of 243 Brazilian women, and
 	46.9% of 301 Lebanese women.

I wonder what the prevalence is in New Zealand, Australian and British and Irish women? I'm sure the prevlance is similar. The conclusion that the report comes to, is that given that every woman around the world who reaches mid-life will experience menopause, these prevalence rates indicate that millions of women could be experiencing menopausal palpitations. (Carpenter et al., 2020, p. 2).

I know myself how distressing these are and also, when it comes to exercise, how we need to manage our recovery better in order that our heart (which is a muscle), and our circulation recovers well.

This was the missing link for me and I know that this is true for hundreds of women, like Donna in Canada, as well as others on my 12 week coaching programmes who love their physical activity, but exhaustion, palpitations, not sleeping and sore joints were affecting their ability to remain active as they transitioned from menopause into post-menopause.

Does this sound like you?

If so, then first and foremost, get to your Doctor for a check-up. Ask for Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, potassium and of course, B12 and iron levels to be checked as all of these nutrients are affected by menopause, especially for those of you who do a lot of exercise.

I talk about these nutrients in my programmes and in my coaching community, because they are important for your cardiac health as you move through menopause.



The women’s health literature is replete with studies reporting the changes in cardiac function as we age. And I’m not talking about when you are over 70 years.

I’m talking about your menopause transition – the time when your biological and reproductive ageing is occurring. With the decline in oestrogen levels as we move through menopause, risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) become more apparent in women, especially hypertension or high blood pressure.

If your blood pressure has shot up as you approached mid-life, you’ll know what I mean. Furthermore, the onset of hypertension can cause a variety of symptoms that are often attributed to the menopause.

If you are experiencing fatigue, hot flushes, aching muscles after exercise, migraines, tinnitus and/or palpitations, then join the club – it could well be your changing blood pressure and blood vessels. So please, go to your Doctor and get your heart and blood pressure checked out when you can, because there’s a little statistic I want to share with you.

Worldwide, 25% of adult women are hypertensive, and in the United States, more than 75% of women older than 60 years of age are hypertensive. [Lima et al., 2012]

That's why getting the right nutrients into you as you move through menopause matters and it's why I help women to focus on magnesium, sodium and potassium, especially if they are regular exercisers or you are sweating a lot - you may also be losing vital electrolytes due to sweat losses, although this has rarely been studied (Amabebe, et al. 2016). Whilst too much potassium may be dangerous to the heart, having some in our diet is important - especially for those who exercise adn sweat a lot.

Bananas give you potassium as do berries. Berries, bananas and oats are all foods that help you manage your energy levels, exercise recovery and of course, help to regulate your heart and cardiovascular system. Bananas are one of nature's best sources of potassium with each fruit providing around 300mg. One a day is fine.

Women who eat foods rich in potassium help to lower their blood pressure and as I mention, in my GUT HEALTH module which is part of my Health Restoration Series, then you would also discover the incredible effect that a banana has on the gut microbiome too.

Bananas contain pectin, which is a soluble fibre that acts like a sponge in the digestive tract, absorbing fluid and helping to keep our bowel motions in check.

There is such an emphasis on women taking all sorts of supplements to help them with their menopause symptoms, but real food that gives you the nutrients that your ageing body needs, are cheaper and for many women, just as effective.

For post-menopausal women experiencing atrial fibrillation, especially those who are thinner or leaner (or those of you doing higher amounts of exercise) then new research also suggests looking at your protein intake, (Gerber, 2020) - not too much and not too little, perferably from plants and not too much red meat ... exactly what I tell women on my 12 week programmes, especially if they want to turn around their sleep and joint health too.



The analysis of over 99,000 post-menopausal women (median age of 64 years) from the Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Trials and Observational Study found that those who ate 58-74 grams of protein a day were 5-8% less likely to develop AFib, but there seemed to be a ceiling effect after eating more than 74 grams, at which point the benefit was no longer statistically significant.

According to the lead author (Gerber, 2020), this doesn't translate to too much protein. “It’s not a huge amount" he stated. "We’re talking about eating 10-20 more grams of protein per day—that’s only four ounces of healthy protein. Of course, when we talk about increasing protein intake, it needs to be with heart-healthy foods and lean proteins, not with cheeseburgers and other foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol and sugar.”

Women in this study had an average protein intake of 60 grams/day. This is slightly less than what I recommend on the MyMT™ programmes which supports this study's findings that women who ate between 58 and 74 grams a day have significantly less risk of AFib.

This is a salient point for women who lift weights or do endurance exercise as they move through menopause - you need to examine your protein intake so it is not too high and not too low.

I'm always focusing on this aspect of protein intake for cardiac health in the women who join me who are regular exercisers. Our protein needs change as we move through menopause and some women are having too much whilst other's may not be having enough.

Interestingly, in the American College of Cardiology report, women typically underestimated their daily protein intake by about 10 grams and caloric intake by 600-700 calories, which speaks to the need for more nutritional awareness and education, researchers said. I agree!



I talk about protein intake in my 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause too and in the 12 week programmes, I give you specific information relating to your changing cardiac health in mide-life and your nutrition and sleep.

That's what you learn in the MyMT™ programmes where I've taken every symptom and placed the strategies into Lifestyle Medicine science. When you have time, I invite you to listen to the video below where I explain the 12 week programmes to you.

Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder of MyMT™ & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

https://vimeo.com/851541619?share=copy

References: 

Amabebe, E. Osayande, I., Nzoputam, O., Ugwu, A. (2016). Sweat potassium decreases with increased sweating in perimenopausal women. British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research, 14(10), 1-10.

Babiker F., De Windt L., van Eickels M, Grohe C, Meyer R, Doevendans P. (2002).  Estrogenic hormone action in the heart: regulatory network and function. Cardiovasc Res. 53(3):709-719. doi:10.1016/s0008-6363(01)00526-0

Chugh, S. S. et al. (2014). Worldwide epidemiology of atrial fibrillation: a Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study. Circulation 129, 837–847.

Colpani, V., Baena, C.P., Jaspers, L. et al. Lifestyle factors, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and elderly women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Epidemiol 33, 831–845 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-018-0374-z

Gerber, D., Stefanick, M. et al. (2020). Dietry protein and incidental atrial fibrillation in post-menopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative. J. Am Coll Cardiol. Mar, 75 (11, Supplement 2) 5.

Lima, R., Wofford, M., & Reckelhoff, J. F. (2012). Hypertension in postmenopausal women. Current hypertension reports, 14(3), 254–260.

Khoudary, M., Aggarwal, B., Beckie T. et al. (2020). Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 142:e506–e532

Ko, D., Rahman, F., Schnabel, R. et al. (2016). Atrial fibrillation in women: epidemiology, pathophysiology, presentation, and prognosis. Nat Rev Cardiol 13, 321–332.

Mattina GF, Van Lieshout RJ, Steiner M. Inflammation, depression and cardiovascular disease in women: the role of the immune system across critical reproductive events. Ther Adv Cardiovasc Dis. 2019 Jan-Dec;13:1753944719851950.

Nieman, D. C., Gillitt, N. D., Henson, D. A., Sha, W., Shanely, R. A., Knab, A. M., Cialdella-Kam, L., & Jin, F. (2012). Bananas as an energy source during exercise: a metabolomics approach. PloS one, 7(5), e37479.

O'Neil A, Russell JD, Murphy B. How Does Mental Health Impact Women's Heart Health? Heart Lung Circ. 2021 Jan;30(1):59-68. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2020.05.111.

Pettee K., Storti K., Conroy M., & Ainsworth B.. (2008). A Lifestyle Approach for Primary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Perimenopausal to Early Postmenopausal Women. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2(5):421-431.

### Your aching muscles and bones during menopause will love these foods.

Perhaps your leg cramps are waking you up at night?Maybe you're a regular exerciser and don't understand why you aren't recovering the way you used to?Maybe you've been told that your aches and pains are a normal part of menopause? Or maybe you're taking a heap of turmeric and glucosamine and other supplements targeted towards women in middle age and older, hoping for the relief that you deserve? The interview I did with a journalist recently was interesting. She's writing a book on menopause and wanted to interview me about exercise. "Why don't you promote high intensity exercise like everyone else does?" she queried.After listening to my Masterclass on Menopause, she had picked up on this statement I had made. It was an unusual question to start with and made me understand that maybe she hadn't talked to women who had sore knees, plantar fasciitis, aching joints and who weren't sleeping.These exhausted women who continue to workout and don't understand how their muscles and joints change during their menopause transition are everywhere - perhaps you are someone who can relate? Women on my own doctoral studies were the same ... as I was too. "Menopause has been so heavily medicalised" I mentioned, "and only viewed through the lens of hot flushes, anxiety and depression. But there's so much more to it than these concerns. Our muscles are ageing and for women who exercise, this means that the uptake of calcium into their muscle fibres is slower. As such, this affects the muscle contraction speed and many who come on my programmes complain about aching muscles and restless legs that trouble them at night, keeping them awake. I hear about it all the time as a generation of Personal Trainers  and women who have exercised all their lives, go into their 50s"  I replied. 		
																														
		The Muscle-Calcium Connection in Menopause:1200mg a day. Every day.That’s the amount of calcium we need from our 50’s onwards. But whilst we’ve all been told that it’s to do with our bone health, I beg to differ.Because if you are a women in her mid-life transition who either exercises regular or you are in a physically demanding job, then your calcium intake is not only about your bones, it’s about your muscles as well.And yes, I include your heart muscle and the tiny smooth muscles that make up your blood vessels in this comment. They need calcium too. I talk about this in my video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ7NButtYX8Your circulatory system, extracellular fluid, muscle, and other tissues need calcium.Calcium as a nutrient, is most commonly associated with the formation and metabolism of bone. With over 99 percent of total body calcium found as calcium hydroxyapatite in bones and teeth, it provides hard tissue with its strength.But whilst the emphasis for women in menopause and post-menopause has primarily been about calcium for bone health, there's another reason that it's important. Calcium is critical for controlling the contraction and dilation of your blood vessels. It's also crucial for muscle contraction because of its role in helping the nerve electrical current to 'jump' across the gap between the nerve and the muscle. 		
																														
		Bone tissue serves as a reservoir for and source of calcium for these critical metabolic needs through the process of bone remodelling. You can guess what happens to your bones if your calcium levels are therefore, low.Yes, that's right. The bones deplete calcium to help to balance up the plasma levels so you can do all that exercise or activity that your muscles and nerves are demanding. It's not 'just' about calcium in food either. Optimal Vitamin D levels are crucial to maintain during your menopause transition too. In the MyMT™ programmes, I talk a lot about Vitamin D levels and have specific information for women who join me. This is because Calcium metabolism is regulated in large part by the parathyroid hormone (PTH)-Vitamin D endocrine (hormone) system.A series of feedback loops help in maintaining blood calcium levels depending on Vitamin D absorption. This is why, during vitamin D deficiency, bone metabolism is significantly affected as a result of reduced active calcium absorption into bones, muscles and in our nervous system.If you aren't getting enough Vitamin D (and I've written how our skin is changing in menopause and Vitamin D absorption is affected too), and you are experiencing weak muscles, poor rcovery after exercise or you have restless legs and muscles cramps at night, then have a serious look at your calcium intake and have a good think about your gut health. Your colon is the main site of calcium absorption into your body. This means that poor gut health might affect your ability to absorb calcium from food. If this is the case, then one of your priorities is to sort out gut health. [If you need to learn more, then have I have a gut-health module that can be purchased separately from the 12 week programme as part of my Restoration Series). 		
																														
		Sources of Calcium: Whilst I have a focus on the traditonal Mediterranean Diet on the MyMT™ programmes, typically this diet is lower in dairy products, especially milk.That's why other sources such as oily fish such as wild salmon (which differs in Vitamin D content from farmed salmon), small fish, nuts, legumes, cereals (which are fortified with Vitamin D in some countries) and certain vegetables are an important sources of dietary calcium too.As I've just produced my new MyMT™ Food Guides for the women on the 12 week online programmes, as my focus has been on Vitamin D and Calcium uptake in my coaching group this week, I want to share this list with you here as well. 		
																														
		There are numerous symptoms that women experience in menopause, including restless legs and sore, aching muscles.But as I always say, the 'problem' isn't menopause - this is a natural event that all women go through. The 'problem' is that we need to change our lifestyle to accommodate this incredible stage of life.That's what the 12 week online MyMT™ programmes teach you to do - these are differentiated according to whether you desire weight loss or not. I hope you can join me sometime if your symptoms and/or weight, are getting you down. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References: Astrup, A. (2014). Yoghurt and dairy product consumption to prevent cardiometabolic diseases: epidemiologic and expereimental studies. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 99; 1235S-42SBronner, F. & Pansu, D. (1999). Nutritional Aspects of Calcium Absorption, The Journal of Nutrition, 129 (1), 9–12. Kim YS, Hong KW, Han K, Park YC, Park JM, Kim K, Kim BT. (2020). Longitudinal Observation of Muscle Mass over 10 Years According to Serum Calcium Levels and Calcium Intake among Korean Adults Aged 50 and Older: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Nutrients. Sep 18;12(9):2856.Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: an evidence-based approach. Elselvier Academic Press: London, UK.Romero-Parra N, Maestre-Cascales C, Marín-Jiménez N, Rael B, Alfaro-Magallanes VM, Cupeiro R, Peinado AB. Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Postmenopausal Well-Trained Women. Sports Health. 2021 Nov-Dec;13(6):613-621.

### New Research: Does daily stress affect your client's menopause symptoms?

If you were to get your clients to pull out a blank piece of paper and list all the factors that drain their energy and/or stress them out over a day or a week, I wonder what would be on that list?

From everything which might be over-whelmingthem in their workplace, to their home environment and work/ life balance stressors, to being distracted with menopause symptoms, I'm sure that many of them would have a list that was quite lengthy!

But I also wonder if you or your clients would list some other factors contributing to stress levels and fatigue too. These may include:

 	not sleeping,
 	eating too much food or not enough food,
 	poor liver health,
 	too much high-intensity exercise,
 	changing circulatory and heart health as they reach menopause and for some of them,
 	the changes to their life over the past couple of years when the world went into chaos.

All of these factors drain energy levels in your clients, leading to physical and emotional stress as they transition menopause. And the connection between client stress levels and menopause symptoms are important to understand. 

Just as stress is the body’s way of mounting a response to meet the demands of changes or challenges, fatigue is a natural by-product of prolonged exposure to stress. Stress can drive fatigue, and fatigue can down-regulate or up-regulate stress, depending on whether women are sleeping or not.

For those of your clients who aren't certain whether they are in menopause or not, then interestingly,  a study of Korean women between 40 and 70 years of age who were in natural menopause, found a statistically significant correlation between stress level and age at natural menopause. Women who experience a high level of stress in daily life enter menopause earlier than their less stressed counterparts. [Choi et al, 2015].

Being aware of the energy that women use up daily is an important step in understanding the behavioural, environmental and emotional causes of daily fatigue and stress. 

It took me a long time to understand that doing a lot of exercise as well as running a busy household, working and studying, were all ‘energy-robbers’. The more energy that is being expended day after day, causes the adrenal glands to become fatigued. I learnt this the hard way myself.

Your adrenals help to produce stress hormones. When the adrenals are working hard with so much going on in life and the fact that women may not be sleeping, the adrenals over-produce the stress hormones. What ensues are a host of symptoms that I’m sure some of you may recognise,

 	Poor sleep and difficulty getting up in the morning.
 	Hot flushes
 	Anxiety/ Racing heart rate
 	Feelings of over-whelm and powerlessness
 	Foggy brain/ Forgetfulness
 	Fatigue that stays with you – especially in muscles and/or joints
 	Reliance on what I call ‘C.A.T.S.’ – caffeine, alcohol, tobacco or sugar and salt
 	Frequent colds and flu
 	Hair loss (including eyebrows!)
 	Loss of menstrual cycle (amenorrhea), especially in female athletes.
 	Decreased libido
 	Decreased ability to handle stress.



The adrenal glands are the glands of stress.

They sit on top of  your kidneys like a floppy felt hat and they are involved in the processes of and recovery from most of your body functions. Their sole purpose is to help your body cope with stress and enable you to survive.

The adrenals have worked hard throughout your life to help you to manage stress from innumerable sources- ranging from injury to disease to pregnancy to work and relationship problems.

These glands might be small, but they are powerful.

This is because they secrete hormones which influence every major physiological process in the body.

They affect how well you utilize fats and carbohydrates and convert these foods sources into energy; whether you store fat more rapidly or not (especially around the abdomen for women); whether you maintain normal blood sugar levels and therefore, blood pressure and they also help to protect immune function – something that has never been more important to women who have experienced the lasting effects of changed immune function during and after the pandemic.

Your adrenals also secrete hormones that have a protective function on inflammation – an important consideration for women as they age. As is the fact that for women in post-menopause, the adrenal glands become the major source of the sex hormones circulating through the body



What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal Fatigue is known as hypo-adrenia.

From the root word ‘hypo’ (low) and adrenia (related to the adrenals). It is a deficiency in the normal functioning of the adrenal glands. Over many years, numerous factors affect these hard-working glands and what we must also remember, is that as women move through menopause, they are ageing and changing. As ageing occurs, several changes in hormone levels take place - in the adrenals especially.

This includes increased cortisol secretion patterns, especially on awakening in the morning.

As I mention to women on my own programmes, if they are waking up to hot flushes, then this is often due to their cortisol release is stronger in the morning as you age. (Yiallouris, Tsioutis et al, 2019) and it’s why turning around their circadian cycle and sleeping more deeply is an integral strategy in the MyMT™ programmes.

‘With each increment of reduction in adrenal function, every organ and system in your body is more profoundly affected, mentions Dr James Wilson (PhD), in his book on adrenal fatigue.

‘Changes occur in your carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance, heart and cardiovascular system and even in your sex drive. Many other alterations take place at the biochemical and cellular levels – interestingly, even your body-shape can transform when your adrenals are fatigued.’ [Wilson, 2010 p.24]



Over 60 years ago, Hans Selye (the 'father' of research into the stress-adaptation-response) recognised the paradox that the physiologic systems activated by stress not only harm the body, but also protect and restore it.

In other words, some stress is good, too much over a long time is not so good. When we are exposed to sources of stress over long periods of time (years in fact), then the impact of this is that both thyroid and adrenal hormones work harder to re-balance the body.

The same phenomenon happens in over-trained, burnt-out athletes. It's why motivation to train takes a dive, and many then begin to experience immune system health changes. The technical term for this is 'over-training' and it is a well-researched phenomenon in athlete conditioning and optimal training adaptation.

But here's the thing.

It's happening to women in menopause as well. You don't need to be an athlete for your body to go into 'distress'. We already know this from health and medical research. When we aren't sleeping, we aren't recovering.

And if we aren't recovering, we start to feel wired and tired, stressed and anxious and it's not long before we experience 'Burn-out'.

The accumulation of stress affects every organ in our body, especially our adrenals. It makes our menopause symptoms worse. For many of us, it leads to worsening menopause weight gain as well.

There is not much escape from our stressful lives these days is there? I'm not just referring to emotional stress either. It's environmental stress too. As many of my Australian ladies discover, living in a hot environment creates extra 'stress' on our body too.

That's why you need to understand that as we transition through menopause, the accumulation of all the various sources of stress can impact hugely on our symptoms and our weight.

When our body is in 'distress' e.g. not sleeping, accumulation of inflammation, feeling over-whelmed by our emotional stress, feeling time poor or not eating well (or regularly), then allostatic load increases. 

Emotional and physical stress are accumulative - and it's not just the 'here and now' stress. I'm also talking about the decades-long build-up of oxidative or physical stress that manifests as inflammation and metabolic chaos in our body. If your muscles are sore, if you have fibromyalgia, if your gut health has changed, if you have put on weight, and if you are feeling hot and bothered all the time, and you aren't sleeping, then yes, these are all signs that your body is 'stressed'. You may be ‘adrenally fatigued’.



Understanding ALLOSTATIC LOAD IN CLIENTS: 

All these various sources of stress, [emotional, physical and environmental] and how frequently our body is exposed to this stress, is coined in the term 'Allostatic Load'. From a physiological basis, when the allostatic load increases then it contributes to allostasis.

This refers to the body's ability to try to re-balance itself.

It's why, if we aren't sleeping and our body isn't coping, our thyroid, adrenal and pituitary glands are working harder to re-balance up the internal environment too. Many of you may end up with immune-health concerns which remain with you as you move from peri-menopause to post-menopause.
What can I do about adrenal fatigue in my clients?
Restoring and healing the body requires a combination of strategies and I talk about these in the My Menopause Transformation programmes. How women expend energy, how much food they have and the quality and timing of that food to restore energy is important to the management of menopause symptoms as well as adrenal fatigue.

However, so too is getting adequate sleep and restoring liver and gut health.

These organs affect adrenal function too as do your client's perceptions of stress and worry and anxiety. Taking back control of these aspects of their life is important, but this takes time and practice. I have a lot more of the 'how to' in the Menopause Practitioner Programme for managing stress and symptoms.

The most important aspect of ‘change’ clients need to make however, is unarguably to do with their lifestyle, so here are my four top hints for you to introduce to your clients to help them reduce the sources of and accumulation of adrenal fatigue.

 	Reflect on ‘how they became so tired and what are their daily ‘energy-robbers’ – if you can help them to remove some of these sources, e.g. high intensity exercise or workplace stress, then this is a starting point. Adrenal glands cannot heal unless they have the opportunity to rest.



 	Manage their blood sugar levels – stop all the fasting and crazy dieting and eat every 3-4 hours. The MyMT™ programmes follow a Mediterranean Dietary approach which I have modified specifically to suit our menopause transition and I talk to this on the courses. Learning about metabolism and circadian rhythm is crucial to applying my principles of ‘when’ to eat, especially for those women who are shift workers.


 	Increase Vitamin C intake. When the adrenals are fatigued, adrenal vitamin C secretion is part of the stress response. The more cortisol that is made, the more Vitamin C used. Vitamin C is essential to the hormone cascade and the manufacture of all of the other hormones. However, many Vitamin C supplements are made from corn syrup and therefore, contribute to inflammation in the body, so food is best.



 	Get a regular course of massage and/or myofascial release therapy for at least 6 weeks. I often talk about this aspect of our health in my private coaching community. If your stress hormones (cortisol and adrenalin) are elevated and you are in adrenal fatigue, then you may be feeling sore in your muscles and joints. This may also manifest or turn into Fibromyalgia Syndrome – which is a chronic condition characterized by general pain, joint rigidity and intense fatigue. Studies have shown that Fibromyalgia is associated with sleep alterations, serotonin levels and muscle energy metabolism as well as pain. But whether you have Fibromyalgia or not, then getting some myofascial release work undertaken by a qualified professional is helpful, because we carry stress in our fascia – the outer sheath that covers your muscles.

I also talk about this in my Masterclass on Menopause, so if you aren't quite ready for the longer CPD course or the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course, or the Science of Menopause for Health Coach Course, then perhaps explore starting with my 12 week programmes yourself.

I hope you can join me sometime.  I want you to learn all the lifestyle strategies that you should be putting in place as you help your clients move into and through menopause. All programmes are evidenced against women's healthy ageing science, because that's what menopause is - the stepping stone gateway towards the 'third-age' of a woman's life-course. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine


References:

Arnot M, Emmott EH, Mace R (2021) The relationship between social support, stressful events, and menopause symptoms. PLoS ONE 16(1): e0245444.

Castro-Sánchez AM, Matarán-Peñarrocha GA, Granero-Molina J, Aguilera-Manrique G, Quesada-Rubio JM, & Moreno-Lorenzo C. (2011). Benefits of massage-myofascial release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med., 561753. doi: 10.1155/2011/561753.

Choi, B. O., Lee, Y. J., Choi, J. H., Cho, S. W., Im, H. J., & An, J. E. (2015). The Association between Stress Level in Daily Life and Age at Natural Menopause in Korean Women: Outcomes of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2010-2012. Korean journal of family medicine, 36(6), 305–309.

Guidi J, Lucente M, Sonino N, Fava GA. Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review. Psychother Psychosom. 2021;90(1):11-27. doi: 10.1159/000510696.

Padayatty S., Doppman J., Chang R., Wang Y., Gill J., Papanicolaou D., & Levine M. (2007). Human adrenal glands secrete vitamin C in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone. Am J Clin Nutr. 86(1):145-9.

Taylor-Swanson, L., Wong, A. E., Pincus, D., Butner, J. E., Hahn-Holbrook, J., Koithan, M., Wann, K., & Woods, N. F. (2018). The dynamics of stress and fatigue across menopause: attractors, coupling, and resilience. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 25(4), 380–390.

Yiallouris, A., Tsioutis, C., Agapidaki, E., Zafeiri, M., Agouridis, A. P., Ntourakis, D., & Johnson, E. O. (2019). Adrenal Aging and Its Implications on Stress Responsiveness in Humans. Frontiers in endocrinology, 10, 54.

Wilson, J. (2010). Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome. Petaluma, CA: Smart Publications,

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: A Perfect One Pot Pumpkin and Pea Risotto

Throughout the winter, there is always a pumpkin in my pantry and a bag of peas in my freezer. I need them, along with zucchini to make this delicious risotto.

The rich orange colour of pumpkin, not only brightens up meals but peas add protein to the meal. Peas are pulses and have long been important components of the human diet due to their content of starch, protein and other nutrients. I find that women are spending so much money on pea protein powders these days, but these powders are heat-generated and lack fibre, which is essential to a healthy gut microbiome.

Futhermore, pumpkin is important for eye sight and after a day on my computer, the beta-carotene is helping my ageing eyes.

Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, which like carrots, the caratenoids in pumpkin create the orange colour. These carotenoids provide anti-inflammatory benefits to the body, especially to an ageing body that is moving through menopause.

For those of you who are at your computer or on your phones a lot, then please add this perfect Pumpkin and Pea Risotto to your family meals when you can.

I mention this, because beta-carotene is the most suitable and important precursor for vitamin A and in the body, we need vitamin A for good vision and eye health as well as for a strong immune system, and for healthy skin and mucous membranes. This is important for your children too if they are in front of computers and on their phones.


The MyMT™ KITCHEN: One pot Pumpkin and Pea Risotto for that cold winters night
INGREDIENTS: 

 	2 tbsp olive oil
 	1 onion, diced
 	4 - 6 cloves of garlic
 	2 sprigs of rosemary (or 2 tbsp of dried rosemary)
 	1 tbsp oregano
 	1 cup of risotto rice (or brown rice if you prefer)
 	3 cups of veggie stock (you may not use all of this)
 	1 butternut pumpkin
 	2 courgettes
 	 1 cup of peas
 	Juice of 1 lemon
 	Parsley, spinach or rocket for serving

Method:
1. Heat the oil in the pan and then add the onions, Gently cook for 3 - 4 minutes until softened and then add the garlic and herbs and fry for a further 3 minutes.

2. Add the rice and stir well so it is coated in oil.

3. Add in a ladle of stock and stir. Simmer for 15 minutes, adding a ladle each time the liquid has reduced and stirring every couple of minutes, until the stock has all reduced.

4. Add in the chopped butternut at the same time as the first ladle of stock. The butternut will take longer to cook then the courgette and peas.

5. Add in the courgette and the peas when the rice is half way cooked. Keep adding stock every time it reduces until you are happy with the consistency.

6. Once the risotto is cooked, add the lemon juice and salt and pepper until you are happy with the taste. You may need more lemon juice and salt and pepper depending on the amount you make.

7. Serve with any herbs or greens of your choice. I personally love parsley with my risotto.

Bon appetit!

### New Research: If women are overweight, do they experience worsening menopause symptoms?

For over 7 years now, I’ve been observing a quiet phenomenon with women on my lifestyle programmes. It happened to me as well and I wonder if it’s happened to you too?The realization that weight gain, high blood pressure, changing cholesterol and higher-than-normal blood sugar was linked to my hot flush and night sweat severity, exhaustion, poor sleep and bladder problems, was a gradual one.But as my belly and breasts increased in size despite daily exercise and dieting and blood work showed high triglycerides (fats in the blood) and high cholesterol, it finally dawned on me. I had developed a condition called metabolic syndrome.		
																														
		Many of you may have heard of this condition. Metabolic Syndrome is diagnosed when women have at least three out of five conditions –a high waist circumference (84cms+ or 35 inches) – commonly known as ‘central obesity’high triglycerideshigh blood pressurehigh LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterolhigh fasting blood sugarI guess you can work out that having metabolic syndrome isn’t a good thing – it contributes to worsening heart health and risk of Type 2 diabetes as we age. But now, with new research available, there’s something else to consider. Those women with Metabolic Syndrome also experience worse menopause symptoms compared to women without Metabolic Syndrome (normal body weight and no presence of underlying metabolic changes as diagnosed in Metabolic Syndrome).		
																														
		Attempting to differentiate symptoms from academic studies of women with metabolic syndrome versus women without metabolic syndrome was a huge task for the researchers.Starting with over 3000 research papers, the researchers ended up with only 48 that they could realistically extrapolate relevant information from and whilst they noted a few challenges and limitations, this was the first study to open the door and seek some insight into what I’ve been learning from women on my programmes – that is, that there are different levels of severity of symptoms as well as types of symptoms for women depending on whether they are overweight with underlying metabolic changes or not.The author’s conclusion? The symptom profile of women with metabolic syndrome was different when compared to the symptom profile of midlife climacteric women without metabolic syndrome.‘’When the two conditions of metabolic syndrome and menopause co-occur, midlife women with metabolic syndrome are placed at a higher risk for significant symptom burden.”  (Hee Min, Yang et al, 2022, p. 2)		
																														
		The symptoms that were more prevalent and frequent in women with metabolic syndrome included,mental exhaustionurogenital symptoms (including waking up in the night to pee)increased prevalence of vasomotor symptoms (this refers to hot flushes, night sweats and daytime sweating)poor sleep and difficulty staying asleep.muscle, joint and heart discomfort.Interestingly, the authors found that the women who weren’t diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome and weren’t overweight, had a higher prevalence of psychological disturbances.These included mood changes and irritability with both groups experiencing anxiety. I see this anecdotally with thinner women who join me on my programmes - some of them respond well to HRT and anti-depressants too, but this is something they discuss with their Doctor obviously as my focus is on the evidenced lifestyle solutions. 		
																														
		The ageing of the global population calls for a better understanding of the age-related metabolic consequences and age-specific metabolic changes differ significantly by gender mentions the authors of an extensive study exploring metabolic changes in menopause. (Auro, Joensuu et al, 2013). As such, ‘Menopause is usually a cause of many concerns’, mentions the 2017 report on obesity in menopause (Kozakowski et al, 2017), ‘and one of the most important, is the fear of weight gain’. Overweight and obesity, according to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO) are considered as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health (WHO, 2016). For those of us who have ‘been there’ with our increased fat distribution during our menopause transition, some of these health issues include: higher blood pressurechanging cholesterol levelserratic blood sugar levels which can lead to Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetesaching ankles and musclesfluid retentionand the issue that got me the most, an inability to tolerate exercise. Like many women reaching their 40s and early 50s, my own weight gain arrived almost out of the blue. I was still exercising, eating healthily, but still I felt bloated and ‘heavy’, especially in my breasts. In comparison to hot flushes and insomnia, this was one of the most difficult changes in my body to comprehend. I had developed metabolic syndrome, which at the time, I wasn't focusing on turning around. I was looking for 'solutions' in medications and supplements instead. Metabolic syndrome is a cocktail of health issues (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high triglycerides and for many of you, fatty liver) that arises from being overweight or obese in menopause. If this is you, then focus on turning this around if you can, or join me on my Transform Me weight loss programme if you want to know exactly what to do in a systematic way. 		
																														
		As I slowly pieced together the menopause-misery jigsaw, I pulled together cardio-vascular research, diabetes and heart-health research as well as physical activity and longevity studies and of course nutrition research, specifically targeted towards mid-life women’s health and weight management. When we aren’t sleeping, when our joints feel sore and we are losing precious muscle and becoming oestrogen dominant, then our metabolism changes too. It’s why I loved this insight from research out of the Australian National University, recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. If I had this research a few years ago, it would have saved a lot of lonely research of my own. In a review of studies that included more than 1 million pre- and post-menopausal women, the researchers learnt what I and many other women, have discovered in real life – that our waist circumference increases during and after menopause and as such, there is a shift in our metabolism, which can send us into worsening health with age. “It’s important to understand how women’s bodies change as they age because women have higher rates of some diseases than men”, said Ananthan Ambikairajah, a PhD candidate at the Australian National University, who led the study. “The implications are important, because central fat has been linked with dementia risk, and central fat is linked with cardiovascular disease risk. As such, more attention needs to be paid to central fat accumulation, because that’s the bad stuff,” mentioned Ambikairajah.Most of us know that every extra kilo of weight is an added burden on your joints, heart, liver, cholesterol, muscle function and insulin levels as you age. That’s what concerns numerous women on my 12 week Transform Me programme as well.However, when you understand what to change and why, then not only do your symptoms begin to resolve, but you begin to understand the powerful connection that menopause has with the way we are ageing.For women in New Zealand and Australia, this powerful online learning programme is on my 12 week  VISIBLE RESULTS SPRING SALE for you at NZ$224/ AUS$207 (savings of NZ$75), only to the end of September, when you apply the promo code SPRING23 – I hope you can join me. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ MyMT Founder		
																														
		References: Auro K, Joensuu A, Fischer K, Kettunen J, Salo P, Mattsson H, Niironen M, Kaprio J, Eriksson JG, Lehtimäki T, Raitakari O, Jula A, Tiitinen A, Jauhiainen M, Soininen P, Kangas AJ, Kähönen M, Havulinna AS, Ala-Korpela M, Salomaa V, Metspalu A, Perola M. (2014). A metabolic view on menopause and ageing. Nat Commun. Aug 21;5:4708. doi: 10.1038/ncomms5708. Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2009). Inflammatory effects of nutritional stimuli: Further support for the need for a big picture approach to tackling obesity and chronic disease. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 11, 137-49.Kozakowski, J., Gietka-Czernel, M., Leszczyńska, D., & Majos, A. (2017). Obesity in menopause – our negligence or an unfortunate inevitability?. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 16(2), 61–65. Manco, M. ,Nolfe, G. , Calvani, M., Natali, A., Nolan, J., Ferrannini, E., Mingrone, G. (2006). Menopause, insulin resistance and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Menopause, 13 (5), 809-817 Min, S. H., Yang, Q., Min, S. W., Ledbetter, L., Docherty, S. L., Im, E. O., & Rushton, S. (2022). Are there differences in symptoms experienced by midlife climacteric women with and without metabolic syndrome? A scoping review. Women's health (London, England), 18, 17455057221083817. Patni, R., & Mahajan, A. (2018). The metabolic syndrome and menopause. Journal of Mid-life Health, 9(3), 111–112. Weickert M. O. (2012). Nutritional modulation of insulin resistance. Scientifica, 2012, 424780. World Health Organisation (WHO). Obesity and Overweight Fact Sheets (2020). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

### A spotlight on your changing gut health from peri- to post-menopause.

Every week in my newsletters I try to come up with a topic that I hope will interest you. Sometimes it's because of a conversation in my coaching group from other women who are just like you, or sometimes I'm reminded of something that I had no idea was anything to do with our menopause transition because nobody mentioned it to me when I sought help with my symptoms.

The conversation about menopause supplements that are heavily marketed to women and come out of America. I explained that I always look at the ingredients to better understand what are the main compounds and what they do.

When I googled the ingredients in these supplements, they were all ingredients that are used in gut health repair - not one ingredient was to do with menopause ... but then again, one could argue that they actually were.

Did you know that gut health changes occur as oestrogen and progesterone levels decline? Has this happened to you? And if you are experiencing insomnia, then your gut health (and liver health) suffers too - we forget that our digestive system operates on a 24 hour circadian rhythm as well.

The state of our gut health as well as the billions of microbes that make up our gut microbiome, is an important consideration in managing our menopause symptoms and/or our weight. That's why I like some new research which has a spotlight on our changing gut health at this time of our lives (Peters et al, 2022).

It helps us to understand why we suddenly have some 'urgency' or IBS or constipation or the fact that bloating may have become worse during and after menopause. If your stomach feels distended, then you will know what I mean by this.

With so much going on in the lives of women in their peri-menopause to post-menopause years, increased stress and workloads, also contribute to insomnia. The result of all this, as well as the changes to our microbiome and the fact that our gut motility (movement) changes, means that bloating and discomfort can be a daily distraction.

That's why in this post I have some gentle reminders for you and my 4 Factors to Forget Bloating are below if you scroll down. 

If you are feeling bloated then one of the first things you can do to help release and reduce your bloating and gas is some gentle stretches such as in the image below. This type of stretch is known to gently massage the abdominal organs and gallbladder, thus releasing tension.

Yoga Instructors call it Pavanamuktasana (pah-van-ah-mook-TAHS-uh-nuh) — or the Wind-Relieving Pose. These types of stretches also help your lymphatic system which changes as we age. Helping our gut and colon to move trapped air and gas through gentle movement and stretching is important.

As we move through menopause, our changing oestrogen levels impact the tiny microvilli that line our digestive system, causing 'gaps' to increase between them. This is known as leaky gut syndrome. It can lead to IBS.

That's why stretching is important. 

When we stretch and do specific exercises, these help to move bile from our gallbladder into our gut, thus helping waste products to move along the intestines. Menopause hormonal changes impact a lower production of bile and storage, hence this can be part of the reason for feeling bloated as menopause arrives.



I didn't fully understand the various changes to our organs as we move through menopause - did you? 

Numerous women are relying on supplements to help them feel better, but as I discovered, this may only be a band-aid as they stop working into the longer term when women don't adapt and adjust their lifestyle.

However, to ease bloating and increased gas, both of which are signs of Leaky Gut Syndrome, which for many of us, arrives during peri-menopause, then we need to make a few lifestyle changes too. 

For example, gut health research suggests that our Vitamin C status has a greater influence that we think on the gut-liver axis and this in turn, influences metabolic syndrome (Traber et al, 2019), which is the condition that can lead to weight gain and cardiovascular problems as well as Type 2 diabetes.



With so many women experiencing changing gut health as they move into their 50s, I hope you like my article this week. And rest assured, if your gut health has changed, then you aren't alone.

In western countries Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] is 4 times more common in women as they reach mid-life. 

IBS impacts numerous menopause symptoms - depression, anxiety, weight gain (or loss) and brain-fog, sore joints, hot flushes and of course, menopause insomnia. All these symptoms are affected by changing gut health.  

One of the main effects oestrogen has in our body, is to support our digestive health. In our monthly cycle, oestrogen was cycling up and down, and this meant that the higher levels of oestrogen helped our gut enzymes to work more efficiently.

The role of enzymes in your body is important. They work hard every second of every day to produce chemical reactions in the body.

For example, there are enzymes that help our digestive processes. When you eat that bit of bread, amylase is the enzyme that breaks down the starch in it. Amylase is present in your saliva. Then there is another enzyme called pancreatase. This is produced by our pancreas to help break down fats and proteins.

But here's the thing - when we move from peri-menopause into menopause, the time of our life when our oestrogen levels decline, the production of these enzymes is reduced. Only since 2015, have researchers begun to understand that oestrogen has a role in helping the gut epithelium or lining to turn over cells regularly.

According to Dr Marek Glezerman, author of 'Gender Medicine' which explores the gender differences in health and disease,

“Functional Disorders of the digestive tract, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is four times more common in women living in Western countries during and after menopause. In Japan, China, India and other parts of Asia, the ratio is the opposite."

I love research that peaks my curiosity. I too developed gut and digestion problems as I moved through menopause, as have numerous women on my 12 week MyMT™ programmes too. Which is interesting, because I always look to see if they are on anti-depressant medications at the same time. If they are, then I ensure that they understand that current research now allows us to understand the connection between menopause depression and our gut health.

Therefore, if women are intent on getting off anti-depressants with their Doctor's support, then they must also work towards restoring their gut health.



There’s also something else impacting on our gut health though and I have Australia’s Professor Rosemary Stanton to thank for my light bulb moment with understanding this. When I heard Professor Stanton speak at this year’s Lifestyle Medicine conference in Australia, my ears pricked up:

“After four generations of a low-fibre diet since modern food processing arrived in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the gut microbiota has changed to the extent that it no longer supports our immune health. Never before have we seen so much chronic disease caused by the western diet. Diversity in vegetables has the single greatest influence on the gut microbiota. The Mediterranean way of eating is the way to turn this all around.”



Not only are we are the first generation to come into menopause having experienced so many changes to our food environment, but we are also the first generation to have been exposed to substances that have a negative effect on our gut bacteria. And according to researchers, one of the greatest influences on our gut health has been our exposure to antibiotics.

The gut microbiome is one of the largest organs in the body (along with our skin) and we need to factor it into our menopause symptom management, especially if your energy is low. Gut health researcher, Professor Thomas Borody from Australia, reports that the gut is responsible for producing 70% of our energy. 

There is also a powerful connection between your gut and your brain (which is why our gut is now referred to as our 'second brain'), therefore many symptoms that we experience in menopause, such as foggy brain, depression, anxiety, insomnia and mood swings are now also being linked to the health of your gut micro-biome.

Imagine what happens to your energy levels, sleep, health and moods, when your gut isn’t performing to its best? It's Ok, don't answer that - I already know.

Gut health management is becoming an essential part of health restoration strategies and this is why, I now have an optional webinar on our changing gut health in menopause and post-menopause in my programmes. As Sylvia from the UK discovered, it's an important consideration in managing menopause weight gain.



Knowledge of the gut-brain connection has increased 10-fold over the past decade. This has been due to improved brain research as well as genetic research into the gut microbiome. Both have opened the door to better understanding gut health and the link to disease, especially the effect of the accumulation of inflammatory changes as we get older.

With menopause heralding in the transition towards our ageing, this is a critical time of life to sleep all night, restore health to our body and for those of you who need to lose weight, this will also have a positive impact on your gut health, anxiety levels and daily energy too.
4 Factors to Help Manage your GUT HEALTH:
Once we understand the powerful connection between the brain, the gut, the vagus nerve, existing gut inflammation AND menopause, then we need to focus on these three factors:

 	Sleep All Night – as I keep saying to women, if you aren’t sleeping, then you aren’t healing and your heart rate stays higher during the day. This alone makes you feel more anxious because your nervous system stays ‘wired’ all day long and in turn this stimulates your gut which is serviced by the same nerves as your heart. As I’ve often mentioned before, our gut is also on a 24 hour circadian rhythm as are all of our major organs, so we need to improve our sleep in order to improve our gut.


 

 	Allow your gut to empty fully and heal overnight - I encourage women as much as possible to allow their digestive system to rest for 12 hours overnight. This means that the timing of food and fluid is important. If we can avoid food for around 12 hours overnight (this changes obviously for shift-workers) then our digestive system gets the chance to actually digest and absorb the food that we eat during the day.



 	Improve Your Food Quality and Vegetable Diversity – Professor Rosemary Stanton of Australia has been studying the health of the population in Australia for over four decades now: “The way to heal the gut is to have diversity in vegetable intake and increase fibre. This is what the gut has been designed for. Decades of low fibre, processed foods have resulted in worsening health of the population and a plethora of diseases which are mainly related to our changing food environment.”



 	Move and Stretch More - try to move in ways that help your lymphatic system, gallbladder and colon to release tension. This includes the yoga poses that I shared with you earlier as well as swimming, rebounding and performing exercises that improve your breathing. I have all of these workouts in the MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness programme for you. I hope you can join me on this fabulous 12 week exercise programme if you are wanting to stay healthy through exercise.



I hope you can join me sometime.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ Women's Healthy Ageing Practitioner



References:

Glezerman, M. (2016). Gender Medicine. Duckworth & Co Publ.

Nie, X., Xie, R. & Tuo, B. (2018). Effects of Estrogen on the Gastrointestinal Tract. Dig Dis Sci 63, 583–596

Peters BA, Santoro N, Kaplan RC, Qi Q. Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights. Int J Womens Health. 2022 Aug 10;14:1059-1072.

Qin R, Tian G, Liu J, Cao L. The gut microbiota and endometriosis: From pathogenesis to diagnosis and treatment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022 Nov 24;12:1069557.

Traber MG, Buettner GR, Bruno RS. (2019). The relationship between vitamin C status, the gut-liver axis, and metabolic syndrome. Redox Biol. 21:101091. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.101091.

Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017). Influence of oral and gut microbiota in the health of menopausal women. Front. Microbiol. 8, 1884. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01884

### "My family kept telling me that I was really angry all the time! I was always so hot and exhausted." [Emma, Ireland]

When you have a busy life as a working mum and you are taking your Eating Freely Health Professionals courses around the world, doing nothing about your health and symptoms is NOT an option. I loved Emma's journey. When I was in Dublin late in 2022 taking my Masterclass on Menopause event, I met up with Emma and asked her to kindly share her story .... she said yes! And here it is.Thank you Emma and thank you also for bringing the attention of Emotional Eating and your 'Eating Freely' Programme to the awareness of clients and Practitioners both. “Physician, heal thyself!”In November 2018 after nearly 10 years in private practice as a disordered eating specialist psychotherapist, I launched my company. Eating Freely is a specialist program for adults struggling with emotional eating and binge eating disorder, and we also deliver specialist CPD approved training for health professionals.It was an exciting, busy time, and it was also the worst time I could have picked – because I had arrived in menopause.I had turned 50 in April that year, and to celebrate we went on a ‘big’ holiday driving around California for 3 weeks – myself, my husband and my then 12 year old daughter.Although we had a fantastic time, I can barely look at the photos of myself from the trip. I was overweight, frumpy, exhausted and looked 60 years old! I remember the challenge of just walking up a hill, and the worst night I had was glamping in Yosemite – my joints were killing me, and the loo was a long walk down a steep slope in the dark. I don’t mind sharing that I had tears in my eyes walking back up to the tent for the third time that night!From my early teens I had always been very fit, I could eat anything I wanted and never struggled with my weight. In fact, I was the opposite, in my early 20’s when working for an airline, I was advised to put on a bit of weight!So, to hit my late 40’s and to have this creeping weight gain that would not stop no matter how many barre yoga classes I went to, or walks I did… it was distressing. I joined the gym, I took up boxercise, I started doing circuits classes – nothing worked.Even worse, I had always been a great sleeper – 8 hours a night whether I needed it or not. But now my sleep was broken every night. I woke up between 3-4am and felt constant bladder pressure – I felt I needed to go to the loo repeatedly, even though there was nothing coming out.During the day I was experiencing sweats, joint pain and unexplainable itching on my arms and chest. All of this made me very angry if I am honest, because my very self-concept was being threatened – all my life I had been fit, healthy and energetic. I never got sick, I had no allergies, who was this moaning, sweating, scratching, heavy, bad-tempered doppelganger who had stepped in and taken over my body and mind??I was really struggling, and although I tried to fool myself that I was keeping it all together, my family were regularly telling me that I was in bad form and ‘always angry’. I didn’t want to do anything, I had no interest in socialising because I couldn’t fit into any of my clothes and if my husband suggested I ‘go for a walk and calm down’ one more time…. Over Christmas 2020 we were in South Africa with my husband’s family and I was MISERABLE. I actually didn’t want to be there despite it being winter at home in Ireland. I was hot, sweaty, flushed, uncomfortable in my too-tight summer clothes and exhausted.One evening, I excused myself from the group and went to bed early – a common occurrence those days.  I started googling ‘help for menopause’, and Wendy’s website came up. I had visited the site several times already but was reluctant to commit to a program – some part of me was still struggling with my inner perfectionist – I can do this myself! But that night, I couldn’t fight myself anymore. I needed help NOW.I signed up for Wendy’s program and started it whilst still on holidays. Like it has for so many of you, it changed my life.First of all, as a psychotherapist a lot of it made perfect sense. This is always important for me, as a health professional I appreciate evidence-based research and practice.Putting some of it into practice was harder though – like many of our emotional/binge eating clients, I am a perfectionistic, all or nothing thinker – doing it ALL right or ALL wrong. I am also a ‘people pleaser’ – putting other people’s needs ahead of my own. Making changes to how, when and what we ate to suit me and what I needed was one of the biggest challenges!		
																										
		Another challenge for me that I know many clients share is not wanting to appear weak or vulnerable, so even telling my husband that I was tired, I wanted a nap, I didn’t want a drink or I was struggling on a given day was very hard for me.Not for nothing he’s not the most tolerant of people being sick or unwell – like my own family his mantra is ‘suck it up and get on with it’. Like my own family, your leg would need to be hanging off before you get much sympathy - but you marry what you know! That was another big challenge for me – asking clearly for what I want and need, and saying no to what I don’t want and need. Another very common piece of work we do with clients around boundaries!After 2 months of Wendy’s program my health was significantly improved. I was eating a lot better and followed her process for changing the timing of my eating. I was loving our morning walk – during lockdown it really worked for us to walk the dogs first thing in the morning to get both our outdoors time AND the melatonin hit into my eyes! We’re still doing it today and it really sets me up in a positive frame of mind.This all helped significantly with reducing hot flushes and improved my sleep a bit, but I was still waking up in the middle of the night, repeatedly going to the loo for no reason, and struggling to get back to sleep.The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was taking bioidentical HRT. Having to take medication was very difficult for me because I generally don’t take medication of any sort. But no matter what I did, my sleep was still disrupted so I decided to try HRT.After 6 months on a low dose of HRT and progesterone, and the MyMT™  Programme support, my sleep was finally back on track. I’d lost weight, felt a LOT healthier and the biggest change was in my energy levels – I was back to being able to function again, and I was no longer like a briar with my family!The really interesting part of this entire experience for me, is how I really had to acknowledge my own blind spots and unhelpful personality traits. Of course, this is work I did with clients all day long, but to have to turn the spotlight on myself and really challenge my own vulnerabilities was hard.I also understood in a way I didn’t understand before why menopause was such a big trigger for clients coming in to finally get help with emotional eating! Wendy’s program helped me to understand exactly what these clients were struggling with and why on top of their pre-existing emotional eating it was a devastating change.  Combining what I’d learned about menopause with what I already knew about emotional eating was so helpful. That's why I reached out to Wendy, floated the idea of developing a training program for professionals, and together we made the initial course happen. Although we had a few speed bumps along the way, I could not be prouder to have been part of Wendy’s journey to developing her CPD approved training for health professionals, based on my own model of training to specialise in emotional eating and binge eating disorder.  This was one of the biggest positive outcomes of my experience of menopause – along with returning to sleeping through the night!It's July 2023 now, and as well as sleeping through the night I feel energetic and healthy. I’ve let go of a lot of my own judgement of my body, and I have also let go of caring what other people think – it’s sometimes a challenge to others when you refuse alcohol here in Ireland for example! I’m very proud to say we now have a network of specialist professionals across nine countries. There were times in the past few years when I was simply going through the motions, and could have walked away due to simple exhaustion, but I am glad I got over those times and kept going. Now I love my days supporting health professionals to support our clients, supporting our trainers, and developing new trainings to continue deepening practitioner skills.If you are struggling and feel you need specialist support with emotional eating, please do not hesitate to visit our website – Eating Freely. There you will find options ranging from my ‘Four Energies of Emotional Eating’ card deck and ebook right up to working 1:1 with a Licensed Eating Freely Practitioner. If you are a practitioner interested in training with us, you’ll find that information there too.Please also feel free to reach out to me personally if you can’t find what you need. I am happy to help.Emma Murphy MIACP, Founder & CEO – Eating Freelyemma@eatingfreely.com Eating Freely Resources: Website: www.eatingfreely.comCard Deck/ebook: https://cards.eatingfreely.com/buy-cards/Train with us: https://www.eatingfreely.com/licensing

### Will combining this diet with the right exercise reduce cholesterol and blood pressure in post-menopause?

When forty obese post-menopausal women in Cairo , aged 50-60 yrs participated in a study exploring the effect of diet and exercise on their cardiovascular health, they would have had no idea how influential it might be on many of us here in my newsletter community.

In a shout-out to these women and the researchers, I want to share the findings with you – because it has relevance to all of us who have found that our weight has been going up and our heart health has been changing as we transition through menopause.

It also backs up the information that I have researched in my quest to get to the bottom of menopause and post-menopause weight gain and changing cardiovascular health as we age. It affected my late-mother and many of her friends, it affected me at first, and it’s currently affecting millions of women around the world.

However, in our menopause weight loss quests, we continue to go on diets that don't seem to work into the longer term.

As well, many women who I come across in my global community are presented with exhausting exercise programmes from exercise specialists who have little knowledge of menopause and post-menopause weight gain. Many women on my programmes also mentioned that they typically dropped out of exercise activity due to time constraints, low energy, aching joints and muscles as well as poor sleep.
What should we focus on for our weight loss in menopause?
As I've learnt myself, through positioning post-menopause weight gain in cardiovascular and women's ageing research, we can make sense of how we put the brakes on the trajectory of worsening heart disease risk and Type 2 diabetes risk and a condition called ‘Metabolic Syndrome’ which our mother's generation experienced.

Metabolic Syndrome is an assemblage of several factors including high blood pressure, poor lipid (blood fats) control, insulin resistance and obesity. Menopause is associated with an increase in metabolic syndrome prevalence (Jouvandeh et al, 2015). So, if your waist circumference is higher than 88cm, then this is one clinical diagnosis that is used to determine metabolic syndrome.

High abdominal obesity and hypertension are the most prevalent components of metabolic syndrome as is waist circumference.



If you are or have put on a lot of weight in menopause and post-menopause, then the new study into the effects of diet and exercise matters. Forty overweight and obese women aged between 50-60 years were divided into two groups. All had high blood pressure and were overweight or obese.

The group was split into 20 women each. One group were on anti-hypertensive medications only, i.e. pills to reduce blood pressure. The other group were assigned to the DASH diet and aerobic exercise in the form of walking on a treadmill with moderate intensity (just slightly puffing) for 30 minutes, 3 days a week for 3 months as well as being on anti-hypertensive medications. (Hanfy, Nashed et al, 2021).

I talk about the DASH diet in my new Heart Health module which is in my 12 week coaching programmes. DASH stands for ‘Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension’.

Along with the Mediterranean Diet, the DASH diet is also important for women in menopause. This is because rates of hypertension increase during menopause as oestrogen levels decline. If you've been following my articles for a while, then you will have read about the increased incidence of vascular stiffness or the decline in elasticity of blood vessels as we move through menopause.

Interestingly, I've read two new books on menopause over the past month written by journalists and neither of them mentioned arterial stiffness. However, oestrogen is known to have a protective effect on our blood vessels (and lymphatic vessels).

As oestrogen declines in production during and after the menopause transition, our blood vessels change and as many of you may have found out already, your blood pressure increases as does your weight, your blood fats (cholesterol) and you are heading towards having to take blood pressure medication and statins or are already on these.



Which brings me back to the ladies in Cairo who participated in this new study investigating the effects of the DASH diet and aerobic exercise on their cardiovascular risk.

The cardiovascular improvements on the group who did the DASH diet and exercise were statistically significant compared to the group who were only on medications. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure parameters improved as did cholesterol (LDL) and lipids (blood fats). Furthermore, in the diet and exercise group, the 'good' cholesterol (HDL) imporved significantly too.

These significant improvements in both blood pressure and blood lipid levels from the DASH diet, were due to several mechanisms the researchers mentioned.

Firstly, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is abundant in fruits and vegetables, it includes low fat dairy products, whole grains, legumes, nuts and small amounts of lean meat and fish. This decreases the total saturated fats and total fat content of the diet.

This is why I'm always telling women to get off the high saturated fat Keto diet if they are already overweight as they move into post-menopause. Our liver can't handle all the saturated fats. The DASH diet is also low in sodium compared to many modern dietary approaches. Processed foods increase sodium and chloride in the body which in turn may increase blood pressure in susceptible women.



Secondly, the DASH diet is enriched with nutrients that are known to help to improve cardiovascular health as we move through menopause and into post-menopause.

These nutrients include potassium, magnesium, calcium, Vitamin C and soluble fibre with an excess or anti-inflammatory antioxidants. I talk about all of these in my heart-health module for women on my programmes, especially the role of beetroot on improving blood pressure and oxygen uptake into cells during menopause.



Finally, there was the role of aerobic exercise in the study group who participated in this aspect of the research. Regular exercise is a very effective method to improve both physical and mental health in all women, not just post-menopausal women.

This is because there are very well evidenced known advantages of aerobic exercise on our cardiovascular health and blood vessels as well as in the reduction of blood fat levels and weight.

Women who perform regular aerobic exercise also are known to have less menopause symptoms and adverse effects. This is because exercise positively affects the muscles capacity to utilise insulin, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels. Heart muscle condition is also improved which helps to regulate blood pressure and the right type and amount of exercise helps to reduce anxiety and stress levels.

But too many women may not be undertaking aerobic exercise and instead doing too much higher intensity exercise. Conversely, they may have sore joints, aching muscles and plantar fasciitis, therefore, not be able to exercise for long. I find this has happened to women on my programmes too.



"Exercise should be energising, not exhausting" is what I told New Zealand journalist Nicky Pelligrino, when she interviewed me for her book called 'Don't Sweat It'.

I explained that as women transition through menopause, too much exercise when they aren't sleeping well, sends them into adrenal fatigue and over-training syndrome.

Whilst the fitness industry, of which I used to be part of, has done a wonderful job of convincing women that they need to exercise intensely to lose weight, I think many of us know that when we always exercise to exhaustion, the weight does not seem to come off, no matter how hard we try.

The reason for this, is that the combination of too much heavy and vigorous exercise and menopause hormonal changes and not sleeping, increases our chronic stress hormone called cortisol. As such, this can send women into worsening heart health, weight gain and high blood pressure at a time of their life when they need to be doing moderate aerobic exercise instead.



As the first generation of women to come through such incredible changes in our food production and our exercise landscape with the development of the modern fitness industry, never before have we seen so much overweight, obesity, Metabolic Syndrome and hypertension in older women. Numerous population health global studies support this.

But the good news is that it's never too late to change our health status and I had to do this myself. The DASH diet is in my programmes in my new optional module on Heart Health. And whilst I don't interfere with any medications women are on obviously, I share with them the lifestyle science that is so important to put into action.

The ability to turn intention into action is also challenging for women in mid-life. We have a lot going on in our lives don't we?!

I know myself how this can thwart even the best intentions. Which is why I love having my private coaching community - there are over 2000 women in there from around the world and we all help each other to stay focused and on-task with our lifestyle changes.

I hope that if your menopause weight gain or your symptoms are troubling you, then you might join this fabulous MyMT™ community too.  Not many women know that as well as my foundation weight loss and symptom management programmes, I also have a 12 week exercise programme designed especially for those of you who want to return to exercise and improve your fitness. Below is a video about it and when you have time, click on the link to how the MyMT™programmes work.

Thank you for being here in my newsletter community. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) Founder of MyMT™ and Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society. 

https://vimeo.com/775626956?share=copy

References:

Alsarah, A., Alsara, O, and Laird-Fick, H. (2015). Women and Heart Disease: Understanding risk factors for coronary heart disease. Women's Health, 1(1), 1-9

Naitonal Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (Updated 2021). DASH diet and eating plan - https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan

Hanfy, H., Nashed, A. et al (2021). The effect of the DASH diet and aerobic exercises on cardiovascular risks in postmenopausal women. J. of Critical Reviews, 8(1), 1-9. ISSN- 2394-5125

Harvard Health Review (2017). Gender matters: Heart disease risk in women. Online: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/gender-matters-heart-disease-risk-in-women

Patni, R., & Mahajan, A. (2018). The Metabolic Syndrome and Menopause. Journal of mid-life health, 9(3), 111–112. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-7800.241951

Pelligrino, N. (2022). Don't Sweat It. Allen Unwin Publ: Auckland, New Zealand.

Wenger N., Arnold A., Bairey Merz C., et al. (2018). Hypertension Across a Woman's Life Cycle. J Am Coll Cardiol. 24; 71(16):1797-1813. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.02.033. PMID: 29673470; PMCID: PMC6005390.

### "I was struggling with the physical work on the farm and my joints were slowing me down." [Barbara, NZ]

"I, along with my husband are sheep farmers in the South Island of New Zealand.  

Over the last few years, I had been starting to struggle with the physical work that is required at times.  I just put this down to getting older and perhaps the start of arthritis in my joints.

Little did I know that the changes in your hormones that come with menopause, one being the buildup of inflammation over the years,was the cause of the constant pain in my joints.

Since starting on Wendy’s program, the greatest change I notice is my sleep. Once I started sleeping better, and changing my diet, I have lost all of the joint pain in my knees.

The hot flushes and irritable bowel have also gone and as an added bonus I have lost the excess weight around my middle with over 6kg of weight slowly disappearing!

I am so grateful for Wendy’s wonderful knowledge and sound advice over the last year.  She is a true inspiration to all of us women on her programs.

It was very easy to implement the changes in my eating habits and diet especially when you begin to sleep better and gain lots more energy and I’m sure this will be the way forward for me from now on.

I am feeling the healthiest that I’ve felt in many many years, all thanks to Wendy’s extensive knowledge and kind help."

Barbara, Southland, NZ 

It is always such a privilege to help women understand what is really going on with their symptoms in menopause, but particularly with their joints. My own joints ached so much that I feared for my function and mobility as I aged.

Barbara was the same. And when you are a busy farmer with so much going on in your life, then the thought of what you 'can't do' fills your thoughts. But understanding that there is a powerful connection between the hormonal changes in menopause and changes that are occuring all around our body, including in our joints, is important.



Oestrogen is essential for our joints and muscles, because its role is to protect and stabilise membranes. 

As a fat-soluble hormone, oestrogen helps to strengthen the cell membrane and in so doing, it assists as an antioxidant.

Oestrogen has a role to play in cell turn-over and healing of our joints, so we need to think about what happens when we don’t produce as much oestrogen once we reach menopause.

This is why getting the right nutrients during menopause is so important as is sleeping, which is when our body heals and repairs. In both of my 12 week coaching programmes (Circuit Breaker for thinner women or Transform Me for overweight women), I have a joint health module for you. If your symptoms and your joints are troubling you, then I hope you can join me sometime.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Women's Healthy Ageing Practitioner/ Member: Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

https://vimeo.com/851541619?share=copy

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Irish Soda Bread and my Pumpkin Soup recipe - a winner for your midlife health.

The breakfast waiter gave my daughter a loaf to take back to her flat in London. They had been talking about rugby after he realised that we were 'Kiwis' from New Zealand - he even knew about the women's World Cup Rugby which has just finished.

When my daughter mentioned how much she liked the Irish Soda Bread, he gave her a loaf of it. "It's our traditional bread" he mentioned and "the chef makes our own version of it here at the hotel. It's made with baking soda and not yeast."

The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Apparently, this makes it quick and easy to make compared with yeast breads.

We are here in Dublin, Ireland to bring my live and updated Masterclass on Menopause to the lovelies in Ireland. When I tasted the Soda Bread, I knew that it would go well with my own Pumpkin Soup recipe, so I wanted to share this with you in the MyMT Kitchen this week.

What fascinated me last week when I was at a Women's Health and Ageing Conference in America, was that there are going to be menopause supplements developed by a company which have pumpkin seeds as their main ingredient.

I already know the relevance of pumpkin seeds in hot flush management and both pumpkin seeds and pumpkin soup are a feature of my programmes too. But there is another reason why women in menopause and post-menopause should add the goodness of pumpkin to their diet - it's great for your heart health too.

Pumpkins and Squash offer nutrients that protect and support your heart. These include Vitamins A, B1, B6, and C, copper, fiber, folate, and manganese. Pumpkin also provides calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which can help keep your heartbeat regular and your blood pressure low.

I talked a lot about blood pressure and the new evidence linking higher blood pressure in my seminars this week. If you want to tame your hot flushes, then control your blood pressure.

Ever since I was a young nursing student, I’ve been making pumpkin soup. My father grew pumpkins on our farm and we used to sell them at the gate to passers-by. My father put them on a large cart that he had on the farm and throughout the winter months, my sister and I would fill up the cart with pumpkins and empty the honesty box. I’m sure it helped to give my mother extra cash to feed us all!

I tend to add any types of vegetables to my Pumpkin Soup and this recipe features two fabulous vegetables that are important for women in menopause - sweet potato and parsnip. I hope that you can enjoy the benefits of these vegetables whether the weather is cooling down as it is here in Ireland and the UK this week, or you are down-under and heading towards summer. Have the soup cold!


Soda Bread (BBC Good Food Recipe)

 	250ml whole milk
 	15ml lemon juice
 	170g plain flour plus a little extra for dusting top surface
 	170g self-raising wholemeal flour
 	1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
 	½ tsp salt

Method:

 	Preheat the oven to 200c.
 	Pour the lemon juice into the milk and allow to curdle.
 	Sieve the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
 	Pour over the liquid and mix thoroughly.
 	Knead into a round and tip onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof baking paper. Dust the top surface with a little flour.
 	Bake for 25 minutes.


Wendy’s Pumpkin, Kumara and Parsnip Soup
• 1 x medium Pumpkin or Squash
• 3-4 small Sweet Potato (Kumara)
• 2-3 Parsnip
• 8 gloves garlic roasted
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable bouillon; sprinkle of dried rosemary
• Butter (1 tablespoon); Himalayan salt

Method:
Chop up enough pumpkin, kumara (sweet potato) and parsnip to fill a large soup pot. Cover with water and add a good sprinkle of Himalayan Salt and a knob of butter.

Cook on medium heat until the vegetables are soft and I add in around a teaspoon of dried rosemary.

As the vegetables are cooking, roast about 8 gloves of garlic in olive oil in the oven (180 C/ 350F.) They burn easily so watch them until they soften.

When the vegetables are soft, drain the water into a glass container or bowl (you are going to add this back into the soup once you mix the bouillon in the hot water). Mash the vegetables roughly.

Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable bouillon (I use an organic one) to the hot water you have drained off the vegetables. Pour this slowly back into the mashed vegetables – you might not need all of it, but just pour in enough to make the consistency of soup that you like. Add in the roasted garlic.

Blend all with a hand-blender/ whizz stick.

Serve garnished with parsley, grated cheese or chopped, cooked bacon if you aren’t vegetarian. Add a slice of the Irish Soda Bread on the side and enjoy.

This is great to make a large potful in the weekend and then keep some in the freezer for when you are too busy to cook dinner. On a busy night when I am re-heating the soup I add in a handful of spinach and ½ cup of rice too, which turns it into an easily digested meal.

Bon appetit!

### New Research: The Water You Drink - and its effects on your gut health in midlife.

When you walk around the lake-front of the small town where I live, there is a natural spring.I became interested in it when I went into menopause. Not because of its aesthetic value, but because it reminded me of the small mountain village in Switzerland, which is home to a source of glacial water that runs down off the towering mountains above and into the troughs in the village.In previous visits to this alpine village, I thought that the troughs were for animals, but they aren't. The locals drink this water and according to the World Health Organisation, this village has pristine water that is ranked high in it's calcium and magnesium content.Yes indeed, 1 litre of this water delivers around 520mg of calcium per litre. That's half of our total calcium intake of 1200mg per day. Drink 2 litres daily and there is your calcium intake done and dusted without a calcium supplement in sight.With new research arriving to me over the past week, I've been reminded of the incredible healing effects of both the natural alpine water in Switzerland and the local spring where I fill my water bottles each week. This reminder isn't just because of the minerals these sources of water elicit, but because of the incredible benefits that drinking this water might be achieving for my changing gut health. 		
																										
		As the UK and Europe have been experiencing unprecedented heat waves over the past week and down here in the South of New Zealand it is extremely cold, water intake has been on my mind. Whilst we all know that we should be drinking enough water to remain cool (around 2L daily), did you know that the type and quality of water also affects the gut microbiome too? No, nor did I. Effects of Water Intake on Gut Microbiome:The effect of drinking water on the gut microbiome is poorly understood mentions a new study just released this week (Vanhaecke, Britten et al, 2022). The authors were exploring the associations of plain drinking water source and intake with gut and oral microbiota compositions in a population-based cohort.Factors such as lifestyle and diet are now widely recognized as key drivers of gut and oral microbiome compositions, so it was interesting that this new study was one of the first times that water quality, amount and type had been positioned in gut health research and microbiota composition.The researchers set out to explore the relations of plain drinking water source and intake with the composition of the gut and oral microbiota in a large cohort of self-selected participants, some from the US Gut Health Project and others from the United Kingdom.Water is the main component of the body and represents approximately 76% of muscle mass, so for women entering menopause and for those of you in post-menopause, our water intake and quality matters to our health and our symptoms.We all know that drinking water comes from various origins - albeit these days, primarily via plastic bottles or boxes purchased at the supermarket! But what type of water (tap-water, well-water, filtered water or bottled water) is best for our gut microbiota? This is what this study attempted to explore.Tap water is obviously subjected to different treatments before its consumption. Whereas natural mineral water, spring water, and well water, such as in the village where I live and in the Swiss mountain village where I visit occasionally, comes from groundwater, tap water originates either from surface water or from groundwater, but undergoes various treatments depending on government and community requirements and regulations. Common treatments control the chemical and mineral composition in tap water. As the authors mentioned, "consumed in large amounts on a daily basis, drinking water may be considered a potential source of microbial gut diversity" (p. 172). For women going into and through menopause, their gut diversity matters.Whilst I've talked about this in other articles such as this one HERE, this is just a reminder that the health of our gut influences sleep, temperature regulation, brain fog, anxiety and depression. All symptoms which frustrate numerous women during their menopause transition. 		
																										
		Whilst this new research focused on both men and women, 56% of subjects who qualified for the study were mid-life women.That's what piqued my interest in it as well as the fact that this study was perhaps the first to specifically explore the links between drinking water consumption, in terms of both origin and amount consumed, and the microbiota of the digestive tract independently of a wide range of confounding factors (demographics, lifestyle, and diet) in a large sample of the general population.So, what did the study find? Drinking water source was among the major contributing factors to the variation in gut microbiota composition.Subjects drinking mostly well water had higher faecal microbiota and diversity than the groups drinking either bottled, tap, or filtered water. This higher diversity is beneficial to gut health.The amount of water drunk was also associated with differences in gut microbiota composition between participants who consumed low and high amounts of drinking water. Participants who ranked as low water drinkers (less than 1L daily) were found to have poorer gut microbiome diversity.Lower gut bacterial diversity, has consistently been associated with impaired gut health and lifestyle diseases. When the gut microbial community has greater diversity, the immune system may be more resilient and robust against environmental influences. Hence, higher diversity appears a hallmark of healthy gut microbiomes and the researchers concluded that yes indeed, where we source our water from and how much we drink may be an important influence on gut health. 		
																										
		Over the past month, numerous women from around the world have joined me in the MyMT™ Transform Me programme as my July sale has been underway. I'm so grateful that they have, because I want them to discover the powerful strategies that I've spent years researching to turn around our health, weight and symptoms in menopause and post-menopause naturally without the need for endless expensive supplements.With many now having experienced covid and long-covid, it's important that we all have a focus on our gut health as we age. A growing body of evidence has implicated the gut microbiome—the trillions of  bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that inhabit the digestive tract—in COVID-19 severity. [BMJ, 25/01/2022]  This is an important point to note for recovery purposes - your gut health matters! Whether you are having to face the heat wave this week up there in the Northern Hemisphere, or you live in areas where it's cold in the Southern Hemisphere where I am, then this is your reminder that in order to help your gut health and therefore, your menopause symptoms, one of your goals is to drink water - and according to this research, preferably water sourced underground from a well. When you have time, have a listen to my video below as to how my 12 week coaching programmes work, or jump on the website to take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz or read about my 2 hr Masterclass on Menopause (and yes, you can 'pause' me anytime). Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFxVwqbBszw&t=12sReferences:Vanhaecke, T., Bretin, O., Poirel, M. & Tap, J. (2022). Drinking Water Source and Intake Are Associated with Distinct Gut Microbiota Signatures in US and UK Populations, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 152, Issue 1, January 2022, Pages 171–182. 

### "I'm now inspired and excited about my future living my best life!" [Suzy, Australia].

"Here I am on the other side of menopause and I can't thank Dr Wendy Sweet enough for the caring, honest and informed way she guided me through my menopause journey.I was in my early 40s with increasingly worsening health and little help as no one understood what was happening to me, including me. It was constant medical and specialist appointments as I was referred on, no-one believing it could be due to menopause at such a young age. I was scared, unhealthy and sad.After going through the MyMT™ programs and emailing Wendy for personal guidance I was finally provided with HOPE and as I followed her advice and programs, my symptoms reduced and my energy, sleep and overall health improved.I am now inspired and excited about my life and my future. As I started to believe in my body again I reignited my old passion for freediving. After a two year journey here I am last month at the World Pool Freediving Championships in South Korea representing my country (NZ). The big smile in my photo is because I had just broken the Continental record and set a new New Zealand record by swimming 177m underwater on one breath with bi-fins.At 46 years old and post-menopause I am constantly searching for new ways to keep growing and living a deeply inspiring life. I can't thank Wendy enough for helping me along the way.Feel free to follow me on my instagram account @noairsuzy and good luck to all the ladies in Dr Wendy's community. You have come to the right place for your healthy menopause transition".Suzy M., Australia

### New Research: Foods that shift storage fat to metabolically-active 'burning' fat.

If there were some foods that you could incorporate into your daily food intake, that contained compounds to help you change unhealthy white fat and turn this to highly metabolic brown fat, would you eat them?For those of you holding onto menopause belly fat, then yes, I hope you would.We often get really confused about what type of foods help to shift stubborn menopause fat and I know from my own experience, that we often turn to diets and exhausting exercise routines to lose this fat too. But what if there were certain ingredients that you could include in your day, that help you to turn harmful storage fat cells, to more healthy metabolically active fat cells? It's been a really busy, stressful year for so many of you judging by the emails I receive from women around the world. Many of you already know that when our menopause transition arrives, there is a perfect storm between our changing hormones, our decreasing metabolism, not sleeping and of course, stress. All of these factors contribute to increased storage of superficial white fat around our abdomen, diaphragm and breasts.This type of fat that defines menopause weight gain is called White Adipose Tissue (WAT) and is the type of fat that is stored easily around your belly, diaphragm, breasts, thighs and even around your heart.But this type of fat is superficial fat and is unhealthy fat because these cells store excess energy from food as well as oestrogen. Hence, the fat cells expand. If you have a lot of belly fat, then this is the fat that you don’t want.		
																										
		The type of fat that is healthier for us is called Brown Fat, or Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) and it is more metabolically active. This means that it has higher numbers of mitochondria in it. These are the cells that help to turn fat into energy to help us get through our day. Oxygen and fats work together within the mitochondria, to make energy that fuels our metabolism. It’s why you may have heard that mitochondrial cells are your fat-burning cells.So, can we turn white fat cells which are just storage cells, into metabolically active brown fat cells, that help us to manage our menopause weight? Well, with the help of six ingredients found in foods, new research suggests that we can. It is well known that the management of body weight is primarily based on lifestyle modifications and modulating the absorption of food. Most people know that exercise helps too but few realise that there are evidenced compounds in foods that help to change storage white fat to metabolically brown fat.How remarkable that our body can do this, with the right help.  Research over the last decade has provided evidence to support the role of bioactive dietary components in the prevention and/or treatment of obesity and associated metabolic disorders. Food-derived components are known to help stimulate energy expenditure by switching white fat to brown fat.Newly available research indicates that there are SIX main compounds in foods that actually help white storage fat to move towards becoming brown metabolically active fat. So, for those of you who might be getting a little bit off track with your weight now that we are half-way through another year, I thought it would be good to know what these foods are and how the compounds work to help you ‘burn fat’. Perhaps some of you might want to add these to your shopping list over the weekend. 		
																										
		Capsaicin and Capsinoids: These compounds are active in peppers. Many of you will know about capsaicin which is an active ingredient of hot pepper. This is the ingredient that is responsible for the pungency and hotness sensation of chilli peppers. Capsinoids are in red peppers and doesn't have the pungency and heat of chilli peppers. Both these compounds have elicited enormous interest in fat-loss supplements because of their role in enhancing fat oxidation (breaks down in the presence of oxygen) and increasing energy expenditure through turning white fat cells towards brown fat cells.  		
																										
		2. Resveratrol: This is a natural stilbenoid, which is a type of natural phenol, produced by several plants in response to injury or when the plant is under attack by pathogens, such as bacteria or fungi. Sources of resveratrol in food include the skin of grapes, red wine, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts. Resveratrol is getting interest in health and longevity research as well as metabolic research, because it helps to improve the size of mitochondria. Many of you have heard me mention that as we lose muscle size and density in menopause, we also lose mitochondria numbers. This impacts the muscle's metabolic activity and the rate of fat-burning. Adding some resveratrol-rich foods and yes, even some red wine, to your diet, will help you to burn fat. 		
																										
		3. Curcumin: If you are taking supplements for joint pain or hot flushes, then you might want to see if these contain curcumin or it's other name, diferuloylmethane. Curcumin is a yellow-coloured compound which is found in the extracts of Turmeric roots. Whilst we all know that this is commonly used as a spice in cooking, it has also been recognised for its potential value as an anti-obesity agent (Mantzorou et al, 2018). Although many of the studies have been conducted on mice and rats, results are promising that regular curcumin intake promotes energy expenditure. 4. Green Tea: If any of you have ever taken fat-loss supplements, then these may well have contained tea catechins extracts. Whilst some studies don't support the research on catechins in green tea and their effect on fat-burning, other scientists report that green tea extracts have caffeine, which is known for its thermogenic (heat producing) properties. This thermogenic effect as a result of the caffeine, may well play a role in the increase in brown fat in some studies into the role that green tea catechins play in the recruitment and activation of brown adipose tissue in humans. 		
																										
		5. Menthol: Also known as mint camphor, menthol is either produced synthetically or obtained from peppermint Mentha piperita. For centuries, mint/menthol has been known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic, anti-viral and analgesic effects. Now researchers also know that it enhances metabolic activity in both brown and white  adipose tissue. Menthol is cooling and therefore, plays a role in increasing non-shivering thermogenesis (heat generation) in muscles and now, fat cells. We all know that when we buy some joint or muscle-healing creams, that there is a slight analgesic effect when you put it on your skin. This is due to the menthol and researchers now think that this substance has a promising role to play in regulating energy balance and metabolism in weight management. 		
																										
		6. Fish-derived Omega-3 Fatty Acids: I'm sure that most of you have heard of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). They are the major type of fats found in fish oil supplements and in fatty fish such as salmon. Whilst the supplementation of fish oil has been shown to increase brown tissue and protein levels in rats, more recent research suggests that dietary PUFAs lower the amount of abdominal white adipose tissue. How this happens is still a bit unclear but the researchers suggest that fish oil contributes to brown fat production by stimulating the digestive tract to trigger, via the brain, increases in sympathetic nervous system response. Increased nervous system activity is known to increase adrenaline, which in turn increases metabolism. 		
																										
		Metabolically active brown fat has only recently been discovered in adult humans and this has led to better understanding about the role of dietary molecules that influence healthier brown fat production, whilst lowering unhealthy white fat size.For women in menopause, this is interesting research. Many of us already know that our menopause transition is a vulnerable time for unhealthy weight gain. Whilst scientists don't quite fully understand how much of these compounds are needed to elicit fat-burning, thermogenic effects, I think it is encouraging that in a world where post-menopause obesity leads millions of women down the path towards changing heart health and Type 2 Diabetes, it helps to know that these studies are being undertaken. All of these foods can be found in the MyMT™ Food Guide which is an important component of the scientifically evidenced MyMT™ programmes. I've enjoyed bringing the research about these ingredients to you in this post and hope that over the weekend, if you've been struggling with your menopause weight and other symptoms, that you can explore the MyMT™ Transform Me programme which is on SALE for the month of July. If you aren't quite ready to join me on the coaching programme, then I hope you can make some time on your own to have a listen to the Masterclass on Menopause. I've recently updated this with all the latest information you need at a time of our lives when changes are happening that may make us feel out of control with our health. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
		References: Andrade J., Frade A., Guimarães J., Freitas K., Lopes M., Guimarães A., de Paula A., Coimbra C. & Santos S.. (2014). Resveratrol increases brown adipose tissue thermogenesis markers by increasing SIRT1 and energy expenditure and decreasing fat accumulation in adipose tissue of mice fed a standard diet. Eur J Nutr. Oct;53(7):1503-10. doi: 10.1007/s00394-014-0655-6. Epub 2014 Jan 28. PMID: 24468941.El Hadi H., Di Vincenzo A., Vettor R. & Rossato, M. (2019). Food ingredients involved in white-to-brown adipose tissue conversion and in calorie burning. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, o1954. https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2018.01954     Mantzorou M., Pavlidou E., Vasios G., Tsagalioti E., & Giaginis C. (2018). Effects of curcumin consumption on human chronic diseases: A narrative review of the most recent clinical data. Phytother Res. 32(6):957-975. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6037. 

### "I used to suffer from back-aches and headaches, but not anymore. I have never in my 64 years, felt as good as I do now."  [Lyndie, UK]

Some inspiration and motivation from Lyndie in Oxfordshire, who joined me on the MyMT™ Transform Me programme. 

Dear Wendy, 

Thank you so much for helping me to be Transformed. I am so pleased I started the Transform Me course in March this year. Two friends of mine, both recommended me to do the Transform Me course. 

I was sceptical as I have done a number of diet courses and not really found them to be successful. Needless to say that going through menopause and having to have a mastectomy was not an easy time. 

Because the cancer was oestrogen positive all the oestrogen was removed from my body. Hot flushes and night sweats were pretty severe. Because the cancer was in my lymph glands the chemo was intense as was the 25 radio therapy treatments. 

I put on quite a bit of weight which I battled to remove because of lack of energy. Since doing your course I have lost 5 Kg [11 lbs].

The most exciting part of the course is the amount of energy I now have. 

For many years I have longed to be able to jog, but found I couldn’t jog for long before I was breathless - no more than maybe 2 lamp-post distance.

After reading your posts and learning from the programme about our changing iron levels as we go through menopause, a blood test in January by my Doctor, discovered that my iron levels were way below normal so was prescribed iron tablets. 

Back home in South Africa Doctors don’t mind giving vitamin B12 injections to woman who are going through menopause. Unfortunately Drs in the UK seem to disagree. I was relieved when you recommended  Floradix which contains iron and vitamin B12. 

I am delighted to tell you that I now go jogging at least 3 times a week for 7 - 10 Km. 

I used to suffer from chronic sinusitis, chest infections, back aches and head aches, but not any more. I have never in my 64 years felt as good as I do now.

Attached are photos of one of the walks I regularly do. It's called the Wittenham Clumps in South Oxfordshire.

Thank you so much for helping me get to this stage of my life.

Love,

Lyndie 

https://vimeo.com/775629273?share=copy

### Menopause weight gain, night sweats and your iron levels: A curious connection.

Every week I think to myself, ‘what might you like to read about when it comes to better understanding your menopause transition'?  In pondering this, I often seek inspiration from women on my programmes or from some of you who have emailed me with your questions as you come into the MyMT™ community via my symptoms quiz, my newsletter or via facebook.This week, the answer to my question was easy. Women discussing their weight loss and symptom management strategies in my private coaching group. With a few of them in post-menopause and struggling to sleep because of night sweats, I've been telling them to get their iron and ferritin levels checked.Many women on my programme are still quite active. But few understand that as we move through menopause, there are changes to our iron and ferritin (stored iron) levels. Iron plays an important role, not only in oxygen delivery to the tissues, but also as a cofactor with several enzymes involved in energy metabolism and regulation o four body temperature.  Over the past 8 years since setting up MyMT™, I’ve received emails from women living in different countries, who are on my programmes who have sent me some of their blood results to look at.I don’t normally do this (and I never interfere in medical decisions as I am not a medical Dr), but if they aren’t resolving their sleep or overnight hot flushes, I like to check what their blood work might say about their iron or stored iron (ferritin) levels. Esepcially if they are exercising or have active jobs or are competing in Masters Sports, or conversely, they are sedentary and overweight.As a sports and exercise physiologist, I taught for decades that when female athletes are low in iron, then they feel chronically tired, hotter than normal (or cold) and don't sleep well due to night sweats. This is known as athlete anaemia. However, for women who aren't athletes or are menstruating, conversely, we have to think about high iron levels or iron overload. This condition differs from haemachromatosis, which is a medical condition that requires a medical diagnosis and monitoring, so for those of you in post-menopause, this is a reminder to get your bloods checked sometime.If your iron or ferritin levels are too high, (or conversely, too low), then your hot flushes and night sweats and weight gain may stay around, despite all the supplements you may be taking. High iron levels are also associated with post-menopause heart disease, so it's worth checking out.It's an important topic for all women in menopause yet, seems to be being forgotten about in all the discussions that I hear. So, here it is, a great topic for you to know about as you transition menopause - your changing iron levels as you age. 		
																										
		Iron is a mineral that I talk a lot about in the MyMT™ programmes. Whilst many of us are aware of how important this mineral is in pregnancy and lactation as well as when we are growing up, we often forget how important it is to manage during our menopause transition. Recently, new research suggested that blood iron levels could play a role in influencing how long you live.Having too much or too little iron in the blood (iron overload or iron depletion) appeared to be linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stated the lead researcher, Paul Timmers from the University of Edinburgh. 'Study of Over 1 Million People Finds Intriguing Link Between Iron Levels And Lifespan' said the headline. Knowing that iron is important to balance as we move into post-menopause, this got my attention."We are very excited by these findings as they strongly suggest that high levels of iron in the blood reduces our healthy years of life, and keeping these levels in check could prevent age-related damage. We speculate that our findings on iron metabolism might also start to explain why very high levels of iron-rich red meat in the diet has been linked to age-related conditions such as heart disease." (Lead Researcher, Dr Paul Timmers, Univ. of Edinburgh)For women in post-menopause, this is important news and suggests that yes indeed, we do need to change our diet as we get older as I promote in the MyMT™ programmes.But it's not just about those of you in post-menopause either. If you are in peri-menopause (mid to late 40’s) and still menstruating, then you need to manage your iron levels too. Your needs are greater than those of us, who aren’t menstruating any more.If your iron stores (ferritin) are too low, then you may have developed iron-deficiency anaemia. If this is the case, then your sleep will be disturbed and your heart rate may be higher overnight, causing increased anxiety, palpitations and hot flushes.And yes, you will feel exhausted as well. If you are a runner or exerciser and feeling tired all the time and your hot flushes have increased, then do please check your iron and stored iron levels, especially if you are transitioning through menopause. Let me explain why.		
																										
		If your red blood cells are low in iron, then you don’t have enough oxygen molecules attaching to them. That’s what iron does.It is a crucial player in your oxygen transport system. If your iron levels are low, then your heart has to work harder to pump oxygenated blood to your vital organs.This higher workload of your heart may be especially apparent overnight, because this is when your body is trying to rest and restore your immune system.If your heart has to work harder to deliver oxygentated blood to your cells, then your heart rate increases as does the work of your thyroid. Hence, you overheat. If you are suffering from night sweats and you are constantly fatigued and you are in peri-menopause, then please check your iron and ferritin levels.However, if you have stopped menstruating, and you are experiencing symptoms that may include joint pain, muscle weakness, fatigue and increasing hot flushes, then you could be experiencing iron overload, especially if you eat a lot of high iron foods and meat.  [NB: This differs from the genetic condition called hemachromatosis which some women also have]. We often don't think about our iron needs in post-menopause, but we need to - because when you aren't menstruating any more, then your iron needs change.		
																										
		Iron Levels and Menopause: Does Increased Iron Affect the Health of Postmenopausal Women?Iron and ferritin balance as we move through menopause is something that I’ve been talking about in the MyMT™ programmes for a few years now.I’ve been intrigued by post-menopause women still getting hot flushes and night sweats and with the cessation of menstruation, I’ve always wondered whether an increase in iron levels in post-menopause could increase hot flushes and cardiovascular risk as women age. It seems the answer might be yes.By examining ferritin data from the NHANES III study, researchers found that serum ferritin levels are parallel with the reported prevalence of hot flashes among African-American, white, and Hispanic women. This observation suggests that, in contrast to iron deficiency leading to cold intolerance, an increase in iron might play a role in post-menopausal hot flushes.This makes so much sense to me. You see, as we move into post-menopause, we aren’t menstruating any more. Oestrogen and iron are two of the most important growth nutrients in a woman’s body development. Oestrogen affects the growth, differentiation, and function of tissues such as breasts, skin, and bone.Iron is essential for oxygen transport, DNA synthesis, as well as energy production.With the iron data obtained from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), results showed that concurrent but inverse changes occur between iron and oestrogen levels in healthy women during their menopausal transition.Whereas oestrogen decreases because of the cessation of ovarian functions, iron increases as a result of decreasing menstrual periods. For example, the level of serum ferritin is increased by two- to threefold during this transition into cessation of menstruation. High serum ferritin stresses the cardiovascular system and temperature regulation mechanisms.How much Iron is enough?Important differences exist between men and menopausal women in terms of timing and patterns of changes in hormone and iron levels. First, iron increase in men happens in conjunction with the increase of male reproductive hormones, which could provide protection against the harmful effects of the increased iron.Nevertheless, iron increase in women occurs during their midlife (age 42–51 years) at the same time as female sex hormones are decreased as you can see from the image below.		
																										
		In my 12 week online MyMT™ programmes I talk about our changing iron needs as we age.If you are in peri-menopause (and an exerciser) then look at around 12 mg a day. If you are in post-menopause, then bring this down to around 8-10mg a day. And yes, get your blood levels checked with your Doctor as you move through menopause and if all those supplements you are taking for menopause hot flushes aren’t working as you move into post-menopause, then please don’t waste your money. Get your iron and ferritin levels checked instead.Your iron balance during your menopause transition is greatly influenced by two main factors:The composition of your diet.The health of your liver and small intestine - both important sites of iron metabolism and absorption.Two broad categories of iron are found in your food. The first category is called haem iron. This is more readily absorbed iron and comes from red meat and fish sources.The second category is non-haem iron. This is sourced from various plants, legumes and grains. Sources of non-haem iron can be problematic however, because this form of iron is influenced by other constituents of your diet. Some are ‘promoters’ and some are ’inhibitors’.For example, the most important ‘promoters’ of non-haem iron are foods high in Vitamin C and/or meat. For vegans and vegetarians who are in peri-menopause, this is important to understand. Add Vitamin C to your plant-based meals.Iron absorption is also under the influence of ‘inhibitors’, i.e. constituents of foods that prevent enough iron being absorbed through the gut wall. Known ‘inhibitors of iron’ include phytates in some plants and tannins in tea, coffee and wine.And please don’t forget that with the gut wall being the site of iron absorption, then your gut health is important for iron absorption too (if you have gut health issues or IBS then please look at my brand new Gut Health module) or come on board into the 12 week programme as my bonus modules are all part of the extended programmes as well.		
																										
		Women going through menopause and into post-menopause, who aren't sleeping and experiencing emotional changes, sore joints, weight gain and more, are doing it tough - even more so, considering the challenges over the past couple of years.That's why I would love you to know the information that I have for you in the programmes that I've designed from my women's healthy ageing research. I would love to support you and my mid-year JULY weight loss sale for women in post-menopause has now opened. There are also Success Stories and Testimonials that amazing women have kindly shared too. Please do spend some time exploring their stories if you aren't sure about coming on board with me.If you've got time for some additional reading there are numerous BLOGS on my website to distract you from the chaos of the world too. It's such a privilege to have you with me in the MyMT™ community and remember that while I live in New Zealand at the bottom of the world, I'm only an email away if you have any questions about the programmes - wendy@mymenopausetransformation.comWendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.Related Tag: Menopause AUReferences:Bozzini, C., Girelli, D. et al, (2005). Prevalence of Body Iron Excess in the Metabolic Syndrome. Diabetes Care, 28 (8): 2061–2063. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.28.8.2061Franchini, M., Targher, G., Montagnana, M., & Lippi, G. (2008). Iron and thrombosis. Annals of hematology, 87(3), 167–173.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-007-0416-1Herber-Gast G, Brown WJ, Mishra GD. (2015). Hot flushes and night sweats are associated with coronary heart disease risk in midlife: a longitudinal study. BJOG. 122(11):1560-7. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.13163. Epub 2014 Nov 7. PMID: 25377022.Jinlong Jian, Pelle, E. & Xi, H. (2009). Iron and menopause: Does increased Iron affect the health of postmenopausal women? Antioxiants & Redox Signaling Journal, 1(12), 1-6.Murday HK, Rusli FD, Blandy C, Vollenhoven B. (2016). Night sweats: it may be hemochromatosis. Climacteric. 19(4):406-8. doi: 10.1080/13697137.2016.1191461. Epub 2016 Jun 14. PMID: 27296845.Timmers, P.R.H.J., Wilson, J.F., Joshi, P.K. et al. (2020) Multivariate genomic scan implicates novel loci and haem metabolism in human ageing. Nat Commun 11, 3570. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17312-3

### Can the right nutrients calm your jumpy, restless legs?

If it wasn’t his snoring keeping me awake, it was my aching, cramping, jittery legs.Sometimes my hamstrings would cramp up, sometimes my legs would twitch, sometimes the aching would keep me lying awake for hours.Standing on the cold tiles of the bathroom floor helped a little bit, but doing this at 3am wasn’t really helping my desperation for sleep.There’s nothing like the feeling of muscles that take on a mind of their own when you’re trying your hardest to sleep. Restless Leg Syndrome isn’t fun. But at the time that I was experiencing the cramping and twitching, I didn’t realise that it was a symptom of menopause.But is it really?  Lying in bed thinking about the nerve and muscle contractions or ‘twitching’ that I was experiencing made me immediately think about neuro-muscular (nerve-muscle) physiology and nutrition.  A topic that I had taught Sport and Exercise university students for years.In female athletes, there are factors that influence muscle cramping and muscle 'twitching'. I didn't know that these changes also apply to women in their menopause transition, especially if they are active. Low iron, low Vitamin D, inadequate intake of calcium and magnesium to match the changing structure of our muscles (including cardiac muscle) during menpause and Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] - all of these factors impact muscle physiology and Restless Leg Syndrome too.Some studies also suggest that there is a bidirectional relationship between Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Restless Leg Syndrome … especially in women. And for those of you who experience both of these concerns, you know that night after night, it can affect your ability to remain asleep.		
																										
		Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is defined by the following criteria as determined by the International RLS Study Group (Nagandla & De, 2013):  An urge to move the legs and usually, but not always, it is associated with leg discomfort such as muscle cramps and/or pain and tingling.A worsening of symptoms at rest, either lying or sitting.Partial and temporary relief of symptoms by activity.Worsening of symptoms and/or sensations later in the day or at night.Many of you might already have experienced Restless Leg Syndrome when you were pregnant. I can’t quite remember whether I did or not. But if you did, and it’s reared its ugly head again now that you are in your menopause transition, then don’t be surprised.Not only is the prevalence of RLS twice as high in females as in males, but it is one of the most common movement disorders during pregnancy and as such, women have a four-fold increased risk of developing it in later life (Nagandla & De, 2013) …. For those troubled with the twitching and aching, yes, the term ‘later life’ also means middle-aged menopause.‘The consequences of RLS are related to sleep disruption that has a negative impact on the daily activities of those experiencing it.’  (Nagandla & De, 2013, p. 402). Some of us already know this don’t we?But here are the interesting factors that research suggests is associated with why we may develop Restless Leg Syndrome:There appears to be a substantial bidirectional association between Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Restless Leg Syndrome. [Guo, Pei, Chen et al, 2021]Emerging evidence suggests that low iron or low ferritin (stored iron) levels and low brain iron levels may contribute to the syndrome because iron is a co-factor for one of our brain hormones that help with sleep. This hormone is dopamine.Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as Vitamin D. calcium and magnesium deficiency, may also predispose women to RLS (Wali, Alsafadi et al, 2018). Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is associated with prevalent coronary artery disease and cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure. (Winkelman, Shahar et al, 2008). 		
																										
		Tips to Help Resolve your Restless LegsTalk to your Doctor and ask for a blood test for iron, ferritin (stored iron) and Vitamin D. If iron levels are low, then this impacts the ability of red blood cells to carry iron to your brain. As well, low Vitamin D is associated with calcium uptake and absorption and when calcium levels are low, then this impacts the nerve-muscle connection and the muscle contraction.Low Vitamin D also impacts muscle recovery from exercise which in sport and exercise science is known to cause 'twitching'. There are also medications which may help with your restless legs, so please ensure you ask your Doctor about this aspect of management too. 		
																										
		Explore your magnesium intake -  start with your diet and then add supplements as you need to. As we move into post-menopause, women need up to 400mg daily. Twitches, tremors and muscle cramps are also signs of magnesium deficiency.Restore and rejuvenate your gut health. I've written extensively about gut health and how this changes in menopause and how we become vulnerable to leaky gut syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This may be having a flow-on effect on the absorption and bio-availability of nutrients that your body needs to help reduce Restless Legs Syndrome. I talk about gut health in my online MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause, which I describe to you in the video below and how you can purchase this for only NZ$15/ AUS$13/ CAN$11/ UK£7/ €8. Have a listen when you can. https://vimeo.com/828202600?share=copyFocus on a heart healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean Diet. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is associated with prevalent coronary artery disease and cardiovascular disease. The female heart undergoes considerable change when oestrogen and progesterone decline with ageing.Hence, menopause really does matter to women’s health as they move into their post-menopause years.How we transition through menopause especially matters to the changing nature of our blood pressure, and if you are still experiencing hot flushes and you are in post-menopause, then don’t blame the menopause – because it’s not. It’s the natural ageing of your heart muscle, nerves and vascular system (blood vessels).		
																										
		Restless Leg Syndrome isn't fun. For me personally, it led to extraordinary muscle cramping, whereby I had to get up and stretch in the early hours of the morning.Not only did this interrupt my sleep, but left me baffled as to what was happening and why. So, yes please, get it checked out when you can and focus on changing up your diet and your nutrients. We've had a lot of conversations about it in my coaching groups and I talk about it in the MyMT™ programmes. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensory-motor disorder characterized by discomfort of and urge to move the legs, primarily during rest or inactivity, partial or total relief with movement, with presence or worsening exclusively in the evening.With it arriving in mid-life, it can be hidden from the exhausting list of other symptoms that distract us. As a disorder that impacts the nerves and muscles however, we must also remember that our muscles and nerves are changing with age. So too, is our gut health. Hence, we might not be able to absorb the nutrients that our muscles and nerves desperately need as we transition menopause. According to the research on RLS, sufferers more often also experience depression and heart disease, both which also become worse with gut health problems, low Vitamin D and low (or high) iron. Hence, please don't ignore your restless legs! Women on my programmes know that watching their iron, ferritin and Vitamin D levels are an important aspect of helping themselves during menopause.Whilst much of the emphasis for our menopause symptoms is centred on menopause HRT, please don't forget that you can do so much more to adjust your lifestyle, exercise and nutrition too. Midlife is a wonderful time of your life to take stock of your health and how we move through this stage of life matters.I hope you can explore the MyMT™ programmes sometime and if you come on board with me for 12 weeks, I will be with you every step of the way. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
		References:Al Alawi AM, Majoni SW, Falhammar H. Magnesium and Human Health: Perspectives and Research Directions. Int J Endocrinol. 2018 Apr 16;2018:9041694. Guo, J., Pei, L., Chen, L. et al. (2021). Bidirectional association between irritable bowel syndrome and restless legs syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine, 77, 104-111. ISSN 1389-9457.Khoudary, S., Aggarwai, B., Beckie, T., et al (2020). Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 142: e506–e532Maas, A. (2019). A woman’s heart. why female heart health really matters. Great Britain: Aster Publ.Milart, P., Woźniakowska, E., & Wrona, W. (2018). Selected vitamins and quality of life in menopausal women. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 17(4), 175–179.Pesonen, H., Laakkonen, E.K., Hautasaari, P. et al. Perimenopausal women show modulation of excitatory and inhibitory neuromuscular mechanisms. BMC Women's Health 21, 133 (2021).Seeman M. V. (2020). Why Are Women Prone to Restless Legs Syndrome? International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(1), 368. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010368Wali S, Alsafadi S, Abaalkhail B, Ramadan I, Abulhamail B, Kousa M, Alshamrani R, Faruqui H, Faruqui A, Alama M, Hamed M. (2018). The Association Between Vitamin D Level and Restless Legs Syndrome: A Population-Based Case-Control Study. J Clin Sleep Med. 15;14(4):557-564. doi:Wesstrom J, Nilsson S, Sundstrom-Poromaa I, Ulfberg J. Restless legs syndrome among women: prevalence, co-morbidity and possible relationship to menopause. (2008). Climacteric, 11(5):422-8. doi: 10.1080/13697130802359683. PMID: 18781488.Winkelman J., Shahar E., Sharief I., Gottlieb D. (2008). Association of restless legs syndrome and cardiovascular disease in the Sleep Heart Health Study. Neurology. 1;70(1):35-42. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000287072.93277.c9. PMID: 18166705.Zucconi M, Ferini-Strambi L. Epidemiology and clinical findings of restless legs syndrome. (2004). Sleep Med. 5(3):293-9. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2004.01.004. PMID: 15165538.

### "How I used to muddle my way through life before now, I don't know!" [Kate M., UK]

"After a three-day migraine", wrote Kate, "I started trawling the internet about how menopause affected migraine, and I stumbled across MyMT™.

It seemed to leap out at me as having something meaningful to say to me. However, I am naturally cynical about paying for random information online so I didn’t hold out much hope.

But then I watched the Wendy's Masterclass on Menopause and very quickly realised this was pretty life-changing. I don’t think us ladies completely realise how our changing hormones and ageing process has affected our quality of life, until we take stock and do something positive about it!

Luckily, I am one for following instructions, so once I had paid for the Transform Me Programme, I was determined to make the changes required. After all, as Wendy often says in her coaching community “if you carry on doing what you’ve always done, you will just end up with the same outcome!”

In reality, the tweeks and alterations to my diet and lifestyle didn’t feel a chore as I started to notice an improvement quite quickly.

The sleeping all night has been a complete game-changer. How I used to muddle through life I don’t know!

After changing my diet and my exercise routine and following Wendy's advice for my liver health and energy restoration, I now have a clear unfuzzy head and can start doing the activities I enjoy, such as skiing and swimming.

I have also lost about 14 lbs to date - which is fantastic too, and adds to my feeling of well-being.

Thank you, Wendy from across the miles. I hope that one day we can meet up in person and I can thank you personally.

Kate Myott

(Not ACTUALLY doing cartwheels at my age, but that’s how I feel inside!!)

https://vimeo.com/775629273?share=copy

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: A stuffed Aubergine to improve your sleep!

Eggplants or Aubergine are a well known food in West Africa. Known for their ability to curb elevated blood sugar, research also supports their contribution to preventing Type 2 diabetes and improving liver function. (Nwanna et al, 2019). This is good to know if you can't sleep, because your liver health during menopause might be just the thing keeping you awake at night. 
I like them for a different reason though. High in fibre and potassium, they are beneficial for your heart. Diets rich in fibre, especially soluble fibre, help to lower blood cholesterol levels, thus contributing to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
The liver uses cholesterol to make bile, a substance that digests fats. Bile is stored in the gallbladder, and releases the substance into the small intestine during meals. The liver then recycles bile components to make new bile.
When you eat foods that are rich in soluble fibre, this recycling process is interfered with. Soluble fibre binds to the bile components in the intestinal tract and prevents them from being absorbed.
Hence, why the bile components complete with cholesterol fragments are then eliminated in bowel movements.  For those of you with high LDL cholesterol, this is an important strategy for you. It's why I encourage women on the MyMT™ programmes to have adequate fibre. 
If you are stuck for something to eat this weekend and if Aubergine isn't too expensive in your part of the world, then give this recipe a go. Happy stuffing! 		
																										
		IngredientsServes 2 as a main, or 4 as a side 2 aubergines (cut in half sideways)2 tbsp olive oil1 capsicum (cut into large chunks)3/4 cup of brown rice or quinoa¼ cup of olives (chopped)¼ cup of apricots (chopped)A sprinkle of seeds or chopped nuts.Yoghurt sauce: 3tbsp Low fat Greek yoghurt, a small handful of chopped herbs (e.g. coriander or basil), a squeeze of lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp olive oil.MethodPreheat the oven to bake 150° While it is preheating, you can chop up all your ingredients. Rub the olive oil over the eggplant and capsicum so they are well coated.Place the eggplant onto a baking tray into the oven. Set your timer for 15 minutes.After 15 minutes, turn the eggplant and add the capsicum to the same baking dish. Place the dish back inside the oven and leave to cook for a further 30 minutes (turn at halfway). So, the eggplant should bake for around 45 minutes in total. At the end of 45 minutes, check to see if the eggplant is soft all the way through. If not, place back into the oven for another 10 – 15 minutes.While the eggplant and capsicum are cooking, you will also need to cook your rice or quinoa according to the packet instructions. You can also make your yoghurt sauce at this time.Once the eggplant is cooked, make an incision about 1cm inwards from the side. Then cut all the way around the eggplant, being careful to make sure you don’t cut through the base of the eggplant. Slowly remove the flesh, and place into a bowl. Your eggplant should look like a hollowed-out boat.Now dice the big chunks of capsicum so they are a bit smaller.Mix the rice/quinoa, apricots, olives, chopped capsicum and seeds into the flesh.Place the mixture back into the hollowed-out eggplant.Serve with the yoghurt sauce.		
																										
		References:  

### "I had no idea many of my symptoms were related to menopause." (Kathy, New Zealand)

"It’s hard to believe I’m at the end of this programme the time seems to have flown.  Firstly I would like to “Thank you”  - I think without this programme I probably have gone crazy!

I am now sleeping through the night - no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.

I am slowly getting my energy back and am now back at the gym a few days a week and walking.  The education on menopause through your programme has been enlightening to say the least as I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related.

I now hear other women including my sisters talking about things that are going on in their body and I know it is menopause related.  So thank you for putting this programme together! Also some of the things I have loved and really helped is the freedom of no pressure, being able to email anytime and the Facebook coaching group.

I would say may main tip to women is to persevere. Yes I fell off the programme a few times and still do but the coaching community posts was my motivation to get back going again … plus my body gives me no choice, esepcially once I knew what to do as I feel so much better for your advice.  It’s nice to be coming out of the other side of all of this as I had days I thought it would never end.

Once again many thanks.

Kathy, Christchurch, New Zealand

### "When we produce too many stress hormones during menopause, our body cannot produce sex hormones." [Kellie Stirling, Sexuality & Relationship Coach]

I love the name of Kellie's facebook group - “The Heroines Journey” - how apt for mid-life women!

When Kellie got hold of me to tell me how much she had enjoyed doing my programme, she also mentioned that she was a Certified Developmental Coach and VITA™ Sexuality, Love and Relationship Coach, majoring in Womens Empowerment.

I knew I had to ask Kellie to explain a little bit more to all of us about what's really going on during menopause with our low libido, sexuality and of course, our loss of confidence. I was so excited when she said she would ... so here we are, some wisdom from Kellie for you all.



"I am a Women’s Empowerment, Sexuality and Relationships Coach.  I work with women going through the big changes of motherhood, midlife and menopause.  This encompasses emotional health and wellbeing, relationships and sexuality.

I have found this work is very related to MyMT™ because what Wendy has created sets a really good foundation for growing in these areas in your life.

It's no surprise that many women struggle through midlife - their perimenopause and menopause transition. Numerous women come to me in perimenopause really concerned that they feel emotionally out of control, they have lost their libido and their inner vitality.

Firstly, I just want to say that Midlife and Menopause are two separate transitions that are intertwined with each other.  

All humans experience midlife transition generally around the ages of 40 to 60 years.  Menopause as you all know, is the end of our fertility.  Midlife is described by James Hollis, the American psychologist, as the time when we move from our first adulthood to our 2nd adulthood.

Having been a Coach and worked in adult development for 20 years I tend to agree.  Our first adulthood sits very strongly with establishing ourselves in the world, creating a family, establishing our career, buying a house.  Many actions driven by our ego.

Our second adulthood is about Passion, Meaning and Purpose.

 	Why am I here? 
 	What work is meaningful to me?

Add menopause to that mix and life becomes super interesting don’t you think?

Personally, I think this transition for women in particular is about setting yourself up well to thrive in the second half of your life, as Wendy also focuses on in her programmes. 

Why does so much change and discomfort happen to us in this time our lives?

Midlife is the right time for this, because we have the life experience, wisdom, perspective and discernment to differentiate what is really going on for us.



Our emotions can get really challenging in this phase because so many of us have been culturally conditioned to repress them.  When we do express our emotions we are often told we are ‘too much’, or unstable hence the emotional outburst.

But your emotions are signals for action; they are supposed to be in motion.  

The reason they are coming out more strongly in menopause is due to hormonal changes and the fact that your body can only hold them down for so long.  It takes an incredible amount of energy for the body to repress them.  Finally, your body says to you ‘enough I can’t do this any longer.'

With my clients I see this showing up in many ways - sometimes health issues, sometimes outbursts.  Oestrogen is the hormone of soothing and accommodation, when it starts to decline it is like a veil is lifted and suddenly, we see situations for what they are.

That is another reason women get quite angry and frustrated at this transition.

Hence, issues that you have smoothed over and let go off in the past probably need to be rectified.  Anger is a signal of boundaries being pushed and that change is required.  So, you may need to reflect on,

 	What are the things that are making you angry?
 	What needs to change?
 	Are you maybe over giving or doing too much at home?

This is why I believe that midlife is a time to go inward and explore all of your emotions and learn how to let them be expressed in a grounded way.  

You will be surprised there is actually a lot of pleasure to be felt when we learn to let our ‘negative emotions’ run through.  I say negative in inverted commas because that is the common misconception of this cultural conditioning I mentioned; they are in fact a natural part of the human experience.
What about our sexuality and libido?
Many women experience loss of libido at this stage or they are looking to deepen their connection with their sexuality.  

Some are looking for a more sacred sexual connection with their partner.  A deeper intimacy with themselves and also with their partner.  A more conscious relationship maybe.

Many women just have this feeling that their sexual life could be a lot better than it is.  Perimenopause gives us an opportunity to start listening to our body’s desires sexually and finding out what they are.

The rhythms of our desire change constantly throughout our life.  What story have you heard about sexuality post menopause?  

If it is the one that says it all goes away I want to tell you that that is an urban myth.  The relationship therapist Esther Perrel says that she believes that the reason for diminishing libido in relationships is boredom or sexual needs not being met by a partner.  I tend to agree with her.

But you know what? It doesn’t have to be that way at all, you can enjoy a thriving level of intimacy both with yourself and a partner well into your later years.  You can absolutely rewrite your sexual story.



When it comes to rebuilding your relationship with your sexuality there are four really foundational pillars that support us and when I completed Wendy's MyMT™ programme myself, I see that she sets women up well for these foundational pillars.

The four pillars are: 

 	Sleep
 	Stress management,
 	Broadening your definition of what pleasure is and,
 	Connecting with your emotions.

My key question is, 'If you are tired and stressed out who feels like Sex?'  When our body is producing stress hormones it cannot produce sex hormones. Rest is part of your erotic practice.

Our modern-day lifestyle of being “on all the time” is not good for us when it comes to pleasure in our lives.  Slow is more.  There is a lot to be gained from slowing down in every part of our lives.  There is great joy to be experienced in the present moment.  When our nervous system feels safe just to be in the moment.



Many women have been taught that their pleasure can only occur when in relationship with another.  This is untrue.

Your pleasure is for you, first and foremost.

When women expand their definition of pleasure and start to explore the many wonderful ways they can receive pleasure, their journey through midlife and menopause receives more energy and happiness.  Your sensuality is a great source of pleasure to you.

Many women are triggered by the words sensuality and pleasure; this is patriarchal cultural conditioning trying to keep us down and to play small.

However, your sensuality is how you experience the world through your five senses.  When it comes to pleasure, start there.  The more you practice sensual pleasure this follows through to expanding your capacity for sexual pleasure in your body.  Sexual pleasure is also experienced through your five senses also.

Some of my favourite sensual pleasure practices are:

 	enjoying a cup of green tea,
 	walking in nature,
 	walking barefoot on the grass in nature,
 	eating a delicious vegetable bowl for lunch,
 	dancing to music - especially when I have a lot of emotional energy I need to move and doing Qi Gong.

When we do some of these things consciously with no distractions from phones, no influence of alcohol or other stimulants, we can experience incredible joy in our bodies.

Pleasure is healing and our body has a natural orientation toward pleasure and healing. 

When you start to learn what really pleases you, really listening to your body, you can tell your partner.  Sensual and Sexual Pleasure are nourishing to our body.  Our sexual energy is life force energy however we do not have an infinite supply of it and that is why, particularly at our midlife stage of life, we need to learn how to replenish it and sensual pleasure is a great source.

Sensual pleasure is also an incredible way to ground into your nervous system and resource yourself, it will bring you calm in the moments you need it.

When I came onto Wendy's MyMT™ programme, I learnt so much from it because Wendy has un-tangled the physiology of menopause - this sits brilliantly with my own work on the sexuality and relationship side of midlife.

As one of my pillars is sleep, I knew I needed help with this and I am now sleeping really well. I also now understand exactly what caused my night sweats.  My brain fog has disappeared as well. 

This was amazing as my path to starting the programme was disrupted from gut health concerns which ended up with a diagnosis of a large tumour in my colon. Four days later I found myself in for surgery.  With the pandemic starting, my surgeon wanted to get me in before they shut down operating theatres.

The surgery was followed by six months of chemotherapy which for the most part went really well, despite the challenges of the treatment.  All of this was a surprise to me because I’ve always been really healthy and very fit.

That's when I started MyMT™ programme. It wasn't long after I finished my treatment because I wanted to set myself up for good eating habits and understand the physical changes I was experiencing as the chemotherapy had put me into menopause.  It was intense, but it was relatively quick.

Five months post chemo, my periods returned and I’m back to my perimenopause status and to be honest I’m really going well.  I was also happy my periods returned because they are a sign of health in our bodies; some health professionals call it the sixth vital sign.

As I work with women going through the big changes of motherhood, midlife and menopause, this encompasses emotional health and wellbeing, relationships and sexuality.

I have found this work is very related and complementary to MyMT™ because what Wendy has created sets a really good foundation for growing in these areas in your life.

If you are curious to explore more you can find me on instagram @kelliestirling, my FB group is called “The Heroines Journey” and my website is www.kelliestirling.com where they are many blogs and podcasts on everything I have talked about.

Kellie, Australia

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: This clever Cous Cous dish is high in selenium

I had my first couscous dish when I was in the United Kingdom a couple of decades ago. Here in New Zealand, it was a dish that wasn't part of the traditional fare. Having no idea about what couscous even was, I remember the nutty taste and said, "This tastes like my mother's semolina dessert."  How true that was. 
Coming from West African cuisine, couscous is now a pantry staple for many. It is actually rolled balls of semolina.
Semolina is coarsely milled durum wheat mainly used in making couscous, pasta, and sweet puddings. Hence, my comment at the time about my mother's choice of dessert when I was young. 
Semolina flour is a coarse, pale yellow flour made from a type of wheat called durum wheat. Durum wheat is the hardest species of wheat, so it has a high protein and gluten content. 
Durum wheat is also high in selenium, which is great for your thyroid. But for those of you who are gluten intolerant, then just be cautious of your cous cous, because it has a higher gluten level compared to other wheats. Hence, if you are working with cous cous, you need to soak it and cook it well, so you don't feel too bloated.
My daughter, Georgia, had friends over for dinner the other night and told me she was making a delicious cous cous dish. I knew I had to share it with you, especially those of you, who need a selenium boost for your ageing thyroid! IngredientsServes 2 as a main or 4 as a side. This easy recipe takes about 30 minutes to make. 2x carrots2 tbsp olive oilCarrot spices: 1tsp cumin, 1tsp coriander, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp turmeric4x garlic cloves, diced1x onion, diced2 cups of vegetable stock1 lemon, juiced1 cup of couscousA handful of apricots or datesA handful of olivesAny herbs you like. I used mint and corianderMethodChop the carrots into small chunks, and place in a mixing bowl along with the spice mix and the olive oil. Stir through so the carrots are coated.Heat a large, deep frying pan on a medium heat with a splash of olive oil. Fry the onion for approximately 4 minutes, until it is golden but not burnt. At this point, add the garlic and carrots to the pan and fry for another 5 minutes.Add the vegetable stock and lemon juice to the pan and turn up the heat slightly so that the water is boiling. Let the carrots boil for 5 minutes. At this point, add the cup of couscous to the pan and turn the heat down to low. Leave the couscous to simmer for 10 minutes (or until the couscous is just cooked, but not too soft). You will need to keep stirring the couscous and checking it is not sticking to the bottom. Add more water when necessary.While the couscous is cooking, chop up the fresh herbs and apricots.Remove the couscous from the heat, and add to a salad bowl along with the herbs, olives and apricots.

### Sleep All Night: The connection between menopause and your sleepless nights.

There are a number of themes in women's health research that never get a mention when it comes to discussions on menopause. One of these relates to the work of Sociologist, Anthony Elliott, and his exploration of 'self'.

I read his work whilst doing my doctoral studies and was fascinated by his exploration about the competing interests between our ‘ideal self’ and our ‘actual self‘ and what factors in our life get in the way of these ideals. 

His research has been pivotal in bringing attention to the various societal, cultural and personal influences that shape all of us over the life-course in navigating the construction of 'self'.

Elliott's work opened my mind to what was really going on in my life and how I really felt in terms of my healthy ageing. We all have ideal notions about our older-years and how we want to age.

But for many of us, our lack of sleep and other symptoms during menopause get in the way of the 'ideal' versus the 'actual'.

His studies made me reflect on the need to take action before it was too late to turn-around my health and it needed to start with sleeping all night.

When it comes to our healthy ageing, a good nights sleep is the foundation.

For millions of women, not sleeping during their menopause transition, sends them spiraling into more health chaos as they age. Sleep is the foundation for our healthy ageing.  

Not sleeping due to insomnia leads to ongoing inflammation in our muscles, joints, pancreas and heart. It's partly why women end up with sore joints, aching muscles, more hot flushes and feeling bad tempered too.

Insomnia is defined by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) as "the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep". Characteristics include -

 	difficulty falling asleep
 	waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep
 	waking up too early in the morning
 	un-refreshing sleep.

Unfortunately, many of these characteristics have become normalised for people the world over - including women in menopause and post-menopause.

But here's the thing. Menopause is not the issue. All women go through this life-stage.

As I often say to women, "Menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing. The issue with our symptoms is that we have been forgotten about in terms of understanding how to change our lifestyle to allow our body to accommodate hormonal changes as we move through mid-life."

Un-raveling the science of not sleeping specific to our menopause transition, took me hundreds of hours of study, but I was so determined to understand why I wasn’t sleeping, despite the endless supplements and medications.

Nobody told me it was all to do with the clash between my changing hormones in menopause and the lifestyle I was still trying to lead whilst my hormones were changing.

Getting deep, restorative sleep (between 2-4am), is also important to reduce our night sweats as well. When we sleep more deeply, blood flow is directed less toward the brain, which cools measurably. Temperature regulation mechanisms are situated in the brain too.

But the main thing about our deep sleep is that during this time of the night, the pituitary gland releases a pulse of growth hormone that stimulates tissue growth and muscle repair.

That's why, when we are lying awake between 2 and 4am, this release of growth hormone does not reach the threshold it needs to for healing and repairing our body, including healing our gut, liver, muscles and joints overnight.

New research suggests that our sleep is even more important to our muscles and bones as we age, than we think. (Juliana, Azmi et al, 2023). Whilst the emphasis is often on the 24 hour day-night circadian clock, this new evidence reports that our muscles and bones also function on a 24 hour day-night circadian pattern.

When this circadian pattern is disturbed through insomnia, shift work, menopause hormonal changes or incorrect exercise and nutrition timing, then muscle and bone dysfunction may occur.

If you are experiencing restless leg syndrome, sore joints, poor bone health or fibromyalgia and you aren’t sleeping, then you will know what I mean.

Furthermore, this dysfunction of the skeletal and muscle circadian clock can also interfere with fat and glucose metabolism, thus contributing to any weight gain you may be experiencing too.


Not sleeping well raises both insulin (blood sugar hormone) and cortisol (stress) hormones: 
This powerful combination of high insulin and high cortisol competes with your sleep hormone, called melatonin. 

If your insulin levels remain higher than normal in the evening and/or your stress levels are high prior to bedtime, then this can cause disruption to the production of melatonin - your precious sleep hormone. In the evening, your melatonin levels need to be as high as possible.

If melatonin levels are low, then the less deep sleep you have and you wake-up more frequently overnight.

And we all know what waking up in the night means don't we?! The more awake you feel, the busier your brain  and the more hot flushes you have …. night after night … and over time, your brain and your hormones are now reading this as your ‘new normal’.

As many of you already know – the result is daily fatigue, exhaustion, irritability, anxiety and with your insulin levels all mixed up overnight, the weight starts to increase around the belly too. Lack of sufficient sleep disrupts hormones that control hunger and appetite. Furthermore, those feelings of daytime fatigue, can also lower your motivation for exercise and healthy eating.



If you are struggling with your sleep, then please don't despair! Because I want to share with you my 3 top reasons why you aren't sleeping in menopause. 

 	Your Circadian Rhythm is out of balance. The term ‘Circadian’ means “about a day”  so our circadian rhythms  are daily fluctuations in our biology that can become messed up as we transition through menopause. This internal clock, which gradually becomes established during the first months of life, controls the daily ups and downs of biological patterns, including body temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones. That’s why in the MyMT ‘Transform Me’ weight loss programme and the MyMT Circuit Breaker symptom-reduction programme, the first module you listen to is simply called ‘Sleep All Night’.Our changing menopause hormones cause disruption to our normal circadian rhythms, and as such, many of our organs also get out of this synchronised pattern.



2. Not sleeping can cause your thyroid hormones to get out of balance. Because of the powerful link between your pituitary hormones in your brain and your thyroid hormones, and because hormones in the body all work in harmony with each other, when your reproductive hormones change as you go into menopause, your other hormones start to adjust to re-balance the body. This includes your thyroid hormones that control your blood pressure, heat regulation, stress levels and moods. It's why, when you address your circadian rhythm and you ensure that you get adequate iodine and folate in your diet, from leafy greens, fish, salmon, seaweed products and other food sources, your thyroid re-balances too.

Iodine-rich foods help to balance your thyroid.



3. Inflammation builds up during peri-menopause, including in our nervous system. This is why many of you feel anxious, get palpitations and feel 'wired' and can't sleep. 

As I mention in my online Masterclass on Menopause, when we have been waking up night after night, then our brain and body reads this as our ‘new normal’. But this is what leads us down the path towards the build-up of inflammation in our cells and tissues.

Not sleeping is now recognised as one of the main contributing factors to changing health as we move into our post-menopause years and for women going into post-menopause, the concern is the rising statistics for heart disease.

The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand have some of the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease globally. America is up there too.

But here's the thing - if we aren’t sleeping, our heart and immune system stay under stress all day long, particularly, when we are regular exercisers or we have busy, stressful jobs or home environments.

This causes more inflammation in cells and tissues and in ageing research, is known as oxidative stress or 'inflammaging'.



When I began to look into our menopause symptoms as part of my women’s healthy ageing studies, I began to understand that our menopause transition is a natural transition that all women go through. But for millions of women, this stage of their lives can result in all sorts of mayhem.

This starts with not sleeping well.

With another 20-30 years of living ahead of us, I am passionate that women turn around their sleep, weight and other symptoms as they go through menopause.  

How to achieve this as well as learning how to restore your liver health, change your nutrition to suit your menopause transition and improve your energy, is all in two fabulous 12 week online step-by-step coaching programmes that you do in your time, at your pace, with my support.

If you want to start with understanding what is happening in menopause, then perhaps commence with my 2 hr webinar which I've called your Masterclass on Menopause.

There is only a small charge of NZ$15 (approx. AUS$14 or UK£7.5) for this as I host you in my private member area. And yes, despite it being 2 hours long, you can 'pause' me any time you like. I tell you about it in the short video below.

Thank you for joining me in the MyMT™ newsletter community. It's great to have you here with me.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) - read my story here.

https://vimeo.com/828202600?share=copy

LEARN ABOUT THE 12 WEEK MyMT™ PROGRAMS


PURCHASE 2 HR MASTERCLASS ON MENOPAUSE WEBINAR


References:

Calhoun DA, Harding SM. Sleep and hypertension. Chest. 2010 Aug;138(2):434-43. doi: 10.1378/chest.09-2954.

Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.

Geddes, L. (2019). Chasing the Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds. London: Profile Books.

Harvard Health Report (2017). Improving Sleep. Harvard Health Publication

Juliana N, Azmi L, Effendy NM, Mohd Fahmi Teng NI, Abu IF, Abu Bakar NN, Azmani S, Yazit NAA, Kadiman S, Das S. Effect of Circadian Rhythm Disturbance on the Human Musculoskeletal System and the Importance of Nutritional Strategies. Nutrients. 2023; 15(3):734. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030734

Lee J, Han Y, Cho HH, Kim MR. Sleep Disorders and Menopause. J Menopausal Med. 2019 Aug;25(2):83-87. doi: 10.6118/jmm.19192. Epub 2019 Aug 5. Erratum in: J Menopausal Med. 2019 Dec;25(3):172.

Neroni B, Evangelisti M, Radocchia G, Di Nardo G, Pantanella F, Villa MP, Schippa S. Relationship between sleep disorders and gut dysbiosis: what affects what? Sleep Med. 2021 Nov;87:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2021.08.003.

Reinke H. & Asher G. (2017). Circadian clock control of liver metabolic functions. Gastroenterology, 150: 574–580.

Rizzi, M. et al. (2016). Sleep Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.  Journal of Pain Relief, 5:2, 1-5

Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. Int. Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.

Woods, N. et al. (2009). Cortisol Levels during the Menopausal Transition and Early Postmenopause: Observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16(4): 708–718.

### The best exercise to influence brain and cardiac health during menopause and beyond.

We all know that a little exercise or activity makes a big difference to our health, but none more so, than to our brain and cardiovascular health as we move through menopause.In the 1980s I used to teach 'aerobics'. I had just returned from my OE (Overseas Experience) and was fascinated by the aerobic classes offered in the recently emerging fitness industry.The pioneer of Jazzercise, Dr Jackie Mills from Les Mills, (that's her in the image below) was teaching a class in the South Island, and I was there - my first-ever aerobics class. It was packed full of sweaty, heavy-breathing women in bare feet, tights and leotards! Jane Fonda might have bought women's aerobics into our living room, but Jazzercise bought aerobic exercise-to-music into larger settings - the gym.My doctoral studies taught me that aerobics to music changed not only the approach to exercise for women, but also allowed them to enhance connections with others and change their moods - "those early days of aerobics helped me to cope and improved my mood" was a common theme shared with me. It's a theme that I want to now bring into the menopause conversation, because, as I found myself, even though we may have been exercising for decades, our menopause transition can be a game-changer for our tolerance to exercise. The Women’s Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP) commenced in 1990 as a study examining the health of Australian women from midlife (then aged 45-55 years) before the menopausal transition and into ageing.This fabulous study has almost 30 years of data on mood, dietary intake, risky behaviours, physical activity and social connectedness among other factors.Principle Researcher and Neuroscientist, Professor Cassandra Szoeke is very clear that the one thing that we can all do for our health, including our brain health, as we age is to MOVE!There are so many different forms of exercise or activities to choose from these days, but when it comes to brain and cardiovascular health, one type stands well above the rest. Despite the emphasis on harder workouts in many structured exercise programmes these days, the Women's Healthy Ageing studies undertaken by Professor Szoeke and her team suggest that the type of exercise we do as we move through menopause shouldn't just be focused on 'hard-out' athletic-type exercise.Not only because if women aren't sleeping, they aren't recovering from more vigorous, exhausting exercise, but also because, when it comes to our brain health, dementia prevention and cardiovascular health, Professor Szoeke suggests that aerobic exercise, such as walking is best. This is a similar message to that of Exercise Physiologist, Professor Hirofuma Tanaka. 'Vascular function in general and arterial stiffness in particular is a barometer for cardiovascular disease risks that increase markedly with advancing age' he mentions in his article exploring the anti-ageing effects of aerobic exercise (Tanaka, 2019).		
																										
		That’s why, as part of my newsletter this week, I’m having a shout-out for good old-fashioned aerobic or endurance exercise for all of us during menopause … especially those of you who want to halt your belly-fat and look after your heart and brain health as you get older.There is a reason for this - it's to do with how our changing oestrogen levels cause changes to our blood vessels as we age. They become 'stiffer' as they lose some of their elasticity.The way to help reduce the effect of this is to change our diet and increase certain vegetables which help our vascular network (celery and beetroot are just two favourites that I promote in the MyMT programmes) and increase our aerobic exercise. 		
																										
		SLOW JOGGING is an exercise method elaborated by Professor Hirofumi Tanaka (Fukuoka University, Japan). He chose the term “slow jogging” to emphasise that jogging doesn’t always have to be done at pace."Slow is a perfectly good way to do it", says Professor Tanaka and I agree. The key he says, is to maintain 'niko niko' pace. It is a an efficient, healthier, and pain-free approach to running for all ages and lifestyles. Professor Tanaka's work on vascular stiffness and exercise is also important. As he mentions,'In sedentary humans, arterial stiffness in the central (cardiothoracic) circulation increases with advancing age even in healthy men and women. Elevations in arterial stiffness are believed to contribute significantly to the pathophysiologyof the age-related increase in CVD and, accordingly, have been identified as an independent risk factor.' (Tanaka, p. 1, 2019). Women’s heart disease is the forgotten factor in discussions from exercise, nutrition and lifestyle practitioners when it comes to women’s ageing.“Natural menopause confers a 3-fold increase in Cardiovascular Disease risk and post-menopausal women account for over 30% of the female population at risk for CAD in India alone.”  (Shrivastav et al., 2019, p. 142).It goes without saying that most Doctors in Australia, the UK, America and New Zealand might be nodding their heads in agreement too. All of these countries have the highest rates of post-menopause heart disease and this is another argument for aerobic exercise, because it is evidenced to improve cardiac health and cholesterol levels. Aerobic exercise helps to increase HDL-cholesterol levels (the 'good' cholesterol) and decreases blood triglyceride (fats) levels. It also helps insulin to work better too.Insulin is a hormone that also gets out of balance as we move through menopause, especially if belly-fat is increasing in our post-menopause years. When we increase our ‘good’ HDL-cholesterol, this binds to the ‘bad’ LDL -cholesterol which, during menopause, can build up in the liver and our blood vessels, and the HDL-cholesterol effectively helps to remove the harmful LDL-cholesterol.If women have a fatty-liver and/or are putting on more and more weight as they move into post-menopause, then helping  to boost HDL-cholesterol levels is crucial for your improved health as you age. If your blood lipids are high, then your ‘good’ cholesterol called High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-Cholesterol) may well be low. If it's under 2.0 mmol/L then you need to boost it until it is over 2.0. Increasing your HDL cholesterol will also improve your heart health.“Post-menopausal women have more degradation of HDL when compared to reproductive women, so the HDL levels are decreased in post-menopausal women. HDL cholesterol is significantly decreased in post-menopausal women.” (Shrivastav et al., 2019, p. 144)		
																										
		Menopause is the time of our life when we need to change how we look after ourselves, including with our exercise. That’s why I have designed the Re-Build My Fitness programme, which women are doing after they have either completed Circuit-Breaker (for thinner/ leaner women) or Transform Me (for women wanting to lose weight).All programmes are on sale still with savings of NZ$50 when you use the promo code ATHOME23 on purchase.Don't forget too, if you are a Health Professional, then the 6 week online, self-paced learning MyMT™ Weight Loss Coach Course is available for Practitioners too. Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ REPS registered Exercise Specialist (NZ). 		
																										
		References: Eapen, D., Kalra G. et al. (2009). Raising HDL cholesterol in women. Int. Journal of Women’s Health. 1, 181-191.Kodama S., Tanaka S., Saito K., Shu M., Sone Y., Onitake F., Suzuki E., Shimano H., Yamamoto S., Kondo K., Ohashi Y., Yamada N., Sone H. (2007). Effect of aerobic exercise training on serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol: a meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 167(10):999-1008. Laakso, M. et al. (1993). Lipids and lipoproteins predicting coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes. Circulation. 88:1421-1430.Samargandy S, Matthews KA, Brooks MM, Barinas-Mitchell E, Magnani JW, Janssen I, Hollenberg SM, El Khoudary SR. Arterial Stiffness Accelerates Within 1 Year of the Final Menstrual Period: The SWAN Heart Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2020 Apr;40(4):1001-1008. Shrivastav, D., Akshay, B. & Parekh, P. (2019). Study of serum lipid profile in reproductive and post-menopausal women. Int. Journal of Medical & Biomedical Studies, 3(9), 142-145Szoeke, C. (2021). Secrets to Women's Healthy Ageing. Melbourne University Press: AustraliaTanaka, H. (2019). Antiaging effects of aerobic exercise on systemic arteries. Hypertension, 74, (2). 237-243.  https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13179

### How too much stress impacts your menopause symptoms and hormone health.

Why have women become so busy and stressed, that this is now affecting their hormonal balance?The concept of the Stress Adaptation Response was first conceptualised in the 1950s by Psychologist, Dr Hans Selye.Since his early research and descriptions of the ‘General Adaptation Syndrome’ (G.A.S.), this syndrome has been seen as a three-stage process of (1) alarm reaction, (2) adaptation stage, followed by chronic stress and (3) the exhaustion stage. But whilst these stages are well known, researchers now better understand that there is so much more going on in terms of the physiological and emotional responses to stress, as well as the effect on the HPA-Thyroid Axis in women.The HPA-Thyroid Axis refers to the powerful bio-chemical connections that exist between the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands.They are key regulatory centres in the body and their respective hormones are influenced by numerous genetic, environmental and developmental factors. As such, many of these hormones get out of balance as we move through life.For example, imbalances of the HPA-Thyroid Axis are easily triggered by grief, fear, anxiety, excitement, sleep disorders, blood glucose dysregulation, inflammation, low nutrient absorption and of course, by our changing hormonal profile as we move through menopause into post-menopause.Changes to ovarian function during menopause influence the balance of the HPA-Axis and it’s normal regulation too.This normal regulation and balance of our hormones is known as ‘homeostasis’. This is the state whereby the organs and hormones as well as the bio-chemistry of the body are continually changing and adjusting to sources of stress (stressors) in order to maintain balance within the body.There are many events which alter homeostasis, and for women feeling stressed, these events may be physical, chemical and emotional/ personal.		
																										
		Over 20 years ago, I used to give numerous talks to workplaces on stress, fatigue and wellbeing. I used to show attendees the graph below.It depicts how athletes, when training, undergo an increased workload to stimulate positive performance changes, and then afterward the gruelling training sessions, they focus on their recovery. Work and recovery – this is how athletes improve performance.If they don’t get the balance right, then it may be that they are over-training. As such, there is a period of ‘diminishing returns’ – a known phenomenon in sports science, whereby health changes occur, especially in female athletes, whereby their HPA-Thyroid Axis gets out of balance … as does their hormone balance.		
																										
		As I explained to the Health Professionals on my CPD course this week, the concept of ‘too much daily load’ and ‘not enough unload’ is the same for women in peri-menopause and menopause.Many women these days are feeling busy, time-poor and physically and emotionally stressed. Their body and their hormones are under ‘load’ and as such, if they aren’t recovering well, or resting, or eating the right nutrients, then the HPA-Thyroid Axis is working harder to try to restore balance. But here's what happens when we are stressed and the HPA-Thyroid Axis is out of balance - women typically go into ‘coping mode’. For some women, this means they eat more, or eat less. Perhaps they exercise more, or experience changing moods, from melancholy to anger or they begin to feel anxious. Sometimes, they experience physical symptoms, such as sore joints and aching muscles.Often, they feel hot and experience poor sleep and night sweats. For many, their caffeine, alcohol, tobacco or sugar consumption increases too - you can see in the diagram that over 20 years ago, I called these 'C.A.T.S.'. Yes, it was the same back then as it is now. When various sources of stress build up, menopause symptoms become worse. This increase in stress-sources is known as 'allostatic load’ and for women, there are a variety of sources of stress. I wonder how many you can list! As sources of stress accumulate, the effect on the body may lead to burn-out and exhaustion. Performance and motivation declines which can then lead to ‘diminished returns’, i.e. changing immune health (frequent colds and flus), changing thyroid function (feelings of heightened anxiety, hot or cold feelings and low energy) and changing pituitary function (poor sleep patterns).I wonder if all this sounds familiar? 		
																										
		The more stressed we feel, the higher is our production of a chronic stress hormone called cortisol.  Our chronic stress hormone, Cortisol, is a pesky hormone. As one of our stress hormones produced by the adrenal glands, balancing cortisol production as the day goes on is important. It has far-reaching effects around the body — including your muscles and bones, heart and blood vessels, lungs, hormone-producing glands, liver, gut and your brain. Some cortisol production is good, but too much over a long time starts to impact our health.For example, high levels of cortisol can lead to weight gain. Cortisol has an intricate relationship with the hormone insulin, which controls our blood sugar. High or low cortisol can cause hypo-glycemia (low blood sugar), hyper-glycemia (high blood sugar) or both.When cortisol levels increase, the cells of our body can become resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This may lead to an increase in blood sugar, weight gain and potentially Type 2 Diabetes as women head into post-menopause when periods have ended for a year or more.High levels of cortisol may also disrupt the other hormone-producing glands, such as our pituitary gland which produces melatonin, our thyroid gland which helps to regulate temperature and metabolism and when cortisol levels are high, then this can also disrupt the balance between oesterogen and progesterone.With this disruption, we can also lose the protective role of calming progesterone. If you are feeling bloated, tired, wired, angry, frustrated and experiencing sore breasts or loss of hair too, then you will know what I mean about low progesterone. If you’ve been experiencing an increased heart rate, anger, frustration, memory lapses and/or hot flushes and night sweats, then, as women on the MyMT™ programmes discover, it’s time to manage your production of cortisol.When cortisol is out of balance and it stays high throughout the day and night, then your menopause symptoms may become worse.  As the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study (2009) suggests,“Rising cortisol levels have been associated with poor health, including lower bone density in older women, minor cognitive complaints, and could be hypothesized to be related to perceptions of poor health overall.”  (p. 2).When I went into peri-menopause, the time of our lives when our ovaries gradually stop producing oestrogen and our progesterone declines as well, I had no idea that not sleeping all night as well as the type of exercise I was doing, was connected to my night sweats, hot flushes and mounting feelings of daily stress, anxiety, brain-fog and fatigue.Like thousands of women going through menopause, I felt emotionally and physically exhausted but boxed-on -  as we tend to do when there is so much to be done. Like so many other women heading into post-menopause, the weight just crept up and up, despite exercise and dieting. Emotional and physical stress are accumulative – and it’s not just the ‘here and now’ stress. I’m also talking about the decades-long build-up of oxidative or physical stress that manifests as inflammation and metabolic chaos in our body too.If your muscles are sore, if you have fibromyalgia, if your gut health has changed, if you have put on weight, and if you are feeling hot and bothered all the time, and you aren’t sleeping, then yes, these are all signs that your body is ‘stressed’.		
																										
		Identifying the Sources of your Stress is Important to your SymptomsWhat are the sources of stress impacting you? Are you doing too much exercise, or not enough?  Do you sleep all night? Do you feel that you are time-poor juggling both workplace and family demands? Perhaps you are caring for elderly parents as numerous women on my programmes are doing too?To manage symptoms in menopause and to improve your health as you age, you need to address these sources of stress. I can’t reinforce this enough. And there's another reason for this. Oxidative or cellular stress and high levels of cortisol production are becoming well recognised as a cause of age-related diseases due to chronic inflammation. This chronic inflammation arrives in our gut, liver, heart and kidneys as well as muscles and joints as we age. And yes, the brain doesn’t escape the effects of damaged and inflamed cells and tissues either.In a new study about the brain and stress, the authors state,'Allostatic load represents the 'wear and tear' of chronic stress on the brain and body and ... women show gender-specific variation for numerous factors such as age, race/ethnicity, adversities and health behaviours, that influence associations between allostatic load and their mental health.' (Kerr, Kheloui, et el., 2020, p.1).		
																										
		Build your Resilience to Managing Stress Levels in Menopause:Health and wellbeing in later life is not just about maintaining physical and mental health, but also about creating an environment that enables us to live our life to the full.With the world going into a huge age shift, the United Nations announced in 2020, that they were naming 2020 to 2030, the Decade of Healthy Ageing.  Our ageing starts during our menopause transition. As such, women particularly, need to focus on their cardiovascular health in order to start to build their stress-resilience. Since 1980, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have translated scientific evidence into clinical practice guidelines with recommendations to improve cardiovascular health. Fortunately, these guidelines now look at both men and women differently. This is important.Women age differently to men, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health and stress. Declining oestrogen levels impact the elasticity of blood vessels and this can lead to a condition called vascular stiffness which I've spoken about in other articles.   With this in mind, one of the main things we can do, to begin building our resilience is to do some exercise - but not just any exercise! To help reduce the effect of vascular stiffness, we need to focus on simple, aerobic exercise. There is a dose-response relationship between Cardiovascular Disease and aerobic physical activity. Even 1 hour of walking per week is associated with lower risk, but the ideal is 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, as your starting point for improving heart health and lowering your stress levels. Aerobic exercise helps your circulation and helps to dilate your blood vessels. All necessary factors in reducing blood pressure as our other preventative measures such as reducing your cholesterol levels, losing weight if you are overweight (especially reducing belly fat and getting your waist circumference under 84 cm) and of course, stopping smoking and eating a diet evidenced for cardiac health as I have for you in the MyMT™ programmes. 		
																										
		It's never too late to turn around your health as you age. How to achieve this in a step-by-step progressive way is in the MyMT™ programmes, whereby I use scientifically-evidenced lifestyle solutions to help you manage your symptoms - no matter what other treatments you are on, you need these lifestyle solutions too. 12 weeks might just change how you are feeling and most importantly, set you up for your healthy ageing years ahead. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																										
		References:Childs, E., & de Wit, H. (2014). Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 5 161. 1, doi:10.3389/fphys.2014.00161Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.Kerr, P., Kheloui, S. et al. (2020). Allostatic load and women’s brain health: A systematic review. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, Vol 59, 100858,Stewart, A.L., Kathawalla, UK., Wolfe, A.G. et al. (2018). Women’s heart health at mid-life: what is the role of psychosocial stress?. Womens Midlife Health 4, 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-018-0041-2Tanaka H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertension, AHA doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13179.Woods, N. F., Mitchell, E. S., & Smith-Dijulio, K. (2009). Cortisol levels during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 16(4), 708–718. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e318198d6b2

### "I felt like my health and fitness were slipping away from me and I didn't know why."  [Wendy E., Australia]

When you've been motivating others to improved fitness and vitality for the past three decades, it's tough when you nearly lose your ability to do this.Having also worked for global fitness giant, Les Mills, for the early part of my career, I totally understood where Wendy was coming from when she emailed me to say that her blood work was all over the place and she had no energy to continue the job she had loved for decades.  As a Master Trainer for the Asia-Pacific region, her changing energy during menopause, as well as sore joints and recurring plantar fasciitis, meant that she was struggling with her energy and recovery. The past few decades have seen the emergence of a new brand of fitness ambassador, Group-Fitness Instructors - many of them, like Wendy are now going through menopause.However, very little research has been undertaken on how these amazing women with so much talent and passion for motivating others to exercise, need to manage their menopause transition as well as keep doing the job that they have spent years mastering and honing to become recognised as Master Trainers. I've often written about how our muscles change as we age. Menopause is the start of our ageing and oestrogen has numerous functions in muscle, tendon, nerves and blood vessels. Hence, as oestrogen levels begin to decline, we have to not only adjust the intensity of activity, but also our dietary intake.The fitness industry is reknown for having high intakes of protein and fats - Wendy was the same. She was taking protein formulas daily, thinking that this would help her recovery, which in the past it would have.But now she was in menopause and with her changing blood vessels and kidneys, high protein diets for women exercisers are known to be damaging to kidney function and of course, a high protein diet and poor recovery from exercise when you aren't sleeping, contributes to worsening hot flushes and night sweats - both of which Wendy was experiencing.Changing things up a bit with her recovery strategies, sleep and the dietary changes she needed, meant that she was able to turn all these symptoms around and keep becoming the best that she can be in midlife. It's a slippery slope towards over-training status for women like Wendy, especially when they aren't sleeping. If they aren't sleeping, they also aren't recovering from the exercise they are doing. I wasn't surprised that I'm so pleased Wendy found me at My Menopause Transformation and I'm also pleased that she is continuing with the job that drives her passion for supporting new Les Mills instructors to do the important job they love to do. Here is Wendy's story that she has kindly shared with you all. 		
																														
		"Having been a fitness professional for 30 years, I naively believed that when menopause would inevitably arrive I would be able to handle it with ease, as I am fit, active and accustomed to sweating.I believed that because of my training and diet, and ability to handle sweating, that I’d maintain my fitness, my size and my training through the menopausal phase, and life would go on as usual … how wrong I was.I wasn’t aware of the multiple symptoms associated with peri menopause (I didn’t even know that was a term) until I was gaining weight regardless of diet and exercise, experiencing increased anxiety, poor sleep (which I’d never experienced), low energy and very painful feet and ankles... as well as hot flushes.It felt like my health and fitness was slipping away. This more than anything, affected my self image and confidence markedly. I knew I needed to learn more, try to understand and fix what was happening to me, so I could get my life back to what I knew. So I began to do my own online research. Thankfully Google quickly led me to Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD). I actually reached out to Wendy who was so gracious with her time and advice. I had no idea of her background in group-exercise with the Les Mills group. Her understanding of my situation and the advice she gave me that was specifically tailored to my individual circumstances was amazing.I immediately signed up and Wendy’s program. It was so full of ‘aha’ moments that I instantly knew that I’d found the right person with the right information for me, and I actually no longer felt alone in my menopause journey.With the volume of exercise I do each week, I now understand that my menopause symptoms and exercise levels are connected. But my confidence is back as I know I’ve found the place where I can seek knowledge and support in a supportive community.It's fabulous that Wendy has created her coaching programs based on life experience and research, that are mind settling, informative and extremely useful. She has been so generous with sharing her knowledge with me. She genuinely cares and I cannot thank her enough! I5'm forever grateful that I can now continue doing the job I love to do.  Wendy Elphinstone, AustraliaBODYSTEP & BODYPUMP Trainer and Presenter,Les Mills Asia Pacifichttps://vimeo.com/828202600?share=copy

### 5 Reasons for your Weight Gain in Menopause and Post Menopause.

"If your waist is ‘thickening’, your body-shape is changing and you are going into or through menopause, let me explain why!"[Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD) Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher]				
		I invite you to watch my Science of Weight Gain in Menopause video if you would like a summary or if you prefer reading in a little more depth, then please scroll down to read my 5 Reasons for Weight Gain in Menopause and Post-menopause article below. Wendy https://vimeo.com/831912764?share=copyUnderstanding that menopause is not 'just' about our ovaries is an important concept for women. This is because the decline in oestrogen and progesterone during this life-stage affects target tissues and organs all around the body. Our menopause transition is the start of the natural transition into our ageing years. As such, there are numerous changes to different structures around the body, including our heart, blood vessels, liver, gut, muscles, nerves skin and yes, our brain.When I learnt this myself, my mission to untangle what was really going on with our menopause weight gain began. I hope you enjoy learning about this in my article below.		
																														
		Poor sleep, changing liver health, nutrition and exercise advice that isn’t specific to midlife women, and the fact that as we lose oestrogen and progesterone we also lose muscle tone and size too – all of these factors impact our sleep, thyroid and blood sugar hormones as well as our liver health, contributing to weight gain in menopause. It's why, our menopause transition, which is the biological gateway to our ageing, leaves us vulnerable to other health changes in mid-life. If you are putting on weight that you are struggling to manage, then please have a read of the 5 main reasons I attribute to menopause weight gain.  5 Reasons for your Menopause (and Post-Menopause) Weight Gain  1. NOT SLEEPING - Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep. Thanks to a Swedish study of 400 middle-aged women who recorded shortened sleep duration and weight gain, this is better known. (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010)The problem is, that not sleeping is the slippery slope towards weight gain as we age. When we lose our precious deep sleep between 2-4am, then much of this weight becomes dangerous fat that goes on our belly and under our diaphragm.  As I often say to women who are trying to exercise off their weight gain, "If you aren't sleeping, then you aren't losing." When it comes to reversing weight gain in midlife, a good night’s sleep is the answer instead. I know that's easier said than done when you’re suffering from hot flushes, night sweats, having to get up and pee, or restless legs and joint pain.But when you're awake night after night, this means that your glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight.So too, does your stress hormone called cortisol.When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. As sleep deprivation accumulates, it can increase the risk of heart problems, anxiety and depression; resulting in even more sleepless nights and worsening night sweats. Because of this, my sleep module is the first module that you receive.I place a great emphasis on understanding exactly what to do to turn around your circadian rhythm and pituitary production of melatonin, that is specific to menopause.		
																														
		2. OESTROGEN DOMINANCE - Have you heard of this condition? I know that I hadn't when my weight blew out to an all-time high as I arrived in my late 40's and early 50's. 
When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, our fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. 
When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this 'dominates' the internal environment. As oestrogen becomes the dominant hormone and our liver isn't clearing excess oestrogen efficiently, the role of progesterone changes too. 
This is why liver health is important to weight management as well as glucose (blood sugar) regulation. We clear excess oestrogens via our liver and during menopause, our liver changes in structure and function as part of our normal biological ageing of our organs. I talk about this in my video below, so please scroll down when you have time and have a listen. 
3. MUSCLE LOSS -  When we begin to lose muscle, our metabolism drops off. Skeletal muscle has the most effect on our metabolism. Muscle loss is highest for women during menopause and the rate accelerates when we aren't sleeping or we have stopped being physically active because our joints and muscles are sore (I know this all to well myself). Losing muscle means that we don’t ‘burn’ as many calories as we used to either. This muscle loss is normal and is a condition called sarcopenia.
But the effect of this is that we lose mitochondrial cells which are the location for fat-burning and energy production in our body. So, focusing on restoring energy levels, joint function and some aerobic exercise, especially good old fashioned walking is an important part of the MyMT™ Transform Me weight loss programme. 		
																														
		4. LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS  - Declining oestrogen levels may cause low Vitamin D levels, which increases fat storage. Our skin is our largest organ and is full of oestrogen receptors. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is produced in the skin with the help of oestrogen.Therefore, many women are at risk of low vitamin D levels and because Vitamin D is now recognised as a hormone, low levels have an effect on other hormones in the body too. This is due to the feedback system that operates with all of our hormones. When Vitamin D is low, hot flushes are increased and memory loss/ foggy brain becomes worse. We also experience more muscle soreness because Vitamin D is involved in the production of calcium and our bones and muscles require calcium to help them to remain strong.Vitamin D is such a powerful hormone for women to monitor in menopause because it is also implicated in melatonin production. This is our sleep hormone, and when Vitamin D levels are low, our insomnia increases and our mood hormone, serotonin, is reduced.Serotonin works with dopamine to help our mood and motivation. So, if you are on menopause-related anti-depressants, then ask your Doctor to also check your Vitamin D levels too.  Restoring Vitamin D and sleep is crucial to your ongoing health and weight. 		
																														
		5. HIGH STRESS LEVELS - My number 5 reason, is for you not to forget that even though you still ‘feel young’, your internal cells, tissues and organs are ageing. This means that our body doesn’t resist stress as well as it used to, so blood pressure, heart rate and temperature go up more readily when we are feeling stressed and overwhelmed as we continue our busy lives.Some stress is good for us, but the problem in our menopause transition is that too much stress (and this includes from not sleeping and/ or too much exercise) increases cortisol levels. This powerful hormone is one of your stress hormones but it works in conjunction with melatonin, your sleep hormone.Too much stress (emotionally and physically) interferes with your sleep, your liver health and your gut health. All of these factors combined contribute to your insulin levels staying high and you resist overnight fat-burning. It’s a vicious cycle as so many women find.Not sleepingChanging liver and gut healthLoss of elasticity in our blood vesselsMuscle loss Sore joints and Stress from our busy livesAll of these factors interact to create the ‘perfect storm’ for weight gain during our menopause transition and of course, our metabolic health and energy levels may then start to decline  as well. 		
																														
		Is MyMT™ for you? I hope so! Thousands of women have joined me on the MyMT™ online programmes over the past decade and if you are struggling with either your weight, symptoms, or healty changes and you want to feel supported to change your lifestyle according to my scientifically-evidenced programmes, then join me! There is never a better time to start, but if you are hesitating, then I recommend you complete the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, watch the revised and updated MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause, go to the Testimonials and Success Stories on the MyMT™ website and find someone like you to read their story. I hope you can join me when you are ready. Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/MyMT™ Founder & Coach		
					
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		References:Edwards, B. & Jin Li, [2013]. Endocrinology of menopause. Periodontology, 61, 177–194.Egger G, Dixon J. Beyond obesity and lifestyle: a review of 21st century chronic disease determinants. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:731685. Ford, C. et al. [2017]. Evaluation of diet pattern and weight gain in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 117, 1189–1197.Frasca D, Blomberg BB, Paganelli R. [2017]. Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases. Front Immunol. 2017 Dec 7;8:1745.Harvard Health, [2018]. Lose weight and keep it off. Harvard Health Online Publications. Boston: MAKendall, B. & Ester, R. [2002]. Exercise-induced muscle damage and the potential protective role of estrogen. Sports Med., 32 (2), 103-123Lerchbaum, E. [2014]. Vitamin D and Menopause: A review. Maturitas, 79, 3-7.Lombardo M, Perrone MA, Guseva E, et al. Losing Weight after Menopause with Minimal Aerobic Training and Mediterranean Diet. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):E2471. Published 2020 Aug 17. doi:10.3390/nu12082471Moudi, A. et.al [2018]. The relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and sleep quality in menopausal women. Biomedicine, 8(2), 34-40.Rizzi, M. [2016]. Sleep disorders in fibromyalgia syndrome. J. of Pain & Relief, 5:2.Ryan, M. Itsiopoulos, C. et al. (2014). The Mediterranean diet improves hepatic steatosis and insulin sensitivity in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Hepatology, 59(1), 138-143.Santosa, S. & Jensen, M. (2013). Adipocyte fatty acid storage factors enhance subcutaneous fat storage in postmenopausal women. Diabetes, 62,3, 775-782, ProQuest Central.Szymczak-Pajor I, Miazek K, Selmi A, Balcerczyk A, Śliwińska A. The Action of Vitamin D in Adipose Tissue: Is There the Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Adipose Tissue-Related Metabolic Disorders? Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jan 16;23(2):956. doi: 10.3390/ijms23020956.Theorell-Haglow, J., Berne, C. et al (2010). Associations Between Short Sleep Duration and Central Obesity in Women. Sleep, 33(5), 593 - 598

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Enjoy the healing power of Mediterranean Tomato Soup

Mediterranean diet reduces risk of heart disease in women.
During the early 1960s the rate of heart disease in the United States was sky-rocketing, however in Greece it was a different story. The people of Greece had some of the lowest heart disease rates in the world at the time. Scientists wanted to learn more, and they did.

Over the next 3 decades, nutritional and epidemiological research has led to the emergence of thousands of studies about the heart-health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. New research has also emerged from the University of Sydney this year with favourable outcomes specific to women and heart disease. [Pant, Gribben et al, 2023].

If you've been following my blogs for a while, you would have read about the effect of menopause hormonal changes which are consistent with cardiovascular ageing. With cardiovascular disease one of the highest health risks that post-menopausal women may experience, then changing our diet is one of the main things that we have control over as we move through menopause.

Midlife women have been typically forgotten about in the research on nutrition and heart disease, however, a new study from the University of Sydney offers some world-first insights into the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean Diet on the primary of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death in women.

The study findings were that women with a high adherence versus a low adherence to a Mediterranean diet had a 24% lower risk of CVD and a 23% lower risk of total mortality. (Pant, et al, 2023).

The traditional Mediterranean Diet includes a lot of vegetables - far more than the typical western diet, and one way to get lots of vegetables into us, is by making soup. I was inspired to get this recipe from my local cafe, where it was deemed a winter favourite with patrons. Even if you are in the Northern Hemisphere and heading into summer, I hope you can enjoy making it too.


Mediterranean Tomato Soup
Ingredients (makes enough for 3-4 people)

 	2 tbsp olive oil
 	1.5 tbsp cumin
 	1.5 tbsp paprika
 	3 cloves garlic, cut in chunks
 	2 carrots, chopped
 	2 celery sticks, chopped
 	1 courgette, chopped
 	4 cups of vegetable stock (hot water with the vegetable stock dissolved)
 	1 can of tomatoes
 	2 tbsp of tomato paste
 	½ lemon, juiced
 	Salt and pepper

Method

 	Add the olive oil and garlic to a large pot which is turned onto medium heat. Fry for 2 minutes (until the garlic is fragrant but not burning) and then add the cumin and paprika. Fry for 2 more minutes, then add the diced carrot and celery. Fry those vegetables for an additional 5 minutes while stirring continuously.
 	Add the vegetable stock, can of tomatoes, tomato paste, lemon juice, courgettes and salt and pepper. Cover the pot and then leave to cook through for approximately 20 minutes (or until the veggies are soft).
 	Serve with a slice of rye, sourdough or gluten free bread.

[Inspired by the fabulous chefs at Relishes cafe, Wanaka, New Zealand].



Reference:

Pant A, Gribbin S, McIntyre D, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in women with a Mediterranean diet: systematic review and meta-analysis. Heart: 14 March 2023. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321930

### "It took me a long time to learn that peri-menopause required me to slow down!" [Mish, NZ]

For nearly 30 years, many New Zealanders have had the privilege of being trained by Internationally acclaimed, award-winning Personal Trainer, business owner and busy 'mum', Mish McCormack. For decades she has worked tirelessly to improve the lifestyles of as many New Zealanders as she can.

Mish goes where the people are: to the gym, residential communities, and workplaces in all the major New Zealand cities. She has done this for years, using her knowledge and amazing personality to inspire and motivate people to exercise more and eat better.

These days you can also find her in my member coaching course in my Workplace Wellness section for women on the MyMT™ programmes.

Her inspirational success story began during her teenage years when she competed in gymnastics at a national level. Her enthusiasm, drive and commitment catapulted her to international success where she shared the stage with fitness heroes including Arnold Schwarzenegger. A past stunt-double on Xena Warrior Princess and international fitness and figure competitor, Mish has been on the go for decades.

So, what happens when the energy you've been putting out for decades, suddenly depletes as you arrive in peri-menopause? 

That's when Mish came into the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme. Mish is a great friend of mine from 25 years ago and has enjoyed un-paralled success in the fitness industry for close to thirty years . She now co-owns three gyms, soon to be four. Like many of you, she is a busy lady.

And that's why peri-menopause, was her 'perfect storm' moment. Mish injured herself back in November 2021 and has had to step back from her work as she recovers from a femur femoral neck stress fracture in her left hip. Ouch!

When she contacted me, I told her that whilst her hormones were changing as well as her muscles, she had to slow down a bit.

“Slowing down. What’s that?" laughed Mish.

That's why I love her story and asked her to kindly share it with you. Because this is what happens to so many of us.

As Mish did, we fight the  diagnosis, thinking 'how on earth do I have time for this?'. But like most injuries, there is no choice. We have to stop and rest. That's when Mish took time out and did the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme.

Not only did her body need to rest and repair, but she needed the knowledge about peri-menoapuse and menopause to help her understand why her muscles, joints and energy levels were changing with age. She also needed to slow down to restore her energy levels so that she could move successfully through into her 50s being able to 'keep going!'.

In a fabulous phone catch up last week she was telling me how much better she feels with her peri-menopause symptoms now that she has had to slow down.

Most of her symptoms have disappeared, if not gone. I love that she is now better equiped to manage the inflammation and stress that have been her constant companion for years.

As I explained to her, you are forgetting that your heart is a muscle too and it is ageing. During our peri-menopause transition the cardiovascular system undergoes changes in the heart itself and the arteries that circulate blood throughout the body.

Mish has relied on this high-functioning system for years. But the part of the heart that has the most relevance to ageing, is the left ventricle, which loses some muscle size and strength and increases in fat and connective tissue.

Hence, as our oestrogen levels decline, the left ventricle wall becomes thicker and less compliant during each contraction. For women with very high exercise levels or for those working in physically demanding jobs, the heart pump loses some of its effectiveness.

It's why women wonder why their exercise recovery is a lot slower, as Mish did too after teaching classes such as her cycle class.

But perhaps the most important thing that Mish learnt, as many of us who have worked in the fitness industry for years have also learnt, is that how we look after ourselves in menopause differs from musch of the emphasis on typical protein and fat-rich diets that permeate the fitness industry.

As I said to Mish, "with your energy levels crashing, and your continual output of energy, then your adrenals are working for you all day long. This tires you out, so you may not be eating enough of the right type of carbohydrates that help your heart and muscles to recover." I'm pleased she listened!



"How amazing is it that it takes something like an injury that doesn't heal, to realise how much stress we are normally under" mentioned Mish. "I see so many women like this and they are just keeping going until their body gives up on them or their menopause symptoms become worse - and I was the same." 

After 30 years of early morning 05.30am starts, one of the most important changes Mish has made to her health, is to change her morning routine. She recognised this as  something that she had to do as she moved into mid-life.

"I'm loving the extra time to prep food and make delicious meals from your Circuit Breaker Food Guide, that the entire family is enjoying. I'm also getting back into some very small amounts of training, working around my injury with the support of my physio."

"You know what Wendy, with what I've learnt, my message to all of the ladies who are in your community, is to really nurture your well being as we age. 

We all have to  listen to our body, becuase what I learnt from you is that menopause hormonal changes affect the entire body. So, if you have niggles or an injury get them checked immediately and take some time for self care every day even if it’s just for 5 mins. 

Women have been working hard for years but I can't thank you enough for helping me understand that, if we've been active and busy for decades as I have, then we have to SLOW down. Because if you don't, you never know what's around the corner! 

I love the quote that you have in the programme, that we shouldn't focus on the past, but on the future - as you always say, don't look back, you're not going that way now.

Much love to all the ladies who are going through menopause!"

Mish McCormack, Lover of life!

### Moroccan Lamb Meatballs and Rice Salad: An iron boost for women in peri-menopause.

Fight your Fatigue with this mighty mineral		
		Headaches, dizziness, hot flushes (flashes), fatigue, breathlessness and/or poor recovery from exercise are often touted as symptoms of menopause ... but what if menopause wasn't the actual problem? What if it was your low iron or ferritin (stored iron) levels instead? Iron is one of the essential minerals for human nutrition. It's a vital element for human life and this includes for women in their menopause transition. It plays critical roles in oxygen and electron transport, cell division, differentiation, and regulation of gene expression. [ACS Omega 2022]70% of the iron in the human body binds to red blood cells and iron is the pigment that gives the blood its red colour. Most importantly, the heme part of iron carries oxygen on your red blood cells, which means that if your levels are iron are low, the oxygen carrying-capacity of red blood cells may be reduced.As such, you can feel tired, listless and if you are an exerciser, then low iron can affect your performance and recovery. That's why, when it comes to the MyMT™ programmes, I have both vegetarian and meat recipes in the Food Guide. We don't need a lot of red meat in our diet as we get older (only 1-2 servings a week), but some of you in peri-menopause who are still menstruating may benefit from having a focus on it. Many women on my programme are still quite active. But few understand that as we move through menopause, there are changes to our iron and ferritin (stored iron) levels. As a sports and exercise physiologist, I taught for decades that when female athletes are low in iron, then they feel chronically tired, hotter than normal (or cold) and don't sleep well.Hence, I often tell them to get their blood work checked and to consider having some red meat and making this delicious Moroccan Lamb Meatballs. Whether you need additional iron or not, you might like to make it too. 		
			Recipe		
		Meatball Ingredients1/2 red onion, diced3 cloves garlic, diced2 tsp cumin or cumin seeds2 tsp dried coriander or coriander seeds2 tsp paprika1tsp cinnamon500g Lamb Mince1 egg, lightly beaten½ cup breadcrumbsSalt and pepperRice Salad IngredientsEnough rice to feed your group, cooked per the packet instructions.Olives1x red pepper (eat raw if you don’t have much time)1x courgette or cucumber (use cucumber if you don’t have much time)A handful of fresh herbs or rocket/spinach – I used mint and basil.Dressing: Juice of 1 lemon + 2tbsp olive oil combined. You could add hummus.Method If you are cooking the red pepper and courgette, turn the oven onto 180 degrees Celsius, bake to heat up.Next, cook the rice as per your packet instructions.Chop up the red pepper and courgette and place into the oven for 25 minutes (remember to turn them halfway).While the red pepper and rice are cooking, combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined and then roll into small balls.Check on the rice and the vegetables at this stage. If they are nearly ready, put a dash of olive oil into a frying pan and place it on medium/high heat.Cook the meatballs – make sure you turn them every few minutes so that they are well cooked through.Place the rice, vegetables, meatballs and fresh herbs in a bowl. Top with dressing and hummus.

### From Hot Flushes to Hypertension: How you can get to the heart of the matter without taking menopause supplements

Over two years ago when the world went into pandemic-chaos, a scientific paper was published by world-renowned women's cardiac specialist, Professor Angela Maas and her team. The paper was discussing the female-specific risk factors and inflammatory risk factors that influence a woman's cardiovascular risk throughout her lifetime. (Maas, Rosano et al, 2021). In a press release from the European Society of Cardiology (2021), Professor Maas explained,"High blood pressure is called hypertension in men but in women it is often mistakenly labelled as ‘stress’ or ‘menopausal symptoms’.  Furthermore, high blood pressure during pregnancy is a warning sign that hypertension may develop when a woman enters menopause and it is associated with dementia many decades later. If blood pressure is not addressed when women are in their 40s or 50s, they will have problems in their 70s when hypertension is more difficult to treat.”With it being Heart Health Awareness Week in Australia last week, I was waiting for the various posts in the media about the new research from Professor Maas and her team linking hot flushes with hypertension. As the posts never eventuated last week, I thought I would let you know instead. Many women are not linking their hot flushes, night sweats and depression to higher blood pressure. However, when I read Professor Maas work and her comment that up to 50% of women develop high blood pressure before the age of 60 but the symptoms – for example hot flushes and palpitations – are often attributed to menopause, rather than hypertension, this made so much sense to me. Menopause-related hot flashes and night sweats have been linked to a greater risk for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. Research also shows depression during the menopause transition is strongly linked to higher cardiovascular disease risk. (El Khoudary & Nasr, 2022).I speak about the work of Professor Maas in my online Masterclass on Menopause (available online for you HERE) and I also bring it to the attention of Health Practitioners on my professional development course as well as talk about it in my Transform Me and Circuit Breaker programmes for women. Yes, high blood pressure and changing blood vessel status is that important! Most importantly however, I often tell women to get their blood pressure checked with their Doctor and of course, change their lifestyle to better suit their changing cardiovascular status - some strategies of which I share with you below. If your hot flushes and night sweats are draining your energy levels, then you may want to have a read when you can.   		
																														
		Women's health literature is full of studies reporting the changes in cardiac function as we age. And I'm not talking about when you are over 70 years. I'm talking about your menopause transition - the time when your biological and reproductive ageing is occurring. One of the main roles of oestrogens throughout our lifetime, is to regulate vascular (blood vessel) reactivity, blood pressure (BP), endothelial function and cardiac re-modelling. The main type of cell found in the inside lining of blood vessels, lymph vessels, and the heart.This is why alterations in oestrogen levels during the menopause transition are closely connected to our blood vessel function and our blood pressure.It's also why, after menopause, when periods have ended and women enter post-menopause, that a women's risk for high blood pressure (hypertension) is higher than in her peri-menopause years. During peri-menopause, for women with intact ovaries, oestrogen production, whilst starting to decline, does continue. Women undergo important changes in sex hormones throughout their lifetime that can impact cardiovascular disease risk. With the decline in oestrogen levels as we move through menopause, risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) become more apparent in women, especially hypertension or high blood pressure. If your blood pressure and/or cholesterol has become elevated as you approached mid-life, you'll know what I mean. Blood Pressure is 'high' when the top number (systolic pressure) is over 140 mmHg and the bottom number (diastolic pressure) is over 80 mmHg. Furthermore, the onset of hypertension can cause a variety of symptoms that are often attributed to the menopause – if you are experiencing fatigue, hot flushes, aching muscles after exercise, migraines, tinnitus and/or palpitations, then join the club – it could well be your changing blood pressure and blood vessels. So please, go to your Doctor and get your blood pressure checked out when you can, because there's a little statistic I want to share with you.Worldwide, 25% of adult women are hypertensive, and in the United States, more than 75% of women older than 60 years of age are hypertensive. [Lima et al., 2012]Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women and men. Whilst it is well controlled and treated with medications in many countries throughout the world (Lancet 2019), what we all need to know, is that cardiovascular disease, which includes high blood pressure, is the leading cause of death in women – especially as we move into post-menopause.The good news is that we have the power to do something about it through lifestyle change strategies. 		
																														
		But declining oestrogen isn't the only contribution to changing heart health, high blood pressure and worsening hot flushes as we move through menopause. You can also add insomnia, past or present history of smoking, high alcohol consumption, too much stress (including physical stress from too much vigorous exercise), being sedentary, family history of heart disease, kidney problems, poor diet and being overweight or obese to the list as well.So, whether you are on hormonal medications or various menopause supplements or not, what are you doing about your lifestyle too? I have some suggestions for you below. 		
																														
		Top-tips for managing your blood pressure during menopause:Change your diet. Don't get fooled by diets that aren't designed with our blood pressure in mind. All of the women who come on board into the MyMT™ programmes learn how important it is to follow a Mediterranean influenced, anti-inflammatory diet which is evidenced for helping our heart health - and yes, grains are important too. Click HERE to read my blog about this.		
																														
		2. Include adequate magnesium and calcium in your diet. Many studies suggest that reduced consumption of calcium or magnesium is associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Magnesium (Mg), an essential element in the human body, may have beneficial health effects for the primary prevention of hypertension. You need 400mg of magnesium and 1200mg of calcium daily. Plant-based high magnesium foods include avocado, kale, spinach, nuts and seeds, canned white beans and rye bread.		
																														
		3. Sleep all night and reduce the inflammation that arrives as we age (this includes those of you who participate in heavy physical activity). As the first generation of women to be participating in so many different forms of sport and exercise, it's important to manage the inflammatory changes that accumulate in your muscles and joints during menopause. If you aren't sleeping, then you aren't healing overnight and your immune system doesn't recover nor does your cardiac muscle.If you aren't sleeping, then you must turn this around and in the MyMT™ programmes, I have an emphasis on the circadian rhythm which I've researched specific to our menopause transition. Our heart and blood vessels are under the regulation of our day/night cycle as well as our seasonal cycle. Sleeping all night matters to your cardiac health and your blood pressure, (Douma & Gumz, 2019), your weight management and for those of you who are exercising, your sleep matters to your recovery. 		
																														
		4. Manage your heat regulation and hot flushes by managing your weight gain. Hot flushes are experienced as a feeling of sudden heat in upper part of the body including the face, neck, chest, and arms. They also involve dilation of blood vessels in the skin and an increased heartbeat. Hot flushes can also be caused by underlying health problems, drinking alcohol, using food additives, taking certain medications and increased weight gain. [Sadeghi, Khalili et al, 2012; Kodoth, et al, 2022].		
																														
		If you are struggling with your symptoms and weight gain, then I hope you can join me sometime in 2023. It would be my privilege to introduce you to the lifestyle change strategies that are evidenced for you as you move through menopause and into your healthy ageing years beyond. If you are struggling with your weight, then my Transform Me programme  is for you, otherwise choose the Circuit Breaker programme.  You can learn more about these powerful world-class programmes HERE. You only need 60 minutes a week over the 12 weeks to listen to each module that opens up in your private learning hub and then put the changes into action. As well, my private coaching community is where I post regular updates for you and you stay connected with me too. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																														
		References:Angeli, F., Reboldi, G., Trapasso, M., Aita, A., & Verdecchia, P. (2019). Managing hypertension in 2018: which guideline to follow?. Heart Asia, 11(1), e011127. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartasia-2018-011127Angela H E M Maas, Giuseppe Rosano, Renata Cifkova, Alaide Chieffo, Dorenda van Dijken, Haitham Hamoda, Vijay Kunadian, Ellen Laan, Irene Lambrinoudaki, Kate Maclaran, Nick Panay, John C Stevenson, Mick van Trotsenburg, Peter Collins, Cardiovascular health after menopause transition, pregnancy disorders, and other gynaecologic conditions: a consensus document from European cardiologists, gynaecologists, and endocrinologists, European Heart Journal, Volume 42, Issue 10, 7 March 2021, Pages 967–984, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa1044Babiker FA, De Windt LJ, van Eickels M, Grohe C, Meyer R, Doevendans PA. Estrogenic hormone action in the heart: regulatory network and function. Cardiovasc Res. 2002;53(3):709-719. doi:10.1016/s0008-6363(01)00526-0Coles, L. T., & Clifton, P. M. (2012). Effect of beetroot juice on lowering blood pressure in free-living, disease-free adults: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrition journal, 11, 106. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-11-106Douma, L. G., & Gumz, M. L. (2018). Circadian clock-mediated regulation of blood pressure. Free radical biology & medicine, 119, 108–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.11.024El Khoudary, S. & Nasr, A. (2022). Cardiovascular disease in women: Does menopause matter? Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Volume 27, 100419.Jones, T., Dunn, E. L., Macdonald, J. H., Kubis, H. P., McMahon, N., & Sandoo, A. (2019). The Effects of Beetroot Juice on Blood Pressure, Microvascular Function and Large-Vessel Endothelial Function: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study in Healthy Older Adults. Nutrients, 11(8), 1792. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081792Kateepe-Arachi T. & Sanjay, S. (2016). Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Understanding Symptoms and Risk Factors. European Cardiology Review 2017;12(1):10–3.Kodoth V, Scaccia S, Aggarwal B. Adverse Changes in Body Composition During the Menopausal Transition and Relation to Cardiovascular Risk: A Contemporary Review. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022 Jun 13;3(1):573-581. Kim MH, Bu SY, Choi MK. Daily calcium intake and its relation to blood pressure, blood lipids, and oxidative stress biomarkers in hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Nutr Res Pract. 2012 Oct;6(5):421-8.Lima, R., Wofford, M., & Reckelhoff, J. F. (2012). Hypertension in postmenopausal women. Current hypertension reports, 14(3), 254–260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-012-0260-0Sadeghi M, Khalili M, Pourmoghaddas M, Talaei M. The correlation between blood pressure and hot flashes in menopausal women. ARYA Atheroscler. 2012 Spring;8(1):32-5.Sofi F, Cesari F, Casini A, Macchi C, Abbate R, Gensini GF. Insomnia and risk of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2014 Jan;21(1):57-64. Sunbul EA, Sunbul M, Tastekin N, Ozben B, Sayar N, Gulec H. Is there any relation between arterial stiffness and insomnia? A challenging question. Sleep Breath. 2022 Mar;26(1):333-338. doi: 10.1007/s11325-021-02445-6. Epub 2021 Jul 24. PMID: 34302608.Zhou, B., Danaei, G. ... Ezzati, M. (2019). Long-term and recent trends in hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in 12 high-income countries: an analysis of 123 nationally representative surveys. The Lancet, 394 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31145-6

### A new way of thinking about your menopause symptoms: Strengthening immunity through healthy lifestyle practices.

Did you realise that there are various lifestyle solutions that are evidenced to improve your sleep, reduce your hot flushes, improve your sore joints and muscles and of course, help your changing moods?

I'm always explaining to women on my coaching programmes, that when we position our menopause transition in women's healthy ageing research, it takes away the confusion of how to move through menopause and turn back time on inflammatory changes that arrive during this important stage of life.

As my doctoral studies allowed me to explore one of the main theories of ageing, the Inflammatory Theory of Ageing, this opened up my mind to new possibilities as to how to manage my day-to-day life - I hope that you can do the same because looking at how our body gathers inflammatory changes during our menopause transition and then exploring how to reduce these changes throughout the body is a new way to look at your menopause symptoms, including your weight.

Low-grade chronic inflammation underlies many chronic systemic diseases, especially age-related decline and metabolic disorders.

I've talked about these age-related changes numerous times in other articles, [which you can always access on my blog page on the website], but this is a reminder that our mid-life menopause transition is a vulnerable time for changing levels of inflammation.

Increasingly, research is showing that peri-menopause is viewed as a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurogenerative (nervous system) and cardiovascular disease (McCarthy & Raval, 2020; Furman, Campesi et al, 2019).

At the level of basic biological processes, healthy ageing is defined as 'fending off cellular and molecular damage for the longest possible period of the life course' (Bengtson et.al, 2009). How we do this is through understanding that inflammatory changes arrive as part and parcel of our transition through our mid-life years, therefore, how we mitigate this (or turn back the clock if inflammatory changes have already arrived), is an important aspect of our day to day behaviours and routines.

In most chronic diseases of ageing, oxidative stress and inflammation play prominent roles. 

Oxidative stress is a phenomenon caused by an imbalance between production and accumulation of damage in cells and tissues and our ability to detoxify and reduce the inflammation. When we can't reduce the inflammation, then, as many of you know, this builds up over time and we start to experience symptoms that are hard to get rid of. During menopause these symptoms often present as hot flushes, night sweats, thyroid, gut health and joint problems, depression and more!



Our menopause transition is a new beginning for all of us and for women in menopause who might be struggling with worsening health, then it's time focus on changes to your health. Because as the saying goes, 'If you keep doing the same old things, you will get the same old results.' 

When my own health changed so much during my early 50s, I had to change my beliefs about how to look after myself, especially when nobody else had the answers I sought, I used my women's health and ageing research to explore the lifestyle medicine evidence.

Doing this opened up an entirely new way of understanding about how to change my lifestyle in order to match my new hormonal environment. I hope my numerous articles, have helped you too, especially if you've struggled with your health and your feelings of stress and overwhelm over the past couple of years, with the arrival of the pandemic.

Many of you may also still be suffering from fatigue and long covid symptoms, so exploring how to reduce inflammatory changes and fatigue is even more important for you than ever. If I were you, I would start with your Vitamin C intake. Your struggling immune system needs this powerful immune regulator. [Carr & Magini, 2017].



Inflammation resulting from a maladaptation of the immune system affects all organ systems in the body. Our menopause transition is a catalyst for this inflammatory advance.

If your joints and muscles are sore since you arrived in peri-menopause, or your gut health has changed and you’ve developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or you are feeling depressed and anxious or you are overweight, then these are all signs of chronic inflammation. We become more vulnerable to this inflammation sitting around when we can’t sleep.

It’s why, before any crazy diet or exercise regime that you might be thinking of  undertaking, you need to sort out your sleep. I’m passionate about women sleeping all night. Without sleeping, your immune and cardiovascular health may struggle.  Sleep is crucial to strengthening immunity but so too are other strategies, based on immune health research into the lifestyle changes we can make to move us towards improved health as we age. (Monye & Adelowo, 2020).
Lifestyle Factors to Strengthen our Immunity

 	Sleep: There is an absolute improvement in the reduction of inflammatory markers when sleep disturbance, is eliminated. The researchers found this to be equivalent to the absolute positive changes associated with adequate aerobic exercise and healthy dietary interventions. This is why, changing our symptoms in menopause isn't only about medications, diet or exercise. It's about (re)establishing your circadian rhythm. It is well known that changing reproductive hormones impact our circadian rhythm, and it's why my first webinar in all of the MyMT™ programmes is about your precious sleep - it's that important to your immune health, your weight, as well as your hot flush frequency and duration.



 	 Increase physical activity – but not too much. I’ve talked about moderate physical activity in numerous newsletters over the past year and why, when we aren’t sleeping or have joint and muscular pain and we are going through peri-menopause, then we need to back-off high intensity exercise.

There is clear evidence that the immune system responds to regular physical activity, with the extent and duration reflecting the degree of physiological stress imposed by the workload.

Whilst there is an emphasis on higher-intensity, short-duration exercise in the fitness industry, I know from my sport and exercise science lecturing, that doing too much of this type of exercise leads to over-training and worsening immune health, specifically, upper respiratory tract infections.

Many women are doing too much high-intensity exercise (and I include heavy weight training in this), but if they aren't sleeping, then this is sending them into over-training mode, which then upsets the balance between oestrogen and progesterone in peri-menopause and menopause.



 	 Improve Gut Health.  Studies have further elucidated that the direct viral infection of the intestinal mucosa in patients with the virus, may lead to gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute in Utrecht, Rotterdam, Maastricht, the Netherlands, have found that the corona virus can infect cells of the intestine and multiply there. Improving gut health matters and I’ve written about why this is crucial to us in menopause HERE.

4. Improve Nutrition for immune health. Researchers know that immune cells need adequate supply of energy (from foods) in order to effectively respond to invading infections. If you are thin and under a lot of stress, then take note. You need to eat! If you are overweight and crave sugary, fatty, salty foods, then this is what you have to turn around. Both circumstances increase the risk of immune health changes as we age.

With the increased demand for energy during periods of infection and fever, researchers now know that the nutrients we need for our immune health include zinc, iron (except not too much iron in post-menopause which I’ve written about HERE), magnesium, Vitamin C, B12, Vitamin E and of course, amino acids from good quality protein sources. These amino acids help in the production of immune proteins and support the antioxidant defence mechanism, which is needed to limit tissue damage in viral infection.



 	 Reduce or manage stress. I talk a lot about stress management and how to reduce our chronic stress hormone called cortisol, in the MyMT™ programmes. Our response to feeling overwhelmed and stressed during menopause impacts hugely on our immune health and our weight. For busy, active women with a lot going on in their lives this is crucial to being able to navigate symptoms in menopause.

The hormone that is usually released in response to chronic stress, cortisol, has been shown to have the potential to disrupt immune regulation and is specifically associated with increased proinflammatory cells that increase the duration of viral infections. It was such a privilege to help Dr Clare Wright understand this and why her weight was increasing, as she continues to support employees in the NHS in Wales. It's been an incredibly stressful couple of years for her and others and I'm so pleased she came on the MyMT™ Transform Me weight loss programme.



Changing our ways in midlife can be challenging. I know this myself.  But as women have another 25-30 years of living ahead of them in their post-menopause years, I also believe that doing nothing about your health is no longer an option, hence, finding ways to progressively move forward to making small changes that are specific to our hormonal environment during menopause, is important.

When we take the approach that the past is behind us and we can only look ahead in the next phase of our lives, then we can make some changes to our health ... as the saying goes, 'It's never too late!'.

That's the purpose of the MyMT™ programmes for you. To help you to understand the lifestyle change strategies which are evidenced against women's midlife and post-menopause. You learn what to do and most importantly, why you need to do it! Understanding 'why', helps you to turn your health intention into small, daily actionable steps.

No matter where you live in the world, you can come on board with me - it would be my privilege to help you to feel like your old self again. The video below is an outline of how the programmes work. 

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD). MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFxVwqbBszw&t=45s

References:

Heckhausen J, Brandstätter V, Fishbach A, Freund AM, Lachman ME, Robert P. (2021). Goal Changes and Healthy Aging. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci., 13;76(Suppl 2):S105-S114.

Monye, I. & Adelowo, A. (2020). Strengthening immunity through healthy lifestyle practices: Recommendations for lifestyle interventions. Lifestyle Medicine, Vol. 1, 1-11. Wiley Publ.

Pizzino, G., Irrera, N., Cucinotta, M., Pallio, G., Mannino, F., Arcoraci, V., Squadrito, F., Altavilla, D., & Bitto, A. (2017). Oxidative Stress: Harms and Benefits for Human Health. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2017, 8416763. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8416763

Santoro N, Sutton-Tyrrell K. (2011). The SWAN song: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation's recurring themes. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2011 Sep;38(3):417-23.

Storz MA. Lifestyle Adjustments in Long-COVID Management: Potential Benefits of Plant-Based Diets. Curr Nutr Rep. 2021 Dec;10(4):352-363. doi: 10.1007/s13668-021-00369-x.

Vollbracht C, Kraft K. Feasibility of Vitamin C in the Treatment of Post Viral Fatigue with Focus on Long COVID, Based on a Systematic Review of IV Vitamin C on Fatigue. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 31;13(4):1154.

### "Peri-menopause was a challenge, but I've lost 7kg, overcome allergies, gut health problems and hot flushes."  [Wendy H., Australia]

"I am what you might call one of your quiet achievers, having devoured all the information you’ve shared over that time and slowly put it into practice.I’ve entered menopause early, officially clocking more than a year without a period just as I turned 48 this year. For me (and my husband), peri-menopause has been a challenging experience, but I’m happy to say that I feel like I’m getting to the other side and am starting to feel more in control of my symptoms.I’m now at the point I can interpret what’s going on with my health by referring back to all the materials you’ve shared through your Transform Me programme.To give you an idea of how much you’ve helped, I’ve successfully:lost 7kg (and still going) while increasing muscle massovercome a debilitating and sudden onset of allergies caused by gut health changes that led to shortness of breath and ocular rosacea (meaning I can now garden and snorkel on the great barrier reef again - yay!) improved my energy levels through changing my exercise regime as you recommend, from almost daily HIIT sessions to swimming, yoga, weights and walkinglearnt to manage triggers that cause hot flushes - while they return from time to time I now use them as a sign that I’m out of balance and need to reset my intentions and nutrition, according to the programme.I often get asked how I’m navigating peri-menopause and I refer anyone who’s interested to your programmes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience, you truly have helped me turn my life around.I’ve attached a pic that one of my girlfriends snapped of me out on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns. It was a great way to celebrate a birthday after starting to find my energy again.To give you more context around that photo, I’d just spent an hour snorkeling on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef with a Hawksbill sea turtle - they’re endangered so it was a very rare sight and such an amazing, calming experience.I only spotted the turtle because I rescued that pool noodle you can see in the photo from floating away - another visitor to the reef that day abandoned it in the middle of the ocean.If they didn’t do that - and I didn’t swim out to grab it - I never would have seen and experienced that amazing turtle! Explains why my smile was so big in the photo."Wendy H., Queensland, Australia

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Try my Olive, Rocket and Spinach Pizza fit for watching the King's Coronation!

When I saw that the Buckingham Palace kitchen had released the Coronation Quiche to celebrate the King's Coronation this weekend, I couldn't help but glance over the ingredients and realise that we could do better and come up with a healthier alternative for women in their menopause transition in the MyMT™ Kitchen this week.The theme of The Coronation Big Lunch which was started by the late Queen Elizabeth to bring neighbours and friends together, is a wonderful initiative and is promoted the world over. However, as delicious as the Quiche may be, it is very high in fat, especially saturated fats, which aren't so good for those of you putting on weight or if you have changing heart health or a fatty liver, or no gall-bladder.With 175 mls of double cream, which on it's own is 40 gm of fat, as well as 300 gm of cholesterol in the eggs and another 44 gms of fat in the cheddar cheese, the Quiche will give you a lot more saturated fat and cholesterol than you need for a day watching the Coronation. So, for those of you wanting something delicious and healthy, then here is my delicious CORONATION PIZZA - the Kalamata Olives, spinach and rocket from my garden are part of the Mediterranean Diet. Olives, are known to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cellular turnover-enhancing activities, and are becoming well-evidenced in osteoarthritis-friendly and heart-healthy diets. Whilst I didn't make the base myself, I searched the supermarket to find a pizza base that had no added sugar or preservatives. I'm sure you can do the same at your local supermarket. I hope you can make this midlife-menopause, perfect pizza and enjoy the salty flavour of the olives and the slightly peppery taste of the rocket - whether you are watching the pageantry from the United Kingdom this weekend or not. The Coronation Pizza from the MyMT™ Kitchen (designed by Wendy, especially for women in their menopause transition)Ingredients:1-2 medium pizza bases (depending on how many are sharing your pizza), or make your own pizza base from a recipe that you use.Tomato pastePesto pasteRocket (I used around a cup of fresh rocket)Spinach (I used about a dozen medium-sized leaves from my garden and cut them up)3 medium tomatoes sliced1/2 cup of olives, pitted and cut in half (I used Kalamata olives)1 cup of grated organic cheese (optional)1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) to drizzle over the top.Method:Heat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line a pizza baking dish with baking paper. Place the base on it. Spread on the tomato paste - enough to cover the base. Then spread on the basil pesto - enough to cover the base. Layer the slices of tomato over the base and the olives.  If you wanted to add the cheese you can also do this.Bake in the oven until the base is cooked. Remove from the oven and layer on the rocket and spinach. Cook for a few more minutes if you would like, then remove from the oven. Then I drizzled over the EVOO.Served with a delicious and gut-friendly Cole Slaw made with thinly sliced red cabbage, carrots, parsley and a 1/2 cup of grated cheese, this was an easy-peasy, TV dinner meal. I hope that you can make this over the weekend as well for all the family to enjoy. Bon Appetit. 

### Let's go nuts about walnuts: A shout-out to the King and his Duchy walnuts for women's healthy ageing.

As you drive from Portsmouth to Reading in the United Kingdom, you pass one of King Charles' organic farms and his farm shop. With his Coronation this weekend, I was remembering calling into the shop and buying some walnuts there. Whenever, I travel overseas now, I try and source walnuts and other nuts, to have in my bag for healthy snacks.

I remember thinking at the time, whether he knew how important walnuts are to women's healthy ageing, especially in relation to helping them to restore some progesterone into their body.

Foods may not directly contain progesterone (apart from butter and other dairy products), but some foods could help trigger the natural progesterone production in your body. Walnuts do this, because not only do they contain contain plant sterols which can stimulate the production of progesterone in women, but they are also rich in Vitamin B6, which also helps to raise progesterone production.

We often don't think about the role of progesterone as we move through menopause into post-menopause, but I want to bring your attention to it - hence, the article about walnuts!

As we move through menopause into our post-reproductive years ahead, there are changes that occur around the body that are also contributing to our symptoms. These changes are due to the natural ageing process - a process which can contribute to inflammation. Menopause itself is now regonised as an inflammatory event in a woman's life-cycle (McCarthy & Raval, 2020), hence, why I'm always focusing women who join me in the MyMT™ coaching community, on anti-inflammatory foods and lifestyle changes that are specific to this age and stage of life.

I'm also focusing them on foods that contain progesterone. This  includes walnuts.



Progesterone isn't always a hormone that gets discussed with menopause conversations. The dominant hormone that is discussed is usually oestrogen. However, all hormones work in 'partnership' with another hormone and progesterone is the hormone that works with oestrogen.

There has been a lot of research undertaken when it comes to progesterone, but this has generally been in relation to pregnancy. During pregnancy, progesterone levels increase, allowing for normal pregnancy establishment and maintenance. [McGlade et al, 2022].

Researchers now better understand that the dysregulation or imbalance of progesterone, can lead to inflammation, which in turn may lead to poor pregnancy outcomes. When I began to explore the decline of all the reproductive hormones, the role of progesterone in relation to inflammatory changes around the body, is important for menopausa and post-menopausal women to consider. This is because progesterone signalling regulates the inflammatory response and when progesterone is naturally declining, this becomes one of the 'triggers' for inflammatory changes in the body as we age.

In female athletes, high stress levels, over-training syndrome and inadequate energy intake or low body fat, is well known to impact the production of progesterone, causing it to decline in production, especially if they are amennorheic (cessation of periods).  Those female athletes with low progesterone levels typically experience feelings of anxiety and poor moods, irregular periods, decreased fertility, poor sleep, less adaptation to training, sore joints and poor muscular development. [Castanier et al, 2021].

If you think any of these symptoms sound familiar to you, then you are right! Progesterone as a hormone medication is often given to women experiencing these symptoms in peri-menopause, but what about food choices that give us natural progesterone and help to reduce inflammation?



Positioning our menopause transition into women's healthy ageing research changed my life and it's now changing thousands of other women's lives too. The fog has cleared literally, on what we must eat to 'age healthily'.

One of these 'must-eat' foods, unless we are allergic, is walnuts. 

That's why, on the weekend of King Charle's Coronation, I would like to thank all the thousands of NHS nurses throughout the UK, who participated in this study which explored the effect of nut consumption, especially walnuts, on certain markers of healthy ageing. 

Women consuming nuts at midlife have a greater likelihood of overall health and well-being at older ages. According to researchers undertaking a large study of nut consumption in mid-life women, eating walnuts may represent a simple intervention to explore and promote healthy aging.

In the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), researchers reported that better diet quality and a greater dietary flavonoid intake at midlife were related to a greater likelihood of overall health and well-being in women as they age.

In over 33,000 middle-aged NHS nurses, researchers observed a significant association between consumption of nuts at midlife and healthy aging. This was broadly defined across four domains - chronic diseases, mental health, and cognitive and physical function. When analyzing several specific types of nuts, walnut consumption appeared to have the strongest relation with healthy ageing.

Walnuts feature in the list of anti-inflammatory foods in my comporehensive Food Guide that women receive as part of my 12 week programmes. Walnuts contain good fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). Good fats are not only important for our immune and cardiovascular health, but these fats help to transport fat-soluble vitamins around our body.

These vitamins are A, D, E and K - many of which can be low in women as they transition menopause, especially if women already have health concerns as they enter their mid-life transition.

Walnuts are also a valuable vegetarian source of the essential fatty acid omega-3. They contain iron, selenium, calcium, zinc, vitamin E and some B vitamins - all of which contribute to our energy levels as we transition through menopause. If you look closely at menopause supplements, many of these nutrients are added into the supplements too, but tend to be highly processed.

There is so much confusion about food choices these days isn't there? And that's why I decided to put some research into how much food, what type of food and when we should be eating, so that we all enter into our years beyond menopause as healthy as we deserve to feel.

If you are confused by your symptoms and never want to go on another 'diet' ever again, then please join me for 12 weeks when you can. I will allay your confusion because I have positioned the MyMT™ programmes in women's healthy ageing research.

Walnuts are on the menu as are peanuts (also high in progesterone), if you aren't allergic to them.

As I often mention in my live-events, the future for all of us is to focus on our health as we age, especially if we already have some health changes that our menopause transition has bought to the fore. How to do this is what you learn in my 12 week programmes,

Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.



References:

Castanier C, Bougault V, Teulier C, Jaffré C, Schiano-Lomoriello S, Vibarel-Rebot N, Villemain A, Rieth N, Le-Scanff C, Buisson C, Collomp K. The Specificities of Elite Female Athletes: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Life (Basel). 2021 Jun 26;11(7):622.

Freitas-Simoes, T., Wagner M., et. al. (2020). Consumption of nuts at mid-life and healthy aging in women. J. of Aging Research, Volume 2020, Article ID 5651737, pp. 1-7.

Hardman WE, Primerano DA, Legenza MT, Morgan J, Fan J, Denvir J. Dietary walnut altered gene expressions related to tumor growth, survival, and metastasis in breast cancer patients: a pilot clinical trial. Nutr Res. 2019 Jun;66:82-94.

Herrera AY, Nielsen SE, Mather M. Stress-induced increases in progesterone and cortisol in naturally cycling women. Neurobiol Stress. 2016 Feb 11;3:96-104.

McCarthy M, Raval AP. The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation. 2020 Oct 23;17(1):317.

McGlade EA, Miyamoto A, Winuthayanon W. Progesterone and inflammatory response in the oviduct during physiological and pathological Conditions. Cells. 2022 Mar 23;11(7):1075.

Steck, S., Shivappa, N. et al. (2014). The Dietary Inflammatory Index: a new tool for assessing dietary quality based on inflammatory potential. The Digest, Vol. 49, July, 2014.

### "Age should not be an excuse to not follow your dreams and goals, but finding the MyMT™ programme was key!" [Cheryl, NZ]

When I received Cheryl's photo of her reaching Everest Base Camp recently, I told her that one of the main reasons that I set up the My Menopause Transformation programmes, was to help women live their best life in post-menopause. I think Cheryl is doing that, don't you? 

"Hi Wendy,

This is my daughter Briar (in yellow) and me at Everest Base Camp this April 2023. I just wanted to thank you for all that you are doing to help us get our lives back!

I have always been stubborn, determined and tenacious but this trip tested us both in ways we didn't expect! It turned out that the power of the mind can surpass what your physical body is presenting and can truly make you more resilient than you ever thought possible.

I had covid the week before I left New Zealand to start trekking in Nepal, a chest infection developed after too much pollution in Kathmandu, but thanks to your programme and the understanding about our lung changes in menopause, I practiced my breathing exercises with laser focus, and it kept my blood oxygen levels up.

The knees and plantar fasciitis also seemed to just disappear as my body focused on keeping itself moving forward as I put in place your strategies for improving joint health.

I never wavered from the goal of reaching Everest Base Camp, even though others were having an easier time of it.  The takeaway from it all is to trust your body to not fail ... it won't if given the right mind set and you have the right knowledge, which I had from doing your programme.

Age should not be an excuse to not follow your dreams and goals -  just keep going .. one step at a time, always looking forward , always smiling. Thanks for your support and helping me find my body again."

Cheryl M., New Zealand

### "It's never too late to sleep again. After 25 years, I finally found Wendy's programme and have lost 10kgs!" [Jane, 72 yrs]

IT’s NEVER TOO LATE ...
After 25 years plus, with hot flushes, insomnia, depression, weight gain and countless other issues continuing, I finally found Wendy!

What a joy the past 12 weeks of doing the Transform Me programme has been as I've been learning to live again! With a new diet and information on sleep, hormonal changes, liver-health , heart-health, gut-health and stress management, that I wish I had been given at the beginning of my Menopausal journey all those years ago.

I have not only got my sleep back but I have learnt so much more to understand this journey we woman go through! 12 weeks ago I was 65 kg and I’m now 55 kg and so happy with a 10 kg reduction.

Admittedly, I know some women say that they sailed through menopause, yet I know that many have developed the other symptoms of menopause and now at 72 years young, I feel that I understand what is going on in my body and how the ageing process, impacted my continuing symptoms and my health.

I was never told that the menopause transition was the beginning of my ageing process. I felt that those years were taken away from me with my depression and lack of sleep.

What I am glad about, is that I kept up with exercise and now realise that this has kept me in pretty good shape! At 72 years young I still bike regularly (30-40 kms on an ebike loaned to me recently) which has helped with my sleep alongside Wendy's routines. I used to have such trouble with my sleep, with regularly waking in the early morning or not getting to sleep until early hours in the morning and then sleeping late into the day! I just felt exhausted all the time.

I have also been very jealous reading the stories of younger people on the journey now, and of the products and information that are out there to hopefully help -  HRT, etc. I began peri- menopause when I was about 45-46 years old, using (didn’t know it was called peri-menopause then) oestrogen/progesterone cream that you rubbed into your skin on your arm. To this day, I don't think it worked much, but it was the Helen Clarke Labour government at the time took the great decision of banning you bringing it into the country.

I was then offered HRT as there was a family history of Hot Sweats into their 70’s and beyond,  however, back then, they would only have me on HRT for 6 months and then it was more likely the hot sweats would return, so I decided against it.

Obviously with the great input and depth of knowledge Wendy has amassed on lifestyle changes, hopefully future generations may have an easier journey, if it is talked about and shared!

Just to add an amusing tale to my story and a reflection on how far products have come over the years, when I first started my period (back in the day of a towel and hideous belts with pins), I remember that my Mother told me when I washed out my towels I wasn’t allowed to peg them on the clothesline as my brothers and Father would know I had my period! How far we have now come in talking about these female issues!"

Jane Jamieson, New Zealand. 

https://vimeo.com/756275208?share=copy

### "I'm sleeping, no sore joints and I now have the confidence to help the women in my gym too." [Anne, NZ]

"Learning from Wendy has been an absolute inspiration and light bulb moment for me.  I originally did Wendy's MyMT™ Transform Me programme about a year ago and along with dropping quite a few kilos, it also helped me regain my sleep (bliss).

I am a Personal Trainer and Coach and as such, was feeling a bit lost with Menopause and how to deal with it and how to help my clients.

My own achy joints and extra layer around the middle was bad enough, but I also had a gym full of women feeling the same way!  The majority of my clients are women who are transitioning through this next phase of our lives.

I then noticed that Wendy was offering a Menopause Practitioner Course based on lifestyle science and thought, 'wow, that will help me to help my clients even more'.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting the amount of information or the "science" beyond menopause that I learned. This has been a real eye opener for me, I have learned so much more that I already knew, and it has also helped with my own journey (post- menopause). I now have the confidence to work with my clients and help them navigate menopause through making some lifestyle changes.

As a woman going through menopause in all its various stages, there were times when I felt so inadequate and unsure of myself. When I spoke to my GP at the time, he offered me anti-depressants!

In one of our first modules Wendy shared a quote from Dr Dorothy Barbo which said, "Menopause is an event in life, not a disease", and I realised how true this is.  We don't have a disease and personally, I didn't need anti-depressants, what I needed what was the information and science behind what was happening to my body and mind.

Now that I have that, I am excited to be able to help other women on their journey and encourage each of us to shout Menopause loudly from the rooftops and normalise it.

Thanks to Wendy's powerful knowledge and experience and to the Course Convenor Georgia, for showing me the way and giving me the knowledge to help others.

You have really helped me shape and change the direction of my business to focus more on menopause and working with women to encourage them to stop doing their endless HiiT classes, CrossFit and get out there and walk/swim/cycle and do some strength training.

Thank you for helping me and giving me the ability and the confidence from your research to help others in my local community."

Anne Jordan, Registered Personal Trainer and Owner of Kaha Mna Fitness Studio, New Zealand.

https://vimeo.com/756275208?share=copy

### "This will be life changing for so many of my clients. To see their symptoms reduce or disappear is a magic moment for me as a coach." Rachel, One Body Personal Trainer (UK).

When working at Les Mills, New Zealand in 1992, I was invited to take responsibility for a new initiative introducing Personal Trainers to the fitness sector. At the time, I knew very little about Personal Trainers except that in the USA in a post-Jane Fonda era, those in the business were mainly working in the realm of the 'rich and famous'.

Fast forward to the next 20 years whereby I was educating and mentoring numerous Personal Trainers. Not once, did I teach them about peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause however and I know that in the fitness industry, notable gaps in the knowledge of Trainers about hormonal health, particularly weight loss in menopause, continue to this day.

That's why, I was delighted when Rachel from Wales undertook the new MyMT™ Education Weight Loss Coach Course. She share's her story below.

We live in a time when greater emphasis is placed on the reduction of morbidity and non-communicable diseases, such as obesity and heart disease in women, through physical activity and exercise. But this requires Personal Trainers and other Health Professionals to have knowledge specific to the population that they are training. Rachel sees a lot of middle-age and older women and I'm so pleased that I was able to bring menopause weight loss to her attention in the Health Practitioner course.



"I have had the pleasure of working in the health and fitness industry for the past 30 years, not only in coaching 1:1 and group exercise but also managing Health Clubs to a Regional Level.  

My passion lies as a functional movement specialist, by helping my clients out of pain and discomfort from injuries, accidents or surgeries and to help them to lose weight.  I love my role as a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach here on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, North Wales, UK.

I had a lifesaving radical hysterectomy 19 years ago when I was just 32 years of age and at the time I had no support or after care to help my body to repair and recover the right way.  I just tried to build myself up to doing the same exercises I had pre- hysterectomy, but with so much internal structure change the body struggled to do this without discomfort and pain.

Fast forward to today and I am lucky enough to have found an amazing women’s health physio who is slowly releasing my internal scar tissue and helping me to function the core muscles correctly again. I feel my body is performing the best it has ever done functionally, and now with the wonderful research and education that Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) is allowing us to become part of, I feel I can also start to give back my new knowledge and understanding to my midlife female clients.

I have just completed the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course and have loved finding out so many ‘why’s’ as to how my clients have been feeling in some of their sessions. Some days they would come in exhausted, stressed and with low mood. They hadn’t slept well, and they would be so frustrated that they couldn’t enjoy their normal exercise intensity.

Now that I know why these feelings occur, I can tailor my sessions to how their bodies feel - get them in the fresh air, or simply do more breathing, relaxation and release work to make their bodies feel well again.

I love to learn, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to gain knowledge from such an inspirational and passionate World Leader in Women's Health. Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) ‘Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course’ has given me the understanding to answer so many ‘Why’s’, which as a fellow Fitness Professional, she knows only too well, that we are asked every day.

This will be life changing for so many of my clients and to see their symptoms reduce or disappear is a magic moment for me as a coach, as I adapt their exercise and nutrition to suit their time of life. Thank you!"

### The seasons are changing and so is your melatonin production during menopause.

"Sleep touches on nearly every aspect of our physiology and psychology, of our interaction with the world and with others."William Dement (2000), Sleep Research Pioneer. Over 20,000 students took William Dement's course on ‘Sleep and Dreams’  throughout his tenure at Stanford University. He created and pioneered the fields of sleep research, sleep medicine and sleep disorders.  His mission was to educate the world about the importance of sleep, which he believed was dangerously undervalued. His motto, “drowsiness is red alert,” is a message he tirelessly broadcast to his students, trainees, members of Congress and the world at large. According to Stanford University, among Dement’s key achievements were explaining the phases of the human sleep cycle and identifying the physiological basis of dreams. His research helped us to understand that dreaming is how the brain cleanses overnight. William Dement only passed away in 2020. But I wish that he had lived long enough to undertake sleep research specifically tailored to women in menopause. We might have learnt a lot more than we currently know and even he may have asked the following question, Do you need to focus more on your melatonin production to reduce your menopause symptoms, especially as the seasons change? It's an interesting question isn't it? And I'm asking it, based on relatively new research about our sleep hormone, called melatonin, and the pleotropic effect it has on women's health in menopause. The term 'pleiotropic' means 'effects around the body' and when it comes to melatonin and our menopause transition, the role of this hormone has a greater effect throughout our body than many of us may realise.  Melatonin is able to regulate several physiological functions from well-known sleep/wake cycles to nervous system protection as well as regulation of both the immune and hormonal systems. It also influences our energy organelles, the mitochondria. The researchers called this effect, 'cross-talk' between melatonin and our reproductive hormones. [Cipolla-Neto et al, 2022]Every week I get emails from women who are exhausted and exasperated from not sleeping. Is this you as well? This is a bit of a concern, because for women living to around 80-82 years of age, they (hopefully) will have slept for a staggering 27 years! That's why focusing on sleep is one of the most fundamental aspects of our health management that we can achieve as we age.But sleep can be problematic for women in their midlife and older years, as many of you already realise. Many of them complain to me that they are still not sleeping, despite menopause-HRT and numerous supplements, which are costing them a small fortune.Hence, after reading some of the work of William Dement as well as the new research this week, I'm wondering if, because the seasons are changing, you need renewed attention to your sleep routines and your natural melatonin production. I think we've all heard of Melatonin.It's the hormone released from a tiny gland in our brain that sets and resets our circadian drive for sleep. If you've watched my Masterclass on Menopause, you'll know that I talk about how, as we move through menopause and age, our melatonin production declines. This is a natural part of our human ageing.Melatonin levels decline gradually over the life-span. Researchers believe that this decline may be related to lowered sleep duration and depth in women during and after the menopause.Because of this decline, some deterioration of many functions and processes around our body that are controlled by circadian rhythms may arise. The circadian rhythms are the natural day/ night rhythms that help your body to function, but there are seasonal variations on circadian rhythms as well. When the seasons change, melatonin production changes too, hence, symptoms in menopause can also change on a seasonal pattern. Good to know!		
																										
		Melatonin is your 'go-to-sleep' hormone and in a 2007 study by Grivas and Savvidou, it was described as "the light of the night". As it is secreted from the pineal gland principally in the evening hours, researchers better understand the role of melatonin and it's involvement in a number of other cyclical bodily functions. I've fielded a number of emails about jet-lag lately as some of the Northern Hemisphere ladies on the MyMT™ programmes prepare for their summer travel. I always talk about the need to get into the destination time-zone as quickly as possible and of course, look after the gut microbiome - afterall, this is affected by seasonal changes during menopause and of course, circadian disruption as well. Melatonin is an important hormone to focus on during the menopause transition, because it is exclusively involved in signalling the 'time of day' and 'time of year'. Hence, why we may get out of sorts when we travel over the dateline or the seasons change and we have to cope with daylight savings. Melatonin is therefore, considered to be the body's chronological pacemaker or 'Zeitgeber'.As sleep research has expanded over the last decade or so, melatonin supplements have been used as a therapeutic chemical in a large spectrum of diseases, mainly in sleep disturbances.Whilst melatonin medications are not as ideal as training your brain to produce it's own melatonin, because taking a synthetic melatonin will reduce your body's ability to produce it's own melatonin, sometimes it may be indicated during seasonal changes in sleep or when you are jet-lagged. Melatonin Levels are Important to Regulate During Seasonal Changes:With the rapid expansion of sleep research over the past two decades, researchers better understand that this powerful and essential hormone may also play a role in the biologic regulation of mood, depression, cardiovascular system health, reproductive health, (hence the interest in menopause and melatonin) and of course, our ageing. Inadequate sleep causes hot flushes and night sweats to become worse, and may contribute to depression and anxiety. Not enough sleep also affects your body’s ability to regulate stress hormones which can also lead to high blood pressure.Getting enough quality sleep is also crucial for maintaining healthy levels of hormones that control appetite and blood glucose levels as well as energy . It's why, if you aren't sleeping, you might also be putting on weight.  That's why I want to share this new research with you about melatonin - it seems that there's a lot more to this powerful hormone than previously thought.Researchers have discovered that melatonin is not only produced in the pineal gland (in the brain), it's also produced locally in the bone marrow and the retina of the eye, in the gastrointestinal tract, the testes in males, and in human lymphocytes (white cells).As such, when levels of melatonin decline as we age, there are effects around the body. This matters to women in menopause, because the inter-connection between all of our hormones, means that the natural decline of our reproductive hormones during menopause also impacts the production and action of melatonin around the body. If you've been following my articles for a while, you'll know that I'm often telling you about your changing sleep patterns during menopause and how these impact your hot flushes, night sweats, sore joints, depression and even your gut health.But did you know that with the changes to your sleep patterns, especially as the seasons change, and with the subsequent decline in melatonin production, this is having an effect on your bone density, gut and cardiac health and immune health too? No, nor did I. The aim of the review that I was reading this week  was to explore the effect of melatonin supplements on women's health and their bothersome symptoms during menopause. (Treister-Goltzman & Peleg, 2021). It made for interesting and curious reading, including the knowledge that disruptions in the circadian patterns of melatonin production, leads to numerous physiological changes in the body. Many of these changes relate to our symptoms during menopause. Whilst the authors of the study mentioned that further studies needed to be undertaken and not all of the studies that they explored in their analysis showed a positive correlation of melatonin with menopause symptom reversal, their analysis of 24 studies on melatonin and women's health, with a total of over 1300 participants, revealed that melatonin supplementation of 3-5mg over 6-12 months helped improve:  Sleep quality in women with a pre-existing sleep impairment (which in turn improved immune function).Bone mineral densityWeight loss in overweight womenMood state.In women, the effects of melatonin on our reproductive functioning is important throughout our lifetime.Whilst levels of melatonin oscillate throughout the menstrual cycle, the problem that we have in menopause and post-menopause, is that melatonin levels decline with age. And altered melatonin levels coincide with changes to our health - sleep disorders, inflammatory changes, bone density concerns and of course, immune health changes and increased risk for heart disease.		
																										
		In both of my 12 week programmes, the very first module women listen to is simply called 'Sleep All Night'. It has the evidenced lifestyle information that women need to put into place, specific to their menopause transition and changing melatonin patterns. It's hard to function day after day when we don't have enough sleep, so my intent in my programmes is that you understand the scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions that you need to put into place during your menopause transition. TWO LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO HELP YOU SLEEP!One of these lifestyle changes you can make during menopause, is to avoid sugary foods and drinks at least 3 hours before you go to bed. Yes indeed, this does include alcohol, which is full of sugar. Sugar increases the production of insulin which is a hormone that carries glucose to specific tissues and organs around the body.One of these organs is the brain.And when insulin is carrying blood glucose to the brain, it crosses the blood-brain barrier and interferes with melatonin production and secretion. Hence, an important aspect for women struggling to get on top of their sleep is to look at their diet, especially in the evening. Adding foods to the diet which contain tryptophan is another aspect of how we can raise our natural levels of melatonin. Tryptophan foods help to produce serontonin which helps to produce melatonin. These foods include salmon, fish, lean beef, turkey, bananas and more! But because Tryptophan is absorbed via the small intestine, if women have gut health concerns, then getting on top of this is a priority. Poor gut health and insomnia go hand-in-hand, and vice versa. I have this information in the MyMT™ programmes for you. 		
														
															
		Millions of women around the world and their health advisors think that menopause is ‘just’ about hot flushes, but it’s not.There are many more changes going on at this stage of life than we realise. Whether it’s sore joints, depression, insomnia, anxiety, brain fog or heart palpitations and hot flushes, it’s important for our health to turn these symptoms around as we age.There’s so much pressure on women these days and stress has a lot to do with our symptoms as well as not sleeping.  As the year moves on and life gets even busier, I want to support you to turn these issues around. This means that you will have the solutions to sleep all night, reduce your hot flushes, anxiety or depression and turn around your sore joints or heart palpitations using evidenced lifestyle solutions. It doesn't matter if you are already on HRT or anti-depressants either - I don't interfere with any medical solutions as this is between you and your Doctor.  With bonus modules for joint health, heart health, gut health and mindfulness, this programme is fantastic value. I even have optional modules with lifestyle solutions for women taking HRT and/or anti-depressants.  I can't wait for you to join me on either of these powerful lifestyle programmes that teach you how to adjust your lifestyle using scientifically evidenced solutions to accommodate the change of life and reduce your symptoms and/or your weight. Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Women's Health & Ageing Researcher/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
														
															
																										
		References: Cipolla-Neto J, Amaral F, G, Soares, Jr J, M, Gallo C, C, Furtado A, Cavaco J, E, Gonçalves I, Santos C, R, A, Quintela T. (2022). The Crosstalk between Melatonin and Sex Steroid Hormones. Neuroendocrinology 2022;112:115-129. doi: 10.1159/000516148Grivas T. & Savvidou O. (2007). Melatonin the "light of night" in human biology and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis. 4(2)6. doi: 10.1186/1748-7161-2-6. PMID: 17408483; PMCID: PMC1855314.Gursoy A., Kiseli M., & Caglar G. (2015). Melatonin in aging women. Climacteric. 18(6):790-6. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2015.1052393. Epub 2015 Sep 25. PMID: 26029988.Karasek M. (2004). Melatonin, human aging, and age-related diseases. Exp Gerontol. 39(11-12):1723-9. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2004.04.012. PMID: 15582288.Treister-Goltzman, Y. & Peleg, R. (2021). Melatonin and the health of menopausal women: A systematic review. J. of Pineal Research, 71(2), 1-12Wehr TA. (1997). Melatonin and seasonal rhythms. J Biol Rhythms. Dec;12(6):518-27. West, C. & Egger G. (2017). Lifestyle Medicine, [Chapter 18], To Sleep, Perchance to .... Get everything else right. 3rd Ed. Elselvier Academic Press. 

### Muscle Mitochondria: The cause of the surprising changes to your energy during menopause.

Mountains feature a lot in the lives of many MyMT™ women. They feature a lot in my family's life too. Whether hiking or skiing, we enjoy being in the mountains, as many women on my programmes do as well.
But it wasn't always that way. One of the challenges that beset many of us as we transition menopause, is that simply, we have very little energy to enjoy the recreational activities that we have enjoyed for years.

As Jo mentioned to me, "In a previous life, I could not do a run at Mt Hutt (skifield in New Zealand), without stopping for a breather or to rest my limbs. I would have to go down to the car for a nap."

So, why does this happen? Why are we suddenly drained of our energy levels as we move into and through menopause? 

Part of the answer to this, lies in how our muscles and cells change as we move through menopause. And for those of you who are active, it's important to understand why you may not be tolerating the activity levels or intensity of those activities, as you may have in the past.



Ageing has become an important topic for scientific research over the past decade, including muscular and strength research. With life expectancy and the number of men and women in older age groups increasing dramatically over the past few decades, interest has been growing about how we are ageing ... as well as how to reduce the ageing-decline that many of our parent's generation have experienced.

As such, muscle strength and function is an increasingly important area of research, because by 2050, the world’s population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22%. This means that there will be 2 billion people aged 60 or older living on this planet. Approximately 400 million will be 80 years or older, over half of them women. I'm very passionate about you understanding how much your muscle strength and function change as you age and how this is impacting your energy levels as well.

My coaching community is full of women enjoying being active again. I say 'again' for a reason - many of them tell me that they have enjoyed activity all their life, but when peri-menopause arrived, aching muscles, insomnia, sore joints and fatigue, left them unable to do the exercise that they used to do.

There are numerous changes to our power-fibres in our skeletal muscles as we move into and through menopause. These are our Type-2 muscle fibres - the fibres that enable power, speed and jumping. Along with the loss of oestrogen in menopause, Type 2 power and speed muscle fibres diminish the fastest. It's why many of you see your muscle tone and size decrease with age.

For those of you who are skiers, or runners or you like the harder, faster activity in your gym classes, or you are athletes, then this is why your recovery may be taking longer afterwards, or your legs and muscles ache all the time. This happened to me as well.



It took me a long time to figure out why I wasn't able to do the harder, more powerful skiing that I used to be able to do. But as soon as I looked at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I knew I would find the answer when I better understood what happens to our muscles as we age.

Women's muscle fibres comprise different ratios of fibres compared to males. There are two general types of fibres - slow twitch and fast twitch.

Slow twitch fibres are our endurance fibres and are known in muscle physiology terminology as 'Type 1' fibres.

Fast twitch fibres are our power and speed fibres and these are known as 'Type 2' fibres.

For women used to being active, these muscular changes are important to note, because the reduction in muscle fibre number and size is fibre type specific. We can lose anywhere between 10%–40% of our smaller Type-2 fibres and as I said earlier, this loss in these fibres, means that we also lose our power and speed fibres more than the Type 1 fibres that help us with our stamina and endurance.

It's possibly the reason that many physical activity studies looking at older women's exercise participation reports that walking (not running, jumping or sprinting) is the most popular activity as they age.

Furthermore, women in their 50's are also the highest cohort to drop out of activity as they age. I'm not surprised that lack of energy, lack of time and lack of motivation are often cited as reasons to their decreasing participation. [Women's Midlife Health, 2015].

But there's more to understand about our muscle function as we go through menopause too. 

And it's to do with our beautiful mitochondria.

Researchers are finding that when it comes to our metabolism, energy production, immune health repair and regeneration, our tiny mitochondria matter. As we move through menopause and age, we are losing muscle. When we lose muscle, we also lose numbers of our powerful little mitochondria.

The natural death of our mitochondria has been postulated as one of the mechanisms associated with muscle fibre loss with ageing.*  As such, we need to be looking after these organelles that are so important to energy production. We also need to retain our mitochondria in muscle cells to help to prevent muscular weakness and loss of function as we get older as well as help our immune health.



For those of you, like me, who also want to retain your ability to enjoy physical recreational activities such as skiing or running, then you need to sleep well, improve your liver and gut health (this is so you absorb the nutrients that your muscles need to heal and repair overnight) and do the correct exercise that helps you to not only prevent muscle loss which in turn, helps you to prevent your mitochondria loss.

One way to achieve this, is to improve your energy and motivation for aerobic exercise as well as make the time to do it! 

A lack of exercise decreases the efficiency and number of mitochondria in skeletal muscle, while exercise promotes mitochondrial health. So, if you want to retain some of your power and strength fibres (Type-2 fibres) as well as improve your Type 1 endurance fibres, then a combination of aerobic endurance and strength/ resistance exercises matter.

Mixing up the variety of exercise that you do is important as we get older. 

This is because different types of exercise can trigger variable but specific responses in the muscle, especially when different nerves are stimulated. For example, the most important activity to do for improving mitochondrial function is actually steady-state aerobic exercise.

This is also important for fat-burning. Steady-state aerobic exercise is the type of exercise which you can do rhythmically for 30-60 minutes.

Strength training is also important as we age and is important for building or retaining the muscle that you do have. Then, once you are sleeping and have restored your energy levels, doing a little bit of high intensity interval training [HIIT] within aerobic exercises such as cycling and walking also has a positive effect at the cellular level at combating age-related muscle loss and weakness.  This is why the 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme takes you through a progressive improvement in your fitness levels over the 12 weeks (or longer) and numerous women stay on with me to do this programme after they have their symptoms, sleep, weight and sore joints sorted!



Age-related muscle loss and weakness is a combination of all of these factors, but more and more research is showing that muscle and mitochondria can be re-trained and retained through exercise. 

Active elderly people have more of these mitochondrial cells than more-sedentary individuals do. This is also the reason why exercise prior to hip and knee surgery can speed up recovery in the elderly too.

The good news for women is that exercise can stave off and even reverse muscle loss and weakness with age. Physical activity can promote mitochondrial health, increase protein turnover in muscles, thus aiding repair, and staying active restores nerve signaling involved in muscle contraction and function.

And for many of you who don't have the time to exercise, you don't need to do as much as what was once thought - 30-60 minutes around 5 times a week is enough to help you age healthily and maintain good cardiovascular health.

When I felt too exhausted to do the exercise that I loved to do and it was no longer helping my weight management, I was so pleased that I had undertaken my doctoral studies on women's healthy ageing.

It led me down the path towards better understanding about how our body changes when we don't have the production of oestrogen and progesterone any more. The effect of losing these two hormones on our muscles, tendons and joints as well as our heart is more important that we've known in the past.

But as the first generation of women to be enjoying exercise and sports right into our menopause years, I also began to understand that everything that is being taught to exercise professionals in many exercise and sports courses has to date, been targeted towards younger populations, athletes and males.

Very little is taught about exercise that is specifically aimed at women’s hormonal health, especially in menopause. I realised that this is because women in their 50’s today, are the first generation to have aged alongside the modern fitness industry, so exercise prescription messages (and research) are lacking.



This is why I designed and developed the 12 week online Re-Build My Fitness Programme which you can do as a stand-alone programme or if you aren't sleeping and/or have weight concerns, then I recommend you do the foundation programmes (either Circuit Breaker or Transform Me) first.

There's never been a better time to focus on our health as we get older, and all my programmes are on sale for you with NZ$50 off. If you are keen to come on board on any of the programmes, then please enter the PROMO code, ATHOME23 into the link on the image below which takes you to my website and there is a description of the programmes and videos. I can't wait for you to join me.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ NZ Registered Exercise Specialist 


 

References: 

Brunner, F., Schmidt et.al. (2007).  Effects of aging on Type II muscle fibers: a systematic review of the literature.  Journal of Ageing & Physical Activity, July;15(3):336-48.

Butler-Browne, G.,  Mouly V., et al, (2018). How Muscles Age, and How Exercise Can Slow It. The Scientist Online Edition. 

Lachman, M. (2015). Midlife as a pivotal period in the life course: Balancing growth and decline at the crossroads of youth and old age. Int J Behav Dev. January 1; 39(1): 20–31.

Miljkovic N., Lim J., Miljkovic I., Frontera W. (2015). Aging of skeletal muscle fibers. Ann Rehabil Med. Apr;39(2):155-62. doi: 10.5535/arm.2015.39.2.155.

Pierre, T. & Pizzo, P. (2018).  The Ageing Mitochondria, Genes, 9, 22; doi:10.3390/genes9010022

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Love your heart with this Avocado, Cucumber Soba Noodle Salad

It's not just the avocado in this delicious salad that benefits women during menopause, it's also the cooling cucumber too. 
Even though the avocado is a fruit that has the dubious distinction of having the highest amount of fat (around 30 grams each), these fats are good for your ageing heart. With new research released from the Journal of the American Heart Association late last year, the avocado has found it's way into heart health nutrition, but here's the catch - you only need 2 servings a week. One serving equals half of an avocado or a half cup of avocado.
For 30 years, researchers followed more than 68,780 women (ages 30 to 55 years) from the Nurses’ Health Study and more than 41,700 men (ages 40 to 75 years) from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. 
All study participants were free of cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke at the start of the study and living in the United States. Researchers documented 9,185 coronary heart disease events and 5,290 strokes during more than 30 years of follow-up and they also assessed participants’ diet using food frequency questionnaires given at the beginning of the study and then every four years.
Avocado intake was calculated from a questionnaire item that asked about the amount consumed and frequency. 
After considering a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors and each participant's overall diet, one of the findings from this study was that the participants who ate at least two servings of avocado each week had a 16% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21% lower risk of coronary heart disease, compared to those who never or rarely ate avocados.
Furthermore, based on the statistical modeling, the researchers found that replacing half a serving daily of margarine, butter, egg, yoghurt, cheese or processed meats such as bacon, with the same amount of avocado was associated with a 16% to 22% lower risk of cardiovascular disease events.
Women's heart disease in menopause and post-menopause, continues to be the number one health risk as women age. I think many of us know older women who have exerienced these heart problems haven't we? But when we understand that there are foods that are seen as 'medicine' then we can add them to our diet. 
Cucumbers are the same. They have long been included in the Mediterranean Diet and Indian cuisine uses a lot of cucumber too. I love cucumbers, and if you can source organic or spray-free cucumbers to add to your salads and meals, then they are not only very hydrating, but also contain important electrolytes. 
If you are experiencing hot flushes or night sweats or you just find that you are sweating a lot more now that you are in menopause, then add cucumbers to your salads, or to your jug of water. Then have a go at making this salad sometime - combining both avocado and cucumber, it's a delicious meal that the whole family will (hopefully) enjoy. 
MyMT™ Avocado & Cucumber Soba Noodle Salad
Ingredients - makes enough for 2-3 people 
1 Avocado (diced)
1 cucumber (diced)
Soba noodles – I usually use about 125g for 2 people
¼ cup chopped coriander
¼ cup chopped cashews
Sesame seeds
Seaweed flakes (optional)
Dressing option one: ½ a lemon mixed with 2tbsp olive oil
Dressing option two: 1 tbsp tahini, ½ lemon juiced, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp water. 
Method:

Chop up the avocado, cucumber, coriander and cashews finely.
Place soba noodles in boiling water and cook for 3 – 5 minutes (until soft but not overcooked).
Place everything in a bowl. Top with sesame seeds, seaweed flakes, and your dressing.

Bon appetit. 		
																										
		References: Pacheco, L., Li Y., et al. (2022). Avocado consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease in US adults. Journal of the American Heart Association. 11:e024014

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Elevate your afternoon energy with my Brown Rice Salad

Elevate your afternoon energy levels with my Brown Rice Salad.

Many women turn away from grains these days for various reasons, but some wholegrains are good for us, especially when it comes to looking after our energy levels during midlife. This includes brown rice.

Grains have been promoted to be included as one of the important components of a healthy diet because of the relationship between the regular consumption of whole-grain foods and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Rice is a staple food, which has been widely consumed for centuries by many cultures, so why don't we consume it too?

Studies have suggested that brown rice is associated with a wide range of energy and health benefits, including anti-diabetic, anti-cholesterol, cardioprotective and antioxidant benefits. But perhaps the most important aspect of adding brown rice to our daily diet is that it gives us more energy.

Brown rice has a large amount of plant lignans, which help form plant cell walls. These lignans are also believed to protect humans against various diseases, including heart disease. It's also high in magnesium - a mineral that is crucial to our muscle and nerve function as we age.

Magnesium helps maintain normal heart rhythm, and scientific studies show that heart health in both men and women is significantly improved with an increased dietary intake of magnesium.

Brown rice is also high in selenium, which is known to be deficient in New Zealand and Australian soils. But perhaps the best reason for adding my Brown Rice Salad to your day is to prevent the afternoon energy crashes. Brown rice is low glycemic index rated and assists your body to regulate blood sugar levels which is what you need to get through your busy day. I hope that you enjoy this wonderful creation that I put together when my own energy levels went to rock-bottom during menopause.
MyMT™ Brown Rice Salad 
Ingredients - makes enough for 3-4 people 

2 cups of organic brown rice

Chopped spring onions

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 apple, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

Canned chickpeas (optional)

A handful of spinach leaves

A handful of raisins, dates and walnuts (or almonds)

Olives (optional)

Dressing

2 lemons juiced, 4 - 6 tbsp olive oil.

Method:

 	Cook brown rice according to the packet. I try to purchase organic brown rice.
 	When it is cold, place as much as you need into a salad bowl and mix in all the salad ingredients.
 	Make a dressing of olive oil and fresh lemon juice, and add to the salad.

Bon appetit. 

### "Sleeping all night and no hot flushes. I didn't realise I had to change my habits in midlife."

"After meeting Wendy in London, I'm so pleased I did her programme. I feel, look and sleep so much better and don't feel like I've deprived myself in any way. I didn't realise that my routines were contributing to my menopause symptoms. 

I learnt from the programme that a poor night’s sleep fires up our stress hormone cortisol, which fires up our appetite, and my 35in waist over the years was the result. On Wendy’s plan, I quit my box-set binge habit and headed to bed at 10pm.

The plan meant a total diet overhaul, especially at work, early bedtimes and healing exercise. I also decided that at the end of the 12 weeks, if I was brave enough, I would attempt to wean myself off my HRT medication with my Doctor's support.

It all starts in the bedroom because, as far as Wendy is concerned, no menopause transformation can take place unless we get a good night’s sleep. As mammals, our bodies and hormones are programmed to love routine. My phone was left downstairs and replaced with an alarm clock, as the ‘blue light’ generated by smart phones interferes with our melatonin production.

Before menopause I could sleep like the dead and, while HRT stopped the night sweats, it didn’t stop me waking in the middle of the night with a wildly racing heart. I had no idea why, until I did Wendy's programme. I’ve always gone to bed late (typically 1am) and get up at least once in the night to use the loo. Wendy’s sleep programme aimed to turn around my body’s circadian rhythm (our natural sleep/wake cycle) and I quickly learned that my 1am bedtime was far too late.

Our bodies are designed to be in their deepest sleep at 2am (when I was still looking at my phone screen after getting up to use the loo - a nightly habit that had become ingrained). We also start to secrete melatonin (the sleep hormone) at 9pm and our bodies need darkness to do this efficiently — not, like me, to be in front of the TV with a main light on.

Wendy believes uninterrupted sleep is key, meaning those overnight trips to the loo had to stop, so I stopped drinking liquids from 8pm.

While changing my bedtime routine and going for walks took some adjustment to my usual routine, it was always the diet overhaul that was going to test me.

You may question why anyone needs to change what they eat in menopause, but few realise that oestrogen is the most powerful anti-inflammatory in a woman’s body, so we need an anti-inflammatory diet as we move through menopause - I had no idea.

When oestrogen levels decline, it results in deep tissue inflammation from higher cortisol levels, that in turn spikes insulin which makes us crave sugary and starchy food.

When devising her food plan, Wendy studied the diets of women living in so called ‘Blue Zones’ — areas in the world where people live longer and suffer fewer medical conditions.

As I learnt at Wendy's seminar, a study of women’s ageing in the Blue Zones locations found that many reported a symptomless menopause and they certainly weren’t taking HRT, so what was their secret? The thing the women all had in common was that their diets were very similar — they featured little meat and dairy, no processed foods and an abundance of fruit and vegetables.

Our bodies strive constantly to maintain a state of homeostasis — the perfect balance of hormones — and a healthy diet goes a long way towards aiding that.

As the programme I followed aimed to help me shift weight, it incorporated a liver cleanse. Oestrogen decline makes our livers less efficient, which means we don’t metabolise fats and proteins well, leading to the dreaded middle-aged bloating.

Just three months on the food plan, my stomach has deflated like you wouldn’t believe. I’ve lost nearly five inches around my middle and 18lb (over a stone!) in weight.

Now I don’t eat bread or pasta at all, and my sugar cravings are firmly under control. When my train was subject to delays at Victoria Station recently, I stress-bought a packet of wine gums, but instead of scoffing the whole lot, I ate two and binned the rest.

Perhaps the best news is that I’m about to enter my fourth HRT-free week by working with my Doctor and, so far, I haven’t needed to break into my emergency supply. I’ve never been anti-HRT — I’ve recommended it to many friends — but, like a stale relationship, it felt as though the time was right for us to go our separate ways. I’m pleasantly surprised it wasn’t the painful break I was expecting."

[Claudia Connell, London]

When one of the UK's Daily Mail journalists arrives at your London seminar and then comes onto your programme and asks to write about it, you feel a bit nervous. But I'm so pleased that she did.

It was such a privilege to meet Claudia at the Daily Mail where she works, when I was over there taking my live events in London and Edinburgh.

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ My Menopause Transformation Founder & Coach.


 

Introducing MyMT™  Transform Me. This 12 week online programme has the integrated solutions for restoring your sleep, reducing hot flushes and sore joints as well as teaching you how to lose weight specific to your menopause transition.

It’s also suitable for those of you who are post-menopausal, because every single strategy has been researched from my women’s healthy ageing studies. Pulling all this information together changed my life and I now want you to benefit from this information too.

MyMT™ Transform Me Menopause Weight Loss and Symptom Reduction Program

https://vimeo.com/756275208?share=copy

### Your ageing arteries in post-menopause and the magic of magnesium.

Women's health and ageing research is replete with cardiovascular disease studies. The declining health of our mother's generation have paved the way for this type of research in older women.  For many women, menopause is the start of their changing heart health ... but here’s the thing that our mother's generation didn't know - it doesn’t have to be this way.

Menopause is the time of our lives when we are most at risk of high blood pressure and changing heart health and researchers now understand that our mid-life years are the time to change how we look after ourselves. Otherwise, hot flushes, poor sleep and aching joints continue into the post-menopause years.

With women’s death rate from heart disease in America nearly eight times higher than death rates from cancer and New Zealand, Australia and the UK leading the world in heart disease incidence, increasing evidence indicates that hormonal changes in menopause may also be involved (Maas, 2020).

Over 30 years ago in the early 1990's, when I was a former ICU nurse, every now and again, there would be a call to go and help-out the busy nurses in the Coronary Care Unit.  At the time, I didn't give a thought to how many of the patients lying in beds hooked up to cardiac monitors were women who had just arrived in menopause or post-menopause.

But they were - and now that I'm in post-menopause myself and with my women's healthy ageing studies leading me down the rabbit-hole about how the effect declining oestrogen has on other organs around the body, including cardiac muscle and blood vessels, these memories make sense.

Women in their menopause transition and those already in post-menopause are at increased risk for changing heart health as they age. Whilst both weight gain and poor sleep patterns affect post-menopause heart health, new research reports why magnesium exerts a powerful influence on our heart health too.



At the time that I was helping out my colleagues in the CCU all those years ago, over 153,000 post-menopausal women in America were entering one of the largest women's health studies to be undertaken. Today I thank them.

As participants in the Women's Health Initiative Study they were recruited between 1993 and 1998 and their magnesium intake at the time, was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire.
Magnesium and menopause: what you need to know
It is well known that magnesium plays an important role in cardiac physiology, helping the heart to contract. Over the next decade, coronary heart disease was measured in this cohort as well as sudden death. Earlier this year, a brand new women's health study has gone back to this original research, reminding us that as we move into our post-menopause years, [when our periods have stopped for a year or more], having adequate dietary magnesium (not supplements) matters.

When I present my live Masterclass on Menopause seminars, (now available online), I often asked women if they were taking lots of supplements. Most were. When I used to follow this query up by enquiring if they know if they work, most weren't sure. This was my curiosity too.



Vascular stiffness in blood vessels

Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing. As such, there are changes to our blood vessels and other organs. In an age whereby media and pharmaceutical companies focus on marketing botox and other external products to promote anti-ageing, the salient point of our internal cellular ageing gets forgotten.

When menopause arrives, there are numerous structural changes that occur in our body, not just changes to our oestrogen and progesterone levels. This is an important point for all women, not only those who are regular exercisers.  As we lose oestrogen, our blood vessels are ageing and this leads to vascular or arterial stiffness. The loss of elasticity in blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, means that we may may feel more bloated, our legs may feel heavy, restless and aching (especially for exercisers) and our blood pressure and heat regulation may get out of balance too. When we have busy, active lives, the vascular stiffness leaves us feeling exhausted.

These internal changes going on 'inside' our body are important for all of us to understand.With vascular stiffness arriving in mid-life and beyond, the risk of cardiac disease as we age increases. As such, one of the strategies that I promote in the MyMT™ programmes is to get women thinking about the magic of magnesium. Australia's women's health expert, Dr Sandra Cabot, values it as important too,

"To have a mineral found in nature, a mineral your body needs, a mineral that is easily and cheaply available (in pill or powder form) and known to be useful in treating or preventing dozens of medical conditions - to me, that sounds like a dream come true."  [Cabot, S. (2004). Magnesium the Miracle Mineral. SCB International Inc.



Why you may need Magnesium in Menopause: 

Magnesium supplements have sky-rocketed over the past decade or so as they are heavily marketed to women in their menopause transition as the panacea for hot flushes, night sweats and other aches and pains. But there is another important role for magnesium in menopause too. And that is to help reduce our risk of heart disease and to regulate our blood pressure.

New research indicates that for women during menopause, magnesium is an important co-factor (helper) mineral for a number of enzyme functions that work specifically in cardiac mitochondria. And with my eye on our cardiac health as we age and go into post-menopause, there’s never been a better reason than menopause, to have a little re-think and focus on magnesium!

Magnesium is important for healing and so too, is it's opposing partner, calcium. The two help to balance and restore muscle and nerve function in the body and help in a heap of other reactions in the body during and after menopause as well. Crucial for women who are busy and active, as Patricia is over there in Canada, as you can see in the banner below.

We need around 320mg to 400mg daily of magnesium and preferably from our diet. As an ‘essential mineral’ this means that our body doesn't make it. With magnesium involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions involving energy metabolism and blood pressure regulation, it is pretty important to our health and energy. For us girls going through menopause, it is also important for:

 	helping hormones to bind to receptor cells
 	the prevention of too much calcium getting into cells
 	muscle contraction and nerve activity (along with calcium)
 	control of blood vessel dilation and tone
 	helping nerve impulses to pass through cardiac muscle.

But perhaps the most important issue, is that magnesium deficiency has been shown to play a role in inflammation and when our body is stressed (as it is when we aren’t sleeping in menopause), then magnesium deficiency also leads to an exaggerated response to even more stress, especially in our cells and tissues, through our nerve-hormonal pathways.

This type of stress is called oxidative stress and makes our hot flushes, muscle and joint pain and weight gain become worse during menopause and when we move into post-menopause, especially if women are regular exercisers.



Why might we become low in magnesium?

Several factors can cause low magnesium. Top of my list, would be an unhealthy liver or gut. If we have inflammation in these organs, then any magnesium that we do have in our diet, cannot be absorbed properly.

Many women don’t have ideal gut health to absorb as much magnesium as their body needs. It's why for my APRIL MyMT™ ProgrammeSale, I've included a bonus Gut Heaalth module, along with my brand new Heart Health module and a Joint Health Module.

Next on my list is doing too much exercise or experiencing high stress levels. When this occurs and we are always in ‘fight or flight’ mode, then our lovely long vagus nerve is always stimulated. This increases gut motility or movement, and when this happens, again, the food passes through our gut too quickly, so absorption time is delayed.

When it comes to exercise, magnesium matters. In aerobic exercise, higher intake of Mg has been shown to be associated with less oxygen needs and better  cardiorespiratory outcomes (Zhang et al., 2017) - something that all of you who are active need to know.

Studies have also shown that the quality of our food and food processing means that magnesium can be deficient in our diet, but alcohol can decrease magnesium uptake as can osteoporosis medication as well as poor water levels of magnesium.

The significance of magnesium and its relationship to the origin of life has been traced by researchers interested in the body’s dependence on it. In their 1999 review article on magnesium, Fawcett, Haxby & Male contend,

“The importance of magnesium is derived from the composition of the earth’s crust (rich in iron–magnesium silicate) and the primeval ocean rich in magnesium, to the formation of chlorophyll with magnesium at the centre of the molecule, and finally to its incorporation into the animal cell containing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) with its dependence on magnesium."

When magnesium levels get low, then we can experience leg cramps, increased muscle twitching and cardiac palpitations. With these all noted symptoms of menopause hormonal changes, then yes, maybe we do need to look at our magnesium levels every so often.



There are some great ways we can improve magnesium uptake during menopause:  

 	Epsom Salts: Magnesium has been used as a therapeutic agent for hundreds of years and well before pharmaceutical companies sold magnesium to us in bottles! Magnesium-rich waters of Epsom Spa Town have been known to be beneficial ever since the 16th Century (this is where Epsom Salts were discovered).
 	Food Sources: If you want to use your diet to increase magnesium rather than supplements, then get more beans, nuts and whole grains into you. For my amazing women on the MyMT™ programmes, I get them to increase their intake of organic brown rice, green leafy vegetables and they can also have bananas, dark chocolate and of course, a black coffee – all foods and drinks which are rich sources of magnesium and other healthy nutrients.



 	Artesian Water: When I was in Switzerland earlier this year after two years of our borders closing, it was so nice to taste again, the mineral-rich water in the small village I was visiting. I had almost forgotten how wonderful it was. Everywhere in the village, troughs were brimming over with glacial water coming down from the Swiss Alps. In my visits there in the past, I learnt that the ‘magic’ of these waters lay in the richness of two minerals – calcium and magnesium. Further investigation and local knowledge, led me to discover that just 1 litre of this beautiful alpine water delivers around 50% of the daily requirements of calcium and magnesium to drinkers. No wonder I was told that many locals live to a ripe old age! Women from around the world who are in my coaching groups get all this fabulous knowledge as well.

Magnesium is a vital tool in our dietary tool-box as we transition through menopause as are most minerals and vitamins. But if we aren’t absorbing these nutrients then the priority is to turn around the gut, liver and cardiac inflammation that prevents magnificent magnesium from doing its job. I show you how to do this in my 12 week programmes and it's why I've bundled up these modules in both of my foundation programmes (Circuit Breaker for thinner women and Transform Me for overweight women) this month.  If you are in post-menopause and your symptoms are troubling you still, then I hope you can join me.

Sometimes we do need a boost from supplements, but other times we can get adequate amounts from improving our focus on the right foods at different life stages.

As I say to each and every one of the women in the MyMT™ Community,

“When it comes to our menopause transition and as we step into our post-menopause years, you don’t need a lot of food, just the right food. That includes the right food for your heart health as you transition menopause - this aspect of our nutrition as we age is being forgotten in a world of unhealthy and not-so-well evidenced dietary claims, many of which don't focus on women going through menopause."

[Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine].



References:

Di Nicolantonio J., Liu J., & O’Keefe J. (2018). Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Open Heart. 5:e000775. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2018-000775 Fawcett, Haxby & Male (1999). Magnesium physiology & pharmacology. Br J Anaesth. 83(2):302-20. doi: 10.1093/bja/83.2.302. PMID: 10618948.

Li, J., Hovey, K. et al. (2020). Association of dietary magnesium intake with fatal coronary heart disease and sudden cardiac death. Journal of Women's Health, 29(1), 1-6.

Lorenzo, I., Serra-Prat, M., & Yébenes, J. C. (2019). The Role of Water Homeostasis in Muscle Function and Frailty: A Review. Nutrients, 11(8), 1857. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081857

Schuchardt, J. P., & Hahn, A. (2017). Intestinal Absorption and Factors Influencing Bioavailability of Magnesium-An Update. Current nutrition and food science, 13(4), 260–278. https://doi.org/10.2174/1573401313666170427162740

Zhang, Y., Xun, P., Wang, R., Mao, L., & He, K. (2017). Can Magnesium Enhance Exercise Performance?. Nutrients, 9(9), 946. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9090946

### "My sleep was disastrous. I am a single-mum and had no idea how to look after myself in menopause. I'm 59 and now feel amazing!"

"What does my life look like at 59?" pondered Andrea in the MyMT™ Coaching Community.

I had no idea that Andrea was in my session at the Australian Women's Health and Fitness Conference, but I must have struck a chord with her, because a few months later, she arrived in my online MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme [which is the programme for thinner/ leaner women like Andrea].  I'm so pleased that she came on board because, when you are at a turning point in your life and reflecting on all that has gone on as you begin your new journey into the next phase of your life, then you need to get your sore joints, hot flushes, anxiety and sleep sorted.

I'm so grateful that Andrea has shared her powerful story, not only with the MyMT™ private coaching community, but now, with all of you too. Her story strikes so many chords with all of us at this stage of life I'm sure.

"It wasn’t until I started to struggle with my own late menopause at 57 years that I became fascinated with Wendy's programme," mentioned Andrea. "I'm a boots-and-all kind of person and I wanted to understand what was happening to me in menopause as well as for my personal training and pilates clients. 

When your children are young and you are in the craziness of juggling everything, you kinda forget there will be a time your age will begin to catch up with you, your children will leave home and follow their own dreams and you will be left questioning what your life is about.

For me personally, as a single Mum for most of my 2 sons childhood, I never imagined my life without being ‘needed’ in the practical ways, making meals, driving them to sporting practice and events, taking them to the doctor etc but these times do finish (if you are fortunate to have healthy independent kids). Of course you are always a Mum emotionally, but as many women discover as I had to as well, your role will change dramatically.



APT is my business of 12 years, but also the sum and culmination of my life-learnings. My foundation as an ex-ballet dancer through to becoming a Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor and Functional Trainer gives me the experience that I love and has led me towards  creating my business and my newest passion, 'bodyART Training'.

From a shy little girl who would not say boo to anyone, but would happily dance around the lounge room for anyone to watch through to a young determined ballet student who was constantly told her body was wrong and she would never be a professional ballet dancer, I have always pushed myself to strive for my dreams. At 17 years young, I was found by an incredible Mentor/ Teacher, who drew me into 'knowing' deep in my gut, that I must go to London to train with him. As such, I proved to the 'naysayers, my passion and deeply embedded spirit, that I simply HAD to dance. I then became the youngest of a 70-strong top world-class classical ballet company based there. I lived my dream, performing in all of the major classics and sharing the stage with none other than Rudolph Nureyev.



A life before marriage & children feels almost like you were once somebody else . . . and so mine was. My career at such a young age, led into other theatrical areas with many forks in the road, performing in a musical touring Australia, marrying an opera singer & becoming a highly sought after Opera & Theatre Stage Manager & Assistant Director for many, many years.

My second marriage led me to finally ‘settle down’ and I had 2 beautiful sons. But then I became a single-mum with my whole immediate family tragically gone. Like all single-mums I boxed on and never gave menopause or my nagging joint pain and symptoms a thought. Until I heard Wendy speak at the conference. 

I suppose this current stage I'm at now, was just not able to fit into my future thinking. Yet, I'm thankful I had the sense to pursue a passion to create my own independent work to survive when I returned to study and started my business in 2007.  What I DO know is that being physically & mentally mobile, strong & flexible is essential to a quality life for me as I get older. I had no idea that menopause would leave me exhausted and desperate for sleep! 

I didn't realise that this stage of life requires a different approach to how I've been living my life for years. Wendy really helped me to understand that old formulas and hard-core, push-yourself, non-stop are NOT going to cut it any more. As well, if you were at an elite level of a sport or a dancer like me, you WILL start to pay the price with what you relentlessly pushed your body into & through. As I discovered, we all acquire more and more inflammation as we age, and yes, our past matters, as does not sleeping!

I was so confused as my own mobility was in question over the past 2-3 years. I had also noticed how cranky I was becoming because of it. Waking up stiff with painful parts of me like arthritis in my feet, an ankle that would not move, painful hip joints etc that were in need of slow, nurturing daily movement.

Over the past couple of years, I also began to sow the seeds for my new business, ‘Mobility Matters’. This developed from my learnings as a Mentor/ Teacher in London as well as my years in my existing business called APT incorporating - Personalised Training/ Pilates/ Functional Training as well as, bodyART (since 2015 and I'm now an Australian Master Trainer). Mobility Matters is all about bringing positive yet simple self-learning tools to older adults and those who have lost their confidence and joy to move. I knew I had to make a difference to their lives through my mobility magic!   It was born out of my own essential desire to feel positive, youthful & happy when I walk out my door to train my clients or teach a class.

Through Wendy's programme, it became even clearer that a more mindful, self-learning, patient journey must begin, especially as you progress through menopause. As Wendy often says,"You must re-discover 'your' self again."That's how I used her programme - not only to help myself, but to give me the necessary information to provide the next stage of 'me'.

Life at 59 is looking pretty good now. I'm so excited now to see what the next few years will bring!

I know from many of my clients that so many women are confused as to why what they did when they were younger no longer works for them now that they are in menopause. I felt like this too. But in her 12 week programme, Wendy addressed all of this methodically giving me practical ways to deal with it NOW. A positive mindset is essential but aligning mind, body & spirit is even more so, for what I believe is the secret to optimal health, happiness and life quality.

Putting a more positive slant on menopause and also being part of the Wendy's private MyMT™ Coaching Community has been a great help to me as well. Talking about the normality of menopause and the different ways it affects women is a conversation that needs to be open and no longer tucked away. Wendy is a world leader for this - Bravo Wendy!

Andrea Gaze, Australia 

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Swap Out the Meat This Week With Nut and Mango Salsa Tacos

Hypertension (High blood pressure) is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. All of these conditions are known to increase in prevalence in post-menopausal women.Interestingly, the elements linking cardiovascular wellness, including lower blood pressure levels, and a heart-healthy diet, all focus on reducing vascular stiffness, or endothelial (blood vessel lining) dysfunction. One of the ways to achieve a heart-healthy diet, is to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, increase healthy grains intake, reduce salt and of course, try to reduce the consumption of meat, including processed meat. Both the New Zealand and Australian Heart Foundation’s position on food and nutrition recognises that healthy eating patterns do not rely on one type of food or nutrient to promote heart health, but rather, these are based on a combination of foods, chosen regularly over time. The heart-friendly principles promoted by the Heart Foundations in both countries encourage people to eat: 1. Plenty of vegetables, fruits and wholegrains.2. A variety of healthy protein sources: this includes fish and seafood, legumes, nuts and seeds. If eating red meat, limit this to 1-3 times a week.3. Unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. People with highblood cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties.4. Healthy fat choices: This includes nuts, seeds, avocados, olivesand their oils for cooking.5. Herbs and spices added to flavour foods, instead ofusing salt.With these recommendations in mind, I love this Heart-Healthy recipe which I would love you to try. Even your carnivore family members might enjoy the change from meat and I hope they enjoy the sensational salsa to go with the Nut Tacos. Nut Tacos with Mango SalsaModified from Nadia Lim recipe - https://nadialim.com/vegan-tacos-with-nut-meat-and-pineapple-salsa-recipe/*Recipe requires a Food ProcessorNut Mince¾ cup walnuts¾ cup roasted almonds½ cup sundried tomatoes chopped1 clove garlic (small) or ½ medium clove, minced1 teaspoon smoked paprika½ teaspoon ground cumin½ teaspoon ground coriander¼ teaspoon ground chilli or cayenne pepper1½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari1 tablespoon balsamic vinegarSalad1½ cups mango1 avocado½ red onion, finely dicedA handful of cherry tomatoesA handful of coriander, chopped1-2 tablespoons lime of lemon juiceTo serve12 soft corn tortillas or crispy corn taco shells (have a look in your supermarket or health food store for organic tacos which don’t have added preservatives). Alternatively, you could find a recipe for flatbreads, which are a lot of fun to make (especially if you have kids in the house who can lend a hand).JalapeñosLow fat Greek yoghurtInstructionsTo make the nut-mince, place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times until ingredients are crumbly and just combined – be careful that you don’t over-process the mixture or else it will lose its crumbly texture and be too smooth. The texture should reassemble that of crumbly cooked mince.Combine all salad ingredients and season to taste with salt, pepper, lime or lemon juice and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.Gently heat tacos in the microwave (or according to the packet instructions)Serve with a dash of yoghurt and jalapenos if you are brave.Bon appetit! 		
																										
		References:De Pergola G, D'Alessandro A. Influence of Mediterranean Diet on Blood Pressure. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 7;10(11):1700. Dietary Position Statement: Meat and Heart Healthy Eating. (2019). Australian Heart Foundation. Tara Shrout Allen, Harpreet S Bhatia, Alexis C Wood, Shabnam R Momin, Matthew A Allison, State-of-the-Art Review: Evidence on Red Meat Consumption and Hypertension Outcomes, American Journal of Hypertension, Volume 35, Issue 8, August 2022, Pages 679–687.Tasić T, Tadić M, Lozić M. Hypertension in Women. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Jun 3;9:905504. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.905504.  

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Boost your brain with Blueberry and Banana Muffins

It always intrigues me that numerous supplements which are marketed to women during their menopause transition, comprise ingredients which mainly have anti-inflammatory effects as well as containing nutrients, such as flavonoids, which help to prevent neuro-degenerative disorders, such as brain changes as we age.Flavonoid compounds are products extracted from plants and they are found in several parts of the plant. Berries are very high in these flavonoids. It's not surprising to find these flavonoid-rich supplements targeted toward midlife women. Afterall, many epidemiological studies have shown that regular flavonoid- rich fruit intake is associated with delayed Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ischemic diseases, brain-fog and ageing effects (Subash et al, 2014).Since oxidative stress and inflammation appear to be involved in brain ageing and menopause is the biological gateway into our ageing years and this is the time when inflammatory problems increase, it makes sense to target foods such as berries that help to prevent these changes.  Whilst we all know that eating the whole berry and maintaining the mantra that 'fresh is best', there are times when it's nice to prepare foods that you can freeze or you can share with family and friends.That's why I like the simplicity and convenience of muffins.They are wonderful tucked into lunch-boxes to have with an apple at afternoon tea-time. They also freeze well so you can make them in advance. These muffins are a family favourite and before I discovered almond flour, I used to use a gluten-free flour which I just found at the local supermarket. I hope you can bake them over the Easter break, especially if you have a houseful of friends and/or family. Bon appetit!Blueberry Banana Muffins (makes 9)Wet Ingredients3 overripe bananas1 tsp vanilla extract2 eggsDry Ingredients2 ½ cups almond flour½ tsp baking soda¼ tsp salt1 cup blueberriesFinely chopped dark chocolate (optional)Heat oven to 180C/ 350FWhisk together all of the wet ingredients in a bowl.Add all the dry ingredients to the same bowl (except for the blueberries and dark chocolate).Slowly stir in the blueberries and dark chocolate. Make sure you don’t over stir as the blueberries will split.Line a muffin tray with muffin liners (or lightly grease with olive oil) and scoop the mixture in (until they are nearly full).Bake for 25 minutes. The muffins should be brown on top, but not burnt, so set the timer! 		
																										
		References:Panche AN, Diwan AD, Chandra SR. Flavonoids: an overview. J Nutr Sci. 2016 Dec 29;5:e47.Subash S, Essa MM, Al-Adawi S, Memon MA, Manivasagam T, Akbar M. Neuroprotective effects of berry fruits on neurodegenerative diseases. Neural Regen Res. 2014 Aug 15;9(16):1557-66.

### Why alcohol and post-menopause aren't a good mix!

Drinking culture is big business in many parts of the world and I was reminded of it today as I stood in line at check-in at Geneva airport.The woman was in her 50s and was off to Dubai to party-up a storm with her friend. In their race to get to check-in, they had already downed a couple of martinis. Whilst it sounded like they were going to have lots of fun, I couldn't help noticing that she was already fanning her face with a notebook she was holding. There's nothing wrong with a having alcohol of course and most of us enjoy it socially, however, I know myself that it's challenging when we are distracted with hot flushes when we drink ... especially as we reach our post-menopause years - this designates when you haven't had your period for a year or more.When it comes to alcohol and our symptoms, I'm not surprised that numerous women on the MyMT programmes mention similar experiences. It’s hard to know exactly when I made the connection between alcohol and my own hot flushes and poor sleep. If you’ve been enjoying that glass of beautiful wine for years without feeling the effects of hot flushes, when it does happen, you know that ‘something’ is going on.But on reflection, it was when I moved from peri-menopause into post-menopause, that I really noticed it. So I wasn’t surprised when I saw that research supports what many of us have noticed - alcohol and menopause, don't mix!*		
																														
		Peri-menopause typically begins around your mid-40’s. It’s the time of life when your reproductive hormones are starting to go into natural decline.Whilst peri-menopause is when symptoms are usually at their worst, as we move into menopause (when periods have stopped) and then to post-menopause (when our periods have stopped for a year or more), some of the symptoms can hang around – for women who drink alcohol this can include hot flushes.The good news for those of you in peri-menopause is that the effect of your biological ageing hasn’t quite hit your liver or blood vessels yet. You still have some way to go before structural changes begin in your liver.For women in post-menopause, it’s these structural changes that help to explain why that glass of wine starts to make you feel hot and sweaty when it hasn’t had this effect on you before.Alcohol is associated with a higher risk of hot flushes when women are in post-menopause. It’s all to do with our post-menopause hormone, testosterone. Yes, even though we are females, our body still produces some testosterone, especially if women still have their ovaries as they move into post-menopause.Add to this, our stressful lives at the moment, not sleeping properly and our ageing muscles and liver; alcohol consumption clashes with these other factors too. This combination causes many women to produce more testosterone, the hot flushes get worse, post-menopause weight increases and our gut health is affected too.Numerous studies have shown that alcohol has an effect on other hormones too. This includes testosterone and the hormones that control our blood sugar levels - insulin and glucagon. This is especially so for women having more than 2-4 drinks a week – or having this many drinks all at once.When women in post-menopause drink more than 2-3 glasses of alcohol at once, DHEA-S (the sulphated form) increases in the bloodstream. When levels of DHEA-S are higher than normal, this causes more hot flushes.The effect, to researchers, is higher in post-menopausal women than peri-menopausal women. That’s why, if you are younger and only in peri-menopause, alcohol may not affect your ‘hot-flush’ triggers, however, it may be starting to affect your sleeping patterns instead. 		
																														
		Alcohol loves your liver. It supplies a ready and steady source of glucose (sugar) and glycogen (stored glucose) reserves. At the same time however, while your liver is trying to take up the glucose from the alcohol, it is also trying to clear the toxins and preservatives in alcohol in order to protect your brain. The alcohol is therefore, preventing the liver from absorbing glucose and storing it, which is what the liver wants to do. Hence, many women have cravings for more and more alcohol as the need for glucose in the liver is so great.When I came to better understand that with menopause being the biological gateway to our ageing, I also researched all the changes that are going on inside our cells and tissues as we lose oestrogen.Knowing what to do to change your lifestyle to adjust to these natural changes is important, it's what I teach women in the 12 week MyMT™ programmes.With alcohol on my mind this week as well as the knowledge that it's easy to open a bottle of wine at the end of a long, stressful day at work, I want to invite you to listen to the video below. In this, I explain how April is MyMT™ MENOPAUSE AT WORK Month, so all of my programmes are on sale with savings of NZ$75. When I came to better understand that menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing, I also researched all the changes that are going on inside our cells and tissues as we lose oestrogen.Knowing what to do to change your lifestyle to adjust to these natural changes is important, it's what I teach women in the 12 week MyMT™ programmes. I would love you to discover these strategies as well. Wherever you are in the world right now, I hope you are going well.Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD]/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ MyMT™ FounderWendy Sweet, [PhD/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ MyMT Health Coach]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq-pbdY8NuQReferences:* Schilling, C. et. al (2008). Current Alcohol Use, Hormone Levels, and Hot Flashes in Midlife Women. Fertil Steril., 87(6): 1483–1486. National Institute of Health.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Discover your Joy of Juicing with Yinka at JuiceyFIT.

When Yinka from Bedfordshire (just north of London), applied to come on board as a MyMT™ Affiliate Coach last year, I noticed that not only was she a Registered Nutritionist, but she also advertises herself as a 'Juicing Therapist'. I sent her an email."Yinka, the ladies would love to have one of your juicing recipes - would you mind sharing one please?''So, she did. I know that not all of you have tried juicing, but it is so worth doing to help you to reduce inflammation and increase your antioxidant nutrients. Here is Yinka's Juice Recipe for you all to try this week in the MyMT™ Kitchen. Since completing the MyMT™ professional development course Yinka has been working hard to get the vital lifestyle science information out to midlife women in her community.She is determined to make sure that everyone, no matter their economic status, nor ethnicity, or location has access to resources and education to get them through their transition.I am so proud of what Yinka has been able to achieve, so for those of you who are based around the Bedfordshire area, and are interested in starting the MyMT™ Transform Me or Circuit Breaker Programmes, I invite you to get in touch with Yinka at info@juiceyfit.co.uk. Yinka is qualified to coach and support you alongside your MyMT™ programme. As part of her coaching, you will also receive access to her online gym classes and lots more delicious juicing recipes and workshops.		
																										
		 “As a juicing therapist, I hold workshops for my clients and community to teach them about the benefits of juicing for health. As a generation of women, men included, we have had a lot of exposure to the wrong foods which have compromised the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. This is where juicing vegetables comes to our aid - to give the digestive system a break and the opportunity to repair, so it can do a better job of digestion, waste removal, detoxification, and other necessary functions. I love trying different juices. Some, I don’t expect to make it to the family favourites list, but this one did the trick. I named it after my middle daughter because when I made it for the first time I took a sip and then gave it to her to try. Before I could ask her how it was, she drank the whole glass of juice. I guess that was the taster’s approval I needed. Beetroot is one of my favourite root vegetables and for many good reasons too, including their dark red colour. Beetroot is a good source of Folic Acid, Vitamin C and Potassium which is good for heart health. Since completing Wendy's professional development programme, I have now realised the importance of betaine and the anti-inflammatory compounds that are specific to helping reduce blood pressure and dilate our arteries as we age and move through menopause.Beetroot can be eaten raw or cooked, including the stem and the beetroot leaves. No part of this vegetable is wasted! I hope you enjoy making it and drinking it as much as my clients do!”- Yinka (JuiceyFIT) The MyMT™ Kitchen: Dani Live Juice (By Yinka at JuiceyFIT)1 small beetroot (peel the skin off)2-3 celery stalks1 large handful of arugula/rocket1 green apple1/2 lemon or lemon (peel and leave white pith on)Ice cubes (optional)Step 1: Prepare ingredients (chop to fit juicer chute).Step 2: Juice and serve over ice for a cold drink. You may add water for a more diluted juice!

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Apples - a core consideration for your gut health.

Will an apple a day keep the Doctor away for women during their menopause transition? If we follow the research on the effect of a whole apple (including the skin) on our gut microbiome, then yes, we may well help our health as we move through menopause.

Apples are one of the most highly consumed fruits in the world and I try to have one nearly every day. This salad has apples in it as well as a type of lettuce available in Europe called 'Lamb's Lettuce'. How it got that name I have no idea, but this winter green which I found whilst over in Europe, is a delicious and ideal addition to a meal for menopausal women!

Lamb's Lettuce is packed with beta-carotene, potassium, Vitamin B9, and fibre, it turns a simple salad into a nutrient-rich dish for women in their menopause transition.

Furthermore, this winter salad which I've made with lettuce, celery, avocado, apple and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and lemon, is a wonderful meal that your gut microbiome will love! 

Apples represent the most important dietary source for various flavonoids in our diets, and research suggests that apples offer a beneficial impact on human health. [Wasserman et al, 2019].

Apples are a rich source of polyphenols and fibre. Their role in gut health is due to a major proportion of the apple polyphenols escaping absorption in the small intestine and moving towards the colon, where they serve as substrates for bacterial fermentation. [Koutsas et al, 2017]

But there is more to apples and improved midlife health and this is because they are a great source of the anti-inflammatory nutrient, called Quercetin.

I've written about this nutrient in the past, especially in relation to our immune health.

“Apples are a widely consumed, rich source of phytochemicals, and epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. In the laboratory, apples have been found to have very strong antioxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol.” [Boyer & Hai Liu, 2004].



It’s the skin of apples that contains the most quercetin, which is just one anti-inflammatory nutrient that you will benefit from daily.

The skin of apples also has the most cholesterol and fat-lowering constituents. When my weight and LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad one) reached an all-time high in my early 50s, I learnt about apples and apple skin and how beneficial apples were for liver and cardiovascular health.

For those of you who wish to lose weight, lower your cholesterol, reduce risk of cancer, manage diabetes and reduce liver fat, then how about you chomp on at least 2 small apples a day? You can stew them as well (no added sugar) and have them with your morning oats or make a simple salad as I did today.

The research on the role of apples in the human diet was enough to convince me to add at least 1-2 apples a day when my health was at its worst. I hope I can convince you to eat them daily too.

Not only did I make apples the base for any juicing, but I would eat them whole. They became my afternoon snack along with celery sticks and peanut butter. I also cut them up to take on hikes and I add chopped apples with the skin on to salads now too.

We often think that food and cooking has to be complicated, but it doesn't at all. So, with apples at the core of our gut health, I hope you can make this simple salad sometime.
The MyMT™ Kitchen: Lettuce, Apple and Celery Salad
(This serves 4 adults as a side salad for dinner, but you can add greater amounts of the ingredients to this salad to suit the number of people at your table).

 	2-3 cups of chopped Lettuce (I sourced organic Lamb's Lettuce whilst in Europe recently).
 	2 stalks of celery chopped
 	2 small apples chopped
 	1/2 avocado chopped
 	1/2 cup of sultanas
 	1/2 cup of almonds chopped.

Put all ingredients into a salad bowl and toss together.

Dressing:

 	1 small lemon freshly squeezed
 	1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Blend together and toss through the salad just before serving. Bon appetit.



References: 

Koutsos A, Lima M, Conterno L, Gasperotti M, Bianchi M, Fava F, Vrhovsek U, Lovegrove JA, Tuohy KM. Effects of Commercial Apple Varieties on Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Output Using an In Vitro Colonic Model. Nutrients. 2017 May 24;9(6):533.

Li Y, Yao J, Han C, Yang J, Chaudhry MT, Wang S, Liu H, Yin Y. Quercetin, Inflammation and Immunity. Nutrients. 2016 Mar 15;8(3):167.

Wassermann B., Müller H., Berg G. (2019). An Apple a Day: Which Bacteria Do We Eat With Organic and Conventional Apples?  Frontiers in Microbiology, 10.

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Feel sustained throughout your day with these Danish Crackers

As the body undergoes a number of physical changes during menopause, it is now known that there are certain foods that are better for us in midlife and beyond. This includes many of the ingredients in these delicious Danish crackers.  For example, rolled oats are known to help reduce cholesterol due to the beta-glucans in them, and did you know that pumpkin seeds contain phyto-oestrogens (plant-based oestrogens) and pumpkin-seed oil is increasingly recognised as helping to increase the 'good' high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations, which in turn helps reduce our risk of heart disease. (Gossell-Williams, 2007) But perhaps the best thing about having these crackers in your pantry, is that when you are too busy to cook, or you want a healthy snack on the run, then you can grab them and stack them with your favourite toppings.  The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Snack on these delicious Danish Seed Crackers throughout your day to keep you feeling sustained.  Ingredients (you will need a rolling pin)1/4 cup rolled oats1/4 cup linseeds1/4 cup sunflower seeds1/4 cup pumpkin seeds1/4 cup sesame seedsA bit less than a cup of Gluten Free flour1 tsp salt1/2 cup parmesan1/2 cup water1/4 cup olive oilMethodHeat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).Mix together all ingredients.Place baking paper on a large oven tray and roll out the mixture on thetray until it is very thin.Make cut marks in the mixture to resemble the size crackers youwould like.Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy them hot or cold!

### "I lost confidence in my role and contemplated quitting. I didn’t recognise myself for about 12 months." (Wendy, Australia)

Whilst the general concepts of stress are broadly accepted these days as an ever-present part of modern life, it's not until we experience it ourselves, that we realise that as Newton's Third Law promotes, 'for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction'. Many of us find out about this the hard way, as one of the MyMT™ Affiliate Practitioners, Wendy Gordon from Australia, did too.

Working as a Paramedic and in a senior management role with the Australian Ambulance service, Wendy didn't think about the accumulative impact of stress on her physical and mental health as she moved into her 50s.

Now trained as a MyMT™ Affiliate Practitioner, she brings her incredible expertise and experience to you. I hope you can read her powerful story below and if you live in Australia, or the Melbourne area, then Wendy's details are below too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation.



“When I turned 50 I thought I had dodged the challenges of peri-menopause. Not one hot flush. I had always been on the chubby side, and my cholesterol was on the rise but I wasn’t too concerned.

But I was exhausted.

I worked 6 x 10-hour day shifts, and was on call overnight as a paramedic as I managed multiple branches. At the time I was a single mum of 3 and I also ran my Complementary Medicine Clinic part time after completing 5 years of intense study.

I thought my restless sleep was an acceptable side effect of years of shift work. Basically, I stayed so busy that I didn’t recognise peri-menopause and I suppressed any health issues by being stoic.

It was when I was promoted into a senior management role in Ambulance and relocated within the region that I recognised I had profound fatigue. I was isolating myself and I started to have suicidal thoughts regularly.

I lost confidence in my role and contemplated quitting without any consideration of the financial consequences. I didn’t recognise myself for about 12 months.

I made an appointment at a women’s health clinic and left with a script for antidepressants, I didn’t tell anyone and felt alone and ashamed. After taking the medication, against everything I valued about natural medicine I threw them in the bin after 4 weeks feeling worse than ever.

My son recognised I was unwell and moved the girls and I in with him. This was when I started to be honest with myself and others about how I felt. I also started to research what was happening to me as the medical profession wanted to label it mental-health, but I knew there was more to it.

I am a Registered Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist, Meditation Facilitator, practicing Advanced Life Support Paramedic a former Registered Nurse with 30 years of experience. Yet I didn’t know how to help myself through this difficult stage of my life. None of my training talked about this. 

I found Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) MyMT™ programme on Facebook and read everything I could find from her.  I felt relieved and hopeful that I could possibly work my way back to health with solutions that aligned with my beliefs and values.

I joined the programme and worked on one change at a time and listed what I wanted my future to look like – daily walks, a whole food diet, restful, refreshing sleep, renewed confidence, no calorie counting, acceptance of myself and so much more. One by one I implemented the layers from the MyMT™ Transform Me programme. With Wendy’s help, my mental and physical health improved dramatically over time.

When Wendy advertised her inaugural Menopause Practitioner Course, I was genuinely elated because one of my goals was to help other women like me, and this was the perfect opportunity to continue learning from Wendy with a programme that I had so much belief in.

At the end of the course, as a result of my improved health and confidence in myself, I decided I wanted to focus on women approaching their menopause transition. I decided to develop a virtual women’s health clinic and become a MyMT™ Affiliate Coach.

My business, Your Health Naturally was created 10 years ago. I now offer the Wise Woman & Menopause Programme in combination with MyMT™ Circuit Breaker and Transform me programmes. The programme also includes personal one-to-one consultations with me, as well as a private Facebook community,  access to live sessions with guest speakers and so much more.

Please get in touch if you would like to talk about the best option for you. Your Health Naturally can also be found on Facebook and Instagram."

- Wendy Gordon (MyMT Affiliate Coach) - yourhealthnaturally@bigpond.com

### Meet Wendy Gordon - Our newest MyMT™ Affiliate Coach based in Victoria, Australia.

Do you live in Victoria or Tasmania? Wendy Gordon has just trained to become a MyMT™ Affiliate Coach and she would love to support you with her new Wise Woman & Menopause Programme (which includes access to MyMT™ Circuit Breaker or Transform Me).

Her coaching is delivered online, so you can be based anywhere in the region. 

“When I turned 50 I thought I had dodged the challenges of peri-menopause. Not one hot flush. I had always been on the chubby side, and my cholesterol was on the rise but I wasn’t too concerned.

But I was exhausted. I worked 6 x 10-hour day shifts, and was on call overnight as a paramedic as I managed multiple branches. At the time I was a single mum of 3 and I also ran my Complementary Medicine Clinic part time after completing 5 years of intense study. I thought my restless sleep was an acceptable side effect of years of shift work. Basically, I stayed so busy that I didn’t recognise peri-menopause and I suppressed any health issues by being stoic.

It was when I was promoted into a senior management role in Ambulance and relocated within the region that I recognised I had profound fatigue. I was isolating myself and I started to have suicidal thoughts regularly. I lost confidence in my role and contemplated quitting without any consideration of the financial consequences. I didn’t recognise myself for about 12 months.

I made an appointment at a women’s health clinic and left with a script for antidepressants, I didn’t tell anyone and felt alone and ashamed. After taking the medication, against everything I valued about natural medicine I threw them in the bin after 4 weeks feeling worse than ever.

My son recognised I was unwell and moved the girls and I in with him. This was when I started to be honest with myself and others about how I felt. I also started to research what was happening to me as the medical profession wanted to label it mental-health, but I knew there was more to it.

I am a registered Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist, Meditation Facilitator, practicing Advanced Life Support Paramedic and ex Registered Nurse with 30 years of experience and yet I didn’t know how to help myself through this difficult stage of my life. None of my training talked about this. 

I found Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) MyMT™ programme on Facebook and read everything I could find from her.  I felt relieved and hopeful that I could possibly work my way back to health with solutions that aligned with my beliefs and values.

I joined the programme and worked on one change at a time and listed what I wanted my future to look like – daily walks, a whole food diet, restful, refreshing sleep, renewed confidence, no calorie counting, acceptance of myself and so much more. One by one I implemented the layers from the MyMT™ Transform Me programme. With Wendy’s help, my mental and physical health improved dramatically over time.

When Wendy advertised her inaugural Menopause Practitioner Course, I was genuinely elated because one of my goals was to help other women like me, and this was the perfect opportunity to continue learning from Wendy with a programme that I had so much belief in.

At the end of the course, as a result of my improved health and confidence in myself, I decided I wanted to focus on  women approaching their menopause transition. I decided to develop a virtual women’s health clinic and become a MyMT™ Affiliate Coach.

My business, Your Health Naturally was created 10 years ago. I now offer the Wise Woman & Menopause Programme in combination with MyMT™ Circuit Breaker and Transform me programmes. The programme also includes personal one-to-one consultations with me, as well as a private Facebook community,  access to live sessions with guest speakers and so much more.

Please get in touch if you would like to talk about the best option for you. Your Health Naturally can also be found on Facebook and Instagram."

- Wendy Gordon (MyMT Affiliate Coach) - yourhealthnaturally@bigpond.com

Please explore Wendy’s website and get in touch with her at  Yourhealthnaturally@bigpond.com if you are interested in her coaching.  

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Your brain and blood vessels will love these Cauliflower Fish Cakes

It is becoming well known in brain health and ageing research, that a particular fat known as Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is required for brain health and to prevent Alzheimer disease.The highest concentrations of DHA are found in our retina in our eyes and in our brain. Hence, with levels of DHA naturally declining as we move through menopause, it makes sense to me, that we need some of this wonderful omega-3 fat - especially those of you looking at computers all day long! Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid found in cold-water, fatty fish, such as salmon. It is also found in various types of fish as well as fish oil supplements, along with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Vegetarian sources of DHA come from seaweed.Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart, your blood vessels and your brain and as such, we need at least 2 meals each week of fish! The Omega-3 fats in fish help to reduce the production of compounds which may cause blood vessels to constrict as our oestrogen levels decline. This can lead to higher blood pressure and changing brain health as we age.With fish on my mind for brain and blood vessel health as we move through menopause and enter our post-menopause years, I wanted to share this delicious recipe with you, so you could add it to your weekly meal planning. Bon appetit!The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Your brain and blood vessels will love these Cauliflower Fish CakesIngredients (makes enough for 4 people)5 medium sized potatoes, peeled½ cup of cauliflower rice (the heads of the cauliflower chopped up very small)3 pieces of fish chopped into small pieces1 tbsp capers1/2 cup gherkins2 sprigs of spring onion, choppedA handful of fresh herbs such as dill and parsley, chopped very finely1 eggZest of 1 lemon, and then squeeze the juice of half the lemonChilli flakes (optional)Yoghurt sauce: ½ cup yoghurt, juice the other half of the lemon, more herbs of your choice (I used mint and Vietnamese coriander) – whizzed together in a food processor.MethodBoil the potatoes until just soft. Drain well and then mash with salt and pepper.Place the cauliflower rice into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 4 minutes.In a large bowl, place the chopped fish, herbs, capers, spring onions, herbs lemon zest, lemon juice, egg and chilli flakes (optional).Stir in the mashed potato and cauliflower rice until everything is combined.Using your hands, make 8 – 10 patties and fry on a medium heat in olive oil. Fry both sides until crispy.Serve with a side salad and some relish or yoghurt sauce (optional).

### Your dietary protein, menopause hot flushes and the Okinawan ratio.

It took me a long time to understand why my menopause hot flushes were getting worse, despite the medications. My hot flushes were not only embarrassing and exhausting, especially the red-face, but seemed to increase in intensity in the evening. After dinner was the worst. But I now know why this is.

The high-protein diet mantra that continues to dominate the nutritional information shared from sport and fitness enthusiasts followed me for years. When I began to realise that much of this advice to have a high protein diet (1.5 - 2.2gms/kg day) was better suited to women doing heavy resistance training, rather than me, who didn't have time to spend hours at the gym, my women's healthy ageing studies took me down a different dietary route - not only in the type of diet, but the amount of protein I was having.

If your hot flushes are driving you mad and you are on various supplements that are no longer working for you, then I wonder if you are also on a high protein diet? It could well be the missing link in your menopause-toolbox.

I talk a lot about protein in the MyMT™ programmes and women who join me, learn about the contribution of high-protein diets to their hot flushes.

You see protein, is ‘thermogenic’ or heat-generating. This means it increases your metabolism. 

Whilst this important macronutrient has appeared in sport science nutrition and is heavily promoted for muscle density improvement and strength as we get older (65+ yrs), if you are having too much protein during your menopause transition, then this could well be the cause of your higher body temperature and of course, your hot flushes and night sweats, which are keeping you awake.



The recommendations for high protein diets ‘seems to be at odds with basic research in animals and observational studies in humans showing that low-protein or low protein-high (plant carbohydrate) diets delay ageing and increase lifespan’ (Le Couteur, Solon-Biet et al, 2016), stated the research I was reading as part of my women’s health and ageing doctoral studies.

This paper was a turning point for me … as well as women on my 12 week menopause transformation programmes. It helped me to untangle some of the source of our hot flushes, night sweats and menopause insomnia. Understanding the Okinawan Ratio was crucial to this.

The longest living people (especially women) are the residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa. Not only are they the oldest-living, but in general, many remain free from diseases of older age that beset older women living in Western Societies.

If you’ve been following my newsletter articles for a while now (thank you) then you will have head me talk about the high incidence of heart disease as women transition menopause and move into their post-menopause years. Heart disease remains the number one health concern for women as they age, however, older women living on Okinawa Island don’t experience the same cardiovascular health concerns compared to western women (Buettner, 2017).



Whilst there are numerous factors that contribute to the health and longevity of Okinawan women, one of these factors relates to their daily nutrition, including food quality, caloric restriction and their protein to carbohydrate ratio.

Total energy from their diets was derived from only around 9-10% of protein per day. This ratio differs from the average western diet of around 30-40% intake of protein, often in the form of meat and dairy products (Cordain, Eaton et al, 2005). As such, this lower ratio of protein compared to plant carbohydrates (which was around 75-80% of the total daily diet) contributed to caloric restriction in Okinawan inhabitants.

Protein restriction is just one approach that allows for caloric reduction, which is increasingly seen as helping to extend lifespan, however, research continues to confuse many of us, about 'how much is enough?' especially when it comes to midlife needs.

However, my interest was piqued about reducing protein intake because in energy expenditure studies, protein, especially animal protein, is known to be thermogenic. This is the term used for ‘heat generating’. This thermic effect seems to be influenced by the composition and amount of food consumed.



There is convincing evidence that a higher protein intake increases thermogenesis and satiety (feelings of fullness) compared to diets of lower protein content, and that this may be good for weight loss and muscle retention, but what's it doing for your body heat?

It is well known in exercise and nutritional science that increased thermogenesis from a high protein diet, creates some change to temperature regulation in the body.

this isn't so good for women who are frustrated and exhausted from their hot flushes, is it?

But there's another problem with diets that are too high in protein (over 25-30% of total daily intake). When I was trying to understand why my hot flushes were so frequent, I remembered from my lecturing days that high protein diets may also cause stress on the thyroid, liver, kidneys and gut. The result of this is increased inflammation, especially in the epithelial lining of blood vessels.

With additional inflammation in cells and tissues, the immune system and thyroid kick in to re-balance the internal temperature. Sweating is your natural response to your body trying to cool down. That's why in the newly revised MyMT™ Food Guide, which is in both of my different 12 week programmes, I teach you not only about cooling foods to eat in menopause, but also how much protein is ‘enough’.

The amount differs from 0.8 grams/kg/day up to 1.4 gms/kg/day, depending on whether you are overweight, or lean, or exercising or sedentary.  Different strokes for different folks.



Improved nutrition is a major contributor to increased human lifespan in the last two centuries, but with this improved nutritional knowledge has come food-confusion, especially with regard to protein type and consumption.

But it's an important topic for women in their menopause transition, because numerous human health and longevity studies indicate that the reduction of access to total number of calories and/ or protein, delays the ageing process. It is also of note that elevated branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a marker of diabetes mellitus in humans too. (Giesbertz & Daniel (2016).

Whilst research in this area continues to progress, and there are numerous women who don't even make the minimal requirements for protein intake (1.0 - 1.2gm/kg/day or up to 20% of total daily intake), women who are overweight in post-menopause and/or have gut health concerns, may need to explore how much total protein (including animal protein) they are having daily.

The digestion of animal protein is known to increase the work of the gut, not only due to the work that for the increased thermogenesis, but because their kidneys are ageing and changing. High protein diets may place undue stress on these important but vulnerable organs.



When my own hot flushes were troubling me day and night, especially as I moved into post-menopause, I knew I had to get to the bottom of the science of them. Today, hot flushes no longer control me or define me. This is the same for many of the women who are following the strategies I have researched. There are numerous testimonials for you to read HERE when you have time.

I don’t want you to still be experiencing hot flushes in your post-menopause years and if you are on HRT, then research suggests that 5 years is long enough. So, if you are not coping with your heat regulation, sleep, anxiety, depression, weight or joint problems as you move through menopause and beyond, then will you join me? No matter where you live in the world, I would love to support you to feel like your old-self again. My video explaining the MyMT™ programmes is below.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) MyMT Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUOamB53mYc

References: 

Buettner, D. (2017). The Blue Zones Solution. National Geographic Publ.

Cordain, L., Eaton, SB., Sebastian, A., Mann, N., Lindeberg, S., Watkins, B., O’Keefe, J., & Brand-Miller, J. (2005). Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 81, Issue 2, 341–354.

Halton T., Hu F. (2004). The effects of high protein diets on thermogenesis, satiety and weight loss: a critical review. J Am Coll Nutr. 23(5):373-85.

Le Couteur, D. G., Solon-Biet, S., Wahl, D., Cogger, V. C., Willcox, B. J., Willcox, D. C., Raubenheimer, D., & Simpson, S. J. (2016). New Horizons: Dietary protein, ageing and the Okinawan ratio. Age and ageing, 45(4), 443–447. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw069

Stachowiak, G., Pertyński, T., & Pertyńska-Marczewska, M. (2015). Metabolic disorders in menopause. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 14(1), 59–64.

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Beautiful Beets for your Blood Vessels

Diet is established among the most important influences on health in modern societies and none more so, than in mid-life.

Inflammatory changes are our physiological partner as we move through menopause.

Not only does this inflammation in our cells and tissues result from ageing changes (a relatively new scientific concept known as 'inflammaging'), but also from insomnia, an incorrect diet that isn't evidenced for women's healthy ageing, becoming overweight and of course, from the changes to our blood vessels, liver, gut and muscles during menopause, all of which can be detrimental to our health.

Inflammation speeds up the rate of ageing.

The good news is, with the right approach to your lifestyle in menopause, you can ‘age-well’ and slow down the rate of inflammation in your blood vessels. 

One of these foods is beet or beetroot. It contains an anti-inflammatory compound called betaine and I tell you about this in the video below. 

The other type of food that is evidenced to help reduce depression are chickpeas. Yes! I talk about these in the video too and I explain why chickpeas help to improve serotonin production in the brain. Good to know if you are on menopause-related anti-depressants.

https://youtu.be/CB77IX6MEZU
The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Beautiful Beetroot Hummus
This recipe makes enough for two jars. I recommend freezing some to keep it on hand, but if you don't want to do this then just half the mixture. 

Note – if you don’t like beetroot, you could follow the same recipe but use red peppers or a herb (like coriander). 

Ingredients

 	3 x cans of chickpeas
 	4 cloves of garlic, chopped
 	1/3 cup tahini paste
 	1 tbsp cumin (optional)
 	Juice of 1 large lemon (or 2 small lemons)
 	Warm water
 	1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 	1 beetroot (pre-cooked or un-cooked)
 	1 tsp salt

Method

 	If your beetroot is uncooked, place the oven on Bake 200 degrees Celsius. Wash and peel the beetroot, then cut it into quarters. Drizzle 1 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil onto the beetroot, and rub it so that it is well covered. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes (until tender).
Note – if you have bought pre-cooked beetroot, ignore this step.
 	Add chickpeas, garlic, tahini, cumin, lemon juice and salt to a food processor and blend until smooth. If the food processor is struggling to blend the chickpeas (i.e., it is too dry), slowly add 2 tbsp of warm water. Repeat with a bit more water if necessary. Keep blending on high until you reach the desired smooth consistency. It can often take at least 5 minutes of blending.
 	Once the beetroot is cooked, place it into the food processor and continue blending until the consistency is smooth again.
 	Make a small well in the hummus, and drizzle a small bit of olive oil in the hole.

Serving suggestions: Crackers, on toast, with a salad, with flatbread, on falafels.

Bon Appetit!



References: 

Hébert JR, Shivappa N, Wirth MD, Hussey JR, Hurley TG. Perspective: The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)-Lessons Learned, Improvements Made, and Future Directions. Adv Nutr. 2019 Mar 1;10(2):185-195.

Jiang Y, Wu SH, Shu XO, Xiang YB, Ji BT, Milne GL, Cai Q, Zhang X, Gao YT, Zheng W, Yang G. Cruciferous vegetable intake is inversely correlated with circulating levels of proinflammatory markers in women. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014 May;114(5):700-8.e2.

Zhao G, He F, Wu C, Li P, Li N, Deng J, Zhu G, Ren W, Peng Y. Betaine in Inflammation: Mechanistic Aspects and Applications. Front Immunol. 2018 May 24;9:1070.

### "Wow! When I watched the Masterclass, the penny dropped. I've been seeing women with these types of injuries for years."

"I've been seeing middle-age female clients for years as a Physiotherapist here in Perth, Australia, but I didn't fully understand why they were complaining about their tendon injuries - plantar fasciitis , tennis elbow etc). I also noted that their muscles were not tolerating load either and going into a ‘holding pattern’ which would release manually but felt different from my younger clients. The fact that menopause may have something to do with it, never entered my head. But then I also had a friend who I trained with in competitive surf-lifesaving, who all of a sudden was slower than me despite her feeling that she was putting in the same effort but not getting the same results. She was always tired and in some sort of body pain. That's when I began to look into menopause. And whilst I got some answers, there weren't enough. Interestingly at this time, I started to have problems with my own sleep, sore joints and felt so tired all the time. I tried numerous supplements and HRT but the results didn’t last, especially as I moved into post-menopause.  That's when I stumbled upon Wendy’s website and listened to her Masterclass on Menopause. Wow! That was when the penny started to drop.  I signed up and did Wendy’s Circuit Breaker programme.Altering my diet and taking on Wendy's advice around how to recover from my training now, made the world of difference. Suddenly I had energy and was sleeping again. I've now had the best 2 seasons at the Western Australian Masters Surf Lifesaving State Champs that I’ve had in 10 years! Not only did I get a few medals last summer but I actually had energy right to the last event. In previous years I ran out of reserves by the halfway mark.		
																										
		When Wendy offered her Health Professionals training course, it was a 'no-brainer' to sign up and I've loved what I've learnt. It was great revising all my physiology and putting it into the context of women’s ageing and the inflammatory response during menopause.We deep-dived into every single symptom and explored the lifestyle science that is currently available for managing these symptoms, including joint health! I realise that this was the advice that I had been missing with my physiotherapy clients. An unexpected learning for me was the huge role the HPA pituitary axis plays in the menopausal chaos. And how it has been accumulating for decades. Our lifestyle definitely doesn’t help the situation."After the Menopause Practitioner Course, I decided to become a MyMT™ Affiliate Coach. This means I get to coach women through either of the MyMT™ Transform Me and Circuit Breaker programmes alongside my own Physio sessions and Pilates classes.It's exciting that I've added a new dimension to my physiotherapy assessments for middle aged women. This is now reaping great success for them in overall well-being as well as sorting out musculo-skeletal pain specific to their age and stage of life.My first group of ladies going through the My Menopause Transformation programmes got great results and now I'm onto my second course! Already a few weeks in, they are all delighted at the differences in their symptoms, sleep and weight loss.It’s fabulous to have this extra string to my bow as I firmly believe the whole body is important not just the outside bits we can see and feel. And now, based on my new knowledge, I look at my midlife clients tendon injuries differently.As Wendy moved us through the scientific evidence, it became obvious that the menopause transition is the entry to an ageing body, and therefore, there are inflammatory changes occurring deep within tissues and cells, including tendons, muscles and joints.  As far as my business goes, this added string to my bow has made me the ‘go to’ person in my community for middle aged women. Plus, they all stay on to continue to ‘work out’ in the clinic as we have dedicated Pilates instructors and exercise physiologists who take classes.It’s become quite a community of midlife women now.As I move forwards into 2023 I’m so excited to support more menopausal women with lifestyle medicine, so they too can be their best as they move through this transition and beyond. I’m also really keen to consolidate my knowledge and continue to dive deeper into the subject.Thanks Wendy for all the information I have learnt, and the extra advice and words of wisdom you post in the group plus in emails."Sarah Gregson, Physiotherapist/ Body Torque PhysiotherapyIf you live in Perth, Western Australia, then please contact Sarah at Body Torque Physiotherapy, if you would like menopause-specific advice or you are continually injured! She is now a registered MyMT™ Affiliate Coach. 

### Eating for your bones: The most essential nutrients for your bone health in menopause and beyond.

What nutrients increase bone density?It's a question I asked myself over a year ago when my bone density scan showed early osteoporotic changes. Over 30 years of high levels of activity as well as not understanding how to change my lifestyle to match my menopause transition had caught up with my bone health. With osteoporosis affecting one out of three post-menopausal women, their remaining lifetime risk of fragility fractures exceeds that of breast cancer, mentioned a 2014 review of nutrition and bone health in women after menopause (Rizzoli et al, 2014).Menopause is the biological gateway for these changes to occur, hence I think that this is a wake-up call for all of us, don't you? It certainly was over a year ago for me and I'm pleased to say that my latest bone density scan this week saw a 'statistically significant' improvement in my bone density ... without medications. If you look at the graph on the banner above, that's me. Moving upwards, not down. Over the past month I've been focusing on nutrients that we need during menopause, and with bone density on my mind, I wanted to help you to focus on this too.  Approximately 60-80% peak bone mass is determined by genetics. And with bone health data out of America indicating that around 10 million Americans over the age of 50 have osteoporosis and another 34 million have low bone mass, thinking about our bone health matters during our menopause transition. I think that we all know that healthy nutritional habits combined with exercise should be encouraged in order to maintain bone health, but what exactly does that mean? What type of food should we eat?  What specific exercise should we do? (this is covered in my article on exercise) and of course, can we actually turn around our bone health as we age?  These are the questions that I was most interested in myself, so if you want to know about the essential nutrients for your bone health, then please have a read when you get time. Numerous nutrients are needed for bone health, not 'just' calcium or Vitamin D. And yes, real food is better in terms of your absorption of these nutrients, rather than just supplements. So, let's explore what nutrients and foods your beautiful, ageing bones need.  		
																										
		CALCIUM800mg up to 1200mg a day, every day. If you are an exerciser and doing weights, then take the higher-amount approach. Calcium is a major component of muscle contraction and if you have restless legs, muscle cramps or muscle aches and pains, then explore your calcium intake.Also be aware that emerging heart health research also suggests that food is better than supplements. (Rizzoli et al, 2014). And don't forget that if you have GUT HEALTH concerns, then join me on the MyMT™ programmes as I have a module called 'Restore your Grateful Gut'. If you already have IBS or other gut health concerns, then you may not be absorbing the Vitamin D you need in order for calcium to do its job.Vitamin D is not just the sunshine vitamin - it is needed to help your gut absorb calcium. A deficiency decreases the amount of calcium absorbed from the intestine and this then increases the activity of the parathyroid hormone (PTH).This hormone is activated to try and rebalance the decrease in serum (blood levels) of calcium by increasing calcium resorption from the bone. Vitamin D and Calcium work together to maintain strong bones. 		
																										
		EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL [EVOO]On completing my bone density scan, the surprised Technician enquired as to how I had managed to improve my bone density status, "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" was my response. Looking surprised, she said she had no idea! But when women come onto the MyMT™ programmes, I introduce them to the Mediterranean Diet, which I've modified for women in menopause and post-menopause. There's a reason for this.The overall quality of the Mediterranean Diet is related to improved quality of life in women as they age and the intake of EVOO in numerous scientific trials, is that it generates health benefits, such as the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, the improvement of inflammatory markers in bone and improvements in the composition of the gut microbiota.These benefits are attributed to the excellent nutritional composition of EVOO, which has a higher content, of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and minor compounds such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. It is these dietary components that confer protection to our skeletal system against osteoporosis and the consumption of olives, olive oil and olive polyphenols has been shown to improve bone health (Kok-Yong Chin et al, 2016].		
																										
		PROTEINProtein accounts for approximately 50% of bone volume and about 1/3 of its mass. Collagen helps in the process of building new bone cells and re-modelling bones through the modification of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein and Vitamin C enhances the production of collagen as we age. As I mention in my 12 week coaching programmes, we don't need a lot of protein, but we do need a minimum of 0.8 - 1.0gm/kg/day and up to 1.2 to 1.4gm/kg/day for those who are weight training.One of the main concerns that women have as they age, is whether to have meat sources of protein or plant proteins, but relatively new research suggests that a mix of dietary proteins is beneficial however, my caution to you is to watch the acid-load of the diet.A high acid-load, places strain on your kidneys. For the body to  be able to reduce the acidity, your bones and teeth leach calcium and phosphorus to re-stabilise the internal environment. In the Western world, the main contributors to the acid load from the diet are meat, fish, milk and dairy products, and eggs, followed by cereal grains.Conversely, base-producing diets (alkaline diets), characterized by relatively higher intake of fruits and vegetables, are rich in organic anion salts that are metabolized to alkaline salts such as bicarbonate, which also helps your bones. 		
																										
		OTHER LESSER KNOWN NUTRIENTS FOR BONE HEALTH
Numerous vitamins and minerals are associated with our bone health independent of Vitamin D and calcium. These  nutrients include Magnesium,  Vitamin K, Silicon and Boron (Price et al, 2012). 
Magnesium is often regarded as a nutrient which is helpful for managing hot flushes, (yes it is), but it is also necessary for helping with our ageing muscles, blood vessels and bones. In fact, I believe it is just as important as calcium for all of us.
A study of women with osteoporosis in Israel, reported significantly increased bone mineral density with 250mg of magnesium supplementation compared with a control group who did not take magnesium supplements. Dietary sources of magnesium include almonds, cashews, brown rice, peanuts, kidney beans, black-eyed beans and lentils. 
Silicon is another important contributor to our bone health. Silicon deficiency is associated with poor skeletal development as it plays a role in the initiation of the mineralisation process. Dietary sources of silicon include whole grains, carrots and green beans. 
Vitamin K has several different forms, but Vitamin K1 and K2 are the naturally occurring forms which we need because low Vitamin K impacts bone turnover and bone strength.
Whilst Vitamin K intake needs to be managed if women are on blood thinners, if you aren't, then look at your sources of Vitamin K from kale, collard greens, fresh spinach, brussel sprouts, iceberg lettuce and prunes. You need a minimum of 90 micrograms daily. 		
																										
		As we age, it makes sense that we have a renewed focus on bone health. Nutritional needs for bone health can be met with proper food choices.Women who are vegetarian or vegan as well as thinner and leaner must also be careful to monitor their nutrients as well as protein intake, especially if they are doing a lot of heavy lifting-type exercise. The risk of osteoporosis and/or fragility fractures can be reduced through healthy lifestyle changes mentions a review of nutrition and bone health in women after menopause.These changes include adequate dietary intakes of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and protein, regular weight-bearing exercise (but not too much heavy exercise if you aren't sleeping), reduction in alcohol intake and smoking cessation and of course, sleeping all night and turning around our gut health.Furthermore, the European guidance for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women recommends a daily intake of at least 1000 mg/day for calcium, 800 IU/day for vitamin D and 1 g/kg body weight of protein for all women aged over 50 years.Hence, the review concluded that the development of programmes that encourage lifestyle changes (in particular balanced nutrient intakes) are therefore essential for the reduction of osteoporosis risk. (Rizzoli et al, 2014). I couldn't agree more. If you are ready to make that change, then have a listen to my video below, which explains my programmes. I hope you can join me sometime if you want to turn around your symptoms and/ or lose weight using the science of lifestyle medicine. If you are already on medications for menopause, then I don't interfere with these as this is between you and your Doctor. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. https://vimeo.com/775629273References: Chin KY, Ima-Nirwana S. Olives and Bone: A Green Osteoporosis Prevention Option. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 Jul 26;13(8):755.Lohana, C. & Samir, N. (2016). Risk Management of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women.  Global Journal of Health Science, Vol. 8, No. 11; 36-44de Villiersa, T. & Goldstein, S. (2021). Update on bone health: the International Menopause Society White Paper 2021. Downloaded from: https://www.imsociety.org/education/world-menopause-day/#whitepaper Rizzoli R., Bischoff-Ferrari H., Dawson-Hughes B., Weaver C. (2014). Nutrition and bone health in women after the menopause. Womens Health (Lond). 10(6):599-608. doi: 10.2217/whe.14.40. PMID: 25482487.Rondanelli M, Faliva MA, Tartara A, Gasparri C, Perna S, Infantino V, Riva A, Petrangolini G, Peroni G. An update on magnesium and bone health. Biometals. 2021 Aug;34(4):715-736.Shams-White M., Chung M., Fu Z., Insogna K., Karlsen M., et al. (2018). Animal versus plant protein and adult bone health: A systematic review and meta-analysis from the National Osteoporosis Foundation. PLOS ONE 13(2): e0192459. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192459Sözen, T., Özışık, L., & Başaran, N. Ç. (2017). An overview and management of osteoporosis. European journal of rheumatology, 4(1), 46–56. https://doi.org/10.5152/eurjrheum.2016.048

### The power of purple: The healthy ageing benefits of these New Zealand berries.

“Do you know about blackcurrants?” he asked. I nodded as I told him that the anthocyanins and other compounds in blackcurrants were getting great results in heart-health research. My presentation to some South Island New Zealand farmers about the changes in inflammation as we age had caught his attention. “Well, perhaps add a slide in your presentation about blackcurrants as well as beetroot" he mentioned. "New Zealand grows some of the best blackcurrants in the world and they are now rated as a super-food. They are in high-demand in Japan and other countries for heart-health benefits. I have the largest production of blackcurrants in the country” he said proudly. So, here I am in this week's Wednesday briefing. Thanks to Jim and his reminder to me (and you) about blackcurrants and the power of purple, as we help ourselves move towards improved health as we age. Recent research suggests that New Zealand's blackcurrants are indeed the best in the world. That's because they have the highest amounts of compounds called anthocyanins (Barnes, Perry et al, 2020). These powerful compounds help to reduce arterial stiffness and central blood pressure in older adults. (Cao, Park et al, 2021; Okomoto et al, 2020). With my emphasis on lifestyle science during our midlife and older years, when it comes to managing your hot flushes, depression and the inflammatory changes that can arrive during our menopause transition and continue into post-menopause, the colour purple (and deep red or blue) matters more than we think. Identifying foods that contain powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients is easy.These foods typically have strong purple or deep red and blue pigments (blood oranges, grapes, beetroot, blackcurrants and blueberries) and these pigments are called anthocyanins. Many of these fruits are called 'superfruits' because they are evidenced to positively benefit human health. But anthocyanin-rich foods are important for another reason too. Not only do they help you to manage your menopause symptoms, especially hot flushes, depression and weight gain, but adding these foods to your daily diet, help you with your healthy ageing.New research that came my way recently reminded me of their powerful health benefits, (Panchal, John et al, 2022). So much so, that after reading the article, I retrieved the bag of deep purple New Zealand organic blackcurrants hidden deep in my freezer, poured some into a small bowl, defrosted them, mixed a small amount of low-fat Greek Yoghurt through them and enjoyed the extraordinary knowledge (and delicious taste), that I was helping so many organs throughout my body to reduce inflammation. 		
																										
		Low-grade chronic inflammation underlies many chronic systemic diseases, especially age-related decline and metabolic disorders.I've talked about these age-related changes, numerous times in other articles, which you can always access on my blog page on the website, but this is a reminder that our mid-life menopause transition is a vulnerable time for changing levels of inflammation. Increasingly, research is showing that peri-menopause is viewed as a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurogenerative (nervous system) and cardiovascular disease (McCarthy & Raval, 2020; Furman, Campesi et al, 2019). As such, most roads in women's midlife health and ageing research lead to the Mediterranean Dietary approach. This type of diet is low in animal fats, but rich in colourful foods that contain anthocyanin pigments. These pigments are researched to fight inflammatory changes which are known to commence in peri-menopause. If you're experiencing sore joints, changing gut health, or hot flushes, then you may understand what I mean. Anthocyanins are good for us in a variety of different ways from cancer protection to lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke, improving circulation and gut and joint health. Historian and citrus lover, Helena Atlee, has written about the role of anthocynanins in the health of Italians living in the region of Italy where deep-red blood oranges grow, explaining that, "The development of anthocyanin pigments in blood oranges is only triggered by a difference of at least ten degrees celcius between day and night-time temperatures. This has made Sicily the most reliable source of blood oranges in the world. Plants use anthocyanins like a sunscreen, to protect themselves against ultraviloet light, and by eating plants or fruits, rich in anthocyanins, we benefit in the same way."[The Land Where the Lemons Grow, p. 93].		
																										
		I'm always explaining to women on my coaching programmes, that when we position our menopause transition in women's healthy ageing research, it takes away the confusion of what to eat. One of the main theories of ageing that I explored as part of my doctoral studies, was to do with the Inflammatory Theory of Ageing. At the level of basic biological processes, healthy ageing is defined as 'fending off cellular and molecular damage for the longest possible period of the life course' (Bengtson et.al, 2009). How we do this is through understanding that inflammatory changes arrive as part and parcel of our transition through our mid-life years, therefore, how we mitigate this (or turn back the clock if inflammatory changes have already arrived), is an important aspect of our day to day behaviours and routines. Adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet is just one of these actions we can implement, including foods that are rich in anthocyanins. The common dietary sources of anthocyanins are berries, cherries, peaches, grapes,pomegranates, plums, blackcurrants, red onions, red radishes, black beans, eggplants, purple corn, purple carrots, red cabbages and purple sweet potatoes.Berry fruits, the most popular and the richest source of anthocyanins, include blackcurrants, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, currants, chokeberries, gooseberries, elderberries and lingonberries. (Barnes et al, 2020; Panchal, John et al, 2022).No matter where in the world you live, you can find some of these foods I'm sure! And for my wonderful ladies up there in Canada, did you know that the Saskatoon berry, which is native to Canada contains increased amounts of anthocyanins compared to many other berries (294 mg/100 g)? If you are up in that part of the world as many of the ladies on my programme are, then perhaps buy some of these berries and explore how this might help your sore joints and hot flushes! 		
																										
		Metabolic and cardiac researchers consistently view the menopause transition and subsequent endocrine changes, with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis and immune dysfunction. Looking at these clinical endpoints is therefore important, because it helps us to explore prevention opportunities that (mainly) sit within lifestyle medicine and ageing research.'Among the various aspects of health promotion and lifestyle adaptation to the menopause and postmenopausal period, nutritional habits are essential because they concern all women, can be modified, and impact both longevity and quality of life.'  (Silva, Opperman et al, 2021).With this in mind, my approach with the MyMT™ programmes is on women's healthy ageing. In my 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause, I introduce you to this diagram, which I've designed from women's health and ageing studies. These 7 pillars help you to consider the most important aspects of moving into the next phase of your life - your ageing years.		
																										
		In most chronic diseases of ageing, oxidative stress and inflammation play prominent roles. Oxidative stress is a phenomenon caused by an imbalance between production and accumulation of damage in cells and tissues and our ability to detoxify and reduce the inflammation.When we can't reduce the inflammation, then, as many of you know, this builds up over time and we start to experience symptoms that are hard to get rid of. During menopause these symptoms often present as hot flushes, night sweats, thyroid, gut and joint problems and more! Whilst medications and supplements also play a role in alleviating the inflammatory changes that arrive during menopause, wearing our anti-inflammatory hat with our food and exercise choices is also important.Placing our menopause symptoms into wellness-solutions for improved health as we get older is the path forward. After all, from our mid-40s onwards, we are moving towards our biological ageing in our post-menopause years. There are no hormone medications nor menopause-supplements in the MyMT™ programmes – this is between you and your Doctor and I don’t interfere with this. But what I have for you are the scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions that meet the research on women’s health and ageing – from sleep to nutrition to temperature regulation to joint and gut health – whatever your symptoms, and/or weight concerns, I hope you can explore my programmes sometime.Feeling healthy, vibrant, pain-free and energetic is within all of our reach in our 50s and beyond. So many women experience changing health as we get older and women’s health research confirms the negative impact of compounding health changes as we move through menopause. I used to be on that trajectory too.But doing my studies changed all of that.It’s why, if your symptoms or your health are getting you down, I want you to know that you can turn this around with some lifestyle changes that are specific to your changing hormones during menopause. I’ve used my knowledge and experience to design two different online 12 week programmes which are just for you in your menopause and post-menopause years. They include foods that are evidenced to help reduce inflammatory changes due to our biological ageing. As I discovered myself, too many other lifestyle programmes are not suited to the powerful hormonal changes that are occurring as we move through ‘the change.’  Start with the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, follow up with the MyMT™Masterclass on Menopause and then choose the online program that best suits your needs. I hope you can join me sometime. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine		
																										
		References:Attlee, H. (2014). The land where lemons grow: The story of Italy and its citrus fruit. Penguin Books: London, UK.Barnes, M., Perry B., Hurst R., & Lomiwes D. (2020). Anthocyanin-rich New Zealand blackcurrant extract supports the maintenance of forearm blood-flow during prolonged sedentary sitting. Frontiers in Nutrition, (7),  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2020.00074 Cao, L.; Park, Y.; Lee, S.; Kim, D.-O. Extraction, identification, and health benefits of anthocyanins in blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum L.). Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 1863. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041863Fernandes, I. et al. (2019). Anthocyanins: Nutrition and Health. In: Mérillon, JM., Ramawat, K. (eds) Bioactive Molecules in Food. Reference Series in Phytochemistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78030-6_79Henriques JF, Serra D, Dinis TCP, Almeida LM. The Anti-Neuroinflammatory Role of Anthocyanins and Their Metabolites for the Prevention and Treatment of Brain Disorders. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 17;21(22):8653.Khoo, H. E., Azlan, A., Tang, S. T., & Lim, S. M. (2017). Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits. Food & nutrition research, 61(1), 1361779. https://doi.org/10.1080/16546628.2017.1361779Jennings, A., Welch, A., Spector,T., Macgregor, A., Cassidy, A. (2014). Intakes of Anthocyanins and Flavones Are Associated with Biomarkers of Insulin Resistance and Inflammation in Women, The Journal of Nutrition, 144(2), 202–208, https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.184358Okamoto T, Hashimoto Y, Kobayashi R, Nakazato K, Willems MET. Effects of blackcurrant extract on arterial functions in older adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Clin Exp Hypertens. 2020 Oct 2;42(7):640-647. Panchal SK, John OD, Mathai ML, Brown L. (2022). Anthocyanins in Chronic Diseases: The Power of Purple. Nutrients. 14(10):2161. doi: 10.3390/nu14102161. PMID: 35631301; PMCID: PMC9142943.Pizzino, G., Irrera, N., Cucinotta, M., Pallio, G., Mannino, F., Arcoraci, V., Squadrito, F., Altavilla, D., & Bitto, A. (2017). Oxidative Stress: Harms and Benefits for Human Health. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2017, 8416763. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8416763

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Go nuts about this Nutty Porridge with Apple Berry Compote

Stone-Age people were making porridge over 30,000 years ago apparently. Hunter-gatherers ate oats as far back as 32,000 years ago – way before farming took root, said Marta Mariotti Lippi at the University of Florence in Italy, after analysing starch grains on an ancient stone grinding tool from southern Italy. According to their research, this was the earliest known human consumption of oats. (New Scientist, 2015). For those of you who grew up with pots of hot, sticky porridge bubbling away on the stove at breakfast time, you will know that this traditional dish is just oats simmered in milk or water. My siblings and I found it quite distasteful, even more-so when our father (not known for his culinary skills) tried to make us eat it on cold, frosty mornings in winter, before catching the school bus. The fresh cream helped somewhat, as did a couple of teaspoons of brown sugar which helped to cover-up the taste of the heavy-handed teaspoon of salt he always put in it, but I also wish that we had known about cinnamon or apple and berry compote back in those days too. My love for oats has returned over the years, especially as, when soaked overnight, they are easily digested. I also know they are good for my heart and liver as I get older. This is because not only do they give us fibre but over the past several decades, cardiac research suggests that increasing levels of fibre, including β-glucans in the diet leads to a reduction in cholesterol levels. The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Nutty Porridge with Apple, Berry CompoteMakes enough for 1 person (just double the recipe if you want leftovers)Before bed:½ cup of oats¼ cup dates1 cup of water1 tbsp desiccated coconut1 tsp cinnamonBerry compote: 1 apple + 1/2 cup of berries + 1 cup of water (double the mixture if you want leftovers throughout the week).In the morning:1 cup of water (or Almond milk) and more if needed.1 tbsp nut butter (almond is best)2 tbsp LSA (Linseed, Sunflower, Almond mix) or other seeds2 tbsp low-fat Greek yoghurtMethodBefore bed:Dice the apple and add it to a pot of water. Bring the pot to a boil and let the apple cook for approximately 10 minutes (or until soft). At the 10-minute mark, add the berries and cook for another 3 – 4 minutes. Once the compote is cooked, transfer it into a container and leave it in the fridge. This compote can last in the fridge for up to a week, so you can have it with other meals.Place the oats into a sieve and give them a quick rinse. Once rinsed, transfer to a bowl and add the dates, desiccated coconut and cinnamon. Then cover the oats with 1 cup of water and leave them to soak overnight.In the morning:Place a pot onto a low heat and transfer the oat mixture and 1 more cup of water into the pot. The trick to ensuring that porridge doesn’t get thick or clumpy is to stir it the entire time it is cooking, and to add more water (or milk) if it is starting to get too thick. Stir the oats consistently for 4-5 minutes and then add the nut butter. Stir for another 3 minutes. At this stage they should be nicely cooked through.Serve with berry compote, LSA and Greek yoghurt. Enjoy!		
																										
		References: Gorton, D. (2018). Evidence Paper: Whole grains and the heart. New Zealand Heart Foundation (NZHF): Wellington, NZSima P, Vannucci L, Vetvicka V. β-glucans and cholesterol (Review). Int J Mol Med. 2018 Apr;41(4):1799-1808.

### "Menopause can be a real struggle and I never anticipated that." [Margie, Australia]

As a Wellbeing and Lifestyle Coach as well as a trained Nutritionist, Margie has always been a passionate advocate of turning chaos into calm for her clients. I love how she is a 'Professional Organiser' too (couldn't we all do with Margie in our homes?!) - not only re-organising the kitchen and food storage areas for clients, but fostering and supporting new nutritional habits with them.

With her knowledge and professional Health Practitioner training, like many of us, she thought that she had her own menopause transition and symptoms under control, but peri-menopause hit her hard. 

"Menopause can be a real struggle and I never anticipated that" she told me. 

"I found that motivation and self belief can be challenging when the symptoms are at their peak. 

As a nutritionist I knew what I SHOULD be doing but I was having terrible sugar cravings and was not well versed in the ageing body and the changes that occur with menopause. 

I was in a such desperate place when I Googled one day and found her course which I jumped on and got started straight away. I listened to and read her modules with great interest and loved the researching that Wendy was doing on my behalf - it all made so much sense positioning the menopause transition in women's health and ageing, especially heart health! 

At the time, I was also in the process of going on HRT with my unbearable symptoms. However, after a couple of failed attempts of patches I decided to just get back into Wendy’s modules with a bit more diligence and have made great progress.

Now I can actually practice what I preach because I feel I am managing my symptoms and I have a good level of understanding for the clients I see. 

I am just so glad I found Wendy and there is no question too big or small for her she is always onside to happily respond or troubleshoot. There is no other program like this and it is such great value! Thank you Wendy!

Margie Hyde Wellbeing Coach & Professional Organiser

chaostokarma info@chaostokarma.com

If you feel like your life is in a bit of chaos and you live in Victoria, Australia, why don't you send her an email. She would love to hear from you!

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Boost your B-Vitamins with Brown Rice and Beans

Beans + Brown Rice = a complete protein and bursting with B-vitamins! And this dish is so easy to make. 
We need all types of vitamins in our diet, because our body doesn’t make vitamins. There are 13 vitamins you need almost daily: four fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and nine water soluble vitamins, which comprise vitamin C and the eight B vitamins: thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), vitamin B6, folate (B9) and vitamin B12. 

B-vitamins are almost exclusively obtained through eating plants which is another shout-out for the Mediterranean Diet. The exception is B12, which is why, if you don't eat much red meat or none at all, then I suggest that you think about whether you might need a supplement if you know that your B12 is low or you have had it tested.  

The B group of vitamins (thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), vitamin B6, folate (B9) and vitamin B12) work together to make our happy hormone, serotonin, as well as keep our brain firing and functioning. This is especially so as we move through menopause and if brain-fog is getting you down, then fire-up your beautiful B-vitamins. Brown rice and beans are a great starting point for you. 

Beans and rice are a staple food in many cultures, but in Western cultures, we tend not to think about mixing these two foods together. However, I want to encourage you to try this recipe because if your moods, anxiety and brain fog are getting your down now that you are in menopause, you need this dish! 
The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Mexican goes Mediterranean - Brown Rice and Bean Dish
Makes enough for four people 

Ingredients:

 	1 tbsp olive oil
 	1.5 cups brown rice
 	1 tbsp cumin
 	1 tbsp paprika
 	3 cloves of garlic, chopped
 	2 spring onions, chopped
 	1 can of black beans
 	Coriander, diced
 	Avocado, chopped
 	Dressing: Juice from 1 lime + 1 tbsp olive oil
 	Optional dressing: The dressing above combined with 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp coriander. 
 	Salt and pepper

Method

 	Cook the brown rice following the instructions on the packet.
 	In a pan, fry the garlic and spring onion in olive oil on a medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika and fry for another 3 minutes (until fragrant).
 	Drain the black beans and add them to the pan. Leave to cook for at least 10 minutes. 
 	Combine the cooked rice and beans. Stir through the avocado, coriander, olive oil and lime juice (as well as yoghurt and herbs if you are making the other dressing). Add a good grind of salt and pepper. 

Bon appetit! 

### PODCAST: Menopause & Inflammation with Neutraceutical Scientists!

Their purpose is similar to mine - to change lives by empowering people to take control of their own health, with lifestyle changes and natural products. So, when she listened to my Masterclass on Menopause, ZESTT Wellness Scientist, Anna Campbell (PhD) was intrigued.

She hadn't heard about the link between menopause hormonal changes and inflammation. My comments struck home with her because between herself and ZESTT Wellness Co-Founder, Darcy Schack, they know a lot about inflammatory changes in the body and how these impact on people's health, especially as individuals get older. 

With Darcy suffering from an inflammatory, autoimmune disease known as sarcoidosis, which impacts the lungs and lymph glands, he was fascinated by my own studies and the link between our menopause symptoms and inflammatory changes in the body during midlife.

“Women are all different when it comes to managing their menopause symptoms" mentioned Anna to me, “and for me I’m just entering menopause and I’m really interested in what you have to say as it's really cutting edge in terms of linking in inflammation and ageing!”

If you would like to listen, then please do and I encourage you to have a look around the ZESTT Wellness website, where Anna and Darcy work hard every day to bring the science of plant nutraceuticals to your attention via their amazing anti-inflammatory supplements.


LISTEN TO PODCAST

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Get your daily-dose of vegies with this Italian Vegetable Cacciatore.

We all know that adequate vegetable consumption is one of the cornerstones of a healthy diet, and recommendations to increase vegetable intake is part of most dietary guidelines. However, with time demands and confusion about food choices during menopause, many women still fail to get enough vegetables into them each day. In Australia, for example, only 1 in 10 adult Australians manage to meet the dietary vegetable target advice. [Blekkenhorst et al, 2018].

Increasing vegetable intake is widely recommended for reducing Cardiovascular disease risk, along with other chronic diseases, and for women moving from menopause into post-menopause, the evidence is clear that adding more vegetables to our diet is beneficial to our long-term health.  

One of ways to achieve increased servings of vegetables is to make this Italian Vegetable Cacciatore. My daughter has adjusted the recipe to make it 'MyMT™ Friendly' and got the tick of approval from her carnivore partner. I hope you can give this a go and enjoy the wonderful health benefits. Add fish or chicken if you prefer or flatbreads. The choice is yours! 
The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Italian Vegetable Cacciatore 
Makes enough for three people as a side dish. If you want to make more, just double the ingredients.

Ingredients

 	1 tbsp olive oil
 	1 courgette, sliced into circle pieces
 	1 eggplant, sliced into circle pieces
 	2 tbsp olive oil
 	4 garlic cloves, chopped
 	1 tbsp rosemary
 	1 tbsp thyme
 	1 capsicum, chopped
 	1 can of tomatoes (or 4 large tomatoes)
 	1 tsp honey
 	Plenty of salt and black pepper
 	Serving suggestions: Falafels, flatbreads, rice or fish.

Method

 	Turn the oven onto 180 degrees Celsius.
 	Cut the courgette and eggplant into thin slices (so they stay in a circle shape).
 	Now you are going to layer the eggplant and courgette into a baking dish that has high sides. I used a round one, but you can easily use one with a different shape. Do one layer of eggplant, then one layer of courgette and keep going until all the vegetables are used (see image of raw veggies). Drizzle 1 – 2 tbsp of olive oil onto the veggies and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place into the oven to start the baking process.
 	While the veggies are baking, prepare your tomato sauce. Place the olive oil, garlic, thyme and rosemary into a pot and fry on medium heat for 3 minutes (until fragrant but not burnt). Then add the capsicum and fry for a further 3 - 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
 	Add the can of tomatoes, honey salt and black pepper to the pot. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
 	After 10 minutes, remove the tomato sauce from the stove and pour it on top of the courgettes and eggplant, making sure they are completely covered.
 	Bake for a further 10 minutes (or until the tomato sauce has started to look baked/crispy.
 	Remove from the oven and serve with fish, flatbread or a salad. 



References: 

Blekkenhorst LC, Sim M, Bondonno CP, Bondonno NP, Ward NC, Prince RL, Devine A, Lewis JR, Hodgson JM. Cardiovascular Health Benefits of Specific Vegetable Types: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2018 May 11;10(5):595. 

### “The difference to how I felt a year ago is incredible.” - Jo, NZ

I love this photo of Jo. I took it when we met at one of my live ‘Masterclass on Menopause’ events. It was so great to meet her after our numerous emails over the past few months and I’m so grateful that she has allowed me to share her story with you all.
There are 3 things that Jo learnt on the MyMT™ Transform Me programme to lose weight: 

 	It's not 'menopause' that's the problem. We all go through this life stage. The 'problem' is that we aren't changing up how we look after ourselves. 
 	Loving our liver in menopause matters. This powerful organ changes in structure and function as we age and therefore, the type, timing and amount of food that we eat in our 50's and into post-menopause matters. 
 	Sleep matters. If you are going to lose weight and reduce hot flushes, then discovering how to sleep all night again matters.

If you really think about it, the problem isn't menopause - this is our natural transition into our biological ageing.  As I discovered too, the 'problem' is that we are the first generation of women to go into menopause in the context of our busy, lifestyle and the fact that for decades we have been eating and exercising in ways that better suit men and athletes. Jo was the same. Running a  business and a busy household, she was feeding young teenage athletes who were always hungry.

When we don't change our lifestyle to suit our menopause transition this stage of our life can become the 'game-changer'.  Our symptoms often start with not sleeping and then the joints become sore and the weight can go on. Not all women put on weight obviously, but many do. Jo put on 10 kg. When she first contacted me she felt frustrated and fed-up. Because nothing she was doing was working. And I knew why. 

When Jo first contacted me, I explained that if we don't allow our body to adjust properly and change our lifestyle to suit our hormonal changes and our biological ageing, then our body goes into 'distress'. Putting on weight is another sign of inflammation in our fat cells. And it often arrives when we aren't sleeping and when we have the wrong diet to suit us at this stage of life. I was the same too.  

That's why I decided to put some proper research into this stage of life and better understand how to put menopause into 'wellness', not 'sickness' and better understand exactly what we need to do to lose weight, sleep better, improve sore joints, reduce hot flushes without HRT (which I was on at the time too) and manage our emotional turmoil too. 

 It’s such a confusing time of our lives isn’t it?

 Jo was confused too.

Before Jo came into the MyMT Transform Me menopause weight loss programme, she had bought a nutrition programme that was from the United Kingdom. When she told me what it was, I realised it was not designed for her changing hormones in menopause.

Like many of the programmes that are marketed to women, it was designed to be very high in protein and animal fats. For many years, high protein diets have been promoted in the fitness industry. This is because our body needs protein, and in exercising women doing a lot of weight-training, protein is well known to help to repair muscles. The other thing that high protein diets are renowned to do, is to boost metabolism. But there is another thing that high protein diets do too – and for women in menopause it can lead to much frustration and confusion - because too much protein puts up our blood pressure and metabolism causing more hot flushes and sore joints in women who are overweight. 

When I discovered the diet that Jo was on and how high it was in protein and animal fats, I explained to her that these types of diets don't take into consideration the changes that occur in our liver and muscles as we move through menopause and into post-menopause. As well, high protein diets cause women to feel hot. With lowering oestrogen, our blood vessels become more constricted and we don’t sweat as much. Then because protein is ‘thermo-genic’ [which is a physiological term meaning heat generating], the tendency for women is to overheat when they are on a high protein diet and aren’t doing the resistance training that is designed to go with these high protein diets. Body-builders have known for years that protein not only repairs and grows damaged muscles, but it is a food that requires a lot of metabolic energy to digest and absorb. 

Many women don’t need high protein diets as they go through menopause, because they aren’t doing the amount of training that maybe they used to do – many are too exhausted and because so many of us struggle with sleep, then our body isn’t able to do the repairing of muscle tissue that it used to do in the past. Jo was the same. As a business-woman running a house-hold with busy teenagers, Jo’s activity levels were mainly cardio – running around after everyone else! But because she thought she was on a weight-loss diet, her confusion and frustration was mounting by the day. She felt bloated, heavy and her clothes felt tight and uncomfortable and her energy levels were at rock-bottom.

That’s why I implored Jo to at least try my MyMT™ Transform Me programme. With oestrogen dominance being the main cause of our weight gain as we transition through menopause, I have researched exactly the step-by-step lifestyle solutions that we need to put into place to reduce this condition which makes our fat cells store excess oestrogen. I have also designed the programme from the studies that have emerged more recently from women’s healthy ageing research, which was the topic of my doctoral studies. 



Menopause is the transition to the next phase of our lives – our ageing. And in a completely new hormonal environment, what we have done in the past to look after ourselves may no longer work. I also told Jo, that once she had done the programme and learnt how to sleep, eat and move to suit her changing hormonal environment, she would have the template for maintaining improved energy levels, so imagine my surprise, when I received this email from her:
"Before doing your programme, I felt Heavy, bloated and was going weight by the day despite being on a nutrition progamme designed by someone, who I now realise, didn't understand menopause. I've now lost 12 kgs, I sleep all night, hot flushes are gone and I have more energy to exercise. It's amazing the difference I feel to a year ago." 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw7PmwoA5Q&t=46s

It’s my absolute privilege to be able to help women get their life back on track. Menopause is a time of our lives that has been hidden from view, but for busy, active women like Jo, it’s time to change that and it’s my passion to share how to do this through the MyMT™ programmes.

MyMT™ Circuit Breaker is for women who are thinner and leaner and want to sleep all night and remove their hot flushes, joint pain and anxiety, whilst MyMT™ Transform Me, is for women, like Jo, who want to stop their weight gain and get losing the weight that has gone on in menopause. Both programmes help women to restore their energy and feel like their old self again.
It would be my privilege to support you and help you turn back the clock on your weight and health whether you are in menopause or post-menopause. All programmes are online and can be undertaken in your time at your pace, with my coaching support.


Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach

Related Tag: Belly Fat Women

### "My main goal was to get back skiing, and now I am!" [Annelise, Australia]

I remember when Annelise came onto the programme. She was troubled with sore joints and was concerned that she wouldn't be able to ski again, because her knees were so sore. It was the same for me, so I knew to point her in the direction of my Joint Health module and the anti-inflammatory benefits of the programme.

It was such a pleasure seeing the photo that she sent me and her email to see how far she has come. She kindly allowed me to share it with you, so I hope this gives you hope that yes, you can get back into doing the activity that you love to do, if menopause symptoms and aches and pains have got in the way.

"I just wanted to say a big thanks for your wonderful program and support. You really are quite an amazing lady to be dedicated and supportive of so many ladies world wide and to bring us all the latest and greatest with informative email and articles.

From your program I have gained a better understanding of so many things but probably the best thing is that, I can still do it and I’m not over the hill yet! I turn 50 this month and I’m celebrating. I will never have my 25 or 35 year old body again but I’m looking forward to keeping this 50 Year old body in the best shape I can.

Since doing your programme, I have:

 	Stopped gaining weight
 	Starting a new walking routine
 	Doing more exercise in general
 	Enjoy a much improved diet
 	Drinking much less alcohol, mostly none except holidays has been a bit more.

I've also experienced an incredible improvement in my lower back and I went back skiing. That was my main goal!

I always like it when things become routine and part of my daily life. That's what I have got most out of in terms of the programme. Most of these things you suggest are now second nature to me, so I will just work to maintain and get back on track if I get off. I will add a few more things in as I go.

Many thanks again,

Annelise, Australia

PS: In all my programmes, there are optional modules on Joint Health, Gut Health, Heart Health and more! 

### Does alcohol affect your sleep during menopause?

It was an interesting discussion that I had whilst on Swiss holiday last year and I was reminded of it recently when a discussion came up in my private coaching community about alcohol and sleep.

The fondue pot was bubbling away in the middle of the table. How the Swiss got to have a national food that involved the shared ritual of dipping bread or small potatoes into a pot of hot melted cheese is beyond me. But here we were, sharing not only a fondue or two but sharing stories as well.

The inevitable “What do you do Wendy?” was asked by the middle-aged woman sitting beside me, who was endorsing the sentiment that if you are going to tolerate fondue, then you don’t drink water, only alcohol. Early on in the night, she was on her third glass of wine.

I'm always hesitant about discussing a topic that doesn't get talked about in public much, but I casually told her, “I have a lifestyle coaching programme for midlife or older women who want to better understand how to change their lifestyle to suit their changing hormones in menopause or post-menopause.”

That's when she told me she was on HRT, but it had stopped working for her in terms of her sleep. We were having a nice conversation, even if there were some words lost in translation, so I asked her if she had had any lifestyle advice when she went on her menopause-HRT. Afterall, Switzerland is a very progressive country with its health system and has a strong focus on population wellbeing and lifestyle. When she shook her head to indicate no, I was surprised.

It intrigued me that when she was prescribed HRT, she wasn’t told about the effect of alcohol on her symptoms, especially on her sleep, now that she had moved into post-menopause. By the end of the night, the bottle was largely gone … most of it by my new middle-age dining partner.

Now don’t get me wrong – I’m not a tea-totaller at all, and had a small glass of wine myself, but it was the amount she was drinking in one sitting which intrigued me and that she hadn't connected this with her insomnia.

The incident reminded me of the heading in the New York Times which I had only read a few days earlier. Tucked in between an editorial on the crisis in Ukraine, the heading drew me in – ‘Too many women have a drinking problem.’ (New York Times, Thursday, April 7, 2022 p. 11).

And apparently, the pandemic has made excessive drinking (defined as four or more drinks in a few hours), worse. A new report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse said that mothers increased their drinking by more than 300 percent during the pandemic. I'm not surprised. Home schooling is a tough gig at any time.

It's a similar story here in New Zealand. Data from the Ministry of Health reports that the prevalence of hazardous drinking increased from 2011/12 to 2015/16. These increases were substantial with more than 50% among those aged 45-54 years drinking hazardously and more than than 70% among those aged 55-64 years doing the same.



I find that with the thousands of women who join my coaching programmes, many of them don't connect the consumption of alcohol with their menopause insomnia. And yes, I was the same. Arriving home from a busy day working, one of the first actions I took whilst preparing dinner, was to have a glass of wine, or two. As the menopause insomnia took over, I thought it might sedate me. How wrong I was.

Although alcohol generally is classified as a depressant drug, in fact it has both sedative and stimulatory effects. When we arrive in menopause and post-menopause, the 'stimulatory effects' might just take over from the sedative effects. And this is all to do with our ageing pituitary gland.

With our menopause transition arriving as the biological gateway to our ageing, there are numerous changes occurring to our pituitary gland which controls our circadian rhythm. As such, alcohol consumption leading up to bedtime, may result in messing up other hormones such as growth hormone, but also messing with our core temperature. Initially, core temperature lowers, but then it rises (Roehrs & Roth, NIH). If you've been awake in the night and feeling hotter than usual after a few glasses of wine now that you're in menopause, this is why.

Sleep disturbance is one of the most common complaints of women as they enter menopause, but we have to remember that alcohol use disorder (AUD) is linked to this ... whether we are on HRT or not. A 2020 study exploring sleep and alcohol use in owmen (Inkelis et al, 2020), reminded readers that women are increasingly consuming alcohol at an earlier age and at higher rates.

This is a challenge for women going into peri-menopause, because if they have had a higher than normal rate of drinking for many years, then yes, the liver has had to work harder to manage all that alcohol. As does the pancreas. We tend to forget about this precious organ with our alochol consumption, but alcohol is high in sugar and therefore, higher amounts of insulin are secreted from the pancreas in order to regulate blood sugar levels.

The pancreas is a gland that secretes digestive enzymes and releases insulin, which regulates sugar levels in the blood. Therefore, the pancreatic acinar cells are thought to sustain damage from free radicals and other toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism and this increases inflammation of the pancreas. Hence, high alcohol intake means that the liver, pancreas and brain are having to do a lot more work than usual. Add this to menopause hormonal changes and some of you will know the effects of the hangover and perhaps gut disturbances the next day.



When you reflect back on the past decades, have you been drinking for most of your life? This is an important question for women to consider simply because acute alcohol consumption and chronic alcohol consumption have different effects on the body. We often forget that whilst alcohol consumption has been going on for thousands of years, if you are in your 50s or 60s, then you will be well aware that marketing of alcohol to women has also arrived over our lifetime. Marketers have also realised that portraying alcohol as a reward for tired women at the end of the day is an effective strategy.

I wasn't surprised to read in Erika Anderson's New York Times article, that in America, new offerings such as 'Mommy's Time Out' wine has reached the market, as has 'Chick Beer'. Low calorie drinks marketed as seltzers have also been heavily marketed to women with producers claiming over $4.5 billion in sales (NY Times, April 7, 2022). How many of these sales can be attributed to middle-aged women in menopause, I have no idea.

But let's get back to the issue of menopause, sleep quality and chronic alcohol consumption. Studies show that women who self-reported longer term alcohol dependence had increased sleep onset latency and a decreased time spent in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. (Inkelis, Hasler & Baker, 2020). In sleep science, sleep onset latency is the length of time that it takes to accomplish the transition from full wakefulness to sleep.

When we don't get into REM sleep, we can wake up more easily. Why this occurs with alcohol consumption is that heart rates remain elevated as does nervous activity and as such, the chronic stress hormone, cortisol stays elevated overnight too. If you've been waking up anxious and you've been drinking alcohol prior to bedtime, then you are contributing to your overnight feelings of anxiety.



Menopause is a challenging time for numerous women. I didn't know about the effects of many of my lifestyle decisions until my symptoms began to get worse, despite taking menopause HRT and plenty of supplements.

If I had my time again, I would have reduced or stopped alcohol earlier in my menopause transition. It's not about not drinking either. It's about understanding that as we enter peri-menopause, a time when we still have oestrogen and progesterone production, this phase is very different to menopause (when periods have stopped) and post-menopause (when periods have stopped for a year or more).

Hence, if you can tolerate alcohol consumption in peri-menopause, you may find that this changes as you move towards post-menopause. If you are drinking regularly in peri-menopause, then these habits will be well embedded when you get to post-menopause.

For some women on my programmes, this is what they find hardest - by this I mean, that it's harder to change habits, the older you are, but it can be done with the right support and I often encourage women to talk to their Doctor about this. Otherwise, sleep problems can tip them over into other health problems as they age.

Alcohol and sleep problems go hand-in-hand. Alcohol has a toxic effect on brain circuits, cardiovascular function and hormones that are important to sleep generation.

As such, the menopause transition is a vulnerable time for women who are regular drinkers of alcohol. Not only due to the inflammatory changes that arrive in the liver, pancreas and brain with alcohol, but also due to the contribution of alcohol to sleep disturbances.

Whilst MyMT™ is not an alcohol cessation programme for problem drinkers, it is a programme whereby you will learn about how to sleep all night again and reduce your menopause symptoms and/or weight, using evidenced lifestyle solutions.

If women are on HRT or other medications, then I don't interfere with this at all because this is between you and your Doctor, but I'm passionate about you understanding 'what else you can put into place' to help yourself move through menopause too.

As such, I have some suggestions for you to not only help to reduce your alcohol inake in menopause, but also, to help you reduce the effects of alcohol on your liver, brain and pancreas. These include:

 	Buy an organic wine that is lower in sugar and alcohol content. Take this to the party if your host doesn’t usually have organic wine available. You don’t want the chemicals and excess of sugar nor do you need the high ethanol content which is all just ‘overload’ for your liver to process.
 	Have some protein if you are drinking, rather than high sugar treats or high salt carbohydrates. Protein will help to lower the effect of insulin production from your pancreas so your blood sugar doesn’t spike.
 	Ask for sparkling water or bottled water as well. This way you have a balance of water and alcohol to slow down your drinking.
 	Don’t eat a high fat meal before going out. Your liver will be too busy trying to process the fats and not the alcohol and excess glucose. It can’t do both. 

I hope you can read Kimberley's powerful story on my Success Stories pages. She too had numerous challenges which affected her mental health and alcohol was one of them. I'm so proud of her recognising this and getting the right support at the time.

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD) Founder: MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.


 

References:

Action Point from: www.actionpoint.org.nz/trends_in_old_people_drinking

Calleja-Conde J, Echeverry-Alzate V, Bühler KM, Durán-González P, Morales-García JÁ, Segovia-Rodríguez L, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, Giné E, López-Moreno JA. The Immune System through the Lens of Alcohol Intake and Gut Microbiota. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 13;22(14):7485.

Inkelis, S. M., Hasler, B. P., & Baker, F. C. (2020). Sleep and Alcohol Use in Women. Alcohol research : current reviews, 40(2), 13. https://doi.org/10.35946/arcr.v40.2.13

Pietilä, J., Helander, E., Korhonen, I., Myllymäki, T., Kujala, U. M., & Lindholm, H. (2018). Acute Effect of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Autonomic Regulation During the First Hours of Sleep in a Large Real-World Sample of Finnish Employees: Observational Study. JMIR mental health, 5(1), e23. https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9519

Pohl K, Moodley P, Dhanda AD. Alcohol's Impact on the Gut and Liver. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 11;13(9):3170.
Rohrs, T. & Roth, T. Sleep, Sleepiness, and Alcohol Use. Sourced from: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-2/101-109.htm

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Sleep better with this  Silverbeet and Butterbean Salad

In the Northern Hemisphere you might know this delicious vegetable as Swiss Chard. Here in New Zealand, it's called Silverbeet or Korare.Whichever name you prefer, then please get it on your menu. This mighty vegetable is a 'menopause-must'! It is high in all the minerals that your body needs during your menopause transition to help you sleep - calcium, magnesium and iron.And if any of you have been to Lima, the capital of Peru, then you may also have tried Lima Beans. These are also known as Butter Beans and in this salad, they take pride of place with silverbeet in a delicious menopause-mineral-specific salad. The butter beans in this recipe will help you too.For centuries, people in Central and South America have prized lima beans for the energy and nutrients they offer. Peru’s ancient Moche civilization used the large, flat beans in their cooking as early as 800 BCE and whilst, it's easy for us to open a can of beans these days, adding Lima Beans to our diet is just as important today as it was back then. Silverbeet is a source of vitamin A (from beta-carotene), folate and vitamin K, and contains a dietary significant amount of potassium, all nutrients that are beneficial to our heart health and our sleep as we age. Lima beans are rich in soluble fibre, which helps your body absorb carbohydrates more slowly, thus regulating your blood sugar levels and helping you to control your weight.I hope that over the weekend, you can get these ingredients and make this delicious salad. The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Silver Beet Butter Bean SaladWhen we moved into our new home, the last owners had left truckloads of silver beet. I don’t usually cook much with silver beet but now I had to work out how to use it all up. I found myself experimenting with silver beet in salads and it was delicious when warmed and paired with beans. Ingredients (makes enough for 2 people)Ingredients1 can of butter beans2-3 garlic clovesA large bunch of silver beet or kaleFlat leaf parsley1 lemon juiced1 tbsp olive oilAdd extra veggies if you desire – cucumber and tomatoes also go great with this dish.MethodFry the butter beans and garlic on low – medium heat in olive oil for 10 minutes. Add the kale or silver beet and fry for an extra 5 minutes (until it is sautéed).Serve with flat leaf parsley, lemon and olive oil dressing, and salt / pepper.

### Have you noticed these recurring themes in menopause discussions throughout 2022 too?

Over the past 8 years since setting up the My Menopause Transformation programmes, I’ve witnessed an explosion of interest (both scientifically and in popular media) in the menopause transition.As I’ve read or viewed much of these discussions over the years, including throughout 2022, I’ve been struck by four recurring themes:There is an almost fanatical devotion to menopause HRT by many celebrities, journalists and yes, even celebrity Doctors and women themselves.This is all very well, however there doesn't seem to be a lot of balance to these conversations. Menopause HRT, whether delivered via the patch, the pill or any other mode, is not for everyone. This is especially true for women who are sensitive to oestrogen or have a history of blood vessel changes, including blood clots. With the changes that occur to blood vessels in women as they age, this is probably all of us!Weight gain gets minimal attention as a symptom of menopause. Nor does the fact that the end-stage of peri-menopause, when periods stop, is a vulnerable time for weight gain.Yet, the SWAN studies (Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation) have consistently shown that body mass index (BMI) changes as women complete the transition into menopause, when periods end.As the studies mention, this is explainable by the fact that adipose (fat) tissue causes increased oestrogen production from within the fat cells themselves. This oestrogen production is derived from hormone precursors, i.e. the compounds which help to make oestrogen.Cortisol from stress is one of these oestrogen precursors, as is alcohol, and then there are estrogen-rich foods and exposure to chemicals. If you’ve been reading my newsletters this year, then you will have read about some of these effects.There seems to be very little conversation about the differences between the three stages of menopause.However the stage of menopause that women are in matters to their symptoms, including weight gain. My personal observation, is that many of the celebrities and others who are most vocal on social and popular media about menopause are only just arriving in their late 40s or early 50s. Hence, they may not have reached menopause or post-menopause yet. Their experiences and knowledge therefore, remain limited! With medical and pharmaceutical interventions now dominating the ‘menopause-landscape’, the positive social and psychological perspectives are being lost.Our menopause transition is so much more than ‘just’ hot flashes or brain-fog. Thousands of women who join me in the MyMT™ community can attest to this. Indeed, in India and other countries, this stage of life is a time of celebration and renewal - physically, emotionally and spiritually.		
																										
		How women shape the next phase of their lives, their ageing years is, to me, an important theme that is missing from many menopause discussions. The primary emphasis on hormonal and supplement interventions is drowning out these ‘other’ perspectives.Exploring how and why midlife women think about their health and the factors that influence engaging in healthy behaviours as they age, was a topic of interest to me in my doctoral studies.This was also explored in the work of Kathleen Smith-DiJulio et al (2012) who learnt that the women they interviewed, described lives of healthy eating and exercise, yet they also associated midlife with guilt at not doing enough to be healthy. Furthermore, they also felt that health professionals provided a very limited framework upon which to judge what is healthy.Women in Smith DiJulio’s study, framed their healthy ageing as “being able to do what you want to do when you want to do it.” A similar theme emerged in my own studies – however, when I dug deeper into the meanings given to chasing improved health as they moved through midlife, women in my studies were similar in that their ‘why’ was "because I don’t want to age like my mother."Our physical and emotional health and wellbeing through our menopause transition shapes how we age. Which is why as 2022 ends and a new year begins, I encourage you to think about your menopause transition differently.Whichever intervention or approach to your symptom management that you choose, I also want you to look further towards the years you have ahead of you. What do you want to achieve? What is your 'why' for pursuing improved health as you age? How will you get there, where-ever 'there' is for you, and what support do you need on your journey?		
																										
		These are the same questions that I had to explore myself.As such, my reason was to feel healthy, functionally active and get back to feeling and being ‘me’ again. Just as women on my programs aim to do as well.In this pursuit, we all tend to move through various stages of change - behavioural, emotional, physical and spiritual. Which is exactly what a 'transformation' entails.And yes, even though many of us get off track with the realities and vagaries of our day-to-day lives, I love how, when we keep moving in the right direction, i.e. towards improved health as we age, we can eventually get there, with so many learnings along the way.Thank you for being here with me in the MyMT™ Community this year. Whatever stage of menopause you are in, or even if you are well through this stage as I am, welcome to the 'new you' (re)discovering the 'old you' as you age.Happy New Year to you.WendyDr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle MedicineReference:Smith-Dijulio K, Windsor C, Anderson D. The shaping of midlife women's views of health and health behaviors. Qual Health Res. 2010 Jul;20(7):966-76. 

### MyMT™ KITCHEN: Harness your health with my Canadian Black Bean Soup

“People living a long time in the Blue Zones countries eat about a cup of beans a day. It probably yields them an extra four years of life expectancy and reduces inflammation which causes so many health problems as we age. Beans are high in protein and for every cup of cooked beans, you get between 25-35% of your protein intake per day.”   [Dan Buettner, Blue Zones Researcher] I first heard about the Blue Zones studies whilst sitting at the World Health Organization conference on healthy ageing in beautiful Melbourne in 2016. I had just presented my own research to the conference and was now free to cruise around listening to other presentations. At the time, I was 15 kg heavier, my joints were sore, I wasn’t sleeping well and I had a lot of make-up on to cover the dark rings around my eyes. I was continually on some form of diet and was immersed in the fitness industry culture of doing lots of higher intensity exercise and eating meals full of protein and animal fats. Dr John Beard, Ph.D., is an Australian Physician and Director of Ageing and Life Course with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. At the time of the conference, WHO had identified ageing as one of its priority areas of work, and Dr Beard was presenting his findings on the World Report on Ageing and Health, which had just been released. When he presented the numerous charts, statistic and indices of ageing ‘problems’ as only research scientists can, I noticed that in every single slide he was referring to both men and women who were 50 years and older. It was the very first time, that I thought to place myself in ‘ageing research’. As the session continued, he spoke about the Blue Zones research, a term coined by National Geographic Researcher, Dan Buettner, who had travelled the world exploring the lifestyle themes of the world’s longest living people. He found that in 5 countries around the world, there were populations living healthy, long lives – Buettner named these countries, Blue Zones countries. I talk a lot about the nutritional aspects of women living in these countries in my 12 week programmes.  Dr Beard spoke about the ‘turn to plants’ in many of these countries as well as social and environmental influences on the habits of long-living people. When he showed the Okinawa Graph about foods that comprise the diet of Okinawan people, I saw that the mainstay of the diet was sweet potato and beans. Two foods which I did not include in my daily diet at the time. That afternoon when the sessions ended I wandered towards the CBD in Melbourne. I walked along Little Bourke Street and passed a small café serving baked hot potatoes and sweet potatoes. I went in and for the first time for a very long time, I ordered a baked sweet potato stuffed with beans and salad. I then took it down to the mall and sat on a bench to ‘people-watch’ and ate the meal. It changed my life. I felt full and satisfied and wasn’t hungry for hours afterwards. I didn’t feel like ‘snacking’. In my past-life (before my research), I would only have beans about once a week – usually on top of mince nachos, but these days, I make more of an effort. I bake a sweet potato for a late lunch or early dinner and add beans, avocado and chopped tomatoes on top and yes, the nachos are now bean-based as well. I now buy Black Beans and Adzuki beans. After watching a programme by UK chef, Jamie Oliver, I discovered that these beans are the second most important legume in Japan after soybean. They are high in fibre, protein, trace minerals and folate, which is needed for our ageing nervous system, and most importantly, according to the men interviewed on the programme, Adzuki beans produce less gas (although I cannot verify this!).  If you are sensitive to beans, then consider having them in soup. This fabulous Black Bean Soup recipe was given to me by a chef in Canada when I was skiing over there prior to the world going crazy and international travel being interrupted. If you aren't using canned beans, then don’t forget that soaking and cooking them for longer helps with the digestion of beans too. All good to know.  So, in a shout-out to all my lovely Canadian ladies, here is my Black Bean Soup recipe and a small video I made about the powerful benefits of beans as we navigate our changing liver and cardiovascular health during menopause. https://youtu.be/UzllUdRdFew
Black Bean Soup Recipe
2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp coriander powder (optional)

2 cans black beans

1 can tomatoes

2tbsp tomato paste

1-2 cups of veggie stock (depending on how liquid you want it)

2 tbsp Lime Juice (optional)

Garnish - fresh herbs, spring onion, avocado, organic cheese.

Method:

Fry garlic and onion in olive oil until soft (approx 5 minutes on low).

Add in spices and fry for 2 more minutes.

Add black beans (or Adzuki Beans), tomatoes and tomato paste and veggie stock.

Leave for 20-30 minutes simmering on low. Add in lime juice if you would like.

Blend or whiz to a soup consistency. Garnish and serve.

### Beat your menopause heat by controlling your blood sugar levels.

The connection between elevated glucose levels, higher body temperature and sweating are already known in Diabetes research, but this is not only a diabetic issue. In healthy people without diabetes, acute spikes in glucose, either by glucose infusion or excessive carbohydrate consumption, causes body temperature to climb. (Bikman, 2022).

I’m sure some of you, especially those of you who are overweight as you move through menopause, may have worked this blood sugar/body-heat connection out already.

But why does this happen? And why do our menopause hormonal changes generate more heat than we can tolerate?

The answer lies in our blood vessels, as well as in our changing insulin production as we age. 

Hormonal changes during menopause can disrupt the production of insulin from our pancreas as can being overweight, not sleeping well and of course, being sedentary and eating the wrong types of foods.

Furthermore, as oestrogen levels decline, there are changes in the elasticity of our blood vessels as well. They may become ‘stiffer’ leading to higher blood pressure and less ability to move the internal heat to the skin’s surface. You may have read my previous articles whereby I refer to these changes as vascular stiffness.



Why high blood glucose and high insulin are a problem for your body temperature during menopause:

Glucose is a simple sugar and is also known as blood sugar. Flowing through your bloodstream, it is the principal fuel of all of your body cells, especially your brain.

When glucose levels become too high in the blood-stream (e.g. with festive-season sweet treats), there is a rapid release of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin is the hormone made by the pancreas, and its role is to transport glucose from the blood into cells, where it is burned for energy. 

Insulin carries sugar/glucose - it is your energy storage hormone.

When you eat something such as bread or white rice, or a cookie, or sweet treats, your blood glucose (sugar) rises. This signals the pancreas to release an amount of insulin necessary to carry the available glucose to the brain, the liver and muscles as well as other cells.

There is no energy storage in our muscles or liver cells without insulin. Nor is there glucose which travels to the brain without insulin. It is a crucial hormone which holds the key to unlocking the door to glucose being stored in the liver, muscles and in fat cells.

During menopause as our liver, muscles and blood vessels age, there may also be changes in the ability of insulin to do its job. 

This may arise from a number of factors, including: 

 	eating the wrong types of food, especially sugary foods
 	eating too much or too little food,
 	having a sedentary lifestyle with very little activity
 	having too much exercise/sports as with athletes training and competing, and blood sugar levels are crashing because food intake is inadequate
 	carrying too much body-fat
 	the ageing of our pancreas during menopause, which is the organ responsible for releasing insulin and glucagon (it’s opposing hormone).

All of these factors can cause the pancreas and the liver to become inflamed and insulin production and function to get out of balance.

When insulin production and function is out of balance, this causes an increase in inflammatory changes in tissues. These inflammatory changes cause over-heating.

However, because our blood vessels are also losing some elasticity, then we can't move heat to the surface of the skin as efficiently. Hence, temperature regulation in the body is disrupted and this may become worse when metabolic function is disrupted and glucose levels are elevated. (Bikman, 2022)

That's why changing our diet and learning how to reduce our sugar-cravings, is such an important part of hot flush management during and after our menopause transition. 



I'm grateful to the scientists who have helped me pull together the menopause jigsaw so that I can use my knowledge to help others - and there are no borders to menopause symptoms and weight gain!

Over the past few days, women from Hungary, Canada, Denmark, the Cook Islands, America, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom have joined me either on my online Masterclass on Menopause or on my 12 week Visible Results Transform Me sale which has as its main focus, weight loss. In this programme, I introduce women to their MyMT™ Food Guide and the charts and food lists which have the glycemic ratings of carbohydrates. 

Throughout our lives we are influenced by others. One of the scientists who has helped me to help you, is Professor Jennifer Brand-Miller from the University of Sydney in Australia. Women on the MyMT™ programmes learn about her as well and why her research on carbohydrates is included in the MyMT™ Food Guide.  

Over our lifetime, we need to eat differently depending on our age and stage. But food information has become so embedded in our psyche from the powerful influence of the modern food industry, the fitness and sporting industries and the dieting and media industries, that it's no surprise that we all get a bit confused about food. I was confused too.

For over 25 years, Professor Brand-Miller has been a world-authority on carbohydrates and the Glycemic Index (GI). Along with her team from the University of Sydney in Australia, she pioneered the concept that different carbohydrate foods have dramatically different effects on energy levels because of the effect that certain carbohydrates have on our blood-sugar levels.

With the rise in population obesity and Type 2 diabetes over the past three decades, understanding blood sugar control has important implications for weight management and appetite control. It's also important for athletes and exercisers who need adequate energy levels for training and competing.

New studies have also confirmed that carbohydrate foods with a low GI rating, are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. And for women in menopause, low GI foods also help to keep hot flushes under control. 


What is the Glycemix Index?
The glycemic index (GI) is a physiologically based measure of carbohydrate quality. Professor Jennie Brand-Miller and her team have spent years analysing different types of carbohydrates to see the immediate effect on blood glucose levels. Each carbohydrate has then been given a rating. 

Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion are rated with a high GI value - this is often processed carbohydrate foods such as snack bars. This means that their blood glucose response is fast and high. Carbohydrates which break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream have a low GI value. 

One of the greatest mistakes made in diets today, is that carbohydrates need to be avoided.

But the confusion results because the term ''carbs' is used for processed foods and foods high in sugar, so yes, we have to try and remove these sources of carbohydrates, however, fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates too. So, are grains.

You must understand that carbohydrates are not created equal and they differ in type and amounts that you need. Herein lies the confusion - you must choose the right kind of carbohydrate for your lifestyle and your stage of life and for the amount of exercise or activity you are doing too.

For busy women with a lot going on in their lives (isn't that most of us?) and who are going into peri-menopause or remain active in post-menopause, then it's fruits, vegetables and grains that are important to our health. These foods are far more important than supplements to help manage our weight, reduce hot flushes and give us energy. These are the 'carbs' that we need.

If we exercise, then carbs are equally as important as protein. Protein is for building and repair, carbohydrates and fats help our energy levels because they help to restore glucose back into muscles and our brain. With the emphasis on high protein and high fat diets these days, it's important that you understand that healthy carbohydrates are equally important as we move through menopause.

If these carbohydrates are low glycemic index carbs, then this helps to promote weight control, reduce fatigue, increase satiety (fullness) and provide the body with a rich supply of micro-nutrients. When you are looking for Low GI foods, then you want to select carbs that have a rating value under 50. [Image Source: University of Sydney]



That's why, instead of spending lots of money on endless supplements and diets as you go into menopause, I want you to visit your local fruit and vegetable shop instead.

If you buy these low GI foods, then you will also be helping to manage your weight, improve your energy and reduce your hot flushes.   

 	Apples - GI Rating 38. An apple a day really does keep the Doctor away and the hot flushes too .. they are rich in Vitamin C and fibre and have one of the lowest GI ratings for fruit because they are high in pectin which lowers their GI. [In comparison, a banana has a rating of 52 and kiwifruit has a rating of 58]. 



 	Sweet Potato or Kumara - GI Rating 44 [this compares to a boiled potato which has GI rating of 88].  In New Zealand we call Sweet Potatoes, Kumara. Sweet potato belong to a different plant family to regular potato and come either as white, yellow or red in colour and are packed with antioxidants. Whilst the 'sweetness' comes from a high sucrose content, it is high in fibre which gives it a lower GI rating than regular potato varieties. When I researched women's health as they age, especially cardiac health, I discovered that women in the Okinawa longevity studies have sweet potato as their main carbohydrate - in fact over 50% of their daily diet is carbohydrate from sweet potatoes. This is my wonderful Low GI kumara, celery and apple salad which is in the MyMT™ Food Guide, which women receive as part of all of the 12 week programmes [Circuit Breaker for thinner/ leaner women; Transform Me for menopause weight loss or Rebuild My Fitness for those who want to get back into the right exercise for us as we age]. 



 	Oats or Porridge - GI Rating 42. Compare this to Kellogs Rice Bubbles which has a rating of 87 and you know what breakfast cereal is going to give you lovely sustained energy throughout your busy morning don't you? Add some stewed apples to porridge and you have a lovely Low GI start to your day. 


 	Carrots and Chickpeas - GI Rating of 28. Chickpeas are high in protein and carbohydrates and hummus is made from chickpeas. I try to have this fabulous low GI food every day. Dipping carrot sticks in hummus is a great afternoon snack. Protein-starch interactions contribute to their lower GI. Carrots are crunchy too which helps to stimulate saliva production and many women find that they get dry mouth in menopause, because saliva production is reduced as we lose oestrogen. 
 	Dark Chocolate - GI Rating of 44. You don't need this every day, but for a sweet treat that doesn't spike your blood sugar, then yes, the darker the chocolate, the lower the GI rating. 


								

Controlling our blood sugar levels is an important part of taking back control of our hot flushes and for those of you overweight, then losing weight matters for your hot flush management too. 

Diabetes is a serious health risk currently affecting 15% of women aged 55 years and older. Its incidence is expected to more than double by 2050, so if you have uncontrollable hot flushes, then perhaps it's time to get your blood glucose levels checked. 

If your health has changed or you feel that your symptoms and weight are holding you back from living the life that you want to live, then I hope when you get time, you can join me for your menopause transformation. Developed from scientific studies on women's healthy ageing, there isn't another programme like this around. 

I know this, because when my own symptoms and weight was getting me down and menopause supplements and HRT weren't working into the long-term, I looked too. 

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Creator & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 



References: 

Atkinson, S., Foster-Powell, K. & Brand-Miller, J. (2008). International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008. Diabetes Care 31, 2281–2283. 

Bikman, B. (2022). How do blood sugar levels affect body-temperature? Metabolic Insights, Online Publication. 

Brand-Miller, J. Foster-Powell, K. & Colagiuri, S. (2002). The Glucose Revolution. University of Sydney: Hodder Print.

Dormire S, Howharn C. The effect of dietary intake on hot flashes in menopausal women. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2007 May-Jun;36(3):255-62. doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2007.00142.

Parry, J. (2021). Insulin Stimulates Production of Body Heat, New Study Finds. Yale School of Medicine Press Release.

Yang R, Zhou Y, Li C, Tao M. Association between pulse wave velocity and hot flashes/sweats in middle-aged women. Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 23;7(1):13854.

### Use the power of sunlight to improve your mental and immune health during menopause.

The discussions from women on my coaching programmes who live in the Northern Hemisphere are interesting. I even have one lady who works up in the Arctic Circle - with very little sunlight up there during the winter months and because she is moving through menopause, she didn't realise her vulnerability with her mental and immune health because of where she works in winter! 

The importance of one of the most important natural resilience tools in our toolbox, can't be overlooked. Although on a dreary, cloudy day in the Northern Hemisphere when it's dark by 5pm, this can easily be overlooked when it comes to managing our mental health in menopause. 

Our body relies on sunlight exposure to help hormonal balance. Not in the heat of the day obviously for those of you living in the Southern Hemisphere. And for those of you working inside all day, it can be a bit challenging to find some sun, but do your best. 

If you have darker skin, then some sunlight exposure is even more important. As is getting Vitamin D levels checked. Janice, up there in America, now understands the importance of this aspect of her health as a woman with darker colour skin. With more melanin in her skin, which is to help protect against harmful UV rays from the sun, darker skin types reduces the UV radiation available for Vitamin D synthesis (production in the skin.  

So in winter months, despite the temptation to stay indoors, the challenge for women going through menopause, is that getting some sun matters - darker skin women need up to 25 minutes of exposure and lighter skin women need less. 

'It has been shown that the white-skinned population of the UK are able to meet their vitamin D needs with short, daily lunchtime exposures to sunlight. However, to meet vitamin D requirements, skin type V (darker skin) individuals in the UK need ~25 min daily sunlight at lunchtime, from March to September. This makes several assumptions, including that forearms and lower legs are exposed June–August; only exposing hands and face at this time is inadequate.'  [Webb, Kazantzidis et al. (2018)].



From our sleep to our immune health to our moods, motivation and depression, we shouldn't shun the sun. Exposing our body to natural sunlight is as important as our food and water during menopause, unless there is an underlying clinical condition present.

For a generation of women, who have been taught to get out of the sun as much as they can, as we go through our biological transition into menopause, it's time to change this thinking. Even in countries with high sunshine hours at the moment, such as Australia and New Zealand, it's important to allow our skin to have some exposure to natural sunlight. Not only does this boost serotonin production (our mood hormone) and enhance our sleep, it also helps us to stay cool. 

Our skin is our largest organ and it is full of oestrogen receptors. Hence, our menopause transition causes changes to our skin as oestrogen production declines. 

As oestrogen declines in the skin, our sweat glands become less efficient too. They become less elastic and this prevents our skins cooling mechanism from doing the job that it was designed to do. Losing the elasticity of our eccrine sweat glands is part of the body's natural ageing, so we must look after our skin and part of this role, is to allow it some exposore to natural light during the day. This helps to keep us cool! 

"Our biology is set-up to work in partnership with the sun." (p.3) states chrono-biologist Dr Linda Geddes, author of  'Chasing the Sun'. My own women's healthy ageing studies support this too. As I worked to understand my own symptom chaos, I realised that part of the menopause-hot-flush puzzle lies with our skin. Our skin is loaded with oestrogen receptors and as we lose oestrogen during our menopause transition, the effect of low sunlight exposure on our symptoms is more than we think ... and I'm not just talking about Vitamin D either.

Turning around hormonal health and re-balancing our metabolism for menopause starts with the raw ingredients. One of these is getting some sunlight on your skin.



It's intriguing when you look at the effect of sunlight on human health. Many of us know that in Switzerland for example, as in many other countries, including New Zealand, sick children used to get sent to 'sanitoriums'. But in effect, they should have been called 'SUNitoriums', because the healing power of sunlight was a strategy used to turn around their immune health, especially the bone disease called rickets.

By the late 1800s, approximately 90% of all children living in industrialized Europe and North America had some manifestations of this crippling bone disease, according to estimates based on autopsy studies of the day (Benefits of Sunlight, Enviro News, 2008) Doctors throughout Europe and North America began promoting whole-body sunbathing to help prevent rickets.

Even in the elderly, the healing power of sun helps everything from depression to diverticulitis, because of the role of Vitamin D3. You don't need too much, but 15-20 minutes of sun a day is enough to keep you 'topped up'. Some of us need more than others depending on where we live, if we work inside all day and how depressed we feel during our menopause transition.



As women in our mid-life years, how we live our life is vastly different from our mother's generation. We also live in a world that is vastly different from our ancient physiology. As we juggle our work, parenting and home life, these factors also have a significant bearing on our symptoms in menopause, especially our sleep, hot flushes, immune health and feelings of depression. If you've been following my articles for a while, you will have read about the negative effects of stress on our sleep, weight gain and anxiety as we transition through menopause.

But there's another effect on our symptoms, health and immunity as we move through menopause and this is the amount of sunlight that we are exposed to. 

We must try and get natural sunlight on our skin and walking outside is a great way to achieve this. It's important to help reduce our symptoms,  improve our mood and anxiety during menopause and yes, sunlight exposure boosts our immunity too. 

I became really interested in understanding the research about the powerful health effects of sunlight (in our eyes and on our skin) when I was trying to un-tangle my sleep and joint-health problems in menopause. I now teach this to the thousands of women who join me in the MyMT™ programmes. It's so important for our weight loss too, especially those who work inside all day or do shift work. 



As I poured over the women's health literature, I began to understand that sun-health messages have changed a lot over our generation.

Evidence is suggesting that some sunshine exposure significantly reduces the incidence of serious diseases - assuming you don’t overdose on it and burn your skin, which of course is not only painful, but damages collagen fibres and decreases Vitamin A in the skin.

As the viral load on numerous people around the world has increased with the pandemic, then I want to remind you that exposure to sunlight isn’t only about improving Vitamin D levels. 

Research from the University of Scotland, reports that sunlight exposure also lowers blood pressure and improves immune health.

Production of this blood pressure-reducing compound - called nitric oxide - is separate from the body’s manufacture of vitamin D, which rises after exposure to sunshine. Until now, Vitamin D had been thought to solely explain the sun’s benefit to human health, the scientists said. But the report states that over 1,000 different genes governing virtually every tissue in the body, are now thought to be regulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25[OH]D), the active form of the vitamin, including several involved in calcium metabolism and neuro-muscular, immune system functioning, and blood pressure management. As the lead researcher, Dr Richard Weller, says:

“We suspect that the benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer. The work we have done provides a mechanism that might account for this, and also explains why dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate for lack of sunlight. We now plan to look at the relative risks of heart disease and skin cancer in people who have received different amounts of sun exposure. If this confirms that sunlight reduces the death rate from all causes, we will need to reconsider our advice on sun exposure.”



For those of you who are struggling with immune system issues, or your sleep, or your moods and you work mainly inside all day and then you head home to all the numerous jobs that have piled up as well, can you have a wee think about your exposure to sunlight during the day please? And here's why. 

My 3 main reasons as to why we should no longer shun-the-sun:

1. Oestrogen receptors in our skin help to convert sunlight into Vitamin D3. This is why during our menopause transition, the loss of oestrogen can inhibit this process. Even more so, if you aren't out in the sun very much, or if the winters are severe. More recent research reveals that Vitamin D3 is not really a vitamin, but a powerful hormone that affects nearly every other hormone in our body, including the hormones that control our circadian rhythm and sleep, thyroid health and hot flushes.

2. Like plants, our human physiology is designed to convert the suns's rays to life-giving energy. This happens deep in our mitochondrial cells which also respond to the natural cycles of light and dark. When our sleep patterns are disrupted as occurs for millions of women during menopause, this impacts our daily energy levels too. My focus is for you to turn this around. We can't do what we need to do in our day, when our energy levels are at rock-bottom! That's why getting back sleeping all night is the foundation of sorting out our hot flushes, night sweats, weight gain and depression. It's what I teach you to do at the start of your 12 week journey in the MyMT™ programmes. 



3. Getting sun and regular sleep cycles helps you to lose weight. Every major organ in the body is under the command of your genetically pre-determined biological clock which needs sunlight. This includes your gut, liver, heart, pancreas and bowels. It's why sleeping all night and turning around your circadian rhythm is crucial to your ability to lose your menopause belly-fat. If you don't, then a hormone called leptin, which tells your brain that you feel full, is disrupted. This is why many shift workers struggle with their weight. As I say to women who join me on my 12 week Transform Me weight loss programme, "If you aren't sleeping, you aren't losing and it's why your sleep-management module is the first one I want you to listen to and put into action."



For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, it takes around 4-6 weeks to turn winter skin into 'summer' skin, so do it progressively. And if like me, you live in the Southern Hemisphere, then the sun's rays can be especially harmful, so don't go out in the heat of mid-day. 

A note about SHIFT -WORK:

I have numerous women on my programme who are nurses or factory workers, whereby shift work is a constant in their lives. It's tough for those of them going through menopause, because sleep (or lack of it) becomes a constant focus of attention!  But one of the main issues with shift workers is how to increase melatonin levels before they go to bed if they work all night and then drive home and collapse into bed, so this is something that I work individually with shift-workers on.

The other issue is meal-timing. Health and sleep researchers also understand that regular meal times matter to our circadian rhythm and when working shifts, this can get out of alignment too. When this happens and we eat irregular meals at irregular times, this shifts our finely tuned metabolism which is also under the control of our biological clock. Lydia was doing shift-work as a nurse and so loved what she learnt on the MyMT 'Transform Me' programme. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.



References: 

Benefits of Sunlight: A bright spot for human health. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(4), April 2008.

Geddes, L. (2019). Chasing the Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds. London: Profile Books.

Lyman, M. (2019). The remarkable life of the skin. London: Penguin Books.

Webb, A. R., Kazantzidis, A., Kift, R. C., Farrar, M. D., Wilkinson, J., & Rhodes, L. E. (2018). Colour Counts: Sunlight and skin type as drivers of Vitamin D deficiency at UK latitudes. Nutrients, 10(4), 457. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10040457

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: A Festive MyMT™ Feast Specific to Mothers in Menopause.

If you've been following my newsletter posts over the past year, then you will know that menopause is a time of our life, when getting the right food into us, matters more than ever. This includes during festivities. No matter what your traditional meal is, then how about you put something on the table to suit your needs during menopause? Our menopause transition is a challenging time for many, but for others it is not. I used to be curious about this and throughout my studies I was always looking for the 'common thread' in the lifestyle literature. This thread always led me towards the role of inflammation during and after menopause and fortunately, numerous studies now attest to the fact that 'ageing' itself is inflammatory and menopause is the gateway to worsening inflammatory changes as oestrogen levels begin to decline.Menopausal women have very low circulating levels of oestrogens and progesterone but significantly elevated follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels - these are your master pituitary hormones. Because various types of oestrogen have effects around the body, this may set women up for health changes as oestrogen and progesterone levels decline - especially as they transition from peri-menopause to menopause, when periods end.This is why a change to our lifestyle is important during and after this transition. From a nutritional perspective, it means that women need to focus on foods that help their cardiovascular system.Vascular or Arterial Stiffness is a known phenomenon in menopausal and post-menopausal women, contributing to high blood pressure (hypertension), increased hot flushes, abnormal blood clotting, tingling and weakness in arms and legs and just, general fatigue. The good news is that there is accumulating evidence demonstrating that diet and nutrition may favorably modulate these arterial functions with ageing and this is a focus of mine, in helping women understand how to change their dietary needs during and after menopause to improve their symptoms and their health as they age. Factors that have been studied for their potential to reduce arterial stiffness and improve endothelial (blood vessel) function with age, include the emphasis on:1) enhancing the mechanisms which help blood vessels to dilate and maintain their elasticity as women age,2) exploring research on nutrition and arterial ageing that may hold promise for preventing age-related Cardio and Cerebro Vascular Disease.This means that what we eat is important and it's why, when it comes to the MyMT programmes, there aren't any fancy, diets, but instead, an emphasis on nutrient-rich foods that have a purpose for us. These foods are often found in the Mediterranean Dietary approach. Numerous studies now confirm that this is one of the best diets for women (and men) as they age. But guess what? It's also good for the younger generation of females too - they still have oestrogen and progesterone and need all the delicious nutrients that they can get too. Last Sunday, my daughter and her friends set out to help you to help yourself. Daughters helping mothers - I love that! They are all Kiwis living in London and they were meeting for a Christmas festive get-together. So, they took up my challenge with the menu!I set them all the task of having a Mediterranean focus for the meal, so that they knew how to help their mothers and they were becoming educated on peri-menopause and menopause. Whilst they are a long way off  this stage of life obviously, they all had great conversations about 'WHY' certain nutrients were helpful to their menstrual health.Every single one of them made a Mediterranean dish and learnt about the nutrients in it to help reduce symptoms of menopause and to help their own hormonal health too. Here they all are sitting around the Christmas table in Islington, London! 		
																										
		One of the recipes that they shared was the one below and I hope you can make it during your own festivities and put it on the Christmas table. It's a Simple Christmas Tomato Salad, adapted from Ottolenghi. When it comes to looking after our cardiovascular health, the lycopene in tomatoes (fresh, canned, cooked or in tomato paste) matters to our health. Tomatoes are a fruit and the Italian word, Pomodoro, means golden apple, so the first tomatoes seen in Europe may have been yellow-orange. Far from being a poisonous fruit, world-renowned blood vessel expert, Dr William Li (2019) says that tomatoes contain important bioactive compounds, especially carotenoids such as lycopene, which is important to "potently inhibit angiogenesis" (pg. 108) -  the term angiogenesis refers to the process by which blood vessels are formed.As we move through menopause and age, inflammatory changes can cause abnormalities in blood vessels as well as causing abnormal blood vessels to grow. This can happen during and after menopause and it's why, changing our diet and adding in Tomatoes may help to prevent abnormal (re)growth of blood vessels, which may lead to thickened, less elastic blood vessels and higher blood pressure. (Li, 2019; Collins et al, 2022). The potential health benefits of tomatoes include anticancer properties of lycopene in relation to its anti-angiogenic properties, the reduction in insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in blood, and the modulation of cellular pathways that lead to cancer.Tomatoes and some of the products made from Tomatoes (not Ketchup sorry which is high in sugar!) may also help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, with studies showing associations between tomato consumption and a reduction in hypertension and the risk of atherosclerosis. As we head towards another year and whether you are still moving through menopause or you are already in your post-menopause years, then I hope you can make this delicious salad - the wonderful girls in London all enjoyed it too. 		
																										
		Simple Christmas Tomato SaladI know how busy Christmas day is, and sometimes you completely run out of time for the cooking. Make this recipe your go to when this happens. This tomato salad is delicious in its simplest version. If you want to add anything else, you could try courgettes, green beans or just some rocket.5 garlic cloves35g fresh ginger100ml olive oil2 - 3 limes2 tbsp fish sauceA handful of fresh coriander5 medium tomatoesA packet of cherry tomatoesSalt and pepperPut the ginger, garlic, olive oil and a pinch of salt into a small pan and place it on a low heat. Cook gently for 25 mins until the solids are lightly golden. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.Then whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, fish sauce and coriander into the ginger/garlic oil.Chop up the larger tomatoes, and place them into a serving bowl with the cherry tomatoes. Drizzle the dressing on top and serve.[Recipe adapted from Ottolenghi]Happy Festive Season from MyMT™. 		
													
															
		References: Collins EJ, Bowyer C, Tsouza A, Chopra M. Tomatoes: An Extensive Review of the Associated Health Impacts of Tomatoes and Factors That Can Affect Their Cultivation. Biology (Basel). 2022 Feb 4;11(2):239. doi: 10.3390/biology11020239.Li, W. (2019). Eat to beat disease. London, UK: Penguin, Random House. Moriya J, Minamino T. Angiogenesis, Cancer, and Vascular Aging. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2017 Oct 24;4:65. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2017.00065.

### MyMT™ WORKOUT VIDEO: Buffer your stress with this 25 minute home-workout.

As we move through menopause, one of the lifestyle changes that we have control over to help improve our resilience to stress, is to undertake moderate, low-impact aerobic exercise.  

'Movement is Medicine' is the mantra in the MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness programme and inside this progressive 12 week exercise programme, you will find one of New Zealand's most experienced Exercise Professionals, Darryl Goad. For over 30 years, Darryl has been an expert in leading women through workouts!

I used to teach aerobics with Darryl and I trust him implicitly to guide you through simple aerobic movements that you can do in your home. Women from around the world love the workouts! 

When we went into lockdown here in New Zealand and I realised that many women on my programmes weren't able to get outside much, I called up Darryl to help women to decrease their stress and improve their resilience to their symptoms.  

The direct associations between physical activity, physical fitness and mental health are well established. Physically active individuals report better emotional well-being and mood enhancement because being active in ways that aren't exhausting are now recognised as offering a protective factor against the development of common stress-related mental health problems. (Neumann, Ahrens et al, 2022). 

I've known Darryl for decades and the more I observed the harder more vigorous types of exercise that prevail today, I knew he was the person to provide a specific workout for women on my programmes who are overweight, have sore knees and need to focus on lymphatic drainage, restoring their cardiovascular fitness and of course, improving their mood state.

It's my privilege to share his 25 minute workout video with you, especially for those of you who have sore, aching joints.  So, if you are feeling under the pump and it's been a busy, stressful year for you and you can't quite get on top of your mood swings, hot flushes, sore joints and anxiety, then pull on some loose track pants and a tee-shirt and get moving with Darryl in the video below.

There are lots more workouts from him and myself in the Rebuild My Fitness programme as well - this is my 12 week exercise programme that women do either separately from or alongside my other menopause-specific programmes.

If you are overweight and you want to restore your cardiovascular health in 2023, then don't forget about my January, Visible Results Transform Me sale, and you can also upgrade your purchase to include a half-price Rebuild My Fitness programme. I would love you to allow Darryl and myself to motivate you towards improved health and fitness to get you back on board with your health as you age.

My January SALE OFFER is HERE for you and the promo code to apply is JANUARY2023. 

https://vimeo.com/776448500/aa045676a0

Reference:

Neumann, R.J., Ahrens, K.F., Kollmann, B. et al. The impact of physical fitness on resilience to modern life stress and the mediating role of general self-efficacy. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 272, 679–692 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-021-01338-9

### MyMT™ Kitchen: What types of fruits help to reduce your stress levels?

I remember standing at the kitchen bench in the 1980s cutting kiwifruit and apples into 'spikey' halves - you know what I mean don't you? Have a look at the image above - there's the kiwifruit I'm referring to. In those days presenting the fruit like that was the most exotic thing that many of us did with food preparation. And look how amazing this fruit platter is?

Fruit is on my mind at the moment, especially when it comes to our end-of-year stress. 

A brand new Australian study, the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) Study, reports a significant decrease in stress and anxiety when adults eat more fruit and vegetables.

Whilst I'm always cautious about high levels of fructose (a type of sugar) in fruit and the implications that too much fruit (over 4 pieces a day) may have on liver inflammation, I love this new study out of Australia, which explores the relationship between adults levels of stress and daily fruit consumption.

Perceived stress can be defined as the thoughts and feelings an individual has about how much stress they experience in response to stressful life events. 

For women transitioning through menopause, our stress management is hugely important. When we feel stressed and over-whelmed, not only does this increase hot flushes, but it can also impact weight gain too.

How to manage our daily stress is something I share with women on the MyMT™ programmes. Their diet is an important consideration in their menopause symptom management.

Which is why, studies like this one add to the extensive lifestyle-science research that has been emerging about midlife symptom management. If you are already on anti-depressants due to menopause mood changes, or you are on HRT due to anxiety and stress, then you too might want to reflect on your diet. Knowing what to change and why is something that I focus women on if they are on these medications and yes, fruit is included in my Food Guide.

You don't need more than four (4) pieces a day, according to liver health research, especially if you are pre-diabetic. However, when it comes to your mental health, 3-4 pieces of fruit daily is fine. Not juices - whole fruit.

Whole fruit, including the skin, is rich in fibre and healthy anti-oxidants. These are the nutrients that are evidenced to help to reduce inflammation in the body. Now, thanks to this new Australian study, we have information about the fruits that are best to reduce stress and anxiety. (Radavelli‑Bagatini et al., 2022).

These fruits included:

 	apples
 	pears
 	orange and citrus fruits, and
 	bananas.

When the study participants increased their consumption of these fruits, there was a statistically significant reduction in perceived stress levels. The study also mentioned cruciferous, yellow/orange/red, and legume vegetables, which were also associated with lower odds of having high perceived stress.

That's good news for midlife and older women who have a lot going on towards the end of a busy year. 

This work sits favourably alongside the Okinawan studies on fruit and vegetable consumption and reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. In this study papaya extracts and papaya-associated nutrients were shown to possess anti-inflammatory and immuno-enhancing properties. [Yoshizaki, Ishihara et al, 2020]

Fruits, especially citrus fruits, are a hallmark of the Mediterranean Diet.

They are evidenced in post-covid fatigue research [Mortaz et al. 2021] and their healing nutrients, such as Vitamin C, are necessary for our recovering adrenal glands when we are stressed. So, why aren't we eating enough fruit in our day? Do you eat enough?

We often forget about our fruit intake don't we? I know that I used to as well. But why is this? What are our beliefs about fruit? And yes, I know that out-of-season, many fruits are expensive, but frozen fruits are an alternative (but not canned fruit, which is high in additional sugar). 

Many women come off fruit due to the (often misguided) advice, that fruits will contribute to weight gain. But the nutritional value and the bioactive compounds in citrus fruits alone, play an important role in disease management in the Mediterranean Diet. [Preedy & Watson, 2020]

Dietary fibre from whole-fruit is another important consideration for women who are not only overweight, but who are struggling with constipation and/or high cholesterol levels.

Fibre is the part of fruits and vegetables that isn't digested.

There are two different types of fibre - one of them called soluble fibre can form an adhesive solution (mucilage) with cholesterol deposits in the blood. This is present in many fruits.

Then there is fibre that is called insoluble fibre. This is present in numerous vegetables and this type of fibre increases the speed of gastrointestinal transit - and if you listen to my GUT HEALTH module, then you will also learn that during and after menopause, our gut motility slows down. But when we add insoluble fibre to our diet, then this influences the volume of stools, thus cleansing the gut wall. So, yes, we need both types of fibre in our daily diet!



The recommendations of “eating a rainbow” of colours may assist in preventing and/or reducing perceived stress too mentions the study and as December is 'Re-address Stress' month with MyMT™, I'm bringing fruit to your attention in this week's MyMT™ Kitchen.

I hope you can make this beautiful fruit platter, complete with spikes on the kiwifruit, and share it on your Christmas table this year. On a day that is known to be stressful for so many women, you might just like to keep the stress levels at bay with this fabulous fruit platter. Don't forget to spike the kiwifruit or the apples, or pears!

Wendy 



References: 

Mortaz E, Bezemer G, Alipoor SD, Varahram M, Mumby S, Folkerts G, Garssen J, Adcock IM. Nutritional Impact and Its Potential Consequences on COVID-19 Severity. Front Nutr. 2021 Jul 5;8:698617.

Radavelli-Bagatini S, Sim M, Blekkenhorst LC, Bondonno NP, Bondonno CP, Woodman R, Dickson JM, Magliano DJ, Shaw JE, Daly RM, Hodgson JM, Lewis JR. Associations of specific types of fruit and vegetables with perceived stress in adults: the AusDiab study. Eur J Nutr. 2022 Sep;61(6):2929-2938. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02848-5. Epub 2022 Mar 20.

Yoshizaki T, Ishihara J, Kotemori A, Yamamoto J, Kokubo Y, Saito I, Yatsuya H, Yamagishi K, Sawada N, Iwasaki M, Iso H, Tsugane S; JPHC Study Group. Association of Vegetable, Fruit, and Okinawan Vegetable Consumption With Incident Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease. J Epidemiol. 2020 Jan 5;30(1):37-45.

### Discover the stress-liver-menopause inflammation connection!

“It’s the belly-fat that disturbs me. I can’t get into my jeans that I could get into a year ago” was her cry for help. “For years I was playing competitive sport but I’ve stopped that now but still try to run. I also have 2-3 wines at night, but I don’t think this affects my belly fat.”  [Lynne, Australia]The liver is a curious organ – especially as we transition menopause. Not only does it have to remove toxins overnight, but for women who have had decades of stress, including the physical stress of training and competing in sports, the liver accumulates and holds onto inflammation. When it is inflamed, it also contributes to a leaky gut.During menopause, all of this past inflammation can catch-up on you – to be frank, everything just goes ‘belly-up’.I’ve written about our ageing liver in numerous blogs but when relatively new research arrives in my inbox, confirming how our changing liver is affected by stress, both present and past, it’s time to remind you about how your past life influences your current and future health as you transition menopause.For a generation of women having participated in vigorous exercise and sports (myself included), when the belly fat arrives in our 50s, it’s not only confusing but also frustrating.Little did I realise how much work our liver has had to do over the years and nor do many other women who have carved their way in competitive sports, high-intensity exercise or for those of you, who have had a lot of emotional stress in your life. Just one episode of stress messes up liver biochemistry.So, if you have experienced a lot of stress this year or you are really busy at work, or jeans no longer fit because your belly-fat is increasing, then this article is for you. I want you to understand how stress impacts your liver (and your gut) and subsequently, your weight and menopause symptoms. 		
																										
		Stress and your Liver Health in MenopauseInflammation in our liver can sit around for years. Especially if those years leading up to menopause, have been well, ... 'stressful'. Follow this up with the changes to our fat cells and liver during our menopause transition (Brady, 2015), this can also impact belly-fat storage around your abdomen – at the site where you want to button up your jeans.I so remember that despair and wish that at the time, I had understood the powerful connection between our ageing liver and stress (both physical and emotional).  ‘Psychological stress is associated with a variety of pathological conditions resulting in liver injury through multiple systems, including the sympathetic nervous and adreno-cortical system.’  [Joung, Cho et al, 2019, p. 1].Stress (both physical and psychological) leads to the reduction in hepatic (liver) blood flow. This is important to understand. Because every time your hepatic blood flow is reduced, then you are also messing up your gut health and of course, increasing the build-up of inflammation in your body.Your lovely liver is part of your sympathetic nervous system axis which also includes your adrenal glands. As such, when we are feeling stressed or under-the-pump or worried, or, for those of you who do a lot of exercise and have done for years, the resulting reduction in oxygen uptake in the liver, due to reduced liver blood flow, causes inflammation - mainly in the beautiful mitochondria, which are the cells that help to burn fats to turn into energy. This inflammation places a lot of strain on ageing liver cells, (Chandel et al, 2000).It’s something for all of us to consider if we’ve had a life well-lived and are struggling with anxiety, stress and increasing belly fat during or after menopause.Some of you may well be arriving in peri-menopause and menopause, with a tired, inflamed liver which can become worse if you aren't sleeping well.If your blood work has shown that your liver enzymes are high (whether you drink alcohol or not) you might just relate to what I’m telling you. For those of you who are also doing lots of vigorous exercise (e.g. CrossFit and Boot Camps) and your weight isn't shifting, or you feel that you are experiencing more puffiness, bloating and hot flushes, then understanding that you need to focus on your liver health and your sleep first before doing lots of energetic exercise, is crucial.Peta was the same – as a competitive triathlete and coach, she was frustrated with not being able to lose weight and have the energy she needed to train and compete. As she mentioned,"I’d lost all my mojo and drive to train. Getting out of bed was hard enough. All the reading I had done had told me that my oestrogen levels were dropping in peri-menopause, so I was stuffing myself with oestrogen products but Wendy’s programme told me I was feeding myself stuff that was making it worse – and the stress and lack of sleep and everything plus feeding myself high protein (eggs etc) sports nutrition foods, had turned my body into a cocktail of hormones."She kindly shares her story HERE. 		
																										
		Female exercisers and women who work in physically demanding jobs must remember that before, during and after exercise or when workloads are high, the liver has a lot of work to do.When muscles are demanding more glucose (sugar) to function, e.g. as in exercise, the liver is busy turning over glucose and lactic acid from its storage cells.  The muscles only store enough glycogen (stored glucose) to produce small amounts (up to 20 seconds) of ATP (your energy molecule) when you start to exercise – ATP is needed for muscle contraction.The harder you train or exercise or the more stress that you experience daily, the more work your liver has to do to keep supplying your muscles and brain with energy. To achieve this, your liver is working harder than it should to help produce your chronic stress hormone called cortisol. For more and more cortisol to be produced, the liver is producing cholesterol to help the adrenal glands make cortisol. The increased production of cortisol uses up your calming progesterone in the production pathway. When progesterone levels are low in comparison to oestrogen, menopause symptoms may become worse. Check out the symptoms of low progesterone below. This is why, whether must be aware that over many years, the liver is an organ that may have had considerable changes to its load and 'stress'. This may affect the inflammation that builds up during our menopause transition – a time when our liver is shrinking and losing volume as we move into post-menopause. (Brady, 2015).		
																										
		I talk to you about all of this in my Masterclass on Menopause – have you listened to it yet? It’s 2 hours of ‘aha’ moments for you I hope – and yes, because I’ve pre-recorded it, you can ‘pause’ me anytime. In this webinar, I teach you how our liver changes with age – and don’t forget, menopause is the gateway to your biological ageing. You might feel young, but inside your body, your organs and tissues are changing and ageing.As such, there are some mid-life lifestyle changes that you can make to accommodate your hormonal changes and if stress is an issue for you, then I encourage you to focus on not only reducing stress, but also on your liver health.That’s what the two different MyMT™ programmes teach you – Circuit Breaker is for you thinner women, whilst Transform Me is for those of you who want to lose your belly-fat and weight (see the video at the end of this article below).Then of course, in a life 'well-lived' for many women arriving in their 50s and beyond, there is alcohol and its impact on the liver. And don’t worry, I‘m not entirely a tea-totaller myself, but when I better understood the physiology of bringing together ALL of the factors that contributed to stress and inflammation on my ageing liver, it made sense that all the evening alcohol wasn’t being metabolised in an inflamed liver and was also contributing to more hot flushes and night sweats.Inflammation in the liver, reduces ALDH enzymes, which affects alcohol metabolism. But there's also the fact that alcohol increases fat storage of oestrogens in women who are already overweight or have fatty liver.  		
																										
		Alcohol aromatises into oestradiol, a form of oestrogen. In humans,  oestradiol (E2) is the predominant circulating oestrogen. If you have breast cancer, then you might know all about this type of oestrogen already. Oestrogens have effects in many organ systems that contribute to cardiovascular risk vs. protection, including regulation of liver lipid (fat) metabolism, (Palmisano et al, 2017).Too much oestrogen from various sources, is sometimes not a good thing - especially, for those women (like me) who may already produce a lot of oestrogen naturally and store it in fat cells. For those of you who are overweight or obese, then your fat cells also make their own supply of oestrogens - yes! This increase in the size of fat cells can be problematic with menopause weight gain and this in itself can be problematic for our post-menopause cardiac and metabolic health. As women, the levels of the enzymes that stores fats into cells (lipo-protein lipases) is highest in the fat-storage cells around our abdomen and under our diaphragm. It makes sense that when the liver can’t do its job of metabolising and clearing excess oestrogens and cholesterol, then fat might accumulate around these areas.Our fat cells are full of oestrogen receptors, so fat cells attract circulating oestrogen and oestradiol (another form of oestrogen) as well as make their own oestradiol. I've written about the research behind this discovery HERE for you.Hence, when excess oestrogen is stored in fat cells, this hormone may become higher in comparison to progesterone, making oestrogen the ‘dominant’ hormone. This is what is meant by the term, ‘oestrogen dominance’ – and you can read about this condition in another blog HERE.As we move into post-menopause, the result of liver inflammation and the accumulation of belly-fat can be devastating for our heart and can lead to Type 2 diabetes. Women’s health studies are replete with these concerns in post-menopausal women. And this is what I’m passionate about you turning around.To do so, you must have a focus on liver, gut and heart health and this is what I've evidenced from emerging lifestyle science.So, if this sounds like you, then no matter where you are in the world, please come join me online when you can. I want you to turn back the clock on your liver health during and after menopause. My annual January Transform Me sale is now open and as I'm limiting numbers this time, I don't want you to miss out, so the information is HERE for you. I hope you can join me. The programme opens on January 1st, 2023. Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine		
													
															
		References: Brady C.W. (2015). Liver disease in menopause. World J Gastroenterol. 7;21(25):7613-20. Chandel, N. S. , McClintock, D. S. , Feliciano, C. E. , Wood, T. M. , Melendez, J. A. , Rodriguez, A. M. , & Schumacker, P. T. (2000). Reactive oxygen species generated at mitochondrial complex III stabilize hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α during hypoxia a mechanism of O2 sensing. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 275(33), 25130–25138.Joung JY, Cho JH, Kim YH, Choi SH, Son CG. (2019). A literature review for the mechanisms of stress-induced liver injury. Brain Behav. 9(3):e01235. doi: 10.1002/brb3.1235. Epub 2019 Feb 13. PMID: 30761781; PMCID: PMC6422711.

### "This is a new journey, a change of lifestyle and Wendy's programme helps with this." [Beta, Ireland]

"I'm really grateful I found Wendy's program. I'm entering the menopause transition with less anxiety now. I had enormous difficulties, especially with sleeping. Wendy's programme helped me get back on track.

These days, I still sometimes wake-up in the middle of the night but I always go back to sleep based on her teachings. As a vegetarian, I'm really enjoying Wendy's recipes and I especially appreciated the liver-lover module. This was a whole new set of information for me.

It is really important, I feel, that this is not a transition that will start and end in a few months or years. It is a new journey, a change of a lifestyle and I'm mindful of the fact that it can't happen overnight, not even over-month. I love that Wendy is gentle, non patronising and patient. The process requires love, acceptance and gratitude.

To me, this first stage of menopause, is an invitation to start a better selfcare. And that is exactly what Wendy's helping with. I've recommended this program to all my friends.

Thanks again Wendy and I know I'll be back."

Beta, Dublin, Ireland

### Fight the Fatigue: Why physical activity matters to your energy levels during menopause.

My coaching community is full of women enjoying being active again. I say 'again' for a reason - so many of them tell me that they have enjoyed activity all their life,but when peri-menopause arrived, aching muscles, insomnia and sore joints, left them unable to do the exercise that they used to do. They are either too exhausted or too sore! It's hard to understand why you can't keep up. That was me a few years ago. Many women don't know that our muscles change as we move through menopause - and I include our cardiac muscle in this statement too.		
																										
		Our Type 2 power fibres decrease in size as oestrogen declines during menopause: There are numerous changes to our power-fibres in our skeletal muscles as we move into and through menopause. These are our Type-2 muscle fibres - the fibres that enable power, speed and jumping.As oestrogen levels decline during menopause, Type 2 power and speed muscle fibres diminish the fastest. It's why many of you see your muscle tone and size decrease with age. For those of you who are skiers, or runners or you like the harder, faster activity in your gym classes, then this may be why your recovery is taking longer, or your legs and muscles ache all the time. This happened to me and numerous fitness instructors who are teaching higher intensity classes and athletes such as Peta below, have reminded me of this too. It took me a long time to figure out why I wasn't able to do the harder, more powerful skiing that I used to be able to do. But as soon as I looked at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I knew I would find the answer when I better understood what happens to our muscles as we age.		
																										
		Ageing has become an important topic for scientific research, including muscular and strength research, because life expectancy and the number of men and women in older age groups have increased dramatically in the last century. Part of the reason for this renewed interest in exercise research in mid-life women is because by 2050, the world’s population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22%. This means that there will be 2 billion people aged 60 or older living on this planet. Approximately 400 million will be 80 years or older, and over half of them women. Hence, researchers are interested in how both men and women are ageing and because menopause is the start of many of these changes, I believe that understanding how your muscle strength and function change as you age matters. Whilst a muscle wasting condition called Sarcopenia is partly responsible for the decline in strength as we age  it's not the only thing we need to be aware of.   There are other changes to muscles and as I have discovered with my own exercise, these changes relate to the progressive loss of muscle mass and force-generating capacity of  our Type-2 skeletal muscles. As I mention below, these changes then impact our energy levels because of the changes that also occur in our mitochondrial cells. How this happens is better understood when we look more deeply at the effect of menopause hormonal changes on our muscles. Even if you aren't an exerciser, or you intend to start, then having some understanding of this is important. One of the first things to understand is that women's muscle fibres comprise different ratios of fibres compared to males.Muscles comprise two general types of fibres - slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow twitch fibres are our endurance fibres and are known in muscle physiology terminology as 'Type 1' fibres. Fast twitch fibres are our power and speed fibres and these are known as 'Type 2' fibres. Declining levels of oestrogen means that we lose Type-2 muscle power fibres faster than Type-1 endurance fibres.It's why many of us lose our ability to jump and turn as quickly as we used to. Especially those of you who are skiers or who enjoy your sports or fitness activities which involve faster movements, jumping, turning or sprint-like movements. It's why, when you do the wrong exercise during menopause, it may also make many of your symptoms worse. 		
																										
		As we transition through menopause and we biologically age and go into our next life-stage. This generally results in a 30-40% decline in muscle fibre number and size. I think many of us notice the loss of tone don't we?For women used to being active, this is important to note because this reduction in muscle fibre number and size is fibre type specific.We can lose anywhere between 10%–40% of our smaller Type-2 fibres and as I said earlier, this loss in these fibres, means that we also lose our power and speed fibres more than the Type 1 fibres that help us with our stamina and endurance.It's possibly the reason that many physical activity studies looking at older women's exercise participation reports that walking (not running, jumping or sprinting) is the most popular activity as they age.But as sore joints and fatigue arrive during menopause and if women are doing the wrong type of exercise and not sleeping, it's easy to drop-out of staying active. The couch and a glass of wine appeals more than pulling on the running shoes ... yes, I've been there too.It's why I wasn't surprised to hear the words of Australian Physical Activity Researcher, Professor Wendy Brown, report on the Australian Longitudinal Women's Health Studies a few years ago, that women in their 50's are the highest cohort to drop out of activity as they age. And lack of energy, lack of time and lack of motivation are often cited as reasons to their decreasing participation. [Women's Midlife Health, 2015]		
																										
		But there's more to understand about our muscle function as we go through menopause too. And it's to do with our beautiful mitochondria.
I talk a lot about mitochondria in my 12 week Re-Build My Fitness programme. Mitochondria are so important to preserve as we get older.
Mitochondria are the small organelles that sit within muscle fibres where oxygen is stored. They are the site where fats are burned and our energy (ATP) is made. So, for those of you who are wanting to return to levels of fitness or physical activity that enable you to enjoy an enhanced and functional ageing, or you need to boost your metabolism and lose weight, then you need to also boost the function of your mitochondrial cells.
Looking after our mighty Mitochondria matters as we move through menopause. Not only is this important for our weight loss, but also for our energy levels and our fitness. In my 12 week weight loss programme, I have a module called 'Fitness Foundations' - this teaches women how to improve their aerobic exercise as they are going through menopause. Alongside sorting out sleep and any sore joints, it's an important solution for improving energy, weight loss and setting up a great foundation for their cardiovascular health as they move into post-menopause.		
																										
		Researchers are finding that when it comes to our metabolism, energy production, immune health repair and regeneration, our tiny mitochondria matter.However, the problem is, that menopause hormonal and metabolic changes mean that we also lose some muscle tone and function as I mentioned earlier. With some decline of muscle mass, (even with weight training) we also lose our powerful little mitochondria. It's no wonder, millions of women end up with immune health and fatigue concerns as they age. The natural death of our mitochondria has been postulated as one of the mechanisms associated with muscle fibre loss with ageing. As such, we need to do our best to help boost mitochondrial size, density and amount. Can we do this as we get older and slow down the rate of mitochondrial loss and muscle weakness? Well, yes we can. One way to achieve this, is to focus on aerobic exercise and if you aren't a natural exerciser, then working on your motivation for exercise is an important strategy for you. A lack of exercise decreases the efficiency and number of mitochondria in skeletal muscle, while exercise promotes mitochondrial health. So, if you want to retain some of your power and strength fibres (Type-2 fibres) as well as improve your Type 1 endurance fibres, then a combination of aerobic endurance and a progression towards learning basic strength/ resistance exercises is another goal for you.Mixing up the variety of exercise that you do is also important as we get older. This is because different types of exercise can trigger variable but specific responses in the muscle. For example, the most important activity to do for improving mitochondrial function is actually steady-state aerobic exercise. This is also important for fat-burning.Steady-state aerobic exercise is the type of exercise which you can do rhythmically for 30-60 minutes.Strength training is also important as we age and is important for building or retaining the muscle that you do have. Then, once you are sleeping and have restored your energy levels and any sore joints, adding a little bit of slightly higher intensity interval training [HIIT] within aerobic exercises such as cycling and walking also has a positive effect at the cellular level at combating age-related muscle loss and weakness. 		
																										
		For those of you who haven't had the time or motivation to remain active during menopause, then making some plans to slowly get back into exercise has an incredible influence on muscle health as you get older. Not only does exercise improve the number and size of mitochondria in skeletal muscle, but exercise also improves nerve transmission and the exchange of calcium between nerves and muscles.I find that numerous women who join me on my programmes, whether they are regular exercisers or not, don't know that calcium is a really important mineral as we get older ... and I don't just mean for our bones!Calcium helps nerves to 'jump' their messages across into muscles and this helps to improve our muscle speed, strength, balance and reaction time. All important functions of muscles as we get older. I have a specific emphasis on calcium in my nutritional information for women on the MyMT™  programmes - it matters not only for bone health, but optimal calcium levels are crucial for our muscles to contract effectively.I hope you now better understand that muscle quality matters in menopause, so too does the type of exercise that you do. Numerous women are doing too much when they aren't sleeping and therefore, can tip into over-training syndrome.Conversely, others of you might not be doing enough exercise - this can be problematic too. However, both extremes affect your mitochondria because during our menopause transition, oestrogens affect mitochondria through multiple processes involving muscle membranes.Moreover, oestrogen receptors have been identified within mitochondria and play a role in facilitating calcium retention in muscles (Ventura-Clapier et al., 2019). This is why for those of you doing lots of exercise or if you are leaner and thinner, you might want to discuss HRT with your Doctor. And whether you are an exerciser or not, then if you aren't recovering from exercise or you have restless leg syndrome, then think about your calcium intake and have your Vitamin D levels checked too.  As I've mentioned in numerous articles, Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium in the body. 		
																										
		Age-related muscle loss and weakness is a combination of numerous factors, but more and more research is showing that muscle and mitochondria can be re-trained and retained through exercise. Active elderly people have more of these mitochondrial cells than more-sedentary individuals do. This is also the reason why exercise prior to hip and knee surgery can speed up recovery in the elderly too.The good news for women is that exercise can stave off and even reverse muscle loss and weakness with age. Staying active or renewing activity in a progressive way, can promote mitochondrial health, increase protein turnover in muscles, thus aiding repair, and restore nerve signaling involved in muscle contraction and function. And for those of you who don't have the time to exercise, you don't need to do as much as what was once thought - 30-60 minutes around 4 times a week is enough to help you age well, either all at once, or in 'snack-tivity' throughout the day. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) MyMT™ Founder/ REPs NZ Exercise Professional/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																										
		References: 
Bellanti F, Lo Buglio A, Vendemiale G. (2021). Mitochondrial Impairment in Sarcopenia. Biology (Basel). 10(1):31. doi: 10.3390/biology10010031. 
Brunner, F., Schmidt et.al. (2007).  Effects of aging on Type II muscle fibers: a systematic review of the literature.  Journal of Ageing & Physical Activity, July;15(3):336-48.
Butler-Browne, G.,  Mouly V., et al, (2018). How Muscles Age, and How Exercise Can Slow It. The Scientist Online Edition. 
Hansen, M. (2018). Female hormones: Do they influence muscle and tendon protein metabolism? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 77(1), 32-41. doi:10.1017/S0029665117001951
Pierre, T. & Pizzo, P. (2018).  The Ageing Mitochondria, Genes, 9, 22; doi:10.3390/genes9010022
Sorriento D., Di Vaia E., Iaccarino G. (2021). Physical Exercise: A Novel Tool to Protect Mitochondrial Health. Frontiers in Physiology, 12. 
Tanaka, H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertension. 74:237–243
Ventura-Clapier, R., Piquereau, J., Veksler, V., & Garnier, A. (2019). Estrogens, Estrogen Receptors Effects on Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle Mitochondria. Frontiers in endocrinology, 10, 557. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00557

### ‘More than just a headache’: The impact of Yoga on migraines in menopause.

Migraine is three times more common in women than in men and is the 4th leading cause of disability in women. Onset of migraine increases at menarche, with peaks in prevalence in the late 30s, and a rapid decline after menopause. While the prevalence is highest among women of childbearing age the frequency of headache and burden of migraine frequently worsens during midlife. (Pavlovic, 2020)If you’re one of the millions of women around the world who are entering your menopause transition and have found that you are now getting migraines, then welcome, you aren’t alone.New research reports that during both peri-menopause (an average age of 47 yrs), and post-menopause (after 51 yrs), the frequency of headaches and incidence of migraines increases and is an ongoing burden on women in midlife. With migraines being three times more prevalent in women than men of a similar age, it’s little wonder that the severity and frequency of migraines is now understood to be linked to our changing hormones in menopause.According to the Global Burden of Disease study, migraine is the 2nd most globally disabling condition after low back pain. If you’re troubled by migraines and headaches, especially now that you’re in mid-life, you won’t be surprised by this I’m sure. But it’s not only distressing, it’s distracting.I’ve had numerous women on my 12 week programmes who report that they have had to take time off work and/or have lost their jobs because of their migraines impacting their ability to work. Goodness knows what the home environment is like as well.However, thanks to the ongoing research from the Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Daily Hormone Study, we know more about migraines. And using this knowledge, I’ve been able to combine it with cardiovascular and nutrition research to bring you some tips to help ease the burden of your migraines and headaches as you transition menopause.This includes understanding that the type of exercise you do to help relieve your migraines matters as well. And whilst I don't get regular migraines, I've nursed women who do and the obvious place to hide is in bed within a darkened room.But yoga therapies have also been clinically evidenced to reduce the episodes of headaches and migraines (Kisan,et al, 2014), so I hope you are able to add this to your 'Menopause Symptom Toolbox' as well. 		
																										
		Defining your Menopausal MigrainesThere are two types of migraine that affect women primarily:Migraine without aura (also called classic migraine).Migraine with aura. Aura refers to vision changes such as flashing lights, floating spots, light sensitivity and/or tingling in your hand or face).Migraine without aura accounts for approximately 80% of women reporting migraines in peri- or post-menopause. This is why it is associated with hormonal fluctuations. Peri-menopause headaches usually occur within the 5-day window spanning the 2 days prior to menstruation to the third day of menstruation, but in post-menopause, this is categorised in the migraine literature as non-menstrual migraine. When you see your Doctor, you will be diagnosed with migraine in accordance with the International Criteria for Migraine with or without aura.		
																										
		Whilst the prevalence of migraine typically declines after menopause when you are post-menopausal, with stabilisation of oestrogen down to low levels, please be aware that migraines are now known to occur more frequently in women (even those on HRT) during their post-menopause years. Furthermore, Jelena Pavolic (2020) reports that while migraines improve in the majority of women following natural menopause, these can worsen in women (the literature reports nearly 70%), if they have had surgical menopause.Migraines are a disorder of your Central Nervous System and High Blood Pressure can make them worse.Although the link between falling oestrogen levels and migraines has been known for over 40 years, relatively few studies have been undertaken on patterns of migraine in peri-menopause and post-menopause women. For our generation this research is important and the work of Jelena Pavlovic (NMD, PhD) in this space is welcomed.Knowing that migraines occur due to a disturbance of the central nervous system is important. Knowing that they also occur more frequently due to stress is equally important.But there is something that is often missing in discussions about hormonal headaches and migraines - and that is the changing nature of our blood vessels change as we lose oestrogen. If you’ve been following my blogs for a while, you will know that I’m always talking about the role of oestrogen in our blood vessels and how, during menopause, blood vessels are losing some elasticity as a normal part of ageing.Declining levels of oestrogen also impact our nervous system. Especially our central nervous system. As the myelin sheath which forms the outer layer of your nerves adjusts to menopause, the exchange of sodium and potassium, which helps to move the electrical current along your nerves, slows down as we move through menopause.This knowledge helps me to help you and the thousands of women on the MyMT™ programmes who mention on their health screening forms that they experience migraines or headaches and below, I share some of these tips with you. 		
																										
		My 3 Tips for You to Manage your Migraines:  Help your Blood Pressure to remain Low: Women on the MyMT™ programmes learn all about dietary nitrates. The current body of evidence for potential beneficial effects of dietary nitrates on blood pressure and improved endothelial function of our blood vessels has increased year by year, thankfully. The studies to date suggest that dietary nitrate acutely lowers blood pressure in healthy humans. There are a number of potential mechanisms that occur due to eating vegetables that are higher in dietary nitrates (including beetroot and celery) including increasing vasodilation (the diameter of our blood vessels) and inhibiting platelet aggregation (clumping) as well as reducing inflammation. 		
																										
		 Help your Eyes:Your eyes are replete with tiny blood vessels and nerves. If you are getting migraines, then I’m sure you know about the debilitating effect that your migraine has on your eyes, but if you know that your migraines are worse in the days leading up to your period if you are peri-menopausal, then how about you work on ‘prevention’. Wear low blue light glasses if you are working on your computer and my other tip is to get natural light into your eyes during the morning. This works in better with the natural circadian rhythm of your blood vessels too.		
																										
		 Harness Better Breathing - this is where YOGA exercise comes into the equation.  With the knowledge that migraines are ‘more than just a headache’ and a disorder of the central nervous system (CNS), it’s important to improve your breathing. The CNS regulates heart rate, blood pressure, our response to stress and of course, temperature regulation. I’ve written numerous articles in the past about breathing better, because I want you to understand that slowing down both your heart rate and respiratory rate helps to prevent migraines.This is why yoga therapies are also part of migraine prevention. Both aerobic exercise and yoga therapies have been found to improve endothelial function and Nitric Oxide bioavailability, which I mentioned earlier as being important for dilating your blood vessels (including your brain blood vessels) and reducing the over-activity of your sympathetic nervous system (yuor 'fight or flight' stress system). Research in this area of migraine management reports that because our nervous system is involved in managing the body’s response to stress, and because stress is a well-known trigger for migraines, yoga therapy decreases the stress-response.		
																										
		When it comes to our symptoms in menopause we need to be proactiveFinding ways to reduce your symptoms may take more than just medications or supplements, which yes, you can also talk about with your Doctor. My focus is on helping you to action the available lifestyle science that is evidenced to help your symptoms and/or your weight. My focus in my programmes is that you understand ‘what to do’ but also, ‘why you need to do it’ - that helps you put the strategies into action (I hope!). So, that’s what I’ve done for you – I’ve taken the best research available from a range of disciplines and put it into a step-by-step approach to turning around your symptoms over a 12 week time-frame.All you do is to follow my plan and I have wonderful support and coaching in my private coaching community too. With two separate programs available (Transform Me or Circuit Breaker) depending on whether you desire weight loss or not, MyMT™ programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers.  I can’t wait to help you. My video for you to learn what the programs are about can be found below. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.Can I help you with your symptoms?If you are just looking for a starting point, you can purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause. This is only NZ$15 (approx. AUS$14 or UK£7.5).  I hope you can join me in this powerful 2 hour webinar. The great news is that now you can watch it anytime, anywhere and even pause it whenever you like and go and make yourself a cuppa too. 		
			
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		https://youtu.be/vUOamB53mYcReferences: Hobbs D., George T., & Lovegrove J. (2013). The effects of dietary nitrate on blood pressure and endothelial function: a review of human intervention studies. Nutr Res Rev. 26(2):210-22. Kisan, R., Sujan, M., Adoor, M., Rao, R., Nalini, A., Kutty, B. M., Chindanda Murthy, B., Raju, T., & Sathyaprabha, T. (2014). Effect of Yoga on migraine: A comprehensive study using clinical profile and cardiac autonomic functions. International journal of yoga, 7(2), 126–132. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.133891Pavlović, J.M. (2020). The impact of midlife on migraine in women: summary of current views. Women’s Midlife Health 6, 11, 1-7.Pavlović J.M. (2018). Evaluation and management of migraine in midlife women. Menopause. 25(8), 927-929.Sengupta P. Health Impacts of Yoga and Pranayama: A State-of-the-Art Review. Int J Prev Med. 2012 Jul;3(7):444-58.  Tanaka, H., Dinenno, F., Monahan, F. et al (2000). Aging, Habitual Exercise, and Dynamic Arterial Compliance. Circulation, 102 (11), 1270-1275Related Tag: Sign of Menopause

### MyMT™ Kitchen: Go nuts on this tasty protein in these Kumara Cashew Fritters

There is increasing interest in nut consumption and human health outcomes, especially since the growing interest in plant-based diets, which is why I want to share this delicious Kumara (Sweet Potato) and Cashew Nut Fritters with you this week.

In the past, when I was so overweight during my menopause transition, I've been a bit reluctant to eat too many nuts due to their known higher-fat content (and yes, we can have too many nuts!). However, over the years, as more and more research has arrived on the benefits of nuts to our cardiovascular and muscle health as we age, I've added them back into my diet. I encourage MyMT™ ladies to have them too. 

With recent research from the University of Wollongong in Australia, presented at the Dietitians Australia conference earlier this year, suggesting that the measuring system for estimating fat content of nuts may be flawed, this may be good news for some of you who are worried about your weight gain and nut consumption.

Lead researcher, PhD candidate, Cassandra Nikodijevic says, because the 100 year old Atwater system for calculating kilojoules doesn’t take into account how our bodies metabolize food, nuts may provide up to 26 per cent less kilojoules than previously thought. That's good news to me! 

Nuts are commonly consumed in the Mediterranean diet, and their consumption has been recommended to populations all over the world. (de Souza et al, 217). 

Tree nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, macadamias, walnuts, and pistachios, as well as legume seeds, such peanuts, are nutrient-dense foods and in general, around 3/4 to 1 cup of nuts provide a serving of protein (20gms).

Whilst dietary requirements for protein intake differs between women, especially if they are regular exercisers doing heavy weight training, the general recommendation for women's ageing and cardiac health is to have between 1.0 - 1.4 gm/kg/day of protein. [Lonnie, Hooker et al, 2018]. 

Nuts give us nutrients that our body needs during our menopause transition. They also may help with melatonin production too for your precious sleep and I've written about this HERE. And yes, portion control is important!

Depending on the type of nuts you may be eating, they are not only rich in protein, but they also contain healthy monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids - these fats are great for women's heart health.

As well, there is the protein content of nuts which I've already mentioned, and soluble and insoluble fibre (helping to keep your colon healthy) and vitamins E and K, folate, magnesium and nuts such as Brazil Nuts give you selenium - a nutrient that is deficient in many global soils. All of these nutrients have recognized benefits to human health. 

I've included the delicious recipe below, (even though it is higher in fats with the addition of coconut cream), because the cashew nut has the one of the best quality proteins among many different types of nuts, due to its essential amino acid profile. These are the types of proteins that your body doesn't make, so they must be provided by food in your diet. 

I hope that sometime over the next while, you can try this delicious recipe. With Kumara (Sweet Potato) teamed up with cashew nuts and other delicious ingredients, it's a tasty meal or snack for the whole family. 


Kumara, Cashew and Coriander Fritters

 	1/4 cup rice flour, potato flour or oat flour (ground up oats)
 	1/2 tsp baking soda
 	1/2 tsp curry powder
 	1 egg white
 	1/4 cup coconut milk
 	2 packed cups (250g) grated raw kumara
 	3/4 cup chopped roasted cashew nuts
 	3 Tbsp finely chopped coriander
 	2-3 Tbsp olive oil

Coriander leaves, to garnish

Method

 	Combine flour, baking soda, curry powder, salt and pepper, egg white and coconut milk in a mixing bowl and beat to a smooth batter. Mix in kumara, cashews and coriander (and chilli flakes if you like a bit of spice).

Chill for approximately 20 minutes in the fridge.

 	Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
 	Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy frypan. Place dessert spoonfuls of mixture into heated pan and cook for about 1 minute each side to brown. They will not be cooked through at this stage. Transfer browned fritters to a baking tray lined with baking paper.
 	Bake fritters for 10 minutes or until springy to the touch and fully cooked. To serve, scatter with coriander leaves and serve with a salad. Bon appetit!



References:

de Souza RGM, Schincaglia RM, Pimentel GD, Mota JF. Nuts and Human Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017 Dec 2;9(12):1311. doi: 10.3390/nu9121311

Freitas, J. B., Fernandes, D. C., Czeder, L. P., Lima, J. C. R., Sousa, A. G. O. and Naves, M. M. V. (2012). Edible seeds and nuts grown in Brazil as sources of protein for human nutrition. Food and Nutrition Sciences 3, 857–862.

Lonnie M, Hooker E, Brunstrom JM, Corfe BM, Green MA, Watson AW, Williams EA, Stevenson EJ, Penson S, Johnstone AM. Protein for Life: Review of Optimal Protein Intake, Sustainable Dietary Sources and the Effect on Appetite in Ageing Adults. Nutrients. 2018 Mar 16;10(3):360. 

Nikodijevic, CJ., et al. ‘A systematic review of the ins and outs of nut energy balance’. Oral presentation, Dietitians Australia conference, August 2022.

Meng, X., Li, Y., Li, S., Zhou, Y., Gan, R. Y., Xu, D. P., & Li, H. B. (2017). Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin. Nutrients, 9(4), 367. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9040367

Verde, A., Míguez, J., Leao-Martins, J. Gago-Martínez, A., & Gallardo, M. (2022). Melatonin content in walnuts and other commercial nuts. Influence of cultivar, ripening and processing (roasting). Journal of food composition and analysis, 105, 104180. doi: 10.1016/j.jfca.2021.104180

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Feast on folate and fibre with this brain-boosting Bean and Bacon Mediterranean Stew. 

The importance of dietary fibre in our diets has a long history. The term 'fibre' was first used in the 1950s in reference to the non-digestible component that constitutes the cell wall of plant-derived food.In the 1970s, compelling research emerged linking diets poor in dietary fibre with colon cancer and since this time, there has also been a plethora of research linking a high fibre intake to improved gut health, brain health and improving cardiovascular health outcomes too. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is one of the most widely described and evaluated dietary patterns in scientific literature [Schwingshackl et al, 2019]. It typically has a high fibre content. In terms of women’s health as they move into their post-menopause years, this is important.There is now a large body of evidence demonstrating that risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), Type 2 diabetes (T2D), site‐specific cancers, and cognitive (brain and memory) disorders are reduced when women adhere to a Mediterranean dietary pattern of eating. (Dinu, Pagliai, Casini, & Sofi, 2018).The reason for this is due to the anti‐inflammatory, and antithrombotic (blood clot prevention), anti-oxidant and cholesterol‐lowering properties of numerous bioactive compounds within the types of foods that make up the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern.So why aren’t we changing our diet to better suit this evidence? Based on the emails I receive from so many women, there is still a lot of confusion about nutritional choices in menopause. Confusion that has followed many of us for decades.The main characteristic of what is today called the Mediterranean dietary pattern is the use of unprocessed nutrient-dense foods with plenty of fibre. It has low frequency of red meat and meat products and is higher in beans as well as vegetables compared with contemporary western diets. Making this beautiful brain-boosting Mediterranean bean and bacon stew is a great way to get both fibre and vegetables into you. If you also serve wilted spinach on the side, then this helps to boost folate intake. I've spoken about the benefits of folate before, especially for cognition and brain health, because it helps with the repair and function of our nervous system. This recipe has been sourced from Mediterranean Chef, Claudio Roden. I hope you and your family enjoy it's richness and goodness as much as my family did as well. Bean Stew with Bacon and/or ChorizoServes 42 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil200 gm of bacon (I use a chemical-free bacon)1 large onion, coarsely chopped4 garlic cloves, chopped1/4 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp ground allspice1 tomato peeled and chopped (I used 2 canned tomatoes)2 x 400gm tins of butter beans or cannellini beans250 gm chorizo (optional)500ml chicken stock (I sometimes just use a vegetable stock instead)4 thyme or rosemary sprigssaltextra virgin olive oil to serve with sourdough bread (optional)MethodHeat the oil in a wide pan and put in the onion and bacon. cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring and turning over occasionally, until the bacon has released its fat and the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is golden and the bacon crisp.Stir in the cinnamon and allspice, then add the tomato, beans and chorizo if you are using chorizo. Pour in the stock, add the thyme or rosemary sprigs and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Season with a small amount of salt if necessary, however, I tend not to add this, because there is also salt in the stock, and during menopause, we have to also focus on reducing our blood pressure, so adding salt to meals must be done with some caution. Serve hot and pass round the extra virgin olive oil to drizzle these beautiful omega-3 fats either on the meal or with some sourdough or ciabatta bread on the side. These types of fats are also known to boost brain health as is folate present in the side-dish of wilted spinach. Bon appetit. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder: MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

### Menopause Depression and Exercise: A time for change.

The day I left my Doctor's clinic with my first ever prescription for anti-depressants, was the day I pulled out all the research I could find relating to menopause-related depression, including the role of exercise. I was confused as to why, when I have never had depression in my life, it had arrived during my early 50s. The relationship to menopause and the type of exercise I was doing at the time, never crossed my mind, nor, I imagine, did it cross the mind of my medical practitioner.

That day was pivotal to me. Because it moved me aside from always doing higher intensity exercise, to getting back to doing good old-fashioned aerobic exercise. With the emphasis on high-intensity performance-based activity and weight training, aerobic exercise has been relatively forgotten in the fitness industry.

For women in mid-life suffering from menopause-related depression, this needs to change. How heartening to also hear this from Australia's Psychiatric academic, Professor Felice Jacka, at an online lifestyle medicine conference I attended recently.



The history of menopause-related anti-depressant use is fascinating. A medication called Iproniazid, developed in the early 1950's for treatment of tuberculosis, was never intended to become one of the first pharmaceutical anti-depressants.

But when Physician's noticed that tuberculosis patients became more cheerful, optimistic and more physically active, further research revealed that the change from melancholy to motivation in these patients was due to the slowing down of the enzymes that broke down the two main mood-enhancing hormones, serotonin and dopamine. [Leibermann, 2003]

So began the genesis of anti-depressant pharmacology and alongside the growing interest in psychiatry as a medical discipline in the 1960's and 1970's, the use of anti-depressants to help women in menopause cope better with their melancholy, emerged as a treatment of choice.

Throughout the 1970's, the development of Fluoxetine flourished and this was the first Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) medication which helped millions of women cope better with everyday life. In the United Kingdom, two-thirds of anti-depressants are now prescribed to women in mid-life.

Anti-depressants interact with receptors located on nerve endings. As such, this interaction changes neural (nerve) functioning and the uptake of our mood hormone serotonin. For someone who has been healthy and happy all her life, it was a confusing time to decide whether to go on these (and I know that they help millions of women, including many women who come onto the MyMT™ programmes).

However, as a researcher in exercise and sports science, I was also aware of the powerful role that exercise plays in our mental health as well. In fact, every one of the women in my doctoral studies, told me that the main reason that they took up exercise over their lifetime, was simply because not only did it make them 'feel good', but as they moved into mid-life, it helped them to cope. The problem however, that there was no knowledge of the type and amount of exercise they needed to be undertaking in menopause and many of them were doing daily higher intensity activity. At the time, so was I. But this is not the type of exercise that is best suited to women with changing hormones during menopause and who are exhausted from not sleeping.



How did we get to the point whereby we've forgotten about the mental health benefits of endurance exercise, of which women and their cardiovascular system are most suited to? This was one of the questions I asked myself. But as one of many women who helped to pioneer the modern fitness industry in New Zealand, I remember the fitness messages in the 1990's.

This was the time when 'lack of time' became the new mantra for the fitness industry.  In the 1980's and 1990's there was a phenomenal growth in jogging, triathlons, women's events and more. And alongside this movement, grew the Sport and Exercise Science movement, which fueled the increased emphasis for athletes and everyday men and women to get fitter and stronger.

Motivated by the very new scientific domain of exercise psychology, one of the messages coming out of the emerging activity participation research, was that most people lack time to exercise. Alongside these messages, was also the very, new sports science messages, that showed if we want to improve fitness, and when we don't have much time, then we need to increase the intensity whilst decreasing the duration of the workout.

Those of us working in the fitness industry knew that when lack of time became the excuse for not exercising, we needed to come up with a solution. Hence, workouts became shorter, faster, harder. Not only did we love the endorphins, but we loved the fact that we could get through the workout in as short a time as possible. This enabled us to get on with our day and for many of us, to get back to work.

So began the 30 minute workout paradigm - now packaged up as Boot Camps, CrossFit and other types of high-intensity workouts.

Not much has changed either. When preparing for my session at a recent conference, I came across a brand new 2018 report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, on Physical Activity Across the Life-Stages. Here's what it states on pg vii:

‘Not enough time’ and health issues remain a barrier for participation in physical activity and exercise. Almost 4 in 10 adults aged 18–64 (37%) reported 'Not enough time' or 'Too many other commitments' as the main barriers to participating in sport or recreational physical activities. As age increased, 'Poor health or injury' was more frequently cited as the main barrier—increasing from almost one-fifth (18%) of those aged 35–44 to almost half (48%) of adults aged 65 and over.*

As busy women, many of us can relate to this statement I'm sure. But here's the thing. To mitigate this barrier of 'no time', the fitness industry continue to promote 30 minute workouts of higher intensity. And that's great for 1 or 2 workouts a week because there is increasing research to show that higher intensity exercise improves cardio-metabolic health in weight loss research.

This is because the 'after-burn' i.e. the 3-4 hours after the higher intensity exercise, is when fat-burning occurs as our body returns to it's resting metabolic state and our metabolism passes into 'aerobic' mode again.

However, for women who aren't sleeping, too much high-intensity exercise may send women going through menopause into adrenal chaos and exhaustion. Just like over-trained female athletes. 

This is because there is a powerful connection between our sleep hormones, thyroid and adrenal hormones and in menopause they can all get out of balance tipping us into menopause-related depression.



This is why, for women transitioning into peri-menopause and out into post-menopause, the importance of aerobic exercise, [i.e. steady-state exercise, up to an hour], needs to return as 'exercise of choice'. It's been forgotten for too long and this is partly because research has not kept up with the exercise needs of mid-life women.

When women only do 30 minute workouts of higher intensity on most days of the week, they are not getting the beautiful steady-state 'aerobic' activity, that is best for heart health, mental health and helps to reduce arterial stiffness. That's why for the women who join me on the MyMT™ symptom reduction programmes, whether they are on menopause-related anti-depressants or not, I get them back doing aerobic exercise. Walking or if sore joints allow (I have a joint health module in the programme) is most often the exercise of choice.

Not only does aerobic exercise help with blood pressure management but it also helps with improving arterial blood flow and reducing vascular stiffness. 

The add-on effect with improved blood flow is that aerobic exercise also improves our mental health, through boosting serotonin and dopamine levels - the two hormones of mood management. As we move through menopause, the production of these hormones declines, so aerobic exercise mitigates this.



At the time, I didn't take the anti-depressants but this was a choice I made with my Doctor. Instead I explored the scientific research on depression, inflammation and exercise specific to menopause. From this research, I also put together a plan to sort out my sleep, gut health, aching joints and food, so that I could return to exercise that mattered to me in menopause and therefore, better suit the 'change of life'.

When you are ready, I hope you can join me because those same plans are all in the MyMT™ programmes waiting for you too. 

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD) Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine 



References: 

*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2018). Physical activity across the life stages. Cat. no. PHE 225. Canberra: AIHW.

Doyne, E. et al. (1983). Aerobic exercise as treatment for depression in women. Behavior Therapy, 14(3), 434 - 440.

Firth, J., Solmi, M., Wootton, R.E., Vancampfort, D., Schuch, F.B., Hoare, E., Gilbody, S., Torous, J., Teasdale, S.B., Jackson, S.E., Smith, L., Eaton, M., Jacka, F.N., Veronese, N., Marx, W., Ashdown-Franks, G., Siskind, D., Sarris, J., Rosenbaum, S., Carvalho, A.F. and Stubbs, B. (2020). A meta-review of “lifestyle psychiatry”: the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders. World Psychiatry, 19: 360-380. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20773

Leibermann, J. (2003). History of the use of anti-depressants in Primary Care. J. Clinical Psychiatry, 5(7), 1-5.

 

### The MyMT™  Kitchen: Attack your anxiety with this brain-boosting Salmon Pesto and Rice dish.

If you've just read my article on nutrition for anxiety, then you will have read about this cold-water fish - salmon. I don't live in Alaska, but I know a woman who does, and she swears by Alaskan salmon from the Yukon River which helps her moods. It's not surprising that science now backs this up. 

All fish provide some Omega-3 fats, but wild salmon is perhaps the best choice. You do have to be careful of some farm-raised salmon as they may be fed grains instead of their natural diets, which affects the levels of the special omega-3 fats in them, changing the ratio to Omega-6 fats instead. 

Our menopause transition can set us up with numerous challenges, not least anxiety and mood disorders. I so remember the effect of these myself. However, because I've positioned our menopause transition in ageing science through my doctoral studies, and because peri-menopause is the start of our ageing, it makes sense to explore this phase of life in terms of nutrition that is better suited to this age and stage of life.

This means we can't go past the available evidence today exploring anti-inflammatory nutrition, particularly the beneficial role of omega-3 fats on brain and nervous system ageing. 



Whilst I know that fresh salmon may not be the best for your budget, even if you can get some canned salmon (in spring water), then this is helpful to your brain health. Sardines are helpful too, as is mackerel. All of these fatty fish help to reduce anxiety and boost your mood. 

The brown rice in this delicious dish is also important for your heart health and nervous system, giving you the energy from carbohydrates that your body and brain need. If you are under the pump at work or you have increased anxiety levels, then don't forget that your busy-brain is utilising around 25% of your daily energy! Hence, your body needs healthy fats and carbohydrates.

This dish provides both as well as a healthy dose of folate from spinach to calm down your ageing and irritable nervous system too.

Bon appetit!  
Salmon on Pesto Rice
INGREDIENTS

Salmon (enough to feed your family)

Brown rice (enough to feed your family)

2 handfuls of spinach, cooked or blanched

SAUCE

4 – 6 Tbsp pesto

Juice of 1 lemon

METHOD

 	Cook brown rice using your normal method.
 	Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Bake salmon in the oven for approximately 15- - 20 minutes.
 	Blanche or fry spinach for 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach, pesto, lemon and salmon to the rice.
 	Garnish with nuts, seeds or herbs of your choice. Serve with olives.

### New Research: Foods to improve menopause anxiety and cognition.

'Despite the overwhelming prevalence of anxiety in modern society, medications often fail to achieve complete symptom resolution. We highlight the roles of the microbiome and inflammation as influencers of anxiety, and discuss the evidence base for specific nutritional interventions.' [Norwitz and Naidoo, 2021]Most of us know the feelings of anxiety don't we? The elevated heart rate, holding our breath or breathing more rapidly, and the feeling that there is so much more to do in our day that we hurry from one task to another.We talked about anxiety levels of women and this new study in my Health Practitioners zoom call this week.Some of the Practitioners were presenting their case studies and one of them spoke about her client who was stressed and always busy - from early morning to night-time, she was active and busy. As her client hurried from one task to another, she told the Practitioner she didn't have time to eat. Her food recall also suggested this as well. There wasn't much written down. She mainly lived on soy lattes and cups of tea with sugar, as well as lots of supplements to try and reduce her hot flushes and induce her sleep. But here's the thing. Those menopause supplements weren't helping, nor were they giving her the nutrients that her brain and nervous system needed to help reduce her anxiety levels. Nor was she eating enough fats and certain nutrients to not only give her the energy that she needed to get through her day, but to calm her anxiety levels as well as to reduce inflammatory changes that arrive with an over-stimulated gut. Many of us forget that the gut bears the brunt of our anxiety and worry. Changes in the gut microbiome (dysbiosis) and inflammation with higher anxiety levels was a leading finding in the study I was sharing with the Practitioners. We all have various sources of worry and concern that cause us to become more anxious don't we? However, as we arrive in our menopause transition, anxiety is heightened with the ageing of our nervous system and the decline of oestrogen on receptors situated on the outer sheath of the nerves. This also occurs on one of the longest nerves in the body - your vagus nerve. The vagus nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. As such it oversees a vast array of crucial bodily functions, including control of mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate. (Breit et al, 2018). If you are experiencing increased anxiety, then you cannot ignore the vagus nerve, nor your gut health, nor the accumulation of inflammatory changes on your nerves. It was back in the 1950s that those studying human anatomy and ageing changes, noted that 'starting in the fourth decade of life and continuing into the fifth decade, there is an increase in connective tissue and a reduction in the patency of the blood vessels. With this gradual reduction in blood supply and increase in connective tissue, there seems to be a gradual alteration and reduction of the nerve fibres, especially the larger ones. Beginning in the fifth decade of life, there is a continual decrease in conduction velocity (speed) in the nervous system.' [Wilcox, 1956].If you are feeling that your nerves are a bit wired and your anxiety levels are high, then please remember that because your oestrogen levels are declining and your nervous system is ageing, it's time to slow down a bit with the pace of life. Menopause, is the biological gateway to our ageing and when I began to explore the ageing research about all the changes that go on in our body as we move through menopause and into our older years, the evidence shared in much of this research went beyond the reproductive hormones. It helped me to move towards better understanding of the relevance of inflammatory changes that arrive in menopause and how we can mitigate these changes, thereby reducing our symptoms.Chronic inflammation is a feature of numerous disorders and diseases of the neurological system, including anxiety. (Norwitz & Naidoo, 2021]. Hence, reigning in your anxiety levels takes more than pills. It also takes sorting out your nutrition as well as your gut health. 		
																														
		I never fully appreciated that arriving in mid-life would cause so many changes to our organs in the body - especially the nervous system. For decades, menopause conversations and interventions have primarily focused on the loss of our reproductive hormones in menopause - the master hormones from the pituitary gland (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone) and oestrogen and progesterone. But there's more to this conversation too - and that is how our nervous system and brain are ageing and changing. Your brain is part of your nervous system. It is the ‘mother-ship’ for your nerves and this is why our spinal column and every single nerve in the body comes off the base of our brain.A typical day for most women is full of anxiety-inducing events. As we transition through menopause, the loss of oestrogen going to your oestrogen receptors throughout your nervous system compounds your feelings of anxiety and causes your heart rate to increase. Some of you will get more hot flushes, some of you will experience a heart rate that feels like it is ‘racing’. As oestrogen and progesterone levels continue to decline as you pass into menopause and post-menopause, your nerves are ageing as is your brain. Both structures rely on oestrogen to help with nerve conduction. This is also why the addition of HRT helps many women feel calmer and reduces their anxiety levels.  Some herbs do the same too and in the new research, turmeric (curcumin) gets a special mention as do other nutritional strategies which I share with you below.		
																														
		Negative emotions can shift the microbial ecosystem in your gut by the release of stress hormones which impact the nerves which control our gut and digestive system. As such, individuals suffering from anxiety disorders and other stress disorders exhibit elevated levels of inflammatory markers in the circulation, mentions Norwitz and Naidoo  (2021). Whilst the mechanisms as to how this occurs very, the authors suggest that modulating and managing inflammatory changes in our gut which contribute to heightened anxiety disorders, require specific changes to the diet.   These changes include the following: Get off refined sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup. Sugar attaches to molecules throughout the body and can increase neuro-(nerve) inflammation. 		
																														
		Remove artificial sweeteners from your diet. Administration of artificial sweeteners to animals have been known to increase anxiety through increasing the production and secretion of stress hormones. Aspartame in particular gets a mention, as it can block the transform of dopamine and serotonin precursors in the brain and can increase the levels of excitatory nerve transmitters. This, according to the authors (Norwitz & Naidoo, 2021) may contribute to heightened anxiety. 		
																														
		Find foods that are low gluten or gluten-free. When it comes to anxiety and improving the reduction of inflammation, gluten proteins may contribute to leaky-gut syndrome. Whilst further research needs to be carried out on this aspect of nutrition for managing anxiety, the authors suggest that this is another nutritional strategy to implement. Rye bread has a lower gluten load and I've written about the importance of this type of bread for heart health during and after menopause, so finding your way with the right type of bread that might suit your inflammatory marker levels is an important step in the right direction. 		
																														
		Increase Omega 3 fats in your diet. The omega 3 fatty acids offer potent anti-inflammatory properties that not only support the microbiome and white adipose tissue that contributes to inflammation, but are known to support cognition and mental health. On the practical side, this includes extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish, such as mackerel, sardines and salmon ( Alaskan sockeye salmon gets a special mention in the research, as does krill oil).		
																														
		Increase your intake of Turmeric (Curcumin). Turmeric is one of the most heavily studied spices for brain health with its active ingredient, curcumin, explored in Alzheimer's Disease, depression, anxiety-related disorders and anxiety itself. Whilst some studies have challenged the relevance of the health benefits of Turmeric due to differences in the bioavailability of this spice in humans when taken as a supplement, on the whole, if consumed in the of food and with black pepper as well as fats, then it may have benefits for those suffering from anxiety, due to changes in inflammatory pathways. 		
																														
		Ensure your Vitamin D and Vitamin B levels are adequate. In the brain, Vitamin D regulates calcium balance which in turn assists nerve-transmitter levels. It also helps with transmission of mood hormones, dopamine and serotonin. Vitamin D is also known to have benefits to the gut microbiome, because it helps to reduce inflammation. I'm often talking about Vitamin D levels for women in menopause and getting these checked, because if you are deficient in this vital hormone (yes, it is now known as a hormone), then these low levels may be contributing to your heightened feelings of anxiety. 		
																														
		Nutrition regulates anxiety disorders by influencing the gut microbiome and inflammation as you can see from the image below. The gut microbiome and inflammation are inter-related and therefore, work in a two-way relationship with anxiety.This is why, for women who feel a lot of anxiety, changing nutritional approaches may be helpful. So, too may be moving towards more of a Keto dietary approach for women who are thinner and leaner. On the MyMT™ programmes, I talk a lot about anxiety in my coaching group. I'm always reminding women that menopause per se if not the issue or the problem. All women go through this life-stage. When we stop worrying about our hormones and focus on how our body is ageing and changing as we enter our 'third age', then it becomes a game-changer in terms of understanding how to look after ourselves in midlife and beyond. It was for me too. I hope you can join me sometime. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
		References: Breit S, Kupferberg A, Rogler G, Hasler G. Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Mar 13;9:44. Norwitz NG, Naidoo U. Nutrition as Metabolic Treatment for Anxiety. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Feb 12;12:598119. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.Wilcox HH. Changes in nervous system with age. Public Health Rep (1896). 1956 Dec;71(12):1179-84. 

### Video: Will this vital Vitamin help your symptom chaos during menopause?

The role of Vitamin D on women's menopause symptoms is controversial. For every study that says that there is a correlation between low vitamin D and symptoms such as nerve pain, muscle aches and pains and of course, osteopenia (changes to bone mineral content that eventually may lead to osteoporosis), there are other studies that suggest that there is no correlation. That's why Doctors tend not to test for it as part of our blood work as we move through menopause.But for a generation of women who are very different from our mother's generation and who have a lot going on in their lives, I suggest that you try to get your levels tested if you can. As the seasons change, we all need a reminder about this powerful vitamin, which researchers now know is a ‘hormone’. It’s role in re-balancing the HPA-Thyroid axis is crucial. (Ashok, Palyam et al, 2022).Vitamin D is necessary for the maintenance of the structural inttegrity and function of your musculo-skeletal system and deficiency is known to result in impaired bone strength and muscle activation. It's no surprise then, that fibromyalgia (a condition characterized by muscular or musculoskeletal pain with stiffness and localized tenderness at specific points on the body) is a disorder that manifests in numerous midlife women. (Arout et al, 2018). This week I made you a little video to watch when you have time and in it I talk about the importance of getting your Vitamin D levels checked. Those of you in the Northern Hemisphere are heading into your winter months, hence a reminder for you. Many of you may also work indoors or you are on shift-work and these days many of you may even do your workouts indoors too, so it helps to have your levels of Vitamin D checked . We also need some of this sunshine vitamin directly on our skin, so over the weekend, no matter where you live in the world, get outside if you can, even for a few minutes. Not only will this boost your Vitamin D levels, but it will help your moods, your temperature regulation and that precious sleep as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmA9qb4PaEs&t=19sReferences: Arout, C., Sofuoglu, M., Bastian, L., &  Rosenheck, R. (2018). Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Fibromyalgia and in Concomitant Medical and Psychiatric Disorders: A National Veterans Health Administration Study. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 27(8): 1035–1044.Ashok T, Palyam V, Azam A T, et al. (2022) Relationship Between Vitamin D and Thyroid: An Enigma. Cureus 14(1), 1-14.

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Beat blood vessel changes with this Beetroot and Strawberry Gazpacho

The weather is warming up down-under and  I've just planted my beetroot. I've not been very successful with growing strawberries over the years, however, a punnet of delicious New Zealand grown RubyGem strawberries won't be far away either. In the meantime, when I make this delicious Beetroot and Strawberry Gazpacho, I just use a cup of frozen strawberries instead. 

Beetroot is back on my menu these days and although it doesn't find favour with the family, I ignore them and focus on what my ageing blood vessels need and that is both beetroot and strawberries. Both these foods are anti-angiogenic. 

Angiogenesis is a term given to the formation of new blood vessels. This process involves the migration, growth, and differentiation of endothelial cells, which line the inside wall of blood vessels. The process of angiogenesis is controlled by chemical signals in the body, including hormones. 

As we age however, we don't want too much angiogenesis occurring as this also promotes the abnormal growth of cells such as seen in cancer. From the work of researchers at the Angiogenesis Foundation in the USA, it is reported that angiogenesis is seen to be a common denominator of lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. 

As I developed the My Menopause Transformation programmes, I had been undertaking my doctoral studies on women's health and ageing and the role of exercise. As such, I was aware of the incredible change in health risk as women move from menopause into post-menopause, when periods have ended for a year or more.  The risk of cardiovascular disease and associated skeletal muscle blood vessel pressure changes is enhanced in women after menopause as elasticity is lost in blood vessels and the epithelial lining thickens, yet knowledge about the angiogenic potential in ageing women is generally sparse. [Olsen, Hoier & Hansen, 2020]. 

The academic literature is replete with information about women's changing cardiovascular health in post-menopause, yet not enough information about lifestyle change is being shared with women during menopause, in order to prevent this life-changing disease as they move into post-menopause.

Hence, when I learnt about angiogenesis and the work of Dr William Li in America and others, who have dedicated their careers to improving global health through exploring angiogenesis, it made sense to then look at the foods which help to protect our blood vessels as we age.  Especially as a new study released by the Angiogenesis Foundation reports the link between Covid-19 and damage to blood vessel walls. This is important information for women in menopause and post-menopause who might still be experiencing long-covid symptoms. 

Both beetroot and strawberries are two of the foods that are therefore, anti-angiogenic. That's why I love this recipe as you can bring these foods together in this beautiful Beetroot and Strawberry Gazpacho.

The modification of food intake during menopause helps to set us up for our healthy ageing years ahead. I know myself that as women, we tend not to out our own nutritional needs first, however, when we do, we have so much more energy to get through our day.

Gazpacho or Gaspacho, is a cold soup and drink made of raw, blended vegetables. With the addition of strawberries to this soup, it makes it heart healthy too. Strawberries are high in a compound called Ellagic acid, which is a potent anti-angiogenic compound. Ellagic acid is high in the Rubygem strawberry variety which is known and grown here in New Zealand. 

So, whether the family want to try this delicious cold (or hot) gsazpacho soup as the seasons change, or not, I hope that you can enjoy it, knowing that your blood vessels are getting a beneficial boost in reducing the development of inflammation and angiogenesis. 

Bon appetit. 
The MyMT™ Kitchen: Beetroot and Strawberry Gazpacho
Serves 4

4 medium size beets

 	1 cup (250g) of strawberries
 	1 red onion, finely diced, leave ¼ for garnish
 	1–2 garlic cloves
 	2 medium cucumbers, leave a bit for garnish
 	1/2 cup fresh dill, leave half for garnish
 	2 tbsp sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
 	Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes- pomegranates (optional) OR diced beets, cucumber, finely diced onion, chopped dill, olive oil or yogurt.

Method: 

 	Place beets in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer until fork tender all the way through, about 60-90 minutes. Rinse with cold water.

2. Once beets are cold, slip off their skins using your hands. Slice and place 3 of the 4 beets (saving one) in a blender with 2 cups cold water. Add the strawberries, ¾ of chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, the sliced cucumbers, salt, pepper, vinegar and about ⅔ of the fresh dill (saving some for garnish). Blend until very smooth. You may need to do it in batches Taste and adjust salt and vinegar. Place in the refrigerator for two hours or more.

3. Finely dice the remaining beet, onion, cucumber and dill. Pour Gazpacho (the colder it is, the better) into bowls. Top with the garnishes. Drizzle with a little olive oil or a swirl of yogurt if you like.

[NB: Recipe sourced from my daughter Georgia, who had this delicious soup at a wedding she attended recently in Portugal. When she told me about it, I knew I had to make it and share it with you too.] 

Please don't forget that this is the final week of my September Circuit Breaker SALE for women who are leaner and thinner. Every year in Spring and as part of my theme of  'Menopause isn't just about hot flushes', I take NZ$100 off the cost of this powerful programme. I hope you can join me. You can read about it HERE. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine

### New Research: The effect of inflammation on your bone health in menopause.

Suzi often sends me photos of her hiking in beautiful Switzerland. It's an activity that I encourage all my ladies to do if possible, not only because of the benefits to our mental health when we are out in nature, but because a good hike, using hiking poles, is beneficial to our ageing bones.Hiking is an exercise strategy that over 30 years ago, when I pioneered the personal training industry in New Zealand as one of the very first Personal Trainers for the global giant of the fitness industry, Les Mills World of Fitness, I wasn't promoting at all to my midlife clients. Every day, I was putting mid-life women through their paces - sometimes it was cardio-focused, as well as some weight training, but I wasn't promoting the balance and gait strengthening strategies that hiking on uneven surfaces gives women.Nor in my past life, did I talk to these women about whether they were in menopause, nor if they were sleeping, or if they had a lot of stress in their lives, or how their gut health was.Nor did I know to enquire about their nutritional intake in terms of the amount of pro-inflammatory foods they were eating. The research hadn't yet caught up with what was really going on with bone health, diet, exercise and of course, the role of inflammation as we transition menopause. The trajectory towards osteoporosis in older age is an interesting one for all of us to take note of. Not only does it start earlier than we think (peak bone mass occurs in our 30s and starts to decline from this point), but throughout the past few decades as we've been menstruating, the cycling of progesterone has played a dominant role in the remodelling of bones.During our menopause transition, with declining levels of oestrogen and progesterone as well as changing cortisol levels, (this chronic stress hormone is elevated generally, if women aren't sleeping or are feeling stressed), bone loss may speed up.When cortisol levels are high, then so too are our inflammatory markers and whilst bones do need to be stimulated to generate some inflammation in order to re-model themselves, too much inflammation in the body can be problematic to our bones and the bone cells may not turnover, remodel and renew as readily as they used to.   		
																										
		Your skeleton is a metabolically active organ. Not only is it influenced by the amount and type of exercise you do throughout your life course, but new research shows that the density of bones as we age, is also influenced by the acidity of our diet (Osuna-Padilla et al, 2019) and whether we have too much (or not enough) inflammation accumulating in our body (Epsley, Tadros et al, 2021). Bone Re-Modelling Must Be Stimulated as we Age: Bone re-modelling is the continual process to renew the adult skeleton through the sequential action of osteoblasts (mediators of new bone cells) and osteoclasts (mediators of the continuous destruction of bone). Balance of both is key. This differs from bone modelling, which is responsible for skeletal developtment, growth and the shaping of bones in our early years. Hence, bone re-modelling (tissue breakdown AND repair) must be stimulated as we age. Through correct exercise, sleep, diet and of course, not having too many factors that cause the accumulation of too much inflammation (e.g. not sleeping in menopause), are important factors to pull together as we age. As women live longer, degenerative skeletal diseases, such as osteoporosis, become increasingly prevalent. Over 50% of women reaching 65 years of age will experience a bone fracture (Teitelbaum, 2011), and if this has happened to you (as it has done to me as well), then you will understand the profound personal, financial and social impact of experiencing a fracture in mid-life, let alone the overall impact of osteoporosis in older women, on society as whole. My private coaching group was abuzz with comments from hundreds of women around the world, when I decided to take a look down the road of acid versus alkaline foods and how the types of foods we eat in mid-life affect so many health concerns, that are given the generic label of ‘menopause symptoms’.Bone density came into the conversation too - and it wasn't just about bone enhancing exercise, it was about the role of too much inflammation in our body (measured by your blood bio-marker, called C-reactive Protein) and the acidity of diet too.When I went into my own menopause transition, I knew about the prevalence of sarcopenia (muscle loss) and osteoporosis (bone loss) in older women. Hence, I was exercising, doing some resistance training, and trying to eat a diet high in calcium and proteins from dairy products and meat which, at the time, was recommended. However, before I did my women's health and ageing studies, I never gave any thought to the fact that my body felt so ‘achy’ and inflamed, (despite all the supplements I was taking), because my diet may have been making my body more inflamed. That’s because it was high in acid load. 		
																										
		Diet composition has long been known to influence acid–base balance by providing acid or base precursors. In general, foods rich in protein, such as meat, cheese, eggs, and others, increase the production of acid in the body, whereas fruit and vegetables increase alkalis. The capacity of acid or base production of any food is called potential renal acid load (PRAL). Diets high in PRAL induce a low-grade metabolic acidosis state, which is associated with the development of metabolic alterations such as insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, bone disorders, low muscle mass and other health  complications as we age.I was reiterating to women on my programme to keep up with the dietary changes that I promote, because over time, these will have positive benefits to their bone and muscle health as well as reducing symptoms and weight.Health and ageing research is increasingly reporting that diet contributes to the accumulation of inflammatory changes in our body, and for women transitioning menopause, the chronic consumption of acidifying diets may cause a decrease in bone mineralization and an increase in bone fracture. Hence, nutritional status is important for your bone health. So too, is your gut health. Inflammation in other parts of your body and nutritional status are not mutually exclusive, states brand new research on bone health and inflammation (Epsley, Tadros et al, 2021).  As the authors state,'Chronic inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. coeliac disease) are frequently associated with poor nutritional status, largely having to do with a reduction in caloric intake and difficulty in absorbing nutrients important to bone metabolism. Moreover, the gut microbiota plays a role in systemic inflammation via the immune system and meal ingestion can influence bone remodeling.'  (p. 2).Absorption of Nutrients is Crucial to your Bone Health: The absorption of nutrients in our ageing digestive system is a crucial part of the menopause-osteoporosis-inflammation connection. It's why, as part of my programmes (and also available as a stand-alone programme), I have a module called 'Restore your Grateful Gut. Both calcium and Vitamin D help in the re-mineralisation of bone and these nutrients are crucial in maintaining adequate mineralization of bone.If these minerals are low, or if women are doing too much heavy exercise and not eating enough of the right foods, then they can tip over into thyroid problems, especially parathyroid over-activity. The body responds to deficiency by increasing parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. With the winter well under way in the southern hemisphere, exploring your Vitamin D intake (and getting blood levels checked) is important. Vitamin D modulates your immune system. Vitamin D has also demonstrated an anti-inflammatory role in diseases, such as kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Hence, low levels of vitamin D are correlated with a greater degree of inflammation in these conditions. (Epsley, Tadros et al, 2021).		
																										
		Osteopenia needs to be on our radar too. It's a condition that occurs when there is an imbalance between bone resorption of minerals and bone formation. Essentially, it's the early stage of osteoporosis but doesn’t necessarily progress to full osteoporosis. There is great information on the Osteoporosis website in New Zealand and where-ever you live in the world, check out your local osteoporosis guidelines for your country as well. They are full of important information to have in your menopause-toolbox too.  But it's not just about osteopenia and osteoporosis - the clinical names given to changes to our bones making them more brittle. There is another condition which hits us in menopause due to our changing reproductive hormones. This condition is the muscle-loss condition called SARCOPENIA.Strengthening our muscles is not only important for us as we age, but the pulling and pushing of muscles on bones, helps in the process of bone re-modelling. The ends of your bones (the epiphysis) are where you get new bone cells forming and the epiphysis responds to pushing and pulling activities. Hiking downhill for example, can assist with knee joint strengthening (once you sort out your aching knees, which I teach you in the MyMT™ programmes). These activities help to re-model the bone which then requires critical bone-building nutrients, such as Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, to help healthy, new bone cells to be formed. But here's the thing - hormonal changes in menopause, and other factors such as gut inflammation can inhibit the uptake of these vital nutrients into our bones. Which is why we must remember that finding the balance between exercise, diet and rest and recovery is crucial to whether or not we accumulate too much damaging inflammation in our body. This is why, in the MyMT™ programmes, sleeping all night and improving health come before, adding in too much exercise.  I'm always finding this in so many women, who are pushing through with exercise, but have underlying health concerns or aren't sleeping. 		
																										
		I hope you can add in Osteoporosis prevention measures as you navigate menopause. Numerous factors impact this important health issue for women as they age and I cover all these factors in my programmes and in the 12 week 'Rebuild My Fitness' programme. Lifestyle factors which impact the trajectory of osteoporosis and sarcopenia, include, 1. Decreased physical activity as you age. If this is you, then now is the time to change this! 2. Decreased amino-acid (protein) intake and uptake due to changing liver inflammation. Proteins are ‘turned-over’ in your liver and if you aren't absorbing adequate healthy proteins in your liver, then this can have a down-stream effect on sarcopenia and osteoporosis too.3. Loss of activation of the motor-units (nerves) which stimulate muscles to contract. Muscle movement is controlled by your nervous and hormonal system and when we activate all of our muscles, then this is great for bone and muscle strength. It's where the term 'use it, or lose it' comes from. When your muscles are stimulated to pull on bones, then your bones are also stimulated to turn-over new bone cells.4. Age-related decline in the hormones which assist your bones to stay strong, i.e. progesterone, testosterone, growth hormone, Vitamin D and IGF-1.5. An increase in inflammation in other parts of your body. For example, gut inflammation can inhibit the uptake of key nutrients that support bone health as does not sleeping well overnight. If you aren't sleeping, your body isn't healing and repairing itself.6. The wrong diet for menopause. A typical Western diet that is high in processed foods, sugar and alcohol is typically not osteopenia or osteoporosis friendly. It has a high acid load. This is why I say when it comes to menopause and the risk of oesteoporosis with age, we all need to improve our diet to better meet our changing hormonal environment which will become our 'new-normal' the older we get.7. Being too thin or small in stature. If you have a thin bone structure, and weigh less than 62 kg, then you are at greater risk for osteoporosis as you get older. Your goal therefore is to increase your muscle mass and maintain a body weight that decreases your risk as you age.		
																										
		Numerous factors impact on our bone health and muscle strength as we age. I know frrom the ladies on my programmes that whilst lack of time, low motivation and low energy are always the main barriers to being active, having a focus on turning these barriers around is a great starting point.Then, we must use the right nutrition as well as the right exercise to stimulate bone turnover in a positive way, because as the World Health Organisation Bulletin (2003) on how to de-fuse the osteoporosis time-bomb reminds us -'Exercise minimizes bone loss later in life. Not only does exercise improve bone health, it also increases muscle strength, coordination, balance, flexibility and leads to better overall health. Walking, aerobic exercise, and t’ai chi are the best forms of exercise to stimulate bone formation and strengthen the muscles that help support bones. Encouraging physical activity at all ages is therefore a top priority to prevent osteoporosis.'  [Chan, Anderson & Lau, (2003)]I hope you can join me sometime on either of my different 12 week programmes which all place the scientific lifestyle evidence on women's health as they age, at the heart of them. Dr Wendy Sweet, Ph.D/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine and Founder of MyMT™.		
																										
		References:Chan, K., Anderson M., & Lau, E. (2003). Exercise interventions: defusing the world's oesteoporosis time bomb. [WHO Bulletin]Chang, Y., Cho, B., Kim, S. et al. (2019). Direct conversion of fibroblasts to osteoblasts as a novel strategy for bone regeneration in elderly individuals. Exp Mol Med 51, 1–8.Kruger, M. & Wolber, F. [2016]. Oesteoporosis: Modern paradigms for last centuries bones. Nutrients (8),376, 1-12.Ginaldi, L., Di Benedetto, M. C., & De Martinis, M. (2005). Osteoporosis, inflammation and ageing. Immunity & ageing: I & A, 2, 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4933-2-14Lohana, C. & Samir, N. (2016). Risk Management of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women. Global Journal of Health Science, Vol. 8, No. 11; 36-44Osuna-Padilla I., Leal-Escobar G., Garza-García C., & Rodríguez-Castellanos F. (2019). Dietary Acid Load: mechanisms and evidence of its health repercussions. Nefrologia (Engl Ed), 39(4):343-354. English, Spanish. doi: 10.1016/j.nefro.2018.10.005. Epub 2019 Feb 5. PMID: 30737117.Prior JC. (1990). Progesterone as a bone-trophic hormone. Endocr Rev. May;11(2):386-98. doi: 10.1210/edrv-11-2-386. PMID: 2194787.Seifert-Klauss, V., & Prior, J. C. (2010). Progesterone and bone: actions promoting bone health in women. Journal of Osteoporosis, 845180. https://doi.org/10.4061/2010/845180Teitelbaum S. L. (2007). Osteoclasts: what do they do and how do they do it?. The American Journal of Pathology, 170(2), 427–435. https://doi.org/10.2353/ajpath.2007.060834

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Marco's Broccoli Patties - Queen of the crucifers for menopause liver health.

Ask women's cancer researchers to identify the one vegetable that they might recommend to specifically prevent breast cancer in post-menopausal women and it may well be broccoli or broccolini. I call it the 'Queen of the Crucifer's'. 

It's difficult to overestimate broccoli's healing powers (or broccolini), but this crisp, delicious member of the cruciferous family has been shown to fend off a host of serious conditions, including heart disease and cancer. If you can get organic, then this is best. 

Numerous researchers now know that the more oestrogen you are exposed to during your lifetime, the greater your risk of breast cancer. They also know that the best protection is food that brings your body back into its proper hormonal balance and which blocks the harmful effects of too much oestrogen.

I wish I knew about this when trying to understand why my breasts became large and lumpy in my early 50s, because I would have made an effort to add cooked broccoli to my day. 

Broccoli's impressive power as a cancer fighter is due in part to its attack on two fronts. It contains two compounds, - indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane - that help to mop-up cancer causing substances from the liver, before they have a chance to do harm.

Indole-3-carbinol is also found in other cruciferous vegies, such as cabbage and brussel sprouts and is particularly effective against breast cancer. You may have heard about DIM, or it may also be in those menopause supplements you might be taking for oestrogen dominance. DIM (diindolylmethane) is a byproduct of Indole-3-carbinol.

Sulforaphane also does good work to keep us healthy as we age. It is a compound known to protect us by boosting the production of cancer-blocking enzymes.



But there's more to the brilliance of broccoli that I want you to know about if you are struggling with your symptoms and weight during menopause. 

Although evidence has been mounting that broccoli is great for cancer prevention, for women in menopause and post-menopause, equal evidence suggests that the nutrients in broccoli help to protect against heart disease.

I'm always passionate about this aspect of our health as we move through menopause, because in the Western world, incidence of heart disease in post-menopausal women rates higher than breast cancer. That's why, despite the focus on sulforaphane in broccoli which helps to block cancer-producing enzymes, I also prefer broccoli for heart health. This is because it is high in beta-carotene.

Beta-carotene is a powerful nutrient that’s converted to Vitamin A and helps to prevent heart disease as well as helping to heal a lifetime of damaged cells and tissues. Very important for those of you who do lots of exercise!

Cauliflower shouldn’t miss out on the attention either. It's full of healthy nutrients as well, but the problem with cauliflower compared to broccoli, is that it has greater amounts of purines in it. These are amino acids that break down to uric acid in the body. As any of you with sore joints and gout know, you need to be careful of your purine consumption.

Many women on the MyMT™ programmes have sore joints when they start out, so being careful about purine consumption is something that you will find in the MyMT™ nutritional information as well as in my ‘Restore your Joyful Joints’ module which is part of my programmes. 


In the Kitchen with MyMT™
Marco's Vegetarian Broccoli Burgers

The MyMT™ Food Guide is packed full with over 100 recipes - all meeting the criteria I have for providing the correct nutrients for women in their menopause nutrition. Too many recipes don't do this, so I have sourced them from a variety of recipe books as well as from women on my programmes and from Mediterrranean Diet and evidenced Heart Health sources. This recipe is from Marco, a chef from South America who worked up in a ski-field I was visiting. I was sitting in the lodge and saw that he was Vegetarian Broccoli Burgers, so I asked him for the recipe to share with women on my programmes.

Today I'm sharing this with you, so that you get broccoli-rich foods into your life. I particularly like this recipe because the broccoli is chopped finely and cooked. If women have gut health concerns or IBS, then cruciferous vegies such as broccoli, served raw, may cause bloatin and discomfort as I used to find myself.

Ingredients: 

 	Brown or Arborio Rice (1 cup, preferably organic).
 	Broccoli
 	Cauliflower
 	Mushrooms
 	Red onion

Method:

 	First cook the rice in lightly salted water or you can make a simple Rice Risotto, using arborio rice, for a different flavour. 
 	Chop up the following veggies very finely: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Red Onions.
 	Throw in a handful of sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. Add cooked chick peas if you want (or canned - rinse these first).
 	Add a 1/2 teaspoon of Moroccan Seasoning, Salt and Pepper.
 	Beat an egg and mix it into the mixture. Add 1 egg to about 3 cups of mixture, but ensure it isn't too runny. 
 	Wet your hand ands shape the mixture into small patties and cook on a hot plate or in a hot pan/ skillet.
 	Serve with salad and some hummus. 

### Reduce hot flushes and improve heart health during menopause with the 'Rye Factor'.

“After this past year of avoiding whole-grains completely based on the diet I was on, I now realise that this was the wrong thing to do now that I'm in my 50's. I’ve lost 5 lbs & I’m feeling amazing. I have so much more energy.”  [Kirsten, USA]Most women joining me on the MyMT™ programmes are surprised that I give them permission to eat bread ... but not just any bread. My recommendation is rye bread and there's a reason for this. One of the most important discoveries of the past few years, has been that the immune system and inflammatory processes are involved in, not just a few select disorders, but a wide variety of  mental and physical health problems which persist across the lifespan (Furman, Campisis et al, 2019). For women entering menopause (peri-menopause) and moving through to post-menopause, this is relevant information.Hot flushes are now known to be an early indicator of inflammatory changes occurring in the hypothalamus region of the brain and around the body. As women move through menopause, inflammatory changes may also occur in the gut, the cardiovascular system and the liver, as these organs learn to adapt to the decline of oestrogen.  Because of these inflammatory changes, our diet matters more than ever as we move through menopause and into our post-menopause years. This is where wholegrains come in, rather than heavily refined grains and when it comes to bread for your sandwiches, the type of bread matters too. Whole grains represent the earliest forms in which humans consumed cereals. Eaten boiled or roughly pounded to a flour, mixed with water and roasted, they were a form of slow-release carbohydrate with a low blood sugar response. They were also filling and sustaining. So, whether your hot flushes are still bothering you or not, or your gut and heart health have changed, or you are putting on weight, and no matter what medications and supplements you may be on, then please take note - regulating your blood glucose levels and improving your fibre intake are important lifestyle changes you can make. Whole-grains, especially rye bread, helps you to achieve this. 		
																										
		The ‘no-grains, no-carbs’ brigade got me for a while too. Caught up in the weight-loss and dieting confusion as my weight, bloating, hot flushes and joint pain became worse, I thought that having whole-grains in the form of starch was part of the problem – it seemed to be that everyone at the gym was promoting ‘no-grains’ – low carb, high fat and high protein diets were the next ‘thing’ when it came to the nutritional messages endorsed by fitness enthusiasts and popular diets. I thought that everyone promoting these diets were right. But in an ageing body going through menopause, I realised that a diet designed for body-builders and younger athletes is not designed for women going through menopause. I felt exhausted.Now after years of following, the women’s healthy ageing and cardiac-health research, I’ve turned my back on the ‘no-grainers’.  This is because of the ever-growing scientific evidence on the importance of whole-grains in a heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly diet. For women who continue to exercise, it's never been more important to help your heart to restore the energy it needs. Post-menopause heart disease is the burden of many Western countries around the world. Women’s CVD risk significantly increases after they shift into menopause, which is not just related to ageing but also, at least in part, to the decline in ovarian hormone concentrations during the menopausal transition and beyond. (American Heart Foundation, 2017).Oestrogen plays a role in the contraction of the heart as well as the dilation of our coronary blood vessels. This means that the reduction in oestrogen as part of our normal menopause transition has a less than beneficial effect on the size and function of our heart.  This includes increased thickness of the heart wall, vascular stiffening, slower recovery (especially after endurance exercise), and changes to the nerve signaling. [Strait, J. et al. (2012)].New Zealand, Australia, America and the United Kingdom have the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease. As modernisation hits China, post-menopause heart disease is growing in prevalence there too. 		
																										
		Diet is one of the most important environmental factors affecting the risk of developing heart disease in later life and for women moving through menopause, there remains a lot of confusion about which diet is 'best'. I used to be confused as well. That's why following the science is importance, as well as positioning our menopause transition in women's heart health and ageing evidence. Whole grains constitute a major source of energy and for women who are moving through menopause, the relationship between whole-grains intake, gut health, cardiovascular health and regulation of blood glucose, is an important one.Intact whole-grains are unrefined. This means that they remain unprocessed and close to how they are found in nature. Oats, barley and brown rice are the most common and in many Scandinavian countries as well as Europe, rye is common too.What I like about whole-grains apart from their fibre and heart-health benefits, is that for women in menopause, they are also full of natural minerals and nutrients that our brain, gut and heart needs.This is where Rye comes in. It is a particularly rich source of dietary fibre and has been consistently associated with lowered risk of developing Tye 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. (Jonsson, Andersson et al, 2018). How this happens continues to be under some debate, but several studies have shown that the high content of dietary fibre combined with important bio-active compounds in rye is the main driver of the health effects of this important wholegrain. Rye is rich in phyto-chemicals compared to other grains.I've talked about these nutritional chemicals before. They are plant-made compounds that have functions in the plant such as cellular signalling and protection. In cereals, the majority of the phytochemicals are found in the bran but the curious thing about rye is that the list of phytochemicals detected is continually increasing - so the density of bioactive compounds in rye is high compared to other grains. (Jonssen, Andersson et al, 2018). These compounds have health benefits for women during and post-menopause and epidemiological evidence, suggests that these plant-based compounds help to protect us from various diseases when consumed regularly as part of the habitual diet.With regard to rye for women in menopause, these healthful compounds incude:Beta-glucans, which help to improve liver clearance of cholesterolBetaine, which helps to improve cardiovascular functionLignans, which are converted by the gut microbiota to phyto-oestrogens (enterodiol and enterolactone).But perhaps the most important aspect of adding rye to your diet, (if you don't have coeliac disease), is that it contains high amounts of dietary fibre. The high content of dietary fibre in rye, compared to wheat, is regarded as one of the main drivers of the health effects this food has on the human gut microbiome. As such, research suggests that rye breads, in comparison to wheat-based products, reduce the demand for insulin production. This is important for women moving through menopause, as problems with blood sugar regulation are know to affect temperature control, sleep, higher cortisol production and weight gain. [Gibson, Thurston & Matthews, 2016].; Jonsson, Andersson et al, 2018].		
																										
		To protect our heart, stabilise our blood sugar, reduce hot flushes (which become worse when blood pressure is high), we need the help of whole-grains. Cardiac health research suggests 2-3 serves a day. In the MyMT™ Food Guide, I get women focusing on brown rice, oats and of course, rye bread to start with, especially if they are exercising as these wholegrains give us energy and help to replace important carbohydrates in muscle.All of these grains are part of a heart-healthy diet. Higher whole-grain and bran intakes are consistently associated with a 16-30% lower risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease in observational studies (Evidence Report, NZHF, 2018). When up to three serves per day are consumed, cardio-protection is greater.But there’s more to this story too – the quality of the carbohydrate is most important in women’s heart health and that’s where whole-grains come in. Oats and barley have a greater beneficial effect on total and LDL cholesterol (3-8% reduction), especially in people with raised lipid (fat) levels, due to their soluble fibre content. 		
																										
		The past 20 years has seen an increased rise in low carbohydrate, especially in and around the fitness and weight loss industries.But what’s missing from the conversations is the differentiation between all the different types of carbohydrates. For example, choosing whole grain and high-fibre foods is very different from choosing processed, refined grains and products with added sugars. Examples of refined grains are white bread, pasta, crackers and many man-made cereals.The confusing thing for many people however, is that all these types of foods are labelled as ‘carbohydrates’. But when it comes to our health, they differ enormously. In New Zealand for example, we get most of our whole grains from bread and breakfast cereals but these can have added sugar, salt and saturated fats. That’s why if we can choose organic, simple wholegrains that are as close to the original grain, the better for our health as we age.		
																										
		Never before have we become so confused about our food. And yes, despite lecturing in sport and exercise nutrition, I had become that way too. That’s why in both of the MyMT™ programmes I have based all the nutrition advice ‘just’ for us in menopause. There are too many ‘one-size-fits-all’ approaches out there and many are not evidenced for women as they transition menopause. These programmes are also heart-healthy.Our mother’s generation has seen so much heart disease and many of our generation are now looking after and caring for women who are on a range of pills for cardio-vascular disease. We can’t make the same mistake and have to rely on medicines to get through our post-menopause years.My passion is for women to start putting their menopause transition into ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’ and it's why I follow the scientific evidence for women's healthy ageing.My 12 week online programmes, teach you how to transition into your post-menopause years, understanding better how to look after yourself. These programmes continue with a NZ$50 savings for you as I know many of you are challenged financially with the changes to your life from the pandemic. Please use the promo code ATHOME22 to access your savings. Monthly payments are also available for the 3 months. For those of you, who may be interested to hear from me, I also have a short video for you below - if you've wondered why your gut health may be changing as you move through menopause, have a listen when you can. Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine]https://youtu.be/7HVQtZ0icK4References: Babiker, F., De Windt, L., et al. (2002). Estrogenic hormone action in the heart: regulatory network and function. Cardiovascular Research 53, 709-719.European Union Healthgrain Forum. Online: https://healthgrain.org/whole-grain/Furman D., Campisi J., Verdin E., Carrera-Bastos P., ... Slavich GM. (2019). Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med.  Dec;25(12):1822-1832. doi: 10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0. Gorton, D. (2018). Evidence Paper: Wholegrains and the Heart. Wellington: NZ Heart Foundation.Jonsson, K., Andersson, R., Knudsen, E., Hallmans, G. …. Landberg, R. (2018). Rye and health - Where do we stand and where do we go? Trends in Food Science & Technology, 79, 78-87. ISSN 0924-2244Jull, J., Stacy, D. et al. (2014). Lifestyle interventions targeting body weight changes during the menopause transition: A Systematic Review. Journal of Obesity. Article ID 824310, 1-16.Mann, J. & Truswell, S. (2007) 3rd Ed. Essentials of Human Nutrition. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UKMoazzami A., Bondia-Pons I., Hanhineva K., Juntunen K., Antl N., Poutanen K., & Mykkänen H. (2012). Metabolomics reveals the metabolic shifts following an intervention with rye bread in postmenopausal women--a randomized control trial. Nutr J.,11:88. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-11-88.Sandberg JC, Björck IM, Nilsson AC. (2016). Rye-based evening meals favorably affected glucose regulation and appetite variables at the following breakfast; A randomized controlled study in healthy subjects. (2016). PLoS One. Mar 18;11(3):e0151985. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151985. Stice, J., Lee, J. et al. (2009). Estrogen, aging and the cardiovascular system. Future Cardiol. 5(1): 93–103.Swaminathan S, Dehghan M, Raj JM, Thomas T., Rangarajan S, Jenkins D, Mony P, Mohan V, Lear SA, Avezum A, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Rosengren A, Lanas F, AlHabib KF, Dans A, Keskinler MV, Puoane T, Soman B, Wei L, Zatonska K, Diaz R, Ismail N, Chifamba J, Kelishadi R, Yusufali A, Khatib R, Xiaoyun L, Bo H, Iqbal R, Yusuf R, Yeates K, Teo K, Yusuf S. (2021). Associations of cereal grains intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality across 21 countries in Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study: prospective cohort study. BMJ. Feb 3;372:m4948. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m4948.

### VIDEO: Restore your joyful knee joints with these simple exercises from Physical Therapist, John Appel.

One of the most challenging concerns for women in their menopause transition, is their sore knees.I so remember the aching that I used to feel, especially after a day's hiking or skiing. It was the reason I also gave up my beloved high impact aerobic classes too, as well as my BodyPump classes. My knees just couldn't handle all the repetitive actions. What I didn't realise at the time, was that our knees (and other joints) are changing as we move through menopause. Declining levels of oestrogen cause changes to the integrity and function of our joints, including tendons and ligaments. But there are solutions to this, based on lifestyle evidence and it's why, in the MyMT™ 12 week coaching programmes, I have a module called 'Restore your Joyful Joints'.These exercises and advice by American/Kiwi Physical Therapist and Founder of Peak Performance, John Appel, are in there and as part of a celebration of 'Menopause isn't just about hot flushes' month with MyMT™, I wanted to share his video with you too. PLEASE NOTE: These simple rehabilitation exercises are not to replace a visit to your own Doctor or Physiotherapist. Stop all exercise if you feel pain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBvMKLoRyXAMenopause doesn’t happen in a vacuum – and it’s not ‘just’ about hot flushes as you probably have guessed. Women experience numerous symptoms that confuse them at a time of their life, when they need to operate at their best. I wonder how you are getting on? Do you have energy, vitality and you are under control with all that you’ve got going on in your life? If you are confused about your menopause symptoms and/or weight gain, then I invite you to start with my online Masterclass on Menopause webinar. It's is two parts of 60 minutes each and I know you will get so much out of it. You have access for 3 months. 

### "I was feeling absolutely desperate, but I'm back to feeling like my old self now, but even better!"

"A couple of years ago, my husband and I decided to make some big changes to our lives. With our children grown and leading their own independent lives, we were not ready to retire so we set out on a new adventure for ourselves and upped sticks, moved out of our family home of 20 years in suburbia and then moved to rural Devon.

It is beautiful here and we can live much more sustainably than when living the commuter life. It is a joy to live more naturally, engaging with nature so much more.

But it was at that point that I realised that whilst I had been managing my menopause with HRT, I wanted to look for a way to be more in tune with what I was experiencing, rather than disguising and ignoring it all, but that wasn’t easy.

I had a bit of a scare with a lump in my breast (actually fine) which lead to me dumping the HRT, but no one advised me any differently. A few months of turmoil ensued and I was really at my wits end when I came across your video and website. Such a life saver …

I went from being all at sea: confused, anxious, doubting everything and with no confidence left in myself, sleeping very poorly, lacking energy so not exercising.  And then I discovered that the multitude of other things that I was just accepting, were all related and could be improved, what a revelation! 

Most of all, I just felt confused about what was happening to me, why and uncertain about how to deal with it. I didn’t want to feel that this was just how it was going to be and I’d just have to suck it up and struggle through. As a professional woman, that is not how I had planned my life!

Your modules are so informative, so illuminating, edcational and practical too. It came at just the right time and clarified so many things for me. It felt like light bulbs were going off all over the place. I was eager to find out everything at once, so it was really good that they were only released once a week as it made me really think about what I had learned and properly apply it all.

I steadily worked my way thought 12 weeks and gradually started to regain my confidence, because I could finally understand what was happening and why, but most of all, how to deal with it all. Hallelujah!

My husband has been so supportive throughout which has really helped. I feel that now we can really begin to make the most of our new life here in the countryside, exploring, discovering, trying out new things.

I feel like I am back on track now. Whilst the journey has by no means ended, I feel like I have the knowledge to deal with what ever comes up next, and the community online to tap into for help and support too. The support  from the FB community is so helpful and inclusive and I am super impressed by Wendy’s personal interactions and comments there and privately by email too. I wasn’t expecting that I have to say.

I feel more like my old self now, but not just that, a new self in fact, with greater wisdom and acceptance, strategy, clarity and hope. And Wendy and the community have a very large part to play in that. Once again Wendy, many thanks for saving me!

Hannah, now in Devon, UK. 



If you are struggling with your midlife menopause or post-menopause symptoms and/or weight, then will you join me? The video below explains how the MyMT™ programmes work.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFxVwqbBszw&t=68s

### "I was 50 and still suffering the eating disorder that had plagued me my whole life, but now it has truly vanquished."

When Romany Romany from the UK came onto the MyMT™ programme a couple of years ago, I thought her name was a bit unusual, so I emailed her to ask if I had it correct - the same first and last names. "Yes, you do" she wrote back, "but to find out why, you need to read my book."And read it I did. I couldn't put it down. Here she was, a young woman working in a corporate job in England, but harbouring her secret desire to hit the stage and light up the room as a Magical Magician. Reading it on a flight one day, my absorption was such that I have no recollection of the flight I was on. As I sat in various airport lounges, I got to know the younger version of Romany Romany, her stage-name, which she then changed (to her parent's horror) into her now-name.By the time I arrived at my destination, I knew I had to email her and ask her if she could be part of the MyMT™ story too. She had already been emailing me, saying how much she had enjoyed the programme and could at last, "get into my Magician's dress".Romany and I continue to email each other from different sides of the world. That's her out hiking in the wild countryside one morning - proof that she was doing her morning walk. With the interruptions to all of our lives over the past couple of years, I asked her to post an update for you, so she kindly shared it. You can read it below. 		
																														
		"Two years ago I published my book Spun Into Gold - The Secret Life of a Female Magician about my unusual journey from a podgy teenage would-be ballerina to become a magician performing on cruise ships and fabulous international events. About having a truly magical life listening to the whispers of intuition.  I was 50 and still suffering from the eating disorder which had plagued me, my whole life. It started when I was fifteen and wanted to be slim enough to be a dancer. When I wrote the book, I decided that being fifty and finally happy, I was willing to 'come out' and tell my story with the hope that it would help anyone struggling with the same issues.As soon as it was published, I was inundated with a 'me too' response from both friends and strangers who confessed to having struggled with weight and body image for decades. The curious thing is that two years after 'coming out,' two years after failing to find a solution to struggling with my weight and eating disorder since I was 15, I'm now totally well! I mean it, my constant struggle has vanished!I eat what I want (including too much chocolate!) and am two kilos lighter than I was for 30 years!  What happened? Well, the first change was Wendy's My Menopause Transformation program.Finally, I had permission to swap extreme over-exercising for a simple daily brisk walk plus instruction to include slow release carbs instead of the high protein/ no carbs plan from my ex-trainer (male of course). Slowly, but surely, my body came back into balance.I also began to understand the impact of stress throughout my life. Since I had almost two years away from performing due to covid restrictions, I had very little stress. Someone also suggested that moving from the shame and despair of a secret eating disorder to a different vibration of trying to help others gave me a better environment to heal. Whatever the reason, I'm very glad! I'm now 53 and have lost all ambition to continue as a magician, but thanks to Wendy's programme, I lost the weight, stress and gained the psychological freedom that saw me join the programme in the first place.Instead, I now want to use my experience to help younger generations. I love speaking (as my husband will tell you!) and am now going out as a speaker with the subject of persistence and magical thinking, telling my story and hopefully encouraging people to never give up! www.romanymagic.com and links for book. UK https://www.romanymagic.com/shopAudible https://adbl.co/3iYwrew

### Weight Training in Menopause: Understanding changes in strength and blood pressure response as you age.

Imagine the confusion and frustration felt by Lyn, (in the photo), when what you’ve done for years in terms of your workouts, no longer works for you. You’re pulling together the complexity of your training regime, nutrition and supplements, taking the advice of your Trainer, but there’s something not quite right.You’re not sleeping well, your gut health is playing up, your blood sugar is crashing frequently based on your monitoring and your hot flushes are through the roof.“Menopause changes your muscles and your blood pressure Lyn and doesn’t take notice of whether you are a bodybuilder or not”  was the first thing I mentioned when she shared her experience about her blood sugar crashes after dinner (post-prandial), in my coaching community. She felt that she wasn’t keeping on top of her glucose requirements after training and her blood sugar levels which she was monitoring weren’t stable.Lyn was mystified, and had been searching for answers. But I told her it was normal during menopause to have blood glucose regulation problems … especially when your muscles are ageing and changing when you reach your 50s and the fact that she was doing heavy resistance training workouts to get the physique she needed to compete. You see, even despite the training that Lyn was doing to facilitate muscle growth, menopause hormonal changes don't differentiate between athletes or not! Numerous changes in both muscle mass and strength occur as hormone levels change during and after menopause. This is due to the effect of oestrogens on muscles, nerves and blood vessels. Women who are doing heavy workouts as Lyn does, may need to examine how well they recover, as well as their Vitamin D levels. New research suggests that this affects muscle contraction capability and recovery too. Iron levels are equally important, as is nutrition and the increased need for soy isoflavones for recovery.Women who workout and who are transitioning through perimenopause might also need to explore Menopause HRT with their Doctor. Afterall, when you are growing muscle mass as Lyn is, oestrogen plays a crucial role in this process.It's a different game for women who work out and thanks to Lyn, who has just come on board my programme, this is the topic of my Wednesday briefing for you this week. I invited her to share her competition photos with you and she kindly did.Whether you work-out or not, understanding that our menopause transition is associated with a natural decline in muscle mass and strength is important. Menopause also changes our blood vessels and for some of you, heavy resistance training can cause hypertension (high blood pressure).The blood pressure response to resistance training depends on a number of factors including the amount of muscle mass recruited, breathing technique, amount of resistance lifted, number of repetitions, speed of lifting and rest between sets.Furthermore, the Cooper Aerobic Institute, a highly respected exercise and sport science research institute, suggest that when blood pressure is known to be high, the more muscle mass used during a resistance training exercise, the greater the blood pressure response.This is important to note for women who aren't sleeping. When insomnia arrives during our menopause transition, exercise tolerance is lowered, because blood pressure remains higher than usual. This means that numerous women who are regular exercisers and not sleeping during their menopause transition, can be thrown into over-training syndrome more easily than in the past. One of the most frequent questions I receive is to do with muscle mass gains during menopause. How can we prevent the loss of muscle (known as sarcopenia)? Can we over-ride sarcopenia with resistance training? Well, yes we can … but only to some extent – and this depends on so many other factors, including:Whether you are sleeping for at least 7-8 hours each night. Sleep helps with the regulation of growth hormone production, which is involved in pathways that help tissue anabolism (growth), including muscles.Which stage of menopause you are in. In peri-menopause, your ovaries (if you have them) are still producing oestrogen and progesterone, and this assists in muscle mass and strength. But if you're in post-menopause, then you don't have the benefit of higher levels of reproductive hormones. Your muscles also start to lose their power fibres (Type 2) as you move into post-menopause.Whether you have optimal Vitamin D levels. This powerful nutrient is now understood to be a hormone and it is involved in calcium absorption. Calcium plays a crucial role in muscle contraction and power output when you are training.		
																										
		Whether your iron levels or stored iron (ferritin) are optimal. Optimal iron levels are a pre-requisite mineral for sleep as well as improved oxygen delivery to working muscles. If you aren’t recovering or you feel more breathless, or your hot flushes are through the roof (as Lyn’s were too), or you have very low body fat, then get your iron and ferritin levels checked. It is well known in sport and exercise science research, that low iron (or high iron in post-menopause) are a cause of hot flushes in athletes and extremely low body fat percentage causes disruptions to monthly menstrual cycles. Known as the female athlete triad, it is an increasingly recognized cause in those who participate in intense athletic activity or have low body fat.Whether you have enough, or too much protein in your diet. Having too much protein increases your risk for gut, renal and liver inflammation.Whether you are recovering, resting and 'cycling' your training routine. Women in menopause may take longer to recover, especially if liver and gut health isn't ideal. Inflammatory changes during menopause in the gut and liver, affects the absorption of nutrients such as B-vitamins, which are involved in numerous energy regulation and production pathways. 		
																										
		Whether you are having enough healthy carbohydrates in your diet. Many athletes are so focused on proteins and fats these days, that women in menopause may be being advised to increase their intake of fats and protein to the detriment of beautiful energy-giving carbohydrates. These not only help you to replace vital glucose into liver and muscle cells to help your recovery, thus helping you to restore your stored glucose (glycogen) levels ready for your next training bout, but certain types of carbohydrate, help your gut health by giving you resistant starch. Whether you are on Menopause HRT or not. Some evidence suggests that women in perimenopause or menopause who are training competitively, may benefit from oestrogen replacement in order to retain muscle mass and strength. [Maltais & Dionne, 2009].Whether you are having the correct supplements for your ageing muscles, including your heart.  Many athletes need supplements, purely because they can't get enough nutrients into them to replace and repair metabolic training and competition demands. Women in menopause are no exception. I’m not talking about protein powders either. I’m talking about your intake of B vitamins, for your energy; Vitamin C, which helps to repair collagen that you are breaking down in your heavy training bouts and CoQ10 for your ageing heart – afterall, this is a muscle that bears the brunt of heavy training such as resistance training, as well. I call the heart and blood vessels, the ‘forgotten factor’ in understanding how and why our response changes when working out in menopause or post-menopause. I talk about this in my online Masterclass on Menopause. 		
																										
		Changes in Muscle Mass and Tissue in MenopauseMenopause – the universal cessation of human female fertility at around age 50 – presents an intriguing evolutionary puzzle for scientists and women alike. But as Bengston et al (2005) state,“Ageing is highly complex, involving multiple mechanisms at different levels. The most important mechanisms are linked via endogenous (external) stress-induced DNA damage … (and) understanding how such damage contributes to age-related changes requires that we explain how these different mechanisms relate to each other and potentially interact.”  [p. 75].This is the view that I take with menopause … as I’m always saying to women, ‘menopause isn’t just about hot flushes’.There are so many other issues that impact on symptoms rather than just declining hormones which of course, in menopause is a natural event in our life-course.What we do each day of our life and how we live our life affects our symptoms too. This includes how long we’ve been exercising, how hard we exercise, the type of exercise we choose to do, how much stress we have in our day-to-day life, how well we recover from day to day and how much inflammation has built up in cells and tissues over our lifetime.This is what I explained to Lyn. As someone who has had years of competitive exercise, she is carrying muscular and myofascial inflammation into her menopause transition. Add to this, her insomnia and hot flushes, and this creates more inflammatory changes in both muscle tissue and the outer sheath surrounding it, called the myofascia.Chronic stress from insomnia and night sweats, as well as inflammation from heavy training, and low absorption of calcium if gut health problems are present or if Vitamin D is low, can create a vicious cycle of poor muscle recovery from training for competitive athletes, whether they are body-builders or not.Therefore, having regular myofascial release work or massage is an important training and recovery strategy for women who workout. If you're intent in being an athlete as you age, then please add massages to your budget because as I explain below, your muscles and your muscle contractile properties, are changing during and after menopause. 		
																										
		Although the literature is only just emerging about women and heavy exercise during menopause, it is well known that whatever the training state of women in menopause and post-menopause, muscle mass in women tends to decrease gradually after the 3rd decade of age. After the 5th decade of age, an accelerated decline occurs with the changes in oestrogen and progesterone production – this is inevitable, be it due to age or menopause.One of the most important changes to muscles during our menopause transition, has to do with the decline in our Type 2 fibres – these fibres are our power and strength fibres which affect muscle mass and strength. They rely on oestrogen. These fibres are full of oestrogen receptors which work closely with oestrogen and IGF-1(this is a hormone called Insulin-like growth factor 1. It functions as the major mediator of Growth Hormone, which helps to maintain and build tissue size, such as in muscles). The loss of muscle mass and strength as women age, also occurs partly due to changes to our nerves and the neuro-muscular junction which controls muscle contraction. In this respect, calcium intake is as important as protein intake for women who have a high volume of activity. If you experience restless leg syndrome, then look at your calcium intake as well as your Vitamin D levels. Calcium helps nerves to 'jump' their messages across into muscles and this helps to improve our muscle speed, strength, balance and reaction time. It's why I told Lyn that she needs to get her levels checked because she trains as a bodybuilder.Many women who are training heavily don't associate menopause with changing skin and Vitamin D absorption - as such, they don't associate low Vitamin D levels with their recovery after exercise, especially if muscle growth is the intended purpose of the training as in the case of Lyn. Vitamin D is involved in processes related to immune function, such as inflammation. However, it's also involved in muscle tissue recovery and plays an active role in the muscle inflammatory response, protein synthesis, and regulation of skeletal muscle function. One of the target tissues for vitamin D is skeletal muscle, so if you have gut health concerns, then you may not be absorbing enough calcium for all of your muscle contractions if Vitamin D is low.Vitamin D and calcium absorption in your small intestine, go hand in hand, whether you are an ageing athlete or a recreational exerciser as I am these days too, perhaps get your levels checked, especially as the Southern Hemisphere moves into winter.  		
																										
		Our menopause transition is a critical time to introduce strategies to mitigate the changes in muscle mass and function that contribute to physical disability and frailty later in life. But many of us find that our joints and muscles ache and we don't have the time, energy or motivation to exercise. Physical activity participation research supports this in midlife too. However, the right amount and type of exercise during menopause can assist us into improved health as we age. Therefore, we have to progressively explore turning around our symptoms so that we sleep all night, lose some weight if we need to and reduce the rate of muscle loss and weakness. We all know that physical activity is 'good' for us. And no, we don't have to do the volume and intensity of exercise that Lyn does with her bodybuilding! But if we can do enough exercise to promote mitochondrial health, increase protein turnover in muscles, thus aiding repair, and restore nerve signaling involved in muscle contraction and function, through moderate aerobic activity and 2-3 resistance training workouts a week, then we will all reap the benefits. Ageing has become an important topic for scientific research, including muscular and strength research because life expectancy and the number of men and women in older age groups have increased dramatically in the last century.Muscle strength and function is an increasingly important topic in exercise science, because by 2050, the world’s population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22%. This means that there will be 2 billion people aged 60 or older living on this planet. Approximately 400 million will be 80 years or older, over half of them women.  Furthermore, women are having to work in paid work for longer and therefore, we have to not only remain relevant as we move into midlife, but we also have to boost our resilience. Maintaining lean muscle mass is one way to achieve this. Understanding how much your muscle strength and function change as you age matters. It took me a long time to figure out why I wasn't able to do the harder, more powerful skiing that I used to be able to do. But as soon as I looked at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I knew I would find the answer when I better understood what happens to our muscles as we age as Lyn and other women exercisers who join me on my programmes, including my 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme, are discovering too. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Founder: MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ NZ REPS Exercise Specialist		
																										
		References: Bengtson, V., Coleman, P & Kirkwood, T. (2005). The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Ed. Johnson, M. UK: Cambridge University Press.Brunner, F., Schmidt et.al. (2007). Effects of aging on Type II muscle fibers: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of Ageing & Physical Activity, July;15(3):336-48.Caballero-García, A., Córdova-Martínez, A. et al. (2021). Vitamin D - Its role in recovery after muscular damage following exercise. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2336. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072336Butler-Browne, G., Mouly V., et al, (2018). How Muscles Age, and How Exercise Can Slow It. The Scientist Online Edition.Ko, J., & Park, Y. M. (2021). Menopause and the Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass in Women. Iranian journal of public health, 50(2), 413–414. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v50i2.5362Maltais ML, Desroches J, Dionne IJ. (2009). Changes in muscle mass and strength after menopause. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. Oct-Dec;9(4):186-97. PMID: 19949277.Pierre, T. & Pizzo, P. (2018). The Ageing Mitochondria, Genes, 9, 22; doi:10.3390/genes9010022

### "I feel so much more positive about myself now. I've lost 30kg and my joints feel so much better." [Linda, NZ]

It's taken a year and at first, Linda took her time to get underway on the MyMT™ Transform Me programme. Disillusioned with so many other strategies for losing weight, she now understands that none of the other programmes she tried were specialising in her changing heart health and metabolism as she moved into post-menopause.

“I’ve done so many different programmes over the years which never shifted my weight, but none of them mentioned post-menopause. Over the years I’ve done Weight Watchers twice, Gym programmes at several stages in life, but the weight would always creep back on. Latterly doing a gym programme, nothing shifted even though I was doing 4 workouts, and 2 pump classes per week. 

I was a bit nervous about trying your programme as I thought I might give up with all the changes I would have to make. It took me 2-3 weeks to get my head in the right space after I joined to actually start it. But they weren't big changes at all and now I'm loving my new diet. 

I’ve now lost over 30kg and feel so much more confident. I feel as if I’ve rediscovered the real me which has been hiding inside all the years I’ve been overweight. Thank you for sharing all your research and knowledge with us making this transition in our lives  so we can age well.”

Linda M. [New Zealand].

### Nutrition remedies for menopause present natural solutions amid increasing medicalization (Nutrition Insight)

Dr. Wendy Sweet (PhD) Featured in Nutrition Insight: Natural Menopause Support in the Spotlight				
		Nutrition Insight, a leading global platform for nutritional science and innovation, invites Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) to explore how natural remedies—particularly dietary and lifestyle changes—can help manage menopause symptoms amidst a growing reliance on medicalised solutions.Drawing from her background in exercise physiology and women’s health, Wendy highlights how small but consistent changes to nutrition can significantly improve sleep, reduce inflammation, and support hormonal balance during midlife. Her evidence-based approach focuses on empowering women with the knowledge and tools to take control of their health naturally.As the conversation around menopause becomes more open and inclusive, Wendy’s voice continues to be a trusted guide for women seeking science-backed, lifestyle-based solutions. This article is a must-read for anyone navigating the challenges of menopause and looking for a holistic, proven pathway to feel like themselves again.		
					
									Click here to read the full article

Excerpt: Dr. Wendy Sweet Featured in Nutrition Insight: Natural Menopause Support in the Spotlight...

### Are you a ‘non-dipper?’ The chain of events connecting your menopause insomnia with high blood pressure.

It’s the dipping that you need overnight. Generally it occurs between 2-4 am – just that time of night, that you may be lying awake, your partner is snoring and you are worrying about well, … everything really. Maybe you are even getting up to use the bathroom - afterall, since you've been in menopause, the nightly trips to the bathroom may have increased!So, I’ll break the bad news to you first. The longer you go without sleeping all night, the worse your blood pressure may become, your weight might climb and you not only feel exhausted, but your blood vessels age more rapidly too.I used to worry about all these things myself, especially the changes to my cardiac health and weight.Before the pandemic I met a lady at one of my seminars who told me that she was reading a book about sleep and the advice was to get up and 'do something'. So, she was getting up around 3am, making a cup of tea and doing her ironing for an hour or so whilst watching TV. I've read this type of advice too, but I disagree.There's a reason I disagree with women getting up in the night and that is to do with their unique hormonal changes in menopause and the effect that this has on their blood pressure overnight. Insomnia, followed by activiy and of course, watching television increases our stress hormone called cortisol and this elevates blood pressure. If women aren't sleeping, then they make be experiencing the phenomenon of 'non-dipping' of their blood pressure. This can lead to higher blood pressure as we age. When my menopause hormonal changes robbed me of my precious sleep, I used to get up in the night too. Invariably this was to use the bathroom, but sometimes I did some work. But I now better understand that this was the wrong thing to do …. because my blood pressure would remain higher overnight. It wouldn't 'dip' down, which is what is supposed to happen. 		
																										
		In the United States, the highest rates of menopause-related insomnia complaints are among post-menopausal women at 43%–48% (Drake et al, 2019). Goodness knows what this rate is globally.The report goes on to mention that menopause itself—via hormonal changes and related symptoms - often leads to sleep deterioration, thereby triggering the onset of insomnia disorders which of course, leads to higher blood pressure (hypertension), weight gain, depression and other diseases of ageing which relate to inflammatory changes.This is why I always say that if we are going to get serious about improving our symptoms as well as our health as we age, turning around menopause-related insomnia is crucial.Whilst there are numerous causes of high blood pressure and changing heart health in our menopause transition, one of the factors that we have to take seriously is our menopause-insomnia. Not only has this got to do with our changing hormonal status as we age, but it’s also to do with whether you are an overnight ‘non-dipper’ or not. It’s why I always support getting your blood pressure checked as you transition menopause. It’s important to our cardiac health to understand what it’s doing – not only over the course of the day, but overnight too.What is Overnight non-dipping Blood Pressure?First described in 1988, the night time dip has become an accepted measure of cardiovascular risk. The ‘dip’ is defined as the difference between the mean systolic pressure in the day and mean systolic pressure during the night.Over the years, research has shown that poor sleep quality, sleep curtailment, and sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea) are linked with BP ‘non-dipping’ overnight and a surge in blood pressure in the morning - if you are getting extreme hot flushes in the morning when you wale up, then you might want to talk to your Doctor about getting your blood pressure checked. 		
																										
		When this non-dipping happens and we experience insomnia, researchers have found that there is a chain of events that may lead to chronic hypertension (high blood pressure). These events include:Higher activation of our nervous system (a higher arousal state whereby we worry more and become anxious – often the cause of not being able to get to sleep).Changes to our kidney function and sodium retention (often leading to bloating and puffiness in menopausal women).Changes to our immune system (leading to conditions such as fibromyalgia)Changes to the pituitary-thyroid-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) – this can lead to worsening sleep patterns and thyroid problems. When both our sleep and thyroid function is affected, our temperature regulation is too. Hot flushes and night-time sweats are managed with sleep and a focus on reducing your blood pressure. Turning around your Menopause Insomnia needs a focus on Managing Blood Pressure  It has been well established that sleep patterns follow a circadian cycle. But so too does your blood pressure and blood vessel changes. The circadian cycle is also impacted by food and metabolic signals and I have an emphasis on the timing of eating dinner in my Sleep All Night module in both of the MyMT™ porgrammes - especially for those of you doing shift work.Eating 3-4 hours before bedtime is important to help to reset your circadian clock as is maintaining a lower blood pressure before bedtime. With my focus on post-menopause women this month, blood pressure management is an important topic. Other factors also affect blood pressure too, as some of you will already know.For example, the role of salt in blood pressure management as we age is another factor for you to consider. Reducing the amount of salt you have on your meal at dinner is important – table salt is high in sodium and increases blood pressure and you don't want to go to bed with higher blood pressure, so thinking about your sodium intake in the evening can help you.Eating more fruits and vegetables also help your blood pressure, because you will be increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods.    		
																										
		Do you rest before bedtime? Midlife is a pivotal stage in the life-course of women and this is because our hormonal changes during menopause impact other structures around the body, including in the heart and cardiovascular system. Hence, reducing your activity before going to bed is another strategy to help you to lower your blood pressure at the end of the day.  If you've been busy all day, or exercising or you are in a physically active job, then put your feet up at the end of the day. This improves venous return of blood in your lower legs back to your heart. Just this simple action helps to improve your blood pressure. A heavy workout or weight training can also keep blood pressure elevated for hours -  if your blood pressure doesn’t return to normal resting levels, at least 2-3 hours after heavy exercise, then please get it checked out by your Doctor. I’ve come across numerous mid-life Personal Trainers, Exercise Instructors and gym-members who are racing to the gym after dinner to do more vigorous exercise, thinking that it is ‘good for them’. Then they complain that they aren’t sleeping. Yes, the two issues are related!  As women transition menopause, blood vessels lose elasticity and acquire inflammatory changes. Hence, it’s no surprise to me that the American College of Sports Medicine (2004) recommends exercise programmes that primarily involve endurance activity to prevent the development of hypertension and to lower blood pressure.I’ve written a lot about how we need to implement lifestyle strategies to reduce stiffness of our blood vessels as we age – and I talk about this in my 12 week online Rebuild My Fitness programme, which numerous women do after one of the other foundation programmes (read about these HERE).We must remember that our menopause transition opens the door to our Blood Pressure changes because we are ageing. This is natural. However, we become more vulnerable to cardiovascular changes with age, because our arteries (and lymphatic vessels) are losing the role of oestrogen, which in the past has kept our blood vessels elastic. Hence, we need to adjust our lifestyle to accommodate these changes. Lifestyle modifications are advocated for the prevention, treatment, and control of hypertension with exercise being an integral component.Exercise programs that primarily involve endurance activity prevent the development of Hypertension in adult women with both normal blood pressure and those with hypertension. The Blood Pressure lowering effects of exercise are most pronounced with those who engage in endurance exercise at least 3-4 times a week, but again, if your joints are sore, or you aren’t sleeping or you are overweight, then as I mention to women who join me on my 12 week programmes, you need to address these other issues first.		
																										
		Insomnia and the subsequent effect on blood pressure is endemic to women transitioning through menopause. But it doesn’t have to be.  Un-raveling the science of not sleeping as we transition into our new hormonal environment in menopause took me hundreds of hours of study. But I was so determined to understand why I wasn’t sleeping, because I knew from the emerging cardiovascular science, that sleep and hypertension go hand in hand. Not sleeping leads to ongoing inflammation in our muscles, joints, liver, gut and heart. What's more, the increasing inflammation can send us into the cascade of chronic health changes that hit us in our post-menopause years, including auto-immune health problems.		
																										
		In women, vascular ageing appears to be accelerated during the menopause transition, particularly around the late perimenopausal period, presumablyrelated to declines in ovarian function and oestrogen levels.Many women go on HRT which helps them enormously (and I don't interfere in any medications women are on, because this is between you and your Doctor), but I am passionate about you understanding the lifestyle-science solutions that you can put into place too. The term ‘Circadian’ means “about a day.” This internal clock, which gradually becomes established during the first months of life, controls the daily ups and downs of biological patterns, including body temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones. Circadian rhythms make people’s desire for sleep strongest between midnight and dawn, and to a lesser extent in mid-afternoon.Our changing menopause hormones cause disruption to our normal circadian rhythms and this affects the stiffness in our blood vessels too because the cardiovascular system has a strong circadian rhythm: blood pressure should be lowest when we are sleeping but it rises sharply upon waking up.These circadian variations are important to our health as we age, so as we transition into or through menopause, then it’s really important to restore this biological rhythm and make adjustments to get us back sleeping all night. Whilst a lot of information about sleep has emerged recently, much of this is not focused on mid-life women specifically nor on the specific gut hormones that also become affected in menopause. If we don’t turn around our sleep in mid-life, then I'm always telling women, that this will then become their 'new normal', because over time, our brain and body start to read this 3am ‘awake’ period as routine.When you aren't sleeping, then this quickly becomes your 'new normal' and it can then go on for years. Over time you may accumulate more fatigue, muscle soreness, headaches, weight gain and more.  That's because your Circadian Rhythm affects nearly every organ in your body.Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD) Member: Australasian Soceity of Lifestyle Medicine & Founder of MyMT™PS: If you are in post-menopause then don't forget to check your emails from me for my July post-menopause weight loss special. Women are already underway and loving what they are learning. 		
																										
		References:
American College of Sports Medicine (2004). Exercise and Hypertension Position Stand. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 0195-9131/04/3603-0533
Bloomfield, D., & Park, A. (2015). Night time blood pressure dip. World Journal of Cardiology, 7(7), 373–376. https://doi.org/10.4330/wjc.v7.i7.373
Carr, M. (2003). The Emergence of the Metabolic Syndrome with Menopause. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 88(6):2404–2411
Calhoun, D. A., & Harding, S. M. (2010). Sleep and hypertension. Chest, 138(2), 434–443. 
Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.
Harvard Health Report (2017). Improving Sleep. Harvard Health Publication.
Geddes, L. (2019). Chasing the Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds. London: Profile Books.
Jarrin D., Alvaro P., Bouchard M., Jarrin S., Drake C., Morin C. (2018). Insomnia and hypertension: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 41:3-38.
Moreau, K. L., & Hildreth, K. L. (2014). Vascular aging across the menopause transition in healthy women. Advances in vascular medicine, 2014.
Nyberg, S., Singh-Manoux, A., Pentii, J. et al. (2020). Association of healthy lifestyle with years lived without major chronic diseases. JAMA Inernal Medicine Online. 
Reinke H. & Asher G. (2017). Circadian clock control of liver metabolic functions. Gastroenterology, 150: 574–580.
Rizzi, M. et al. (2016). Sleep Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.  Journal of Pain Relief, 5:2, 1-5
Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. Int. Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.
Tanaka, H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertension, 74: 237–243
Woods, N. et al. (2009). Cortisol Levels during the Menopausal Transition and Early Postmenopause: Observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16(4): 708–718.
Yano, Y., Kario, K. Nocturnal blood pressure and cardiovascular disease: a review of recent advances. Hypertens Res 35, 695–701 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/hr.2012.26
Related Tag: Menopause Supplements NZ

### Weight Gain and Peri-Menopause: Mamamia, Very-Peri Summit

Australian Media Outlet, MamaMia, invites Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) to speak and write an article at their Peri-Menopause Summit. Wendy addresses the challenges many women face during perimenopause, particularly unexpected weight gain despite consistent diet and exercise routines.Wendy delves into the physiological changes that cause a shift in fat storage patterns and how declining oestrogen levels and ageing can impact metabolism, sleep, liver and gut health - all important factors in weight loss. 		
					
									Click here to read the full article

Excerpt: In her insightful article for Mamamia, Dr. Wendy Sweet, founder of My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™)...

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Discover powerful protection for your blood vessels with this Italian Tomato and Pepper Sauce.

Sometimes I buy the Roma Tomatoes - they are the low acid tomatoes. Sometimes I buy the vine-ripened tomatoes, rich in redness with the hint of their green stalk linking the fat, juicy tomatoes together.  But most of all, I love it when I can walk out of my back door in summer and pick them right off the small vine growing up the wooden trellis in my garden. It's a continual reminder that my ageing heart and blood vessels need their red pigment, known as lycopene.  Lycopene is the pigment principally responsible for the characteristic deep-red colour of ripe tomato fruits and tomato products. It has attracted attention due to its biological and chemical properties, especially related to its effects as a natural antioxidant which helps to reduce inflammatory changes in the body. (Shi & Mauger, 2000). Whilst studies do differ on how much benefit lycopene confers on cancer prevention, depletion of lycopene in the body may be one of the first signs of low-grade inflammation. (Steenwijk, Bast et al, 2020). And for those of us in post-menopause, it's the effect of lycopene on our ageing cardiovascular system that gets my attention. Consuming at least 7 servings a week of lycopene-based products significantly decreased cardiovascular risk within seven years in postmenopausal women, free from prior cardiovascular disorders and cancer (Mozos et al., 2018).  But lycopene is more than just a heart-health protector. As we age, it helps in detoxification pathways in the liver as well.   This is helpful to know for our management of weight as we move through menopause.   When I was desperate to lose my belly fat and reduce my overall feelings of fatigue, I used to make my Italian Tomato Sauce recipe which features in the MyMT™ Food Guide in my 12 week programmes. I added lots of red peppers. Sometimes I would add a bit of chilli, but my distinctly non-chilli taste buds, prefer the peppers that aren't burning hot. At the time, I didn't realise that I was helping to turn the white-fat around my belly and under my diaphragm into healthier, highly metabolic brown fat. Although I was swimming for exercise as well as following the evidenced strategies to maintain a cooler body temperature during menopause (I have these in my Hot Flush Management module in the programmes), in the early days, I  wasn't changing my food to help me burn belly-fat. Strategies which are evidenced to increase the body's ability to burn calories and shed fat are due to a physiological process known as 'Non-shivering Thermogenesis'. I talk about some of these strategies in my online Masterclasss on Menopause.  Non-shivering thermogenesis is the term given to how brown fat is able to increase our metabolism. I've written about this in past newsletters. If you missed it, then HERE it is for you. Very simply, brown fat helps to increase the body's metabolism by increasing heat generation inside the body. The same principle as shivering does for heating up muscles, but this time it's your fat tissue that is doing all the work. Brown fat that is, not white fat. And that's where the beautiful pigments in peppers come into their own.  There are two ingredients in peppers that help with turning white fat to brown fat. These are Capsaicin and Capsinoids. These compounds are active in peppers.  Many of you will know about capsaicin which is an active ingredient of hot chilli peppers. This is the ingredient that is responsible for the pungency and heat sensation of chilli peppers. Capsinoids are in red peppers and this ingredient doesn’t have the pungency and heat of chilli peppers. Both these compounds have elicited enormous interest in fat-loss supplements because of their role in enhancing fat oxidation (breaks down in the presence of oxygen) and increasing energy expenditure through moving white fat cells towards turning into brown fat cells. Plant-based diets help to get your hormones into a healthier zone, but so too do foods which help you to increase your metabolism and help to reduce inflammation that accumulates in cells and tissues with ageing. Peppers are one of these foods. So are tomatoes.  I don't know about you, but over the years I was so caught up in the time-consuming exercise landscape, thinking that this was the daily dose of calorie burning that I needed. And yes, it certainly helped my mental health. But what I WASN'T doing at the same time, was increasing my intake of vegetables and fruits and giving my body back the wonderful NUTRIENTS that it was craving. So, why don't you buy some peppers this week (chilli or not) and make the Italian Tomato Sauce recipe below and enjoy this over some vegies or a baked sweet potato and add this meal to your weekly repertoire. Enjoy your weekend everyone - give your body the power of the right foods that it needs as you transition menopause and don't forget that my mid-year JULY Transform Me weight loss programme is ON SALE for you, so click through and listen to my video when you have time.

Italian Tomato Sauce - [from the original Moosewood Cookbook with some slight adjustments]
Preparation time 30 – 40 minutes 6 – 8 servings.

Ingredients:

 	2 to 3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 	2 cups chopped onion
 	2 medium sized bell peppers – diced
 	2 tsp. basil
 	1 tsp. oregano
 	1 tsp. thyme
 	1 ½ salt
 	1 x 13oz can tomatoes [and I add in 6 medium fresh tomatoes)
 	1 x 6oz can tomato paste
 	1 tsp honey (optional)
 	Lots of black pepper
 	4 to 6 large cloves garlic, minced
 	½ cup freshly chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a pan.  Add onion, bell pepper, herbs and salt and sauté over medium heat until the onion is very soft (8 to 10 minutes).

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, honey and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered for 20 to 30 minutes.

Add garlic and cook about 10 minutes more.  At this point, the sauce can sit for up to several hours or be refrigerated for up to a week. It can also be frozen. Heat gently before serving and add parsley on top.

Bon appetit. Wendy


References: 

Mozos, I., Stoian, D., Caraba, A., Malainer, C., Horbańczuk, J. O., & Atanasov, A. G. (2018). Lycopene and Vascular Health. Frontiers in pharmacology, 9, 521. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2018.00521

### "Thank you for giving me the tools to help my mind and body relax and stop “fighting it” and go with what was happening to my body during my Menopause Transition."  [Janine, NZ]

"I had struggled for years to lose weight. Then I lost 13kg very quickly. I thought I had an illness when the weight fell off, and had many, many tests done to find I was in post menopause, following a hysterectomy 2 years prior.

Wendy, thank you for assisting, guiding, me with tools to help my mind and body relax and stop “fighting it” and go with what was happening to my body during my Menopause Transition.

I’m on some meds now, which have also assisted the transition, but my lifestyle has changed a lot too, thanks to MyMT™. I am in a great routine now and I know when I haven’t stuck to it, I feel really bad the next morning.

I’ve found that talking, listening and being guided, is what really helped me get back on track to feeling “me” again.”

Janine L., New Plymouth, NZ

### Do you live in Auckland, NZ? Viv is our MyMT™ Affiliate Practitioner offering her Movement and Menopause Reset!

One of my challenges with setting up the world-class MyMT™ programmes, has been the ability to offer women a more one-on-one experience with Practitioners within their community. Support to change lifestyle behaviours is always the one dimension of behaviour change practices that gets a mention in the health literature. 

When Viv, a trained Pilates and Movement Coach, came onto the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme, she knew that the MyMT™ online programmes were the 'missing link' for women in her community whom she sees in her Movement Studio. When she found out that I was starting a MyMT™ Health Practitioners Training Course, she didn't hesitate to come on board.

I'm so excited that Viv is now able to offer her skills along with my knowledge and combine these in her fabulous new Midlife Movement and Menopause Lifestyle Course, so she can support women in her local community in Auckland, New Zealand, more closely.

That's why I'm highlighting Viv in this weekends newsletter. For those who need more movement in their lives, as well as support and knowledge about symptom management, then she has a fabulous offer for you on her brand new, Midlife Movement and Menopause Lifestyle Reset Programme. It's my privilege to introduce her to you.

Viv Gallagher (58years) - Founder of Studio Three, Pilates, Barre & Yoga, and MyMT™ Affiliate

"I never thought much about menopause and naively assumed that it wouldn’t impact me as I was lean and very fit. The common symptoms that I did know of such as hot flushes and weight gain hadn’t touched me so I thought I had sailed through. I was wrong! 

In May 2021 my super active life came to a crashing halt with the sudden onset of a neuralgia (a constant and very severe nerve pain headache), which kept me away from my Pilates Studio and the activities that I love for 4 months.

Several trips to hospital, brain scans, MRI's, specialists and heavy medication all followed. My MRI revealed some degeneration in my C-spine but this damage was chronic. It had built up over my life time so I couldn't work out why this was suddenly having so much of an effect on me. I started to do my own research and in the process, I discovered Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD). 

Her work allowed me to connect the dots between my wound-up nervous system, accumulated oxidative stress, inflammation and post menopausal oestrogen decline and the impact of all of this on my joints and health.

Through Wendy's Circuit Breaker programme and lifestyle solutions I was able to slowly restore my own health. It also inspired me to learn more so that I could better help the many midlife women that attend my Pilates studio in Grey Lynn, Auckland. 

There is a huge knowledge gap in the fitness industry when it comes to training midlife women who are struggling with joint pain, poor recovery or increasing injuries, weight gain, low energy, anxiety, temperature dysfunction and many other symptoms that they may not have connected to changes in their hormones during menopause.

I was so fortunate to be part of Wendy's inaugural Health Practitioners CPD Course earlier this year and I am excited to now be a MyMT™ Affiliate and be able to share the benefits of my learning with my midlife studio clients. I want to help them gain the right movement and lifestyle solutions for their age and stage. I also highly recommend this CPD course for anyone who is training women from 40+.

As a MyMT™ Affiliate I am excited to be launching our first 3 month Midlife Movement & Menopause Lifestyle RESET programme starting 11th July at Studio Three in Grey Lynn, Auckland.
I've combined 3 months of our Platinum Studio Membership with a MyMT™ 12 week Programme. In addition to your personalised exercise prescription, we will run fortnightly group coaching sessions to help keep you on track and support you over the 3 months.
For more information and to join our RESET please click below - I can't wait to support you."

https://www.studiothree.co.nz/workshops-events

### Extra Virgin: Why this oil is important for women's health during and after menopause.

The island of Ikaria off the coast of Greece is home to some of the healthiest, most vibrant older women on earth. Their lifestyles were researched by Dr Gianni Pes, from the University of Sassari in Italy and Ikaria became part of the Blue Zones group of countries. This is a term coined by Belgian demographer Dr Michael Poulain, who together with Dr Pes, have been studying the pockets of countries around the world who have the healthiest older people on the planet.These are called Blue Zone’s countries. I first heard about these countries just under a decade ago. I was attending and presenting at the WHO conference on health and ageing. WHO had just developed new guidelines and there was an exciting and vibrant community of health and longevity researchers presenting numerous findings on health, ageing and disease patterns.This is where I also learnt that Australia, New Zealand, the UK and USA are at the bottom of the ‘healthiest countries’ lists and none more so, than women in post-menopause. Changing health during menopause throws thousands of women into obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, depression and joint problems in their post-menopause years, hence, I knew I had to understand what women in these Blue Zones countries were doing to enjoy symptom-less menopause and a healthy older age. One of the foods they were having daily was extra virgin olive oil. 30-50mls a day to be precise. (Preedy & Watson, 2020). The ancient olive tree is native to the Mediterranean Basin and much of the Middle East. Whilst many varieties exist, it is becoming well known in ageing and health research that this ancient fruit has a number of nutrients that are beneficial to our health. This includes gut health, cardiovascular health and joint health. These are all systems that are affected by our hormonal changes during menopause. But a note of caution - all olive oils are not the same. The type of olive oil you need is Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Yes, it's a bit more expensive than other oils sitting on the supermarket shelf, but it could save you heaps in supplements that may or may not be working for you. And not only is this powerful oil and it's components great for your cardiovascular, gut and joint health, but it's also powerful to help reduce the build up of inflammation in your body as well. Before the world turned to chaos I was over in Switzerland, where my son was competing in skiing. Stomasia was the waitress working in a little cafe in the village where I stayed. It was whilst talking to her about Olive Oil and it's amazing properties for our health as we aged, that she told me about her father's olive oil from Crete. There it was on the table in front of me."It's my father's olive oil" she enthused. "He makes it from trees that my grandfather and great-grandfather owned. It is very healthy and you mustn't have any other oil. My mother doesn't have any aches and pains but I see women here in the cafe who are skiers and complain about their joints."  I nodded in agreement, thinking of my own aching joints when I arrived in menopause and the exercise that I struggled with - including skiing and hiking - activities that I had enjoyed for years. Whilst structural changes occur with age in virutally every component of our joints, knowing what to do to slow down this rate of change is crucial to living our lives in ways that support staying active. That's why attending a lifestyle medicine conference as part of my own studies helped, because I learnt about the powerful health research coming out of the Olive Wellness Institute in Australia. 		
																										
		Whenever women come onto the MyMT™ programmes, I find it extraordinary how many of them tell me how their gut health and joint health have changed for the worse, since they arrrived in menopause.But with evidence from randomised controlled trials demonstrating that extra virgin olive oil exerts beneficial effects on markers of inflammation and endothelial function in the gut [Schwingshackl et al., 2015], and helps to restore joint function (Chin & Pang, 2017).It's been almost 50 years since researchers first started studying the Greek diet and studying Greeks living on the island of Crete. Low rates of heart disease and other conditions arising from inflammatory changes with age, led epidemiological researchers to the island. 'Olive oil is the foremost source of fat in the Mediterranean Diet and this is what sets this diet apart from other dietary regimes', states the 2018 report exploring the role of this remarkable oil in the context of the prevention of chronic diseases caused by inflammation. [Visioli, Franco, Toledo, et al., 2018]. There is so much information about how to look after our health these days, but as I discovered too, very little of it is supported by research specific to our menopause transition. However, with menopause heralding the gateway to your biological ageing, it’s time to look after yourself and ensure that your gut health and joint health are optimal as you age.   		
																										
		Save your Gut with EVOOExtra Virgin Olive Oil [EVOO] differs from refined oils that are readily available these days. EVOO is obtained by th eprocess of the mechanical pressing of hte olive without undergoing any other type of treatmetn, except the tteps of washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration.These processes allow the preservation of the minor components of the oil, one of which is called Hydroxytyrosol (HT), and this compound represents one of the main polyphenol contents of extra virgin olive oil. Polyphenols are naturally occurring micronutrients in plants. Increasing your intake of polyphenol-rich foods is important for your health as you age.  The amount of Hydroxytyrosol in EVOO matters to your gut health - more specifically, to your gut microbiome. The gut microbiota are the collection of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other organisms, that are in your gut. There are over 100 trillion cells that make up your microbiome and scientists have become more specialised in exploring how the gut manages these cells and why they matter. In essence, they have a beneficial role in the maintenance of your body's balance or homeostasis. If your gut microbiome is out of balance, then this affects your health and your symptoms in menopause - especially, depression, anxiety, brain fog and hot flushes. The imbalance of organisms that make up your microbiota is known as dysbiosis and when this occurs, as it does in numerous women during menopause, this can lead to  greater permeability of the gut wall, a condition known as leaky gut syndrome. This is why gut health matters during menopause - obesity, inflammation and changing cardiac and joint health are all implicated in the health of our gut. 		
																										
		Whilst the variation in gut bacteria content is influenced by genetic, environmental and dietary factors, this is where EVOO comes in. Research supports it's role with the promotion of intestinal health, favouring a higher biodiversity of intestinal bacteria. (Marcelino, Hiane, et al, 2019). But there's more to EVOO too ... and that is the powerful effect it has on our Joint Health. I've written numerous articles about this aspect of our health. Our joint health is so important to turn around in mid-life - simply, because lack of activity can lead to other health problems, including weight gain with age. Very few women understand that our joints are replete with oestrogen receptors and as oestrogen levels decline in menopause, these receptors are looking for oestrogen which isn't available. They become dry, inflamed and sore. But we aren't being told that extra virgin olive oil has wonderful nutrients such as oleocanthal and Vitamin E, which attach to these receptors, taking over the role of oestrogen as we age. Australia’s Olive Wellness Institute, adding olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the diet is crucial in reducing joint pain and improving cardiac health as we age.  Olive oil contains tocopherol (vitamin E); coconut oil doesn’t. Tocopherol or vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant necessary for hormonal and joint health during our menopause transition.  Vitamin E is unique among vitamins because the biological activity of it varies considerably and for its adequate absorption, it requires fat digestion to be functioning normally.The recommended daily intake from the FDA in America is 15mg daily but in New Zealand the recommended daily intake is 7-10mg.  I recommend olive oil on the MyMT™ programmes as this has around 1.5 mg of vitamin E per tablespoon. Avocadoes, almonds, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts are high in vitamin E, as is kumara (sweet potato).		
																										
		When women come onto the MyMT™ programmes, I introduce them to the Mediterranean Diet, which I've modified for women in menopause and post-menopause.The overall quality of the Mediterranean Diet is related to improved quality of life in women as they age and the intake of EVOO in numerous scientific trials, is that it generates health benefits, such as the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, the improvement of inflammatory markers and in the composition of the gut microbiota.These benefits are attributed to the excellent nutritional composition of EVOO, which has a higher content, of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and minor compounds such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. 		
																										
		And a reminder to you that my Masterclass on Menopause has been recently updated and revised as there has been so much new evidence on lifestyle for midlife women emerging. If you like to learn more about it, then have a listen to the video below. In the webinar is also a promo code giving you a generous discount on my 12 week programmes too.  Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of  Lifestyle Medicine/NZ Registered Exercise Professional. https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/730684708References: Bellastella G, Scappaticcio L, Caiazzo F, Tomasuolo M, Carotenuto R, Caputo M, Arena S, Caruso P, Maiorino MI, Esposito K. Mediterranean Diet and Thyroid: An Interesting Alliance. Nutrients. 2022 Oct 4;14(19):4130.Chin, K. Y., & Pang, K. L. (2017). Therapeutic Effects of Olive and Its Derivatives on Osteoarthritis: From Bench to Bedside. Nutrients, 9(10), 1060. Frizziero, A., Vittadini, F., Gasparre, G., & Masiero, S. (2014). Impact of oestrogen deficiency and aging on tendon: concise review. Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal, 4(3), 324–328.Kendall B, Eston R. (2002). Exercise-induced muscle damage and the potential protective role of estrogen. Sports Med. 32(2):103-23. Marcelino G, Hiane PA, Freitas KC, Santana LF, Pott A, Donadon JR, Guimarães RCA. (2019). Effects of Olive Oil and Its Minor Components on Cardiovascular Diseases, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. 11(8):1826. doi: 10.3390/nu11081826. PMID: 31394805; PMCID: PMC6722810.Millman JF, Okamoto S, Teruya T, Uema T, Ikematsu S, Shimabukuro M, Masuzaki H. (2021). Extra-virgin olive oil and the gut-brain axis: influence on gut microbiota, mucosal immunity, and cardiometabolic and cognitive health. Nutr Rev. Feb 12:nuaa148. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa148. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33576418.Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidence-based approach. 2nd Ed. Elslvier Academic Press.Schwingshackl, L., M. Christoph, and G. Hoffmann (2015). Effects of Olive Oil on Markers of Inflammation and Endothelial Function-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 7(9): p. 7651-75.Visioli F., Franco M., Toledo E., Luchsinger J., Willett W., Hu F., Martinez-Gonzalez M. (2018). Olive oil and prevention of chronic diseases: Summary of an International conference. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 28(7):649-656. 

### New Research: Why are we not normalising the Menopause transition?

The article arrived in my inbox this week ... a call to action for menopause to become normalised. Afterall, the authors argued, "menopuse is a natural event for half of humankind." [Hickey et al, 2022]. The medicalisation of menopause fuels negative perceptions about this life-stage, shared the authors. My own experiences came flooding back to me. "Sore joints are normal in menopause" said the physio. "You can expect some weight gain in menopause" said the Personal Trainer, "but we will work it off" (my body gave up in an exhausted, sweaty, despairing mess when the 15kg didn't budge). "Would you like to try HRT and anti-depressants?" mentioned my persevering and caring Doctor. "The medicalisation of menopause as a disease requiring 'treatment' prepares women to expect the worst" writes Martha Hickey and colleagues in their article, 'Normalising Menopause' (2022). However, menopause is experienced in different ways globally. So, when menopause is only shown as a period of decline and dysfunction, then this may risk women's attitudes towards it.The findings of this latest study resonated with me. This was a similar perspective that I wrote about in my doctoral studies about women's ageing. Which is why this brand new article caught my attention this week, and I wanted to share it with you. Reflecting on your menopause transition and how you are looking at this life-transition, is an important topic. In their study discussing the need to normalise menopause, the authors contend that at present, the menopuse symptom and intervention narrative is not balanced. This imbalance results from the dominant narrative which positions this life-event in the decline and disease narrative. At best, the authors argue that the medicalisation of menopause "risks collapsing the wide range of experiences associated with this natural process into a narrowly defined disease requiring treaatment." (p. 1).If this negative narrative was balanced out with alternative narratives, then perhaps any stigma relating to the menopause transition will better prepare women for expected changes and allow then to have a wider recognition that menopause is a natural process with both positive and negative aspects. I couldn't agree more. My own studies on women's health and ageing took away the confusion of menopause for me personally. When I learnt that women from different cultures experience menopause in different ways in terms of symptoms, I became curious about this stage of life. Women living in Western countries report more symptoms than those from non-Western cultures. Understanding this when I was so confused about my own menopause mayhem, left me wondering what menopause is and how, the way we live our life and have lived our life in the past, might impact on our symptoms.Understanding that menopause is a pivotal part of our life-course when viewed through the lens of ageing science, helped me personally to de-mystify the complexity and medicalisation of it. However, I also discovered that our experiences of this transition are shaped and constructed both culturally and socially. When I was trying to understand why I wasn’t sleeping, why I was experiencing hot flushes, why my body-shape was changing rapidly and why, oh why, I was suddenly feeling that my muscles and joints were aching and my moods were all over the place, I turned to menopause and healthy ageing research. I felt ‘old’ before my time and as I was in my early 50’s, this did not seem to add up at all.That's when I asked myself two questions:Why do women's experiences of their menopause transition differ physically, geographically and culturally?'How do we turn our current symptoms around so that we experience healthier ageing?As I untangled my own symptoms from insomnia to low energy, weight gain, sore joints and changing gut health, and explored the physiological causes and pathways of each symptom, I soon realised was that there was one common thread in all of my symptoms which was leading me towards the decline and disease narrative associated with ageing.		
																										
		Menopause symptoms when un-resolved, may become the ticking time-bomb for our health as we age. Therefore, it's not menopause per se, that is the 'problem', but when our reproductive hormones are changing, this impacts other hormones and systems throughout the body too.But there's more to this story as well. When you look at the effect of menopause on women living in higher-income countries, the average age is 51 years and symptoms are generally considered to be more prevalent compared to women living in middle and lower income countries. In some of these countries, the average age of menopause (when periods cease) is 46-48 years and symptoms differ from women living in western countries. For example, only 5% of Indonesian women reported hot flushes. (Hickey et al, 2022).  Much of this symptom difference relates to our lifestyle and the role of inflammatory changes as we age. Hot flushes, sore joints, changing gut healht, fibromyalgia, high cholesterol, poor insulin regulation, high blood pressure, migraines, depression and increased body fat are conditions that link to inflammatory changes within cells and tissues. This is recognised in ageing research as 'inflammaging'. Because peri-menopause and menopause are increasingly being recognised as an inflammatory event and because of our modern, stressful lifestyles these days, one of our stress hormones called cortisol increases. For some of you, this rise in cortisol causes progesterone to go too low in relation to oestrogen.		
																										
		I didn't know this until I began to understand that many diseases of 'older age' that our parents' generation have experienced are due to the build-up of inflammation. When inflammation is present, the body goes into survival mode and our hormones try to re-adjust the internal balance to help us survive.The more I read about menopause symptoms and connected this stage of our life with our reproductive ageing, the more I realised that we are the first generation of women to come through the rapid increase of changes to food, manufacturing, chemicals, plastics, as well as taking contraceptive and other medications. We've also experienced changing exercise types and intensities, with an increasing focus on competitive sports and of course, we mustn't forget the challenges of increasing workloads and expectations in the workplace. Don't even mention the additional stress of running a household too. Therefore, it's no surprise that by the time we get to menopause, our body has acquired some inflammatory changes that make our symptoms worse. On top of this, we also have the effect of low oestrogen and progesterone as we transition into post-menopause. This is our ageing, which changes the structure and function of some of our organs too.Hence we can lose sight of what is 'normal ageing' or as Hickey et al (2022) contend, the normalisation of menopause if viewed through only the medical paradigm may get lost in translation. "Marketing menopause as a disease is lucrative business" suggest the authors, reinforcing this with the fact that in America alone, compounded bioidentical hormones accounts for up to 68% of all menopause hormone therapy with an estimated worth of $2bn. As such, "women who see this marketing might understandably believe that menopausal hormone therapy is important for maintaining long term health."  [p. 2, Hickey et al, 2022].As I've written about on numerous occasions, understanding that our menopause transition is the 'bookend to puberty' can also help us to see menopause as a new beginning. This understanding led me towards looking forwards into my ageing years ahead and making changes to my lifestyle to counteract the negative narrative that I was 'stuck in' - especially when it came to the type of exercise I was doing, how I was eating and how to manage the stress, which throws menopause symptoms into chaos. For example, viewing menopause symptoms through the lens of ageing is key  - perhaps more important than dwelling on the anti-ageing, youthful messages which permeate throughout western societies, especially in fitness and dieting media.When we see that menopause is part of our natural ageing, then we can better understand that this is a stage of life that is associated with multi endocrine (hormonal) changes, including those associated with changes in the structure and function of the adrenal gland. The changes of the adrenal gland that occur during ageing are associated with alterations in hormonal output, such as a gradual sustained, increase in the production and secretion  of one of our stress hormones called cortisol. The increase in circulating levels of cortisol in ageing individuals is of particular interest to women in menopause. Due to the impact of higher cortisol levels released from our ageing adrenals this impacts several systems, including cognition, anxiety, blood pressure, hot flushes and sleep, moods, and our recovery from exercise.We all know that stress is a constant factor in modern life. The stress response in healthy organisms is aimed at maintaining the balance of biological functions, or homeostasis, when faced with physiological or psychological challenges, that may be real or even perceived. [Yiallouris, Tsioutis, et al, 2019]. But what happens when too much stress causes these biological functions to get out of balance?This is why stress management matters to women during menopause. High cortisol levels can make our symptoms worse. 		
																										
		Because of the changes associated with our ageing adrenals during menopause, changing some aspects of our lifestyle matters. Part of this understanding about the link between stress, higher cortisol and our menopause symptoms, also requires us to think about the influence of our past lifestyle on our symptoms and/or weight gain too.  It makes sense to me that menopause and its symptoms are all part of our natural ageing. However, here's the thing - how we respond to this stage of life feels quite 'unnatural'. Diets, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and Supplements may all have a place in your journey, but taking into account the full picture is important as well.Feeling better during menopause isn't about oestrogen - our body is naturally trying to get rid of oestrogen. It's about balancing oestrogen with progesterone as both these hormones decline naturally as we age. Stress and high cortisol can cause imbalance between oestrogen and progesterone levels as we move through menopause. If our two reproductive hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, are un-balanced, then as women on the MyMT™ programmes discover, other hormones such as our thyroid, adrenal and pituitary hormones get out of balance too. When these hormones are out of balance, then this manifests as poor sleep, changing joint health, hot flushes, feeling bloated, feeling stressed, headaches and low energy. On top of this, when we aren't eating well, or have lots of old injuries, or we have experienced changes to our gut-health, liver, joints etc then, inside our cells and tissues, there are pockets of inflammation that just build up inside our body. The relatively new science of epigenetics tells us that the way we live our lives and have lived them in the past, can have an enormous impact on inflammatory changes in cells and tissues. Yes, our past lifestyle does matter!		
																										
																										
																										
		So, how do we get back to re-building 'us' and normalising menopause? How do we live our life in a way that undoes all the inflammation, allowing our hormones to balance our health?How do we change our daily habits when we are all so busy?Here are my top three tips for you:Is the same old thinking, producing the same old results? Stop and reflect on why what you may have been doing to manage your health and symptoms, including your weight, may not be working for you any more. 		
																										
		2. Are you relying on lots of menopause supplements without making changes to your dietary intake? If so, then remember that supplements are just that ... 'supplementary' to your diet. Try changing to the Mediterranean Diet, which is evidenced for women's health as they age, especially with regard to the changing nutrient requirements for cardiac health. 		
																										
		3. Have you experienced a lot of stress in the past? This includes physical stress from lots of exercise, emotional stress, workplace stress, family stress. Reflect on all the sources of stress over your lifetime and consider, if you have arrived in menopause, with exhausted adrenals. Because of this, are your adrenals already in overdrive and is it really hormone therapy and supplements you need, or a few massages and ways to manage your cortisol (over) production instead? 		
																										
		In the paper on 'Normalising Menopause' the authors contend that because social meanings and expectations commonly shape women's actual experiences, there is an urgent need to advance the mainly biomedical paradigm about menopause. Celebrating the strength, beauty and achievements of older women can change the narrative too. This was an important aspect of my own experience, i.e. realising that there are cultural and geographical differences in women's experiences of menopause and how they were ageing. I explain this in my online Masterclass on Menopause which you can read about HERE. Whilst my focus with the MyMT™ programmes is to help women place their menopause symptoms and weight management in lifestyle solutions so that they do feel back in control of their mid-life health, I also encourage women to find what works best for them. When they do this, then this frees them up to celebrate midlife as a time of change, in more ways than one, so that we are prepared for the next 25-30 years of healthy living ahead!Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
		References: Hickey, M., Hunter, M. Santoro, N. & Ussher, J. (2022). Normalising menopause. BMJ, 377 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2021-069369 Hunter, M. & Rendall, M. (2007). Bio-psycho-socio-cultural perspectives on menopause. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 21(2), 261-274.Lachman, M. (2001). Handbook of Midlife Development. John Wiley & Sons: CanadaMcCarthy M, Raval AP. (2020). The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation. 17(1):317. doi: 10.1186/s12974-020-01998-9. PMID: 33097048; Yiallouris, A., Tsioutis, C., Agapidaki, E., Zafeiri, M., Agouridis, A. P., Ntourakis, D., & Johnson, E. O. (2019). Adrenal Aging and Its Implications on Stress Responsiveness in Humans. Frontiers in endocrinology, 10, 54. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00054

### “I couldn't afford your programme, but you helped me realise I was in control. I've now lost 25kg.”  [Jill, Australia]

Are your symptoms due to menopause or obesity? That was the question I asked in my mid-week article last week. I never know how many of you are reading my articles or watching my Masterclass on Menopause (to the end!), but thankfully, Jill has been doing both. It was last week’s article that prompted her to email me.

“Dear Dr Wendy – I can’t thank you enough for your knowledge and generosity in sharing your valuable knowledge and excellent research and references. 

I found your blogs and articles about a year ago. While I could only afford your $15 Masterclass on Menopause webinar, as I am a disabled pensioner, your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation.

I have now lost 25 kgs, 5ish to go. I've overcome very high blood pressure with meds which have now been halved due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made. I also used to be fatigued all the time and not able to do much, even bedridden at my worst. I was 38 and breastfeeding when I first experienced menopause symptoms, but luckily I had my children just in time.

I am now certain obesity and menopause combined to play a big role in how my health was deteriorating and how I was feeling. 

I used to love sugar, but based on reading your articles, I now only have honey in my tea and dark chocolate. My snack is celery, not lollies, much better tasting and filling. I eat well now and can live a more or less 'normal' life. Thank you, thank you, thank you for myself and others who use your generous information to help themselves.



I don't like photos but am feeling a bit chuffed with myself these days. It's better than feeling fat and ugly. But the best bit is, I feel better health-wise than I have in about 20 years. The last six years have especially been a bit of a struggle.

My life is now taking a turn thanks to my improved health which I was motivated to turn around after watching your Masterclass and reading your articles. I’ve also had a later-life diagnosis of ADHD, which is such a relief to me at 56 years old. It was so liberating to know that I’m not mad, it’s just ADHD which is manageable.

I am (was) a secondary art teacher with a keen interest in psychology. I am currently applying for honours with a thesis topic about supporting socially isolated people, as Im determined to destigmatise all disabilities and mental health conditions. I reckon it could take me through to a doctorate if it goes that way. Who knows? I'm going to give it a good bash anyway.”

Jill McG., Victoria, Australia

When I received Jill's email, I didn't hesitate to offer her a complimentary Transform Me programme – it’s been a privilege to offer this to her to help her to get that last 5kg. Her story resonated with me. Not in terms of her circumstances, but in terms of how confusing it is to know where to start and what to do to ‘take back control' of our health in midlife.

There is so much focus on medications and supplements in menopause and the internet is full of information that can be confusing (and conflicting) about how to manage our menopause symptoms. But as Jill has discovered, it’s about having evidenced knowledge that allows us to make effective changes every day'and importantly, making sense of where to start. Especially when weight gain continues into post-menopause. That was my confusion and frustration too.

“I love the way you are helping women, Wendy. Menopause can really throw a spanner in the works but you’ve given me the tools to help.”

Understanding that menopause symptoms are a result of underlying inflammatory changes that occur as we age is important. For many women, their changing metabolic health, blood pressure and weight during menopause contributes to a worsening of symptoms, as such, discovering what to focus on first with health changes matters.

I loved how Jill started with taking my free Symptoms Quiz which led her on to the 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause. Which led her on to becoming more curious about how her metabolic health was changing and how this affected her menopause symptoms. I also love how determined and motivated she became about taking back control of her health at a time of her life when it’s never been more important.

Not all women can afford my online coaching programmes I know. But this is why I have my Masterclass and my weekly newsletter articles for you all. Knowledge is power as Jill has found as I found myself.

When I didn't get the lifestyle answers I wanted and everyone was looking at our symptoms in isolation without taking an áll-over body' approach, I knew I had to untangle this important stage of life. Over 6 years undertaking my doctoral studies, I've enabled women like Jill and others on my programme to fast-track the lifestyle solutions that they need to put into place. I hope that you can enjoy reading some of these articles and doing (or redoing) the free Symptoms Quiz which will give you context from which to listen to the Masterclass on Menopause too.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ Founder, MyMT™

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EKqiCjzQR0

### "After a hysterectomy, my symptoms got worse, but this programme was a life-saver."

It's tough to have a hysterectomy and be told that because you are in post-menopause, your symptoms will go away. But they don't. 

For numerous women like Sherri, the hot flushes and night sweats can become worse, even in post-menopause, as does sleep, even if  the hysterectomy was long ago.

Most women, like Sherri, think that the continuation of hot flushes are due to menopause, however they can't be, because when women's periods have ended for a year or more, they are through their menopause. As Sherri discovered, hot flushes that continue to carry-on into our late 50s, is known to be due to our changing blood vessels and the inflammatory changes that arrive as we age. (Maas, 2020).



If women aren't sleeping, then this can also cause their hot flushes to increase in intensity and frequency - leading them towards weight gain as well as sore joints and other health problems as they age. Thank you Sherri for sharing your experience.

"I am 55 and I had a hysterectomy at age 34 due to cervical cancer. I have always struggled with weight but this seemed to kick it up a notch. Having luckily kept my ovaries, but due to no periods, it was hard to judge my menopause stage, until I hit 50, but then my symptoms got worse. 

When I got to the point that something needed to change, I joined Wendy's programme. I wasn’t sleeping, I had night sweats and I had put on 12 kilos over the past 12 months. I felt confused and desperate. 

Over the past 12 weeks, my sleeping has improved dramatically and now sleep through on most nights. I no longer have night sweats so not having to kick off blankets is keeping my husband happy too. I've lost 7kgs so far in only 12 weeks.

Following the program and suggestions, swapping meals around as Wendy suggests, eating in a different way that I have been and increasing my water intake and following Wendy's suggestions for changing up my timing of eating to help my gut and liver health, is all I have changed so far. 

I also do a tabata style workout (40 mins) 3 days a week and I follow the programme for more walking every morning. This was great during Covid as well, because it helped me to get out of house and have some sanity. I'm feeling so much better.

I always found that women didn’t want to admit they were going through menopause as if it was taboo to mention it. But with Wendy's programme, the facebook coaching community support is wonderful. It is amazing to be in a group of like-minded women, having the same issues with menopause and able to share the experiences and reading Wendy's posts and getting help from so many others.

Even though I have done my 12 week transform me program I am definitely staying with Wendy's program, as I'm finding the support of not only Wendy, but everyone in the facebook coaching group is what has kept me at it.

Without the support I think it would be way too easy to slip back into old habits and because I still want to lose more kilos, I'm sticking around."

Sherri, P., Australia.

### "This course has really reinvigorated me. Im so excited for women who will benefit from the support" - Wendy G. (Menopause Practitioner Course)

Are you a health practitioner, therapist, nutritionist or someone who works with mid-life women going through menopause? If so, MyMT™ is revolutionising menopause lifestyle education for health professionals and I would love you to lead change with me in the menopause space. Over the last 7 years it has been my absolute privilege to support thousands of women on the MyMT™ 12 week programmes. As such, women have spoken about their success with the MyMT™ programmes and I've been approached by numerous Health Coaches, Nutritionists, Doctors, Therapists and Personal Trainers who are frustrated that their normal approaches aren’t working for their female clients in mid-life. Many tell me they are confused by the abundance of conflicting opinions and programmes available.As an ex university-level health and physical sciences educator, and an instructor for personal trainers, I knew how confusing the conflicting information in the industry can be. So, it was important to me to share my knowledge to health professionals, so that in turn they could improve outcomes for their clients. On February 18 'this year, health professionals from all over the world joined me on the inaugural MyMT™ Practitioner course which was in partnership with continuing professional development organisation, Connected Health Training in Ireland.One of the participants, Wendy from Australia, was one of them. Having already undertaken my Transform Me programme previously, Wendy knew that she had to dive-deep into the science of menopause-specific lifestyle solutions, so she could improve her own knowledge and understanding of how to better support her midlife female clients. Wendy's story is below. The next MyMT™ Practitioner Course commences on July 18th, 2022 and goes on sale in the week commencing June 13th.  Numbers are limited. Email georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com to enquire. 		
			
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		Wendy G. from Australia, shares her story after participating in the inaugural course:"I have followed Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) Transform Me programme since 2020. I was confused about my health and felt embarrassed that as a health professional I didn't have the answers to improve my own journey. I have an extensive background in medical and complementary medicine. I was so unsure how to address my own symptoms, some I didn't even realise were a result of menopause.As I followed the MyMT™ programme I had challenges like many woman, however this programme was so educational that I was able to slowly rebuild my health and realised the knowledge I have as a practitioner didn't consider menopause, and this was a game changer for me.When the practitioner course was offered I was immediately committed to joining, and I am not disappointed. In the inaugural CPD course, Wendy has guided our wonderful group of women from all over the world through her many years and layers of research in a safe and inclusive environment.The CPD course flowed easily and being online the technology aspect was fully supported and made so easy to follow. The modules were structured in a way that I was able to fit them into my busy schedule and always looked forward to joining the group online where we discussed the content fully inclusively.Another unexpected lesson I have learnt is that I am able to change my business model, this is something I am currently working on and focusing on mid-life women. This course has really reinvigorated me, and I am excited for woman who will benefit from the support."		
			
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### The MyMT™ Kitchen: A meal in itself for busy women - Banana, Date and Almond Milk Smoothie

When you drive over the beautiful Crown Range, a high country pass in New Zealand linking Wanaka and Queenstown, you look down on the farm of celebrity chef, Nadia Lim and her family. I thought of her the other day as I drove down the winding road towaards the airport. I was on my way up north to do a big day of filming for my website - one of the challenging and more stressful parts of my life, trying to link to you lovely women around the world. As I moved into menopause, I didn't realise how stressed I was with all that I had going on in my life. Busy teenage kids and a busy household, an ailing mother, a career, (almost) daily higher intensity exercise and of course, Masters and Doctoral studies crammed into what hours were left in my week. What a shame that only a few years ago, there wasn't the knowledge from health science research identifying the link between stress, menopause hormonal changes, changing mental health, and our changing gut health. It's a perfect storm. Humans and their gut bacteria have evolved multiple ways to communicate with and regulate one another. As such, psychological stress and depression in menopause are linked because stress and depression can reshape the gut bacteria’s composition through stress hormones, inflammation, and nervous system alterations. Because of this, our gut bacteria changes and can release toxins, metabolites, and hormones, that can alter our eating behaviour and mood. (Madison & Kiecolt-Glaser, 2019). That's why I was thinking about New Zealand chef, Nadia Lim as I passed her gate. It triggered my thoughts that because I had a stressful few days coming up during the week, I needed to buy some slightly green bananas and make her delicious Banana, Date and Almond Smoothie. Having the odd smoothie when you feel under-the-pump with your workload is a good thing.Not only because, when we feel stressed, this disrupts the nervous supply to the gut and therefore, can cause digestion problems, but because when we are busy, our brain is using up around 25% of our total energy - we need to give our brain some food! I have the MyMT™ GUT HEALTH GUIDE in my coaching programmes. In this I talk about resistant starch which has been evidenced to help to restore our gut microbiome, helping to heal leaky gut syndrome which often arrives during our menopause transition. The realization that low–glycemic index diets were formulated using resistant starch has led to more than a decade of research on the health effects of resistant starch. Adding foods that are higher in resistant starch to our diet has shown many health benefits, including increased fermentation leading to improved gut health, reduced adiposity, and an improvement in insulin sensitivity. [Keenan, Zhou et al, 2015].Slightly under-ripe, greenish bananas are higher in resistant starch. The trick is to choose bananas that are on the greener side and eat them while they are still firm, before they become yellow and brown spots begin to develop.Slightly green bananas are safe to eat, although you may wish to avoid the entirely green ones due to their bitter taste and texture. Some people may also find that the high fibre content affects their digestion. Dates also benefit our health as we age. Known as a 'fucntional food', dates are an essential food in the Mediterranean diet and their beneficial nutritional values have long been claimed for human health. The date palm fruit contains numerous anti-inflammatory properties and the traditional medicinal uses of dates include treatment of bronchial problems, constipation and anxiety. [Preedy & Watson, 2020, Cahp. 22]. As many of us know, these are relevant concerns for women in menopause! Bananas and dates also make a great mid-morning snack for women on the run. The bananas, whilst still partly green, also travel well. That's why I picked up a couple at the airport lounge and tucked them into my bag. You can add them to your muesli, eat them whole, or make this delicious smoothie by Kiwi chef, Nadia Lim. Banana, Date and Almond Milk Smoothie (Serves 2)Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 1 minute591 caloriesIngredients2 large greenish bananas pre-frozen6-8 medjool dates stones removed and roughly chopped½ cup blanched almonds roughly chopped1 pinch ground cinnamon2 cups almond milk (preferably organic)MethodPlace all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve. * References: Keenan, M. J., Zhou, J., Hegsted, M., Pelkman, C., Durham, H. A., Coulon, D. B., & Martin, R. J. (2015). Role of resistant starch in improving gut health, adiposity, and insulin resistance. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 6(2), 198–205.  Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. (2019). Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition. Curr Opin Behav Sci. 28:105-110.  

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Achieve sustained energy with this delicious Zucchini Cacciatore

Thousands of women who have joined me on the MyMT™ programmes will attest to the effect of the type of carbohdyrates that we choose to eat and the effect (positive and negative) on our hot flushes and night sweats. Numerous studies now link a low glycemic index carbohdyrate intake with improved glucose control and metabolic health as we age - and I include improved temperature regulation in that too. 

Releasing high amounts of glucose into your blood stream quickly produces high amounts of insulin (a hormone which regulates blood glucose and enables the excess to be stored as fat). Hence, nutrition researchers have explored carbohydrate foods and how quickly these different foods release glucose into the bloodstream. This is where the term 'Glycemic Index' or GI comes from.

Carbohdyrate foods are given a rating from high GI (70 - 100) to low GI (0-55) and whilst it isn't just individual carbohydrate rankings that count but the overall balance of foods that you eat in a day, starting with looking at the glycemic index of your carbohydrates is a great start. 

The glycemic index (GI) of zucchini equals to 15, which classifies it as a low GI food. [GlycemicIndex.com]. This makes the zucchini (courgette) great for reducing hot flushes, improving sleep and after eating this beautiful cacciatore, you will have energy for hours. The term 'Cacciatore' means 'prepared in a spicy tomato sauce with mushrooms and herbs. I hope you enjoy this delicious low GI recipe. 

Serves 4

Cook time: 30 minutes

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

6 medium zucchinis

5 tbsp olive oil

1 small brown onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 pinch dried chilli, optional

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 400g tin cherry tomato

⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives

1 400g tin butter beans, drained, rinsed well

Handful each picked flat leaf parsley & basil

1 cup natural Greek yoghurt to serve

Method

Cut the zucchini in half lengthways, then cut each half in half again on an angle to give you shorter pieces. Season the cut zucchini with salt and pepper.

Place a large saucepan over a medium/high heat and add the olive oil, zucchini, and a good pinch of salt. Cook the zucchini on their cut sides to colour, then remove and add the remaining oil, onion, garlic, chili, a good pinch of salt and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes to soften.

Next add the tomato paste and cook for another 1 minute, before adding the cherry tomatoes and 1.5 cup of water. Bring to a simmer then stir through the zucchini, cover and simmer for approx. 12 minutes. You want the zucchini soft but not falling apart.

Adjust the seasoning, stir through the olives and butter beans, parsley and cook for 5 more minutes.

Serve the Cacciatore with natural yoghurt spooned over

### The link between your lifestyle and the severity of symptoms in menopause.

I didn't know where Yazd was until I read the research article. But smack in the middle of Iran lies Yzad province. Somewhere in this province is the Shahid Sadoughi University and over the past year or so, within the Faculty of Medicine and School of Public Health, there has been some wonderful research being undertaken by PhD students. The study arrived in my in-box this week. When I read the title, it got my attention - 'The Association between Lifestyle and Severity of Menopausal Symptoms in Menopausal Women. 

Over 300 Iranian women participated in this study - I would like to thank them. I hope they have been all doing OK as the world turned to chaos over the past year. 

For too long, menopause has been invisible in the lifestyle research and the emergence of this study broadens our understanding of this life-stage.

With an average age of 49-50 years, this particular study labelled these women as post-menopausal. This is just a term used to signify the change towards not having menstrual periods as we age. You enter post-menopause, when your periods have stopped for a year or more.

I noted that entering post-menopause at 49-50 years for these Iranian women, is slightly earlier that the global average age that women enter their post-menopause years, which is 51-52 years. I was also intrigued that from all the various amounts of data collected in this study, the average age of marriage of the study participants was 19 years old. I had barely left home at that age.



Defining 'lifestyle' is tricky, because as most of us would know, this differs between culture, socio-economic means and our geographical location. Furthermore, defining 'healthy lifestyle' differs again. But wherever we live and whatever culture we follow, your 'lifestyle' refers to the range of activities that you undertake daily and those which make up your daily life.

Hence, within this context is whether or not we choose to pursue activities that are known to contribute to a 'healthy lifestyle' - you know the list - not smoking, following nutritional guidelines (which differ around the world), ensuring adequate exercise, avoiding drug use, protecting ourselves against accidents, preventing disease, maintaining emotional control and adapting to our environment. Yes, all those factors are determinants of your 'lifestyle'.

When I began to understand that there are numerous women throughout the world who don't report symptoms of menopause and don't experience the lifestyle-related diseases attributed to older age in many western countries, I became curious about the choices that influence our lifestyle behaviours during menopause. Many of these women come from the group of countries known as the Blue Zone countries. You may have heard of these. Geographical locations where women and men live longer free of disease compared to other populations globally.

I talk about these in my Masterclass on Menopause (now available online for you as well) and refer to women in their 50's and early 60's as the 'Guinea Pig Generation' for an explosion of lifestyle changes that have influenced our health over our life-time.



Lifestyle research has been gathering momentum over the past decade. An ageing population globally and the rise in diseases attributed to how we choose to live our life, has lead researchers down this path. Nowadays it is thought that 70% of diseases as we age are associated with an individual's lifestyle.

Women in menopause, please take note because with the research that has emerged from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, it makes sense that the life we've lived contributes to the severity of our symptoms in menopause and weight gain as well.  This is due to the build up of cellular inflammation.

I've said numerous times that one of the realisations I personally took out of my own doctoral research, which explored women's health as they age, was that because menopause is the biological gateway to the next phase of our lives, it becomes a vulnerable time for our health as we age. If you are putting on weight or experiencing poor sleep, depression, high cholesterol, sore joints, worsening hot flushes, symptoms of fibromyalgia or other health changes and you are only in your 50's, then I know how you feel. It's a confusing and frustrating time.



But back to the wonderful women of Iran and the relationship between their lifestyle practices and the severity of their symptoms. The results were 'significant' concluded the study authors.

"Our study found a significant relationship between lifestyle factors and the severity of menopausal symptoms; whereby those with a healthier lifestyle had less severity of symptoms."  [Yoshany et al, 2020, p. 4]

So, what constituted a 'healthy lifestyle' in those with less severe symptoms?

For most, engaging in some physical  activity was important, although the amount and type wasn't defined in this particular study however, I've written about this HERE for you.

This is important to note for those of you feeling depressed and 'hopeless'. Some women are doing too much exercise when they aren't sleeping - I see this a lot. What this does is to increase a stress hormone called cortisol and this prevents healing and repairing of tissues overnight. High-end exercisers might then find that they experience worsening hot flushes, sore joints and emotional changes. Then there are those of you who have no energy for exercise, because your motivation is low and/or you are feeling depressed.

As we lose oestrogen, our lovely mood hormone called serotonin declines too. This decline is more rapid for those who aren't sleeping and have gut inflammation from IBS or other gut health changes. The link between our gut health and depression is well known in metabolic research. So for those of you, who don't feel like doing much exercise, then it's important that not only do you deal with any underlying health concerns, but that you make the time to do some moderate aerobic exercise. Julie in BC, Canada was the same. There were days when she struggled to get through her day and as she said, "It seems as if all my joy had been sucked out of me."  She shares her remarkable story about her journey  HERE. 



The women in the Iranian study who reported the least menopause symptoms didn't smoke and followed healthy nutritional choices. Following on from other similar studies, the authors noted that overweight status also correlated with more severe hot flushes.

A lot of women in the MyMT™ community, myself included, can attest to this connection between being overweight and experiencing more severe hot flushes and night sweats. 

Part of the reason for this, is because as we move into post-menopause, there are numerous changes around our body that are a result of our biological ageing. This includes the loss of elasticity in our blood vessels and structural changes to our liver and gallbladder. This means that we need to reduce the load on our liver and gallbladder as we age by changing our diet to the Mediterranean Diet. This is my approach in the programmes, whether weight loss is required or not.

Managing oestrogen load on our liver is also important. If you are in peri-menopause, then you are still producing oestrogen and in post-menopause, oestogen and progesterone levels decline to their lowest.

Having oestrogenic compounds in your diet or from supplements therefore differs for each stage of menopause you are in. This is often not being addressed in many menopause discussions. For those of you who are overweight, then managing liver regulation of fats, environmental oestrogens, and reducing inflammatory changes that occur due to our ageing, is important. Otherwise hot flushes and night sweats can last for years.



Our menopause transition is a natural part of a woman's life-course. It's a powerful reminder that we are transitioning through a normal life-stage that heralds in the next phase of our life – our biological ageing. Understanding this was a game-changer for me personally.

With my studies on women’s healthy ageing, I was able to position menopause as a normal life-stage in ageing research. And when it comes to women’s ageing, there are numerous changes that occur in our body because oestrogen and progesterone are powerful hormones that affect the entire body.

As such, the emphasis I have in the MyMT™ programmes follows the scientific research for maintaining our health as we age.  Post-menopause heart disease is the number 1 concern for us as we age, globally.

We already know from the health of the first cohort of Baby-boomers to reach their older-age, that many diseases of older age are due to the accumulation of inflammation in cells and tissues. To get back to having a body that is free from inflammation, there are changes we need to make now, in our late 40’s and 50’s and even into our 60’s and older. These changes include lifestyle changes that are situated around:

 	Anti-inflammatory nutrition
 	Exercise for promoting cardio-vascular health, strength, flexibility and balance.
 	Stress management.

Both of the MyMT™ programmes follow my 7-pillars for women’s health as they age. This is because our menopause transition is our biological gateway into our ageing.  And with these hormonal changes, come numerous physiological changes that occur in our body and throughout our organs when both oestrogen and progesterone are declining.



If you would like to come on board with me, then please use the promo code ATHOME22 and apply this in any Buy Now button on the website. It would be my privilege to help you. Alternatively, listen to the Masterclass and take the MyMT™ Menopause Symptom Quiz too.

Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine].



References: 

Abud, T., Kounidas, G., Martin, K.R. et al. Determinants of healthy ageing: a systematic review of contemporary literature. Aging Clin Exp Res 34, 1215–1223 (2022).

Blumel J., Fica, J., Chedraui, P., Mezones-Holguin E., Zuniga, M & Witis, S. (2016). Sedentary lifestyle in middle-aged women is associated with severe menopausal symptoms and obesity. Menopause, 23(5), 488-93.

Egger, G., Binns, A., Rossner, S. & Sagner, M. (2017). Lifestyle Medicine: Lifestyle, the Environment and Preventive Medicine in Health and Disease. Elselvier Academic Press: London, United Kingdom.

Pettee-Gabriel, K., Sternfield, B., Colvin A. et al. (2017). Physical activity trajectories during midlife and subsequent risk of physical functioning decline in late mid-life: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Preventive Medicine, 105, pp 287-294.

Yoshany, N., Mazloomy Mahmoodabad, S., Bahri, N., Moori, MK., & Hanna, F. (2020). Association between lifestyle and severity of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. Electron J. Gen Med. 17(5): em22, 1-6.

### VIDEO: "Like most working mothers, I put my head down, hoping my symptoms would miraculously go away." [Danni, New Zealand]

“I had been struggling by myself to try and manage my health after developing Graves disease, a congenital hyper-active thyroid condition that started to occur in my menopause years. This was triggering a heart condition that threw me into intermittent atrial fibrillation putting me at high risk of potentially suffering a stroke.
But like most working mothers I just put my head down and kept going, hoping it would all resolve itself and my symptoms would miraculously go away.
My afternoons became a drag and I relied on sugary foods and cat naps to get through most days.  Night after night I wasn’t sleeping and then trying to get through my own studies, I was up at all hours of the night at the computer.
I had no idea how much this was impacting on my health and making my thyroid function even worse, until I wound up in hospital and had to take three months off work and put my PhD on hold.  After radio-active therapy I was plunged into hypo-thyroidism and started stacking on weight I simply couldn’t shift.  All I knew was that I didn’t want this to be ‘my lot’ for the rest of my life.  I began to get concerned about how healthy I might be as I got older – what a drag I was becoming on my family and whether I would still be able to ride my beautiful horses.
With not being able to go on HRT because of my thyroid medications, I realised I needed a lifestyle solution. That's when I joined up on Wendy's programme.

Last week I finally achieved my PhD! (phew).  A degree I would never have achieved (especially now that I’m in my late 50s) before I got my thyroid, eating, weight and sleep under control. The Transform Me programme has done so much for my confidence.

Little steps have gradually become bigger strides and now I am smiling! I have so much more energy too as you can see from my latest 'project' training for dressage on my horse Bounce lol). I’ve taken him to two dressage comps and we have placed in our class.

I can’t thank you enough Wendy, for your encouragement and practical solutions to the age old problem of menopause. And to all my sisters out there, no matter what your goal is, you CAN do it 🌟”

Dr Danni (PhD), Auckland, New Zealand.

https://youtu.be/v4GFu1XNsvQ

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Energetic Eggplant, Quinoa and Lentil Salad

Quinoa was never on the menu when I was growing up. 

In fact, my very first taste of this powerful grain was at a health and fitness industry conference many years ago in Melbourne. Grain production in Australia at the time was moving towards more 'functional foods' and the producers had a stand at the Trade Show. I nervously ate a sample and despite being surprised at it's unusual texture, the taste was delicious.

Whilst the main grain I eat is still brown rice, quinoa appears on my table in this delicious eggplant and lentil salad. And there's a reason for this. Not only is Quinoa known to assist in gut health, but as an evidenced 'functional food', it helps with our energy levels too. 

Functional foods confer beneficial health effects and the term 'functional foods' has been around since the 1980s. But as we cruise around the supermarket in our exhausted state grabbing the foods that the family prefers to see in the pantry, how many of us take care of our own needs with 'functional foods'? It's OK, don't answer that.

As a strategy to combat metabolic diseases and age-related disorders through affordable, integrative strategies, food scientists began to understand how some foods play play a stronger role in disease treatment and prevention, compared to others. [Gras, Rojas-Silva et al, 2015].  With the effects of functional foods ranging from improvement of general well-being to reduction of disease risk to treatment of illness, this is where Quinoa comes in.

My scientific paper about Quinoa, tells me that whilst Quinoa isn't classified as a grain as rice and wheat are, from a nutritional perspective, its included in the “whole grains” category. However, unlike traditional cereal grains, which are commonly processed to strip away the nutrient-rich germ and bran, quinoa cultivation leaves the nutrient-rich embryo and endosperm intact. The embryo, which constitutes up to 60% of the seed weight, confers a balanced nutritional profile of protein, lipid, and carbohydrate which is why this food is a traditional energy food of several indigenous peoples of South America. [Graf, Rojas-Silva, et al. 2015].

Eggplant, whilst not listed as a functional food, also confers health benefits. Eggplants are rich in fibre and antioxidants and anti-oxidants help to reduce inflammation in the body. A serving of eggplant can provide at least 5% of a person's daily requirement of fibre, copper, manganese, B-6, and thiamine as well as other nutrients needed in energy production. 

Human health and food security have become increasingly important with the advents of climate change, accelerated human population growth, rise of metabolic disease, and increasing median age of the population. With many women arriving in midlife and putting on a lot of weight as well as experiencing more fatigue, I think it's time to turn around our health with scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions, don't you? Afterall, we have another 20-30 years ahead of us and we need all the energy we can muster. I hope you enjoy trying this beautiful energy-boosting Quinoa Eggplant and Lentil Salad. 
MyMT™ Energetic Eggplant and Lentil Salad

 	1.5 cups quinoa
 	1 can lentils
 	1 eggplant, chopped
 	2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp red-wine vinegar (for frying with the eggplant)
 	4 tomatoes diced (or 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered)
 	1 small red onion finely diced
 	1 lettuce, chopped
 	1 cucumber, diced
 	1 avocado, diced
 	1 small bunch mint or parsley roughly chopped
 	Halloumi, fried
 	Dressing: 1 lemon juiced and zested, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 clove of garlic finely chopped, 1 tbsp mustard, salt & pepper.


 	Fry the eggplant in olive oil and red-wine vinegar for 15 – 20 minutes (until soft).
 	While its frying, bring a pot of water to the boil. Cook quinoa for 15 – 20 minutes (until soft).
 	 After 10 minutes, add the can of lentils lentils to the eggplant pan for the last 5 - 10 minutes.
 	In another pan, fry the slices of haloumi on a low – medium heat until crispy.
 	Mix dressing ingredients together
 	Combine all of the ingredients above, alongside the tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, lettuce red onion and herbs.

Bon appetit. 

Reference: 

Graf, B. L., Rojas-Silva, P., Rojo, L. E., Delatorre-Herrera, J., Baldeón, M. E., & Raskin, I. (2015). Innovations in Health Value and Functional Food Development of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety, 14(4), 431–445. 

### Hair me out ... can I fix my menopausal hair loss?

The controversy at the Grammy award ceremony with actor Will Smith last month intrigued me. No, not because of him and his antics, but because of the topic that the entire stoush was about. Alopecia. Hair loss. The newspaper headlines were full of descriptions of alopecia. But there was one thing missing in every single article I read.There was absolutely no mention of menopause. As many of us have discovered personally, our hair is changing as our hormones change and numerous women arrive in their 50s to find that it's not just the greying of the hair that's the problem, it's the thinning and loss of hair that is distressing too. That's why I was intrigued with the news coverage at the time. Suddenly various Journalists had become experts in alopecia, however from what I read, There was no mention of how our hair starts to thin as we move through menopause.There was no mention of the chunks of hair that start to appear in our brushes and combs.There was no mention of how our hair follicles and scalp (which afterall is just skin) changes in menopause.There was no mention of the intimate relationship between our changing oestrogen and progesterone during menopause and hair thinning and/or hair loss.There was no mention of what happens to hair as women biologically age.I know that there is enough anxiety about our menopause symptoms without worrying about hair loss too. However, during our menopause transition, with changes in our hormone status, one of the most common complaints for women is hair loss. It’s been talked about quite a bit in my private coaching community and with another conversation starting this week by some of the women, it reminded me that I needed to share some of the hair-loss research with you as well as my 5 Tips for Reducing Hair Loss in Menopause.Firstly though, let’s talk about your ageing hair follicles. 		
																										
		Whilst there is a wide range of hair complaints in women as they move through menopause, including a change of colour of the hair and for some, the loss of eyebrow hairs, your hair cycle is influenced by age and a variety of physiological factors.We all know that changes in the colour of the hair are universal in ageing and this begins in midlife. And what is interesting, is that hair colour changes are not caused by the accumulation of grey hairs, but instead, by a loss of pigmentation in the hairs that remain on the head as melanin production declines with age. Melanin is a hormone that produces hair, eye and skin pigmentation.The more melanin you produce, the darker your eyes, hair and skin will be. However, the amount of melanin in your body depends on various factors as you get older, including genetics, how much sun exposure your ancestral population had, your Vitamin D levels and your immune health. Afterall, your skin is your largest organ and therefore, plays an important role in protecting your immunity as you age. So, please don’t despair if your hair is not only changing colour, but also starting to thin or fall out. Whilst this occurs as we age, the good news is that we can slow this down and stimulate renewed growth. According to much of the hair-loss research, hair loss is influenced by numerous factors, including your immune health, your scalp health and of course, the stage of menopause you are in. Fluctuations and a decline in circulating levels of our reproductive hormones, oestrogen and progesterone affect hair growth patterns during menopause. The two most significant patterns of changing hair, areFemale pattern alopecia (FPA) and, if you hadn’t yet noticed,Facial hirsutism (increased hair growth on your face and chin) … if you’ve had to buy better tweezers for your chin hairs, then I’m with you on that one. And we aren’t alone - about 50% of women report excessive facial hair growth during and after menopause reports Pierard-Franchimont & Pierard [2020], which is due to higher levels of androgens.Whilst androgens are mostly associated with male hormones, as we move towards post-menopause, the ovaries, adrenal glands, fat cells and skin cells also make the female body's supply of androgens. For those of you who are overweight or have high levels of stress, these lifestyle factors may also influence the over-production of androgens. In turn, the increase in circulating androgens may affect hair changes in some women, including the increase in facial hair. Dietary changes help to reduce this as does lowering testosterone levels with the right type of exercise and stress management. But what about our thinning hair and hair loss?The hair cycle (normal production and turnover of hairs), as well as the structure of the hair follicle, are highly affected by various hormones, including oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. There are also other influences, such as seasonal and environmental changes occuring throughout our life and dietary influences.In most mammals, there are seasonal variations on hair thinning and loss and those of you with animals already know that there are hair cycle losses which happen in order to prepare the hair coat for seasonal environmental changes - our menopause transition is just a different type of cycle. As such, in humans, whilst hair growth isn’t a continuous process, it does follow a rhythm, not only seasonally, but also over the life-course. There is periodic loss as well as regeneration of hair follicles and yes, this is controlled by hormones (Pierard-Franchimont & Pierard, 2020), as well by our dietary intake, sleep, stress levels and of course, any medical diagnoses and treatments, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy. For those of you who are troubled with hair thinning and loss that has arrived during your menopause transition, one of the first things to understand is that the connection between our sleep and hair quality during menopause is an important one. Melatonin, the pineal gland hormone that regulates sleep, is a strong anti-oxidant and has long been known, particularly in animal-experiment based research and the wool-producing industry, to be a potent regulator hormone that influences hair growth, hair color and your hair cycle. [Fischer et al., 2008]. It's production and secretion depends on light and dark periods, seasonal rhythms, environmental factors and reproductive rhythms. Tip 1:For many of you wanting to turn around hair thinning or hair loss and improve this during menopause, then start with your sleep – this is the time when your body is repairing and restoring. 		
																										
		Most women in developed societies expect to spend a third or more of their lives after menopause. This is why we can use our menopause transition to change up a few things with our lifestyle. One of these is to ensure that we are getting the correct nutrients into us that help to reduce the rate of hair loss or thinning. Hence, my next hair-tip, has to do with nutrients. Tip 2: Your scalp (and skin) loves Vitamin C. Your scalp is covered in skin and in ageing females, the scalp shows striking structural and biological changes in the hair follicle environment that may impact hair growth. All skin layers, including the scalp show age-related changes in structure and functional capacity and like the rest of the human body, the skin is subject to changes caused by the process of natural ageing.   Studies from the University of Otago here in New Zealand, suggest that Vitamin C may provide significant protection against these changes and regeneration of healthyskin. [Pullar, Carr & Vissers, 2017].		
																										
		Tip 3: Manage your minerals. Research on nutrition for hair loss suggests that the main minerals which influence hair growth are: Zinc, Iron, Selenium, Silicon, Magnesium and Calcium. [Goluch-Koniuszy, 2016]. I've written about Zinc in past articles as zinc takes part in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and at the same time, influences hair follicles and hair growth. So, zinc is needed for building and regenerating hair, and according to Goluch-Koniuszy (2016), zinc also influences Vitamin A, which helps in building keratin. Without this interaction between zinc and Vitamin A, hair growth is suppressed and the hair becomes brittle and hair falls out. Micronutrients are major elements in the normal hair follicle cycle, playing a role in cellular turnover, so iron is important to consider too. Iron deficiency has been associated with hair loss as in alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia. I'm big on iron deficiency with women who are menstruating in peri-menopause and those who are doing a lot of exercise. When you can, get your iron levels checked as you transition menopause. 		
																										
		Tip 4: The right fats are fabulous for your ageing hair and scalp. Cholesterol helps to make hormones and as such, we need some good quality fats in our diet to help our hair remain healthy. Fats present in the diet take part in steroid hormones synthesis (from cholesterol) so they influence the integrity of your hair. Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been used in hair care for milennia. I've written about the role of compounds in olive oil which take over from oestrogen on oestrogen receptors and our ageing scalp is the same. Australia's Olive Wellness Research Institute suggests that Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) for our health and our hair (re)growth is important. Natural antioxidants, vitamin E and phytosterols give EVOO its health benefits and oleic acid, which is the primary monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, is a natural cleansing agent (surfactant). Artificial surfactants are found in many shampoos and conditioners however, the monounsaturated oils in EVOO  may penetrate the hair better than other oils. This may protect the hair from damage and help to soften the hair too.  [Olive Wellness Institute, 2020). 		
																										
		Tip 5: Your symptoms during menopause shouldn't be viewed in isolation of each other. Age-related changes in the bodily systems occur throughout our menopause transition and changes in colour, thinning and loss of hair occurs as part of age-related processes. But these changes shouldn't be looked at in isolation. We need to look at our diet, the nutrients that we absorb, our exercise, our stress levels, how we support our circulation and of course, the amount and quality of sleep that we get, in order to slow down these changes at the cellular level.When we pull all of these factors together specific to the stage of life we are in, then the rate of ageing slows down. This is the goal for healthy ageing - we can't stop it, or take a pill to prevent ageing, but we can slow down the inflammatory changes that are occuring around the body, including on the scalp and in our hair follicles. That's what you learn to do, on my 12 week coaching programmes. As I always say, menopause isn't 'just' about hot flushes. It's so much more than that and how we adapt our lifestyle specific to this life stage matters more than we think. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder: My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
		References:Almohanna, H. M., Ahmed, A. A., Tsatalis, J. P., & Tosti, A. (2019). The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatology and therapy, 9(1), 51–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6Fischer TW, Slominski A, Tobin DJ, Paus R. (2008). Melatonin and the hair follicle. J Pineal Res. 44(1):1-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-079X.2007.00512.x. PMID: 18078443.Grymowicz, M., Rudnicka, E., Podfigurna, A., Napierala, P., Smolarczyk, R., Smolarczyk, K., & Meczekalski, B. (2020). Hormonal Effects on Hair Follicles. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(15), 5342. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21155342Olive Wellness Institute (2020). https://olivewellnessinstitute.org/article/olive-oil-for-healthy-hair-and-scalp/Piérard-Franchimont, C., & Piérard, G. E. (2013). Alterations in hair follicle dynamics in women. BioMed research international, 2013, 957432. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/957432Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080866Schwingshackl, L., Morze, J., & Hoffmann, G. (2020). Mediterranean diet and health status: Active ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms. British journal of pharmacology, 177(6), 1241–1257. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.14778

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Cereal Grains, Heart Health and why you need this terrific Toasted Muesli (Granola)

One of the most important messages that I reiterate to women on my coaching programmes, is that the type of carbohydrate that you eat, matters for your heart health in menopause.
Many women go "low-carb", which concerns me - firstly, because fruit and vegetables are carbohydrates and secondly, because our ageing heart which is losing oestrogen, needs whole grains in order to help it to do its job. Hence, what women really mean when they say they are going 'low-carb' is that (hopefully), they are only going low processed carbohydrates ... believe me, for our heart and gut health as well as our hot flushes, this is important. 
There's a reason I'm reminding you of this. The PURE study is a large prospective cohort study conducted in countries across the regions of North America and Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, and China. PURE stands for 'The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology Study' and it has the distinct advantage of examining diets from diverse populations in low, middle, and high income countries in multiple regions across the world.
This extensive study set out to evaluate the association of the intake of refined grains (white flour products), whole grains, and white rice with total mortality, major cardiovascular disease events, blood pressure, and blood lipids (fats). Subjects ranged in age between 35-70years and both genders. [Swaminathan, Dehghan et al., 2021].
For women in menopause and post-menopause, the results were interesting. We all know that with the onset of mass food production techniques, the quality of our flour has changed over our lifetime. White processed flour does not contain the intact grain, so the PURE study set out to compare the effect of white processed flour products on cardiovascular health against wholegrain products and white rice. 
The whole grains group contained two types of grains. The first was whole grain flours such as those made from wheat, rye, triticale, oats, barley, maize, finger and pearl millet, sorghum, or buckwheat. These flours ideally contain all the components of the intact grain (whole meal). White refined flour doesn't. Most whole grains also contain biologically active compounds, such as dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other plant compounds such as lignans and phytosterols, which are removed during processing. 
This study showed that wholegrains matter to our heart health. Compared to the processed grains analysis, there were "non-significant associations between intake of whole grains and risk of mortality or cardiovascular events in the fully adjusted models". White rice is fine to have too when measured against cardiac health variables. 
But not so for refined grains. These are the grains that have the goodness processed out of them. The authors of the PURE study noted that "high intake of refined grains was associated with higher risk of mortality and major cardiovascular disease events. Globally, lower consumption of refined grains should be considered."
Changing the way we eat during our menopause transition matters to our heart health, energy levels and weight maintenance. It also matters to our hormonal balance. Whilst low-carb diets can help you lose weight, we musn't forget that not all carbohydrates are equal. Carbohydrates are a macro-nutrients that your body needs, and wholegrains provide you with numerous health benefits. That's why in this week's menu, this delicious easy-to-make breakfast is on the table. 
Toasted Muesli (Granola)
This toasted Muesli (or Granola as it’s called in the US and Canada) uses a base of oats with lots of nice nuts, grains and dried fruit added to it for additional flavour.  My husband hates cooking, and this recipe is the only thing my busy husband makes – so if it’s easy enough for him to make, it must be easy for you busy ladies too.
The quantity and type of additional nuts and seeds is not particularly important, they add lovely variety to the oats.  Feel free to leave anything out that you don’t have in stock, that way it will be different next time.
MyMT™ Toasted Muesli (Granola)

Oats – lots of them, lightly rolled oats probably works best
Desiccated coconut
Sliced brazil nuts
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnut pieces
Sliced almonds
Olive oil – a generous pour on top of the dry ingredients
Honey – 2-4 tablespoons

Ingredients to add once the muesli cools:

Raisins
Diced apricot
Other dried fruit


Pre heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius.
Mix all of the dry ingredients in the tray and add the olive oil and honey.
Once in the oven, toss the ingredients every 6-7 minutes until everything is nicely brown.  Be careful to turn your mix regularly - if the oven is too hot or you don’t turn everything regularly enough it will burn quickly. 
Once browned (usually after tossing about 4-5 times), take your muesli mix out and leave it to cool down. Turn it a couple of times as it cools to make sure you don’t get big lumps, and once cool, add the dried fruit. 

Bon appetit. 
Reference: 
Swaminathan S., Dehghan M., Raj J., ...  Iqbal R., Yusuf R., Yeates K., Teo K., & Yusuf S. (2021). Associations of cereal grains intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality across 21 countries in Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 3;372:m4948. 

### "You encouraged me to deal with the changes in menopause, rather than be a victim."  (Jane, Wales, UK)

After hearing your advice to sleep through the night, you gave me the confidence to think good sleep was normal during menopause.  I also relaxed about sleep and if I had a bad night I usually caught up the next night.

Your programme definitely helped with the acceptance of the fact of menopause. ‘What you resist persists - what you accept changes‘ - that our bodies are changing and it is a normal part of the ageing process - although accepting that you are ageing is hard at first.

I also think it is important to find purpose in life. I was a full time mum and the fact that the kids left home at the same time as menopause was especially hard. I have now found things to do that give me this purpose. I heard on  Radio 4 the other day that being kind gives you an oxytocin ‘hit’ …. I thought that was interesting.

I did not manage to follow the programme through to the end, but the bit I did do really helped so much. I sleep through the night now, after following your advice I just told myself not to get up … go back to sleep !  You encouraged me to deal with the changes in menopause rather than be a victim, so I thank you so very much for that.

Jane Thomas, Wales

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: My Mediterranean 'Stew' is a winner for all the family.

Dietary controversy has followed women for decades, perhaps gaining greater momentum as the emergnece of the modern fitness industry and gym culture intersected with societal changes in weight gain. But many of these diets are usually short-term quick fixes. After working in and around the fitness industry for over 30 years, I can tell you that I've tried a few of them myself. But none were sustainable ... especially when the family arrived and I was cooking for various needs.When I arrived in menopause - overweight, not sleeping and experiencing worsening hot flushes, despite medications and supplements - I decided to follow the women's healthy ageing science. Discovering that there were various cultures around the world whereby menopause symptoms did not define women nor did weight gain, was the game-changer. Then, doing my doctoral studies and positioning our menopause transition in women's healthy ageing research was another game-changer. Suddenly what to eat without counting calories or worrying about dieting, made perfect sense. The Meditteranean Diet has as one of it's star vegetables, tomatoes. Yes, controversy follows this beautiful red delight as they contain lectins which may be inflammatory to the gut wall, however, research is limited on the role of tomato lectins in this process. Some women are also allergic to nightshade plants, so tomatoes may be off the list and for those with allergies, then also be careful with tomatoes. They contain chemicals called salicylates, which are active ingredients in aspirin.  But for those of you who want to move into your post-menopause years with the notion that 'food is your medicine', I want to remind you about the powerful effects of tomatoes on women's heart health. While cooked tomatoes with a little bit of oil have the highest levels of lycopene, even raw tomatoes offer powerful protection. That's where my Mediterranean 'Stew' comes in. After placing the photo in my coaching group, there was such a response to this family-friendly dish, that I wanted to share it with you. It has the Italian Tomato Sauce recipe (below) as it's base and I then added whatever vegetables I could find in the fridge. I've listed these below. As I mentioned to my coaching group, "even the carnivore males in the house loved it". We often think that we have to cater to the needs of others all the time, but what if they eat what we need to eat too? Try this one and see how you get on. But as it's full of vegetables, you could always add some fish or a couple of lamp chops on the side too. My Mediterranean Stew - Italian Tomato Sauce Filled with Vegetable GoodnessIngredients2-3 Tbsp olive oil4 to 6 large cloves of garlic, diced1 onion, diced2 tsp basil1 tsp oregano1 tsp thyme1 tsp salt1 or 2 medium sized bell pepper, diced1 1lb, 13oz can tomatoes or 6 chopped tomatoes (or a mix of both)1 6oz can tomato paste1 tsp honey (optional) - this recipe that I made had 1/2 can of pineapple pieces in it without the honey.Black pepper to tasteKalamata olivesAdditional Vegetables: 4 small chopped potatoes1 chopped parsnip2 chopped celery stalks1 medium zucchini chopped1 can of Adzuki beans (drained and rinsed)Method to Make the Italian Tomato SauceHeat the olive oil in a pan. Add onion, garlic bell pepper, herbs,  and salt and sauté over medium heat until the onion is very soft (8 to 10 minutes).Add tomatoes, tomato paste, honey and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered for 30-45 minutes until the vegetables are soft.Gently pulse to the consistency you would like it.The sauce can be left for up to a week in the fridge, but I often freeze a batch and use it later as I did for this 'Mediterranean Stew'. On reheating it I added all the chopped vegetables and left it to simmer for around 45 minutes until the vegetables were soft. Bon appetit. 

### Is your overactive bladder keeping you awake in the night?

It wasn’t  just hot flashes and night sweats that were waking up Romany night after night - it was needing to pee as well. I know that menopause and frequent urination affects many of you too. Before the world turned into chaos, I was traveling throughout New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom sharing my live Masterclass on Menopause, and hundreds of hands would shoot up in the air when I asked who was waking up because they needed to pee in the night. Everyone laughed when they looked around the room and saw that they weren’t alone. Perhaps this is you as well. Increased urinary frequency is a common menopause symptom. The changes to our urinary system during menopause can be such a challenge for many, not only during the night, but for those of you who experience the sudden urge to pee and some leakage when you are exercising. Our irritable bladder and urge to pee more frequently, is another symptom of menopause. However, a word of caution too – it can also be a sign of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Hence, if you are experiencing painful urination, or if you have any pelvic or back pain, then head to your doctor right away. 		
																										
		The Mystery of Bladder Issues in MenopauseUrinary urgency, urinary incontinence, increased bladder activity and reduced bladder control are all bladder symptom experiences impacted by menopause. Here's why. After my very anecdotal survey of hundreds of women during my live events before the pandemic, I wasn’t surprised to find that epidemiologic studies report that approximately 1 in 4 women are affected by pelvic floor and urinary tract disorders with the highest rates in menopausal women. [Wu, Vaughan et al, 2014]. “There is clear evidence that oestrogen regulates the uro-genital tract. The abundance of estrogen receptors (ERs) in the urogenital tract explains why the natural reduction of endogenous oestrogen, the hallmark of menopause, can cause or potentiate Pelvic Floor Disorders (PFDs) and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs).” [Alperin, Burnett et al. 2019]. The female hormone estrogen is known to have an important role in the function of the lower urinary tract throughout our life. Oestrogen and progesterone receptors demonstrate an influence in the vagina, urethra, bladder and pelvic floor musculature and like most of our organs, when we go into peri-menopause (the start of menopause) and move towards post-menopause, our renal system is experiencing the result of declining estrogen production. You may not know that you have an abundance of oestrogen receptors in your bladder and urethra. Because of this, as estrogen levels decline during our menopause transition, this may impact the function of the urinary tract in mid-life women. Furthermore, with the loss of the role of oestrogen in our ligaments and joints, our pelvic floor changes as well. This may cause many women to experience stress incontinence and/or increased frequency and urgency in needing to pee.Whilst it always pays to see a healthcare professional who specialises in this area, it also helps to understand what is going on and how we can help ourselves as well. So, first things first. You need to understand that your bladder and urinary tract is aging and changing. 		
																										
		Physiological factors that cause bladder symptomsAge-related reduction in bladder capacity, reduced urine flow, diminished urethral pressure, and the inability of your bladder to empty fully after voiding are known changes that occur as we age. But the thing that can upset many midlife women the most is the feeling of urgency. And this is all to do with the changes that occur to the nerves that infiltrate your bladder wall. As such, stress impacts your bladder function in menopause. Your bladder is responsive to your stress hormones, adrenaline (epinephrine), and nor-adrenaline (nor-epinephrine). This is because the sympathetic nervous system exerts influences on the urethra and bladder for urine collection and storage. Your urethra and bladder are replete with adrenergic receptors. These receptors respond to your stress hormones, adrenaline, and nor-adrenaline.As we move into menopause and oestrogen levels decline, there is an effect on the response of the adreno-receptors in the urinary tract. Yes, they can get out of balance too resulting in an overactive bladder. This is more commonly known as ‘overactive bladder syndrome’ (OAB) or detrusor overactivity.The term ‘detrusor’ refers to the involuntary contractions during the filling phase of the bladder that may be spontaneous or provoked and is associated with urgency. This is why the most common symptoms of OAB are urgency, nocturia (night-time urgency), frequency and urge incontinence.As our bladder fills up and stretches, and because oestrogen levels are declining, changes also occur to the nerve signals in the bladder wall. Disruption to these nerve signals can cause nerve irritability and/or urgency and urinary incontinence. All effects which can impact on our home, working and recreational lives. I know this has occurred for many MyMT™ women, as it did for me too. Learning how to override these sensations is an important aspect of the MyMT™ programs.		
																										
		How Waking Up To Pee Frequently Impacts Our HealthNight after night of getting up to have a pee is devastating for our energy. But researchers suggest that women with OAB have greater physiologic and psychologic stress reactivity than healthy controls. Importantly for women experiencing OAB, stress appears to exacerbate bladder urgency. An overactive bladder can have a huge impact on our quality of life. When you are experiencing higher levels of stress or you aren’t sleeping well, then your chronic stress hormone called cortisol, typically increases as does your blood pressure and heart rate. Inflammation increases too and I’ve written about this numerous times in my newsletters. When cortisol is high, and there is a subsequent increase in your heart rate and blood pressure, this affects your bladder and urethra as well. Bladder control stems from the nervous system which is  full of receptors that respond to stress hormones.At night when we don’t sleep well, cortisol levels remain high, as does your blood pressure. This affects the nervous system regulation of your bladder. It’s no surprise that we feel the urge to go more frequently, especially at night. Research suggests overactive bladder symptoms  affect up to 80% of women in menopause (Alperin, Burnett et al, 2019). But as I mentioned earlier, other medical conditions could be at play, such as a UTI or pelvic floor disorder. Be sure to talk to your doctor, because there are other treatment options they can discuss with you. 		
																										
		Pointers For Improving Menopause Bladder Control So, what can I do about it? Here are my 5 pointers to help you:Re-address stress. Knowing that cortisol impacts your nervous system, especially your fight or flight nerves, and that your menopause changes impact on your nervous system, it pays to reflect on your stress levels. It is well known that anxiety increases in menopause, but again, this is also related to our changing oestrogen levels and the effect they exert on the nervous system, causing greater irritability of your nerves, including the nerves that sit within your bladder and urethra.Re-train your over-active nerves through relaxation exercises. Bladder retraining is hard to do, especially if you are experiencing urgency, but if your urgency isn’t to do with any bladder infection, then start to re-train it. When you feel the ‘urge’, then try to over-ride it with relaxation strategies and regular breathing through your nose. This will calm down your ‘fight or flight’ sympathetic nervous system. It may take a bit of time to do this, but as I say to women on the MyMT™ programmes, “your brain controls everything and in menopause, it just needs some re-programming now and again.”		
																										
		Don't forget your Kegel Exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor. There’s so much going on in our lives and it’s easy to forget that menopause is a time to seek professional support with your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor exercises (specifically Kegel exercises),  involve squeezing and releasing your pelvic floor muscles in a timely manner. These  assist in re-training the muscles that help to hold your pelvic floor in place. These muscles also lose the role of oestrogen and their loss of elasticity can cause some prolapse of your uterus or back pain from your shifting pelvis. I have Kegel exercises in my Rebuild My Fitness programme, but for those of you who can’t make it onto the programmes, then do get professional advice on the correct technique for these. 		
																										
		Practice emptying your bladder completely. The knowledge that our bladder undergoes changes in the bladder wall which affects its contractility means that when we do go to the loo, there tends to be some residual urine left in there. This can also make us more prone to UTIs, so practice emptying your bladder completely on urination.Follow an anti-inflammatory diet. On the MyMT™ programmes, I show clear evidence as to the importance of following an anti-inflammatory diet during our menopause transition. As such I have modified the Mediterranean Diet to better suit women’s healthy ageing. Age-related inflammatory changes occur throughout the menopause transition and can worsen during post-menopause if action isn’t taken to change our lifestyle. Known as ‘inflammaging’ if you are eating the wrong food, if you are doing lots of exercise, if you are overweight or obese, and if you aren’t sleeping, then these factors are known to contribute to worsening inflammation in our body. Hence, one of the strategies to reduce cortisol levels (apart from re-learning how to sleep all night which I focus you on in the programmes) is to follow an anti-inflammatory diet. This will help reduce the inflammation that can cause bladder disruption as well.		
																										
		If you’re struggling with OAB symptoms, then please get it checked out from Specialists in your area when you can. Then if you aren’t sleeping or you are feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with your symptoms, I invite you to join me in either of the 12 week MyMT™ programmes. You will be amazed at what you learn and how simple changes to our lifestyle can turn around menopause symptoms. I hope that you can spend a few minutes reading some of the wonderful stories from women who have kindly shared their journey with you on the Success Stories page on the website. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ REPS (NZ) Exercise Specialist		
																										
		Alperin, M., Burnett, L., Lukacz, E., & Brubaker, L. (2019). The mysteries of menopause and urogynecologic health: clinical and scientific gaps. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 26(1), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000001209Harvard Health (2013). Overcoming an overactive bladder. Harvard Health Publishing Online. Siroky, M.B. (2004). The Aging Bladder. Reviews in Urology, 6(1), 53-57. Wu, J., Vaughan, C., Goode, P., et al (2014). Prevalence and trends of symptomatic pelvic floor disorders in U.S. women. Obstet. Gynecol. 123, 141 - 148. [PubMed: 24463674]. 

### "Nobody was understanding the connection between all of our symptoms, including insomnia and weight gain."

The conversations in my private coaching group are amazing. Women from around the world learning that, for years, our menopause symptoms have been looked at in isolation, rather than from a 'total body' approach. "This makes so much sense" is the typical astonishing cry that I read in the group.I totally understand how they feel. When my doctoral studies sent me down this path of understanding myself, I began to realise that when it came to lifestyle solutions for us during our menopause transition, nobody was placing these in the context of women's ageing studies, nor were they 'connecting the dots' between menopause insomnia, weight gain, sore joints, palpitations and our hot flushes!During the time of my studies, I was 15 kg overweight. My breast size had expanded considerably that I could almost balance a cup of tea on them, as my grandmother used to do! You can see what I mean in the inset image above. I was on Menopause HRT, exercising daily, trying to eat well, but despite the medications and supplements, there were three things which eluded me.A good night's sleep and Joints and muscles that no longer achedAn ability to put a stop to the weight gain. I had no idea that these symptoms were linked to the menopause transition as well as insomnia, muscle loss, fatty liver and excess oestrogen storage in fat cells. Nor did I understand that BODY TYPE matters when it comes to our symptoms.Over the past few weeks, I've noticed that numerous books, opinion articles and television documentaries have appeared about menopause. There have been a few here in New Zealand too. This is a great relief to me, as menopause is finally being bought into the limelight, However, I can't help but reflect that as I watch, read or listen, what I've noticed is that many of the so-called new 'menopause authors' are thinner and leaner.They aren't overweight. They don't seem to have the central obesity that can arrive during our menopause transition. Most also don't appear to have large, heavy breasts as I had. They look to me to be thinner and leaner. Furthermore, hardly ever is there a mention of sore joints, aching muscles, restless legs at night, palpitations, weight gain or having to get up night after night to pee! It's intriguing.We all know that women differ in body-type don't we? Some are larger, some are smaller. It was the same when we all went through puberty. I still remember the envy I felt when my friends didn't get larger breasts nor did they put on weight.But here's the thing, how we respond to our menopause transition is exactly the same as our experiences in puberty. Some women put on weight, some stay the same weight, or even lose weight. This often depends on their stress levels, as well as their sleep, liver and thyroid health. Women differ in the response to menopause symptoms depending on body-type, stress levels, sleep and of course, our past lifestyle matters to how well we transition through menopause too.Many of you with excess body fat may respond to menopause HRT positively and lose weight and there is a body of research that suggests that this is one area of weight management to explore for women transition menopause. (Fenton, 2021).But perhaps the most important issue in terms of managing weight gain during menopause, is to sort out sleep, which many of us already know, is adversely affected by hormonal changes during menopause. Sleep may be interrupted by night sweats and having to get up in the night to pee or for many women who do put on a lot of weight, obstructive sleep apnea can be the cause of waking up as well.Then of course, when we feel tired, we don't do as much and often turn to the wrong types of food and beverages. Sleep deprivation is also associated with lower levels of physical activity. Hence, studies tend to show an association between low levels of sleep and greater weight gain during the menopause and post-menopause years. [Davis et al, 2012].		
																										
		When I learnt that body-type matters to our menopause symptoms, I decided to do something about it. I developed TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMMES - CIRCUIT BREAKER for thinner/ leaner women and TRANSFORM ME for women, like me, who find that the weight is piling on, especially the body fat.BOTH start with a module called Sleep All Night. Because without a good night's sleep, then our symptoms don't go away. You can read about these programmes HERE, both of which are on sale throughout April, 2022.Everything I have put into the programme fits with the research I have completed on women's healthy ageing. What I realised (for myself as well), is that if we don't transition menopause well, then our health as we age changes too.I also began to understand that because menopause is the 'bookend to puberty', as we enter this stage of life, we need to change our lifestyle habits to match our changing hormonal environment as we age. What we need are specific wellness strategies that match our hormonal changes and our body-type as we come through this stage of life.		
																										
		That's what you learn in the powerful My Menopause Transformation programmes.My April, Sleep All Night special is ending soon. Please don't miss out. Enter the PROMO code MYMTSLEEP to obtain your discount.Get access today before the price returns to normal. AT NZ$199* this is only NZ$72 per month for three months (usually NZ$100).If you are going to join me, then please click on the video below, as I would love you to get to know me.Best wishes,Wendyhttps://youtu.be/EXbHVLekQ3MReferences: Davis SR, Castelo‑Branco C, Chedraui P, Lumsden MA, Nappi RE, Shah D, et al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric 15:419-29.El Khoudary SR, Shields KJ, Janssen I, Hanley C, Budoff MJ, Barinas-Mitchell E, Everson-Rose SA, Powell LH, Matthews KA. (2015). Cardiovascular Fat, Menopause, and Sex Hormones in Women: The SWAN Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Sep;100(9):3304-12. Fenton A. (2021). Weight, Shape, and Body Composition Changes at Menopause. Journal of mid-life health, 12(3), 187–192.  

### Are you going nuts in menopause? New research on the connection between your precious sleep and nuts.

As you grab those Easter eggs this weekend, or that block of chocolate at the supermarket, can you also wander around to the aisle which has nuts … especially if you aren’t sleeping during menopause?A handful a day – that’s all you need. But they must be raw or roasted, preferably as fresh as possible and not heavily processed. When you get home, you need to store them in a dark, cool place and if you can tolerate the skin being on them, then this is important too.You see, nuts, especially walnuts, pistachios and almonds, contain melatonin.  If you've been lying awake at night, frustrated and tired, when everyone else in the household is sleeping soundly, you have probably thought about melatonin levels in your body. This is one of our sleep hormones and in menopause as we age and oestrogen begins to decline, melatonin levels naturally decline.Whilst we can’t do anything about this natural phase of ageing, what we need to do is to slow down the rate of decline of our precious melatonin. Eating a handful of the right type of nuts is just one way to do this and if you can add walnuts to your dietary intake, then eating these also have powerful cardiovascular benefits for women as well.		
																										
		Nuts are named because they share the characteristic that in their natural composition (without human manipulation), they contain less than 50 % water. Rich in vegetable proteins and fats, mostly unsaturated fatty acids (the ‘good’ fats), they are a great source of dietary fibre as well as providing a wide range of nutrients, such as vitamins (folic acid, niacin, tocopherols, vitamin B6, etc.), minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc.) and many other bioactive components, such as phytosterols. [Verde, Miguez et al, 2022].Insomnia is a serious problem, and whilst both men and women experience insomnia, women in their 50s and older tend to experience it more than men. If you've been awake whilst your male partner is asleep and snoring, you get what I mean.Ever since insomnia and ageing are known to be connected, researchers have been learning more about whether melatonin-rich foods could assist our precious sleep. Melatonin has been reported to improve sleep efficiency and it was found that eating foods rich in melatonin, can help us to get off to sleep.Melatonin has now been identified and qualified in various foods from fungi to animals and plants. Eggs and fish are higher melatonin-containing food groups in animal foods, whereas in plant foods, nuts such as walnuts and pistachios have the highest content of melatonin. Some types of mushrooms, cereals and germinated legumes or seeds are also good dietary sources of melatonin. 		
																										
		But there's more to the story about nuts and our health as we age and this has to do with cardiovascular health, especially as we move into post-menopause. Women consuming nuts at midlife have a greater likelihood of overall health and well-being at older ages. According to researchers in a large study of nut consumption in midlife women, eating walnuts may represent a simple intervention to explore and promote healthy ageing. In the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), researchers reported that better diet quality and a greater dietary flavonoid intake at midlife were related to a greater likelihood of overall health and well-being in women as they age.In over 33,000 middle-aged NHS nurses at the time of the study, researchers observed a significant association between consumption of nuts at midlife and healthy ageing. This was broadly defined across four domains – chronic diseases, mental health, and cognitive and physical function. When analyzing several specific types of nuts, walnut consumption appeared to have the strongest relation with healthy aging.This is to do with the fact that nuts, including walnuts, help to lower Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol - this is the unhealthy type of cholesterol that tends to increase in women as oestrogen levels decline. Nuts are high in the types of plant fats that help to boost healthy High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol instead. These healthy fats are not only important for immune and cardiac health, but they help to transport fat-soluble vitamins around your body. These vitamins are A, D, E and K - all of which can be low in women as they transition menopause. So, will you add some walnuts, pistachios and almonds to your daily diet? All of these types of nuts contain melatonin but they are also a valuable vegetarian source of the essential fatty acid omega-3. They contain iron, selenium, calcium, zinc, vitamin E and some B vitamins – all of which contribute to our energy levels as we transition through menopause.And yes, whilst nuts are high in calories so some of you may be avoiding them, they are a rich source of protein including an amino acid called arginine. This can be converted to nitric oxide, which I've talked about in other articles and this helps to expand blood vessels, therefore, improving blood flow. Good to know if you are a regular exerciser. 		
																										
		When life gets hectic and we find that there's not enough hours in the day to get things done, we often find that we grab whatever food that we can too. You're not alone with this! But whilst our body is undergoing numerous physcial changes which may result in hot flushes, insomnia, sore joints, gut health concerns and other symptoms such as depression, many of these problems can be better managed with the right diet, exercise and of course, behaviour change support. Adding a handful of healthful nuts to our day is just one of these strategies. As I often used to mention in my live-events, the future for all of us is to focus on our health as we age, especially if we already have some health changes that our menopause transition has bought to the fore. How to do this is what you learn in my 12 week programmes which this month are on SALE. Details are HERE. There is so much confusion about food choices these days isn’t there? And that’s why I decided to put some research into how much food, what type of food and when we should be eating so that we all enter into our years beyond menopause as healthy as we deserve to feel. If you are confused and never want to go on another ‘diet’ every again, then please join me for 12 weeks when you can.By positioning the MyMT™ programmes in women’s healthy ageing research, how we look after ourselves at this stage of life, makes so much sense. Walnuts are on the menu as are peanuts and pistachios, if you aren’t allergic to them, because as I often say, "Don't look back, you aren't going that way now."		
																										
		References:D'Antono B, Bouchard V. (2019). Impaired sleep quality is associated with concurrent elevations in inflammatory markers: are post-menopausal women at greater risk? Biol Sex Differ. Jul 8;10(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s13293-019-0250-x. PMID: 31287027; PMCID: PMC6615113.Jehan, S., Giardin, J-L, Auguste, E., et al (2017). Sleep, Melatonin and the Menopausal Transition: What are the links? Sleep Science, 10(1): 11-18.Jehan, S., Masters-Isarilov, A., Salifu, I., Zizi, F., Jean-Louis, G., Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Gupta, R., Brzezinski, A., & McFarlane, S. I. (2015). Sleep Disorders in Postmenopausal Women. Journal of sleep disorders & therapy, 4(5), 212.Kim, T. W., Jeong, J. H., & Hong, S. C. (2015). The impact of sleep and circadian disturbance on hormones and metabolism. International journal of endocrinology, 591729. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/59172Meng, X., Li, Y., Li, S., Zhou, Y., Gan, R. Y., Xu, D. P., & Li, H. B. (2017). Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin. Nutrients, 9(4), 367. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9040367Verde, A., Míguez, J., Leao-Martins, J. Gago-Martínez, A., & Gallardo, M. (2022). Melatonin content in walnuts and other commercial nuts. Influence of cultivar, ripening and processing (roasting). Journal of food composition and analysis, 105, 104180. doi: 10.1016/j.jfca.2021.104180 

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Increase your love of legumes with this Cashew Thai Chickpea Salad

Chickpeas feature in the MyMT™ Kitchen for a reason - they are high in calcium, magnesium and potassium - all minerals that help our nerves, muscles and sleep quality during our menopause transition. ARound 1 cup of cooked chickpeas supplies you with 80mg of calcium - with a total of 1200mg to reach each day, this wonderful Cashew Thai Chickpea Salad needs to me on your midlife menu. 

Commonly known as the Garbanzo bean, chickpeas are both a vegetable and a protein. I try to buy organic cans of chickpea, simply because I'm not great at soaking them overnight, but I always rinse them and for this recipe, pan fry them as well. 

The other reason that Chickpeas feature in the MyMT™ Food Guide, are that they are low on the glycemic index and high in fibre. Over the past 50 years, fibre has been stripped from foods as manufacturing moved towards processed foods that sit on a supermarket shelf. But dietary fibre is the most important food for our health, because it helps to remove waste from our body. Vegetables and legumes, which are what chickpeas are, add to the fibre content of the bowel. 

Then there is the fact that chickpeas help to balance out your blood sugar levels. You've heard me talk about a low GI diet before, and this means that they don't tend to make your blood sugar spike. In terms of sleep quality and duration, as well as hot flush management, and weight loss, this is an important aspect of your menopause symptom relief.  And if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes, or you are gluten-free, then it's important to add chickpeas to your menu for this very reason. Bon appetit. 
The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Cashew Thai Chickpea Salad 
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 people)

 	1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I like to pan fry mine for 10 minutes as well)
 	1 broccoli, very finely diced
 	2 cups shredded red cabbage
 	1 red pepper, diced
 	1/2 cup coriander
 	1 jalapeno (optional)
 	To garnish: 1/2 cup roasted cashews
 	For the dressing: 
 	1/4 cup peanut butter
 	1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
 	1 tbsp olive oil
 	1 tsp honey (or pure maple syrup)
 	1-2 tsp freshly grated ginger
 	1 clove of garlic, minced
 	2 tbsp warm water to thin the dressing

Method

 	In a large bowl, add the finely chopped broccoli, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, red bell pepper, jalapeno and cilantro. I do like to cook my chickpeas in a pan for 10 minutes, but you are welcome to put them straight in as well. 
 	Make the dressing by whisking together the following ingredients in a small bowl: peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, olive oil, ginger, garlic and water.
 	Drizzle over the salad, and top with cashews. 

Recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen 

### "Learning how to sleep again has been the biggest change."  [Theresa, Australia]

I love it when women graciously share their menopause journey with you. It's very inspiring to know that we all have control over the changes we can make to our health and our symptoms as we move through this life-stage. Here is Theresa's story.

"I’ve recently completed your 12 week program and looking forward to the mindfulness module later today. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and feel like I’ve got back some parts of my life that had changed or become lost due to menopause.  

Learning how to sleep again has been the biggest change. Along with rising early and going to walk the dogs, or exercise, all before 8am. This was un-heard of 4 months ago! I was so tired from lack of sleep, so I would stay in bed as long as possible.

I've really learnt a lot about my body and what it needs during the program. Whilst I haven’t adapted everything, my diet has changed remarkably. Prior to doing your program I had spent 6 months on the CSIRO diet, and lost 10kg. But I was still struggling to keep it off. However, your way of eating is so liveable, once you learn and understand the principles. I have slowly lost another 4 kilos and expect this will keep going.

The great news is that I’m planning another season of soccer with my open women’s team later this year. I had thought I may need to retire as everything ached so much. But I listened to your joint health module and changing my diet and sleeping better has helped enormously. I’m now back doing some gentler, core focused, gym sessions and running a little again for the season. I am now in post menopause at 54. 

Thanks again Wendy and it’s been lovely to get to know you as the program went on." 

Theresa, Australia.

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: A Bonus Gut-Health Breakfast of Banana and Oat Pancakes

Many of you may already know of the healing power of bananas (preferably slightly greenish) on your gut. Bananas are a good source of prebiotic fibre which can boost levels of good gut bacteria and improve digestive health. With midlife women between the ages of 45 - 60 years, typically experiencing multiple changes to their energy, temperature regulation, cardiovascular health and liver health, it's important to have foods that nourish and heal. 

This recipe includes both oats and bananas. Oats are high in betaglucans, which promote cholesterol clearance in the liver. Bananas are not only high in potassium which is important for blood pressure management, but bananas also contribute to Resistant Starch. This is the type of starch that helps to boost  Resistant starch (RS) refers to types of carbohydrates that don't get digested in the small intestine, but move on into the large intestine, to further aid fermentation of bacteria. This process provides numerous health benefits.  
The type of CARBS you are eating may be contributing to your insomnia, hot flushes, anxiety, sore joints and low energy. 
When women come onto the MyMT™ programmes, the focus is not only on sleep improvement, but also on gut health and liver improvement. This is where food is important, including the intake of healthy carbohydrates. There is so much negativity towards carbohydrates these days, but all carbs are not equal and fruits such as bananas and grains such as oats, play important roles in our midlife health. Carbohydrates that do not spike your insulin levels are known as Low Glycemic Carbohydrates.

Glycaemic Index or GI, is a measure of how slowly or quickly carbohydrates break down in your body to glucose. It is glucose that your body uses as fuel for energy but we don’t want too much or too little. A steady flow of glucose in your bloodstream is fundamental for maintaining emotional stability, preventing fatigue and managing weight and when we select carbohydrates that are not too high in a glucose rating, then these help to stabilise our energy levels, especially when we are busy.

Oats are the perfect low GI carbohydrates, and I get the women on my programme to have oats for breakfast a few times a week. These pancakes present a new way to get more oats into you, as well as healthy bananas for improved gut health too - a beautiful bonus of this great breakfast recipe (or make it for Sunday brunch).  
The MyMT™ KITCHEN: Heal your gut and help your liver with these Banana and Oat Pancakes.
Ingredients (makes enough for 1 person)

 	1 banana (slightly firm)
 	1 egg
 	1/2 cup oats
 	1 Tbsp of milk or water
 	1 tsp of cinnamon (if you like)
 	Butter or olive oil for frying
 	Toppings of your choice – nuts, seeds, low fat Greek yogurt, fruit

Method

 	Place all ingredients into a food processor.
 	Blend mixture together.
 	Place a small amount of butter or olive oil in a non-stick frying pan
on medium heat. Pour in pancake mixture. Leave for approximately
3 minutes (until the pancake is able to be flipped without breaking)
and then flip it. Repeat. 

### The MyMT™ KITCHEN: There's lots to love about a Lentil Vegetarian Loaf

Humans have known lentils (Lens culinaris L.) since the dawn of civilization. However, I don't think I ever ate lentils whilst growing up. Did you?Beans were culinary outcasts and despite my mother growing broad beans in her garden, I hardly remember eating them. Dinner nearly every night, was some type of animal meat or chicken, potatoes and a few vegies. For hungry busy kids, there was always dessert and if we had a vegetarian meal, it was the lettuce in our sandwiches tucked away in our lunchboxes. How times have changed! The lentil is an edible legume. For women in mid-life with changing cholesterol levels, they are low-fat and help to reduce cholesterol. Lentils also maintian steady blood-sugar levels and are high in protein. Even America's Martha Stewart calls them a 'super-food'. Most importantly, adding lentils to our meals helps our gut health. They are known to improve our gut microbiome, by providing resistant starches and of course, fibre. This loaf is very easy to make. It's also really healthy and if you've already got high cholesterol or you are pre-diabetic or diabetic, then give it a go. Served with salad, it's a great family meal and you can cut a perfect slice of any leftovers to put in your lunch-box the following day.The MyMT™ KITCHEN: There's lots to love about a Lentil Vegetarian LoafIngredients1 can of lentils (use green/brown)3 tablespoons flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)⅓ cup water2 tablespoons olive oil3 garlic cloves, minced1 small onion, finely diced1 small red bell pepper, finely diced1 carrot, grated1 zucchini, grated1 cup organic oats2 teaspoons dried thyme (or Italian Seasoning)1 teaspoon EACH garlic powder & onion powder1 teaspoon cumin, optionalCracked pepper & sea salt, to tasteGlaze: 3 tablespoons of organic tomato paste, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of maple syrupMethodPreheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.Make flaxseed binder: In small bowl combine flaxseed meal and ⅓ cup water, set aside for at least 10 minutes, preferably in the refrigerator. This will act as a binder and will thicken nicely upon sitting.Sauté vegetables & spices: Sauté garlic, onion, bell pepper, carrots and zucchini in oil for about 5 minutes. Add spices mixing well to incorporate. Set aside to cool.Cook lentils in a separate pan on medium heat for 5 – 10 minutes – until soft.Mix lentils, sauteed vegetables, oats and flaxseed binder in a food processor until it forms a paste. Taste, adding salt and pepper as needed, or any other herb or spice you might like.Place mixture into a loaf dish lined with baking paper and bake for approximately 45 minutes.Glaze: Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl and then spread evenly over top the loaf.

### "For the first time in 5 years I feel transformed!" [Kimberly, Brisbane]

"I love this photo because of how I felt on this day 10 days ago leaving Brisbane after the floods. 

I had been able to support my daughter during this stressful time in a calm and empowered way (post-menopausally much calmer than pre-menopausal!), and I was feeling beautiful and thankful to be showing her what is possible after a menopause transition.

But it wasn't always like this. 

Back in 2017 I didn't know about perimenopause (my breakdown to breakthrough). I had been drinking a lot of wine for a long time. I wasn't coping and this included a deep dive into a mental health challenge … a life-threatening combo of extreme anxiety and depression requiring 10 days in a voluntary mental health unit in our small town.

I didn’t want to be here anymore back then and I understand now from your programme that the liver changes with hormonal changes - just one of many things I learned about my changing body that helped me understand myself and others so much better.

NOW today, I am feeling re-born! Now I’m 2 1/2 years alcohol-free and thriving on all levels of being.

I'm excited about all that life has to offer, even with the ongoing challenges we are all facing environmentally, politically, etc. I'm originally from Georgia in the USA. I'm going there in May for the first time in 5 years TRANSFORMED! Excited to go there feeling so well. Last time I was there I was perimenopausal and felt awful.

Your program blended so well and easily into other things I have been learning about. The synergistic effect is in this photo! I recently bought roller blades so I'm looking to joyfully and courageously rolling into my future thriving! Thank you so much for your programme."

Kimberly, Brisbane, Australia 

### New Research: Can a plant-based diet with lower fat intake, reduce your hot flushes?

It’s taken a while for the research to be undertaken exploring the link between our nutrition in menopause and our hot flushes, or as they are better known in medical parlance, ‘vasomotor symptoms’. That's why I love this new research, conducted as part of new women’s studies in America.

The Women's Study for the Alleviation of VAsomotor Symptoms (WAVS), consolidates much of what I’ve been studying about the incredible link between heat production in the brain, which is where hot flushes start, temperature dysregulation in menopause and our diet. 

Whilst high-fat, high protein diets have become popular in peri-menopause and menopause for weight loss, primarily due to the marketing of the Keto diet, this type of dietary approach doesn’t sit with the women’s cardiovascular health and menopause symptom management research for women in their menopause and early post-menopause years. Convincing women of this is challenging, which is why this new research sheds some light on the type of diet we need to help reduce our hot flushes (Barnard, Kahleova et al., 2021).

I first came across Dr Neal Barnard MD, when he presented on a Diabetes Symposium at an Australasian Lifestyle Medicine conference. As a leading authority on nutrition and hormonal health, he researches and applies his findings to a broad range of health conditions – whether it be infertility and endometriosis or in the case of this very new research, hot flushes (vasomotor symptoms) in menopause.

A number of multi-ethnic women were selected for the study based on the number of hot flushes they were having day and night and then were classified into a control group, versus a dietary intervention group.

The dietary intervention group was asked to follow a low-fat, vegan diet, based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, minimise fatty foods and to have ½ cup (86 grams) of cooked soybeans daily.

The control group participants were asked to maintain their customary diets. And whilst it is well known that women on a plant-based diet generally don’t get Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) which is an intrinsic factor present in animal protein foods, both groups were provided with a daily Vitamin B12 supplement.

This is one of the strategies that I get women to consider on the MyMT™ programmes too (and get blood tests done), if they are shifting to a mainly plant-based diet and/or they are exercising heavily and still menstruating. It is well known in the sport and exercise science literature that female athletes can be low in B vitamins, including Vitamin B12.



With women who are in menopause or post-menopause however, the need for B-vitamins and folate increases if women have developed higher homocysteine levels.  Homocysteine is an amino acid or protein.

Vitamins B12, B6 and folate break down homocysteine to create other chemicals the body needs for energy. This helps to reduce increasing risk for cardiovascular disease. High homocysteine levels may mean you have a vitamin deficiency and without treatment, elevated homocysteine increases your risks for dementia, heart disease and stroke. Hence, if you are having lots of hot flushes and you have a family history of heart disease then I encourage you to get your homocysteine levels checked with your Doctor. 

But back to our plant-based, low fat, hot-flush prevention diet from Dr Barnard and his team.

What I loved about this research was the emphasis on low glycemic index carbohydrates – yes, to all of you ‘low carbohydrate, no grain’ devotees, this dietary research included whole-grains. It also included low glycemic index carbohydrates, which, if you’ve been following my posts for a while, you will know that I favour these types of carbohydrates on the MyMT™ programmes too.



What also fascinated me about this study was the discussion on cultural differences in hot flush prevalence over our lifetime. The researchers noted that in the 1980s, over 1000 women living in Japan were surveyed for reporting of hot flushes. For the Japanese participants 13% of peri-menopausal women and 15% of post-menopausal women reported positively for vasomotor symptoms. Compare this to Western countries where vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes) impact 80% of menopausal and post-menopausal women and you have the curiosity that in Japan, compared with North America, cultural and biological variables may be acting in concert to produce this variation. (Lock, 1998; Barnard, Kahleova et al, 2021).

Furthermore, with the change of diet to higher meat and protein consumption in Japan, a 2005 study reported that compared with the 1980s study, the prevalence of hot flushes in Japanese women had increased, but still hadn’t reached the prevalence data found in women living in western countries. The difference, according to Barnard et al study, was that soy intake continues to remain higher in Japan compared with the United States and Canada.



The Power of Plants for Menopause Hot Flushes

Many of you have heard me talk about the inflammatory changes that arrive in peri-menopause. With the decline of oestrogen in menopause impacting the loss of elasticity in blood vessels and nerves, as well as the known contribution of menopause insomnia on inflammation in the body, a plant based diet helps to alleviate many of these inflammatory changes.

With the right type of vegetables and fruits and plant-based proteins and fats, a variety of nutrients are provided as well as certain bioactive constituents which help to modulate immune and inflammatory processes.

When we also choose carbohydrates that have a lower glycemic index and glycemic load, our pancreas doesn’t have to work as hard to produce insulin. I often refer to the glycemic index of carbohydrate foods in my Hot Flush Module in my programmes.

In the early 1980’s researchers noted that the body digests carbohydrate-rich foods at different rates and its insulin response to each food varied. Insulin is a hormone that is often forgotten about during menopause, but when blood glucose levels are high our ageing pancreas has to produce more insulin.

But not only is it foods that contain large amounts of refined carbohydrates that are the problem, but also high fat diets too. Fats convert in the body to 3 fatty acids and one glycerol (glucose) molecule. The more fats you eat, the more glycerol your liver is converting, the more insulin you are producing. It’s a vicious cycle.

Carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index rating induce a rapid flow of glucose into the blood-stream, raising blood glucose and insulin relatively sharply. But when higher fibre carbohydrates are eaten such as plants and fruits, blood sugar levels don’t rise so quickly. This observation led researchers to the development of of the dietary concepts of glycemic index and glycemic load. Both of these systems classify foods by comparing the rise in blood glucose depending on the amount of carbohydrate eaten. If you are experiencing hot flushes and night sweats, especially following a hysterectomy, this is important information to understand! 



Carbohydrates aren't all bad! 

When I hear that women have cut out carbohydrates in the form of grains or certain starch vegetables from their diet, I despair! There is so much mis-information about the role of carbohydrates in the body, but for busy women experiencing hot flushes, it's important to have the right type of carbohydrates in your diet.

Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the body and none more so, than for busy women going through menopause. Glucose is the primary end-product of carbohydrate and is an important fuel for muscles and other cells, our nervous system and red blood cells. If you don’t have enough glucose, especially if you are an exerciser, then you have very little energy.

This is why plants are an important component of our diet. They give your body carbohydrates - which in turn helps our energy levels, reduces inflammation and subsequently, help to reduce our core temperature. Afterall, a hot flush or night sweats is a sign that your body is over-heating and trying to get rid of heat. New research and improved brain scan technology also indicates that our hot flushes start in our hypothalamus region of our brain and occur when the nerve endings thicken due to declining oestrogen. The nerve endings become inflamed. (Zhang, deVittorrio et al, 2021)

That's why scientists, including the WAVS study (Barnard et al, 2021) have increased their interest in the intake of Soybeans. The isoflavones in soybeans may help to reduce hot flushes.



If you can tolerate whole soybeans (organic preferably) then you might also like to add these to your diet. This is because of the conversion of soybeans to isoflavones. The WHAS study recommended ½ cup per day of well soaked and cooked soybeans. This delivers around 55-60 grams of isoflavones. The popularity of soybeans is that the soy isoflavones have greater affinity to oestrogen receptor-B, hence they are used to help re-balance oestrogen in the body.

When soybeans are eaten, gut bacteria change very quickly and in some women, this can cause bloating and discomfort at first, hence, some women tolerate soybeans and others don’t until they sort out their gut health as they transition menopause. If women also are on treatment for breast cancer, then some of these oestrogen-mimicking foods are also not recommended. Once again, ‘one-size doesn’t fit all’!



The greatest success of women in the MyMT™ programmes is that they become the main characters in their own lives. Like me, they now better understand that our menopause transition is a time of life, whereby we need to take back control of our health. One of these strategies is to do with our nutrition – and in this respect women in their menopause transition and in post-menopause don’t need to follow popular dietary fads of the day, but instead, follow the research.

The purpose of these articles is to help you make the right decisions and if you find it all a bit confusing, then please do consider coming onto my 12 week self-paced, online coaching programme. You won’t be alone. MyMT™ is more than a programme. We are an active community of thousands of women around the world bound together by a common goal of getting our energy, sleep and sanity back!

Achieving a reduction in our hot flushes, losing weight and restoring our health as we age, requires shifting to a primarily plant-based diet and for women, the Mediterranean Diet offers an approach that meets the scientific evidence for women’s health as we age. Whilst our symptom management isn’t ‘just’ about diet however, (sleeping all night is the main health issue to resolve), the information in MyMT™ is built on the science of health ageing specific to women and follows by 7 Pillars of Women’s Health.

I hope you can join me and my fabulous community of like-minded women sometime soon. Or at least, commence with my 2 hr Masterclass on Menopause and yes, you can 'pause' me anytime. There is a small fee for this of only NZ$15/ £10 as I host this in my private member area. The video telling you about the Masterclass is below. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Founder: MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

https://youtu.be/7EKqiCjzQR0

References: 

Barnard, N. D., Kahleova, H., Holtz, D. N., Del Aguila, F., Neola, M., Crosby, L. M., & Holubkov, R. (2021). The Women's Study for the Alleviation of Vasomotor Symptoms (WAVS): a randomized, controlled trial of a plant-based diet and whole soybeans for postmenopausal women. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 28(10), 1150–1156. 

Lock M. Menopause: lessons from anthropology. (1998). Psychosom Med. Jul-Aug;60(4):410-9. doi: 10.1097/00006842-199807000-00005. 

Watzl B. (2008). Anti-inflammatory effects of plant-based foods and of their constituents. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 78(6):293-8. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831.78.6.293. 

Zhang, Z., DiVittorio, J. et al (2021). The effects of estrogens on neural circuits that control temperature. Endocrinology, 162 (8), 1–12
doi:10.1210/endocr/bqab087

### VIDEO: Does your herb garden contain the secret to reducing your menopause anxiety?

This evergreen bushy shrub which grows along the Mediterranean Sea, in sub-Himalayan areas and fortunately, in my herb garden, wasn't mentioned by my Pharmacist when I enquired about menopause supplements for anxiety. I wish it had been. Because a few weeks later, the supplements that I did buy at the time, weren't making any difference. I still felt as if my breathing was more rapid, my heart rate was elevated and the palpitations hung around as well as the feelings of agitation and irritation. The shrub I'm talking about is Rosemary. The photo above was taken in my garden. I wish that I knew back then, what I know now about the importance of rosemary, not only as an anti-anxietal but also as an anti-inflammatory. We all know that herbal medicines and natural products have been used in ancient therapies, and whilst I'm not a Naturopath or a Pharmacist, the interest in pharmaceutical herbs that help with menopause has been increasing over the past decade. I hope that Rosemary is on the radar of Pharmaceutical and Supplement companies, interested in this age and stage of life. If it's not, it should be. And if you are feeling anxious and not on top of your nervous agitation, then perhaps you can plant some rosemary in your herb garden too?  Not only does it have anti-anxiety properties, but the intense fragrance has a wonderful calming effect as well. Menopause anxiety is enormously concerning as well as distracting us from our day to day lives. However, this is all to do with how our nervous system is changing as we age. When we understand that the decline in oestrogen is all part of our ageing and our nervous system is affected by this stage of life, then we explore the addition of powerful herbs and foods that complement whatever other strategies or interventions we might also be implementing. Female sex hormones have a strong neuro (nerve)-protective role and reduction of oestrogens during our menopausal transition is associated with multiple neuro-physiological changes. This includes inflammatiory changes on the outer nerve sheath called the myelin sheath, and a decline in the rate of conduction of the nerve impulse between nerves as well as from the nerve ending to muscles.   		
																										
		The importance of spices and herbs in the Mediterranean diet can't be over-stated. Many women living long lives in the Blue Zones regions, which includes Okinawan Island women, don't have lots of supplements typically seen in western pharmacies - their gardens are their supplement saviours according to Blue Zones researcher, Dan Buettner. When I learnt this myself as well as the powerful role that Rosemary has as an anti-anxietal herb, I began to love my herb garden just a little bit more. The leaves of many herbs can be added to cooking, such as rosemary. I tell you about it in the video below. Rosemary has potent compounds and has been used in traditional medicine to alleviate headaches, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), depression, hysteria, mental agitation, rheumatic pain, depression, anxiety and physical and mental fatigue. (Rahbardar & Hosseinzadeh, 2020). It's also a known anti-inflammatory.		
																										
		We all know that chronic stress is a manifestation of our busy lives, and emotional disorders that arrive in menopause, such as increased anxiety, place  an additional burden on us. But as oestrogen declines with our ageing, as well as the effects of our stressful lives, this becomes a 'perfect-storm' for more rapid changes to our nervous system from neuronal inflammation. Understanding that menopause is a vulnerable time for our psychological and physical wellbeing is important. As such, we need to make some changes to our lifestyle in order for our hormones to re-adjust to a 'new normal'. Adding herbs such as rosemary to our diet is just one small aspect of something that we can do to help ourselves and I explain why in the short video below. Nervous system disorders such as increased anxiety are a hallmark of menopause and numerous women, myself included, don’t understand why. As I went down the rabbit-hole of every one of my symptoms in menopause when various supplements no longer worked, I realised that I wasn’t following the evidence on the Mediterranean diet which is suited to improving women’s health as they age.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicinehttps://youtu.be/zOMc5YOzJ2IReferences: Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar M, Hosseinzadeh H. (2020). Therapeutic effects of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and its active constituents on nervous system disorders. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 23(9):1100-1112. doi: 10.22038/ijbms.2020.45269.10541.Preedy V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidenced-based approach. 2nd Edition, Elselvier Academic Press: London, England.

### "I saw how my face had changed shape over the 3 months of being with you. I hadn't noticed that until now."  [Nicola, UK]

"When I started your program it was not a diet for me, but a lifestyle change. I focused on feeling better by eating and sleeping better, rather than weight loss, and your programme gave me the strategy to do this. Then the energy came back so I could exercise more and now I feel a lot better in myself. I know the weight will drop over time with all of the additional exercise that I’m now doing too.  

When I was looking for photos to send to you, I choose one that was at the beginning of my journey when I started getting out to enjoying walking with my dog again (her name is Cho and the photo is at the lovely Carsington Water in Derbyshire in the UK). 

The second photo is about a week old which is just a plain selfie, but a photo that I actually like of myself as I don’t like most photos taken of me. When I was trying to decide which one to send you, I suddenly noticed how much my face shape had changed over the 3 month period between them, which I had not even noticed before. 

That way I focused on how I felt, rather than getting disappointed due to looking at weight loss as I knew I didn’t have the energy for that at the beginning of the programme. 

Your program has been a game changer in my life. I now feel back in control and I’ve changed so many little habits that have now made such a huge difference in my day to day life. 

I’ve even surprised myself and joined a Fitness and Health club recently. I’m really enjoying doing a fitness class every day. I have even managed to readdress my work/life balance around this too and now I have put my health and fitness first, while still finding ways to effectively achieve my work requirements.

This is something that I could have not envisaged before I started on your program and I wouldn’t have had the energy then either. I was in quite a bad place with my menopause symptoms even with being on HRT. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making your program available to help so many women like me."

Nicola, United Kingdom.

My 12 week Transform Me menopause weight loss programme is waiting for you now. In this video below I explain what is in the online programme and how it works.

Wendy 

https://youtu.be/rb9tSclfQdo

### "I used to have really bad aches in my knees, but now they've disappeared!" [Lynn, NZ]

I'm really grateful when women like Lynn, share their experience with you. Whether you are able to come onto my programme or not, I want you to take inspiration and motivation from them. I want you to understand, that yes, indeed, if you are feeling out of sorts with your symptoms, it's lifestyle changes that you need specific to your menopause transition that you need to step yourself into your healthy ageing.

Thank you Lynn for sharing.

"Firstly, I want to thank you so much for all of the wonderful knowledge and advice you have given me. It really makes sense and has made a huge difference to the way I not only exercise but also about everything I consume in a day.

I used to have really bad aches in my knees that would keep me awake at night and after changing my diet for just one week my aches disappeared and haven’t returned.  I am sleeping so much better and have not once had to get up in the night to go to the bathroom.  I actually wake up feeling refreshed and have so much more energy.  

I don’t even feel guilty about not having to run anymore, walking is so much more enjoyable, especially without the shin splints I suffered with for more than a year. 

More importantly I have halved my HRT patches to just 25 micrograms with no menopause symptoms and my goal is to be completely off HRT within the next couple of months.

I can’t thank you enough, you have completely changed the way I look at my wellbeing, not only now that I am going through post menopause but this will resonate with me for the rest of my life.

I really enjoy reading your posts and weekly emails, along with all the other woman in the group."

Lynn M., New Zealand

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: An oldie, but a goodie … when you adapt the recipe.

Here in Aotearoa/New Zealand there is a cook book that never ages. Founded in 1879, our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers have possibly had copies. It’s called the Edmond’s cookbook and I’ve had various copies over the years. Some get thrown out because the pages bear the marks of spilt flour and baking mix, making the recipes hard to read. Other copies have been packed into the kids bags when they have left to go to university. But I always have a copy in my cupboard and find that time and time again, I return to delicious, reliable recipes that have truly stood the test of time.One of these is the Date and Walnut Loaf.With the long January holiday season underway down in this part of the world, there are always visitors that arrive unexpectedly or family who have been very active, hiking, biking, or kayaking and swimming and sailing and who arrive home hungry. That’s why I have slices of this Date and Walnut Loaf in my freezer.There are so many recipe books available to us these days, but I find that many of these are not so suitable for women in their menopause transition. Afterall, we need simple food that our gut recognises and we need certain nutrients that help to reduce our symptoms and improve our cardiac health with age.Walnuts and dates provide valuable nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and fibre and I talk about these foods in my programmes. With an emphasis on reducing or removing white sugar, I’ve altered the amount in this recipe. I've also chosen to make a gluten-free loaf and used a gluten-free baking mix. To add dry mixture that is a bit healthier and higher in protein, I've also adapted the recipe to add in ½ cup of LSA (ground Linseed, Sunflower and Almonds). 100 grams of LSA yields 20 grams of protein. 		
																										
		To make the recipe more MyMT™ compatible, I also only used ¼ cup of organic sugar but sweetened the recipe with ¼ cup of a good quality Canadian maple syrup and ½ cup of orange juice as well as organic raisins.I hope you enjoy making this (adapted) Edmonds Cookbook Date and Walnut Loaf.DATE AND BANANA LOAF … with some slight adaptations1 cup chopped dates1 cup boiling water1 tsp baking soda (dissolved in 1 tablespoon of boiling water)1 tbsp butter½ cup brown sugar2 tbsp maple syrup½ an orange juiced1 egg beaten1 cup chopped walnuts¼ tsp vanilla essence2 cups of GF flour or GF Baking Mix½ cup of ground LSA (Linseed, Sunflower, Almond mix).[1 tsp GF baking powder – omit this if you have bought GF Baking Mix]Chop the dates up into small pieces and place in a jug with the boiling water to soak for around 15-20 minutes. I also add a handful of organic raisins.Melt the butter and mix in the sugar in a baking bowl. Beat this with the egg. Add the maple syrup, vanilla essence and orange juice and mix together. Add the date mixture to this and the dissolved baking soda.  Slowly add the flour and LSA mixture and stir this into the other ingredients. If you are adding baking powder, then you can add this now, unless you are using a flour that already has baking powder added.The mixture should be moist and at cake consistency, so add a bit more flour if you need to. Pour mixture into a greased and lined 22cm loaf tin. Bake at 180C or 356F for about 45 minutes or until the loaf springs back when lightly touched.Leave in tin for 10 minutes before removing. Enjoy.Don't forget that for those of you who join me on the MyMT™ Transform Me programme throughout the month of January on my annual sale, you also get optional bonus modules on joint health, gut health, intermittent fasting and heart health. As well, there is my beautiful Food Guide and Recipe Book with over 100 recipes sourced from around the world and which meet my criteria for helping our weight loss and symptom reduction. Wendy 

### "As a busy nurse doing shift work, I used to feel exhausted. I’m now 13kg lighter, fitter and happier."   [Lydia, Australia]

The feelings of exhaustion when you are doing shift work are almost overwhelming. But you push on and keep going because this is what you have to do. But not sleeping is the turning-point for our health and all Lydia wanted was to feel healthy and energetic again. As a busy nurse doing shift work, this was not only essential to the job she enjoyed, but she knew that how she was feeling with such low energy during menopause, wasn’t allowing her to do the things she wanted to achieve in mid-life.“Tired, pains and aches all over my body, stiff neck and nearly frozen shoulder, overweight, big and sore breasts, depressed, emotional, sleepless nights. That was me a year ago.”Women like Lydia deserve to feel better in mid-life. With so many women busy juggling all sorts of personal and work commitments, understanding how to manage ourselves during menopause is crucial. It’s all I could think of in designing the MyMT™ programmes - I just didn’t want women to feel as unhealthy as I felt when I went through menopause myself.That's why, when I first read Lydia’s email that she sent me, it was like déjà vu. I had all those symptoms too. But when we make small but powerful changes to our lifestyle to allow our body to adapt to a new hormonal environment during our menopause transition, then we don't need to use medications and supplements to help us get through menopause. Meeting Lydia at the Brisbane seminar when I was on the road with my Masterclass on Menopause was incredible.  		
																										
		Getting underway with the ‘Transform Me’ programme and then moving on to the 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme next, I looked forward to her updates. “By the way, have lost nearly 6kg. Feeling so good” was her email after only a few months.
Photos of her bike-rides and beautiful seaside walks on the Gold Coast in Australia appeared in the coaching pages and they were so inspirational to all of us. It's what I love about the support in the MyMT coaching community. 
It wasn’t all plain-sailing as she mentioned when I met her in Brisbane at my live event, “The journey had ups and downs but with determination and perseverance I reached my goals.” Having just returned from a visit to Europe, Lydia looked a picture of health when I met her at the Brisbane seminar.
“I’m 12kg lighter, fitter and happier. Looking forward for my next stage of life. I have a new job, new goals and I now feel as if I’m in charge of my life and it is so completely different from where I was a year ago. I can’t thank you for the programme enough.”
Lydia, Australia. 		
																										
		The peri and postmenopausal period constitutes a challenging transition time for women's health, and menopausal health is a crucial aspect in healthy and successful ageing. If you are struggling to make sense of your symptoms and menopause weight gain and the lifestyle choices that will help you adapt to this life stage, then perhaps you would like to join me on my annual January intake and sale. Click on the link below to learn more. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. [Learn more about me HERE].MyMT™ 2022 Annual Sale NOW ON

### "The future is this moment, not some place out there." [Tina Turner]

Her final movie is simply called 'Tina'. It's her farewell documentary as she  bows away from an extraordinary and exhausting career. Many of you, like me, may have followed her music for decades, and as the Christmas break is always a time for me to catch up on my 'bucket-list' of movies, watching 'Tina' was top of the list.I thought I knew her story having read her book a couple of years ago, but this time, there she was, talking about her health and at one stage, having a hot flush and a moment of brain fog - yes, even Tina! The difference was that she had her makeup artist standing beside her, mopping her brow. As you do when you're Tina Turner. I like to think that our generation can learn a lot from older women and how they are ageing. This was a distinct theme in my doctoral research. The women whom I was interviewing were very clear that they were trying to change their health in their 50s because they 'didn't want to age like their mother'.Every single one of them mentioned this as the primary driving force behind their quest to become healthier in mid-life. Except, they had no reference point for how to achieve this. Thus, many of my study subjects were reliant on information gleaned from those they interacted with in the course of their daily life, with no scientific reference point as to what information was valid and what wasn't. That's why I was interested in what Tina had to say about her changing health. It's a lesson for all of us. A stroke in her 70s was the culmination of years of high blood pressure ... which she ignored. To the point that kidney disease arrived to escort her into her older age. I also remember reading this in her book,  "I was already a high-risk patient but my risk escalated when tests showed that my heart had been damaged by so many years of high blood pressure: the muscle was enlarged and the vessels calcified."  [p. 262].High blood pressure (hypertension) found it's way to me in menopause and I wondered if this was the same entry point for Tina. I've written a lot about this aspect of our health in menopause in my blogs this year, and how declining levels of oestrogen as well as aspects of our lifestyle (past and present) lead to a condition that is known as vascular stiffness. It was the same for Tina. Heart disease remains the number 1 health concern as women age in New Zealand, Australia, America and the UK. [WHO, 2017], yet numerous books which purport to be in the 'Top 10 Best-sellers' about menopause that sit on my bookshelf or on my kindle, fail to mention this crucial piece of the healthy-ageing puzzle.As well, if you are post-menopausal and getting hot flushes, then don't forget, this is because your blood vessels and other organs are ageing and changing. This is why I'm always telling you to change your lifestyle to better accommodate the physiological changes that arrive in our menopause years. As Tina rightly mentions, "the future is this moment, not some place out there."  Wise words that we can all learn from indeed.		
																										
		With the days flying into the New Year, I wanted to encourage you to start to think about how you might be able to make some changes to your lifestyle. If you already have health changes or musculo-skeletal challenges that have arrived in your menopause years, or menopause hormonal changes have made existing health concerns worse, then yes, it's not only about taking medications or supplements for menopause but also about making changes to your lifestyle too.As we end 2021, I wanted to remind you what I believe are some of the main factors to address during our menopause and post-menopause years. 		
																										
		1.Your body is ageing and these age-related changes lead to inflammation or the inflammation is already there based on your current lifestyle. In ageing research, this is now known as 'inflammaging' - and this is why I often say that menopause symptoms are a sign that your body is out of balance, not due to your hormones, but due to ageing changes.  2. Menopause related insomnia leads to worsening symptoms because your body isn't healing and recovering adequately overnight. Tina Turner mentions being an insomniac in both her book and her recent documentary - late nights after concerts and not falling asleep until the early hours. As such, her circadian rhythm would have been out of balance for decades. Not only does our circadian rhythm affect our sleep, but the working of other organs too - especially our gut. If you aren't sleeping then your blood pressure doesn't drop overnight, nor does insulin and your stress hormone called cortisol - as such, immune health changes and for millions of women, they experience weight gain as they move towards post-menopause. 		
																										
		3. When we are feeling stressed in our mind and body (emotional stress and oxidative (cellular) stress, brain fog, anxiety, depression, gut health, and muscle aches and pains become worse. The research connecting both emotional and oxidative stress to menopause symptoms and heart disease is well evidenced. One can only imagine the years of emotional stress that the incredible Tina suffered. However, there is more to this too and that is the high levels of activity over many years that Tina experienced. The connection between not sleeping, high levels of physical activity and inflammation in joints, muscles (including cardiac muscle) and tissues, leads to increased inflammation and what is known as 'oxidative stress'. When inflammation is high in the body, blood pressure changes too.		
																										
		4. Menopause-specific metabolic risks increase leading to weight gain in numerous women as they transition menopause and move into post-menopause. This is primarily due to liver and gut health changes which affect fat and protein metabolism in women. This is why a high-fat, high protein diet that are very popular these days, may not suit some women and why many women struggle to lose weight and keep it off, especially around the breast and abdominal areas. 		
																										
		Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing and in an age of anti-ageing and resisting ageing, many women may not understand that when oestrogen levels decline, there are numerous structural changes that occur in our body. So, when we keep doing the exercise that we've done, eating the way we have eaten for decades and living the life that we have lived, sometimes our body fights back - usually in the form if increasing inflammation. As Tina's did too.Mid-life women have so much more to offer society, and this is why I felt that we were being forgotten when it came to knowing what to do to navigate menopause and post-menopause with our health intact!This is why I decided to only target women in their menopause transition with the design of the MyMT™ programmes - many other lifestyle adjustment programmes are not specific to menopause. However, with vascular and muscular changes increasing our risk of heart disease as we age, we need to know what to change and why - this is the essence of the programmes. For example, one of the supplements that I recommend to women on my programmes, is nothing to do with menopause, but all to do with our heart health and ageing research.I've talked about a compound called CoQ10 in oast articles. This powerful enzyme helps oxygen get taken up into our mitochondria, including heart mitochondria, and thanks to American Cardiologist, Dr Stephen Sinatra, it's well evidenced that levels of this enzyme decline as we age. This research wasn't available to our mother's generation, but we can use this knowledge wisely. Just a note of caution though and that is, that many CoQ10 supplements doses are very high. The original research was on doses of 60-80mg, so please check with your Doctor, Naturopath or Pharmacist about whether it is suitable for you, especially if you are on medications, including HRT and/or anti-depressants. 		
																										
		So, how are your symptoms going? Are you sleeping all night? Are your hot flushes, night sweats mood swings, cardiac palpitations or joint pain getting you down? Or is that weight stacking on and no amount of dieting or exercise is controlling it? If so, then will you join me?   
Whilst I do have two menopause-specific lifestyle change programmes (both online), I'm excited that I have the TRANSFORM ME weight loss programme ON SALE for you now.
Created for the reduction of my own symptoms, including turning around my blood pressure and sleep, when endless supplements and hormone therapies didn't work (Read my Story HERE), and based on my women's healthy ageing research, everything you learn, will simply, transform you.
Please use the promo code ATHOME22 throughout the pandemic to access your savings of NZ$50. 
Part-payment options are available over 3 months too, making this fabulous programme better suited to your budget. My video explaining the sale is below. It would be my privilege to support you, because as Tina said, 'the future is this moment, not some place 'out there'. 
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 
References:Angeli, F., Reboldi, G., Trapasso, M., Aita, A., & Verdecchia, P. (2019). Managing hypertension in 2018: which guideline to follow?. Heart Asia, 11(1), e011127. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartasia-2018-011127Babiker FA, De Windt LJ, van Eickels M, Grohe C, Meyer R, Doevendans PA. Estrogenic hormone action in the heart: regulatory network and function. Cardiovasc Res. 2002;53(3):709-719. doi:10.1016/s0008-6363(01)00526-0Douma, L. G., & Gumz, M. L. (2018). Circadian clock-mediated regulation of blood pressure. Free radical biology & medicine, 119, 108–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.11.024Kateepe-Arachi T. & Sanjay, S. (2016). Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Understanding Symptoms and Risk Factors. European Cardiology Review 2017;12(1):10–3.Lima, R., Wofford, M., & Reckelhoff, J. F. (2012). Hypertension in postmenopausal women. Current hypertension reports, 14(3), 254–260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-012-0260-0Sinatra, S. (2011). The Sinatra Solution. California: Basic Health PublicationsTurner T., Davis D. & Wichman, D. (2018). My Love Story: Tina Turner, The Autobiography. Penguin Random House: London, UKZhou, B., Danaei, G. ... Ezzati, M. (2019). Long-term and recent trends in hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in 12 high-income countries: an analysis of 123 nationally representative surveys. The Lancet, 394 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31145-6

### VIDEO: Season's Greetings from Wendy and I explain the real reason that menopause matters to our health as we age.

It's been an interesting year on so many fronts and here we are at the end of another year. Not only with all the pandemic chaos and the frustrations and disruptions, but also because of the women from around the world who join me on my programme. They keep me on my toes with their questions and queries about their menopause symptoms. One of the things I often say however, is that menopause isn't just about hot flushes - there are so many other things going on inside our body to do with our ageing.For example, it is becoming well known that our cardiovascular health is uniquely related to the severity and frequency of our hot flushes. Something that I became aware of when exploring the cardiovascular research and it's relevance to women's health as they aged. As I've often mentioned in my articles this year, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women as they move into post-menopause, but there isn't enough focus on this during menopause. And there should be.The focus on our menopause symptoms has primarily been on hormonal changes associated with menopause, but recent data has also considered how other menopause-related factors, including menopausal symptoms, relate to changing CVD risk in women. [Thurston, Chang et al, 2016]. One of these factors relates to changes to the lining of our blood vessels. This is known as vascular stiffness and is partly caused by some changes to the thickness of our arteries, which occurs during menopause. If you are already in post-menopause and still experiencing hot flushes, then this is why.  Which is why this year, as part of the continual development of the MyMT™ programmes, I have explored women's heart health and have a brand new module waiting for you in the programmes that focuses on the evidenced lifestyle solutions that we need to put into place as we move through menopause to reduce vascular stiffness. Yes, it's that important!I hope you enjoyed my articles on women's heart health earlier this year - I have more to come on this topic as well as our metabolic changes and weight gain in the New Year as my January sale gets underway. [It is already open if you are interested in joining me for a health and weight re-set in early 2022]. 		
																										
		As the year has progressed I hope that you have been able to enjoy my newsletters and the information that I share with you. It's my privilege to be able to do this with you. The end of the year is pretty frenetic for women, so I have made you this brief video during the week to share my thoughts with you. I hope you can listen to it when you get time. Watch out for my emails coming your way over the next month too - these have my annual JANUARY sale information in them. It would be such a privilege to have you join me on the weight loss programme called Transform Me. Enjoy your festive season celebrations and I look forward to you joining me in 2022. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. https://youtu.be/Mih23gNCrBwReference:Thurston RC, Chang Y, Barinas-Mitchell E, Jennings JR, Landsittel DP, Santoro N, von Känel R, Matthews KA. (2016). Menopausal hot flashes and carotid intima media thickness among midlife women. Stroke. 47(12):2910-2915. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.014674. 

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: Make my delicious Cheese Ball – it’s a winner on Christmas morning!

Is it time for my Christmas CHEESE-BALL recipe to restore the soul? I hope so ...My Christmas Cheese Ball recipe is an oldie, but a goodie. Like many old recipes there are memories attached. I first tasted this Cheese Ball when it was bought into the ICU when I was a former nurse and working on Christmas afternoon. We were all tasked with bringing in food so our small team could celebrate Christmas at work. I'm sure many of you who are nurses have done the same over the years.This was a recipe bought in by one of my colleagues and it didn't last long, so we all wrote down the recipe and I've made it nearly every Christmas since, as well as throughout the year when social events demand 'a plate'.Mine is all made and in the freezer where it will stay until Christmas Eve when I take it out and put it in the fridge to thaw. When it's still busy at work and we are trying to finish off the year, it's nice to make simple, delicious recipes ahead of time. If you serve this with Gluten Free and Dairy Free Crackers as well as chopped carrot and celery sticks, then it won't last long when you serve it, believe me. There is a lot of movement away from dairy products in the diet these days, and yes, I do encourage this for women who are oestrogen dominant and overweight, but when it comes to cardiac health research, then there is room for some dairy in our diet as we age and I've written about this in past articles. Even in the Meditteranean Diet, there is some dairy eaten although not as much as what is typically eaten in western countries. "With moving to New Zealand from the Netherlands" mentioned Tineke in her email to me last year, "I was having too much dairy product, so I reduced my milk intake and eat more avocado now as well as follow your principles for my nutrition in menopause.”Culture has a lot to do with the intake of dairy products and New Zealand is no exception - we love our dairy products. But as Tineke found, the total accumulation of dairy products in our diet all add up - milk, cream, cheese, yoghurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, the ubiquitous flat-white coffee and of course, milk-powder based protein powders ... and don't forget the ice-cream. Not many visitors to NZ leave, without falling in love with the hokey-pokey ice-cream.Cheese and yogurt are eaten regularly in the traditional Mediterranean diet, but in low to moderate amounts. How much is that? Well, it depends on what you want the dairy products to achieve. Are you thinner and do a lot of exercise? If so, then you can have up to 3-4 servings a day.Whilst the calcium in cheese and yogurt is important for bone and heart health, too many dairy products for those of you with heavy breasts, can lead to additional weight gain and bloating. I discovered this myself. If this is you, this programme isn't about 'no-dairy' (unless you have a clinically diagnosed fatty liver), but it is about following the women's heart health research, which suggests that we need to move to low-fat, or no-fat dairy. And only 2 servings a day.		
																										
		When we are all so busy in our everyday lives, then it's important to prepare ahead as much as we can. I hope that those of you who are rushed to the max this week, can shop for the ingredients and make this sometime this week ready for Christmas.Here is the recipe:The MyMT™ Kitchen: Cheese Ball1 cup grated tasty cheese1 x 250 gm tub of good quality Cream Cheese1 tsp Worcestershire sauce3 Tbsp Butter¼ Cup chopped gherkins/ spring onions (often I just buy a small jar of capers and use these rather than gherkins)2 x gloves garlic1-2 tablespoons relish [in New Zealand I use Barker's Farmhouse Relish]In a warm bowl combine all the cheeses, butter and all ingredients and mix through. Line a small/ Medium freezer-proof bowl (I use a pyrex bowl) with tin foil and sprinkle some sesame seeds on the tin foil. Then place the mixture on top of the sesame seeds and pat it all down. Place into the freezer.Take it out 12 hours before you will serve it and all you do is to tip it upside down on a platter and peel off the tin-foil. The sesame seeds will then be on top. Add the carrot, celery sticks and the Seed-Crackers and I will put the recipe for these up for you tomorrow.I hope you enjoy making my wonderful Christmas Cheese Ball to serve for family and friends. Hundreds of the ladies in my coaching community have made this recipe over the years and love it, which is why I wanted to share it with you this year too. Bon appetit and Merry Christmas, Wendy 

### Losing your Christmas Cheer may be more than just end-of-year exhaustion.

I still remember the Christmas when I went into peri-menopause. It's usually a time of year I love, but back then, all I could think to myself, was 'I really can't be bothered. I have no motivation for Christmas cheer'. With no energy for shopping, no motivation for social events and feeling conscious about how overweight and bloated I felt, as well as Christmas drinks setting off endless hot flushes, all I wanted to do was to stay home and put my feet up!We all know it's been a year to forget and we often blame stress, work, the pandemic etc etc, but if you add to this, the fact that your changing oestrogen levels in menopause can also have a negative impact on your mood and motivation, then it's a double-whammy for women in mid-life. With Christmas festivities just around the corner, if you've lost your Christmas cheer this year and you are as confused as I was, then don't despair because here is what's really going on to make you feel so exhausted.		
																										
		Most of us know that it's our brain hormones that control our mood, motivation and mojo - but menopause hormonal changes impact on these hormones too. One of these brain hormones is serotonin - a powerful hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. This hormone impacts your entire body as does oestrogen - both hormones work together in the body.Serotonin enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other. Furthermore, Serotonin also helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion.Oestrogen also acts everywhere in the body, including the parts of the brain that control emotion. Some of oestrogen's effects include increasing serotonin and the number of serotonin receptors in the brain. (Epperson, Amin et al, 2012). It makes sense that as oestrogen levels decline in menopause, then serotonin production and function is affected too. If you are on anti-depressants, then this is why. But there is more to our changing mood and motivation than just changing serotonin production.Because of the powerful connection between your pituitary, thyroid and adrenal hormones, if you aren't sleeping, or if you are overweight, or you feel stressed, or your gut health isn't ideal, then these other hormones get out of balance too. Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that control a host of metabolic functions in your body. During our menopause transition, they are also affected by changing oestrogen and progesterone levels. If you are experiencing worsening symptoms, then it's not just oestrogen and progesterone that are getting out of balance, but other hormones too - simply because these other hormones are trying to re-balance the internal environment to help your survival!		
																										
		Knowledge is truly power when it comes to our mid-life menopause transition and it's my passion to position menopause symptom management in specific scientifically-evidenced lifestyle change strategies. For too long, managing our menopause symptoms and our weight gain has been positioned in endless diets, exhausting exercise, or various supplements and medications, but it doesn't have to be like this as numerous women on the MyMT™ programmes discover. So, if you have lost your Christmas cheer this year, then here's what you need to understand:Low oestrogen causes your mood hormone, called serotonin, to decrease. This then has a spiral effect on your sleep hormone called melatonin. It's also why, when you aren't sleeping, it's hard to stay motivated. But what's worse, when your serotonin levels are low and you can't sleep, then your brain craves more sugar. Knowing that you may experience more cravings means that you can prepare some healthy snacks to have on hand and some sparkling water as well, especially if you know that alcohol is going to send your hot flushes soaring.		
																										
		Eat foods that boost your mood. But also be aware that our gut health changes as we move through menopause because our gut lining becomes thinner with the loss of oestrogen. [That's why as part of the MyMT™ programmes, I have a Gut Health Module for you as a stand-alone module and it's included as part of all my 12 week programmes too]. If women have changing gut health or a fatty liver, then the absorption of an important mood-hormone called Tryptophan may be negatively impacted.Tryptophan is a protein an is one of the master-building-blocks to not only make serotonin, our mood hormone, but also our sleep hormone, melatonin. I talk about this in my online MASTERCLASS ON MENOPAUSE  as well which I hope you have time to listen to over the festive season break.		
																										
		Don't rush around! If you are continually busy (and who isn't at this time of year?), then your lovely adrenal glands, where your stress hormones are produced, stays in over-drive as you rush around getting everything done. If you aren't sleeping, then these stress hormones get out of balance. When this happens we produce more of our chronic stress hormone called Cortisol and the continual production of cortisol, makes our lovely calming progesterone decline too rapidly in contrast to oestrogen. The result?  Increased feelings of anxiety and depression, increased bloating and your motivation drops lower. You can't get off the couch at the end of the day.When progesterone crashes, then it's not available to make your happy-hormones in your brain, because it's being all used up to keep making cortisol. The condition is known as pregnenolone-steal or 'progesterone-steal'.It took me a long time to pull this puzzle together and explore it in the context of menopause, because I first became aware of it as a sport and exercise educator, as burnt-out, over-trained female athletes experience this phenomenon too.  Nobody I went to explained that part of the reason for my lack of motivation was the perfect-storm between not sleeping, high cortisol and low progesterone. If you have foggy brain, then this is why. 		
																										
		As we go into the end of the year, I hope that you can reflect on the year that was and congratulate yourself for getting through it!If you've been experiencing worsenimg symptoms in menopause, then give yourself an extra pat on the back. You've done it tough - menopause and the pandemic. I so understand how you've been feeling. But like our menopause transition, we must also focus, not on the past, but on the future -  so put my favourite saying on your notice-board, "Don't look back, you aren't going that way now."2021 has been a busy and challenging year for all of us, so I hope that you can enjoy the festive season where-ever you are in the world. I have so many women who join me from around the globe and whilst we all live in far-flung places, we are all connected through menopause - I love that! My annual January sale intake is coming up so if you are feeling a bit lost and want to join me on the 12 week Transform Me weight loss programme, then please watch out for my upcoming emails in your inbox or junk mail from after Christmas. "Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Thank you for being part of the MyMT™ community. I love writing blogs for you and if you have time over the Christmas break, then there are many more on the My Menopause Transformation website. Sending you aroha/ love from Aotearoa/ New Zealand. " Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT™ Founder and Women's Healthy Ageing Lifestyle Researcher. 		
																										
		References:Epperson, C. N., Amin, Z., Ruparel, K., Gur, R., & Loughead, J. (2012). Interactive effects of estrogen and serotonin on brain activation during working memory and affective processing in menopausal women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 37(3), 372–382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.07.007

### New Research: How do our partners cope with our menopause changes?

'Do most marraiges end during our menopause years? (Apparently yes they do!) and 'How do I get my husband to understand menopause?' (Education!) - according to google, these are the two most frequently asked questions in relation to partner/ spouse's reactions to menopause. I was thinking about this very topic last week. Margo and Errol had come into the cafe that morning. She approached my table - "Wendy, is that you?" was the query. There was Margo standing there with hubbie, Errol. Once introductions were made, he reached over to give me a hug. "I've got my wife back thanks to your programme" he beamed. Margo just laughed. When I enquired what had changed, she mentioned that she was now sleeping and had more energy and had lost track of how much weight she had lost, "probably about 8kg" she said. As I chatted away to them both, we all agreed that none of us really knew about menopause, especially Errol. As a South African living in New Zealand, he acknowledged that even over there, it wasn't a topic of male-discussion. That's what made me curious about men and menopause. Their reactions, attitudes and experiences. Thank goodness for qualitative research to help me explore this topic and in the lead up to Christmas and New Year, I thought you may be interested .... and perhaps your partner/spouse might have time to listen to my Masterclass on Menopause with you. [I've made it free to you (and him) for the next 5 days, when you apply the promo code ONLINE21.]It's quite extraordinary that it's taken until quite recently that studies have been published exploring how our spouse's react to menopause. "Challenges faced by women during their menopausal phases do not only revolve around them, but also their respective spouse" states a 2018 report, which explored spouse's (male) reactions to menopause changes in their wives. [Hassan, Hussain, Sulaiman, Nor, & Kadir, 2018].However, male spouses’ perceptions of and attitudes toward female menopause are important factors affecting a menopausal women’s quality of life as well as the stress she is feeling about her symptoms. From my own experience, I would wholeheartedly agree. Do you?I found that my own symptoms were distracting (especially my weight gain) and it was difficult to discuss exactly how I was feeling with hubbie. At the time, I didn't have any solutions except to go on HRT (made me feel worse) and spend lots of money on supplements - most only worked for a short time. The day that hubbie ordered Sleep-drops for me, was the day that I realised how much my lack of sleep, low energy and mood swings were impacting the family as well. Thank goodness for my research. Do you know what your spouse is thinking about menopause? And does he/ she know what you are going through? Or are you, as I did, hiding how you are really feeling? - If you are, then don't worry, according to the research, you aren't alone it seems. 		
																										
		More than 50% of middle-aged women experience frequent menopuase-related symptoms (Pajalic & Raboteg-Saric, 2020). That's why I believe that the Men's perception and Attitudes Toward mEnopause (MATE) survey conducted in America offers an important contribution to our understanding of what our partners may be experiencing too. This survey was designed to gauge men's awareness of menopausal symptoms and understanding of menopause and its treatment options, evaluate the impact of menopausal symptoms on men, and determine the influence of men on their partner's menopausal symptom management. [Parish, Faubian et al, 2019]. The results are similar to another study conducted in Malaysia exploring similar issues with Malaysian spouses. (Intan, Hussain & Kadir, 2019). Both studies report that the menopause experience of their wives, also affects them. The MATE survey reported that 63% of survey respondents responded that their wives symptoms had personally affected them and that this placed an emotional strain on their relationships - these were reported as arguments, felt unappreciated, increased tension. Furthermore, there was also reduced frequency of sex/intimacy and their wive's symptoms contributed to their own trouble sleeping.Some men also noted that it was upsetting or frustrating to see their partners going through this transition. Most men affected by menopausal symptoms believed the symptoms had a very or somewhat negative impact on them, their relationships or their partners (70%). Only 10% of men in the MATE-study thought the symptoms had a positive influence on them, their relationships, and partners. Interesting - and why am I not surprised! 		
																										
		What were the main reasons given by men for how menopause changes in their wives was affecting them?  The most frequnetly reported reason for the men having negative reactions towards their wives symptoms, was simply 'lack of knowledge'.In the MATE study, the researchers found that whilst men were aware of their partners’ symptoms, they didn't consistently relate these to menopause! And it seems that marketing isn't quite reaching the men either - just over half of the men in the study knew that in general, medical treatments were available for menopausal symptoms, however, their knowledge of what these specific treatment options were, was limited. (Parish, Faubion et al, 2019). Other factors that were culturally driven also impacted the men's reactions as well. In some of the studies, this cultural influence went both ways - i.e. the women didn't want to talk to their spouse about their symptoms because they were embarrassed and/or the men didn't talk about their wive's symptoms, because they didn't know enough about them. It was a topic that is hard to talk about, especially when, from a cultural perspective, talking about personal concerns isn't customary. (Dillaway, 2008; Intan et al, 2019). Dillaway's research talking to wives about how they felt about spouse involvement in their menopause transition was enlightening. Many of the wives she spoke to felt unsupported and subsequently this impacted their emotional distress.It's tough out there isn't it?		
																										
		Reading all of this research got me wondering if your partner/ spouse would be interested in watching the Masterclass on Menopause with you? If so, then I've made it FREE for the next 5 days!With most of the studies and even the World Health Organisation mentioning that education is the step in the right direction for partner's/ spouse to better understand menopause, I would love you to get my Masterclass on Menopause webinar as my complimentary gift to you and your spouse to watch. The details are below. When I was taking my live events and travelling throughout Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom before the pandemic took over, I often got women emailing me beforehand to ask if it was OK if their partner came along to the event. I would always try to give the partner a complimentary ticket, because I so believe that a problem shared is a problem-halved.My own husband was very confused about menopause, as was I and yes, there were times when I felt unsupported as well. That's why I'm passionate about educating men as to what is really going on at this life stage. I especially want your spouse and other members of your family to know that there are some lifestyle changes you can make, to help you with the management of your symptoms. I introduce you to these in the Masterclass. I know myself that we often get so focused on looking after the family and providing for them, that our own needs go to the bottom of the heap. But lifestyle behaviour-change research for middle-age women consistently reports that if we are going to make changes to our diet, exercise, stress levels and sleep patterns, we must get support in the home (Anderson, 2008). This is imperative! As my support for you (and your partner/spouse), after a very tough year, then please accept my FREE Masterclass on Menopause (usually NZ$15) for you both to listen to. Whilst it's 2 hrs long, you can 'pause' me anytime and you have access for 3 months. But it's only available free until Sunday, December 19th, so don't delay. You just apply the promo code ONLINE21Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from me to you. I know it's been a tough year on so many fronts for many of you, as it has been for many women on the MyMT™ programmes, so my thoughts are with you.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder of MyMT™/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
													
															
		References:Anderson, R. (2008) Exercise and dietary behaviour change in a sample of midlife Australian women. PhD by Publication, Queensland University of Technology.Ayers B., Forshaw M., Hunter M. (2010). The impact of attitudes towards the menopause on women's symptom experience: a systematic review. Maturitas. 65(1):28-36. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2009.10.016. Epub 2009 Dec 1. PMID: 19954900.Dillaway H, Byrnes M, Miller S, Rehan S. (2008). Talking "among us": how women from different racial-ethnic groups define and discuss menopause. Health Care Women Int. 29(7):766-81. doi: 10.1080/07399330802179247. PMID: 18663634.Hassan, I. I., Hussain, N. H. N., Sulaiman, Z., Nor, M. Z. M., & Kadir, A. A. (2018). A Review of Spouse’s Reactions to Menopausal-Related Changes. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(6), 1224–1236.Pajalić, Z., & Raboteg-Šarić , Z. . (2020). Determinants of menopause-related symptoms in women during the transition to menopause and the postmenopausal period – A systematic literature review. Journal of Health Sciences, 10(1), 1–33. https://doi.org/10.17532/jhsci.2020.885Rodolpho JR, Cid Quirino B, Komura Hoga LA, Lima Ferreira Santa Rosa P. (2016). Men's perceptions and attitudes toward their wives experiencing menopause. J Women Aging. 28(4):322-33. doi: 10.1080/08952841.2015.1017430. Epub 2016 Apr 4. PMID: 27044440.Parish, SJ. Faubion, S., Weinberg, M., Bernick, B., & Mirkin, S. (2019). The MATE survey: men's perceptions and attitudes towards menopause and their role in partners’ menopausal transition, Menopause: 26(10), 1110-1116 doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001373

### The MyMT™ Kitchen: BEETROOT HUMMUS on your Mediterranean Platter

Diet is established among the most important influences on health in modern societies and none more so, than in mid-life. With increasing inflammation from not sleeping, too much or not enough exercise, the wrong diet for our health as we age, becoming overweight and of course, from the incredible changes to our liver, gut and muscles during menopause, these are all detrimental to our ageing. Inflammation speeds up the rate of ageing.  The good news is, with the right approach to your lifestyle in menopause, you can ‘age-well’ and slow down the rate of inflammation in your blood vessels. One of these compounds is beet or beetroot. It contains betaine and I tell you about this in the video. The other type of food that is evidenced to reduce depression are chickpeas. Yes! I talk about these in the video below and I explain why chickpeas help to improve serotonin production in the brain. Good to know if you are on menopause-related anti-depressants. https://youtu.be/CB77IX6MEZUThe MyMT™ Kitchen: Beautiful BEETROOT HUMMUSThis recipe makes enough for two jars. I recommend freezing some to keep it on hand, but if you don't want to do this then just half the mixture. Note – if you don’t like beetroot, you could follow the same recipe but use red peppers or a herb (like coriander).4 medium cloves of garlic (sliced)2 spring onions (scallions) chopped2 cans of chickpeas (or use dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked) - make sure you drain and rinse the canned chickpeas.handful of parsley and I added 3 Kale leaves (medium)6 tablespoons of tahini (this is crushed sesame seeds, so I used 1/4 cup of sesame seeds that I had in the pantry).Juice of 2 freshly squeezed lemons1 teaspoon salt (I used organic iodised sea salt not Himalayan salt).4 small-medium beetroot, baked with a small amount of olive oil on low heat until soft. Then cooled.Place the garlic, spring onions, parsley and kale (optional) in the food processor or blender. Mince this up.Add the rinsed chickpeas, tahini (or sesame seeds), lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the lemon-infused olive oil) and salt. Then the cooked beetroot. Puree until it becomes a thick paste.Cut up carrot sticks, celery, red peppers and place on a plate to serve with the hummus and yes, some organic corn chips as well.		
																										
		Could consumption of tryptophan-rich foods play a role in reducing the prevalence of depression and aggression? The question above was posted in an article written by Dr Simon Young (PhD), over there in McGill University in beautiful Canada (hi to you all over there!). “This may sound exaggerated” he mentioned in his article on lifestyle solutions to increase serotonin levels in the brain, “but positive mood within the normal range is an important predictor of health and longevity and better mood is associated with higher blood levels of serotonin. As such, there are lifestyle solutions that can be put into place to boost serotonin levels, including foods that supply tryptophan, which helps the brain to make serotonin.” If you have some hummus in the fridge, or you like to make your own, (as I managed to do in the photo attached), then you are doing a wonderful job of increasing your serotonin levels. I’m sharing this insight with you, because according to the research by Dr Young, there are two foods that are the most powerful to increase a protein (amino acid) called tryptophan, which, unlike other proteins, actually gets across the blood-brain barrier to where we need it the most. These foods are: 1. Chickpeas.2. Milk. Turkey and bananas also contain tryptophan, but the knowledgeable Dr Young says that in higher protein foods such as turkey, chicken and other meat proteins, there is too much competition from the various amino acids in these foods, for tryptophan to get into the brain. Which is where it's needed for boosting serotonin production. As he mentions: “There is competition between the various amino acids for the brain transport system. So, after the ingestion of a meal containing a large amount of protein, the rise in plasma level of the other large amino acids will prevent the rise in in the plasma tryptophan from increasing brain tryptophan.” Tryptophan helps to make serotonin. As many of you know, serotonin is one of our mood hormones that gets out of balance in menopause when oestrogen levels decline. Hence, one of the lifestyle solutions we can all put in place, is to have good quality sources of tryptophan in our diet. I talk about tryptophan in the optional module in my programmes called 'Lifestyle Solutions for Women on Menopause-related Anti-depressants'. The thing about chickpeas (from which hummus is made), is that the tryptophan is in a different form, compared to turkey and other animal proteins. Almost 2/3 of the tryptophan in chickpeas is in ‘free form’, a term which means that it is separated from the main protein and therefore, gets across the blood-brain barrier. How amazing for us to know this! I think we all know the effect of mood swings on our energy levels and motivation as we move through menopause don’t we? But numerous studies now suggest that low mood is related to low serotonin levels. Hence, strategies such as changing our diet can help us at a time in our lives when we are most vulnerable to changing moods. If you have grumpy, moody daughters, and they are in the part of their menstrual cycle when oestrogen is lowest (usually days 1-2 of bleeding), then you might also want to leave a plate of hummus on the bench for her.  This week in my coaching group, I've been having a focus on menopause and depression and the foods that are evidenced to boost our mood. If you've been feeling a bit low too, then hopefully you can add my beetroot hummus to a vegetarian meal, or you can buy some hummus to dip some carrot and celery sticks in, or make your own from the recipe above. Adding chickpeas to your diet, is a powerful way to boost your mood with food. Wendy  		
																										
		References:Hobbs D., George T., & Lovegrove J. (2013). The effects of dietary nitrate on blood pressure and endothelial function: a review of human intervention studies. Nutr Res Rev. 26(2):210-22. Young, S. (2007). How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs. J Psychiatry Neurosci., 32(6): 394-9.

### Starting a workplace menopause movement. "There is too much suffering in silence" says Leadership Guru, Kate Billing.

Menopausal women are the fastest-growing workforce demographic on the planet, with 25%  of women in the world estimated to be in this life stage by 2030. Which means that Kate Billing, Founder & Creative Director of Blacksmith, a specialist human-centred leadership development practice, still has a lot of work to do.

As she says, "Combine this with the highest-ever levels of workforce participation by mid-life women, the continued drive to see greater numbers of women in leadership roles, and a stronger than ever commitment to diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing and we have a perfect storm of conditions for creating change in our workplaces around perimenopause and menopause."

After completing the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme and having so many of her own 'aha' moments, Kate invited me to chat to her yesterday as part of her fabulous 'Pause For Thought' initiative. She has developed this to enrich, elevate and amplify the conversation about perimenopause and menopause as a normal, healthy part of life, work and leadership.

It was a privilege to be there with Kate and all those attending. We covered such a lot of information that I thought you might be interested to listen as well.

So, if you would like to listen to the conversation and the questions and answers, then scroll down to follow the link below. As we get towards the end of a stressful, busy year, it's great to see Kate implementing her 'Pause for Thought' series for women in the workplace.

And whilst we often refer to workplaces as somewhere you go for paid work, I know myself, that women are far busier than that, and there's a lot of unpaid work that goes on in our lives. Hence, whichever 'workplace' you are in, I share some insights with you and answers some questions from the attendee's in the interview.

I've written numerous blogs about menopause in the workplace, simply because menopause arrives at a time when many women are at the peak of their careers. Hence, like Kate, I believe that it’s time for workplaces to put it on their agenda and normalise it – a challenge also made in a recent Harvard Business Review, “We are learning to discuss race, gender, and generational differences more openly at work and we need to put menopause on the agenda too”. (Patterson, 2020). 

It’s been over a decade since researchers explored the experiences of professional women and menopause as part of surveys undertaken with women in the National Association of Female Executives (USA). The majority of menopausal women surveyed experienced both physical and/or emotional symptoms. For many women, symptoms related to menopause significantly affect their daily personal, professional, and social lives. (Simon & Reape, 2009)

Australian findings aren’t much different. As Jack, et al. (2016) remind us, large numbers of women transition through menopause whilst in paid employment and symptoms associated with menopause may cause difficulties for working women, especially if untreated, yet employers are practically silent on this potentially costly issue. And as Kate reiterates, the research supports this.

I hope you can make time this week to have a listen and learn, because as Kate mentions, when it comes to women and their menopause symptoms,  "There is too much suffering in silence in the workplace." 

If you would like to listen to the conversation and the questions and answers, then follow the link below which will take you to Kate's community and our chat.
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT WITH DR WENDY SWEET


As part of their global menopause awareness programme rollout, Vodafone commissioned research in March 2021 that revealed 44% percent of women who had menopause symptoms felt too embarrassed to ask for support in the workplace.

Research conducted in the UK in 2019 by the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development) and international healthcare company Bupa, nearly 1,000,000 women left their jobs due to menopause symptoms that year in the UK alone. That's tough.

"Women experiencing perimenopause and menopause need opportunities to learn about what’s happening to them" says Kate. "Women also need workplace cultures that facilitate openness and support around the experience. Managers, team members, colleagues and partners need development and support in how to have compassionate and informed conversations.

Currently,  too many of us know too little about perimenopause and menopause:

- There is too much mystery, judgement, and shame around the topic

- There isn’t enough openness in relationships to talk about the experience

- There isn’t enough information out there to inform those conversations if they do happen; and

- There is too much suffering in silence.

As INDIVIDUALS, we need to take more responsibility for educating ourselves - be that about our own experience (current or future) OR that of the women we live and work with.

As ORGANISATIONS, we need to recognise the significance of this experience for women at work and create cultures, policies, practices and development experiences that better support them.

Recently, Kate has launched the Menopause Awareness & Action Community on LinkedIn. If you are interested then you can connect with Kate on Linked In and get in on the conversation. 

THE GROUP IS FOR:

- women of all ages

- people who live, lead and work with women

- leaders who can influence change in their organisations

- HR, OD, L&D, DEI, and OSH/Wellbeing leaders; and

- specialists who support this stage of life, work, and leadership.

"If you’d like to be part of our supportive community of Fire Starters" mentions Kate, "each committed to their personal development in this space AND to changing the conversation in their workplaces and leadership communities, then JOIN US HERE. Changing the world is a team sport. Come play!"

Kate Billing, Blacksmith/ kate@blacksmith.co.nz

PS: Don't forget that my Masterclass on Menopause is also available for organisations. Please email wendy@mymenopausetransformation.com



References:

Calister, P. (2014). The employment of older New Zealand women. A paper prepared for the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Wellington, New Zealand.

Jack, G., Riach, K., Bariola, E., Pitts, M., Schapper, J. & Sarrel, P. (2016). Menopause in the workplace: What employers should be doing. Maturitas, 85, 88-95.

Lachman, M. (2004). Development in midlife. Annu Rev Psychol. 55:305-31. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.141521. PMID: 14744218.

Patterson, J. (2020). It’s time to start talking about menopause at work. Harvard Business Review. Sourced from: https://hbr.org/2020/02/its-time-to-start-talking-about-menopause-at-work

Simon J., Reape K. (2009). Understanding the menopausal experiences of professional women. Menopause. Jan-Feb;16(1):73-6. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31817b614a. PMID: 18779760.

### Lower your blood pressure in menopause in a way you never expected.

I bought his book just last week. Journalist James Nestor’s new book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, has hit the New York Times best-seller list. Since reading it, I’m reminded that possibly for decades, my breathing hasn’t been the greatest … so, what about you? Is your breathing something you even consider in your struggles with your menoapuse symptoms and/or your stress from all that's going on in the world?If you’ve been following my blogs for a while (thank you), then you’ve probably read about how important breathing is, in previous posts. During last years lockdown here in New Zealand, I told you about how our lungs change as we move through menopause and yes, we get a bit short of breath at times. But what has been less evident until now, is the effect that better breathing has on our blood pressure as we move through menopause and into post-menopause.As we transition through menopause, we are ageing. When I began to understand that the physiological changes that occur throughout our body as part of our menopause transition, send us towards our biological ageing, then it was important to look at what happens to our lungs as we lose oestrogen. Ageing produces changes in our lungs and airways and this starts in mid-life. Both the airways and blood vessels become stiffer and the air sacs lose their elasticity, making it more difficult for gases to move into the bloodstream.As such, it is easier for us to accumulate inflammation in our tiny little airways that sit inside our lungs. These are known as the aveoli. "Your lung function declines with age, like other parts of your body," says Dr. Aaron Waxman, director of the Pulmonary Vascular Disease Program at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital."Your lungs finish development by age 25, and their function remains stable for about 10 years. After that, they begin to gradually decline. By age 65, you've typically lost up to a litre of lung capacity compared with when you were younger."Good to know. And it's why I was interested in the research that arrived recently out of Boulder University in Colorado, about an interesting strategy to improve our lung function and reduce our blood pressure as we age. 		
																										
		Hypertension (high blood pressure) resulting from vascular stiffness is a well known condition in women transitioning menopause. So too is inflammation, which is often the cause of us overheating and experiencing night sweats and hot flushes. I've written extensively on this HERE. Which is why I was interested in the new research out of Colorado at the University of Boulder. There's been new study results published about a type of breathing that increases the resistance of the lungs and intercostal muscles (the tiny muscles between each of your ribs).The researchers undertook the first trial in healthy midlife and older adults to show that high‐resistance inspiratory muscle strength training lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial (the lining of blood vessels) function. Quite a few of the subjects were women - something I am always looking out for - afterall, we have to deal with the effect of declining oestrogen on our lung function, men don't. The type of exercises the research subjects undertook were with a small breathing device. This provided resistance when breathing in and out of it. They called this 'inspiratory muscle strength training' and I was interested in the results. Simply because the results suggested that blood pressure and vascular stiffness (arterial stiffness) could be reduced with the type of forced breathing that the device provided. Here is the video about their study. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0khBrQIecgQ"Our bodies were designed to breathe through our noses" mentions Nestor in his book. And yes, it's becoming more apparent that nasal breathing matters to our health as we age.  It's also why I'm always focusing you on your sleep and not necessarily all that exercise you might be doing to keep your menopause weight under control.Sleep is the most important symptom to get on top of as we move through menopause. Sleep not only heals our brain, muscles and gut, but when we sleep, our body naturally alternates between breathing through the left and right nostrils, and through this process, regulates all of our body’s functions. Nasal breathing is associated with more relaxed breathing and also helps to reduce anxiety as well as lowering our blood pressure. With stressful, busy lives always on the go, this is also good for your menopause brain fog, anxiety and hot flushes.   		
																										
		The Physiological Effects of Slow Breathing on your Anxiety and Cardiovascular System as you AgeIf you don't have one of the breathing devices that the study participants used, then perhaps you can try some nasal breathing for at least 5 minutes. This appears to be the 'magic number' for both blood pressure and arterial stiffness reduction. But there's more too ... you need to slow down your rate of breathing to around 6-10 breaths per minute. The rate of breathing that has a beneficial effect on the lowering of heart rate, blood pressure and stomach vagal tone, appears to be in the band of 6-10 breaths per minute, with an increased tidal volume (inspiratory and expiratory capacity) achieved by activating your diaphragm. Many of you know this as diaphragmatic breathing and I talk about this a lot in my programmes as well as nasal breathing, which is considered an important component of optimised respiration for health. [Russo, Santerelli & O’Rourke, 2017]. The biomechanics of lung ventilation are carefully co-ordinated with blood oxygen, carbon dioxide and pH homeostasis (balance) and the slower we breathe, the better. In fact, 6-10 breaths per minute has the most effect on slowing your heart rate and lowering your blood pressure. Slower breathing allows your heart rate to decrease as well as your blood pressure. This is important if your stress levels are high at work or at home, especially in light of all the changes you've had to cope with over the past year or so. 		
																										
		If you are feeling anxious, whether at work or not, then please take note of the strategy of slow breathing, including alternate nostril breathing. It's been a busy, anxious year for many of you, and if you understand that your menopause transition is also a time whereby your lungs and nerves are changing, then you can use this strategy to feel calmer. Many of you both here in New Zealand and in other parts of the world, are still moving in and out of lockdowns. I know that when uncertainty and stress are a daily occurence, it's tough on our symptoms in menopause, so when you can, take a moment to slow-breathe - about 5 minutes is right. If you feel busy, time-poor, over-whelmed, over-weight and you experience, depression, anxiety, dizziness or cardiac palpitations (yes please, get these checked out with your Doctor), then can I motivate you to focus on controlled slow breathing at a rate of 6-10 breaths per minute?When it comes to putting in place lifestyle solutions for your menopause symptoms, I want you to re-learn how to breathe. I hope you can join me on either of my programmes when you are ready. 		
																										
		References: Harvard Health Publishing (2018). Breathing life into your lungs. Online Version.https://www.health.harvard.edu/lung-health-and-disease/breathing-life-into-your-lungs. Nestor, J. (2020). Breath : The New Science of a Lost Art. Penguin Putnam Inc: USARomieu, I. (2005). Nutrition and Lung Health. Int. J. of Tuberc Lung Dis. 9(4), 362–374.Russo, M., Santarelli, D. & O'Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 13, 298-309.Craighead, D., Heinbockel, T., Freeberg, K. et al (2021). Time‐efficient inspiratory muscle strength training lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial function, NO bioavailability, and oxidative stress in midlife/older adults with above‐normal Blood Pressure. Journal of the American Heart Association, 10(13), https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.121.020980

### "I wasn't exercising due to pain, but now I'm back walking every day!"

Such wonderful words from Sharon in Australia to inspire you not to give up on your changing health, especially your joint health, as you move through menopause. 

"I joined the program during the first lockdown here in Australia, with 4 kg of extra weight, high cholesterol and hip pain in both hips. I had stopped most exercise due to pain.

But as I worked through Wendy's programme, it led me to make some key changes to my diet as she suggested. Reducing animal protein and fat was one of these changes.

I’ve now replaced this with fish and vegetarian meals most of the time and cut out dairy other than yoghurt. I’ve introduced lots more veggies and fruit and changed my water intake.

So far, I’ve lost 4 kg and kept it off, my cholesterol has reduced and my hip pain has improved. I’m back to walking everyday and can now do bush walks again. This photo above was taken on a recent walk in Booderee National Park in Jervis Bay, Australia. I'm so grateful for the MyMT™ programme."

Sharon G., Australia

### Still putting on weight in menopause despite all that exercise? Then here's why.

"I've been walking to and from work for years, but when my weight kept going up since my early 50's, I joined the gym. But all the hard-out classes and Boot Camps I'm doing are not making any difference. In fact, I'm feeling even more exhausted and my weight has got worse."  (Phillipa, 52 yrs).This comment from Phillipa sits in my doctoral thesis. I was travelling around the country interviewing women on their perspectives on their health as they aged. Many of them spoke about the role of exercise. And Phillipa wasn't the only one who mentioned this conundrum, i.e. the fact that exercise wasn't helping her weight management in her 50s. But not once did she (or the other women I interviewed) mention menopause. And at the time, I was the same.  Exhausting exercise wasn't helping my weight management - yet for decades, it had. That's why I knew I had to get to the bottom of why women like me were suddenly being thrown into increasing weight gain in their 50's - which subsequently, sends us down the slippery slope towards post-menopause heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and movement-related problems as the weight piles on and the joints become more sore.Needless to say, for numerous women breast size increases too. When the same thing happened to me, the neck and shoulder pain also increased, making exercise such as jogging, tough. "How we manage our menopause transition, shapes our health for the rest of our life."  [Harvard Health Review, 2018].After doing my doctoral studies on women's healthy ageing, as well as my own experience with changing health in my 50s and incredible weight gain, I couldn't agree more. That's why, when it comes to menopause weight gain, it's not 'just' about exercise or nutrition .... the causes go so much deeper and over the next month, I'm going to have a focus on weight gain in mid-life. I hope you can join me. 		
																										
		The Science of Weight Gain in Menopause. Understanding how our body burns fat and maintains its metabolism as we move into our biological ageing is an important issue for women wanting to manage their wieght. Whilst I've taught university level physiology for years, interestingly, none of the lectures I taught were about menopause and the hormonal influences on our weight in mid-life. I would definitely change that now!So, let's explore what's really going on and why exercise may not be working for you in terms of weight management.You aren't sleeping. Menopause insomnia is one of the main symptoms that women complain about. I know the feeling. And when it comes to weight gain, we can put on an additional 0.5-1kg a week simply because we aren't sleeping. However, when you are awake, especially between 2-4am, a hormone called insulin remains higher than usual overnight. The role of insulin is to shift glucose around your body, especially to your brain, liver and muscle cells where it gets stored in your cells. Overnight, your body likes your insulin levels to be low. When insulin is high, this may interfere with the production of your sleep hormone called 'melatonin'. This is why I teach women what to do to achieve the right balance between melatonin and insulin as part of the first module they listen to in their private learning area on the 12 week online MyMT™ Transform Me programme. The emphasis is on sleep and not exercise. 		
																										
		Your chronic stress hormone called cortisol is too high at night. High cortisol production causes more hormonal chaos during peri-menopause and into post-menopause (when your periods have stopped for a year or more). Cortisol is one of your stress hormones. When it remains high all day long and into the evening, then it interferes with insulin and testosterone production (yes, we do have testosterone being produced in menopause). For those of you who have been reading my newsletters for a while, you'll know that I'm always talking about how all of our hormones are connected and 'talk to each other'. Well, this is one example of what happens to the hormone chaos when we can't sleep AND we are going through menopause. It's why I keep saying that oestrogen and progesterone aren't the only culprits affecting our weight and our symptoms in menopause! It's other hormones, such as cortisol, insulin and testosterone that get out of balance too. This is why exhausting, high intensity exercise on top of all your other life-stress, can increase your cortisol levels during the day and evening, when in fact, cortisol production should be low.  The result?Increased fat gain under your diaphragm, around your waist and on your stomach. Very annoying for many of us who have worked hard at our nutrition, exercise and weight management over the years!		
																										
		There's another issue contributing to your weight gain too and it's a well known phenomenon during menopause - the decline of muscle tone and size. I call it, the forgotten factor in understanding menopause weight gain.When we lose oestrogen as a normal outcome of our changing biology, we also lose muscle size and density. It's a condition called sarcopenia, or muscle loss.The decline in muscle size and tone is problematic for women as they age, not only because of the loss of strength, but also because we are losing powerful cells called mitochondria, where fats are burned and turned into energy. In menopause and as a natural part of our biological ageing, sarcopenia results in the loss of precious mitochondrial cells. This wrecks havoc on menopause fat-burning potential. 		
																										
		All of these factors combined - not sleeping, increased insulin and cortisol and loss of muscle tissue - have the greatest impact on our changing health as we age.It's also why my first two learning modules focus women on what to do to turn around the quality of their sleep and to prevent insulin chaos and a condition called 'oestrogen dominance'. When we aren't sleeping, and cortisol is high, then we are also at risk of lowering progesterone levels. This means that progesterone is low in relation to oestrogen. Excess oestrogen, sourced from foods or converted from testosterone, then move to fat cells. Clearing excess oestrogen from fat cells, through improving liver function and improving sleep, is crucial to menopause weight management and fat loss. This is the starting point for stopping weight gain. It's such a challenging time for all of us as so many people rely on us to 'cope' but with menopause symptoms and weight gain, the ability to 'cope' may also go out the door! That's why sleeping all night and restoring insulin chaos and the increase in oestrogen dominance is so important for our healthy ageing.Most other practitioners think that it's just nutrition and exercise that solve our weight issues in menopause, but this is incorrect.It's lack of sleep - which includes turning around hot flushes, night sweats and bladder control, which are what typically wake us up!		
																										
		Through my doctoral studies on women's healthy ageing, I've discovered that there are simple, but highly powerful daily lifestyle solutions that we can use, instead of sleep medications, hormone therapies or endless supplements that are putting oestrogen back into our body at a time when our liver is trying to clear excess oestrogens.For example, the women already underway will be discovering that what they eat and drink in the evenings during their peri-menopause transition, seriously affects their ability to get to sleep.This includes how much protein they have for dinner. This is because of the link between protein metabolism, heat production and insulin release in the hours before bedtime. When insulin is too high, then the production of our sleep hormone MELATONIN is reduced so timing and type of food for dinner matters to our sleep. 		
																										
		For over 30 years I've seen the numbers of new members visiting the gym swell in the New Year. With promises of weight loss and improved fitness, Personal Trainers and Group Exercise Instructors would implore those attending to sweat hard for their weight management. When I used to be that young Personal Trainer too and I was motivating my mid-life female clients to work harder, I had no idea about menopause. I also had no idea that if these women weren't sleeping, none of this exercise mattered for their weight loss. Three months later, it was all back on - and more! I also didn't know that a good night's sleep was what was needed instead.  Nor did I understand what was really happening with my menopause belly fat, sore joints, worsening insomnia and endless hot flushes, until I explored the powerful connection between not sleeping, intense exercise and our symptoms in menopause.The more I researched, the greater the realisation that women going through their menopause transition into post-menopause, are forgotten when it comes to looking after ourselves with our weight management. Too many women end up taking endless expensive supplements, protein powders and doing all sorts of exhausting exercise routines, until they get to the point where they realise that none of these interventions work into the longer term. When women on my doctoral studies told me similar stories about doing lots of exercise, but not losing weight, I knew I had to examine what was really going on more closely. I hope you've enjoyed discovering why. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Founder: My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
		References: Brady, C. [2015]. Liver disease in Menopause, World Journal of Gastroenterology, 21(25), 7613-7620Cabot, S. & Eanelli, T. [2010]. Fatty Liver – you can reverse it. Amazon Publ.Edwards, B. & Jin Li, [2013]. Endocrinology of menopause. Periodontology, 61, 177–194.Ford, C. et al. [2017]. Evaluation of diet pattern and weight gain in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 117, 1189–1197.Harvard Health, [2018]. Lose weight and keep it off. Harvard Health Online Publications. Boston: MAKendall, B. & Ester, R. [2002]. Exercise-induced muscle damage and the potential protective role of estrogen. Sports Med., 32 (2), 103-123Lerchbaum, E. [2014]. Vitamin D and Menopause: A review. Maturitas, 79, 3-7.Moudi, A. et.al [2018]. The relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and sleep quality in menopausal women. Biomedicine, 8(2), 34-40.Rizzi, M. [2016]. Sleep disorders in fibromyalgia syndrome. J. of Pain & Relief, 5:2.Ryan, M. Itsiopoulos, C. et al. (2014). The Mediterranean diet improves hepatic steatosis and insulin sensitivity in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Hepatology, 59(1), 138-143.Santosa, S. & Jensen, M. (2013). Adipocyte fatty acid storage factors enhance subcutaneous fat storage in postmenopausal women. Diabetes, 62,3, 775-782, ProQuest Central.Theorell-Haglöw J, Berne C, Janson C, Sahlin C, Lindberg E. (2010). Associations between short sleep duration and central obesity in women. Sleep. 33(5):593-8. PMID: 20469801; PMCID: PMC2864874.Wacker, M. & Holick, M. [2013]. Sunlight and Vitamin D: A global perspective for health. Dermato-endocrinology, 5:1, 51–108.Woods N. et al. [2009]. Cortisol levels during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: Observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study.  Menopause, 16(4): 708–71

### Michaela is an Aussie girl living in Canada - her recipes and inspiration are a hit in the MyMT™ Kitchen!

Montreal in Canada is cooling down as winter knocks on its door. I know this because Michaela told me so today. It's a long way between where I am in New Zealand and Montreal, but the beauty of the MyMT™ community, is that we are all part of the 'global village'. Michaela joined the programme over a year ago now. With triplets, now grown up, she has been busy for years. Then menopause arrived and with symptoms over-whelming her and her weight going up, she headed for the gym and began doing lots of exercise to manage her weight - as many of us have done for years. It was no surprise to me that it wasn't working for her.

I say 'no surprises' because the type of exercise she was doing at the time, wasn't helping her weight, because she wasn't sleeping well. And as I say time and time again, if there's one thing I've learnt from my years lecturing in health and human performance, if you aren't sleeping and you are exercising vigorously, then you will quickly head down into adrenal fatigue, more exhaustion and for women in their menopause transition, this can then result in further weight problems.

It's been such a privilege to help Michaela understand her symptoms and why she was gaining weight during her menopause transition. When she asked me to share an interview with her, I didn't hesitate and if you scroll down below the recipe, it's there for you to listen to sometime too.

“I was at my wit’s end with my menopausal weight gain" she told me.

I exercised a lot and ate relatively well but kept gaining weight. I was told to just move more and eat less. When I discovered Wendy’s program, she explained why I was gaining, with the exercise I was doing whilst not sleeping and I learnt that what used to work, does not work the same at this stage of our lives. 

7 weeks into the program, I was sleeping through the night, I stopped the heavy exercise,  lost weight and my menopausal anxiety and hot flushes, have gone. I feel like my old self again and understand that this is now a way of life for me as I get older. 

What a difference to how I'm now feeling!  I am sleeping 7 hours a night and wake up so refreshed and do not put on my alarm as I am up about the same time each morning now ready to walk. Thanks Wendy."



When Michaela told me that she enjoyed cooking and produces an almost daily inspirational cooking post on her Coo's Kitchen facebook page,  I invited her to share some of her 'MyMT™ - approved' recipes with the women in my coaching community. We love her Aussie-Canadian accent inspiring and motivating us to cook in ways that meet the criteria for the Mediterranean Dietary approach that I have in the 12 week programmes.

So, whether you are in winter or summer, here's a family favourite of Michaela's. When she discovered through my programme that beetroot contains compounds which help to dilate our blood vessels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease as we age, Michaela shared her Beetroot Burgers with us. If you don't want the bread (although sourdough or rye grains are important for heart health), then wrap them in large lettuce leaves instead.

INGREDIENTS [serves 4 - I make 6 patties as 4 are huge, you can also freeze them individually].

If I have time I make the sweet potato and onions as well. The burgers can also be served with no bread roll but a dollop of hummus, tahini or tzaziki on top and served with a green salad.

2 large beetroots, peeled and grated

3 eggs

1 handful fresh basil, finely chopped

1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped 

200g|7oz oats 

8 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil

1 medium sweet potato, thinly sliced

 1 large onion, cut into rings

2 avocados

1 lemon, juiced

2 handfuls lamb’s lettuce or arugula (also known as Rocket Leaves)

4 large burger buns (preferably sourdough buns)

2 handfuls sprouts (alfalfa or other)

PREPARATION 

Mix beetroots, eggs, basil, cilantro, mint and oats. Make sure to add enough oats to have a manageable patty mix. Season generously with salt and pepper. Now form four large patties and set aside.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a pan and fry the sweet potato until slightly brown. Place them on plate and set aside. Now fry the onion rings until nicely browned. Set aside.

Slice or mash the avocados. Season with salt, pepper and half of the lemon juice.

Prepare a simple side salad of lettuce and a dressing made of the rest of the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Slightly roast the insides of the burger buns with some olive oil. In a pan, shallow fry the patties in 2 tablespoons oil for about 5 minutes per side. When assembling the burger, be creative! Here is how I like to do it: bun, thick layer of avocado, fried onions, pattie, sweet potato, sprouts, salad, top bun with more avocado and hot sauce on the side. Make sure to have napkins at hand!



Please follow this link HERE to read about the 12 week programmes and how they work - I've attached a video for you below as well. I hope you can join me sometime if your menopause symptoms and/or weight gain is troubling you.

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Soceity of Lifestyle Medicine.

www.mymenopausetransformation.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXaDLOIkNtQ

### If you are on anti-depressants in menopause, then your gut health matters too.

2/3 of those on antidepressants in the UK, NZ and Australia are female, and typically in their 50s and 60s.Why is depression so prevalent in women? This was a question posed by researchers in Canada (Albert, 2015) and one that I have often thought about too. But not just any women - those in mid-life. The prevalence of major depression is higher in women than in men and here in New Zealand, we are in the top-10 of countries to have the highest rate of antidepressant use in the western world. It is higher in women and the rate of prescriptions increases with age. (Bowden, Gibb et al, 2019). Serious stuff. I was offered antidepressants myself. At the time, I had no idea that going into menopause was a vulnerable time for my mental health. However, I was curious as to why, when I have no history of depressive incidents nor post-partum depression (both factors in menopause-related depression), as to why I not only felt emotionally all over the place, but why my Doctor wanted to put me on them. Since setting up MyMT™, I've read hundreds of pre-entry screening forms, where women indicate that they are taking HRT, Bio-identicals, Anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications for their menopause symptoms. Whilst I never interfere in this with women because these are all powerful medications that need to be monitored by their medical specialists, what intrigues me the most is that they still report experiencing hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, brain fog and depression. It doesn't go past me that these medications are not necessarily working for them, especially as they move into post-menopause. I became curious as to why. The conclusion I come to time and time again, is that menopause symptoms aren't being looked at through the lens of our biological ageing. I'm not just talking about our changing reproductive hormones either. There are numerous physical changes that go on inside our body at this time too. These changes occur when oestrogen and progesterone naturally decline and exert influences on the deep tissues and cells that make up every structure in our body. This includes our digestive system and colon. For millions of women around the world, menopause means poor sleep, hot flushes, worsening anxiety, brain fog and feelings of depression. But there's also another symptom that isn't often associated with menopause, nor is it associated with our anxiety, depression and foggy brain. 		
																										
		And that's the changing health of our gut and digestive system. So, how is your gut health? Do you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? Or diverticulitis? Or do you swing between being constipated and having diarrhea? Maybe your brain feels foggy all the time and you find it difficult to concentrate? And perhaps these changes have just come on during your menopause transition but you have no idea that they might be connected in some way?If you feel like this, then you aren't alone. At least 50% of women on my coaching pages, tell me that they are experiencing gut health issues that have mainly arrived since they went into their menopause transition. Unbeknownst to many of them, our changing gut health as we go into a low oestrogen hormonal environment is impacting on anxiety levels too. 'The increase in GI symptoms around the time of menses and early menopause occurs at times of declining or low ovarian hormones, suggesting that estrogen and progesterone withdrawal may contribute either directly or indirectly' mentions a 2009 study into the role of reproductive hormones on gastro-intestinal symptoms. But there's something else impacting on our gut health as well and I have Australia's Professor Rosemary Stanton to thank for my lightbulb moment. When I heard Professor Rosemary Stanton talk at last year’s Lifestyle Medicine conference in Australia, my ears pricked up:“After 4 generations of a low-fibre diet since modern food processing arrived in the 1960’s & 1970’s, the gut microbiota has changed to the extent that it no longer supports our immune health. Never before have we seen so much chronic disease caused by the western diet. Diversity in vegetables has the single greatest influence on the gut microbiota. The Mediterranean way of eating is the way to turn this all around.”The link between your changing oestrogen levels and your gut health could well be the cause of your menopause bloating, IBS or leaky gut. I explain why this is, and the role that oestrogen plays in the integrity of our gut wall, in the video below. https://vimeo.com/775629366As I explain to women who come on board with the online My Menopause Transformation 12 week programmes, not only are we are the first generation to come into menopause having experienced so many changes to our food environment, but we are also the first generation to have been exposed to harmful substances that have a negative effect on our gut bacteria - and according to researchers, one of the greatest influences on our gut health that has lead to negative gut changes, has been our exposure to antibiotics.The gut microbiome is one of the largest organs in the body (along with our skin) but here's what blew me away - when I attended the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine conference late last year, researcher, Professor Thomas Borody, reported that the gut is responsible for producing 70% of your energy.  With the powerful connection that your gut has with your brain, many symptoms that we experience in menopause, such as foggy brain, depression, anxiety and mood swings, can be linked to the health of your gut micro-biome. I might also add insomnia in there too.Can you imagine what happens to your energy levels, sleep, health and moods, when your gut isn't performing to its best?Knowledge of the gut-brain connection has increased 10-fold over the past decade. This has been due to improved brain research as well as genetic research. Both have opened the door towards understanding gut health and the link to disease, especially the effect of the accumulation of inflammatory changes as we get older. With menopause heralding in the transition towards our ageing, this is a critical time of life to sleep all night, restore health to our body and for those of you who need to lose weight, this will also have a positive impact on your anxiety levels and energy.		
																										
		What is the gut microbiome and why does it matter to us in menopause?The microbiome is the community of bacteria that lives in our gut and elsewhere in our body."The connection between the brain and gut is because messages are sent up and down the vagus nerve - the major nerve that runs from our brain to our heart, stomach and intestines. The vagus nerve therefore, has a profound influence on the gut microbiota as well as pro-inflammatory markers. The reason for this, is because the vagus nerve transfers stress cytokines (inflammatory markers) between the gut and the brain. So, stress is the 'hammer' which acts on the brain and the gut. When we keep activating our stress response, then this increases the 'leakiness' of the gut. When the gut is leaky, we lose the ability to absorb the nutrients we need for our health and this increases oxidative stress in the body."    [Professor Zoltan Sarnyai, 2019) I couldn't agree more! I know from my own experience that when we aren't sleeping one of the major changes that we experience as levels or our reproductive hormones decline, is insomnia, or interrupted sleep.When we aren't sleeping our gut isn't healing properly overnight, so we accumulate pockets of inflammation throughout our digestive system. Add to this, our changing food and chemical environment over the decades and our increasing exposure to medicines such as antibiotics, then it's no surprise that we arrive in mid-life and we have changing gut health. But there are other changes that occur to our gut as well.These include changes to the enzymes that break down food, changes to our gut motility (movement) and changes to our liver function (we produce less bile to break down fats). As well, for those of you who are doing lots of exercise and/or you are under a lot of stress, then your body stays in 'fight or flight' mode. This causes your vagus nerve to be stimulated more often. Some of you may experience frequent loose bowels which arrive during menopause. [Conversely, those of you who don't do much exercise, may become more constipated. This is because our gut motility (movements) slow down as we go through menopause]. When all of these factors collide in mid-life, then the organ that also suffers is your lovely thyroid gland. It goes into 'distress' as it tries to re-balance the internal hormonal environment. As such you begin to feel your heart rate increase, then in response to this your blood pressure increases, your temperature goes up and boom - your hot flushes and anxiety levels increase as does your irritability, changing mood and of course, for many of you, your depression. 		
																										
		Why your Thyroid Matters:Your thyroid gland produces hormones that are integral to the function of your gut microbiome and your brain.If you do have a digestive disorder, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Diverticulitis, then this inflammation disrupts function in the gut. In turn, your gut  microbiome and therefore, disrupts your thyroid function, often speeding up your heart rate and making you feel more anxious. When your thyroid isn't functioning as well as it should (too much or too little), this causes further disruption to your moods, motivation and emotional state (this is because your thyroid controls your heart rate, blood pressure and influences the activity of the vagus nerve).In menopause, this can present as increased anxiety, depression and brain fog. Hence, restoring gut health and improving your gut microbiome is fundamental to improving your anxiety, brain fog, depression and even your weight. 3 Things You Can Do to Help Manage your GUT HEALTH:When we understand the powerful connection between the brain, the gut, the vagus nerve, existing gut inflammation AND menopause, then we need to focus on these three factors:Sleep All Night - as I keep saying to women, if you aren't sleeping, then you aren't healing and your heart rate stays higher during the day. This alone makes you feel more anxious because your nervous system stays 'wired' all day long and as a consequence of this, your gut which is serviced by the same nerves as your heart. may become irritable. As I've often mentioned before our gut is also on a 24 hour circadian rhythm as are all of our major organs, so we need to improve our sleep in order to improve our gut. This is why in both of the MyMT programmes, the first module you receive is called 'SLEEP ALL NIGHT' - in this I teach you how to change your diet, how to sleep all night and how to turn around your hot flushes and night sweats, so you aren't waking up! As well, if you are in anti-depressants, then there is a Gut Health module for you to listen to as well.		
																										
		Improve your Food Quality and Vegetable Diversity -Professor Rosemary Stanton of Australia has been studying the health of the population in Australia for over four decades now. As she stated at the conference - "The way to heal the gut is to have diversity in vegetable intake and increase fibre. This is what the gut has been designed for. Decades of low fibre, processed foods have resulted in worsening health of the population and a plethora of diseases which are mainly related to our changing food environment."		
																										
		3. Allow your gut to empty fully and heal overnight. I encourage women as much as possible to allow their digestive system to rest for 12 hours overnight. This means that the timing of food and fluid is important. If we can avoid food for around 12 hours overnight (this changes obviously for shift-workers) then our digestive system gets the chance to actually digest and absorb the food that we eat during the day.		
																										
		A healthy gut microbiome is a diverse microbiome, which has a large number of bacteria. When we have a healthy gut, then we also help to improve our mental and emotional health. During menopause, this includes anxiety, foggy brain and depression. It is absolutely vital that women turn around their gut health, in order to improve their mental health and overall health as they age.In both of the MyMT programmes, I have a scientifically designed GUT REHAB programme which steps women through what to do to improve gut health. [This is now available as a stand-alone module too].  Whilst some of you may need medical intervention for improving both gut health (e.g. with probiotics specifically designed to improve certain bacteria that have been diagnostically checked as low or too high) or depression, however, underlying any of these medical interventions should also be sleep, diet and exercise strategies that help to reduce the inflammation that has typically been building up for decades. Wendy Sweet, PhD [Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine].Can I help you with your symptoms?
If you are struggling with your mid-life weight, health or symptoms, then come on board if you can into my 12 week online programmes. Programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers. 
Or as a starting point, you can purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause. This is only NZ$15 (approx. AUS$14, US$9 or UK£7.5). During lockdown I put my live-event into an online format for you and took 50% off the usual cost of a ticket. I hope you can join me in this powerful 2 hour webinar. The great news is that now you can watch it anytime, anywhere and even pause it whenever you like and go and make yourself a cuppa too. 
I hope you can join me. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/MyMT™ Founder & Coach		
			
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		References:
Albert P. R. (2015). Why is depression more prevalent in women? Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 40(4), 219–221.
Feraj, J. (2017). Micro-nutrients, depression and inflammation among women of reproductive age. Doctoral Dissertation 993, University of Massachusetts.
Freeman, E.W. (2015). Depression in the menopause transition: risks in the changing hormone milieu as observed in the general population. womens midlife health 1, 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-015-0002-y
Glezerman, M. (2016). Gender Medicine. Duckworth & Co Publ. 
Graziottin A. & Serafini A. (2009). Depression and the menopause: why antidepressants are not enough? Menopause Int. Jun;15(2):76-81. doi: 10.1258/mi.2009.009021. PMID: 19465674.
Heitkemper, M., & Chang, L. (2009). Do fluctuations in ovarian hormones affect gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome?. Gender medicine, 6 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), 152–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genm.2009.03.004
Mulak, A., Taché, Y., & Larauche, M. (2014). Sex hormones in the modulation of irritable bowel syndrome. World journal of gastroenterology, 20(10), 2433–2448. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v20.i10.2433 
Nie, X., Xie, R. & Tuo, B. (2018). Effects of Estrogen on the Gastrointestinal Tract. Dig Dis Sci 63, 583–596.
Odamaki, T., Kato, K., Sugahara, H. et al. (2016). Age-related changes in gut microbiota composition from newborn to centenarian: a cross-sectional study. BMC Microbiol 16, 90. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-016-0708-5
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322946988_Prevalence_of_Thyroid_Dysfunction_in_Irritable_Bowel_Syndrome 
Veira, A., Castelo, P. et al, (2017). Influence of oral and gut microbiota in the health of menopausal women. Front. Microbiol.Related Tag: Menopause Treatment

### Why your liver matters more than you think during menopause.

It took me a long time to turn my back on the popular Keto diet and explore the influence that menopause hormonal changes have on our liver and gallbladder as we age.Despite my efforts at daily exercise, eating well and trying to look after myself, the menopause weight stacked on.All of my clothes felt tight. It was depressing. But my angst about my weight paled in comparison to the arrival of a new worry - heart palpitations, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels that were climbing through the roof. I could see my Doctor reaching for the prescription pad ready to write 'statins'. My only thoughts were of my mother in her early 60's who put on lots of weight, developed hypertension, took statin medication for years and ended up having a stroke in her early 80's. Suddenly the 'healthy ageing trajectory that I thought I was on, seemed hopeless. Not only due to my family history, but because of what I was learning in my doctoral studies. The research on women's health as they aged, presented similar declining-health trajectories.But acquainting myself with this research was my saving grace. It allowed me to better understand how to turn around my health at a time of life, when our changing hormonal environment makes us more vulnerable to weight gain and the various co-morbities such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. It's part of the reason that menopause weight gain shouldn't be ignored.   		
																														
		Professor Carla Brady has researched the liver in menopause. Her work helped me understand the importance of our liver and gallbladder as we age. “There is an interplay of hormonal issues and ageing that create a unique path for development of liver problems and liver disease in menopausal women, making chronic liver disease a significant burden on women’s health in their post-menopause years.”  [Brady, C., 2015].What I discovered was how the liver and gall-bladder both change in structure and function as we move towards post-menopause. Therefore, the emphasis on a diet high in fats and proteins as are popular today, wasn't helpful for my upper abdominal weight gain, bloating and increasing cholesterol levels. My increasing fatigue also made sense. On oral HRT at the time, I also learnt that HRT places an additional burden on the liver, as do all medications that many women take as we move through menopause. Our health chaos arrives slowly. And menopause is the 'perfect storm' for these changes. Not sleeping, poor temperature regulation, changing weight, high total and LDL cholesterol, bloating and joint pain may send us into further health chaos as we move through menopause. Whilst the focus is usually on cardiac health when we visit our Doctor with changing cholesterol and weight during menopause (which it should be), how many of us are being told that our liver health matters too? I will let you reflect on that. 		
																														
		In both of the MyMT™ programmes, I have an entire 1 hour podcast/webinar devoted to the scientific evidence about how to turn around our liver health in a way that helps to rejuvenate our ageing liver. The liver is the only organ that is 'adaptogenic' which means that it heals and repairs, but we need to achieve this in a systematic way over at least 6 weeks.For example, food based nutrients continue to be investigated for their role in changing metabolic pathways involved in the detoxification process not only in the liver, but throughout our body (Hodges & Minich, 2015). If you are paying lots of money for expensive supplements that 'detox' you, then please know that allium foods (onions, garlic and leeks) top the list of foods that have known detoxification actions in the body. 		
																														
		Once we understand the metabolic pathways that help to rejuvenate our liver, we have the ability to turn around our energy, weight, cholesterol and bloating at this time of life. As I discovered myself, if we are going to change our health and manage our weight as we age, then the liver is the organ to focus on first. I worry about women in menopause going on the high-fat, high-protein diets that are popularised as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ diet these days. These diets don't fit with the current scientific research on how we need to eat as we move through menopause.This is why positioning our menopause transition in women’s ageing and following the women's health research changed my life too. It allowed me to better understand how our body is adjusting to our changing hormones in menopause – some of these changes have a lot to do with how the liver and gallbladder change as we get older. And for those of you who have had your gallbladder removed over the years, there are changes to your fat intake that you may need to adjust as well because not having a gall-bladder impacts the dumping of emulsified fats directly into your small intestine. Understanding that the liver is the hero in the story of your mid-life weight loss, energy and health as you age is important.The liver plays a central role in all metabolic processes in the body, especially in fat metabolism.In fat metabolism the liver cells break down fats and produce energy. These cells also produce about 800 to 1,000 ml of bile per day. This yellow, brownish or olive green liquid is collected in small ducts and then passed on to the main bile duct, which carries the bile to a part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Bile is important for the breakdown and absorption of fats. If you don't have a gallbladder, then you don't have this storage capacity role, so the type of fats and when you eat them matters to you as well. As we age our liver is changing. It shrinks in size and the gall-bladder produces less bile. Bile is the substance that helps to emulsify or break down fats. If our diet is high in fats (including animal fats), then our gallbladder cannot cope with the volume of fats that it has to emulsify. Our gall-bladder, which stores bile, where fats are broken down further, also changes.We have around 20% less bile being produced as we move through menopause.Changes in diet and lifestyle have led to a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in Western countries and many Asian countries. This has resulted in a significant increase in the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), [Watanabe, et al, 2015). Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) doubles in incidence in women as they move through menopause. This condition increases inflammation in the liver.		
																														
		I have no idea if you have an over-burdened liver or not – only you and your Doctor do. But if you are putting on weight and feeling bloated and you are on oral tablets of Menopause-HRT and your cholesterol levels are changing, then please get your liver health checked. We are a generation of women who have had over 40 years of living in a fast-changing society, with lots of emphasis on changing food production and chemical consumption and toxins that are harmful to our liver health.Hence, we must understand that if we want to lose weight and improve our health as we age, then our liver matters. Current research supports the effect of inflammation gathered over our lifetime on our changing health as we age. Liver tissue is made up of lots of smaller units of liver cells called lobules. Many canals carrying blood and bile run between the liver cells. Blood coming from the digestive organs flows through the portal vein to the liver, carrying nutrients, medication and also toxic substances. Once they reach the liver, these substances are processed, stored, altered, detoxified, and passed back into the blood or released in the bowel to be eliminated. In this way the liver can, for example, remove alcohol from your blood and get rid of by-products from the breakdown of medications.But here’s the thing - with the amount of fats and proteins that our liver has to process in a day, then other vital nutrients and mineral salts may not be able to be readily absorbed into the blood.Women who have a high-fat and high protein diet and may be doing lots of high-intensity exercise or have a lot of stress in their lives, must also be cautious about their liver health. When women are continually exercising or feeling stressed, the liver is over-burdened with having to turn over glucose to fuel the 'fight or flight' adrenaline response.Thousands of women become confused about why their cholesterol is increasing and end up on statins or endless supplements, but what they may be missing, is how to adjust their diet or exercise to match the scientific evidence on detoxification of the liver as we move through menopause. 		
																														
		I have lots of strategies in my 12 week programmes, for you to turn around your liver health, but here are two of my favourites: Eat mainly plant fats and until you improve your liver health, then decrease your total fat intake to around 15% of your diet, unless you are doing lots of endurance exercise. (In which case you can go up to around 20-25%). Many foods act as either inducers or inhibitors of enzymes that have bioactive compounds in detoxification of the liver and other organs, but the amount you have is important. Too much kale for example as well as other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and brussel sprouts, can either activate or inhibit the enzymes that help to detoxify the liver - we need some, but not a lot it seems. 		
																														
		Stretch in ways that help to lengthen your diaphragm. Also massage your liver when you can (in the shower is great). If you sit all day at a desk and your liver is compressed from fat that accumulates under the diaphragm as it did for me (and Linda below), then including more stretches for your liver and gall-bladder at the end of the day is a great habit to get into.   		
																														
		The ageing of our organs offers a 'perfect-storm' when menopause arrives. This means that we have to learn how to make some lifestyle adjustments to accommodate these changes.  Otherwise our weight gain creeps on and on as the years advance. With increased weight gain, then cardiac and metabolic health can change as we move into post-menopause. For too many women, what ensues is frustration and confusion, as, instead of feeling healthy and vibrant, they may feel exhausted, sick and overweight instead. Health and medical researchers already know from research on our mother’s generation, that weight gain around the trunk at this time of life sends women into post-menopause heart disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. For many women putting on a lot of belly fat, or if you have the ‘hard-fat’ sitting around your abdomen, then please try to come on board into my ‘Menopause Weight Loss Program .  Why is it 3 months? Because that's how long it takes for you to turn around your liver, reset your hormones for your ageing and discover how to change your nutrition, sleep and exercise habits so that you thrive at this stage of life. I can't wait to help you. 		
																														
		References:Brady, C. (2015). Liver disease and menopause. World J Gastroenterology, 21(25): 7613-7620. Cabot, S. (2010). Fatty liver - You can reverse it. Arizona, USA: SCB Inc. Greger, M. (2020). How not to diet. The groundbreaking science of healthy, perminant weight loss. New York: Flatiron Books.Hodges R. & Minich D. (2015). Modulation of metabolic detoxification pathways using foods and food-derived components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. J Nutr Metab. Article 760689. Kim, H., Kissaleva, T. & Brenner, D. (2015). Aging and liver disease. Curr. Opin Gastroenterol. 31(3): 184–191.Watanabe, S., Hashimoto, E. et al. (2015). Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. J. Gastroenterology, 50: 364–377.Wenxia Lu, Sainan Li,Jingjing Li, et al. (2016). Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Gastroenterology Research and Practice, Article ID 1459790, 1-11. 

### New Research: What effect does taking menopause hormonal therapy have on women’s health?

New Research: Menopause Hormonal Therapy and Women’s Health – an umbrella review.At long last – a multi-country research team, dedicated to exploring all the available evidence on menopause hormonal therapy and the link to women’s health.Making the decision about menopause HRT with your Doctor is an important one and these days, also a tough one – it seems fine for some and not for others; some women react badly to it and put on a lot of weight (myself included) and other’s lose weight with it. Western women tend towards its use, Eastern and Asian women, not so much. Some women swear by it for helping them cope and reducing hot flushes and anxiety, other’s find that it works for a while, but then they get their hot flushes back again. Over the past few years, I've heard numerous stories about menopause hormonal therapy from women on my lifestyle programmes. All I can say is, that it’s a minefield of conflicting opinions out there in ‘menopause-world’. But as I say to women on my programmes, your decision to take any form of hormonal therapy during your menopause transition is between you and your Doctor … and not me! My focus is on the evidenced lifestyle changes that you need to put into place as well.HRT has been a hot topic in the United Kingdom lately, especially after the documentaries that have bought this topic to the attention of many. Numerous women on my programmes have talked about the television programmes and it’s added some interesting discussion in my coaching community.I don’t often discuss menopause hormone therapy (MHT) in my articles. It’s not my place to as I’m not a medical Doctor, but for those of you who are interested in exploring it with your Doctor, then this brand new systematic review hot off the academic press, might help you with your conversations. 		
																										
		The purpose of the study was to explore the available evidence on menopause hormone therapy and the link with longer term health outcomes in women. That’s because it’s an important topic.By 2050, it is estimated that worldwide more than 1.6 billion women will have reached menopause or be postmenopausal, up from 1 billion in 2020.The burden of menopausal symptoms can considerably affect the personal, social, and work lives of women, hence, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is the most effective treatment for managing hot flushes and vaginal dryness. The review states that in high-income countries, there were about 12 million users in the 2010s, of whom 6 million users were in the US and UK alone.Many of us already understand the bothersome menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety and insomnia suffered by up to 75% of menopausal women globally. And yes, there are numerous studies which indicate that menopause hormonal therapy (MHT) can be an effective treatment for alleviating menopausal symptoms, but for several decades, the possible health effects of MHT, beyond alleviation of menopausal symptoms, have been debated. According to the researchers, there has been very little follow-up research on its effects on numerous health outcomes and these have remained uncertain because a systematic, comprehensive assessment has been lacking.So, they decided to do something about it. That’s why they conducted an umbrella review of the available evidence. This type of review allows the findings of reviews relevant to a review question to be compared and contrasted.An umbrella review's most characteristic feature is that the type of evidence considered for inclusion is the highest-level evidence.		
																										
		What did the researchers do and find? The researchers were busy! They included 936 individual study estimates from Randomised Control Trials and 380 from observational studies for analysis. Sixty published systematic reviews of MHT use in menopausal women were analysed and this included breaking down the evidence on 102 health outcomes. Research conducted between 2017 and 2020 was included.Overall, MHT had a complex balance of both benefits and harms. For example, on the whole, beyond alleviation of menopausal symptoms, MHT may be associated with decreased risks of:bone risk fracture,diabetes mellitus, andoesophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer.However, the available evidence may indicate increased risks of:stroke,venous thromboembolism (blood clots),deep vein thrombosis (DVT),gallbladder disease, andthyroid, breast and ovarian cancer.It also seemed that oral MHT increases the risk of urinary incontinence and worsens incontinence in post-menopausal women.Making the decision to take MHT is entirely individual obviously and because many of us have genetic or other health risks, then the findings from this study confirms that it’s important to explore and discuss your personal health risks with your Doctor too.If you explore the work of Dr Louise Newson in the UK, she has some great resources and information for women and her research also indicates that all Menopause HRT is not the same and if women can explore the transdermal route (patch), then this is better than taking oral HRT. (Newson & Lass, 2018).For some of you the benefits will absolutely outweigh the risks and for others of you, the opposite will be true.The good news is that these days, there are so many different types of hormone replacement therapies as well as different doses and ways of administering them (sprays, gels, patches, creams, tablets and pessaries), so if one way of dispensing the therapy doesn't work for you, then keep exploring other options that might work. But whatever your decision is about medical intervention in your menopause symptoms, then can I also encourage you to change your lifestyle too?Making lifestyle changes is well evidenced to also have a powerful effect on your symptoms. That’s what I’ve concluded with my women’s health and ageing studies – a healthier lifestyle, which includes dietary changes, stopping smoking and engaging in moderate physical activity as well as turning around sleep, reduces the severity of all menopausal symptoms.I would also add that turning around inflammatory changes that have been building up for years, and turning around gut and joint health is crucial in enabling you to reduce your symptoms too. These are the issues that not many providers talk about however, when inflammatory changes are present, then your menopause symptoms are worse - whether you're on HRT or not. 		
																										
		As those of you who have been reading my articles for a while know, the Mediterranean Diet is well evidenced to help our health as we age - especially our cardiovascular health.The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), is abundant in minimally processed plant-based foods, rich in monounsaturated fat from olive oil, but lower in saturated fat, meats, and dairy products, and is an ideal nutritional model for women's cardiovascular health as they transition menopause and beyond. The available evidence is large, strong, and consistent (Martínez-González et al, 2020). If you haven't read my article on how to beat the heat with using lifestyle changes to reduce hot flushes, then this is HERE for you as well. Whatever decision you make about your symptom control during your menopause transition, the most important thing to understand, is that unless you have no symptoms, doing nothing is not an option. As such, to give you better understanding, I have my Masterclass on Menopause available for you too. And don't forget that many women in Asian and Mediterranean countries, tend not to rely on medications to help resolve their menopause symptoms.Natural phyto-oestrogens comprise part of their diet. From soy products such as tofu to yams or various herbs that are known to have an anti-inflammatory effect and provide the body with natural oestrogenic compounds, these are part of their daily diet. There are numerous foods that contain different amounts of phytoestrogens and some of you might benefit from adding these foods to your diet, and some of you might not. It depends. And what it depends on, relates to these two main issues:Whether you are overweight and therefore, need to reduce your sources of oestrogen until you lose weight and are in post-menopause, when oestrogen levels are at their lowest, or Whether you have a healthy liver, which is the site of excess oestrogen clearance in your body. If your liver isn't doing it's job of clearing oestrogen, then excess sources may get stored in fat cells. Your fat cells love storing oestrogen and yes, this includes your breast tissue.If you want to read my article on plant sources of phyto-oestrogens, then please just click through HERE. Thank you for being part of the MyMT™ community with me. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.		
																										
		References: Martínez-González MA, Gea A, Ruiz-Canela M. (2019). The Mediterranean Diet and Cardiovascular Health. Circ Res. Mar;124(5):779-798. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313348. PMID: 30817261.Newson, L. & Lass, A. (2018). Effectiveness of transdermal oestradiol and natural micronised progesterone for menopausal symptoms.  The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 68 (675)  499-500. Yoshany N, Mazloomy Mahmoodabad SS, Bahri N, Moori MK, Hanna F. (2020). Association between Lifestyle and Severity of Menopausal Symptoms in Postmenopausal Women. Electron J Gen Med. 17(5):em222. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/7885Zhang GQ, Chen JL, Luo Y, Mathur MB, Anagnostis P, Nurmatov U, Talibov M, Zhang J, Hawrylowicz CM, Lumsden MA, Critchley H, Sheikh A, Lundbäck B, Lässer C, Kankaanranta H, Lee SH, Nwaru BI. (2021). Menopausal hormone therapy and women's health: An umbrella review. PLoS Med. Aug 2;18(8):e1003731. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003731. PMID: 34339416; PMCID: PMC8366967.

### "I am able to exercise now without feeling fatigued, which is huge for me being a Personal Trainer."

"The MyMT™ programme opened up my curiosity to the extent that a simple blood test helped unravel more of my symptom chaos! 

Hi, I am Julie and a member of My Menopause Transformation group for nearly 3 years now and still enjoying it.  Wendy has asked me to tell you a little bit of my story going through menopause, in the chance I might help other’s who may feel similar to me.

I am 55 years old, a wife, mother of 3 teenagers, and a qualified Personal Trainer in Hamilton New Zealand, who helps women keep fit the safe way.

As I turned 52 I found I was experiencing a lot of fatigue, a bit of depression, more anxiety than usual, aching bones. I did not have hot flushes or sleeping problems.  I ate relatively well, exercised and enjoyed a few wines at the weekend and other treats, but mainly following a healthy lifestyle using Wendy’s MyMT™ guidelines. I did not struggle with my weight, although I did feel bloated before doing the programme.

I have always had hormonal problems from a teenager till now.  I had Polycystic cysts on my ovaries and Endometriosis, infertility later in life and 3 children by IVF treatment.  So, by the time I hit menopause things really started to misfire. By then I had 3 big fibroids, Endometriosis, along with Adenomyosis, a big cyst on one of my ovaries (which turned out to be benign) an infection on my Fallopian tube, an enlarged uterus and generally feeling terrible.  This resulted in a short notice hysterectomy with no HRT after, as my mother died of ovarian cancer and the specialist felt it would be a risk for me.

When the fatigue, anxiety, and aching bones did not go after my hysterectomy I began to be concerned.  It wasn’t till I had an episode on a long haul flight to the UK which after arriving 2 days later I was in hospital getting checked out for a TIA (mini stroke).  They did scans and gave me aspirin and sent me away on my travels….  I got back to New Zealand and again had  a fainting episode and ended up in A and E with suspected TIA in my home town hospital.

This is where I had a lot more tests done including a blood test on my calcium levels in my blood and urine. They also tested my parathyroid levels.  It came out that my calcium in my blood was higher than normal and my parathyroid gland was functioning high in order to cope.

I was also very dehydrated from the side affects of high calcium and a long haul flight which was causing the fainting. They tested my Thyroid which was normal.  I was referred to an Endocrinologist.  Then after a lot of monitoring, scans and appointments I had surgery in July to remove the parathyroid gland ( we have 4 of these 2 either side of our Thyroid in our neck region).

I took the normal 6 weeks to recover and I have never felt better! 

All the symptoms have gone, all my levels for calcium in the blood and parathyroid function have returned to normal. I feel so much more energised and my anxiety has reduced. I am able to exercise now without feeling fatigued, which is huge for me being a Personal Trainer and having always enjoyed being fit.

Before joining Wendy's programme, I knew I was in menopause but I became very lost. Whilst I worked with my Doctors to find a solution to my parathyroid issues, having the understanding about the lifestyle solutions I also needed to put into place during menopause, was aslo crucial to my recovery. 

I am glad I joined as I have learn’t so much, understand things better and I've been able to pass on my experience to my clients too and also get to the bottom of why I was not well.

I wanted to share my story, because I had never had my calcium checked in my blood tests before. It is a very simple addition your doctor can make to any blood tests you are having done. It would appear to be a common issue for women over 50.  I have no idea how long I had the benign tumour on my parathyroid, the surgeon could give no reason for why we have them, there were 4 other people ahead of me for surgery …….. but I am glad it is gone.

I only wish I knew about the calcium blood test long ago.

Take care everyone, and stay safe.

Julie x

### "What a difference a year makes!" (Hil, New Zealand)

The year has flown by and what a surprise I got when Hil emailed me last week. She reminded me that it's been a year since she came on board into the MyMT™ programme.

We often look forward to 'new beginnings' during mid-life and Hil is a great example of this! That's why I wanted to share what she has been up to since completing the programme. Hil is a busy lady - with a passion for the outdoors, she has turned around her sleep and joint health. Two hallmarks of changing health for women during their menopause transition!

So, as part of our 'New Beginnings' Month, here's a little reminder from Hil, that yes, you can change things up a bit in mid-life ... and I don't just mean your symptoms!

Dear Wendy,

I just wanted to touch base with you to share my little success story with you. Last winter season I still struggled with a sore body, breathing difficulty and very low energy at times. All this prevented me from enjoying what I love, cross country skiing.

But what a difference a year makes!

Following your program (well, most of it) I achieved so much this season. I was up at the Snow Farm four days a week throughout the whole season either teaching or being coached myself. Plus, I continued working 2 days at work per week at the local ISITE (Information Centre).

My body coped tremendously well. I felt strong, full of energy and recovery was a lot faster. Yes, I felt tired and heavy or sore at times but it didn’t last long and was nothing compared to the previous season.

I focused on getting good carbs and protein in during the day ( brown rice salad is now my favourite lunch), loved my beetroot and celery in any form, had lots more plant based food in general, slightly smaller portions at night and lots and lots of water.

I have been already dairy free and haven’t been drinking alcohol for years and watch my sugar intake although I had a sweet treat in the afternoon pretty regularly.

At the end of every day I would do either yoga or a stretch sequence which was not only good for my body but also for my mind. With a few exceptions I slept like a baby, yay!

The best news is that thanks to all of this, I managed to get my New Zealand and my international certificate as a cross country ski instructor both in classic and skate technique. I could not have done it without all your knowledge and advice that you are sharing so generously.

Thank you so very much, Wendy!

Hil

### If Menopause night sweats are keeping you awake, then discover why.

The email arrived in my inbox this week. Amanda had listened to my Masterclass on Menopause and reached out - "Is there anything I can do about my sweating? I sweat in the morning, I sweat at night and when I go out. I'm on all sorts of herbs to help  me."Night sweats are so frustrating, let alone draining!I'm intrigued with the number of women who join me on my coaching programmes who are taking supplements for their hot flushes and/or are on menopause HRT, but they are still waking up to hot flushes and night sweats. If this is you, then there's a reason for this - our sweat glands and our skin respond to our changing oestrogen environment too.This means that the sweat glands don't function as well as they used to. Our declining oestrogen messes up our body's ability to handle heat. As I often say to women who come onto the MyMT™ online programmes, hot flushes are a sign that your internal or 'core' temperature is higher than it should be. We all know that sweating is a natural survival cooling mechanism, but why and how does it become so disrupted as we move into mid-life? Sweating is your survival mechanism to help your body cope with heat that is building up internally. This might be when we have a fever or we have inflammation inside us, or we are exercising in hot environments. But we also sweat and experience hot flushes when we reach peri-menopause (the start of our reproductive ageing, when oestrogen and progesterone production decline). The question is why ...		
																										
		Our temperature is usually a well-balanced mechanism that is directed by our pituitary gland in our brain. Normally and ideally, there is good balance between our pituitary hormones, thryoid hormones and our adrenal (stress) hormones.
However, the following factors can cause these hormones to get out of balance: 

When we move into menopause and the 'master' pituitary hormones in the brain that regulate oestrogen and progesterone are changing. 
When we aren't sleeping. 
When we are accumulating inflammation in our joints, muscles, gut and liver as we age. 
When our diet doesn't give us the nutrients we need to reduce inflammatory changes in the body. This includes magnesium, potassium, iron, Vitamin D, B12 and iodine. All of these nutrients help to regulate our blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. 

For example, if our diet doesn't match the changes that arrive in our menopause transition (e.g. if we are low in iron, iodine, magnesium or folate), or if we have inflammation that has been building up in our joints and muscles as our joints lose the role of oestrogen, or if we are doing lots of vigorous exercise and not sleeping well, then all these factors can  impact on the regulation  of our body's heat production causing our temperature to go into over-drive.		
																										
		When our temperature builds up and we feel hot, other changes occur inside your body to try to keep the heat under control. In other words, our body tries to adjust and 'right' itself and the hormones that come into play to do this are our thyroid and adrenal hormones.Sweating is your body trying to get rid of excess heat. As many of you already know, if it's happening at night, then you wake up with the sheets of your bed soaked. Night after night. The only thing that changes is your laundry pile. When I was really trying to understand why I was experiencing night sweats and lots of hot flushes, I was guided by the great work of Deecher and Dories (2007). Their studies explain that when we have night sweats, there is a problem with the neural (nerve) and hormonal 'communication' between three areas. These are:The pituitary gland in the brain.Our thyroid gland (which requires iodine and selenium to regulate it).Our skin - which we often forget is the largest organ in the body containing millions of tiny blood vessels that go to our sweat glands. The function of sweat glands are affected by low oestrogen too. They don't dilate as much. This means that to sort out your night sweats, you need to focus on these three key areas, not just the changing levels of oestrogen and progesterone, which has been the hallmark of menopause treatment for decades.When we focus on these three areas, then we can usually un-pack why we are getting night sweats, when we never used to.		
																										
		One of the first things to understand is that our core body temperature is regulated by our brain (pituitary gland) and it works to our 24 hour circadian rhythm. This is why, if you are frustrated and weary from your night sweats and lack of sleep, then the management of this begins by turning around your circadian rhythm (I have the step-by-step plan for this in the SLEEP ALL NIGHT module in both the MyMT™ programmes. 
However, it's not always about our sleep hormones. When we overheat and sweat at night, something is up with the nervous system and our temperature regulation too.
The normal response to over-heating is that when core body temperature goes high, this is communicated to the brain by hot and cold temperature receptors around the body. They are located in your skin (the largest organ), your gut, your thyroid, your blood vessels and your spinal cord.
Therefore, messages about your temperature regulation occur at many different sites in your body. For example, if you are experiencing changing gut health during menopause, then it's important to sort this out too - when you do, your hot flushes and night sweats reduce as well. 		
																										
		During Menopause Our Blood Vessels are Changing:
Normally, when our core body temperature goes higher than it should, our peripheral blood vessels dilate to take heat to the skin. This results in an increased blood flow to the blood vessels in our skin where our sweat glands are located. This sequence of events is regulated by our thyroid and our nervous system, which controls blood pressure and blood vessel dilation. 
But here's the kicker, - these sites are also where you have oestrogen receptors too. Hence, during menopause, these oestrogen receptors cannot do their job properly. 
How do we manage this temperature chaos during menopause?
I want you to think about the night sweats in terms of the three areas - pituitary, thyroid and skin. All are controlled by our circadian rhythm, the way we adapt to our environment, our stress levels and the nutrients that control our thyroid and pituitary health - iodine, folate, selenium and Vitamin D. Hence, focusing on these factors is important and it's what  women learn about on the MyMT™ programmes. 
For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere moving into summer, it takes around 6 weeks to develop your 'summer skin' so get outside when you can and let your skin breathe - it's your largest organ. Wear loose clothing, go barefoot if possible and cool your hands down by running cold water over the wrist and palms. Same with your feet. The feet and hands have numerous blood vessels which help to dissipate or reduce heat. They are an important component of our evolutionary cooling mechanism. When our feet are cool, we feel cooler inside our body. 		
																										
		I have other strategies that I have researched in my programmes, and this also includes lists of foods which help to keep us cool. We also need to eat lightly at night and the timing of foods is critical to turning off night sweats.
When we eat lightly at night, the gut (which has all the temperature sensors too), doesn't have to process and digest larger meals that we are generally used to in the evening.  This is particularly important for some proteins, which increase metabolism and are known as being 'thermo-genic' or heat generating. 
A word of caution though - the official term for night sweats is 'hyper-hidrosis' and it is well known in medicine, that an under-lying virus can also disrupt temperature regulation.  If you aren't getting on top of your night sweats and/or you aren't at the right age for your menopause transition, then please see your Doctor.  
Is MyMT™ for you? I hope so! If you are having problems getting on top of your sleep and want to beat the heat as well as manage other symptoms of menopause with my scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions, then I would love you to have a look at my 12 week menopause symptom reduction programmes.  For leaner women, I have Circuit-Breaker and for over-weight women, I have Transform Me.There are videos on these pages for you to listen to about what you receive and how you can access them on-demand, in your own time.  There is never a better time to start, but if you are hesitating, then I recommend you complete the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, watch the MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause, go to the Testimonials and Success Stories on the MyMT™ website and find someone like you to read their story. Women call the programmes 'life-changing'. I hope you do too.MyMT™ 12 week programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers. I hope you can join me. Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/MyMT™ Founder & Coach		
			
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		References:
Deecher, D. & Dorries, K. (2007). Understanding the pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) that occur in peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause life stages. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 10: 247-257.
Gibson C., Thurston R., Matthews K. (2016). Cortisol dysregulation is associated with daily diary-reported hot flashes among midlife women. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 85(4):645-51. doi: 10.1111/cen.13076. Epub 2016 Apr 26. PMID: 27059154.
Mayo Clinic. The science behind a hot flush. Mayo Clinic Online, PDF Handout
Schoenfeld, B. & Aragon, A. (2018). How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J. of Int Society of Sports Nutrition. 15(10), 1-6 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1
Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. International Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.Related Tag: Sleeping Menopause

### "I feel amazing still. Finally we had a wedding after being in lockdown for so long!"  [Leann, Australia]

It was a just over a year ago that I did a shout-out to Essential Workers who have had to face a most challenging year and I got in touch with Leann, in Queensland, Australia. She completed the MyMT™ programme in late 2019, so I caught up with her to see how she was getting on. There's been a wedding ("finally" she said) after being in lockdown for so long.

"I feel amazing and yes I always feel that I need to achieve more weight loss, but I always go back to looking at my photos and say to myself, 'you are doing OK'!"

Leann farms in Queensland, Australia. Farming is the backbone of the economy in both New Zealand and Australia and during a pandemic there's never been a more important time for farming to keep the economy going. Having grown up on a farm myself, I know how hard all of the farming women on my programme work. But this year, the additional pressure of not having contractors around to support farming activities took its toll on Leann as well.

When women arrive in menopause and they are working physically hard, there are additional concerns with their ability to recover from day to day. Especially when they aren't sleeping. This leads to worsening immune health and with the decline of oestrogen in joints and muscles, aches and pains arrive in various joints and muscles too. Leann from Australia experienced this and didn't realise that the additional stress and worry about farming was clashing with her changing hormones during menopause.

I was blown away when I first met Leann at my live-event in Brisbane last year where I was presenting my Masterclass on Menopause.  She looked and felt amazing and when she shared the 'before' photo of her from only 3 years ago, she said to me, "I've had my ups and downs with all the stress of farming and it's been a long journey."

Living in and with Australia's harsh climate, it seemed that she and her husband had only got over the fires and then there was drought and then the pandemic. Phew! It was a lot of stress to deal with, which is why I am so pleased that she had been with me on the MyMT™ weight loss Transform Me programme.

"We are very busy planting winter crops, milking heifers, calving and I'm also helping my daughter who is pregnant with our second grand-child" mentioned Leann when I caught up with her earlier this year. "But I've hired some exercise equipment from the local gym which had to close and following your plans still. This is the hill I walk up from home." 



That's when I reminded her that the weight loss research from the National Weight Loss Registry in America, set up by Professor Rena Wing and Dr James Hill, acknowledges that slow is better. In fact, 'successful' weight loss is determined as maintaining weight loss for a year or more. I was so proud of what Leann had achieved. It's really tough concentrating on weight loss when you are busy and have so much going on from day to day, so I applaude Leann's determination to succeed. Not sleeping was a big concern when she joined me and as I mentioned to her, when we aren't sleeping, then this means we aren't changing our metabolism and burning fat overnight. It was such a privilege to help her turn this around so she could become more active again.

Part of the solution with Leann, was helping her to understand what was going on with her joints. Swollen and aching, she couldn't walk far initially. But our joints have oestrogen receptors in them too, so as we go through menopause and lose oestrogen, our joints become stiff and sore. Taking olive oil helps as does changing our diet, sleeping all night and reducing any excessive exercise. I was blown away when she said that she had completed her first 5km run earlier this year.

It's been an incredible year on so many fronts for all of us, so I hope that whatever your job is and no matter whether  you are essential worker or not, that you have a relaxing festive season.

Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ MyMT™ Founder.  



If you are confused about what is happening as you move through menopause, and how to look after yourself, then perhaps start with listening to my 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause. Now that it's online, you can now listen in the comfort of your own home and yes, you can 'pause' me anytime you like. This was the start of Leann's journey and I would love you to learn firstly, how we get to the point where our symptoms and weight-gain can over-whelm us in mid-life and of course, I give you an overview of what to do to change this. There is just a small NZ$15 admin fee for it, and you can read more HERE.

The other way is to join me on either of the MyMT programmes for the next 12 weeks and I as my way of supporting you further I have dropped the price of these to an unprecedented NZ$349 which is NZ$50 off the usual price. If you aren’t sleeping, or your hot flushes are getting you down or your joints are sore or you feel depressed, tired an d anxious, or your weight has gone up whilst in lock-down, then I would love you to join me on the MyMT™ online 12 week programmes. Use promo code JOIN MYMT.

From my home-bubble whilst in lock-down to yours,

Wendy x

### The impact of menopause depression on your stress eating and weight gain.

Depression affects up to 25% of women at some time in their lives. Some of it is serious. Some of it is mild. What’s known is that it affects far more women than men and peri-menopause is a vulnerable time, especially if women have already experienced depression in their life and/or post-partum depression. I've been talking about depression this week in my private coaching group, explaining that a variety of studies report that there are several theories that have been put forward to explain the increase in depression during peri-menopause. From ‘empty-nest syndrome’ to hormonal fluctuations as the ovaries go into decline and produce less oestrogen, which impacts serotonin, to inflammatory changes and oxidative stress that occurs when we don’t sleep. Then of course, there are the theories relating to stress, burn-out and adrenal fatigue. I also have a PhD on my computer, suggesting that low Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and low iron are also contributing factors to menopause-related depression, as is a high glycemic index, high saturated fat diet. When I felt a bit emotional myself, I didn’t know whether I was ‘depressed’ or just tired. It’s hard to tell isn’t it? But symptoms of major depression must be taken seriously and these are: - A depressed mood for most of the day, nearly every day for 2 weeks or longer.- Loss of interest of pleasure in activities that you usually enjoy.- Fatigue and lack of energy that doesn’t resolve.- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness- Difficulty concentrating- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much- Recurrent thoughts of death.(From: www.womensmentalhealth.org) Understanding these symptoms are important, as is talking to your Doctor or a specialist in the area of menopause depression. So too, is reflecting on the factors that contribute to depression whilst you are in menopause and telling your family how you are feeling, so they can support you or keep an eye out for you. Then of course, there is also the understanding that we can do something to reduce our risk, so ‘what to do about it from a lifestyle perspective?’ is an important question to reflect on.  It's easy to lie on the couch when we feel a bit low, so if this is you, then I have an overview of strategies for you in a module called ‘Lifestyle Solutions for those of you on Antidepressants’ for women on my programmes who may be on anti-depressants for their menopause symptoms.Then of course, there is the relatively new research which suggests that menopause depression also impacts stress eating and weight gain. I know in a really tough past-year for everyone, it's hard to differentiate your worsening moods and melancholy from being in lockdown, especially those of you in Australia and here in New Zealand.But if you are also in menopause (your periods have stopped) or post-menopause (they've stopped for a year or more), please don't blame both depression and weight gain entirely on lockdown. Because menopause hormonal changes and depression may be having an effect on your eating behaviour too.That's why the article from Schrieher and Dautovich fascinated me. I read it after wondering why on earth I felt so depressed as I arrived in my 50's. The researchers called the menopause transition a “window of vulnerability” for the development of depressive symptoms given the changes in hormonal levels (Schreiber & Dautovich, 2017) and due to feeling depressed, we also run the risk of over-eating in order to 'cope'. Sound familiar?As such, we may also head towards weight gain and worsening health as we age. Then becoming overweight cause our hot flushes to ramp-up in frequency and severity. For some of you, this is despite your anti-depressant therapy.Psycho-social factors such as 'stress-eating' play an important role in the association between depressive symptoms and weight, state  Schrieber and Dotavich (2017) in their research on menopause-related depressive symptoms and weight gain.The results highlight the need to focus on both behavioural factors as well as menopausal status when working to resolve our symptoms. Knowing this connection is important  - as it was for me as well. 		
																														
		Feeling depressed or experiencing frequent mood swings in peri-menopause and menopause is all about the connection between all of your hormones - not just oestrogen, progesterone and serotonin - which is why I'm sharing my own discoveries from the research about depression with you in this article. Many of us have very little understanding of what's going on at this time of our lives.  Menopause depression is due to lowering serotonin. This is your mood hormone. If you're feeling stressed and over-whelmed with all that's going on in your life and you are in your menopause transition, then the decline in oestrogen also has an effect on your brain hormone, called SEROTONIN. When oestrogen is lowering in menopause, serotonin follows it on a downward slide.Serotonin is your mood-boosting hormone and its decline during menopause, can make you feel depressed. Some of you on anti-depressants will already know this,, but what you may not know is that menopause depression is linked to the build-up of inflammation in your body.Ageing itself is inflammatory. I've talked about the new research on 'inflammaging' in other posts, so look for these on my website when you can. Inflammation arrives in mid-life, not only due to our changing cells and tissues, but also to the fact that we aren't sleeping or our nutrition isn't meeting our needs or because we are doing lots of exercise, or we feel stressed, or we are experiencing lots of hot flushes (a catch-22, if you are overweight).Inflammation comes from numerous sources and it's good to explore what these sources may be for you. For example, when Hot Flushes are more than 5 an hour, our body overheats and becomes inflamed. This inflammation then causes an acceleration in the decline of SEROTONIN. But there's other factors contributing to menopause depression too. High cortisol is linked to depression, so too is insomnia. If you aren't sleeping and you are feeling stressed, then you may be producing too much of your chronic hormone, Cortisol. Higher than normal levels throughout the day causes more inflammation in organs, muscles and blood vessels as we biologically age. The accumulation of high levels of cortisol, can disrupt serotonin production more rapidly during menopause. The result? More depression and weight gain.		
																														
		Your gut and liver health also matter - not only to your feelings of depression but to your urges to 'stress-eat' as the research I mentioned above indicates. When liver inflammation is present in cells and tissues or if women are putting on belly fat and have poor gut health or eating a high fat diet, then B vitamins may not be absorbed and metabolised very well and B-vitamins are important for managing menopause depression.Low Vitamin B6 and B12 increase depressive episodes (Feraj, 2017). This is why for women who want to improve their moods and motivation during menopause, it's important to turn around liver and gut health first, especially for women who are overweight. The gut-brain connection scientific evidence is increasing in relevance for women in their menopause transition. Over the decades gut health may have changed and too often women develop Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Diverticulitis when they reach their 50's. Researchers now understand that the powerful connection between our immune system and our gut has a profound effect on our mental health if our gut health is impaired. This is because gut inflammation impacts on the absorption of a protein called Tryptophan, which helps to make serotonin.		
																														
		3 Changes to Make to your Lifestyle if you Feel Depressed(1) Adjust the type, timing and amount of your food intake. We are the generation of dieters, especially low carb diets. But these do not work during menopause when it comes to our moods. When we don't eat regularly or we don't eat the right carbohydrates (especially if we are exercising), this affects your insulin production and blood sugar levels.When blood sugar levels are low, your pancreas secretes a hormone called glucagon to re-set your blood sugar levels. Eat too much and your pancreas releases insulin to help regulate your blood sugar levels. When both glucagon and insulin are un-balanced, our mood swings and feelings of depression occur because there is a powerful link between your blood sugar hormones and serotonin production.		
																														
		(2) Focus on restoring your sleep patterns and reducing your hot flush frequency. Poor sleep means that your adrenal glands (which produce your 'fight or flight' hormones) become overwhelmed and this impacts on your thyroid function. Low thyroid response results in low energy levels and even more stress on your adrenals. When we are feeling stressed or we have oxidative stress from inflammation in our tissues, our sleep suffers, we get more hot flushes and our mood swings become worse. This is why turning around your circadian rhythm matters more for your weight loss in menopause than any crazy diet you might be on.		
																														
		(3) Ask for your Vitamin D levels to be checked. Especially if you live in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment. Low Vitamin D3, depression and worsening inflammation go hand-in-hand. Vitamin D is often low in menopausal women because it decreases with changes to oestrogen receptors in our skin. (Lerchbaum, 2013).I talk a lot about Vitamin D and this connection with menopause with women, because so many of us work inside and if women have darker skin, then their Vitamin D absorption is lower too. If women are also overweight and carrying more belly fat, then because Vitamin D is drawn to fat in fat storage areas, the Vitamin D can go to adipose tissue and not to where it is needed - in muscles, bones, nerves and the heart. [Dregan, Rayner, et al., 2020). 		
																														
		In the two to eight year period known as ‘peri-menopause’ the production of oestrogen is declining. Because oestrogen is a hormone, when levels reduce it affects the function of not only progesterone, but other hormones in the body as well, including your mood hormone serotonin. When serotonin levels are low, this impacts on other hormones produced by your thyroid, adrenal and more importantly, your pituitary glands where serotonin production occurs.Depression that arrives during menopause is frightening - especially if you have never experienced it before. You should therefore, always follow up with your Doctor, as well as explore lifestyle solutions that will help you manage it as well.These specific lifestyle solutions are what women on the 12 week MyMT™ programmes discover, no matter whether you are on supplements, HRT, bio-identical hormones or medications such as anti-depressants either.Because when you understand what to do and why, like Brenda above beaming at you from the beautiful Tasmania, you will feel so much better too.Wendy		
																														
		References:Doyne, E. et al. (1983). Aerobic exercise as treatment for depression in women. Behavior Therapy, 14(3), 434 - 440.Dregan, A., Rayner, L., Davis, K., Bakolis, I., Arias de la Torre, J., Das-Munshi, J., Hatch, S. L., Stewart, R., & Hotopf, M. (2020). Associations Between Depression, Arterial Stiffness, and Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults in the UK Biobank Population Study: A Mediation Analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 77(6), 1–9. Advance online publication.Feraj, J. (2017). Micro-nutrients, depression and inflammation among women of reproductive age. Doctoral Dissertation 993, University of Massachusetts.Lerchbaum, E. (2014). Vitamin D and menopause – A narrative review. Maturitas Journal, 79, 3-7Schreiber, D, & Dautovich, N. (2017). Depressive symptoms and weight in midlife women: the role of stress eating and menopause status. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 24(10), 1190–1199.Vivian-Taylor & Hickey, M. (2014). Menopause and depression: Is there a link? Maturitas Journal, 79, 142-146

### "I am still going great. I sleep well at night and I don’t get hot flushes like I used to." (Sandra, NZ)

Sandra emailed me out of the blue after reading last week’s newsletter about women’s health and ageing and ‘New Beginnings’. She had some questions to ask, so I answered them but asked a question back. “How are you getting on 2 years on from doing the MyMT™ programme?” I wrote.

“I’m going great” Sandra said. “The Covid lockdown is terrible but spring on the farm is busy. I have plenty of fresh air, sunshine and physical work but I enjoy the outdoors rather than inside.”

So, I asked if I could share her photo with you and add some thoughts from her as part of my ‘New Beginnings’ theme this month. Learn about Hot Flushes.

Sandra and her hubbie have a farm in the North Island of New Zealand. I remember her emails to me at the time she joined me on the Transform Me programme. In her early 50s back then, life was busy and hectic – especially, as a new grandmother, she was supporting her daughter looking after the grandchildren. Between farming and family, every minute of her day was busy. It’s why I was interested in her progress – it’s hard to look after yourself, when there you are used to looking after others.

“Looking after my body is always a work in progress and it does take an effort and I’m not the most disciplined person, so I still read over your valuable information when I need to get back on track. I’ve made lots of little changes from the programme that still stick with me. The lemon water in the mornings and I only drink wine on occasions now. I guess the biggest change is what I learnt from you about more vegetables, less animal protein and smaller meals to sustain me because of my physical lifestyle on the farm. Even my hubby has changed his eating and looks great. If I bake, I take it to my son & daughter in law, grandkids and the staff on the farm. 

My Doctor is happy with my bloods and I’m happy that I’m not on any medication at 56 years old now. I’m very grateful that I’m well and fit as I know that many of my friends and relatives are experiencing health problems. I’m still working physically like I used to when in my 20s, 30s and 40s but slower and more careful. My body is now ticking along nicely, fingers crossed. Thank you for your programme – it’s now part of my new lifestyle. All my photos tend to have grandchildren in them and the other is a selfie taken in April tramping Lake Waikeromoana over 4 days, which was amazing to have the energy to do this, although I look bit tired!"

Sandra S., New Zealand

### "I'm doing very well and finally free of the weight on my mind about my weight!" Romany Romany.

It was over a year ago that I wrote about Romany Romany, Magician, Entertainer and Believer of all things 'magic' and introduced you to her. At the time, I had emailed her curious about whether I was using her name correctly. It seemed a bit odd that she had the same surname as her first name. "I'm not telling you" she emailed back. "You have to read my book."  So I did. I opened it after boarding the plane whilst travelling down to the South Island here in New Zealand. With a busy ski season and snow covering the runway, there were the usual flight delays. But I'm so thankful for the snow ... and the delays. Because, I found out why she changed her name. I couldn't put her book down. You see, I was 'that girl' as well. I'm sure many of you were too.With the growth of West-End musicals in London (thank you Andrew Lloyd-Webber) the performing arts scene grew in popularity in the 1980's. When Romany mentioned that she stood outside the Pineapple Dance Studio's looking in longingly with hopes and dreams of working in the performing arts, I resonated with doing this as well. However, at the time, I was working as a nurse in London and Romany (who wasn't known as Romany back then) was working in an office. But we both needed an 'outlet' for coping with our new working lives as young women in the 1980's. With the physical landscape changing and women's fitness programmes emerging in gyms around the world, like me, she became caught up in the endorphin-fueled world of aerobics and high-intensity exercise.The difference was, that Romany was told she was overweight. And over the years following, like so many of us, her thoughts and actions become focused on 'calorie-burning' and weight loss.  It made sense that Romany's thoughts, actions and behaviours became centred on this (very wrong) world view of constant exercising, disordered eating and guilt. However, although this notion of dieting was a constant shadow following her everywhere, I couldn't put her book down, because it was replete with, well, .... MAGIC! Every stone she turned over, every obstacle she faced, led her towards her dream job - that of a professional magician. As she says, " the book tells the story of how I left my corporate job after having a breakdown aged 26 and followed my dream. It's the book, I wish I'd read at 26."  Me too, Romany.  A year has now passed and I caught up with Romany the other day via email. "How are you?" I wrote. It's been a busy time for her, not only navigating a new life outside of entertainment, but also navigating new-beginnings and a new life for herself post-pandemic. She's been busy fund-raising to get a beautiful dog from Romania and re-homing it. She is busy writing as well (hopefully there is another book coming!) and of course, enjoying her new found freedom from worrying about her menopause weight gain and lack of sleep. "I'm very well, thank you. I'm delighted to say that I hop onto the scales each morning and they seem to be going down despite me eating whatever I please from your food guides! I know you'll trust me when I say this has NEVER happened in my life before! Today they said 63kg. When I panicked  last year and started your programme they were 68kg! The biggest thing is that worrying about my weight has stopped being an issue in my life, i.e. when I'm not overweight, or struggling with the kilos going on it's such a WEIGHT off my mind!  I'm walking with Ruzha for an hour in the morning over the hills, delighted to say that she now controllable on a lead so i can actually have a good walk. At first she was all over the place and I was disappointed that my new fitness coach (the dog) was rubbish!  I have no idea why the weight has kept coming off. Probably my body has got into balance as a result of your programme and the fact that I'm not stressing about my work as an entertainer, but the other reason is that you've taught me not to do all the exercise that I used to do as I can see now how that was stressing my body too and causing the wieght gain." It's been amazing to 'meet' Romany through the MyMT™ programme. When she came on board with me, I had no idea of who she was. But I do now. It's a privilege to have helped her restore her energy and sense of fun and have her share her story with you all too. But you must read her book too and follow her on facebook and Instagram. She does a much better job of posting there than I do. "It would be really wonderful if you might mention www.romanymagic.com/shop where they can find the ebook or follow my blog", she mentioned to me. So, here I am, telling you all. I hope you can check in with Romany on here. For now, here is what she has to say to you all ... "I'm a magician and big believer in real magic, meaning that the signposts towards what you wish for will reveal themselves if you keep an eye out. When a Facebook ad for Wendy's programme popped up on my feed, I watched the free webinar and immediately knew that it was for me. I was desperate, putting on weight, stuck on the sofa with increasing anxiety and brain fog, plus waking up all through the night with hot flushes. Everything hurt. The more exercise I did, the more I ached and nothing was shifting those extra kilos. After struggling with an eating disorder for three decades always watching my figure so that my costumes fit, I didn't know what to do and was getting more and more unhappy. Then Wendy appears! Ta-da!  Magic!The course has so much meticulously researched and accurate information. It's not a quick fix, but at the end of the MyMT™ programme, my aches and pains were gone, I'd mastered sleeping through the night without a pee and best of all, my sense of fun and humour were back.I hadn't realised that I had stopped laughing while I was affected with all the horrible symptoms. The other amazing thing was that I've been on over-exerciser since my teenage years. I believed that I needed to do lots of hard exercise to keep my weight down. But at 51 years old, it wasn't working anymore. On Wendy's programme, I just walked for an hour a day. I so enjoyed the peace and pleasure and ease of my morning walks. And guess what? My figure is the same as when I was doing bootcamps and daily hard HIIT sessions. Covid has meant that my work as an entertainer on cruise ships and events has stopped for a year at least. After doing Wendy's course, I felt so much better that I felt inspired to set myself a Manifest a Million Readers Challenge to get my book, 'Spun Into Gold - The Secret Life of a Female Magician', into the world.It's the book I wish I'd read as a young woman struggling with bulimia and anxiety and tells the story of how I left my corporate job after having a breakdown aged 26 and followed my dream of showbiz until I finally became the first woman ever to win the Las Vegas World Magic Awards. It's also a book about persistence since it took 17 years of magical adventures until I won at the age of 43! My vision is that everyone who will be helped and inspired by reading it will find a copy in their hands! I was so pleased that Wendy enjoyed it too! I'm on the Rebuild my Fitness course now and looking forward to feeling better than ever! I am now Wendy's fan for life and so grateful for her work in bringing this knowledge of menopause health to improve the lives of so many women. Romany Romany, Professional Magician, United Kingdom Romany's book, Spun Into Gold is available worldwide on Amazon, perfect for daily walks! Links below. AmazonBook Depository free worldwide shipping. https://www.bookdepository.com/Spun-Into-Gold/9781999788902

### New Research: Find your lockdown love for antiviral functional foods and the right exercise during menopause.

"Good morning from the UK. Sorry to hear some of you are in Lockdown in Australia and New Zealand, but I can assure you it’s worth it. I'm in day 10 from contracting the virus and it’s really unpleasant. I’m thankful I’ve been double jabbed. I didn’t really suffer with hot flushes but I am at the moment, wow."  [Helen, UK]This week New Zealand has extended it's lockdown. Numerous states in Australia have done the same. It was Delta that somehow crossed the ditch across the Tasman and burst into the community. Hence, I was intrigued with Helen's note in my coaching group today. Here she was having had her vaccinations and when the virus caught up with her, it hit her with a return of hot flushes, poor sleep and feeling achey in her muscles. Menopause symptoms. And just when she had got on top of all these symptoms with the MyMT™ programme. I'm just pleased though that she has the information to go back and 'start again' with her health changes. She was climbing the ladder to feeling better in menopause, but the virus knocked back down again. But not everyone has this experience. Other women on my programme are the opposite. Their hot flushes went away when they had their vaccination. I haven't quite figured that one out yet, but perhaps they are in a different age and stage of menopause - remember, that in peri-menopause you are still producing oestrogen and progesterone. Helen is in post-menopause. That's why this week, I'm reminding you that we have to up our game, when it comes to our immune health and prevention and I'm thankful to the emerging research which points us in the right direction with looking after ourselves at a time in our lives, when our lung and immune health is changing with menopause and why, we just need to have a bit of a re-focus on anti-viral functional foods and the exercise that is now evidenced to help boost our immunity.Viral infections have been around for hundreds of years or longer. But we all know that this one is more than 'just' a case of seasonal influenza and whether you have had the vaccine or choose not to, there are now certain lifestyle approaches that could play an essential antiviral long-term preventative role according to new research that arrived in my in-box recently. The foods that matter are called functional foods and new research indicates that there are foods specific to coronavirus protection and recovery." The antiviral role of nutrition and exercise as the two lifestyle prevention pillars has received little resarch attention" mentions Alkhatib. I'm pleased that he and his team decided to do something about it. "Optimal intake of selected micronutrients has been highlighted in controlling the impact of virulent strain infections, including upper and lower respiratiry tract infections, through optimizing a well-functioning immune system." (Alkhatib, A. 2020, p. 2)		
																										
		Functional foods offer us a new way to strengthen our immunity. I've written about the effect of menopause changes on our lung health HERE and why this time of our life makes us more vulnerable to infections. I've also written about our immune health and exercise and why finding theh right balance with the amount, type and intensity of our exercise is also important.It is well known in sport and exercise science that severe exercise intensity, whether acute or chronic, can be counter-productive in terms of the susceptibility to infections, since it is linked with upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). But just as harmful to our immune health, is the cost of doing no exercise at all. That's why I encouraged Helen to start by getting outside and walking around the block ... 2-3 times a day if she can. I don't want her to push herself at the moment whilst she is recovering. Higher exercise intensities (above 70% VO2 max) induce a transient oxidative stress or inflammatory stress and muscle damage. During our menopause transition, our muscles are ageing and changing. This includes the decline of our Type 2 fibres, which are known as our 'power-fibres'. If you are feeling weaker than normal, then this is why. And whilst some weight training is important to counteract this decline, some of you recovering from the virus, might find that your muscles become sore and you can hardly lift your dinner plate, let alone a barbell. Finding ways to increase our strength is an important part of our immune health, but so too is progressing slowly when you have had the virus. Many women in my group have found that they feel good initially but then go out and do too much exercise too soon, hence, falling off the ladder again with their progress.Listening to your body is important, as is understanding that our immune function response to exercise is influenced by several factors including nutritional status, body weight, hygiene and mental health. 		
																										
		The latest research from Alkhatib (2020) suggests that there is also an optimal level of exercise specifically to prevent the current coronavirus. This research supports my own readings on 'how much is enough' and in reference to intensity levels, then 'moderate' is best. The most practical way of finding your 'moderate' is just to use the calculation 220 (bpm) minus your age. This is a rough estimate of your maximal heart rate for exericse, and then you want to moderate your intensity within 40-70% of this number. During lockdown situations, this new research, specific to viral protection is helpful, because it shows that you should achieve a minimum of 150 minutes of cardio a week to start with, but then try to build this up to 200-400 minutes of aerobic exercise weekly, distributed across 5-7 days. This means you can try to extend your cardiovascular exercise from 30 minutes, 3 times a week to around 60+ minutes, 5-7 days a week. If your joints don't allow you to walk for this long, then you could try cycling, swimming (if you aren't in lockdown) and also explore doing my restoration module, called 'Restore your Joyful Joints' (which is also included in all of my 12 week programmes). I teach you how to do this in the Rebuild My Fitness programme as well. This is a general range for mid-life women to achieve with their aerobic exercise. You also want to perform some resistance-type activities. If you are in lockdown and exercising at home, then this could also include lifting and carrying exercises, lunges, stair-climbing, stand-to-sit and sit-to-stand exercises, squats and some yoga-type stretching for strengthening. Again, these workouts are in the 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme which is an online programme designed for women to get back into healthy exercise again. This is Australian nurse, Lydia, out and about on her bike, before New South Wales turned into chaos. 		
																										
		Functional Foods Increase your Antiviral DefenceNot all foods are allowed to be labelled 'functional'. They can only be called this if they naturally possess active ingredients or 'nutraceuticals' and I'm not referring to supplements. Functional foods are real foods that are associated with disease preventative health benefits, especially those diseases characterised by inflammatory and oxidative stress disorders, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Lead author, Ahmed Alkhatib from the Teeside University's School of Health and Life Sciences division, has explored functional food benefits specific to viral covid infections such as the one currently roaming the world. Viral infections are characterised by a compromised immune function and deficient micronutrient stores, particularly vitamins. According to Alkhatib's (2020) research, this includes Vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, folate, selenium, zinc, iron, magnesium and copper. Evidence already supports that our immune system requires essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, linoleic acids and of course adequate water intake. For women in menopause, this water intake is often forgotten, but I suggest up to 2L a day, to assist in joint health and hot flush management too. Here I am yesterday, getting the beautiful mineral-rich spring water from the local spring, which fortunately, still has access during lockdown. And yes, that photo was taken on a very cold winter morning around 7.30am, hence, wearing my puffer-jacket. 		
																										
		Foods that Matter in Menopause for our Immune HealthHere they are - the functional foods that are specifically listed for helping to prevent or reduce the impact of the current coronavirus. These are just some of the foods that I promote in the MyMT™ porgrammes, but it's good to know that new research supports including them in our daily diet. Fruits and vegetables, including squash, pumpkin and zucchini, legumes, peas and tomatoes, sweet potatoes, potatoes and red peppers. All these vegetables contain plant cyclotides which are well studied anti-virals. They offer a protective function for our immune system. Seasonal vegetable intake also plays a protective role in enhancing our immune system. Olive oil and olive leaf extract. Emerging research from the south of Italy is fascinating and indicates that protection from the virus was higher in the south as the intake of olive oil and it's constituents was higher than in the Northern parts of Italy. I have an emphasis on olive oil in the MyMT™ programmes, because zthe oleuropein in it has been well evidenced for helping our immune health as well as joint health.Walnuts, almonds and other nuts and seedsCoffee. Epidemiological evidence suggests that consuming 2-3 cups of coffee (not the milk) is associated with reduced incidence of metabolic diseases, such as Diabetes. Caffeic acid in caffeine has antiviral benefits. Dairy products. Dairy products contain Vitamin D and it is well accepted that Vitamin D reduces acute respiratory tract infection and it's deficiency is linked to viral infections. The challenge with dairy products however, is that in menopause, they may increase hot flushes becuase of the natural sugars, so my approach is to keep them to a minimum if possible. Fermented foods. Research on the gut-microbiome is increasing at a great rate and my programmes include a GUT HEALTH module too. During menopause our gut lining thins and we become more susceptible to IBS and a host of other gut-related problems, and this impacts our absorption of Vitamin D, B12 and other nutrients. I talk about fermented foods in the programme module, so I'm pleased to see them in the anti-viral functional food research too. (Alkhatib, 2020).Peptide and Amino Acids. Promising evidence has been shown about the restorative and anti-oxidant role of traditional medicinal herbs such as Chinese ginseng in immune health. However, like all reaserch we have to be cautious of it, when it has only been undertaken on males, which the Chinese ginseng research has, so don't read too much into the marketing of it as a female going through menopause. However, fort hose of you who are vegan or vegetarian (which I do support on this programme) you might want to supplement with additional amino acids unless you are adding fish, salmon and lamb (less acidic than beef), to your diet. The research shows that for anti-viral protection, these foods are also sources of immuno-enhancing peptides and amino acids (proteins) that help to improve respiratory and cold symptoms in older persons. 		
																										
		Functional foods and the right type and amount of exercise enhance our immune system and reduce our susceptibility to infections, especially respiratory infections. Whilst many of us in the Southern Hemisphere are in and out of lockdowns, it's comforting to know that we can find lifestyle strategies that help to strengthen our immune health, when menopause itself, can weaken us, let alone any exposure to the virus. I also know that it's hard to have a focus on our own needs, when you have others to consider in your household when it comes to food choices. But what you have to remember is that if you aren't sleeping and experiencing hot flushes, night sweats or you have gut health problems or are feeling depressed, then giving your immune health a boost is crucial. So, too is turning around your symptoms and understanding the lifestyle solutions that matter in mid-life. When you have time, have a listen to the Masterclass on Menopause, which is my 2 hour webinar (you can 'pause' me anytime), and/or join me on either of my 12 week coaching programmes.  To find out more about how these work, then please listen to my video HERE. 		
																										
		References:Alkhatib A. (2020). Antiviral Functional Foods and Exercise Lifestyle Prevention of Coronavirus. Nutrients, 12(9), 2633. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092633Lorenzo I, Serra-Prat M, Yébenes JC. (2019). The Role of Water Homeostasis in Muscle Function and Frailty: A Review. Nutrients. 2019; 11(8):1857. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081857

### Beat the menopause heat with sleep ... and check levels of this vital mineral too.

 "Is it HRT you really need or an iron test instead" I asked her during the weekend when she mentioned that she had started on HRT recently for her hot flushes, but she hadn't noticed a difference. Her inquisitive look told me that she had no idea what I was talking about. But I was serious. You see, at 50 years old, she is a regular runner - she often told me that she runs around 10km a day, five times a week - whatever the weather.It was her night sweats that troubled her the most, keeping her awake at night and feeling hot during the day, but still she did her daily runs - despite her exhaustion. However, she didn't know what her iron levels were doing. That's when I told her, if she wasn't sleeping, it would be worth checking them.  It is well known in sport and exercise science that female runners are at higher risk of low iron levels. For women in menopause who exercise, it's the same. But not sleeping, low iron and menopause changes, also impact on temperature and hot flushes. That's why women in their menopause transition also run a higher risk of low iron levels. Persistent tiredness, feelings of lethargy, upper respiratory tract infections and of course, not sleeping are well known symptoms of over-training syndrome, but so too are night sweats, hot flushes and a temperature regulation system, that is out of balance. But there's more to the low-iron issue in menopausal women. And it's to do with the circadian cycle of our liver and the role of iron in this process. And you don't have to be a runner either - whether you are sedentary or active, during your menopause transition, monitoring your iron levels is an important part of your hot flush management. So, if you are lining up for your HRT, then perhaps ask to get iron and ferritin (stored iron) levels checked. Vitamins and minerals are essential to a myriad of physiologic functions, and a deficiency results in a wide variety of disorders. Among these disorders is the inability of mammals to maintain body temperature adequately in the cold or in the extreme heat. Whether you live in the hotter Northern Hemisphere or the cooler Southern Hemisphere at the moment, and whether you are on HRT or not, you need to understand that in menopause or post-menopause, there is an intricate link between your sleep, your hot flushes and your iron levels - too little or too much and your temperature regulation gets out of balance. 		
																										
		When I first began to have hot flushes and high blood pressure as I moved into my early 50s, nobody mentioned my lack of sleep, my iron levels, nor the fact that I was a regular exerciser. The aches and pains arrived as did the injuries from the running I was doing and slowly I normalised my constant feelings of fatigue, as I'm sure many of us do.The increased body-heat I felt around 6pm when I was cooking dinner, supervising kids homework and multi-tasking a host of other home activities was energy-zapping. But these days I know better, and understand why those endless expensive supplements weren’t helping to reduce my body temperature. Not sleeping was messing up my circadian rhythm.  In turn, this was messing with my body’s temperature regulation and the exercise I was doing was messing with my iron levels, which I finally learnt, were low. The overnight sweats and constant heat I felt, was due to my higher blood pressure, higher heart rate and low iron levels. The sweating was my body trying to cool down.With new research emerging this year about the link between circadian rhythm, body temperature variations and our immune system function, I’m not surprised that the researchers have called this connection ‘a tangled threesome’. [Coiffard, Diallo et al, 2021].Your circadian rhythm (the regulation of your body’s 24 hour clock) strongly influences your human biology and disease states. Almost all of the functions of the human body show circadian pattern that is under control of a biological clock. From our blood pressure to our immune health, to our temperature control, to liver health and gut function, our circadian clock matters and during menopause, our iron levels matter to our circadian clock and how our liver functions to regulate glucose overngiht. If we aren't absorbing iron, it makes sense that our sleep is impaired and our hot flushes and night sweats worsen - especially in those of you who are exercising intensely.		
																										
		Every major organ in your body works to your circadian night/day cycle and if you aren't sleeping, then this can affect the uptake of nutrients that your body needs during mid-life and beyond. This includes iron.If your iron is out of balance, then this not only affects your fatigue, but also your hot flushes and/or night sweats and your immune health. There is a cascade of changes that occur when your circadian rhyhm is out of balance including inflammatory changes to your blood vessels and organs. As such, your blood pressure, heart rate and hypothalamus which controls temperature regulation. All of these organs are affected when iron levels are low (or high) and when you aren't sleeping. Blood pressure changes can then lead to higher heart rate and increased sweating as the body tries to reduce heat.  If your iron levels are low and you are doing a lot of exercise as you transition menopause, then your body goes into distress. It’s no wonder you are feeling hot and bothered – even in winter.But researchers suggest that there is more to iron that previously thought - it is important in regulation of glucose uptake by the liver overnight. University of Utah researchers show that dietary iron plays an important role in the circadian clock of the liver. Judith Simcox, Ph.D., a University of Utah postdoctoral fellow in biochemistry, is the study’s lead author.“Iron is like the dial that sets the timing of the clock,” Simcox says. “Discovering a factor, such as iron, that sets the circadian rhythm of the liver may also have broad implications for people who do shift work.”We all know that sleeping all night is an important factor in our health. But so too are your iron levels. Both these things impact the regulation of your body temperature, It's also why, if you are an exerciser, then you may need to back off the intensity a bit, until you sort out your sleep. Female athletes have to do this as well.Therefore, not only do you need to sleep to beat the heat ... but you also need to know what your iron levels are doing. Some of what I suggest to the women on my 12 week programmes, includes implementing evening routines and foods which are evidenced to help to turn around their circadian rhythm, lower their blood pressure and hot flushes, especially after a busy, stressful day at work. When we feel stressed, then this can be a trigger for hot flushes and night sweats too. Whether you live in a hot or colder environment, managing your temperature regulation during your menopause transition is important. Physiological body temperature is approximately 37˚C in healthy humans with approximately, a 1˚ variation within the circadian cycle. If you want to manage your hot flushes in menopause and you want to reduce your blood pressure and improve your immune health, then you need to sort out your circadian cycle as well as your iron levels.It’s why the very first module I have in the MyMT™ programmes is simply called ‘Sleep All Night’ – it’s that important to your hot flushes and blood pressure management. It’s why, some of you find that despite the Menopause HRT and endless supplements, your hot flushes remain with you right into your post-menopause years (and yes, I've written about the dangers of high-iron levels in post-menopause women and why this can also affect hot flushes).		
																										
		There are numerous factors that disrupt your circadian rhythm during menopause, including:The type, timing and amount of food you eat. Women on my programmes know that high protein diets increase heat production in the body. Protein has the highest thermo-genic (heat generating) effect. Many daily protein calculations are derived from sports nutrition studies, so I change this calculation to reflect women’s health and ageing research. Furthermore, our body needs glucose from starch carbohydrates and metabolism of this is better in the morning. Numerous women get off all carbohydrates and go on high-fat Keto diets, but there are certain carbohydrates that we need for our cardiac health and circadian cycle.The level of inflammation in your body going into menopause (those of you doing lots of exercise, please take note!).How efficiently you can dissipate (remove) the heat from your skin as sweat. This emerges as a problem in women during menopause, as skin (our largest organ), changes in response to the decline in oestrogen. We don't sweat as efficiently as we used to.Whether you are a shift-worker. Night workers display significant circadian rhythm abnormalities, including disruption of the body temperature. I have lots of shift workers on my programmes and I work with them to put in place strategies that help them prepare for sleeping in the day.Whether you work late into the night and go to bed late.Whether you are deficient in iron or high in iron (this can happen in post-menopause).The amount of physical exercise or activity you are doing, as well as how aerobically fit you are.Whilst I have my foundation programmes for women to choose from depending if they are overweight or not, I also have a 12 week exercise programme, which many women opt to do after they have sorted out their symptoms. This programme is called Rebuild My Fitness, and in this programme I teach women that how quickly your heart rate returns to normal after exercise is now seen as an important marker, not only as a measurement of aerobic fitness, but also as a biomarker of the circadian management of blood pressure. [Okutucu et al., 2011].  If your iron levels are low, then we know from sport and exercise science, that this also has a negative effect on how quickly female athletes recover after exercise.And for those of you who only do Yoga or Pilates classes, you might want to explore your aerobic fitness levels - when your cardiovascular system is stronger and you feel fitter, then this has a positive effect on sleep and hot flush management. Having lost a lot of her cardiovascular fitness during the UK's long lockdown, Chris, a yoga instructor from London, was mainly doing yoga and pilates online. So, understanding that boosting her aerobic fitness was crucial to her symptom management, was an important step for her.  		
																										
		The regulation of your body temperature is synchronized by your body clock and this is regulated by light reaching your tiny pineal gland every morning. This is why our brain needs to register a contrast between day and night – to ensure that our body experiences a reproducible rhythm in behaviour, waking in the morning and sleeping in the evening.This helps our brain to ‘rest’ and ‘wake’ which in turn helps to regulate the function of other circadian clocks on many peripheral tissues, such as the liver, heart, arteries, skin and lymphocytes.For women going into menopause and beyond, this is crucial to know, because every one of these regions in the body are declining in oestrogen and as such, our menopause transition affects the function of other organs in our body. Hence, as women on my 12 week coaching programmes discover, if we sort out our circadian rhythm changes during menopause, and we see what our iron levels are doing, then we sort out many of our other symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats.I talk about this in my online Masterclass on Menopause and give you some solutions in this wonderful educational module for you as well - and yes, whilst it's 2 hours long, because I've pre-recorded it, you can 'pause' me anytime you like.  Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ My Menopause Transformation Founder. 		
																										
		References:Coiffard, B., Diallo, A. B., Mezouar, S., Leone, M., & Mege, J. L. (2021). A Tangled Threesome: Circadian Rhythm, Body Temperature Variations, and the Immune System. Biology, 10(1), 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10010065Jehan, S., Giardin, J-L, Auguste, E., et al (2017). Sleep, Melatonin and the Menopausal Transition: What are the links? Sleep Science, 10(1): 11-18.Okutucu, S. & Karakulak, U. & Kabakci, G. (2011). Circadian blood pressure pattern and cardiac autonomic functions: Different aspects of same pathophysiology. The Anatolian Journal of Cardiology. 11. 168-73. 10.5152/akd.2011.031.Reinke H. & Asher G. (2017). Circadian clock control of liver metabolic functions. Gastroenterology, 150: 574–580.Rizzi, M. et al. (2016). Sleep Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.  Journal of Pain Relief, 5:2, 1-5Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. Int. Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.Simcox J., Mitchell T., Gao Y., et al. (2015). Dietary iron controls circadian hepatic glucose metabolism through heme synthesis. Diabetes 64:1108–1119 pmid:25315005

### "Nobody talks about it at work, although we are probably all thinking about it." Working Women, Workplaces and Menopause

"When my mum was in her 50's she gave up working. I can't do that though. I need to keep working as long as I can. It is quite tiring and stressful though, then menopause on top of that, makes it tough. Nobody talks about menopause at work, though we are all probably thinking about it."   [Jane, Study Participant].She worked in a corporate environment and I met her in her lunch-break. Agreeing to be interviewed as part of my studies on women, ageing and exercise, it wasn't long before the interview transitioned towards her work. She was telling me what other women she worked with, were doing to deny their ageing. Menopause snuck into the conversation, hence the comment above.  'Menopause isn't fun, sexy, or cool, and a woman might spend one-third of her life in post-menopause - but that doesn't mean women should suffer in silence without support', mentioned Psychologist and Ageing Researcher, Professor Margie Lachman over a decade ago. Thankfully, it's a topic that is slowly being bought into some workplaces and this week, one of New Zealand's largest companies has made available my online Masterclass on Menopause via their internal system to any of their mid-life women who want to listen to it. Well done them. "I had no idea it would be such a popular topic" said the surprised HR/ People Manager.  I wasn't surprised at all. It's just that it's been too long coming to workplace wellness initiatives.Since the 1950's in New Zealand, approximately 60 percent of all those aged 15 and older have been employed. Yet, in a 2014 paper prepared for the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women (Calister, 2015), within this period the long term trend has been increasing employment rates for women and decreasing employment rates for men. I know from my own doctoral studies that Baby-boomer research is replete with the knowledge that for both women and men, whilst there has been a shift to earlier retirement from the mid 1950's through to the mid 1980's, since then, there has been a significant reversal of this trend.Hence, more women than ever before are now working into their 50's, but in a similar vein to the exercise and health education industries, peri-menopause and menopause, has been mainly invisible in workplace health and wellness programmes.  However, as menopause arrives at a time when many women are at the peak of their careers, it's time for workplaces to put it on their agenda and normalise it - a challenge also made in a recent Harvard Business Review, "We are learning to discuss race, gender, and generational differences more openly at work and we need to put menopause on the agenda too". (Patterson, 2020). It's been over a decade since researchers explored the experiences of professional women and menopause as part of surveys undertaken with women in the National Association of Female Executives (USA). The majority of menopausal women surveyed experienced both physical and/or emotional symptoms. For many women, symptoms related to menopause significantly affect their daily personal, professional, and social lives. (Simon & Reape, 2009)Australian findings aren't much different. As Jack, et al. (2016) remind us, large numbers of women transition through menopause whilst in paid employment and symptoms associated with menopause may cause difficulties for working women, especially if untreated, yet employers are practically silent on this potentially costly issue.Though several papers established that vasomotor or hot flush (and associated) symptoms, have a negative impact on women’s productivity and capacity to work, this is not a uniform finding. Psychological and other somatic (body) symptoms associated with menopause can have a relatively greater negative influence. These include palpitations, high blood pressure, feelings of increased anxiety, forgetfulness and of course, mood swings. These are all symptoms of an over-worked and ageing nervous system that is under the pump from stress and not sleeping. 		
																										
		Become Aware of your Response to Workplace and Home StressMy own doctoral research on women's healthy ageing, revealed that women are finding it tough to understand all the changes that they are experiencing in their mid-life hormonal transition, and more importantly, how to manage the symptoms that arrive at this time of life too.Many of my middle-aged (50-62 years) study participants (all of whom remained in the workforce) were turning to fitness pursuits thinking that 'more is better' to enable them to cope with the stress of their work intersecting with a busy home environment. But little did they realise that the 'go hard or go home' mantra, was impacting on symptoms of menopause, especially for those not sleeping. ore muscles and joints as well as poor sleep in their menopause transition. Without sleep, women don't recover from exercise, nor do they recover from the day-in, day-out' stress of work. Any of you who've found that your symptoms resolve when you go on holiday will understand what I mean. Not sleeping affects your thyroid and adrenal health, which in turn, increases your hot flushes during the day. The accumulation of menopause symptoms when put up against increasing workplace stress or increased daily physical workload as many farming women and nurses have to endure, can lead to fatigued and over-worked adrenal glands.When the adrenals are over-worked then we stay in 'fight or flight' mode for longer. This can cause increased feelings of anxiety, heart palpitations, frustration, irritability and a drop in energy levels, especially in the afternoon. And when you work in a job that requires you to be firing on all cylinders and making all sorts of decisions, especially for those women who have leadership roles, this can all lead to a turn for the worse - not only for women's physical health during their menopause transition, but also for their emotional health as well. As Gavin Jack and other researchers from Australia contend in their extensive studies on menopause in the workplace -"the many specific and interconnected health, lifestyle, ageing and work-related concerns of women aged 45 years plus (including menopause) can influence women's participation in paid employment and engagement and performance whilst at work and these are often overlooked." (Jack et al., 2016).		
																										
		Workplace stress and peri-menopause do not co-exist! They compete!When women feel stressed, time-poor and have increasingly challenging roles to juggle between work and home environments, then our chronic stress hormone called cortisol increases over the course of the day. But this is the opposite to what should occur - cortisol should be high in the morning (it switches off melatonin, which is your sleep hormone) and then low in the afternoon and evening (to allow melatonin to rise again in a 24 hour circadian cycle).Feeling stressed at work increases cortisol (as does not eating properly) and with this, comes the 'stealing' of progesterone to keep making cortisol. The result? Low progesterone in relation to oestrogen which increases feelings of even more anxiety and frustration and can lead to high blood pressure, high resting heart rate, breathlessness, insomnia and for many women, increasing weight gain and sore muscles and joints.  It's what I explain in my Masterclass on Menopause as one of the underlying causes of your symptoms.  		
																										
		According to menopause and workplace research, a broad range of factors are known to influence the ability of older workers to remain in the workforce. These include:health statusfinancial positionconditions of work including labour demandthe availability of suitable (part-time/flexible) work that matches skillsthe presence/absence of discriminationthe centrality of the role of work, and gender.So, what can employers do to help address these issues for working women? Well, firstly, to me, it's all about acknowledging that this is a normal life stage that women go through. When we do this, and with the knowledge that there are so many women at this life stage still in the workforce, then let's get it out in the open and position peri-menopause and menopause as a topic well worth putting on the wellness agenda.Secondly, there are practical strategies that employers should also consider and many of these are from studies that focus on the workplace environment. Strategies researched by Jack et al. (2016) as well as include:Ensuring that the workplace temperature and workplace design is conducive to women experiencing hot flushes. This includes having fans and/or fresh air circulating in the workplace.Managing psycho-social workplace factors, e.g. work stress, perceptions of control/ autonomy  so that work stress does not exacerbate symptoms.Conducting adequate risk assessments to make any adjustments to the physical and psycho-social environment, such as having access to cold water.Ensuring there is provision of information and support, not only for women, but other employees too.Have appropriate training availablefor front-line managers.Whilst menopause may cause no significant problems for some working women, for others it can present considerable difficulties in both their personal and working lives. Furthermore, hot flushes can be a source of embarrassment and distress. I found this out the hard-way too - and the number of women coming through my 12 week programmes will attest to that, I'm sure! During the menopausal transition women report that fatigue and difficulties with memory and concentration can have a negative impact on their working lives, but I would add that the thing that has the most impact on daily health, energy and motivation, is lack of sleep and the never-ending fatigue. If this is you, then yes, talk to your Doctor to see if HRT is an option, but also explore the lifestyle and stress-management strategies that you can put into place during your day, as Jenny learnt to do too. She too is at the peak of her career and it's been a privilege to support her. Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD] - Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and MyMT™ Creator & Coach.		
																										
		References:Calister, P. (2014). The employment of older New Zealand women. A paper prepared for the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women, Ministry of Women's Affairs, Wellington, New Zealand.Jack, G., Riach, K., Bariola, E., Pitts, M., Schapper, J. & Sarrel, P. (2016). Menopause in the workplace: What employers should be doing. Maturitas, 85, 88-95.Lachman, M. (2004). Development in midlife. Annu Rev Psychol. 55:305-31. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.141521. PMID: 14744218.Patterson, J. (2020). It’s time to start talking about menopause at work. Harvard Business Review. Sourced from: https://hbr.org/2020/02/its-time-to-start-talking-about-menopause-at-workSimon J., Reape K. (2009). Understanding the menopausal experiences of professional women. Menopause. Jan-Feb;16(1):73-6. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31817b614a. PMID: 18779760.

### "We still have plenty of work to do. I'm thankful for now being able to sleep so I have energy for the farm ."  [Joy, NZ]

In a shout-out to Essential Workers during Covid-19, I'm sending aroha (love) to all our Farmers, not only here in New Zealand but also those of you around the world who are joining me here in the MyMT™ Community. Joy farms in New Zealand and Leann farms in Australia and both join me here this week to share some of their journey with you all. Farming is the backbone of the economy in New Zealand and during a pandemic there's never been a more important time for farming to keep the economy going and for feeding the population. Having grown up on a farm myself, I know how hard all of the farming women on my programme work. My mother was the same in her 50's too. But the additional pressure of not having contractors around to support farming activities takes its toll as well. Especially for those farming women who are struggling to sleep all night and/or like Leann from Australia used to find, have sore joints as well.

Here in New Zealand, Joy and hubbie run a sheep and beef farm. As she said to me this week, "The animals don't realise what's happening, so we still have plenty of work to do. But we are very lucky as we have plenty of space and actually we are just working as normal. I'm just thankful that I can now sleep so I have the energy I need to work out on the farm. I've completely changed how I look after myself now too. 

Before doing your programme, I was just doing what I usually do with farming activities and my baking tins were always full.  I knew that yum sweet food e.g. baking (which is always on offer in our house), wasn’t good for me but it was finding a substitute for that and now I enjoy cashew nuts or hummus as the snack – who would have thought!  I never leave the house without a water bottle on the farm now - in fact my husband now takes water as well and we never used to. Just these small changes make a huge difference to us being able to continue to farm as we get older.



I really think this programme is very beneficial to rural women going through the menopause transition. Working on a farm is physical and you've made me realise that we need to look after ourselves instead of just everyone else. But we also do need to make sure we keep our cardiovascular fitness up as we tend to sit on a quad-bike a lot more than we did 20 years ago.  I think for me, the best learning was to give ourselves time in our busy day and going for a walk is just as beneficial as all the other exercise that is on offer because of all the outside physical work we do.

I realise now that I wasn't finding 'balance' in how I looked after myself. I'm feeling like such a different person and I now have walked with girlfriends the Abel Tasman and the Kepler Tracks. My joints stayed great as I kept following your principles that you had in your Joint Health module in the programme.

The other thing for me, was being part of your facebook closed group for the programme. Living in such an isolated place, I found I was reading all the posts from women around the world and I liked how we could ask questions and bounce  ideas of each other.

I have absolutely loved being part of your programme, Wendy and recommend that all women should join, the beauty being that you can do this in your own time. The information that you are provide us with is so valuable.  There's a lot of well researched reading and I really enjoyed the learning. My message to all women is 'if you aren’t on board with My Menopause Transformation by Wendy Sweet, do it now!' I'm so thankful to you and at last, I don’t feel as though menopause has been such a big deal with your guidance."

Joy J., New Zealand. 

Leann is another hard-working farmer, that I want to do a shout-out to. Living in and with Australia's harsh climate, it seems that she and her husband have only got over the fires and then there was drought and now Covid-19. Phew! It's a lot of stress to deal with, which is why I am so pleased that for the past year, she has been with me on the MyMT™ weight loss Transform Me programme.

"We are very busy planting winter crops, milking heifers, calving and I'm also helping my daughter who is pregnant with our second grand-child" mentioned Leann when I caught up with her over the past week. "But I've hired some exercise equipment from the local gym which had to close and following your plans still. This is the hill I walk up from home."



I was blown away when I first met Leann at my live-event in Brisbane last year where I was presenting my Masterclass on Menopause.  She looked and felt amazing and when she shared the photo of her from only 3 years ago, she said to me, "I've had my ups and downs with all the stress of farming and it's been a long journey." That's when I reminded her that the weight loss research from the National Weight Loss Registry in America, set up by Professor Rena Wing and Dr James Hill, acknowledges that slow is better. In fact, 'successful' weight loss is determined as maintaining weight loss for a year or more. I was so proud of what Leann had achieved. It's really tough concentrating on weight loss when you are busy and have so much going on from day to day, so I applaude Leann's determination to succeed. Not sleeping was a big concern when she joined me and as I mentioned to her, when we aren't sleeping, then this means we aren't changing our metabolism and burning fat overnight. It was such a privilege to help her turn this around so she could become more active again.

Part of the solution with Leann, was helping her to understand what was going on with her joints as well. Swollen and aching, she couldn't walk far initially. But our joints have oestrogen receptors in them too, so as we go through menopause and lose oestrogen, our joints become stiff and sore. Taking olive oil helps as does changing our diet, sleeping all night and reducing any excessive exercise. I was blown away when she said that she had completed her first 5km run just before the Corona-virus arrived.



Not many women understand that our joints lose the role of oestrogen as we move through menopause and this contributes to aching knees and muscles. I made this short video whilst I've been in lock-down, to explain what is going on as well as tell you about my stand-alone (and cheaper) Restore Your Joyful Joints module that I hope you might look into if your joints are sore and aching and you are in peri-menopause or post-menopause.

https://youtu.be/E9SIxhA6AC0

If you are confused about what is happening as you move through menopause, then I have been busy whilst in lock-down putting my live-event into an online-event. You can now listen in the comfort of your own home. This was the start of Leann's journey and I would love you to learn firstly, how we get to the point where our symptoms and weight-gain can over-whelm us in mid-life and of course, I give you an overview of what to do to change this. You can read more HERE.



I have also been thinking about how best to support you during the Corona-crisis and giving you relevant, scientifically evidenced information as part of this newsletter is one way to do this. The other way is to join me on either of the MyMT programmes for the next 12 weeks and I as my way of supporting you further I have dropped the price of these to an unprecedented NZ$349 which is NZ$50 off the usual price. If you aren’t sleeping, or your hot flushes are getting you down or your joints are sore or you feel depressed, tired an d anxious, or your weight has gone up whilst in lock-down, then I would love you to join me on the MyMT™ online 12 week programmes.

Please use the promo code JOIN MYMT for any of Circuit Breaker (for thinner/ leaner women), Transform Me (for women needing weight loss) or for a little dose of at-home Exercise, then choose Rebuild My Fitness.

From my home-bubble whilst in lock-down to yours,

Wendy x

### "My symptoms are gone and I've learnt I'm not just a horrible person!"

"You can tell from the photo that I love tramping" mentioned Sacha. "I can't believe that I no longer have sore joints and I'm so grateful for everything I have learned on the MyMT™ programme. 

 	I now know I am post-menopausal.
 	I have stopped being so crazy with exercise.
 	I now sleep most nights and if I wake I get back to sleep.
 	I no longer go to the toilet in the night.
 	I have lost weight around my middle (which didn't happen with the exercise I was doing). 
 	I am so happy to eat raisins again.
 	I love Mediterranean food.
 	My stress over the past few years is explained - I'm not just a horrible person!

Thanks so much Wendy". 

Sacha, B. (New Zealand).

### Can you beat high blood pressure with celery, red yeast rice (and other vegetables)?

It was her comment in her book that piqued my interest. "For women with mildly raised cholesterol and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, red yeast rice preparation may offer a solution" mentioned world renowned cardiologist, Dr Angela Maas. "Red yeast rice contains monocolin K, which is identical to the statin, lovastatin ... however, many [supplement] preparations on the market today have unknown origins and may contain un-identified amouonts of monacolin ... so only use these preparations under the guidance of a healthcare professional." (Maas, p. 64-65).

I didn't know that there were specific vegetables and grains that helped to improve women's heart health. However, since understanding the link between vascular stiffness (loss of elasticity in blood vessels), hypertension and menopause, the foods that help our arteries stay young are at the top of my shopping list. One of these foods is red yeast rice and the other is celery. 

If you've been following my articles for some time, then you will have read about arterial stiffness. This is a degenerative vascular aging process, which mainly affects the inside epithelial wall of arteries and results in a reduced capability of arteries to expand. In turn as many of you may have found, they cause changes to your blood pressure due to the 'stiffening' of the vessels and subsequent strain on the tiny capilliaries. This in turn affects oxygen delivery to various organs and of course, your muscles too. It is well known in medical science that arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality - especially for women moving through menopause or who are already in post-menopause. If you haven't listened to my Masterclass on Menopause 2 hr webinar yet, then please read about it when you have time. Our menopause changes take a whole-body approach and take you through what these changes are, including the vascular changes that cause so many aches and pains in our muscles. 



With women's heart disease and high blood pressure emerging as one of the main causes of health problems in later life, health prevention research is gathering momentum about the dietary and exercise interventions that may be beneficial for women to adopt in their mid-life and older years. In a world that has so much emphasis on pharmaceutical solutions and endless supplements that are promoted, I'm passionate about women understanding that what they eat from day to day matters too. 

Epidemiological studies have shown that vegetable consumption is inversely related to the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, research has indicated that many vegetables like potatoes, soybeans, sesame, tomatoes, dioscorea (yams), onions, celery, broccoli, lettuce and asparagus have shown great potential in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. This is because the certain vitamins, dietary fibres and the botanical properties of the proteins as well as the phyto-chemicals in these plants offer bioactive compounds to our body. (Tang, Meng et al, 2018). 

Bioactive compounds are extra-nutritional constituents that are found in small quantities in foods and provide health benefits beyond the basic nutritional value of the product. It's helpful for all of us to understand the foods that offer cardioprotective effects. These effects often involve reducing inflammation, regulating blood pressure, preventing clotting and clumping of blood cells and platelets,  regulating blood glucose levels, and reducing damage to the heart wall and well as helping our cardiac enzymes do their job. 



Red yeast rice is a traditional Chinese culinary and medicinal product. Red yeast rice is made by culturing rice with various strains of the yeast Monascus purpureus. Some preparations of red yeast rice are used in food products in Chinese cuisine, including Peking duck. Other forms of red yeast rice are made into  dietary supplements to lower blood levels of cholesterol and related lipids (blood fats). 

The hype about red yeast rice has emerged because some red yeast rice products contain substances called monacolins, which are produced by the yeast. Monacolin K is chemically identical to the active ingredient in the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin, which is one of the drugs in the category known as statins. These drugs lower blood cholesterol levels by reducing the production of cholesterol by the liver.

In the United States, numerous dietary supplements containing red yeast rice have been marketed to help lower blood levels of cholesterol and to reduce blood fats and subsequent, high blood pressure. But as Dr Maas warns, be careful about these products and their contents - all are not the same! The composition of red yeast rice products varies depending on the yeast strains and culture conditions used to manufacture them and some of the strains and conditions used to produce red yeast rice for culinary purposes differ from those used to produce products that are intended to lower cholesterol. (www.nccih.nih.gov/health/red-yeast-rice). Hence, if you are interested in exploring red yeast rice as a cardio-protective supplement, then please go and talk to a trained Naturopath or Doctor who specialises in Lifestyle Medicine practices. And of course, if you need to lose weight as well, then come onto the MyMT™ Transform Me programme which is on sale throughout July for those on you in post-menopause (over the age of 52 yrs). 



What about the cardio-protective nutrients in celery?

The common name for Apium Grveolens is simply, celery. I talk a lot about celery in my coaching group,  because it is known to be just one vegetable that is effective for helping to reduce high blood pressure in healthy women transitioning menopause. The reason for this is that celery acts upon the liver, helping to reduce glucose, blood fats (lipids) and because of the dietary nitrates it provides, it also helps to dilate blood vessels, which in turn, strengthens the heart. 

Experimental studies show that celery has both antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, its essential oils have antibacterial effects too. That's why it's seeds are used in numerous pharmaceutical preparations to help treat some inflammatory medical conditions, e.g. asthma. (Kooti & Daraei, 2017). The root of the celery is also known to be a diuretic, so adding celery root to soup as many of my ladies who live in Europe do, is beneficial to cardiac health too. 

Plants are an important source of natural active products, which vary, based on their mechanism and biological properties. Various phytochemical compounds, especially polyphenols (such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and tansipropanoids) are responsible for increasing the powerful antioxidant activities of plants. Polyphenols have biological effects, which are important for women who are active (or who want to become more active with age). There has been so much emphasis on different dietary approaches for women as they arrive in mid-life, but none is as powerful as the Mediterranean Diet, which I have adapted to better suit the nutrients we all need to help us reduce inflammation as we age. I adore this photo of Susi way over there in Switzerland. When she came onto the programme, she was exhausted and wasn't sleeping well. As such she didn't have the focus for managing her fitness. I  know how tough this is when you constantly feel exhausted. But as I always say, "It's never too late to do something about your health as you age." The photos she sent to me last week of her hiking near Crans-Montana in Suisse are gorgeous. 



Understanding how we age is an important aspect for women in mid-life. For too long our symptoms have been looked at in isolation rather than taking an all-over body approach. Also, menopause is not being broken down into the 3 different phases - peri-menopause (when oestrogen and progesterone are still being produced); menopause, when periods end; and post-menopause, when periods have ended for a year or more. These 3 very distinct phases need different approaches because in some cases oestrogen and progesterone are still being produced and in post-menopause, there is very little production of oestrogen (although still some!). Furthermore, there has been too much emphasis on exercise and dieting regimes that are better suited to younger people and athletes and these prescriptions of exercise may be troublesome for women who are already overweight or who aren't sleeping and have sore joints during menopause.  



Heart disease is the number one killer of women worldwide, however, this isn't being viewed through the lens of menopause. When you have time, I've made you a short video below - I hope you can see why I'm so passionate about this topic as we move into our post-menopause years. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyXEPY5it8I

If your post-menopause health has changed, then it’s time we take stock of how to change this so you enjoy better health in years to come. Menopuse is your biological gateway into your ageing years and it’s a time of our life when we become vulnerable to changing heart, joint and gut health and of course, the health issues that arrive with post-menopause weight gain too.   

 If I told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to my modules and then make a plan for the week ahead using my brand new Transform Me Food Guide as well as other fabulous information I have for you, to turn around gut, joint and cardiac health, could you find that hour?  I hope so! 

If you can find an hour a week to watch my webinars, download and read the Daily Dozen summary sheets, use my Food Guide that is packed full of information and recipes for you, and start to make the changes in your life that will help your body to adjust to post-menopause, then please let me help you, to help yourself. That’s how so many women have become successful with their long-term weight loss by following this programme. You do it in your own time at your pace, but with my un-conditional support. When you have a moment, then I invite you to learn more about what's in store for my post-menopause July weight loss sale. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.


								

References: 

Filippou C., Tsioufis C., Thomopoulos C., Mihas C., Dimitriadis K., Sotiropoulou L., Chrysochoou C., Nihoyannopoulos P., Tousoulis D. (2020). Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet and Blood Pressure Reduction in Adults with and without Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. (2020). Adv Nutr. 11(5):1150-1160. 

Khoudary, S., Aggarwai, B., Beckie, T., et al (2020). Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 142: e506–e532

Kooti W, Daraei N. A Review of the Antioxidant Activity of Celery ( Apium graveolens L). (2017). J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 22(4):1029-1034. doi: 10.1177/2156587217717415. Epub 2017 Jul 13. 

Maas, A. (2019). A woman’s heart. why female heart health really matters. Great Britain: Aster Publ. 

Tang, G. Y., Meng, X., Li, Y., Zhao, C. N., Liu, Q., & Li, H. B. (2017). Effects of Vegetables on Cardiovascular Diseases and Related Mechanisms. Nutrients, 9(8), 857. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080857

### Discover the goodness of grains for your heart health in menopause.

The Goodness of Grains for your Heart Health in Menopause and as you Age.		
		I never knew that oestrogen played an important role in the health of my heart and muscles when I went into menopause. Did you? But from our early-50's onwards, as menopause progresses, our cardiac muscle changes in structure and function as do our skeletal muscles. xAnd it doesn't matter if you are an exerciser or not, your ageing heart and muscles, need the nutrients that matter to them to help your health as you age. So, will you have 2 servings of whole-grains today? I think you should. Because wholegrains will steady your blood glucose, give you lasting energy, reduce your cholesterol, reduce your racing heart-rate and help to protect your ageing heart.“After this past year of avoiding whole-grains completely based on the diet I was on, I now realise that this was the wrong thing to do now that I'm in my 50's. I’ve lost 5 lbs & I’m feeling amazing. I have so much more energy.”  [Kirsten, USA]The ‘no-grains, no-carbs’ brigade got me for a while too. Caught up in the weight-loss and dieting confusion as my weight, bloating, hot flushes and joint pain became worse, I thought that having whole-grains in the form of starch was part of the problem – it seemed to be that everyone at the gym was promoting ‘no-grains’ – low carb, high fat and high protein diets were the next ‘thing’ when it came to the nutritional messages endorsed by fitness enthusiasts and popular diets. I thought that everyone promoting these diets were right. But in an ageing body going through menopause, I realised that a diet designed for body-builders and younger athletes is not designed for women going through menopause. I felt exhausted.Now after years of following the women’s healthy ageing and cardiac-health research, I’ve turned my back on the ‘no-grainers’.  This is because of the ever-growing scientific evidence on the importance of whole-grains in a heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly diet. Whole-grains are an integral part of the Mediterranean diet - a diet that is now known to help prevent heart disease in menopausal and post-menopausal women (Pant, Gribben et al, 2023).		
																										
			Sitting at the Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Conference, the evidence presented on whole-grains and cardiac health was over-whelming. For women going into, through or out of menopause, this is important evidence that we need to know. 		
																										
		When you come onto any of the 12 week MyMT™ programmes you will be able to access the MyMT™ Food Guide. I've developed this from women's healthy ageing research and it contains food information evidenced against heart-health research too.Inside it, you will find my lovely Brown Rice Salad. It's a winner for women on the programme who are regular exercisers. Brown rice has the bran layer intact which gives it a higher protein, mineral and vitamin content than white rice. As well, it has a higher content of fibre.Post-menopause heart disease is the burden of many Western countries around the world. Women’s CVD risk significantly increases after they shift into menopause, which is not just related to ageing but also, at least in part, to the decline in ovarian hormone concentrations during the menopausal transition and beyond. (American Heart Foundation, 2017).Oestrogen plays a role in the contraction of the heart as well as the dilation of our coronary blood vessels. This means that the reduction in oestrogen as part of our normal menopause transition has a less than beneficial effect on the size and function of our heart. This includes increased thickness of the heart wall, vascular stiffening, slower recovery (especially after endurance exercise), and changes to the nerve signaling. [Strait, J. et al. (2012)].New Zealand, Australia, America and the United Kingdom have the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease. As modernisation hits China, post-menopause heart disease is growing in prevalence there too.		
																										
		Cardiovascular disease is the highest health risk in women as they move through menopause and age – even higher than the cancers.It's why, I am so passionate about women understanding that their menopause transition is a time of our lives, when we become vulnerable to changing health as we age.As the first generation of women to go into post-menopause, in the context of the influence from the fitness and sporting industries, this is a reminder, that you are the 'guinea-pig' generation for how your heart muscle copes with all that exercise you may be doing during menopause too. If you aren't sleeping well, my approach is to go easier on the volume and intensity of exercise, until you turn around your sleep. It's that important for your heart health!   My late mother was one of the thousands of women of her generation, who ended up on blood pressure pills and statins. Looking back I realise that what she needed was better advice on how to change her diet to a cardio-protective diet and to learn how to clean out her fatty liver.When the liver is fatty, it doesn’t clear excess cholesterol or the excess oestrogenic compounds that our body is trying to clear in menopause. This is part of the reason for many women gaining weight during their mid-life transition. As well, the heart muscle can become stressed from not sleeping and coping with a changing hormonal environment (and for many of you, years of high-intensity sports and exercise), so it needs help to do the job it’s been doing for 50-odd years – beating away delivering blood, oxygen and nutrients to every cell in our body. We need to look after it.		
																										
		That’s why to protect our heart, stabilise our blood sugar, reduce hot flushes (which become worse when blood pressure is high), we need the help of whole-grains. Cardiac health research suggests 2-3 serves a day. In the MyMT™ Food Guide, I get women focusing on brown rice and oats to start with, especially if they are exercising. Both of these whole-grains are gluten free and part of a heart-healthy diet. 		
			“After this past year of avoiding whole-grains, I now realise that this was the wrong thing to do. I’ve lost 4 lbs & I’m feeling amazing.” [Kirsten, USA]		
		As I sat at the Australasian Lifestyle Medicine conference that day listening about the importance of grains for our heart health as we get older, I was heartened  that my own lonely research about what nutrition to put into the MyMT™ programmes was exactly spot-on.		
																										
		I take a modified Mediterranean approach to the nutritional planning in the MyMT™  programme. The ‘modified’ part is because not all Mediterranean foods suit menopausal women, especially those who aren’t sleeping and/or doing lots of higher-intensity exercise. The combination of not sleeping and too much exercise can send many women into worsening inflammation leading to adrenal fatigue so these issues must be addressed as well.The food plans and recipes in my programmes all include fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole-grains, yes, carbs! The whole-grains I promote are gluten-free … brown rice and oats (organic) mainly. But there are others that women can have depending on their gut tolerance – Barley, Bulgar (cracked wheat), Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat. And here’s the thing – the closer these grains are to their natural state, the better for your heart.Not only are whole-grains considered a heart-healthy food, but the evidence on how they help to reduce Type 2 Diabetes by helping our body to maintain better glucose control, is increasing too.		
																										
		Higher whole-grain and bran intakes are consistently associated with a 16-30% lower risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease in observational studies (Evidence Report, NZHF, 2018). When up to three serves per day are consumed, cardio-protection is greater. But there’s more to this story too – the quality of the carbohydrate is most important in women’s heart health and that’s where whole-grains come in. Oats and barley have a greater beneficial effect on total and LDL cholesterol (3-8% reduction), especially in people with raised lipid levels, due to their soluble fibre content. The past 20 years has seen an increased rise in low carbohydrate, especially in and around the fitness and weight loss industries. But what’s missing from the conversations is the differentiation between all the different types of carbohydrates. For example, choosing whole grain and high-fibre foods is very different from choosing processed, refined grains and products with added sugars. Examples of refined grains are white bread, pasta, crackers and many man-made cereals.The confusing thing for many people however, is that all these types of foods are labelled as ‘carbohydrates’. But when it comes to our health, they differ enormously. In New Zealand for example, we get most of our whole grains from bread and breakfast cereals but these can have added sugar, salt and saturated fats. That’s why if we can choose organic, simple wholegrains that are as close to the original grain, the better for our health as we age.		
																										
		Whole grains began to form a larger part of the human diet around 10,000 years ago, during the agricultural revolution. But refined grains have become more prominent in the past 100 years and have sky-rocketed over the past 30 years. As I say in my Masterclass on Menopause events (now ONLINE FOR YOU HERE) , women in their 50’s today are unique – we are the first generation to come through the modern sports and fitness industry but we are also the first generation to come into menopause in the context of the growth of the modern supermarket industry and food marketing too. Buying groceries and wondering what to cook for dinner got a whole lot more confusing over the years for all of us.This food-confusion has led to changing inflammation which has been building up over our life-time, contributing to a host of symptoms as we transition into and through menopause, that aren’t seen in other cultures around the world.		
																										
			What are Whole-Grains?		
		The latest definition of whole grain is from the European Union HEALTHGRAIN consortium. It allows for the processing of grains in a way that ensures the natural proportions of bran, germ and endosperm remain: “Whole grains shall consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked kernel after the removal of inedible parts such as the hull and husk. The principal anatomical components – the starchy endosperm, germ and bran – are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact kernel…”. It allows for 2% of the grain or 10% of the bran to be removed during processing. This reduces any mycotoxin or agro-chemical contaminants which concentrate in the very outer layer of the grain.		
																										
		Intact whole-grains are unrefined. This means that they remain unprocessed and close to how they are found in nature. Oats, barley and brown rice are the most common. What I like about whole-grains apart from their fibre and heart-health benefits, is that for women in menopause, they are also full of natural minerals and nutrients that our brain, gut and heart needs.		
																										
		I’m not sure what whole-grains suit your gut health (don't forget I have a stand-alone programme for you to help restore your grateful-gut and you can read about this HERE), but these are all whole-grains that you should try. If they are organic, then even better.Whole oatsBrown riceBarleyBulgar (cracked wheat)QuinoaMilletBuckwheat.Never before have we become so confused about our food. And yes, despite lecturing in sport and exercise nutrition, I had become that way too. That’s why in both of the MyMT™ programmes I have based all the nutrition advice ‘just’ for us in menopause. There are too many ‘one-size-fits-all’ approaches out there and many are not evidenced for women as they transition menopause. These programmes are also heart-healthy. Our mother’s generation has seen so much heart disease and many of our generation are now looking after and caring for women who are on a range of pills for cardio-vascular disease. We can’t make the same mistake and have to rely on medicines to get through our post-menopause years.My passion is for women to start putting their menopause transition into ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’ and it's why I follow the scientific evidence for women's healthy ageing. My 12 week online programmes, teach you how to transition into your post-menopause years, understanding better how to look after yourself. These programmes continue with a NZ$50 savings for you as I know many of you are challenged financially with the changes to your life from the pandemic. Please use the promo code ATHOME21 to access your savings. Monthly payments are also available for the 3 months. For those of you, who may be interested to hear from me, I also have a short video for you below, just checking in with you.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyXEPY5it8IDr Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine]References:Babiker, F., De Windt, L., et al. (2002). Estrogenic hormone action in the heart: regulatory network and function. Cardiovascular Research 53, 709-719.European Union Healthgrain Forum. Online: https://healthgrain.org/whole-grain/Gorton, D. (2018). Evidence Paper: Wholegrains and the Heart. Wellington: NZ Heart Foundation:Jull, J., Stacy, D. et al. (2014). Lifestyle Interventions Targeting Body 1-eight Changes during the Menopause Transition: A Systematic Review. Journal of Obesity. Article ID 824310, 1-16.Mann, J. & Truswell, S. (2007) 3rd Ed. Essentials of Human Nutrition. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UKStice, J., Lee, J. et al. (2009). Estrogen, aging and the cardiovascular system. Future Cardiol. 5(1): 93–103.

### Have you got that dizzy feeling now that you're in menopause?

It’s a long way from Nebraska to New Zealand, but the women from Nebraska who participated in one of the very first studies on menopause-related dizziness, just bought me a little bit closer to them.Because I now understand why I had to stop my beloved step-aerobic classes when I went into peri-menopause when the sudden turning and twisting made me feel dizzy and a bit sick and skiing made me feel dizzy too. When I've mentioned dizziness as well as tinnitus (ringing in the ears) as a symptom of menopause in my seminars (and in my online Masterclass on Menopause), I'm amazed at how many women agree! The Nebraskan study explored the relationship between menopause and dizziness in nearly 1000 women. I had my head in this research because I often receive health screening forms from women who do the MyMT™ programmes and they 'tick the box' that they have experienced dizziness in menopause. I so understand what they are going through! This type of email from Trish, is quite typical.“I’m feeling really dizzy all the time and my Doctor has done all sorts of tests, but nothing is coming up. Everything’s normal!”When I receive these responses, I explain that their Doctor may not be looking through the lens of menopause and the loss of oestrogen from our ear canal.There isn’t a lot of research that has been conducted on mid-life women in menopause, however, we already know that falls and balance problems are the greatest risk for elderly women over the age of 70 years. Our hospitals and rest-homes are full of women who have already had falls, or are at a higher risk of experiencing falls because they feel dizzy. That’s why I love this study out of Nebraska.The highest scores for reporting of vertigo (dizziness) problems, [which is medically known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)], were reported in women aged between 10-19 years and 40-52 years who reported that they were either in menopause (peri-menopause) or out the other side (post-menopause). BPPV occurs when head position changes (lying down, looking up, or turning over in bed) causing short, recurrent vertigo spells.What was striking to me was that nearly 50% of the women in the older age group reported that they experienced their first dizziness and balance episodes after menopause and, even more surprising, was that 22% of those who have had their ovaries removed and 32% of women who had a hysterectomy, reported on increasing vertigo episodes. Now that’s a real indication that vertigo and balance has a connection to changing oestrogen levels if ever there was!The connection between menopause, vertigo and oestrogen changes is intriguing. So again thank you to the researchers at the Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, because I learnt about OTOCONIA. This helped me understand why there is the connection between our changing oestrogen levels, our biological ageing and dizziness and balance problems as we go into post-menopause.Otoconia are bio-crystals which are made from protein and calcium molecules.  BPPV is a result of these tiny crystals in your inner ear being out of place. The crystals make you sensitive to gravity and help you to keep your balance when oestrogen is high, but low oestrogen, low calcium and hair loss in your ear canal with ageing, cause these tiny bio-crystals to get out of place.Normally, a jelly-like membrane in your ear keeps the crystals where they belong. This is because your sense of balance relies on a finely tuned system that coordinates sensory information (from nerves throughout your body) and visual information to help you determine the position of your body relative to your surroundings.The role of oestrogen in all of this, is to ‘couple’ or help this jelly-like protein substance to adhere and therefore, help to provide a mechanic force to the sensory hair cells in the ear canal.This process is essential for us to sense linear acceleration and gravity for the purpose of maintaining our balance. In fish, structurally similar bio-crystals called otoliths mediate both balance and hearing. What the Nebraska study (and other studies) have found, is that when there are changing hormone levels (such as in puberty or peri-menopause or when women have their ovaries removed, called an oophorectomy, or they have their uterus removed, called a hysterectomy, then the crystals in the ear shift and move to another part of the ear. Calcium is also involved in this force-coupling action and in menopause, many women experience low calcium levels, which can also exacerbate changes to the ear canal and sensory hair cells. When these lovely bio-crystals are out of place, they make you sensitive to rapid movement and position changes that normally haven’t affected you in the past, sparking the condition of vertigo.As the Nebraska researchers say,‘Perimenopausal fluctuations of oestrogen levels, not just low oestrogen levels, may account for the increased BPPV susceptibility of 40-52 year-old women. This is also reflected in the high rate of oophorectomy [removal of ovaries] in these women who likely experienced acute changes in hormone levels. Nevertheless, the higher BPPV prevalence in older women suggests that low oestrogen levels do affect BPPV onset and that BPPV is age-related. It is possible that either a sudden drop or rise in oestrogen would disrupt anion/ion homeostasis as well as affect neuro-sensory function, thereby contributing to the higher BPPV prevalence in menopausal women and even young women entering puberty.’  [p. 5].This is why BPPV is not only common, but also incapacitating, especially as we go through menopause.That's because feeling dizzy can induce nausea, vomiting, balance dysfunction, and as I found myself, especially with skiing which I love to do, it can reduce your confidence in your body coping with whatever activity you are used to doing. Suddenly before you know it, you're doing less and less activity - and the danger there is that the weight goes on as well. For older post-menopausal women, it can also affect walking and driving. But of course, as orthopedic staff the world over, already know, the greatest risk of feeling dizzy is falling, tripping or sustaining an injury.Numerous studies indicate that there is a significant female preponderance of balance and dizziness incidents related to post-menopause oestrogen deficiency and if this is you, then please see your medical practitioner or physiotherapist, because there are medical and physiotherapy treatments available as well. This includes learning the Epley Manoevre, which are certain positional changes that assist the crystals in your inner ear to re-align, but please ensure that you go to a trained health professional or Physio who will teach you what to do.What I also love is that to offset the dizziness and the loss of oestrogen in our ear canal, we can use this knowledge to put into place specific balance exercises and other lifestyle solutions including dietary change as well. If you are experiencing menopause-related dizziness and loss of confidence in yourself, then here are some of my solutions for you: Walk around in bare-feet. Did you know that the balance mechanisms are not only in your ear canal but also in the soles of your feet?  When I heard the fabulous New York Podiatrist, Dr Emily Splichal talk at a healthy ageing conference a couple of years ago, she opened up my mind to the possibilities of over-coming balance issues as we go through menopause.  As Dr Splichal so rightly reminds us, "The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art."  With hundreds of nerve endings in the soles of your feet and because we live in shoes all the time, there is good evidence to show that we have lost our ability to stimulate these precious nerves that help our balance and our gait (walking). When these nerves are not stimulated, we increase our risk of falling and during menopause, over-heating. 2. The old adage of ‘Use it or Lose it’ applies with improving balance. So add some balancing exercises to your day or take a Tai Chi class. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese practice for improving balance and breathing and is becoming well evidenced in ageing studies. Mind-body exercises, such as tai chi and yoga, have been gaining popularity over the past few decades. This is not surprising, given the increasing number of studies on the positive effects of these gentler forms of exercise—everything from lowering blood pressure and managing depression to building strength and improving balance. There is even evidence that tai chi may help you live a longer, more vital life and I'm excited to teach you some balance and mindfulness techniques. in my brand new 12 week programme called 'Rebuild My Fitness'. Many women complete this after they do the symptom reduction programmes.3. Improve your calcium intake with non-dairy alternatives, such as nuts and deep-green vegies.  In the MyMT™ food guide and recipe book which is part of the two different MyMT™ programmes, ['Circuit Breaker'  for thinner/ leaner women and 'Transform Me' for overweight women], I teach women how to get their 1200 mg a day of calcium and more importantly, how to balance this vital nutrient up with magnesium, which is also important in menopause because it helps to dilate blood vessels. As we transition through menopause, our blood vessels lose the role of oestrogen which means they become more constricted, which can lead to high blood pressure in post-menopausal women.When I began to research our menopause transition and all the changes that occur as we go through this natural life event, I realised that mid-life women have been forgotten when it comes to our menopause transition and the specific lifestyle solutions that help us to manage menopause symptoms and/or weight gain naturally. If you are struggling, then when you have time, have a listen to the video below, so you can meet me and see if my 12 week online programmes might be something you want to look into. Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ NZ Registered Exercise Specialist & Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUOamB53mYc&t=9s

### The month of July is the MyMT™ POST-MENOPAUSE Transform Me weight loss sale

For the first time ever I have a promotion aimed at women in post menopause.  As part of my focus on the last of the Baby-boomer generation and the first of the Gen-X women, I'm adding in a brand new module on women's heart health. Heart health continues to be the number one health concern for women as they age. If you have changing blood pressure, cholesterol, sore joints or you just can't sleep and are putting on weight, then I hope you can join me, so look out for my emails over the next month if you are on my database.If you haven't heard about this 12 week programme and want to learn more, you can watch this video now. I will be emailing those women who are registered on my database as being in post-menopause (generally over 53 years old). I've taken NZ$100 off the cost of the weight-loss Transform Me programme during the month of July. This makes the 12 week programme NZ$199*[APPROX. NZ$199/ AUS$185/ CAN$173/ $US$140/ £101]The promo code for you to join me is MYMTJULY and  you apply this after clicking on the Buy Now button below. The promo code is open now.  		
			
						Buy Now
					
		https://youtu.be/rb9tSclfQdo

### VIDEO from Wendy: The season's are changing and so are your symptoms.

No matter where we live in the world, we have to cope with seasonal changes - but it's not only adaptation to the changing climate that occurs, its to our skin, blood vessels and gut as well. The women's health literature is replete with studies that indicate that our menopause transition is a vulnerable time for the build-up of inflammation, especially to our blood vessels and gut. But when we change things up a bit to better suit our age and stage of life, we also help our body to dial-down the inflammation and stress on our body. And when we do, we dial-down our symptoms and lose our menopause weight too. Today I made you this short video - have a listen when you get time. https://youtu.be/1hBSFIqWJTgIf you would like to listen to my Masterclass on Menopause too, then click on the image below and this takes you through to read about it. This is my 2 hr webinar that I was taking over to the UK and Australia before the world turned to chaos. There is just a small admin charge for it because I host it in my member area and it’s only NZ$15/ AUS$13/ CAN$11/ UK£10, so start with this. I would love you to learn what I have found out about our symptoms in menopause and why you are feeling the way you are feeling. You can read about it HERE. 

### Your changing GUT HEALTH in menopause will love the resistant starch in this MyMT™ BROWN RICE SALAD

Has your gut health changed now that you are in mid-life or older? If so, then you aren't alone. When my own gut health changed as I was transitioning through menopause, I went to a conference in Australia about the Gut Microbiome. I learnt there that our microbiome has changed so much over the past few decades as it has been not only subjected to a modern western diet, but there are also changes that occur as we age. These changes arrive in our menopause transition - the biological gateway to the next phase of our life-course, our ageing.  As we lose oestrogen (I talk about these changes in the brand new GUT MODULE), this means that many of us experience changes in our digestive system that confuse and frustrate us because we haven't done anything differently! From bloating, to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, to constipation, diarrhoea, dysbiosis (a dysfunction to our gut bacteria) and gluten intolerance, it all becomes a time of un-necessary annoyance for many. But the good news is that our gut just needs the right foods and it will continue to do a great job of looking after us!  For example, in our gut we carry a unique population of bacteria - called our 'microbiome'. This microbiome is made up of some very impressive numbers:• we carry around 2kg of bacteria;• that 2kg is made up of trillions of bacteria;• they outnumber the cells in our bodies by about 10 to 1;• more than 1000 different species have been identified.When women come into the MyMT™ programmes, I encourage them to make my Organic Brown Rice salad (scroll down for the receipe below). Not only is brown rice rich in insoluble fibre, which increases feacal bulk and keeps our gastro-intestinal tract healthy as we age, but for busy, active women, brown rice gives us the energy we need to get through our day. It is also higher in Niacin (Vitamin B3) than white rice. Niacin is a major component of NAD and NADP, two coenzymes (helper enzymes) involved in cellular metabolism. Furthermore, it plays a role in cell signaling and making and repairing DNA. This is important for those of you who are doing a lot of exercise. The best thing about cooked and cooled brown rice, is that it helps to keep our gut microbiome healthy. With a powerful connection between the gut and our mental health, for women transitioning menopause experiencing depression or who are already on Anti-depressants, then adding my Organic Brown Rice Salad to your day is a winner.  Cooked and cooled Brown Rice supplies your colon with resistant-starch.Any starch that escapes the normal small bowel digestive processes is called 'resistant starch'. Recent research on the gut microbiome shows that resistant starch stays around in the large bowel for longer and is fermented by the bacteria that live there. This process helps to maintain a healthy gut microbiome which I talk about in the brand new 'Restore your Grateful Gut' module, which is an optional, bonus learning module in the MyMT™ programmes and for those not wanting to come on board into my 12 week programme, this module is now available as a stand-alone module.  Our microbiome carries out some crucial functions in our body. It is also on a 24 hr Circadian rhythm and for women not sleeping during their menopause transition, it's no surprise that we can experience some gut health dysfunction in mid-life. From ensuring proper digestion and helping with the production of some vitamins; through to playing an important role in our immune system, protecting us from 'bad' bacteria, you need great gut health as you age!If, for some reason, our microbiome has been compromised – such as with food poisoning, antibiotics, chemotherapy, or genetic predispositions such as Coeliac or Crohn's Diseases - you must help boost the population of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut by including both prebiotic and probiotic foods in your daily diet. There’s mounting evidence that probiotics improve resistance to disease and infection by enhancing immune response in the intestine.Hence, it makes sense to increase the amount of probiotics we consume. Probiotics are live bacteria in yogurt, other dairy products, and there are relevant supplements as well. They are usually recommended after antibiotics. However, we also need to know about the role of PREBIOTICS and this is where my Brown Rice Salad comes in.To me, prebiotics are more important at first, than probiotics. This is because prebiotics are a specialized plant fibre that beneficially nourishes the good bacteria already in the large bowel or colon. While probiotics introduce good bacteria into the gut, prebiotics act as a fertilizer for the good bacteria that’s already there. They help your good bacteria grow, improving the good-to-bad bacteria ratio. This ratio has been shown to have a direct correlation to your health and overall wellbeing, from your stomach to your brain.For women going through menopause, this is important - the number of women who are prescribed anti-depressants at this time of their lives has never been higher. I wonder how many of you understand that as part of your depression management, your gut health and how you are exercising matters too. But back to my rice salad. Part of the issue is that our ageing gut does not digest plant fibres well. Many are also not broken down by heat and cooking. But plant fibres help to promote the growth of many of the good bacteria in the gut and to help alleviate constipation. This is because they contain amylose. They are therefore called RESISTANT STARCHES.Starch becomes 'resistant' because the plant fibres don't get digested in the stomach and small intestine. Hence, resistant starches travel further down your gut into your large bowel. Resistant Starches are critical to your on-going health as you age, which is why I am so passionate about knowing the role of resistant starch as a pre-biotic during menopause and post-menopause. These years are the 'biological gateway' to our ageing. In fact, consuming prebiotics on a daily basis decreases anxiety, depression, stress and enhances lower levels of cortisol.As a summary, the best plant fibres for prebiotic health are:- skin of apples- bananas- onions and garlic - jerusalem artichoke- cooked and cooled kumara - cooked and cooled brown rice- cabbage (cooked slightly for better digestion)- beansThat's why making my Organic Brown Rice Salad is your starting point to better health as you age.Wendy's Favourite MyMT™ Brown Rice Salad Ingredients: Cooked Organic Brown Rice (I generally make 2 cups worth)2 stalks chopped spring onions2 stalks chopped celery1 chopped apple (with skin on)1 chopped red pepper1/4 cup of lightly steamed leek andful of baby spinach leaves1/2 cup of raisins (preferably organic)1/2 cup of walnuts 1/4 cup of chopped dates1/4 cup of olives (optional)1/2 can of drained chickpeas (optional, but great for additional protein) Dressing: 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil / 1 freshly squeezed lemonRinse and boil the rice and allow to cool in the pot. When cold, place the amount you need into a salad bowl and add all the other ingredients. Mix through with the dressing. I'm Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a healthy ageing researcher from New Zealand and Founder of My Menopause Transformation, which are 12 week online programmes (these differ depending if women are overweight or not) I've developed from my doctoral studies, that step women through how to turn around symptoms and/or weight in mid-life.  I can't wait for you to join me. Please use the promo code ATHOME21 on any Buy Now button in the programme which best suits you. 

### Wine and menopause night sweats - do they really mix?

It’s hard to know exactly when I made the connection between alcohol and my night sweats and insomnia during menopause. All I knew, was that the beatuiful New Zealand wines that I had enjoyed with dinner for years, were keeping me awake and making me sweat. Moving from from peri-menopause into post-menopause was the most noticeable. In setting up the MyMT™ programmes, I wasn’t surprised when research consistently reported on the effect of alcohol on hot flushes and night sweats in menopause. Did you know that as we move into and through menopause, our lovely liver doesn't quite do the job that it used to do?Declining oestrogen levels during menopause affect your liver enzymes  - in particular, the enzymes that help to break down alcohol compounds and metabolise them in the body. These enzymes are called ADH and ALDH and if you don't have enough of them, you cannot convert all that alcohol through the usual pathways in the liver.		
																										
		Your enzymes are crucial to converting the alcohol you drink into the energy your liver uses to maintain the metabolism of alcohol.The more you drink, the harder your liver is working. What I didn't know at the time, was that the combination of menopause weight gain and drinking alcohol, meant that all the exercise I was doing wasn't helping either - you see, instead of burning up fat stored in fat cells when you exercise, your liver is converting the sugars from alcohol to burn for energy instead. That's why excess alcohol consumption over many years, can contribute to a fatty liver. When alcohol energy is always available, fat starts to accumulate in the liver cells, resulting in fatty liver, with or without the weight gain.Even for those of you who are thinner and leaner and aren't overweight, this fatty liver can still occur. Some of you may have found that your liver function tests reveal quite a different picture of your health. So, if you want to get levels of these enzymes tested sometime, then ask your Doctor to test them the next time you visit.Australian, Sarah Rusbatch, knows this only too well. “Behind closed doors, drinking was taking from me so much more than it was giving. I  was suffering terrible insomnia, developing a severe hormone imbalance which affected my weight and my motivation and drive to be the mum, wife and friend I  knew I wanted to be.”I love how Sarah turned adversity into her new career and is now an accredited Grey Area Drinking Coach. I'm so pleased that she connected with me, because if you are struggling to get off the booze, then she shares great tips for you in her Guide to Sobriety which you can access HERE - you might also like to check out her website for her upcoming July Alcohol-Free Challenge too.		
																										
		But back to your night sweats and hot flushes and the connection with alcohol.The problem is, that much of the calorie energy in alcohol can't be stored in the body. So, when we have a tipple, the alcohol (ethanol) is burned off in your liver as heat ... and then dissipated through your skin. If you've had a few drinks in the evening, then this can happen overnight, especially between 2am and 4am, when your liver is busy trying to remove and metabolise toxins. Skin is your largest organ, so no surprises for those of you, who also experience a red, flushed face when having an alcoholic drink. A red flushing face when you have alcohol means that your body isn't very tolerant of alcohol. And although you have an initial burst of energy, your blood sugar levels can crash afterwards leaving you exhausted. I wish I knew this sequence of events as I went into my menopause transition and pleased that women on my 12 week menopause symptom reduction programmes understand how alcohol affects them too. When we have a drink, alcohol (in the form of ethanol) distributes from the blood into all tissues and fluids in proportion to their relative content of water. So, if you also think about the fact that our muscles lose density as we get older, then we don't have the same propensity to store water in muscle tissue that we used to when we were younger. This affects our ability to metabolise alcohol and yes, we differ from men. Hence, if the men in your life keep topping up your glass, you might want to slow them down a bit and tell them to grab you a water instead.Your tolerance to alcohol is lower due to menopause. Even more-so if you are in post-menopause.		
																										
		For those of you in peri-menopause (the start of menopause), you might be fine with alcohol if you like a wee drink. The effect of your natural biological ageing which is what menopause is signalling, hasn't quite produced changes to your liver enzymes, gut enzymes,  muscles or blood vessels yet. You still have some way to go before structural changes begin in your liver and you lose your alcohol-converting enzymes.For those of you in post-menopause (when your periods have stopped for a year or more), it’s these structural changes to our liver and the bio-chemical changes to our liver and gut enzymes, that help to explain why that glass of wine starts to make you feel hot and sweaty when it hasn’t had this effect on you before.This is why alcohol is associated with a higher risk of hot flushes when women are in post-menopause (and a higher risk of breast cancer, but that's another story). But there's another issue too. And this is to do with our post-menopause hormone, testosterone. Yes, even though we are females, our body still produces some testosterone, especially if women still have their ovaries as they move into post-menopause. When women in post-menopause drink more than 2-4 glasses of alcohol a week or at once, a hormone that is related to testosterone, increases in the bloodstream. This hormone is DHEA-S and it is a male sex hormone that is also produced in women.Alcohol and DHEA-S production don't go well together. This is why, for women in post-menopause, the blood levels of DHEA-S are higher than the potent form of oestrogen, called oestradiol. Higher levels of  DHEA-S increases the production of testosterone which upsets the balance of oestrogen in the body. Testosterone is the hormone we can blame for our quick bursts of anger, frustration, weight-gain and even the growth of hairs on our chin as we move through menopause and into post-menopause. Too much testosterone production messes up our blood-sugar regulation hormone called insulin as well as causing excess oestrogen to be stored in fat cells as blood sugar levels increase. It's why women in post-menopause may put on lots of body-fat and head down the slippery slope towards heart disease.		
																										
		This is why, in the MyMT™ programmes [choose between Circuit-Breaker or Transform Me depending on whether you need weight loss or not], I take you through an entire module called Liver-Lover and teach you how the liver changes as you go through menopause and why you need to focus on it, especially in order to lose weight if you have been putting on weight.I know that getting through the past year has been a major accomplishment for all of us, so yes, if women don't have addiction problems with alcohol, then the odd glass of wine is fine on the MyMT™ programmes. However, as a women's health educator, I always advocate that 'knowledge is power' so, in order to keep loving your liver, I have some suggestions for you, specific to alcohol consumption and menopause: Buy an organic wine that is lower in sugar and alcohol content. Take this to the party if your host doesn't usually have organic wine available. You don't want the chemicals and excess of sugar nor do you need the high ethanol content which is all just 'overload' for your liver to process.Have some protein if you are drinking, rather than high sugar treats or high salt carbohydrates. Protein will help to lower the effect of insulin production from your pancreas so your blood sugar doesn't spike.Ask for sparkling water or bottled water. This way you have a balance of water and alcohol to slow down your drinking.Don't eat a high fat meal before going out. Your liver will be too busy trying to process the fats and not the alcohol and excess glucose. It can't do both. If you haven't watched my Masterclass on Menopause yet, then please make time to do this sometime. There is only a small admin charge of NZ$15/ £10 as I host you in my member area. I tell you about it in the brief video below. You can also read about how to purchase it HERE. Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EKqiCjzQR0&t=3sReferences: Brady, C. (2015). Liver Disease in Menopause. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 21(25), 7613 - 7620.Cogger, V., Hilmer, S. & Svistounov, D. (2011). Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research,  Article ID 150364, 1-3.Hee Kim, Kisselina, T & Brenner, D. (2015). Aging and liver disease. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 31(3): 184–191. Roeca, C.,  Al-Safi, Z., & Santoro, N. (2018). The Post-Menopausal Women. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279131/Schilling, C. et. al (2008). Current Alcohol Use, Hormone Levels, and Hot Flashes in Midlife Women. Fertil Steril., 87(6): 1483–1486. National Institute of Health. 

### Meet Karen Tui Boyes – Passionate about Teachers in Menopause!

What do you do when you have so much going on in your life to help others, but you are feeling like you are only just getting through your day and the weight is stacking on, the hot flushes arrive and of course, the sleep doesn't come? For passionate 'Educator of the Educators', Karen Tui Boyes, what you do is to turn to the one thing you know that is the foundation to behaviour change, and that is to educate yourself. So, she did. She listened to my Masterclass on Menopause, so what a nice surprise that she then wanted to interview me for her upcoming 'TeachersMatter' Online Summit in July. If you are a Teacher, Principal or Educator, then this is a ‘must’ for your calendar and I share the details and your special registration link with you below - the best news is that because you are part of my valued MyMT™ community, it's FREE for you TO ATTEND). When Karen got hold of me she asked me if I had any advice to give Teachers about their menopause transition. “Well of course I do” I replied.“My main message is that they must get their sleep sorted. They are giving out so much energy each and every day to their students and the wider school community, and many don’t understand that as they move through menopause, this drop in energy from not sleeping accumulates and is draining them. Hence, they very easily go into adrenal fatigue in their changing hormonal environment. This in turn, worsens hot flushes, increases blood pressure and causes even more sleep problems.” It was such a privilege to ‘talk menopause’ with Karen as part of her preparation for her incredible online summit. Like Karen, I truly believe in the power of knowledge and when we put that knowledge into action, we open up our mind (and body) to the joy and anticipation of change.Karen knows full well about how menopause affected her sleep, energy and weight and she tells you about it in this short video below.https://youtu.be/YQVODG96lR4Karen is truly, a phenomenal woman. She is the founder of Spectrum Education and a champion for LifeLong Learning. As the winner of the New Zealand Educator of the Year in both 2014 and 2017, and New Zealand Speaker of the Year in 2013 and 2019, Karen is an expert in effective teaching and learning, study skills, motivation and positive thinking. She knows her stuff!But most importantly, like many of us entering mid-life, Karen knows that in order to thrive and become the best you can be, you have to look after your one greatest asset – YOU! That’s why I love that she has a ‘Wellbeing’ component to her online summit and with the recognition that the Teaching profession is replete with women in their mid-life menopause transition, after listening to my Masterclass on Menopause, and changing her own health and wellbeing, (she shares her experience below) Karen wanted to ‘have a chat’.Sharing my knowledge with Karen was a privilege and the interview will be shared with Teachers, Principals and Educators around the world in the Teachers Matter Summit 2021, which is on July 16th - 18th. You can check the details below and looking at the Summit details, boy, does she have a great line-up of international experts to share their knowledge with you if you are in this profession. I can't believe that it's free for you because you are part of the MyMT™ community. Wow - thanks Karen!! I have so many Teachers and retired Teachers on the 12 week MyMT™ programmes and it's such a privilege to help them to feel better in order to do the fabulous work that they do. Over the past year, it's been particularly challenging for Teachers with having to support students working from home and then being in their own home environment and all the stress of this as well. Martina in Ireland was the same. The exhaustion just accumulates as the weeks go on and it's harder to do the job you love to do. 		
																										
		I'm so pleased that Karen asked me to be on eof her guest speakers to help educate you if you are an Educator and is allowing you to attend the Teachers Matter Online Summit on the 16-18th July for FREE! 3 days with 25 speakers and 3 themes: leadership, pedagogy and wellbeing. If you are a teacher, principal or educator there is something here for you!So whether you are an Educator or want to share this with an Educator you know, then please access your FREE ticket by clicking this link HERE.

### PODCAST (Part 1): How to Avoid Menopause Weight Gain.

"It's something that plagues most women going through peri-menopause & menopause: the insomnia. The waking at 2am or 4am and not being able to get back to sleep. The constant waking because of hot sweats. The bone-deep tiredness that's our constant companion through life" mentioned Australian, Karen O'Connor, curator of the blog 'Menopause, Marriage and Motherhood' when she got hold of me for this interview.  "I bought pretty much every book on sleep that I could get my hands on and I put every action into place, bought every natural remedy I could find, but I still spent most of my life for eight or nine years, in this permanent haze of fuzzy-headed tiredness. I had no idea about the connection between lack of sleep during menopause and weight gain."  So, here it is, Part 1 of the interview. I hope you enjoy it as much as Karen's followers did. If you click on the image below, then this takes you to Karen's podcast page.   Then if you like what you hear and haven’t listened to my Masterclass on Menopause yet, then I have 2 hours for you (and yes, you can ‘pause’ me any time you like), so the link to the Masterclass webinar is HERE for you too.

 

As a women’s health and ageing educator, I truly believe in the power of knowledge and menopause as a natural biological stage of life has remained buried in the medical and pharmaceutical industries for years. Whilst this is fine, I was curious as to why there are numerous cultures around the world, who don’t experience the symptoms that women living in western societies experience. So, if you are curious too, then listen or watch the two podcast interviews that I did with Karen recently and then get into the Masterclass as well. There is just a small admin fee for the Masterclass on N$15/ UK£8 as I host you in my private member area.

Dr Wendy Sweet, Ph.D/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian  Society of Lifestyle Medicine 

### PODCAST (Part 2): Why Midlife Women are the Forgotten Generation.

"Sharing the stories and experiences of midlife to create a fun-filled, exciting new experience of life beyond menopause" is the theme of Australian, Karen O'Connors mission to help de-mystify the menopause transition.

Like me she experienced numerous symptoms that weren't being addressed with endless menopause-related supplements. When I read her personal story on her website after she contacted me, I knew I had to help her get the 'real' story about how women arriving in their mid-life years are what I term, the 'Forgotten Generation' - you will find out why in the interview that Karen did with me last month.

This is Part 2 of that interview. 

Just click on the link above or below to take you to Karen's podcast area.


 

If this podcast with Karen has whet your appetite to learn more, then I have my 2 hour 'Masterclass on Menopause' (and yes, you can 'pause' me any time you like) for you, which is now online and available on-demand for you. Please just click on the image below. 

As a women's health and ageing educator, I truly believe in the power of knowledge and menopause as a natural biological stage of life has remained buried in the medical and pharmaceutical industries for years. Whilst this is fine, I was curious as to why there are numerous cultures around the world, who don't experience the symptoms that women living in western societies experience.

If you are curious too, then listen or watch the two podcast interviews that I did with Karen recently and then after that get into listening to the Masterclass as well. There is just a small admin fee for the Masterclass on N$15/ UK£8 as I host you in my private member area.

Dr Wendy Sweet, Ph.D/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian  Society of Lifestyle Medicine 

### "I'm an athlete and all the stress, lack of sleep and weight gain had turned my body into a cocktail of hormones." (Peta, Australia)

One of the main things that athletes like Peta discover in the MyMT™ programmes, is how much their training and competing affects both liver and gut health as they are transitioning menopause.I'm also always reminding them that when they aren't sleeping, they are becoming 'over-trained' athletes - every single symptom of which mimics peri-menopause symptoms too.So, it's not about 'not' being the same athlete that they have been for years, but understanding that they must change things up a bit with their training and recovery, especially nutrition. During the menopause transition, muscles are changing, as are our liver and gut changing with age. This means that how women respond to high-intensity exercise, especially in the liver and gut, where many nutrients are absorbed, is changing too. That's why I feel so happy for Peta, who after coming onto the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme, has gained back her identity as an athlete and coach. Here's what she shares with you, "Today I hit my goal weight… A loss of 8kg. I'm a 6 foot, 48 year old post-menopausal (I think) athlete. I’m not overweight but I was starting to get close to the boundary of it. I was in a toxic work environment.I wasn’t sleeping. I’d lost all my mojo and drive to train. Getting out of bed was hard enough ...  I’d started to lose the weight before I started Wendy’s course through sheer hard work but it was the wobbly bits on my tummy and hips that distressed me in spite of being an exceptionally healthy eater.I’m a triathlete and I am also a run/swim and triathlon coach … It’s tough when you don’t look the part and you can’t put any training together, to coach athletes, in your own head, when you can’t even coach yourself, even though I mostly did it in a volunteer capacity.Turns out, after being on Wendy's programme, I learnt that I was oestrogen dominant. All the reading I had done had told me that my oestrogen levels were dropping in peri-menopause, so I was stuffing myself with oestrogen products but Wendy’s programme told me I was feeding myself stuff that was making it worse - and the stress and lack of sleep and everything plus feeding myself high protein (eggs etc) sports nutrition foods, had turned my body into a cocktail of hormones.The penny dropped as I went through the MyMT™ programme. 'Bang' the last 5kg of belly fat is mostly gone - I fit into all my clothes again. This has happened in about 8 weeks since I started the course after learning about better timing of food and tweaking what I ate. These were the main changes as well as dealing with the insomnia.My hot flushes have calmed but there are still some triggers there (usually when I have a client in – I’m an accountant and its always fun when it happens).But I now dig this biological ageing stuff. Looking at menopause through the lens of ageing as Wendy teaches is mind-blowing. I still stress but I am changing how I react to this stress. I am trying not to let it be 'flight or fight' all the time, because this impacts my training as well. I’m letting things go that don’t need to be done and taking time out to do things that I truly like doing. I also realise that these things can change from week to week so I am trying not to control this with routine which just turns the fun stuff into another thing that just has to be done. I know I used to turn my triathlon training into a chore & that was part of the reason I dropped my bundle with that.I feel lighter, not just on the scales and for the first time in a long time I see an escape from the fatigue and exhaustion and “Oh my god surely I haven’t got another 40 years of this crap”.Thank you Wendy…  I appreciate the time you took to speak to me before I started the Circuit Breaker course and the way you have put the course together.I’m a researcher but I couldn’t tie all the different concepts together so I was doing things half right or completely wrong. The way you have done it makes perfect sense and it is so easy to follow. I’m actually enjoying putting my life back together and the weight loss is a very tangible result that I see but is only one of many benefits, not only of dealing with menopause but entering later life with health and happiness intact.OH, I forgot to say, and I am not sure why as it is super relevant AND exciting.. My gut health was absolutely terrible before starting this programme. Bloating and farting and water retention blowing UP like I was pregnant ... my food intolerances were growing (no bananas, onion or garlic).. ALL gone.. I now understand how my Gut Health was changing in menopause and your Gut Health Rehab module was amazing. I can eat everything I like again EVEN sour-dough bread .. I've not been able to eat anything other than gluten free bread for years! THIS IS AMAZING!!!"Peta, Western Australiahttps://vimeo.com/775629321

### "With a background in health I was impressed by Wendy's evidence-based research. Get amongst it women!" (Jenny, NZ)

"I was delighted to come across Wendy’s programmes when I had been searching for health and well-being support during menopause. With a background in health I was impressed by her evidence-based research which was clearly translated into accessible and practical information.

From her wealth of experience and expertise Wendy distils the wisdom of holistic wellness and age appropriate self-care. Her programmes offer sensible and sustainable strategies, resources and step by step easy to follow modules for improving, managing and transforming health and wellness.

At this stage of life when I want to offer my best, I need to be my best self and  MyMT™ has been the catalyst to making this happen. I have chosen life giving health as the priority it needs to be now and into the future.

Wendy makes it do-able and is incredibly supportive, encouraging and motivating. The online group are like-minded women who share their journeys and are inspirational as role models, peers and friends.

Get amongst it women!"

Jenny, Auckland, New Zealand.

!

### Dryness 'down there' in Menopause – an awkward topic, but Hadza tribal women experience vaginal dryness too.

Vaginal Dryness in Menopause and Post-Menopause - a global symptom!
As if the hot flushes, lack of sleep, sore joints, exhaustion and itchy skin weren’t complicated enough, then along comes vaginal dryness too.

“What next?” I hear you cry, as one of the ladies also said when she messaged me about it recently. Dryness 'down there' caught me off-guard – so too did the pelvic floor changes.

That's why, when I read Dr Katherine Fitzpatrick’s extraordinary doctoral research on the Hadza women who were in menopause and post-menopause, and discovered that the only symptom they complained about was vaginal dryness, I wasn’t surprised.

The Hadza, residing near Lake Eyasi in northern Tanzania, represent one of the last remaining hunter-gatherer populations.

Whilst the Hadza women didn’t have a word or phrase for menopause, the post-menopausal women interviewed were asked about hot flushes, menstrual irregularity, pain during sex and vaginal dryness.

No woman reported hot flushes and no woman reported menstrual irregularity.

Reports of pain during sex were mixed but vaginal dryness was reported by more of the women.

“From my perspective”, wrote Dr Fitzpatrick (2018), “when asked about vaginal dryness, the ‘yes’ answers were particularly emphatic for this question. The women were animated, they repeated ‘yes’ more than once and they added adjectives like “very, very dry” and “completely dry”.


Are there Herbal Remedies for Vaginal Dryness?
As I explored the research behind the amazing journey that Dr Fitzpatrick had been on writing about menstruation and foraging behaviours of Hadza women, I thought to myself, I wish she had asked them if they use any native herbs to reduce the dryness and provide better lubrication for them.

If the Hadza women do use natural herbs found whilst foraging, I wonder if these are similar herbs that New Zealand Herbalist, Georgina Langdale, has in her Feminine Balm (NatFem Botanics).

Georgina has explained to me that this is a non-oestrogen containing balm, that she manufactures from herbs, olive oil and other natural ingredients found in nature, to remedy the age-old menopausal problem of vaginal dryness.

I send lots of New Zealand women her way, but as she explained to me this week, she sells this product all around the world.


Changes to the Genito-Urinary Region in Menopause
As many of you will be finding, with menopause comes a loss of elasticity of our tissues. From our skin to our blood vessels, bladder and muscles, our tissues are losing the role of oestrogen too.

With age, your vagina becomes less elastic, shorter and narrower and the vaginal opening becomes smaller. And yes, whilst there is the old adage of ‘use it or lose it’, sometimes it all becomes too painful and/or dry to enjoy the intimacy that you once had. But all isn’t lost and whilst this may be a sensitive topic to talk to your Doctor or Specialist about, you must get it checked out, as there are numerous other vulva-vaginal health problems that Doctors will look for and offer you treatment options for you to discuss and explore.

Oestrogen is the primary hormone that regulates the physiology of the vulvo-vaginal tissues. Vulvovaginal atrophy is the term used to describe the specific atrophic (shrinking) changes of the vulva and vagina that occurs progressively in all women after menopause. It is also regarded as a condition in itself because the characteristic changes due to declining oestrogen can result in a range of symptoms, such as vaginal dryness, irritation and discomfort. Many of you may know this already because you've experienced it.

Like all things I talk about, I am passionate that we have to educate ourselves as we reach mid-life. I'm always telling the women in my coaching communities that knowledge is power, so remember that as your hormone levels fall (whether you are on HRT or not), your reproductive system and organs are ageing and changing. For our 'nether-regions' this means:

 	Internal vaginal walls become thinner, dryer and less elastic. This means that they can also become irritated and of course, you may then be more prone to infections, including urinary tract infections. So managing inflammation and your diet is important as well as whatever your medical specialist suggests too.
 	The external genital tissue thins and shrinks. This is why numerous Doctors prescribe oestrogen creams and pessaries.
 	Your pelvic floor ligaments are changing too. I have an entire Pelvic Floor module in my Rebuild My Fitness programme for women and this is because ligaments become less elastic as oestrogen levels naturally decline. This means that there can be some shifts in the organs that your pelvic floor ligaments hold up. This includes your uterus (if you have one), your bladder and the wall of your bowel. It’s no wonder that some incontinence and/or a prolapse can occur as we move through menopause, so again, talk to your Doctor and see a Pelvic Floor rehab specialist as well.

Whilst localised oestrogen treatment cream is usually the preferred treatment by your Doctor, don’t forget that your diet is important as well. Some of you might even want to try the herbal balm from Archeus and of course, as all the women on my programmes discover, when you change your diet to include more fatty acids, especially from Extra Virgin Olive Oil and other foods high in Omega 3, then these types of foods are well evidenced as part of the Mediterranean Diet which is evidenced to reduce inflammation. As well, if you listen to my online JOINT HEALTH module, (which is in my programmes but can also be purchased separately) then you will discover the power of olive oil and the evidenced  compounds (oleuropein and hyroxytyrosol and oleocanthal) that take over the role of oestrogen as we age. (Preedy & Watson, 2020)



Extra virgin olive oil is one of the main ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest ways of eating in the world. In the MyMT™ programmes, I have adjusted this to better suit our specific symptoms in menopause, and this includes the intake of olive oil and fatty fish.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is now recognized for its health properties beyond those attributed to its fat profile and for women experiencing vaginal dryness and inflammation, this research matters. For more than two decades, evidence has been mounting into the role of the powerful bioactive compounds in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It is now well established that the biophenols found in Extra Virgin Olive play a key role in the health attributes pertaining to this oil, particularly their antimicrobial, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. If you can, buy good quality oil and have around 2 tablespoons daily to help reduce inflammation. Other foods high in Omega 3 fats which help your body to heal are, oily fish, walnuts, and olives.

https://youtu.be/FE9f15IkwPU
Join MyMT™ and Take Back Control of Symptoms and Weight with Evidenced Lifestyle Changes
Your menopause symptoms are your body attempting to compensate for the changing balance between your hormones.  Sometimes, those same hormones end up fighting each other instead of adjusting.

But every one of your symptoms is reversible if you change your lifestyle and allow your body to adapt to its ‘new normal.’

This is what MyMT™ delivers to you – all the scientifically evidenced step-by-step strategies which help you to understand how to work with your changing hormones in menopause, not against them.

I have three programmes – one focused on reducing the severity of menopause symptoms called Circuit Breaker and the other on stopping and then reducing uncontrolled menopause weight gain, called Transform Me.  Then there is a specific programme for those of you in post-menopause, called Beyond Menopause.

Each programme consists of seven modules/ webinars which are progressively delivered to your inbox. In these, I teach you the essential strategies which will help you restore your natural hormone balance so you progress through menopause and into post-menopause feeling your best.

I hope you can join me sometime and use the promo code JOIN MYMT, which gives you savings of NZ$50 making these fabulous 12 week programmes and my 12 week coaching only NZ$349 (approx. AU$317, UK£165 and or US $206). All programmes come with the option of monthly payments for 3 months.

You can also listen to the Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond to get started on your understanding. My trailer about it is below.

https://youtu.be/pMpALfl8pUQ

References:

Cicerale S, Conlan XA, Sinclair AJ, et al. (2008). Chemistry and health of olive oil phenolics. Critical Reviews in Food Sci Nutr. 49:218–236.

Fitzpatrick, K. (2018). Foraging and Menstruation in the Hadza of Tanzania. Doctoral Thesis. Department of Archaeology & Anthropology, University of Cambridge, England.

Harvard Women's Health (2020). Don't ignore vaginal dryness and pain.

Kingsberg, S., Wysocki, S. et al (2013). Vulvar and Vaginal Atrophy in Postmenopausal Women: Findings from the REVIVE (REal Women's VIews of Treatment Options for Menopausal Vaginal ChangEs) Survey. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 10(7), 1790-1799.

North American Menopause Society. (2013). Management of symptomatic
vulvovaginal atrophy: 2013 position statement of The North American
Menopause Society. Menopause;20:888–902.

Preedy, V. & Watson, R. (2020). The Mediterranean Diet: An evidence-based approach. London, UK: Academic Press, Elselvier

### "At the age of 52 I felt many years older with sore joints, weight gain and poor sleep." [Toni, NZ]

"I was lucky enough to get through menopause without hot flushes but my sleep patterns, weight gain and joint pain were a different story. At the age of 52 I felt many years older and nothing I was doing seemed to make any difference.

Although, I've always been passionate about natural health, it wasn’t until I joined MyMT that I truly began to understand what was happening to me and why. It wasn't long before much of the mystery and fear and hopelessness receded, and was replaced by knowledge and action and postive change!

I have loved the online modules, the clear straight-forward explanations to complicated topics , the 'OMG' moments.. (Oh my Gosh, oestrogen also works as an anti-inflammatory, 'OMG' red meat is thermogenic (heat generating), 'OMG' my liver has shrunk now that I'm in menopause by how much?) and the carefully constructed protocols that have enabled me to take back some control.

At a time when I was feeling like I was beginning to decline both physically and emotionally Wendy has come along and shone a light and given me back some power - not just to survive in this world at this age, but to thrive.

I still have a way to go to move into my post-menopause years, but I am able to sleep a full 7-8 hours now without waking, the chronic pain in my joints has disappeared and I have regained my flexibility and fitness.

Thank you Wendy for your brilliant work and your generosity in sharing your knowledge with us and for making these programmes affordable. Those words don’t seem quite enough.

Toni x

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUOamB53mYc&t=40s

### "It's the evening hours that are tough - when you feel hot and bothered but there's a lot going on in the home too."  [Wendy, MyMT]

When I was in my 50s, I had teenage kids at home - life was always busy and on the go. The evening hours were the worst though, when I was home from a long day at the university, having picked up kids from school sports or other commitments. It felt like the day had only just begun - dinner needed to be cooked and I felt so 'hot' in the evening. I explain why, in this short video below. 

https://youtu.be/9AKV4_Ytzk0

The circadian rhythm is powerful and it controls our temperature regulation. As I mention in the video, the hours between 6-9pm are when we often feel hot and bothered. If you have time over the weekend, then please listen to the Masterclass on Menopause as I explain in more depth about why your temperature regulation gets so out of balance in the evening and during the day. I have solutions in there too. There is only a small admin fee of NZ$15 or UK£10 as I host you in my member area - you have 3 months access in there to watch it ... for those of you who are continually time-poor, then this gives you the time you need. 

Whatever you are doing this weekend, then I hope you enjoy reading my newsletter and gaining  the knowledge you need at this time of life. 

Wendy Sweet (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

### Walking and talking: Menopause symptoms management for Canadian women.

Feeling socially isolated and talking to Physicians who didn't understand the severity of their symptoms and the change that arrived to their quality of life, were all mentioned by women in a new study out of beautiful Edmonton in Canada that arrived in my email inbox over the past month. "Tired women will not walk" mentioned one participant, whilst another said, "we walk and talk. It's something to achieve, you know, to look forward to, with others experiencing the same symptoms." 
Reading this study bought back memories of the women I interviewed for my doctoral studies - "You know, I love exercise, but I'm too tired all the time now that I'm in my 50s" said one participant. "I'm so confused about why I get injured all the time when I've been doing the same exercise for years" lamented another. (Sweet, 2018).
The isolation of menopause is something that doesn't get much attention, but it needs to and I'm pleased that women participating in this Canadian study bought it to the attention of the researchers. Menopause and midlife are stages in a woman's life that can be marked by debilitating symptoms that impact quality of life, as well as being a vulnerable time for health changes. Whilst the emphasis is often on medications and supplements, exercise remains a simple solution that has wide-ranging health benefits. Unfortunately, however, too much emphasis is being given to different modes of exercise that are higher in intensity. For many women, these may have too much impact on knees, feet and muscles that are changing as oestrogen and progesterone decline. 

But what about walking? And what about walking with friends or colleagues? In my Masterclass on Menopause, I introduce women to one of the most important aspects of our healthy ageing - no, not exercise or nutrition, but social connection. Dr Susan Pinker, a Canadian Psychologist and Social Scientist is reknown for bringing social connection to the forefront of women's health and wellbeing as they age. How interesting that the women interviewed in the walking study also mentioned that sharing their experience on how they were feeling and feeling supported by other women in their walking group, enhanced their feelings of coping and their perceptions of wellbeing. 
In this fast-paced world, I call walking for exercise, 'the forgotten factor in women's health as they age'. That's why, in my 12 week MyMT™ programmes, I have designed a 6 week walking programme - numerous women tell me that they print it out and post it to their fridge as their reminder to take action. Many also say that they go walking with a friend and this keeps them motivated too. I love hearing this. Walking and talking is good for women's cardiovascular health in menopause.

But even if you don't have someone to walk with, walking on your own is helpful too. It is well known that one of the challenges of menopause symptoms are increasing anxiety and the forgetfulness that arrives with a foggy brain. Walking on your own allows time to calm the mind and very simply, 'think'. 
'Walking allows us to be in our bodies and in the world without being made busy by them. It leaves us free to think without being wholly lost in our thoughts. When we live our lives in cars and buildings and gyms, shopping malls and offices are we are constantly in ‘catch-up’ mode with all that is going on in our lives, in this respect, walking is a detour – a scenic route through a half-abandoned landscape of ideas and experiences.' (Solnit, 2000).
Thinking is generally thought of as doing nothing in a production-oriented culture, and doing nothing is hard to do for many mid-life women, bought up to constantly achieve. But as Rebecca Solnit mentions in her book, Wanderlust: A history of walking, Jean-Jacques Rousseau remarked, ‘I can only meditate when I’m walking. When I stop I cease to think.”
How much walking do you do? Perhaps for years, you've been heading to the gym and doing other forms of exercise instead? But what if that exercise is no longer helping your symptoms or changing joint function? What if your feet are sore becuase you have plantar fasciitis? What if you are overweight and find walking difficult? These are all issues I address in my programmes. If you find walking difficult, then it's important that you turn around the inflammation that's sending your hormones into chaos as well. I talk about this in the Joyful Joints module which you can read about HERE. 

 
Walking is crucial to our health and our balance as we age. It's important for feeding the mind, soul and for helping you to manage your changing cardiovascular health and any feelings of depression during your menopause transition.
Walking came from Africa, from evolution, and from necessity, and it went everywhere, usually looking for something, mentions Rebecca Solnit in her book, Wanderlust: A history of walking. We can walk anywhere (as long as it's safe obviously), but I was reminded about walking thinking about how the cities are opening up over there in the UK. With new research emerging about 'how much is enough for our health as we age', I was reflecting on how,  before the world turned to chaos and the cities were closed, Michelle shared photos of her lunch-time walk in London. The MyMT™ Coaching Community was enthused.
"I  feel so proud to work in an amazing City that I wanted to show you what I see if I make the effort to walk. It is very hot here in London, but walking along the River Thames keeps you cool. Is anyone else walking of a lunchtime who would like to share their walk?”



What unfolded was amazing. So many women sharing their walk with us all. Leann was in the Northern Territory in a place called Kings Canyon. Karen was walking at the bottom of the earth in Invercargill, New Zealand. Natalie shared a photo from her walk along the waterfront in Petone, New Zealand. I shared a photo from my walk in Wanaka, and on a balmy day in Sydney, Donna shared the glorious blue sky and city landscape that was Sydney in winter. Lydia shared her walk at Paradise Point in Australia, the beautiful image which is below. 


Walking at lunchtime during your busy day calms the soul and the nerves. As we move through menopause, our nervous system is also experiencing the effects of our ageing as we not only lose oestrogen on receptors along the nerve sheath, but because our blood vessels lose their elasticity too. For millions of women, these changes increase the rate of nerve firing causing them to feel anxious, irritable and exhausted. This is why walking or other aerobic activity helps. Aerobic activity is the type of activity whereby we breathe rhythmically and don't get out of breath. The rhythmic movement of aerobic activity helps the nervous system to fire more regularly, thus decreasing feelings of anxiety.



It’s why walking is just one of my powerful recommendations for time-poor, exhausted women who are experiencing hot flushes, increased anxiety and depression and/or weight gain and sore joints and muscles, as they transition through menopause. Many women get so focused on high intensity exercise from fitness industry messages, but many women, as it was for me as well, insomnia, sore joints and muscles prevent the health benefits of the higher intensity exercise. That's why in my 12 week programmes I help women sort out their sleep, hot flushes, anxiety and/or weight and joint problems before they do too much exercise. 
The other thing that I teach women, is that when we do a lot of high intensity exercise and we aren’t sleeping, then we increase our stress hormone called cortisol, which negates sleep.
I just spoke about this recently to Personal Trainers in Australia via a fitness education podcast. Not one of them knew this. But when we do too much high-intensity exercise and we aren't sleeping, then our body goes into distress. This leads to a vicious cycle of exhaustion and depression or mood swings as our blood sugar crashes. What’s more, when we aren’t sleeping we may also hold onto pockets of inflammation which causes more havoc with our hot flushes and sore joints. Women in the MyMT™ programmes, know that exercise is important, but sleeping all night is more important to our health as we age. Sleep all night first, turn around joint health and then add back in exercise.


Walking is one of the simplest activities that we can do for our healthy exercise - except when our ankles and lower legs are swollen and inflamed and we find walking is too hard. If this is you, then your priority is to reduce the inflammation that has been building up and improve your ageing lymphatic system. I talk about this in the Masterclass. 


How Much is 'Enough' Walking?
When it comes to understanding walking, there is no-one more expert in this subject than Professor I-Min Lee. She has been studying physical activity for decades. As an Associate Epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, she decided to explore the basis for 10,000 steps and whether this was a realistic target for older women to be achieving. She and her research team decided to explore the popular premise whether 10,000 steps a day provides a dose-response relationship for the health of post-menopause women. I'm pleased she did. 

A goal of 10,000 steps a day is the ‘gold standard’ for millions of people. Over the past decade or so, this benchmark has also sold a huge number of step-counting devices as well as inspired team challenges throughout companies the world over. These are known as ‘wearable technologies’ and over 125 million units were shipped worldwide when this technology first arrived in 2017. That’s a lot of step-counting. And whilst the 10,000 step phenomenon arrived off the back of a marketing campaign to get more Japenese people walking, it's still an important goal to achieve, especially for women who are time-poor and struggling with changing cardiovascular health in mid-life. 

For busy women transitioning through menopause and into post-menopause, 10,000 steps is a challenging number to achieve every day especially when joints and muscles often become sore and aching. I was the same, which is why I designed you a fabulous joint health webinar - this is in all my foundation 12 week programmes, but during lockdown I also made it available for those of you who would like this as a stand-alone module. The details are here. 
 



Physical activity participation research continues to show a decline in physical activity for women over the age of 50 years who are the highest cohort (along with adolescence girls) to drop out of regular physical activity. With our exhaustion and being time-poor, I'm not surprised. Professor Wendy Brown and her team have been studying this for over 30 years in Australia. And here's the thing - I can attest to this as well. When I wasn’t sleeping and had sore joints and muscles, felt dizzy  and my weight was increasing daily, the last thing I felt like doing was my beloved exercise - especially with the emphasis on boot camps, high intensity workouts and a ‘go-hard, or go-home’ training mantra. I wish I had known about Professor Min-Lee’s work at the time.

Where did 10,000 steps originate?

The 10,000 steps protocol originated back in 1965 when a Japanese company made a device called Manpo-kei. The translated to ’10,000 steps meter’ and it was intended as a marketing tool. So began the notion of needing to achieve 10,000 steps in our health consciousness. Because Professor Min-Lee had already been studying the relationship between physical activity and health in older women, she took her 10,000 steps curiosity to this demographic too. I’m so pleased that she did. The research looked at over 16,000 women aged between 62 years to 101 years and for 4 years between 2011 and 2015, all participants wore tracking devices during waking hours.

The researchers wanted to explore whether increased steps were associated with fewer deaths. The findings from the study are important for us all to know – especially for those women struggling to find the time, energy and motivation to exercise. The key findings from the study include:




Sedentary women averaged 2,700 steps a day.
Women who averaged 4,400 daily steps had a 41% reduction in mortality.
Mortality rates progressively improved before leveling off at approximately 7,500 steps per day.


As the researchers concluded, if you want to prevent an early death, then walking matters, but some is better than none. So, if mortality — death — is your major concern, this study suggests you can reap benefits from 7,500 steps a day. That’s 25% fewer steps than the more common goal of 10,000 steps.
“Every step counts” says Professor Min-Lee, “but don’t be intimidated by having to get 10,000 steps if you are a woman in post-menopause.”

I often share these pointers with women on my coaching programme. If you’re typically sedentary then you are probably doing around 2000 steps daily just in your day to day movement, so try to add 2,000 more daily steps. this will give you an average of at least 4,400 daily steps. While 2,000 steps equals one mile (2.2km), it’s not necessary to walk it all at once. Instead, try to take extra steps over the course of each waking hour.

This is great advice for all of us. That's why I loved seeing the images shared my some of the women on the MyMT™ coaching programmes. All were out walking during their busy, working days. For many, a brief walk at lunch-time or early in the morning before the trials and tribulations of the day starts is just one of the changes they are making to get on top of their symptoms in menopause. I love this, because we all have to start somewhere and for over 30 years, it's been my passion and purpose to enable women to become active again. 

 

If you are feeling that your motivation is at rock bottom because you aren't sleeping and you feel exhausted all the time, then please come and join me on either of the  MyMT™programmes. I have included the Joyful Joints module and Gut Health Restoration module and an Intermittent Fasting module in these 12 week programmes and of course, there is my progressive 6 week walking programme as well as all the scientifically evidenced lfestyle and nutrition information, which will help you to sleep all night, reduce your hot flushes and renew your energy levels so you can get your life back on track.


Each programme is accessed via your exclusive member area and over the 12 weeks, my progressive online delivery means that you access one module at a time so it’s not too overwhelming. I hope that you can visit the My Menopause Transformation website and read about Circuit Breaker (for thinner/ leaner women) or Transform Me (for overweight women) and/or my online exercise programme which is simply called ‘Rebuild Your Fitness’. 

I can’t wait for you to join me. You’ll love my private coaching community too. It’s full of women just like you. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder & Coach. 

PS: As the world begins to open up, my lockdown promotion ends on June 30th. This gives you savings of NZ$50/ UK£25 and please use the promo code ATHOME21 when you purchase. Or start small and listen to my powerful online webinar which is based on my live-events and is now available for you online. Details HERE for you. 




References:

I-Min Lee, Shiroma, E.,Masamitsu K. et.al, (2019). Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women. JAMA Intern Med. Published online May 29, 2019.
Solnit, R. (2001). Wanderlust: A history of walking. Penguin Books.
Sydora, B.C., Alvadj, T., Malley, A. et al. (2020). Walking together: women with the severe symptoms of menopause propose a platform for a walking program; outcome from focus groups. BMC Women's Health 20, 165, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-020-01037-y

 
 

### The Food Inflammation Connection

When you are finally getting to do one of the world’s greatest walks in the wettest region of New Zealand, you just know that you are going to have to hike in the rain. And yes, for an entire day we did.Hut life is interesting. It’s a chance to meet fellow ‘trackies’ and of course, when it comes to me, I was able to observe and quietly listen to the numerous ‘mid-lifers’ – many of whom were women in their 50s and 60s – talk about their ailments … as you do, when you’ve just hiked for 6-7 hours each day. I can honestly say that the main topic was knees.At my request, the main carbohydrate each evening was brown rice (although they had cous cous one night too). Being in charge of food, they also bought a bag of fresh spinach leaves with them and I took a lemon, avocado and dried organic apple rings. Such a difference in food choices from years ago when we used to do a lot of tramping.As we hiked up over MacKinnon Pass (1154 metres) I passed a two mid-life males. Yes! I was as surprised as I’m sure you are too.  “It’s the ageing knees” one of them said. “You need olive oil then” I mentioned casually as they stood aside to let me pass. “It helps to lubricate the knees.” One of them tracked me down in the hut that evening. He asked me about the olive oil, so I told him about how it is an essential part of the Mediterranean Diet and the mainstay of the functional ability of older people living long, active lives in the Blue Zones regions. He had no idea.		
																					
		Taking olive oil with me was an essential part of my hiking kit – I knew from my women’s health and ageing studies that with the decline in oestrogen on the oestrogen receptors in my joints causes inflammation. Compounds in olive oil (read my next article to learn about this) replace the role of oestrogen, so without this powerful anti-inflammatory food, I wouldn’t have been able to manage lugging a heavy pack along the beautiful Milford Track – all 54km (33.4 miles) of it.Scientists have learnt a lot more about how particular foods and eating patterns may have the potential to reduce chronic inflammation in the body. For women in their menopause transition this is an important role that they need their foods to achieve. Over the past week, I have had an email from a lady in Canada who has been on the Keto diet – over 60% of her daily intake was from protein and fats found in animal fats – all inflammatory foods. Whilst she lost a few pounds, she complained about her sore joints, poor sleep, low energy, endless night sweats and aching muscles. As I said to her, “You are looking through the wrong lens -  your body is inflamed and you aren’t eating foods that reduce inflammation. The Keto/high Protein diet hasn’t been validated for women’s health during menopause.”  It’s easy to develop food confusion. I felt like that too. But understanding that the life I wanted to lead as I aged, involved being physically active and being able to ski and hike again, was an important path to follow. This lead me towards understanding the available research about inflammation and the food-inflammation connection. Women around the world who have struggled with being and staying active as they age, are pleased that I put time and effort into understanding this connection too. 		
																					
		Research into the effects of diet on inflammation and health has taken a variety of forms. Some studies test whether specific compounds in foods decrease an inflammatory-marker called C-reactive Protein (CrP) or other biomarkers of inflammation in cell cultures. Other studies are observational studies in which people record their daily diet at regular intervals over time. Researchers then compare inflammatory marker levels, chronic disease rates or death rates among groups with different dietary patterns.Much of this evidence finds that food is tied to inflammation in two ways.Your diet affects the species of digestive bacteria that grow in your gut (the microbiome) and the chemicals they produce during digestion. Depending on the species, these chemicals either promote or reverse inflammation. I talk about this in my Gut Health module which is in both 12 week programmes, or can be purchased separately HERE. Your diet also affects inflammation through its relationship with weight gain and obesity. An anti-inflammatory diet, which is rich in plant whole-foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and low in processed foods, is one that promotes overall health and a healthy weight. In contrast, foods which promote inflammation (pro-inflammatory diet) include foods that have low nutrient content, as well as refined foods such as high sugar, high fat and high salt foods. These types of foods trigger chronic inflammation and also promote weight gain, which can also induce inflammation. So, it’s not just what you eat that can influence inflammation, it’s what you don’t eat as well.If you consume a diet that is high in processed food, fats and sugars then you will be missing out on the power of phytochemicals – the minerals and vitamins in foods. I talk a lot about these in my programmes, especially the specific nutrients that are evidenced for women as they move through menopause – B vitamins, Vitamin C, magnesium, selenium, calcium, folate and of course, potassium for our ageing heart muscle which has to get us through our day – whether you are hiking for miles or you are active and busy.  		
																					
		The family of phytonutrients is a large one and each family member works in different ways. Their most common weapons are phytochemicals, which act as potent anti-oxidants to reduce inflammation. The major phytochemicals that are evidenced for our health as we age, include:Carotenoids, e.g. betacarotene in carrots and lycopene in tomatoesFibreFlavonoids, e.g. apples, berries, citrus fruits, broccoliLignans e.g. flaxseedPhytosterols - Phytosterols displace cholesterol in the intestine reducing the pool of absorbable cholesterol.Resveratrol – e.g. the red colour in red wine.Some phyto-chemicals are responsible for the flavour of foods such as the taste of brussels sprouts, or how hot food is, such as chilli and other spices, or found in the aroma of plant foods – for example, the fragrance of rosemary. For this reason, the best strategy is to eat a variety of whole foods, especially plants, to take full advantage of these powerful effects.		
																					
		The MyMT™ Food Guide does just that. Included in all my programmes, the information in this guides women on my programmes through the specific nutrition we need during our menopause and post-menopause transition. It is not the Keto diet. It is based on the Mediterranean Diet and I’ve specifically researched nutrients that help to reduce inflammation and that give us energy to feel like our old selves again. When you can, I hope you can join me, or at least view my online 2 hr Masterclass on Menopause (and yes, you can ‘pause’ me any time you like).Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine 		
																					
		References: Furman D., Campisi J., Verdin E., Carrera-Bastos P., Targ S., Franceschi C., Ferrucci L., Gilroy DW, Fasano A., Miller GW, Miller A., Mantovani A, Weyand CM, Barzilai N, Goronzy J., Rando T., Effros RB., Lucia A., Kleinstreuer N, Slavich GM. (2019). Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med. 25(12), 1822-1832. Lahoz C., Castillo E., Mostaza J., de Dios O., Salinero-Fort M., González-Alegre T., García-Iglesias F., Estirado E., Laguna F., Sanchez V., Sabín C., López S., Cornejo V., de Burgos C., Garcés C. (2018). Relationship of the Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and Its Main Components with CRP Levels in the Spanish Population. Nutrients, 20;10(3), 379 - 388.Harvard Medical School (2020). Foods that fight inflammation. Harvard Health Publ. Hunter P. (2012). The inflammation theory of disease. The growing realization that chronic inflammation is crucial in many diseases opens new avenues for treatment. EMBO reports, 13(11), 968–970. https://doi.org/10.1038/embor.2012.142 

### Author and Magician, Romany, talks mid-life magic with Podcaster, Tracy Minnoch-Nuku

One of the things I feel passionate about is connecting amazing women with other amazing women. When Sexy Ageing Podcaster, Tracy Minnoch-Nuku, asked me for recommendations for her podcast recently, I knew I had to team her up with UK Author and Magician, Romany-Romany. (Yes, that's her real name!). So, here they both are on this Interview for you. I hope you can listen sometime. Romany is a magic maker, both through illusions and by manifesting her dreams. A truly inspirational woman who shares her incredible story of courage, determination and resilience. Romany shares in her book of her struggles with an eating disorder and how she overcame this to follow her dreams of becoming a magician and ultimately the first and only woman to ever win the World Magic Awards in Las Vegas.Podcaster and Founder of Sexy Ageing Podcasts, Tracy Minnoch-Nuku, talked to Romany recently and I wanted to share it with you below. Before the world turned to chaos, Romany was on-tour performing her one woman magic show on luxury cruise ships and international shows. In 2018, she wrote “Spun Into Gold - The Secret Life of a Female Magician” which gives an honest account of her journey to overcome her eating disorder and mental health issues and ultimately breaking the glass ceiling of a predominantly male dominated industry. Romany shares her experiences with peri-menopause and how she was able to understand her symptoms through the MyMenopauseTransformation Program with Dr Wendy Sweet from Episodes 1 and 2 of  Tracy's podcasts. [LISTEN HERE]As Romany mentioned to me, "There is something wonderful about menopausal women that I've discovered. We've got to this age and are sharing these 'oh so lovely' symptoms of hot flushes, all over body aches and grrrrrrrrumpiness! We realise how fantastic we are,  and we see it in each other. What I notice is how much more supportive we are of each other.The ambitious competitiveness of my 20s and 30s is gone, now I'm just eager to sleep through the night! Meeting Wendy has been a life changer for me, following her course has literally saved my sanity as well as my bod. More than that, Wendy has gone out of her way to encourage me with promoting my book Spun Into Gold, to finding new ways to do business post-covid and this week put me in touch with Tracy Minnoch Nuku, who produces a great podcast.This week I'm talking to her about ageing, following my dreams, surviving an eating disorder and sequins. I'd love you to listen!" lots of love,RomanyDiscover Romany's book 'SPUN  INTO GOLD: The secret life of a female Magician' ON AMAZONhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H5ZhmAEI54Tracy Minnoch-Nuku is the Founder of Sexy Ageing.com podcasts. To hear more wonderful stories from women, head to her website by clicking on the link below. 

### Wild Yams for Post-Menopause Hot Flushes – what the science says.

If you’ve walked into your pharmacy or health supplement shop lately and cast your eyes over the plethora of menopause-related supplements and creams, you might have noticed that the ingredients list mentions wild yams. Or perhaps you are taking your ‘bio-identical’ hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and when you look at the ingredients, they mention wild yams. Go on, have a look.Wild yam (Dioscoria) is a phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are plant derived compounds found in a wide variety of foods, most notably soy and plants such as yams. Numerous health benefits including a lowered risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer, and menopausal symptoms, are frequently attributed to phytoestrogens, however, many are also considered endocrine disruptors, indicating that they have the potential to cause adverse health effects as well. It’s confusing isn’t it? For example, if you have breast cancer, then you might just like to stay away from wild yams (www.breastcancer.org).Consequently, the question of whether or not phytoestrogens are beneficial or harmful to human health remains unresolved (Wu et al, 2005). As the authors state, 'the answer is likely complex and may depend on age, health status, and even the presence or absence of specific gut microflora but clarity on this issue is needed because global consumption of phytoestrogens is rapidly increasing'.Phytoestrogens are present in numerous dietary supplements and widely marketed as a natural alternative to oestrogen replacement therapy in menopausal women.  But both age and stage of menopause (and I might add, whether you are overweight and oestrogen dominant) are important considerations when it comes to menopause supplements and phytoestrogen intake. Asian populations have historically had lower rates of cardiovascular disease, menopausal symptoms, breast cancer (and other hormone dependent cancers), diabetes and obesity than Western populations (Patisaul & Jefferson, 2010), hence it is interesting to better understand why as many of you navigate supplements that are marketed to us during menopause. And yes, I was as confused as many of you may be too. 		
																					
		With more than 500 species of wild yam, some contain an ingredient called diosgenin. This chemical has a similar structure to one of your master steroid hormones (DHEA) which helps to make oestrogen. It’s because of this similarity in structure to DHEA that wild yams have become popular as an ingredient in menopause supplements and creams.But can we just eat yams and get the same benefits? Well, all I can say is ‘it depends’.Whilst real yams do have oestrogen-like activity, it takes a laboratory to convert it into a form that mimics oestrogen in the body. Furthermore, if you still have your ovaries and uterus as you move into peri-menopause (the start of your menopause transition), do you even need phytoestrogens from supplements? I ask this because in peri-menopause, you are still producing oestrogen, however, as you move towards post-menopause, your body is trying to reduce it's dependency on this powerful reproductive hormone. Therefore, in post-menopause, the amount of oestrogen we have that benefits us, rather than harms us, can be a balancing act as too much synthetic oestrogen from medications and supplements (called xeno-oestrogens) at this stage of life, may actually be harmful - not only to your liver, but to your fat cells too. As I mention to numerouos women on my weight loss 'Transform Me' programme, if you are serious about weight loss in post-menopause as well as reducing breast cancer risk, then please be careful about taking synthetic hormone replacement and/or taking too many oestrogen-mimicking supplements. Your body may not need additional oestrogen and/or may just need the real food that supplys your body with phytoestrogens instead. You decide what works for you as well as talking to your Doctor. When it comes to eating foods that help with post-menopause, soy is often given the green light, but what about yams? If you don't need a lot of excess oestrogen, then perhaps move on from soy-based foods and add a few yams to your diet. In post-menopause, your oestrogen levels are lower, so keeping some oestrogen in your diet, may be helpful to you. This is because other areas of your body are affected by declining oestrogen production too. I’ve written about the effect of this on your blood vessels (vascular stiffness), your joints (they dry up), your liver (it changes in structure and function) your heart wall (loses some size), your muscles and of course, we’ve all seen how our skin dries up too.		
																					
		So, perhaps if we eat wild yams as women in China did for an interesting study on the effect of yams on post-menopause oestrogen levels, we might get the benefits of natural phytoestrogens without the expense of supplements. In an small investigation to see the effects of yam ingestion on lipids (blood fats), antioxidant status, and sex hormones in postmenopausal women, the authors, (Wu, Liu, Chung et al, 2005), found, that yes indeed, eating yams helps with our oestrogen levels. Twenty-four healthy post-menopausal women were recruited to replace their staple food (mostly rice) with 390 gm (2/3 cup) of yam (Dioscorea alata) in 2 of 3 meals per day for 30 days. Whilst this is a lot of yams over the course of a day, and many of us would never go near this amount per day, in terms of whether we take up oestrogen compounds from foods, such as yams, the results were interesting.The researchers took early morning fasting blood levels and urine samples from the women who were eating the yams (another group ate sweet potatoes).  The blood and urine samples were analysed for lipids (fats), sex hormones, urinary oestrogen metabolites and stress biomarkers.In the women who ate the yams, the results saw significant increases in oestrone (26%) and oestradiol (27%) in both blood and urine samples. These are two types of oestrogens. Oestrone is a hormone produced by the ovaries and is also produced by adipose tissue (fat) and the adrenal glands. It’s the major type of oestrogen hormone produced in any quantities in post-menopausal women who still have their ovaries, which is why I tell women on my 12 week Transform Me programme, who are overweight in post-menopause, to be careful about HRT and the accumulation of other sources of supplemental oestrogens (e.g. from soy powders and supplements). These excess oestrogen compounds are highly attracted to your fat cells. This is partly why women become oestrogen dominant and why I explain to women on my weight loss programme that they may actually be having too much oestrogen in their diet if they are overweight going into post-menopause. With the liver being the main organ for removal of excess oestrogens, and because our liver changes in structure and function with age, then we don’t want to overload it.		
																					
		Root tubers are an important source of nutrients in our diet and yams are part of this group. Did you read my article about the post-menopause Hadza women of Tanzania and how Dr Katie Fitzpatrick reported that when they are out foraging for food away from their camp, they graze on tubers, berries and other foods they find? After reading the study out of China about wild yams and oestrogen in post-menopause, it’s interesting to see the connection and why Hadza women don’t report menopause symptoms that western women report experiencing.Here in New Zealand, autumn leaves are falling and winter is approaching. That means our diet needs to change as well. Seasonal foods help to supply your body with the different nutrients it needs throughout the year. Although New Zealand yams will be different from those that the women ate in the study out of China, there are still great health benefits to women adding them to their diet. Yams are not only a great source of energy from healthy carbohydrates and B-vitamins (which help to reduce your brain fog), but they also give us phosphorus, iron (yams are high in Vitamin B2 which helps to prevent low iron levels and is good for those of you who are still menstruating) and amino acids (proteins).Most importantly, yams are relatively high in potassium, which is an important for our cardiac health as we move through menopause. They are also high in fibre, which is great for your gut health and low in calories – around 135 grams of yams (2/3 cup) has only 60 calories.Based on the thousands of women who join me on my 12 week coaching programmes, I find that two of the most confusing areas of menopause management is that of supplements as welll as food. I experienced that confusion too. Never before have there been so many different supplements promoted to us during our menopause transition and these get expensive. As well, different ingredients do different things, but many of the ingredients target our nervous system and/or the reduction of inflammation. But what is the role of real food in this equation and most importantly, with three different stages of menopause, then 'what do we need 'when'? This question isn't being addressed by many supplement manufcturers and once again, women from peri-menopause to post-menopause are thrown into a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. So, if you are a bit confused with your symptoms and what is going on, then if you haven't already, then please listen to my Masterclass on Menopause or go to the website to read my articles and/or explore joining me on either of my programmes. Transform Me is my 12 week menopause weight loss programme and Circuit Breaker is for women who are thinner or leaner. Two different programmes for two different body-types. Come join me when you can, no matter where you live in the world, because our menopause transition matters to our health as we age. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ MyMT™ Founder & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																					
		References:Breast Cancer and Wild Yam Supplements. Sourced from: https://www.breastcancer.org/tips/nutrition/supplements/known/wild_yamNew Zealand Yams and Health Benefits. Sourced from: https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/new-zealand-yam/Patisaul, H. B., & Jefferson, W. (2010). The pros and cons of phytoestrogens. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, 31(4), 400–419.Wen-Huey Wu, Li-Yun Liu, Cheng-Jih Chung, Hei-Jen Jou & Tzong-An Wang (2005) Estrogenic Effect of Yam Ingestion in Healthy Postmenopausal Women, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 24:4, 235-243.Zeng M, Zhang L, Li M, et al. (2018). Estrogenic effects of the extracts from the Chinese Yam (Dioscorea opposite Thunb.) and its effective compounds in vitro and in vivo. Molecules, Jan 23;23(2).  

### "I have to wear three bras to go for a run - my breasts have got so big and sore!"

"I have to wear three bras to go for a run - my breasts have got so big and sore!" she cried as she left a message on my phone. "They've never been this big in my life and I hate how it's uncomfortable to run. It's really impacting on training my clients." How this bought back memories for me. When my own breast size doubled as I reached my late 40s and early 50s, I was mystified. Nobody had told me about the effect of changing hormones on my breast tissue. "Welcome to peri-menopause" I said, "and here is an article for you." I sent her this one. If you are mystified about your increasing breast size (especially if you are in peri-menopause), then have a read when you can. You might just have your 'aha' lightbulb moment as my friend did too. There are many tourists to the Cardrona Valley in the South Island of New Zealand who might recognise this 'bra fence' in the image above. As I drove along the valley this week, there were numerous younger women taking off their bra's and hanging them up. Exclamations of glee and laughter could be heard as I paused to take this photo for you. At that younger age, I never gave my boobs a thought. But that all changed as I approached menopause. They became tight, sore and swollen. I spent hundreds of dollars on new bra's and exercised and ate well, but still my breast size increased and so did the pain. I didn't fully understand that our breast tissue is full of oestrogen receptors as well as lymphatic vessels. This means that as we move into menopause, the lymphatic vessels are losing elasitcity and the oestrogen receptors and fat tissue get a bit confused with all the hormonal changes occuring with our reproductive hormones.  The combination of changing lymphatic vessels and the receptiveness of breast tissue for excess oestrogen can contribute to swelling, pain and a condition, which some of you have heard me talk about before, called ‘oestrogen dominance.'   Breast tissue is known to have local oestrogen production and storage. Because of this, our breast tissue is responsive to the storage of xeno-oestrogens  - this is the term given to environmental oestrogens that get into our body as well as oestrogens in hormonal medications such as HRT or contraceptive medications. When fat cells (including breast tissue cells which have high numbers of oestrogen receptors) store excess oestrogens, this may lead to women becoming oestrogen dominant with breasts that are swollen and sore. For those who are on breast cancer treatments as Lyndie was, this is an important point to note. What is Oestrogen Dominance?As far back as the 1970’s, Dr John Lee, a medical Doctor from California, was inspired to explore the role of progesterone in peri-menopause after noticing that many of his female patients were intolerant to the use of oestrogen replacement therapy [HRT].Like a few other doctors and endocrinologists at this time, Dr Lee believed that the distressing symptoms that so many women experienced during menopause were in fact NOT due to the low oestrogen levels, which is a natural occuence during menopause, but in fact, due to higher than normal amounts of oestrogen present in the body fat tissues.He realised that women with a pre-disposition to put on weight, had higher levels of oestrogen circulating in their blood stream and with new research into obesity, he knew that fat cells are a receptor or storage area for oestrogen too. This includes breast tissue. Because oestrogen, like other hormones, works in harmony with an opposing hormone, Dr Lee, began to explore the role of oestrogen’s opposing hormone, called progesterone.Extra oestrogen stored in fat cells and liver cells can play havoc on progesterone levels, causing them to drop dramatically. This imbalance naturally causes oestrogen to dominate the hormonal environment, over-shadowing progesterone. What this then does, is to exacerbate the symptoms of low progesterone as the oestrogen is ‘unopposed’.  Hence, Dr Lee, coined a term to describe this phenomenon as ‘Oestrogen Dominance'.What happens when you are oestrogen dominant?Oestrogen dominance means that progesterone may be abnormally low. Perhaps the most important consideration of oestrogen dominance during menopause, is that this environment impairs the functioning of cell membranes. If you feel that your breasts are tight and swollen and you've gone up a bra size or two as I did, then please read on. It's what I needed to know when it happened to me!When our cell membranes don't work very well with the change in oestrogen storage and therefore, lower progesterone, then sodium is retained in cells. When sodium is retained, so is water.The 'puffiness', bloating and swelling you are experiencing is also water retention and it’s not good for those women already at risk of high blood pressure.  Other symptoms of oestrogen dominance also start to be felt – sore and tender breasts, mood disturbances, low motivation, irritability and of course, weight gain, especially around the middle.Why does my blood pressure go higher if I am Oestrogen Dominant?Did you know that all of the hormones in the body work in harmony to stabilise the normal internal environment of the body? In technical terms this is called homeostasis - the term to describe how the hormones work together to maintain normal function. Hence, when both sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. are changing, then they exert influence on other areas of the body too.  As such, these hormones influence our blood vessels and regulation of our plasma volume too. When you are oestrogen dominant, your plasma volume is increased. This leads to a complex array of other hormonal changes which influences the hormonal system that has evolved to control thirst, fluid intake, sodium appetite and renal fluid regulation. It's why you might crave salt or sugar, feel bloated, puffy and your breasts are sore and tight. This happened to Dianne as well.  Sodium retention in cells causes an imbalance of fluid movement in and out of cells. This combined with increased plasma volume, combine to influence an increase in your blood pressure. If you are also not sleeping, putting on weight or feeling stressed or anxious then you increase your risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) further. It's why I'm always telling women to get their blood pressure checked regularly throughout menopause and if there is a family history of heart disease, then it is imperative that you manage your oestrogen dominance during your menopause transition. There is plenty of medical evidence available to remind us that post-menopause heart disease is one of the most frequent clinical conditions in women as they get older. It's why I always say in my Masterclass on Menopause (now online for you HERE), 'Menopause isn't 'just' about hot flushes'! Why do I need to do something about Oestrogen Dominance? Oestrogen dominance and increasing weight gain, left untreated during menopause can cause a host of other health problems in your post-menopause years. This includes:  Increased release of histamine (do you sneeze a lot to certain triggers including wine?)Increase in breast fibrocysts and a history of endometriosisObesity related health problems, including metabolic syndromeLow thyroid function (hypo-thyroidism)My 3 top strategies to turn around your Oestrogen Dominance: Reduce animal foods in your diet. Many of these are high in oestrogen. It's not forever, but changing your diet to mainly plant-based helps to 'break the circuit' of your oestrogen dominance. Restore liver health. I have a big focus on liver health and metabolism in my 12 week Transform Me weight loss programme (currently on sale for you during lockdown). The reason for this, is because the liver is the main organ which helps to clear excess oestrogenic compounds. 3. Improve lymphatic drainage. Your lymphatic system is an important toxin-removal system and a healthy lymphatic system means that you move fluid in and out of cells more easily and you help your blood pressure too. This is why stretching, breathing and some physical activity is important for you in menopause - swimming is my activity of choice when it comes to lymphatic exercise. Earlier this year before we went into lockdown, I made this little video about the SCIENCE of your MENOPAUSE WEIGHT LOSS - when you get time, have a listen when you can. It's around 6 minutes long. And don't forget that if you are interested in joining me at the moment, then because I know times are tough out there, if you have been interested in coming on board, there is NZ$50 off the cost of my programmes. This makes them NZ$349 instead of $399 and you just use the promo code ATHOME21 to access these savings. There are 3 monthly payments if you would like that option as well. If you go to this LINK, then you can read all about the MyMT™ Transform Me weight loss programme . I've developed this powerful programme from my doctoral studies on women's healthy ageing. Stay well where-ever you are in the world. Wendy Sweet,(PhD)/ MyMT Founder/ Member:Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicinehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXwWqRy3rDw&t=6s

### Why this popular tropical oil requires caution if you have high cholesterol in menopause.

"Growing up in Fiji, we never cooked with coconut oil" mentioned Losena in an email to me. After reading new evidence noting how we need to be cautious about all the marketing hype with coconut oil, I wanted to hear from her. Afterall, the marketing is based on the experience of Pacific Islanders using coconut oils for improved health. "The only thing we used for cooking was the coconut meat and the oil was used in our hair. My mother taught us not to cook with it as it affects heart health." Over 25 years ago I went on a trip to Fiji to present at a conference. It was the year that a pharmaceutical company was launching their brand new weight loss ‘magic-pill’. My invitation was to talk to Doctors about the role of exercise in cholesterol management. One of those Doctors was Professor Harvey White, a prominent cardiologist, who still practices in New Zealand to this day.  I sat in on all the sessions and heard Professor White tell an interesting story about the rise of heart disease in the Pacific Island communities. He had been studying heart disease in Pacific communities for over 20 years and had seen the introduction of western ways of eating and the increase in cholesterol levels as Pacific Islanders became more sedentary and changed the way they ate. They didn't eat Coconut Oil in their traditional diets.  Low levels of heart disease in traditional Pacific communities are often used as proof of the benefits of coconut oil. However, the original studies by Professor White and his team, found that coconut was pressed and eaten as coconut flesh and coconut milk was added to meals. Both the flesh and the milk are lower in saturated fat. Coconut oil wasn't used for cooking. It was more commonly used on the skin and hair rather than used as a food. As I put together the Food information for women on my 12 week MyMT™ programmes, I read the research on the role of coconut oils in the human body. Like most things that appear on our supermarket shelves, these are promoted as a panacea to all sorts of health concerns and given a 'one-size-fits-all' label. But for women going into menopause and beyond, it's prudent to be cautious about coconut oils - especially if your Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is high. This is the one that we need to be aware of with our changing hormonal environment in menopause.  This is the type of cholesterol that may affect cardiac health. For women who are losing the role of oestrogen in their blood vessels which helps to maintain blood vessel dilation, this is important. As we age and lose oestrogen, our blood vessels become 'stiffer' causing blood pressure to increase too. The combination of high blood pressure and high circulating cholesterol can cause all sorts of health chaos as women go into post-menopause, with many like Dianne ending up on all sorts of medications in menopause.   As many of you who follow me on here and read my articles know, I try as much as possible to keep this programme in anti-inflammatory and heart- friendly ageing research. This is partly because the greatest health concern for all of us as we transition menopause is that of our cardiac health. Heart disease is the number 1 concern for women in post-menopause in numerous countries around the world, especially if they aren't sleeping and/or putting on abdominal fat.In a recently released article by Palgrave Communications, an exposure of 100 of the 'best-selling' diet books was reported. "Many people turn to books for nutritional advice, making the contents of these books and the expertise of their authors relevant to public health" stated the article. The books were identified and assessed for both the claims they make in their summaries and the credentials of the authors. Weight loss was a common theme. Yet in addition to weight loss, 31 of the books promised to cure or prevent a host of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and dementia; however, the nutritional advice given to achieve these outcomes varied widely in terms of which types of foods should be consumed or avoided and this information was often contradictory between books. Only 3 of the authors of these books were qualified nutritionists. I was reminded of the importance of science and not marketing recently when the Journal of the American Medical Association, [JAMA] reported on a brand new study about Coconut Oils. It was a comparison of coconut oil with other fats and the effect on cholesterol levels. The heading didn't pull any punches - 'Coconut Oil's Health Halo a Mirage'  states the headline and it reports exactly what my own navigation of the women's heart health research reports - that coconut oil significantly increases low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.  All the women in the MyMT™ community on my 12 week programmes have heard me talk about my preference to olive oil over coconut oil. This is because olive oil is well validated in women's healthy ageing studies and if you have sore joints then you might also like to read an earlier article HERE. Whilst I do have some recipes that contain coconut oil and coconut milk in the MyMT™ Food Guide, which is part of my 12 week programmes, I don't have many. There's a reason for this.  Coconut oils are not well evidenced for women's heart health as we age. Despite the fact that it is a plant source of fat, it acts the same as a saturated fat in the body. For women who also have a fatty liver, take note!   For those of you doing lots of endurance exercise, you can get away with the increased saturated fats in your diet, but for those of you with a fatty liver or family history of heart disease or you are overweight, then please be cautious about your intake of Coconut Oil - despite the marketing hype around it! Here are some highlights from the research:Compared with Palm Oil, coconut oil significantly increased LDL-C (the 'bad' cholesterol) by 10mg/dL and total cholesterol levels by 14mg/dL.Coconut oil did not significantly affect triglycerides (circulating fats in blood) nor inflammatory markers. Coconut oil should not be viewed as a healthy oil for cardiovascular disease risk reduction and limiting coconut oil consumption because of its high saturated fat content is warranted.  When I was trying to untangle my own rapid increase in cholesterol in my early 50’s I remembered Professor White’s talk. So, I turned to the research about heart health. Like many of you, I was so confused about the role of coconut oils, fats and yoghurts that have become more prominent in the supermarket. On a Paleo and Keto diet the intake of these products is heavily promoted. And yes, I've put them all in my supermarket trolley in the past as well. But on exploring the research and positioning our health as we age, I stopped doing that and went back to Olive Oil and at the time, Canola Oil as well. These two oils have the lowest amounts of saturated fats. I figured that if I already had high cholesterol, then 50 years of research from the Framingham Heart Study, shows that high levels of saturated fats contribute to high cholesterol levels in the body. That's why have to be careful about our TOTAL INTAKE of saturated fats which clog up the liver blood vessels and reduce the uptake of lovely nutrients that our body needs at this time of our lives. When it comes to heart health and high cholesterol, the type of fats you eat matters. Especially, if you aren’t (or can’t) do a lot of endurance exercise. Because I was so confused myself at what oils to use during menopause, I turned to the organisation that does the most research on heart health in New Zealand – the NZ Heart Foundation. They have now updated their stance on coconut oils and fats in a scientific review. [Downloadable on their website]. Their new Position Statement confirms what I have been reading as well, “A recent scientific review by the Heart Foundation does not support the use of coconut oil in place of other plant oils that are lower in saturated fat. The review found that the health benefits of coconut oil claimed in marketing are not supported by sound scientific evidence for cardiac health. The main fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid. Lauric acid behaves in the body like a long-chain saturated fatty acid so they are larger than fats present in other plant oils. Whilst coconut does not raise total cholesterol to the same extent as butter, the increase is greater than other plant oils. In general whilst 30mls of coconut oil does not promote weight gain or inflammation, findings in Sri Lanka, where there was a high intake of coconut oil, show high rates of heart disease. Heart disease rates have been low in Pacific countries, because coconut is consumed as flesh and as milk. Coconut oil was not traditionally used in food preparation. The consumption of coconut has been in the context of a traditional Pacific diet with plenty of vegetables (including starchy vegetables), fruit, seafood and a physically active lifestyle.”  [NZHF. Position Statement, 2014].How interesting that over 25 years ago, I heard the exact same commentary from Professor Harvey White too.Three large studies spanning 30 years convinces me that in being 'kind' to our heart, we need to be cautious about the marketing of foods., especially oils. There are so many on the market these days and like many things, it becomes very confusing. In light of this research, we also need to be careful of smoothies (especially commercially bought ones) that have as their base, coconut oil and coconut milk. It might taste great, but it's dumping lots of saturated fats and harmful cholesterol into your gut and liver and eventually, your blood vessels too.If you already know that you have a fatty liver, then reduce your total daily consumption of saturated fats and replace coconut oil with olive oil instead. If you are thinner and doing lots of exercise, then yes, you can afford to have a bit more saturated fat in your diet for your energy levels. You choose.Wendy Sweet, PhD/MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. PS: When you have time, some information about the 12 week MyMT™Transform Me weight loss programme information is in the short video below. If your cholesterol has increased during menopause, then you will love this programme which is based on heart-health evidence too.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw7PmwoA5Q&t=49sReferences: Abbasi, J. (2020). Coconut Oil's health halo a Mirage, Clinical Trials Suggest. JAMA, April 28, Vol 323, Number 16.Eyres, L. (2014). Coconut Oil and the Heart: Evidence Paper. New Zealand Heart Foundation Position Statement. Marton, R.M., Wang, X., Barabási, A. et al. Science, advocacy, and quackery in nutritional books: an analysis of conflicting advice and purported claims of nutritional best-sellers. Palgrave Commun 6, 43 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-0415-6

### PODCAST: Hormones and Sleep. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) talks to Tracy Minnoch-Nuku, Founder of 'Sexy Ageing Podcast'.

How excited was I to be asked to talk to Tracy Minnoch-Nuku this week?  I've known Tracy for over 20 years and I was delighted to hear that she has founded a new podcast initiative called, 'Sexy Ageing Podcast'. www.sexyageing.wordpress.comTracy is a fitness-industry legend and for over 30 years has worked in all aspects of this diverse industry - from aerobic instructor to Personal Trainer to then co-founding a chain of boutique fitness clubs called FIRE (www.firestation.com.my) When visiting New Zealand recently, she looked me up and mentioned,"As the peri menopause symptoms started to creep in, I realised that I knew NOTHING about how these would affect me through my work, life, relationships, sleep, all of it! I was grateful to reconnect with Wendy and delighted to see that she had provided so much information for women just like me."So, here we are - a podcast/ video for you to listen to from Tracy, via me to you. I hope you enjoy our chat and what I had to say about the three phases of menopause, our precious sleep and because I know that Tracy has so many clients and friends in the fitness industry, I had a little chat about exercise and menopause too.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgMSUfre9GEDon't forget that I also have my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar for you to listen to as well. You can read more about it HERE. 

### "THANK YOU! I was overwhelmed with the knowledge you have collated in your Masterclass on Menopause. My eyes filled with tears - tears of joy."  [Felicity, NZ].

London, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Sheffield, Portsmouth, Reading, Oxford, Perth, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Mackay, Cairns, Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, Hamilton, Tauranga, Whakatane, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown ...

These are all the cities I visited in 2019 and early 2020, before lock-down arrived. I'm missing you all and I'm missing my return to see you all but if you live in Christchurch or Auckland in New Zealand, then jump onto the EVENTS page, because I'm coming your way in September. For those of you whom I can't visit with my live Masterclass on Menopause, then please grab your virtual online ticket (at 50% off the cost) to your very own downloadable Masterclass on Menopause.   Felicity has already listened to hers. My video explaining what it's about is below.


LISTEN WHEN YOU LIKE, WHERE YOU LIKE, WEARING WHAT YOU LIKE!
When I was in my late-40’s and early 50’s, I was a university lecturer and completing my studies into the role of exercise on women’s healthy ageing. I had no idea that my curiosity about our health as we come through our mid-life years would lead me here to you … so I want you to be curious about these questions as you listen to my online webinar …. because I became curious about them too.

 	Why is it that so many women around the world DON’T get the symptoms and on-going health problems that can tip some of us into changing health as we age?
 	If menopause is a natural stage of life that we all go through, then why has it become so medicalised and have we got this all wrong?

These were the questions I kept asking myself as I undertook my doctoral studies on women’s healthy ageing. What I discovered astounded me. And it’s why I now understand that our symptoms are just being looked at by health specialists in isolation. The big picture of how our hormones balance themselves is not being factored in. Nor is our modern lifestyle or the changes that occur in our muscles, liver, pancreas and cardio-vascular system as we biologically age.

So I decided to do something about it. Over the last five years I have  presented my Masterclass on Menopause to thousands of women in more than 20 countries.  Now that travel has been curtailed during the Covid-19 pandemic, I have bought my presentation to you online. In this powerful webinar, I share my knowledge so you can better understand your menopause symptoms and the real reason that thousands of women throughout the world experience worsening symptoms.

In my sold-out seminars throughout New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, I often say that women in their 50’s are the forgotten generation and that while we were promised we would get to 50 and feel fabulous, the opposite is often true. What’s worse, it seems that nobody wants to talk about what we really need to be doing to prevent or reverse our symptoms which can catapult us into our unhealthy ageing – and yes, our mothers’ generation have already discovered this too.


Millions of women experience poor sleep, hot flushes, night sweats, sore joints, high blood pressure, ever increasing weight, depression, anxiety or lack of energy. But there are also many who don’t.  I became curious about as to why this was and discovered that our 50’s is the time to re-boot our lifestyle to better match our changing hormones as we age.


So, if menopause has blind-sided you as it did me, or you are confused about what is happening with your body and your health and fitness in your 50’s and 60’s then you aren’t alone.  That’s what intrigued me and I take you on this journey through this important webinar.

Normally my live-event tickets sell for $25, but I have reduced the cost of this new online version to only NZ$15 (other currencies below).  It’s time we changed the discussion about menopause and put it into ‘wellness’ not ‘sickness’ – I hope you can join me. The webinar is nearly 2 hours long, but you can pause it and come back to it as when you purchase, you gain access to my private member area on my website. 

Please join me now for only NZ$15 (AU $15,  UK £7.50,  US $9.00,  CAD $12.60).



I can’t wait to share my discoveries with you too.



YES PLEASE! I want to purchase MyMT™ Online Masterclass on Menopause – with access details delivered directly to my INBOX for ONLY NZ$15.00/ (Please note this converts to AUS $15,  UK £7.50,  US $9.00,  CAD $12.60 when you purchase).

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Coach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EKqiCjzQR0&t=7s

### When does Menopause occur and how long does it last?

"I didn't know what menopause was" she mentioned in her email to me this week. "Nobody seems to talk about it, especially not my friends." Having had the same experience when I reached my late-40s, I totally understand her consternation. That's why in this article, I'm taking you on a journey through the three phases of menopause and at the end, I hope you can then view my Masterclass on Menopause. Two fabulous hours (you can 'pause' me anytime you like too) of information and solutions that all women over the age of 45 yrs need to know. Menopause is relatively unique to us as a species. And 100 years ago, it might not have been a problem, simply because we didn’t live very long. I often say, menopause is the 'book-end' of puberty. It is a time in our life, that refers to the cessation of menstruation, and it is caused by the fluctuation of hormone levels within the ovaries and within women’s bloodstreams. Clinical studies suggest that the average age of cessation is around 48–52 years of age, although women in Western countries end menstruation between their early 40s and late 50s unless there is premature menopause from underlying medical conditions or from the removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) and/or ovaries (oophrectomy). 		
																					
		With the possible exception of pilot whales, no mammals studied to date are known to commonly exhibit the cessation of their reproductive capacity as they get older. Except of course, for human females.Menopause heralds in our biological ageing. From a physiological perspective, we are finishing our reproductive capability and in natural menopause (as opposed to surgical menopause), our ovaries are going into decline. As such, we reduce substantially, our ability to produce oestrogen and progesterone.There are three distinct phases of menopause.Phase 1: Peri-menopause. Your periods begin to fluctuate, sometimes becoming irregular, lighter or heavier. Your ovaries are still producing oestrogen, but less of it as your ovarian follicles decline. The key thing to remember here, is that your 'master reproductive hormones', Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinising Hormone (LH) are still being produced in  your pituitary gland. High FSH is associated with a range of symptoms including worsening hot flushes, poor sleep and changing cardiac health. Phase 2: Menopause. This is when your periods cease and the average age globally is around 51-52 yrs old. Phase 3: Post-Menopause. When your periods have ceased for a year or more, you are now in post-menopause. 		
																					
		Despite the average age that women enter menopause when menstruation ceases, there is considerable variation and diversity in how women experience their transition towards their biological ageing. It isn't always about chronological age.As Heather Dillaway (2006) suggests,'Regardless of popular belief, the decrease of estrogen hormones is not the sole cause of menstrual cessation; rather, many hormones fluctuate to cause this reproductive transition or “climacteric”. Some hormone levels increase while others decrease. These hormone fluctuations can occur anywhere from eight to ten years prior to cessation to several years afterwards. What women experience is not just menopause, then, but a complex reproductive transition that can span multiple decades.'What happens as you biologically age?Positioning menopause in ageing science was the 'game-changer' not only to generate meaning about my own personal experience, but to allow me to follow and adapt the research on women's health and ageing. You see, our menopause transition heralds in changes all around our body, not just the loss of our reproductive capabilities. I explain why and how this occurs in the Masterclass, but as a summary for you, here's some of what happens as we age.Oestrogen receptors throughout the various organs and tissue structures in the body no longer rely on oestrogen attaching to them. This elicits a number of changes in these structures, e.g. your tendons lose the role of oestrogen causing them to dry out (listen to my video about this on the website on the Joyful Joints link) and many of you may develop conditions such as plantar fasciitis. As well, one of the major changes is that your blood vessels lose elasticity, causing an increase in blood pressure for many of you. 		
																					
		There is a powerful connection between your changing reproductive hormones and your hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal and thyroid hormones. This is known as the HPA-Thyroid Axis. For many of you, your symptoms become worse, because of the disruption to these other hormones, because all of your hormones are connected. If you can't sleep and your hot flushes and anxiety is getting worse, I know how you feel. But as you move through menopause, these other hormones are helping you to 'survive' and kick-in to try to re-balance the hormonal environment. That's why turning around your sleep, stress and thryoid nutrition is part of your solution to resolving your symptoms.  		
																					
		Ageing is inflammatory. This is known as 'inflammaging' and as such, there are changes going on around the body, such as in your muscles, tendons, liver, gut and other organs. The build-up of inflammation in the body not only makes our symptoms worse, but the increased cortisol that arrives from the body trying to reduce inflammation, can leave us lower in progesterone as well. Our chronic sterss hormone called 'cortisol' uses up the precious progesterone in the production pathway, hence when inflammation and cortisol is high in women transitioning into and through menopause, this can cause worsening symptoms. As Professor Egger states, “We have been operating in silo’s. We haven’t been taking into account all the other effects on inflammation, including ageing.”		
																					
		Menopause is derived from the Latin words “meno” which means ‘months’ and “pausia” which means ‘halt’ respectively. But whilst Menopause marks the end of a woman’s period of natural fertility, it doesn’t mean that we can’t feel healthy and happy as we age.Survival beyond age 65 of a large percentage of the female population is a very recent phenomenon in terms of evolutionary time. Less than 100 years ago, the average life expectancy for women was this age. Herein lies part of the 'problem' with menopause. If we are experiencing symptoms that affect our quality of life (and I include weight gain in this too), we need to turn this around in our mid-life transition. Simply because if we don't, then we may not 'age-well'. For example, if we aren’t sleeping or if we are experiencing worsening hot flushes, weight gain, depression and/or joint pain, these concerns may prevent us from staying active and feeling mobile.  Paleontologists who study the evolution of menopause report that female hunter-gatherers remain generally active through their late menopause years and are therefore, least likely to be bothered by menopause symptoms. This was evidenced by data on sleep disorders in women from less developed nations as compared with sedentary women in post-industrial countries (Pollycove et al, 2012).Furthermore, in more recent research, studies into the habits and physical activity patterns of women from the Hadza hunter-gatherer tribe in Africa also found that menopause symptoms (measured as hot flushes and sleep disorders) were low and this was partly attributed to the fact that on average, women walked 6km a day. I talk about this research in the MyMT™ 12 week programmes. It’s an important consideration for women to know ‘how much exercise is enough?’! In the online Masterclass on Menopause and in my 12 week programmes I talk about our 'uniqueness' - with this I mean that we are different from our mother's generation and we are 'unique' in the context of being the first generation of women to enter our menopause transition with so much going on in our lives. Herein also lies some of the 'problematisation' of menopause. Our ancient physiology which is heralding in our ageing years, is typically clashing with our modern lifestyle.  I explain some solutions to this in my Masterclass - I've just added the Introductory video to it below. I hope you can listen sometime and read more about it by following the 'Learn More' link below the video. For millions of women around the world, their menopause transition throws them into health and symptom chaos. But it doesn’t have to be like this at all. I used to feel so frustrated and despondent until I began to research menopause. When I discovered that it really is the biological gateway to our ageing, and that as we age, we need to understand how to manage and/or reduce inflammation, I explored the women’s healthy ageing research to find out how. The result of this are two different programmes which I called My Menopause Transformation. I hope that one day you might join me and just a reminder that the price has changed to fit in with our changing world at the moment and there is are options for a discount in the Masterclass and on my website for a limited time only. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicinehttps://youtu.be/7EKqiCjzQR0		
											
															
		References:Arbuckle, K. (2016). Why do women go through menopause? Science offers new solution to old puzzle. The Conversation. Austad S. (1994). Menopause: an evolutionary perspective. Exp Gerontol. 29(3-4):255‐263. Dillaway, H. (2006). When does Menopause occur and how long does it last? Wrestling with age and time-based conceptualizations of reproductive aging. NWSA Journal, 18. 31-60.Lamberts S., van den Beld A., van der Lely A. (1997). The endocrinology of aging. Science, 278(5337), 419-24.Pollycove R, Naftolin F, Simon JA. The evolutionary origin and significance of menopause. Menopause. 2011;18(3):336‐342. 

### Feeling forgetful? Why your brain-fog baffles you in menopause.

Understanding the link between menopause and brain fog
What have you forgotten about over the past week? We probably don't let on about it do we? Especially in the workplace. Research tells me that in the workplace especially, much of our symptom-suffering tends to be in silence. But I'm sure we've all had that 'moment' haven't we? 
Whether it's trying to recall the name of someone, mislaying your car keys or forgetting about the pot on the stove with the rice boiling away to oblivion (you can tell I've had experience with this one) or just feeling 'fuzzy' and forlorn, many of us have experienced brain fog as we move through menopause. If you've tested positive for the corona virus as some of the ladies on my programme have, then perhaps your brain fog and fatigue have become worse too.  Brain-fog is a symptom that people experience as they recover from the virus. But putting this aside, when it comes to our menopause transition, your brain-fog is all to do with the reduction of your oestrogen levels affecting the way your nerves 'talk' to each other.
What Causes Menopause Brain Fog?
As our oestrogen levels change, our body is ageing. This means that there are changes occurring all around our body that are the result of our biological ageing. Peri-menopause is your transition into the next phase of your life-cycle and the changes often clash with our modern, busy lives and none more so, than the way that lowering oestrogen affects the nerves and blood vessels in your brain. With menopause HRT in short supply in the United Kingdom and here in New Zealand, it's time to understand what's really going on and then put some lifestyle changes in place to reduce your brain fog. If you aren't sleeping, or you feel stressed from your work or home environment, then this also becomes your 'perfect storm' for brain fog as you navigate your biological ageing. 
"I felt that I couldn't function when I was in the boardroom. I really thought that I was getting dementia"  she explained . "I've been a lawyer for 20 years but when I reached my early 50's (I'm 53 now), I found that I was forgetting things and not sleeping was the worst. I bought so many supplements but became concerned about the hundreds of dollars I was spending on them each month. Nothing was shifting for me until I did your programme."  (Beth, Melbourne, Australia). 

I never gave brain-fog a thought when I headed into my early 50’s. But it affected me hugely, especially when I had a lot of ‘stuff’ going through my brain - from my busy work environment, to studying for my PhD, to rushing around getting everything done to keep the home and family firing on all cylinders, it wasn't until I kept forgetting things (including the pot of rice on the stove), that I wondered what was going on. 
As we lose oestrogen, our nervous system is ageing. So too is our brain. As such, the part of the brain which controls memory is affected as we move into post-menopause. You can see the difference in these brain scans on pre-menopausal versus post-menopausal women out of Cornell University. Oh yes, indeed, the loss of oestrogen during menopause really does trigger changes in the brain. 

The brain is an important target organ for oestrogen - [I must have missed the session on this important piece of information in my biology lessons at school]. In addition to direct effects, oestrogen influences brain function through effects on the vasculature (blood vessel network) and the immune system. [Henderson, 2008]. This is why, when oestrogen is lowering during our menopause transition, it's no surprise that women like Beth above, have trouble focusing on high-level thinking and become forgetful. That's a tough call when you're a lawyer.
However, there’s a bit more to this menopause brain fog story too. 
When we don’t sleep well in menopause, especially at the time of night when our memory is being consolidated (usually between 2-4am), we experience more brain fog than usual during the day. And yes, this was me as well.  
Menopause brain fog is a ‘thing’. So too is muddling your words, feeling a bit dizzy, forgetting words and feeling a bit un-coordinated. This used to happen to me when I was doing my exercise step-classes. I felt as if I was going to trip up and fall over, so like many women who exercise, I had to stop doing these types of classes which I used to love.
When we feel as if we can’t remember the time of the day, or even the day, or where we have left our keys or our morning cuppa, it’s brain fog. The real definition is ‘forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly.’ [McKeowen & Elves, 2000].
But it's not just our changing levels of oestrogen that's the culprit. Feeling forgetful is also affected by our changing levels of another brain hormone, called serotonin. Many of you will have heard of this hormone, because serotonin is a powerful mood hormone and the reason that millions of women get placed on anti-depressants in menopause, is because serotonin reduces in production during menopause too.  This is why we need to focus on serotonin-boosting strategies as we go through menopause. This includes doing the type of exercise that is well evidenced to boost mood and motivation – aerobic exercise. Yes, a walk in the park, or a slow jog or some cycling or exercise to music, really does help to boost mood and improve brain fog. I've always said, 'activity absorbs anxiety' and this is important to note for all of us. 
		
					The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a long-term investigation tracking the mental and physical health of more than 3,000 women going through the menopausal transition, concluded that ‘Brain-fog’ is caused by low oestrogen affecting the hippocampus – the region of the brain that controls memory. But it’s worse when we are feeling stressed, busy and overwhelmed. 				
		Based on numerous studies, around 65% of women report memory issues as they go through menopause. So, don't worry, you aren't alone. But why we struggle so much with memory is because the part of the brain called the the hippocampus, is affected most. This region in the brain is critical in memory processing. 
How Can We Reduce Menopause Brain Fog
Thankfully, all is not lost ... literally. There are numerous ways to reduce the effect of menopause brain fog and I have all the strategies in both of the MyMT™ programmes.
These include:
1. Turning around your sleep and circadian rhythm. I can't emphasise this enough. If you aren't sleeping, then your brain isn't healing and boosting your immune system and memory overnight. When we are exhausted, our serotonin levels drop and melatonin (our sleep hormone) fails to fire up to go high enough in the evening. This means that the quality of our sleep isn’t deep enough overnight, so our memory bank isn’t restoring properly as we sleep. 

2. Regulating your blood sugar levels. Your brain needs glucose to function. Glucose is one of the only nutrients that crosses the blood-brain barrier and is the main source of energy for mammalian brains. Please don't starve yourself throughout the day, because your brain fog may get worse. Your brain is so rich in nerve cells, or neurons, that it is the most energy-demanding organ, using one-half of all the glucose energy in the body. It also needs healthy Omega 3 fats. There's a reason we need fruits and vegetables ... and the beautiful olive oil I promote as part of the modified Mediterranean Diet I have for you in the MyMT™ Food Guide. 
3. Slowing down your thoughts and trying to reduce multi-tasking. As busy, modern women, we have a lot going on in our lives. Many of us also work in roles that are very competitively based and/or are time-urgent. Whether it's Beth the lawyer, or rushing around trying to get through all the jobs that you do in a day, or driving the kids to sports, if you added up everything you did in your day,  you would be amazed. When we have a lot going on in our lives, we also have a lot going on in our brain. Sandra used to feel a lot of pressure in her male-oriented workplace. "I was always the one feeling I had to compete and do better than them" she said to me. "But then I began to understand that this was the source of my stress as well as always doing exercise that was competitively based, such as my Boot Camp. My entire day seemed to be undertaken at paced! I feel so much calmer now that I've done your programme." 
		
					As busy working women, I know that we have a lot going on in our lives – yes, I do too. But when we are constantly high-level in our thinking and working, then the nerves in the brain become ‘hyper-excitable’. This increases anxiety, forgetfulness and eventually, inflammation too.				
																														
		We already know the risk of Dementia in our parents generation with inflammation in the brain. As we lose oestrogen and when we aren't sleeping well, our nerves become more 'irritable'. They don’t send their messages properly. A bit like a really fast heart-rate not being able to deliver oxygen around to our muscles causing us to build up lactic acid which stops muscle performance. It’s the same thing going on in your brain cells. That’s why Magnesium is helpful as are foods that are high in potassium. Our ageing blood vessels and our nervous system need these minerals to function. So, make sure you get them in your diet – it’s what I have in the MyMT Food Guide for women on the programmes.When I think about the times that I have had brain-fog, anxiety and poor sleep as I was coming through menopause, I felt so frustrated and hopeless. Has this happened to you too? Don't forget too, that we are also the first generation of women to be working in front of computers for long hours at a time, so eye strain and mental strain become ‘normalised’ in our day-to-day comings and goings, but we tend not to focus on how this affects us during our menopause transition. This increases our 'brain fatigue' as well and over time, we just feel more and more worn out. Eventually we wake up in the morning, without the energy to face our day. Don’t you think it’s time to change that? 		
																														
		Not all women end up on struggle-street during menopause, but there are thousands who do and I was one of them. I knew that there had to be a better way through our menopause transition without having to resort to hormonal medications and endless supplements that seem to work for a while, but then stop working. That's why, I looked into this life stage and applied lifestyle science to it.
As part of my doctoral studies into women’s healthy ageing and the menopause transition, I have used my extensive background in fitness, nutrition, sports science and health and behaviour-change education, to un-pack our symptoms and align them up against specific lifestyle strategies that you put into action with my support.  MyMT™ has two programmes – one for women who aren’t overweight (called ‘Circuit-Breaker’) and one for women who are overweight or putting on harmful belly fat (called ‘Transform Me‘). Both are getting outstanding results and I hope that you can check out the many success stories on the website by clicking here.
MyMT™ 12 week programs are
normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT™ website
or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers.  
If you are struggling to make sense of how to look after yourself as you transition into the next phase of your life, then I hope you can visit the programme details and then join me where-ever you are in the world. You'll be amazed at what you will learn. Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD], Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Founder & Coach; Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. References:Henderson, V. (2008). Cognitive changes after Menopause: Influence of Estrogen. Clin. Obstet. Gynecol. 51(3), 618-626.McKay, S. (2018). The Women's Brain Book: The neuroscience of health, hormnes and happiness. Hatchett Press, Australia.McKeowen & Elves (2000). Estrogen actions in the central nervous system. Endocrine Reviews, 20(3), 279-307.Mergenthalor, P., Lindauer,U. et al. (2014). Sugar for the brain: the role of glucose in physiological and pathological brain function. Trends Neurosci., 36(10), 587 - 597. 

### The changing sensitivity of your skin in menopause and the benefit of this tropical fruit.

"What's is it with all the itching and tingling of my skin?" Keighley said as she delivered my coffee. As one of my most favourite barista's Keighley knows that I 'talk menopause', so she knew that I would have an answer for her. For some of you in your early 50's , it gets incredibly dry. For others of you, it gets 'crinkly' or 'crepey'. Some of you are driven crazy because your skin starts to itch. Some of you even develop eczema. Many of you notice the dark spots arriving more rapidly too. As we transition menopause, our hot flushes, poor sleep, anxiety and mood swings are often the only symptoms that we focus on. very few of us realise that as oestrogen lowers, our skin is changing too. And according to the research that came out of the University of Otago in New Zealand, we should all have a bit more focus, not only on Vitamin D, but on the powerful influence of Vitamin C. [Pullar, Carr & Vissers, 2017]. Not only do we need Vitamin C inside us through beautiful fruits and vegetables, but according to this research, Vitamin C applied on the skin through fermented papaya, can also help your skin to help you as you age. At a time when we are all becoming more conscious of how we look after ourselves during a pandemic and learn to better protect our immune health, then there's no better time to talk about the skin. Especially as we move into and through menopause. This is the time of our lives when our skin is changing due to hormonal changes that are as powerful as when we went through puberty. How could we not remember the angst of acne? With the main changes to our skin occurring in puberty, it's little wonder that at the other end of the reproductive life-stage, our skin is changing again.When we came through puberty, I think many of us remember the proliferation of oiliness on our skin, that appeared almost overnight, setting the stage for acne. Now that we're at the other end of our reproductive journey, our skin is changing again. And we we move between the seasons, our skin is subject to seasonal changes too. So, to help our symptoms in menopause, it's important that we focus on what's going on with this beautiful organ. Afterall, it's the largest organ you have - covering approximately 2 square metres, weighing approximately 3.6kg, it pays to look after it. Afterall, it needs to do it's job of protecting your immune health for quite a few years ahead. The primary function of your skin is to act as a barrier against insults from the environment. Its unique structure reflects this and it's why it has a vital role to play in our immune system. For women transitioning menopause, it is well known that this stage of life is a vulnerable time for immune health. My view is that we grossly underestimate its function and role as we move into the next stage of life. Please don't smear it in the potions that are marketed to us as anti-ageing remedies - that's not what it needs. I'll tell you why...Our skin has two layers:the epidermal outer layer is full of keratinocytes. This outermost layer is your waterproof raincoat barrier. It contains lots of structural proteins called keratin cells. These cells are important, because they also 'talk' to your immune system and they do this with the help of oestrogen. the inner dermal layer gives our skin strength and elasticity. This layer also gives nutritional support to the outer layer - the epidermis. This nutritional support needs high concentrations of Vitamin C. If your skin has been itchy and irritating  you or it has turned incredibly dry (have your heels got cracks in them like the Grand Canyon?), then menopause is the time of your life when you need to consider the nutrients in your diet. Dry skin is a common condition typically experienced by most people at some stage in their lives but none more so than in menopause. The prevalence of dry skin  increases with age and menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing. So, whilst dry skin was originally believed to be due to decreased water content or sebum production in the skin as we get older, it's now considered likely to be due to alterations in the keratinisation process and fat content of the layer under the skin.  It's why “beauty from the inside”, via nutrition, may be more effective than topical application. Look at Debb, who lives up in the Cook Islands and works as an academic - she shared this photo after picking all the tropical fruit from her garden. Her joint health and energy levels have turned around since understanding the relevance of the rich nutrients in the tropical fruits that she is lucky enough to have on her doorstep. Improving your Vitamin C levels as you transition through menopause matters. It hasn't gone past me that women on my 12 week programmes who change their diet and do some juicing of the specific nutrients I've researched, not only mention how much more energy they have, but how their skin has changed too. Vitamin C and your Skin: Normal skin contains high concentrations of vitamin C. I wish I'd known this in my mid-late 40's when I was being influenced by weight loss diets that told me to get off fruit and I was wondering why, when I entered peri-menopause my skin felt itchy - not one health professional I went to mentioned the need for additional Vitamin C with the loss of oestrogen to my skin.  As well, being a regular exerciser, my busy life, lack of sleep and a dietary approach of high fat and protein that was being promoted in the fitness industry at the time, led me down the path to worsening immune health, despite thinking that I was doing all the correct things. I didn't know that it was my skin that also needed my focus to help my immune system. And for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere heading into your summer months, I want you to know that Vitamin C is also needed to assist antioxidant protection against UV-induced photo-damage to your skin as well.Hindsight is a wonderful thing ... as is positioning menopause in women's healthy ageing research, especially our cardiac and immune health research, which is what I've done with the 12 week MyMT™ programmes. For further information about my two different programmes and the savings you receive on these, please follow the Learn More link below. For millions of women entering menopause, there is no better time to have a re-think about how we look after ourselves. As I often mention in these articles, menopause is the opposite of puberty. At one end, which is where we all were a few decades ago, we were entering higher oestrogen levels as we began our transition into our reproductive years and at the other end, which is where we are at now, oestrogen levels are naturally  declining.  This leads to numerous change around our body, not just in our ovaries. It's why you may not need HRT, anti-depressants and endless supplements either, and yes I know, these offer numerous women relief, so don't discount discussing options with your Doctor. However, if these strategies stop working, especially as you move into post-menopause as I found myself, then you need to put on your 'ageing-hat' too. This means changing things up a bit with lifestyle strategies that are evidenced against women's healthy ageing studies. This means examining your nutrition, exercise, sleep quality and yes, your changing immune health  and skin health as well. You may well need additional Vitamin C. There's a reason for this. Vitamin C is also known to stimulate collagen production. How are your joints and knees and that plantar fasciitis that is preventing you from exercising and walking? If your joints are bothering you, then please have a read about my stand-alone 'Restore your Joyful Joints' mini-module. It's available for you as a stand-alone module. During the course of a normal lifetime, the skin is exposed to a number of challenges that can affect structure, function and appearance. According to the research by Pullar, Carr et al. (2017), these challenges include:• Deterioration due to normal ageing (please note that I include 'menopause' in this category!), contributing to loss of elasticity and wrinkle formation.• Exposure to the elements, leading to discolouration, dryness and accelerated wrinkling.• Chemical insults including exposure to oxidising beauty and cleansing products (hair dyes, soaps, detergents, bleaches).• Direct injury, as in wounding and burning.We are the first generation to have been exposed to numerous environmental and household chemicals, beauty products and even, lots of high intensity exercise, which damages collagen in our joints. As their research shows, Vitamin C may provide significant protection against these changes. Furthermore, regeneration of healthy skin following decades of insult and injury is a goal for most of us. Like the rest of the human body, the skin is subject to changes caused by the process of natural ageing. All skin layers show age-related changes in structure and functional capacity. Along with changes that occur in other body systems, this may result in increased susceptibility to a variety of disordersand diseases, such as the development of dermatoses and skin cancer (Pullar et al, 2017). But there is good news and it's one I reiterate to women on my 12 week health-coaching programmes.  The role of vitamin C in skin health has been under discussion since its discovery in the 1930s as the remedy for scurvy.  Hence, over decades, many of the nutrient interventions that showed a benefit to our skin health have included a high intake of fruit and vegetables. These are known to contribute significant levels of vitamin C to the diet.However, part of the problem is that nutritional guidelines only promote five servings of fruit and vegetables. We are thrown in with the general population. But we are unique! And so is our ageing skin. As we move into our 50's and beyond and as we lose the role of oestrogen in our epidermis and hence, our collagen production becomes compromised, both healthy ageing and cardiovascular research indicates that we need up to 9-10 servings of fruit and vegetables daily. That's why so many women on my programmes discover juicing and I have a variety of recipes that are specific to the nutrients we need in menopause. This is one way I teach them how to make simple changes so they incorporate more fruit and vegetables in their lives. Yes, it's that important. Vitamin C isn't the only nutrient your skin needs either. We all know the benefits of Vitamin D, but now that many of you are living inside more during lockdown and the winter has well and truly arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, it's time to take it more seriously. Seasonal change is important to not only our skin's uptake of Vitamin D, but also to other body functions too. Lack of Vitamin D and lack of Vitamin C, causes worsening sleep, high blood pressure, more constricted blood vessels and changing gut health as well. As Linda Geddes mentions in her excellent research book, Chasing the Sun, (Geddes, 2019) following her interview with Dermatologist, Dr Richard Weller, "our skin stockpiles vast quantities of a storage form of nitric oxide, which is activated by sunlight." (p. 121). With nitric oxide being a potent dilator of blood vessels, Dr Weller explored the relationship between higher rates of cardiovascular disease in people living in higher latitudes with longer winters. As nitric oxide production declines with age, or as we withdraw seasonally from exposure to sunshine (or we withdraw because we are in lockdown), our blood pressure can increase.I talk about the power of nitric oxide in the MyMT™ programmes too. As we move through our 50's, our blood vessels constrict more as we lose oestrogen. It's a problem for women who aren't recovering well from their exercise, because natural forms of nitric oxide help to dilate our blood vessels and as such, when we don't have as much production of nitric oxide as we age, we can't remove the lactic acid as readily as we used to.This is why I also encourage women to have more celery and beetroot in their diets. These are just two vegetables that help us get nitric oxide sourced from plants into our diet. Exposing our skin to some sunlight (not too much) is another way forward as well. Especially for our energy, skin and wellbeing. Andrea from Australia learnt all this too and I love this photo she sent me of her sitting in the sun outside her small home studio where she paints. All of our bodily functions work on a circadian rhythm and rely on Vitamin C and Vitamin D levels being optimal.It's why as the seasons change, we change too. And it's why, when we arrive in our menopause transition, we just need to change things up a bit to help our body adjust.I hope you can join me on your menopause journey too. Select the programme that best suits you. These differ between weight loss (Transform Me) or Circuit Breaker, for thinner, leaner women wanting symptom management. Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD]/ Women's Healthy Ageing Coach & Founder of MyMT™ /Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. References:Geddes, L. (2019). Chasing the Sun. [Wellcome Collection], Profile Books:London, UK.Lymon, M. (2019). The Remarkable Life of the Skin. Bantam Press, Transworld Publishers: London, UK.Pullar, J., Carr, A., Vissers, M. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients, 9, 866, 1-27. Thornton, J. (2013). Estrogens and aging skin. Dermato-Endocrinology (5)2, 264–270. 

### Feeling swollen and bloated? Then love your ageing lymphatic system in menopause.

The lymphatic system rarely gets mentioned in menopause weight or cardiac health management. But it should. Because during menopause, which is the gateway to our biological ageing, our lymphatic vessels are changing and this affects our weight, energy and fluid retention.

Numerous women end up with with tired, swollen legs and ankles, tightness in their breasts and some of you may have also experienced a protruding gut during menopause. You may not know that these concerns might also be to do with the changes that occur to your liver and your lymph vessels as you lose oestrogen with age.

Swelling of tissues can cause many women distress during menopause and any distension or oedema (tissue swelling) must be checked out with your Doctor. It is called Lymphedema and if the swelling occurs in the abdominal cavity, this is called ascites. Both situations require you to see your Doctor, so please do this, because there may be an un-natural build-up of tissue fluids because of impaired lymphatic drainage and you might need to see a Lymphatic Drainage Specialist too. 



Did you know that your LIVER is the largest lymph-producing organ? 

The term 'Lymph' is derived from the Latin word 'lympha' which means 'water'. It is the fluid (like plasma) which flows through your lymphatic system, helping to remove toxins from your blood back to the general circulation. The lymphatic system comprises a network of vessels and lymph-nodes that function to return fluid from the tissues to the central circulation. A well-functioning lymphatic system is needed to restore fluid balance and to clear toxins. It is a very important part of your immune system. In a time of huge global concern about our resistance to the virus, we all know that managing and improving our immune health is imperative.



Most of you may not know that your liver produces a large amount of lymph. This is estimated to be 25 to 50% of lymph flowing through the thoracic duct. That's why the health of your liver matters to your immune system. But it matters even more to your weight loss if you are overweight. I can't emphasise this enough and I have a big focus on your liver and your lymphatic health in the MyMT™ Transform Me programme (the video is below). 



Managing our lymphatic system, liver and gut health are key to improving our health, energy and weight as we move through menopause and it's something I focus women on in my 'Transform Me' weight loss programme. I also get them doing the right exercise that they need to facilitate toxin clearance through the lymphatic system. This isn't intense exercise which is a change in focus for so many women on my programmes, such as Tineke below. 



What is the Lymphatic System?
This precious system works very closely with your cardiovascular and nervous systems. This powerful network of tiny vessels comprising blunt-ended lymphatic capillaries, collecting lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, and the thoracic duct converges to connect with your blood system and with the exception of the retina in the eye, bone, and your brain, this spider-web of vessels, ducts and nodes are spread throughout your body. Lymphatic fluid also moves in accordance with the balance of oestrogen and progesterone.

When oestrogen is higher in relation to progesterone (this is called 'oestrogen dominance'), then our lymph vessels don't work properly. Lymphatic fluid is highly non-polar and thus attracted to more fatty substances. So, like our blood vessels, our lymphatic vessels get a bit blocked, especially when our diet isn't conducive to menopause weight loss.

The main thing about your lymphatic system, is that it helps you to stay healthy by: 

 	Maintaining the rate and flow of fluids in and out of your cells.
 	Removing the by-products of tissue metabolism. This includes the removal of lactic acid or other toxins associated with exercise.
 	Helping our immune cells to move to areas of greatest need when you have an infection.

When the flow of lymph is impeded or blocked, then you develop oedema (tissue swelling). As such there is a build-up of toxic wastes and potential for dysregulation of the nerve synapses. For women going into or through menopause, this means that we can experience aching legs, bloating, larger limbs, tingling and yes, we find it harder to shift our weight as well. 



When our lymphatic system isn’t functioning well, the removal of excess proteins and wastes from the space between our cells (interstitial spaces) is affected. But this removal is an absolutely essential function for our health as we age. 

Knowing that our lymphatic system is ageing is important. 

An ageing lymphatic system doesn’t work as well as it used to. This means that we can build up toxins in our cells and it can’t clear excess nitrates that arrive in our body from diets that are high in fats and proteins – and yes, all animal proteins are high in fat. If you feel swollen and overweight, then start with reducing animal fats in your diet and have healthier plant fats instead. These help with reducing inflammation. 


The main changes that occur in our ageing lymphatic vessels are:

 	Loss of around 20% of their contraction strength (just like our blood vessels).
 	Around a 70% decrease in contraction frequency.
 	Increasing loss of lymphatic muscle cells which is linked to oxidative stress (inflammation).
 	A reduction in the levels of proteins that regulate muscle contraction.
 	A thinning of the lymphatic vessel walls.



As such, we need to better manage and help our lymphatic system as it gets older. That's why 'Movement is Medicine' and it's why, for the month of January, 2021, you can select the option to also come onto the Rebuild My Fitness programme as well as the Transform Me programme. Inside the exercise programme, you will find New Zealand Exercise Professional, Darryl Goad, whom I used to teach with and he will guide you through simple aerobic movements that you can do in your home. Women from around the world love the workouts! 


3 Things you Can Do to Help your Ageing Lymphatic System:

 	Because the lymphatic vessels don’t contract as efficiently as they used to, then having increased plant sources of nitric oxide is important. You can add beetroot (beets) and celery to your diet or juice them instead.  



 	Learn to breathe better. I talk about breathing in all of the MyMT™ programmes and teach women the best breathing strategy to use to improve tissue oxygenation and to improve our lymphatic system in this module in the programmes. Because our lymphatic system works really closely with our nervous system, even a stressful day can affect lymphatic drainage. This is also why deep-breathing helps to stimulate the lymph vessels to do their job of removing inflammatory proteins and dangerous toxins that have myriad deleterious effects around the body. But when we understand that we need to love our lymphatic system, then we can better support proper circulation of fluids and crucial hormones, particularly progesterone. This powerful hormone helps to reduce inflammation as well as helping to maintain energy, vitality and weight loss.



If we are more sedentary, or we have a diet high in saturated fats and heavy in proteins or we aren't drinking enough water and/or have had a lot of exposure to toxins over our lifetime, then yes indeed, we need to focus on our lymphatic system. 

 	Get moving (preferably in the morning). As part of our cardiovascular network, our lymphatic system doesn't have a pump like the heart does. It relies on movement, massage, muscle contraction and deep breathing to function. When I met Rasika on my UK tour in early March 2020, (how long ago does that feel now?!), she told me that she had changed her morning routine so that she was walking and doing the lymphatic stretching I shared with her in the programme. I was so excited for her. It was one of the lifestyle changes that she needed to make, not only to help her ageing lymphatic system, but also to HALT her weight gain. Lymphatic drainage movement as well as sleeping all night and restoring liver health are absolutely fundamental to improved health and weight loss as we age - Rasika was finding this out too. 



All hormones, nutrients and waste products going to and from the cells deep in our tissues, must pass through the interstitial or extracellular matrix. This depends on a reliable, functioning lymphatic system. If the lymphatic channels cannot remove toxins properly, no hormone, no gene, no enzyme, and no molecule is going to work optimally, and there will be deposition of waste products into the tissues. This is why many of you begin to feel bloated, experience tissue swelling and cellulite increases as you move through menopause. 

With my January SALE  now underway with the bonus option of purchasing Rebuild My Fitness with it, I hope you can join me - I explain it in my video below. Pricing and more information is HERE. 

https://youtu.be/ba98OMzyeZA

Please join me when you can on any of my 12 week online programmes. Throughout January, don't forget that the MyMT Transform Me weight loss programme has savings of NZ$100. You can also 'bundle' this up with my 12 week exercise programme called 'Rebuild My Fitness' giving you amazing savings of NZ$300. I know it's been a tough year for many of you, so the details and prices for different currencies are in the link below. The promo code is JANUARY21 to access your savings, but please learn more by clicking on the link below.  

 It would be my privilege to help you understand that menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing and as such, we need to know how to turn around our health at this important stage of life. 



 References: 

Inoue, K., Maruoka, H. (2017). Effects of simplified lymph drainage on the
body: in females with menopausal disorder. J. Phys. Ther. Sci. 29: 115–118. 

Iwakiri, Y. (2016). The Lymphatic System: a new frontier in hepatology. Hepatology, 64(3), 706-708.

Shang T., Liang J., Kapron, C. et al. (2019). Pathophysiology of aged lymphatic vessels. AGING, Vol. 11, No. 16, 1-12.

Zolla, I., Nizamutdinova T., Scharf, B. et al. (2015). Aging-related anatomical and biochemical changes in lymphatic collectors impair lymph transport, fluid homeostasis, and pathogen clearance. Aging Cell, 14, 582–594

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

### Are you putting on weight during your menopause transition? If you are, then here's your New Year read from MyMT™.

For most of us, the New Year is a time for rest, relaxation and reflection. You know, thinking about the year that's been and what you might want to do differently this year. I know myself that mid-life is a time when our health can change so rapidly. This happened to me as well. That's why, if you are thinking of setting new health goals for 2021 then I congratulate you. And if these are to do with sorting out your menopause-related weight gain, poor sleep, low energy and sore joints, then you need to know about a condition called 'oestrogen dominance' and how to turn this around. I had no idea about this myself when I was struggling, but following hours and hours of study into mid-life weight management as part of my doctoral studies on women's health and ageing, I began to understand that our Menopause weight loss has more to do with sleeping all night and turning around a condition called Oestrogen Dominance, than doing lots of exhausting exercise or going on diets. The term 'oestrogen dominance' refers to the increased storage of excess oestrogen in fat cells. Many of these excess oestrogen compounds come from pollutants in our environment, foods that contain oestrogenic compounds (e.g. many animal foods), alcohol, and even some medicines and oestrogen-containing menopause HRT.Your fat cells have numerous oestrogen receptors on them - hence, as we lose oestrogen in menopause, our adipose tissue (fat cells) change in their ability to regulate your weight. They also have an affiliation towards various forms of oestrogenic compounds that you eat from foods, absorb from your environment (e.g. chemicals), or you take as medicines. 'There are significant differences in fat distribution, adipocyte and adipose tissue function between men and women, which may, to a large extent, result from gender differences in oestrogen receptor expression.' [Bluher, 2013]. If your fat cells have been expanding, especially around the belly region, then they may be attracting excess oestrogens in your body. Circulating oestrogens bind to two different oestrogen receptor subtypes, ERα and ERβ [Bluher, 2013] - so, if you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, then you will be familiar with this already. It's why you need to manage your weight, because breast cells are replete with oestrogen receptors too. With fat cells around the body storing excess oestrogen, this hormone dominates in comparison to it's opposing hormone progesterone. It's why fat increase during your menopause transition is associated with oestrogen dominance. Unfortunately, the result can be blood sugar chaos, fatigue, a changing waist-line and (as I experienced too), heavy, bloated breasts, and a sore neck to go with it. Furthermore, at the time, I didn't realise that my hot flushes were worsening due to the excess weight and my beloved exercise that I've done all my life, became exhausting and stressful. If your weight around your abdomen keeps increasing now that you are in menopause or you’ve moved into post-menopause and are still putting on weight, your fat cells may be storing excess oestrogen. As such, we have to be careful about exposure to high oestrogen foods in our diet and other oestrogen-mimicking compounds that we can be exposed to in our environment. Even though our body is trying to lose oestrogen as our ovarian function declines, other sources in our environment contribute to our body taking up excess oestrogens. This includes our exposure to pesticides and chemicals.Fat is metabolically active and oestrogen has a role to play in this. With our fat cells having an affinity to store oestrogen and because women have enzymes that make them store more fat around their abdominal region – which is part of our ancient ‘survival’ physiology – mid-life is a time of our lives, when we become more vulnerable to oestrogen dominance. But fat-storage of excess oestrogen is not the only part of the menopause weight-gain story. Our liver health matters too and I talked about this in last weeks newsletter. If the liver is fatty or inflamed, it can’t clear these excess oestrogens. For women on higher doses of oestrogen in their HRT, this includes excess oestrogen provided from this source. When our liver can’t metabolise excess oestrogens effectively, our fat cells store these additional oestrogenic compounds as we move through menopause. Hence, oestrogen becomes the ‘dominant’ hormone in relation to it’s opposing hormone, progesterone. This makes us ‘oestrogen dominant’ and as a consequence of this, progesterone levels may decline more rapidly un-balancing the two opposing hormones as our body moves through menopause.  If progesterone becomes too low in contrast to oestrogen, we feel bloated, heavy, sore and uncomfortable. It’s exhausting carrying all that excess weight around - I so remember the additional hot flushes as we become overweight too. But there’s more to the oestrogen dominance story and this is my greatest concern for women moving through menopause into post-menopause. It’s not just the fat cells in the abdominal area expanding with excess oestrogen – fat cells are expanding around the heart muscle as well. This is known as paracardial fat and this type of fat increases our risk for heart disease as we age. Furthermore, the layer of para-cardial fat increases the stress on our heart, especially if we aren’t sleeping. It’s a double-whammy of health chaos as we get older and it’s important to turn this around.When we aren’t sleeping, when our joints feel sore and we are losing precious muscle and becoming oestrogen dominant, then it's no surprise that our metabolism changes. It’s why this insight from research out of the Australian National University on fat mass changes in menopause, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology is important. If I had this research a few years ago, it would have saved a lot of lonely research of my own. In a review of studies that included more than 1 million pre- and post-menopausal women, the researchers learnt what I and many other women, have discovered in real life – that our waist circumference increases during and after menopause and as such, there is a shift in our metabolism, which can send us into worsening health with age. “It’s important to understand how women’s bodies change as they age because women have higher rates of some diseases than men”, said Ananthan Ambikairajah, a PhD candidate at the Australian National University, who led the study. “The implications are important, because central fat has been linked with dementia risk, and central fat is linked with cardiovascular disease risk. As such, more attention needs to be paid to central fat accumulation, because that’s the bad stuff,” mentioned Ambikairajah.Every extra kilo of weight is an added burden on your joints, heart, liver, cholesterol, muscle function and insulin levels as you age. That’s what was concerning Dianne too. It’s also the reason that I know that many of you can’t do the exercise necessary to ward off changing heart-health and Type 2 diabetes. Whilst there is an emphasis on more vigorous cardio and strength training as we age, in order to battle the bulge, I know myself that we are often too exhausted from not sleeping to tolerate this type of exercise. That’s how I felt myself – and for someone who has been at the forefront of the exercise industry in New Zealand, I was as disheartened as many of you may be, that exercise was increasingly uncomfortable.  Martina felt the same.If you are struggling with your weight, then please don't forget about my January intake and ANNUAL SALE for the weight management Transform Me programme. This is already underway and for the first time ever, I have included a bonus package for the 'Rebuild My Fitness' programme which is another 12 week programme that women can do after they have lost their weight and are back sleeping. The programme is online and all you do is to put in the promo code JANUARY21 to access your NZ$100 savings. This price won't be repeated and you can also choose to upgrade to the Rebuild My Fitness programme too . If you need to know how to turn your New Year goals into action and hold yourself accountable then MyMT™Transform Me is ON SALE all of January and I would love you to join me. Have a listen to this video below where I explain what the Transform Me programme entails. You also receive my FOOD GUIDE, the 'Restore your Joyful Joints' module, my new Gut Health module, and my powerful Mind your Mindfulness module as well. That's another $200 of value for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw7PmwoA5QIf you would like a scientifically evidenced lifestyle programme that I've just designed for women in their menopause and post-menopause transition, that teaches you the step-by-step lifestyle strategies to thrive in menopause and beyond and/or you want to turn around your health and your weight without all the endless exhausting exercise, menopause supplements or diets that aren't designed for our weight loss as we age, then I invite you to come on board. There is so much living still to be done and I want you to feel as healthy as you can to enjoy your successful ageing. To get underway please put the promo code JANUARY21 into the sales page here. This will get you NZ$100 off which makes the programme and my private coaching, only NZ$199. [AUS$189, UK£104, €117, US$138 or CA$181] -  you can also part-pay over 3 months]. You can also start the programme any time between now and January 31st, 2021. The very first two 60 minute webinars you hide-away and listen to, are called SLEEP All Night and Are You Oestrogen Dominant? - in these I explain what is really going on in menopause and most importantly, you discover my powerful strategies to resolve these issues. Then in 2 weeks time, you receive your next module. That's how it works - so you don't feel overwhelmed with too much information at once.  Once you purchase the programme you work through it at your own pace, starting any time from now until the end of January, 2021. You can take as little as three months, or if your busy life gets in the way, then you can take longer, by staying on for a small monthly admin fee of only NZ$12.50. There is no pressure to complete it in the 12 weeks! I can’t wait for you to join me.Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher/ Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society/ MyMT Founder & Coach. Reference: Blüher, M. (2013). Importance of estrogen receptors in adipose tissue functionMolecular Metab. 2(3): 130–132. 

### Do you need to REST over the New Year? Your changing brain in menopause might thank you for it.

I wonder how you are using your New Year break? (that's if you get one!). Are you resting from the incredibly stressful year that you've just experienced, or are you still rushing around and/or because you are working from home, you are still on your computer or taking your Zoom meetings in between everything else you are doing?
If this sounds familiar, then I want you to consider making time to rest. Your changing brain in menopause needs it, [as do your muscles if you've been doing a lot of exercise this year]. 
We often don't think about the need for our body to rest do we? That is until we are troubled by menopause symptoms that are problematised as 'normal' - you know what I mean - anxiety, depression, brain-fog and insomnia. But have you ever thought about how your brain changes as you move through your menopause transition and how much energy it is using? No, nor did I. This was never mentioned when I rocked up (again) to my Doctor to explain that I wasn't sleeping, that my weight had increased and that I was experiencing increasing anxiety.
But for the average adult in a resting state, the brain consumes about 20-25 percent of the body’s energy. "The brain’s primary function — processing and transmitting information through electrical signals — is very, very expensive in terms of energy use" says Mark Richardson, (2019). "Your brain never shuts off" he says in a report called 'How much energy does the brain use?'. No surprises there for mid-life women who have had so much going on this year. Even when you are sleeping your brain never shuts off. It consumes roughly as much energy as during the day, but the thing we have to remember is that our brain is changing as we move into post-menopause - our synapses don't function as rapidly as they used to as your nervous system loses the role of oestrogen. I talk about this in my 12 week programmes when women are struggling to deal with their insomnia. If you have been awake night after night and worried about all the things that are going on in your life, then please be aware that you need to work on sleeping all night and resting when you can. It's so important for your cardiac health, brain health and of course your weight, hot flushes and your anxiety.

This is why the first module in the MyMT™ programme (ON SALE NOW) has nothing to do with exercise or dieting, it's all to do with you re-discovering how to sleep all night again. With 1 in 3 women in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, ending up on anti-depressants in menopause for their anxiety, it's important to know that resting the brain and body is also important for managing this prevalent symptom that has become a hallmark of our menopause transition.

In 2009, the National Sleep Foundation made the case for sleep as the third piece of the puzzle for sustaining mental and physical health and well-being, along with exercise and nutrition. Whilst this message has been picked up and carried throughout the media, school curriculums, and sleep campaigns so that now most people consider all three as key factors affecting health and well-being, Lamp, Cook et al (2019) make the case that along with exercise, nutrition, and sleep there is a fourth puzzle piece — waking rest. Most exercise physiologists understand that rest and recovery is an important component of the adaptation to exercise training, it's good to hear that, with many of us always being in 'go-mode' living in our fast-paced society, resting is getting a long overdue mention as well. I'm sure many mid-life women don't factor this into their working week. So, over the New Year period, I would like to remind you! Human studies have shown that the same neuro-physiological rhythms found in sleep are present during wakeful rest.
How do we 'rest' with all the worry, concern and constant distractions going on in our lives? 
The essence of rest is emerging as a new discipline in the health sciences as rest is increasingly recognised as a health-related phenomenon. The essence of rest is being in harmony in motivation, feeling, and action and is compared with non-rest, which is being in disharmony in motivation, feeling, and action (Asp, 2015). And in one of the largest studies conducted throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, whereby 18,000 people took part in new 'rest' research, Claudia Hammond (2020) shares that rest is more complex than sleep because there are so many different ways of 'resting'. Topping the list of 'most-favoured restful activities' is reading. I wonder if you got a good book for Christmas. I'm currently getting acquainted with the life of Dolly Parton. I recommend it for you too.
There are other things that we can do, other than read a book or watch a movie (yes this rates well in rest-research as well). And one of the strategies is to walk or do some low-intensity aerobic exercise. I talked about how important this is for managing your menopause-related depression, brain-fog and anxiety HERE. Have a read when you have time.
Finding time to rest is also important for so much more than just improving brain health though. It's also important to help slow down our vagus nerve stimulation. Your vagus nerve is the second largest nerve in the body and if you are always in 'go-mode', then this powerful nerve stays activated. Especially if you are an exerciser or working hard in a physical job - nurses, please take note! Here's the thing. Your vagus nerve needs a 'rest' as well. When you rest, you help your digestion. Those of you with any gut health concerns such as IBS which has arrived in menopause, then please look at my GUT HEALTH module which is available as a stand-alone module or it's in the 12 week programmes. I talk about your vagus nerve in this important module because our gut-health is changing as it ages too.

RECHARGE, REASSESS, REFOCUS AND RENEW YOUR HEALTH, ENERGY AND MOTIVATION FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE IN 2021.
2020 has been a busy and challenging year for all of us, so I hope that you can enjoy the festive season where-ever you are in the world. I have so many women who join me from around the globe and whilst we all live in far-flung places, we are all connected through menopause or post- – I love that! No matter where you live in the world, you can work with me – it would be my privilege to help you to feel like your old self again. Knowledge is truly power when it comes to our mid-life menopause transition and it’s my passion to position menopause symptom management in specific scientifically-evidenced lifestyle change strategies. For too long, managing our menopause symptoms and our weight gain has been positioned in endless diets, exhausting exercise and various supplements and medications, but it doesn’t have to be like this as numerous women on the MyMT™ programmes discover.
Don't forget that my Transform Me weight loss 12 week online programme is now ON SALE with NZ$100 off the cost making it NZ$199 and not $399. You can start this anytime from now to the end of January, so if you have been struggling this year, then read about it HERE. The promo code to access your discount is simply JANUARY21 - No matter where you live in the world and whatever you've got going on in your life, it would be my privilege to have you join me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKgW4CLRQ4c“I hope that you have a wonderful, relaxing New Year. Thank you for being part of the MyMT™ community. I love writing blogs for you and if you have time over the holiday season break, then there are many more on the My Menopause Transformation website. Sending you aroha/ love from Aotearoa/ New Zealand. My weekly newsletters and Wednesday briefings will continue over the festive season period, so please put time aside to read these when you can. If you are confused about your symptoms in menopause, I would love you to learn what all women in their 50's and older should know."Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT™ Founder and Women’s Healthy Ageing Lifestyle Researcher.References:Asp, M. (2015). Rest: A Health-Related Phenomenon and Concept in Caring Science. Glob Qual Nurs Res. 2:1- 8.Hammond, C. (2020). The Art of Rest. Canongate Books Ltd, Edinburgh.Lamp, A., Cook, M., Soriano Smith, R. & Belenky, G. (2019). Exercise, nutrition, sleep, and waking rest?, Sleep, Volume 42, Issue 10, zsz138,Richardson, M. (2019). How much energy does the brain use? www.brainfacts.org

### How lack of sleep affects your fat metabolism in menopause.

Did you know that lack of sleep affects your fat metabolism and storage? 
Sleep and its disorders are becoming increasingly important in our sleep deprived society which is why scientists are learning that our sleep quantity and quality is intricately connected to various hormonal and metabolic processes in the body. Research shows that sleep deprivation and sleep disorders may have profound metabolic and cardiovascular implications and for women navigating menopause this is important to note. Lack of sleep increases our risk of heart disease as we move into post-menopause. Which is a concern, because heart disease for post-menopausal women is an urgent problem and menopause hormonal changes herald in the start of our biological ageing. [I mention this in my short video at the bottom of this blog, on the 'Science of your Weight Gain in Menopause' - I hope you can grab 5 minutes to watch it over the New Year break]. 

As a sleep deprived society, there is evidence showing that our overnight sleep, on average is only 6 hours a night. A century ago it was 9 hours. 
"Prevalence of both diabetes and obesity has increased to acquire pandemic proportions. Though other factors such as diet and reduced physical activity have contributed to the obesity epidemic the impact of sleep dysregulation on causing metabolic derangements is being increasingly recognized. Considering only a small percentage of people can maintain a healthy weight over a long period on diet and exercise alone, the impact of sleep on weight has opened a new venue for potential intervention." [Sharma & Kavuru, p. 2, 2010].
Why your sleep is important for restoring your metabolism overnight: 
I know that we often hear about our metabolism. Fitness programmes and dieting programmes talk about metabolism as well - but so many of them, don't understand that our sleep has an incredible effect on our metabolism too. 
Your metabolism is defined as the whole range of biochemical processes that occur within you. It constitutes the two processes of anabolism (tissue repair and restoration) and catabolism (tissue break down). In simpler terms, metabolism is the amount of energy (calories) the body burns to maintain itself. Yes, muscle matters to this, as does the food we eat, but so too does sleep. And when you are going through menopause, it's this lack of sleep that affects our metabolic rate and slows it down, as does the loss of muscle tissue too.  
When we sleep normally and deeply between 2-4am, our metabolism and brain temperature are lowered. This provides your body with an opportunity to deal with any damage done during the day, e.g. from exercise or from the unhealthy foods you might eat, or other stress that your body has been under (I include emotional stress in this too).
Every day our metabolism is under stress - from the foods we eat, to the exercise we do (or don't do) and to the foods, chemicals and pollutants we expose our body to as well. That's why, as we age, we must focus on strategies to turn this around. From improving our sleep, to our liver health, the type of exercise we do and of course the nutrients we consume daily, if we are going to set ourselves up for our healthy ageing, then changing how we look after ourselves during our mid-life transition matters. I have lots of these solutions in my Masterclass on Menopause webinar, which you can read about in the 'programmes' link on the website - I was taking this seminar around New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, before the world turned to chaos, so I hope you can listen to the webinar, which only has a small admin fee of NZ$15 on it. 

During our menopause transition, our lowering oestrogen levels impact on our melatonin production (this is your sleep hormone) and your cortisol production (this is one of your stress hormones). That's why, if you are in your menopause transition, it's a 'perfect storm' for your changing health if you aren't sleeping. Changing oestrogen and progesterone levels, can decrease melatonin production and increase cortisol production.
The result? - Your body doesn't utilise fats efficiently for healing and restoring your body overnight. 
In my newsletters this year, I've talked a lot about our chronic stress hormone cortisol. This hormone is important to our sleep quality and quantity. Too much production of cortisol during the day and evening, cause cortisol levels to remain higher than they should. Paradoxically, so does lack of sleep. High cortisol levels changes the use and uptake of glucose into your cells as well as into your brain cells. If you have a persistent foggy brain when you wake up in the morning and are always feeling forgetful AND you aren't sleeping, then I encourage you to 'join the dots.' (Click here to read about foggy brain and what to do about it).  

For those of you struggling with your sleep night after night, there's a reason you might not be able to fit your jeans or your skirt or your blouse or your dress ... laboratory studies have clearly shown that sleep deprivation can alter the glucose metabolism and hormones involved in regulating metabolism overnight - these hormones include your gut hormones [leptin and ghrelin] and with these hormones out of balance, then you don't metabolise fats very well overnight. Your body ends up storing fats in fat cells instead. For menopausal women, these fat cells dominate around your diaphragm and abdomen. 
I still remember when I couldn’t sleep night after night. I was up and down like a yo-yo and it didn’t help that hubbie was lying there snoring blissfully unaware of my despair. The supplements didn’t help nor did the HRT. Although I knew that not sleeping is the slippery slope to fibromyalgia and other auto-immune diseases, the one I was most concerned about, was the weight gain. This is because when we don’t get our deep, healing sleep, our hormones that help us to burn fat overnight become disrupted too. It's the same for the thousands of women who join me on my programmes. 

If you are putting on weight or you are feeling constantly cranky, irritable and exhausted, then please let me help you turn this around. Women on my 12 week programmes (there are two different ones depending if women are overweight or not), love their learning in the first online module they receive, which is simply called ‘SLEEP ALL NIGHT’. Michaela from Canada, posted this recently. 

For those with poor gut health, they also love discovering that our gut is also on a 24 hour night/day rhythm, so as they learn to sleep all night, their gut health starts to improve as well. [This information is also in a stand-alone module for you. Read about it HERE]. 
If this is you, then I hope you can join me on my new year January sale which you can read about HERE. I have a short video for you below, called 'The Science of Your Menopause Weight Gain' to help you understand what is happening with our weight gain in menopause. Lack of sleep is just one part of the puzzle. Becoming oestrogen dominant as your hormones change is the other part, as is your changing liver and gallbladder (if you don't have a gallbladder, then your liver health becomes even more important for your menopause weight loss). https://youtu.be/CXwWqRy3rDwWhilst 2020 has certainly emerged as a year of challenges for all of us with the pandemic and I know that many of you are experiencing extraordinary changes in your life, I hope that you might be able to join me on my Transform Me programme which is on sale for you. Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD] MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. References: Ness, K., Strayer, S., Nahmod, N. et al. (2019) Four nights of sleep restriction suppress the postprandial lipemic response and decrease satiety. Journal of Lipid Research, 2019; jlr.P094375 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.P094375Sharma, S., & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and metabolism: an overview. International journal of endocrinology, 2010, 270832. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/270832

### Will you join me? MyMT™ 12 week Transform Me menopause weight loss programme is on Sale now.

Are you struggling with not sleeping, hot flushes, sore joints, anxiety, low energy, and weight gain?

Are you tired of taking endless expensive supplements and HRT that you’re not sure work for your weight management or hot flushes in menopause?

If you are ready to tackle your mid-life health and weight with a systematic, scientifically evidenced online programme tailored for you during menopause or post-menopause, then I have a 12 week menopause-specific transformation plan for you. You can do this in your own time at your own pace, with my personal coaching support and it’s ON SALE for you from now until the end of January, 2021.

I have two options for you to choose from:   

Purchase Transform Me by itself and save NZ$100 or purchase Transform Me and Rebuild My Fitness together as a combo package and save NZ$300.

MyMT™ Transform Me is a ground breaking menopause-specific weight loss and wellness programme for women transitioning menopause or who are already in their post-menopause years.

Everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopausal weight without supplements or medication. With my scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies you will feel a difference in no time at all. 



Throughout January 2021, this programme is only NZ$199* (you save $100) or part-pay over 3 months. [AUS$189, UK£104, €117, US$138 or CA$181]

Use the promo code JANUARY21 and read more about it below and/or watch my brief 5 minute video.


I invite you to watch my video to learn more ...
https://youtu.be/jKgW4CLRQ4c

### "Working full time on our high country station and dealing with menopause, I felt wrecked. Now I'm sleeping and full of energy."  [Sally, NZ]

"Back at the beginning of June I was feeling terrible" said Sally when she emailed me. "Exhausted, struggling to sleep, night sweats ... you name it, I had it!

I have a physically demanding day job, owning and working full time on our high country station and autumn is always frantic, mustering, crutching sheep, weaning calves etc not to mention keeping up with food preparation for the extra workers around plus the dreaded office work. I was wrecked!

I’m a high country station owner in New Zealand, with my own team of dogs working full time on the farm. Going for a moderate walk once a day seems like a holiday to me and not an option if I’m working but doing Wendy's programme was life-changing.

Desperate to proceed with our plans for a three week adventure (and relaxation!) holiday, I joined up to MyMT™ last year and dived in with a vengeance!

The biggest difference was learning to sleep all night - knowing how to manage those night sweats is like heaven when it happens! Although it did take me a few weeks, it was so worth persevering and Wendy's support was invaluable.

Halfway through the programme, we went on our much deserved holiday and it felt so good to be able to enjoy all the things we had planned ... mountain biking the Old Ghost Road over two days, daily bike rides all down the West Coast and a three day Alps to Ocean plus cross country mountain bike ride with friends.

All interspersed with cozy Camper van sleeps beside the beach and of course healthy meals out or cooked at the camp ground kitchen. You’d be surprised how many delicious roast vegie salads are available in our wonderful sea/lake side New Zealand pubs!

In the past I’ve enjoyed competitive mountain bike racing, horse trekking and generally active pursuits. All while raising a family and working on the farm. I love how this programme caters for people like me who live active lifestyles and actually enjoy a bit of hard work (and biking on the mountain bike!) as all other programmes I looked at seemed to focus on weight loss as everyone’s main priority!

One of the main things that I got out of the MyMT programme, was understanding that I also needed to take time to re-evaluate my lifestyle and expectations on myself. Feeling so exhausted, I needed to get my energy back, starting with sleeping all night and getting control of night sweats and hot flushes.

I’m 50 now with grown up kids and I now understand that it’s not only silly but detrimental for me to be competing with my younger self.

I still have so much more living to do and so much left to enjoy. But through this programme and the knowledge I've gained, I've learnt to pace myself better and take time to smell the roses, as well as say 'no' sometimes when there’s too much pressure on. That is such a turning point for me and it's made such a different to my mind-set.

It's so powerful when you know how to look after yourself at this age and stage of life and whilst there's work to do, mountain's to climb and bikes to ride, there’s also air to breathe and dinner by candle light too ladies! It's getting the balance right that this programme helped me to understand. "My how 12 weeks goes by so quickly! "

Sally Smith, New Zealand. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW7esOaFynE&t=29s

### VIDEO: "Thank you for being part of the MyMT™ Community as we've all built our resilience this year."

It’s been a tough year on so many fronts, but I truly believe that for many mid-life women, their incredible resilience brings them through. Despite a year shaped by chaos and uncertainty, we have all got through it in the best way that we can. I've had a few women who contracted the virus and it's been my privilege to support them as well as the numerous Essential Workers that have been with me on the MyMT™ programmes this year. It's also been my privilege to help them navigate their symptoms in menopause, whilst they do the jobs that they feel passionate about doing, in what has been and what will continue to be, incredibly tough times. If this is you too, then I hope you have a relaxing festive season. I've made you a short 5 minute video. Have a listen when you have time. Thank you for being here with me. 

Wendy Sweet, (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation.

www.mymenopausetransformation.com

https://youtu.be/ducytCcM54g

### "We still have plenty of work to do. I'm thankful for now being able to sleep so I have energy for the farm ."  [Joy, NZ]

In a shout-out to Essential Workers during Covid-19, I'm sending aroha (love) to all our Farmers, not only here in New Zealand but also those of you around the world who are joining me here in the MyMT™ Community. Joy farms in New Zealand and Leann farms in Australia and both join me here this week to share some of their journey with you all. Farming is the backbone of the economy in New Zealand and during a pandemic there's never been a more important time for farming to keep the economy going and for feeding the population. Having grown up on a farm myself, I know how hard all of the farming women on my programme work. My mother was the same in her 50's too. But the additional pressure of not having contractors around to support farming activities takes its toll as well. Especially for those farming women who are struggling to sleep all night and/or like Leann from Australia used to find, have sore joints as well.

Here in New Zealand, Joy and hubbie run a sheep and beef farm. As she said to me this week, "The animals don't realise what's happening, so we still have plenty of work to do. But we are very lucky as we have plenty of space and actually we are just working as normal. I'm just thankful that I can now sleep so I have the energy I need to work out on the farm. I've completely changed how I look after myself now too. 

Before doing your programme, I was just doing what I usually do with farming activities and my baking tins were always full.  I knew that yum sweet food e.g. baking (which is always on offer in our house), wasn’t good for me but it was finding a substitute for that and now I enjoy cashew nuts or hummus as the snack – who would have thought!  I never leave the house without a water bottle on the farm now - in fact my husband now takes water as well and we never used to. Just these small changes make a huge difference to us being able to continue to farm as we get older.



I really think this programme is very beneficial to rural women going through the menopause transition. Working on a farm is physical and you've made me realise that we need to look after ourselves instead of just everyone else. But we also do need to make sure we keep our cardiovascular fitness up as we tend to sit on a quad-bike a lot more than we did 20 years ago.  I think for me, the best learning was to give ourselves time in our busy day and going for a walk is just as beneficial as all the other exercise that is on offer because of all the outside physical work we do.

I realise now that I wasn't finding 'balance' in how I looked after myself. I'm feeling like such a different person and I now have walked with girlfriends the Abel Tasman and the Kepler Tracks. My joints stayed great as I kept following your principles that you had in your Joint Health module in the programme.

The other thing for me, was being part of your facebook closed group for the programme. Living in such an isolated place, I found I was reading all the posts from women around the world and I liked how we could ask questions and bounce  ideas of each other.

I have absolutely loved being part of your programme, Wendy and recommend that all women should join, the beauty being that you can do this in your own time. The information that you are provide us with is so valuable.  There's a lot of well researched reading and I really enjoyed the learning. My message to all women is 'if you aren’t on board with My Menopause Transformation by Wendy Sweet, do it now!' I'm so thankful to you and at last, I don’t feel as though menopause has been such a big deal with your guidance."

Joy J., New Zealand. 

Leann is another hard-working farmer, that I want to do a shout-out to. Living in and with Australia's harsh climate, it seems that she and her husband have only got over the fires and then there was drought and now Covid-19. Phew! It's a lot of stress to deal with, which is why I am so pleased that for the past year, she has been with me on the MyMT™ weight loss Transform Me programme.

"We are very busy planting winter crops, milking heifers, calving and I'm also helping my daughter who is pregnant with our second grand-child" mentioned Leann when I caught up with her over the past week. "But I've hired some exercise equipment from the local gym which had to close and following your plans still. This is the hill I walk up from home."



I was blown away when I first met Leann at my live-event in Brisbane last year where I was presenting my Masterclass on Menopause.  She looked and felt amazing and when she shared the photo of her from only 3 years ago, she said to me, "I've had my ups and downs with all the stress of farming and it's been a long journey." That's when I reminded her that the weight loss research from the National Weight Loss Registry in America, set up by Professor Rena Wing and Dr James Hill, acknowledges that slow is better. In fact, 'successful' weight loss is determined as maintaining weight loss for a year or more. I was so proud of what Leann had achieved. It's really tough concentrating on weight loss when you are busy and have so much going on from day to day, so I applaude Leann's determination to succeed. Not sleeping was a big concern when she joined me and as I mentioned to her, when we aren't sleeping, then this means we aren't changing our metabolism and burning fat overnight. It was such a privilege to help her turn this around so she could become more active again.

Part of the solution with Leann, was helping her to understand what was going on with her joints as well. Swollen and aching, she couldn't walk far initially. But our joints have oestrogen receptors in them too, so as we go through menopause and lose oestrogen, our joints become stiff and sore. Taking olive oil helps as does changing our diet, sleeping all night and reducing any excessive exercise. I was blown away when she said that she had completed her first 5km run just before the Corona-virus arrived.



Not many women understand that our joints lose the role of oestrogen as we move through menopause and this contributes to aching knees and muscles. I made this short video whilst I've been in lock-down, to explain what is going on as well as tell you about my stand-alone (and cheaper) Restore Your Joyful Joints module that I hope you might look into if your joints are sore and aching and you are in peri-menopause or post-menopause.

https://youtu.be/E9SIxhA6AC0

If you are confused about what is happening as you move through menopause, then I have been busy whilst in lock-down putting my live-event into an online-event. You can now listen in the comfort of your own home. This was the start of Leann's journey and I would love you to learn firstly, how we get to the point where our symptoms and weight-gain can over-whelm us in mid-life and of course, I give you an overview of what to do to change this. You can read more HERE.



I have also been thinking about how best to support you during the Corona-crisis and giving you relevant, scientifically evidenced information as part of this newsletter is one way to do this. The other way is to join me on either of the MyMT programmes for the next 12 weeks and I as my way of supporting you further I have dropped the price of these to an unprecedented NZ$349 which is NZ$50 off the usual price. If you aren’t sleeping, or your hot flushes are getting you down or your joints are sore or you feel depressed, tired an d anxious, or your weight has gone up whilst in lock-down, then I would love you to join me on the MyMT™ online 12 week programmes.
I have put all of my programmes on sale throughout the months of July, August and September 2020, - I have taken NZ$50 OFF the cost for both Circuit Breaker and Transform Me.  And then if you want to do Rebuild My Fitness as well I have taken off a further NZ$100 for that programme.  I so want to support you and realise that for many women there is now uncertainty about finances as well, so I don't want that to be an issue for you. This makes my programmes:
NZ$349 (or 3 x monthly payments of $88 per month).

AUS$235 (or 3 x monthly payments of $83 per month)

UK£130 (or 3 x monthly payments of £46 per month)

CAN$222 (or 3 x monthly payments of $79 month)

Please use the promo code ATHOME20 for any of Circuit Breaker (for thinner/ leaner women), Transform Me (for women needing weight loss) or for a little dose of at-home Exercise, then choose Rebuild My Fitness.

From my home-bubble whilst in lock-down to yours,

Wendy x

### VIDEO: "Menopause isn't just about our ovaries ... it's about the ageing of other organs in your body too."  [Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD]

I've just had an email from Margaret in the United Kingdom - it's not the first time I've heard this comment and I know it won't be the last. 

"I started the peri menopause when I was 38 and went into full blown menopause at 41. I came off HRT as I felt it wasn't doing anything, but am getting quite a few symptoms now. I'm in my early 50's, so I would be interested to know your thoughts on this." 

When I replied to Margaret, I explained that if she was now in her early 50's, then she is now in 'real menopause' because she is ageing. Menopause heralds in the next phase of our life - our ageing years. As such, there are changes that occur all around our body, from our brain, to our heart, liver, gut, muscles, joints and most of all, our blood vessels. All of our organs are ageing and changing, so even though women's periods might cease at an early age, they haven't reached the part of their life course, whereby, their cells and tissues are ageing. Oestrogen is invo;ved om 

As our cells and tissues age, there are numerous changes to their ability to function, absorb and metabolise nutrients and more. Ageing is also a time when we can acquire inflammation. And whilst I explain why this is in my online Masterclass on Menopause, I also made this short 5 minute video for you. Not only so  you could meet me 'virtually', but so you could hear what I have to say about menopause .... have a listen when you get time.

Thank you for being with me in the MyMT™ community. As a women's health and ageing educator, I love you being here with me. Millions of women around the world have no idea that menopause isn't 'just' about hot flushes. There is so much more than our ovaries that we need to focus on as we lose oestrogen and it's these changes as part of our natural ageing that contribute to the real cause of our symptoms. Until I did my PhD on women's health and ageing, I had no idea either. If you are as confused as I was with all my symptoms, I hope you can listen to this brief video sometime soon. 

Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt7_w5axLwU

### The growing movement of slow-jogging and why it's good for you in menopause - but you must restore your joints first.

We all know that a little exercise or activity makes a big difference to how we feel but in a world where there is so much choice around the type of exercise that is promoted to mid-life women, I believe that simple aerobic exercise is being forgotten. I know myself that fitness messages have become pretty confusing. That's why I was so stoked when I got this message from Lisa, after the completion of her half-marathon last weekend here in New Zealand. A few months ago, her joints and muscles were sore from not sleeping and completing an endurance half-marathon was the last thing on her mind. That's why I'm having a shout-out for good old-fashioned aerobic or endurance exercise for all of us during menopause ... especially those of you who want to halt your belly-fat and look after your heart health as you get older. When women come into my Re-Build My Fitness programme and/or the MyMT Transform Me programme, I love it when they understand that to lose weight, we need to be sleeping all night, turning around our liver health and backing-off too much high intensity exercise - until we restore our energy levels and of course, our joint health and function. [How to achieve this is in my 'Restore your Joyful Joints' module as well]. If their joints aren't sore, I get them to walk or try some slow jogging at first.SLOW JOGGING is an exercise method researched and promoted byProfessor Hiroaki Tanaka(Fukuoka University, Japan). That's him in the banner to this article. He chose the term "slow jogging” to emphasise that jogging doesn't always have to be done at pace. "Slow is a perfectly good way to do it", says Professor Tanaka and I agree. The key he says, is to maintain niko niko pace. It is an efficient, healthier, and pain-free approach to running for all ages and lifestyles.In Japanese, niko niko means “smile”. Unlike traditional training, that requires concentration and effort, slow jogging is more like taking a walk, at the intensity light enough to enjoy conversation or, if by yourself, to just smile.Professor Hiroaki Tanaka formalised his system after using it to improve from 4:11 for the marathon in his thirties to 2:40 when he was fifty-years old and eventually 2:38:50 – his personal best after that. Whilst there is a growing body of research to suggest that HIIT [high-intensity interval training] is beneficial to us, only 1 or 2 sessions a week is optimal. However, if you are overweight and you have sore joints from your changing oestrogen levels during menopause and you aren't sleeping, then too much high-intensity exercise places increased stress and load on your muscles and joints. Then, if you aren't sleeping, you aren't recovering. You begin to feel worse, as Vanessa did too. One of the main challenges we have as we age, is to maintain our flexibility of movement. With numerous physical changes occurring to our joints, tendons and ligaments as we lose the role of oestrogen, it's important that we improve this aspect of our health. When our body loses oestrogen and progesterone, blood vessels lose their elasticity and become more constricted. This includes our coronary vessels and Professor Tanaka has been revolutionary in looking at the role of ageing on the stiffness of blood vessels which I speak about HERE. During our menopause transition, collagen levels in tendons change and in muscles we lose our Type 2 power fibres. As such, if we are regular exercisers, we can feel stiffer and tighter - especially in the morning upon waking if we haven't slept well.Women differ from men with regard to muscle and tendon, most likely dueto differences in sex hormones activity and tissue response, so it's no surprise that as we age, we lose our ability to turn-over collagen as readily as we used to. When I began to experience so many injuries myself, menopause was never mentioned in all the expensive treatments I was offered. Nor was olive oil. (More on that in this post HERE). With my doctoral studies exploring women's healthy ageing and exercise, I realised that as the first generation of women to enjoy lots of fitness activities on and off over the years, many of us have embraced the sports and fitness industries and have become used to exercising and pushing ourselves harder. But when our symptoms are over-whelming us in menopause, hard-out exercise choices may also be to the detriment of our heart health, joint function and our fat-loss as we go through menopause.Do you remember in the 1970's and 1980's when women were encouraged to do more running? The increase in women's running and walking events as well as triathlons was the 'new-way' to get fit, feel energised and improve health.I still remember running around Dunedin in the South Island of New Zealand in my 20's - not fast, but just steady. My two jogging friends talked the whole time and it was such a great way to stay connected. Sports science was only just getting started as one of numerous new types of physical sciences that people could study, so the research into the benefits that this low-to-moderate activity had on our cardiac health and weight management, had not been reported. Although I might add that New Zealand's pioneer of running coaching, Arthur Lydiard OBE, and his aerobic endurance training system, was still not widely accepted back then either. But in those days, we didn't jog slowly for the scientific benefits - we just did it because it helped us to feel good and to cope with what life was throwing at us. I had no idea back then that I was exercising aerobically and how good this was for my heart health, fat-burning and stress levels. We didn't have the fancy running shoes or gear back then either!But here's the thing - Aerobic exercise is more important for our fat-burning and cardiac health as we get older than we are led to believe by the fitness industry which primarily focuses on younger people and athletes.With the emphasis on higher intensity exercise and strength training that prevails throughout the fitness industry, you would think that this is the only way to exercise, but it isn't. Although strength training to improve bone density has an important role to play in our healthy ageing, so too does aerobic exercise. This is the type of exercise whereby we go slower for longer and in menopause and post-menopause, it's great for our heart health. Now, thanks to Professor Tanaka,  I have a new name for it - niko, niko exercise - smiling pace exercise.When I began to explore why the type of exercise I was doing was no longer working for my weight management when I was transitioning menopause, I realised that over the years, being in and around the fitness industry with it's emphasis on 'faster, leaner, stronger', I had actually lost touch with the physiology of fat loss through exercise.For years, the notion that 'faster and harder is better' was based on the fact that people didn't have much time, so we needed shorter, harder workouts. But here's the thing. When you are always doing high-intensity exercise and your cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) are changing during menopause because you are losing oestrogen, then this higher intensity exercise makes you feel more exhausted - your body is under more stress. This crashes your progesterone levels and can also lead to sore joints and unstable blood sugar levels. Post-exercise food cravings are well known in the fitness industry, especially, sugary, high-calorie foods!  You can end up in a cycle of fatigue, endless cravings, hot flushes and weight gain ... so you do more high intensity exercise, to burn off the calories, and the cycle starts all over again. Sound familiar?The word 'aerobic' literally means 'with oxygen'. And oxygen transport to our heart, muscles and every cell and tissue in the body is crucial to our optimal function, especially as we transition menopause and go into the next stage of life. That's why I love the concept of Japan's slow jogging movement and it's what I promote to women on the MyMT programmes as well.  This includes my fabulous new Re-Build My Fitness 12 week online programme. It helped Kaye get up to the top of Mt Taranaki in New Zealand!Every day I hear from women in the MyMT™ community, who say that they feel that their energy has reached an all-time low, especially when they don't sleep well during their menopause transition. Too much exercise uses up this energy further, which is why we need to find the right exercise as we transition menopause. If we don't, this can be a slippery slope towards worsening immune health, including fibro-myalgia. As I have been reflecting on what is the best exercise for us as we get older and the best exercise to help us to lose our belly-fat, I have come full circle from the days of always doing high-intensity exercise. Women's healthy ageing research supports this too. Women on the Blue Zones healthy ageing research don't do exhausting exercise. They stay strong and fit by working in the fields and walking in the hills.So how can we emulate this research in our everyday lives? Well we can walk some hills, do some slow jogging or we can go to the gym and walk or jog slowly on the treadmill.  Building up to a minimum of 20 minutes to an hour is ideal. This is what is recommended for weight loss management in menopause when it comes to exercise and heart health (strength is also important as is flexibility, and I cover all of this and programmes that you can download in my Re-Build My Fitness programme.  [Please note, that if you aren't sleeping, or have sore joints and muscles or need to change your menopause symptoms, then I recommend you doing my symptom reduction or weight loss programmes prior to building up your exercise - or do them both at the same time.]For women going through menopause, there's another reason to increase our endurance or aerobic exercise too and that's to prevent post-menopause heart disease and worsening belly-fat that can lead to Type 2 diabetes and other health problems that prevent women leading and living a life that is full of vitality as they age.The greatest risk to women living in western countries such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia (where most of you are), is heart disease. As our blood vessels and heart muscle get older and lose oestrogen, the need to maintain optimal heart health and healthy cholesterol levels is stronger than ever. But there's more to this story as well. Not only is heart disease a killer disease for women as they age, but so too is obesity and Type 2 diabetes. This is why exercising for cardiovascular health during menopause is so important for us as we get older. When you increase your aerobic exercise, your body releases feel-good hormones, such as endorphins, which can put you in a good mood for the rest of the day. That's why I want women enjoying the right type of exercise in mid-life and beyond. If you want to get exercise back into your life, I hope you can join me sometime too.Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ REPs New Zealand Registered Exercise Specialist & Your MyMT Coach.Learn more about the Re-Build My Fitness programme by listening to my 3 minute video. 
https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-Rebuild-My-Fitness-3-minutes-medium.mp4

### Why you need this powerful vitamin in your menopause transition if you are an exerciser.

If you are an exerciser and going through menopause, and your joints are sore or you are feeling exhausted, then you may think that you need more collagen. The collagen industry is booming and women arriving in mid-life are often the target. But what many women don't realise, is that it may not be expensive collagen sitting on a shelf in their pharmacy that they need. It might be the very much cheaper blood oranges or kiwifruit, high in Vitamin C, sitting at your green-grocer instead. Many women who are exercisers don't realise that to turn over collagen (in joints as well as skin), this vital Vitamin-C is needed as well. And what about your heart rate? Can you feel it when it's elevated and you aren't even exercising? Perhaps you feel more anxious when you're lying in bed at night. Or you're doing weight training or Boot Camps or Cross-fit and you just don't seem to fire-up the way you used to, nor do you recover very well. You're hobbling out of bed in the morning and suddenly, your knees ache and your arch of your foot starts to give you pain. Yes? With the promise of mid-life nirvana, whereby all our aches and pains miraculously go away, we end up spending hundreds of dollars on supplements, specialists and various nutrition programmes. They don't call us the 'consumer generation' for nothing. With our pantry starting to look like a health supplement shop, you think that the supplements work and many of them do ... for a while. Many of my doctoral subjects were the same. Positioning their 'healthy ageing' in doing lots of exercise, they spoke of sore joints, aching knees and various symptoms that none of them identified with their menopause transition. I was the same. When my legs were aching, my joints were sore, my heart-rate was elevated at rest and I had no energy, I was still doing lots exercise. After-all, this was the way I had managed my weight over the years. My pantry was also full of supplements, collagen included. All supplements that I was advised to take during menopause. But now I realise that I didn't need all those supplements. My body needed something else. A beautiful nutrient that heals collagen and our internal cells and is powerful for reducing inflammation. With my head buried in the women’s healthy ageing research and the plethora of research that pointed towards changing cardiac, gut and joint health during this time of life, I realised that there were things I needed to be doing differently - things that were positioned in the ageing science, not the menopause supplement industry. Menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing. It's also the opposite life-stage of puberty. Think about it - back then, we didn't need supplements or hormone therapies did we? Menopause is a time of life that makes us vulnerable to increasing inflammation in our cells and tissues. Especially for women who are exercisers.  As such, we need to focus first on repairing gut health, joint health and reducing the build-up of inflammation.  With a lifetime of changes to our food production and with many of us having been regular exercisers and have been following the high-intensity mantra then turning around inflammation inside our tissues and blood vessels matters. This is why we don't need diets that are intended for younger people, males and athletes, as many of them are. One of the most important nutrients needed by women as we age is Vitamin C. Not only for collagen renewal, but also because it works with iron. In peri-menopause if you are still menstruating then your iron levels fluctuate each month, but as you move towards post-menopause, when your periods have ceased for a year or more, your iron needs differ. I talk about this in another article HERE. Iron and Vitamin C are two nutrients that work together. When we experience cardiac palpitations and if we are experiencing heavy periods in peri-menopause, then iron or stored iron (ferritin) may be low. So too may be Vitamin B12 and I encourage you to get levels of all these nutrients tested when you can.Iron can also be low if we do a lot of running or if we are stressed or have a lot of inflammation in our body. As such the ability for iron to bind to red blood cells and attach oxygen may be compromised as well. This is well known in female athletes who become anaemic. Their performance drops off and their heart rate increases and they become very fatigued. Sound familiar? But back to Vitamin C. It was whilst staying in Switzerland supporting my son, who is a competitive skier, that I first came across blood oranges. High in Vitamin C, I needed them to reduce the inflammation from a lifestyle whereby I was hiking and skiing nearly every day. The human body loses approximately 3% of its Vitamin C just in normal day to day metabolism, but if you are exercising intensely, then you can double this loss. I talk about this in my JOINT HEALTH module which is included in the MyMT programmes and is making such a difference to women's lives and their ability to exercise again. Vitamin C is a ‘first-line’ anti-oxidant acting as a ‘free radical scavenger’. This means that Vitamin C is an important nutrient that helps to protect cells from the damage caused by harmful substances (called ‘free radicals’), including the damage caused from inflammation.Vitamin C is also important for iron absorption, collagen repair and it helps to make hormones too. The highest concentrations of collagen in the human body are found in tendons, skin, artery walls, the cornea in the eyes, the endomysium (this is the sheath which surrounds muscle fibres which gets tight as we lose oestrogen), cartilage and the organic part of bones and teeth.Your body needs Vitamin C to reduce inflammation. I first came across the literature on blood oranges when I read scientist, Helena Attlee’s book called ‘The Land Where Lemons Grow’. Travelling around Italy, she writes about the cultural and scientific interest in lemons, oranges and mandarins and relates this to numerous health benefits. Blood oranges are grown in Sicily in Italy, Spain and California (I haven’t been able to find them in New Zealand as yet).In recent years, there has been increasing public interest in plant antioxidants, thanks to the potential anti-carcinogenic (anti-cancer) and cardio-protective (heart protective) actions influenced by their biochemical properties. The red (or blood) orange (Citrus sinensis) is a pigmented sweet orange variety typical of eastern Sicily (southern Italy). Research supports their huge contribution to an anti-inflammatory and heart-protective as well as anti-cancer diet. Blood oranges help enzymes to fight harmful free-radicals in the body. When my own menopause symptom journey took me towards women's healthy ageing research, I learnt how vascular stiffness occurs. This is a normal part of our ageing and this is so important to understand that I include it in my 12 week programmes. Because of the increased vascular stiffness in blood and lymphatic vessels, the importance of specific nutrients in our diet can't be over-stated. It's important for improved cardiac health as well.  Increasing our resilience as we age, is all about turning around our symptoms in menopause or at least preventing the symptoms changing the course of our health as we age. I can't emphasise this enough. Our cells are always turning over and with this in mind, over the 3 months that women are on the programme with me, I encourage them to change their lifestyle to enable their body to adjust to this life-stage and/or turn existing symptoms around. If you look at the symptoms of lowered Vitamin C, you will see a host of issues from low energy, to easy bruising, to painful, swollen joints, to skin problems and more. All factors that get gathered up as ‘menopause symptoms’ and are then normalised within an 'age-decline' paradigm. But when you actually make the time to get the right nutrients into your body (and not necessarily from manufactured supplements), then surprisingly, many of these symptoms go away. When you aren't sleeping, you aren't recovering from exercise and your inflammation can become worse. This then increases our body's demand for Vitamin C and other nutrients that the body needs to help re-balance itself. I had no idea about this with my own symptoms and sore joints and neither did many other women on my programme who are regular exercisers. Research changed my life and I want my programme to change yours too. At MyMT you join me on either or my 12 week programmes to turn around your symptoms and/or lose weight or to prevent symptoms occurring.  The programmes are delivered in a progressive format and as you discover my powerful scientific strategies, you develop confidence and clarity in moving through or beyond this powerful life-stage. I focus you on healing from the inside-out so your symptoms don't take over your life as they used to do in my life as well.  Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD], MyMT™ Founder and Coach/Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.References:Buscemi, S., Arcolio, G. et al., (2012). Effects of red orange juice intake on endothelial function and inflammatory markers in adult subjects with increased cardiovascular risk. Am. J. of Clinical Nutrition, 95(5):1089-95. Delanghe, J., Langlois, M., De Buyzere, M. et al (2011). Vitamin C deficiency: more than just a nutritional disorder. Genes Nutr., 6:341–346Grosso, G., Galvano, F., Mistretta, F. et al.(2013). Red Orange: Epidemiological Evidence of Its Benefits on Human Health. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, ArticleID157240, 1-11. Pullar, J., Carr A. & Vissers, M. (2017). The roles of Vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients, 9, 866; doi:10.3390/nu908086 

### “I've got so much more energy and feel back in control of my symptoms. It kinda feels unbelievable really.” - (Andrea, Australia)

Meet Andrea – she loves painting. This is her sitting on the steps outside her studio where she lives in Australia. When Andrea first contacted MyMT™ she was exhausted, frustrated and confused about what was happening to her energy levels in menopause. As she said, “Finally I had arrived at a point in my life, where I had the time to paint, but with no sleep and no energy, I lost all my motivation for what I love to do.”

Lying awake at night, and not able to sleep, in desperation, Andrea told me that she would drag herself out of bed and head into her studio to work on her beloved painting projects. For years, Andrea had looked forward to spending more time in her studio. But as peri-menopause arrived, instead of this being ‘her time’, she no longer had the energy or motivation for painting. It wasn’t long before not sleeping and having endless hot flushes and mood swings was taking its toll on her energy, moods, well-being and of course, her health.


After joining up with MyMT™, one of the first things Andrea learnt, was that low oestrogen levels in peri-menopause, have a profound impact on other hormones in the body too. This includes the hormones that control sleep and moods – melatonin and serotonin. These get out of balance too. Then once women begin to get into the habit of waking up, this has a down-stream effect on thyroid hormones, which, along with temperature regulation hormones in the pituitary gland, control temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and metabolism.

But as I explained to Andrea in the modules that are part of the 12 week MyMT™ symptom reduction programme called ‘Circuit-Breaker’, (see my video below) in effect, the hot flushes and night sweats are NOT the problem as women have been led to believe. It’s the increase in a stress hormone called cortisol, which is caused by lack of sleep. Once cortisol levels are high, then hormones secreted by the thyroid and adrenal glands get out of balance too. The effect of this is more insomnia, increasing hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety attacks, low energy and mood swings. All of these symptoms are connected because of the way the hormones ‘talk’ to each other.



This is what the purpose of MyMT™ is – it is a step-by-step educational programme which women like Andrea, listen to and then put my powerful strategies into action progressively over the 12 weeks duration of the course. There are seven learning modules and they all contain powerful lifestyle-change information that is scientifically evidenced and powerful in helping to alleviate the chaos of menopause symptoms.

For example, did you know that high protein diets actually increase heat production in the body? No, nor did I until I researched why we get so many hot flushes and why when we sweat at night, it is our body actually trying to cool down – just like a fever. So, when we reduce protein at night, then this helps to alleviate some of the increased heat that the body produces. Cool eh?

As Andrea moved through each module (one is delivered to the exclusive member area on the website, every fortnight) and began to put into place the dietary changes that I’ve researched for women in menopause, her ENERGY levels started to return as well. As far as nutrition goes, I have positioned the food plans and recipes that women can access on studies into women’s healthy ageing and longevity. As I say to women like Andrea, once you come on the programme, then you don’t have to worry about what to eat or how to exercise for the rest of your life! It’s very liberating!

“I think all women going through menopause should do this programme. It has changed my life. I am feeling so much more energised, in control and just happy. It kinda feels unbelievable. Ironically, at this time of my life, I finally had the time to paint but no enthusiasm or motivation to do so, and I had wanted this so badly for so long. Now I finally have the energy for my painting and other things in my life. I’m absolutely loving it.”

[Andrea, 54 years, Australia]

Thank you Andrea for sharing your story with me. I love the new, healthier and energetic you and I’m so pleased that at last, you are fulfilling your dream of having more time and energy to paint.

Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXvuNndJq-4&t=35s

### How accumulative stress affects your sleep, anxiety, hot flushes and sore joints in menopause.

Life was already pretty overwhelming and exhausting for women going into menopause. Then along came the pandemic and for Teachers, such as Martina in Ireland, life became a lot more complex. It's no surprise that a new report indicates that women bear the brunt of the additional stress. 
'Throughout all stages of the pandemic crisis, the mental health impacts have been disproportionately felt by women' shares a new report out of the UK. 'Women are 43% more likely to have increased their hours beyond a standard working week than men and for those with children, this was even more clearly associated with mental distress'. (Murray, 2020, p. 5).
Changes to working environments, worry about family members, feeling financially stressed, trying to cope with additional mouths to feed at home all day as children go into lock-down as well, let alone our symptoms and lack of sleep - I know how crazy it has been (and still is) for many of you. It's stressful. With menopause hormonal changes, I also know that the sleepless nights, hot flushes, night sweats and for many, as happened to Martina, the daily exhaustion and anxiety ramp-up too. 
"I didn't like looking at myself in the mirror" emailed Martina to me this week. "I felt so exhausted all the time. I'm a Teacher and the year has been incredibly stressful. I didn't know how much menopause was taking it out of me as well." 
Stress and anxiety are interesting phenomena. I've studied them both for decades, but not in the context of menopause. But rather in the context of sport and exercise science and the accumulation of physical stress in the athlete who is competing. Some is good, too much is bad. When athlete's train and compete, their muscles, tendons, ligaments, cardiovascular system and gut undergo considerable 'stress'.  For athletes, this is the basis of performance adaptation. In other words, athlete's need to 'over-stress' the body in their training to then allow them to make the physiological adaptations to become faster, fitter and stronger. But when athletes don't get their training and recovery cycles sorted (especially female athletes who have also got their hormonal health to take into consideration), then they begin to see a drop in performance.
Interestingly, the symptoms of an over-trained, exhausted female athlete doing large volumes of training, are pretty similar to the symptoms we experience in peri-menopause too.

Insomnia
Fatigue
Changing thyroid function which can lead to glandular fever
Sore and aching muscles which can lead to fibromyalgia
Hot flushes
Stiffer tendons
Anxiety and brain fog.


Over 60 years ago, Hans Selye (the 'father' of research into the stress-adaptation-response) recognised the paradox that the physiologic systems activated by stress not not only harm the body, but also protect and restore it. In other words, some stress is good, too much over a long time is not so good. When we are exposed to sources of stress over long periods of time (years in fact), then the impact of this is that both thyroid and adrenal hormones work harder to re-balance the body. The same phenomenon happens in over-trained, burnt-out athletes. It's why motivation to train takes a dive, and many then begin to experience immune system health changes. The technical term for this is 'over-training' and it is a well-researched phenomenon in athlete conditioning and optimal training adaptation.

But here's the thing.
It's happening to women in menopause as well. You don't need to be an athlete for your body to go into 'distress'. We already know this from health and medical research. When we aren't sleeping, we aren't recovering. And if we aren't recovering, we start to feel wired and tired, stressed and anxious and it's not long before we experience 'Burn-out'. 
The accumulation of stress affects every organ in our body. It makes our menopause symptoms worse. For many of us, it leads to worsening menopause weight gain too.
There is not much escape from our stressful lives these days is there? I'm not just referring to emotional stress either. It's environmental stress too. As many of my Australian ladies discover, living in a hot environment creates extra 'stress' on our body too. That's why you need to understand that as we transition through menopause, the accumulation of all the various sources of stress can impact hugely on our symptoms and our weight.

When our body is in 'distress' e.g. not sleeping, accumulation of inflammation, feeling over-whelmed by our emotional stress, feeling time poor or not eating well (or regularly), then allostatic load increases. 
Emotional and physical stress are accumulative - and it's not just the 'here and now' stress. I'm also talking about the decades-long build-up of oxidative or physical stress that manifests as inflammation and metabolic chaos in our body. If your muscles are sore, if you have fibromyalgia, if your gut health has changed, if you have put on weight, and if you are feeling hot and bothered all the time, and you aren't sleeping, then yes, these are all signs that your body is 'stressed'.
All these various sources of stress, [emotional, physical and environmental] and how frequently our body is exposed to this stress, is coined in the term 'Allostatic Load'. From a physiological basis, when the allostatic load increases then it contributes to allostasis. This refers to the body's ability to try to re-balance itself. It's why, if we aren't sleeping and our body isn't coping, our thyroid, adrenal and pituitary glands are working harder to re-balance up the internal environment too. Many of you may end up with immune-health concerns which remain with you in post-menopause. 

I love the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. When I discovered the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study,* I learnt that various sources of stress impact on our symptoms, including our weight,  hot flushes and sleep. [Refer image below from the Study, p. 4]

Spanning over 23 years, the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study, reported on thousands of women between the ages of 45-60 years who had shared aspects of their daily lives and health changes with researchers. One area of investigation was the meanings they attached to midlife and participants described experiencing a diverse array of stressful events from their changing health in menopause to family problems, work-related issues, deaths, frustrated goal attainment and financial concerns. All areas that I'm sure many of us might relate to. But herein lies the problem - whilst all of these very real sources of psychological stress were reported by women in this study, what's missing are all the other sources of stress that women in their menopause transition experience too.
The research doesn't take consideration of the various sources of physical stress inside our body as we reach our menopause years. This is known as oxidative stress or cellular inflammation and invariably, for women in their late 40's and mid-to -late 50's who are in menopause, oxidative stress has been building up for years. These hormonal changes during menopause then become the catalyst for worsening inflammation, especially in our muscles (including cardiac muscle), joints and gut. It's why so many women find that their health begins to change and they get placed on all sorts of medications and supplements in mid-life. 

Stress management from all sources, during our menopause transition is crucial to the reduction of your symptoms.
I can't reinforce this enough. 
My top 3 tips for you are: 

Follow an anti-inflammatory diet. READ MORE HERE.
Restore sleep to at least 7-8 hours a night. READ MORE HERE.
If you are an exerciser, then find balance in the amount and intensity of your exercise, because your muscles are ageing too. 

When you allow your body to transition through menopause with lower amounts of stress in your life, your body gets a chance to reduce its allostatic load. This enables your chronic stress hormone, called cortisol, to rebalance allowing progesterone levels to align better with your changing oestrogen levels. You feel calmer and your menopause symptoms and injuries get a chance to resolve too.

Circuit-Breaker is for thinner, leaner women and Transform Me is for you, if you are overweight. With the global situation is impacting on many women at the moment and I know how exhausting and emotional it is, so I have put both programmes ON SALE.  Please use the promo code JOIN MYMT to access your NZ$50 saving on either programme. Payments can be made over 3 months. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD] Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 
References:
Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2014). Beyond Obesity and Lifestyle: A Review of 21st Century Chronic Disease Determinants. BioMed Research International, Article ID 731685, 1-12.
Guidi J, Lucente M, Sonino N, Fava GA. Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review. Psychother Psychosom. 2020 Aug 14:1-17. doi: 10.1159/000510696. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32799204.
Murray, N. (2020). Burnout Britain Report. Overwork in an age of unemployment. CompassOnline Publication. 
Woods, N. & Mitchell, E. (2016). The Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study: a longitudinal prospective study of women during the menopausal transition and early post-menopause. Women's Midlife Health, 2(6), 1-16.

### Have you done the MyMT™ Menopause Symptom Quiz?  Find out how you score.

What is the MyMT™ Menopause Symptom Quiz?
When I founded My Menopause Transformation, I never imagined that starting a conversation about this stage of our lives would elicit so much interest. But whne I went into peri-menopause and experienced my first hot flushes, I didn't understand what was happening. I also had no idea that my cardiac palpitations, mood swings, weight gain, sore joints and incredible fatigue had anything to do with arriving in mid-life.
That's why I have my Menopause Symptoms Quiz for you derived from the 10-Item Cervantes Scale for assessment of menopause-related symptoms (Faustino et al. 2013). Thank you to all of those who have already completed it. If you haven't or, it's been a while since you did it, then please take a minute to do this if you can. Just click on the image below or HERE. 

Our mid-life years begin from our early 40’s right through to around 60 years old.  During this time we are heading into our biological ageing. When we begin to lose oestrogen and progesterone there are changes that occur all over our body.  I never knew this at the time. 

That's why  I have the Symptoms Quiz for you. Once you've completed it, then check your email box (or junk mail) as I have a video for you which will explain your score.  Thank you for joining me on the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz.



Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Coach.

 
 

### How to EXERCISE in tune with your menstrual cycle in peri-menopause.

“The rise and fall of hormones during a woman’s menstrual cycle have a profound impact on performance.”   [Exercise Physiologist, Dr Stacy Sims, New Zealand].Stacy’s work with female athletes is pioneering and her book called ROAR, should be on the book-shelf of any young female athlete wanting to improve their performance as part of their athlete career. Unfortunately, it probably wasn't on the bookshelf of American elite runner, Mary Cain nor her coach. In an interview featured in the New York Times, Ms Cain, accused her coaches of encouraging her to become thinner and thinner, which only made her slower and slower. There is a huge trade-off between thinness for athletic performance and immune and hormonal health. Unfortunately for Mary Cain, this was a journey she should never have been on.I've been teaching sport and exercise science students about the effect of over-training on female hormones for decades. Knowledge about the Female Athlete Triad [the term used to describe the interrelationship between menstrual dysfunction, low energy availability (with or without an eating disorder), and decreased bone mineral density], is not well understood by many coaches of female athletes, nor of female exercisers who are chasing weight loss through doing lots of exercise. But for women, whether they are athletes or not, understanding the detrimental effects of their exercise on their menstrual cycle and how this can affect their performance, especially as they transition from peri-menopause into menopause, matters. This knowledge may well be the difference between winning and losing, managing weight in menopause, or preventing bone injuries and fractures or not. The role of exercise and how it fits into our menstrual cycle as we arrive in peri-menopause is just as important for non-athletes as it is for athletes.I'm always mentioning to women attending my live seminar, (now available ONLINE for you), that we are the first generation of women to go into peri-menopause and menopause in the context of advice from the modern fitness and sporting industries. Too often however, this is based on male research and/or young athletes. That's why hormonal-health research specific to females in their menopause transition is important. With numerous hormones (not just oestrogen and progesterone) changing as we move into our post-menopause years, this affects many other structures and organs around our body, especially our muscles, heart, joints and bones - all structures which are affected by exercise. Dr Sim's research takes females on a journey through their menstrual cycle and how to adapt aerobic and anaerobic conditioning to each phase of the menstrual cycle. It's ground-breaking stuff, as is the work of Personal Trainer and Titleist Women’s Golf Master Trainer and Educator, Janet Alexander, a New Zealander living in America. I've known Janet for decades and her work acknowledges the different body-types of female athletes and the need to take this into consideration too. As she says,“There are two types of females - type I and type II. Type I females have high oestrogen levels and are typically, shorter in stature, bigger breasted, and early developers.” Alexander goes on to describe Type II as having “lower oestrogen levels and are the opposite of type I in terms of appearance: long, skinny, small breasted, late developers.”Training-wise, states Janet, Type I females (bigger framed) function better during weeks 2 and 3 of their cycle around ovulation time (with week 1 being the start of the period) . Type II females (leaner and taller), function better during weeks 1 and 4 of their cycles. As Janet reiterates, during a female’s period, their ligaments become more lax and they are often relatively more mobile in their joints, so any exercise selection needs to promote stability and control during this time. Interestingly, it's the same for women in peri-menopause and with oestrogen levels declining, this is a vulnerable time when women experience more injuries, especially in their joints, tendons and ligaments. I've written about this in previous posts (READ MORE HERE). Studies that link our menstrual cycle with sport and exercise science research is important to us if we enjoy exercise. That's why I decided to pull it together for you and put it into the context of peri-menopause.Peri-menopause is the time, usually in your mid-to-late 40's, that your oestrogen and progesterone levels are declining and your body is shifting physiologically into menopause and your reproductive ageing. I had two questions when I began to understand that in peri-menopause and menopause, we have to be careful about exercise:  How can we use emerging hormonal-health and exercise research to improve our exercise performance and recovery in peri-menopause? What type of exercise is better suited to our menstrual cycles during peri-menopause when for many women their periods come and go irregularly as oestrogen and progesterone decline?As I've taken my Masterclass on Menopause seminar throughout New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom over the past couple of years, I always have my ‘socio-cultural’ hat on. This ‘hat’ is important to wear. Taking notice of the factors that influence our exercise over the years is important. This is because we are the first generation of women to go into menopause in the context of all the sports and exercise that we've done throughout the past few decades. The fitness industry brings us a range of exercise options that many of us have enjoyed for years, but do these types of workouts suit us as we go into a changing hormonal environment in peri-menopause?  That's the question I had to ask myself and as time went on and the exhaustion arrived along with sleepless nights, weight gain and sore joints, this was a confronting question.  It’s little wonder that physical activity participation research from Professor Wendy Brown and her team in Australia, shows that mid-life women are the highest demographic to stop exercise participation. Some of this is attributed to ‘lack of time’ which has followed many of us for decades and some of it relates to the messages that prevail in fitness environments with workouts that are too hard on our heart, joints and muscles as we navigate the symptom chaos that can accumulate during the change of life.That’s why understanding the type of exercise that best matches our menstrual cycle as we arrive in peri-menopause is important. And whilst Dr Sims advocates higher intensity activity [Boot Camps, Cross Fit and HIIT classes], for women who are in the low oestrogen phase of their cycle [Phases 1 and 3], I don’t advocate this higher-intensity training UNTIL women are sleeping all night and have reduced any joint pain as they transition through peri-menopause.As I always say to women on the MyMT™ programmes –“If you aren’t sleeping, then our stress hormone called cortisol remains high, and therefore, you cannot recover overnight from all the higher intensity activity. As well, we have oestrogen receptors in our joints, so a low oestrogen hormonal environment makes women more susceptible to injuries, especially knee and foot injuries such as plantar fasciitis."  Throughout a woman's menopause transition, one of the most challenging symptoms is insomnia and night sweats. For women who are regular exercisers, this makes overnight recovery from exercise a thing of the past. Eventually, many discover that they can no longer tolerate the exercise they used to do.Just like young female athletes, when we don’t sleep, this sends our adrenal glands into more chaos which in turn, prevents our muscles, including cardiac muscle, from recovering from day to day. The result? We feel more exhausted and drop in and out of our exercise, just as the physical activity participation research reports.What exercise is best to fit in with our changing menstrual cycle?Your menstrual cycle is typically divided into 3 phases:Phase 1: This is the time when you get your period and this occurs from Days 1-5 of your cycle. With both oestrogen and progesterone low in this phase, increasing the intensity of the workout as tolerated on at least 2 days per week and doing functional strength training is recommended.  You could do circuit-training, a higher-intensity class, or some faster-paced walking or jogging. If you are used to weights or other forms of resistance training, then you can go a bit heavier than normal if you are experienced. What you should also do is to include muscular core (lower abdominals and lower back exercises) and pelvic floor strengthening. These are the 'forgotten' factors of an exercise programme for women in peri-menopause. But because we lose oestrogen receptors in our cervix and pelvic floor muscles during menopause, many women who are used to doing high-impact activity, such as running and jumping activities, may find that they experience some pelvic floor prolapse, so seek specialist advice if you need this or explore what's in my home-based Rebuild My Fitness programme. Because women are menstruating in this phase for the first 5 days of the cycle, the other caveat against doing too much intense exercise is to do with whether or not you are experiencing a heavy period. If the period is heavier than normal (which can happen as your hormones change), then Vitamin B12 and iron levels should be checked by your Dr. With low iron, any higher intensity workouts place strain on the heart muscle and cardio-vascular system, increasing the workload of these systems.If iron or B12 is low, the heart has to work even harder to bring oxygen-rich blood to working muscles. Red blood cells carry oxygen, which needs iron to bind the oxygen to the blood cell. Looking after our heart muscle is important, because it is affected by lowering oestrogen levels in peri-menopause and menopause too. Our heart muscle is full of oestrogen receptors which are not receiving the amount of oestrogen that they used to, so allowing for adequate recovery time following higher-intensity activity is important.Your heart is working hard in this type of activity and it needs rest afterwards to restore vital energy not only to the heart wall, but also to other organs as well. If you missed my article about your ageing heart, then you can click through to it HERE. Phase 2: The Follicular PhaseThe follicular phase towards ovulation is when oestrogen dominates the hormonal environment , as does Luteinizing Hormone (LH) – one of your master reproductive hormones from your Pituitary Gland. Your moods may be improved in this phase and therefore, your motivation to exercise. With oestrogen levels higher in this phase larger women need to be fat-burning, through extending the duration of cardio and up to 45-60 minutes is ideal. If you can manage 3 days of this cardio-type exercise, this is great for you. Swimming, cycling, walking, slow-jogging, rowing or dance-based exercise. It's the type of exercise which is known as 'aerobic' exercise and the goal is to move in ways that allow your breathing to be deeper than at rest, but not to get out-of-breath.  In Phase 2, increased insulin sensitivity also occurs, along with an increase in pain tolerance, so women may find that they can work harder. However, I add caution here. We have oestrogen receptors throughout our tendons and ligaments and as part of our natural ageing, these can become stiff and sore, so women must add in more stretching and a longer warm-up and cool-down if they are doing higher intensity activity. The American Journal of Sports Medicine found that due to joint laxity and oestrogen-induced changes in collagen structure, ACL tears are four to eight times more likely to happen during this phase. Be warned - you need to stretch more as you age!Phase 3: The Luteal PhaseThe last phase of the monthly cycle before our period starts again is the luteal or progestational phase. Normally, the corpus luteum is readying itself to support a foetus and the endometrium is thickening but in peri-menopause, this changes because both oestrogen and progesterone are declining in production as our ovaries naturally age.If women are still menstruating however, then in a normal cycle, this phase is dominated by progesterone. Women often feel bloated, hot and have less tolerance to exercise, especially higher intensity exercise or long-distance endurance exercise.  More importantly for women entering menopause when their periods have ceased, greater strain on cardiac muscle occurs in this phase.This is when I tend not to encourage women to do heavy weight training (unless they have adequate experience in this type of training) because heavy weight training requires some breath-holding. This is a phenomenon known as the 'Valsalva Manoevre'. Breath-holding during resistance training makes blood pressure soar. With these changes in mind, any resistance training should be lighter and exercises which promote regular, relaxed breathing are important, as is doing moderate cardio and focusing on fat-burning exercise. I often promote swimming or slow jogging in this phase and stretch-based strengthening exercise such as yoga or pilates. These are all great forms of exercise for lowering our blood pressure and helping to move excess fluid from tissues into our lymphatic system, helping to reduce feelings of bloat.Our female physiology is complex … and it’s riddled with fluctuations in sex hormones from one month to the next as we move on from our menstrual cycles and into the next phase of our lives – post-menopause.Maintaining cardiac health, bone health and a healthy weight are important goals for women to achieve. So too is looking at exercise to keep us healthy. It doesn't have to be performance-based. If we find exercise or activities that are pleasurable to maintain, then this enables improved function and confidence for the recreational activities that we want to enjoy as we age.  I was stunned when I couldn't enjoy skiing which I had enjoyed for decades as I arrived into menopause. But the issue was that I wasn't dealing with the underlying symptoms in menopause, especially not sleeping. Many of the women who join me have felt the same. When it comes to exercise choices in mid-life, we must sort out our sleep and joint health first as well as learn how to exercise (or get back into some regular exercise for those of you who are more sedentary), not only for our changing cardiac health, but to boost our moods also.For women who are used to more vigorous activity, this may also mean cutting back a bit on the intensity of workouts until they are sleeping but adding in some longer, endurance sessions at a lower intensity. Slow jogging helps to boost aerobic fitness as well as cardiovascular efficiency as we move through menopause. So too does walking and I love how women from around the world who join me on my programmes motivate each other to become more active. Our menopause transition can be a really challenging time of life. But don't forget that when we aren’t sleeping and still have so much going on in our lives, sometimes it’s not about ‘what’ exercise we do, but simply that ‘we do it’. If you are struggling in your menopause transition, then I hope that you can join me on one of the three different programmes I offer. Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle MedicineReferences:Alexander, J. (2018). What to know about workouts for women. Podcast/ https://18strong.com/janet-alexander/de Jonge, X.A.K.J. (2003). Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Exercise Performance. Sports Med, 33: 833. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200333110-00004Sims, S. (2017). Roar: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology. Amazon Publ.Tanaka, H. (2019). Anti-ageing effects of aerobic exercise on systemic arteries. Hypertension, 74, 237-243.

### "I was so challenged in my beliefs about exercise. I had no idea I was in peri-menopause."  [Sue, New Zealand)

This is Sue. She is here with me after a presentation in beautiful Northland in New Zealand. As a leading Personal Trainer, Teacher and Athletics Coach for her local community, Sue had invited me to do some presentations for women whom she knew would benefit from learning about menopause. 

For over 20 years Sue has been a stalwart in the small northern communities she engages in. Not only has she worked as a secondary school teacher in physical education, but numerous teens owe their athletic prowess to Sue's incredible commitment to coaching athletics and promoting sporting activities in her communities. Sue lives and breathes sports! So much so that she retrained as a Personal Trainer. That's how I first met her. She was a student in the personal training courses I was teaching at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) over a decade ago. She wanted to understand how to bring more women into the gym or go out to their homes and take them through exercise sessions.  As a mobile Personal Trainer, as she told the audiences before my presentations, "I'm so passionate about getting women exercising, because it's changed my life and I knew that it would make a difference to their life as well."

With jam-packed days, running from teaching and coaching athletics to doing some personal training and then home to a busy house-hold with busy, sporty kids, Sue never stopped. Fitting her own training into the mix was always a challenge but that's also why she wanted to become a Personal Trainer, because it enabled her to exercise with her clients and get her own work-outs in.

It was when she began to experience more injuries, that she began to realise that her response to exercise was changing. The injuries started to appear. It was a broken collar-bone which floored Sue. Playing field hockey for her local team, she ran into a player. In the past, she would have bounced off and avoided the collision. But her reaction time was slower and she fell onto the hard ground awkwardly. The medical experts told her to take it easy for 6 months. Like many women, she thought she could do it in 3! But it wasn't the case. It took nearly a year to get full range of movement back.

When I took my Masterclass on Menopause seminar that night in Whangarei, I asked the audience who of them had experienced sporting or exercise injuries as they arrived in mid-life. Over 50 percent of the room put up their hands! That's when I told them that our tendons have oestrogen receptors in them, so peri-menopause and menopause affects our ability to heal. We don't bounce back from our injuries, especially when we can't sleep.

And Sue wasn't sleeping. With so much going on in her life and having had a baby at 42 years, it was no surprise that Sue was feeling challenged with her sleep. She had no idea that this was increasing her hormone called cortisol. With increased cortisol in her body throughout the day this affected she healed. But she boxed on as many of us do. In 2017, she entered the athletics events in the Masters Games. Athletics was her world and she had been a top athlete back in her teenage years and she loved being back in the competitive environment again. But afterwards, she didn't bounce back. She felt tired and constantly fatigued and despite all the exercise the weight was beginning to stack on. As she said,

"Here I was supposed to be the role model for women in my communities, especially those wanting to come to me to lose weight. But I realise now that I had no idea what was going on as I got older and my hormones began to change."



Sue is one of the first generations of women to 'age' and go into menopause in the context of the modern fitness and sporting industries. There has been very little research that is specifically targeted to women during peri-menopause and many find out the hard way how their tolerance to exercise can change with age. Sue's identity with exercise and sports was aligned with always training hard and doing higher-intensity exercise, but as she entered peri-menopause and wasn't sleeping, she wasn't recovering from the harder-effort exercise. When this happens, women very easily tip over into over-training syndrome and adrenal exhaustion. That was Sue.

During menopause, less intensity is better, especially when we feel tired and aren't sleeping. As I discovered myself, we are a generation of women who have learnt to tolerate high levels of exercise and in menopause we need to be careful about how much high-intensity exercise we do. Only 1-2 times a week is sufficient. On the other days, we can do some strength training, yoga, stretching, or some lighter aerobic exercise such as swimming or cycling. Aerobic exercise also helps to improve our resilience to changing cardiac health as we age. A 'must' for women's healthy ageing.

Sue is not alone in how fatigued she felt with all the exercise she was doing. But it wasn't just the exercise, it was the accumulation of everything else she was doing in her day as well. The energy demands and constant stress she was putting on her body was causing her cortisol to increase, her blood sugar levels to be inconsistent and then not sleeping on top of all this, was leaving her frustrated and exhausted.

That's why I'm so pleased that Sue trusted me and came on the MyMT Circuit Breaker programme. It gives me such pleasure to be able to give female Personal Trainers who are entering this stage of life, some guidance about how to improve their sleep and energy levels in a changing hormonal environment. They need their energy to help others! Her beliefs about her personal resilience and capabilities were challenged but understanding that she needed to change things up a bit as she aged was key to her healing. As I continually say to women who I meet, either in my seminars or who come onto the MyMT™ programmes -
"Don't look back - you're not going that way now!"


Wendy Sweet, PhD/MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

### New Guidelines for your AGEING HEART in Menopause: Is it Meat or Beans for Dinner?

With lack of time our constant enemy as we juggle demands from work, family, ageing parents and everything else we have going on in our lives, if you are like me, then 'what's for dinner?' gets relegated to grabbing some meat from the freezer, throwing on some vegies and potatoes and feeding the family similar meals most nights of the week. Alternatively, some of you may have your pre-set menus and foods arrive from commercial home-delivery companies, via a box at the front door - new habits from lockdown-living perhaps. So, I wonder what you chose for your dinners this week?If you chose meat-meals every night of the week and you are in menopause or post-menopause, you might just want to grab a tin of beans from the cupboard and have these instead. Because brand new evidence suggests that your ageing heart doesn't benefit from more than 350 grams of red meat per week.The New Zealand Heart Foundation has recently assessed the evidence on unprocessed red meat and poultry intake in heart health outcomes up to April, 2020. This provides us with new evidence on the maximum amount of red meat recommended and how to replace some meals with other sources of protein, preferably plant proteins. With a focus on reducing heart disease, key outcomes from this research recommends reducing red meat intake to less than 350 grams per week (cooked weight) to reduce the occurrence of heart disease. When you google 350gms in cooked meat weight, that's the equivalent of just under two moderate-size steaks.For women transitioning from peri-menopause to post-menopause (which takes around 8 years), heart disease is the number one health concern as we age. Looking after our cardiovascular health matters, especially when it comes to our diet. That's why one of the main questions that I explored when I put together the food guide for the MyMT™ programmes, was 'should we eat red meat and if so, how much is 'enough'?Not only is this an important question for the research that the New Zealand Heart Foundation has shared about meat intake and heart health this week, but for those of you in menopause, don't forget that red meat and poultry are high in iron and our iron needs change as we move from peri to post menopause. If you haven't considered this change in your iron needs and are wondering why you are still getting hot flushes (despite being on HRT), then please CLICK THROUGH HERE to read my blog about your changing iron levels in menopause.RED MEAT AND FATS - Why we need to manage our Saturated Fat Intake:With levels of oestrogen declining as we move through menopause, our liver, gall-bladder, muscles (including our heart muscle) and our digestive system change in size and structure. Therefore, the consideration of saturated fat intake is an important one. Whilst the high-fat, high-protein Keto diet has dominated mainstream media and the fitness industry, women moving into post-menopause with changing heart health and/or weight gain and sore joints, need to be careful about their total fat intake. It's not a 'free-for-all' when it comes to fat intake, especially for those of you with a fatty liver or if you've had your gall-bladder removed. I talk about this in my Liver-Lover module which is part of the MyMT™ programmes and I explain it in my 2 hour online Masterclass on Menopause, which you can learn more about by clicking through below.Meat intake is a prominent part of western culture, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom where many of you may be from. All of these countries also have the highest prevalence of heart disease in women. This means that the NZ Heart Foundation's new position with the recommendation to choose foods lower in saturated fat (SFA) is an important message for us as according to the report, almost half the fat in red meat is saturated fat - predominantly palmitic acid with some stearic acid. With apologies to my wonderful sheep and beef farmers, this includes reducing our intake of red meat to only around 2-3 servings a week.Studies indicate that palmitic acid is one of the most harmful fatty acids for the liver, leading to cell injury. For those of you who might already have a fatty liver or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or you don't have a gall-bladder, then please watch your red meat intake as well as total fat intake, which may also lead to the progression of more inflammation in your liver. (Cansanseo, et al, 2018).What proteins can we have instead?Red meat is rich in protein (20-25gm of protein per 100gm) as well as iron, zinc, niacin, riboflavin, Vitamin B12 and thiamine. Whilst I have options for those women who enjoy eating red meat on my programmes, especially those who are exercising regularly and are in peri-menopause, I also encourage women to switch out some meals for plant-based proteins. Looking through the lens of our changing cardiac health, when we substitute meat-meals for legumes and pulses, nuts and soy products, we also improve our blood lipid (fats) profile and our blood pressure. This is an important aspect for those of you who are already overweight or if you have changing blood pressure and cholesterol as you navigate menopause.I often say that menopause is a vulnerable time for our health. Many of you may have already experienced some changes, especially to your cardiovascular and immune health. Whilst there are numerous reasons for these changes, if they've come upon you as you've arrived in mid-life, then yes, indeed, your hormonal changes as you age, are often the catalyst. Debra in beautiful Ontario, Canada was the same."Thank you so much for all the hard work you have done researching and making sense of this crazy menopause. I have lost 25 lbs (12 kgs), I sleep through the night, and I can think much more clearly. The joint and muscle pain is much better and I am enjoying long hikes with my dogs. I feel like I have a life again and also feel free from the stress of having to do too much, work or exercise."Finally, a warm shout-out to those of you in Melbourne, Australia. After 4 months of lockdown, I hope you are cautiously enjoying your new-found freedom. Well done to all of you.WendyReferences:Cansanção, K., Silva Monteiro, L., Carvalho Leite, N., Dávalos, A., Tavares do Carmo, M., & Arantes Ferreira Peres, W. (2018). Advanced Liver Fibrosis Is Independently Associated with Palmitic Acid and Insulin Levels in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Nutrients, 10(11), 1586.National Heart Foundation of New Zealand (2020). Red meat and poultry position statement. NZHF, Wellington, NZ

### "After my hysterectomy my weight ballooned. Wendy's programme was a revelation."   [Elaine, UK].

My mind has been on Sheffield in the United Kingdom this week. With the news that it is going into Alert Level 3 restrictions due to an upsurge in coronavirus cases, I've been thinking of the women who attended my presentation there, only in March this year. Elaine was one of them. I loved my visit to this fascinating city and enjoyed learning about the extraordinary wartime heroines who ran the munitions factories during both World Wars when the men were absent.   



That's where I met Elaine. I was so appreciative that she drove over an hour to get to my Sheffield presentation. It wasn't her first time listening to me either. She had already attended my live 'Masterclass on Menopause' event the year before in London. Then she had come on my 12 week programme and I was so pleased to meet her in person. (This Masterclass is now available for you to download online). Working as a Sports Therapist and Personal Trainer, she was keen to come back and build on what she had learnt on my programme, so she could help her mid-life clients. Menopause isn't a topic that many exercise professionals learn about in their courses, so with gaps in her knowledge connecting exercise, weight training, nutrition and being thrown into early menopause post-hysterectomy, as she told me, "Doing your programme changed my whole approach to how I now look after myself." 

So, with Elaine on my mind and the other women from Sheffield who came to my seminar earlier this year, I want to introduce you to Elaine. I am so grateful to her for kindly sharing her story with you ... because it just might be your story too ...
"In late 2015, having found a lump in my abdomen, I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst. A complete hysterectomy followed along with the most horrendous hot flushes and night sweats. I felt exhausted. At the three week post-op check-up, expecting to be given the all clear and discuss potential HRT options, I was told that biopsy had revealed Ovarian Cancer and HRT was now out of the question.
Six rounds of chemotherapy quickly followed. At the end my weight had ballooned and my menopause symptoms increased. This was despite continuing to exercise and eat well. And whilst I can’t say whether the weight gain was due to being thrown into menopause, the steroids I had to take during treatment or a combination of the two, the sweating and lack of sleep was definitely happening before treatment.

I’m lucky enough to be a Sports Therapist and Personal Trainer, and out of desperation, I embarked on one of the programmes our gym uses with the added incentive of a photo-shoot at the end of the process. Heavy training followed and gradually the fat began to disappear. I noticed my sweats had disappeared too. Two and half years post chemo I was 9kg lighter (19 lbs) and no menopause symptoms.
I thought I had it sussed ... but I didn't!

My insomnia, hot flushes and night sweats came back... I know that poor food choices were to blame but not sleeping and the return of my night sweats was a mystery, especially as I was still training heavily. Ironically, it was during one of these 3am wide awake moments that I discovered Wendy’s MyMT™ website.
This got me thinking - 'what was it that had reduced my weight and symptoms initially?' I ploughed into some research and various courses and these mainly kept leading to three things:

 	What I consumed,
 	Doing daily physical activity and
 	Dealing with cortisol (stress) levels.

But what I didn't understand, was the way that all my training was also impacting on my symptoms. I simply had no idea of the changes that result in our muscles during the menopause.

In 2019, I discovered that Wendy was speaking in the UK, so I quickly signed up for a ticket and attended.
Listening to her speak was a revelation.
Suddenly I began making links with what was going on with me. And although some things I already knew from my Personal Training courses, the area of menopause is not well understood. What she said in her presentation made so much sense to me.

I signed up for Wendy’s online programme and began to learn from her about the powerful  connection between what I was eating, when I was eating it and my sleep disturbances. I also learnt about reducing hot flushes and night sweats and how, when our blood vessels change, this increases blood pressure, temperature and heart rate too.

A few nutrition and habit tweaks later after completing her programme and I’ve maintained my figure, restored my sleep and eradicated night sweats and hot flushes.

The knowledge I have gained from Wendy has enabled me to change my life as well as help my clients make sense of menopause. I can't thank her enough."



Elaine Atkinson, Core Fitness, United Kingdom. 

### The powerful connection between your sleep and weight management in menopause.

If you added up all the nights in the week that you lie awake between 2-4am, how many would that be? Is it 5 or more? I'm asking you this, because when I've presented my Masterclass on Menopause seminars over the years, this is the question that women groan at the most. And asking that question always gets a show of hands.  Hundreds of women are losing precious immune-boosting sleep as they go through menopause and for those who are avid exercisers, they don't seem to understand that not sleeping means that they aren't recovering from all of the exercise they are doing too - many  of these women find that their hot flushes have become worse, their weight is going up and they are confused as to why.  Yes, I was that woman too. I remember only too well what it feels like not to sleep night after night. I know myself that the minute you're awake, your brain starts going into 'busy-mode'. If your phone is beside your bed, you look at it or you get up and do some work or you just lie there tired trying to will yourself to go back to sleep. The clock spins around another hour. When you do finally get  back to sleep it seems like it's only minutes before the alarm goes off and another exhausting day  begins. What we fail to fully realise, is that when we aren't sleeping, the belly fat starts to creep on as well. Some of you may gain up to 2 kg a week. Modern science confirms that when we don't sleep all night, especially between the crucial fat-burning hours of 2-4am, then we don't lose weight. However, the double-whammy for women in their menopause transition, is that this interrupted sleep also causes more hot flushes throughout the day and leaves many women sweating throughout the night. It's tough.When you aren’t SLEEPING all night, you aren’t getting enough secretion of two other important hormones necessary for repairing and healing your body. Growth Hormone and Testosterone.These two hormones are crucial for repairing muscle and restoring your immune system. This is why interrupted sleep in menopause throws our muscle-healing and fat-burning capability out the door. It's also why many of you who undertake lots of exercise but you aren't sleeping, may develop restless legs, aching joints and fatigued muscles, or you experience recurring injuries which fail to heal.When we aren’t sleeping properly, and we aren't recovering, then this impacts one of our stress hormones called cortisol.  When cortisol levels stay high, this prevents overnight fat-burning and muscle repair. This is why the most powerful thing I do for you when you come on board into the MyMT™ programmes, is to get you sleeping all night. If you aren’t sleeping well, then this is the first breakthrough you need to focus on for halting any further fat-gain as well as for helping you hold onto your precious muscle as you move through menopause. We need our muscle to help us to boost our metabolism and burn fat. This occurs in small mitochondrial cells which store oxygen. Loss of muscle from not sleeping also means loss of mitochondria and a change in our metabolism to fat-gain, not fat-loss. Un-raveling the science of not sleeping as we transition into our new hormonal environment in menopause took me hundreds of hours of study. But I was so determined to understand why I wasn’t sleeping, because I knew from the emerging weight loss science, that sleep and fat loss go hand in hand. Even more than exercise and different dieting regimes. Add to this, our changing hormonal environment in menopause and the subsequent loss of muscle as we age (called sarcopenia) and it becomes a ticking time-bomb for un-necessary cardiac and metabolic health changes that our mother's generation have already discovered.Although we kind of get by on a day-to-day basis without sleep, the issue for me and millions of women, is more about the accumulation of loss of sleep and the effect this has on our weight and our health. Not sleeping leads to ongoing inflammation in our muscles, joints, liver, gut and heart. What's more, the increasing inflammation can send us into the cascade of chronic health changes that hit us in our post-menopause years, including auto-immune health problems.I still remember when I couldn’t sleep night after night. I was up and down like a yo-yo and it didn’t help that hubbie was lying there snoring blissfully unaware of my despair. The supplements didn’t help nor did the HRT. Although I knew that not sleeping is the slippery slope to fibromyalgia and other auto-immune diseases, the one I was most concerned about, was the weight gain. This is because when we don’t get our deep, healing sleep, our hormones that help us to burn fat overnight become disrupted too.Scientists divide sleep into two major types: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep or dreaming sleep, and non-REM or quiet, healing sleep. Sleep specialists have called non-REM sleep “an idling brain in a movable body.” During this phase, thinking and most bodily functions slow down, but movement can still occur, and a person often shifts position while sinking into deeper stages of sleep. When we go to bed and start to fall asleep, both phases last around 4 hours or more.After your REM sleep, comes your deeper sleep, or your non-REM sleep. This is characterised by slow brain waves called delta waves. When your brain slows down, you allow your body to enter deep sleep. Breathing becomes more regular. Blood pressure falls, and the pulse slows to about 20% to 30% below the waking rate. The brain is less responsive to external stimuli, making it difficult to wake up. This deep sleep is really important for us to have, especially during menopause, because this is the time that your body heals, renews and repairs cells and tissues. It's also the time that your body fat-burns and regulates metabolism. According to the Harvard Sleep Report (2017), researchers have also detected increased blood levels of substances that activate your immune system, raising the possibility that deep sleep helps the body defend itself against infection. Just as deep sleep restores your body, scientists believe that REM or dreaming sleep restores your mind, perhaps in part by helping clear out irrelevant information. Blood flow is directed less toward your brain, which cools measurably. At the beginning of this stage, the pituitary gland releases a pulse of growth hormone that stimulates tissue growth, muscle repair and overnight fat-burning.So, herein lies the problem. If we are lying awake between 2 and 4am, then this release of growth hormone does not reach the threshold it needs to for healing, repairing, restoring and fat-burning.  When growth hormone is low, our blood sugar hormone called insulin remains high. So too, does another stress hormone called cortisol. The combination of high insulin and high cortisol competes with your sleep hormone, called melatonin which is low as well. The lower that melatonin is overnight, the more awake you feel. The more awake you feel, the busier your brain …. night after night, it happens … and over time, your brain and your hormones have reached their ‘new normal’. It becomes routine for you to be awake at night. The weight creeps on despite all that exercise and dieting. The result? Yes, you already know it - foggy brain, fatigue, loss of motivation, irritability and of course, weight gain.  As our fat cells go into survival mode, they begin to store excess oestrogen, leading to a condition called 'oestrogen dominance'. If you are putting on weight or you are feeling constantly cranky, irritable and exhausted, then please let me help you turn this around. Women on my 12 week programmes (there are two different ones depending if women are overweight or not), love their learning in the first online module they receive, which is simply called ‘SLEEP ALL NIGHT’. For those with poor gut health, they also love discovering that our gut is also on a 24 hour night/day rhythm, so as they learn to sleep all night, their gut health starts to improve too.What women on the MyMT programmes discover, [as I did myself], is how to turn around their Circadian Rhythms to match their changing hormonal levels during menopause. The term ‘Circadian’ means “about a day.” This internal clock, which gradually becomes established during the first months of life, controls the daily ups and downs of biological patterns, including body temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones. Circadian rhythms make people’s desire for sleep strongest between midnight and dawn, and to a lesser extent in mid-afternoon. Our changing menopause hormones cause disruption to our normal circadian rhythms, so as we transition into or through menopause, then it’s really important to restore this biological rhythm and make adjustments to get us back sleeping all night. Whilst a lot of information about sleep has emerged recently, much of this is not focused on mid-life women specifically nor on the specific gut hormones that also become affected in menopause. If we don’t turn around our sleep in mid-life, then I'm always telling women, that this will then become their 'new normal', because over time, our brain and body start to read this 3am ‘awake’ period as routine. When this happens, your other hormones start to adjust and you accumulate more fatigue, muscle soreness, headaches, weight gain and more.  Your immune health suffers and you keep stacking on the belly-fat - despite all the exercise you are doing or any new diet that you are on. That's because your Circadian Rhythm affects nearly every organ in your body.Whilst 2020 has certainly emerged as a year of challenges for all of us with the pandemic and I know that many of you are experiencing extraordinary changes in your life, I hope that you might be able to join me. Whilst the Covid-19 special pricing of NZ$199 has ended now, I still want to support you, so there is still a NZ$50 SAVING on the programme pricing. This makes is NZ$349 [AUS $235 and UK£130]. Please use the promo code MyMT2020 when you select the programme that best suits you. Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD] Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder & Coach. Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. References:Carr, M. (2003). The Emergence of the Metabolic Syndrome with Menopause. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 88(6):2404–2411Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.Harvard Health Report (2017). Improving Sleep. Harvard Health PublicationGeddes, L. (2019). Chasing the Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds. London: Profile Books.Nyberg, S., Singh-Manoux, A., Pentii, J. et al. (2020). Association of healthy lifestyle with years lived without major chronic diseases. JAMA Inernal Medicine Online. Reinke H. & Asher G. (2017). Circadian clock control of liver metabolic functions. Gastroenterology, 150: 574–580.Rizzi, M. et al. (2016). Sleep Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.  Journal of Pain Relief, 5:2, 1-5Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. Int. Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.Woods, N. et al. (2009). Cortisol Levels during the Menopausal Transition and Early Postmenopause: Observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16(4): 708–718.www.mymenopausetransformation.com

### New Research: The science of 'Happiness' and why you don't feel so happy during menopause.

Two years ago in early October, I travelled to beautiful Sydney to attend a 'Happiness' conference. It was my first time attending this type of conference. But when the day starts with an interview with the Dalai Lama about believing in yourself and ends with a presentation on the neuro-science of happiness, then you know that you are at the right conference when you have a coaching programme that only focuses on women in mid-life. I've followed the 'Happiness' literature ever since. Steph, who lost her husband and bought up three teenagers on her own, had good reason not to feel very happy. But what she didn't understand that the stress of her circumstances was a perfect-storm for the changes in her mood and happy-hormones, as she went into peri-menopause. Steph shares her incredible story HERE. So, are you happy? If you aren't, then please don't beat yourself up about it. As you go into peri-menopause and menopause, just as they did in puberty, our changing mood and motivation hormones cause a bit of chaos with our happiness index. It's why, when we understand that our menopause transition is a vulnerable time for levels of serotonin and dopamine (our mood hormones), we can put into place strategies that help us to build levels of serotonin naturally. Research shows that fluctuations in oestrogen levels over the lifespan and during ovarian cycles cause predictable changes in serotonin systems in female mammals. Oestrogen and serotonin are inter-related. No kidding! I just wish I'd had this information in my teenage years too. Our changing levels of oestrogen concentrations in menopause are associated with changes that aren't just ovarian related. I explain this in my online Masterclass on Menopause. Other changes are occurring around our body too. There are physiological changes affecting the central nervous system (CNS), skeletal, vascular, and immune systems (Rybaczyk, Bashaw et al. 2005). It's no wonder that we can feel a little bit unhappy as we transition into and through menopause when oestrogen receptors and serotonin receptors coexist in cells in such a wide variety of tissues.As Rabaczyk et al. (2005) state, "Serotonin is usually considered to be a  neurotransmitter (nerve-signal transmitter), but surprisingly, only 1% of serotonin in the human body is found in the Central Nervous System. The remaining 99% is found in other tissues, primarily plasma, the gastro-intestinal tract, and immune tissues, where serotonin acts as a hormone and regulates various physiological functions including vasodilation (blood vessel dilation, blood-clotting, recruitment of immune cells, gastro-intestinal motility and initiation of uterine contraction." [p. 2]. It's little wonder when oestrogen levels drop, that serotonin follows right behind and our symptoms are so diverse. For example, one of the roles of the serotonin-oestrogen co-existence is to relax smooth muscles in our vascular system (blood vessels), hence, when these hormones decline in menopause, there is an increase in vascular stiffness, which I've talked about in other articles to do with our changing cardiac health as we age. This is one of the main reasons that some of you ladies who are doing lots of exercise, may be accumulating more inflammation that you would normally, which in turn results in worsening sleep, depression and of course, reduced recovery time. The loss of oestrogen in our menopause transition results in decreased density of certain receptors (5HT2a) that not only help to bind serotonin, but also help to regulate calcium uptake into cells. If some of you are experiencing bloating, fluid retention or muscular cramps, then your calcium balance may be an issue too. Again, many of you who are exercising may not understand that calcium is a known mineral required for your muscles to contract. You need around 1200mg a day, every day. Managing your calcium intake is just one way to help your body adjust to the decline in oestrogen and serotonin production during menopause. The science of happiness has become a boom-industry and you only need to go to the self-help section of your local bookstore to see what I mean. But much of this advice, although well-meaning, isn't framed in the context of our menopause transition. As such, our age and stage with our specific hormonal changes get left out of the stories. That's why scientific studies that make the connection with our changing brain hormones during menopause are important to me. Many of these studies point to specific ways of thinking and acting that can strongly impact our sense of happiness and peace of mind as we arrive in mid-life. But hope, not frustration is the key to improvement so, with many of you being placed on anti-depressants as you arrive in mid-life, I also want to share three of the lifestyle-change strategies  that I include in the MyMT™ programmes with you too.  Help your body to make serotonin by having some tryptophan-rich foods in your daily diet. Research suggests between 3.5-6.0 mg/Kg of tryptophan daily. Some common sources of tryptophan are oats, bananas, dried prunes, milk, tuna fish, cheese, bread, chicken, turkey, peanuts, and chocolate. If you prefer vegetarian sources, then these include seaweed derivatives, spinach, broccoli and other greens. The principal role of tryptophan in the human body is as a constituent of protein synthesis, so beans and starch foods such as beets (beetroot), turnips and sweet potatoes are a great source of tryptophan as well.2. Turn around your GUT health if you want to absorb tryptophan. It is estimated that 95% of mammalian serotonin is found within the gastrointestinal tract and only 3% of dietary tryptophan is used for serotonin synthesis throughout the body. With gut health changing as we move through menopause, it's no surprise that sorting out gut health is one of the first steps to improving your mood and  motivation (along with sleeping all night of course). Serotonin synthesis is one of the most important tryptophan pathways and tryptophan is absorbed through your GI tract. If your gut health isn't so great, then please look at my stand-alone module called 'Restore Your Grateful Gut' when you get time.  3. Get moving, but don't over-exercise. If there was one 'medication' I would get you all to take for menopause, it would be getting you exercising regularly. I know some of  you already do this, but many of you may be too sore (you may need my 'Restore your Joyful Joints module), too tired or don't have time to exercise. But there's another obvious reason too - your serotonin and dopamine levels are also low as you lose oestrogen. These are the hormones that control motivation. Hence, you need to find ways to motivate yourself to do some exercise - use prompts or cues, find a friend to walk with, or buy a bike. If you can't exercise, because of sore joints, then this is your priority to sort out first. Regular exercise has been associated with improved mental well-being and a lower incidence of depression in numerous studies, including in mid-life women. But many women are doing too much high-intensity exercise as advertised through the fitness industry and not doing low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise. This is well evidenced as the best form of exercise for women transitioning through menopause because it helps to alleviate the vascular stiffness that lowering oestrogen and serotonin lead to in our blood vessels as well as help to reduce hot flushes. 4. As I mention in the next article - Find your 'flow'. If we are deeply involved in trying to reach a goal, or an activity that is challenging but well suited to our skills, we experience a joyful state called "flow." Many kinds of activities, such as sports, playing an instrument, reading, studying or knitting, can produce the experience of flow.  I talk about this in the next article here in my newsletter. According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a pioneer of the scientific study of sports psychology and how to find happiness in our everyday life,  'flow' is a type of intrinsic (internal) motivation. In his words, “The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1990, p. 3)Happiness is a construct that we all have some control over. And yes, I know that it is also a chemical imbalance when it comes to our menopause transition and many of you benefit from the anti-depressants you are prescribed at this stage of life. However, through understanding that menopause (just like puberty, pregnancy and the 6 weeks post-natal) is a particularly vulnerable time of our lives for changing mood-states, we can also put some evidenced lifestyle-change strategies into action to help prevent serotonin levels crashing.Everything you do from thinking and feeling to taking a walk, is influenced by neurons (nerve cells) in the brain. You have billions of neurons and in order to communicate, neurons depend on neuro-transmitters. These are the chemicals in the brain called serotonin, dopamine and others such as nor-adrenaline (nor-epinephrine). Because these chemicals do more than communicate and have such a powerful effect on mood, then it makes sense that during menopause we have to change our lifestyle to accommodate these changes. That's why I designed the 12 week MyMT™ programmes specifically for women in their menopause transition. Too many other programmes are not meant for 'us' at this life stage. When you have time, please have a listen to the video below, or share it with a friend. What I have to say just might resonate with you too. Wendy Sweet (PhD), Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUOamB53mYcReferences:Richard, D., Dawes, M., Mathias, C., Acheson, A., Hill-Kapturczak, N., & Dougherty, D. (2009). L-Tryptophan: Basic Metabolic Functions, Behavioral Research and Therapeutic Indications. International journal of tryptophan research : IJTR, 2, 45–60. https://doi.org/10.4137/ijtr.s2129Tanaka H., Dinenno F., Monahan K., Clevenger C., DeSouza C., Seals D. (2000). Aging, habitual exercise, and dynamic arterial compliance. Circulation. 12, 102(11):1270-5. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.102.11.1270. PMID: 10982542.Tanaka, H. (2019). Antiaging Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Systemic Arteries. Hypertension. 74:237–243 Villaverde G., Torres L., Ábalos, G., Argente del Castillo M., Guisado I., Guisado B., Ramírez R. (2012). Influence of exercise on mood in postmenopausal women. J. Clin Nursing, 21(7-8):923-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03972.x. PMID: 22409782.

### Find your 'flow' and reduce multi-tasking to manage your anxiety levels in menopause.

There's a small book sitting on my bookshelf that I treasure. Given to me by my retiring PhD Supervisor when he was cleaning out his office, it reminds me of my sport psychology lectures when I attended Otago University's Faculty of Physical Education, in the 1990's. As a naive adult student re-training and moving on from my original career as a nurse, I had never heard of Professor Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi and his pioneering work in sports psychology and the concept of 'flow' and the relationship of this state to our anxiety levels and happiness, both at work and in the home.   Nor did I know about the Mindfulness research from Dr Craig Hassem, and what he has to say about 'multi-tasking'. As a generation of women who know all about multi-tasking, I'm excited to share this with you. 
"The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile." ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1990, p. 3)

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discovered that people find genuine satisfaction during a state of consciousness called Flow. When they 'find-flow' they are generally happier. Athletes know all about this state which is generally described as being 'in the zone'. In this state they are completely absorbed in an activity, especially an activity which involves their creative or their performance abilities. During this "optimal experience" they feel "strong, alert, in effortless control, unselfconscious, and at the peak of their abilities." Csikszentmihalyi insists that happiness does not simply happen - it's a habit that is learned and like any activity that we want to become good at, must be practiced ... daily.
Feeling 'happy' or 'in flow' must be prepared for and cultivated by each person. This is achieved by not only setting challenges that are neither too demanding nor too simple for ones abilities, but also concentrating on the task at hand and therefore, removing 'multi-tasking'. 
Finding 'flow' helps us to reduce our anxiety. It also helps us to manage the brain's changing hormonal balance as we move through menopause. With the changes to our reproductive hormones, there are also changes to our mood and motivation hormones leaving many of us feeling ... well ... unhappy. It's no surprise that women in mid-life are one of the highest groups to be prescribed anti-depressants. 
There are a couple of factors that affect our 'happiness hormones' as we age - firstly, there are changes to our serotonin and dopamine levels as we lose oestrogen. As those of you who are on anti-depressants already know, declining serotonin can send your moods on a downward spiral. 

Secondly, our nervous system is changing as it ages too. As we lose the role of oestrogen on the outer sheath of the nerves, this makes them more 'irritable' and the more multi-tasking we do, the more our nerves have to fire-up to send signals to muscles. But the faster pace of these signals depend on oestrogen. As such, we find that we can get muddled and our heart rate and blood pressure increases in response to the pace of the nervous system, so we feel more anxious as well.

I was reminded of this with my virtual conference back in April this year. Not able to fly to beautiful Melbourne (which is still in lockdown), I was sitting at my kitchen table instead. I did get the washing folded and dinner prepared whilst I listened. But I stopped the multi-tasking when Mindfulness researcher Dr Craig Hassed began talking. I sat down and concentrated on his wisdom instead. As a Mindfulness researcher and senior lecturer at Monash University in Australia, his research and words took me by surprise:
"The greater the level of mind-wandering, the greater the level of telomere shortening." 

I know from my women's healthy ageing research, that shortened telomere length (the hard-caps on our DNA) are associated with worsening inflammation and numerous diseases of older-age. The faster these precious little hard-caps shorten, the more wrinkles we get, the more inflamed we feel and for those of you navigating menopause, your symptoms become worse as well. Thank you for the reminder Dr Hassed. Because as mid-life women with a lot going on in our lives, we all have busy-brains that wander a lot as we try and fit everything that we have got going on, into our day. I'm talking from experience here.  

Dr Hassed's presentation on 'Why Mindfulness Matters' was fascinating and as he spoke, I was reminded of the strategies that Professor Csikszentmihalyi wrote about back in the 1990's, about 'Finding Flow'. I now talk about these strategies in the MyMT programmes for the women who have a lot going on in their lives. When we are multi-tasking, we aren't absorbed in the concept of flow nor are we being 'mindful' and 'present' in what we are doing at the time - both at work and in the home. 
Practicing mindfulness, reducing distractions and finding flow are important for a number of reasons. "Ancient approaches to health have been, in essence, holistic", mentioned Dr Hassed. Well-being, illness and healing were strongly connected to the mind, society, morality, spirituality and ecology. In the past, no part of our life and experience could be walled off from any other. In the 19th and 20th centuries, however, as societies changed and became more focused on industry and material belongings, this holistic view has been lost. 
Learning that I had to stop rushing around and having so much on my plate as I moved through menopause was a complete revelation to me at a time when my symptoms were over-whelming me. For an active, on-the-go mother juggling parenting, studying, a university career and at the time, caring for my elderly mother when I could, slowing down my mind and body in a purposeful way without my mind wandering and without multitasking was difficult to do. Finding 'flow' was even more difficult. My mind always had a lot going through it. 

Having had that experience myself, it's why in both of the 12 week MyMT™ programmes, I've developed a module called 'Mind Your Mindfulness'. In this I give women the background on their stress, health and anxiety and why, every now and again, we need to practice mindfulness and 'find flow' by blocking out all the extraneous 'noise' in our lives and focus on the task at hand. If we can build up to doing this every day, then the results are amazing - especially for those of you who have work, family, ageing parents to care for and you are trying to fit in exercise and everything else as well. It's tough.  
This module takes women on a journey through the evidenced mind-body psychological strategies that not only help their hormones to stay balanced, but also improves their health and their happiness. Somewhere along the way over the past decades many  of us lose sight of 'who we are'. Our body shape has changed, our health has changed, our stress levels have increased and our view of how we want to live our life may have changed too. As our mood hormone, serotonin, lowers due to changes in oestrogen, it's a time when menopause melancholy can overtake and overwhelm us. It's hard to stay motivated some days, but as my favourite behavioural psychologist the father of sports psychology, Professor Mihalyi Cszikszentmihalyi says, 
"The first step in any transformation is to gain a clear understanding of one's self - the image you develop about who you are is set in your consciousness. If you want to change your sense of self, then at first, you must come to know yourself. Once we realise what our demons are, we can set a path towards achieving change."  

How Mindfulness Helps with Stress and your Weight Management
Many of the fabulous women who join me on the MyMT™ programmes feel stressed and emotionally drained - no surprises there when you can't sleep all night. Busy with parenting, careers and caring for others and busy trying to keep the wheels from falling off in the home, it's tough. But many are exhausted because they arrive in menopause and not sleeping night after night wears them down. As Melbourne SwimWorld Manager, Anna said, "I was so exhausted, but we women just have to keep on going don't we?"  I felt the same as well. Life becomes an enormous struggle and for many, when the weight starts to creep on, we try to exercise harder as well. 
Practicing mindfulness can help you reduce your stress because you learn to develop an awareness of what is going on in your everyday world.
Nestled in Buddhism, mindfulness is an ancient practice that allows you to 'be in the moment'. In this context you begin to become aware of the thoughts that trigger your thoughts, the emotions that can turn into conflict, irritability or frustration, the physical signs that your body isn't coping (not sleeping, more hot flushes and sore joints) and the subsequent behaviours that arise from the stress  you are feeling.
Mindfulness strategies help to control your nervous system. 
For so many women with busy, active lives there are hundreds of thoughts going through our brain every day. These thoughts can be positive and negative – this means that the nervous system which sends messages around your body stays active all day long and into the evening too. If we are struggling with stress and having negative thoughts, then the part of the nervous system that dominates, is the Sympathetic Nervous System. This controls your 'fight or flight' responses.
Every time you are thinking, moving, and/or exercising, your body has fired up the part of your nervous system called the Sympathetic Nervous System. This is the system that controls thoughts and actions. It’s our stress-response system, our fight or flight response system. But here's the thing - our stress-responses weren't designed to stay activated all day long and into the evening. When this happens, it throws out the balance of your lovely, relaxation, calming nervous system – the Para-Sympathetic Nervous System.

When the Sympathetic Nervous System dominates your internal environment, this throws out the balance between the two nervous systems  – and this leads to increased stress, anxiety, heart palpitations, irritability, weight gain and a liver, gallbladder and gut that can’t digest food very well. Over time, your sympathetic nervous system becomes the dominant 'go-to' system. Many of you feel 'wired' all the time. This is why. 
When your sympathetic nervous system dominates, your food isn't being digested well either. Wrong choices with food occur and many of you may then feel grumpy, irritable, bloated and get easily frustrated. Yes, I felt all those things too. I had no idea that my sympathetic nervous system was dominating and therefore, contributing to weight gain, sore joints, increased anxiety, palpitations, mood swings and worsening inflammation. As inflammation increases in muscles and joints, so too do injuries occur more frequently. Lucinda, from Australia, was the same and her story is HERE. 

As we move through menopause and lose oestrogen, our nerves change in structure and function. With our nerves relying on oestrogen to help to send signals along the nerve axon or pathway, when oestrogen levels decline, there are changes to the nerve walls. Our blood vessels rely on oestrogen too. Oestrogen helps the elasticity of our blood vessels. Both these systems are intricately connected and as we move through menopause and we lose the role of oestrogen, the changes on these two systems alone can affect the quality of life for many women. We can feel more anxious, more wired and tired and we can feel hopeless, un-motivated and more easily over-whelmed. For women who have coped all their lives, these feelings can be challenging.
This is why, many of us need to re-balance up the competing nervous systems and make time in our day to dampen down the dominant sympathetic system and allow our calming para-sympathetic nervous system to dominate as well. How we achieve this is to find time alone to practice some mindfulness strategies and try to 'find-flow' in the activities we are engaged in. Getting rid of distractions is important. 
How do we become more 'mindful'?
Mindfulness starts with self-awareness. So, the first thing to begin to practice, is to pay close attention to what you do every day. then begin to notice how you feel in different activities, places, times of day and with different people. When you reflect on how you feel in different circumstances, then this helps you to identify when and why you feel a bit stressed and when to activate your calming para-sympathetic nervous system. Self-awareness is the start of change and it takes practice to become more conscious of this aspect of our lives. 

When you become more self-aware, only then can you start to experiment with different alternatives for changing aspects of your daily life, that no longer work for you, e.g. eating at different times, getting up earlier or going to bed earlier, having some ‘alone time’, practising mindfulness strategies such as paying attention to your breathing and movement.
You can practice your mindfulness anywhere at any time. Mindfulness isn't just about visiting a yoga class or pilates studio. To me mindfulness is what you practice in your every-day activities so you become more mindful. It helps you to slow down, switch off and become 'present'. It helps you to 'find flow'. 
Once you understand when you feel most anxious or stressed, then you can begin to add mindfulness strategies into your day. I like mindful walking,  mindful swimming and mindful breathing and I encourage women to find time to do these activities when they can. 

Mindfulness strategies help you to slow down - mentally and physically. In Asian meditative traditions mindfulness practices help to release what is termed “monkey mind.” This is the distracted thinking whereby it’s too easy to focus on past, or future events or things that are irking us as we go about our day to day lives. 
I like that. 
I can't wait for you to join me on the programmes if you can. 2020 is turning out to be an incredibly challenging year for everyone let-alone having to cope with menopause symptoms too. The programmes are ON SALE with NZ$50 off until the end of October. Please use the promo code JOIN MYMT to access your savings when purchasing and yes, monthly payments are available too. 

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Registered Exercise Specialist/ Member: Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

### “I don't need as much thyroxine now I've lost 5 kg.  I'm finally feeling great - no more afternoon sleeps and heaps of energy."   [Danni, NZ]

When your office window at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, has a view of the Sky Tower, it serves to keep you motivated to reach for the sky in all that you want to achieve in your life. But when mid-life health problems curtail your energy and you can hardly get through your day without stopping to have an afternoon nap, and you struggle to find the energy to support the hundreds of students who rely on you each day, it’s tough. However, this wasn’t the only concern for Danni – it was not having the  energy to compete in her dressage events with her beautiful horses. 


“All I knew was that I didn’t want this to be ‘my lot’ for the rest of my life.
"I had been struggling by myself to try and manage my health after developing Graves disease, a congenital hyper-active thyroid condition that started to occur in my menopause years. This was triggering a heart condition that threw me into atrial fibrillation intermittently, and put me at high risk of potentially suffering a stroke. But like most working mothers I just put my head down and kept going, hoping it would all resolve itself. My afternoons became a drag and I relied on sugary foods and cat naps to get through most days. Night after night I wasn’t sleeping and then trying to get through my own studies, I was up at all hours of the night at the computer. I had no idea how much this was impacting on my health and making my thyroid function even worse, until I wound up in hospital and had to take three months off work and put my PhD on hold. After radio-active therapy I was plunged into hypo-thyroidism and started stacking on weight I simply couldn’t shift. All I knew was that I didn’t want this to be ‘my lot’ for the rest of my life. I began to get concerned about how healthy I might be as I got older – what a drag I was becoming on my family and whether I would still be able to ride my beautiful horses.”

DanniNew Zealand

Graves‘ disease, also known as toxic diffuse goiter, is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. 

It frequently results in and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It also often results in an enlarged thyroid. The exact cause of many autoimmune thyroid disorders, such as Graves Disease which Danni had been diagnosed with, is unclear, but research supports that a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved. Whilst Graves Disease requires specific medical management, I knew that menopause insomnia, low energy and weight gain would also be impacting on her thyroid health as well. The double-whammy of Graves Disease and menopause was a ticking time bomb for her long-term health if she didn’t start sleeping properly.
[Graves Disease, Mayo Clinic Image]
That’s why I was so pleased that Danni came into the MyMT Transform Me weight loss programme. Her first module/ webinar that she listened to was simply called ‘Sleep All Night’. As I explain in this powerful module, when we don’t sleep, our immune system doesn’t restore our health overnight and this alone can lead to all sorts of health changes as we age. For women, menopause-related insomnia, can lead to fibromyalgia, thyroid problems, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.



In this first module on  both of my programmes, women discover how to restore their circadian rhythm specific to their menopause transition. How excited was I for Danni, when her email arrived in my in-box after listening to this powerful module.



“OK! Just been listening to the sleep tutorial and it is AMAZING! Can’t believe I have got it so wrong for so long … I’ve always needed a mid-afternoon nap because I’ve been awake in the night and so tired during my day.”

Danni is a university educator who is not only teaching, but also completing her doctoral studies. She’s a busy woman and I knew she would love the progressive steps of the MyMT™ programme as other women do too, which allows women to listen to each module when it suits them to. Every module arrives in their member area every fortnight from joining up. Over the 12 weeks, there are 7 modules to listen to (40 minutes each) as well as my private coaching information which I share via the MyMT™ Coaching Community pages on Facebook.



I’ve designed the programme this way so that busy women like Danni, have time to listen to each webinar and think about how they can make the lifestyle changes that will allow their body to adjust to their hormonal changes in menopause. I was delighted as Danni’s emails kept coming over the 12 week course.
“BTW lost 2 kg already and nearly sleeping through the night, walking every morning and swapped my diet around so protein and carbs earlier as per your nutrition planning. So happy.”

Danni
"When I heard about Wendy’s programme the light bulbs went on for me as I realised how much more I could learn about the body I thought I knew. And to be honest, it was pretty straightforward once I followed the weekly goals and stuck to them. I even coped with the challenges of liver-cleansing while cooking for our extended Irish family over the Christmas festive season!  

My Doctor is much happier with my thyroid and heart health, I’ve lost 5 kg and I’m feeling great – no more afternoon sleeps, heaps of energy and I feel in control of my life again. I’m full steam ahead with completing my doctorate. And I have the energy to do what I love to do, which is to go skiing with my husband and three adult sons, and spend time riding my beautiful horses, Kirby and Harley. I’ve even taken the plunge and bred a foal which is due to be born in October, as I plan to continue horse-riding into my 60s and beyond. I can’t thank MyMT enough. Truly life-changing.”



I’m so pleased that a casual conversation about menopause and the MyMT™ Transform Me programme led to Danni coming on board with me. As so many women discover as they arrive in their menopause transition, it’s tough to not be entirely on your game with your health and seeing your usual-vibrant-self, succumb to rock-bottom energy levels and symptoms that are getting you down. It’s because of women like Danni, who do so much to help others, that I created the My Menopause Transformation programmes. When you are ready, I hope you can join me too. Women call the programmes ‘life-changing’ and I know you will too. Savings of NZ$50 when you use the promo code JOIN MYMT.

Wendy Sweet [PhD] / Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUOamB53mYc

### Fight your fatigue in menopause from the 'inside-out' by looking after these powerful cells.

Over the past couple of years I've had the privilege of talking to hundreds of women throughout New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom when I've taken my live Masterclass on Menopause seminar. [I've now put this online for you]. I often ask them if they feel like their energy levels have dropped since they went into menopause. I'm not surprised when a lot of hands go up in the room but there's a lot of surprise on their faces as they look around and see that they aren't alone. Why do we feel so exhausted when we reach mid-life?This is the question I asked myself, when my usual high energy levels left me, and every day I would wake up feeling exhausted. We all know that when we feel like this, it's hard to get through our day. Energy is not an inexhaustible resource. Every day it needs to be topped up and overnight our energy levels need to be renewed. This occurs in our mighty mitochondria - the organelles in every cell in your body, which is where your energy molecule, Adenine Triphosphate (ATP) is produced from the breakdown of fats and glucose, in the presence of oxygen which is stored in your mitochondria. But there’s a couple of problems.Firstly, they rely on oestrogen for optimal function and secondly, they change in size and density as we move through menopause. This means as maternally-inherited cells, not only can you thank your mum for all those beautiful cells that help your energy, but as we age, we need to give these powerful cells a bit of a hand to produce more energy to help us get through all that we have to do in our day. There are incredible changes to many of our organs, including our muscles and mitochondrial cells as we move through menopause.  Your mitochondria are commonly known as the power-house of your cells. This is because energy in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is made in the presence of the oxygen that is stored within the mitochondria. During our menopause transition however, the mitochondria can become less efficient. You see, thanks to your mother, these cells depend on the role of oestrogen and because we are losing oestrogen in menopause, energy production in the mitochondria is reduced. Therefore, it's no surprise that many of us find that our energy levels plummet and our mighty mitochondria aren't so mighty afterall when we arrive in this stage of life.  For so many of us, fatigue accumulates, our muscles ache and we find we can't do everything that we want to get done in our day. If you are a regular exerciser, you might be wondering why your heart rate is higher than normal and your recovery is slower than usual too.  That's why some of you might need to help your mitochondrial cells become mighty again. You achieve this not only through restoring your sleep, but looking at the food and exercise choices you make during your week. When my own fatigue was frustrating me in peri-menopause, I didn't realise that the decline of oestrogen was affecting my lovely mitochondrial cells deep in my muscles - including my cardiac muscle. Oestrogens affect mitochondria through multiple processes, not only in the membrane of the mitochondria, but also within it too. The effects of oestrogens on mitochondria help them to uptake oxygen and store it, as well as assisting with calcium turnover and protein use in the body. With our energy supply and cell survival dependent on the mitochondrial life cycle, as we move through menopause and beyond, it's more important than ever to improve the function, dynamics and the number of our mitochondria as we age.  I have loads of tips for turning around energy levels in my 12 week programmes, but one of the things that I suggest to women, is to choose exercise that helps the mitochondrial cells to multiply and enlarge. With larger mitochondrial cells and more of them, oxygen storage is enhanced too. The consequence of this is that, the more oxygen you store in mitochondrial cells, the more fats you burn for weight loss and the more energy you have to get through your day. If you were to look at all the exercise marketing from the fitness industry today, you would see so much consumer choice.  This is fabulous obviously, but sometimes, these choices get a bit lost in translation, especially when it comes to the right exercise that helps us in menopause. There's still a lot of emphasis on body-toning, strength and conditioning (bodyweight or weights) and of course, high intensity exercise. There's also a lot of yoga and pilates being promoted too. Whilst ALL of these forms of activity are important in one way or another, one of the main missing ingredients for women who are moving through menopause, is doing the type of exercise that increases mitochondrial size, number and function. The type of exercise that achieves this is 'aerobic' exercise and around 1-2 sessions of  muscle strengthening activities a week. Every day we use up millions of ATP-Energy molecules which are made by our mitochondria. This depends on how active we are, how stressed we feel, our background of muscle inflammation from participation in too much exercise or through a heavy, physical job over the years. When we use up ATP, it needs to be regenerated again in our mitochondria. It makes sense that as we age, the more mitochondrial cells we have, the more energy we have. And the more energy we have, the healthier we feel. The other reason I want you thinking about aerobic exercise (the type that can be sustained for up to 60 minutes or longer), is because of your precious heart. We tend to forget that our heart is a muscle and it is ageing too. But most importantly, this powerful pump contains lots of mitochondrial cells, which need oxygen turn-over.  Energy consumption is extremely high in the heart where mitochondria provide more than 90% of the energy needed for contraction and cell pumps. It's why those of you who are participating in lots of higher-intensity exercise, or you have a physically demanding job, must find the time to put your feet up and REST! Your heart needs to recover. Conversely, those of you who have lots of rest and a sedentary job, need to do some cardio-vascular exercise, to stimulate your heart muscle to turn-over mitochondrial cells and make them larger for storing more oxygen. This is why, for women who join me on my programmes, I'm always trying to challenge them on their exercise type and intensity - many are doing too much, but as they haven't sorted out their other health issues first, including sleep, it's best to cut-back on exercise.  Some of you may be doing too much heavy activity and not recovering well and therefore, feeling burnt out. I include your physical job in this, not just your exercise. But others of you might not be doing enough exercise to turn over mitochondrial cells and increase the storage of oxygen in them. When we boost our oxygen storage then we have more energy in the form of ATP to supply to organs and our brain. That's why the foundation of exercise for health is AEROBIC exercise. It's the 'forgotten factor' in the exercise conundrum. There has been so much emphasis on different forms of exercise available to us, from Pump classes to SPIN classes to YOGA, PILATES and even PRIMAL FLOW (move like the animal that you are), but our loss of oestrogen means that we need aerobic exercise too. This is our STARTING POINT for improving our health and fitness as we age. To stimulate more mitochondrial cells and improve their oxygen storage capacity, we need to firstly, improve our aerobic fitness (this takes around 4-6 weeks) and then secondly, add on some higher intensity activity, when we feel ready. This is a little bit of harder exercise and I talk about this in the Rebuild My Fitness programme, which many women come into once they have completed either the symptom-reduction programme or the weight loss programme.  Even if time is your enemy during the week, then can you make time to do a longer aerobic endurance cardio workout over the weekend? You can walk, swim, cycle, dance, row, hike .... whatever takes your fancy. But what you have to do is get your heart rate up to a moderate level, regulate your breathing and keep going!  As we improve our aerobic fitness and help our body to make more mitochondrial cells, then we can build on this effort with a bit more intensity further down the road (after 4 weeks or so), and of course, after our sleep and energy levels have returned and our joints aren't hurting either (my Joint Restoration module is available for you as a stand-alone module too). Exercise is a wonderful anti-ageing medicine for all of us, but sometimes when there is too much or too little, we need to reflect on why this is and make the changes that will help us feel better with age. When it comes to energy production, the beautiful mitochondrial cells that are housed in our muscles, matter.  Skeletal muscle accounts for approximately 40% of total body mass, and it plays an indispensable role in our movement, metabolism and even our immunity. It's easy to slip into more health problems when our energy levels are at rock-bottom. For many women, this means auto-immune concerns such as frequent colds and flu, or even fibromyalgia. It's why I also say that when women aren't sleeping and experiencing more joint pain and muscle soreness in mid-life, they need to back off the higher-intensity exercise, until they have turned around their symptoms in menopause. We need to be careful about the type and amount of exercise we do at a time when our hormones are changing. Women's physical activity participation research in Australia, New Zealand, America and the United Kingdom, consistently reports that women in their 50's are the highest cohort to drop out of activity. [The other highest cohort is girls going through puberty - so go figure that one ... hormonal changes anyone?!]. As the first generation of women to come into menopause in the context of the modern fitness industry, there are also many women who have arrived in menopause who may well be doing too much exercise and subsequently their mitochondrial cells aren't coping. This happened to me and I'm wondering if this is your experience too? I know that this is the same for lots of women in the MyMT™ programme who have been regular exercisers for decades. But here's the thing. Whether you are doing too much or too little exercise in mid-life, both these ends of the spectrum have a powerful effect on your energy levels and can leave you feeling more exhausted than usual. With everything else going on in our lives, it's not long before we feel stressed and burnt out. If you are feeling exhausted then you need to love your beautiful mitochondria.Without properly functioning mitochondria, we lose life-giving energy and our body struggles to maintain optimal levels of health. And as we transition through menopause our mitochondria are ageing too.Restoring our energy requires learning how to look after ourselves differently in our mid-life years. Our hormonal environment is changing and we need to reduce the inflammation in our liver, heart, muscles and mitochondria that is tipping us over into more exhaustion. If we don't do this, then we can't live the life that we want to. We feel too exhausted! The good news is that we can turn around our mitochondrial health and therefore, our energy levels as we go through menopause. Thousands of women who join me on the MyMT™ programmes now understand this too. In the symptom reduction programme called MyMT Circuit Breaker programme or the MyMT Transform Me weight loss programme, (and I have the Rebuild My Fitness online exercise programme too), I help women have a re-focus on renewing their mitochondrial health which includes learning to sleep all night, restore liver health, reduce hot flushes (heat damages our mitochondria too) and change our nurition to better match our nutrient needs for menopause. All this has been researched through my women's healthy ageing studies.When I discovered through my studies, the power of turning around mitochondrial health for improved health and energy as we age, I made so many changes to my day-to-day lifestyle, that made such a difference to my overall health - this included changing the type and timing of food to better support energy requirements (Carbohydrates give us energy), changing up the type and amount of exercise I was doing and of course, sleeping all night and managing stress. I love this photo of Heather - she used to feel so tired and now feels like she has her life and energy levels backWendy.References: Bennett, S. (2016). Mighty Mito: Power up your mitochondria for boundless energy.Sinatra, S. (2011). The Sinatra Solution. California: Basic Health PublicationsTarp, J. Stole, A. et al. (2019). Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and risk of Type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia Online, pp. 1-14.Wilmore, J., Costill, D. & Kenny, L. (2008). Physiology of sport and exercise. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publ.

### The Curious Connection Between Menopause And Leg Pain

"I have an idea for your newsletter" mentioned Lesley. "I keep waking up to muscle cramps and I have no idea why. My daughter gets them too." 



This is Lesley in the photo above. She's a runner and recently completed the MyMT™ Transform Me programme. It's been such a privilege to get her back into running and helping her to feel better. Her story is HERE. 

Night leg cramps, also called nocturnal leg cramps, are painful, involuntary contractions or spasms of muscles in your legs, usually occurring when you're in bed. I think most of us have felt the spasms that hit us as we are just getting off to sleep, or for me, rolling over in bed. Many a night I would get out of bed and stand on the cold bathroom floor and stretch out my hamstrings. Whilst night leg cramps usually involve your calf muscles, other muscles in your feet or thighs might cramp as well. Forcefully stretching the contracted muscle relieves the pain but the most important thing is to have a focus on the nutrients that we need as we move through menopause.

I've taught students about muscle cramps for years. They are a topic of interest for numerous sport and exercise science students. When I began to experience muscle cramps myself, I was quite surprised, because I certainly wasn't doing the exercise that I used to which is often associated with muscle cramps and spasms. But as I looked into the cause of them as one of the numerous symptoms of menopause (as is restless leg syndrome), I also began to understand that low oestrogen affects how our muscles contract - and this in turn affects muscle cramps, especially at night.

Cramps occur when a muscle is not able to relax properly (such as from a deficiency of magnesium or potassium in your diet) or for those of you who are regular exercisers, the muscles can also become irritated by a buildup of lactic acid (which can happen if you don't rest your muscles after exercising). On top of this, dehydration can worsen both of these problems. 

For those of you who have been following me for a while and reading my weekly newsletter, you will be familiar with my articles about our ageing blood vessels and how these change as we lose oestrogen. Our blood vessels lose some of their elasticity as we move through menopause and therefore, become 'stiffer'. It's known as 'arterial stiffness' and is a known contributor to cardiovascular disease as we get older. As such, this arterial stiffness which causes reduced blood flow to the muscles, can also cause cramps at night. The narrowing of the arteries to your legs caused by the loss of elasticity as well as increased inflammation for those of you doing a lot of physical exercise, or if you are on your feet every day, can contribute to your nocturnal cramps (and may well be contributing to your hot flushes and night sweats too).



However, there may well be other reasons for your leg cramps as well. You may also be deficient in certain nutrients in your diet, especially calcium, magnesium and of course, Vitamin D. 

To mitigate the 'perfect storm' between our changing oestrogen levels and our changing muscles and blood vessels in menopause, and to reduce the risk of nocturnal cramping, we need to focus on a few nutrients in our diet. Magnesium is a nutrient I spoke about last week in my newsletter (CLICK HERE) and the other nutrients that matter are both calcium and Vitamin D. These nutrients will help you to prevent your nocturnal cramps (as will adequate hydration).

I often call calcium the 'forgotten' mineral for our muscles because so much emphasis is given to it's opposing mineral, magnesium. As well, with post-menopause bone health a topic of interest from the perspective of the high incidence of osteoporosis as women age, calcium is an important mineral for our bone health. But there's another reason calcium is important, and this is because calcium acts as a crucial nerve transmitter. It is needed for the regulation of muscle contraction. Because nocturnal cramps are an irregularity of the muscle contraction process, we musn't forget about calcium.

Calcium helps the electrical nerve signal 'jump' from the nerve ending to the muscle. This is how muscles contract. They need calcium. I've been telling sport and exercise students this for decades. As I've put up lecture slides about how muscles contract and interact with the nervous system, I always said to students, "Don't forget about the importance of calcium in your diet, and especially don't forget about Vitamin D and folate. Both these nutrients help calcium to be absorbed in the small intestine and you need calcium to help your muscles contract and for your recovery."

The reason I used to say this, is because skeletal muscle contraction needs calcium. Muscles contract when an electrical current from the nerve endings sends signals for the release of calcium from inside the part of the muscle called the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Without adequate calcium, you are going to get muscle cramps, numbness and tingling as well as dry skin and other ailments associated with menopause and post-menopause. For those of you, like Lesley, who do a lot of exercise, then you need to ensure that both magnesium and calcium intake from food (and not supplements) is adequate every day.



It makes sense that if we are regularly exercising, then we need calcium in our diet every day. In fact, we need 1200mg a day, day after day ... because our body doesn't make it or store it for long either. Life without adequate calcium from foods in our diet is impossible. And yes, if you are in post-menopause, you need it for your heart health as well as bone health too. 

Foods that supply calcium: 

Whilst dairy products contain relatively high amounts of calcium, these aren't always tolerated in the diet, especially for those of you with food allergies or lactose intolerance or who want to lose weight. Hence, I promote lots of different foods that women can add to their diet to get adequate calcium and I have comprehensve lists in the MyMT Food Guide in all of my 12 week programmes.  In many parts of the world, e.g. Okinawa, China and other Asian countries, whereby vegetarianism is a way of life, women meet their daily calcium needs, not by drinking milk, but by eating other types of foods. Three of these foods are:

 	Tofu: 100 grams of tofu has about 120mg of calcium
 	Spinach: 1 cup of cooked spinach has approx. 244mg of calcium.
 	White beans: 1 cup of cooked white beans has approx. 160mg of calcium.



Calcium as a nutrient is most ,commonly associated with the formation
and metabolism of bone but it is also an important mineral in muscle contraction and this includes both the skeletal and cardiac muscles. Calcium in the circulatory system, extracellular fluid, muscles, and other tissues is also critical for mediating blood vessel contraction and dilatation as well as enhancing nerve transmission. It's an important mineral.

When we don't get enough calcium in our diet, then calcium is 'stolen' from bone tissue, which serves as a reservoir for and source of calcium for these critical metabolic needs. Furthermore, calcium metabolism is regulated by the parathyroid hormone (PTH)–vitamin D hormonal system, so managing and checking Vitamin D status as you move through menopause is important for you to remember as well.

When our symptoms over-whelm us in menopause, it's difficult to ascertain why. But as I always say to women who join me on the online 12 week MyMT™ programmes, "it's important to understand that our body is changing and lowering oestrogen and progesterone are a normal part of menopause. What we need to know, is how to look after ourselves in a changing hormonal environment, that is the gateway to our biological ageing." 



References: 

Kuo, I. Y., & Ehrlich, B. E. (2015). Signaling in muscle contraction. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology, 7(2), a006023. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a006023

Institute of Medicine, ( 2011). Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press

Szent-Györgyi A. G. (1975). Calcium regulation of muscle contraction. Biophysical journal, 15(7), 707–723. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3495(75)85849-8

### “I was so sleep deprived and feeling down all the time. Now, my symptoms are gone!” - Rachel, Auckland, NZ

When you have a busy family life and you've  been active for years, but menopause arrives and you begin to feel exhausted, it can be really confusing. Rachel felt like this too, and as someone who has worked as part of a collaborative team for years leading community learning, Rachel is a woman who is used to being faced with challenges and solving them! Not being able to find any cause or relief, for her increasingly painful joints and her rapidly reducing mobility during her menopause transition, it was a particularly frustrating and worrying situation for her. Especially with a family hiking trip that had been planned for months, on the horizon.

Having been tested – with negative results – for a range of conditions, her own doctor still made an appointment with a specialist as a ‘last resort’. Knowing that all the specialist was likely to do, would be to confirm the lack of diagnosis, Rachel started her own investigation on the internet. She was also keen to find help with the growing number of hot flushes and high levels of anxiety she was experiencing. Feeling so sleep deprived everything seemed to be so much more difficult, especially her job - her brain seemed to be in a constant fog.

When MyMT™ came up in her Facebook feed, "I felt there was nothing to lose" mentioned Rachel. "It made sense to me that my hormones were changing and I needed to help them, not prevent the changes that my body needed to make at this life-stage."  

“I felt better quite quickly. My joint pain was reducing, and so were my hot flushes. With having a step-by-step program to follow with strategies that made so much sense, and turning around my sleeping patterns, my anxiety levels were heading down, not up.

With a bit of ‘tweaking’ and Wendy’s advice, and her willingness to engage in my unique journey, helped me to work out how I could turn things around. In the end, these suggestions made all the difference. I lost weight too, athough I didn't come onto the Circuit Breaker programme to lose weight. 

What was powerful for me were the topics that Wendy writes about via her private coaching community. The support in there from other women is also fabulous.  The stories from Wendy’s own experiences have made some of the strategies in the program so real to my own journey.

The best thing for Rachel is that her family too, have gained from her involvement in MyMT™. Her commitment to all the solutions that MyMT™ provided, saw a renewed focus from her husband on his own health and fitness, and the opportunity to complete a much discussed and keenly awaited family tramp. "I thought that this was impossible at the time, becuase I was suffering so much joint pain."

“This life-style change is something you need to keep working at – forming new habits and routines. I was on a course taking me to nowhere during menopause but I feel so empowered now. I also believe I have all the information now to keep me heading in the right direction. I am truly grateful, this has changed my life. ‘This life-changing program, has given me all the tools I need to take charge of my health, both now and into the future.’’

Rachel S., Auckland, New Zealand.

Whilst 2020 has certainly emerged as a year of challenges for all of us with the pandemic and I know that many of you are experiencing extraordinary changes in your life, I hope that you might be able to join me*. Whilst the Covid-19 special pricing of NZ$199 has ended now, I still want to support you, so there is still a NZ$50 SAVING on the programme pricing. This makes is NZ$349 [approx. AUS $317, US$206 or UK£165]. Please use the promo code JOIN MYMT when you select the programme that best suits you.

### VIDEO: Meet Wendy!

"Who are you?" she screamed into the email that arrived in my in-box this week. "Why are  you sending me a newsletter? I don't even know you."  I replied saying that she must have taken my menopause symptoms quiz and therefore, she gets my free weekly newsletter. "Ah, I didn't realise" she said. "I never watched your symptoms quiz results video. I filed it to look at another time." 
So, if this is you and you have no idea who I am, or what my background is, or anything about me (also on the website), then here we are - Meet Wendy ... a 6 minute video all about me and how I got to be sending you an email newsletter each week and why I designed the 12 week MyMT™ programmes.  
With New Zealand now going back into a modified lockdown, as is Melbourne, then I have cancelled all live-events this year as I was going to do Auckland, Christchurch and Timaru, which I missed with the first lockdown. So, please take up the opportunity to purchase a half-price ticket to my ONLINE MASTERCLASS ON MENOPAUSE instead. That way you can watch it anytime, anywhere, wearing anything you like and pause it anytime to go make a cuppa or have a glass of wine. You choose. https://youtu.be/EXbHVLekQ3M

### The Science of your Night Sweats in Menopause ... and the nutrients you need to turn down the heat.

 "I'm lying awake every night and dripping with sweat!"  This was the cry I received last week from a lady living in the United Kingdom. Despite being on HRT she was confused. At only 46 years old, she also didn't understand why her night sweats were even happening.  At first she blamed the heat-wave, but night after night of waking up was leaving her exhausted. All this at a time when she needed to be on her game with working from home with her job changes which arrived during lockdown. 
If this is you as well, then have a read when you get time because you need to understand that both our sweat glands and our skin respond to oestrogen.  When oestrogen is lowering as we go into and through menopause (and into post-menopause), then our body can't get rid of internal heat as readily as it used to. 

As I often say to women who come onto the MyMT™ online programmes, hot flushes are a sign that your internal or 'core' temperature is higher than it should be. We all know that sweating is a natural survival mechanism, but why and how does it become so disrupted as we move into mid-life? 
Sweating is your survival mechanism to help your body cope with heat that is building up internally, such as when we have a fever or we have inflammation inside us, or we are exercising in hot environments.  But we also sweat and experience hot flushes when we reach peri-menopause (the start of our reproductive ageing, when oestrogen and progesterone production decline).
The question is why ...

Night sweats during your menopause transition are caused by lowering oestrogen having an effect on other areas in the body which regulate your temperature.  Sometimes this temperature regulation gets out of balance if we are exercising in hot environments, or living and working in hot environments but what about during menopause? This was my curiosity too.
 
Our temperature is usually a well-balanced mechanism that is directed by our pituitary gland in our brain. Normally and ideally, there is good balance between our pituitary hormones, thryoid hormones and our adrenal (stress) hormones. However, these can quickly get out of balance when: 
 
1. Our body is moving towards menopause and the 'master' pituitary hormones in the brain that regulate oestorgen and progesterone are changing. 
 
2. When we aren't sleeping. 
 
3. When we are accumulating inflammation in our joints, muscles, gut and liver as we age. 
 
4. When our diet doesn't give us the nutrients we need to reduce inflammatory changes in the body. This includes magnesium, potassium, iron, Vitamin D, B12 and iodine. All of these nutrients help to regulate our blood pressure, heart rate and temperature too. 

For example, if our diet doesn't match the changes that arrive in our menopause transition (e.g. if we are low in iron, iodine, magnesium or folate), or if we have inflammation that has been building up in our joints and muscles as our joints lose the role of oestrogen, or if we are doing lots of vigorous exercise too often and not sleeping well, then all these factors might also impact on the regulation  of our body's heat production causing our temperature to go into over-drive.
 
When our temperature builds up inside us, othere changes go on to try to keep the heat under control. In other words, our body tries to adjust and 'right' itself and the hormones that come into play to do this are our thyroid and adrenal hormones. Sweating is your body trying to get of excess heat. As many of you already know, if it's happenning at night, then you wake up with the sheets of your bed soaked. Night after night. The only thing that changes is your laundry pile. 

When I was really trying to understand why I was experiencing night sweats and lots of hot flushes, I was guided by the great work of Deecher and Dories (2007)*. Their studies explain that when we have night sweats, there is a problem with the neural (nerve) and hormonal 'communication' between three areas. These are:
 
1. The pituitary gland in the brain.
2. Our thyroid gland (which requires iodine and selenium to regulate it).
3. Our skin - which we often forget is the largest organ in the body containing millions of tiny blood vessels that go to our sweat glands. The function of sweat glands are affected by low oestrogen too. They don't dilate as much. 

 
This means that to sort out your night sweats, you need to focus on these three key areas, not just  the changing levels of oestrogen and progesterone, which has been the hallmark of menopause treatment for decades. 
 
When we focus on these three areas, then we can usually un-pack why we are getting night sweats, when we never used to. 
 
One of the first things to understand is that our core body temperature is regulated by our brain (pituitary gland) and it works to our 24 hour circadian rhythm. This is why if you are frustrated and weary from your night sweats and lack of sleep, then the management of this begins by turning around your circadian rhythm (I have the step-by-step plan for this in the SLEEP ALL NIGHT module in both the MyMT™ programmes . 

 
But when we overheat and sweat at night, something is up with the nervous system and our temperature regulation too. 
 
The normal response to over-heating is that when core body temperature goes high, this is communicated to the brain by hot and cold temperature receptors around the body. They are located in your skin (the largest organ), your gut, your thyroid, your blood vessels and your spinal cord. Therefore, messages about your temperature regulation occur at many different sites in your body. If ou already have GUT HEALTH concerns, then it's important to sort this out as well. 
 
During Menopause Our Blood Vessels are Changing Too: 
Normally, when our core body temperature goes higher than it should, then peripheral vaso-dilation (dilation of our blood vessels) is triggered, resulting in increased blood flow to the blood vessels in our skin where our sweat glands are located. This sequence of events is regulated by our thyroid and our nervous system, which controls blood pressure and blood vessel dilation. 
 
But here's the kicker, - these sites are also where you have oestrogen receptors too. Hence, during menopause, these oestrogen receptors cannot do their job properly. 
How do we manage this temperature chaos during menopause?
I want you to think about the night sweats in terms of the three areas - pituitary, thyroid and skin. All are controlled by our circadian rhythm, the way we adapt to our environment, our stress levels and the nutrients that control our thyroid health - iodine and selenium. Get these areas sorted first - (which is what women learn on the MyMT™ programmes). 
 
For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere already in summer, you need to get outside and let your skin breathe - it's your largest organ. So wear loose clothing, go barefoot if possible and cool your hands down by running cold water over the wrist and palms. Same with your feet. The feet and hands have numerous blood vessels which help to dissipate or reduce heat. They are an important component of our evolutionary cooling mechanism. When our feet are cool, we feel cooler inside our body. 

 
I have other strategies that I have researched in my programmes, and this also includes lists of foods which help to keep us cool. We also need to eat lightly at night too and the timing of foods is critical to turning off night sweats. When we eat lightly at night, the gut (which has all the temperature sensors too), doesn't have to process and digest larger meals that we are generally used to in the evening.  This is particularly important for some proteins, which increase metabolism and are known as being 'thermo-genic' or heat generating. 

 
A word of caution though - the official term for night sweats is 'hyper-hidrosis' and it is well known in medicine, that an under-lying virus can also disrupt temperature regulation.  In light of the current pandemic, then if you aren't getting on top of your night sweats and/or you aren't at the right age for your menopause transition, then please see your Doctor.  
 
If you are having problems getting on top of your sleep, especially those of you in the Northern Hemisphere who are experiencing heat waves, then I would love you to have a look at my 12 week menopause symptom reduction programmes.  These are currently on sale for you as I know many of you may not be coping well with the pandemic, let alone menopause symptoms. 
For leaner women, I have Circuit-Breaker and for over-weight women, I have Transform Me. 
There are videos on these pages for you to listen to about what you receive and how you can access them on-demand, in your own time. The promo code to access NZ$50 (approx. UK£24/ US$30) off is JOIN MYMT - enter this into the promo-code area in any Buy Now button. Women call the programmes 'life-changing'. I hope you do as well. 

 
Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD & Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Founder].
 
* [Deecher, D. & Dorries, K. (2007). Understanding the pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) that occur in peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause life stages. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 10: 247-257]
 
 24

### "Don't look back, you're not going that way now that you're in menopause."   [Dr Wendy Sweet, MyMT™]

Don't Look Back - You're Not Going That Way Now ...As I sit here writing this today, Auckland in New Zealand, is back 'on alert' with a return to our Alert Level 3 pandemic plan. Melbourne is the same as are many other cities or countries around the world. Hi to you all! Some of you reading this, have had your day interrupted and just when you might have been getting some normality back again, you've had to 'pivot' and change your day, making compromises for those around you. But I'm sure you're good at this. Because my guess is, that from your 20’s to your 30’s and beyond, your life has involved ‘change’. Pivoting has become the word associated with the pandemic, but I bet it's not a new word to you at all. As mid-life women, we’ve been ‘pivoting’ for decades - usually in ways that best suit others around us – in the workplace, the home, the place of worship, the community, … wherever, you have lived your life. Women of our generation have typically learnt to ‘fit-in’ and well, 'pivot'. From food choices with 'what's for dinner' to helping and caring for others, whether at work, home or in the community, we tend to put our own needs aside and 'fit-in'. But along the way, have we lost sight of caring for ourselves, especially as we've arrived in menopause? I know that I had too.Menopause can be a confusing time. And I have a question for you - what if the way we are looking after ourselves, no longer matches our changing physiology and changing biology? If you are experiencing worsening symptoms or weight gain, then yes, there is a mis-match somewhere. But where and most importantly, why? If this sounds like you, then welcome, to my Wednesday briefing. No matter where you are in the world, it's great to have you here.		
																					
		When I began to examine how I was managing (or not managing) menopause, I began to understand that the life I was leading, was not suited to my changing biology in my 50’s. I felt emotional, short tempered, overweight, sore and exhausted. Despite the HRT and various other meopause-related supplements, I didn’t really feel these were working for me. How I was feeling day after day, felt so, 'abnormal'. With the realisation that I couldn’t go on feeling the way I did (nor should my long-suffering family have to put up with my moods), I did what I’ve taught sport and exercise students to do for years … and that is to start with understanding the ‘normal’ with the physiology of the body. This time it was my body, not an athlete's. My absolute belief is that when we are trying to untangle ‘problems’ then our starting point is always to ask the question, ‘what is normal?’ From that point, we can then pinpoint what has become ‘abnormal’.Menopause is ‘normal’. It’s a stage of life that all women go through. Some earlier than others, some medically or surgically induced, some later than others. But it is our transition to a new way of ‘being’ – emotionally and physically. Somewhere between our mid-40’s and mid-50’s we experience that transition. And it goes on until we are nearly 60. Yes – true! This is when all of our reproductive hormones have changed and exerted their effects around the body. I include our master pituitary hormones that control oestrogen and progesterone in this. These hormones are Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Luteinising Hormone - and these affect changes in our brain during menopause too. Feeling depressed or 'foggy' anyone?		
																					
		So, what makes menopause ‘abnormal’ for so many? This is the next question I asked myself. And with this, understanding that our hormones don’t operate in isolation was crucial. There is a powerful connection between your pituitary, thyroid, adrenal and reproductive hormones. Because of this connection, it's easy for other hormonnes to get out of balance. Once we understand that menopause is 'normal' but what is 'abnormal' is that we need to adjust our lifestyle to re-balance our pituitary, thyroid and adrenal hormones as our reproductive hormones change, then we can begin to untangle the ‘abnormal’ and change our lifestyle behaviours.There's other issues to consider as well .... the problem with many lifestyle and nutrition 'solutions', is that there is an assumption that we inhabit the same physical, biological and emotional space as men, athletes and young women. But we don't. We are none of these. We are women who are ageing and in a world whereby women live longer than men, how we are ageing is important. Then of course, there is the fact that we have been subjected to extraordinary decades of societal change. This has an effect on our stress levels too - inside and outside our body.Think about it. We are the first generation to come into and through so many changes in society that impact on our thoughts, actions and beliefs. Television advertising wasn’t around in the 1960’s was it? Nor were all those packets of chocolate biscuits and frozen meals that jump out at you in the supermarket and you buy because you are too exhausted to cook dinner or bake. Nor did we have the choices that we now have around alcohol - and yes, this affects your symptoms and weight gain in menopause as well.We didn't have technology either. Those ipads, laptops and iphones that keep us in contact with everyone at work and at home and technology that we think we need to look at overnight - How many of you have really removed your technology from your bedroom as the sleep research suggests?Nor did we have all the confusing messages from the fitness industry. I've been part of this industry for 30 years and I started with Jazzercise. Heavy weight-training with an emphasis on power-lifting and hard-out training from Boot Camps only started in the mid-1990's when sports-science arrived and military style training hit the gym. These choices are meant for men and athletes. For women in menopause who aren't sleeping, the end result of all this heavy workout training can lead to adrenal exhaustion. I went down that path too.Consumer choice. This is what the last 30 years have given us. And for many of us who have had to work outside the home (and inside), we have embraced this change. But the trade-off in mid-life is that these life-time changes in how we've looked after ourselves may be clashing with physiological changes in menopause. We are spending money on all sorts of supplements and various remedies for our symptoms, but do we really need them? Because it may well be that the life you've lived, has contributed to your symptoms and weight gain in menopause, so what you really need, is a little 'pivot' in your lifestyle to better suit your age and stage of life instead.		
																					
		Understanding menopause is crucial to your symptom management and weight gain. As I tell women on my 12 week programmes, 'YOU' are the solution, not the problem.The 'understanding' therefore, is that menopause is NOT the issue. The issue is that your busy, exhausting lifestyle may be clashing with your ancient physiology and this has been building up for decades. In which case, you might need to change your behaviours and I would dearly love to show you the way.I love theories of behaviour change. My Masters degree was on lifestyle behaviour change, which is why when women come onto the MyMT™ programmes, this is a big part of the 'how' - especially when it comes to turning around sleep, hot flushes, anxiety and for most women, their weight as well.The starting point to changing our lifestyle in menopause is to firstly, remember that we aren't going back - we are going forwards into the future - hopefully we have another 20 or 30 years ahead of us. What does that future look like for you? Secondly, we need Questions – this is the way to examine our current situation and gives us a starting point for change.1. What is out of balance? Start with the basics – sleep, food, water, rest, movement, posture etc. This is your starting point for making changes.2. What do you do in your day that puts you out of balance? Start with examining your routines and current habits, e.g. do you work through lunch? Do you have people around you in the workplace who stress you out? Do you crash at the end of the day because you are in ‘helper-mode’ all day?3. What is one thing you can do to change something in your current routine? It might be the way you respond to others. For example, if someone is complaining to you about something, then ask yourself, is it your problem or theirs to solve? I think we often take on board other people’s problems don’t we? I know that I have over the years … especially with my teenagers. But the more I began to realise that they needed to learn to problem-solve, then I would ask them, ‘what do you think you will do about ….?’ It puts the responsibility onto them.We all have our own set of life themes, habits and ways of organising ourselves and we arrive in mid-life with all these habits firmly ingrained. But the deeper we explore how we got to a point in our lives, where our body is out of balance and we are feeling unhealthy, then we can begin to make the changes we need to put into place.Menopause and post-menopause means that we need to understand how the body is ageing and how to move with this, not resist it.This is what you learn in the MyMT™programmes. You learn, through my step-by-step modules, which you access in your private learning hub, how to untangle your symptoms and/or weight, during or after your menopause transition. For those of you struggling with your changing health in menopause, you'll learn how to move from unhealthy to healthy too. Our menopause transition is our biological ageing and as such, there are changes that we need to make so we can 'pivot' healthily into the future. That's what nobody is teaching us to do in the context of our menopause transition and yes, I had to research how to do this from women's healthy ageing research. Many of you might think that it's 'just' nutrition that is the issue, but it's not only what you eat. If you are overweight and not sleeping, then turning around sleep is important as is restoring liver health, gut health and of course, your joint health, so you can walk and hike and do all the movements that your body needs to achieve as you age without aches and pains. For those of you with relentless hot flushes and feelings of anxiety, then managing your temperature regulation and heart health is the key. ALL of these solutions are in both of the MyMT™ programmes for you - 'Transform ME' is the weight loss programme, and I named 'Circuit Breaker' so you thinner/leaner girls could 'break the circuit of your symptoms'.When you know what to do to manage menopause it makes so much sense! This is what I hear every day. As women on my programmes discover as well, 'you' are part of the solution, you are not the problem.Wendy.www.mymenopausetransformation.com[NB: Photo Credit: Carlo Barone Photography - Carlo has taken a beautiful photo of my cousin Bridget walking on a Perth beach. Photo used with permission]. 

### Understanding the stress-cortisol - menopause symptom connection.

“Are you writing a novel?” he enquired standing next to my table at the cafe. An elderly man in his 70's whom I hadn't met before. He had noticed my concentration and hands flying across the keyboard. I looked up. “No, but I used to in the past” I mentioned. “A few years ago I was sitting at this very table, writing my thesis. It  must be somthing about this table and the good coffee and my ability to concentrate”  I said laughingly. I was writing this very article here in the newsletter and had been reading research about the powerful connection between our stress hormone, cortisol, and our symptoms in menopause.With his intrigue peaked, the inevitable question emerged about my thesis topic. “I interviewed women about their health as they aged and their experiences of exercise through the menopause transition” I said.He moved closer to my table so I could hear him. He spoke slowly and thoughtfully. “I once presented at a conference in Invercargill on Hormone Replacement Therapy” he said. “I was a medical Doctor and a specialist in women’s health. I told the conference attendees that the best thing for women wasn’t to go on HRT but to go hiking. Back in those days the rationale for HRT was for bone health, but there is only one way to improve bone health and that is to stress the body through hiking and exercise. This stimulates bone re-development. If women aren’t sleeping, then they are high in cortisol and this causes bone deterioration and worsening cardiovascular health. At that conference, I wasn’t popular as the drug companies were pushing for us all to prescribe HRT in menopause. But I stand by what I said, even today - because if women aren't sleeping then their cortisol is high and this thins the bones.”Dr Leo had my attention. His insight was remarkable, especially as I was reading an article on the connection between cortisol and symptoms in menopause. I showed it to him. "All this research wasn't out in my day" he said. "Such a shame." Then he wandered off leaving me reflecting on our conversation and remembering my own struggle with HRT. I wish I had his insight back then. I had no idea that what I needed instead, was a good night’s sleep and to change the exercise I was doing and reduce my stress levels, so that my cortisol levels weren’t so high. Cortisol is a pesky hormone. Hormones are chemical messengers that relay messages to organs in the body. Cortisol is one of our stress hormones, and balancing it is important. Cortisol is produced by your adrenal glands. It affects many parts of your body — including your muscles and bones, heart and blood vessels, lungs, hormone-producing glands, and your brain. This valuable hormone has lots of functions — controlling how you respond to stress, how your body fights infections, adjusting blood sugar levels, and regulating blood pressure. But when our cortisol levels are too high during our menopause transition, then our sleep is disrupted, our thyroid hormones get out of balance and we lose the protective role of calming progesterone. High cortisol also affects your weight. Cortisol has an intricate relationship with the hormone insulin, which controls our blood sugar. High or low cortisol can cause hypo-glycemia (low blood sugar), hyper-glycemia (high blood sugar) or both. When cortisol levels increase, the cells of our body can become resistant to insulin. In turn, this may lead to an increase in blood sugar, weight gain and potentially Type 2 Diabetes.Cortisol levels rise among some women during the late stage of the menopausal transition, especially at night. This is the time when cortisol levels should be low. The Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study (2009) offers wonderful insight into the role of higher cortisol levels overnight. Higher overnight cortisol levels during the menopause transition were significantly and positively associated with adrenaline (epinephrine) and nor-adrenaline (norepinephrine) levels. These are your other stress hormones and they exert an influence all around your body. If you’ve been experiencing an increased heart rate, anger, frustration, memory lapses and/or hot flushes and night sweats, then, as women on the MyMT™ programmes discover, it’s time to manage your production of cortisol. When cortisol is out of balance and it stays high throughout the day and night, then your menopause symptoms may become worse. Just as Dr Leo mentioned as he wandered past my table in the cafe this morning. As the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study (2009) suggests,“Rising cortisol levels have been associated with poor health, including lower bone density in older women, minor cognitive complaints, and could be hypothesized to be related to perceptions of poor health overall.”  (p. 2).When I went into peri-menopause, the time of our lives when our ovaries gradually stop producing oestrogen and our progesterone declines as well, I had no idea that not sleeping all night was connected to my night sweats, hot flushes and mounting feelings of daily stress, anxiety, brain-fog and fatigue. Like thousands of women going through menopause, I felt emotionally and physically exhausted but boxed-on -  as we tend to do when there is so much to be done. Danni, who has done the Transform Me programme was the same. She kindly shared her story about her changing health in mid-life with you on the Success Stories page as well as in this video below. https://youtu.be/v4GFu1XNsvQIncreased cortisol during our menopause transition comes from many sources of 'stress'. From insomnia to hot flushes, to night sweats to sore joints, to weight gain (or loss), palpitations and changing bone density, our symptoms in menopause often impact on our day-to-day life. When this happens our body is under even greater stress. The accumulation of all of these sources of stress is known as 'allostatic load'. When the allostatic load from various sources of stress increases during menopause, our symptoms become worse.  Emotional and physical stress are accumulative – and it’s not just the ‘here and now’ stress. I’m also talking about the decades-long build-up of oxidative or physical stress that manifests as inflammation and metabolic chaos in our body too. If your muscles are sore, if you have fibromyalgia, if your gut health has changed, if you have put on weight, and if you are feeling hot and bothered all the time, and you aren’t sleeping, then yes, these are all signs that your body is ‘stressed’.Because your body is stressed, then your chronic stress hormone called cortisol, stays elevated for longer during the day and night. And it shouldn't. It should only be elevated in the morning. Just like over-trained female athletes, when our body is under stress, then we produce more of our chronic stress hormone called cortisol. With this extra production of cortisol, the production of our lovely calming hormone called progesterone, is affected as well. Progesterone is 'stolen' to make more cortisol in a condition called 'pregnenolone steal' (see the image below). Normally, progesterone balances out oestrogen in the body and when progesterone is crashing down too quickly, our symptoms become worse. I talk about this in my Masterclass on Menopause (now available online for you) - I always get women nodding in agreement as they have their 'aha' moment. The balancing act between oestrogen and progesterone over the decade (yes!) that we move through menopause is important. It's why many of you are put on progesterone as hormonal therapy during this stage of life. But here's the thing - often your various sources of stress are overlooked. All these sources of stress accumulate. Then this increased allostatic load of cortisol 'steals' progesterone. That's why, although you might go on HRT to manage your symptoms, other sources of stress in your life need to be managed as well. Often your high amounts of exercise (or low amounts of exercise), or your lack of sleep or your workplace and family stress and anxiety don't get a mention. And they should. Because to manage symptoms in menopause and to improve your health as you age, you need to address these sources of stress too. I believe that many women are plain old exhausted as they approach menopause. I have no data to base this assumption on, except the thousands of women who have joined me on the MyMT programmes over the past 5 years. If women are feeling exhausted, then their cortisol levels are increased. When cortisol is high during our menopause transition then our pain receptors are more sensitive, our sleep becomes worse, our blood sugar levels become erratic, our muscles become sore (restless legs anyone?), our blood pressure and heart rate increase and our anxiety levels go up a notch too. As Dr Leo mentioned, our bone density changes too. How to turn this around is some of what I teach you in the MyMT™ programmes.  I hope you can join me sometime because learning how to turn arouand the various sources of stress from not sleeping to joint pain and inflammation to weight gain, during our menopause transition is crucial to the reduction of your symptoms.I can’t reinforce this enough. And there's another reason for this. Oxidative or cellular stress and high levels of cortisol production are becoming well recognised as a cause of age-related diseases. Oxidative stress is a term that refers to chronic inflammation building-up deep inside our cells and tissues.  This chronic inflammation arrives in our gut, liver, heart and kidneys as well as muscles and joints as we age. And yes, the brain doesn’t escape the effects of damaged and inflamed cells and tissues either. In a brand new study about the brain and stress, the authors state, 'Allostatic load represents the 'wear and tear' of chronic stress on the brain and body and ... women show gender-specific variation for numerous factors such as age, race/ethnicity, adversities and health behaviours, that influence associations between allostatic load and their mental health.' (Kerr, Kheloui, et el., 2020, p.1).When I began to understand how our cells and tissues become ‘stressed’ and added this physical stress to the psychological stress that I felt, not only from not sleeping, but from my busy, active life as well, suddenly, there appeared to be a multitude of sources of stress in my life! I had no idea at the time that managing or reducing ALL of the sources of stress in my life (physical and emotional), helps to reduce menopause symptoms and/or weight. That's how the MyMT™ programmes differ (choose between weight loss or not). When you come on board with me and let me share your menopause journey with you, then I help you to turn this chaos around. You learn how my scientifically evidenced sleep strategies, liver health improvement, and how to adjust your nutrition to not only improve your energy levels, but so that you get the specific nutrients your body needs as you age. Yes, there are some mindfulness strategies too, as well as my Joint Restoration and Gut Health restoration modules as well. I don’t have a lot of exercise in the foundation programmes, until you are sleeping properly because feeling better and feeling calmer, starts with re-discovering how to sleep all night and restore your energy levels before doing too much energy-sapping exercise.  Wherever you are in the world, I hope you can join me when you can. I have all programmes on special still with savings of NZ$50. You can read about the programmes HERE and if you decide to join me, then please use the promo code ATHOME20 when you purchase. It would be my privilege to support you. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & Founder of MyMT/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. References: Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.Kerr, P., Kheloui, S. et al. (2020). Allostatic load and women’s brain health: A systematic review. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, Vol 59, 100858, Woods, N. F., Mitchell, E. S., & Smith-Dijulio, K. (2009). Cortisol levels during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 16(4), 708–718. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e318198d6b2 

### VIDEO: "It's been such a while since I checked in with you ..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55W_VfD0qX8&t=26sIt's been such a long time since I checked in with you all, so here I am! I hope you are getting on OK during these challenging times. I know that many of you have been on school holidays too so, after long weeks of juggling work, home and schooling, I hope you have had a break, or at least the odd sleep in if you can.
Lack of sleep is such a challenge for women who need their energy for all that goes on in their lives, so I hope you can have a read of the blog I have for you HERE sometime in your busy schedule as well. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD
www.mymenopausetransformation.com

### "I'm sleeping, my joints don't ache and I've got more energy to put into my new design business."    [Jane]

"I used to struggle because often I would sit down and my eyes would close. But doing your programme has enabled me to be here to showcase my design and making of beautiful furniture. I have always loved making things and your programme has given me back my sleep, energy and joint health."  When you are in your early 50's and about to launch a new business and career as a furniture designer and maker, you need sleep, energy and hands that aren't sweaty and slippery from constant hot-flushes!Jane's furniture is beautiful. I got to see it first-hand when I met her at the Kapiti Coast Women's Expo. She explained how she sources beautiful wood locally and then her eye for design and ideas about how to best use the wood, enables her to create bespoke furniture to grace any home. How wonderful it was to talk to Jane in person and hear her amazing story. "I was on the end of my menopause journey, when I started your MyMT™ programme because I was still feeling so exhausted and struggling to sleep well – often, if I sat down at certain times of the day my eyes would close. My joints were also painful and what you said about joint health resonated with me. Whilst I have always eaten fairly healthily, I wasn't aware of how my body was changing so much during menopause. Then as a result of a hip injury, I also wasn't able to exercise enough. The weight was going up not down! What I loved about the programme was the learning. It all made so much sense.There was so much interesting information in each module. But the level of information was vital to understanding the changes that happen in our bodies at this time of life. Wendy was very aware of the impact all the information would have overloading our brains and solved it with the printable sheet of 12 easy changes to tackle. This suited my personality as a list maker!Launching a new business is always going to be stressful but with the information from the MyMT™ programme and armed with my lists of 'what to do', I was able to 'tick-off' elements on the fortnightly challenge sheets which showed me what I could achieve and helped me to stay positive about putting in place the strategies that Wendy suggests. Focusing on the information in the first three modules was a game-changer. Not only has my sleep improved but following the morning elements of the sleep habits was a revelation. I love how I have more energy and positivity to start my day. I used to feel so exhausted from not sleeping and can't believe how different I feel now. The information that was in the liver, energy and food modules was an eye-opener. I had no idea the impact of low-oestrogen on these other organs in the body. My system feels less sluggish and more importantly my joints have stopped aching. I've been so busy setting up my business, that I wasn't focusing on how to look after 'me' at this life-stage. But I knew I had to do this in order to have the energy to launch my business. It's been really exciting and I know I couldn't have got this far without restoring my sleep and energy levels. I have always loved making things. After leaving school and working in a commercial environment in London, I felt the need to pursue a creative career, so I retrained as a landscape designer.But over the years, I still had it in the back of my mind that I would like to add making to my design skills and having often designed furniture for outdoors in my landscape plans, the opportunity to go back to college and study interior furniture making was too good to pass up. I've been honing my skills in the workshop and designs at the drawing board and working through your programme and now, here I am - showcasing some of my work at the Kapiti Women’s Expo!My style is to design and craft elegant pieces, often include steam-bending in my  work to make light and airy curves. I either create my own designs inspired by the timber available or work with clients to produce a piece that reflects them and the style of their home."Jane, Founder of Fourforty Workshop [and now feeling and looking fabulous in her 50's]. Visit Jane's website here: www.workshopfourforty.co.nzWhen you are ready to turn around your symptoms in menopause and get your energy, sleep, joint health and/or weight sorted, so you can achieve more in your day too, then jump on board with My Menopause Transformation. I will be with you every step of the way because yes, I've been there too. Dr Wendy Sweet, PhDPs: During lockdown I put my Masterclass on Menopause ONLINE, so when you have some time, here is a short video about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EKqiCjzQR0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E

### Learn about ‘Inflammaging’ & why long summer evenings may make your menopause symptoms worse.

The evenings are rather long in Scotland at the moment. I know this because I've been emailing Monique who lives in a castle right at the tip of Scotland. It is light until at least 10pm and for women in menopause who aren’t sleeping that’s not a good thing at all. This time last year, I was in Scotland - oh my, how much has changed in the world since then! When I asked who wasn’t sleeping all night, over 150 women put up their hands … and yes, it’s a similar story no matter where I've presented my seminars - menopausal women united in mid-life insomnia! I get quite concerned about this, because menopause-related insomnia is not only exhausting us but for many women it’s sending them into a downward spiral into health choas with auto-immune changes (fibro-myalgia), belly-fat weight gain (central adiposity), heart palpitations and for many women, night sweats and hot flushes too.







That's why if we are going to feel healthy as we move through mid-life, we need our sleep. 



When I visited Edinburgh last year, I told the women their geographical location living in the far north of the UK, needs to be managed. Especially now, during summer. Long summer evenings don’t bode well for getting off to sleep. Longer hours of daylight mess up our natural circadian rhythm and when this happens, then our menopause symptoms and health become worse. Hence, drawing the curtains earlier and ensuring that bedrooms are as dark as possible, matters. So, too does keeping the bedroom cooler than normal. 



When we don't sleep, we experience changes in our overall health and wellbeing. I think we all already know this. But did you know that just going into and through menopause, means that our changing oestrogen levels interfere with our sleep quality and quantity as well. If we aren’t sleeping between the hours of 2-5am, then we aren’t getting our precious deep, recovery sleep. The body needs sleep as much as it needs awake time and the reason for this, is that when we sleep we heal our immune system as well as our heart. 



When women come onto the MyMT™ programmes, the very first module they listen to is how to sleep all night. It’s the foundation of turning around our symptoms in menopause. Sharing knowledge about our menopause transition is what I’m so passionate about and having a room-full of mid-life women to talk to fills me with gratitude. And how cool was it that Isobel and Helene were there with me too? Both have been on the MyMT™ programmes and it was such a privilege to have them come along and for me to meet them in person. When Isobel said she was still struggling a bit with her sleep, I knew she was listening when I spoke about how our geographical location is often against us when we go into menopause. It’s the same for women living in the deep-south of New Zealand – they have longer evenings in summer too.







That’s why I was so delighted to get this message from Isobel this morning.



“Everything you have put together in this programme is perfect for me. I went home from your talk, drew the curtains and resolved to sleep through the night with your suggestions. I used to wake up and have a cup of tea and read at 3am as well as get up to use the bathroom. But I now understand that this isn’t helping my health. I also play a lot of tennis, so my muscles aren't recovering. Well, I’m happy to report that I have slept right through for 2 nights!”



When we all lead such busy lives, it’s so important to get our sleep sorted as we move into menopause. I can’t reiterate this enough. As I often mention to women, when we have been waking up night after night, then our brain and body reads this as our ‘new normal’. But this is what leads us down the path towards worsening inflammation in our cells and tissues as we age.
Not sleeping is now recognised as one of the main contributing factors to changing health as we move into our post-menopause years, contributing to heart disease as well. The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand have some of the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease. 
If we aren’t sleeping, our heart and immune system stay under stress all day long, particularly, when we are regular exercisers or we have busy, stressful jobs or home environments. That’s why I love getting women sleeping all night. It helps to reduce their worsening symptoms in menopause. And yes, your diet is important in this too. Over the past week in my private coaching groups, I've been having a focus on the scientific evidence between sleep quality and dietary nutrients.  






How does our body heal overnight? 



The human immune system and sleep are both associated and influenced by each other. That’s why sleep deprivation makes our body susceptible to many infections. But for women in menopause, there is another added factor. As I mention in my seminars (now available online for you), menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing years, and as such, we have changes related to ageing going on all around our body.

This includes our immune system which is under programmed senescence. This is the term which describes programmed biological ageing. Think of autumn leaves discolouring and falling from a tree. This is an example of programmed senescence in plants. Because we are ageing, our immune system is too and as such, it doesn’t produce as many immune-fighting lymphocyte cells in our bone marrow. When we don’t sleep, we are behind the eight-ball with our immune health even more.



Sleep deprivation makes a living body susceptible to many infectious agents too - a concern for all of us within the context of this pandemic.



Have you ever wondered why we are programmed to sleep? I become curious about this when I wasn’t sleeping during menopause either. Sleep deprivation was so furstrating. I knew that my body wasn’t healing and recovering overnight and not sleeping was leaving me too exhausted to recover from the exercise I love to do. At the time, I also didn’t understand that not sleeping was blocking fat-loss mechanisms overnight and causing increased hot flushes too because blood pressure and cortisol remain higher during the day when we don’t sleep. Cortisol that does not follow the normal pattern can trigger blood sugar imbalances, food cravings and fat storage, especially around the middle. 




I talk a lot about cortisol during my seminars. As we move into menopause, it’s this hormone which needs to be settled down.
Cortisol is one of our chronic stress hormones and it’s important to women in menopause who aren’t sleeping, because it works in synergy or partnership with our sleep hormone melatonin. If cortisol levels are too high when we go to bed, then we don’t produce enough melatonin to keep us asleep for the healing hours between 2-4am.



Then if melatonin levels are lower than normal, we either can’t get off to sleep or we wake up in the night or we don’t sleep deeply enough to have the restorative sleep that we so need to keep our energy levels up for all that we do in our day.



“Our capacity to remain healthy is badly affected by loss of sleep and sense of comfort” reports researchers who have looked at the role of sleep on the immune system. They go on to state that our white blood cells, called leukocytes, don’t reach the levels that they should due to lack of sleep and this makes us vulnerable to sickness, flu and immune system health changes. For women in menopause, this may also lead to the autoimmune problem of fibromyalgia. 







When we don’t sleep and our sleep-wake cycle is affected, then our nervous system is also affected leaving us feeling more anxious and 'wired'.  Overnight our nervous system and immune system work together – this is why when women are going through menopause and are waking up night after night, they feel wired, they feel hotter than normal and their muscles and joints remain sore or they put on weight. In other words they remain ‘inflamed’ but many, like Lucinda, then become frustrated when exercise doesn't help them to lose weight but leaves them injured instead. Read her story HERE. 




The build-up of inflammation in the body not only makes our symptoms worse, but the increased cortisol that arrives from the body trying to reduce inflammation, can leave us lower in progesterone as well. Then of course, there is the additional inflammation from our biological ageing. That's why I talk about a relatively new term in ageing science, called ‘inflammaging’.



I first heard this term at ageing conferences I was attending as part of my doctoral studies. 'Inflammaging' refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young, inside our body our cells are ageing. The more rapidly they age and acquire inflammatory changes, depends on the lifestyle we've lead for years, the amount of exercise we do (too much or too little), our diet and of course, whether or not we are sleeping. When inflammation builds up several tissues and organs acquire chronic inflammation, including the gut microbiota.






Professors Garry Egger and John Dixon show the characteristics of both pro and anti-inflammatory influences and I show this slide in my online Masterclass on Menopause too.  From an evolutionary perspective, a variety of stimuli keep us in the ‘inflammaging’ cycle and I include menopause-related hormone changes in this too. As Professor Egger states, “We have been operating in silo’s. We haven’t been taking into account all the other effects on inflammation, including ageing.”







For women coming to join me on the online MyMT™ programmes, I coach them how to manage their inflammaging. The strategies to sleep all night are fundamental to this as is improving liver, gut and joint health. As well, the dietary approach I use focuses on specific nutrients that help to reduce inflammation in our body as we age. This includes foods such as beets and celery, which help to improve blood pressure and blood vessel dilation.




I can’t wait for you to join me too. With over 2000 women now having gone through this fabulous online lifestyle-change programme in over 25 countries, it would be my privilege to support and guide you. If you are thinner or leaner, then the Circuit Breaker programme is for you, otherwise the weight loss Transform Me programme is the one to choose. Both programmes are on savings of NZ$50 at the moment, making these online 12 week courses, NZ$349 [approx.  AUS$317/ UK£165/ US$206.] All programmes have a monthly payment option. Use the promo code JOIN MYMT to access your savings. 




When my own symptoms overwhelmed me, I knew that women in menopause were forgotten when it comes to how to turn around symptoms and improve our health as we age. That’s why I designed MyMT™ - it’s the only programme that focuses on the integration of ALL of the solutions that we need to put into place to prevent changing health from menopause-related changes as we age. I hope you can visit the website when you have time. 

 



 



Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Lifestyle Coach. Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References: 



Asif N., Iqbal R., et. Al. (2017). Human immune system during sleep. American J. Clin Exp Immunol.,6 (6):92-96



Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2009). Obesity and chronic disease: always offender or often just accomplice. British Journal of Nutrition, 102, 1238-1242.



Franceschi, C. et al. (2018) Inflammaging: a new immune-metabolic viewpoint for age-related diseases. Nat. Rev Endocrinology, 14(10):576-590.
Theurey, P. & Pizzo, P. (2018). The Aging Mitochondria. Genes, 9(22), 1-13. doi:10.3390/genes9010022

Excerpt: The evenings are rather long in Scotland at the moment. It is light until 10pm and for women in menopause who aren’t sleeping that’s not a good thing at all. I told the women this at my Edinburgh seminar. When I asked who wasn’t sleeping all night, over 150 women put up their hands …

### "I was so exhausted, but we women just try to keep going don't we?"  [Anna Loypur, Melbourne]

When you manage a team of over 90 staff, life can be stressful - even more so, when you own the business. 

Now, double that stress and its effect on you when you aren't sleeping and waking up to night sweats. Every day becomes a battle. Anxiety levels increase as do hot flushes too. But there's more - our heart rate starts racing, our blood pressure stays high and all day long we stay in this 'stress cycle' because our chronic stress hormone, called cortisol, stays elevated. High cortisol in the evening then prevents our sleep hormone called melatonin doing the job it's designed to do, which is getting us ready to go to sleep. Keep going long enough on this cycle and you have a heart- health disaster waiting to happen.

This was Anna. She had no idea how her role as an owner and operator of a busy Swim School in Melbourne, impacted so much on her symptoms in menopause. Like me, she didn't know about this life-stage and how as busy, active women with so much going on in our lives, hormonal changes in menopause clash with the way we learnt to live our lives.
This week I got to meet her when she organised me to come to Melbourne to present my 'Masterclass on Menopause'. I was so excited and it was such a privilege to put a face to someone whom I had been coaching online through the My Menopause Transformation Circuit Breaker programme.


When we have a job as big as Anna's with so much to manage and juggle, I feel it is such a shame that menopause is so often hidden from the conversation. And it shouldn't be.
As I often say in my seminars, we are the first generation of women to go through menopause in the context of our careers, exercise and nutrition choices, parenting challenges, carer roles looking after elderly parents and more. All of these things accumulate to contribute to our stress levels. And when we go into menopause, our stress levels matter.

Stress is an interesting phenomenon. 
I’ve studied it for decades but not in the context of menopause. But rather in the context of sport and exercise science and the accumulation of stress in the athlete. When athlete’s train and compete, their muscles, tendons, ligaments, gut and cardiovascular system undergo considerable ‘stress’.  For athletes, this is a good thing.  It’s the basis of performance adaptation. In other words, athlete’s need to over-stress the body in training to then allow it to make the right adaptations in recovery in order to become faster, fitter and stronger.
But when athletes don’t get their training and recovery cycles sorted (especially female athletes), then they begin to see a drop in performance. They don’t sleep, they accumulate additional inflammation leading to more injuries, the females often feel hot and bothered, motivation to train takes a dive, and many then begin to experience immune system health changes. Any one of you with teenage athletes in the house will know how hard it is to keep them healthy if they are doing large volumes of training and not sleeping. The technical term for this is ‘over-training’ and it is a well-researched distress phenomenon in athlete conditioning and optimal training adaptation.



But here’s the thing. You don’t need to be an athlete for your body to go into ‘distress’. It happens to all of us and in menopause, stress matters.

When we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t recovering from all that we do in a day. If we aren’t recovering, we start to feel wired and tired and head towards the slippery slope, which in the corporate world, is simply called, ‘Burn-out’. I'm sure Anna used to feel like this too. 

For decades women have had to thrive on stress – busy with home commitments, building their careers and busy being active with exercise as well.

In fact, you could say that it was our generation that invented this little 'stress' word as we wrapped it around our day-to-day lives.

But how is that working out for us now that we are in menopause? Have you ever wondered this? If not, then I want you to understand that the accumulation of stress affects every organ in our body and makes our menopause symptoms worse. For many of us, the accumulation of stress inside the body, leads to worsening menopause weight gain too.


When I undertook my research on women’s healthy ageing and asked mid-life women what was their understanding of staying healthy, not one of them mentioned a good night's sleep. They had all positioned 'staying healthy' in doing lots of exercise, especially higher intensity exercise. But the more I explored this, the more I realised that they also were not sleeping. And sleep is crucial to our health, whether we exercise or not. 

The combination of not sleeping, being busy in our day to day working lives, caring for ageing parents and/or children and doing high intensity exercise leads to the accumulation of negative changes in the body that can make our symptoms worse - especially hot flushes, night sweats and feelings of anxiety. When we aren't sleeping, we aren't recovering from all that we do from day-to-day. Our body and brain goes into over-drive. In fact the body and brain goes into 'Distress'. 

There is not much escape from our stressful lives these days, so what we have to do is to discover how to manage it as we transition into and through menopause.  


As we transition through menopause, the accumulation of all the various sources of stress can impact hugely on our symptoms. 
From hot flushes, to night sweats, to insomnia to palpitations, anxiety and feeling bloated, we generally arrive at the Dr’s offices and then get placed on HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) or anti-depressants or other medications. Sure, these can help to alleviate the immediacy of the symptoms in many women and they are often a last resort for many caring Doctors to prescribe. But what if there was another way to manage our symptoms in menopause?
What if the first step to take was to better understand the powerful impact of the accumulation of the various sources of stress on our hormones and begin to alleviate these sources of stress or at least have some strategies to help us cope?


And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I’m also talking about the decades-long build-up of oxidative or physical stress that manifests as inflammation and metabolic chaos in our body. If your muscles are sore, if you have fibromyalgia, if your gut health has changed, if you have put on weight, and if you are feeling hot and bothered all the time, and you aren’t sleeping, then yes, these are all signs that your body is under-stress. If we don't get on top of these changes during mid-life, then as I found too, your health may begin to suffer as well.

In both of the MyMT™ programmes (one for thinner women and one for overweight women) and in my live-seminars, I teach women about how our hormones all work together to help us survive in a busy, stressful world. This is what is often overlooked in menopause treatments. Our busy life isn't being discussed and it should be. 
There is a powerful connection between our pituitary gland which produces our sleep and reproductive hormones, our thyroid gland which regulates our metabolism, temperature and blood pressure and our adrenal glands, which moderate our stress hormones. These glands all produce hormones which have powerful effects on our body. 


As part of my women's healthy ageing studies I was absorbed in women's health research. That's when I discovered the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study* and learnt how our various sources of stress impact on our symptoms in menopause. [Refer image below from the Study, p. 4]



This study made me sit up and take stock of the stress in my life. It also enabled me to put together the stress-hot-flush-sleep connection for us in menopause. 

Spanning 23 years, this study reported on thousands of women between the ages of 45-60 years who had shared aspects of their daily lives and health changes during this time with researchers. One area of investigation was the meanings they attached to midlife. Participants described experiencing a diverse array of stressful events from their changing health in menopause to family problems, work-related issues, deaths, frustrated goal attainment and financial concerns. All areas that I’m sure many of us might relate to as well.



But herein lies the problem – whilst all of these very real sources of psychological stress were reported by women in this study, what’s missing are all the other sources of stress that women in their menopause transition now experience too. The research doesn’t take consideration of the various sources of physical stress inside our body as we reach our menopause years.

This is known as oxidative stress or cellular inflammation and invariably, for women in their late 40’s and mid-to -late 50’s who are in menopause, oxidative stress has been building up for years. Lifestyle research is now showing that hormonal changes during menopause then become the catalyst for worsening inflammation that sits around our body. This inflammation has arrived in our cells and tissues from a lifetime of changing nutrition, excess or low-levels of exercise, liver toxins, alcohol, smoking, exposure to chemicals and more. [Egger & Dixon, 2009)

Put this together against emotional stress and not sleeping during menopause and so begins a cocktail of health problems as our body goes into 'distress'. For many women, this manifests as worsening hot flushes, sore joints, depression, mood swings, restless legs and feelings of not coping.

This is why, managing or reducing ALL of the sources of stress in your life (physical and emotional), helps to reduce your menopause symptoms and it's what I focused Anna and all the women on when they come into the online MyMT programmes. 


When we examine all the various sources of stress, both emotional and physical, we can see how these accumulate over time. The term for this is one may not have heard of – ALLOSTATIC LOAD.



I remembered this term from teaching university-level physiology to sport and exercise students. Allostatic load describes the accumulation of stress over time that affects our health and can lead to pre-clinical signs of disease. If we don’t get our sleep and other symptoms sorted in menopause, then as many of us have already felt already, or we have seen with our mother’s generation, menopause can be the gateway to more health problems as we age.

Managing our Sources of Stress:

When Anna began to examine the factors that were impacting on her stress levels, lack of sleep was at the top of her list. Managing her Swim Centre was a job that she was familiar with and was highly capable at. But what she was struggling with was the lack of energy and motivation to do her job effectively. Hence, sleeping all night again was imperative.
I was so pleased when she came onto the Circuit Breaker programme, because she learnt to re-establish her sleep routine and reduce her hot flushes. Like all the women who join the programme, Anna learnt how to do this by re-establishing her circadian rhythm. This is our powerful day/ night cycle and when we are busy and stressed, it gets out of sync. When it does, this has a roll-down effect on our thyroid, adrenal and pancreatic hormones too. So restoring and re-balancing your sleep hormone called melatonin is important. If we don't do this, then our entire body gets out of balance. It's why, how to re-establish sleep is the first of my 7 modules women listen to on the MyMT™ programmes.


The other thing Anna had to do was to put in place nutritional changes that allowed her to maintain her energy levels throughout her busy day. There is so much confusion about food choices these days, but for busy women not sleeping, they must follow a diet that gives them the energy they need. This means eating foods that don't spike blood sugar levels and provide lots of healthy nutrients that our body needs as we age. I have all the food information that women need in the programmes as well as a focus on nutrient timing, which is important for sustaining our energy levels during the day in order to be more effective in our jobs.  


Stress management in menopause is crucial to the reduction of all of your symptoms. I can’t reinforce this enough. Sometimes it is difficult to understand what to do though, and this is what I help you achieve in my 12 week programmes. There isn't even a lot of exercise in these programmes because when you aren't sleeping, you don't have the energy for exercise. Sleeping all night comes first before lots of exercise.

When you come on board with me and let me share your menopause journey with you, you'll learn how to manage yourself during menopause. If you have a stressful job, as Anna does, then I hope you can join me in either of my programmes – Circuit-Breaker is for thinner, leaner women (it's ON SALE this Month - please use the promo code RESTART 2019) and Transform Me is for you, if you are overweight. It would be my privilege to be your guide throughout my powerful online programmes which you do in your own time at your own pace, with my online coaching support when you need it as well. 



Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and MyMT Founder & Coach]

References:
Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2009). Obesity and chronic disease: always offender or often just accomplice? British J. of Nutrition, 102, 1238 - 1242. 

Woods, N. & Mitchell, E. (2016). The Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study: a longitudinal prospective study of women during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause. Women’s Midlife Health, 2(6), 1-16.

### New Research: Why your diet in menopause affects your sleep.

The first studies to examine the sleep-inducing effects of a specific food date back to the 1970s. I think many of us remember the malted milk drink, Horlicks. Using time-lapse cinematography, a group of researchers recorded sleep movements after the consumption of 350 mL of warm water by a group of subjects, compared to another group of subjects who drank 350 mL of warm milk with 5 teaspoons of sugary Horlicks powder added, 30 minutes before going to bed. Another group acted as the control group and had no beverage before hitting the pillow. The study pointed out that none of the participants had a history of sleep disorders. I wonder how many of them were in menopause I thought to myself. But cynicism aside, this study was one of the foundation studies that gave interesting insight into the nutrients that may help people sleep better, because the group who had the milky, sugary drink, had fewer movements between 4am and 7am - their sleep was deeper.
I have no idea if this original research was sponsored by Horlicks ... perhaps it was. And I'm unsure whether this research helped to sell a whole lot more Horlicks powder at the time ... perhaps it did. But what it did achieve was to foster curiousity about how our sleep is impacted by certain nutrients. Every week I choose a different topic in my private coaching community and this week, the nutrients that have been specifically researched to help us with our sleep, is my topic. With over 1000 women who are in their menopause transition in my coaching group, any topic about sleep gets the thumbs-up! Understanding sleep research is important, but not all of it is relevant to our age and stage. We have unique hormonal changes that affect our sleep and of course, because we are transitioning through mid-life, there are the changes that arise from losing oestrogen and progesterone around other organs that I'm focused on as well. Sleep is crucial to sort out in mid-life. If we don't then it's a slippery-slope to other health changes that arise as we get older. That's why this week I've been diving into the sleep and nutrition research and looking at it through a 'menopause-lens' and why, today, I'm sharing some of it with you as well. I'm sure if you are in menopause, then you may be troubled with not sleeping ... it's happened to many of us. Myself included. 

When women come onto my 12 week symptom reduction programme or my 12 week menopause weight loss programme, they not only learn that what we eat before we go to bed matters to our sleep quality and duration, but also when we eat.  If you are determined to reduce your hot flushes, night sweats and or manage your energy levels and weight, then this knowledge is important. Not only because more recent studies have shown that our brain and body require certain nutrients overnight in order to heal and restore our health, but also because we are ageing. It is well known in ageing science that changes in our night-time sleep quality occur along with changes to our circadian regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. This makes it doubley tough for women going through menopause who find that they cannot sleep all night. I've written about this in some of my previous newsletter articles and talk about this in my Masterclass on Menopause 2 hour webinar, which is now ONLINE for you, now that I can't travel. The great news is that now it's online for you, it's available for you anywhere, anytime and you can pause it and go back to it if you don't have 2 hours. You also have it available to you for 2 months in your learning area and it is stacked full of great solutions for you as well. 

But back to the Horlick's study. When the researchers found that those who drank the milky Horlicks mixture slept for longer and slept more deeply, they also decided to examine the habitual dietary habits of the subjects too. They divided participants into those who usually ate within 1 hour of bedtime (eaters) and those who did not (non-eaters). The non-eaters slept best. But what was of interest to the researchers, was that the eaters had improved sleep after consuming the Horlicks drink after their food. This lead the researchers to conclude that one's dietary habits primarily influence the sleep response. More recent research supports that timing of food is important to our sleep and as I say in my porgrammes, when we don't eat at least 3 hours before bedtime, it gives our ageing digestive system time to do its job and it helps us to sleep longer and deeper. When we eat too much too close to bedtime, we don't sleep as well. Of course, this may not be news to any of you who have already experienced this over the years - restless night after having wine and cheese evenings anyone?  
What nutrients might affect your sleep? 
Paving the way to further research about the nutrients that help us sleep, the original Horlicks study was of interest to sleep researchers, especially in the context of middle-age. Malted milk is composed of wheat, malt barley, sugar, milk, and 14 vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D and several B-group vitamins. Emerging clinical evidence on disrupted sleep supports the association between vitamin and mineral deficiencies and disrupted sleep. I'm always telling women to get some blood work done if their sleep has been problematic in menopause and if the solutions I have in the MyMT programmes are not working for them, because they might be low in Vitamin D and/or the B-vitamins. In individuals with low serum (blood) concentrations of Vitamin D  there is evidence that sleep becomes disrupted. (Qi Gao et al, 2018). Fatty fish may help with this. Fatty fish (>5% fat) is a good source of vitamin D and omega-3 Fatty Acids, which are now known to provide us with nutrients that are important for the regulation of serotonin and therefore sleep regulation. Serotonin is an important mood hormone, which goes low in menopause and many of you may be on anti-depressants because of your low serotonin. If you aren't sleeping though, then your low serotonin is also the problem. Serotonin helps to make melatonin. 

There is also some evidence with regard to the influence of B vitamins on sleep especially Vitamins B12 and B6. Emerging studies show that  Vitamin B-12 affects plasma melatonin concentrations and is also associated with improvements in sleep quality. But be warned - there are other studies that show that too much B12 also keeps you awake at night. Balance is everything.
The other vitamin that may have a helping hand with sleep quality is Vitamin B-6. This lesser known vitamin serves as a cofactor (helper) in the production of our mood hormone called serotonin from 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Therefore, Vitamin B6 has emerged as a helper-vitamin to assist in the production of our lovely sleep hormone, melatonin. But don't rush out and buy supplements - it seems that sourcing our B-vitamins from food is more important than supplements. 

Let's eat some fruit to help our sleep! 
It concerns me when I hear about diets that inform women to not eat fruit. Yes, I 'get it' from the perspective of weight loss and reducing insulin, but when it comes to sleep, mid-life women need to be cautious about messages to get off beautiful Vitamin C-enhancing fruit. Not only do we need Vitamin C for our joints, but we also need it for our sleep. Kiwifruit and cherries get a special mention in sleep research too. 
Studies that have looked at the consumption of fruit on sleep promotion have been emerging for a number of years. The melatonin and phytonutrient profile of tart cherries is often associated with their health and sleep benefits because tart cherries have a high dietary melatonin concentration. But there is something else as well. Tart cherries have also been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory characteristics that may be beneficial in improving sleep quality. If you are an exerciser, then the cherry juice might just also help you with improving glucose uptake into your muscles. If you've been waking to restless legs at night, then you might like to give this a try. I know that some of the women on the MyMT programmes have tried cherry juice and find it beneficial. But so too is kiwifruit. 
As a 'Kiwi' I like promoting kiwifruit - especially if the science tells us that it will help us to sleep for longer. Although further research into the sleep-promotingmechanisms of kiwifruit is needed, several explanations  for the effects of kiwifruit on sleep exist. One of the reasons given is that the high antioxidant capacity and serotonin and folate content of kiwifruit may contribute to the observedsleep benefits of kiwifruit consumption.

Kiwifruit is also a good source of vitamins C and E, both of which protect againstthe damaging effects of inflammation. I'm always explaining to women that inflammation that has been accumulating for decades is the source of our worsening symptoms in menopause especially for those who are and have been regular exercisers for years. We are the first generation to go into menopause in the context of all the sporting and fitness industries. That's why eating a diet that helps to reduce inflammation is an important component of the MyMT™ programmes and follows my research on women's healthy ageing. Kiwifruit is also high in folate and folate deficiency has been linked to insomnia and restless leg syndrome - something many of us have experienced as we arrive in menopause. 

In my design of the MyMT™ online 12 week programmes, I have only looked through the lens of menopause and our ageing. Since undertaking my doctoral studies on women's healthy ageing, it has lead me down a fascinating minefield of discovering the science of 'how' we look after ourselves at this life stage. When I received this email from Nicky this week, who watched my Masterclass on Menopause, I was so heartened, 
"I watched your webinar last night.  I will be forever grateful to the friend and health colleague who sent it to me and I will be signing up for your programme as soon as I've written this email.  It's the best $15  I think I have ever spent.  So many introductory webinars are complete time wasters but you gave so much value in the webinar and the research you have undertaken to help so many of us at this time of life is mind-blowing." 
When my own symptoms overwhelmed me, I found that too many lifestyle programmes don't take into account our age and stage of life. Many are designed by men for men. But when it comes to 'men-opause' it's an entirely different story. So if you aren't coping with your heat regulation, sleep, anxiety, depression, weight or joint problems as you move through menopause and beyond, then will you join me? No matter where you live in the world, I would love to support you to feel like your old-self again. Whilst my Covid-19 special promotion ended last weekend, I still have a discount for you with savings of NZ$50, because I know so many of you are still experiencing challenges with your work situation and stress levels.
This makes is NZ$349 [approx. AUS $317, US$206 or UK£165]. There is also a monthly payment option you can choose. Please use the promo code JOIN MYMT when you select the proramme that best suits you.
Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD] Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder & Coach. Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

References: 
Grandner M., Jackson N., Gerstner J., Knutson K. (2014). Sleep symptomsassociated with intake of specific dietary nutrients. J. Sleep Res. 23:22–34.
Murphy R., Carnethon M., Harris W., et al. (2019). Omega-3 and omega-6 Fatty Acid Biomarkers and Sleep Duration: Pooled Analysis from Five Prospective Studies in the Fatty Acids and Outcome Research Consortium (FORCE) (P08-116-19). Curr Dev Nutr. 3(Suppl 1):nzz044.P08-116-19. 
Gao, Q., Kou, T., Zhuang, B., Ren, Y., Dong, X., & Wang, Q. (2018). The Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 10(10), 1395. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101395
Southwell P., Evans C., Hunt J.  (1972). Effect of a hot milk drink on movements during sleep. British Medical Journal, 2:429–31
St-Onge, M-P., Mikic, A., Pietrolungo C., (2016). Effects of diet on sleep quality, Advances in Nutrition, 7(5), 938–949, https://doi.org/10.3945/an.116.012336

### “I’m slimmer, healthier and full of gratitude for your MyMT™ programme.” - Bev Rhodes

“Before I began this programme I was exhausted and overweight. You made my decision to look after myself so much easier with the research you have completed and put into this programme. There is much I want to fit in to the rest of my life still and now I feel I have the energy to do more.I can see the difference for me .. no overflowing boobs, no underarm rolls and most of all no belly fat. My face has changed as the weight (around 8kgs) has come away. With renewed confidence I went clothes shopping today for the beautiful slim woman I see in the mirror everyday. Not sure how much weight I have lost as I have no scales, but I’m now wearing jeans from five years ago, so perhaps 10kg. I bought a gorgeous fancy black skirt last week in the children’s department and wearing size 10 clothes again.Participating in your programme has been life changing for me. A huge thank you to you for taking the challenge to study healthy ageing and share your discoveries on menopause. I would not be where I am today without you or my friend Sue, who told me all about your programme. Slimmer, healthier, focused and happy. With that, add confidence, gratitude and love of self. Thank-you Wendy – your programme is life changing.”Can you believe that Bev is 62 years young?! When she so kindly sent through this photo for me to share with you, I couldn’t believe it either. She looks confident and fabulous and most importantly, feels more confident as well. Have you been struggling with your energy, sleep, health and perhaps your weight during your menopause transition? Or like Bev, are you ‘out the other side’ into post-menopause and just need a health re-vamp? These are all common themes that women in mid-life share! If so, then I invite you to come on board into either of the MyMT™ programmes. It’s not too late to turn around your menopause symptoms and your health. I show you the practical step-by-step solutions in the 12-week programmes that I’ve designed for you or jump on board and start small by purchasing my online webinar which I recorded for you during the Covid-19 lockdown. As I can't travel at the moment, I recorded my live-event for you instead. There is just a small purchase fee of NZ$15 or UK£7.50. Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach		
																										
		https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EKqiCjzQR0

### "My Doctor has taken me off my diabetes medication.  I'm so excited!"  [Losena, Melbourne]

Imagine a place where you can learn how to turn around your health so you have a clear path to sleep all night, lose weight and feel like you have the energy you deserve during your 50’s.
I get some pretty amazing emails from women on the MyMT™ programmes arrive in my Inbox. I do love sharing their inspiring messages. Here is one from Losena, originally from Fiji, but now from Melbourne:

“Dear Wendy – I can’t tell you how much your programme has changed my life. My husband is doing it too. It never ceases to amaze me how easily you explain how everything connects in our body. Our bodies are truly wonderfully and fearfully made."

"I didn’t know how menopause affects so many other areas. My dizziness has gone away and my Doctor has now taken me off my diabetes tablets. I’m so excited! Thank you so much for your amazing programme. My blood pressure is down as well. Hallelujah!! And I am feeling sooooo much better and normal again. I will be going back in a couple of weeks for a review with my Doctor and see where we go from there. I’m sleeping so well these days and my hubby and I go walking every morning which has been great! I’m doing a lot of walking in between work and home duties. Watching my intake of food, quality and quantity-wise."
Little steps make a giant big step
"For example, I hadn’t thought about the fact that being from Fiji, moving to Melbourne would affect how much Vitamin D I should be having. I didn’t know that we have oestrogen receptors in our skin which affects our absorption of Vitamin D. That knowledge was so helpful to me. Your post about how we shouldn’t have coconut oil for our heart health resonated with me too. I see it around the supermarket all the time and it is being marketed on the back of promoting the health of Pacific Islanders."

"However, as you discussed from the scientific evidence regarding the coconut oil, well we have NEVER used coconut oil in cooking at all. We use coconut oil for our skin and hair, for massaging and lots of other things but never in cooking. For cooking, we scrape the fresh coconut flesh and squeeze out the cream for cooking or eat the flesh from the young green coconuts and drink its juice. We cook fish with fresh squeezed coconut cream plus other varieties of vegetables like taro leaves, cabbage, pumpkin shoots, asparagus etc. Thank you for reminding me of the food that I love and grew up with and that my body is used to having. I want you to tell the other ladies that in your coaching group!" Read my blog here.



"For work I do two days at our old people’s home as a kitchen hand and 3 days at our medical centre as an admin/receptionist person. And I love both. However life just seems to get soooo busy and we don’t have enough time to smell the roses. Your programme has given me my energy back and the focus to change things with my health. I’m enjoying all the webinars and your emails. I always go over them again and again in case I miss something.

I’m really trying to do my best to live a more healthy and happy life and also getting my hubby to do the same. We want to enjoy our grandchildren for as long as we can.” 

Losena, Melbourne, Australia (June, 2020)

### Re-address your stress by  increasing beautiful B-vitamins and you'll be helping to lose your menopause belly-fat too.

If you were to walk into my kitchen right now, you would see the steam rising out of my simmering pot of rice. You would also smell it's nutty smell. For dinner tonight I'm going to mix some pesto through it and serve it with spinach wilted in cold-pressed olive oil (great for our joints) and some beautiful salmon harvested from the deep south of the South Island. After a particularly busy day feeling time poor, now that New Zealand is out of lockdown and I'm back into meetings again, I need the lovely thiamine, niacin and B6 that the combination of organic brown rice, New Zealand salmon and green vegetables, provides to my over-productive brain. Support local they say. So I am.

The protein is full of a nutrient called tryptophan which, when absorbed in the body is stored in the liver and helps to make at least half of your body's niacin. This beautiful compound, niacin, is one of your B- vitamins and it helps to prevent a skin condition called pellagra. A condition which the Italian's know as 'sour skin'. With all the skin changes that occur as we lose oestrogen in menopause and the continual stress that many women face in their day to day life, as well as the stress from changes in our cells and tissues during menopause, it's important to think about the vitamins that help us to get through our day. That's why we need a focus on our beautiful B-vitamins at this life-stage. 

If you stop and reflect on what is going on in your life at the moment and whether you feel a bit 'under-the-pump' with it all, I wonder if you are also thinking about how your stress levels impact on the absorption of your beautiful, energy-forming B-vitamins. If you aren't sleeping or feeling anxious, your skin is dry and brittle and/or you are putting on belly-fat by the week (up to 2kg a week can go on during menopause), then my guess is that you aren't focused on your beautiful B-vitamins. How about we change that will we? 
Like millions of women around the world, I've followed conventional wisdom about how to manage my menopause symptoms. I took HRT on the recommendation of my Doctor and purchased endless 'miracle-promising' supplements on the recommendation of the Pharmacist. I did workouts to try to manage my weight delivered by wonderful young exercise professionals who probably hadn't even heard of menopause, and I followed high fat, high protein popular diets of the day. Not one person I went to enquired about my stress, my sleep (or rather, lack-off!) nor did anyone ask if I was in menopause.
At the time, I was undertaking my women's healthy ageing studies. I'm thankful that I was. Because from the work of Margie Lachman (2004, 2015), I learnt about midlife as being a pivotal time for women's health as they aged. Many of us are not prepared for this perfect-storm in middle age, but it is indeed a period of marked diversity (Lachman, 2004). As Lachman says, "Not only is our body changing hormonally, but as many of us have found or are finding, we also have to juggle many competing demands, including roles not only as workers, but as spouses, parents, and these days, looking after adult children as well. As such, the impact of the accumulation of stress from numerous sources, it's a time when many women experience precursors to health problems (e.g., high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sore joints) or some of the same conditions as their parents (e.g., Type 2 diabetes, weight gain and hypertension). A range of expected (e.g., children leaving home) and unexpected (e.g., loss of parents, being laid off) events may occur during midlife."
Many women whom I interviewed on my women's studies also took the time to tell me about the changes they were experiencing and how, as they had done all their life, they turned to doing lots of exercise in order to 'cope' - with many not experiencing the positive health changes or weight loss that they anticipated from doing all this exercise. As I listened to their stories as I interviewed them, I kept thinking, 'me too!'. 

That's when I began to realise that not only did I feel stressed with all that was going on in my life, but with the perfect-storm arriving of menopause, insomnia, weight gain, too much high-impact exercise and with these intersecting with a busy, stressful life, my body was 'under stress'. And when our body and brain is under-stress, it is burning through our beautiful B-vitamins and when our B-vitamins aren't being absorbed, we don't sleep, we put on belly-fat, our energy crashes and we feel that we can't keep up with all that's going on in our busy, active (or inactive) lives. 

When you are busy, over-worked, worried, not eating properly, not sleeping, or over-exercising, your stress hormones get thrown into chaos. This has a massive impact on other hormone-control centres in your body as well, especially your thyroid hormones. ‘Stressed’ isn’t just ‘desserts’ spelt backwards. For a multitude of menopausal women, it’s the slippery slope to hormonal chaos, a legacy which for many, has been decades in the making.
Controlling your stress hormones is a critical part of both MyMT™ programmes. As is changing our nutrition to help us manage our stress, our symptoms and heal from within. This is particularly important for weight loss. 
Too much stress (load) and not enough recovery (un-load) leads to weight gain, poor sleep, an under-acting thyroid and a brain that isn't coping. Over time, metabolic chaos arrives too. Any time stress kicks in (and for some, this may have been going for years) a hormone called cortisol, is released from the adrenal glands and surges in the blood stream.  When you have cortisol staying elevated all day, then this uses your ‘calming’ hormone called progesterone to keep making it. Cortisol is normally high in the morning and low in the evening. If it stays high in the evening, then it competes with the production of your ‘go-to-sleep’ hormone, called melatonin. With too much cortisol, joints and muscles become inflamed, colds and flus are more frequent and a general feeling of being ‘run-down’ never goes away. You try to exercise it off, but too much exercise when you are exhausted only makes your symptoms worse. How do we know this? Because of the hundreds of studies on over-trained female athletes!
5 Reasons Why B-Vitamins Matter to You in Menopause: 

Vitamins B6 and B12 help you to sleep. We need both nutrients to help to make your beautiful sleep hormone called melatonin as well as your mood hormone called serotonin. 


2. B Vitamins are an essential part of Phase 1 Liver clearance of toxins. Because our liver health changes in menopause, many women put on weight and develop a condition called oestrogen dominance which I've written about HERE ...
3.  Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) plays an important role in the uptake and metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. Deficiency can lead to metabolic chaos and for women in menopause, more weight gain around the belly and under the diaphragm. For those of you doing lots of exercise, low thiamine intake can also cause lactate to build up in your muscle tissues and this causes muscle cramps and aches. For those of you who drink a lot of alcohol, it's thiamin uptake that is affected too. 
4. B vitamins help to reduce your menopause-related depression. Low mood, motivation and depression are often treated with anti-depressants in millions of women around the world. But how many are told about the need to increase their B vitamins and I wonder. 

5.  Vitamins B6, B9 and B12 help to reduce stress and aid in the transmission of nerves as you age. One of the major changes in menopause is the loss of cells that help to make up the myelin sheath which is the outer surrounding of our nerves. B-vitamins help to repair and restore the function of nerve transmission as we age. As part of the MyMT™ programmes, I encourage women to get blood work done and get their Dr to check B12 levels because if they are low as women transition menopause, then this can give them the feeling of tingling, increased anxiety or poor exercise recovery as well. In which case, good old-fashioned Floradix may help too. 
For decades now, women have had a lot of stress in their lives. This might be from the workplace, home or from other sources such as the oxidative stress that builds up from too much exercise and/or the stress that builds up in cells and tissues from the wrong nutrients in our diets or from environmental toxins. Many fat cells hold onto these environmental toxins as they are a source of oestrogen-mimicking compounds. Before many of us entered the workforce, we had no idea of how feeling time-poor and overwhelmed with the demands of a busy job might impact our health, let alone our menopause symptoms. It hasn't gone past me that there is a discrepancy between workplace stress and our age and stage of life that needs to be addressed. 
Today, as I write this, over 45 women from a large company in Auckland, New Zealand, have received a link to my online Masterclass on Menopause, as part of their Workplace Wellness programme run by the company. It's a wonderful acknowledgment from the company of, not only the need for workplace education about menopause, but as a way of acknowledging the important role that women in mid-life have in the success of the company. I salute them.  

Menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing years. This means that there are changes going on all around the body and for too long this age and stage of life has been positioned in 'sickness'. But it shouldn't be. It needs to be positioned in 'wellness' instead. It's a particularly stressful time of our lives at the moment, not only with global challenges and threats to our immune health, but combined with menopause changes, this makes us particularly vulnerable. With many of you still in lockdown in the Northern Hemisphere, I have extended my programme promotion (NZ$50 off) until the end of June. You can re-address stress and regain metabolic harmony in and after menopause and when you come on board into your learning hub on my online 12 week programmes, I can't wait to show you the way. Please use the promo code JOIN MYMT when you purchase. 

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine
www.mymenopausetransformation.com
References: 
Frank, S., Gonzalez, K., et al. (2017) Diet and Sleep Physiology: Public Health and Clinical Implications. Frontiers in Neurology, (8), 393, 1-9.
Kennedy, D. (2016). B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy—A Review. Nutrients, Feb; 8(2): 68.
Lachman M. (2004). Development in midlife. Annual Review of Psychology, 55(1), 305–331.10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.141521
Lachman, M., Teshale, S., & Agrigoroaei, S. (2015). Midlife as a pivotal period in the life course: Balancing growth and decline at the crossroads of youth and old age.  Int J. Behav Dev. 39(1): 20–31. doi:10.1177/0165025414533223
Sievert, L., Jaff, N. & Woods, N. (2018). Stress and midlife women’s health. Women's Midlife Health, 4  DO - 10.1186/s40695-018-0034-1
Stough, C., Simpson, T., et al.  (2014). Reducing occupational stress with a B-vitamin focussed intervention: a randomized clinical trial. Nutrition Journal, 13:122, 1-12. 

### New Research: The life-long impact of coffee and tea consumption on cardiac health in mid-life.

When did you have your first cup? Do you remember? I do. It was in the early 1980's. Someone had purchased a flash new coffee filter machine for the ICU staff room. Thinking back, maybe it was our wonderful new American Charge Nurse. She got most of us young nurses up to speed with 'things that really mattered in life' - like good quality coffee ... the filtered kind. Night duty was when I remember enjoying it the most. Sipping on a coffee whilst looking after patients, the cup used to be plonked on top of the ventilator. I know that wouldn't happen now.
Coffee and tea consumption has been a part of my life for decades. Are you the same? I enjoyed a cup in the morning when the kids were young. It's appeared in my sports science and nutrition lectures (it's a recognised ergogenic aid for performance), it's appeared in my weight loss lectures for Personal Trainers (it's a recognised fat-mobiliser) and when the cafe culture arrived just down the hill from the famous Les Mills World of Fitness where I worked at the time, a good quality coffee took the edge off the stress of work. These days talking about coffee also appears in the My Menopause Transformation programme information because, simply put, stopping to have a coffee or tea throughout our day, helps us to cope with all that life throws at us. Just try not to have the sugar. That cuppa not only helps us to relax but the anti-oxidants are pretty good for us too. Whilst too much coffee can contribute to increased anxiety in women who are transitioning through menopause because the caffeine stimulates our adrenal and thyroid organs making those more sensitive to caffeine feel a bit wired', new research shows that the ubiquitous Kiwi 'flat white' or 'long black' or 'long macchiato' (my favourite) coffee in small amounts is not only good for connecting us with community, but good for our heart as well. 
I used to turn my back on lifestyle programmes and diets that mentioned not to have coffee. Because for most of my life, it hasn't been about the coffee. It's been about enjoying the cafe-culture and having someone else (the wonderful barrista's I've met around the world) make me a creamy, smooth, perfectly brewed coffee that becomes my companion as I put the crazy world aside and do my writing, researching and reading.  Not being able to visit my favourite cafe, was one of the 'things' I missed most about being in lock-down. I missed my barristas. Then today, with the new research that has just arrived in my in-box, I even lingered a little longer and ordered a second cup.

The news that Parisian culture is returning to normal and so is New Zealand's, made me want to share this new research with you. For too long, women in mid-life who are turning to dietary and exercise advice are told to 'give-up' coffee and tea. I would argue that these people doing the recommendation don't know the healthy ageing research or sports science research about the role of caffeine. With this new research just out this week exploring LIFE-LONG coffee and tea consumption on men and women's cardiac health as they age, you won't get the advice from me to refrain from coffee and tea either. In fact, many women coming onto my programmes are ecstatic that I'm not going to tell them to give up coffee - although they do get advice on the time of day which is better suited to have coffee. You can't have it after 2pm. Caffeine has been researched in sleep studies to stay in our system for 6 hours, so additional caffeine may keep you awake. And getting a full nights sleep is the priority problem I aim to help women with in both the MyMT programmes, especially those wanting to lose weight. 

I love a good research study just as much as I do a good cup of coffee. And thanks to a study with collaboration between researchers at John Hopkins University and the National Institute of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, I now know that the limit on caffeine conusumption (mainly from coffee) is 3 cups a day (not that I have that many, but I used to). My only advice to women on the programme is to try and minimise the milk content. We want to reduce milk intake when we are trying to turn around inflammation, because it's not about the protein, it's about all the milk sugars and additional hormones in the milk. I talk about this in the MyMT™ programmes.  [Don't forget that my savings that I've had during lockdown finish at the end of June, 2020 (making them NZ$199/ AUS$184/ UK£102 which is NZ$100 off). The programmes differ depending on menopause weight loss or symptom management. Learn More here ...

As the first generation of women to arrive in mid-life in the context of all the societal changes that have influenced our dietary intake over the decades, having research on coffee and tea intake and it's effect on cardiac health is important. 
I used to worry about the long-term effect of my caffeine consumption. Especially when it came to my heart health. I've mentioned in numerous posts that having a focus on our cardiac health as we move through menopause is crucial. Women in post-menopause are the highest demographic to develop heart disease as they age in many western countries globally. [Read my previous article about magnesium intake and heart health HERE]. So thank you to the researchers who explored how coffee and tea consumption in the early adult lifespan affects the function of the heart in middle age. My summary and the reference to the full article is below. 
The study is called the CARDIA study which stands for Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults. This research has been going on for decades but what interested me was that the researchers explored total caffeine intake (tea and coffee consumption) when participants were around 25 years old in 1985/86 - about the same time that I began to enjoy having coffee (I was already a tea drinker from about my late teens I think!). The participants were followed up at the 7 year and 20 year mark and most importantly, 58% of them were women. Here's what was found:

Drinking 3-4 cups of coffee is associated with improved left ventricular (LV) function in mid-life. It was noted that this study was undertaken in America and therefore, the cups are around 2 times larger than in Europe. 
Drinking over 4 cups of coffee daily is associated with worsening LV function in mid-life. 
Drinking tea is not a problem (especially green tea).
Coffee contains biologically active substances such as flavonoids (antioxidant compounds that help to reduce inflammation), diterpenes (cholesterol raising substances) and melanoidins (naturally occuring carbohydrates and proteins found in coffee beans) and it is the combination of these substances that increase nitric oxide production. I've written about how important nitric oxide is for women as they age to help dilate blood vessels, which become 'stiffer' as we lose oestrogen. The odd cup of coffee helps to reduce this arterial stiffness - just don't have too much! 
Whilst short-term increases in blood pressure may occur following caffeine intake, the researchers also found that this was not translated into long term risk for hypertension (high blood pressure). 


Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing, hence, positioning this time of life in ageing studies is important. So too is understanding that many of our symptoms occur because of our life-time exposure to various stresses, including emotional stress and oxidative stress from doing too much exercise, or becoming overweight. Using scientific lifestyle research that's been undertaken on mid-life women (not men or younger people) was important for me to navigate my own menopause symptoms and weight. So, too was looking at menopause through the lens of ageing and through the lens of the life-course. It's also why sharing this research about coffee and tea consumption was important to me. Because I know how much many of us just like to sit down in a nice little cafe and have someone bring us a cuppa instead of having to make it ourselves.  

I hope one day you can join me in the MyMT™ community on either of my 12 week programmes. What you will learn to reduce your symptoms and/or your weight might just astound you. 


 Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.
Reference: 
Nwabuo, C., Betoko, A., Reis, J., Moreira, H .... Lima, J. (2020). Coffee and tea consumption in the early adult lifespan and left ventricular function in middle age: the CARDIA study. ESC Heart Failure, Wiley Online Library.

### "I was feeling pretty down, but your programme changed that. I've lost 8kgs [18lbs] and the knowledge was incredible!"   [Julie, New Zealand]

As a Regional Manager for one of New Zealand's sporting government bodies, Julie lives and breathes sports - her job is a busy and essential one helping manage sport participation in her local community. "Your programme was recommended by a friend" mentioned Julie, "and I knew I needed to do something. I was having a bit of a downer on life and finding it hard to motivate myself with all the different menopause symptoms I had been experiencing. I had no energy for my job but was just battling on, not really understanding what was going on." When I was taking my live-events before the pandemic, I was always reminding women attending that we are the first generation of women to go into menopause in the context of the phenomenal growth of the sporting and fitness industries over our lifetime. As well, for those of us who have part of the development of these industries (myself and Julie included), we get to our mid-life years and realise that most of the education and information has been based around men and athletes. For Julie, this realisation was the same. One of the main pieces of advice I give to women who are regular exercisers, as Julie was, is that we need to sleep all night before doing too much high-intensity exercise. If we are exercising vigorously and not sleeping, we aren't healing overnight, nor are we losing weight. "I have a rare auto-immune health concern" mentioned Julie, "so, the anti-inflammatory food and nutrient information you recommended specific to ageing research was wonderful. I still follow this informmation today. I also find that the supplements you recommended to do with our ageing were better than the menopause supplements I was taking. By the end of the 12 week Transform Me progamme, I lost 8 kg [18 lbs], and didn’t really find it that hard. The programme knowledge and information was incredibly helpful and motivating, as were the recipes and regular updates in your coaching community. I definitely found it so beneficial and it has made me change many aspects of the lifestyle and ‘bad habits’ I had. Understanding 'why' I needed to change something based on all the research you've done, was crucial in helping me put it all into place. After about 8 years of menopause symptoms, I am so happy with where I am. I have kept up with a bit of an 80/20 mentality in an effort to maintain 80% of the programme as lifestyle as I move into my future. I am looking forward to this. Thank you Wendy for sharing your amazing knowledge in such a helpful way."Julie Stephenson, New Zealand.  If you are feeling a bit confused about how to manage your menopause (or post-menopause) symptoms and weight gain without resorting to lots of crazy exercise or dieting (both of which can make your symptoms worse if you aren't sleeping), then please try and join me in either of the MyMT™ programmes. Julie did the weight loss Transform Me programme, which I describe in the video below. You can also read about the online course here. No matter where you are in the world,  you can access it via computer, ipad, or mobile phone.  During the Covid-19 pandemic I have the programmes ON SALE with NZ$100 savings. There are also monthly payments available too. This makes the cost NZ$199/ AUS$197 or UK£100. I hope you can join me. Please use the promo code ATHOME20 when you purchase.  Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society/ MyMT Founder & Coach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw7PmwoA5Q&t=46s

### "What I wished for in my 50's, was to sleep all night and understand how to lose the weight that exercise and dieting wasn't shifting."   [Wendy, N.Z.]

I said that statement above to my husband this morning - "You know all I wished for in my early 50's was to sleep all night and lose the weight that exercise and dieting wasn't shifting."  We were out walking to the local produce shop during Week 6 of lock-down here in New Zealand and met a lady whom we used to see at our local coffee shop. She was on her way there with her teen-age daughter. A brief conversation ensued at the obligatory 2 metre distance. We chatted away and talked about how she was getting on. "If I could sleep and lose my weight I'd be happier" she laughed. 5kgs had gone on during April's lockdown she shared. This morning she was trying to walk it off. 
I didn't have the heart to tell her that in order to lose her menopause weight, what she needed to do was to sleep all night.  
My increasing weight gain in my late 40's and early 50's frustrated me. The exercise wasn't working and nor were the 'diets of the day'. From my doctoral studies and years of lecturing, I also knew that night after night of not sleeping was the slippery slope towards worsening cardiac and metabolic health as women get older. Not getting enough sleep makes you more likely to gain weight, according to a review article in the journal Obesity that analyzed findings from 36 studies. The link appears to be especially strong among women during menopause. Lack of sufficient sleep tends to disrupt hormones that control hunger and appetite, and the resulting daytime fatigue often discourages you from exercising or eating healthily. How I remember those days so well!

For women aged 52-65 years, weight gain is one of their major health concerns reports the Women's Health Program at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia (2012). I'm not surprised. Since we entered our 20's in the 1980's, the prvelance of obesity has more than doubled and of these, over 300 million women were obese (i.e. have a body mass index [BMI] of over 30 kg/m2). Our western lifestyle is part of this, as is decreased physical activity, but for those going into their next stage of life, the hormonal millieu of menopause, impacts on this weight gain too.  That includes the chaos that ensues with our sleep. 
That's why, if you are on popular diets or exhausting exercise to try to lose your menopause weight, but you aren't sleeping, then sorry, but you aren't fat-burning. It's why you end up with your weight yo-yo-ing all over the place. Just as mine did too. 
There is a biological reason why you’re not sleeping well - wakefulness, light sleeping and insomnia (not being able to get back to sleep) is linked to your changing reproductive hormones during menopause. But here's the thing - lack of sleep really is a big deal for your health as you age. 
Not sleeping night after night, 

increases your hot flushes,
disrupts your blood sugar hormone called insulin
worsens forgetfulness
reduces muscle recovery from exercise
keeps your body in 'stress' mode which increases storage of fat in the abdominal area
changes your heart health and blood pressure. 

Not sleeping is a big deal for your health as you move through menopause - especially if you are putting on weight. 
We all know how night after night of insufficient sleep makes you feel. You become so distracted with your fatigue that you give up exercise, you can't get your work done and eventually, during menopause, you might notice that your hot flushes and sore joints get worse as well. These symptoms are also linked to your menopause insomnia because not sleeping leads to increased inflammation building up in your cells and tissues too.  (Harvard Health Sleep Report, 2017).  It's this inflammation that sends us into the cascade of adrenal, thryoid and blood glucose changes that hit us in our post-menopause years and mess up our metabolism as we age. 

How your lack of sleep leads to menopause weight gain:
I still remember when I couldn’t sleep night after night. I was up and down to the loo, making cups of tea, reading and even doing some work. I tried every strategy that I had been told about. The supplements didn’t help, nor over time, did the HRT.
Although I knew that not sleeping is the slippery slope to fibromyalgia and other auto-immune diseases, the one I was most concerned about was the weight gain.
This is because when we don’t get our deep sleep, which is our healing sleep, our hormones that help us to burn fat overnight (insulin and cortisol) become disrupted too. Being awake keeps these two hormones higher than they should be. When these hormones remain high, our body goes goes into 'distress' and we store more fat in our fat cells which are either, more highly distributed around our mid-section or around our thighs mentions researcher, Molly Carr, [2003].
"Two patterns of body fat distribution have been observed. The accumulation of fat centrally, as intraabdominal fat (android or apple shape) and the accumulation of fat in the gluteo-femoral region (gynoid or pear shape)." Both have their health risks during and after menopause. 

But there are other conditions that cause weight gain in menopause and none more so, than if you've had a hysterectomy or just had your ovaries removed (oophrectomy). If this is you, then please take note that studies on oophrectomised mice show that fat tissue (adipose tissue) becomes more inflamed and fatty liver can result as well. I guess some of you who have had a hysterectomy, might already understand this with your weight going up, not down. When I met Elaine in Sheffield during my UK lecture tour earlier this year before the world headed into Covid-chaos, she mentioned that she had no idea how much her weight would balloon after her hysterectomy, but now she realises that not sleeping during peri-menopause was contributing to this weight gain too. 

As I tell women on my 12 week programmes, "getting your sleep sorted is the foundation to improved weight management and cardiac health as we age." When I was so confused about my own weight gain, I had no idea about this either, until I looked into it as part of my women's healthy ageing studies.   

Why aren't we sleeping? 
Unraveling the science of not sleeping as we transition into our new hormonal environment in menopause took me hundreds of hours of study, but I was so determined to understand why I wasn’t sleeping.
Nobody told me it was all to do with the clash between my changing hormones in menopause as part of natural ageing and my diet and exercise, which was more suited to my 'younger-self' and not someone going through menopause. 

Just as deep sleep restores your body, scientists also know that REM or dreaming sleep restores your mind, perhaps in part by helping clear out irrelevant information. A very important task for a generation of women with a lot going on in their lives still! When we get this deep, restorative sleep (between 2 and 4am), blood flow is directed less toward your brain, which cools measurably. At the beginning of this stage, your pituitary gland releases a pulse of growth hormone to stimulate tissue growth and muscle repair.
If we are lying awake between 2 and 4am, then this release of growth hormone does not reach the threshold it needs to for healing and repairing our body. This is why I hear from so many women who are avid exercisers; they don’t understand that their sore muscles and joints are due to not just low oestrogen, but also not sleeping!
We need to sleep all night again in order to reduce our joint pain as well as allow our body to recover from bouts of exercise.
Sleep is vital for activating our immune system:
Deep sleep activates our immune system. So, for those of you doing more vigorous exercise, then not sleeping may be causing your performance to drop and your muscles and joints to remain sore for longer after training. It's the same for over-trained athletes who don't sleep well. Their performance gradually drops off followed my their motivation too. What happens next is a series of changes in the levels of stress hormones that cause our sleep hormone, melatonin to decline further than it has already.

For ex-Les Mills Group Fitness Instructor, Tineke, understanding this was crucial to her weight loss success. 

Sleep is vital for regulating insulin, cortisol and melatonin levels:
The other concern is that when we aren’t sleeping well, our blood sugar hormone called insulin, remains high. So too, does our chronic stress hormone called cortisol. A high sugar diet and increased stress also messes up the production of melatonin, our precious go-to-sleep hormone.
This powerful combination of high insulin and high cortisol not only prevents your overnight fat-burning, but the presence of these hormones at higher levels before you go to bed competes with your sleep hormone called melatonin. If you are in menopause, then watch how much alcohol or sweet treats you have in the evening too. So many women don't understand that alcohol converts to oestrogen and is stored in our fat cells too. 
Our melatonin hormone levels are important. The lower that melatonin is before you go to bed and the lower it stays overnight, the more awake and restless you are during the night. The more awake you feel, the busier your brain and the more hot flushes you have ... night after night it happens and over time your brain and your hormones are now reading this as your ‘new normal’. Every day then becomes a marathon to get through. 

As many of you already know – the result is daily fatigue, exhaustion, irritability, depression, sore joints and with your insulin levels all mixed up overnight, the weight starts to increase around your belly or around your thighs too.
That’s why in the MyMT™ ‘Transform Me’ weight loss programme  the first module you listen to is simply called ‘Sleep All Night’. Without this precious sleep, your body doesn’t burn fat.

Not sleeping has such a negative effect on our health as we age including on our liver and gut health. 
If you are putting on weight or you are feeling constantly cranky, irritable and exhausted, then please let me help you turn this around. Women on my online 12 week programmes love their learning in the first online module they receive, which is simply called ‘SLEEP ALL NIGHT‘. For those with poor gut health, they also love discovering that our gut is also on a 24 hour night/day rhythm, so as they learn to sleep all night, their gut health starts to improve too.

One of the powerful strategies that women on my programmes discover is the importance of our Circadian Rhythms and how to adjust these to specifically match their changing hormonal levels during menopause. The term ‘Circadian’ means “about a day”  so our circadian rhythms are daily fluctuations in our biology that can become messed up as we transition through menopause.
This internal clock, which gradually becomes established during the first months of life, controls the daily ups and downs of biological patterns, including body temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones which control all of our body's workings - this includes our weight management.

Circadian rhythms make people’s desire for sleep strongest between midnight and dawn, and to a lesser extent in mid-afternoon. However, our changing menopause hormones cause disruption to our normal circadian rhythms, so as we transition into or through menopause, then it’s really important to restore this biological rhythm and make adjustments to get us back sleeping all night. If we don’t, then over time our brain and body start to read this 2-3am ‘awake’ period as ‘normal’. This is why food-timing is important as well and I get all the women who join me to focus on changing the time of their evening meal to better suit their circadian rhythm which controls digestion overnight. 

Certain brain structures and chemicals produce the states of sleeping and waking. Levels of melatonin begin climbing after dark and ebb after dawn. This powerful hormone induces drowsiness, and scientists believe its daily light-sensitive cycles help keep the sleep/wake cycle on track.
As we enter our mid-life years, these levels of melatonin decline as oestrogen starts to decline. This means that our deep sleep continues to diminish. Night-time awakenings become more frequent and last longer. Waking after about three hours of sleep is particularly common and many women experience hot flushes, night sweats or want to get up and have a pee (yes, we have oestrogen receptors in our bladder as well). But the other main issue is weight gain.
Is it time to get control over your weight and your sleep?
When I began to look into our menopause symptoms as part of my women’s healthy ageing studies, I began to understand that our menopause transition is a natural transition that all women go through. Menopause is therefore, not the problem. We all go through it. The problem is that for millions of women, is that we are continuing to go about our daily life as if we aren't in menopause. But we are! And when we make some simple lifestyle changes we can turn around the chaos naturally. With my 12 week programme, this all starts with turning around your sleep. 
During the pandemic, I have had the MyMT™  Transform Me 12 week programme on sale with NZ$100 off. This makes it NZ$349 which is the lowest price it has ever been, but it is my way of supporting you all during this time. There are also part-payments you can choose from and the promo code to use on any BUY NOW button is JOIN MYMT. In Australia and New Zealand as we move back to a more 'normal' way of life, the price will revert at the end of May. For those of you in the UK, I will watch how you are getting on and may leave this pricing for a little bit longer if your lock-down continues.  Over 12 weeks you discover my plans and strategies how to turn around your sleep, liver health, hot flushes, nutrition and improve your energy again. All of this is accessed in your exclusive member area on the website.
If you aren't sleeping and/or putting on weight during or after your menopause transition, then I hope you can join me. Women around the world call it 'life-changing'. I tell you all about it in the short 6 minute video below. 

BOTH programmes come with my BONUS MyMT™ FOOD GUIDE - packed full of the most relevant food information and recipes that I have specifically evidenced against women's healthy ageing nutritional studies. I became so confused about nutrition, despite lecturing on nutrition at university, but then I began to understand that the information that was available at the time, was not suited to our age and stage in menopause - and no, the popular Keto or Paleo diets are not what I teach either.  I teach you how to reduce inflammation in your joints, gut and muscles by using nutrition evidenced from women's healthy ageing studies and this includes the Mediterranean Diet, Heart Health and Longevity science as well. As soon as you join me, this fabulous Food Guide is loaded up into your exclusive member area for you. 

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.
"Putting menopause into wellness, not sickness for over 2000 women around the world. Join me when you can." 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw7PmwoA5QYes please!  I want to Learn More about the MyMT™ weight loss Transform Me 12 week programme.   References:Carr, M. (2003). The Emergence of the Metabolic Syndrome with Menopause. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 88(6):2404–2411Davis, S., Castelo-Branco, C. et.al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15: 419–429.Harvard Health Report (2017). Improving Sleep. Harvard Health PublicationGeddes, L. (2019). Chasing the Sun: The new science of sunlight and how it shapes our bodies and minds. London: Profile Books.Nyberg, S., Singh-Manoux, A., Pentii, J. et al. (2020). Association of healthy lifestyle with years lived without major chronic diseases. JAMA Inernal Medicine Online. Reinke H. & Asher G. (2017). Circadian clock control of liver metabolic functions. Gastroenterology, 150: 574–580.Rizzi, M. et al. (2016). Sleep Disorders in Fibromyalgia Syndrome.  Journal of Pain Relief, 5:2, 1-5Sharma, S. & Kavuru, M. (2010). Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview. Int. Journal of Endocrinology, Article ID 270832, 1-12.Woods, N. et al. (2009). Cortisol Levels during the Menopausal Transition and Early Postmenopause: Observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16(4): 708–718.www.mymenopausetransformation.com

### "I've been deployed as an Essential Worker to help the New Zealand Police. The views from my roving 'office' are stunning."  [Paula, NZ]

I think Essential Worker, Paula, has the most spectacular 'room with a view' in the world. Don't you? 

"Along with some colleagues from aviation security, we have a roving commission to do Reassurance Patrols throughout Central Otago. As well, we check on anything they need us to do. It's quite a spectacular thing to be doing with the drop dead gorgeous autumn colours and perfect weather" mentioned Paula when she emailed me today.

Paula lives in Central Otago in the South Island of New Zealand. The trees are changing colour in the Autumn/ Fall transition and her new role as an Essential Worker, takes her past some of the most stunning scenery in the world. I'll never forget the day Paula came onto the MyMT™ programme.



As a busy Aviation Security Officer, she was on duty the day she signed up via the website. A frequent visitor to her part of the world, I was about to leave on a flight and was upstairs in the airport lounge. As I came through security I didn't know the woman staring hard at me was Paula. How funny! She didn't even know I was in the building - what a surprise she got!  But on my return back to my home town, I had an email from her, "Did you just fly up to Auckland?" was her question. From that day on, I looked for Paula every time I flew. Even though for now, it might be a little while before we get on flights again.

That's why I caught up with her this week. As someone who has a busy role in aviation security, I knew that times would be tough. But she had been deployed as a temporary Essential Worker instead. I was so pleased for her. Her new role is working as support for the New Zealand police - roving patrols around the beautiful Central Otago, South Island, province. Just checking up on people and making sure everyone is OK. 'Reassurance Patrols' are what they are called.

Paula was with me on the programme in 2018 and continued in my coaching group. She had just started her job in aviation security and with lots of changes going on in her life, she realised that she needed a mid-life revamp. With the shift-work and not sleeping her weight had ballooned and this meant her hot flushes were causing her chaos too. As she moved through the Transform Me weight loss programme, we adjusted the timing of her meals to accommodate for her shift work. After a few weeks, she sent me this email,



From that point on, Paula was underway. She was more focused on her food timing and type and understood how to adjust her sleep routine for her shift work. Her new role now also means shift-work, which is why I'm pleased that she understands how to focus on her energy levels and the timing of her food intake, so she can better cope with the important work she does helping others.



Essential Workers have been keeping the country going during the pandemic and it's been a privilege to do a 'shout-out' to those women who have also been part of the MyMT™ community as they go about their work.  Paula and her colleagues act as  “extra eyes and ears” in the community, doing patrols in the area and reporting any concerns or criminal or behavioural activities back to police. At a time of uncertainty for a lot of people, it's such an important role Paula plays and it's been a privilege to support her to support others.


www.mymenopausetransformation.com
If you are curious to know more about your menopause symptoms, then don't forget that during the lock-down whilst I haven't been able to travel, I have recorded my 'Masterclass on Menopause' for you to listen to in the comfort of your home. It's 1:50 mins long and you can pause it any time you like and go grab a cuppa. :)  Learn More HERE.

### An ANZAC Poem by an Australian Nurse from the Great War and New Zealand's family-favourite ANZAC Cookies Recipe.

In a shout-out to Essential Workers for the month of April, the reminder that here in New Zealand and Australia, we honour those who fought for our freedom on April 25th, which is celebrated as ANZAC Day, I share with you an ANZAC poem by Australian Great War Nurse, Erica Strom in a publication called 'Australian Great War Poetry. Oh, and you might just want to bake these yummy ANZAC cookies which New Zealand women baked to enable soldiers to diversify their nutrition during the Great War - I think it might have given the soldiers a little reminder of home too. As I read this poem I thought of all the wonderful nurses who are at the frontline of the Covid-19 battle. If this is you, then you might resonate with it too. On June the 12th, 1917, a large contingent of army nurses left Melbourne for overseas. They went to Salonika, in Greece, to staff British hospitals there. Christine Erica Strom was one of these nurses. She penned this poem called '50 Years Later.'50 Years LaterHow long ago it seems!So young we were, with earnest questing eyesThat probed the future for our destiny;With sense of purpose, and with plans and dreamsConcerning many things.And then the challenge came: and so we went;And, looking back across the drift of years,One would not now have had it otherwise.So much is clouded now in memory,But contemplation bringsSome aspect we can share.Adventures on the way; and all the joysOf fellowship; the team-work that was there;The tents; the wards; the boys;The busy nights and enervating days.Greece and its ways;Laughter and fun;Long conversations when the days were done.The night-staff gathered in that supper tent,Their lanterns waiting like so many dogs;The dixies, and the taste of mutton bird.The scraps of news we heard:Rumours and warnings.The awful misery of winter mornings.Mail days, and all that letters meant to us;Long thoughts of home, and matters to discuss;Depression and despair,And pillows damp with tears!The summer heat, and nets above the beds;The locusts, the mosquitoes, and the frogs;The wasps that fought with us for marmalade;Mushroom, in autumn, thick upon the slopes.The harassed HeadWhose rules we thought unjust –All those mistakes we made!The pale romances, and the shattered hopes;Real loss, and quiet grieving.Pay days, and cash to spend; days off and dustUpon that winding roadOf tragic poverty.The guns that broke the silence of the nights,And (how one hears it still!)The Last Post sounding on that quiet hill.Winter again…The mud that followed rain.The smoke-filled wards; dark days; the driving snow;The Vardar wind that seemed for ever blowing,Those large and frozen bottles of quinine!Then peace, at last;And soon upon the sceneAll those reactions common when a strain,Long held, has passed.Then, gradually, the end:General upheaving;With friend’s farewell to friendThe patients leaving.The closing of the wards: sorting and stowing;How we had longed to go –And how we hated going!Christine Erica Strom, Great War Nurse. In another shout-out to 'something essential' during the Covid-19 lockdown, then for those of you not in New Zealand, you may not know about the Edmunds Cookbook and on a very well-thumbed page, I have the recipe for ANZAC BISCUITS. I don't think there are many women of our generation in New Zealand who haven't made these biscuits over the years. I like them because they keep for a while (if you don't eat them all at once) and as part of the adjustments I now make to baking, I now make them with a Gluten Free Baking Mix. The history of these biscuits is fascinating. During WW1, the wives, mothers and girlfriends of soldiers were concerned about the nutritional value of food being supplied to their men. Any food that was sent to fighting men had to be carried in he ships of the Merchant  Navy. Most were slow and had no refridgeration, so any food sent hod to remain edible after periods in excess of 2 months. The women came up with a nutritional answer: a nutritional biscuit. The basis was a Scottish recipe using Rolled Oats. They don't have eggs to bind the mixture because due to the war, many of the poultry farmers had joined the services, thus eggs were scarce.  The binding agent is therefore, golden syrup or treacle. At first the biscuits were called Soldiers' Biscuits, but after the landing on Gallipoli, they were renamed ANZAC Biscuits. During both World Wars, the Country Women's Association in New Zealand (as it was then called), devoted a great deal of time to the making of Anzac Biscuits. Here is the original recipe from the Edmunds Cookbook for you. ANZAC BISCUITS1/2 Cup of Standard Grade Flour (I use a gluten-free flour which requires around 3/4 cup instead)1/2 cup Sugar (or use 1/4 cup so you reduce sugar in your diet)3/4 cup of Coconut3/4 cup of Rolled Oats100 gm Butter1 Tablespoon of Golden Syrup1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda2 Tablespoons of Boiling WaterPreheat the oven to 180 degrees C [350 Fahrenheit]. Mix togehter all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, rolled oats and coconut). Melt the butter and golden syrup.  Dissolve the baking soda in the boling water and add this to the butter mixture. Stir the butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Place level tablespoons of the mixture on cold greased or lined oven trays. Allow space between them to expand. Flatten with a floured fork. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. Makes 22. 

### "I'm responsible for the emotional wellbeing of 12,000 UK National Health Service staff and being on Wendy's MyMT™ program helps me stay in control."  [Dr Clare, UK].

"I'm responsible for the emotional well-being of 12,000 UK National Health Service staff and I've never been busier! Being on MyMT is really helping though as it gives me a sense of control over one area of my life when the rest of it is chaos, stress and a lot of heartbreak."In my shout-out to Essential Workers, I told Dr Clare Wright that I would love to share her story with you. I love how MyMT™ connects me with remarkable mid-life women around the world, who have decided, as I did when I did my women's healthy ageing research, that menopause is the time of life to change our lifestyle to match our changing hormones as we transition into the next phase of our lives. It's been long days and evenings for Clare as she shares her incredible skills, knowledge and compassion with 12,000 UK National Health workers.Clare is a consultant clinical psychologist and systemic psychotherapist who works for an NHS health board in South Wales, looking after the emotional wellbeing of 12,000 staff.  In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, she is visiting the Emergency Departments, Intensive Treatment Units, and hospital wards across 3 District General Hospitals and 3 community hospitals where COVID 19 positive patients are being cared for. She provides emotional support to staff on the frontline and guidance to their line managers on how to support their wellbeing and intervene if staff are struggling.Remarkably, Clare has set up Recharge rooms in each hospital so staff have somewhere safe and comfortable to go if they need a bit of time away from their clinical areas. This is where they can talk to a trained counsellor for support. Working with others she is introducing initiatives to limit the emotional harm to staff of experiencing multiple bereavements, traumatic episodes and moral injury. Somewhere along the way, Clare also writes a weekly blog, provides training sessions on self-care and is generally on the end of a phone to help anyone who is struggling emotionally.The emotional stress and chaos is "heart-breaking" says Clare,  but in thinking of all of you and going through menopause herself, she understands how you might be feeling too.Dr Clare, you are remarkable and on behalf of so many in the MyMT community, I can't thank you enough for sharing some professional tips with all of us, so that we can not only look after our own emotional wellbeing during this time, but also be aware of how to help our families as well.  Corona-crisis Wellbeing Tips from Dr Clare Wright:Stay connected with people. It’s important to keep in touch with friends, family and the people you love and who make you feel cared for at this time whether you do that by phone, internet, Face Time or talking over the garden fence to neighbours. Isolation is hard, so use whatever technology you can to stay connected with others.Be physically active. We all know we feel better after some exercise. You may have to change how you do this but find something you enjoy doing and do it! Even if that means running up and down stairs or round the garden or dancing to your favourite music.  Remember there is a world beyond Covid 19. We need to keep ourselves informed but Covid 19 doesn’t have to dominate everything we watch, do or talk about.  Limit the amount of information you expose yourself to as it can become overwhelming and depressing. Make an effort to have fun, do things you enjoy within social distancing restrictions and think about something else.Give to others. Anxiety about our health, finances or future can make us a bit introspective. Look around you and see if there are others that could benefit from your help, or just a phone call. This can take us out of ourselves and create a wonderful, supportive environment in which to live and work. Talk to people you don’t normally talk to. Ask others if they are ok.Pay attention to the current moment.  Try not to let fears and concerns run away with you. Yes make practical plans around caring for yourself, your family etc. but keep focused on the here and now, the issues that are facing you today. We can worry about tomorrow then. Let’s get through this one step at a time.Dr Clare Wright, UKIt's been such a privilege to help Clare to help you. She has been on the MyMT™ Transform Me programme for a month now and in between all the chaos has managed to stay on track and lose weight. "I am really enjoying the programme. It's great to learn about the evidence base of what is going on. I was feeling so baffled and out of control with my weight. I've actually already lost 3kg since starting which seems incredible as I have been trying to lose weight and been still putting on, for over 12 months, even though I do a lot of exercise. You've now explained why and finally I'm feeling like I can take back some control."Please don't forget that as my own support to you, I've taken NZ$50 off the cost of all of my three different 12 week online MyMT programmes. Circuit Breaker is for you if you are thinner or leaner.  Transform Me is my menopause weight loss programme and my online 12 week exercise programme is called Rebuild My Fitness. These are now NZ$349 instead of $399 or UK£128 or AUS$233. There are monthly payments for 3 months as well. Please use the promo code ATHOME20 when you purchase. It would be my privilege to help you too. Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.   

### “I’m off HRT and anti-depressants and have lost over 8kg. My life is back on track.” - Pauline, New Zealand

In a shout-out to healthcare workers who I have shared some of their mid-life journey with, I want to acknowledge Aged-Care nurse, Pauline. She first came on the programme feeling exhausted from her shift work and not understanding how her stress was impacting on her sleep and symptoms during menopause. 
"I’m feeling so tired all of the time." "My joints and muscles feel sore and achey." "I’m feeling as if I’m in fog all the time." "I feel like crying a lot." "My medications aren’t making me feel better." "No amount of exercise is helping me lose my weight." “I wake up night after night.” “I’ve lost confidence in my body as exercise just makes me hurt more.”
These were all statements from emails that aged-care nurse, Pauline, sent me before joining me on the Transform Me programme. Already on HRT, anti-depressants and sleeping tablets, she felt exhausted. But with a busy job caring for the elderly and having a position of responsibility to other staff, all Pauline felt was despair as every day became an ongoing battle to fight fatigue and brain-fog. Her energy levels weren't improving and she was struggling to perform at a job she had excelled in for decades.


I’m so pleased Pauline decided that her future health mattered. As a nurse, she knew that it didn’t feel right to just feel so unhealthy all the time. Most importantly, how she was feeling was affecting her energy and motivation to do the job she loved doing.
When she reached out for support through the MyMT™ programme her desperation in her email was profound –

“I have tried many natural products to get a better night’s sleep, to no avail. I’ve also taken HRT for 6 years but enough is enough. I’m also having to resort to anti-depressants at bedtime, with the occasional sleeping tablet to ensure I can function the next day, together with morning coffee. Then last year Blood pressure medication and now my cholesterol and weight just keeps increasing. I am really at my wits end.”

I explained to Pauline, that although medications do help some women in menopause, they don’t get to the heart of our energy because they don’t solve how the body stays healthy and energetic at a time when our hormones are changing. This happens through:

1. being able to sleep all night to heal our immune system.
2. being able to absorb nutrients through the gut and liver.
3. being able to re-balance our thyroid, stress and pituitary hormones that get out of balance as we move through menopause.

Pauline loved how she could put the MyMT™ plans into action, fitting the sleep routines, nutrition, gut and liver plans around her shift work and her daily life. It sounds like her husband did too – he lost an incredible 14 kgs of weight, following the nutrition plans! When Pauline sent this through, I knew she had achieved what she wanted to achieve… feeling like her old self again and back in control of her health …

"This truly was a transformation. I certainly would not be where I am without the excellent tools you supplied to turn my health around. Thank you for being on this journey with me. I now fit the same size low-rise jean as my 33 year old daughter!

“I have now lost 8.5kg and have so much more energy, I wake up earlier and want to get up and extend my day. My stress levels have decreased dramatically, my life is back on track. I haven’t had any sleeping tablets for 4 Months and I have halved my anti-depressants used for sleeping and shutting my brain off. I now use your strategies. 

But there's a bonus too … My husband has lost a massive 14kg and feeling so much healthier. I call it our lifestyle change. We are both feeling so much healthier and fitter. I have far less days feeling yuk; my over-heating problem is much improved at work; my head is clearer and my stress levels have decreased due to my deep breathing and letting go of things that are difficult to change. I no longer take problems on and try to solve them and feel so much more confident in taking charge of my actions now.

I’m just so pleased to be feeling alive again. Can’t wait for my next visit to the Dr. I just wanted to say thank you again for helping in this journey. I certainly would not be where I am without the excellent tools you supplied to turn my health around. Thank you for being on this journey with me. I have no doubt that I would have been still procrastinating if it hadn’t been for you. Forever grateful." 

Pauline, 58 yrs, Nelson, NZ


www.mymenopausetransformation.com

### The Corona Pantry: A family favourite bursting with beans.

In my childhood, beans were culinary outcasts. The only beans that my mother had in her pantry were heavy in a thick, sugary sauce but when we were rushing out the door to run for the school bus, for my mother, they were a quick and easy breakfast to feed us kids. Watties Baked Beans have been offered to New Zealanders since 1944. During World War 2, Watties were sent to New Zealand armed forces who needed quick nutritious food that they could heat and eat (or most probably, not heat), on the run and in the trenches.  I never knew that these beans were nutritious Navy Beans. I didn't like the taste of the heavy, thick sauce, so I used to refuse to eat them. Eating 'just' my toast instead. I'm sure my mother tossed them in the pig bucket as I ducked out the door to the school bus. If I'd known back then how healthy and cheap Navy beans are, I might have gulped down a mouthful or two instead, but when and where I grew up, cans of beans were of the sort that were smothered in sugary, sweet sauce. They just weren't to my liking. But not anymore. And certainly not whilst we are heading into uncharted territory with our food production and availability in light of the global Covid19 crisis.My 'Corona Pantry' is now bursting with beans. From chickpeas to navy, pinto, red kidney and adzuki beans, I have a lot of beans! I've been talking about them in the MyMT™ Coaching Community this week. I'm sharing 2 weeks of scientifically evidenced 'Wellness Wisdom' and yes, we have all been stocking our pantry with beans. Whilst the supermarkets run out of general commodities, I've been keeping women on task to have a pantry full of foods that matter to our health as well as foods that also meet the budget in uncertain times.I find it incredible that as we face these unprecedented times, women around the world who are on my 12 week programmes as well as with me in my private coaching community are in similar situations - working from home, trying to deal with children and a partner at home, whilst some have lost their jobs and/ or face uncertain futures. Covid anxiety on top of menopause-anxiety isn't any fun. That's why it's a privilege to keep the community going and offer support, knowledge and reassurance every day. I hope you can join me sometime too.  That's why I've been having a focus on 'The Corona Pantry' - so many women are now faced with hungry families wanting 3 meals a day and we all know that when we are working from home, the kitchen becomes the hub for everyone, especially hungry teenagers. That's why I was pleased to share with them the knowledge that they needed to load up their pantry with cans of beans - preferably without the thick, sugary sauce. Beans have healing powers and in times of health uncertainty, it's nice to know the foods that heal, especially for women going through menopause, who may already have some health challenges. "Beans are actually little chemical factories with lots of biologically active substances in them" said Dr Leonard Cohen, a nutrition and cancer research specialist at the American Health Foundation in New York.  "There's good evidence that they may protect against cancer, lower cholesterol and decrease inflammation." With the knowledge that the Covid-19 virus causes inflammatory lesions in the lungs leading to interstitial pneumonia, I worry about all of you women going through menopause, who are already experiencing health changes. As I keep reiterating to you, if you are going through menopause, then this is the biological gateway to your ageing and as such, the changes that ensue around our body as oestrogen and progesterone decline, can also cause inflammatory changes. If you have an irritable gut and changing joint health or you have put on a lot of belly-fat, then you will know what I mean. Yes, when fat cells accumulate excess fat storage, they become inflamed as well. But back to beans. These mighty, small and relatively cheap plants are packed with soluble fibre - the same fibre that's found in apples, barley and oat bran. In the digestive tract, soluble fibre traps cholesterol-containing bile, removing it from the body before it's absorbed. Beans also help to keep our blood sugar steady and help us feel full. If you have a hungry household then make these vegetarian nachos for lunch and tell the kids there is nothing more until dinner. Just as my mother used to do on weekends.  Throughout February, many of you who follow my newsletter know that I was taking my seminar series in the United Kingdom (I'm thinking of you all!) and then supporting my son and few other members of the NZ Freeride skiing team in Switzerland. How that seems a long time ago now.  The boys got together one night to make these Vegetarian Nacho's.  They were full of beans and filled up the 5 hungry skiers who had been training all day on the mountain. I called them 'Manu's Vegetarian Nachos' because that evening, Manu, at 19 years old, was the designated 'chef'. He made two dishes of them and with 5 hungry athletes to feed, they didn't last long. I made a green salad for them as well. Manu's Vegetarian Nachos: 1 medium onion (chopped and sauteed in olive oil)2 cloves of garlic (chopped and add to onions)1 jar of tomato paste - stir into onion/ garlic mix1 can tomatoes (add fresh chopped tomatoes if you would like or another can of tomatoes if you are feeding a family).1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary and cumin1 can of black beans1 can of red kidney beansEnough grated cheese to cover the mixture. Mix everything together in the pan and stir through. Line an oven-proof dish with corn chips. Spoon the mixture on top of the corn chips, sprinkle cheese on top and pop under the grill. It only takes 2 minutes, so watch it so you don't burn it. Serve with salad, chopped avocado, or make some guacamole or salsa. My 'Corona Pantry' is full of beans. Whilst the supermarket empties out of meat, bread and pasta, if you head down the canned beans aisle, you will undoubtedly find a few cans of beans. I bought chickpeas, black beans and adzuki beans (less gas) as well as lentils. I also bought cans of tomatoes. As we think about meals for the family and meals that perhaps others can throw together to help us at this crazy time, then buy some cans of beans, some tomatoes, a large bag of corn chips and add Manu's Vegetarian Nachos to your weekly meal plan. In Blue Zones areas, researchers found that the longest-lived people eat a full cup of beans every day. When I began to add more beans into my diet, I only added 1/2 cup as our fragile western stomachs can produce too much gas, so it pays to add them slowly to your diet and soak and cook them for better digestion. Beans are a food that fit into a vegetable and high protein category so you won't be missing out on your protein. 1 cup of cooked black beans contains 15 grams of protein, so if you have teens who are athletes, let them know this little fact when they are complaining about not having meat. Women who are on my 12 week online programmes learn that as we age, we need less protein because our ageing pancreas and gut can't assimilate it the way that we used to. This is all explained in the MyMT™Food Guide which women get access to as part of my three different MyMT programmes.    I hope that everyone is settling into a routine now. The word 'routine' is important to all of us. When we feel uncertain, anxious and experiencing such incredible change and scrambling to find a 'new normal', setting a daily routine helps enormously. If you have children or young adults returning home, then get them into a routine too and that includes making Manu's Vegetarian Nachos. I know that these are extraordinary times but there's never been a more important time to focus on your health during menopause or post-menopause. Thinking of you all,  Wendy x

### Exercise and your ageing immune system and my 3 top exercises to boost your immunity during menopause.

Since the mid-1980s researchers have systematically examined the effects of a session of exercise on immune function. With the health chaos that the world is experiencing, I’m reminded of this research today.
Never before have we become so aware of our immune function and for women in menopause, immune health is crucial to look after. Why? No, not only because of the risk of Corona-virus, but because as menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing, our immune system is ageing and changing too. Immune functioning decreases with normal ageing and with stress.
And feeling stressed, feeling exhausted from not sleeping, the loss of muscle tone and/or being overweight create a perfect-storm for our ageing immune system to cope with too. That's why, at this unprecedented time of public health crisis, we need a bit of focus on our lovely immune system. Yes, you need to sleep and eat properly, and sort out your gut health too (I have a Gut Rehab module in all the MyMT programmes) but you also need the right exercise for you during menopause too. Your ageing lungs and immune system are also losing the immune-enhancing effects of oestrogen will love you! 

The original research on the effects of exercise and our immune health was stimulated by anecdotal reports that athletes engaged in intense training regimes exhibited enhanced susceptibility to respiratory infections. Hence, a plethora of research about high-intensity exercise followed.
Some news was good, some not so good. And the ‘not-so-good’ news is that too much high-intensity exercise can lead to over-training syndrome – the hallmark of which is respiratory infections. So, be warned. If you are doing lots of high-intensity exercise, then balance this up with rest and some lower intensity exercise too. As I continue to say to women on my programmes – ‘If you aren’t sleeping, then you aren’t recovering from all the high-intensity exercise and over time, your immune health will suffer too.’
The Cells of the Immune System:
The body’s immune system protects us against infection … and viruses. It does this by recognising and actively attacking invading organisms. In sport and exercise science research and the early studies into the effect of exercise on the immune system, it was demonstrated that many components of the immune system exhibit change after prolonged, intense exercise. As I mentioned earlier, these changes are not always positive ones if exercise is too intense over long periods of time. 

Our immune system is conveniently divided into its different functions. Our INNATE immune system recognises invasions of foreign organisms acutely. Our ADAPTIVE or ACQUIRED immune system detects a particular organism among the thousands of possible pathogens and recognises it again on subsequent exposures. In other words, the adaptive system is specific and has ‘memory’.
Our immune system cells are numerous and several of them respond positively to acute bouts of exercise – macrophages, neutrophils and yes, I love this name  - Natural Killer cells (NK cells). We need a few of these at the moment don’t we? NK cells are the ones that seek out and destroy virus-infected cells non-specifically. Macrophage anti-viral function, neutrophil function and NK cell activity are all impaired after too much PROLONGED intense exercise – hence, why many athletes get sick – BUT Natural Killer cells are very responsive to short bursts of exercise (around 20 minutes) AND moderate intensity aerobic exercise as well.
Natural-killer cells are very responsive to exercise which induces their recruitment to the blood. After moderate exercise (60 minutes or less) or shorter-bouts of around 20 minutes of higher-intensity exercise, the concentration of these cells is boosted by up to 150-200% higher than pre-exercise values. However, this increase doesn’t last for long. Large numbers of these NK cells quickly dissipate (are removed) within 2-4 hours after exercise. And whilst evidence is sparse, neither fitness level nor gender, appears to influence the magnitude of exercise-induced changes in NK cells. What is recognised however, is that there are clinically important changes in our immune function that can last for up to 72 hours when exercise is moderate and it is performed regularly.

How much exercise is ENOUGH?
For more than 30 years I have been interested in this question. Simply because most people don't have the time, motivation or energy for exercise and as New Zealand's first Personal Trainer for global fitness giant, Les Mills, I saw first-hand that the longer the exercise sessions for beginners, the more dis-interested they became! There's a reason drop-out stats are high in the fitness industry.
But whilst most exercise classes and personal training workouts are structured around hourly sessions, this isn't always necessary for our health. Numerous studies show that any exercise is better than none! For mid-life women, yes an hour of exercise a day is a great goal but what researchers are finding, is that it's the amount of calories that are expended when we exercise that delivers better health benefits. Those who burn more than 700 calories a week through daily exercise live longer and with improved health quality. Those who get their energy expenditure up to around 2000 calories weekly and add some moderate intensity, have greater health benefits. In other words, if we can work up a bit of a sweat, then this is better for us. Quality not Quantity wins out each time. 


What if my Joints are Sore? 
Many women find that as they transition through menopause, they experience sore muscles and joints and can't exercise as much as they used to. As well, based on the hundreds of health screening forms I receive when women come onto my programmes, many are just plain exhausted and/or overweight with other health problems. And yes, I was the same with my muscles and joints as well. I nearly gave up on exercise myself. Out of all of our symptoms, sore joints and especially knees, seems the most challenging but this occurs because we have oestrogen receptors in our tendons and lowering oestrogen causes these to dry up. If you haven't read my article about sore joints, then please take the time to read it HERE.  It's also why I have included my Joint Restoration Module in all of my programmes, including the Rebuild My Fitness online programme. 

So, if you are working from home, or you are self-isolating and getting bored or you need some motivation to focus on 'you', then my 3 top exercises for you to do to boost your immune health are here for you: 

Aerobic Exercise - when you huff and puff without getting too breathless, this helps to strengthen your heart and lungs. We mustn't forget that Coronavirus is a respiratory disease, so let's all take a collective breath and strengthen our lungs! If you are in self-isolation you can jog on the spot, or use a skipping rope to do jump-rope or walk around the house. If you aren't in self-isolation, then get outside and walk in the fresh air, ride your bike, hire a rowing machine or jog slowly or dance around the house. The other great thing is that aerobic exercise increases your 'good' HDL-cholesterol levels and decrease blood triglyceride (fats) levels. It also helps to insulin to work better too. Insulin is a hormone that also gets out of balance as we move through menopause, especially if belly-fat is increasing in our post-menopause years. But the best thing about aerobic exercise is that it is scientifically evidenced to reduce anxiety and depression - both symptoms of menopause that may be challenging women at present. 

2. Press-ups! No matter where you are in the world, you need some strength in your upper body. Menopause is the time of our lives when we develop a condition called Sarcopenia and I have written about this HERE. Resistance exercise boosts a hormone called Growth Hormone and this is powerful for improving our immune health. In my online video workouts I give you options for beginner, intermediate or advanced press-ups. And what's even better, you can add them to your walk as I show you how to get the most out of walking and I help you to create workouts that you can integrate with your walk. 

3. Deep Breathing Exercises - in this time of health chaos, it's important to remember that the Corona-virus is a respiratory disease. That means that our lungs matter so let's give them a bit of a workout too. 

I hope that you stay safe and well during this crazy time in the world. My heart also goes out to all of you wonderful nurses, doctors and other health professionals who are having a particularly tough time in the trenches. As a former Intensive Care Nurse, I feel your pain and your exhaustion and send aroha (love) to you all. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ NZ Registered Exercise Specialist/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

References:
Bouchard, C., Blair, S. & Haskell, W. (2007). Physical activity and health. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 
Song, P., An, J. et al. (2020). Immune clearance of senescent cells to combat ageing and chronic disease. Cells, 9, 671 - 691. 

https://youtu.be/WbFMytOO2Yw

### If you want to sleep all night, reduce hot flushes or achieve menopause weight loss, or you want to rebuild your fitness, then discover which MyMT™ programme is for you.

Imagine feeling like your old-self again. Imagine saving money on all those supplements and medications you are taking to reduce your menopause symptoms. Imagine having the energy you deserve in mid-life ....Whether you are in peri-menopause or post-menopause, knowledge is power. So when it comes to our menopause transition I want you to become an expert in your own health as you age, using my powerful lifestyle change solutions which help you stay vibrant, healthy and energetic in your mid-life years.When you join me on either of the powerful MyMT™ Programmes [Circuit Breaker for thinner/ leaner women and Transform Me for overweight women] then in just 12 weeks, I'll teach you what to do and why in your private learning hub via my online webinars, videos and PDF downloads. There's also everything you need to know about food in the scientifically evidenced MyMT™ Food Guide. This online resource which you can download and print-out as well, contains all the food information and recipes you need to help you turn around your hot flushes, mood swings, joint health and more. Women love this powerful information that I’ve taken from scientifically evidenced women’s healthy ageing nutrition studies. Are you ready to re-discover your health, vitality and energy again? I hope so!When you come on board into either of the MyMT™ 12 week online programmes and put into action my powerful lifestyle strategies to help you re-balance your hormones in menopause, you’ll re-discover the joy of sleeping all night and feeling like your old self again.Whether you choose MyMT™ Circuit Breaker (for thinner/ leaner women) or you want to understand how to lose your menopause belly fat with MyMT™ Transform Me, then these powerful, scientifically evidenced programmes are for you. You only need 60 minutes a week over the 12 weeks to listen to each module that opens up in your private learning hub. You can also come on board into my private coaching community where I post regular updates for you and you stay connected with me through here or via email.There are also BONUS modules to help you restore your Joyful Joints, and understand specific lifestyle solutions if you are on HRT or menopause anti-depressants – and I’ve made you a MINDFULNESS module too.  All you do with all of the modules is LISTEN, LEARN and then put what I tell you into ACTION! I can’t wait for you to join me and I’m always available to change anything that needs to be changed as we are all different in how we live our day to day lives. Women all over the world are feeling great again, especially when they discover how to sleep all night, reduce their joint pain, take back control of their weight, reduce their hot flushes, night sweats and more! MyMT™ is a scientifically evidenced, step-by-step coaching programme that is delivered online in your private member area.  Each 45 minute module opens up to you each fortnight, allowing you time to listen to the information and then put what you are learning into action. The programme is progressive and over the 12 weeks, you learn how to allow your body to adapt to your new hormonal environment as you move from peri-menopause to post-menopause. When my women’s healthy ageing research identified that menopause is the ‘biological gateway’ to our ageing, it made sense for me to follow the women’s health research in the design of this powerful programme. Thousands of women are so pleased that I did! Not all women experience the same symptoms,Which is why there are two online programmes to choose from – Circuit-Breaker and Transform-Me. If you need help to restore your sleep, reduce hot flushes, improve energy or lose weight, than sign up to the one designed for you. If you aren’t quite sure then please email me. Both programmes are on-line with personal support and coaching from me via my private Facebook community. You can find support from those in the group and reach out to me in here or privately via email, if you have a question.MyMT™ Transform Me - Your Menopause-Specific Online Weight Loss  ProgrammeDesigned for women who have experienced weight gain during peri-menopause or menopause. You’ll learn the scientific reasons for your weight gain and how to:Stop the belly fat going on and start losing weight by understanding a condition called, ‘oestrogen-dominance’Restore your energy to levels you used to know with my menopause-specific nutrition guideRestore thyroid balance so your metabolism increasesRestore liver and gut health so healthy nutrients are absorbed betterSleep all night because fat-loss occurs overnightRemove the pain from muscles and joints, so that you can move more!Weight gain during menopause can lead to problems with your heart, joints and muscle function as you age. I don’t want this to happen to you.In your 12 week Transform Me programme you receive step-by-step solutions for:Sleeping all night so your body is in fat-burning modeLiver and gut health restoration, for less bloating and more energyFat-burning nutrition specific to your changing hormonal environmentReducing the inflammation that is keeping you in fat-gain modeExercising in ways that promote weight loss (You can also upgrade to the 12 week Rebuild My Fitness programme after you begin to lose weight as well).“I’ve lost 8.5kg now, and have so much more energy. When I wake up now, I want to get up and extend my day. My stress levels have decreased dramatically and my body is moving more freely. I feel as if my life is back on track. I haven’t had any sleeping tablets for 4 months now and I'm now off my anti-depressants . I can't thank MyMT enough."   Pauline, 54 yrs, Nelson - NZ MyMT™ Circuit Breaker helps you 'break the circuit' of your symptom chaosDesigned for thinner/ leaner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy, sore joints and more. You’ll learn how to:Sleep all night without night sweatsReduce your hot flushesRestore your energy levels to what they used to be with the MyMT Food Guide - evidenced against women's healthy ageing nutrition research.Restore your liver and gut health so your body absorbs the nutrients you need for improved healthReduce stress and improve metabolic and thyroid healthFeel calm and in control againIf you don’t break the circuit of your symptoms in your menopause transition, then the inflammation that builds up may lead to worsening health problems as you go into your post-menopause years. To really address menopause symptoms, we need to get to the heart of our cellular health. MyMT™ helps you to put menopause into ‘wellness’ not ‘sickness’ – you discover how to adjust to your changing oestrogen and progesterone levels as you age, so you ‘break the circuit’ of your symptoms during this stage of life.  Each programme is 3 months long and there are payments of NZ$99 / Aus$92 or UK£48 per month for 3 months – or pay in full at NZ$399/AUS$279 or UK£145. I can’t wait for you to feel better as I do now too. Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ MyMT Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUOamB53mYc&t=19s

### Menopause Supplements and Alternative Therapies for your hot flushes … what works, what doesn’t.

The emails arrive in my in-box every week – women wanting to know if I promote supplements for menopause – [no I don’t, because I’m not a Naturopath] – or asking why they are still getting hot flushes, anxiety and insomnia, even though they are taking a variety of menopause supplements. This was me as well. But spending hundreds of dollars on supplements that were marketed to me in menopause, did not solve any of my symptoms into the long term, nor did they help my weight, sleep, blood pressure, gut health or joint pain.  

At the time, I didn’t understand (nor was I being told by health practitioners), the science behind their efficacy. I had no idea how they worked, what plants they were sourced from (and in many cases, not even plants, but synthetic materials) and how many of them differ in their effect depending if women are in peri-menopause or post-menopause. Both these stages of menopause differ considerably because in peri-menopause, women still have oestrogen production, although this is declining, whereas, in post-menopause (when periods have ended for a year or more), all of the reproductive hormones, including the pituitary hormones, are at their lowest.



As I scrambled to understand why I was feeling hot and bothered, overweight, anxious, exhausted and depressed and I was already on menopause HRT, my pantry also resembled a health-supplement shop or pharmacy. There were so many different bottles of menopause supplements and yet, none really made any difference or they might only help one symptom and not another symptom.

I now understand why. 

Positioning our menopause transition in women’s healthy ageing research allowed me to explore and better understand the numerous changes that go on around the body. These changes don’t just affect our reproductive hormones, but other hormones too. Our muscles, liver, gut, blood vessels, nerves and heart lose the effect of oestrogen and progesterone too. As such, our menopause transition can impact on the build-up of inflammation around the body … especially if we don’t change our lifestyle and ADAPT to this powerful life-stage that we are all going through.



Depending on the stage of menopause women are in, their current lifestyle, which includes nutrition, their stress levels, exercise and any underlying medical conditions, and/or are on other medications, all of these factors affect whether menopause supplements may work or not. This is an important point. 

One of the first studies to explore whether botanical and dietary supplements work for women in menopause was undertaken by Associate Professor Stacie Geller and Laurie Sturdee from the University of Illinois and reported in the Journal of Women’s Health in 2005. [Botanical and Dietary Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: What Works, What Doesn’t]

I would like to thank these researchers. Because their studies helped to point me in the direction of changing my nutrition in peri-menopause to include powerful plant-based nutrients instead of taking too many artificial supplements (and yes, all supplements in a bottle or packet are ‘man-made’).



Their studies also helped me to understand that many supplements marketed to us contain powerful herbs such as Black Cohosh, Red Clover, St John’s Wort and/or other herbs that have either anti-inflammatory effects, which improves blood vessel elasticity or anti-anxiety effects that help to slow down the nervous system activity. Yes, our nerves are losing the role of oestrogen too and as we move through menopause, you can feel increased anxiety because your lack of sleep impacts on your stress levels and when you feel more stressed, your heart rate and anxiety levels increase. I remember those days well.

Black Cohosh:  

Black Cohosh is an herb which has anti-inflammatory effects. The roots/rhizomes of black cohosh have been used traditionally by Native Americans for a variety of complaints, and Black Cohosh has also been used as a treatment of menopausal disorders in Germany for over 50 years. Does it work? Well, I will let you decide that if you are taking it, but in Geller and Sturdie’s studies, it was evidenced to help reduce hot flushes and for some women, anxiety – not other symptoms. As the study states,

“The evidence to date suggests that black cohosh is safe and effective for reducing menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes and possibly mood disorders.” 

Multiple clinical investigations have also suggested that black cohosh extracts are effective in reducing the frequency and intensity of hot flashes among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, whereas other randomized controlled trials have reported no vasomotor symptom (hot flush) benefits at all. [Geller, Shuman et al, 2009]. So, it’s your call, - supplements containing Black Cohosh may or may not, therefore, have an effect on your sleep, sore joints, weight, depression, itchy skin or any other symptom that you have been experiencing. As well, because there is a powerful link between all of the different hormones, not just our reproductive hormones, then not sleeping affects your hot flushes and regulation of your temperature too. 



St John’s Wort and Red Clover: 

If you are taking supplements, then why don’t you take a moment to look at the ingredients list? … because they might also contain phytoestrogen extracts, including soy compounds (phyto-oestrogens), St John’s Wort and/ or Red Clover.

The botanicals St John’s Wort and Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.) are also popular among women seeking alternative therapies for the management of menopausal symptoms, especially vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes).

If they do, the researchers state that they may not have an effect on menopause symptoms, but the good news is that they may help to reduce heart disease.

“Phytoestrogen extracts, including soy foods and red clover appear to have at best only minimal effect on menopausal symptoms but have positive health effects on plasma lipid concentrations and may reduce heart disease.”

For women going into post-menopause, this is a good thing. Heart disease is the number 1 health concern for women globally who are moving into post-menopause. How we look after our hearts matter and it’s why the 12 week online MyMT™ programmes are focused on our improved health as we age. Any supplements I suggest for women on my programme are evidenced against women’s healthy ageing studies and not necessarily menopause, because menopause is the gateway to our ageing.



St John’s Wort is another herbal product that is marketed heavily to women during their menopause transition. Women think that this is designed to help with hot flush management, but according to numerous studies, there is inconsistent evidence to support the efficacy and safety for hot flushes, but the news is better for help with depression. The good news is that St John’s Wort has been shown to improve mild to moderate depression in the general population and appears to show efficacy for mood disorders related to the menopausal transition.

What I don’t think that many women understand is that we must all be careful about over-the-counter supplements. It’s the same for sports supplements too. There are numerous studies to show that we have to be cautious about their efficacy and more importantly, the interaction of powerful herbs or other substances with other medicines. Women taking menopause supplements who are on any medications whatsoever, must report this to their Doctors. And lots don’t. I know this, because a brand new report from Alisa Johnson and colleagues in America, following a large literature review of alternative therapies in menopause, concluded that,

“the majority of women using Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) do not discuss it with their health care providers …(and) women often report feeling confused about their options and rely on the internet as their primary source of information.” (p. 1). 
So, what does work? 
There is interesting research in the 2019 review by Johnson et al, that the following practices and strategies show promise to help with hot flush management. These include:

 	mind-body practices such as yoga and mindfulness training,
 	stress management techniques,
 	hypnosis,
 	cognitive behavioral therapy,
 	acupuncture
 	homeopathy, including essential oils
 	phytoestrogens (e.g. soy derivatives)
 	reflexology
 	Vitamin E
 	Evening Primrose Oil



Hot flush management is just one component of our symptoms in menopause and I found that whilst some strategies worked for some symptoms, there were other symptoms that remained.

It doesn't matter whether you are on supplements or HRT or Anti-depressants or not, as this is between you and your health provider. But what I do encourage you to also understand, is that as you move through menopause, there are changes occurring to your cardiac muscle, blood vessels, skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, liver and gut. Yes all of these structures. As such, we need to change how we look after ourselves in mid-life and focus on our improved health as we age through understanding the lifestyle solutions that are evidenced for our menopause transition too.  


That’s why I designed the MyMT™ programmes for you as well.
Because menopause isn’t just about hot flushes.



It’s about our sleep, weight management, blood pressure, sore joints, nutrition, stress management, exercise choices and other symptoms too. When you are ready, I hope you can spend some time exploring what’s in the two different programmes – based on whether you are overweight or not.

Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society



References: 

Johnson, A., Roberts, L., Elkins, G. (2019). Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Menopause. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, Volume 24: 1-14

Geller, S. Lee P. Shulman, M. et al (2009). Safety and Efficacy of Black Cohosh and Red Clover for the Management of Vasomotor Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Menopause,16(6): 1156–1166.

Geller, S. & Studee, L. (2005).  Botanical and Dietary Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: What Works, What Doesn’t. J. Womens Health, 14(7): 634–649.

### VIDEO: Did someone mention depression in menopause?

Did someone mention MENOPAUSE DEPRESSION?Over 2/3 of women in their 50s in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, get placed on anti-depressants in their menopause transition. Why is this when we’ve been healthy and happy all our lives? This was my curiosity too when I felt depressed and had lost my mojo.But where are the conversations about the positive change to our mood hormones that comes with aerobic exercise & getting out in nature rather than taking endless anti-depressants that women then stay on for years?There's little scientific debate that exercise is good for you. For many women, however, mid-life is a time when they are too exhausted, too busy or too stressed, to even care about exercise and staying active. The Australian Longitudinal Women's Health Studies have identified this over the past decade. But for women who exercise regularly, the benefits are tangible - as my doctoral research indicated too, it simply makes them feel good and helps them to cope. In fact, it's the 'feel-good' effects of exercise that may be one of the most powerful strategies available to improve women's mental health and depression in menopause ... but it's not just any exercise. There is certain exercise that is better for our mental health. So, please, when you have time, have a listen to what I have to say ... because this is important for all of you who struggle with changing emotions and moods in menopause.And yes, my friend who is a videographer is going to tell me off for having lots of shade on my face, but I wanted you to see this ancient hut from WW2 on my hiking trail. 😊"Bonjour from Switzerland" to you all. I’m based here for a couple of weeks supporting my son who is a competitive skier. Then I’m heading back to the UK to take more lectures, so please, if you live in or near Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham, then jump on the Event page of the My Menopause Transformation website.Wendyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeyIhAw2Dpo

### Why water intake matters to your hot flushes and aching muscles in menopause

When you walk through the small alpine village of Le Chable in Switzerland, you pass a number of ancient water troughs. Today, whilst out walking in this beautiful village, I filled up my water bottle from this water trough in the photo - yes the water is safe to drink and some of the best quality water in Switzerland is sourced from this valley where I'm staying for a couple of weeks.  After meeting wonderful mid-life women in the UK at my live events last week, I've come over to Switzerland as my son is on the New Zealand ski team before heading back to the UK to meet more women in Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham. If you live near these locations then please join me if you can.

The small mountain village of Le Chable in Switzerland, is home to a source of glacial water that runs down off the towering mountains above and into the troughs in the village. At first I thought that these were for animals, but they aren't. The locals drink this water and according to the World Health Organisation, this village has pristine water that is ranked high in it's calcium and magnesium content. Yes indeed, 1 litre of this water delivers around 520mg of calcium per litre. That's half of our total calcium intake of 1200mg per day. Drink 2 litres, as I did today and there is your calcium, done and dusted without a calcium supplement in sight. And to me, that's good news. Because new research from the American Heart Association, shows that calcium supplements can be problematic for women in post-menopause. If all of our calcium is taken in supplements, then the body doesn't absorb this type of calcium very well and this may lead to increased kidney stones and calcium plaques on our arteries.  For a generation of women convinced that we need lots of various supplements as we age, especially calcium supplements for improved bone health, then this is important information that we need to have - because if we need to be cautious about calcium in supplements, then we need to now how to source our 1200mg of calcium a day from food and water sources instead.  I never thought about my need for minerals when I went into peri-menopause. But with my head buried in my PhD and women’s healthy ageing research, I began to understand that one of the most important changes that occur as we lose oestrogen, is the increased constriction of our blood vessels (called vascular stiffness) and the numerous changes to our muscles and nerves too. All of these structures are affected by the loss of oestrogen and as such, we need to understand the nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, that help these organs to function better as we age.  My readings for my research took me on an incredible journey to better understand the role of specific minerals that help our nerves, blood vessels and heart to function as we move through menopause. When I studied the effect of low oestrogen on our physiology, metabolism and various organs such as nerves and muscles, this partly revealed why so many women end up with sore muscles, restless legs, cardiac palpitations and increased anxiety in menopause.  Getting certain minerals into us as we age is important - and calcium and magnesium are just two of these that we need to manage our intake of every day because our body doesn't make them. We need them from our diet and our water. It's why the MyMT™ Food Guide which is part of the 12 week programmes, is full of lists of foods that give us the vitamins and minerals that matter to our health as we age.  Positioning our menopause transition in women’s healthy ageing research has been fundamental to my improved understanding about what is going on with our biology at this time of our life … and what we can do to turn around all of our symptoms naturally. With respect to our changing blood vessels, muscle soreness and cardiac health as we go through menopause too. We need the essential minerals that matter. Which brings me back to our water quality and intake. The minerals that matter include calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, sodium and chloride.  All these minerals are necessary for optimal heart, blood vessel and nerve function in a body that is losing oestrogen. Yes, you get these minerals through food and yes, through supplements (altho Positioning our menopause transition in women’s healthy ageing research has been fundamental to my improved understanding about what is going on with our biology at this time of our life … and what we can do to turn around all of our symptoms naturally. With respect to our changing blood vessels, muscle soreness and cardiac health as we go through menopause too. We need the essential minerals that matter. Which brings me back to our water quality and intake. The minerals that matter include calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, sodium and chloride.  All these minerals are necessary for optimal heart, blood vessel and nerve function in a body that is losing oestrogen. Yes, you get these minerals through food and yes, through supplements (although calcium now renders caution with supplementation), but we also source essential minerals through good quality mineral water. Preferably,  ugh calcium now renders caution with supplementation), but we also source essential minerals through good quality mineral water. Preferably, water like the water in Le Chable, that is sourced from natural alpine environments where it runs over rocks and takes on the minerals from the rocks. These minerals help your nerves to function and therefore give you more energy as well. Adequate water intake is also important for your hot flushes too and for those of you in Australia and New Zealand, who are battling the heat and humidity of summer at the moment, your water and mineral intake matters more than you think during your menopause transition.   The type of water that you are drinking matters and it’s why, when women come on board with me, one small change I’ve been helping them to understand (apart from learning to sleep all night which is also crucial to reducing muscle soreness and improving other symptoms), is how to have a renewed focus on the quality and amount of their daily drinking water. Especially if they are doing a lot of exercise. You see, when we go through menopause and we do lots of exercise, the muscles can become more inflamed, especially if we aren't sleeping all night. If women aren't sleeping, then their muscles aren't recovering and if they haven't got their calcium [and magnesium] intake sorted, then they develop sore, aching muscles, restless legs and increased palpitations and anxiety too - don't forget, your heart is a muscle as well and it is affected by lowering oestrogen levels too.  For our muscles to recover and function every day, calcium intake matters.  I talk about this in my women's healthy ageing online exercise programme called 'Rebuild My Fitness'. In this fabulous 12 week programme [which is separate to my foundations programmes] I have a module called 'Strong is the New Skinny', and I explain to women on this programme, that we need calcium to help the nerve electrical signal 'jump' across into our muscles. This is how muscles contract. Calcium is the 'carrier' of the electrical signal from the nerve endings into the muscle fibres. It makes sense that if we are regularly exercising, then we need calcium in our diet every day and not too much from milk and dairy products which are high in milk-sugars (lactose).  If our sugar intake is high, then this can create problems with hot flushes, so getting calcium from other sources such as certain nuts, seeds, plants and good quality alpine mineral water.   We need 1200mg a day of calcium, day after day ... because our body doesn't make it or store it for long either. That's why I was drinking beautiful alpine-sourced water today. This type of water supplies adequate amounts of minerals that help our heart, muscles and nerves which are losing oestrogen as we age.  Over the past month, numerous women from around the world have joined me in the MyMT™ programmes.  I'm so grateful that they have, because I want them to discover the powerful strategies that I've spent years researching to turn around our health, weight and symptoms in menopause and post-menopause naturally without the need for endless supplements and medications. One of the things I teach them is about getting back to basics with the type and timing of food and hydration, so that they reduce inflammation in their gut and liver and get the nutrients that their body needs as it transitions from producing oestrogen and progesterone to not producing oestrogen and progesterone. This is what the body is trying to achieve in menopause! Drinking water that has fed from alpine regions and runs over rocks, means that the water is picking up all the minerals it can, hopefully without the additional pollution! These minerals are generally magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and other minor minerals. And yes, in our menopause transition, all these minerals matter to our symptoms and health as we move through this important life-stage.  When I'm back home, the only access I have to alpine/spring water, is in a box. So, today and every day whilst I'm in this beautiful part of the world for the next fortnight, it's nice to get it straight from the source.  Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder & Coach.

### Come behind the scenes with MyMT™  - "What I love is all the knowledge about how  to look after myself in menopause. It's life-changing!"  [Tina, NZ]

Come Behind the Scenes with MyMT™: 
Not sure whether the MyMT™ programmes are for you? Or perhaps you've been looking at the MyMT™ menopause transformation programmes and not sure how these might help you or how you even access your programme?

If so, then let me take you behind the scenes because in your exclusive member area, is where you will find me!



The MyMT™ programmes are packed full of information and guides about the ‘how-to’ of managing sleep deprivation, hot flushes, joint pain, weight gain and heaps more.

When you sign up to either of the MyMT symptom reduction programmes ('Circuit-Breaker' for women who aren't putting on weight and 'Transform Me' for women who are, or have already, put on lots of weight), then your programme selection is loaded into your private members area. As someone who is passionate about educating women at this time of life, I call this area your 'Learning Hub'.



Each programme has 7-8 different modules, which teach you step-by-step how to turn around symptoms and/or lose weight. These modules contain webinars, videos and handouts, which give you all the information you need to get your health and symptoms under control. In both programmes, you also have access to my scientifically evidenced food info which is all in the MyMT™ Food Guide  - there are numerous recipes as well.



Women love how they only have to listen to one or two learning modules every fortnight. This allows time for you to go and put my suggestions for you into practice before you receive notification that your next module is open.



As 'reminders' there are PDF handouts for you of each module and these summarise what you need to put into place each day. My emails also arrive in your in-box each week and these add to your education and enthusiasm for keeping going!  Then of course, there is my private Facebook Coaching Group support pages too. I love this community, because it keeps me 'in touch' with how women are getting on and allows me to give them information that they can add to their learning.

Hundreds of women follow my information and posts every day.





Women tell me every week, that they love learning about 'why' they need to change their routines to suit their changing hormonal environment in menopause and then HOW to make the changes.

Without adequate knowledge and understanding, many people don't put new strategies into action, so they fail to change their habits. I know this from over 30 years working in and around the exercise industry and from my Masters studies into lifestyle behaviour change. This is why I am passionate about women understanding what specific changes are happening to them from a physical and hormonal context as they transition through menopause, as part of their learning.  Every bit of information has been researched for our age and stage of life as we transition into and through menopause and all the content is based on my women's healthy ageing studies. 



What I explain to women in their introductory module, is that with our changing hormonal environment in menopause, it's an entirely different game as to how to manage our health, nutrition and activity as we age. During menopause we experience physiological changes to some of our body's structural features, especially our heart, liver, gut and blood vessels  and this is why we need to change things up a bit as we re-balance our hormones and allow our body to adjust to a changing hormonal environment in our 50's. It's why I call this age and stage of life 'WoMenopause'! 

My lifestyle solutions take away all the confusion too. As Tina said, "What I love is all the knowledge about how to look after myself in menopause. It's life-changing!" [Tina, NZ].

And Deborah from America, with the realisation that other strategies that are promoted to us around diet and exercise, do not necessarily meet the research on women's healthy ageing,



Don't forget that there are two programmes that I have designed to teach women how to thrive through menopause. 'Circuit Breaker' is for women who aren't putting on weight, but have general symptoms of poor sleep, hot flushes, anxiety, palpitations and other symptoms and they need to 'break the circuit' of their symptoms.



My other programme called 'Transform Me'  is for women who are putting on weight and are troubled by menopause insomnia, sore joints and more ...



Both programmes are changing women's lives and you can read numerous TESTIMONIALS HERE or WATCH MY VIDEO HERE.
MyMT™ has been set up for one purpose and that is to demystify menopause and post-menopause which throws so many women into health chaos. From my women’s healthy ageing research, I have designed two powerful 12 week online programmes. Choose based on whether you are overweight or not.

Reset your hormones for menopause weight loss and/or symptoms reduction using powerful lifestyle change strategies. Your 12 week program and my coaching is yours for NZ$105/ AUS$101/ UK£52.5 a month for 3 months. Women around the world tell me it’s ‘life-changing.’
If you are troubled by your menopause symptoms or your weight gain and want to feel healthy again, then I hope you can join me too.

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder & Coach

MyMT Client Success Stories 2019

### Feeling down in the dumps? Then boost your menopause-mood with food, sunlight and a mindset-reset too.

When I went to my GP because I was concerned about feeling emotional, tearful and anxious in my early 50's, which was so unlike 'highly- motivated-and happy-me', my doctor never once spoke about tryptophan, gut health, sunlight, my circadian rhythm and calming aerobic exercise. Nor my stress levels. He spoke about anti-depressant medications instead. I told him I would think about it.That day was a turning point for me. Because as I scanned the women's health research whilst doing my doctoral studies, I began to look for scientific articles about the relationship between our changing hormones in menopause, mood and depression. I also learnt that 2/3 of women in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom are placed on anti-depressants in mid-life. And yes, whilst this is a line of intervention for women in menopause to help them sleep and feel better, I wonder how many are told about all the other lifestyle strategies that they need to put into place as they move through menopause into their biological ageing. I also wonder, how many of these women are supported to reduce or remove the reliance on anti-depressants as they go into post-menopause and do some aerobic exercise to boost their endorphins and mood hormones instead. My curiosity about why our mood and motivation changes so suddenly as we get into our mid-life years, lead me on a journey of self-discovery about how our changing reproductive hormones in menopause also change the powerful mood and motivation hormone, serotonin. Most importantly, my journey took me towards the lifestyle research on depression about how to turn serotonin levels around naturally. Not only does the production of serotonin reduce in menopause, but because our gut health changes as well, serotonin production can be reduced even further. Especially if we don't get enough exposure of our skin to sunlight. Serotonin production begins in our skin and with our skin containing numerous oestrogen receptors, menopause is a time when we become vulnerable to a reduction in serotonin production. If you work inside all day, then yes, your risk for low serotonin production increases. Over the past year, I have spoken to hundreds of women, who are left wondering why their anti-depressants aren't helping their mood and sleep to improve.This leaves me wondering if they aren't exposing their skin to sunlight, or if they might have gut-health problems too.The gut is important in menopause. Oestrogen receptors in the gut lining are reduced and our gut and bowel are more sensitive to certain foods, chemicals and stress. It's often forgotten that the same nerve that controls your adrenal glands also goes to your stomach and small intestine. Stress increases gut problems and vice versa. Knowing that serotonin is reduced with our natural ageing as we move through menopause is powerful knowledge. It's one of the things I talk about in my 12 week programmes. We need to help our body make more serotonin naturally and this requires a protein called Tryptophan – and sun exposure on our skin as well as a good night's sleep. When we don't sleep, not only does the day seem longer, but we grab sugary foods as our energy levels plunge and our thyroid metabolism gets thrown out of balance too - this makes our hot flushes worse. 90% of serotonin is found in the intestine and the remainder in the central nervous system. As a major nerve-transmitter, this powerful hormone, helps to regulate mood, anxiety, control the reproductive cycle, the cardiovascular system, the circadian rhythm, libido and helps to manage stress. We need serotonin in our lives. When serotonin is low, we experience lethargy, worry, sleep disturbances, anxiety and hopelessness.The physical symptoms of menopause can be a tough time for women - hot flushes, weight gain, night sweats, poor sleep and aching joints to name a few! When you add on serotonin depletion, life just gets a bit tougher too.But here's the thing, it's a catch-22 - although lowering oestrogen causes serotonin production to dive, low serotonin also causes changes to our circadian rhythm and our gut health. When our gut health is affected and we aren't sleeping well (as many nurses and shift-workers find), and we feel stressed (physically and mentally), these factors accummulate to affect serotonin production too.Knowledge is always power, so understanding this crucial link with menopause and serotonin production, led me to ask myself a very simple question -"If menopause is the time of life when millions of women start taking medication for their mood swings and anxiety, then how can I better plan my day, prepare my food and do the right exercise, so that my body is making serotonin and I feel more like my old self?'That's when I began to plan my day to optimise boosting my happy hormone, serotonin. My morning routine was crucial as many of the women on my programmes discover too.  For improved serotonin production and better sleep quality, your morning routine is your 'non-negotiable' start to your day on the MyMT programmes. Getting light in the eyes in the morning, helps you to regulate your circadian rhythm, which is your 24 hour biological clock. When you have a well-functioning Circadian Rhythm, then your brain produces more serotonin and you sleep better too.Early-morning light in the eyes is important and it's why, I tell women to try and walk outside in the mornings. Which may mean, as I found, a mind-set reset in your morning routine.Moving aside my role of making my teens lunches and getting them out the door was the change I made personally. When I began to experience worsening mood swings I was 51 - bang-on the average age for menopause which is when our periods stop for a year or more. At the time, the kids were 16 and 14 years.But here's the thing. I was so busy getting them organised to have their 'best day', that I wasn't getting myself organised to have my 'best day' and to better look after myself in my changing hormonal environment. Every morning I felt rushed and 'wired' trying to not only get them to school, but getting myself to work. The forgotten stress of the modern, working mother in menopause that never gets factored in to discussions about our symptoms.  As a generation of women who have so much choice around having children later in life, many of us end up coping with menopause whilst having teens in the house. Low serotonin during menopause does not make for harmony in the house, especially at exam time. ????The connection between how we live our lives and our changing hormones during menopause is important. It's a connection that I'm often talking about in the MyMT™ coaching groups, where there are hundreds of women just like you.When we understand that we need to look after ourselves differently at this time of life, then we can do things purposefully to make ourselves more resilient to our environment and our situation at home and work. This helps us feel calmer and in control - both good things for improved moods and energy levels.Changing my morning routine was non-negotiable - I needed to use it to boost my serotonin levels ready for a busy day ahead teaching at the university, so I re-set my motherhood-mindset and empowered the kids to take care of themselves more. They were very capable. However, like many modern mothers the world over, I was locked into doing most things at home to get them out the door to school. Slowly I changed this. I began to get them to make their lunches the night before and I made mine too. Something I hadn't done for decades.In my lunch every day, went TRYPTOPHAN-RICH FOODS - this important nutrient boosts serotonin. The more I began to understand the connection between menopause, gut health, tryptophan and serotonin production, the more I focused on this important nutrient. Because it's absorbed in the small intestine, I also focused on my gut health [and I have a module about how to turn around gut-health, which is in both of the MyMT™ programmes].  Tryptophan rich foods not only help to make serotonin, but they also help to make your sleep hormone, melatonin. It's why, if you want to help to turn around your sleep, the type of food you eat and when you eat it, is important too.Foods that are high in TRYPTOPHAN need to be included in your daily diet when you are going through menopause. Then you also need good gut health to be able to absorb all of this lovely tryptophan. That's why in the MyMT™ Food Guide, you'll learn to include these foods:- Almonds, cashew nuts- Salmon.- Organic Chicken.- Oats, Brown rice- Organic free-range eggs (although I do restrict eggs for women like Dianne, who has done the weight loss, 'Transform Me' programme because eggs contain the most oestrogen out of any foods and for those women who are putting on weight, then you are already oestrogen dominant)- Chickpeas (e.g. hummus)- Green Peas- Grass-fed beef- Banana (slightly green banana's are also high in potassium).My goal for all women who join me on the MyMT™programmes, is to understand that not only do we need the nutrients that are affected by our changing hormones in menopause but we also need to understand the 'whole body' approach.If we know that tryptophan makes serotonin and that 90% of serotonin uptake occurs in the small intestine and that this is mainly overnight, when we are resting and sleeping, then we need to ensure that we optimise nutrient absorption by focusing on our sleep as well as our gut health.Optimising nutrient absorption is also important. Which is why eating meals when you are sitting and resting helps digestion and nutrient absorption.  Full digestion can take up to 16 hours so as I say to women on the MyMT programmes, "we don't need a lot of food, just the right food! " Our menopause transition is a time when we have to pull together sleep, circadian rhythm, food, exercise (not too high intensity until you are sleeping well), liver, gut and joint health renewal and stress management techniques.When we do this, our symptoms go away and we feel like our old selves again without having to rely on all the various medications and supplements that are marketed to us at this time of life. I took so many supplements and HRT, but none of these got to the heart of the issues, which required changing our lifestyle to suit our changing hormones as we age.We all have so much of life still to enjoy, which is why my passion is helping women from all over the world get back to feeling like their old selves again. If you're struggling, I hope you can join me too. Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Creator & Coach.References:Environews (2008). Benefits of Sunlight: A bright spot for human health. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(4), 1-8.  Osaali, A. et.al. (2016). The Effect of Twelve-Week Aerobic Exercise on IL-6 level and depression in 50-65 Years Old Women with Syndrome Metabolic. Med J Tabriz Uni Med Sciences Health Services. Saurabh S., Berman, A. et.al. (2019). Circadian rhythm of vascular function in mid-life adults. American Heart Association, DOI:  10.1161/ATVBAHA.119.312682.) Sansone, R .& Sansone L. (2013). Sunshine, Serotonin, and Skin: A Partial Explanation for Seasonal Patterns in Psychopathology? Innov Clin Neurosci. 10(7–8):20–24.

### What we can all learn from J-Lo in our 50's and beyond ....

The article glared at me from England’s Daily Mail. Stopping over in Dubai on the long-haul from NZ on my way to the UK to take my lecture series, I picked up the English papers. The story about J-Lo caught my attention – “J-Lo and behold … a goddess at 50!” screamed the headline. Interesting.Feeling tired and un-refreshed from the long-haul, I read on, not with envy, but with intrigue – because at 50, she will be in peri-menopause and putting on muscle becomes harder to achieve. But you guessed it, the article didn’t mention that. Nor whether she was sleeping, nor whether she had a lot of stress in her life, nor whether she had any symptoms of menopause whatsoever. That obviously doesn’t sell newspapers. ????With an upcoming Super-Bowl appearance next week and obviously a sweet-deal from Guess to model swim-wear, the article focused on her 3 divorces and of course her abdominals. Training with Personal Trainer, Dodd Romero, 5 times a week, the article went on to describe doing a ‘platypus walk’ to strengthen her butt (after 30 years in the fitness industry education, I can assure you that this exercise does not appear in any Exercise Prescription manuals ????). But the main thing her Trainer had to say, was this - “Don’t worry though – she does allow herself one ‘cheat’ a week, which probably includes a chocolate chip cookie”. Of course.I was taking my lectures in Portsmouth, Reading and Oxford this week. I told the audiences that as women in our 50’s and into our early 60’s we are unique.Not only from the perspective of the incredibly fast-changing society we have lived through but also the influences we have been subjected to from the various fitness, dieting and media industries. These messages help to shape our beliefs and how we look after ourselves in more ways than one. When I asked each of the audience, who had become confused about how to look after ourselves with all the fitness and dieting information available today, nearly every single woman nodded and put up her hand. And  don't worry, when I arrived in menopause, I felt pretty confused as well. As many of you know, I was the first Personal Trainer in New Zealand for the Les Mills group. Coming off a background of teaching aerobics (some of you will recognize fitness legend, Jackie Mills in the photo above, taking a Jazzercise class in the late 1980's), I helped to influence the growth of the personal training industry.I argued in my doctoral defense that as the first generation of women to be going into our menopause transition, in the context of all the fitness and sporting influences, we were being ‘forgotten’ not only in terms of our exercise needs as we move through menopause, but also with understanding how to manage our nutrition and our changing cardiac health, moods, sore joints, liver health, hot flushes and every other symptom that impacts on us, as we move through menopause. J-Lo’s photo and achievements at the gym aside, the Australian Women’s Longitudinal Health Studies have been going for 30 years and consistently report that mid-life women are one of the highest groups to get out of being active – along with pubescent females. No surprises there. Between pubescent girls and menopausal women, that’s a lot of hormones to consider … interestingly, this rarely gets a mention in the research.The fitness industry featured a lot in my doctoral studies. As I spoke to women up and down the length of New Zealand, they told me stories about their ageing. Nearly all had positioned ‘healthy ageing’ in doing lots of exercise. When I inquired further, every single one of them said, “Because I don’t want to age like my mother. “High intensity workouts to exhaustion, were worn as a badge of honour. On further investigation, they all said that they did what their Trainer asked of them and persevered with this, because the Trainers refused to believe that they were ageing. “You can”, not “You can’t” was the general motivational quip from Trainers.We can seek inspiration that we all need at this stage of life from others, including powerful women like J-Lo and to some extent, Personal Trainers. Because they are in the camp of those who refuse to accept the ‘decline of ageing’ which is how ageing is positioned in the medical literature. And yes, menopause is the gateway to many of these health changes occurring. It's a vulnerable time for all of us. When I look at women like J-Lo, it is not with envy but admiration. She has positioned her life in ‘success’ and according to behavioural psychology, ‘success’ demands a fierce inner fire and a drive to persist against all obstacles. Which also means that when we ‘fail’ we need to keep going. Many athletes give us a great example of this too. Look at Roger Federer this week at the Australian Open. As I mentioned to women in my coaching groups this week, in the story about J-Lo, only allowing ourselves one cookie a week is not the point. Nor is it about looking good in a bikini at 50, though, yes, this does boost our morale. And no, 'healthy-ageing' is not about having a 6-pack, but if you want one, then go pay a Trainer 5 times a week. But as I often mention to women, if you are going to do lots of exercise or heavy weight training, then come onto my programme and I will help you get your sleep sorted first. You only grow muscle when you sleep. Just like babies.J-Lo has succeeded in achieving what she needed to achieve because she has re-invented herself at every milestone. This requires a game-plan and a vision for her future. "So, what is your vision for your future, I asked women at my UK seminars this week?" When nothing I was doing for my symptoms in menopause was working for me, from HRT to dieting to endless exercise, I had to do the same, which is why I headed for the research on women's healthy ageing. My vision for my future was about feeling healthy again because as I went into menopause, I didn't feel healthy. I felt tired, overweight and grumpy!J-Lo has people around her to help her get to where she wants to get to and yes, she has the money. But the double-gift that she gives us all, is not a photo of her lying around posing in a bikini, but instead, it’s the gift of two things that enable her to achieve what she wants to achieve in her life after 50:Determination and Self-Belief.People who reach the top of their fields tend to be ferociously determined as well as self-directed. But above all, they need to believe that they can achieve what they want to achieve. And with self-belief comes passion and perseverance in getting there.Putting together this programme for you has been my passion and purpose. It is based on my women's healthy ageing studies. And it's not about dieting or exercise. It's about the 7 pillars of health as we age. We need to un-do the past inflammation, learn to sleep all night, lose weight if we have to and restore joint health as well. And yes, food and exercise matter, but so too does social connection and re-discovering our purpose as we move into the next phase of our lives. We all deserve to feel better in mid-life – there’s still so much to do! And whilst, I can’t give you determination and self-belief to see it through, what I can do is to encourage you to take a leaf out of the J-Lo book this week and stay determined and passionate about where you are heading with your healthy ageing too.Wendy. ????The MyMT™ JANUARY SALE ENDS TOMORROW - I HOPE YOU CAN JOIN ME SO YOU CAN LEARN WHAT I'VE LEARNT AS WELL ... click through to find your promo code for savings. 

### UK Masterclass on Menopause Seminars coming up - can you join me?

Portsmouth - 28th January, 2020Reading - 29th January, 2020Oxford, 30th January, 2020Liverpool, 2nd March, 2020Sheffield 3rd March, 2020Birmingham, 4th March, 2020Hello UK Ladies - are any of you in these locations over the next month or so? If you are, then I would love to meet you if you can make it to my 2 hour 'Masterclass on Menopause' live-event. Tickets are £20 each and if you click on your location above, then this will take you through to the details and ticket sales.When I took my Masterclass in London in 2019, Daily Mail Journalist, Claudia Connell was listening. Then she wrote about it. You can read it HERE ... My fascination with the link between menopause and healthy ageing began when peri-menopause came raging along when I was 50. It took me by surprise. And when I heard from my PhD participants that they had similar issues, I realised that women in their 50’s are forgotten when it comes to understanding what to do to turn around menopause symptoms, including weight gain without resorting to expensive, short-acting supplements and HRT.That’s when I decided to look into it. Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing and in many cultures around the world, there is not the same symptoms chaos that women in many western countries, including the UK and New Zealand, are experiencing. I was curious to know why this was. And I found that by looking at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I was able to put into place powerful strategies that enabled me to change my energy levels, get my healing sleep back, wittle off 15kg and restore hormonal harmony in my aching joints and muscles. All without the emphasis on vigorous exercise and dieting which I tried, but which made my symptoms worse.This is what this seminar is about. Following an early career in nursing and then the health and fitness industry, followed by university-level lecturing in a range of exercise science and wellbeing topics, I have combined my 30 years of knowledge and experience to bring this seminar to you. I hope you can join me. I want to get the word out that mid-life matters to women. And in an ageing world, women must remain healthy, relevant and energetic. We are often still working and have a lot still to get done – another 30 years of living in fact! If this is you, but menopause has blind-sided your energy, your weight and your mojo, then please join me on March 5th in Birmingham. I won’t let you down.Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD] Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Creator & Coach

### "I can't believe how quickly I've noticed a change. My sleep is better, my hot sweats have reduced to non-existent ...!"

All it takes is one hour a week .... to hide yourself away with your computer or iphone or ipad or mobile phone, and you listen to me explaining how to sleep all night, manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, turn around your liver health (using scientific facts, not facebook-fiction), restore your energy and change your habits for the vitality and energy you need to get everything done that you want to achieve in the year ahead. There are also bonus modules for Restoring your Joyful Joints and webinars which give you the powerful lifestyle solutions you need if you want to eventually get off HRT or your anti-depressants (which you do with your Doctor's permission).Whether you need to learn how to reset your hormones for menopause weight loss (the Transform Me programme) and/or symptoms reduction (the Circuit Breaker programme), then all you do is LISTEN, LEARN and then over the next fortnight before your other module is opened for you, it's up to you to put what I tell you into ACTION. If anything needs changing up or isn't working, then all you do is email me and we problem-solve together.I've set up the step-by-step modules and webinars in the MyMT™ programmes to take just 45 minutes of your time to listen to. Then after you listen to your module, you download my summary which is your 'Daily Dozen' of things to put into action over the next fortnight before your next module is released.In each webinar I explain WHY you need to change a specific aspect of your daily routines. For example, in the Sleep Management module, there are evidenced strategies that I explain to you, that help you to remove your hot flushes, night sweats and busy tired brain that are keeping you awake. I also step you through HOW to turn around your Circadian Rhythm.When Sarah had been on the programme for only 2 weeks, she sent me the email in the image below. Is this you too? What I want you to understand is this - when oestrogen and our master pituitary hormones start to decline in our menopause transition, we need to understand what to do to compensate for our natural biological changes - menopause is NOT the issue. We all go through this life-stage. And we don't need all the endless expensive supplements either. What we need is to know what to do to help our body transition and this is what I've done for you (and myself!) - I've pulled together powerful lifestyle research from women's healthy ageing studies and put it into this powerful programme for you. I called it My Menopause Transformation, because that's what it did for me as well. :) What we need to know is how to help our body transition and/or turn around our symptoms and weight if we are already through menopause into post-menopause (yes, the programme is for you if you are post-menopause as well). Turning around our symptoms starts with sleeping all night and restoring joint health and stopping gaining weight, if you have put it on (not all women put on weight of course). So, depending on the programme you choose, the first module teaches you to achieve these things in both of the MyMT™ programmes.I've done all the research for you. All you need to do is to put into action, my powerful strategies.I'm so excited to offer you both my MyMT™ 12 week programs ON SALE up until the end of January. That's not too far away! You save NZ$50 by using the Promo code JANUARY20 in the Buy Now button below making this NZ$87/ AUS$80/ UK£44 per month for 3 months. This pricing won't be repeated. January is the time to take stock of the year past and the year to come. Was your 2020 goal to work on your menopause symptoms, your health and/or your increasing weight? I hope so, because I have the information you need! If I told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to work on your health and reduce your symptoms in menopause, could you find that hour? I hope so!Perhaps you are back at work already and your lovely holiday break is already a distant memory? Or maybe your new year resolution to eat healthier and get more exercise is almost forgotten already?Don't worry, I know that feeling of frustration well. It is why I have created both the MyMT™ programmes - Circuit Breaker for thinner/ leaner women and Transform Me for overweight women. Both are specifically researched and developed for women who have hit menopause and now feel like they are no longer in control of how their body is changing. I was 'this woman' too and when I began to understand that menopause itself isn't the problem (this is a natural life-stage that all women go through), the real problem is oestrogen - too much of it! When we don't change our lifestyle to adapt and respond to menopause, then our body goes into 'distress' mode. Not sleeping is the first step.That's why, if this is you, then I hope you can join me.We are in the process of closing our January intake and I am so excited because we have hit a record - 2020 is going strong and we now have over 2,500 women in 20 countries on the programme. We might all live in different locations but we are all united in our menopause transition!If you want to learn more please watch the video below - I have a special offer for you as a MyMT™ subscriber, but it is closing soon so don't wait any longer.... Please join me and together we will kick start 2020 with my tried and trusted Circuit Breaker menopause symptom reduction programme or my Transform Me weight loss programme.Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society/NZ REPs Exercise Specialist.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUOamB53mYc&t=6s

### "Shaping your future years - what a great coaching post. I'm back in Japan and now feel amazing. Thank you for your research."  [Tracy, Japan]

"Shaping your future - what a great post" wrote Tracy in the MyMT™ Coaching Group. Leaving Australia behind to fulfil her dream of running a ski-lodge in Japan with hubbie was finally happening. They had done this years ago, but settled in Australia to put the children through school.

The trouble was, when menopause arrived, her joints were sore, she wasn't sleeping and her symptoms were getting Tracy down. She was so concerned about her new life in Japan and not being able to ski! How familiar this story is to me. Millions of women around the world are just the same. They lose their confidence about the activities they enjoy because of their symptoms and joint pain. But why? Menopause has been getting the blame for decades, but this is a natural transition that we all go through. So why, when we've been active and healthy all our lives, does mid-life become so problematic? That was my curiosity too.

"It's been almost 3 weeks since I've been back in Japan" said Tracy, "but this time I'm armed with so much knowledge so looking after myself is different. I've been skiing most days and have surprised myself as to how my body is responding. I can't thank you enough for all your research." 

'Shaping your Future' is the theme of my coaching posts for women on the MyMT™ programme this week. Those who have just joined me on my January Intake (ON SALE FOR YOU NOW - LISTEN TO MY VIDEO BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE) are already underway listening to the modules and my coaching posts in the private community are designed to keep them on track and motivated. I love getting their feedback and answering their questions if they have any.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3B9-zns0FM&t=203sAt the time of this newsletter, I'm about to leave beautiful Canada. My son is a competitive skier, so we enjoy supporting him as we can. For the past week I've been skiing at Revelstoke skifield in BC, Canada. This skifield is reknowned for the longest descent in North America and a decade ago when I was at the worst of my symptoms and hadn't completed my studies on women's healthy ageing, I hardly skied at all.  I wasn't sleeping well, I was 15 kg heavier and my sore knees saw me sitting in the cafe drinking coffee for most of the day, rather than enjoying time skiing with my family. I mentioned to the women in my coaching group this week, that the memory of this was powerful, because when I took a break at lunch-time one day, I overheard two women in the coffee queue talking about how tired they were and how sore their knees were and how they couldn't ski. A decade ago, I was that woman too. Turning this around took knowledge from my women's hea;thy ageing studies which then gave me the ability to turn my back on lifestyle strategies that are so heavily marketed to us, but are not suited to our changing hormones in menopause. I also learnt to turn my back on all the expensive supplements that are marketed to us as well for menopause. They are not evidenced against AGEING research and many are just a waste of money in the long term. If you aren't sleeping, then no supplements will help you with the ongoing inflammation that builds up when we don't sleep for weeks and even months on end. I found that out the hard way as well.  That's why I  women discovering how to manage their mid-life transition using lifestyle-change solutions that I have researched to get our symptoms and changing health back under control. If it's gets them returning to the activities they used to do or taking up new activities in mid-life, then my job is done. :) As we commence another year, I wonder what you will do to reflect on where you are going this year? And I don't mean a holiday ... I'm talking about how you are going to shape your future - and of course, your ongoing commitment to 'you'. To do this, you must look forward into your future and put your past behind you. This is what I've been supporting women to do this week in my coaching posts. We get so tied up in everyone else's lives and problems, that it's hard to focus on what 'we' want to achieve, but in mid-life we must!



Un-tangling menopause and re-building my health began with understanding what menopause was and researching how the body needs to function when it no longer has reproductive hormones coursing through it. But to get to that point, we must FIRST, reduce and REVERSE our symptoms and replenish and RESTORE our health. If we want to 'Shape Our Future' then we must leave our past habits and routines behind. Menopause and post-menopause means that we need to understand how the body is ageing and how to move with this, not resist it. This is what you learn in the MyMT programmes. You need to discover how to move from the 'red zone' back into the 'green and yellow zone' - from unhealthy to healthy. That's what nobody is teaching us to do in the context of our menopause transition and yes, I had to research how to do this for myself. It's not 'just' about nutrition either, it's about sleeping, managing our temperature regulation and restoring our liver and gut health as well. ALL of these solutions are in both of the MyMT programmes for you.  The more I began to explore why our menopause symptoms leave us feeling so unhealthy, the more I began to question 'truth' about the health, nutrition and exercise messages that influence us as we've gone throughout our life. And the more I began to reflect on this, the more I began to understand that like a jigsaw, there are many parts that make up the 'whole' to rebuilding ourselves and our health in mid-life. For example, new research shows that our past lifestyle influences our health as we age, and for many women going into and through menopause, as the first generation of women to do so much (or so little) exercise, we are unique and unlike our mother's generation. There is often more inflammation and stress in our lives because we are modern, active women. This impacts our symptoms too.  Feeling better during menopause isn't about oestrogen as the supplement companies try to tell us - if you really think about it, our body is naturally trying to get rid of oestrogen.  It's about re-balancing oestrogen with progesterone as both these hormones decline naturally as we age. If these are un-balanced, then as you are or will be learning, then other hormones such as our thyroid, adrenal and pituitary hormones get out of balance too. When all of these hormones are out of balance, then this manifests as poor sleep, changing joint health, feeling bloated, feeling stressed, headaches and low energy. On top of this, when we aren't eating well, or have lots of old injuries, or other changes to our gut-health, liver, joints etc then, inside our cells and tissues, there are pockets of inflammation that just build up inside our body. I had no idea about all of this a decade ago when I was skiing at Revelstoke in BC, Canada and my joints were sore, I wasn't sleeping and I was so overweight and bloated and feeling depressed.  I didn't know this, until I began to understand inflammation better and how many of the diseases of 'older age' occur due to the build-up of inflammation. We are the first generation of women to come through the rapid increase of changes to food, manufacturing, chemicals, plastics, exercise, sports supplements and medicines over the decades, so it's no surprise that by the time we get to menopause, our body and brain is a little bit confused.

So, as we head into 2020, I want to ask you, what needs to change in your life? And, what is your determination and DESIRE to feel better and therefore, make some changes in your life?

How do you change your way of living and shape your future years so you feel healthy and become or remain active and energetic as you age? How do you get 'your' life back and feel the way you used to feel? How do you put weight gain behind you forever? 

Well, the first thing I want you to do, is to reflect and remind yourself what you DON'T want. Then I want you to take time to reflect on HOW you are going to change your lifestyle behaviour and most importantly, WHY it matters to you. Only when we do this, can we start to rebuild 'us' and focus on what matters to our health. As we head into another busy year ahead, I hope that you can join me and the hundreds of other women on the MyMT™ programmes, so I can teach you HOW to make the changes that you need to make to shape the future for you. Use the promo code JANUARY20 in the Buy Now buttons anywhere on the website or below. I look forward to helping you get your life back - after all you've done fro everyone else over the years, you deserve to focus on 'you'. :) 

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD - Read my BIO HERE ... 

Read Client SUCCESS STORIES HERE ...

### Burn abdominal fat and lengthen your lifespan by switching on your brown fat genes through this powerful technique.

I have Canada on my mind - and it's not just because I'm over here for a couple of weeks, but also because I have so many women on my programme from the Northern Hemisphere who are coping with colder temperatures and short days. But Canada is the home of powerful obesity and weight loss research that is important for us to know about as we move through menopause and beyond. 



MyMT™ women join me from all around the world and I love connecting all of us in my private coaching community as they work through my 12 week programmes. As three of them travel from the United Kingdom to New Zealand for their 'summer' holiday, I'm hoping that they will enjoy the odd dip in a cool, New Zealand lake or the sea. You see, if they do, then they will be helping to activate powerful genes that help to reduce the unhealthy white fat that builds up around our diaphragm and belly as we transition through menopause and activate the more healthy brown fat instead. 



It's why I was out walking yesterday in the cold at stunning Lake Louise in Canada. I'm visiting this beautiful region in Alberta, because my son is a competitive skier and yesterday it was time to leave the ski boots behind and walk along the trail instead. But there was also a purpose to this and in my private coaching community I told them a little story about brown fat and the powerful strategies that activate this healthy fat and turns down the unhealthy white fat that builds up as we age. 

My private coaching community is full of hundreds of women just like you. When women come into either of my programmes, which are on sale for you this month only, MyMT™ women get to read my posts which are all targeted to the specific information that we should be having as we move through menopause. It is so frustrating to me that many women are taking so many expensive supplements and going on all sorts of diets that are not necessarily evidenced for us in our mid-life years and beyond. My aim is to change that and I'm so grateful to the women who join me not only in the MyMT 12 week online programmes (ON SALE NOW so click through below), but in my private coaching community too. 



All of you ladies who join me from Australia are going through a tough time at present and I feel a bit guilty writing this post from the cold of Lake Louise  in Canada and sharing it with all of you lovelies in Australia and New Zealand who are battling the summer heat and in Australia, the fires. But for those of you who are thinking of joining me this month in my 12 week Transform Me weight loss programme or my 12 week symptom reduction programme called Circuit Breaker, I just wanted to give you a little bit or insight into how my coaching helps you at this time of life. This is additional to the 12 week programme in your member area on the website.



When it comes to understanding weight loss, yes, you need to be sleeping all night and changing your nutrition to suit menopause, but you also need to understand that to reduce hot flushes as well as add years to your life, then being a bit cold matters. 

When I read about the new research that has been undertaken in Quebec, Canada on the benefits of being cold, it made so much sense.

This is because when I lectured in sport and exercise science, I always taught that exercising in the cold increases the metabolic rate of the body. This is called cold-activated thermo-genesis and it increases our energy output and calorie burning. Athletes who train and compete in the cold need a lot of food to replace the excess energy that they burn. 

But in those days when I was lecturing, the research hadn't gone far enough as to why cold-therapy is important to us and how it helps our metabolism. So a shout-out to the researchers in Quebec.
They found that exercising outside in the cold and lowering our temperature by only 1-2 degrees, stimulates the growth of healthy brown fat. This type of fat is metabolically active because it is rich in mitochondria. 
You've heard me talk about these wonderful organelles before - your mitochondria are the 'energy powerhouse of your cell' where oxygen and fats and glucose are taken to turn into energy. The more mitochondria we have, the more energy we have and the more fat we 'burn'. If our mitochondria aren't functioning very well, then we don't function very well either. We feel tired, sore and un-healthy.  Longevity researchers also know that our mitochondrial health is important for our improved health as we age and I talk a lot about this in my programmes and in my live events too (If you are in the United Kingdom, then please check and see if I am coming your way - go to the EVENTS page on the website). 



The amount of mitochondria-rich brown fat decreases with age and as we move through menopause it mingles with white fat and spreads out around our abdomen. And don't worry, the only way to determine your ratio of brown fat to white fat is to have this measured by a physiologist or have an MRI or similar, so you may never know what your ratio's are. But what we need to do is try to activate brown fat as we age and researchers from a Quebec University now better understand that we can stimulate more brown fat mitochondria by being out in the cold and exercising in the cold as well.

As women in menopause, it pays to be cold for some parts of our day - and I don't mean hypo-thermia (the dangerous drop in core temperature that can leave you unconscious), but I do mean trying to lower your temperature to beat the heat and activate brown fat thermo-genesis. Especially those of you living in Australia or New Zealand or any other Southern Hemisphere country at the moment as you are in summer.

When we start to shiver when we are cold, our metabolic rate is increased due to the shivering which is the body's attempt to produce heat. As such, higher oxygen consumption is required. Because of this, heart rate is increased making the heart work faster to provide the body with oxygen. This results in not only stimulating healthy brown fat production, but increases our metabolic rates during rest as well. This is important for weight loss, because as we move through menopause, we lose muscle density, so our metabolism naturally declines with age. If you have a sedentary job and you can't exercise because you feel exhausted and have sore joints, then your metabolism can down-shift faster too. That's why swimming is good for you [Theodorou & Kabir, 2019], and of course knowing what to do to turn around your sore joints, become more active and feel healthy and energetic again. It's why I have a bonus module for you in the MyMT programmes called 'Restore your Joyful Joints'. 



What I was explaining to women on the programmes, who are in the Northern Hemisphere, was that if they can get outside and walk for their exercise in the cold then this helps to activate the healthy brown fat helping them to lose weight. Doing this regularly also helps to increase our life-span.  As healthy ageing researcher Dr David Sinclair mentions in his book, 'Lifespan: Why we age and why we don't have to' (David Sinclair, PhD) 

"when we experience cold thermo-genesis often enough, especially when we are younger, our longevity genes get the stress they need to order up some additional healthy brown fat. The mechanism for this is the same as that evoked by calorie restriction and intermittent fasting."

A few goosebumps is a now a good thing. :)

For those of you sweating in the heat in the Southern Hemisphere, then you need to find ways to get cool in your day too. 

In both of the MyMT™ programmes which are on my January SALE, I have Hot Flush Management modules and in these webinars I teach women how to reduce their core temperature using a number of different strategies, including changing their diet to reduce heat as well. Walking in barefeet as much as you can is one of these strategies. The palms of our hands and the soles of our feet have numerous blood vessels in them, so getting these regions cold helps with cooling.



⛷ If you live in Canada or the USA or the UK or Scotland or Ireland (and yes, I have women on my programmes from all of these countries), then no excuses - get outside and walk in the cold when you can. If you live 'down-under' then head for a cool lake or the sea as well. All that colder activity helps to stimulate your wonderful brown fat helping you to manage your menopause weight loss too. 



When you are ready, I hope that you can join me on my January Intake - use the promo code JANUARY20 to access your $50 discount and there are monthly payments as well. When you come on board I will support you every step of the way, not only with my research, but also with my own experience turning around all of my symptoms and losing my menopause weight. I can't wait for you to join me. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3B9-zns0FM

References: 

da Silva, P., Hernández-Saavedra, D., White, J. & Stanford, K. (2019). Cold and Exercise: Therapeutic Tools to Activate Brown Adipose Tissue and Combat Obesity. Biology, (8), 9, 1-29. 

Sinclair, D. (2019). Lifespan: Why we age and why we don't have to. Amazon Books Publ. 

Theodorou, M. & Kabir, R. (2019). Exploring the effects of cold-water swimming on an obese population: A systematic review.  Journal of Applied Sports Sciences,02, 1-19.

### "I can't believe how quickly I've noticed a change. My sleep is better and my hot flushes are virtually non-existent."  [Allie]

It’s an entirely different ball-game for your how to look after yourself in menopause. As I found, there are too many other programmes which are one-size fits all and don’t take into account this unique stage of life that we are in. That’s why I can’t wait to help you to make 2020 the year that you take control of your health, your hormones and/or your weight if you are in your menopause transition or you are in post-menopause.I am so grateful to the hundreds of women who have kindly shared their stories. They’ve gone from feeling frustrated, exhausted and despairing, to now feeling like their old selves, full of energy and feeling confident and healthy again. You can read numerous SUCCESS STORIES HERE.I know that January is a time of the year, when we are often thinking about our health and making some changes, so that’s why I have both My Menopause Transformation programmes on sale for you throughout January, 2020. There’s $50 off the price making it only $88 New Zealand dollars a month for 3 months [AUS$80 and UK£45 a month for 3 months]..Use the promo code JANUARY20 to access your savings HERE. Now I know that you still have a lot going on in your life, so I’ve designed this as an online programme, which you do in your own time and at your own pace. All you do is listen to my webinars in your private learning hub and you discover my powerful strategies which you then put into action every fortnight when your new module is opened. There are videos, webinars, handouts, recipes, food plans and my JOINT HEALTH module and more! You also get to come into my private coaching forum where hundreds of women are right now!  Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet, Women’s Healthy Ageing researcher and Founder of My Menopause Transformation. If you’re struggling to understand your symptoms or your weight gain in menopause, then would you let me help you?I’ll tell you why. For the past few years, I’ve been looking into menopause and our healthy ageing for my doctoral studies. When my own symptoms frustrated me despite being on HRT and taking endless supplements, and I was putting on lots of weight too, I felt hopeless and confused as to why. That’s when I knew I had to use my knowledge and experience to look deeper into this. For over 30 years, I’ve worked in and around the fitness industry and I’ve taught university level nutrition, sports science, physiology and hormonal health. I was also a former nurse. Yet, despite all this background, I was at a loss as to why my body, moods and motivation was changing so fast. When I spoke to women for my studies, many of whom were exercising daily, they were telling me similar stories too.So, I tackled menopause. Our lives are so different from our mother’s and I discovered that as we transition this stage of life, experiencing insomnia, sore joints, hot flushes and weight gain, no longer has to be ‘our lot’ in life. We also don't need the endless medications, supplements and other 'remedies' that are marketed to us at this time of life. When we lose oestrogen, this affects other areas around our body, so we have to understand what to do to accommodate ALL of the effects of the changes in our reproductive hormones around our body. This is what I have looked into for all of us! For years menopause has been treated as a sickness, but I found out that our changing hormones are all part of our natural ageing, so we have to change our daily routines, nutrition and even our exercise to accommodate these changes. This is because there are numerous structural changes that occur in our muscles, liver and fat cells as we go through menopause. If we don’t change how we manage ourselves, then we don’t sleep, our joints become sore and for many women they become depressed, hotter than normal and their heart health begins to change, especially if they put on weight.That’s why I designed the two My Menopause Transformation programmes. Women call them ‘life-changing’. One programme is called Circuit Breaker and this is for you if you are thinner or leaner. The other programme is your weight loss programme. I called it ‘Transform Me’ because that’s what it did for me! I lost 15 kgs of my menopause weight when I learnt how to sleep all night, remove my sore joints and reduce my hot flushes through the strategies I researched. Like the thousands of women who have joined me over the past two years, I feel so much healthier and back in control of my health.  I want you to as well. I’m Wendy Sweet from My Menopause Transformation. I called it this because that’s how I felt after I put into place my powerful discoveries. Now your transformation is waiting for you too. Just click on the Buy Now button below, select the programme which suits you and enter your promo code JANUARY20 and I will see you inside your exclusive member area. And on your journey, I can’t wait to be your guide.

### Here's what you need to know if your New Year resolution is to lose your menopause belly-fat and feel like your old self again.

"For the hundreds of women who have joined me on either the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme or the Transform Me programme throughout 2019, perhaps the greatest change that they experience is the knowledge that they need to change their beliefs about how their lifestyle during menopause, especially those who are gaining weight, needs to be managed. It's actually not what the fitness, dieting or health/ pharmaceutical industries tell you when it comes to menopause. It's a whole different ball-game."Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Lifestyle Coach. Have you become frustrated with how your body is coping with hormonal changes in menopause?One of the key issues for women during their menopause transition is the sheer exhaustion they feel from not sleeping. I know this from being in front of hundreds of women during my seminars throughout 2019. Every time I asked who wasn't sleeping now that they had reached menopause, nearly the whole room would raise their hands. So if this is you, then join the club!  However, for many women, there's another issue as well.It's the change in their body shape, weight and joint health too. The triple-whammy of poor sleep, joint pain and menopause weight changes, are the most frustrating problems that I hear from mid-life women when I take my Masterclass on Menopause live events. It’s also what I see on the screening forms of women who have joined the MyMT community over the past year. Despite regular exercise, and eating well when they reached their late 40's or early to mid 50's, many of them have become as confused as I used to be back then too.When the types of exercise and nutrition that I had embraced for years no longer worked for me as I reached my early 50's, I was so confused. But unraveling our symptoms in menopause, including weight gain, as part of my studies led me to learn why. When we begin our natural, biological reproductive ageing, which is what menopause is, then we enter a different hormonal environment which has major impacts on other hormone-producing organs in the body too.These organs are our thyroid, pituitary, pancreas, liver and adrenal glands. Every one of these organs produce chemical messengers, known as hormones and all these organs are connected. It's why when one hormone is low or high, (such as our changing reproductive hormones) then this has a down-stream effect on every other organ that produces hormones too. Your body is always trying to be in a state of homeostasis. What this means is that it's always trying to correct any imbalances that are occurring, so the way your hormones 'talk' to one another is an important survival mechanism, especially for women!And I want you to remember that our fat storage is under hormonal control too, which is what I talk about in the Transform Me programme when women become oestrogen dominant causing a disruption in the fine balance between oestrogen and progesterone.Managing menopause symptoms (especially weight gain) isn't necessarily about taking medications or endless supplements, it's about knowing how to re-balance all of the hormones that are affected by our changing hormonal environment. When we fail to change our lifestyle to accommodate peri-menopause and menopause, then many of these other hormones get out of balance too - especially our thyroid, stress and sleep hormones. When the hormones from these organs get out of balance, then there is a lovely menopause-induced cocktail of hormonal chaos which leads to worsening symptoms and for many women, they just keep gaining weight, despite exercising.So, if your new year resolution is going to be to lose weight and it was the same resolution that you had last year, but you didn't get to your goal weight, then maybe you didn't take into account these factors:Interrupted sleep. When low oestrogen impacts on our sleep hormone called, melatonin, then this has a down-stream effect on the ability of our body to ‘burn fat’. This is because when we are in our deep-sleep phase, our insulin and cortisol levels are at their lowest. When these two hormones are low, our body is better-placed for using storage fat as an energy source. This is why, even if you are sleeping fairly well, my 12 week ‘Transform Me’ programme teaches you how to improve the quality of your sleep, so that you improve your fat-burning metabolism overnight. When your sleep is deep, then you stop gaining and start losing.You are oestrogen dominant.Have you ever heard of this term? Despite over 30 years in the health and exercise industry, I had never heard of this term until I began researching menopause. Not even my Doctor told me about it. Nor any nutritionists or Personal Trainers or health specialists. So, when I read articles about this condition, I suddenly thought, “This is me!” We can become oestrogen dominant, because our fat cells have a tendency to store oestrogen - which includes various sources of oestrogens – from animals, dairy products, alcohol and even from plastics and chemicals. Called xeno-oestrogens, for decades many of us girls’ in our 50’s have been subjected to all sorts of food, chemicals and additives, that stimulate this storage of oestrogen in our fat cells, especially breast, liver and deep-tissue fat that surrounds our major organs.When we store oestrogen in fat-cells, then this disrupts the opposing hormones called progesterone, which becomes low, and testosterone, which becomes high (yes, women do produce testosterone). When testosterone is high and we have extra oestrogen in our fat storage areas, then this causes other energy-regulating hormones (insulin and cortisol) to become unbalanced too.  Our hormones are all connected, so when our reproductive hormones change in our menopause transition, other hormones get out of balance too. When this happens our menopause symptoms can become worse. You may be eating too much protein. Yes, that’s right - all those messages about protein don’t help us to lose our belly fat in menopause, unless you are doing lots of resistance training or you are very active throughout the day. Protein turn-over occurs in the LIVER but because the liver changes as you transition through menopause, your nutrient absorption may not be optimal. As well, because we also lose muscle as we age then again, this changes our need for high intakes of protein that are typically promoted. If you come into my 12 week programme, you will also discover why too much protein as we age also causes more HOT FLUSHES and NIGHT SWEATS – and as many of you are discovering, when we can’t sleep due to night sweats, the fat just keeps increasing causing our cardiac and metabolic health to change as we get older.Increased belly-fat under your diaphragm restricts your breathing. Belly fat under the diaphragm restricts lung function and most importantly, your oxygen transport into your tissues - and every single beautiful cell you have in your body, requires the life-giving gift of oxygen! Couple this with increased stress and anxiety, low iron and Vitamin B12, which are often problems in menopause as oestrogen levels decline, then we can end up having low energy and poor oxygen exchange into our cells.This can be frustrating for weight loss because fats get broken down in our tiny mitochondrial cells which is where oxygen is stored. Therefore, poor oxygen exchange may mean less fat being turned into energy in the mitochondria. If you can’t breathe well because of all the increasing belly-fat under your diaphragm, then your fat-burning ability may not be as optimal as you like it to be.In both of the 12 week MyMT programmes  you learn a powerful deep-breathing routine, which is crucial to enhance your fat-burning every day!When I myself, put on over 15 kgs in menopause, little did I realise that we are the first generation of women to transition through menopause in the context of all the confusing and conflicting advice around nutrition, exercise and health. This is why, I wanted to research our menopause transition and weight loss, as part of my women’s healthy ageing studies. When I understood that most of the advice is not designed for women transitioning into and through menopause, I decided to do something about it.The MyMT 'Transform Me' programme is changing women's lives, and my January Intake is open for you now. I’ve put this fabulous programme together for women to learn how to turn around their menopause belly fat especially if they are becoming concerned about their changing cardiac and joint health.Weight gain during menopause is still the leading cause of changing cardiac and joint health in women. Many of our mother’s generation experienced these changes but I have learnt from the research on them and my purpose is now to help our generation not make the same mistakes as we transition through this very special time of our hormonal lives! Your hormones all work together and understanding the lifestyle-changes you need to make to ADJUST to your changing hormonal environment at this time of your life is critical to your weight-loss success. This is why if you would like to discover how to lose the high-risk fat under your diaphragm, without excessive amounts of exercise or crazy dieting, then I would love you to come on board any time from now and throughout January 2020 into my step-by-step, scientifically evidenced menopause-specific lifestyle plan.As part of my women’s healthy ageing studies, I've researched our menopause symptoms including fat-loss and in the 'Transform Me' programme, which is ON SALE for you now, [please use promo code JANUARY20] you'll discover everything I did to lose weight and feel fabulous again in my 50's.  Some of you might also like to get off your Menopause Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and menopause-related anti-depressants too, [in conjunction with your GP of course], so I have modules which explain how to make specific lifestyle changes to help you do this, as Pauline did as well.The programme is all online, so you work through each module in a step-by-step progression over the 12 weeks, in your exclusive member area on the website. I teach you what to do and why and YOU put it into action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvYIcAxAChAIf you would like me to help you, then I invite you to come on board into the programme and my private coaching community any time from now. The MyMT Transform Me programme is on a January special and at only $87NZ a month for 3 months [compared to $100 a month], I would love to help you discover what you need to do to get your menopause weight under control. That way, like so many other women, you can enjoy the improved health, energy and vitality you deserve at this time of your life. To read what you receive in this powerful programme please click here. Then all you do to access your discount, is to use the promo code JANUARY20 here.  I can’t wait to help you enjoy menopause symptom and weight loss freedom in 2019.Wendy Sweet (PhD/ MyMT Programme Coach)MyMT™ has been set up for one reason; to help women around the globe proactively manage their own menopause transformation. I can't wait for you to join me.   

### “I've lost 5 kg, but best of all, my energy is back. MyMT was the best investment I made in ‘me’.” - Sally Bower

All Sally wanted was to have the energy she used to have, so she could get back mountain-bike riding with hubbie on the weekends. It's what they had done together for years. Finally having the time for more recreational activities when she became an 'empty-nester' at 55 years, Sally ended up feeling cheated by menopause. Not sleeping and daily fatigue was wearing her down and leaving her too exhausted to do the activity that she loved to do. She felt frustrated and confused. 

While she had always been physically active and fit and with her diet “pretty good really”, she was confused about why she was on a treadmill of diminishing returns in regards to her health and fitness in mid-life.

Working as a medical laboratory scientist meant that she had a leaning towards fact based information and what she read on the MyMT website, bought together the pieces of information that she had been aware of, but didn't know how to put together in a way that was cohesive and made sense.
"I loved how Wendy had been through menopause so knew what I was experiencing and I'm amazed how, through her research, she managed to pull everything together in the way that she did" said Sally. 


"With the programme teaching me how to change my nutrition to better suit the women's healthy ageing research that Wendy introduces us too, I got my husband on board as well. We revised how we shopped and prepared our meals and then changed the timing of when we ate according to the MyMT™ food planning and the fabulous recipes" said Sally.

"I had some big wins in the first few weeks of being on MyMT™ . I was amazed and like most women, I had no idea how the type and timing of my food intake was affecting my sleep quality.  At long last I began to get some decent sleep! The programme is amazing. 

				“Actually, it was lots of little things that have helped turn my symptoms around. I can see why Wendy has this programme as a 12 week progressive programme, because when you learn how everything ties together, it makes so much sense. What worked the most, was when I had completed the programme and put everything that Wendy had in there about the integration of food, sleep, exercise, hormonal health, stress management and temperature regulation. For example, with what I learnt to do on the sleep module, I started to turn around the length of my sleep without waking up, which was a savior, as when I did, I used to find it so difficult to get back to sleep. I also learnt how to get off sweet things and the specific strategies that I could use to do this. Now, I don’t have any cravings at all. I’m so amazed at how it all worked for me.”
From those first few weeks of getting such positive results, to now, Sally acknowledges that there has been so much more than she could have imagined, that she has gained from her journey.

"I've lost 5kg without even trying, but best of all, I have my energy back. This programme has been the best investment into myself that I could have made for me.”

Sally Bower, New Zealand
The MyMT Transform Me weight loss programme is ON SALE for women now. When you have time, this video below explains what is in the programme. My January 2020 Intake has opened, so please use the promo code JANUARY20 when you go to the sales page HERE. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rw7PmwoA5Q

### "My daughter has never seen me this thin in her entire life! I'm sleeping and feeling so much better."   [Heather, New Zealand]

I still remember when Heather attended my Masterclass on Menopause seminar in Wellington, New Zealand. She emailed me not long afterwards concerned about not sleeping, and worried about her changing cholesterol levels, sore joints and increasing weight gain. She was at her wits-end. Nothing she was doing was working.
Having watched her health all her life, and exercising most days, as she reached her early 50's and so many health-markers were changing, she was confused and frustrated.  Thank goodness attending my seminar made her realise how much her interrupted sleep during menopause was impacting on her immune health, cholesterol levels and her weight gain.

As I always say in my seminars,

"When menopause is taking your sleep away, you aren't able to achieve overnight fat-burning. That's when you start to become oestrogen dominant. In a changing hormonal environment, excess oestrogen in the body gets stored in fat cells causing insulin chaos. Insulin is the hormone which is secreted by the pancreas and helps to carry glucose (sugar) to cells. But when we aren't sleeping, the muscle and liver cells can become inflamed, so this overnight fat-burning gets disrupted. In many women, this leads to more fat-gain during post-menopause putting them at risk for higher cholesterol and heart-disease." 

That's why, with her weight going up and her hot flushes and sleep becoming disrupted, I was so pleased when Heather decided to join the MyMT™ programme so she could learn how to thrive in her menopause transition.
Heather has completed the online, 12 week course now - I feel so grateful to her for sharing this with you ...
"Coming on to the My Menopause Transformation programme has been life-changing. I've lost over 8.5kgs now and I feel and look amazing! I had to invest in a whole new wardrobe recently as nothing seemed to fit me anymore. I'm almost back to what I used to weigh pre-kids! (My 19-year-old daughter said she's never seen me this small in her whole life and she's even borrowing a few of my clothes now!). I've gone from a size 10/12 pants to a size 8 and my tops have gone from a M/12/14 to a S/8/10. Woohoo!

What Wendy's programme did for me, was to help me understand that my lifestyle needed to change as I came through menopause. Her programme is targeted towards helping women change their diet to suit our health as we age and it includes strategies for getting off sugar which contributes to our hot flushes.

But food isn't the only thing that this programme helps with. The information on sleep and hot flush reduction is so powerful and I now have so much energy. Before coming onto the programme, I had so many hot flushes, but now I have  I also have very few hot flushes now but if I do feel them coming on (especially due to stress) I can quickly use the techniques I have learned in the programme to help to control them.

I'm generally sleeping through the night again but if I do wake up I can usually just turn over and get back to sleep. I also had no idea about why the exercise I used to do wasn't helping me during menopause. I was feeling so tired at the time and with the Boot Camps I was doing, I didn't realise how detrimental this would be on my sleep and my weight. With the changes that Wendy suggests, I'm feeling fitter that I ever have.

I'm feeling so much better and healthier. 

My blood test results show my Vitamin D levels are up and my Cholesterol levels are down which is great for my long-term health. I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of my life with renewed zeal and energy. Thank you so much Wendy. Your programme is life-changing."

[Heather, Wellington, New Zealand]


Which MyMT programme is right for you? 
Rediscover your mid-life health, vitality and energy:
I want you to feel like your old-self again. Do you? If so, then I have researched how to turn around our symptoms in menopause and/or lose weight without resorting to endless expensive supplements. 

It would be my privilege to have you  join me via your 12 week online self-learning, MyMT™ menopause transformation programme. Choose from Circuit Breaker (for thinner women) OR Transform Me (for women wanting to lose weight). Each 12 week programme is NZ$99 a month for 3 months and this includes my personalised coaching too. I can’t wait to share my discoveries with you. 

Are you ready to re-discover your health, vitality and energy again? I hope so!

When you come on board into either of the MyMT™ 12 week online programmes and put into action my powerful lifestyle strategies to help you re-balance your hormones in menopause, you’ll re-discover the joy of sleeping all night and feeling like your old self again. Thousands of women all over the world tell me this every day. Whether you choose MyMT™ Circuit Breaker (for thinner/ leaner women) or you want to understand how to lose your menopause belly fat with MyMT™ Transform Me, then these powerful, scientifically evidenced programmes are for you.

You only need 60 minutes a week over the 12 weeks to listen to each module that opens up in your private learning hub. Then you come on board into my private coaching community where I post regular updates for you and you stay connected with me through here or via email.

### “I’m now sleeping all night and feel back in control. What an amazing programme.” [Tina, New Zealand]

“Stress has always been my biggest challenge” mentioned Tina. “My heart races and when I have so much going on in my life, there is an inability to access deep calm at times. But your amazing programme has helped me understand what is really going on as my hormones change during menopause.
I love the science in every lesson throughout the programme. It gave me a real depth of understanding about what is transpiring inside my body at this stage of life. I had no idea.
For me the first lesson on sleep was the most changing. I began to understand how much my lifestyle impacts on my sleep quality as well as being in menopause. Your ability to link these two concepts has enabled me to get back in control of my sleep.


As someone who has been active all my life and love my exercise, I realised that I wasn’t eating the right foods for all the activity I was doing. I had become very confused. For example, I liked finding out the thermogenic effect of foods, especially protein and I now understand why I was having so many hot flushes and feeling hot all the time. I know the impact of too much protein that is promoted in the fitness industry but doesn’t suit our body as we lose muscle. It all makes so much sense.
Knowing the influence of declining estrogen on cortisol levels was the key I needed. Now I understand what is going on and can simply kick into relaxation techniques. Ditto for the choice of olive oil over coconut oil in your Food Guide and why – it’s so easy having the facts spelled out and takes away so much of the confusing nutrition messages!


Many heartfelt thanks again on behalf of all women for stepping up to create this. I now understand what is going on in my body and how to turn around my symptoms. Your expertise in getting sleep sorted was the starting point and I now feel so much better. In fact, when I think about your MyMT™ programme now, there’s a song that comes to mind… ‘Break on through to the other side!‘

Now that I’ve completed the symptom-reduction programme, I’m so looking forward to now doing your exercise module, Rebuild My Fitness. I think the whole structure of your online programme was perfect for me, especially as I live in a remote location in New Zealand.

I now better understand that my menopause transition is the finale to a new way of living, and that includes exercise.

Tina Drummond, Gisborne, New Zealand.


mymenopausetransformation.com 
Putting our menopause transition into ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’. When you are ready, I will show you how.
Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ Women’s healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Coach]

### “Your programme gave me a step-by-step plan to help me get my life back on track – I feel like my old self again.”

“I am 50 years old , a Personal Trainer/Pilates instructor and I’ve always been fit and healthy. But when my world changed I had no idea how to get my life back on track …” [Stephnee, Dunedin, New Zealand]
How wonderful to see Stephnee last night in Dunedin. We even managed a catch-up beforehand over a coffee. As the owner of Ambitions Pilates Studio in Mosgiel, Stephnee’s world collapsed over 4 years ago when she lost her husband and best friend suddenly. Her world was rocked and then menopause symptoms over-whelmed her. It’s not surprising that her sleep, anxiety, energy and motivation went out the door then as well.

With three beautiful teenagers to get through the crisis and be “their rock” too, Stephanie put her own needs aside. But as time went on, she realised that she needed her energy levels and sleep back. As she said to everyone attending last night, “I thought I knew how to manage myself as I went into menopause, but I didn’t. Then the emotional turmoil over-whelmed me. Medications helped for a while, but I needed a plan to sort out my symptoms and pull myself through my ordeal. That’s when I remembered Wendy’s talk about menopause at a health and fitness conference I had attended. I knew I had to get hold of her and follow her programme. So I did and slowly I built my life, health and zest for living up again.”
It was a gift and a privilege to see Stephnee again. She kindly shares her story with you all ….
“Maybe my journey began 4 years ago when my best friend and husband of 25 years passed away suddenly. My world was blown into a million pieces. Looking back I am very thankful I had the strength, courage and resilience to get out of bed every morning and keep moving, but whilst my body was willing, my mind wasn’t. However, I had my 3 young adult children to help through their own grieving process and so I think I put a lot of my own grieving on hold for a later date when my children seemed to accept that our world had changed (actually maybe we still haven’t but we continue to move through the process).

From the day my husband died I stopped menstruating which was understandable. I was in shock, grieving and very stressed, which meant my body weight dropped from my normal 62kg down to 57kg in a month.

Six months later I was able to get my weight back to 60kg and my cycle kick-started again. It had always been very regular. But hormones aside, life was still a ‘forced, pull back the covers every morning’ and put my feet on the floor to spend the day at my PT studio. My studio was my safe haven – my escape from the reality of my home that would never be the same again.



It seemed that overnight I started to not sleep. Waking 4-5 times a night with night sweats, hot flushes occasional during the day. i had no idea that I was entering peri-menopause.

Life seemed cruel to throw this onto me as well. With little or no sleep I went on for a few months, and being a personal training, health coach for over 15 years, I thought I knew all there was to know about looking after myself! The right eating, the right exercise, everything in balance – but I still couldn’t sleep and I was awake, feeling hot, sweaty and uncomfortable.

I then remembered seeing Wendy’s Menopause Transformation Programme information from a conference I had attended and decided to join up. The strength of the programme was having someone else guide me through it. The the on-line webinars and emails to Wendy and her responses, got me on track for my own personal journey. It also pushed me into getting a full check out from my Doctor too.

With the supplements Wendy recommended based on these tests (which had nothing to do with the menopause ones on the market!), I was feeling better within a week. Now that I’ve completed her ‘Circuit Breaker’ programme , I sleep through the night. Night sweats are gone and my energy levels are back. I loved how Wendy helped to re-focus me on my mornings. I enjoy my gentle run around the block which is almost a mediation thing. It’s when I plan my day and put my mind into order and de-stress. Armed with the strategies that Wendy teaches, I also strengthened my own ‘yoga-lates classes’ at work with some of the skills I was learning. Two of my children have now left home, so an empty nest syndrome hit me hard. I was supposed to be going through this process with my husband not on my own.

I fell off the rails a bit, falling into a few old bad habits but after a few restless nights sleep and hot flushes, this actually reinforced the need for me to get back on track again. Lesson learnt!
Life doesn’t come with a magic wand, does it?
I discovered through this MyMT programme that routines matter for our hormonal health and we don’t need to ‘deny’ ourselves with crazy regimes at this stage of life – many of us still have a lot going on. I know that I’ve been incredibly stressed and this has affected my symptoms perhaps more than other women, but I cannot believe that now I sleep all night and I love the feeling of having energy the next day. This is important to me so I can put my own energy into my clients as well as my family and the next journey of my life … whatever that may be. So a big thank you to Wendy for helping women take control of their life! There are different plans of attack, as we don’t all fit in the same little box .

What I loved most though, is that Wendy has been through menopause and as a Personal Trainer it was important to me that her strategies were all evidenced scientifically. What I learnt wasn’t in any course that I had ever done, yet as she herself knows, we are the first generation of women to have had so much influence on how we manage our lives in the context of the modern fitness and dieting industries. Because many of these messages don’t suit our hormonal health at this time of life, it’s important that we change how we manage ourselves. The tools and support are all on-line to help women like me, move forward again. It was so great to give her a big ‘thank-you hug’.”

Stephnee Jenkins, Ambitions Personal Training Pilates Studio, Mosgiel, New Zealand

### Discover my 5 powerful strategies to help you lose your menopause weight.

The lecture theatre was a bit warm to begin with. The university security team had forgotten to turn on the air-con. But when they heard who was in the room [women going through menopause] they had the sense to make haste! My final New Zealand live-event was held this week. It was my Masterclass on Menopause Weight Loss seminar. 
"Two years ago, I nervously, but successfully defended my doctoral thesis just up the hill in the Faculty of Health, Sport & Human Performance" I told the attendees. "And I argued my case to the examiners, that women in their mid-life years were being forgotten when it came to understanding how to look after themselves  during this time, so they remain healthy as they age."  There was much nodding of heads in the lecture room. "I'm saying that, because for the past 30 years, the emphasis on nutrition, exercise and health research, has either been conducted on males or younger people and athletes. Furthermore, there is not one academic course at present in New Zealand on menopause for Personal Trainers, Nutritionists, Health Specialists, Physios and other practitioners."  The Personal Trainers who came to my seminar agreed and so did the women attending. 
That's why I love my live events. It's the time that I get the chance to educate women and others attending, about how we are moving through a critical stage of our life whereby there is just as much hormonal change occurring as there was during puberty. Our body is naturally ageing but often our symptoms leave us feeling as if an alien has invaded our body. My curiosity was why.  

For too long, menopause has just been looked at through the lens of reproductive decline. But as those attending this week's session at the University of Waikato discovered, there's a lot more going on in the body with the loss of oestrogen and progesterone, than we think. 
We have oestrogen receptors all around our body. In our skin, our heart muscle, our blood vessels, gut, liver, pancreas and brain. But the highest number are in our fat cells. So these areas are affected by our changing hormones in menopause too. 

As I took women on a journey of discovery about WHY we end up with so much symptom chaos going on during menopause, I asked who wasn't sleeping. Most hands in the room went up. 
"When we aren't sleeping, we aren't fat-burning" I told them. "So this, along with our changing liver structure and loss of muscle, is the perfect storm, which leads to post-menopause weight gain. If we don't get on top of this as soon as we can, this leads to changing cardiac health as we age. New Zealand, Australia, the UK and America, all have the worst women's heart health stats in the western world. Yet, we aren't understanding that it all begins during menopause." 

Weight gain in menopause is a ticking time bomb for women's cardiac, liver and joint health as they age. 

So, what do we do about it? Well, if you were with me last night in Hamilton, you would have discovered my 5-Steps which I focus women on over 12 weeks in my menopause weight loss 'Transform Me' programme. These strategies are so important to 'turn back the clock' and get healthy ageing, so we can enjoy the next 20-30 years of healthy living ahead of us. 

Here they are: 
Step 1: If you aren't sleeping, you aren't burning fat. It's as simple as that. So, I told women about the Circadian Rhythm and how lowering oestrogen levels in menopause mess up our sleep hormone, melatonin, but high cortisol (one of our stress hormones) mess up melatonin production at night as well. If we don't sort out our sleep (which I teach you to do on BOTH of the MyMT™ programmes (Circuit BReaker is for thinner/leaner women), then over time, our symptoms become worse. This includes fat gain around the mid-section. 

Not sleeping affects every major organ in our body, which also work on a 24 hour circadian rhythm. That's why researchers now understand that changing GUT HEALTH occurs when we don't sleep as well. [I have an optional module on turning around gut health in the programmes too]. 

Step 2: Reduce the amount of protein and change the timing of it to help you sleep more deeply. High protein diets are 'thermo-genic' or 'heat-generating'. With so many women struggling with hot flushes and night sweats at night, it's important to cool the body and manage the timing of protein. I can't emphasise this enough and it's all in my nutrition component of each MyMT™ programme. I have food lists, recipes and meal plans waiting for you with emphasis on the specific nutrients we need in menopause and beyond. 

Step 3: Liver, Liver, Liver. When I showed the women attending my seminar, the powerful changes that occur in our liver as we lose oestrogen and age, I could see the looks of disbelief on many faces. "So many women end up with changing liver health, high cholesterol levels, poor gall-bladder function and pain and I now know why" I said. With the liver shrinking in size and the gall-bladder losing up to 20% of it's bile-production as we move through menopause, it's important not to clog it up with saturated fats. But there's more too. Our liver along with the kidneys, help us to remove toxins, so in our 50's the liver can get a bit inflamed as well. It's had a lot of toxins to clear over our life-time and it needs a bit of a spruce-up. That's why I teach women on my programmes how to do this based on research, not conjecture! 

Step 4: Reduce the load on the liver, gut and digestive system by eating carbohydrates that give you energy and then allow the gut to empty fully overnight. As a generation of women who eat later in the evening, because we have so much going on in our lives or we are fitting around the needs of family members, it's important to change the time of our food intake. When we eat large meals at night, then this increases the work of our digestive system overnight, which can then interfere with sleep patterns and keep us awake. When we are awake we are back in the vicious cycle of not fat-burning overnight. 


Step 5: Do the correct exercise to help your heart health, lymphatic system, flexibility and joint and bone health. Changing our exercise, or even getting back into exercise is so important as we move through menopause. It's a time when thousands of women stop being active, because they aren't sleeping, have sore joints and restless legs and/or have no energy, time or motivation. I know this so well. But there's another problem too. There is too much emphasis on High-Intensity  exercise in the fitness industry that isn't designed for women during their menopause transition who aren't sleeping!  As a leading exercise specialist here in New Zealand, I've written about this extensively in other blogs, so click through if you would like to know my thoughts! 

I'm so passionate about women transitioning through menopause and into their post-menopause years feeling like their old selves again. I had no idea about the changes that I needed to make to turn back the clock on my own changing health and weight, when I put on over 15kg of weight during peri-menopause too. When I learnt that we are forgotten when it comes to solutions that suit our age and stage of life, I knew that I had to put some serious research into this area for all of us. Now thousands of women are pleased that I have done this too.
If you are struggling with your changing health and weight in menopause, then jump on board with me when you can. MyMT is a progressively delivered 12 week online programme, that you do in your time not mine. At NZ$399 or UK£149 (yes, you can also pay in 3 easy instalments) the next 12 weeks will change your life. 
To discover what you receive in the MyMT™ Transform Me programme then have a listen to the video below or please click here to read what I have for you, then follow through to any Buy Now button to purchase.  Scroll down and select the 3 payment option if you need to as well. I'd love you to come on board and I can't wait to support you. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcAoq-PV8mg&t=119s
Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT™ Founder & Coach. 

### VIDEO: Keep the Kegels! Restore your Core and Pelvic Floor with MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness 12 week Programme.

Who knew that there were oestrogen receptors in our pelvic floor muscles? Did you? Or did you realise when you felt your stress incontinence becoming worse when you arrived in your 50's?Most of us already know that our pelvic floor muscles lose much of their elasticity due to childbirth, but during menopause these sling-like muscles are in the spotlight too.  We lose the role of oestrogen in the central nervous system and also in the uro-genital areas at menopause. So, with numerous oestrogen receptors in the pelvic floor mucosa, the loss of oestrogen as we move through menopause reduces collagen turn-over in this important area. This is why a consistent theme in ageing studies is the increase in incontinence in post-menopausal women. It's also why, the MyMT Food Guide is packed full of nutritious recipes that help to improve our collagen intake and yes, this includes beautiful bone-broth soup for those who aren't vegetarian.With the turn-over of collagen affected during menopause because of our declining oestrogen, as menopause arrives and we lose oestrogen, the ligaments in our pelvic floor soften and can become a bit slack. It's why the focus needs to be on our core and pelvic floor muscles as part of our exercise routines. Core work supports your spine, especially the thoracic and lumbar regions. This is important if you are sitting most of the day.That is why I have designed the Rebuild My Fitness 12 week online programme that moves women progressively through how to become more active and get back into exercise again. It's so important as we age to get active again. And it's why, included in this program is a  module called, Restore Your Core and Pelvic Floor. And yes, those old Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles matter, even though most of us are way past our post-natal days! I've got a brief video to share with you as part of November is Exercise Month with MyMT™ but first I want to share with you the breathing routine that I want you to perform as you do your Kegel exercises. Your Kegel Breathing Technique:When you perform your pelvic floor contractions, please co-ordinate these with your breathing to get maximum results.EXHALE as you perform the Kegel contraction (this is when you contract your pelvic floor and perineal areas and draw the contraction upwards and inwards as I demonstrate on the exercise video and in the module).COUNT aloud as you hold your Kegel contraction as this ensures that you don’t hold your breath. Breath-holding is not part of your Kegel contraction routine.Perform your Kegel Exercises Lying Down if you have weak pelvic floor muscles. If you have difficulties lying on the floor then lie on your bed with a pillow supporting your head. When you have mastered your Kegel exercises and you feel you are getting stronger, then you can move to sitting, standing, squatting (as in the module) or even movement-based Kegels. Note that if you leak when you stand or walk, then you need to build-up to performing your Kegel exercises in the standing position.Please note that there are numerous health and exercise professionals who specialise in pelvic floor therapies, so please, if you feel you would like to progress faster or have one-on-one supervision, then ensure you find a REGISTERED practitioner in your community.Wendy Sweet, PhD/ NZ Registered Exercise Specialisthttps://youtu.be/N0Q55cl0usc  References:Harvard Health (2019). Gentle Core Exercises. Harvard Health Publications.Weber M., Kleijn M., et al, (2015). Local Oestrogen for Pelvic Floor Disorders: A Systematic Review. PLoS ONE 10(9): e0136265.

### Why the fitness industry may not have the answers for women in menopause who need to change the way they exercise.

"My sleep is now normal. The joint pain is better. I am much fitter, exercising 5-6 times a week and have lost 10kgs over the 12 weeks."   [Raewyn]

One of the things I recommended to Raewyn, was that she changed her exercise and reduce her high-intensity exercise to start with. It's what I do when women are transitioning through peri-menopause and aren't sleeping. Every day I receive emails from women who have become mystified about their changing joint health and aching knees too. I always ask if they have been doing lots of high-intensity boot-camps, cross-fit classes, or other forms of impact exercise. You know, the type of exercise whereby you are placing your body under higher stress than usual or pushing very heavy resistance loads with fast movement patterns for shorter periods such as 30 minutes. It's known globally as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and it appeared on the 2019 ACSM Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends. It's these trends that drive the workouts that are promoted in many health and fitness clubs around the world.

Don't get me wrong, HIIT workouts are a wonderful way to get your exercise done and dusted in a shorter amount of time - and yes, that is a precious commodity that many of us don't have. But when women aren't sleeping as their hormones are changing in menopause, these types of workouts send women into 'over-training mode' too. They end up exhausted. Then their  joints begin to hurt and their knees ache as well. I've had hundreds of active women join me on the MyMT programems and when their health screening forms indicate these joint and muscle health-changes, they invariably say "yes" to doing HIIT classes, Boot Camps and Cross-fit workouts - simply because this is the type of exercise they've been doing for years and it's whats promoted as 'ggod for them' to them too. 
But with the never-ending promotion of mainly HIIT exercise, the fitness industry may be failing women in menopause. 
For over 30 years, I've been part of the modern fitness industry. I love the health and fitness clubs which provide the spaces and products which enable us to work-out in ways that offer us 'time to ourselves' and help us to 'feel good'. The women on my PhD studies felt the same too. 
But here's the thing - if the exercise advice isn't right for us as our hormones are changing in menopause and if we are doing heavy workouts and not sleeping, then we aren't recovering from the training. Nor are we burning fat. You see, not all of the exercise that is taught in fitness environments is designed for healthy ageing. Much of it is designed to accommodate athletes, males and younger females who still have oestrogen!   
I have an entire module called 'Let's Talk Results' in my brand new and revised Re-Build My Fitness 12 week online programme, and I have designed a range of HIIT workouts for you according to your BODY-TYPE, but women know that unless they are sleeping, then they have to 'proceed with caution' . When we don't sleep, we aren't recovering. And if we do too much high-intensity activity as we are losing oestrogen and transitioning through menopause, then we can easily head down the slippery slope to worsening cardiac health and a muscular and immune condition called fibromyalgia. 

I learnt this the hard way myself. Which is why I decided to look into the research on HIIT as part of my studies. I used to do a lot of HIIT workouts - spin classes, GRIT workouts, Cross-fit type Personal Training sessions, Interval Training - you name it, I did it. But not one workout helped me to lose weight. I also felt my sore joints getting worse, I felt exhausted, and my blood work showed that despite daily exercise, my blood pressure, cholesterol and weight were heading up, not down. I also craved sugar and sweet things all the time (and yes, high-intensity exercise makes you do this, because afterwards your brain, muscles and liver are screaming out for glucose to replace the stores of glucose (called glycogen) that have been rapidly used up in the workout.
Understanding how much our muscles and liver rely on oestrogen to work efficiently, helped me un-tangle all the messages about HIIT workouts, as did talking to mid-life women who participated in my studies into women's healthy ageing and exercise. Most of them were doing high-intensity exercise - all the time! But their experiences were similar to mine - sore joints, feeling bloated, not shifting menopause weight and experiencing restless legs at night. 
That's why I began to look into the physiological changes that occur in our muscles, nervous system, blood vessels and heart muscle as we go into menopause in the context of the exercise that many of us have become used to. I had no idea that oestrogen was involved in so many of these organs and how we respond to exercise. No wonder I wasn't losing weight! What's more, I now realise that all that high-intensity exercise and NOT SLEEPING, was sending my blood sugar into orbit. Then, add in the changes that happen to our gut and liver in our menopause transition, this makes it hard to absorb the nutrients we need to recover from high-intensity workouts.
However, there was one other major factor which at the time, I didn't understand either.
LACK. OF. SLEEP.

There are two ladies who attend the weekly spin class that I attend. I don’t know them apart from a warm ‘hi’ as we set up our bikes. I’ve been watching them for months now because they both look as if they are middle-aged and going through menopause. I overheard one of them discussing her weight as she prepared for her workout – she was despairing – “I don’t know why I bother to come here three times each week” she bemoaned. “All that’s happening is that I’m getting bigger and not losing weight.” Laughingly, she then said, “But it does make me feel good afterwards!”
I put my head down and adjusted the seat of the bike as the instructor arrived and the class filled up. What I really wanted to ask her was, "Are you sleeping all night?"  Because, I know from my own experience and from my women's health research, that if we aren't sleeping all night, then no amount of high intensity workouts, including my beloved spin classes, will help to shift the fat. In fact, as this woman has found the hard way, working hard-out all the time with our exercise when we aren't sleeping and when we are losing oestrogen, increases our stress hormone called cortisol. Our fat stays on around our middle and over-time our joints, which are losing oestrogen too, fail to recover.  This happened to me as well. 

The secret to exercise lies in how well you are recovering. This depends on two factors: 

Whether you are sleeping all night.
How well you are adapting your exercise to accommodate the structural changes which occur to your blood vessels in a lowering oestrogen environment as you age. In medical terms, these changes with age are known as 'vascular stiffness'. 

For over 30 years, I have been involved in the New Zealand exercise and exercise-education industry. Like all the women on my research studies, we have been relatively active all our lives. From school sports to being the early adopters of exercise-to-music classes, to enjoying running, cycling and for many of us, triathlons as well, staying active makes us feel good. For years, it has also been the way for us to stay on top of our weight management. Until we reached peri-menopause.
I had no idea that at this time of our lives, the impact of low oestrogen would cause all sorts of chaos with our ability to burn fat, recover from exercise and tolerate high intensity exercise too. But it does. And here's the thing. Because we are the first generation of women to come through the modern fitness and sporting industries, we tolerate exercise intensity a lot better than women who have never exercised. In fact, we love the endorphin release (our 'happy' brain chemicals following high-intensity exercise), so much, that when we do exercise, we typically train fairly hard. With instructors endorsing the 'go-hard, or go-home' motivational calls, then it's easy to go all-out. Which is what these ladies were doing in the spin class.
But herein lies the problem. Although higher intensity exercise is known to be 'good for us' (and don't get me wrong, there is very good evidence about it's efficacy for fat-burning too), the problem for women in menopause (which most of the HIIT research studies don't accommodate), is our lack of sleep.
When we aren't sleeping during our menopause transition, then we aren't recovering from all of this high-intensity exercise during our changing hormonal environment. Not sleeping leads to an increase in our stress hormone, called cortisol. When cortisol stays too high for too long, then it interferes with our sleep hormone, melatonin, as well as our blood sugar hormone, insulin. When both insulin and cortisol remain higher than they should overnight, this not only interferes with our normal fat-burning mechanisms, but we also don't recover from our exercise. We end up in adrenal fatigue - just like an over-trained female athlete. It's why I'm so pleased that female Personal Trainers come on board with me so that they can support their clients too. 

The other concern for active women during menopause are the changes to our blood vessels. When oestrogen is low, our blood vessels constrict more. With millions of blood vessels (capilliaries) in our muscles and liver, high intensity exercise makes them work harder to remove lactic acid (the waste component of vigorous exercise). When our blood vessels lose elasticity (as they do with ageing), then our tolerance for lactate removal after exercise is slower as well. It's why many women (as happened to me too) may experience aching legs and muscles after participating in high intensity exercise, and this feeling can stay around for hours afterwards. But that's not the 'after-burn' that we want! The slower lactate removal combined with not sleeping means that our thyroid metabolism can change to try and compensate. Many exercising women then report more hot flushes because post-exercise blood pressure and heart rate remain higher than they should. The result of all this? Higher levels of cortisol and more blood sugar chaos, more food and sugar cravings and less sleep. It all becomes an endless catch-22.
In both of the 12 week MyMT programmes, your SLEEP ALL NIGHT module is the first one that you listen to. It's that important to our heart health too.

So, what should we do?
Well, as I say to women on my programmes who are active gym-junkies or do a lot of sports or running. There is one rule -
"If you aren't sleeping, then you aren't recovering and you aren't fat-burning. So lower the intensity of your workouts until you sleep all night again." 
Otherwise, as I explain to them, your metabolism changes, your body is 'stressed' and your muscles hold onto inflammation. When this happens to women, then cortisol levels stay high and we hold onto our fat stores and our progesterone levels crash too. When our body is under stress, our ancient, evolutionary 'survival mechanism' kicks in to hold onto fat. 

It's also why I say that aerobic exercise of moderate intensity is the best cardio exercise to do as we are transitioning into and through menopause when we can't sleep all night. Yoga and resisted stretching for toning and breathing purposes are important as well. Once we are sleeping again, we can add in 1-2 higher-intensity sessions per week to improve our fitness. I have how to achieve this progressively and safely in my 12 week online Rebuild My Fitness programmes. 

 The best thing is that I've designed the programmes to match your Body-Type, which is really important for you as you age too. I can't wait to share them with you.
Because NOVEMBER is EXERCISE month at MyMT, this revised Rebuild My Fitness programme is ready and waiting for you for at NZ$349 (approx. AUS$317, US$206 or UK£165). Monthly payments are available. On January 1st,  2020, the price goes up to $399. So, please get in whilst you can. It's all online and you can do it in your own time with my coaching support.


However, if you are still struggling with your sleep, your hot flushes, your sore joints, weight gain and other symptoms, then would you let me help you? You might want to start with my 12 week menopause weight loss programme called  'Transform Me' or my symptom reduction programme for thinner/ leaner women called 'Circuit-Breaker'. Both programmes are changing women's lives as they discover how to manage their menopause transition using powerful lifestyle solutions. Many do these programmes first and then go on and do the 'Re-Build My Fitness' programme, which then helps them get their fitness and strength back again. 
Our menopause transition is a time of incredible change in our muscle structure, cardiac muscle, liver, gut, sleep hormones and more. This has an impact on how we tolerate exercise as well as how we manage our symptoms, including weight loss.  

I hope that you can join me on either of my 3 programmes - 'Transform Me' for your menopause weight loss, or Circuit-Breaker for your menopause symptom management or my newly updated 'ReBuild My Fitness' if you want to enjoy improved menopause fitness or get back into more activity as you age.
Wendy Sweet, B.PhysEd/ PhD.

### Do you think of yourself as Pear-Shaped? If so, it's the type of exercise you do in menopause that matters!

Who do you know that is a Gonad or Gyneoid Body Type -  you know, a Pear-shaped body-type? The reason I'm asking, is because there have been a lot of 'AHA' moments in the MyMT Coaching Groups this week. You see, every week in my private coaching groups, I try to have a 'theme' and this past week, was about Body-Types. In the main coaching community, I've been talking about food for body-types and in the Rebuild My Fitness community, which has a separate coaching page, I've been talking about Body Types and exercise. Body-types are a 'thing' in sports and exercise physiology. With the emphasis on muscularity and body-fat distribution for athletes and/or weight loss, I've been teaching the concept of body-typing, or as it's technically known as, Somato-typing, for decades. That's why I wanted to share this Body-Type information about the Gonad, or Pear-shaped woman, with you. It was one of the posts that generated the most 'AHA' moments with the hundreds of women in my private coaching community this week.  I know the gonad or 'pear-shaped' body types well. They used to knock on my office door when I managed the personal training programme at Les Mills NZ. So many of them complained that they needed a new Personal Trainer. Horrified and disappointed I would ask why? "Because my jeans are tighter and my thighs are getting bigger, not smaller" was the invariable response. Then I would ask them what cardio they were doing - "Mainly the Stepper" said so many. "My Trainer told me to step for 45 minutes 3-4 times a week.""And do you have the Stepper programmed to be really heavy" I learnt to inquire. "Yes, it is on the heaviest and hardest setting"  they would say. I knew the answer before they even told me. It was the 1990's and we had no idea about body types back then. In fact there was very little emphasis on different ways of training for women versus men or athletes. But when I had my first complaint about 'legs getting bigger' in someone who was typically pear-shaped, I took notice. You see, the ladies were on the Stepper Machine and had it up to the highest, hardest setting, because they had strong legs. It felt easy. But therein lay the problem. They were building muscles in their thighs because the LOAD was hard. Take into account 3 times a week and a heavy load on their legs, and yes, over 6 weeks or so, your legs get bigger and stronger. Goodness knows how much protein they were eating or protein shakes they were drinking. Everyone was getting the same advice in the gym in those days. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Yet, it wasn't all the pear-shaped women who were complaining to change their Trainers. The Trainers who did do well with this body-type were my Triathlete Trainers. Two of them have gone on to find fame and fortune in California and run their own studio. I keep in contact with them to this day. You see, they would get their Pear-Shaped women out cycling, jogging and swimming. For the sessions in the gym, they would only do upper-body exercises. They wanted to balance up the lower-body heaviness by stimulating the upper body to build a bit of muscle.I have similar conversations today with women who go to the gym and do endless BodyPump classes - resistance weights in a group fitness class. In this type of class, attendees do numerous squats and lower leg exercises under relatively heavy loads because the instructor is telling them to. There are over 100 squats often in a typical pump class - no wonder for the gonad body-type their legs get bigger and stronger - this is partly because they are bigger and stronger already and can tolerate heavier loads. But they have to be careful about how much additional load they place on muscles. It's why, if you are Pear-Shaped or a GONAD body type, then use light to moderate loads on your lower body and leave the heavy weights for your upper body. If you recognise yourself as a Gonad or Gynaeoid body-type then you may relate to these characteristics: 1) ‘Pear-shaped’ figure with excess fat around hips, thighs and lower abdomen. In menopause, this is where your extra weight goes on!2) With peri-menopause, fat accumulates over the lower abdomen below the belly-button.3) You may crave sweet food and dairy products for comfort. 4) You may find it hard to lose fat, especially if you have put on weight in the lower body. Because weight is more heavily distributed in the lower body and thighs, the goal for gonad body types is to reduce lower-body fat through the right type and amount of cardiovascular aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, cycling and swimming) as well as doing some upper-body strength training to sculpt and build shape into the chest, shoulders and back. This helps to balance up the body shape a bit more. The type of exercise program that suits a gonad body-type is to do resistance weights in the upper body using heavier weights to build and sculpt in the upper body muscles, especially the shoulders. Then for the lower body to do a metabolic workout which is focused on higher intensity movements at a lighter weight. If gonad body types do too much lower body work then they run the danger of building up muscle in their thighs and legs, ending up with a ‘heavier’ look - or their jeans become tighter ... like all those women years ago, who used to visit my office, when I was setting up Personal Training in New Zealand. :)  Flexibility exercises are great for you as well and should include, yoga, pilates and deep-breathing/ balance exercises. And yes, your weight management matters during menopause too ... it's why I loved how Lydia did my 12 week weight loss 'Transform Me' programme and then joined me on the 12 week exercise programme to rebuild her fitness.  As I often tell women who join me on the 12 week MyMT programmes, we can often relate to more than one body-type, but the thing is to use these as a guideline, not only in how our body responds to menopause, but in how we manage those changes, with exercise. That's why I've made NOVEMBER, our EXERCISE MONTH. If you follow my newsletter, I'm going to have an exercise-related post in there for you.  Mid-life is known to be the time of our lives when we feel exhausted, time-poor and lack motivation to exercise regularly. Despite over 30 years working in the exercise industry and in exercise education, I felt the same way too. It was also so confusing about why my normal routines weren't working with my weight either, but lack of sleep and changing hormones were taking their toll. It's why I set up My Menopause Transformation - because there hasn't been enough emphasis on how to turn our symptoms and weight around without resorting to endless medications and supplements, that for many women, only work into the short-term. I'm so pleased that Daily Mail Journalist, Claudia Connell, came on board on my 'Transform Me' programme as well.  What about you? Do you relate to any of these questions too?Do your Joints feel sore and stiff now that you are going through menopause?Do you feel that your current exercise isn't helping you to lose your menopause belly-fat?Are you losing muscle tone?Do you lie awake at night not being able to sleep?Do you feel that your heart rate and blood pressure are changing and you get more puffed the type of exercise you are doing?Do you just feel too exhausted to exercise like you used to?Have you given up on exercising in mid-life, because it's just too jolly hard to fit it in?When I experienced most of these changes too, I had no idea that the exercise that I was doing was all wrong for me during menopause. That's until women on my women's healthy ageing and exercise studies told me similar stories. It's also then that I began to question the type, amount and intensity of exercise that we needed to do, as our hormones change during menopause. You see, women in their 50's today are the first generation to go into menopause in the context of the modern fitness and sports industries. We are unique! Furthermore, many courses that provide training and certification for exercise professionals and Personal Trainers, don't typically teach exercise prescription and the connection between hormonal changes in menopause.That's why I've named NOVEMBER as our exercise month! This is the month that I am presenting sessions on women's healthy ageing and menopause at exercise conferences in both New Zealand and Australia, so I'm going to share some tips and strategies with you.It's also why I'm so excited to be able to announce the re-launch of my newly revised and extended 12 week online exercise programme for women in their menopause transition. I've simply called this 'Re-Build My Fitness' and it's for those of you who want to know what to do with your exercise as you go through menopause or you are already in post-menopause. In this fabulous online programme that has BEGINNER and INTERMEDIATE LEVELS, you select the programme that best suits your body-type.Join me as you discover how to:Improve your Fitness levels to match your changing heart health and blood vessels in menopause.Tone up and Strengthen your Muscles to help prevent a loss of muscle tone and size that affects most women in menopause (this is called sarcopenia).Improve Core, Pelvic floor, Balance and more!Find Motivation for exercise that you've lost because of your emotional changes in menopause.Enjoy the right Food as Fuel as you increase your activity.Enjoy my Live Longer, Live Stronger module and learn how to add years to your life with exerciseMellow out and de-stress with my powerful bonus, Mindfulness module.I can't wait to have you come on board. In my video below, I explain what this programme will help you achieve. I've used my 30 years of exercise knowledge and experience and teamed this up with my doctoral studies on women's healthy ageing and the menopause transition to bring you the most up-to-date exercise programming you will find. It's all online and you can download the right programme to do at home or to take to the gym or to give to your Personal Trainer.The 12 week, 6-step Re-Build My Fitness programme is available to you RIGHT NOW for NZ$349. Monthly payments are also available. I can't wait for you to enjoy the exercise you deserve to support your health as you transition through menopause and beyond. When you get time, please listen to my video below. https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/REDO-2019Rebuild-my-Fitness-.mp4Wendy Sweet, [B.PhysEd./ PhD/ NZ Registered Exercise Specialist, MyMT Founder & Coach]

### Feeling anxious? Hot flushes frustrating you? HRT is in short supply in New Zealand, so what lifestyle changes help?.

There’s a national shortage of Hormone Replacement Therapy in the UK apparently. "HRT: UK faces shortage for menopausal women" shouted the headline on the 19th of August from the BBC news page. And according to the article, this is sending thousands of women into the very symptoms that menopause-related HRT is supposed to alleviate – anxiety, mood swings and more hot flushes.


If this is you and you're feeling overwhelmed and anxious as you transition menopause, then please read on. Because as many women on the MyMT™ programmes are discovering (including Daily Mail journalist, Claudia Connell who wrote an excellent article about her experience doing the MyMT Transform Me programme and coming off her HRT), you may not need it. And I want you to understand why.



When I felt overwhelmed with anxiety and insomnia, sore joints and hot flushes, despair and frustration accompanied me to my GP. Her only known solution at the time was HRT. She was trying to help me feel better. But I didn't get any respite and now, I better understand why. At the time, my Doctor wasn't taking into consideration my lack of sleep, my changing gut health, my stress levels, my increased blood pressure, my changing liver health nor the high-intensity exercise that I loved to do too.

Furthermore, there was no mention of the fact that as menopause is the gateway to our ageing, there are numerous changes that occur all around our body when oestrogen is no longer produced in our ageing ovaries.

When these structural changes in our organs clash with our active, stressful lifestyle in menopause, the result is increased hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, mood swings, weight changes (gain and/or loss of weight) and for many women, sore joints and aching muscles too.

Until I did my women's healthy ageing studies, I had no idea about all these things either.



It's been the same for hundreds of women who join me on the MyMT™ programmes. I'm always amazed at how many of them, on completing their health-screening questionnaire for me, are also on HRT but yet, they still experience hot flushes, poor sleep, anxiety, mood swings and depression as well. I used to be the same as well, i.e. on HRT but still having symptoms. At the time, I was curious about why nobody seems to be tackling why this is. 



That's what I want to share with you in this blog. And no, I'm not recommending that you get off HRT - this is a medical decision that is between you and your Doctor. But what I am saying, is that there are other lifestyle aspects that you need to be putting into place too. Afterall, menopause is the bookend to puberty and we didn't need lots of medications or endless supplements then either. 


That's why I want you to understand that when we are feeling anxious and experiencing hot flushes, it's not just the decline of our ovaries that we need to focus on. Our nervous system is losing the role of oestrogen as are our blood vessels too. And the effect on our anxiety, gut health, blood pressure and body temperature as we move through menopause, can send us into a panic.
Have you heard of the vagus nerve? This beautiful nerve is the second longest nerve in your body (your sciatic nerve is the longest). Travelling from your brain stem to nearly every major organ, including your digestive system, our vagus nerve, like all the other nerves, is also losing the effect of oestrogen attaching to oestrogen receptors. This means that the nerve doesn't pass impulses along it as readily as it used to. The impulses travel more slowly.



So, can you imagine, that when we are always racing around, or doing lots of fast, quick movements during exercise, or we are feeling stressed (at work and home), then the vagus nerve stays stimulated all day long.

The effect of this is that your vagus nerve and other nerves that come off the vagus nerve, are always trying to play 'catch-up' when sending signals around the body. For many of you, this can throw you into feeling anxious, overwhelmed and give you the perception that you aren't coping with whatever life is throwing at you. Many of you will also crave sugar and other non-nutritious carbohydrates. When your nervous system is over-taxed and speeding up, your body surges with more of your stress hormone called adrenaline (epinephrine). When this happens, your muscles and brain think that they need quick-energy to deal with the stress. This ‘quick-energy’ is glucose, or sugar. Chocolate cravings anyone?
In situations where there is even more added stress in your day, your vagus nerve (which also drives your adrenal/ stress glands) stays fired up.
Because our nervous system is losing the role of oestrogen, our busy lifestyle and our never-ending brain activity in a typical day, keeps the vagus nerve and other nerves, in 'stress-response mode'. In moderation, this is fine. Our body can handle this. But because we are losing oestrogen, AND we aren't sleeping, then this increased nervous system activity also fires up our blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and our metabolism. The roll-on effect of an over-stressed vagus nerve, thyroid and adrenal system, when we aren't sleeping well, is increased inflammation in our body. Especially in our gut and colon.

It’s why medical ailments such as Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or other digestive problems such as ulcers, are more frequently observed in higher-stress patients. In fact there is a neurological term for these types of patients known as having a ‘sympathetic dominant metabolism’. This is referring to the fact that the sympathetic ‘fight-or-flight’ nerve pathway is dominating the metabolic environment. If you know that you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed and you aren't sleeping or have an irritable bowel, then you need to balance up your day with a little bit of help from the opposite nervous system pathway - your para-sympathetic pathway. This is your calming nervous system. 



As Sandra came on the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme, this understanding helped her too.



What Sandra did was to not only change her mindset about the exercise she was doing, but she also changed her diet to accommodate the numerous changes in her blood vessels, liver and gut as she transitioned menopause. Instead of endless high-intensity exercise, she began to walk, stretch and do more mindfulness exercises that I have in the programme. As well, she changed her diet to give her more B-vitamins, which help our nervous system, and took on the anti-inflammatory nutritional changes that I suggest in the MyMT™ Food Guide.

“I feel calmer and so much more in control” she told me, when I met her at one of my live-events. “My anxiety levels have dropped enormously." 


As I began to explore the physiology of my own anxiety which appeared during menopause, I realised that our brain and nervous system are part of the anxiety-story too.
Your brain and nervous system go through changes during menopause and this happens earlier than you think!


Women’s brain and nerves age more rapidly than men’s do. As we lose oestrogen during menopause, our nerve cells typically begin to pass messages more slowly than in the past. As I mention to women on the MyMT programmes when we have a lot of information going through our brain every single day and we are multi-tasking, these neurons (nerves) have to transmit messages faster than ever before. But what we aren't allowing for is the fact that our nervous system slows down it’s function as we age. The research shows that this starts after the age of 35 years.



That’s why, one of my ‘Anxiety-Buster’ tips for women who join me on the My Menopause Transformation programmes, is to focus on lower-intensity aerobic exercise that allows the brain and nervous system to slow down. When we do rhythmic activity, such as walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, dancing or rowing, then we achieve ‘flow’. This allows us to move in ways that are more natural for our nervous system and muscles and when we find pleasure in our activity, then our anxiety decreases too. One of the strategies that I get women to undertake in the MyMT programmes is to walk more in the morning. This is so powerful to help alleviate our anxiety and to set us up for the day ahead. How wonderful it was, when one particular day, many of them from around the world, posted in the private coaching community, where they were walking from around the world.



Feelings of anxiety are a warning sign for our survival. Anxiety allows humans to be aware and take the necessary measures to deal with threats. But in the modern, competitive workplace that many of us work in every day, or when we are rushed off our feet with our various home lives, sometimes the ‘threat’ is just our own behaviour. Unfortunately in menopause, this clashes with our changing hormones. I’m so pleased that Sandra discovered this too.
Anxiety and hot flushes are often reported as 'normal' symptoms of menopause and yes, many women are helped by going on hormonal replacement therapies at this life-stage. However, when we take a moment to reflect on many of the causes of our overwhelm and anxiety, we can also reflect on slowing down, breathing deeply and understanding that our nervous system is losing oestrogen receptors and ageing too.
Once we understand this, then we can start to make small changes to our lifestyle, exercise and nutrition, that allows our body to adjust to menopause and that's when, our symptoms go away.  And yes, I had to learn this too.

Every week, I receive messages from women who have changed their lives by working through the step-by-step processes I have outlined in the MyMT 'Circuit-Breaker' and 'Transform Me' programmes (these differ according to whether you want to lose weight or not).

This came in today from Allie. 



This came in last week from Tina: 



And here is aged-care worker, Pauline:



It is well known in women's health research that mid-life women experience numerous challenges in this day and age. There is so much going on still and yes, we keep going because we must. But when our reproductive hormones begin to decline in menopause and we are experiencing increased anxiety, hot flushes and we can feel our heart rate increasing, then this is a sign that our body is going into 'survival mode'.

Whether you are on HRT or not, if you feel the overwhelm of everyday life, then come and discover how to turn your symptoms around as your body changes with age. I can't wait to help you feel better too. 



Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ Member Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society/ REPs Exercise Specialist 

References:

 	Lima-Alves, D., Rocha, S. et al. (2019). The positive impact of physical activity on the reduction of anxiety scores: a pilot study. Revue of Assoc. Med., 65(3), 434-440
 	Gonzalez, N. (2017). Nutrition and the Autonomic Nervous System. New York: New Springs Press.
 	Huppert, F., Baylis, N. & Barry, K. (2007). The science of well-being. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press

### "I'm now sleeping and the visceral fat is dropping. Apparently, I'm younger too!"  [Helene, Scotland]

There isn't a lot of emphasis on exercise in the Transform Me weight loss programme. And yes, I know this sounds counter-intuitive to a generation of women who've been bought up on the notion that lots of exercise will help them to lose weight. But when we don't sleep all night, the weight around the middle can keep creeping up and up and up - so too can your cortisol levels and joint and muscle inflammation.Before you know it, you've reached your 60's and there's a spare tyre around your middle that just might send you down the slippery slope towards heart disease and joint and muscle pain that gets quickly labelled as fibro-myalgia. Your 'healthy-ageing' just took a step or two backwards. It's been 4 months since Helene joined me on the MyMT™ Transform Me programme. It was such a pleasure to meet her when I was in beautiful Edinburgh in July earlier this year. We chatted away and she told me she was 'between jobs' so had a bit more time to focus on her health. When I asked if she was sleeping, the answer was the same the world over - "I'm awake between 2-4am."  I explained that until she slept all night, her weight would keep creeping up. It's part of our ancient, biological survival mechanism. When our body is stressed from not sleeping, we store more fat in our trunk area. But this is the deep, visceral fat which is unhealthy for our heart and accelerates our trajectory towards age-related obesity. That's why, before women get stuck into too much exercise, I focus them on sleeping first, as well as changing their nutrition to support hormonal changes in menopause. Then they add back in the right exercise to reduce the visceral fat. How exciting that Helene has done exactly this! When she posted this on the private coaching group, I asked her if I could share it with you all too. “With the right knowledge from Wendy, it’s been amazing to see the results. I’m now sleeping and the visceral fat is dropping! According to the machine at the gym, I'm younger too.” As I write this post for you all, I'm reminded of my doctoral studies. For over 6 years, I had my head in women's healthy ageing research. When I interviewed women for my studies, they had positioned their healthy ageing in the context of doing lots of exercise. However, not many of them were sleeping well. Their stories were replete with a love of exercise, but also sore muscles and knees, weight that wasn't shifting, and for many, whilst they loved the exercise they were doing and the company they kept, they had become frustrated with numerous health episodes that were slowing them down. Reports of increased fatigue, sore joints, injured hips, plantar fasciitis, high cholesterol and for many, the dreaded weight gain, meant that I began to explore this more thoroughly. You see I was experiencing the same issues too. By the time I got to the end of my studies, I realised that not one of them, nor their health providers, had mentioned menopause. Many women on the MyMT™ programmes report similar experiences and yes, it was the same for me too. Although exercise is a marker of 'health', it's only one parameter in the 'healthy ageing' story for women. Two of the most important parameters of 'health' as we go through menopause is not just exercise - it's sleeping all night AND reducing inflammation that has been building up for years. If we aren't sleeping and we have pockets of inflammation inside our joints, gut, liver, pancreas and muscles, then this increases our chronic stress hormone called cortisol. When cortisol is higher than it should be in mid-life (and this can become worse when we aren't sleeping and over-excercising), then we begin to experience a multitude of health issues. For women, this is often the auto-immune muscular condition known as fibro-myalgia. But it could also be weight gain, hypertension (high blood pressure), increased hot flushes (as the body tries to cool down) and for those who are regular exercisers, the injury rate can increase as well. Ageing-well is an interesting topic. It seems that everyone has their opinions of what this means and what is required. But 'ageing well' is a term that sits within longevity research. From an academic perspective, it has many dimensions, especially for women. I explain this in my seminars, because too many women think that to feel younger, they need to go on crazy high fat and high protein diets or do lots of exercise. I see these women at the gym - they become evangelists for whatever is the diet or exercise regime of the moment. I used to be one of these women too. But the more I did my studies and positioned menopause in women's healthy ageing research, the more I began to understand that notions of 'ageing well' were not well known in the fitness, sporting or dieting industries. That's because menopause and healthy ageing, isn't part of academic curricula for many exercise professionals, sports coaches or nutritionists. I know this, because here in New Zealand, I looked at these courses. Menopause was missing. That's why on the 12 week MyMT™ programmes I've taken research from many academic disciplines and pulled this information into the programmes.If 50 really is the new 40, then, as Helene discovered, it requires the right knowledge for our age and stage. :)I was so pleased when Helene came to my seminar in Edinburgh. She learnt that when our lives are still so busy and our hormones are changing as we age, it's important to get our sleep sorted. This is necessary in order to shift our abdominal fat. I can’t reiterate this enough. As I often describe in the programmes and at my seminars, when we have been waking up night after night, then our brain and body reads this as our ‘new normal’. However, this leads us down the path of inflammation. Not sleeping is now recognised as one of the main contributing factors to changing health as we move into our post-menopause years and it contributes to heart disease too. Both Scotland and New Zealand have some of the highest incidence of post-menopause heart disease. If we aren’t sleeping, our heart and immune system stay under stress all day long, particularly, when we are regular exercisers or we have busy, stressful jobs or home environments. This increases our risk for heart disease as we get older. For women during menopause, it also increases our risk of weight gain. How does our body heal overnight?Have you ever wondered why we are programmed to sleep? I became curious about this when I wasn’t sleeping during menopause too. It was driving me insane, literally. I knew that my body wasn’t healing and recovering overnight and not sleeping was leaving me too exhausted to recover from the exercise I love to do. I began to lose confidence in every being able to turn this around and yes, I was talking HRT and numerous supplements as many women do. At the time however, I didn’t understand that not sleeping was blocking fat-loss mechanisms overnight and worsening insomnia was exacerbating causing increased hot flushes too. When we don't sleep, our thyroid metabolism which controls blood pressure and temperature gets out of balance too. When cortisol is high, it blocks the production of our sleep hormone melatonin so either we have trouble getting off to sleep or we wake up in the night and can't get back to sleep. I talk a lot about cortisol during my seminars. As we move into menopause, it’s this hormone which needs to be settled down. Cortisol is one of our chronic stress hormones and it’s important to women in menopause who aren’t sleeping, because it works in synergy or partnership with our sleep hormone melatonin.If cortisol levels are too high when we go to bed, then we don’t produce enough melatonin to keep us asleep for the healing hours of between 2-4am. This is the time of night when our immune system is working hard to restore our body ready for the next day. I also worry about women diagnosed with fibromyalgia in their 50's. “Our capacity to remain healthy is badly affected by loss of sleep and sense of comfort” reports researchers who have looked at the role of sleep on the immune system. (Asif, et al. 2017). This study reports that our white blood cells, called leukocytes, don’t reach the levels that they should due to lack of sleep and this makes us vulnerable to sickness, flu and immune system health changes. For women in menopause, this can lead to the autoimmune problem of fibromyalgia. This is a condition whereby women experience various specific 'hot-spots' or  trigger pain-points in muscles and have muscular aches and painful, stiff joints. You must get this checked out with your Doctor, because this is an autoimmune condition that sends mid-life women down the slippery path towards higher cortisol and more internal inflammation. Increased cortisol however, pushes lovely anti-inflammatory progesterone out of the hormonal pathway, so ladies, here's a hint from me if you have fibro-myalgia, get your progesterone levels checked and sort your sleep out as well.   [Image Source: Adam Medical Images]I talk a lot about inflammation and cortisol and how to manage these in the MyMT™ programmes.The importance of this came to me in my own studies, but also through the work of Professors Garry Egger and John Dixon (2009). As I positioned menopause in our biological ageing, I began to understand that ageing itself is inflammatory. Couple this with menopause-related insomnia, then it becomes a perfect storm for our health and weight changing for the worse as we move through menopause and out into our 60's. Our mother's generation has already discovered this too. You can see from the image below, the characteristics of both pro- and anti-inflammatory influences. From an evolutionary perspective, a variety of stimuli keep us in the ‘inflammaging cycle' and I include menopause-related hormone changes in this too. For too long, menopause has been viewed through the lens of our changing ovaries, and only through medicine, but my own studies showed that this is not helpful. In fact, it's why I got off HRT and endless expensive supplements that are not well evidenced in women's healthy ageing research. There is more to menopause than 'just our ovaries'. This life stage is programmed into our brain and body and needs to be viewed through the lens of ageing and the incredible changes that occur in our muscles, heart, blood vessels, skin liver, gallbladder, pancreas and gut as we age. All these areas lose the role of oestrogen as well and as Professor Egger rightly states,“We have been operating in silo’s. We haven’t been taking into account all the other effects on inflammation, including ageing.”So what do we do to turn around 'inflammaging' and as Helene has done, to lose weight and turn back the biological clock? Well, here's a couple of strategies from the MyMT™ Transform Me weight loss programme: Switch the timing of your protein, so that you aren't having as much at night. Too much protein is 'thermo-genic' (heat generating) and this increases your blood pressure, which in turn increases our thyroid metabolism which prevents us sleeping.Restore liver health so that your liver can help your fat cells reduce the build-up of excess oestrogens in your body. Inflammatory changes begin in the liver and for women going through menopause, who are putting on belly fat and the deep visceral fat is increasing, then your liver needs to help you clear the excess. Click through as I have written about the LIVER in this blog. Without a doubt, how our society is ageing has become a very real focus for governments around the world. What's concerning me however, is that for women in mid-life, enough attention isn't being given to how we are ageing. During menopause, our body is undergoing numerous changes that impact on our joints, muscles, mental health, cardiac health and weight.  One of the most challenging issues that I came across in my own studies was that mid-life (which starts in our mid-40's) is the time when very quickly, we can tip-over into changing health. So, this is the time to change our lifestyle, not when we are 70! For women coming to join me on the online MyMT programmes I coach them how to do this by first and foremost, getting them to sleep all night, improving liver health, and having specific nutrients that help to reduce inflammation in our body as we age. This includes foods such as beets and celery, which help to improve blood pressure control and from following the best diet that has been researched for improving women’s health as they age – the Mediterranean diet.That's why, not only was Helene in Edinburgh happy but so too was Jennie from Nova Scotia all the way over there in Canada. I also loved this email I got from Jennie this morning too. (22 lbs is around 10 kg). As I often say to women who join me from all around the world, we might all live in different locations, but we are connected via menopause and my passion is to change the conversation about this important life-stage! When you can, I would love to support you too. Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & Founder of MyMT™.References:Asif N., Iqbal R., et. al. (2017). Human immune system during sleep. American J. Clin Exp Immunol.,6 (6):92-96Egger, G. & Dixon, J. (2009). Obesity and chronic disease: always offender or often just accomplice. British Journal of Nutrition, 102, 1238-1242.Franceschi, C. et al. (2018) Inflammaging: a new immune-metabolic viewpoint for age-related diseases. Nat. Rev Endocrinology, 14(10):576-590.

### Are you an Android/ Apple-shaped woman? If so, then it's not only oestrogen, but also testosterone, that may be causing your menopause weight gain too.

Hi MyMT™ Followers – it’s been a busy week for me with travel over to the beautiful Bay of Plenty to take some workplace wellness sessions this week. This is a topic that isn't always on the agenda for companies, but if there are middle-age women in the workplace, then it should be! So a huge shout-out to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council for hosting me this week. I loved presenting to your team in your lovely new council building.

I’m always so inspired to present my take on menopause to women who attend, because I know that by the end of the session, most begin to look at their menopause transition in a whole different light. As I mention, "menopause is a life stage that is biologically programmed into our brain and body and it is the opposite of puberty, so why are we ending up on so many medications and expensive supplements?" - I love how the comprehension lifts enormously.



That's when I take them through the nutritional, physical and socio-cultural changes that have influenced us over our lifetime and how these external influences affect our changing mid-life hormones too. But there is more to this story which is being forgotten and this was what came out of my women's healthy ageing studies. It's the changes that occur in other parts of our body when the production of oestrogen and progesterone declines as part of our natural ageing. These natural biological changes that occur as we age are programmed into every cell in our body and as such, are important to understand as part of the menopause puzzle too. That's why positioning menopause in ageing research changed my life, as well as the lives of women on the MyMT programmes. In designing these programmes, I pulled together research from numerous disciplines that allowed the real picture of our symptoms in menopause to unfold! For example, who knew that our joints have oestrogen receptors, so these change in menopause too and that our liver shrinks in size and volume as well! This knowledge is powerful. But so too, is understanding the real reason that our weight goes on and for many of you who are 'apple-shaped', this is all to do with testosterone production, not oestrogen production. 



Menopause symptoms arise because there is a ‘perfect storm’ between our changing hormones clashing with our modern lifestyle. This is why for many women, their weight is thrown into disarray. Whilst this is partly to do with their genetically determined body shape, it's also to do with another hormone that doesn't get talked about in menopause, and that is testosterone.

 I was thinking about all of this when I was revising the exercise videos for the Rebuild My Fitness programme this week, because in this separate 12 week programme, I have Body-Type specific exercise plans.



When I was a young Personal Trainer in a previous career, I had no idea about Body-Type exercise routines. But working in the world’s largest fitness club at the time, (Les Mills World of Fitness in Auckland, New Zealand) throughout the 1990s and the early 2000’s, served as a perfect environment for understanding body types. I knew from observation that some women who wanted to manage their weight suited resistance training routines whilst others suited cardio and the wonderful dance-based exercise classes that were dominating women's fitness environments at the time. Some women looked strong and athletic; some women were thin, some women had larger hips and thighs, some women were what I called ‘cuddly’ – their weight was around their belly. At the time, the sport and exercise research wasn’t teaching body-typing, which is called somato-typing. But these days it is, or at least should be, part of a usual curriculum for exercise and health professionals and understanding body-typing should also be part and parcel of nutrition courses too.
The reason I say this, is because numerous studies show that your body shape and your weight is not just dependent on your genetic metabolic rate. Both weight and body shape depends on a complex interaction between your hormones too. 
Early studies into Body-types determined that there are basically two main body types – ‘Android/ Adrenal’ and ‘Gynaeoid/ Gonad’. In other words, Apple and Pear. Today however, researchers have added two more categories, ‘Thyroid’ and ‘Pituitary’.



Over the next week, in my private coaching communities, I’m talking about these different Body-Types because what we eat and how we exercise depending our body-types is important to understand and manage during menopause. For example, those of you who might be struggling to lose weight, you may well be like me, and categorise yourself as ‘Android or Adrenal’.

The ‘Android Woman’ is bigger in the upper body. She very easily becomes overweight as fat accumulates on the abdomen, chest, neck and arms. If this is you, then your cardiac and metabolic risk for Type 2 diabetes increases the more weight you put on, especially if you are in post-menopause. The issue with the ‘Android or Adrenal’ woman is to do with testosterone. She produces a bit too much and yes, those hairs on the chinny, chin, chin are a dead giveaway! As she moves into post-menopause, she also produces more testosterone, so the weight continues to go on. Android women have typically been active and 'sporty' in the past but the Android or Adrenal Body Type can very quickly lose muscle during menopause. This leads to dangerous fat gain around the abdomen and trunk. The path towards post-menopause cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes is set.



I’m this body type too. As the oestrogen came flooding into my young body in my teens, I didn’t understand why many of my friends remained flat-chested, but I was getting bigger breasts and abdominal fat. This was uncomfortable as I loved sports. I was also conscious of my breasts getting bigger and started to become quite round-shouldered (does this ring a bell for some of you larger women too?). Taming the belly fat over the years has been a challenge, including after pregnancies.  But now, based on newer Body-type research, I blame the testosterone. When women are higher in testosterone they put on belly fat easily. They become an apple.



But surprisingly, an apple is also part of what we should eat. I wish I had known about this Finnish study from the late 1980’s earlier (shown in the image above). Back in the day, it was a landmark study in understanding the effect of freely circulating testosterone, that contributes to weight gain in the Android woman. It discusses why Android women don’t need a lot of animal protein. They need healthy, high fibre carbohydrates, grains and vegetables.

“Intakes of protein and fat were positively correlated with high Free Testosterone (FT), whereas the intakes of carbohydrate, grain, total fiber, and grain fiber showed the opposite correlations. Protein intake was positively correlated with percentage FT (%FT).” 

If you are an Android Body Type, then the Mediterranean Diet is what you need to stick with. I support this type of nutrition on my programme and have modified it to better suit us in menopause, especially for those who want to manage their abdominal weight gain.



When it comes to nutrition, Android/ Adrenal women need to be careful about their intake of high cholesterol foods. They need to stick as much as possible to fish, healthy grains (I suggest oats and brown rice in the programme to help stabilise blood sugar levels and improve cardiac health), a little bit of sourdough bread, low-fat red or white meat only 1-2 times a week, small amounts of fruit (in the morning). I encourage women on my programme to stew apples without sugar and add them to their oats in the morning.  Vegies, salads and soups are great for Android women as well.

Android women don’t necessarily have a sweet tooth,  but must manage their blood glucose levels so that they don’t crave salty foods and high cholesterol foods. All this does is to cause the over-stressed adrenal glands to pump out more testosterone.

The right nutrition, exercise, deep breathing and stress management are all part and parcel of solving the weight gain jigsaw for you lovely android ladies. If we don't lose our belly fat as we go through menopause or when we are in post-menopause, our risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and stroke increases. But the good news is that you can turn this around, as Dianne did as well - she is/ was an 'Android Woman' too.   My private coaching communities are a hive of activity and I love how the hundreds of women from all over the world, check in with my posts each week. There is so much support and motivation in these groups as well. Every week I try to have a different 'theme' or topic and this week's theme is 'Body-Types'. Over the next week, I'm going through all the Body-Type nutrition and exercise in my two different coaching communities. One of these communities is for women on either of the Circuit-Breaker or Transform Me programmes and I have a different coaching community for those women who want to build up their exercise again after they have resolved their symptoms and/or lost weight. In the exercise programme called 'Rebuild My Fitness' I have exercise routines that differ depending on the Body-Type of women.


For those of you thinking about coming on board, then come join me so that you can enjoy your learning as well. Knowledge is power when it comes to our stage of life and too many other programmes take a 'one-size-fits-all' approach without targeting our specific needs in mid-life. I used to find that too. 
Have a wonderful weekend, where-ever you live in the world. Email me from the website if you have questions.

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ NZ Registered Exercise Specialist & Member - Australasian Lifestyle Medicine Society. 

### Cairns and Mackay - It's time for your Masterclass on Menopause! November 18 & 19. Book your $25 tickets today.

When I think of Cairns, I think of Kaye. And I'm thinking of Cairns and Mackay, because I'm heading there in November to see all of you lovely Australian ladies who are able to come to my live-event called, 'Your Masterclass on Menopause". Tickets are $25 and can be booked HERE.Whilst I know I won't be catching up with Kaye, because I discovered that she re-located to New Zealand, I will think of her when I'm in Cairns. Kaye was one of the first women to trust me with my menopause symptom reduction and weight loss programme. I still have her original email which she wrote in despair, “I feel exhausted. I’ve recently moved into a new apartment as well as started a new job and my stress levels have been through the roof. I have been going to work with as little as 3-4 hours sleep some days. I’m housekeeping in a hotel so my job is very physical. And then I walk 35 minutes home afterward in the heat. I don’t like being 51! My weight is going UP not down. I cry a lot!”This cry of despair arrived with this photo she took of herself at the time whilst at work ... [I love the half-made bed in the background!]. You can see that her belly-fat was creeping up and her weight had shifted towards her diaphragm and breasts. When this happens, it's tough when you have to bend over to make a lot of beds in your day, whilst working in hotel housekeeping. Cairns and Mackay are in Queensland, Australia. It's heading for summer over there and it will be my privilege to talk to women about how to beat the heat with their hot flushes, get sleeping all night and how to sort out their energy, anxiety and weight during or after their menopause transition. Even if you are in post-menopause, then please come along as well. All of the information is based on my women's healthy ageing studies. From peri-menopause to post-menopause, women the world over find that this is the time in their lives when they become confused and frustrated with not sleeping, changing health, sore joints and endless hot flushes. For many, their usual routines for weight management no longer work either. But as I discovered myself, nobody is joining the dots with our changing hormonal environment in menopause and how our lifestyle impacts on this.My fascination with the link between menopause and healthy ageing began when peri-menopause came raging along when I was 50. It took me by surprise. And when I heard from my PhD participants that they had similar issues, I realised that women in their 50’s are forgotten when it comes to understanding what to do to turn around menopause symptoms, including weight gain without resorting to expensive, short-acting supplements and HRT.That’s when I decided to look into it. Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing and in many cultures around the world, there is not the same symptoms chaos that women in many western countries, including the UK and New Zealand, are experiencing. I was curious to know why this was. And I found that by looking at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I was able to put into place powerful strategies that enabled me to change my energy levels, get my healing sleep back, wittle off 15kg and restore hormonal harmony in my aching joints and muscles. All without the emphasis on vigorous exercise and dieting which I tried, but which made my symptoms worse.This is what this seminar is about. I hope you can join me. Oh, and as for Kaye? She came onto 12 week the My Menopause Transformation weight loss programme and I will let her end her story ... “The last time I weighed myself I’d lost over 10 kgs. That was a few weeks ago now…..I don’t own any scales just go by how my clothes fit…or not! Before MyMT, I was advised to have less than 1200 calories a day…..walking for an hour a day (not sleeping) and l didn’t lose any weight. I thought I was never going to be able to get rid of those awful hips! I was feeling quite depressed and spent a lot of time in tears which I was putting down to menopause! Thank heavens I’m feeling much better now.I'm sleeping much better too and manage 7-8 hours most nights. My energy has returned and my moods are so much better. Anyway just wanted to let you know all that. I can’t thank you and your programme enough.”And how do I know she moved to New Zealand a year later? Because this arrived in an email from her only a couple of months ago. I love how Kaye who was from Cairns, now has her life back on track. Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD 

### Daily Mail: Can this woman REALLY wean you off HRT?

Dr. Wendy Sweet was invited by the Daily Mail to speak about her pioneering work, helping thousands of women releive their symptoms naturally with lifestyle changes.

In this artcle, Wendy shares some powerful lifestyle strategies with readers, and explains why a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work for midlife health.


Read Full Article Here

Excerpt: In her interview with the Daily Mail, Dr. Wendy Sweet, founder of My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™)...

### "I'm so pleased I'm sleeping all night and my joints feel so much better too."   [Julie, New Zealand]

I still remember when Julie first messaged me over 2 years ago. She had driven 2 hours from the farm into town and wanted to buy a juicer. She was checking in with me about the brand she should buy. Living in a remote area of New Zealand, she was struggling with sore joints, poor sleep and low energy. The days were a challenge to get through as her arthritis would kick-in as well. She felt stiff and sore. Over the time of our email 'conversations' what I loved about Julie was that, however she was feeling, she didn't give up on herself. I hadn't heard from Julie for a long time. Then this week she messaged me and sent me this gorgeous photo of her which she gave me permission to share. She told me that she is now setting up a new life away from the farm and life has been stressful for a number of personal reasons. But she took strength from keeping up with the changes that she had learnt on the MyMT™ programme. She knew that doing the right thing for her health was building her resilience to cope with all the changes going on in her life.   I'm so proud of how she slowly found her 'Ikigai' - this is a term used in Japan, in those locations who have some of the world's oldest living women on the planet. These women ave 'Ikigai' , which is purpose and passion for living their life. Julie had this as well - a renewed purpose to start a new life, set up an accommodation business and give time to the things and people she cares about. When we find our purpose and our passion, life becomes a lot clearer for us. Especially at a time of our lives, when it's easy to get lost in the fog (literally) and our needs get hidden under everyone else's at times too. I know this, because it happened to me as well. Millions of women struggle with their physical and emotional health as they move through menopause because they aren't sleeping, have sore joints, have relentless hot flushes and/ or become overweight. But as Julie learnt, it doesn't have to be this way.  When we change the way we look after ourselves to better match our changing hormones in menopause, then you can sleep better, turn around your hot flushes, improve mood and motivation and improve your joint health too. The focus with the MyMT programmes is on reducing inflammation which has been building up inside our tissues for decades as this causes our symptoms to become worse.  When I did my studies and began to learn about the power of 'Ikigai' that Japanese women attributed to a long and healthy life, I discovered that it was OK to focus on 'me'. Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to do this don't we? And with the reminder that the mind and body cannot function as separate entities, the first thing I began to do, was to set the foundations for improving my health - focusing on the 'inside-me'. It started with learning how to sleep all night. As I say in my seminars, from the time we aren't sleeping, our health can quickly deteriorate and we develop sore joints, we feel exhausted and don't have the energy to do what we want to do.  I'm so pleased Julie learnt to do this too. 

### "I feel great. I sleep better. No more bloating and my husband and I just celebrated our 30th anniversary in Germany."

"Well that was an unexpected surprise seeing my face on facebook" said Danni. "But what’s wonderful —-I’m not an advert. Or a paid spokesperson. Or a model (ha). I’m just 53 and finally over the menopause hump thanks to your MyMT programme Wendy!
I remember when you emailed me and I was on yet another diet and doing lots of exercise (and not losing an ounce), and you told me that many of these diets weren't suited to the hormonal changes I was going through in menopause. I was doing so much exercise and felt exhausted. My poor sleep, heavy periods, hot flashes, bloating and weight gain made me miserable, so coming on board changed my life.

Everything you mentioned in your programme made so much sense and I liked how it was all evidenced against menopause. 

I now incorporate what you taught me and what I read in your coaching page into my daily routines.

I feel great.

I sleep better.

I've lost weight and my bloating is gone!

My husband and I just celebrated our 30th anniversary in Germany and we are more in love now than ever. Thanks to you for all your wisdom and patience. I remember my first email to you begging for help and you saying you wish you could reach through your computer to give us Americans a big hug and help us. You did! You have proved that we don't need all the marketing hype out there - we just need to change our lifestyle to suit menopause - there is a light at the end of the menopause tunnel. Thank you."
It's been such a privilege to help Dani, as it is with all the women who join me on the MyMT 12 week programmes. Like me, she struggled with bloating and increasing weight, no sleep and having to cope with a full-time job and a busy house-hold. Her hesitancy to come into the programme was due to the confusion she felt about the barrage of diets and exercise regimes that were being marketed to her. 
But I told her that many of these are not designed for busy women who can't sleep - fat-burning occurs overnight. Nor do they take into account how much our liver, gallbladder and bile production change as we lose oestrogen. This occurs because menopause is simply the gateway to our biological ageing and all of our organs are changing as time and age progresses us through menopause.

If you haven't read my article about 'Why Your Liver Matters to your Weight Loss in Menopause', then please click through when you have time. 


When you come on board into either of the MyMT™ 12 week online programmes and put into action my powerful lifestyle strategies to help you re-balance your hormones in menopause, you’ll re-discover the joy of sleeping all night and feeling like your old self again. 
Hundreds of women all over the world tell me this every day. Whether you choose MyMT™ Circuit Breaker (for thinner/ leaner women) or you want to understand how to lose your menopause belly fat with MyMT™ Transform Me, then these powerful, scientifically evidenced programmes are for you. You only need 60 minutes a week over the 12 weeks to listen to each module that opens up in your private learning hub. Then you come on board into my private coaching community where I post regular updates for you and you stay connected with me through here or via email. Each programme as well as my coaching is $99NZ a month for 3 months because that's how long it takes to re-balance your body to match your changing hormones as you transition into the next stage of your life.

I can't wait to teach you what to do in my step-by-step programme.

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

### "I must admit, I've never felt better. 8 kg lost, but the best thing is, I'm sleeping all night."  [Debbie, New Zealand]

I love this photo of Debbie. She exudes energy and vitality. I can tell she feels so different about herself now. When I look back at our emails between each other, the difference she describes now, from when she first started the MyMT Transform Me programme is amazing. Such a journey she's been on. I know it's always a big decision to come on board - especially when for many of us, we've tried 'everything'. Debbie was the same.  I'm so pleased that she came on board though, because when other strategies didn't work for her menopause symptom reduction and weight loss, this one did. Determined to do something about her changing health and weight in menopause, the hardest step to take, is deciding that you need the right knowledge and support for the age-and-stage we are at in menopause. That's why I loved getting this photo from Debbie and her email after the 12 weeks which said, "I feel like the healthy, happy me again." 
From not sleeping, being up in the night 2-3 times a night to use the loo, experiencing mood swings, a foggy brain and weight gain, Debbie was at her wit's end. Especially as she was about to start another job, requiring her to be on her feet all day. It's tough to do your job when you are distracted with menopause symptoms, sore legs and un-ending fatigue. You think to yourself "Is this really my lot as I get older?" I used to think that too.

As she worked through the 12 weeks, Debbie kept in regular contact with me. We tweaked things here and there and I was relieved to hear that she was also exercising with a reputable Personal Trainer in her community, who kept in touch with me also. In the Transform Me programme which Debbie was working through, I don't like women to do too much exhausting exercise, until they are sleeping all night and have restored energy levels. The key with menopause fat-loss is  to undertake aerobic activity until women are sleeping all  night again, otherwise the stress hormone called cortisol remains high causing more blood sugar chaos. Debbie loved the change in pace.

As the weeks went on, I loved hearing about her transformation and can't thank Debbie enough for sharing her photo and story to reassure you, that yes, you can turn around your health, symptoms, sleep and weight in menopause.
"My lifestyle has changed a lot. I enjoy sleeping now without waking. I love waking up feeling energetic and my family have noticed how different I've become, I wake early and get so much done.  The sluggish, foggy headache, sore joints, back etc are gone. Nothing is a problem now. I feel like the healthy, happy me again." 

Imagine in 12 weeks time you are feeling like your old self again – in control of your health, weight and symptoms as you transition menopause. 
If you would like to tackle your mid-life health and weight with a scientifically evidenced, systematic programme specifically tailored for you during menopause, then will you let me help you ? Because if you do, then I have the 12 week online menopause-specific weight loss transformation plan you’ve been waiting for. I can’t wait to share it with you. 

It’s NOT TOO LATE to turn around your mid-life HEALTH and your WEIGHT. All you have to know is HOW. I’ve done the research, so all you do is put it into ACTION with ‘MyMT Transform Me’ , 12 week menopause weight loss programme.  Your 50’s are an important milestone in your life and I want you to feel energetic, vibrant and ‘alive’ so that you enjoy the next 30 years of living that you still have to do!  Priced at $99NZ per month for 3 months, this fabulous online programme which you do in your time at your pace, also includes my private coaching. 
BUY NOW
 

### VIDEO: "The Circuit Breaker programme gave me the confidence to change everything I was doing."  [Sally, California]

"A year after doing the Circuit Breaker programme, I still use Wendy's suggestions in her programme. I'm sleeping all night and have changed my exercise and nutrition to suit my ageing. This programme gave me permission to re-think how I looked after myself in mid-life. Thank you Wendy." 
[Sally, California]  It blows me away that I live in New Zealand and Sally is in California but despite the geographical divide, menopause connects us! I still remember when Sally emailed me about her symptoms. Having come through the exercise industry she was confused about why her normal exercise and nutrition regime wasn't working. Having read an article I wrote for the American Council on Exercise Journal on menopause and exercise, she knew she had to contact me. I'm so pleased that she did.  What a privilege to help Sally feel better through my 12 week online programme, so she can get on with her job as a much happier, healthier and more knowledgable Fitness and Wellness Coach to her clients. :) Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD]www.mymenopausetransformation.com

https://youtu.be/2GYOEsERZvs

### VIDEO: The Science of your Weight Loss' with Dr Wendy Sweet from MyMT™

VIDEO:
"When I went into peri-menopause, I had no idea as to why my weight was going up despite regular exercise, eating well and doing all the same things that I had done for years to manage my weight. 
It was only when I did my women's healthy ageing studies, that I realised that I needed to change everything that I was doing to manage myself due to my changing hormonal environment AND the inflammation that was accumulating not only due to changes in the blood vessels with aging, but also due to not sleeping. 
Turning around my sleep, joint health and inflammation, was the start to my menopause weight loss. And this had nothing to do with any type of crazy diet or exhausting exercise. If this sounds like you as well, then please have a listen when you get time." 
Wendy x
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AA-aHOO6yE

### "I'm in my 70's and I didn't know that my 20 years of not sleeping was impacting on my weight."   [Iris, Australia]

VIDEO -
"You don't need to go" said Iris to herself every night for a week - "You only think you need to."
And so began Iris turning around 25 years of not sleeping. I nearly didn't allow her onto the programme, because I didn't think that she was in 'my target demographic', but then I thought about my late-mum and how at 70+ years old, all she wanted was better knees, weight loss, improved heart health and a good night's sleep. That's why I thought a lot about Iris as she worked through the programme - because it was everything that my mum should have learnt too but I didn't have the knowledge back then to share with her. And we know that our mother's generation hardly ever spoke about menopause.  Intrigued at what Iris learnt on the programme and what she got out of it, I asked her to make a small video when I saw her in Brisbane recently. I'm so grateful to her for allowing me to share it with you  - especially if you are in post-menopause: "You know Wendy, at long last, your programme gave me permission not to eat so much red meat. I've been eating it all my life and now realise that my weight and sore joints was a huge part of my dietary choices. It's all our generation ever knew. But now that I've done your programme, my joints aren't as sore and after 30 years, the weight is finally coming off. I just feel so much more in control.  And as for sleep, I used to get up every night to use the loo. Have done for over 30 years. But now I virtually never get up. You don't need to go, I tell myself. You only think you do. I've got so much more energy now to travel and enjoy life. Turning around my sleep and now losing weight has been life-changing." Iris Windsor, ????????70-something years old, loves clothes that are pink or lavender and proof that you're never too old to change your life - even in post-menopause. 

Have a wee listen when you get a minute.

Wendy.

https://youtu.be/iKuZPYzOFqg

### Why social connection matters to your health as you age.

 
This painting of Queenstown's Four Seasons that was in the stairwell of the Event Centre where I held my live-event this week was stunning. It depicts everything I love about this beautiful part of the world and it's why I keep returning to my old stomping ground. I've been in and around this region all my life so when I turn up to take my seminars, I'm always hoping that there is a wonderful past or present friend who turns up to surprise me. And there she was.
"You might not remember me?", she said as she came in the door. I peered at the face and immediately said, "Joy, it's you." Old primary school friends who have not seen each other for 40 years. But although the years pass by, there is always a glimmer of recognition that takes you back in time and place. I always love the connections that I make during my live-events - sometimes it's old friends, sometimes it's women who are on the MyMT programmes. It gives me a thrill and reinforces the research of Dr Susan Pinker, that face-to-face connection is important for our health as we age. 

It was during the seminar this week that I mentioned the research of Canadian healthy ageing researcher and social behaviour neuro-scientist, Dr Susan Pinker.  Thanks to her research on women's health, I was able to explain that "Exercise and fitness is not the main determinant of our health as we age.  And whilst it is important, if we aren't sleeping, too much exercise becomes problematic. The purpose of sleep is to heal and restore and when we don't get it, our immune health suffers. In fact, the major determinant of your health as you age is simply, 'social connection' and it's more powerful than we think."  
In a beautiful environment such as Queenstown in New Zealand with the great outdoors, well ... just outdoors, there were a lot of sideways glances. But knowing that our menopause transition is the biological gateway to our ageing, I went on to explain that there are numerous physical and biological changes in our body and this is why, when we make this biological passage towards the next phase of our life – our older age - it's important to follow the women's health research. Being fit, is not the same as being healthy. There are many women in menopause, who are really fit, but if they have sore joints, sore muscles, poor sleep and regular hot flushes, then this is a sign that their body is becoming increasingly stressed. I discovered this myself. 
Understanding what menopause is, was life-changing for me.
This is because much of the research on women’s health as they age is replete with information about inflammation and the contribution that this makes to worsening health as we age. Yet, much of the popular information about lifestyle change, nutrition and exercise resonates with younger people, athletes and males. But as I said to women in the seminar this week, we are unique! We have had a different life compared to our mothers generation (the first of the Baby-boomers) and we exercise, eat and manage our lives with information that is not suited for this stage of life.
Women in their 50’s today are the first generation to be going into menopause facing the complexities of modern life – and the scientific exercise and nutrition research hasn’t kept up with this pace of life-course change.  For example, the highest incidence of poor health as women age stems from post-menopause heart disease and many exercise practitioners and health practitioners have not had the understanding about this from an exercise and lifestyle perspective, so they continue to train women with exercise prescription that has been intended for younger people and athletes. After all, this is the main content of sport, exercise and health-education curricula. 

What is 'healthy ageing'? 
When I began to put the menopause-jiqsaw together and look at why so many women experience worsening symptoms in their 50's especially with changing cardiac, liver and muscle health, I followed the women’s health research. That’s when I began to look at other cultures and how, around the world, there are women from different cultures who don’t have the symptom experiences or health changes that many women from western cultures experience.

This led me on a journey to explore our changing health in mid-life and most, importantly, how we could reverse the effects of symptoms in menopause, not by following research that has been undertaken on younger people and males, but by looking at research that has been focused on women in mid-life.

The more I read, the more I began to leave behind the traditional models of menopause management.  I also began to question the fitness and nutritional messages that we were subjected to as well. I had become so confused about how to look after myself because of the changing messages around nutrition, ketogenics, paleo, exercise, weight loss strategies, menopause supplements, HRT and more. And if I was confused, then I figured that a lot of other women might be confused too.
This was the start of how I began to think about how we could remove the confusion of menopause. 
Which bought me to the Blue Zones research.

Blue Zones refers to a geographic area in the world where residents have greater longevity and health and from this research I was able to develop my 7 Pillars of Health and symptom reduction as women go through menopause into their healthy ageing.

The island of Ikaria off the coast of Greece is home to some of the healthiest, most vibrant older women on earth. Their lifestyles were researched by Dr Gianni Pes, from the University of Sassari in Italy and Ikaria became part of the Blue Zones group of countries. This is a term coined by Belgian demographer Dr Michael Poulain, who together with Dr Pes, have been studying the pockets of countries around the world who have the healthiest older people on the planet. These are called Blue Zone’s countries. Australia, New Zealand, the UK and USA are at the bottom of the ‘healthiest countries’ lists and with  hormonal changes in menopause throwing thousands of women into obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, depression and joint problems in their post-menopause years, I knew I had to understand what women in these countries were doing to enjoy symptom-less menopause and a healthy older age. For the hundreds of women who have joined me on the revolutionary MyMT™ programmes, they are pleased I did as well.

Understanding this research changed my life and I hope it will change yours too when you join me! What changed my life the most though, was understanding that to reduce symptoms in menopause, lose weight, get more energy, and restore joint health, I needed to use this research to focus on healthy ageing and reduce the decades-long inflammation that menopause hormonal changes had made worse. Now this research that I have in the MyMT programmes is changing hundreds of women’s lives as well. 
With MyMT™ and women's healthy ageing research by your side, you discover the freedom of feeling healthy again!

 
Putting on our healthy ageing hat and following the research also means that we need to eat differently as we age as well. Whilst this is only one component of enjoying a long, healthy and vibrant life for women. For example, Ikarian women eat at least 2 cups of green, leafy plants a day. More than 150 varieties of wild greens, such as purslane, dandelion, and arugula (rocket), grow all over the island of Ikaria. These rich, dark, wild mountain greens are a great source of minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, as well as carotenoids–the colorful pigments the body converts to Vitamin A. So, one of the first things I did, was to eat more green-leafed plants.
To increase the absorption of my greens, I did start to juice them, but I also put them in salads and made it my goal to eat them every day. This is now one of my ‘non-negotiable’ daily nutritional strategies and it is the same for women on the MyMT programmes as well. Centenarians in all of the “Blue Zones” regions have access to leafy greens and hearty vegetables and they make up a large portion of their daily diets. In New Zealand, Australia, the UK and America, where many of you are from, there are plenty of these wild greens available and access to organically cultivated greens like collard, mustard greens, beetroot greens, spinach, silverbeet and kale that have nearly the same plenitude of nutrients. Today, Ikarians are almost entirely free of dementia and some of the chronic diseases that plague Western countries.
The basis of the MyMT symptom reduction programmes have come out of my doctoral research on women’s healthy ageing as we transition through mid-life. With menopause as the gateway to our ageing years, this is why some of the Blue Zones research features in the MyMT programmes as well as in the coaching posts and nutritional information I provide as part of each 12 week programme. If you are finding that your health and energy levels are changing during your menopause transition, then I would love you to have access to all the fabulous information I have in these programmes. Not only do I teach you how to turn around your sleep, liver health, energy and symptoms, but for those of you who need to lose your menopause weight, then will you join me? Because I have an entire programme dedicated to your weight loss – it’s called MyMT Transform Me.

There are food plans and recipes in the MyMT Food Guide and recipe book which I have put together so you no longer have to worry about what to eat from now to the end of your days! Everything is sourced from your exclusive member area on the website.

Every day women tell me how much healthier and energetic they feel. I love it when they feel like this, because we all have a whole lot more living to do (30 years in fact) and we need to remain healthy, happy and free of the diseases that plagued our mother’s generation. Come join me on your healthy ageing journey…. and leave all your menopause symptoms behind.
Happy weekend everyone. 

Wendy Sweet, PhD 
 

### "It was absolutely a turning point for me hearing about the effect of stress on my symptoms and my weight." [Elizabeth, Invercargill]

INVERCARGILL - I'm heading your way on Tuesday for my brand new WEIGHT LOSS IN MENOPAUSE SEMINAR this TUESDAY, September 10th. I can't wait to share my research on our menopause weight management with you.
https://youtu.be/FxRTULd-DS0

My upcoming trip to beautiful Invercargill right at the bottom of the South Island in New Zealand, is why I've got Elizabeth on my mind as well. She is from Southland and a volunteer fire-fighter. Before coming to my seminar last year, she felt overwhelmed with stress, her weight was increasing and she felt exhausted doing her usual training for the fire-fighting she loved to do.
"I was feeling so confused about my symptoms - even some that I hadn’t even connected  with menopause! It was absolutely a turning point for me listening to Wendy about the effect of stress on my symptoms and my weight." 
"Everything Wendy was talking about made so much sense. It was listening to her seminar that enabled me to understand what was happening to me. It also gave me so much hope that I could get back to what I loved to do. With my busy job as an Operations Manager at Ocean Shell, I also love the small community where I live near Invercargill, so I work as a volunteer Fire-Fighter. I'm a keen member of the Southland Tramping Club and love the amazing world-class walking tracks that are here in Otago and Southland. But when peri-menopause arrived, I didn't understand why I wasn't coping with these activities that I have participated in for years.
My body felt stressed and I was so exhausted all of the time, especially working as a fire-fighter.
Like a lot of us I have always had a busy, full 'roller-coaster of a life' but was really struggling for the last few years to make it all work and just feeling more and more unhappy and stressed. Since starting ‘ MY’  menopause transformation journey I have learnt so much. Many small steps added up to hugely, positive changes in my life. That's why I'm also still with Wendy on her coaching group - her posts keep me updated and motivated. Over the last year since working on the lifestyle changes recommended by Wendy in her MyMT™programme, I've lost 8 kgs. 

But the best thing is that my cholesterol levels are reduced and I'm feeling so much better physically and mentally. 



Since doing the MyMT™ Transform Me programme, I've also improved my fitness and cycled the beautiful Otago Rail Trail - 135 km of an old railway that I never thought I would be able to do when I felt so stressed and exhausted. But as I learnt how to manage myself during menopause, my energy levels returned. This is what gave me the confidence to participate in the Firefighters Annual Sky Tower Challenge in Auckland. The race is up 1,103 stairs - in full fire-fighting kit! It's a major fundraiser for Blood and Leukemia NZ and although I had competed in it before, when menopause arrived, I didn't think I had the energy to train for it. But this was where the MyMT ReBuild My Fitness programme helped as well. I did this after completing the symptom reduction programme as I realised that I needed to get my fitness back. And I did!

I felt so good on the day and was stoked to improve my time by 8 minutes! Here I am finishing it!


Feeling stressed is a modern-day challenge that we all face.
But during menopause feeling stressed can be particularly challenging. When your nerves and blood vessels are losing oestrogen, feeling stressed from your work, your insomnia and weight gain is hell for your hormones - and I don't just mean your reproductive hormones. I also mean another hormone called Cortisol. This is one of your stress hormones too.

Most cells in your body have cortisol receptors, so this lovely hormone affects many different functions in your body. Cortisol can help control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, help reduce inflammation, and assist with memory. It also has a controlling effect on salt and water balance and therefore, helps control blood pressure.  But when we produce too much of it, that's when we start to have problems during our menopause transition.



We know a lot about over-production of this hormone from sport and exercise science and a condition in athletes called 'over-training syndrome'. As Elizabeth experienced as well, feeling that my blood pressure, moods and hot flushes were becoming worse when I felt stressed, I was searching for better understanding of the physiology of this and the relation to menopause. I found what I was looking for in the wonderful Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study, published in the 2009 journal Menopause.*



The study confirmed what I was feeling myself - when we are awake in the night, we feel hot and bothered and have increased night sweats. We also don't recover from the exercise training that we undertake. Elizabeth was training for the Stair-Climb Challenge and not sleeping. This was a cocktail for even more exhaustion, hot flushes and weight gain. According to the Seattle Midlife study, the cause of high overnight cortisol is not just for athletes. It is also due to higher than normal feelings of stress in women, higher testosterone and changing reproductive hormones in menopause. Finally, an answer to what I was feeling myself! I knew that I was feeling hotter than usual and of course, when cortisol remains high overnight, then this also impacts on our sleep hormone called melatonin so we lie awake for longer. Our normal fat-burning mechanisms can be interrupted too.

This is why in the first module that women listen to in the MyMT 'Transform Me' and 'Circuit-Breaker' programmes, I teach them how to reduce cortisol levels before bedtime. Some of these strategies include:

 	Moderating protein intake at dinner because our pancreatic enzymes reduce as we age and we don't metabolise protein as well overnight.
 	Doing some specific mindfulness activities to reduce our blood pressure.

High levels of cortisol can create inflammation and hot flush chaos and women discover that high cortisol means no sleep. This is why we all need to re-address stress during menopause and I have an entire module on this in both programmes - it's that important.  


"I'm feeling so much better emotionally and physically, since I now understand this incredible stage of life called menopause."
Elizabeth

### "I had no idea how menopause would affect my sleep and gut health. Learning to turn this around has helped me feel healthy again."  [Paula, NZ]

"It was my stress levels wasn't it?" asked Paula, when I met her at the dog-walking park. She had recognised me and called out my name and wanted to give me a warm hug on a cold day whilst I was walking my dog too. "You have changed my life" she said.

"No I haven't - you have" I returned back to her. "You were the one who put the changes into place - all I did was show you the what and why."

Paula is a teacher. Little did she understand that the stress she was feeling in her work-day as well as not sleeping as she went into menopause, was beginning to play havoc with her health.



She had suffered for years with gut problems, but like many women she knows, she believed that her diet was pretty healthy. When she began to understand how losing oestrogen in menopause affects the liver, gallbladder and gut digestion, she realised that her diet needed a good revamp. What she thought was 'healthy' wasn't really suited to her now that she was in menopause.

Our gut health is interesting. As we lose oestrogen receptors, this is the signal that we are ageing. As such there are structural and biological changes that occur in our gut and digestive system. For example, our bile production decreases which means that fat digestion is altered and our gut motility (movement) slows down with age. As well, many women are losing muscle, which changes their need for protein in their diet. But the most important issue for so many of us is that our gut, liver, heart and blood vessels work to our natural, biological circadian rhythm, so if we aren't sleeping we build up more and more inflammation in our body. This can lead to a condition called 'Leaky Gut'.



So, part of the key to turning around our gut is understanding it's role as part of our biological circadian rhythm. Understanding these factors not only helped Paula sleep all night, but restore her gut health and maintain it. How to achieve improved Circadian Rhythm is fundamental to turning around our symptoms in menopause - including our hot flushes.



I loved how Paula was a teacher. She knows that 'knowledge is power' and if we are going to change up a few things in our lifestyle, then understanding 'why' is really important. Not just in terms of 'why' we want to do something, but 'why we should' - that's why I help women understand a bit of what's going on in their body during menopause in the video's and webinars that are in the individual Learning Hubs.


www.mymenopausetransformation.com
"Putting menopause into wellness, not sickness." 
Being a Teacher is rewarding, but challenging. Paula found that too. Feeling time-poor and overwhelmed with administrative tasks can increase the heart rate, blood pressure and this in turn causes more hot flushes. Paula and I had a chat about this when we met. She had no idea that managing her stress levels during and after work was important to her hormonal health in menopause too. That's why walking her dogs helped enormously. She just didn't realise how much! As she mentioned to me,

"About 6 weeks into the programme, I realised how suddenly everything was making sense. I was sleeping all night and my gut problems were improving too."

With a husband who enjoys quite a different way of eating and teenage kids still at home, the MyMT™ programme not only taught her how to make lifestyle changes to re-balance her hormones for menopause, but also, she discovered new ways to plan, shop and prepare food that also met the family’s needs too. One of the biggest gains that Paula has enjoyed from the programme is one that she hadn’t realized and that is renewed gut health and bowel regularity!

Having finished her 12 weeks on the programme, Paula admits that she ‘fell off the wagon’ earlier this year, partly by becoming very busy again and losing some focus, and partly because she wanted to test what was really working for her – needless to say, all her old symptoms returned! For Paula, the personal approach of the MyMT™ programme as well as the knowledge she gained about why her symptoms were happening, was significant to her success.
“You know” says Paula, “I’m happy to share my story, because I know so many women who don’t talk about menopause. The MyMT™ programme has not only helped me resolve my symptoms, but it’s helping put menopause on the conversation-agenda in a knowledgeable way. And this is something that so needed to be done. I know so many women who just don't talk about menopause and in my profession, they should be. It's that important."
Paula, New Zealand

### Confused about Carbs? Then discover the 'cooling carbs' we need to reduce our hot flushes in menopause.

"Never before has a generation of women been so confused about what to eat! When I take my 'Masterclass on Menopause' seminars around the world, I often ask those attending who is confused about their food choices at the moment. Invariably the entire room puts up their hand. I'm not surprised. Because even with my own background teaching sport and exercise science, including nutrition, when I hit menopause, I was confused too. As the first generation of women to go into menopause in the context of the modern fitness and sporting industries, the dieting industry and our constant exposure to food-advertising over the past few decades, it's little wonder that we get confused.  But herein lies the problem - many of the popular food messages are not researched against women's health and our changing hormonal environment during menopause. Especially when it comes to carbohydrates.  So if you haven't made the connection between your hot flush frequency and severity and the type of carbohydrates you are eating, then please read on!"   [Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher].When you begin your peri-menopause transition, you are entering the next stage of your biological life - your ageing years. This is why your reproductive hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, start to decline.But as I explain in my programmes, when some hormones change in the body, this sets up a 'chain-reaction' whereby other hormones try to rebalance the internal environment. Hormones are our chemical messengers and they are all connected, working hard together to keep our body healthy.Our endocrine system – the pancreas, thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands – is a complex system. These glands produce and regulate many of the hormones that help your body function every minute of every day. And they all work in harmony because they all 'talk' to each other.  It's because of this connection that we arrive in menopause and we experience so many symptoms that can be linked to our heart, our muscles, our thyroid, our stress levels, our pituitary function, joint health and more!  Most women don't understand that the symptoms that suddenly come on during menopause, such as sore joints, changing gut and cardiac health, increased anxiety, mood swings, sore muscles, night sweats, insomnia and hot flushes are all connected. But there's another reason too - we are a unique generation in that we have had a lot of stress throughout our lives, not only emotional, but also physical stress from not sleeping, changing food choices and for many of us, we've come through the fitness and sports industries, so we have done a lot of exercise which also increases the internal physical stress on muscles and joints. Add to this the hormonal changes in menopause and not sleeping, our inflammation increases inside our body. The result for many of us, is changing heat regulation too - and our food choices have a lot to do with this too.What are hot flushes?A hot flush is the body's attempt to cool you down. It's trying to get rid of heat. Just like sweating in athletes or when you have a fever. When our body is hot, then we sweat more. But as we come through menopause our sweat glands don't function as well in a low oestrogen hormonal environment, so we need to turn down the heat in other ways too. This includes changing type of carbohydrates you are eating.Whether it's summer or winter where you live, reducing your hot flushes means managing your hormones that control your blood sugar levels on - insulin and glucagon. High blood sugar causes your pancreas to produce more insulin and when insulin levels are high our heat regulation is affected too.  So, if you are going into your menopause years and you are finding that your hot flushes are out of control both day and night, then you need to eat for your age and stage and keep the production of insulin low. High insulin levels in menopause, on top of not sleeping and changing muscle density, sends your inner temperature soaring.  It's also why the MyMT™ programmes only focus on you in your menopause transition. We are in a unique stage of our lives.Have you noticed that your hot flushes increase with certain foods or fluids?  The women on the MyMT programmes understand this very well. When they come on board with me, they learn the powerful connection between all of our hormones in menopause and the role each plays in our hot flushes, poor sleep, low energy levels, sore joints and more. When the same symptoms happened to me and supplements and medications weren't resolving all of my symptoms, I began to look at our hormonal system and how menopause impacted on the role of other hormones too. Making this connection was a game-changer for understanding how we can better manage our nutrition in menopause to reduce the frequency and intensity of our hot flushes.Although I have an entire 40 minute webinar on the specific lifestyle solutions to put into place to turn around your hot flushes (whether you are in menopause or post-menopause), I'm always updating women in the programmes on how they can better manage their hot flushes by not only improving their sleep, but also changing their diet and their exercise to better match their changing hormonal environment in menopause.Women read these updates and posts in my private coaching community which is another part of the MyMT programmes. One of these topics was about sugar and starch and why the intake of too much of these foods have such an impact on our hot flushes in menopause (as does too much exercise, being overweight, feeling stressed and not sleeping).Maybe you have discovered that high sugar and certain carbohydrate foods contribute to your hot flushes too? I still remember the surprise of making the connection between my intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates and how this caused an almost immediate surge of heat through the body followed by excessive sweating. Feeling hot and sweaty at all hours of the day and night is so frustrating and exhausting.Which is why I drew on my physiology knowledge and made the connection between high insulin levels, our diet and our temperature regulation in menopause. Insulin acts as the key which unlocks the cell to allow glucose to enter the cell and be used for energy. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to elevated blood levels of glucose.I knew from my sports nutrition teaching that athletes need certain high glucose (sugar and starch carbohydrates) foods that cause a surge of the hormone insulin to be released from the pancreas. Insulin is the hormone which helps to carry glucose to muscle cells quickly, so as to keep the muscles contracting for long periods of time. When the muscles deplete their stores of glucose, then the liver kicks in to rectify the situation and helps to produce more glucose ready for the muscles to keep using. Glucose is moved around the body by a hormone called Insulin. It's role is crucial to our survival, because glucose is needed by almost every cell in the body, especially our brain, liver and muscle cells.So, how do foods that contain sugar and refined starch cause more hot flushes? That's the question I asked myself because I could feel this happening to my body. The response of heat was almost immediate when I ate sugar or had alcohol, so I knew there was a link.This led me to look at insulin and the connection with our body temperature. It was only in 2010 that researchers from Scripps Clinic* in San Diego, who were researching diabetes, found a link between high insulin levels and body temperature. The study showed that when the hormone, insulin, stays high in the blood stream, there is a direct connection with dilation of blood vessels and heat production in the brain and 'core' organs (these are your major organs in the trunk). The study also found that variations in core body temperature are associated with our daily 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, the female monthly hormonal cycle, and, intriguingly, the effects of very severe calorie restriction such as all-day fasting which increases heat production in the body too. [It's also why I teach the importance of nutrient timing to women on my programmes and overnight fasting, but not fasting during the day. This is really helpful to women on the Transform Me weight loss programme. When we fast overnight our insulin levels decrease and so too does our stress hormone called cortisol]. Understanding the powerful link between our hot flushes and our temperature regulation is what led me down the path of recommending Low Glycemic Index carbohydrates as one of the strategies I teach women on the MyMT programmes to control their hot flushes. [There are other powerful strategies to reduce hot flushes in the programme too, especially around nutrient timing and exercise timing].Low Glycemic Index is the name given to certain carbohydrates, or energy foods that don't spike high insulin production from the pancreas. We have Professor Jennie Brand-Miller from the University of Sydney in Australia, to thank for her incredible work on the glycemic index rating of carbohydrates. When we eat foods that are Low GI, then we don't release as much insulin and therefore, don't get the high heat production either. This is why I have low GI food lists in my specially designed MyMT Eats Cookbook which women access as part of the MyMT programme. There is also an Australian website you can visit called www.gisymbol.comThe foods that cause the MOST insulin production and release from the pancreas are:1. Sugars - Sucrose, Glucose & Lactose are the most common forms of sugar. Sucrose is also known as common table sugar and is made up of glucose and fructose. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and is made up of glucose and galactose. Fructose is the sugar found in fruit (and fruits are still important in our diet, but I have a list of low GI fruits that are best for us in menopause). There are many other sources of sugar too – for example, dextrin, maltose and maltodextrins! (Milo anyone or what about all that chocolate milk promoted by sports stars and athletes?!)If we are exercisers, then we do need some sugar in our diet as this is very quickly taken up by muscles and our brain. But not all sugars are equal. For example, dried fruit are easily digested as are apples, which are low GI fruit. Bananas are higher GI so this is a great source of starch which is broken down to glucose, and having this before or after exercise will help replace glucose into muscles. You must also remember that commercial sports drinks are just sugar in disguise, so if you are doing lots of exercise, then stick with water and some easily digested fruit to help you recover from your exercise. I have the specific solutions in both of the MyMT programmes and in my 'Rebuild My Fitness' programme which teaches you all the information you need for your exercise.2. Starches are important to understand too and these are not always equal either. Remember that there are man-made starch foods and natural starch foods. Natural starches occur in vegetables. Starches (formerly known as complex carbohydrates) occur naturally in a large range of foods including nutrient-rich foods like root vegetables, legumes, cracked wheat, brown rice, pearl barley, quinoa and oats. But starch is also found in refined products such as cornflour, white bread, many breakfast cereals, potato crisps, French fries, rice crackers/cakes, biscuits, cakes, and pastries. These are refined starches and aren't good for our health or hot flushes, so keep these to a minimum and increase your vegetable carbs which are lower GI.The most important starch for women is RESISTANT STARCH. Resistant Starch is another type of dietary fibre. It’s actually a starch that ‘resists’ digestion and absorption in the small intestine and travels through the large intestine largely intact. It ends up in the small intestine where it is fermented into short chain fatty acids by good bacteria. There is strong evidence that resistant starch is important for our health as we age, which is why we need a bit more focus on it at this stage of life along with vegetables which provide you with important fibre to help control insulin levels too. Resistant Starch is found mostly in beans, lentils, unripe bananas as well as unprocessed cereals and wholegrains. Resistant starch is also created from cooling down cooked rice, potatoes, kumara (sweet potato) and other root vegetables. I think the greatest realisation for me when I was trying to understand why I was having so many hot flushes, was that food type and timing also matters.I used to eat lots of high sugar and starch foods which my body craved, because for decades, I was doing a lot of higher-intensity exercise and this was contributing to my sugar cravings. My brain and muscles continually wanted glucose! Then as life got busy and peri-menopause came along, I was less active but was still in the HABIT of eating carbs that caused this insulin spike. Before menopause arrived, I probably didn't even notice the heat connection! It took a lot of determination to turn this around and I'm so thankful for my Masters studies into lifestyle behaviour-change strategies, because not only did I have to use these strategies on myself, but how to change our behaviour and habits has become an important component of the MyMT programmes. I encourage all of the women on the programmes to think ahead, planning and preparing foods that reduce hot flushes and keep blood sugar levels stable. How to achieve this important aspect of our menopause management is all in both of the MyMT programmes. Carbohydrates are really important to us in menopause because they are our source of energy. So, if I hear fitness and nutrition practitioners talking about a 'low-carb' diet, then I walk away from them because it means that they don't understand nutrition or hormonal physiology!Vegetables are the most important carbohydrates on the planet and we need them for our health during menopause and into our years beyond.But all carbohydrates are not equal and as the first generation of women to come into menopause in the context of our changing food environment, many of us are addicted to a high sugar and processed starch diet. This needs to change when we reach menopause and it's why I want to help you achieve this. Our brain has powerful hormones which keep us addicted to sugars if we don't learn strategies to turn this around. This is why I have researched the exact carbohydrates that cool you down, not heat you up! If you are already overweight or putting on belly-fat, then this higher fat level changes your insulin levels too - that's why overweight women typically get more hot flushes.If this is you and you are stacking on the weight, then when you are ready, come join me on my menopause weight loss specific 'Transform Me' programme.   Losing weight will help you reduce your hot flushes and night sweats too. Otherwise, if you aren't overweight, then join me on my Circuit Breaker programme.  I can't wait to meet you and support you to make the lifestyle changes that you need to make as you transition into the next phase of your life. As I say to women, there's no looking back to the past. It's all about looking forward to our healthy ageing years ahead and all the excitement that is still to come.Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder - [Meet me HERE] [* Sanchez-Alavez et al. (2010). Insulin causes hyperthermia by direct inhibition of warm sensitive neurons. Diabetes. 59(1): 43-50.]

### "With chronic fatigue and weight gain, I wish I had found this program earlier than I did."  [Kaz, New Zealand]

Whenever I'm visiting Wanaka, I think of Kaz. It's a reminder that even when you live in one of the most beautiful locations in the world and you enjoy an active, outdoor lifestyle, menopause can still hit you hard. When health professional, Kaz, struggled with poor sleep, chronic fatigue, hot flushes, weight gain and sore joints, her beautfiul environment was no consolation for the menopause mayhem she was experiencing.


That's why I was so pleased when Kaz came into the MyMT™ community.  As a qualified Holistic Lifestyle Practitioner and Functional Medicine Coach, Kaz, was as confused as I had been, when hitting our late 40's and early 50's. Desipte a healthy lifestyle, the weight refused to budge and the energy levels plummeted. Coming onto the 12 week online MyMT Transform Me programme, Kaz said, "I wish I had found it earlier than I did."

Look at this gorgeous photo of Kaz. I'm so pleased that she shared it with us - I love how she looks energetic, vibrant and confident, which is how we all should feel in mid-life!

Kaz runs Reset Lab in Wanaka, New Zealand. Her approach is to use functional medicine testing to analyse stools, saliva, urine and hair,  which helps to identify root causes of hormonal imbalance. This gives her specific information on clients to be able to then design personalised programmes using food, herbs, supplements and other lifestyle solutions.  When her own symptoms were leaving her exhausted, she was doing her own lonely research which led her to discover MyMT™.  I'm so thankful she did and so is she.

As Kaz says,

"I suffered chronic fatigue, insomnia, hypo-thyroidism and weight gain. There has been little information out there on menopause and I ended up with Qualifications in Nutrition, Naturopathy, Functional Medicine and Herbalism before I could really understand how to help myself. I wish I had found Wendy’s course earlier. Wendy has done such an incredible job of un-tangling menopause symptoms and aligning specific lifestyle solutions to each symptom, which meant that I could finally connect some of the missing pieces of the puzzle specific to menopause for myself as well.  I especially found the food advice so helpful in a world full of diets for everything. 

What I also loved was how small changes that Wendy suggests in the programme made such big improvements. Her wisdom on what to eat and when, worked very well for me. Small changes helped my sleep and assisted me to re-balance my blood sugar levels. By knowing when to drink the healthy juices that are in the programme and the timing of food, meant I did not have to give up the things I loved. This gave me better sleep, more energy and better control over weight in a very healthy balanced way.



Doing Wendy’s course was the icing on the cake. Thanks Wendy for your amazing program. The information you have researched and put together has been so helpful."

You're welcome Kaz!

If you would like to learn more about the MyMT programmes (Circuit Breaker for leaner/ thinner women and Transform Me for women who are overweight), then please visit the MyMT website here. These self-learning online programmes focus on my women's healthy ageing research and the need to focus on the 7 pillars of our health as we age.


I became so confused myself about all the mis-information out there about how to look after ourselves during menopause. But the more I read, the more I realised that from our hormonal health to our exercise to our nutrition, cardiac health, our stress management, our weight management and even to how we age healthily, women in mid-life have been relatively forgotten in terms of the biological research over the years. Fortunately, this is slowly changing.
In designing the programmes for women like Kaz and the hundreds of others who have joined me in the MyMT™ community, I have pulled together a variety of research subjects that are specific to women in menopause.



Each programme is designed through the lens of our 'biological ageing' which is what menopause is. I love how women from all around the world are learning what I had to learn myself. You have your own private learning hub and you listen to my step-by-step webinars and videos, where I teach you how to feel like your old self again. It's my privilege to help women like Kaz feel their best and get their life back on track for the important work that they still have to do.

Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Wellness Coach


For programme descriptions click HERE. 

### Menopause isn't just about hot flushes: Discover my 4 factors to help your sore joints  too.

Every day I receive health screening forms from women who come onto the MyMT™ lifestyle change programmes. Over 50% of them tick the box that tells me they have sore joints and muscles. 
It's the same when women come to my live-events. When I ask who has sore joints and muscles, many hands shoot straight up. Nearly all of them have never identified their sore joints, aching muscles and restless legs as a symptom of menopause. As I didn't either. 

It's not just our ovaries that have oestrogen receptors. Our heart, blood vessels, liver, brain, thyroid, gut, small intestine, muscles, tendons and fat cells all have these tiny oestrogen receptors too. When oestrogen production declines as we move into and through menopause, these other structures are affected too.



It's why as part of all the MyMT™ programmes  [Circuit Breaker, Transform Me and Rebuild My Fitness], I have a complete module on turning around joint health during menopause.



As the first generation of women to come through the modern fitness and sporting industries and enter our menopause transition, it's important to sort out our aching knees and sore joints so we can keep doing the activity that we love to do.


That's why, in this post, I'm going to talk about the effect of your hormonal changes on your joint and muscle health as you transition through menopause.
When I designed the MyMT™ programmes, not only did I have a 'physiology-hat' on, but also my 'socio-cultural hat' too. It took me many years to do my PhD and what I loved the most was exploring the connections that have been made between how we live our lives as we age and how much our beliefs are influenced by the political, social, cultural and historical landscapes that we have engaged in over our lifetime.

Because of the readings I did in this area, I came to the realisation that women in their 50's today are unique in terms of many of the symptoms we are experiencing in menopause compared to our mother's generation.  We are the first generation of women to come into menopause in the context of the modern fitness and sporting industries and for many, the changing landscape in terms of the fitness and sports that many have engaged in for years.



Think about it. Our mother's generation or grandmother's generation, never did the amount and type of exercise that we have enjoyed. Nor did they have the incredible influence of sports and exercise science, including sports nutrition, supplements, weight loss diets and popular exercise regimes, changing our beliefs (or more-often confusing us) about how to exercise, eat and compete. But as we move into and through menopause, it's time to think about how to change what we are doing to better match our changing hormonal health at this time of life. When I  began to experience symptoms such as sore joints and muscles as well as insomnia, and for me, my weight was going up despite exercising regularly, I turned to my doctoral research on women's ageing. Our transition into menopause is the start of our biological ageing, so when we know how to adjust our daily lifestyle to accommodate our changing hormonal environment, we can reduce the impact of our symptoms.



That's why I often talk about our muscle and joint health at my seminars. And I'm so glad that I do, because many women are continuing to do the same exercise they did when they had oestrogen, as I used to as well! I was so pleased when, after one of my seminars, a physio came up to me and said,
"Thank you so much for challenging me about the role of changing oestrogen on our joint health. I see this all the time in my practice - women who are doing so much high-impact exercise and not sleeping and then experiencing sore joints and muscles that we often can't explain."
That's when I pointed her to the literature on the effect of oestrogen on tendon and ligament metabolism and function.* Oestrogen plays a huge role in our joint and muscle function. Prior to menopause, oestrogen helped our joints to stay supple. Not only did higher levels of oestrogen help our collagen production but oestrogen is also involved in the ability for our muscles to tolerate heavy loads and to heal and recover overnight. Collagen is an important part of this process of cell regeneration as we age, so another thing you can do is increase your collagen-building foods in menopause too. Bone-broth soups are great and feature in the MyMT Food Guide which is an essential part of the MyMT™ programmes.



This is what I teach women to do in the MyMT 12 week programmes.
Exercise recovery and sore joint management is all to do with understanding the role that oestrogen plays in the uptake of Vitamin D and the production of calcium (calcium helps muscles to contract).
Oestrogen plays a significant role in helping tocopherol (Vitamin E) get across the joint membranes to help keep them healthy.* It makes sense then, that when oestrogen levels decline in menopause, our joint and muscle function is affected too.
Because our joints and tendons have oestrogen receptors then there are four things that are important to do to manage your joint health in menopause:

 	Change your exercise to suit our changing joint, tendon and muscle health. This is especially if you have done a lot of high impact-type exercise over the decades as many of us have, because you may already be carrying inflammation in your joints.
 	Change your nutrition so that you focus on an anti-inflammatory diet (this is the type of diet I have in the MyMT programmes, with less emphasis on high amounts of protein, heavily promoted in the fitness and sports industries, which can increase joint inflammation as we get older).
 	Sleep all night. Without sleep, your body is not healing and repairing. This is the fundamental priority for you to restore during menopause and it's the foundation module in the Circuit Breaker programme and the Transform Me programme for women needing to learn how to lose their menopause and post-menopause weight.
 	Increase your intake of Olive Oil, which is rich in Vitamin E (Tocopherol).

All throughout the 1980's and 1990's I ran almost daily, did triathlons, including Ironman. I also helped to pioneer the BodyPump classes and taught high-impact aerobics for years. Sporty Spice indeed. So, when I began to look at Theories on Aging as part of my studies and discovered that there was a 'wear and tear' theory of ageing, I realised that I needed to look through this lens as well. The wear and tear theory of ageing was first introduced in 1882, by Dr. August Weismann, a German biologist. He believed that cells and tissues have vital parts that wear out resulting in more rapid ageing.

Like components of an ageing car, parts of the body eventually wear out from repeated use, killing them so as they aren't able to replace. Scientists now know that there is some basis for this theory, especially because when we lose the 'hard-caps' on our DNA, known as the telomeres, this can increase the rate of inflammation and cause more rapid ageing of our joints and tissues. 

This is also why it's important for some of you to switch up the exercise you are doing and , so you don't make your joints any worse! Whilst both the Circuit-Beaker and Transform Me programmes don't have a lot of emphasis on exercise, my new Re-Build My Fitness programme helps women choose the right exercise to help them transition through menopause.
I've taken 4 tips from these programmes to share with you too:

 	Change to non-impact or low-impact activity.
Whilst this seems obvious, many of our generation are so used to high-impact exercise, that we push ourselves through the pain. In your menopause transition, can I advise you not to!
 	Ensure you have Omega-3 rich olive oil to help your joint health. This is high in tocopherol which your lovely joints need.



 	If you aren't sleeping or you are over-weight, then it's really important for your joint and muscle health as you age, to sleep all night and lose weight. If you are interested in losing your weight then please look at my Transform Me' programme .  If we aren't sleeping, then we aren't healing overnight. When we aren't getting our restorative sleep, our immune health suffers. Some women then head towards an inflammatory condition called fibro-myalgia. It is very common in menopause and requires a medical diagnosis.



 	Your bones, muscles and joints need to strengthen and lengthen as you transition menopause.  The right strength training and stretch programme can actually stimulate the cells in your muscles and tendons to renew and repair. Maintaining physical strength is a key strategy that leads to healthy ageing and in the Re-Build My Fitness programme, I have body-type specific programmes for you.


Maintaining skeletal muscle mass and strength is vital for your healthy ageing, but this can only be achieved when you reduce the inflammation that is already in your bones and joints and get sleeping all night. I am really concerned with the number of women who arrive in mid-life and experience sore joints and muscles that are keeping them from being active, which we all know is so important to our health as we age. 

Watching your Vitamin D levels is important, so get this checked if you can. Vitamin D helps to make calcium in your body, which is important for nerve transmission into our muscles. When Vitamin D is low (which is important for many of you going into winter months at the moment), then your hot flushes can become worse too. It's why I'm so passionate about you understanding how best to manage your symptoms with the right lifestyle strategies in your menopause transition. This includes your nutrition, exercise and sleep management.
Some of you might have lost the will to exercise because you are tired, sore, not sleeping and you have no motivation or time, but getting back into exercise is crucial to ensuring that your joints, muscles and tendons remain healthy, supple and strong at this stage of your life. Again, I have scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to help you to turn this around.
When you are ready, I hope you can join me on any of the powerful online My Menopause Transformation programmes.  I've designed these for women who are transitioning into and through menopause, or who might be already in post-menopause. The programmes focus on the 7 pillars of women's healthy ageing research and women love how much better they feel.


If you would like to get into 2019 and stop feeling tired and depressed and instead feel energetic, healthy and ready to live life again and enjoy your 50's, then please come and join me. These programmes have now been completed by over 2000 women world wide. Whether you want to reduce your symptoms with Circuit-Breaker, lose weight with Transform Me  or get the right exercise into your life with Re-Build My Fitness, I look forward to you joining me on any of my online programmes. As I say to the women on these programmes already, there's no looking back to what we've done in the past. Our menopause transition is a whole new game! It would be my privilege to help you too.

Wendy 



*References:

Frizzerio, A. et al. (2014).  Impact of oestrogen deficiency and aging on tendon: Concise review. Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal, 4 (3), 324-328

Kendall, B. & Eston, R. (2002). Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and the Potential Protective Role of Estrogen. Sports Med. 32(2), 103-123.

### "5 days in. Slept all night. No sweats. Feeling like a different person."  [Leanne]

When I read some of the comments on the public Facebook page from women who don't believe that they can master their menopause symptoms through lifestyle change and that they need to take endless medications and supplements, I resonate with them too. "What a load of s*%t having a programme to get through menopause" is the cynical comment of quite a few who leave their thoughts on my facebook feed. But that's when I think about Leanne and all the other amazing women on my lifestyle-change programmes.		
																					
		I 'get it' when women think that insomnia, night sweats and sore joints is 'our lot' in menopause. Because that's been the dominant message for years - and yes, I used to think that too. I relied on my Doctor to help me and her only solution was HRT. I went on that too. But as the days and nights wore on, I still wasn't sleeping, had persistent night sweats, exhaustion, sore joints and the constant feeling that my body wasn't coping with all that I had to get done in a day. The HRT wasn't working and now, I understand why.I realise that for my body-type it didn't suit me to put synthetic oestrogen into my body. It was also causing more fatigue, bloating and weight gain which was putting up my blood pressure and throwing out my thyroid regulation. It's our thyroid that controls heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure and our metabolism too. When the thyroid isn't functioning well, we don't sleep, we feel hot and we have more night sweats too. Oh, and we don't tolerate lots of exercise either. In fact, this is a stage of life, when many women drop-out of activity. When I began to understand this, I knew there had to be a better way to sort out the symptom chaos that was getting me down. That's when I looked into the science and physiology of our mid-life menopause transition as part of my women's healthy ageing studies. And I began to understand that changing our lifestyle to accommodate our changing hormonal environment is what's needed - and the first thing we need to regulate our body temperature and remove night sweats, is to sleep all night. When we sleep, we restore harmony in our hormones and for those who need to lose weight, it helps with that too.Turning around our sleep in menopause is important. We need to sleep to heal our immune system and to restore the energy that we are burning through in a day. If we are having night sweats, then it's important to prevent these and you do this through changing the type and timing of food in the evening and restoring your body's natural circadian rhythm. Achieving this requires a new morning routine and for most women, sorting out both liver and gut health too. I have plans for how to achieve this on the My Menopause Transformation programmes as well.Leanne is just one of the women who has already joined me on our mid year July SALE of the MyMT Circuit Breaker programme. [Use promo code RESTART 2019]. I loved this post she put up in the coaching community.Many women post me messages on my private coaching community and I'm so excited for them. Before coming on the MyMT 12 week Circuit Breaker programme, many feel tired, run-down and frustrated by hot flushes, night sweats, sore joints, anxiety and low motivation. I'm so pleased that they trust me with the science that I've pulled together from women's healthy ageing studies to turn around symptoms in menopause.Why do we sweat at night? Night sweats are often the hallmark of menopause symptoms along with hot flushes. In our menopause transition they are caused by lowering oestrogen having an effect on other areas in the body which regulate temperature.This temperature increase is exacerbated because we also lose the role of oestrogen in our skin, blood vessels and muscles. Blood vessels become more constricted and because we lose muscle fibres as we move through menopause, this means we don't use up our glucose-regulating hormone, called insulin, the way we used to.For many women living in hotter climates, their body is also trying to adjust to environmental changes as well, many are caught up in diets that don't match our body's changing hormones as we biologically age. Hence, the sweating can seem excessive at night when your body is trying to restore harmony again – you wake up sweating which is a sign that your body is actually trying to cool down. Many women also experience restless legs too, especially those doing lots of higher intensity exercise and not replacing specific nutrients such as magnesium and calcium, which aid muscle recovery. The lack of sleep causes less exercise recovery and the vicious cycle of fatigue and inflammation hangs around. It's frustrating and many find that even despite the exercise, they stay overweight in menopause and beyond.When I was really trying to understand why I was experiencing night sweats and lots of hot flushes, I was guided by the great work of Deecher and Dories (2007)*. Their studies explain that when we have night sweats, there is a problem with the neural (nerve) and hormonal ‘communication’ between three areas. These are:The pituitary gland in the brain.Our thyroid gland(which requires iodine and selenium to regulate it).Our skin – which we often forget is the largest organ in the body containing millions of tiny blood vessels that go to our sweat glands. The function of sweat glands are affected by low oestrogen in menopause too. They don’t dilate as much. This means that to sort out your night sweats, you need to focus on these three key areas, not just  the changing levels of oestrogen and progesterone, which has been the hallmark of menopause treatment for decades. When we focus on these three areas, then we can usually un-pack why we are getting night sweats, when we never used to in the past. One of the first things that I help women to understand when they come onto the MyMT programmes, is that our core body temperature is regulated by our brain (pituitary gland) and it works to our 24 hour circadian rhythm.This is why if you are frustrated and weary from your night sweats and lack of sleep, then the management of this begins by turning around your circadian rhythm (I have the step-by-step plan for this in the SLEEP MODULE in both of the MyMT programmes, which is the first 40 minute webinar that you listen to). It's simply called 'Sleep All Night' and contains all my menopause-specific lifestyle strategies that you need to put into action. MyMT™ Circuit Breaker SALE Ends Soon:This revolutionary 12 week programme takes you on your menopause transformation journey. Through listening to 7 x 45 minutes modules over the course of 12 weeks, you learn exactly what to do to 'break the circuit' of your symptoms and restore your sleep, sanity and health again.I've done all the research for you, all you have to do is to put my powerful strategies into action.The end of my mid-year RESTART 2019 intake is close and I am so excited because we have hit a record -  over 2,000 women in 15 countries have completed either of the  MyMT™ programmes and most are enjoying more physical activity in their lives again.  If you want to learn more about the Circuit Breaker programme, which is for thinner/ leaner women, then please watch the video below - I have a special offer for MyMT™ subscribers but it is closing soon so if you are troubled by symptoms in menopause, then please don't wait any longer....Please join me and I will help you to feel like your old self again. Here I am explaining how this powerful programme can help you in this video below and how it works.https://youtu.be/_UqVWTR8emcI hope you will join me on this fabulous programme. It worked for me and hundreds of women just like you. I want you to know what it feels like to master your menopause symptoms and feel in control of your health so you can enjoy this stage of life. My powerful lifestyle strategies which you implement over the 12 weeks will get you sorted.Get access today before the price returns to normal. Only NZ$83 per month for three months (usually NZ$100) for the programme and my coaching.Click on the START NOW button and use the promo code RESTART 2019 to claim your discount.In three months time you'll be glad you did.Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ MyMT Founder & Women's Healthy Ageing Coach]Reference:* [Deecher, D. & Dorries, K. (2007). Understanding the pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) that occur in peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause life stages. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 10: 247-257] 		
		  

### Not sleeping? Then be careful about how hard you work-out to prevent cardiac problems in menopause.

They were sitting in the front row of the seminar on Tuesday night. I was in Melbourne taking my last seminar for a few weeks.
I saw them all look at each other after my comment – “The ladies on my programme know that I don’t want them to do too much high intensity exercise until they are sleeping all night. If we aren’t sleeping then we aren’t recovering and all you are doing is throwing yourself into more hot flush chaos plus you’re increasing stress on your heart muscle too.”  



One of them started nodding and at the end of the seminar she came and spoke to me. She was a Personal Trainer and told me that she had no idea that lack of sleep affected the heart. So I explained that when we don’t sleep night after night, our blood pressure increases. It's one of the major changes that occur in women as they age. When women are always exercising at high intensity which is common in the fitness industry (including doing heavy weight training), then if they aren't sleeping, they aren't recovering. Blood pressure stays elevated not only during the session but afterwards as well. “It’s all about sleep” I explained. “And if women aren’t sleeping that’s when the exercise they love to do can become a problem. This then leads to greater fatigue, sore muscles and joints and a generation of women who are stopping doing exercise. This is reported in physical activity participation data all around the world."




I worry about women doing lots of high-intensity exercise as they transition menopause. There's a reason for my concern. Women in their late 50's are the first generation of women to age within the context of the modern sports and fitness industries. But sport and exercise science research hasn't kept up. Most research for the past 30 years has been undertaken on males and athletes, not women in menopause, hence, many exercise professionals do not understand this important life-stage and the effects of too much exercise on an ageing body going through menopause. And the key focus in terms of women in mid-life being able to tolerate harder workouts is all about how well they are sleeping.  Exercise professionals are not taught about the changes that occur in the heart wall when we lose oestrogen. In women after the onset of menopause, the risk of developing hypertension is greater compared to that in ageing men and this is to do with the stiffening of blood vessels. That's what I was talking about in my seminar when I piqued the interest of the women in the front row. 
Blood pressure is well known to increase as we age. This is because our blood vessels become 'stiffer'. It is a well known phenomenon in ageing research and is called 'vascular stiffness'. This refers to the fact that our blood vessels are ageing and losing the lovely elastin that helps them to dilate and constrict. When women go into menopause and then post-menopause, the loss of oestrogen causes greater vascular stiffness. For women used to doing lots of harder exercise, it means that their recovery is less well tolerated. Many feel that their muscles are sore, heavy and for many, they experience greater rates of injuries. 

But for women in menopause, there is another factor too. Loss of oestrogen is accompanied by an increase in the nerve signals that automatically control cardiac muscle function, so heart rate is increased along with blood pressure as a natural part of oestrogen loss and our ageing. As I mention in my seminars, if women are doing lots of high intensity exercise or they are training for events, then they need to manage and monitor their recovery strategies just as professional athletes do. 




Sleep is a vital regulator of cardiovascular function, both in the physiological state and in disease conditions.Cardiac health is driven by our circadian rhythm and sleep, so changes in sleep habits are not without consequences. If we aren't sleeping, we aren't recovering from all of our exercise. For mid-life women, those consequences can also be fatal. The incidence of heart attacks is higher in post-menopausal women but prior to menopause, incidence is highest in males.







When we aren’t sleeping there are considerable changes in our metabolism, immune system and blood pressure.
Shortened sleep duration is defined as less than 6 hours of sleep and when women only have this amount or less, researchers suggest that they are 30% more likely to develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) stresses the heart muscle. Over time, like over-trained athletes, our heart rate stays higher than it should. This results in the heart working harder to pump blood and oxygen around the body. Shorter sleep is linked to higher blood pressure.
As I’ve often say to ladies on the MyMT™ programmes, the hours between 2-4am are when we are normally in our deepest sleep. This is when our blood pressure falls. If sleep is shortened though, researchers suggest that it’s just not enough for the blood pressure to dip low enough overnight allowing for recovery. It stays higher than it should. That’s also why women end up waking up with night sweats and hot flushes too. It’s all to do with blood pressure not lowering enough overnight. Add this to a stressful day at work or stress in the home or physical stress from over-training and it's a cocktail for ongoing health problems as women age. 




Which gets me back to exercise. When we aren’t sleeping, too much exercise is dangerous. I found this myself. Whilst exercising feels good and we know it is 'good for us', those of us who have been regular exercisers all our life, typically ‘push through’ the effort levels - we've been doing this for decades. But in menopause, all this 'go hard, go home' mentality can be harmful as we go into menopause, when we aren’t sleeping. That’s why I could tell from the faces of the three ladies in the front row of my seminar that I had hit a sore point. They love their exercise and go hard nearly every day. But they had all put their hands up when I asked 'Who isn't sleeping between 2-4am?' 







Heart disease in women is a global problem and it’s not being talked about in the context of exercise and our ageing as we move through menopause. This concerns me. Particularly because as a former nurse, I have seen post-menopause women lying in cardiac care units having had heart attacks in their 50's. 
Yes, we need to exercise. Yes, it's good for our health as we age. But when we aren’t sleeping, the type of exercise we are doing matters. So too does the amount. Studies have shown that just one night of sleep deprivation decreases our endurance performance on treadmill testing and causes time to exercise-exhaustion to be reduced. It's why I have a separate programme from my symptom reduction programmes and this is called Rebuild My Fitness. It's for women who want to understand how their exercise needs to change as they go through menopause - and increasing cardio-respiratory fitness, strength and flexibility is paramount to our health as we age. 






When we aren’t sleeping it is 'aerobic exercise' that needs to be prioritised over 'anaerobic (harder) exercise'. Aerobic exercise means that you are breathing slightly harder than normal, but you aren't completely out of breath. This type of exercise allows us to exercise for longer, which again is good for our ageing heart.
Alternatively, if we aren't sleeping, then we may need to make the decision to rest instead. That’s the decision I had to make yesterday too. Staying in another hotel room and being on a different time zone, meant that my sleep was erratic. When this happens, the decision we make about whether to exercise or not is important. So I walked, not ran. I did gentle stretching and deep breathing, not heavy weights. And I went back to focusing on the powerful strategies that I have in the MyMT™ programmes for turning around my sleep. I just hope that I got my message across to the ladies attending my seminar too. 
When you are ready to sleep all night and turn around your hot flushes, your blood pressure, sore joints, anxiety and your weight, then will you join me? Whether you are a regular exerciser or not, what you learn will change your life. 

MyMT™ Circuit Breaker is ON SALE for one month only. Save $50NZ by using the promo code RESTART 2019  -  PLEASE CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THIS POWERFUL PROGRAMME.
"I can't wait to support you." 



Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Coach)



References:



Covassin, N. & Singh, P. (2016). Sleep Duration and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Epidemiologic and Experimental Evidence. Sleep Med Clin. March ; 11(1): 81–89.



Oliver, R., Costa J., Stewart J. et al. (2009). One night of sleep deprivation decreases treadmill endurance performance. Eur J Appl Physiol. DOI 10.1007/s00421-009-1103-9.
Peinado, A., Harvey, R. et al. (2017). Neural control of blood pressure in women: differences according to age. Clin. Auton Res. 27: 157–165

### VIDEO: Reduce Menopause Symptoms with Lifestyle Change - MyMT™ Circuit Breaker ON SALE now.

Over the month of July, I've flown from one side of the world to the other. London, Edinburgh, Auckland and Melbourne. It's has been a very busy month taking my 'Masterclass on Menopause' live events. 
I'm blown away when the hundreds of women that I'm presenting to, acknowledge that they aren't sleeping and hot flushes, sore joints, mood swings and low energy are leaving them frustrated and confused. You see, all their lives, they have been healthy. Now they don't feel that way any more.
When I explain that menopause is the gateway to their biological ageing and it's the 'book-end' to puberty and for years we've been looking after ourselves in a way that is more suited to men or our 'younger-selves', they 'get-it'. I provide them with the science of women's healthy ageing and why menopause is the time to change up how they look after themselves to accommodate their hormonal changes. I'm so pleased that they do. Because when they put in place strategies that better suit their 'change of life' symptoms go away. 

I'm Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and when menopause symptoms overwhelmed me, I realised that for decades, I had been looking after others and myself, in ways that were better suited to the messages that prevail for the fitness, sports and dieting industries. I had no idea that these messages no longer suited me as I went into peri-menopause and menopause. You see, for decades there hasn't been research on women in menopause. It's been mainly conducted on men, athletes and younger women still menstruating. 
So I decided to change that. As busy, active women we are the first generation to go into menopause in the context of the messages that prevail in the modern fitness, sporting and dieting industries. Yet, very rarely, are these messages suited to our changing hormone levels as we age.  
That's why I designed a 12 week online lifestyle change programme for women in menopause. It's the culmination of my years of research and it's called My Menopause Transformation. I have two programmes - Circuit Breaker is for women who aren't overweight. Then I have Transform Me, for women who are putting on heart-changing belly-fat. 
Because I have met so many women on my travels over the past month, I want to acknowledge you all and I want to celebrate with you. If you are struggling with your symptoms in menopause and you are thinner or leaner, then join me on the MyMT Circuit Breaker 12 week online programme. It's on SALE for you right now! 
As I leave Melbourne today winging my way across the Tasman Ocean, I just wanted to acknowledge why, for one month from mid-July, I'm having 'Circuit-Breaker' month. I'm celebrating:   

2,000 amazing women across 15 different countries have come on either of the MyMT™ symptom reduction programmes (there is also 'Transform Me' for women wanting weight loss).
We now have over 40,000 women in our database who receive my newsletters around the world every week.
I sold out my first UK Masterclass on Menopause seminars in Edinburgh and London (in addition to NZ and Australia) - [please click through on the link to watch an abbreviated version if you aren't in a location where there is my live-event]. 
And to top all this off, our new and improved website has just been launched. 

That's why I want to celebrate with you. As I say in my seminars, you can't concentrate on all you have to do in a day if you are struggling with your symptoms in menopause - especially when you aren't sleeping or your hot flushes, sore joints and emotions are causing you grief. You can't go on feeling like this and as I found myself, supplements and hormone therapies only seem to help for a while. When I realised that these weren't getting to the bottom of the fact that there are numerous physical changes that occur in our muscles, liver, heart and blood vessels as we age, then I knew I had to do something about it. So when you can, please have a listen to my VIDEO below and then join me when you can. I've decided that for the first time ever we will run a one month Circuit Breaker sale from now until 18th August.  
Normally  NZ$399, MyMT Circuit Breaker has been reduced to NZ$250 for the next month ONLY.  There are monthly payments so you don't have to outlay all of it at once. The programme is all online and you listen to my modules in your time, not mine. As well, if anything needs to be changed to better suit you, then you get hold of me via the private coaching page, or on email. I am here to support you and guide you through what to do to feel like yourself again. 
When you are ready to join me on this fabulous menopause specific programme which takes you through how to turn around your symptoms using lifestyle solutions (and yes, there is food information for you too) then please use the promo code RESTART 2019 to claim your discount.    
To read about what I have for you in the MyMT Circuit-Breaker programme, then please listen to my video below or read about it on the My Menopause Transformation website. When I discovered that menopause is the biological gateway to our ageing, I knew that I had to put what I was discovering in my women's healthy ageing research into a step-by-step plan for you. I called it 'Circuit-Breaker' because with everything I learnt, I was able to 'break the circuit' of my symptoms using specific lifestyle solutions targeting this special stage of life. It's been my privilege to educate women how to do this too. 
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXvuNndJq-4&t=3s		
														
															
If menopause symptoms are robbing you of precious sleep, your energy, and sometimes it feels like your sanity as well; if hot flushes and night sweats are uncontrollable, it's time to join me on MyMT™  Circuit Breaker? As I explain in my seminars, menopause is the gateway to whether we age with good health and function or not. Our mothers generation have already discovered this. So, if we let symptoms, especially our sleep patterns, get too out of control, then this can spiral us into more health problems as we head into our post-menopause years. Some of you may have found this already I'm sure. 

Whilst my website and blogs are full of information to help you survive menopause and thrive at life, the difference is that my 12 week online programmes teach you is 'what to change and how to change'. When you come on board you also have access to me if anything needs to be adjusted to better suit your needs. We are all different and lead different lives, culturally and geographically, so sometimes things need to be adjusted to suit you personally. 
My approach uniquely positions menopause in wellness, not in sickness.  
Sandra (photo above) allowed me to guide her on the Circuit Breaker programme, and like many of the women featured on the Success Stories on our website, she was delighted when she started sleeping all night, learnt how to control hot flushes and night sweats, reduced her sore joints and restored her energy, and perhaps her sanity as well.  I love this photo that I took when I met her at one of my live events. She looks calm and radiant. 
Circuit Breaker is best suited for thinner, leaner women who are struggling to gain control of their menopause symptoms.  On the Circuit Breaker programme you’ll complete seven step-by-step online modules to learn how to:

Sleep all night without night sweats.
Reduce your hot flushes. 
Restore your energy levels to what they used to be.
Restore your gut health so your body absorbs the nutrients you need for improved health.
Restore your liver health and reduce any inflammation that can lead to poor absorption of healthy nutrients that are essential to your health in menopause. 
Feel calm and in control again.
Reduce stress.
Meet the specific nutritional needs of your body as your hormones change. 
Discover the lifestyle strategies you also need to put into place if you are on HRT or menopause-related Anti-depressants (Please note that I don't interfere with any decisions you make about medications - this is entirely between you and your Doctor). 

														
															
		Will you join me over the next month? You'll save NZ$49 and making the monthly payments for 3 months $83NZ a month. And because I know that life gets in the way, there is no rush to do the programme in the 3 months. You can take as long as you need and after the 3 months is up, you just remain on my coaching support and continue access to the programme for a small admin fee of only $12.50NZ a month.
Please use the RESTART 2019 promo code to literally reclaim your old self in menopause. Too many women are not enjoying their lives, because menopause symptoms are leaving them feeling exhausted. But it doesn't have to be this way.

When we adjust our lifestyle to suit our changing hormonal environment in mid-life, we can feel like our old self again. When you are ready to access my coaching and support on the 12 week Circuit Breaker programme, then please join me.
In 3 months time you'll be glad you did.  
 		
																										
		Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Lifestyle Coach

### MELBOURNE, JULY 16TH: Join me for your Masterclass on Menopause hosted by Anna Loypur from SwimWorld.

Thank you to Anna for inviting me to Melbourne.

“When I came across Wendy’s My Menopause Transformation programme it was like a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. With a hugely busy job managing SwimWorld, I was so confused about how I was feeling. But Wendy’s knowledge about this stage of our lives answered all the questions that I wasn’t getting from others. So many women struggle in menopause as I did too.That’s why I wanted to host Wendy in Melbourne and bring her Masterclass on Menopause to Melbourne women. Please come along. You will be amazed what you will discover. “

Anna Loypur, Managing Director, Swimworld Melbourne.


https://youtu.be/EawLGR0GwrA
Will you join us at my live-event?
Because when you do, you’ll discover how my research into women’s healthy ageing led me down the rabbit-hole of our menopause transition. You will discover why your symptoms are creating chaos with your mood, motivation, exercise tolerance, weight management and more. But most importantly, you’ll discover that the most important thing during menopause, is that changing your lifestyle to match your changing hormonal environment is more powerful than we are led to believe.

I can’t wait to share my discoveries about menopause, and why this is the essential gateway into good health as we age, with you too. Join me on July 16th, in MELBOURNE. Batman’s Hill Hotel on Collins, 6.30 – 8.30pm. I can’t wait!



My fascination with the link between menopause and healthy ageing began when peri-menopause came raging along when I was 50. It took me by surprise. And when I heard from my PhD participants that they had similar issues, I realised that women in their 50’s are forgotten when it comes to understanding what to do to turn around menopause symptoms, including weight gain without resorting to expensive, short-acting supplements and HRT.

That’s when I decided to look into it. Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing and in many cultures around the world, there is not the same symptoms chaos that women in many western countries, including the UK and New Zealand, are experiencing. I was curious to know why this was. And I found that by looking at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I was able to put into place powerful strategies that enabled me to change my energy levels, get my healing sleep back, wittle off 15kg and restore hormonal harmony in my aching joints and muscles. All without the emphasis on vigorous exercise and dieting which I tried, but which made my symptoms worse.

This is what this seminar is about. Following an early career in nursing and then the health and fitness industry, followed by university-level lecturing in a range of exercise science and wellbeing topics, I have combined my 30 years of knowledge and experience to bring this seminar to you. I hope you can join me. I want to get the word out that mid-life matters to women. And in an ageing world, women must remain healthy, relevant and energetic. We are often still working and have a lot still to get done – another 30 years of living in fact! If this is you, but menopause has blind-sided your energy, your weight and your mojo, then please join me. I won’t let you down.

I love it when women come to my Masterclass on Menopause seminars and as they are leaving I hear them say, “wow, now I know why I’m feeling this way. It all makes so much sense.”


Tickets $25  –  BOOK HERE

### “I’m now sleeping all night and feel back in control. What an amazing programme.” - Tina, NZ

“Stress has always been my biggest challenge” mentioned Tina. “My heart races and when I have so much going on in my life, there is an inability to access deep calm at times. But your amazing programme has helped me understand what is really going on as my hormones change in peri-menopause.
I love the science in every lesson throughout the programme. It gave me a real depth of  understanding about what is transpiring inside my body at this stage of life. I had no idea.

For me the first lesson on sleep was the most changing. I began to understand how much my lifestyle impacts on my sleep quality as well as being in menopause. Your ability to link these two concepts has enabled me to get back in control of my sleep. As someone who has been active all my life and love my exercise, I realised that I wasn’t eating the right foods for all the activity I was doing. I had become very confused. For example, I liked finding out the thermogenic effect of foods, especially protein and I now understand why I was having so many hot flushes and feeling hot all the time. I know the impact now.

I’m so looking forward to now doing your exercise module, Rebuild My Fitness.

I think the whole structure of your online programme was perfect for me, especially as I live in a remote location in New Zealand. I now better understand that , as this is the finale to a new way of living, and leads in perfectly to the exercise programme.

Knowing the influence of declining estrogen on cortisol levels was the key I needed. Now I understand what is going on and can simply kick into relaxation techniques. Ditto for the choice of olive oil over coconut oil – so easy having the facts spelled out!
" Many heartfelt thanks again on behalf of all women for stepping up to create this. I now understand what is going on in my body and how to turn around my symptoms. Your expertise in getting sleep sorted was the starting point and I now feel so much better. In fact, when I think about your MyMT programme now, there’s a song that comes to mind… ‘Break on through to the other side!‘ ”

Tina Drummond - Gisborne, NZ


Find out more about MyMT™ Circuit Breaker Programme

mymenopausetransformation.com
Putting menopause into ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’.

### Join me in July – London, Edinburgh and Melbourne – I’m coming your way.

I love it when women come to my Masterclass on Menopause seminars and as they are leaving I hear them say, “wow, now I know why I’m feeling this way. It all makes so much sense.”https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Dr-Wendy-Sweet-talks-about-her-seminars-coming-up-in-July..mp4Will you join me at my live-event when it arrives in your community too? Because when you do, you’ll discover how my research into women’s healthy ageing led me down the rabbit-hole of our menopause transition. You will discover why your symptoms are creating chaos with your mood, motivation, exercise tolerance, weight management and more. But most importantly, you’ll discover that the most important thing during menopause, is that changing your lifestyle to match your changing hormonal environment is more powerful than we are led to believe.I can’t wait to share my discoveries about menopause, and why this is the essential gateway into good health as we age, with you too. Join me in July – London, Edinburgh and now MELBOURNE date just released. Can’t wait!		
																					
		My fascination with the link between menopause and healthy ageing began when peri-menopause came raging along when I was 50. It took me by surprise. And when I heard from my PhD participants that they had similar issues, I realised that women in their 50’s are forgotten when it comes to understanding what to do to turn around menopause symptoms, including weight gain without resorting to expensive, short-acting supplements and HRT.
That’s when I decided to look into it. Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing and in many cultures around the world, there is not the same symptoms chaos that women in many western countries, including the UK and New Zealand, are experiencing. I was curious to know why this was. And I found that by looking at menopause through the lens of our biological ageing, I was able to put into place powerful strategies that enabled me to change my energy levels, get my healing sleep back, wittle off 15kg and restore hormonal harmony in my aching joints and muscles. All without the emphasis on vigorous exercise and dieting which I tried, but which made my symptoms worse.
This is what this seminar is about. Following an early career in nursing and then the health and fitness industry, followed by university-level lecturing in a range of exercise science and wellbeing topics, I have combined my 30 years of knowledge and experience to bring this seminar to you. I hope you can join me. I want to get the word out that mid-life matters to women. And in an ageing world, women must remain healthy, relevant and energetic. We are often still working and have a lot still to get done – another 30 years of living in fact! If this is you, but menopause has blind-sided your energy, your weight and your mojo, then please join me. I won’t let you down.
I love it when women come to my Masterclass on Menopause seminars and as they are leaving I hear them say, “wow, now I know why I’m feeling this way. It all makes so much sense.”
Wendy Sweet PhD Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher and MyMT™ Creator and Coach		
									
						LONDON 					
						University of London: Thursday, 4th July, 2019  Tickets only £20					
					
						Book Here					
									
						EDINBURGH 					
						University of Edinburgh: Tuesday 9th July, 2019 Tickets only £20					
					
						Book Here					
									
						MELBOURNE					
						Batman’s Hill on Collins: Tuesday, 16th July, 2019 Tickets only $25					
					
						Book Here

### NEW VIDEO: MyMT™ ‘Circuit Breaker’ is for thinner/ leaner women who need to ‘break the circuit’ of their symptoms. Let me tell you how.

It’s a bit of a myth that all women put on weight in menopause. Many women don’t. In fact some lose weight and if they become too thin, this can lead to symptom chaos as well as the risk of osteoporosis as they move into post-menopause.		
																					
		As I embarked on my women’s healthy ageing research I identified four key pain-points for women transitioning through menopause that can set them up for further health concerns as they get older.

Lack of sleep
Night sweats and increasing hot flushes/ flashes
Mood swings, anxiety and depression
Tiredness, fatigue and for many women weight gain or weight loss.

Chronic muscular pain (fibro-myalgia), high cholesterol, poor insulin regulation, high blood pressure, sore joints, sore muscles, a racing heart rate, arthritis, migraines, depression, gut problems and many more health issues are all described in women’s health research during and after menopause. Our mother’s generation already know this. But all these symptoms are known to have links to inflammation deep in our cells.
When I began to understand that menopause can be the catalyst to changes in underlying inflammation caused by our natural ageing, I began to also understand that by allowing your body to adapt to this stage of life, not only can you reduce inflammation, but you can also ‘break the circuit’ of your symptoms.		
			I designed MyMT™ Circuit Breaker out of research relating to women’s healthy ageing. With menopause heralding in the next phase of our lives, I know we all need to restore the energy and vitality we deserve to have at this time of life.		
		I’m Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD]. My women’s healthy ageing research changed my life. I know it can change your life too.https://youtu.be/CXvuNndJq-4

### VIDEO: DUNEDIN, LONDON and EDINBURGH – Your turn for my live Masterclass on Menopause is next!

June and July is Masterclass on Menopause Month – will you join me? Have a listen when you can. I’m beaming in from my Wellington event which I help on Wednesday evening. Thank you to all of you who joined myself and the beautiful Mish McCormack from HealthFit Collective in Wellington. I count Mish as one of the best Personal Trainers in New Zealand so hunt her down if you can.
DUNEDIN – I can’t wait to come back to my old home ground on JUNE 20th. Read about the event HERE and book your ticket which is $25.
LONDON – WOW! I can’t believe I am coming to London but I am. So please join me at the University of London on JULY 4th. Tickets £20 and if you go to this link HERE then I explain what the seminar is about.
EDINBURGH – I worked in Edinburgh as a nurse many moons ago and I loved this beautiful city which felt so familiar as it is the ‘sister city’ of Dunedin in the South Island of New Zealand. Many South Island women like myself, have strong familial ties to Scotland and you know I can’t wait to get there Edinburgh ladies. Please join me and book HERE. Tickets £20. Video Playerhttps://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dr-Wendy-Sweet-Talks-Seminar-Events-Coming-Up.mp4

### Learn why your menopause bloating, weight gain and hot flushes are connected.

Menopause and Bloating
By the time I reached menopause I was puzzled. I couldn’t understand why I felt so bloated all the time, the weight was going on by the day and despite exercising daily and eating well, my hot flushes were worse in the evening - just when I was about to cook dinner and do the myriad of jobs that need to be done in a household busy with teenagers still living at home. I had no idea that these symptoms were connected until I did my women's healthy ageing research. Did you?



Causes of Menopause Bloating

I’m so pleased that I untangled our menopause symptoms. When I focused on healthy ageing research, I began to discover the incredible physical changes that occur throughout our body as we go through menopause. Changes which are crucial to understand when it comes to turning around hot flushes, bloating and weight gain in menopause. These symptoms are all related to our changing liver, our gut and our blood vessels which are affected by lowering oestrogen levels too.
The effect of lowering oestrogen on other organs is more important than we think.





When I looked into the women's health research, I found that menopause bloating can be due to poor liver and gall bladder function. When we lose oestrogen, there are numerous changes to our blood vessels too, especially those that infiltrate our liver. Blood vessels become more constricted as we age and with menopause heralding in our biological ageing, our liver, which is full of tiny blood vessels, loses up to 40% volume by the time we are 60 years old. Not only does its ability to metabolise cholesterol decrease by up to 35% as we transition through menopause but it also produces less bile, [Brady, 2015]. What this means is that our ability to break down fats in menopause is less than we think. 
It's why I always tell mid-life women to be very cautious about popular high-fat keto diets. 




When I began to understand what happens to our various organs when we go into menopause, which is the time of our lives when we are biologically ageing, it made sense to look at liver and gall-bladder function, especially when it came to weight loss. I started to make this connection because my current fitness and diet routine was not working. But I remembered that over 35 years ago when I had ‘another life’ as a student nurse and was working on the surgical wards, these wards were full of women who fitted the ‘typical’ profile for gallbladder surgery – they were in their 50’s, had lots of belly fat and often described feelings of bloating and a hardish lump and pain under their diaphragm. Sound familiar? I couldn’t get this image out of my mind when I began to feel bloated as I went through peri-menopause too. When I developed the bulge and ‘hard lump’ under my diaphragm, I remembered a leading Surgical Consultant explain to young Doctors one morning on the ward round, that the typical profile of a woman who developed gallstones and required a cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) was, in his words, which I remember to this day, “Fair, Fat and Fifty”!  My goodness, as I went into peri-menopause and put on belly fat and experienced more bloating, I was becoming that woman too! (And don’t worry yourself about the ‘fair-haired’ bit, it can affect any hair colour!).



The gall-bladder plays a greater role in fat metabolism than we think during menopause. This is why I don’t encourage women to go on a really high fat, high protein diet until they have had their gall-bladder and liver function checked by their Doctor, especially if they have pain or discomfort. Mid-life is a time of our lives when our risk of developing gall-stones increases too. But even if we don’t have gall-stones or changed liver function, then we need to spend some time (around 6 weeks) improving our liver function and this is a big focus on the MyMT Transfrom Me weight loss programme.  

One of the main changes that occurs as we transition through menopause is that our gallbladder produces less bile. Hence, with the increased loads on our liver and gallbladder over the decades (e.g. alcohol, saturated fats, exposure to toxins, chemicals, medicines, sugar, additives and preservatives), as Carla Brady states in her 2015 article on Liver Disease in Menopause:

“For women, issues regarding liver disease are unique in that both age and hormonal factors influence the development and progression of various liver diseases, and it has been demonstrated that this interplay of factors negatively affects the course of liver-related health in postmenopausal women.”

Our liver and gallbladder help us to metabolise and absorb fats in readiness for energy production in the body. Fats also carry important vitamins. When fats are processed and broken down in the liver and gall bladder, they move to your mitochondrial cells. Every single organ, including our muscles and heart muscle, have mitochondrial cells. So, we need these cells functioning well to help us lose weight, reduce our hot flushes and enable us to stay healthy and energetic as we age. Fats cross the mitochondrial membrane with help from two nutrients, CoQ10 (Ubiquinol) and L-Carnitine, however, as we transition through menopause, both of these nutrients decline, so again fat uptake into mitochondrial cells for fat-burning can be compromised in mid-life women.



Add this to changing bile production, then our gall-bladder doesn’t move the fats as readily, which affects fat utilisation for our energy availability and can also make us feel bloated.






Relief For Menopause Bloating
Changing to my safe menopause diet for improved gall bladder, liver and cardiac health has been just one of the changes I have made in my personal menopause transformation based on women's healthy ageing research, not the 'one-size-fits-all' fitness and nutrition advice that is too readily handed out to mid-life women. It's why I've designed the MyMT™ Transform Me weight loss programme just for women in their menopause and post-menopause years. 
When we focus on the research for all of the organs that change during menopause, then we are able to reduce our hot flushes too.  The link between weight gain, menopause bloating and hot flushes is important.  When we are overweight our blood pressure tends to increase, especially when we aren't sleeping. But it's also to do with loss of oestrogen, because we we lose oestrogen our blood vessels become more constricted. This leads to increased blood pressure in post-menopause in millions of women around the world especially if they are overweight. New research suggests that our blood vessels are under the control of our night/ day circadian cycle and a disrupted circadian rhythm can cause blood pressure surges at certain times of the day and night.  [Thosar, Berman et al. 2019].



For women, high blood pressure occurs in the early hours of the morning, but also in the evening.... just when you are getting home from work, getting dinner sorted and attending to the myriad of tasks that need to be done in the home - which means you feel hot and sweaty, as I used to as well. 


When women come into the MyMT ‘Transform Me’ programme, I teach them powerful lifestyle strategies which they can utilise to not only lose weight, but to reduce hot flushes, menopause bloating and restore energy levels. Menopause is a time for lifestyle change so that we allow our body to adjust to our changing hormones in menopause. For too long menopause has been the domain of medicine and supplement companies, but when we position menopause itself in the research for healthy ageing, we can reduce hot flushes and prevent menopause-related weight gain and bloating. It's what I did and I know you can too.

Some of the things that I focus women on in the first 6 weeks of the 12 week ‘Transform Me’ programme, are to:

 	Reduce the inflammation that has been building up for years. Not only does this require sleeping all night and reducing hot flushes, but it also requires changing your diet to have lots of deep green and purple vegies and vegetable juices and around 20% of your diet as healthier Omega 3 fats. These don’t overload the liver and gallbladder as much as saturated fats do as you are reducing menopause bloating and improving your liver function.



 	Have a LOWER SATURATED FAT diet (animal fats) for at least 4-6 weeks. Only 15-20% of your daily intake should be fats if you are putting on belly fat and feeling bloated during menopause. This contrasts with a high fat diet which is often up to around 30-40% of daily intake. I also remind women that every time we eat protein foods, such as dairy products, meat, nuts, salmon, chicken and eggs, then these are sources of fats too. So too are all the coconut oils and yoghurts and other heavily marketed dairy products. All of these sources of saturated fats add-up, so I have lists of the fats that help to reduce inflammation and heal the liver and gallbladder in the MyMT Food Guide and Recipe book.

Based on my women’s healthy ageing research, I encourage women to take a 3-phase approach to their weight management, menopause bloating and hot flush management in this programme:
Phase 1: I teach you how to reduce inflammation in your body and stop a condition called ‘oestrogen dominance’. this condition is causing excess oestrogen to be stored in fat cells including liver cells, which become blocked. This includes adding the right activity and specific stretching to enhance liver and gallbladder function.


Phase 2: In this phase, we turn around mitochondrial health, so that fats are going to the mitochondria to produce energy. Enhancing fat metabolism includes having a focus on liver and gallbladder health.

Phase 3: Once women have come through the Liver-Lover module, they go on to discover how to improve their energy levels even further with my ‘Eat to Sustain, Not to Gain’ module. It’s important to manage longer-term energy once you have cleaned out the liver, so I have all of this information in this module as well.
Women who have already joined me on the programme, say it’s “life-changing”.  The cost of the 12 week online programme is $99NZ a month for 3 months and this includes my personalised coaching. You can take longer than 3 months if you like – there is no time pressure and I know how busy you all are in your day-to-day life, which is why everything is online and you do the programme whenever it suits you, not me. I know you'll love that. Jump onto the website when you can and have a read of the Success Stories and all about my programmes. Together we can tackle your menopause bloating and other symptoms www.mymenopausetransformation.com


Dr Wendy Sweet, [PhD] - Read more about me HERE. 

### VIDEO: Meet Wendy Sweet as she tells you about her revolutionary and refreshing approach to control of menopause symptoms.

Why do we have so many symptoms that impact on how we feel during our menopause transition? Why do we all need to suddenly take supplements and medicines when we've been healthy all our lives?  Why can't we sleep? Why can't we tolerate doing the exercise that we love to do? WHY? WHY? WHY?

What is really going on?  When my own menopause symptoms blind-sided me, that was my curiosity too. When women on my healthy ageing studies were telling me that they were concerned about their health as they aged and "didn't want to age like their mother's had, that's when I decided to look into menopause as part of my women's healthy ageing research.
I hope that when you get time, you can watch my video below where I describe how I can help you transition through menopause naturally. It's the gateway to our biological ageing and positioning menopause in women's healthy ageing research changed my life and is now transforming other women's lives too. I know this because they tell me. When you have time, please visit the My Menopause Transformation website and then come on board into either of my 12 week online programmes (one for thinner women & one for weight loss) and get back to living your life free of symptoms in menopause using my powerful lifestyle change solutions. Menopause symptoms have been heavily medicalised and placed in pharmaceutical supplements for decades - it's time to change that and understand that as we lose oestrogen, our body is biologically ageing - it's why we have to change our lifestyle to allow our body to adjust to our new phase of life. Have a listen when you can.

[Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder & Lifestyle Coach]

https://youtu.be/gL7rZX4b7uQ

### New Research: Your belly-fat in post-menopause ... and why you shouldn't just blame your hormones.

Have you ever wondered why so many women put on belly-fat as they move through menopause into post-menopause? This so confused me at the time. My legs were getting thinner, but my belly was getting bigger. Dangerously bigger. I knew it wasn't good for my heart health and it was sending me down the slippery slope towards a condition called Metabolic Syndrome. This is the chaotic cocktail of health changes linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and emerging Type 2 diabetes.

[Getty Images: Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd.]
It seemed that every morning my body had a mind of it's own. The fat-roll under my diaphragm got bigger and my knees became more sore - not great for someone who has run all her life to help her 'cope' with the vagaries of life.  My breasts got bigger and don't even mention the yoga classes. As someone who has been active and fit all her life, touching my toes and the downward-dog was never a problem ... until I went into menopause. My waist was expanding and from all my lecturing in exercise and sports science over the years, I also knew that an increased waist circumference in women is linked to heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Like so many women on my women's healthy ageing doctoral study, I was confused. As they mentioned, they had been active throughout their life, and continued to be active, most working with Personal Trainers. But the struggle with weight gain in mid-life was real, as was the sore joints, sore muscles, lack of sleep and spending lots of money on endless supplements and visits to health specialists. Most knew that the slippery-slope towards changing heart-health may be inevitable because their mother's health had gone that way too - 'Not like My Mother' was a dominant theme in my research. It's why, with my own weight changing by the day, I went on a quest to search the existing science about weight loss in menopause. Everything I discovered helped me to design the online MyMT Transform Me programme, which is changing women's lives (and waist circumference) for the better. I know this, because they tell me. :)



When I became so despondent and confused about my menopause weight, I began to understand that current nutrition and fitness industry  advice was only part of the answer. As women who are now in post-menopause (as I am), we are the first generation  to come through the modern fitness industry and all the various nutritional advice, however, research has left us behind. There is very little exercise and nutrition research that is specific to this life-stage. Most of the sport, exercise, health and nutritional research has been conducted on males and athletes over the years as well.
We feel forgotten and invisible in mid-life in more ways than one. 
As I slowly pieced together the menopause-misery jigsaw I pulled together cardio-vascular research, diabetes and heart- health research as well as physical activity and longevity studies and of course nutrition and exercise research that was focused on mid-life women's health. The more I read, the more I began to understand that the greatest concern for women as they age, in terms of their expanding waistline and belly-fat, wasn't necessarily to do with hormonal changes (this is a normal life-stage which I describe as the 'book-end' to puberty), but instead was because we aren't sleeping, our joints feel sore and we are losing precious muscle which helps to boost our metabolism. It's why I loved this insight from brand new research out of the Australian National University, recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

If I had this research a few years ago, it would have saved a lot of lonely research of my own. In a review of studies that included more than 1 million pre- and post-menopausal women, the researchers learnt what I and many other women, have discovered in real life - that our waist circumference increases during and after menopause and the amount of fat that we have in our legs decreases.
Skinnier legs are great in tight jeans, but the belly fat hanging over the top is not great at all. In fact it is dangerous for our health as we age ... and if we want to live as healthily as we can, we need to mange our post-menopause fat-gain.
But here's the thing. As I often say in my online 12 week programmes - menopause itself isn't the issue. This is a natural life stage that we all go through. The issue is that we are ageing. And because we are ageing, we are losing our precious muscle and when this happens, we gain fat, especially the fat that is centralised around the abdomen. This changes our heart-health and it's why, in post-menopause women, the risk for cardio-vascular disease (heart attacks and strokes) are higher than men.
Incredibly, because of our muscle loss as we move into post-menopause, we can add 1-2 kg  a week during menopause when we can’t sleep, with much of this going on our belly and under our diaphragm.
"It's important to understand how women's bodies change as they age because women have higher rates of some diseases than men", said Ananthan Ambikairajah, a PhD candidate at the Australian National University, who led the study. "The implications are important, because central fat has been linked with dementia risk, and central fat is linked with cardiovascular disease risk."

"More attention needs to be paid to central fat accumulation, because that's the bad stuff," mentioned Ambikairajah.
Every extra kilo of weight is an added burden on your joints, heart, liver, cholesterol, muscle function and insulin levels as you age. It's also the reason that I know that many of you can't do the exercise necessary to ward off changing heart-health and Type 2 diabetes. New research suggests that a combination of more vigorous cardio and strength is important to battle the bulge BUT we are often to exhausted from not sleeping and worsening hot flushes to care. That's how I felt myself. And for someone who has been at the forefront of the exercise industry in New Zealand, I was as disheartened as many of you are as well.
Here's the good news though - when you turn around your sleep, energy levels, sore joints, hot flushes and you stop gaining weight, you can get back into the exercise that you not only know will help your health, but will make  you feel great.


The women who join me on the MyMT Transform Me programme, know that turning around post-menopause belly-fat has nothing to do with hours spent exercising, or low carb, high protein, high fat, hard-to-adhere to, popular diets. It’s all to do with sleeping all night so that, first and foremost, we stop gaining fat. Then it's about balancing our blood-sugar levels and reducing the impact of insulin, our blood sugar regulation hormone. Along the way, we also need to focus on giving ourselves a liver rescue so that excess oestrogens are metabolised. As we go into post-menopause, our body doesn't need as much oestrogen any more. In fact, it's the excess oestrogen that's the problem. If we have high levels of oestrogens in our diet and through environmental exposure (xeno-oestrogens), then our fat cells store the excess. Our fat cells love oestrogen and store this readily.
When we aren’t sleeping, excess oestrogen that is being produced in the body goes to fat cells, so we must improve clearance of this excess oestrogen from our liver. The starting point for post-menopause weight loss, lies with the liver, not lots of exhausting exercise.
In fact, when we store excess oestrogens in our fat cells (including liver and breast tissue) then we can develop a condition called oestrogen dominance. What this means is that oestrogen becomes the 'dominant' hormone to the detriment of progesterone as we move through menopause and into post-menopause.

I never knew about oestrogen dominance when I went into menopause – nor did I realise how much muscle can be lost when we are too exhausted to exercise properly and aren't sleeping. These two factors combined are a post-menopause weight gain nightmare. I only learnt about the powerful combination of these factors when nothing worked for my menopause weight loss. Despite being on Menopause HRT, and following the popular diet and exercise advice that I was given by various health and nutrition professionals, every week, my belly-fat, bloating and sore boobs continued to increase. It was the same too, for so many women who I was interviewing for my women’s healthy ageing studies at the time. When I heard their stories, I knew I had to look into what was really going on in our menopause transition because if we don't, then menopause weight gain becomes a ticking time-bomb for our health as we age.



So, if you are as bewildered as I was, here's the real (and new) science behind your menopause weight gain:

 	Not sleeping increases your blood-sugar hormone called insulin - both overnight and during the day. The role of insulin is to shift glucose around your body, especially to your brain, liver and muscle cells where it gets stored in your cells. But when we don't sleep, our blood pressure and heart rate remain higher during the day, which in turn increases two hormones which impact weight gain - insulin and our chronic stress hormone, called cortisol. To lose belly-fat and change our risk for Type 2 diabetes in post-menopause, both insulin and cortisol need to be low, especially at night.  If they remain high, they interfere with the production of your sleep hormone called ‘melatonin‘. As we prepare to go to sleep and stay asleep, then melatonin levels should be as high as they can be. This is why I teach women what to do to achieve the right balance between melatonin and insulin production as part of the first module they listen to in their private learning area on the 12 week MyMT Transform Me programme. If you want to start losing weight, you must sleep. 



2. In post-menopause, testosterone production increases if you still have  your ovaries - this disrupts insulin and cortisol. Your body is amazing. Never forget that. As women going into post-menopause, if we still have our ovaries, we are producing some testosterone. We all have varying degrees of testosterone in us and some of you stronger, larger ladies with an adrenal or pituitary body-type might produce more as well. But levels of this hormone go UP when you are feeling stressed, causing even more production of your stress hormones and the one that we don’t want called cortisol. The powerful combination of higher testosterone and high cortisol keeps your belly fat going up. Add to that not sleeping and fat cells then store the extra testosterone which your adrenal glands are busily making because you are feeling stressed!

Testosterone is an androgen, or sex-related hormone. It is produced in your ovaries, adrenal glands and fat cells and in women, testosterone contributes to over 200 actions in our body, from muscle development, to growing facial hair on our chins, to influencing anger and frustration. In natural menopause, androgen levels don’t suddenly drop, but at this time of life, you are producing about 50% less than in puberty, which is often the cause of women losing their libido and mojo at this time as well!
But there is something else affecting your weight gain during menopause as well – your loss of muscle. I call it, the forgotten factor in understanding menopause weight gain.
3. Muscle loss in post-menopause contributes to lowered metabolism and fat gain. When we lose oestrogen as a normal outcome of our changing biology, we also lose muscle size and density. It’s a condition called sarcopenia, which is a fancy name for muscle loss. If we aren’t sleeping, then the muscle loss speeds up as your metabolism changes because you aren’t getting the benefit of muscle recovery overnight - even for those of you doing weights. When we don’t sleep however, as I said earlier, one of our chronic stress hormones, called cortisol remains high. One of the outcomes, is that as you lose muscle density, then you also lose the number and size of mitochondrial cells. These beautiful cells store oxygen and this is where fat is burned. In menopause and as a natural part of our biological ageing, we lose precious mitochondrial cells and this wrecks havoc on menopause fat-burning potential. 

All of these factors combined – not sleeping, increased insulin, high stress levels, testosterone changes and loss of muscle tissue – have the greatest impact on our changing health and weight gain as we move into post-menopause. 
I would love you to transition through menopause and into post-menopause using the powerful lifestyle strategies which I’ve researched specifically to help you manage your symptoms and turn around the weight that may have stacked on as it did for me too.  I called the 12 week weight loss programme ‘Transform Me’ because that’s what I wanted to achieve during menopause when I felt bloated and uncomfortable and exercise and nutrition wasn’t shifting my weight as it used to do for years. After I looked into menopause and positioned it in women’s healthy ageing studies, I began to understand why.  If  you would like to learn more, then when you have time, then please visit the My Menopause Transformation website and join me as soon as you can. I can't wait to help you too. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)



References: 

Edwards, B. & Jin Li, [2013]. Endocrinology of menopause. Periodontology, 61, 177–194.

Ford, C. et al. [2017]. Evaluation of diet pattern and weight gain in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 117, 1189–1197.

Harvard Health, [2018]. Lose weight and keep it off. Harvard Health Online Publications. Boston: MA

Kendall, B. & Ester, R. [2002]. Exercise-induced muscle damage and the potential protective role of estrogen. Sports Med., 32 (2), 103-123

Lerchbaum, E. [2014]. Vitamin D and Menopause: A review. Maturitas, 79, 3-7.

Moudi, A. et.al [2018]. The relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and sleep quality in menopausal women. Biomedicine, 8(2), 34-40.

Rizzi, M. [2016]. Sleep disorders in fibromyalgia syndrome. J. of Pain & Relief, 5:2.

Ryan, M. Itsiopoulos, C. et al. (2014). The Mediterranean diet improves hepatic steatosis and insulin sensitivity in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Hepatology, 59(1), 138-143.

Santosa, S. & Jensen, M. (2013). Adipocyte fatty acid storage factors enhance subcutaneous fat storage in postmenopausal women. Diabetes, 62,3, 775-782, ProQuest Central.

### VIDEO: Meet Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD] from MyMT™.

Hi Everyone - how exciting - a new royal baby this week, and the start of a new life for the beautiful Royal couple, The Sussexes. It's such an exciting and nervous time when there is a new baby. And how little we knew when many of us had our own children. Research wasn't available about hormonal health and how our changing hormones, lack of sleep, nutritional choices and our busy lives affect our daily energy, motivation and moods! And look at us now, we are at the other end of the hormonal spectrum - menopause. And still our hormones are controlling our lives!

[Image Source: Harpers Bazaar/ Getty].
I don't know about you, but I was so confused about this stage of life. Way more confused than I was having a baby or two!  Not only because there are now so many opinions and controversies about how to look after ourselves, but also because menopause hasn't been spoken about much. It's been hidden in medicine.  But menopause is a natural life-event. It's the book-end to puberty and as I began to understand this, I knew there had to be a way to cut through the confusion about a stage of life that we all go through, but know so little about.

 Menopause is the life-transition that we go through as our ovaries go into natural decline. Even if you have had your ovaries removed, your pituitary gland in your brain is programmed to go into your natural biological 'ageing' when you reach your early 50's. With this natural biological 'ageing' there are numerous changes to your muscles, heart, nervous system, mood hormones, liver and gut as these structures are losing the role of oestrogen too. That's why we have to change how we look after ourselves at this life-stage, and allow our body to adapt to hormonal changes in menopause.  When we do, then our symptoms go away. If we don't, then it's a slippery slope towards other health concerns as we get older ... as our mother's generation has already discovered too.


When you are ready, have a wee listen to my short video below and then have a look around the website. It's called 'My Menopause Transformation' because that's how I felt when I figured out how to look after myself in menopause and turn around my sleep, hot flushes, mood swings and sore joints and I lost 15kg of menopause fat as well.

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder & Coach.

https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/MyMT-Programme-Info-for-Facebook-May-2019.mp4

### Thank you Palmerston North & how wonderful to meet Debb who told me, "I was lost, but now I'm back."

The conference room at the stadium was a bit cooler than we intended but maybe this was because the event manager saw the sign, 'Welcome to your Masterclass on Menopause' - maybe he thought he was doing us all a favour turning down the heat a bit. But it didn't matter because the room was full of well over 100 mid-life women, so there was enough warmth and laughter from everyone who came. It was an old student of mine from the University of Waikato, Tracy Breuer, who invited me to come to Palmerston North last night to talk 'menopause'. As an Exercise Physiologist and Personal Trainer, Tracy sees women struggling every day with their exercise because their joints are sore or they are too exhausted to train effectively. It doesn't surprise me, because when I asked who wasn't sleeping all night, nearly the entire room put up their hands.
As I always say, "If you aren't sleeping, then your body isn't healing and repairing from all that you are asking it to do from day to day and that includes exercise. As well, if you aren't sleeping, then you aren't burning fat." 

Debb knows this more than anyone. When she heard that I was coming to town, she messaged me to meet her for coffee. Here she is looking so radiant - 10 kg lost and I was blown away with her note saying, "I was lost, but now I'm back."



It's always so wonderful to meet women 'in the flesh' when you run an online programme and don't get the face-to-face client contact. Debb and I had lots to talk about. It was Tracy who told Debb about my programme. I still remember when Debb came into the 12 week Transform Me programme, as she was at her wits end - her emails described not sleeping, no motivation for exercise, sore joints, feeling bloated, overweight and despondent that it wasn't shifting with the exercise she was doing and the food that she was eating. That's when I told her that unless she turned around her sleep then it was no good doing lots of exercise. If you don't sleep, then you don't recover very well and this creates more chaos with our changing hormones in menopause. It's why the 'Sleep All Night' module is the first one that women listen to when they come onto the programme. As Debb worked through the programme, it all started to come together for her ... and of course, her weight started to shift too as she learnt how to revitalise her liver health. It's our liver that is responsible for clearing toxins and in menopause, we need to love our liver and love our heart.  Numerous studies have been conducted on the changes in the normal liver and in liver diseases in relation to ageing.

And as I said to all the women attending my seminar this week, our body is biologically ageing as we transition through menopause. As we head towards our late 50's and early 60's a low oestrogen hormonal environment and usual ageing, changes the blood flow to the liver and from the age of 60 there is an approximately 35% decrease in the blood volume of the liver compared
with those aged less than 40 years. It's why I'm so passionate about women understanding that mid-life is not the time to on diets high in fats and proteins until we heal and restore our liver health.  The neural fat and cholesterol volumes in
the liver gradually expand as one gets older, and the blood cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fat levels also increase over time. [Kim et al, 2015].

Both these organs are affected by our changing hormones in menopause as are our muscles and I'm so pleased that the women in Palmerston North who attended their Masterclass on Menopause know a bit more about this stage of life - as Debb does now too.



Wendy Sweet, PhD
Can't get to my live-event? Then have a listen to my online summary of the 'Masterclass on Menopause' HERE. 


References: 

Brady, C. (2015). Liver disease in menopause. World J. Gastroenterol, 21(25): 7613-7620

Kim, H., Kisseleva, T. & Brenner D. (2015). Aging and liver disease. Curr. Opin Gastroenterol. 31(3): 184–191.

### Discover the link between sore joints and menopause and the powerful nutrient your joints will love.

Whenever I get a health screening form arrive in my in-box from women who sign up to the MyMT™ progammes, I look carefully to see if they have ticked the box that they are experiencing  joint pain that has come on since they have reached menopause. The majority of women do. When I ask what their doctor or physio has said, invariably the response is 'they can't find anything wrong.' That's when I am thankful that they are on board with me. Because I get them using Omega 3-rich Olive Oil and get them away from the emphasis on coconut fats and various cooking oils, which have not been researched for helping us to turn around our joint health in menopause.
When my joints began to ache when I reached my early 50's, I thought it was due to weight gain and years of high-impact activity (and  yes, this is partly true).  However, I had no idea that decreasing oestrogen levels might be contributing to the knee joint creaks and aches, as was not changing my daily lifestyle to accommodate my changing hormones in menopause - this included having an anti-inflammatory diet and increasing the type of fats that help our joint health as we go through menopause. This included getting off all the various types of oils and going back to beautiful olive oil which has the right nutrients that our joints need in menopause.

For a long time I just put my knee pain down to over-use - you know, years of running, taking aerobic classes and doing lots of squats in all the BodyPump exercise classes that began in the late 1990's.  So when my knees started to ache at the end of the day, my 'past-life' doing lots of exercise flashed through my mind.  But even when I stopped doing lots of high impact exercise, the aching knees continued. I had myo-fascial release from my wonderful physio and bought insoles for my shoes and had massage. Still my knees ached and although I knew that my weight gain was affecting them too, even when I lost weight they ached!

It's why I'm so pleased that through my women's healthy ageing studies, I discovered the incredible role that Olive Oil has in reducing inflammation in the body as we age. It's also why I turned my back on all the hype about coconut oils and fats from the popular dietary advice that is not necessarily researched for women during menopause. For those of you who are regular exercisers, then this is important for you to think about as well. I say this because how much wear and tear you've had on your joints and muscles over the years means that menopause is a time when your joints can ache even more.

When I began to look at Theories on Ageing as part of my studies, I realised that I needed to look through this lens as well. The wear and tear theory of ageing was first introduced in 1882, by Dr. August Weismann, a German biologist. He believed that cells and tissues have vital parts that wear out resulting in ageing. Like components of an ageing car, parts of the body eventually wear out from repeated use, killing them so as they aren't able to be replaced. Scientists now know that there is some basis for this theory, especially because when we lose the 'hard-caps' on our DNA, the telomeres, this is known to increase the rate of ageing.

For those of us going through menopause, the role of oestrogen is important. Oestrogen has a role to play in cell turn-over and healing of our joints, so we need to think about what happens when we don't have oestrogen being produced (we still produce some as we age but not as much). This is where the type of exercise we do matters in menopause but most importantly, the type of nutrients that we get into us matters too.


Oestrogen is really, really important to our joints and muscles, because it's role is to protect membranes from damage and stabilise the membranes. As a fat-soluble hormone, the role of oestrogen is to help strengthen the cell membrane and in doing this, it assists as an anti-oxidant.  If your joints are aching and you have had them checked out by your medical or health professional (which I recommend obviously), then not only do you need to change your exercise to low impact (I have exercise programmes and videos in my other programme called, Rebuild My Fitness), but as I often say to women in my live events, before embarking on too much exercise, it's important to reduce inflammation by sleeping all night and changing nutrition. Menopause is the time to get the right nutrients for healing our body, reducing symptoms and enabling joint repair - especially for women who have had a lifetime of exercise. This is just some of what the two online MyMT programmes teach you to do. One is for women wanting to lose weight (which will also improve joint health) and the other programme is for thinner/ leaner women.
Nutrients for reducing inflammation in your joints come from Olive Oil - especially the nutrients, oleocanthal and Vitamin E.  According to Australia's Olive Wellness Institute, adding olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the diet (which is why I have a focus on the Mediterranean Diet in the powerful MyMT programmes) is crucial to reducing joint and cardiac health as we age.

Olive oil contains Tocopherol (Vitamin E). Coconut oil doesn't. Tocopherol or Vit. E, is a powerful anti-oxidant and we need it to help our hormonal health and our joint health during our menopause transition.  Vitamin E is unique among vitamins because the biological activity of it varies considerably and for it's adequate absorption, it requires fat digestion to be functioning normally. This is why in both of my 12 week programmes, I have researched how to reduce the inflammation and congestion in our liver so that we can better absorb the specific healthy plant fats that our body needs for reducing inflammation not only in our joints, but throughout our body too. Achieving this is not a 1-day wonder as many popular dietary fads promote. It requires a 3 month commitment (hence the length of my programmes).

The Recommended Daily Intake from the FDA in America is 15mg daily but in New Zealand the Recommended Daily Intake is 7-10mg, so take your pick!  I recommend Olive Oil on the MyMT™ programmes as this has around 1.5 mg of Vitamin E per tablespoon. Avocadoes, Almonds, Sunflower seeds and Hazelnuts are high in Vitamin E, as is Kumara (sweet potato).
"Evidence from randomised controlled trials shows olive oil exerts beneficial effects
on markers of inflammation and endothelial function."  [Schwingshackl et al., 2015].

If you are struggling with your changing health in menopause, then please join me on one of the MyMT  programmes.
There is so much mis-information about how to look after our health these days, and as I discovered too, very little of it is supported by research specific to menopause. That's why I had to use my expertise to figure it all out as part of my women's healthy ageing studies. It's so important for all of us to move freely and stay independent as we age.  With menopause heralding in the gateway into your biological ageing, it's time to look after yourself and ensure that your joints stay working for you, especially because we all need to remain as active as we can as we get older.  I love this image of Kaye below - it was only just over a year ago that she was so troubled with insomnia, weight gain, sore joints and aching muscles when she went into menopause and now look at her .. she sent me this image recently and I was amazed that she had just completed her first-ever marathon!
If you're as frustrated by how you are feeling in menopause or post-menopause as I was - not sleeping, sore joints and muscles, low energy, weight gain or increased anxiety - then please don't lose hope. You can turn this around. When HRT didn't work for me to help my joint problems or sleep, and nor did endless supplements, I knew that as part of my women's healthy ageing studies, I needed to dig-deeper into the research and find an evidenced way through menopause that restored our health, energy and vitality so we can enjoy feeling healthy and functional, as we go into the next phase of our life. Hundreds of women have now come on board and many have kindly shared their stories HERE.

When I untangled the millieu of menopause, I put what I discovered into two 12 week online programmes so that you can feel as healthy and energetic as I now do too.



Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD/ MyMT™ Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine]
PS: Don't forget that if you do have joint pain that is causing you increasing pain, then please get it checked out with your physio or medical provider as well.
References:

 	Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and the Protective role of Estrogen. Sports Med. 2002, 32(2), 103-123]
 	Schwingshackl, L., M. Christoph, and G. Hoffmann (2015). Effects of Olive Oil on Markers of Inflammation and Endothelial Function-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 7(9): p. 7651-75.

### Why attending this Hindu wedding was so cooling, despite the heat of the curries.

I quite like having to remove my shoes at a wedding. When you are in menopause or post-menopause it’s very cooling. Did you know that we have hundreds of nerve endings and tiny blood vessels in the soles of our feet that are part of our ancient cooling mechanism? It’s the same with the palms of our hands and when we are ‘hot and bothered’ during menopause, our cooling mechanism kicks in when we allow these regions to be exposed and in the context of our feet, also staying in touch with the earth.  Looking at the bride's beautiful henna-endowed hands reminded me how important our hands and feet are in controlling our body's cooling mechanisms.  I loved her hands – covered with henna, they added to her grace and composure as she moved them through the numerous Hindu wedding rituals.

Taking my shoes off at the temple door to show respect for the Hindu culture, fitted perfectly in with my mid-life circadian rhythm. It is well known by chrono-biologists [people who study Circadian Rhythm], that our temperature regulation is also on a day/night cycle. And it’s why so many women going into and through menopause feel hot and bothered between the hour so  4-7pm. It’s when our body is primed for heat and it’s all part of our day/ night circadian rhythm.


The Sri Lankan Hindu wedding I attended yesterday was a wonderful, colourful celebration of love infused with ancient culture and traditions. My daughter loved dressing for the occasion. The brides family were our friends. The bride's father was bought up in Sri Lanka and for him especially, the wedding and seeing his beautiful daughter so happy, was a welcome break from grief coming out of his home-country over the past week. Being surrounded by love not hate, is healing. The priest chanted his way through the 3+hour-long ceremony and the young bridal couple sat with dignity and reverence for their culture despite living their modern, career-driven lives.

Over thousands of years Hindu wedding ceremonies have taken place to create the spiritual, social and cultural binding of two individuals and as a result of two families. I was so grateful that as friends of the bride’s family we were invited. Each ritual or ‘step’ symbolises a sentiment and recognition of a greater force. I particularly loved the ‘Paaliaki Ritual’ or the ‘Sowing of the Seeds’ where a group of ladies are invited to go on stage to sow ‘navathaniyam’ – nine varieties of grains in an earthen pot, wishing the bridal couple’s future life together to flourish. This was all performed before the young bride had even arrived. As the blessings continued and the bride and groom are finally bound together by the Thaali Kodi  (necklace) the music from the drum (thavil) and the pipe instrument (nadhaswaram) increased in intensity, ending in the congregation showering them with flower petals to bless them also. They are now married!

However, unlike Western weddings, the ceremony doesn’t end there. After further blessings by the Priest, both sets of parents bless the couple as well. Showering them with rice grains and flower petals, this signifies prosperity throughout their lives together. When both mother’s ended the ceremony with the ‘aarathi’, I had tears in my eyes. This is the final ritual when both mothers get to bless their children and close the ceremony. The protracted, heartfelt hugs between each mother and her child said it all.

Nearly 3 hours had passed by now. But with the formal ceremony concluding it was time for the feast. Feeding over 500 guests is an enormous task but a necessary part of wedding celebrations. Hot, spicy food is not a woman’s ideal friend in the evening, when already our temperature regulation is out of sync if we aren’t sleeping all night. I wondered how many of the middle-aged and older women in the temple weren’t sleeping all night – because as the women discover on the MyMT™ programmes, if we aren’t sleeping, then our gut health suffers too. The connection between our gut health and sleep is powerful. So not only is the type of food we eat important, but also the timing of this food. Before I did my women’s health research, I had no idea about the powerful connection between timing of food, insomnia and or hormonal changes in menopause. But with menopause insomnia sucking the life out of so many women’s energy levels, then understanding this is so important and it’s why I have this information the MyMT programmesto help women understand how to sleep all night. I know that you already know that without sleep, we cannot function and unbeknownst to many women, it’s the accumulating inflammation from not sleeping that is sending their anxiety, hot flushes and for many, their weight, spiraling too.

We all love a feast at a wedding don’t we? However, knowing that when we eat too much food, too late at night, impacts hugely on our overnight digestion and can keep us awake with night sweats, it’s important not to eat too much. Being in the second round of guests to dine didn’t quite suit my metabolism nor did the highly, spiced curries, but hubbie was in heaven with the hot curries and what I loved was the selection of hot and cold foods to balance up the food choices which suited me. What I also loved the value and meaning given to food as a part of the important ritual in Hindu celebrations.
With our busy stressful lives, we’ve kind of lost the mindful ritual of dining over the years haven’t we?
Food shopping, preparation and dining is often rushed or for some families, non-existent. The growth of online shopping and food arriving on your door-step in a box is unprecedented. But what’s in the box matters to our symptoms in menopause. I bet the person designing the food that’s in the box isn’t in menopause so doesn’t understand that not only is our liver health changing, but so too are our gut enzymes, gut motility and because our digestion is affected by whether we sleep or not, what we eat, when we eat and how mindfully we eat, matters.
Women who are exhausted eat and drink emotionally.
True story. I used to as well. As I began to un-tangle the jigsaw of menopause and ‘marry’ this up against evidenced lifestyle solutions (which is what the MyMT programmes teach you), I also began to reflect that the exhaustion I was feeling wasn’t from menopause. This is a natural life event that all women go through (the average age is 52 years) so menopause gets the blame for our exhaustion doesn’t it? But it’s not this at all. As I discovered myself, your exhaustion is from trying to live the life you have been leading for the past 4 decades and not allowing your body to ADJUST to your changing hormonal environment. For me, and for so many women I come across in my live-events and if they come into the programme, some of this exhaustion is from doing too much high-intensity exercise (because the fitness industry has led them to believe that this is the way to lose weight), but exhaustion also arrives when we aren’t absorbing nutrients properly in a liver that is changing as well as not sleeping. But here’s the thing. When we are feeling exhausted, we start to end less mindfully. In fact, there’s a name for this now – emotional eating. Then if women are doing too much exercise and not sleeping and they are in menopause, our brain, muscles and liver are using up a lot of this energy. The cells then deplete stored glucose [called glycogen] more quickly. So you crave sugar and simple carbohydrates such as baked goods, which your brain and muscles are telling you to eat! I see it all the time. It’s partly why so women can’t lose their menopause belly-fat doing all the exercise they are doing – they haven’t got their sleep sorted, nor are they eating the right food for their changing gut, liver, gallbladder and muscles as they transition through menopause.

As we left the reception, we headed back to the temple where the young newly-married couple were waiting for blessings from guests. I loved this. In the weddings I have attended the bride and groom rush off before the night ends. But there they were, seated centre stage surrounded by the various ornaments and oils that have become part of the ancient Hindu wedding celebration. I couldn't resist taking a photo of the radiant bride with my daughter.

As we drove back to the hotel I reflected on the vibrancy of the wedding embedded in ritual and culture and how this young couple are just beginning the next phase of their life. Our menopause transition is like this too. When I understood that it heralds in a ‘new’ phase of life, our biological ageing’, I also knew that I had to discover why it creates so many problems for so many of us with regard to our energy, enthusiasm and health. Menopause is the opposite life-stage to puberty and if we are going to enjoy and find joy, purpose and meaning as we enter this next life-stage, then we need to understand how to transition through this life-stage so that, like our friend’s daughter and her new husband, we can enter our post-menopause years feeling health, happy and anticipating the future with excitement. If you don’t know how to do this, then please join me in the MyMT programmes – you choose which one will best suit you – Circuit Breaker if you are thinner and leaner and ‘Transform Me’ if you are overweight.  They are both online and you work through my information in your private members area over 12 weeks. It doesn't matter where you live in the world because these programmes are all online. And no matter your culture, we are all connected by our biology at this life-stage. Ragni told me she's lost weight and feels so much better now too.  She so kindly shares her story with you HERE. 



Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Creator & Coach. 
Visit the My Menopause Transformation website HERE.  Take the Symptoms Quiz and Watch my Introductory Video as well.

### Discover 5 reasons why it's not your fault that you are putting on weight in menopause.

Every extra kilo of weight is an added burden on your joints, heart, liver, cholesterol, muscle function and insulin levels as you age. The increase in menopause weight can also make our hot flushes worse too. To help you understand what's going on, I've put together some slides for you.
 








 











I would love you to transition through menopause using the powerful lifestyle strategies which I’ve researched specifically to help you manage your symptoms and turn around the weight that may have stacked on as it did for me too.  I called the 12 week weight loss programme 'Transform Me' because that's what I wanted to achieve during menopause when I felt bloated and uncomfortable and exercise and nutrition wasn't shifting my weight as it used to do for years. After I looked into menopause and positioned it in women's healthy ageing studies, I began to understand why.  If  you would like to learn more, then when you have time, then please have a listen to the video below. 

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-both-programmes-Intro-to-Wendy-programmes-3.43.mp4

### Working shifts and in menopause? Then let's have a chat about your Vitamin D levels.

Anzac Day in New Zealand and Australia is an historical tribute to all who have fought for our freedom, but whilst I was listening to the services on the radio, I was a bit put-out. Not one mention of the wonderful nurses who worked tirelessly during each World War caring for soldiers and supporting the war effort. The photo I've attached is Matron Margaret Wilson from Australia, who worked so hard in WW1 and now features on the cover of a book by Peter Rees, called 'Anzac Girls'.

I have numerous nurses on my 12 week programmes. Lydia is one of them and as she found too, it's tough when you are on your feet all day and going through menopause. But it's even tougher when you have to work night duty and you can't get your dose of Vitamin D. This mighty vitamin is so important during menopause and not only affects our sleep patterns, but also our moods, hot flushes sore joints and weight gain. It's not only a vitamin, but is now known to be a hormone - a powerful chemical messenger that is involved in numerous functions in the body. Not only is it our 'sunshine vitamin' - but it's our immune health vitamin too. And those amazing Anzac Nurses working night duty, may not have got enough of it.

In many diseases of older age for both men and women, there is often low Vitamin D status which commences in mid-life. For women, the change in Vitamin D status generally begins during menopause. Furthermore, when these women are night shift-workers, such as many nurses, low Vitamin D levels are often the start of a slippery slope towards more immune health changes and increased inflammation building up in the body, including depression.

Part of the reason for lower Vitamin D levels hitting women during menopause, is our changing oestrogen levels. Oestrogen receptors can be found all over our body, including in our epithelial tissue (skin), so during our menopause transition, when we begin to lose oestrogen receptor cells, it's not just the ovaries that are affected. Other oestrogen-attracting cells are too. What this means is that women (both fair-skinned and dark-skinned women) don't synthesise (produce) Vitamin D very well in menopause. It also means that night shift-workers get a double-whammy of losing oestrogen and losing exposure to Vitamin D because they have less available sunlight hours if they sleep all day.

Unlike other essential vitamins that must be obtained from food (these 'essential vitamins' aren't made in the body, so we need to source them from food), Vitamin D can be synthesised in the skin through a photosynthetic reaction triggered by sunlight.

The efficiency of this production is reliant on exposure to sunlight directly on our skin and we produce Vitamin D3 which then undergoes additional transformation (in the presence of oestrogen) to 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which is the major form of Vitamin D that circulates in our bloodstream. Between the skin cells and the liver, our body carries out this transformation, but another transformation occurs in the kidneys forming 1, 25 (OH)D. By now, Vitamin D has become a hormone and it goes on to accumulate in the intestine, where it enhances calcium and phosphorous absorption - controlling the flow of calcium into and out of bones to regulate calcium-bone metabolism. Over 1000 different genes governing virtually every tissue in the body are now thought to be regulated by Vitamin D3.

For most fair-skinned people, 30 minutes a day of natural sunlight exposure (not in the heat of the day) can initiate the release of 50,000 IU (International Units or 1.25mg) of Vitamin D into the circulation within 24 hours of exposure. In darker skinned people, this amount of time yields around 20-30, 000 IU.
Without adequate Vitamin D, women doing night shift-work and going through menopause, may experience more hot flushes and worsening sleep patterns.
Put all this together and it is a recipe for changing health as inflammation builds up in cells and tissues. Many night-shift workers with low Vitamin D status may also find that they put on belly-fat more readily. This is because optimal Vitamin D levels are crucial to sleep quality (melatonin production) and when we don't sleep well, the thyroid hormones get out of balance which leads to metabolic problems such as high blood pressure, increased heart rate and temperature regulation problems (hot flushes anyone?). All of these factors are well known as the precursors to the slippery slope of heart disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Especially for women going through menopause and into their post-menopause years.

As humans, our body is programmed to a day: night/ light: dark circadian cycle. When shift work or working long hours interferes with this for women in their menopause transition, life can get a bit tough. One of the most important strategies for the women I coach on both of the MyMT programmes  is for them to get their Vitamin D levels tested if possible. If these are low, then this is one of the only supplements that I encourage them to take - especially for women doing night-shifts and those who are in their winter months. It's far more important for women to take Vitamin D and to get this from good food sources as well - in fact I think it is even more important than any menopause supplement that is on the market (which often don't have good scientific research to qualify the effectiveness of the supplements).

Vitamin D is not just about bone health in menopausal women. It's more than that. Vitamin D is a hormone and that means it has a far-reaching effect on the health of nearly every organ in our body. Because we have oestrogen receptors all over our body, when oestrogen levels become low during our menopause transition, then it's a pretty safe bet, that for those of you who work night-shift and therefore, try to sleep most of the day, your Vitamin D levels will undoubtedly be low. My advice to you?

Ask your GP to add Vitamin D testing to your next lot of blood work. 

Dr Wendy Sweet, Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Coach

[Benefits of sunlight: A bright spot for human health. Environmental Health Perspectives, (2008). 116(4), 161-167].

[Lehnert M. et al. (2018). Vitamin D supply in shift working nurses. Chrono-biology International.]

### Boost your mood and blood vessels this Easter: MyMT™ wishes you a wonderful dark-chocolate filled Easter!

Yes you can have some dark chocolate this Easter - not too much and not too little. 
Happy Easter to you all!


Having a small amount of dark chocolate is part of the MyMT Food Guide in both of my programmes, because of the wonderful healthy antioxidants it contains ... and the darker the better. An antioxidant is a molecule that helps our immune health because it inhibits the oxidation of molecules in the cell. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, which can lead to damaged cells and inflammation in our tissues. But the good news is that dark chocolate is known to reduce inflammation from damaged cells in our body, as well as helping to boost our blood vessels. This is important for women as they transition menopause, because a known effect of lowering oestrogen production is more 'stiffness' in our blood vessels. For those of you who do a lot of high-intensity exercise, this phenomenon contributes to the higher lactic acid levels in your muscles after exercise, which may be why you feel aching and sore.

As healthy-ageing medical practitioner, Dr Andrew Weil says,

The science about chocolate – that it makes blood vessels more flexible – adds to accumulating evidence that chocolate offers a number of health benefits and may be good for the heart. Earlier findings had shown that chocolate contains polyphenols, the same kinds of antioxidants found in red wine and green tea; stearic acid, a type of fat that doesn’t raise cholesterol levels; and flavonoids, which reduce the stickiness of platelets, inhibiting blood clotting and reducing the danger of coronary artery blockages.
Researchers at Athens Medical School in Greece recruited 17 healthy young volunteers who agreed to eat a 3.5-ounce bar of dark chocolate and then undergo ultrasound tests to see how the chocolate affected the functioning of endothelial cells in blood-vessel walls. Normally, these cells control the stiffness of blood vessels by secreting substances that regulate flexibility.
The researchers found that on the days the volunteers ate dark chocolate (as opposed to those who ate fake chocolate), endothelial function was improved for about three hours. These are interesting findings, but we don’t yet know what they mean in terms of preventing cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, or deaths. However, because blood vessels begin to stiffen as we age, and more-so in women with low oestrogen levels post-menopause [this is also why women's risk for heart disease changes as they go into their post-menopause years), this positive research on dark chocolate is heartening for all of us!

If you are out shopping for chocolate this weekend, then look for dark chocolate with higher cacao and lower sugar content. Cacao's health benefits are related to natural compounds in the bean, including epicatechin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and resveratrol, known for its neuro-protective and mood-enhancing effects with our brain hormones, serotonin and dopamine. When you find a great-tasting dark chocolate have it with some nuts or other forms of protein which helps to counteract the increased effect of high blood sugar levels from the sugar.
The secret is not to eat too much - 2-4 portions a day, not the entire packet!
I hope that this Easter break is a relaxing one for you and that you can enjoy doing whatever you love to do. If you are struggling with your menopause symptoms then also try and find some time to read the other articles in this newsletter as well as go to the My Menopause Transformation website and do my SYMPTOMS TEST and/ or read the amazing SUCCESS STORIES from women who have kindly shared their journey as they have completed the 12 week online MyMT programmes. There are two different programmes - one for thinner women and one for women who want to lose their menopause weight and feel healthy again - and yes, they enjoy a bit of chocolate with that healthy, weight loss programme too.



Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Creator & Coach. 

### Discover why your increased anxiety is not just about your changing hormones in menopause.

We've been talking about anxiety this week in my coaching groups and I asked the women on the MyMT programmes a question. It was this: 'If I sat you down right now with a blank piece of paper and said to you, “What causes you to feel anxious?” what would you write down on the list?  Then if I was to say, put some percentages on each anxiety-trigger and turn it into a pie-chart, then how might this pie-chart look? Which piece of the pie is your greatest source of anxiety?


I bet if you did this exercise (which I hope you do) then you would have both emotional  and physical triggers on there.  Anxiety has a complicated network of causes - not just from changing oestrogen and progesterone - but in menopause because of your changes in oestrogen levels then other sources of stress can accumulate. Feeling stressed about other things, from work to home to kids to ageing parents and financial concerns AND going through menopause can tip you over the edge.

We all have various sources of stress that cause us to become more anxious, but the one ‘anxiety-trigger’ that you may not have written on there is your physiological ageing. As you continue to lose oestrogen as you pass into menopause, your nerves are ageing too.  But it's not only your nerves, it's your brain too. Both structures are losing oestrogen and this contributes to feeling as if your heart rate is racing especially when your feel over-whelmed with all the things going on in your day. This is why HRT helps many women feel calmer and reduces their anxiety. It is replacing some of this oestrogen lost in our body. It attaches to various receptors, especially the ones on our nerves and blood vessels. Some herbs do the same too.
Once I understood that my nervous system changed as I got older and went into menopause, it changed my entire outlook on my feelings of anxiety.
I never thought how my nervous system ages and it certainly wasn't discussed by my Doctor as he pulled the prescription pad over for writing up a script for HRT. But although I went on this for a while and for many women it is a god-send, I also had my head buried in women's healthy ageing research. Something that changed my life and enabled me to change my whole approach to managing symptoms in menopause, especially my symptoms of anxiety.

What I learnt surprised me. I never fully appreciated that arriving in mid-life would cause so many changes to our organs in the body. You see, for decades, menopause conversations have mainly focused on the loss of our reproductive hormones in menopause - the master hormones from the pituitary gland (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone) which in turn send messages to our ovaries to produce oestrogen and progesterone. These messages as we know have controlled our menstrual cycles for decades. But there's more to this conversation too. Menopause, is the biological gateway to our ageing and when I began to explore the ageing research about all the changes that go on in our body as we move through menopause and into our older years, the conversations in the ageing research went beyond the reproductive hormones and lead me down numerous paths that I never dreamed of going in the quest to understand what was changing in my body in this life-stage. One of the paths I went down was to better understand the causes of our feelings of anxiety and racing heart rate.  I was already on HRT, but still I felt that there was no change to my feelings of anxiety, especially when, like most women, stressful situations and feeling over-whelmingly time-poor would gather momentum almost daily. I felt frustrated, grumpy and full of confusion about why, when I have coped with things all my life, I felt like I wasn't coping. My body was also taunting me with added stress of weight gain and not sleeping and nothing I did or took, seemed to help this. I knew it was a cocktail for post-menopause health chaos.
But as I began to explore the physiology of our nervous system as we go through menopause, I realised that our brain and nervous system is ageing. That's what happens to this system when we begin to transition menopause and lose the function of oestrogen.
As you age, your brain and nervous system go through natural changes and this happens earlier than you think!
Your brain and spinal cord lose nerve cells and weight (atrophy) and yes, there are gender differences. Women's brain and nerves age more rapidly than men's do ... but we can keep this between us for now can't we?! In women as we lose oestrogen, our nerve cells may also begin to pass messages more slowly than in the past.  As I mentioned to women on the MyMT programmes just this week when I've been talking about lifestyle solutions for anxiety, when we have a lot of information going through our brain every single day, these neurons (nerves) have to transmit messages faster than ever before, but we aren't allowing for the fact that our nervous system slows down it's function as we age. The research shows that this starts after the age of 35 years.



That's why if your anxiety levels are increasing and you are going into and through menopause, then it isn't just to do with your changing reproductive hormones. And yes, please get medical support if you need to - but because the changes are also physiological, then there are lifestyle solutions that you need to put into place as well.

If you are feeling that your anxiety has increased, then don’t blame yourself for ‘not coping’ when all your life you have coped really well with all that you do. Tell yourself, it’s not you, it’s your ageing nerves. ???? That’s my first rule for you. We typically beat ourselves up when emotionally we feel anxious, but feeling anxious happens due to your ageing nervous system as well. You know the ‘brown spots’ on your skin? Well think of these inside your body along the length of your nerve fibres as well. Our nerves therefore change in their efficiency as we go through menopause. What happens is that the messages from our brain don’t move along them as fast as they have done in the past when they have had lots of oestrogen.
Hence, our ageing nerves need our thinking and actions to slow down a bit. When anxiety rules our day, our sympathetic nervous system dominates, so we also need to stimulate the help of our calming para-sympathetic nervous system to balance things up a bit. 
When we have a lot of messages going through our brain and we have a lot going on in our day, our nervous system is ‘under stress’. The part of the nervous system that automatically controls our thinking, feeling and ‘being’ is called the autonomic nervous system and comprises a stimulatory system (sympathetic nerves) and a calming system (para-sympathetic nerves). Both work in conjunction with our heart so stress and anxiety increases heart rate and blood pressure and calming activities and thoughts lower heart rate and blood pressure.
Your brain is part of your nervous system. It is the ‘mother-ship’ for your nerves and this is why our spinal column and every single nerve in the body comes off the base of our brain.
Therefore, when our thoughts are many and complicated because of all that we do AND because our nerves are losing oestrogen, the result is that our nerves aren’t passing messages as efficiently and are in distress. In response our heart rate increases and we stay in ‘fight or flight’ mode for as long as the brain is hyper-active. The result?
You feel more wired, anxious, irritable, tearful and then you beat yourself up because ‘you aren’t coping’ – does this sound familiar?
However, when you add to this not sleeping and if you are still getting your periods and are in the follicular phase of your cycle (menstruating), your autonomic nervous system and heart rate stays elevated overnight too. You then wake up feeling wired and anxious so high-stress situations in your day just compounds your anxiety levels further. In menopause, it’s given the technical name of ‘autonomic arousal’. In athletes prepping for a competition, their heightened anxiety is given the technical name of ‘trait anxiety’. The difference in athletes is that this is given a ‘positive spin’ as it serves as a positive psychological experience putting the athlete ‘in the zone’ for competition.
Pauline used to have a lot of anxiety in her life too. Busy as a nurse in an aged-care environment, she used to email me about her heightened feelings of anxiety. She was already on HRT. One of the things I asked her was, ‘What is making you feel anxious at work?’
Her response was:
“Working in a busy aged-care environment, I worry about the residents and as a senior nurse, I feel as if my anxiety levels are high when there are management and staffing concerns that I don’t feel confident to address. There are also many residents who pass away and it affects me greatly.”
So, I told her that she could only control what she could control and put in place strategies for her to take time to pause and slow down her thinking, but also to re-frame her thoughts from negative to positive. My mother was in a similar aged-care home having had a stroke so I knew exactly why Pauline was taking on the emotional stress of her patients. But what she wasn’t factoring in was the physical stress of working long shifts in the afternoon and doing lots of walking. In fact, she wore a pedometer for me and discovered that on average she was walking 11-12km a shift. Her increased heart rate, feelings of anxiety and emotional exhaustion were not just from thinking about her patients. The triggers were also physical and in fact, she wasn’t eating enough carbohydrates or having enough food with B-vitamins to help her energy levels at work (more on this tomorrow). Not only did she need to change her diet to prevent physical anxiety, but she also needed to move beyond the emotional turmoil that was locking her into increased feelings of anxiety too.

Re-framing our thoughts is a strategy that we should all practice. Just like winning athletes do. Our famous All Blacks rugby team always move their thoughts pre-competition from anxiety to excitement.

I told Pauline to change her thoughts too. Instead of focusing on the situation and worrying about her residents and the challenges inherent in aged-care management, I got her to think about how lucky the residents were [and their families], to have someone look after them so lovingly and to have someone who genuinely cared about them at this stage of life. So, I told her that a strategy to use is to slow-down her thinking and instead of a worrying, perplexed frown on her face, put a smile on her face instead. When we smile, it changes our thoughts from negative to positive no matter the situation. Go on, try it right now. Smile. ???? Now take a deep breath at the same time. Your heart rate will slow down too and despite the adversity in your thoughts, you can think more clearly and make a plan for moving forwards. When we are anxious all the time, it prevents us from finding solutions to our problems.

When I received this email from Pauline a few weeks later when she had completed the MyMT programme as well as the ‘Mind Your Mindfulness’ module I have designed for both programmes, I was so excited for her.

“My stress levels decreased due to slowing down my thoughts with my deep breathing and letting go of things that are difficult to change.  I am also off my anti-depressants and HRT.  My mental health is so much better and I feel less anxious as I now have the tools to let go, I cannot continually worry about the things I cannot change.  The compassion I have for my residents is, at times over whelming and I know now that when I finish my shift I have done my absolute best for every patient in my care. My home time is used to relax and chill, an easy way to recharge the batteries. I now love life and have lost over 8kg too. I also realised that my anxiety about work was preventing me from sleeping as well as the changes in menopause. With all the strategies in place from your programme, I am now able to close off from work and go to sleep naturally. I wake probably 2 hours earlier in the morning and feel as if I really do want to get up and face the world. Which I have been doing recently. Totally unheard of prior to commencing your MyMT programme.”   Kind regards, Pauline.

A typical day for most women is full of anxiety-inducing events. As we transition through menopause, the loss of oestrogen going to your oestrogen receptors throughout your nervous system compounds your feelings of anxiety and causes your heart rate to increase. Some of you will get more hot flushes, some of you will experience a heart rate that feels like it is ‘racing’. You must slow it down. Yes, you can take HRT, that isn’t a problem, but you must also focus on the following solutions too:

 	Re-frame your thoughts from negative to positive (if you are at home and it is after work, then go and take a shower to help you unwind and move from your ‘work’ to your ‘home’ environment – I use lavender soap these days – you can’t feel negative using lavender soap). ????
 	Slow down your thinking because your brain is hyper-active and this controls your heart rate and nervous system. Listening to music is great for this.
 	Drop and relax your shoulders and take a few deep breaths before responding to any stressful situation – the same way athletes are trained to do before they compete.

There are numerous other lifestyle solutions that help women to reduce their anxiety in menopause which I have in the 12 week programmes and the main one is getting back sleeping all night.
If we aren't sleeping then our heart rate is more elevated in the morning and then this continues throughout the day. But there is more to just sleeping too. You also need to understand the role of the B-vitamins to reduce anxiety as well. I spoke about these in the coaching group yesterday where hundreds of women join me for added information and inspiration to help them adhere to the online programmes. Vitamins B6, B12 and B9 (Folate) are powerful vitamins that we need to help us in menopause because they help our ageing brain and nervous system to function better at a time of life when we still have so much going on.



When you are ready to feel better during your menopause transition, then come and join me and the hundreds of other women who have made it their choice to thrive in menopause through my powerful lifestyle solutions programmes. Every strategy has been researched from my studies into women's healthy ageing and waiting in your learning hub now if you can come on board, are all the solutions for your to feel back in control at this important stage of life.

Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Coach.

### "I'm sleeping all night,  5kg lighter and feel back in control of my health."   [Danni, New Zealand]

When your office window at Auckland University of Technology has a view of the Sky Tower, it serves to keep you motivated to reach for the sky in all that you want to achieve in your life. But when mid-life health problems curtail your energy and you can hardly get through your day without stopping to have an afternoon nap, and you struggle to find the energy to support the hundreds of students who rely on you each day, it’s tough. However, this wasn’t the only concern for Danni – it was not having enough energy to compete in her dressage events with her beautiful horse, Kirby. 
“I had been struggling by myself to try and manage my health after developing Graves disease, a congenital hyper-active thyroid condition that started to occur in my menopause years. This was triggering a heart condition that threw me into atrial fibrillation intermittently, and put me at high risk of potentially suffering a stroke. But like most working mothers I just put my head down and kept going, hoping it would all resolve itself. My afternoons became a drag and I relied on sugary foods and cat naps to get through most days.  Night after night I wasn’t sleeping and then trying to get through my own studies, I was up at all hours of the night at the computer. I had no idea how much this was impacting on my health and making my thyroid function even worse, until I wound up in hospital and had to take three months off work and put my PhD on hold.  After radio-active therapy I was plunged into hypo-thyroidism and started stacking on weight I simply couldn’t shift.   All I knew was that I didn’t want this to be ‘my lot’ for the rest of my life.  I began to get concerned about how healthy I might be as I got older – what a drag I was becoming on my family and whether I would still be able to ride my beautiful horses.”

[Graves Disease, Mayo Clinic Image]
Graves' disease, also known as toxic diffuse goiter, is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It frequently results in and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It also often results in an enlarged thyroid. The exact cause of many autoimmune thyroid disorders, such as Graves Disease which Danni had been diagnosed with, is unclear, but research supports that a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved. Whilst Graves Disease requires specific medical management, I knew that menopause insomnia, low energy and weight gain would also be impacting on her thyroid health as well. The double-whammy of Graves Disease and menopause was a ticking time bomb for her long-term health if she didn’t start sleeping properly. For women not sleeping in their menopause transition can lead to fibromyalgia, thyroid problems and cardiovascular disease. 

That's why I was so pleased that Danni came into the MyMT online programme. Her first module/ webinar that she listened to was simply called 'Sleep All Night'. As I explain in this powerful module, when we don't sleep, our immune system doesn't restore our health overnight and this alone can lead to all sorts of health changes as we age.
In the MyMT™ Transform Me programme, women discover how to restore their circadian rhythm specific to their menopause transition.  And how excited was I for her, when her email arrived in my in-box after listening to this powerful module. 


“OK!  Just been listening to the sleep tutorial and it is AMAZING! Can't believe I have got it so wrong for so long ... I’ve always needed a mid-afternoon nap because I’ve been awake in the night and so tired during my day.”
Danni is an educator who is not only teaching at Auckland's University of Technology, but is also completing her doctoral studies. She's busy! So I knew she would love the progressive ‘steps’ of the MyMT™ programme as other women do too. Every module arrives in their member area every fortnight from joining up. Over the 12 weeks, there are 7 modules to listen to (40 minutes each) as well as my private coaching information which I share via the MyMT™ Coaching Community pages on facebook. I’ve designed the programme this way so that busy women like Danni, have time to listen to each webinar and think about how they can make the lifestyle changes that will allow their body to adjust to their hormonal changes in menopause. I was delighted as Danni’s emails kept coming over the 12 week course.
"BTW lost 2 kg already and nearly sleeping through the night, walking every morning and swapped my diet around so protein and carbs earlier as per your nutrition planning.  So a happy Danni." ????XX
But the email I loved the most, was the final email that she sent me after completing the 12 week course.
"When I heard about your programme Wendy, the light bulbs went on for me as I realised how much more I could learn about the body I thought I knew.  And to be honest, it was pretty straightforward once I followed the weekly goals and stuck to them.  I even coped with the challenges of liver-cleansing while cooking for our extended Irish family over the Christmas festive season!  My Doctor is much happier with my thyroid and heart health. I’ve lost 5 kg and I’m feeling great – no more afternoon sleeps, heaps of energy and I feel in control of my life again. I’m full steam ahead with completing my doctorate.  And I have the energy to do what I love to do, which is to go skiing with my husband and three adult sons, and spend time riding my beautiful horses, Kirby and Harley. I’ve even taken the plunge and bred a foal which is due to be born in October, as I plan to continue horse-riding into my 60s and beyond.  I can’t thank MyMT enough. Truly life-changing.”  Danni. xx   
I'm so pleased that a casual conversation about menopause and the MyMT™ Transform Me programme led to Danni coming on board with me. As so many women discover as they arrive in their menopause transition, it’s tough to not be entirely on your game with your health and seeing your usual-vibrant-self, succumb to rock-bottom energy levels and symptoms that are getting you down. It's because of women like Danni, who do so much to help others, that I created the My Menopause Transformation programmes.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and not so well talked about. When my own symptoms overwhelmed me and women on my healthy ageing studies told me similar stories, I knew I had to look into how we need to manage ourselves during this life-stage so we feel energetic again. If we don’t, then we often experience changing health as we get older. That’s why I’ve used my knowledge and experience to design two different 12 week programmes which are just for women who are going through ‘the change.’ Circuit-Breaker is for leaner, thinner women and Transform-Me is for women who want to lose their menopause weight.
Both programmes are on-line and waiting for you in your private learning hub now. If you need help to restore your sleep, reduce your hot flushes, improve your energy, vitality and/or weight back to what it used to be as you transition through menopause, then please come on board into these revolutionary programmes. They are everything I needed when I entered peri-menopause and struggled with my own symptoms despite taking medications.  It’s my greatest privilege to share these with you too. 
When you are ready, I hope you can join me too. Women in mid-life still have a lot going on and as Danni found too, it's hard when menopause arrives and you struggle with your energy and changing health. So many women call the programmes 'life-changing' and I know you will too.



Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT™ Lifestyle Change Coach. 
Read more SUCCESS STORIES here ... 

### Why Natalie Joyce's "revenge body" wasn't the real story - it was the role her Personal Trainer played in her support.

Self-identity is a curious thing. I thought about it when I was sitting in Row 3 on the flight from Canberra to Sydney last Friday sipping on my coffee with the Sydney Morning Herald open on the political pages reading about Australia’s upcoming election. But it wasn’t the political debates I was reading, it was an article blaring the headline, ‘Natalie Joyce turns nightmare into triumph.’ [Sydney Morning Herald, April 4th, 2019].


I don’t know Natalie Joyce, but the image of her in a bikini in a body-building competition on the political pages of the Sydney Morning Herald, suggested that her personal ‘triumph’ was attributed to attaining what the young journalist heralded as, ‘the revenge body’. As I read on, I caught up with what most Australians probably know already and that is the emotional crisis she was under when her high-profile politician husband left her and their four daughters to take up with his very pregnant personal secretary. In the words of Ms Joyce at the time, “The situation is devastating on so many fronts. For my girls … and for me, as a wife of 24 years, who placed my own career on hold to support Barnaby throughout his political life.” The article then goes on to explain that, in rediscovering her own identity, she headed to the gym. The remarkable result after only a year was a body-fat percentage that the rest of us can only imagine and a 4th place in her first body-building competition. Along the way she transformed her identity – no longer was she ‘Barnaby Joyce’s wife’ but Natalie Joyce, successful body-builder.

Transformational practices are replete in the fitness industry and according to exercise psychologists, Buckworth and Dishman (2002), these promote the notion of self-regulation and individual responsibility. But such practices are attained when those seeking them have the right support. Especially women. In this context, Ms Joyce’s Personal Trainer should be heralded too.

Women’s experiences of transformational bodywork practices emerged in the 1990’s at the same time that Personal Trainers emerged in fitness culture. With the emergence of gym culture and physical activity landscapes changing, Jane Fonda had already enabled women to beat a path to the gym, which in the mid to late 1980’s opened their doors to women. Personal training followed and it wasn’t until 1991 that the first Personal Trainers emerged in fitness settings in New Zealand. [Sweet, 2008, 2017]. By the late 1990’s, body-transformation practices became lauded in fitness culture and women in my own study, enjoyed the new emphasis on exercise classes and personal training. With busy, complex lives, many believed that having a Personal Trainer was a necessary component of the requirement to not only stay on track, but also to feel supported and endorsed in the transformation they were seeking.

Women have complex lives, even more so when they arrive in mid-life. Ms Joyce is 49. I spoke about this with my fellow Row 3 passenger. As a high-profile female CEO in Australia, she bemoaned the fact that just the previous day she had to be in a senate hearing until 11pm at night. Gone was the start to the holidays with her children and gone was any chance of getting to the gym. The only solace she found was the supportive phone call she received from a board director thanking her for the work and the time she was putting in to be in Canberra when she should have been on holiday with her kids.

Because of our complex lives, women need support. In the exercise context, Ms Joyce's support came in the form of a Personal Trainer. And in time, her Personal Trainer influenced her to attain what she might have thought was ‘impossible’ – standing on stage in a body-building competition. Her Trainer therefore, was a major influence on her new post-Barnaby identity.

Personal Training is a shared venture and by the very nature of the client-trainer relationship, the role of a Trainer ultimately becomes located in a position of power. Social media ‘speak’ might call a good PT an ‘influencer’ in fact and it didn’t go un-noticed by the two of us in Row 3 on the flight to Sydney, that on the very next page was an article about Kendall Jenner, [she of Kardashian fame], and her little trip down-under to open the new Tiffany store. She was paid a cool half a mill for her efforts. But I digress – let’s get back to less well paid ‘influencers’ - Personal Trainers. ???? I know a bit about personal training. In 1991, I established the Personal Training industry in New Zealand for the Les Mills group - at a time when no personal training industry existed. Now there are thousands of PT's throughout New Zealand and Australia and for that matter around the world. I've moved on from gym culture these days, but my own expertise, motivation and support can be found online in the MyMT programmes. 

Personal Trainers are powerful 'influencers'. Good Personal Trainers have the capacity to create systems of thought that can exert considerable influence over people’s lives. Foucault (1988) refers to this as ‘technologies of the self’. As he states,
‘individuals effect by their own means, or with the help of others, a certain number of operations on their own bodies and souls, thoughts, conduct and ways of being, so as to transform themselves in order to attain a state of happiness, purity, wisdom, perfection of immortality.’
In the gym, Ms Joyce’s Personal Trainer shared the power of disciplined training and eating to not only change the physical body, but to change the mind and challenge the dominant identity that Ms Joyce had internalised for the past 24 years – wife of politician, Barnaby Joyce. But as Ms Joyce self-declared in the article, she isn’t this person any more. The routines and constant support mechanisms, established by her Personal Trainer chipped and chiselled away week on week, enabling and empowering her that yes, she could do this body-building competition. It was a masterclass in self-efficacy building (self-confidence towards task-mastery) guided, supported and motivated by her Personal Trainer.
Low self-efficacy for exercise is a known characteristic for women who give up on exercise. It’s the same for weight loss or any health changes. 
When women feel that they can’t succeed, they simply drop-out. It all becomes too hard and with physical activity and health data in New Zealand and Australia showing that mid-life women are the highest demographic to drop out of exercise participation (along with teenage females), there is something to be said about the role of a Personal Trainer. This person is only partly there to provide technical insight. For women, I suggest that one of the main roles of a PT is also to provide emotional and motivational support.



Increasing efforts have been made politically and economically to position and promote physical activity in the paradigm of exercise prescription – you know, write down ‘walk 3 times a week’ and people will adhere to it. But they don’t. And for women especially, for the past 3 decades, physical activity participation data shows that lack of time, lack of motivation and lack of energy are the three main influences on not being active enough for health benefits. But mid-life women need more than this written prescription and my own women’s healthy ageing studies reflected this too. Women who trained with a Personal Trainer found that their exercise had greater meaning because of the relationship each had with the person who gave them the most support, encouragement and accountability with their exercise – their Personal Trainer. It's the same with many women on the MyMT programmes - they need knowledge, support and motivation too.


Midlife for all women is a time of transition and change, not only due to menopause but also with other influences, such as children leaving home (or staying!), ageing parents to care for, financial concerns and often, changes to personal and working circumstances to navigate as well.
Staying engaged with exercise is important and many women who have been active all their lives, find that this time of life is particularly challenging for maintaining their active status and therefore, their identity as physically-active women. This is a shame, because social science research is replete with studies reporting that when mid-life and older women participate in exercise or any other physical activity that makes them feel good about themselves and when they get the right emotional and motivational support, then they derive meaning from this and therefore, continue.

As both of us working girls’ in Row 3 on the flight between Canberra and Sydney opined on the account by the young journalist about Natalie Joyce’s ‘revenge body’, I reflected on my own women’s healthy ageing study about women and the meanings they derived from having Personal Trainers in mid-life and offered the comment that the journalist had got the story wrong. The true hero wasn’t Natalie Joyce and the rediscovery of her identity through a ‘revenge body’ which she then took to the stage.
The true hero was her Personal Trainer and the support, motivation and knowledge she provided for helping Ms Joyce find her new mid-life identity. 
Seat 3A agreed.


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### “On my trek to Nepal I loved how my body responded as if I was 30 again.” - Mary-Anne

I am so grateful to Mary-Anne for sharing her incredible story with you all. What an amazing and challenging journey she has had and I am so inspired by how she over-came so much adversity in her personal life to get to Nepal this year. This is what Mary-Anne wants you to read – written straight from the heart ..



“Kia ora – Hello

I am sharing my journey in the hope that it supports others in their menopause journey. When I was in my early forties, I began experiencing menopausal symptoms – poor sleep, hot flushes and exhaustion, both physically and emotionally. I realise now that this occurred because I was pushing myself too hard on the family farm and had some major life changes, to contend with, culminating in the perfect-storm health-wise. The personal changes I had to face led to severe adrenal fatigue, which I had no idea at the time, sent me into early menopause.

I was so thankful to then discover the MyMT programme that Wendy was just establishing. I was so fortunate to come on as a Foundation Member. I worked my way through the modules, which I was thankful could be undertaken when I had time. Each week I would read her coaching posts as well and layer elements of them into my life. Slowly I began to claw my way back and begin to put myself and my needs first. Because of what I was learning, I became more conscious of the food I ate, the exercise I did and the people I surrounded myself with. I began reinstating personal boundaries in all areas of my life.
How different I feel now! I am back to living a full, energetic, self-loving life.
ust this past April I spent a month in Nepal, which included trekking to Everest Base Camp. After completing Wendy’s ‘ReBuild My Fitness’ modules after doing her ‘Circuit-Breaker’ programme, I couldn’t believe how, during this trek, my body responded as a 20-30 year old. It embraced the challenges, kept healthy and enabled me to enjoy every aspect of the trip. I even gave the 18 year olds a run for their money!!

But my trip was also a spiritual journey. When standing in the great magnificence of the mountains. I also finally realised my own magnificence.

My menopause journey has been about setting boundaries and finding Self-Love. It is a constant evolution, but one I am embracing with newfound skills, the knowledge I have gained from MyMT and a sense of self.

Strength and Self-Love to all the beautiful women on this journey.

Arohanui,

Mary-Anne Murphy x

### "I love how healthy I feel now that I understand lifestyle changes in menopause.” - Merridy

I still remember the afternoon that I met Merridy. Living in Australia, she was attending my session at the Australia and New Zealand Exercise Conference in Melbourne. It was the first time I was talking to exercise practitioners about menopause and our symptoms, health, exercise response and more. I took the hundreds of attendees on a journey about poor sleep, hot flushes, cholesterol chaos, mood swings, depression, sore joints and muscles and more. As I told the attendees that we were the first generation of women to have so much emphasis on exercise and sports participation and go into menopause, there was so much that was ‘unknown’ about how exercise impacts on our symptoms in menopause.

As I rounded off my talk, I explained that the exercise and sports training and education institutes were not serving menopausal women very well. For decades, exercise professionals in sports and exercise science programming are educated in exercise and sports prescriptions that are mostly only suitable for the 18-35 year old markets. I used to teach this as well. To this day, here in New Zealand at least, there is no education given to exercise professionals or other health and sports practitioners about peri-menopause, menopause or women’s healthy ageing. The research hasn’t caught up with us yet! This means that as females transitioning through menopause we are still being told to exercise in ways that don’t necessarily correlate with our changing hormonal environment in menopause. For example, in a low oestrogen environment, our blood vessels constrict more. So, lots of high intensity activity causes our muscles and liver to hold onto lactic acid for longer periods and we don’t recover as readily. As well, our tendons contain oestrogen receptors, so when we lose these and we lose elastin and collagen as we age, then too much high intensity running or jumping, can cause higher rates of injury. When I said this at the conference, I noticed that there was a lot of ‘nodding’ by female exercise practitioners in the room, including Merridy.

Before I even had a chance to pack up from my session, Merridy arrived at my side. As she explained that nearly every symptom I had mentioned she also had, the tears started flowing. Feeling depressed, emotional, exhausted and confused about what was going on, I resonated with how she felt too.

So, I invited her onto my ‘Circuit-Breaker’ programme. She was the first exercise professional to come into the ‘Circuit-Breaker’ programme and I loved helping her to firstly, understand what was going on with her symptoms and why they were out of control and secondly, what changes to make to her daily life, including exercise. As a gym-owner, Merridy knew the toll that running a business was taking on her, but it wasn’t only that aspect – she was expending lots of energy looking after clients and with symptoms running riot, she was already taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and was on anti-depressants. It was a confusing and exhausting time and did not fit her identity which had always resonated with happy, healthy, motivated Merridy. Little did she know that up-skilling at my session at the Melbourne Health and Fitness conference would change all of that.

Having battled with bloating and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for years, which had been getting worse during menopause (yes, our liver function changes during menopause), the first thing that Merridy discovered was how connected her gut health was to her circadian bio-rhythm.

The gut is like the ‘second brain’ and it operates to a 24 hour circadian cycle as well. Turning around her sleep and gut health was crucial to being able to get off the anti-depressants she was on.


But just as important, was cutting back the volume and intensity of exercise that she was doing. From gym training to kayaking to running, Merridy was using exercise to help her feel better. But it wasn’t. In fact, with not sleeping, it was sending her into adrenal fatigue and over-training syndrome. But Merridy had done high volumes of exercise for years – even finding time to ride her bike – a very special Penny-Farthing bike! How cool!


When we exercise too much when we aren’t sleeping well, then or body builds up our chronic stress hormone, called cortisol. I talk a lot about this hormone in my programmes because when cortisol remains high all day long, then it ‘steals’ progesterone to keep up production.

Too much exercise therefore, and not sleeping and poor gut health are all sources of inflammation and ‘stress’ for the body to cope with, especially as our hormones change throughout our menopause transition.

The hardest part of all was changing her beliefs about exercise, but as I said, ‘What has worked in the past, no longer works in a changing hormonal environment. You should only look forward now!’, so I was so pleased that Merridy trusted me and worked hard to change the way she was living her life.
"Hi MyMT. This is my first post on Facebook ever. Turning around my sleep and hot flushes has been my focus ever since hearing Wendy’s ‘Health, Hormones & Happiness’ Presentation at Waikato University. There are now definite improvements starting to show regards sleep and hot flush improvements – I’m actually getting some of the first and less of the latter! All in all, I’m really surprised about the interaction between the hormones and the strategies and how it all falls into place to make me feel better. Thanks MyMT™. This menopause was really starting to get me down.”

Sue - Hamilton
Merridy lives north of Brisbane now and I am so excited that she says that she will come to my seminar in Brisbane, hosted by Chef and Healthy Living proponent, Iris Windsor. I’m heading over to Brisbane in August and will be presenting my ‘Masterclass on Menopause’ to Brisbane women on August 14th, 2018 at the Kenmore Library Meeting Rooms. Tickets are only $25 and will be up on our event page this weekend. I would love to see you there and look forward to my reunion with Merridy.

Doesn’t she look fabulous now? She is off HRT and her anti-depressants and living and loving her 50’s. She is living proof that when you take on a new way of living your life to allow you to adjust to a new hormonal environment as your body ages, then you can feel healthy and energetic again.

Here she is with ‘Missy’ her beautiful dog.

It is such a privilege to be able to help women like Merridy navigate menopause and head them into their healthy ageing. My research not only changed my ways of living my life, but it’s changing hundreds of women’s lives too. If this sounds like you, then I invite you to visit the MyMT website and listen to my video when you have time.


Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach

### “15 kgs lost, menopause symptoms gone and now my first ever marathon. I feel better than I have for years.” [Kaye]

I remember my emails to Kaye. I would think of her working away in Cairns as our emails whizzed across the Tasman Ocean, the body of water that separates New Zealand from Australia. It seemed to me very unfair that Kaye was living in a really hot climate and working hard as a hotel cleaner and going through menopause. Oh, the hot flushes and night sweats she was experiencing!

As she said to me before she came onto the on-line MyMT™ programme, “I feel exhausted. I’ve recently moved into a new apartment as well as started a new job and my stress levels have been through the roof. I have been going to work with as little as 3-4 hours sleep some days. I’m housekeeping in a hotel so my job is very physical. And then I walk 35 minutes home afterward in the heat. I don’t like being 51! My weight is going UP not down. I cry a lot!”

No wonder she constantly feel tired and her body ached. After being told to go on a restrictive diet Kaye learnt that with all the energy she was expending she needed to eat more, not less. Part of the reason for her hot flushes was that her blood sugar levels kept crashing.

This happens because the hormone which controls blood sugar levels, is also affected by changing oestrogen levels as well as stress. But as Kaye discovered, the other issue was not sleeping well.

When we sleep, our body heals and recovers and this wasn’t happening for Kaye. So, this is why her weight was going up not down. She wasn’t getting the lovely, healing sleep overnight which helps our body to burn fat. It’s why I always explain to women on my programmes, ‘if you aren’t sleeping, then you aren’t recovering or losing fat.’



It’s also why the first module that I have for women like Kaye is simply called ‘Sleep All Night’. This is because our gut health is also on a 24 hour circadian rhythm and when we don’t sleep, we don’t metabolise our fat properly. It becomes a constant struggle to manage weight the more we can’t sleep.

For six months, Kaye worked her way through the MyMT on-line modules. She loved being able to do this at her own pace, fitting it around her shift work. So, imagine my surprise when she sent me this :



“The last time I weighed myself I’d lost over 10 kgs. That was a few weeks ago now…..I don’t own any scales just go by how my clothes fit…or not! Before MyMT, I was advised to have less than 1200 calories a day…..walking for an hour a day (not sleeping) and l didn’t lose any weight. 

I thought I was never going to be able to get rid of those awful hips! I was feeling quite depressed and spent a lot of time in tears which I was putting down to menopause! Thank heavens I’m feeling much better now. On the up side I have been sleeping much better. Manage 7-8 hours most nights. My energy has returned and my moods are better too. Anyway just wanted to let you know all that. I can’t thank you and your programme enough.

On another note, I also moved back home to New Zealand and recently climbed Mt Taranaki after doing your fantastic ‘Rebuild My Fitness’ programme.

 If someone had told me a year ago, that I would have the energy to climb a mountain, there is no way I would have believed them!”

What an amazing woman you are Kaye and I thank you so much for sharing your story with other women who might have given up on any chance of restoring their energy levels and changing health and weight during their menopause transition.

Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach

### "I just feel calm and in control now." - Sandra Tucker

It was such a great surprise to meet up with Sandra in Tauranga, New Zealand when I was presenting my Masterclass on Menopause seminar. What a privilege and pleasure it was catching up with her briefly. She had come into my Transform Me weight management programme in early 2018 and wanted to come and listen to me and touch-base. I was so excited for the results she achieved on the programme and delighted we got to meet up and share our stories at my Tauranga seminar.

As Sandra said, “I am so completely happy with the new me. You have given me the knowledge to feel relaxed and not stressed about what foods to eat which is so simple when you know what your body needs. Not only have I lost 6 kg but I now have so much energy it’s amazing. I now enjoy my daily hill walks at a slower pace and have put behind me the attitude that all exercise is a competition to be first!I had no idea that everything I was trying to achieve would create such chaos with my symptoms. Your emails and Facebook group were so inspirational and helped me everyday. I just feel so much calmer now and in control. Thank you Wendy for my menopause transformation.”



You are very welcome Sandra. It is stories like yours that keep me inspired to keep building the MyMT community.

Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach

### “I use the principles of MyMT every day and I'm loving my new life teaching in Africa.” - Bronwyn, Tanzania.

“Tanzania is a beautiful country…it’s people, wildlife and mountains. I feel so lucky to see Mt Kilimanjaro because it is often covered in cloud. I’m loving it here, but it is colder than I expected, we are having a particularly bad rainy season. I wanted to share these photos with you and the other women on your MyMT™ programme because I just feel so much better than I used to. I am so thankful for coming onto the programme in your January intake and don’t think I could have coped with moving to my new dream-life in Tanzania without your ongoing guidance. I’ve now lost a happy 5 kg’s all up. My belt’s gone in two holes, so at least two inches!

The School of St Jude’s where I am working is an amazing place, offering education to children who would normally not get the opportunity to go to school, especially secondary school.

The staff and children have been very welcoming and friendly (most are Tanzanian, with a handful of international staff like myself). School lunches are usually beans, greens and ugali or rice, and once a week I go to this lovely lady along the road and get chapati for my lunch.



Everything I do to manage my health in menopause is now based on your MyMT™ philosophy. The guidance and support you’ve given me on the programme has been amazing, especially with all the changes in my life working to fulfil my dream of teaching in Tanzania. When I went to your seminar in Christchurch it reminded me of everything and reinforced the aspects of your programme I was focussing on.

You know, I chose your programme over others because I have a background in human nutrition and biochemistry, and therefore your scientifically evidenced approach was very meaningful to me. I’ve seen such great improvements in sleep, energy, and hot flushes, even when coming over here and building my new life with Eric. I met him on Safari. Thanks to my renewed energy from doing your programme, I am loving every minute of my new life.

If ever you come to Tanzania on safari, then let me know. I can tee you up with a great guide!”

Bronwyn (Was New Zealand, now Tanzania)

### “I love how my symptoms no longer make me feel unhealthy.” - Wendy

Do you feel hot, tired, grumpy, anxious or overweight? Are you experiencing heart palpitations or high cholesterol? Has your blood pressure changed? Are your joints and muscles sore?
Yes, that was me too. I was 51 when peri-menopause hit me and despite all the exercise I was doing and eating in ways recommended by popular nutritionists and Personal Trainers, I had no energy and didn’t feel l like my usual self. Most importantly, concerned that I was heading down the same track as so many of my mother’s generation did towards heart disease and poor health in older age.

At the time I was undertaking PhD interviews with mid-life women and listening to their stories about their ‘healthy ageing’. Many of their stories sounded familiar. Low energy, worsening moods, lack of sleep and for some, weight gain. As well, most of us weren’t getting the long-term relief from supplements and medications, such as menopause hormone therapy and endless supplements. Even though I was a university lecturer and experienced nutrition and exercise practitioner at the time, I had no answer to reducing my symptoms.



I didn’t feel like “me” and with no relief long-term from HRT and supplements, I decided with my knowledge of physiology and lifestyle strategies that have come out of a new area of research called ‘epigenetics’, I had to figure out how to “get back control of my menopause weight, health and wellbeing”.

So, I’ve put together the jigsaw of menopause and looked at every typical symptom and placed these up against scientifically evidenced lifestyle-change strategies that are specific to women in their menopause transition. This is because most other health, nutrition, exercise and lifestyle strategies take a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. This no longer works for us as we are in a completely different hormonal environment compared to younger women and males. As I solved each piece of the puzzle everything began to make so much sense. When I woke up one morning after sleeping all night, I was so ecstatic!

Using all my knowledge and experience as a health and exercise lecturer, I filled in the pieces that other health professionals couldn’t answer. As I embarked on this quest that I silently called “My Menopause Transformation” I came to the realisation that there were things that I had to change and even for me, this was the hardest aspect. What I began to understand as I worked through my women’s healthy ageing research was very simply, that the messages that women our age have received for years about how to eat, exercise and manage our health, no longer suit our changing hormonal environment as we transition into and through menopause – the end of our reproductive life-stage. As our reproductive hormones change, other hormones step-up their production to try and re-balance the internal environment and the increased activity of these other hormones, can send our sleep, hot flushes, night sweats, moods, cholesterol and liver function into chaos.

When I began to better understand the role that these other hormones have on our symptom and health chaos that arrives in menopause, I began to look at all the lifestyle solutions that I needed to put into place to reduce my symptoms as I transitioned through menopause.
“With this new knowledge, I slowly built a new tool box of daily lifestyle strategies to not only help me to readjust my body to match my menopause hormonal changes, but to break old in-grained lifestyle habits and create new ones for the next 30 years of living I still want to enjoy!”
All of these powerful strategies are what I have for you in both of the MyMT programmes – ‘Circuit Breaker’ for thinner women to break the circuit of their symptoms, and ‘Transform Me’ for larger women to lose their belly-fat. What a difference these strategies made – within a year my weight had dropped, but more importantly, my blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammatory markers were normal again. Even my Doctor was interested in what I had done to turn around my worsening health at this time of life!

If this sounds like you, then I want you to learn what to do too. After years as a leading educator of Personal Trainers and a practitioner of health and exercise promotion in New Zealand and Australia, I also know that health change is hard. So with ‘My Menopause Transformation’ (MyMT™), I have developed two 12-STEP Lifestyle Behaviour-Change Programmes . These contain the simple, easy to apply solutions in 6 online modules delivered over a 12 week period. You learn in your own time at your own pace, then what you do is put my strategies into action, fitting them around your day-to-day lifestyle.

Women in their mid-life often get ‘forgotten’ by those working in fitness, health and lifestyle change professions. Yet, women are living longer and as my PhD participants said, ‘we don’t want to age like our mothers.’ But to age healthily requires a change to our current lifestyle because the environment we are living in is not supportive of the health women need to aspire to as they age. As I have found, it can be a tough time knowing what to do during menopause and how to make the changes that matter when you still have work and family commitments as well. This is why I believe that education is the starting point for change. But so too is support, motivation, and having a step-by-step plan you can trust. My years spent pioneering the New Zealand personal training industry has taught me this! That’s why when you come on board, you also receive 3 months of complimentary coaching and support via my ‘coaching community’. That’s where you will find me nearly every day.

You can change your symptoms and your health during menopause without the need for HRT or a cocktail of medications and supplements. And if you are already on HRT or anti-depressants, you can get off these with your Doctor’s support and without a return to the worst of your symptoms, when you action the lifestyle changes I propose.

MyMT offers you the ‘how-to’ step-by-step plan to turn around your symptoms of menopause.

If you are overweight, as I was, then you need ‘Transform Me’ – a fantastic 12 week programme with all the information you need to reduce your menopause belly-fat.

If you aren’t over-weight, then I have ‘Circuit-Breaker’ for you, which again, teaches you how to reduce your menopause symptoms, turn around your sleep, your health and your happiness in this exciting 12 week programme.

Both programmes are on-line and all the information has taken me hours of research, so you can trust it. After years of being there for others, mid-life is YOUR TIME NOW.

MyMT™ has arrived to bring the topic of menopause out into the open. For too long it’s been a silent topic. I have developed both programmes to support you into your healthy future years, by firstly, turning around the internal inflammation and hormone chaos that menopause can cause and secondly, providing you with the support you need to get the results you want. It’s all discrete and all on-line. The information is in 6 modules which you access via the member-only sign-in on the website, and comes complete with extra information and motivation via my private coaching page on facebook. If you aren’t sleeping and if menopause symptoms are getting you down, then I look forward to meeting you.

Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach

### “I just love feeling healthy again.” - Paula, New Zealand

As a self confessed physically active free-spirit, busy teacher, wife and mother of two, reaching her menopause transition was a ‘game-changer’ for how 50 year old Paula was feeling. In her early 40’s she recognized that her body was changing, and in-spite of her own doctor suggesting she was ‘just too young’ to be heading into peri-menopause, Paula insisted she got tested. Sure enough the results confirmed her own instinct. She researched her options and found a natural cream that assisted with her symptoms for some time. But as she drew nearer to 50, the cream stopped working. Her hot flushes arrived back along with poor sleep, low energy and a gut in turmoil!
Wanting these later years to be the time when she regained time for herself, the changes in her health were confusing and frustrating.

When someone mentioned that Wendy, whom she knew from a previous job, had developed a programme for helping women renew themselves through managing menopause, it gave Paula a level of confidence that this person she knew of and respected might have something to offer. When she looked at the programme, she knew that it was right for her. It ‘spoke to her’!



Especially because, she had stopped dreaming, was working full time and now understands that the stress she was under was creating havoc with her hormones.

While Paula suffered for years with gut problems, like many women she knows, she believed that her diet was pretty healthy. But, the knowledge she gained from MyMT™ convinced her that in order to diminish her symptoms she wasn’t eating in a way that was conducive to managing her ‘new hormonal environment in menopause and she didn’t understand how her stressful job was impacting on her symptoms either. The effect of her job, was having an impact on her energy levels and causing other hormonal chaos with her health in menopause. Then this chaos was making her sleep worse and aggravating her gut problems. As she worked through the 12 week programme, suddenly everything was making sense! With a husband who enjoys quite a different way of eating and teenage kids still at home, the MyMT™ programme not only taught her how to make lifestyle changes to re-balance her hormones for menopause, but also, she discovered new ways to plan, shop and prepare food that also met the family’s needs too. Interestingly, one of the biggest gains that Paula has enjoyed from the programme is one that she hadn’t realized and that is renewed gut health and regularity!

Paula acknowledges throughout our chat, the support of her husband as being fundamental to her success too, so that she could implement some of the strategies, especially around the sleep regime. Having finished her 12 weeks on the programme, Paula admits that she ‘fell off the wagon’ earlier this year, partly by becoming very busy again and losing some focus, and partly because she wanted to test what was really working for her – needless to say, all her old symptoms returned! For Paula, the personal approach of the MyMT™ programme as well as the knowledge she gained about why her symptoms were happening, was significant to her success.

“You know” says Paula, “I’m happy to share my story, because I know so many women who don’t talk about menopause. The MyMT™ programme has not only helped me resolve my symptoms, but it’s helping put menopause on the conversation-agenda in a knowledgeable way. And this is something that so needed to be done.”

Thanks to Robbie Greenslade for her help in putting this story together for MyMT

### “My potential grew day by day.” - Stephnee Jenkins

I am 48 years old , a Personal Trainer/Pilates instructor and I’ve always been fit and healthy. But then my life changed …

Maybe my journey began 2 years ago when my best friend and husband of 25 years passed away suddenly, blowing my world into a million pieces. Looking back I am very thankful I had the strength, courage and resilience to get out of bed every morning and keep moving. I had my 3 young adult children to help through their own grieving process and so I think I put a lot of my own grieving on hold for a later date when my children seemed to accept that our world had changed (actually maybe we still haven’t but we continue to move through the process).

However from the day my husband died I stopped menstruating which was understandable. I was in shock, grieving and very stressed, which meant my body weight dropped from my normal 62kg down to 57kg in a month.

Six months later I was able to get my weight back to 60kg and my cycle kick- started again and went back into its normal cycle which was always very regular. Life was still a ‘forced, pull back the covers every morning’ and put my feet on the floor to spend the day at my PT studio. However my studio was my safe haven, my escape from the reality of my home that will never be the same again. It seemed that overnight I started to not sleep, waking 4-5 times a night with night sweats, hot flushes occasional during the day and my brain was saying “no”, it can’t be peri-menopause. Life seemed cruel to throw this onto me as well. With little or no sleep I went on for a few months, and being a personal training, health coach for over 15 years, I thought I knew all there was to know about looking after myself! The right eating, the right exercise, everything in balance – but I still couldn’t sleep and I was awake, feeling hot, sweaty and uncomfortable.


I then remembered seeing Wendy’s Menopause Transformation Programme information from a conference I had attended and decided to join up. And the strength of the programme was having someone else guide me through it. The the on-line webinars and emails to Wendy and her responses, got me on track for my own personal journey. It also pushed me into getting a full check out from my Doctor too. With the supplements Wendy recommended based on these tests (which had nothing to do with the menopause ones on the market!), within the week I was feeling better. Now I’m at the end of my ‘Circuit Breaker’ programme and I sleep through the night, no night sweats and my energy levels back up. I am lucky enough that I enjoy my gentle run around the block which is almost a mediation thing. It’s when I plan my day and put my mind into order and de-stress. Armed with the strategies that Wendy teaches, I also strengthened my own ‘yoga-lates classes’ at work with some of the skills I was learning.

Two of my children have now left home, so an empty nest syndrome hit me hard, I was supposed to be going through this process with my husband not on my own. I fell off the rail a bit, falling into a few old bad habits but after a few restless nights sleep and hot flushes, this actually reinforced the need for me to get back on track again. Lesson learnt! Life doesn’t come with a magic wand, does it? I discovered through this programme that routines matter for our hormonal health and we don’t need to ‘deny’ ourselves with crazy regimes at this stage of life – many of us still have a lot going on. I know that I’ve been incredibly stressed and this has affected my symptoms perhaps more than other women, but I cannot believe that now I sleep all night and I love the feeling of having energy the next day, so I can put my own energy into my clients as well as my family and the next journey of my life… whatever that may be.

So a big thank you to Wendy and her team for helping women take control of their life! There are different plans of attack, as we don’t all fit in the same little box and because Wendy has been through menopause, she knows it can be can be a 2 steps forward and 1 step back. But that’s the great thing. The tools and support are all on-line to help women like me, move forward again. When I see Wendy one day, I ‘m going to give her a big ‘thank-you hug’.

Stephnee Jenkins
Ambitions Personal Training Pilates Studio, Mosgiel, New Zealand

### “I love the holistic approach of MyMT.” - Ann Grant

“MyMT provides such a holistic approach. It goes way beyond diet.”

When Ann began experiencing menopause symptoms, HRT was not a pathway she wanted to follow, for her own reasons combined with high-risk familial medical history. And so she began to look for other options. After her personal trainer had recently ‘liked’ MyMT on Face Book, Ann decided to see what it had to offer.

With a background in the fitness industry, Ann knew of Wendy and her influence and expertise within the industry. She believed that Wendy would only provide a programme that was well researched, thus worth investing in.

From the start, Ann says, the clear step-by-step approach to so many facets of her life was really valuable. She would watch the webinars, print out the handouts, and try to consistently implement the strategies she was given. Everything she put into place worked!

What she also discovered as she worked through the MyMT programme, was that she was going to need to modify her habits – and her beliefs about what to do to turn around her symptoms. For Ann, a 53 year old mum and wife, who works in a Wanaka surveying office, training hard and being constantly physically active were ‘normal’ aspects of her life. Having been a Les Mills aerobics instructor and keen outdoor activity girl, changing her approach to her nutrition and exercise was truly foreign.



Exercise provided a good deal of Ann’s social contact outside of the work environment, so changing it to suit her body in menopause was not only different from how she had lived much of her life, it was really difficult. But when she did, the results were powerful for her hot flushes and her sleep and energy. She realized that she needed to now think about developing new routines that would satisfy some of the outcomes that her old exercise habits had provided in the past.

She remembers too, that there was a range of other daily habits that she had to review. Like her sleep strategies and the timing of her food and other activities she puts into her day. But all of these new strategies from MyMT have worked.

What Ann now realises is, “the information that is provided on the programme, the timeliness of snippets appearing in my FB feed and the opportunity to get individualised input when I needed it were all such valuable things, but most of all, it was targeted to my changing hormones in menopause – and this is what made it so different from other programmes on offer.” She adds, “Wendy, and the MyMT programme provide a wealth of information on a daily basis. I found this knowledge valuable in understanding how my body really works at this stage of life, as well as providing me with the knowledge I needed to help my body transition through menopause through simple, but powerful lifestyle strategies. It’s made such as difference to how I feel.”

And finally Ann talks about how heart warming it is to know that there are other women sharing the same journey. While she says she is ‘still finding my way’ and ‘rethinking how my life works for myself’, she credits MyMT for providing her with a toolkit that is helping her to reshape her life and her health as she moves forward.

Thanks for Robbie Greenslade for her support in putting Ann’s story together

### “I regained my sleep and sanity!” - Alison Terwiel

"I loved the MyMT support from Wendy and learning how to put myself and my health first."Arriving into mid-life feeling so tired and un-motivated wasn’t quite what Alison had planned. But nearly every day, she felt as if there were more changes to her health. From her gut health, to her energy levels to worsening moods, low motivation and sore joints and muscles. Having had a previous hysterectomy due to endometriosis, she had been recommended Hormone Replacement Therapy and thought that symptoms of menopause were behind her. Whilst this helped in the short term, as Alison said.
“I was beginning to feel almost ‘normal’ again but I wanted a new, real alternative to managing my health as I aged and I wanted to get off HRT and the anti-depressants. So when, I saw Wendy’s MyMT™ programme, I knew that it would hold the expert help and support I sought.”


“Without this programme I wouldn’t have been able to get my energy and health back so quickly. It’s changed my life!”


With a busy, day-time job, Alison loved being able to listen to the on-line information for turning around her menopause symptoms when she had the time.

Through the progressive information, she began to implement the lifestyle change strategies that were specific to helping her turn around her sleep, hot flushes and her energy levels. With teenage boys and a husband to cook for, she also implemented the nutrition strategies and food plans, and bought her family on board with these as well.

After Alison completed the programme, her realisation was that what she had achieved was so much more that ‘just’ a symptom reduction programme – it enabled her to develop a ‘new way’ of living her life in her mid-life years. As she says:
“I have regained my sleep and sanity, my weight is down and hot flushes are minimal and I’m off the medications I was on, including HRT. I achieved this with Wendy’s information in the modules and her extra coaching on the private facebook page. Today, the lifestyle changes I learned through the programme have become a way of life. Wow! All the info is beginning to set in my mind and the final webinar on Behaviour Change, certainly helped reinforce to me what my motivation is and how I will achieve it. For once my health is a priority and I’m loving putting ‘me’ first!”
It is such a privilege to be able to help women thrive through their menopause transition. It’s such an important time of life to get back our energy, sleep and as Alison said, “our sanity.”

Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach

### “MyMT solved my symptoms.” - Bronwyn Dawson

After attending Wendy’s ‘Health, Hormones & Happiness’ seminar, Bronwyn’s daughter (a physio) suggested to her mother that she sign up to MyMT. Mum did! This ‘mum’ was Bronwyn and as a busy nurse, she felt tired, run-down and the menopause supplements she was taking were not resolving her sore joints and fatigue. The 12 week MyMT programme changed this, and now as Bronwyn says, “MyMT has become my lifestyle now.” As Bronwyn says,“Signing up to MyMT™ has been the best thing I could have done for my mental and physical health during menopause. As a nurse and Massage Therapist I obviously have a passion for good health and had always been extremely fortunate to have had 40 years of good health myself.		
																					
		However, once I reached my late forties I found that a few niggly, uncomfortable gut symptoms appeared, then a very painful right shoulder, then a few years of prolonged headaches, very tender breasts followed by hot flushes and erratic sleep patterns (which my shift work certainly contributed to as well).I researched and investigated each symptom as it continued to remain an invader of my comfortable life and made some changes to my diet thanks to Carol Sinclair’s book ’The IBS Low Starch Diet’ and at least my gut symptoms became more under my control. But I didn’t quite feel like my old self, with menopause symptoms arriving as well, so when I found out about MyMT™, I signed up.The amazing thing for me about MyMT™ has been how Wendy has pulled together so much of my lonely, uncomfortable research and presented it in such an excellent format. The programme links all of my symptoms in an INTEGRATED APPROACH, enabling them to be addressed by me. I’ve now learnt all the things that I didn’t know about turning around my symptoms and care for myself during peri-menopause and now, menopause. All the MyMT™ strategies and more, I have found to be true! I just wish all health practitioners and medical specialists, who are looking at all of our symptoms in isolation would promote this programme. It is very powerful.I continue to be encouraged and educated by Wendy’s 5-6x week Women’s coffee group posts and now I would hate to be without it! I’ve gotten really lazy with my own research now because Wendy does it so well!So, I’m signed up for the long term now. This journey in this body involves changes and adaptations along the way and I’m very pleased to know I have access to such excellent, well researched and professionally presented information to help me along the way.Yours in health,Bronwyn, 54 years, Invercargill, New Zealand.

### “Within days I felt better” - Carolyn

When I turned 50, I couldn’t believe how tired I felt. It was frustrating for me, because all my life, I’ve worked and love my career as a Police Officer working in the human services sectors. I have always been active and lived a fairly healthy lifestyle, looking after my family and my career, but somewhere along the way I forgot to look after myself and now I understand how my hormonal changes into menopause, caught up with my energy and my health.At 42 I had a full hysterectomy which immediately put me into menopause. I suffered for over ten years with hot flushes, sleepless nights, weight gain, loss of energy and a loss of self-esteem. I didn’t have the energy to do anything and missed out on doing a lot of things that I would have done ten years previously.With a family history of heart disease and stroke, suddenly, in my 50’s all I could see was myself heading down this path too. I needed to do something quickly. I spent many of these years wasting time and money buying over the counter remedies for my symptoms which simply did not work into the longer term. I spent a fortune seeing a Naturopath and Doctors who gave me lots of pills and potions that did nothing positive for me. I realise now that because she hadn’t gone through menopause, she had no idea how I was feeling.		
																					
		I also went to Personal Trainers, but the type of exercise they put me through exhausted me. My doctor then started talking to me about hormone patches which really worried me.When I saw MyMT™ on facebook, I loved the fact that there was genuine research attached to the programme and also that Wendy had designed this programme, because of her own experience too. For me, it was important that the programme was based on making lifestyle changes and not pumping drugs and other chemicals into my body. So, I commenced ‘Circuit Breaker’ and within 3 to 4 days I could feel positive changes taking place. I was suddenly sleeping through the night without being woken by hot flushes, my skin began to clear up and I was starting to feel much less lethargic.After experiencing these changes in such a short period of time, I was excited to continue with all the modules that are designed for all our symptoms to see how far I could go to improve my health and wellbeing. I followed the programme and completed ‘Circuit Breaker’ with the wonderful knowledge and coaching support from Wendy and technical support from Gerry. As well, reading some of the stories from the other participants on the FB Coffee Group helped me to stay focused too.I found the programme easy to understand and follow and the information on the webinars and downloads all made so much sense to me. It was a relief to finally discover what was actually going on in my body and how I could turn this around myself. I followed every aspect of the programme and I have seen so many positive changes to my health. I have lost weight and no longer have hot flushes that wake me at night. I am sleeping through the night and have so much more energy and enthusiasm for life. My friends and family have noticed how much happier and healthier I am.MyMT is a wonderful programme that I have no hesitation in recommending to women who want to turn their menopause symptoms and their health around in mid-life. It provides every single STRATEGY that I found so beneficial to me in my menopause transition, when other things I was doing didn’t work. I feel so much better now and have the energy levels I used to have.Carolyn, 54 years, Queensland, Australia

### “I’m a Personal Trainer but I didn’t know anything about menopause.”  Debbie, NZ

I love it when leading Personal Trainers come into my programme. As I say in the seminars, we are the first generation of women to go into menopause in the context of the modern sports and fitness industries, so we are the ‘guinea pig’ generation!

When I was struggling myself to recover from with all the high intensity exercise that was being prescribed by Trainers and I reflected on my own lectures at the University of Waikato to exercise and sports science students, I realised that all the research had been conducted on younger people and athletes. That’s why the target markets for many gyms are 18-35 years. And yes, there is a lot of information about the benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), but what if most of this research had been undertaken on men and younger people, not women in menopause who are struggling with their sleep, their energy levels and their hot flushes?

That was the question I asked myself as I listened to women on my doctoral studies describe how much they loved their personal training sessions, but they felt that their recovery wasn’t so great and their fatigue levels were higher than ever. Well, that was me too. So, I decided to look into it.



I discovered that oestrogen has a powerful effect on blood vessel dilation, so when we don’t have oestrogen and we are going through menopause, then we cannot dissipate all the lactic acid that is produced during high intensity training (resistance and cardio). This then increases blood pressure, heart rate stays elevated for longer after exercise and our legs start to feel ‘heavy and restless’ especially at night.

That’s why I love it when Personal Trainers like Debbie understand that what is really important during menopause, is to change our BELIEFS about what exercise is right for us at this precious time of life! Thanks Debbie for sharing your story with others.



“I struggled through my 50’s with peri-menopause and then menopause. I tried everything under the sun and to be quite frank, I was getting quite desperate as I work as a busy Personal Trainer. I’ve come to realise through Wendy’s programme and everything I’ve learnt, why all my exercise and nutrition training over the years, was no longer relevant. This is because, as Wendy says, this is such a unique time of our life and we are the first generation of women to be doing so much exercise every day.

I came across Wendy Sweet’s name when I read an article she had written on ‘Menopause’ and it was like a beacon to me. I couldn’t wait to make contact and understand more about her MyMT programme as I actually had nothing to lose as by this time, I had been on HRT for 12 months and gained around 6kg. We get so desperate and we “buy this buy that” mis-advised and misinformed. I was at the end of my tether. I knew of Wendy who leads the forefront of Personal Training in New Zealand as I work in this industry as well. She is highly recognised in Australia and New Zealand and is not only the most informed person and leader on this subject in the health and exercise industry, but she has been through it all herself. She knows exactly what we as 50+ woman go through because she is living it too.

I have spent so much money on the “latest thing” for peri-menopause over the years. People over the counter saying you need to take ‘this’ and if that doesn’t work come back and try that. I tried so much but nothing worked for me. I finally chose to go on HRT advised by my doctor. Again, it did not work into the long term and unlike this programme, did not address the other hormonal issues that I now understand, menopause brings on. I also had no idea that the type of exercise I was doing, was actually making my symptoms worse and causing me to put on belly fat.

What I have learnt in the MyMT programme has been remarkable. I thought I was eating well, but found that I wasn’t eating the right foods that I needed to for my menopause changes. As well, I did not understand the strategies that I needed to put into place to manage my hot flushes and turn around my sleep and night sweats. I have learnt that when it comes to mid-life and menopause, we do have to adapt, but this comes with age as well and changes should be made. The programme advises nutrition more in depth once you are into the programme. It’s not just meat and vegies or even Paleo. It is actually far from it. It’s about what foods are best suited for our best performance, wellbeing and our healthy ageing at this time of our lives.

Now that I have done the programme I feel so much better. Everything Wendy suggests WORKS! I was sleeping all night within a week and this alone was remarkable, as I hadn’t slept well for years.

Every day I gained more energy and I now feel that I know what to do. I feel like I’ve claimed back my life through this remarkable programme. What I especially liked however, was simply being advised by another ‘Woman’ who has been through what I have been through and is very informed. I’m sorry but a guy over the counter at the pharmacy just wasn’t cutting it, quite frankly!

Wendy has come up with a programme that yes you do pay for it, (as you would most things), but the difference is the support. It was amazing – email, facebook however you want it. This aspect is so important for women who want to change their health and lifestyle. She also challenged my BELIEFS about what I knew from my past, and this has been critical to my own learning.

Menopause can be different for everyone. I find that with my own clients too. Woman are at different stages and different levels. Wendy is so informed, so onto it she does advise and connects at every level women are experiencing. She is a real woman/person at the other end of our messages and her support is immediate. This program has given me confidence and has empowered me at a time in my life, where I was feeling so down and out. I had almost thought about giving up my personal training business, but that has all changed now.

I secretly hated what was happening to me in menopause. Thank you Wendy. I’ve learnt that your 50’s don’t have to Suck! This programme is not an ongoing pit of money. It is a well-informed, supportive programme. It’s a programme where woman can claim back their life, and get the tools to navigate this area of their lives. Life is not a rehearsal and I want the best life offers always. I’m not ready to give up and just take medication or let my health slide. This is my life and the MyMT™ programme has helped me to claim it back. It has saved my career and my sanity.”

Debbie, 54 years, New Zealand

### “My night sweats have gone” - Phillipa

At 51 years, Phillipa was happily assisting her husband to manage their rural business. Living in the country her days were busy and her when her head hit the pillow at night, she was straight to sleep.Then peri-menopause arrived. Her sleep became restless and the night sweats that came upon her at 3-4am, left her awake until she reluctantly had to get up at 6am to begin the days work. Sometimes she would overheat and then cool down and start trembling. 		
																					
		The cycle of no sleep and farming work left her not only exhausted but in despair. She knew her husband relied on her to help run their property. Normally she would spring out of bed but over the last few years the ‘get up and go’ had really gone and her ENERGY LEVELS were low.But there was also something else. The FEELINGS she had before a HOT FLUSH would engulf her at all hours of the day and night. Normally a really laid back woman, she now felt ANXIOUS before a hot-flush. This left her bewildered and in even more despair.MyMT was just what Phillipa needed. Although she had changed her eating and had visited a nutritionist over the years, what this didn’t take care of was the ANXIETY and BROKEN SLEEP.The MyMT program CHANGED HER LIFE. After learning the strategies to turn down her night sweats and sleep all night, Phillipa was a new person within one week. That’s right. That’s how long it took for her to put into action the strategies she learnt. What she learnt was that her low oestrogen levels were causing havoc with her sleep hormones and this was causing her thyroid hormones to get out of sync as well. Not only did she learn how to turn around her sleep schedule to suit her changing hormonal profile in menopause, but she needed to change what and when she was eating. Not just in the evening, but during the day. Soon her ENERGY LEVELS returned as well. Phillipa discovered the power of eating a diet SPECIFIC for her menopause transition. With the right food and nutrients for her changing hormone status, her hot flushes decreased in intensity and severity – day and night.As Phillipa discovered, although she THOUGHT she was doing the right things, she wasn’t allowing her HORMONES TO INTERACT with each other in peri-menopause. Now she’s a new woman! We love that!“The info on your program is really good! I thought I had it all sorted, but I didn’t. I like the personal attention you gave me to sort out those issues. I now sleep all night and the night sweats have GONE. I can’t thank you enough.”

### "I now know what works for my body’"- Jeanette

When she received the phone call that she needed to return to her Doctor for the results of her recent blood tests, Jeanette was nervous. She knew that a re-call like this was typically bad news. She was right. The nurse explained that her Liver Function Tests were a little abnormal. All Jeanette could remember was the embarrassment she felt when the nurse enquired about her alcohol consumption. Jeanette hardly touched alcohol.

The weight had stacked on since menopause hit in her early 50’s and when Jeanette joined the on-line MyMT program, she was 15 kgs heavier than her pre-menopause weight. Although she was POST-MENOPAUSAL she was also on Menopause Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for her hot flushes. Jeanette knew that her health needed a makeover.

Especially as her mother had experienced similar weight gain and heart disease was in her family.



As she was exploring her options it was her brief conversation with MyMT™ Founder, Wendy Sweet, which hit the mark.

As Wendy reviewed Jeanette’s blood work including the Liver Function results it was obvious that Jeanette’s liver was not doing its job. Not only was the liver not performing its proper waste-buster job, but the HRT that she had taken for years, was possibly contributing to inflammatory changes. The spin-off to all of this was hormonal chaos, weight gain AND now changed liver function tests.

When Wendy explained that her LIVER was contributing to her WEIGHT GAIN, and setting her up for INSULIN RESISTANCE and a condition called METABOLIC SYNDROME, Jeanette decided to do the MyMT program. Metabolic Syndrome she discovered was what her mother had which caused high blood pressure, high cholesterol and pre-diabetes.

With the information supplied by the MyMT™ programme and more importantly, the support to change her daily lifestyle habits Jeanette worked with her Doctor to get off HRT. What she put into place was a new eating plan specific to menopause which stabilised her blood sugar levels AND helped her to turn around her LIVER HEALTH.



Working in a full time job, and with young grand-children, Jeanette discovered RENEWED ENERGY she hadn’t had for years. She learnt that what worked in the past for her body, no longer worked today. It’s been a revelation.

Swayed by media images of what is supposed to be ‘healthy eating’, she had become confused about how to look after her body to SUIT HER MENOPAUSE TRANSITION. She also learnt to walk more. Today her focus is on regenerating and renewing her health ready for the next phase of her life. She has worked through ‘Circuit-Breaker’ and is now onto ‘Re-Build Me’. Her blood tests have improved, but more importantly, she has MORE ENERGY and VITALITY for enjoying her grand-children.

“When I started the program after hearing Wendy’s presentation in a ‘healthy-ageing’ seminar in Hamilton, everything she said resonated with me. I have loved the PROCESS that I have followed. Sometimes I get off track, but I know now, what works and what doesn’t, so this REINFORCES the changes I have made. I haven’t had this much ENERGY in years.”

Disclaimer: *Results may vary from person to person. While the testimonial provided show real results, we cannot guarantee the same results for everybody.

### "Thank you for putting me on the path towards understanding what was going on with my body." - Sue

When Sue reached her late 40’s, her busy life as a massage therapist, exercise-class instructor and marathon competitor started to take its toll. The problem she noticed at first was her inability to recover from day to day. She was exhausted. Then despite all the exercise and her busy job, Sue began to gain weight. She also couldn’t sleep. Sleeping had never been a problem with all the exercise she was doing. Her head usually hit the pillow and she was off to sleep. But now she was tossing and turning and then, disappointed with the weight gain, she did what she had always done, she TRIED TO EXERCISE IT OFF! But it stubbornly stayed as did the exhaustion. With a busy massage practice to run as well as her role as an exercise instructor and a past history of endometriosis, Sue realised that she needed support to figure it all out.

It was then that MyMT™ became involved in Sue’s health. Peri-menopause was throwing her hormones out of balance, causing a condition called ADRENAL FATIGUE. What Sue needed was a re-focus on her hormonal health, exercise levels and ever-present exhaustion.

As Sue began exploring the connection between menopause, endometriosis and too much exercise, she read the article by MyMT™ on Oestrogen Dominance. It rang some bells, including the references to stress, cortisol and inflammation. The exercise training she was doing and Oestrogen Dominance were sending her hormones into DISTRESS.

After just 4 weeks on the MyMT™ on-line program, Sue felt BACK IN CONTROL. What she realised was that after years of being able to manage her weight and symptoms of endometriosis with exercise, this approach no longer worked as she headed into MENOPAUSE.

As Sue listened to the MyMT™ on-line learning modules, and put it all into action, Sue began to understand what to do to improve her health at this time of her life. The MyMT™ 12 week Transform Me Program helped her to back off her exercise whilst she turned around her energy, her symptoms and her hot flushes. * After completing the program, this is what she had to say:

“At long last I am sleeping better than I used to. The night sweats are less, I have lost weight and I love the list of foods as I like to be really structured with my eating. I have really enjoyed doing this in my own time and figuring out what works and what doesn’t with my sleeping patterns and hot flush management. It also helped to know that the exercise I had learnt to do, no longer worked for me whilst I couldn’t sleep. I’m back running again with more energy than ever. Thank you for putting me on the path towards understanding what was going on with my body now that I am nearly 50.”

Disclaimer: *Results may vary from person to person. While the testimonial provided show real results, we cannot guarantee the same results for everybody.

### Lose your stubborn menopause belly-fat and you'll reduce your hot flushes too. Women on the MyMT™ 12 week Transform Me programme call it 'life-changing' - as I did too.

If you are as frustrated by your mid-life belly fat and continual hot flushes as I was, then do you know that the two are related? The more overweight you are, the more hot flushes you get.It's all because the extra oestrogen that is stored in fat cells (especially around your breast and belly) cause your insulin levels and thyroid regulation of your metabolism to go into chaos. If you aren't sleeping, then you can add another kilo or two for that effect as well. I had no idea about the integration of our sleep, thyroid and insulin, until I gained unhealthy belly fat too. When no-one else had the answers and because HRT doesn't work for weight loss, it's why, as part of my women's healthy ageing research, I decided to tackle our menopause weight gain. I'm so pleased that I did. As are other women too.

That's why I don't want you to give up hope, but to imagine yourself in 12 weeks time, feeling like your old self again – in control of your health, weight and symptoms as you transition menopause. I called it My Menopause Transformation because that's what this revolutionary programme achieves. All without the hormone supplements - just specific, powerful changes you need to make to your lifestyle to better suit your changing hormones in menopause.

If you want to tackle your mid-life health and weight with a scientifically evidenced, systematic programme specifically tailored for you during menopause then I have the 12 week online menopause-specific weight loss transformation plan you’ve been waiting for. I can’t wait to share it with you. 
When my weight spiraled to an ALL TIME HIGH in peri-menopause I was confused.  I felt bloated and uncomfortable and no amount of exercise I did helped.  The women in my PhD studies on women’s mid-life healthy ageing also told me similar stories.  When exercise, nutrition and health professionals did not have the answers I sought for changing my long term health and the trajectory I was on towards heart-health issues, I knew I had to untangle menopause. I’m so pleased that I did.  Because when I finally stopped focusing on exercise and nutrition messages that are designed for younger people and athletes, and I began to sleep all night and turned around my liver health with specific strategies that I researched from my women's healthy ageing studies, I began to sleep all night, restored my joint health and most importantly, stopped gaining and started losing the unhealthy belly-fat. My cholesterol levels changed and I restored the energy and motivation that I had enjoyed all my life. I can't tell you how much this changed my life and my confidence.

My women's healthy ageing research changed my life and now I'm using that information to change other women's lives too. I can't wait to guide you as well - not only through the modules, but in my private coaching page on facebook or via personal email support. From my doctoral research, I began to understand that menopause is the start of our biological ageing, so with this as the starting point, I have researched how we must manage our health, our symptoms and our weight as we transition through menopause and go into the next phase of our life - our ageing.  What I learnt and what others are now learning, is that in a new hormonal environment we have to change how we look after ourselves.

Everything that you need to know and the step-by-step strategies to enjoy improved health, vitality and energy as you go through menopause is in my online 12 week programme which I have simply called Transform Me.   I called it this, because when you say this out loud, that’s what I promise to do for you!

So many women give up on their health and weight as they go into menopause because they have 'tried everything'. But if you think about it, many of these programmes take a 'one size fits all' approach, however, we are in a unique stage of life, not only with our hormones, but with our health and as busy, working women who are often caring for others too. We often put ourselves last!

That's why I want to change all that for you and reassure you that I've been through all that too. It's why I designed MyMT Transform Me for you. It changed my life and my health and I know it will for you too. All you have to do is listen to my webinars and videos in your private learning hub whenever suits you and put my powerful strategies into action. You get a 45 minute module every fortnight over the 12 weeks. In these modules you will learn why you are putting on weight in menopause and most imprtantly, the simple but powerful strategies you need to put into place daily to sleep all night, shift your weight, reduce your hot flushes and improve your joint and heart health. If you don't do this, then your ageing years become a whole lot harder. You also get to download my fabulous newly revised food guide which is full of all your food info, recipes, tips and more - all specific to you going through menopause. 
MyMT™ TRANSFORM ME  programme is delivered over 12 weeks on-line, so you learn how to:

 	Stop the belly fat going on and start LOSING by understanding a condition called, ‘oestrogen-dominance’
 	Restore your energy to levels you used to know
 	Restore thyroid balance so your metabolism increases
 	Restore liver and gut health so healthy nutrients are absorbed better
 	Sleep all night because fat-loss occurs overnight
 	(Optional) Taper off HRT and menopause related anti-depressants (with the permission of your Dr)
 	Remove the pain from muscles and joints, so that you can move more!

Increasing weight during menopause leads to greater health problems with your heart and muscle function as you age. Please don’t let this happen to you.
In your 12 week ‘Transform Me’ programme you receive step-by-step solutions for: 

 	Sleeping all night so your body is in fat-burning mode
 	Liver and Gut health restoration, so you lose your bloating and improve your energy
 	Nutrition that is specific to your changing hormonal environment in menopause and for fat-burning
 	Reducing the inflammation that is keeping you in fat-gain mode
 	Bringing energizing, not exhausting exercise back into your life. You will learn how to move more freely using exercise for your menopause transition and reduce your joint pain and dizziness. [ If you are already a regular exercise, then you receive a promo code to my 'Rebuild My Fitness' 12 week exercise programme which is specific to your menopause transition].
 	Online coaching which keeps you learning and feeling motivated and supported!

BUY NOW at $99NZ a month for 3 months which includes my personal coaching too.


Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher
Please read my own story and listen to my VIDEO HERE.

### "It's the MyMT 'kete' of new habits that I love ... especially with all that's happened in Christchurch this week."    [Ginni, Christchurch, New Zealand]

Christchurch, New Zealand is called the 'Garden City'. Renowned for it's beautiful botanical gardens and lush, green surrounds, it was a garden of a different form that it was known for this week. It's been in the world news for all the wrong reasons and the thousands and thousands of flowers laid outside the Botanical Gardens have never been placed in such abundance on a New Zealand pavement before.
As I wandered down the path on my visit here this week, the tributes were heart rendering. I was blown away when I saw this pencil drawing from an un-named artist. 'You are Us' was the cry of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, herself a young mother under enormous added stress this week as New Zealand was thrown into the international limelight, but her empathy and sensitivity embedded in this quote was poignant at the bottom of the drawing. I had tears in my eyes.

With all the grief in the city from the senseless killings, I nearly called off my seminar. But I didn't. Not only did I know that Ginni had flown straight in from a conference in Kuala Lumpur to attend, but I felt that at a time of such intense chaos, the women of Christchurch deserved to know about the menopause chaos that distracts us from performing a role that we all play endlessly and repeatedly - helping and caring for others. I knew there were nurses in the audience who have had to endure such incredible challenges to their usual work at the hospital over the past week and then there were teachers and mothers who have had to support children, young and old, through the emotional upheaval and questioning of the role that we all play in living our lives in beautiful Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Ginni is a secondary school teacher in Christchurch, New Zealand. It's been a stressful week for all teachers and other women in 'caring' careers. 
I was so excited to see her at the seminar a couple of nights ago. She was beaming with her newfound confidence in how to look after herself in mid-life. After struggling with hot flushes, poor sleep, weight gain and a body that felt sore and 'old', she looked a picture of health. Ginni has been with me for over 6 months now, firstly, on the MyMT Transform Me programme and secondly, on the 'Rebuild My Fitness' programme [ON SALE THROUGHOUT MARCH]. Enthusiastic as ever with sharing posts onto the coaching pages about her progress, Ginni was the 'perfect student'. She shared this photo of her on the Old Ghost Road in New Zealand's South Island, as she worked through the 12 week online Rebuild My Fitness programme.

It's always such a privilege to use my knowledge and expertise to help women like Ginni get their energy levels and menopause symptoms under control at a time when we need to be performing at our best. As I said in the seminar, as mid-life women, so many people rely on us, not only in our day-to-day roles in whatever we do, but also in times of crisis as the Christchurch community has been facing this week. As a PhysEd Teacher at a local high school as well as teaching technology papers, I knew that Ginni would be having to sensitively and pragmatically help her students through this difficult time.

It's why I loved hearing that she is back doing the exercise that she enjoys most - at a time of stress and emotional turmoil, exercise is just one way that we can build our mental and physical resilience in order to help us cope. But it's not only exercise that helps - it's being able to sleep all night too. When we sleep all night, we heal our body; decrease our chronic stress hormone called cortisol and it's overnight that we also burn fat. Without sleep, we cannot function - mentally and metabolically. Stress is a funny thing. We cannot live without some stress in our lives (it can invigorate us) but we also can't live with too much of it. Especially in menopause. When we are feeling stressed emotionally and we have a build-up of inflammation and stress in our body, as I said in the seminar, this makes our adrenal glands make more of our chronic stress hormone called cortisol. We aren't supposed to have so much cortisol in our body all day long and when we do, this can upset our fat-burning, energy levels and our sleep and moods. As well, for our body to keep making cortisol, it 'steals' beautiful calming progesterone. I've talked about this in my blogs before so, if you haven't read this article, I share it with you again here. 



In her role as a Teacher, Ginni had no idea about the link between stress and her symptoms in menopause. So, when she told me this, I knew that she was back feeling confident and resilient again ...
"It's the 'kete' of habits that I've learnt that are the most powerful. And understanding that I need to exercise differently in menopause. I had no idea. I've loved my learning and I'm now back doing the swimming that I love. It's pure magic doing my Saturday swim in Akaroa. You've challenged me to go back to my childhood movement patterns on this programme Wendy, and I'm loving it. And after doing your Transform Me programme,  I think this is the best I’ve looked in a swim wetsuit for a few seasons ???? I’ve definitely slimmed down, yay!" 
Kete are traditional flax-woven baskets made and used by New Zealand's Māori people. I now think of Ginni filling up her Kete every day with the right strategies that her body needs during her menopause transition - giving her energy, confidence and sleep!

It's difficult to know the right support to offer at a time like this, but as I said to her, "I'm so pleased that you are back doing the exercise you love to enable you to cope at a time when others need you to be there for them."

At my seminar I talked about the research on the cultural influences on our menopause symptoms. It's an interesting dimension of menopause research and clearly, in societies where older age is revered, there appears to be a link towards less symptoms being reported. In many western societies the opposite is true ... the more we fear ageing, the more symptoms are reported.

With Muslim women on our minds this week, I also spoke about the reporting of symptoms increasing in places where women have to cover themselves up when they appear in public. It seems that hot flushes become worse in many of these women, which, as I've learnt in my studies too, is typically related to our changing ability to absorb Vitamin D from sunlight and other aspects of our lifestyle, including how we respond to stress. With our skin being the largest organ in the body, the importance of sunlight to our health is only just getting more scientific evidence behind it.

I'm always blown away by the women from all around the world who come on board with me in the MyMT programmes. It's a daily reminder that although we may differ in culture and geographical location, what we are all united by, is our natural transition through menopause into the next life-stage, our biological ageing. This transition for many is challenging as it was for myself, but as Ginni has found and thousands of others, it gets a whole lot better when you have your 'kete' of  solutions from MyMT at your side.
If menopause symptoms are getting you down and you would like to learn specific, scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions that I've discovered as I untangled my own 'kete' of symptom chaos, then please read up on how I can help you with a revolutionary 12 week learning programme, by clicking on the link here.


Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder & Lifestyle Coach

### Burn menopause fat by helping these cells to do the job they love to do ... and why my dog needs to do this too!

Coming back to New Zealand has been an eye-opener. A month in Switzerland in a small ski village and hardly ever, did I see an overweight mid-life woman. Even when I visited the larger cities. Although the 2017 OECD report suggests that both Switzerland and Korea are countries where obesity rates are projected to increase over the next two decades, arriving back in little old Aotearoa-New Zealand it hit me - everywhere I turned at the airport, there were women carrying extra belly-fat. A lot of it.

It was a visual reality check confirming the OECD report, that adult obesity rates are highest globally in America, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. They are lowest in Japan.
For Australia, New Zealand, the UK and America, these are not statistics to be proud of. But of most concern is that over 40% of  these stats belong to women. And if these women are in menopause or post-menopause, which many of them are (obesity rates in the America, New Zealand and Australia are highest in menopausal and post-menopausal women), then this doesn't bode well for heart disease rates as we age. Nor does it bode well for our joints and physical function as we get older either. 

Which begs the question:
How did a generation of women in their 50's and early 60's become so overweight and unhealthy and most importantly, how can we turn this around? 
It's a question I had to answer myself when menopause increased my weight too - over 15 kg of fat that seemed to appear within a year. I had become one of the those stats too. Undertaking my doctoral studies at the time, I was also conscious of the conversations I was having with my study participants with over half of them saying that the exercise and 'healthy eating' they were doing, wasn't shifting their mid-life weight gain in menopause. As a researcher I kept my mouth shut obviously, but as my head was nodding, my brain was saying, '#metoo'.

The worldwide prevalence of obesity has tripled between 1975 and 2016. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight. Of these over 650 million adults were obese. What has gone so wrong? Afterall, none of us were born to be obese throughout our lives - it's not a trait that is part of our genetic chemistry as women. And whilst there is increasing evidence that our gut genes that control satiety (fullness) matter for weight gain during our life-time, we weren't destined to live in a body that is carrying lots of weight. Our body is physiologically designed to maintain a weight that helps our health, not hinders it.
Menopause is the time of our lives when, almost at a flick of a switch, our health changes and suddenly we feel older than we really are. For thousands of women, this age and stage throws us into other health problems too. Just like our mother's generation.

Which brings me back to thinking about how did we become so overweight? Is it our diet? Is it lack of exercise? Is it hormonal? Is it our self-discipline (or lack of it)? Is it that we have become so disillusioned that we just 'give-up'? Is it that, as women, we are so stressed and busy that we don't have time to focus on us? What is it? What's gone so wrong?
Some of the best physiological, health and behavioural research in the world all come to the same conclusion .... weight gain is not just one thing [Kadouh & Acosta, 2017]. It is multi-factorial. Social, economic, behavioural, hormonal, nutritional choices, exercise choices - it's a jigsaw of factors that we need to slowly put together. So I did.

As I had become one of those health statistics too, the first thing I said to myself was - 'What is menopause and why am I putting on weight at  this time of life when I exercise daily and eat well?'

The answer partly lay in understanding how excess oestrogen prevails in our food chain and for women who have had a lifetime of diets high in fats and proteins (and an environment that is, in a word coined by obesity researchers, 'obesogenic', then our liver health may not be what it should either. When our liver isn't working properly to break down cholesterol and excess oestrogens (which we also obtain from HRT), in menopause, because our liver also undergoes structural changes with lowering oestrogen levels), then many of us put on weight - especially around our belly. [Brady, 2015].

Researchers now know that modern western living with processed food, sugars, stress, chemicals and for us, some of our exercise choices or not, over decades, are all factors that accumulate in mid-life, contributing to greater damage in our muscle and cardiac cells which contain our mitochondria. It's why I often tell women who attend my seminars [please see the Event page for Christchurch, Perth & Canberra tickets], that as women in our 50's and early 60's, we have been the 'guinea-pig' generation for so many food, exercise and medicines that have impacted negatively on our health over the years, especially our mitochondrial health.  As we all know, what we have been doing over the decades around our food & beverage choices, the amount of food we eat and our various ways of living in an environment full of chemicals and stress, is not working for disease prevention. And as women on my study found, as I did too, the type of exercise we are doing may not be working for weight loss in menopause. This is all to do with what I believe is the 'forgotten factor' in weight loss management for women in menopause - the ability to turn around our mitochondrial health. If we don't do this AND we aren't sleeping well AND we aren't eating the right foods for our changing internal environment in menopause, AND we are already overweight AND we feel stressed, AND we work in a mainly sedentary job, then no matter what crazy diet you are on, or what exhausting exercise you do, your weight will not shift. I know this from experience and it's why too many women give-up on trying to lose their weight in mid-life, but if this is you, then you mustn't! Your health as you age depends it!


Your mitochondria matter for your weight loss. It's not about exhausting exercise, or hard-to-follow diets. it's about understanding how the body gets rid of the fat that is already there and targeting a lifestyle plan that is specific to our age and stage of life - menopause! That's what many programmes don't take into consideration.  It's why, as I lay in bed this morning I planned my slow jog. After being in Switzerland for over a month, I could tell that the women there did lots of walking and hiking. Living in a small alpine village, the walking is often up hill. With everything in close proximity, it's also easy not to use a car. Walking and hiking at altitude boosts your mitochondria and this is where your fat-burning takes place. That's why, for a generation of women used to doing lots of high- intensity exercise or living their life in ways that don't help our mitochondrial health, it's a slippery slope to putting on weight.  Especially during menopause which is the gateway to your biological ageing.
Which brings me to my dog! At 15 years old, Jack has arthritic hips and has become slow with age. But there's another issue too. For 5 weeks he was in the kennels whilst we were away in Europe. This means that he had missed his long, slow walks that we give him every morning. He was lying around more, or alternatively, only doing shorter bursts of intermittent activity playing with the other dogs.

When I picked him up he was noticeably slower, stiffer and according to the Vet, because he was being fed different food than the scientific, high Omega 3 food that we give him, in only 5 weeks this has made his hips stiffen up and I can see he has put on weight. The vet encouraged me to get his fitness and weight back under control.
Does this sound familiar?
I had to select a route this morning that suited both of us. And for both of us, the exercise needed to be aerobic (with oxygen), not anaerobic (without oxygen - when you can't talk because you are so out of breath). Slow jogging with the odd hill to stimulate strength in the hips, butt and quads and at least 10 minutes longer duration than I normally do, to add duration and stimulate the mighty mitochondrial cells. When we love our mitochondria, we burn more fat for energy and we improve our health as we age. It's the same for the dog.

I talk a lot about mitochondrial health in the MyMT programmes, especially the weight loss programme called Transform Me. It's such an important part of how we can reduce the inflammation that builds up in our cells and tissues and reduce our weight. Mitochondrial health is important in lifestyle medicine and for women in menopause, turning around our mitochondrial health is crucial for weight loss and improved health as we age. Weight loss is not about crazy diets, such as the Keto diet, it's about adjusting our lifestyle to suit our changing hormones in menopause which is the 'gateway' to our ageing. This is what I teach women to do in the 12 week online MyMT Transform Me programme. 



Mitochondrial cells are present in your muscles, including the heart muscle. They store oxygen. They are crucial for boosting our metabolism and fat-burning. Without healthy, well-functioning mitochondrial cells, we have no energy for daily life, nor do we have the energy for exercise, because our mitochondrial cells are where fats and glucose are turned into energy. But here's the thing for menopausal women - as we go through menopause and lose oestrogen and we are therefore biologically ageing, we lose muscle density and tone. This means we also lose a good number of  our mitochondrial cells which does not bode well for your health as you age - especially for women who are doing too much exercise and they aren't sleeping all night. It's why we have to boost them and produce more of them.  If I've struck a chord for some of you, then your increasing fatigue levels are due to your mitochondrial cells not doing their job properly. With the wrong exercise and nutrition in menopause, you'll feel even more tired and experience aching muscles, sore joints, more hot flushes and disturbed sleep. the same as over-trained female athletes.

Your beautiful mitochondria cells provide you with almost all the energy that your body needs to eat, breathe, exercise, fight disease and age well. They store oxygen which is why they are known as the power-house of our health. Without properly functioning mitochondria then we lose life-giving energy and our body struggles to maintain optimal levels of health. Furthermore, for women transitioning through menopause, without well functioning mitochondria, we can also lose the ability to manage our weight at this time as well. That's because your fat burning occurs inside your mitochondrial cells.

Hormonal changes during our menopause transition are often the catalyst to decreasing mitochondrial function and for millions of women, these changes increase our weight. That's why we need to do everything we can to boost mitochondrial cell function as we age. If we want to improve our immune health, weight management, joint health and energy levels, then we need to do things that improve the number and size of our mitochondrial cells. We need to stimulate them to grow larger. That way they hold more oxygen which enables us to not only burn fats better, but enables us to live our life with energy and vitality (as long as we can sleep though!).

For over 20 years, I have taught exercise physiology to PE Teachers, Personal Trainers, Sports Science students and Exercise Professionals. One of the fundamental lectures I taught was called, 'Metabolic Adaptations to Training'. In this lecture, I spoke about the role of the mitochondria in our energy production and how, when we stimulate our muscles (including heart muscle) to grow more mitochondria and to enlarge, then we boost our capacity to store and utilise more oxygen. In every lecture, I shared this,
' Skeletal muscle mitochondria increase in both size and number with aerobic training, providing the muscle with much more efficient oxidative metabolism and supplying more energy to the human body.’
[Wilmore & Costill, The Physiology of Sport & Exercise]
A supplement such as MitoQ, or CoQ10 (which is important to take as we age as well because levels of this powerful compound decline) helps us to have more energy. But the real-deal comes from simple, aerobic, endurance exercise. This is the type of exercise that puts us into steady-state breathing. So I don't mean anaerobic exercise (hard-out exercise) as this puts a lot of stress on our mitochondria when we aren't sleeping all night and contributes to poor immune health. Doing lots of high intensity exercise all the time doesn't help you lose weight either. This is because you aren't fat-burning - you are burning sugars instead.

Aerobic exercise must be done for a minimum of 30 minutes and preferably up to 60 minutes. I know that some of you don't have time to do this much exercise in your day, or you have existing health problems or joint problems which make running or walking challenging. But you can find other non-impact ways to improve your mitochondrial cells too - including swimming, cycling, rowing, dancing, hiking or cross-country skiing! I did a lot of hiking whilst away - I feel fitter than I have for  years.

You don't always need high intensity activity in your life, when you can get the same benefits from longer, duration aerobic exercise (with some added strength training). Yesterday, I had an email from a lady concerned that despite changing her diet, she was making no headway with her weight loss during menopause. She was considering doing my programme. When I enquired as to how much exercise she was doing, she said she met with a group of women 4 times a week and their Personal Trainer put them through high-intensity exercise at every session. Even though she wasn't sleeping all night, she was doing Burpees, sprints and all sorts of 'Boot Camp' exercises. Whilst these are fun and it's great to train in a group for the motivation and social support, I explained that she wasn't 'fat-burning' - all she was doing was training her body to search for glucose to replace this into her muscles because she was always exercising at higher intensity. The other thing she wasn't doing was that she wasn't sleeping. When we don't sleep, we don't recover from all of the high intensity exercise and this also blocks fat-burning mechanisms too. Sleep first. Exercise later. That's part of the principle of the MyMT Transform Me programme. I'm not interested in women doing lots of exercise until they sleep all night and restore their energy. Otherwise it's a slippery-slope to more weight gain and worsening hot flushes.

It's a popular misconception that high intensity exercise is required for significant physiological gain and as an educator, I've come full circle on my beliefs about the value of this for women as they age. As many of us have now discovered, the popular saying, 'no pain, no gain' is simply not true. Most of us first learnt to exercise at a time when high-intensity exercise did not have the emphasis that it has today. The problem is that a lot of people (including fitness-industry professionals) now think that this is the only way to train. It's not. And in a body that is ageing and losing muscle density, we need to identify the strategies that help our mitochondria to function better as we get older. That's why I encourage women who do the MyMT programmes, that exercise is only one part of the health puzzle and finding the right way to turn around health and boost mitochondrial function is crucial to our healthy ageing.  That's why the principles of the MyMT programmes follow my research on healthy ageing for women.


Whilst exercise is just one aspect of turning around our weight in menopause and improving our health, the top activities that help your body to develop more mitochondria are slow jogging/ walking; swimming; cycling and moderate resistance training that is higher in repetitions. The best time to do these activities to stimulate fat-burning, is in the morning, before you have had food.
This morning I was out just as the sun was coming up. It was cooler and as a way to kick-start my metabolism for a busy day ahead, it was a great way to start the day. The dog was slow, but so was I. But do you know what?

The most important thing wasn't what we were doing, but that we were 'out there doing it.'

Use it or lose it. How about you?

I love it when women on the 12 week MyMT programmes begin to turn around their mitochondrial health and get back in control of their weight and changing health as they transition through this really important life-stage. Finally, they see a way through their menopause transition that gives them hope that their energy levels can pick up again and they can therefore, burn fat effectively without crazy dieting or too much exhausting exercise.

When I discovered through my women's healthy ageing research, the power of turning around mitochondrial health for improved health as we age, I made so many changes to my day-to-day lifestyle, that made such a difference to my overall health - this included the type and timing of food, the type and amount of exercise and all the other strategies that I have in the MyMT programmes. It's also why I also encourage women who are exercising to mix up their workouts inside the gym and outside! It's something that we tend to forget about - getting outside to workout helps our mitochondrial health. I love this photo of Sally biking through the forest. Energy levels restored!

Of course, the highest priority for improving our health and energy is turning around sleep quality. If this hasn't improved during your menopause transition, then what this may result in during your post-menopause years, (your periods have stopped for a year or more), is worsening immune health or auto-immune problems, such as arthritis or other joint/ muscular problems.

If you aren't sleeping well and you are going through your menopause transition, I invite you to join me on either of the MyMT programmes - it will literally change your life... and your (mitochondrial) health.  

Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine



References:

Brady, C. [2015]. Liver disease in Menopause, World Journal of Gastroenterology, 21(25), 7613-7620

Kadouh, H. & Acosta, A. (2017). Current paradigms in the aetiology of obesity. J. of Gastroendocrinology Techniques, 19: 2-11.

OECD Report (2017). Obesity update 2017.

### VIDEO: Meet Wendy Sweet from MyMT & discover why menopause is the time for lifestyle change, not endless supplements and medications.

Most women joining me on the MyMT programmes are as frustrated as I felt too - sick of spending huge amounts of money on various supplements, hormone creams, weight loss diets, Dr's visits, blood tests, Personal Trainers, HRT, other Health Specialists and whatever else we can think of. All because menopause symptoms are ruining how we are feeling and coping with day-to-day life. We just keep trying to grab what remedies we can. Some work, some don't. I don't know about you, but I was driven to despair. Lack of sleep, endless hot flushes, increased anxiety, sore joints and muscles, mood swings and for me, unstoppable belly fat, not only left me feeling exhausted, but also worried about my future health. It wasn't looking good for the years I still had to enjoy ahead of me.
One day, after purchasing yet another supplement from a young sales-woman, who had no idea what I was going through, and knowing that my blood pressure and cholesterol was climbing despite being on HRT, I knew I had to use my physiology and healthy ageing knowledge and my experience, not only as a former nurse, but also as a leading exercise specialist in New Zealand, to figure out how to turn around my symptoms and my health during my menopause transition.

I didn't want 6-pack abs that the gyms were offering. Nor did I want a dietary approach that was restrictive and not evidenced. I wanted, [and needed], a health transformation - and I knew, that in order to do this, I had to follow the women's healthy ageing research. So I turned my back on sports and exercise approaches and difficult diets such as Paleo and Keto, that haven't been researched for our health in menopause. I didn't have time to spend hours at the gym and my joints and muscles couldn't handle the post-workout exhaustion and pain of high-intensity exercise that was mostly on offer - I wanted to feel energised not exhausted, fabulous not fraught. Afterall, wasn't this the promise of our 'fab-50's'? 

I wanted a transformation that left me feeling healthy, energetic, vibrant and well ... ageless. I also wanted to sleep all night. For without sleep, we don't function. And with all I still have to do in my life, I needed to function well. That meant no more foggy brain, no more sore joints, no more crazy mood-swings and no more weight gain. In fact, I needed to lose at least 15kg of fat that menopause had dumped on my body.
"All I wanted was a Menopause Transformation and because nobody had the integrated solution for sleep, nutrition, health and exercise - I designed it for all of us - there are no crazy diets or exercise regimes, but there is a step-by-step self-learning programme that gets you understanding what you need to do to reduce your symptoms of menopause, turn around weight if you need to, and feel back in control of your health, as I do now too."
“Hi Ladies – my name is Wendy Sweet and I welcome you to My Menopause Transformation™.

I never thought I would be setting up my two 12 week online programmes for women going through menopause, but with my own weight struggles and then listening to women during my Doctoral Studies on women's healthy ageing, this led me to develop and deliver these fantastic on-line health improvement programmes for you.

For over 30 years I have been involved in New Zealand’s health and exercise industry. Although my original career was as an ICU nurse and I'm not practicing any more, I re-trained and pioneered the Personal Training industry in New Zealand.

 Once I left this industry, I returned to education and not only was I lecturing in sport, exercise, nutrition and health physiology, but I was so interested in how to help people change their lifestyle behavior, that I undertook my master's studies in this area. Then I went on to do my doctoral studies in the Faculty of Health, Sports and Human Performance at Waikato University. My desire was to better understand how women perceived their ageing and the role of exercise in this during the menopause transition. I am so pleased that I did! Because what I discovered was that our menopause transition, when we go into the final hormonal changes that herald in the end of our biological reproductive years, is the time to change our lifestyle in readiness for the next 20-30 years of living we still have to enjoy.

In a different hormonal environment, what we have done in the past to manage our health, energy and our weight, simply may not work any more. Not many health coaches and other professionals understand this, because there has been very little research on the menopause transition and lifestyle changes that we need to make to help us get ready for our futre years. When, through my women's health research, I looked at many of the symptoms that women experience during menopause, I realised that this is the time of our lives that our health can begin to change and our menopause symptoms may become worse. This happened to me too.

Desperate to turn around my own health, weight and symptoms, I set out to untangle the menopause-mayhem jiqsaw, so we didn't need to rely on traditional hormone therapies that have been used in the past. Everything I discovered is now in two fabulous programmes called My Menopause Transformation.
These world-class 12-week Menopause Transformation programmes  are all online and have all the information you need to renew your energy and vitality in your mid-life years.  What you will discover is that your hormones all work in synergy so there are a number of ‘connecting-the-dots’ lifestyle strategies that you can put in place to turn around your symptoms and for many of you, begin to lose your menopause weight. If you let your lack of sleep, temperature dys-regulation, anxiety, low energy and weight gain or weight loss, become worse, then this can set you up for problems as you age, especially heart disease or for thinner women, osteoporosis.

"I love helping women feel vital and energetic and healthy again and I explain how I do this, in the video below."
https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-both-programmes-Intro-to-Wendy-programmes-3.43.mp4
I am passionate about you realizing your mid-life potential.  For many of you, these years are critical to re-focusing yourself on your health, exercise and on-going energy as you transition through menopause.

It’s a great time to put yourself first and I promise to show you the way.  
Wendy.

### "I felt so tired and overweight, but now I'm back on track and loving how I feel."  - Kaye (Australia)

Look what Kaye’s up to now! 2 years on from MyMT she never imagined she would be 15kg down, sleeping well & doing her first marathon!
It’s International Women’s Day and with women from 15 countries now doing the MyMT programme, I wanted to have a shout-out to one woman who has blown me away this week – Kaye. Standing at the start-line of your first marathon is a nerve-wracking time. You have no idea how your body is going to hold up, let alone your mind – even if you are running around a beautiful mountain in New Zealand, Mt Taranaki. She got hold of me over the weekend and sent me these amazing photos of her running which she kindly wanted to share with you all too. “I want to give women hope” said Kaye.



“My own menopause symptoms and the continual weight gain were over-whelming me before doing your programme. If anyone had said that I would be training for and competing in a marathon in a couple of years time, I would have laughed at them. But I just feel so proud of myself and how far I’ve come in my personal transformation.“

I’m proud of her too. You see, just over 2 years ago, Kaye lived in Cairns and worked as a hotel housekeeper. When she sent me these photos I went back and found an old email from her which she had sent me before deciding to come on board into the MyMT™ programme. Here’s what she said,
“I feel exhausted. I’ve recently moved into a new apartment as well as started a new job and my stress levels have been through the roof. I have been going to work with as little as 3-4 hours sleep some days. I’m housekeeping in a hotel so my job is very physical. And then I walk 35 minutes home afterward in the heat. I don’t like being 51! My weight is going UP not down. I cry a lot!”
Menopause had landed her with an extra 15 kg of weight. Exhausted, she was trying everything to shift it, but nothing was working.

Not even exercise. So, that’s when I explained to her that it was lack of sleep that was disrupting her metabolism as well as her body holding onto heat as her hormones changed in menopause. Our body doesn’t like being hot all the time.



When we don’t sleep, our body fails to heal and recover from our day to day activities. Heart rate and blood pressure stay high overnight as does our stress hormone called cortisol. When cortisol is high overnight we fail to burn fat. This is why Kaye’s weight was going up not down. She wasn’t getting the lovely, healing sleep overnight which helps our body to burn fat. It’s why I always explain to women on my programmes, ‘if you aren’t sleeping, then you aren’t recovering or losing fat.’ This is because our gut health is also on a 24 hour circadian rhythm and when we don’t sleep, we don’t metabolise our fat properly. It becomes a constant struggle to manage weight the more we can’t sleep.

For six months, Kaye worked her way through the MyMT™ on-line Transform Me module. Then she followed up the weight loss module with the MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness 12 week programme. She loved being able to do these at her own pace, fitting it around her shift work. So, imagine my surprise when she sent me this :

“The last time I weighed myself I’d lost over 10 kgs. That was a few weeks ago now…..I don’t own any scales just go by how my clothes fit…or not! Before MyMT, I was advised to have less than 1200 calories a day…..walking for an hour a day (not sleeping) and l didn’t lose any weight. I thought I was never going to be able to get rid of those awful hips! I was feeling quite depressed and spent a lot of time in tears which I was putting down to menopause! Thank heavens I’m feeling much better now.



On the up side I have been sleeping much better. Manage 7-8 hours most nights. My energy has returned and my moods are better too. Anyway just wanted to let you know all that. I can’t thank you and your programme enough.”

That was nearly 2 years ago which was when I last heard from her.

So when Kaye emailed me during the week and sent me photos of her completing her first-ever marathon I was overwhelmed. Seeing how strong, confident and back in control she looked, I knew she was well on her way to feeling transformed inside and out.



On International Women’s Day today, it’s my privilege to help women like Kaye to turn around symptoms of menopause using lifestyle change strategies and help them get their life back.

Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Creator & Coach/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

### VIDEO: My 12 week online menopause-specific exercise programme is called Rebuild your Fitness: It's ON SALE for you during 'Menopause March'.

"Menopause is the time of our lives when we need to improve our exercise commitment for our health and not necessarily for any high-performance sports performance. This is especially so when we feel so exhausted from not sleeping or if our joints and muscles are sore.  When this happened to me I was so confused about my exercise choices and I had no idea that our muscles and joints are so affected by menopause as well. [You can read my article here if you want to learn more]. This is why I want to tell you about my special SALE for the 12 week, online Rebuild My Fitness programme which you can sign-up to anytime from now until the end of March. I'm in the beautiful Swiss Alps and I would love you to have a listen to my sort video when you have time."
https://youtu.be/eOHOA42iy-g

Everything you receive in this fabulous online 12 week exercise programme is described here on the website. My promo code to use in the BUY NOW for ReBuild My Fitness is FITNESS19 and this gives you $50 off which makes the price $199NZ for 3 months. This includes the programme AND my personalised coaching. Monthly payments are also available to help your budgeting. 

"I can't wait for you to join me."

Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Lifestyle Coach. 

 

### Personal Stories - Elizabeth (Otago)

I have fires as well as fire-fighters on my mind at the moment, including Elizabeth. The top of the South Island in New Zealand is burning up and a huge fire has been raging for days on end. I can only imagine the stress of everyone living in the region and for women who are also in menopause, it’s not only the heat that is the problem, but also the stress from all the uncertainty. When we are feeling stressed, our menopause symptoms become worse. Elizabeth discovered this too.

Whilst stress is a modern-day challenge that we all face, when we have life-events such as environmental disasters impacting on us as well, the accumulation of stress can throw our symptoms into even more chaos. Stress is hell for your hormones and I don’t just mean your reproductive hormones. I also mean another hormone called Cortisol.

Most cells in your body have cortisol receptors, so this lovely hormone affects many different functions in your body. Cortisol can help control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, help reduce inflammation, and assist with memory. It also has a controlling effect on salt and water balance and therefore, helps control blood pressure. But when we produce too much of it, that’s when we start to have problems during our menopause transition. We know a lot about over-production of this hormone from sport and exercise science and a condition in athletes called ‘over-training syndrome’. Feeling that my blood pressure, moods and hot flushes were becoming worse when I felt stressed, I was searching for better understanding of the physiology of this and the relation to menopause. I found what I was looking for in the wonderful Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study, published in the 2009 journal Menopause.*



The study confirmed what I was feeling myself – when we are awake in the night, we feel hot and bothered and have increased night sweats. According to the Seattle Midlife study, the cause of high overnight cortisol is not just for athletes. It is also due to higher than normal feelings of stress in women, higher testosterone and changing reproductive hormones in menopause.

Finally, an answer to what I was feeling myself! I knew that I was feeling hotter than usual and of course, when cortisol remains high overnight, then this also impacts on our sleep hormone called melatonin so we lie awake for longer. Our normal fat-burning mechanisms can be interrupted too.


This is why in the first module that women listen to in the MyMT™ ‘Transform Me’ and ‘Circuit-Breaker’ programmes, I teach them how to reduce cortisol levels before bedtime.
Some of these strategies include:

 	Reducing sugar intake so insulin levels don’t spike.
 	Moderating protein intake at dinner because our pancreatic enzymes reduce as we age and we don’t metabolise protein as well overnight.
 	Doing some specific mindfulness activities to reduce blood pressure.

High levels of cortisol can create inflammation and hot flush chaos. The reason for this, is because if your adrenal glands (which produce your stress hormones), are continually having to maintain high cortisol levels, then they do this by using progesterone – your lovely calming hormone which is also lowering in menopause.


				“I was feeling so confused about my symptoms – even some that I hadn’t even connected  with menopause! It was absolutely a turning point for me listening to Wendy about the effect of stress on my symptoms.”
Thinking about the fires in the South Island reminds me of Elizabeth. She is a volunteer fire-fighter in Invercargill, a beautiful city positioned at the end of the world at the bottom of New Zealand’s beautiful South Island. When she came to my seminar, everything I was saying about symptoms and stress resonated with her.
“Everything Wendy described made so much sense.
It was listening to her seminar that enabled me to understand what was happening to me. It also gave me so much hope that I could get back to what I loved to do. With my busy job as an Operations Manager at Ocean Shell, I also love the small community where I live near Invercargill, so I work as a volunteer Fire-Fighter.I’m a keen member of the Southland Tramping Club and love the amazing world-class walking tracks that are here in Otago and Southland. But when peri-menopause arrived, I didn’t understand why I wasn’t coping with these activities that I have participated in for years.

ElizabethInvercagill

My body felt stressed and I was so exhausted all of the time, especially working as a fire-fighter.

Like a lot of us I have always had a busy, full ‘roller-coaster of a life’ but was really struggling for the last few years to make it all work and just feeling more and more unhappy and stressed. Since starting ‘ MY’ MyMT journey I have learnt so much. Many small steps added up to hugely, positive changes in my life. That’s why I’m also still with Wendy on her coaching group – her posts keep me updated and motivated. Over the last year since working on the lifestyle changes recommended by Wendy in her MyMT programme, I’ve lost 8 kgs.



But the best thing is that my cholesterol levels are reduced and I’m feeling so much better physically and mentally.

Since doing the MyMT programme, I’ve also improved my fitness and cycled the beautiful Otago Rail Trail – 135 km of an old railway that I never thought I would be able to do when I felt so stressed and exhausted. But as I learnt how to manage myself during menopause, my energy levels returned. This is what gave me the confidence to participate in the Firefighters Annual Sky Tower Challenge in Auckland. The race is up 1,103 stairs – in full fire-fighting kit!

It’s a major fundraiser for Blood and Leukemia NZ and although I had competed in it before, when menopause arrived, I didn’t think I had the energy to train for it. But this was where the MyMT ReBuild My Fitness programme helped as well. I did this after completing the symptom reduction programme as I realised that I needed to get my fitness back. And I did!

I felt so good on the day and was stoked to improve my time by 8 minutes! Here I am finishing it!

I’m feeling so much better emotionally and physically, since I now understand this incredible stage of life called menopause.”

Elizabeth - Otago

### "If menopause is the life-stage that is the opposite of puberty, then why is it treated as a 'sickness'?"

"Menopause is the opposite life-stage to puberty and we don't medicate our daughters with hormone therapies, anti-depressants and endless supplements. Too many women believe that menopause is a 'sickness', and yes, I was one of these women who believed this too, because that's how it has been traditionally managed. But we aren't sick! Our lifestyle is so busy these days, that not sleeping, feeling stressed and the wrong food and exercise for this life-stage, is increasing a hormone called cortisol and this pulls down progesterone out of the adrenal pathway. The same thing happens in teenage female athletes and it's partly why so many young women stop exercising or competing during and after puberty. Understanding this in sport science research sent me on a whole new path with understanding menopause. But that's not all. We are the first generation of women to have so much inflammation accumulating in our liver, gut, muscles, joints and fat cells. This has a powerful effect on our symptoms as well." 
[Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder & Lifestyle Coach]

I love this slide.  When I take my seminars, I leave this slide up for a few minutes and watch the look of comprehension on the lovely faces of women attending my 'Masterclass of Menopause' seminars. When I was so confused about my own symptoms and HRT wasn't working to help resolve my sleep, hot flushes and weight gain, this visual image sent me on a whole new path towards understanding menopause.
What does seeing this slide do for you?

When I first saw our hormonal life-stages in this image, I finally felt relief. It's a powerful reminder that we are transitioning through a normal life-stage that heralds in the next phase of our life - our biological ageing. Understanding this was a game-changer for me personally. With my studies on women's healthy ageing, I was able to position menopause as a normal life-stage in ageing research. And when it comes to women's ageing, there are numerous changes that occur in our body because oestrogen and progesterone are powerful hormones that affect the entire body.

When we lose the effect of these hormones, it means we have to make some adjustments to our lifestyle. For many women reaching mid-life, this is the most difficult thing to achieve. Not only because we have so much going on in our lives still, but because there are so many different opinions about how to eat and exercise, that it all becomes a bit confusing!  I was confused too. However, once I began to understand that menopause was the gateway to ageing, then the healthy ageing research I was doing for my doctoral studies, opened the door to understanding how to lose weight, sleep all night, reduce hot flushes, decrease my anxiety and reduce the sore joints that were preventing me form exercising regularly. Every day, hundreds of women tell me that these are the main symptoms that they are experiencing. So, if this is you too, then I want to reassure you, that when we change our lifestyle to better match this life-stage, then our symptoms go away and we feel so much healthier again.

Oestrogen is a powerful hormone.

For decades our levels of oestrogen have been high - even higher in pregnancy! Oestrogen works in partnership with your other reproductive hormone called progesterone, helping to keep your blood vessels dilated, helping control your blood pressure, temperature, metabolism, heart health and also helping your joints and muscles to heal and recover after exercise. The role of oestrogen in blood vessel dilation helps to improve our efficiency for removing the lactic acid from muscles after harder workouts, so for those of you who are used to exercising regularly, this is partly why you may be experiencing sore joints and muscles and at night, feeling like your legs are more restless than usual. As well, oestrogen has a crucial role to play in helping to improve our tendon function. It's why thousands of women start to experience sore joints as they go through menopause, especially if like me, they have been regularly exercising all their life. What you have to remember is that your tendons are ageing, so you need to look after them - after all, they have to give you another 20-30 years of function!



This means that when we are transitioning through menopause (or we are already in post-menopause), if we continue to exercise like we used to (hard-out), then this impacts on the inflammation that is already sitting in our knees, ankles, ligaments and tendons. So, my message to women who are regular exercisers and enjoy a more vigorous workout, then change things up a bit to accommodate your changing hormonal environment and allow your body to adjust. If you can, then also join me on the online Rebuild My Fitness programme. In this 12 week online programme, you discover how to change your exercise to accommodate your changing hormones at this time of life. Women are working through this programme now and loving their learning.
Most, such as Lydia in the photo below, do the weight loss 'Transform Me' programme first or the symptom reduction 'Circuit Breaker' programme first and then come into the exercise programme next. I encourage this because the priority over exercise, is always reducing joint pain, turning around energy, sleeping all night and re- and/or losing weight. 


I never thought about the fact that when I went into peri-menopause, my reproductive biology was going back in time. But now I think about it almost every day! It motivates me to get back to that feeling again because as women living in the modern, western world, we have another 30 years of living to do. We already know from the health of the first cohort of Baby-boomers to reach their older-age, that many diseases of older age are due to the accumulation of inflammation in cells and tissues, so to get back to having a body that is free from inflammation, there are changes we need to make now, in our late 40's and 50's and even into our 60's. I have numerous women on my programme who are in their 60's and they are so loving feeling healthier again. Just like Bev, in the image below - she is now 62 years and it's been such a privilege to help her thrive again. It's so important that we turn around our sleep and other symptoms as we age. This is the most powerful thing that we can do to help our health and immune system so we enjoy healthy and vibrant years in the future.

When I present my live-events, I'm always talking about inflammation. The research on ageing and inflammation has been picking up for over a decade now. It's an important discussion to have, because as the first generation of women to experience so many changes in society, scientists now know, through the new science of epi-genetics, that many of these changes impact on our cells and tissues. One of the main changes in western societies has been to our food production and if you think about it, we are the first generation to have had so many changes to food production, amount and variety.

Today, health behaviour researchers understand that after World War 2, when mass food production sky-rocketed, so did the variety of processed foods and supplements. The rapid expansion of the population in many western countries where there were high numbers of births after WW2 - especially New Zealand, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, where there are the highest proportion of the Baby-boomer generation, mass production of food arrived at the same time, that women went out to work and therefore, had less time to prepare and grow their own food. Larger and larger supermarkets arrived at the same time as more modern ways of living. The age of consumer convenience had arrived. And like the modern washing machine, it was fantastic because it was marketed to our mothers and us in our younger days as 'saving time'.
For women in their 50's and early 60's today, so began our trajectory into eating in different ways and moving less. Conversely, all of these initiatives to 'save time' meant we had 'less time'! Life got busier and we rushed more! With mortgages to pay we were out working and holding down careers and running house-holds as well. We began to stay up late too because this meant we had 'time to ourselves' when everyone else had gone to bed. And because many of us were at the forefront of the emergence of the modern fitness and sports industries, we discovered how going to the gym or running helped us to cope with all that we had going on. Jane Fonda arrived into our lives and we began to change the way we exercised, making this a really important part of our day too. As every one of the women I interviewed in my research studies mentioned, exercise simply helped them to cope and as Angela said, "It was such a great place to go to put the kids in the creche and have an hour to yourself." 
But we had oestrogen then. And now we don't. 

My passion these days is to help you transition through menopause using powerful lifestyle strategies which I've researched specifically to help you reduce your symptoms now that you are in a low oestrogen and progesterone hormonal environment. It's your stepping stone into your healthy ageing and I take you through the 7 pillars of healthy ageing.



How to do this is in my online 12 week programmes. There are two different programmes - one for thinner women called 'Circuit-Breaker' and one for overweight women, called 'Transform Me'. As I say to the amazing women attending my seminars, I step you through what to do, so you discover that feeling of freedom in your joints, muscles and body again. You simply begin to feel healthy again. Menopause is the time of our lives which heralds in our biological ageing and after 40 years of modern living, we just have to make a few adjustments to get back to a new, but oh, so familiar, hormonal environment again.

And when we do, you'll feel 'alive' like Pauline does again....

If 2019 is the year for you to take back control of your menopause symptoms and jump-start your menopause transformation, including weight loss for those of you overweight, then I hope that you will let me guide you. The first thing to do is to think about how you are transitioning back in time to pre-puberty hormonal levels when you felt strong, energetic and you moved freely. Mid-life is a time that many women end up on lots of supplements, various medications and experience gut and health changes, sore joints or more. But it doesn't have to be this way. I've positioned 'menopause' in our ageing and when you allow your body to adjust to this life-stage and you reduce the inflammation that's been building up for decades, then your symptoms go away and you enjoy feeling like your old self again.

Wendy Sweet [PhD] Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher/ Registered Exercise Specialist, NZ/ Member - Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

### Why it's harder to cool down when you're in menopause if you exercise or play sports.

Serena blows my mind. Here she is, the heaviest weight she has been for decades and despite the fact that she is now out of the Australian Open, her power, strength and tenacity was still able to bring her the results to get as far as she did. I've been watching her with interest to see how much fluid she consumes between sets. Because the more muscle mass and total body-weight you have, the more quickly you overheat and to survive in the Aussie heat playing tennis, you have to keep cool and keep your cool!
Fortunately Serena, known for her incredible outfits on court, also had a lot of her skin exposed. It helps to have skin exposed so that your body can cool down by sweating - unless you are in menopause that is. Because our skin is also losing oestrogen receptors, our sweat glands don't function as well as they used to. It's why exercising in the heat can be so much more problematic for women who are going through menopause. Many who I come across on my programmes and in my live events, find that they don't cope as well as they used to with their exercise or sports. Having experienced this myself, I put on my sport science hat and now understand why.

The skin is our largest organ. It is also full of oestrogen receptors that help our sweat glands to open more widely. As pre-pubescent young girls, we over-heated more readily because we didn't have mature sweat glands. This is why sports science books are full of information about the dangers of children exercising in hot and humid conditions. Their body doesn't get rid of heat very well because the sweat glands are still immature.

It's the same with us as we transition through menopause and head into post-menopause. Fortunately, Serena and the other young females playing their hearts out in the Australian Open don't have this problem. They still have oestrogen. But what Serena has, that differs from the other female athletes, is a lot of muscle mass and body weight to move efficiently around the court. In doing so, she invariably sweats more than her opponents, running the risk of over-heating more readily. And even for the best athletes in the world, the body hates heat.

As professional athletes, tennis players have their fluid and carbohydrate regime down to a fine art and for Serena, I hope that her Trainer has had her regime adapted for her increased muscle mass too. Because the first thing that dehydration causes is reduced power. I used to state a quote from the 'bible' of exercise and sport physiology teaching, 'Wilmore, Costill & Kenny - Physiology of Sport & Exercise Science', to students and this was, 'Dehydrate a muscle by 3% and you lose up to 20% in power.'  Because Serena has a lot more muscle mass than ever before, she is now compromising speed for power and if she is dehydrated, the power in her wilts away.
With exercise, tennis and heat on the mind and of course Australia with the current incredible heat-wave it's in, you need to know that when body temperature rises too high, performance is reduced.
That's why if you've been an exerciser for decades and you are used to exercising or playing sport outside, then it's important to know that now that you're in menopause, you need to change your fluid routine and your post-exercise cooling regime. It's what I teach women to do in the MyMT Rebuild My Fitness 12 week online programme, [this differs from the Circuit-Breaker and Transform Me programmes because it just focuses on exercise]. I've put over 30 years of exercise and sport science knoweledge into this fabulous online programme called Re-Build My Fitness, which has information specific to us as we transition menopause. If you are overweight and struggling with sore joints and poor sleep, then make sure you come into my January promotion for the weight management 'Transform Me' programme first though. There are a lot of changes which affect our exercise tolerance when we move into a low oestrogen hormonal environment, but exercise is not effective for weight loss or performance if you aren't sleeping or your joints and muscles are sore.



The increase in fatigue when we exercise or play sports in the heat is an impairment that is caused by both central and peripheral factors. For example, exercise in the heat increases the use of muscle glycogen (glucose) 10-fold, potentially hastening fatigue. Even with exercise lasting only an hour. This is why you do need some sugar/ glucose if you are out exercising in the heat, especially when you go for an hour or longer. Watch the tennis players, they all have water and another bottle filled with a carbohydrate liquid (freshly squeezed apple juice is just as good as the marketed sports drinks too if you add a bit of Himalayan Salt to it). The glucose liquid is readily absorbed from the stomach into muscles. And size matters too. Serena has more muscles to get the glucose to, so she needs to drink more than her smaller opponents.
The other thing we need to remember as low oestrogen prevents our sweat glands from operating the way they used to, is that when body temperature increases, brain function decreases. This is why we need glucose when we are exercising or training in the heat as well. Your brain needs sugar!
Optimal performance is possible only when dehydration and hyperthermia (over-heating) are minimized by ingesting ample volumes of fluid during exercise and by taking common-sense precautions in keeping cool.
Soaking the feet in cold, iced water is one such strategy after exercising in the heat and it's a strategy that I promote in the other programmes to help control hot flushes. The soles of our feet have lots of nerve endings and sweat glands and as humans we have been designed to walk in bare-feet, which for those living in hot, humid countries, helps to keep us cool. Unfortunately, wearing shoes over our life-time, we have rapidly changed our ability to walk bare-foot!
Recent research has demonstrated that consuming fluid in volumes approximating sweat loss maintains important physiological functions and significantly improves exercise performance, even during exercise lasting only 1 hour. This is why athletes weigh themselves before and after exercise in the heat. They need to replace their water loss first, before replacing food. Next comes carbohydrate ingestion which improves performance.

I'll be watching the tennis players over the next few days. When athletes follow an aggressive fluid replacement and temperature regulation regimen, they prevent the pathway towards fatigue, followed by dehydration and heat-stroke. When a muscle is dehydrated by only 3%, athletes can lose up to 20% of their power. As a professional athlete and the best tennis player in the world of women's tennis, I'm sure Serena knows this already. But if you are exercising in the hotter weather in Australia and New Zealand, I just wanted you to tuck this little thought away somewhere too.

-  Drink at least 2 glasses of cold water up to 15 minutes before exercise in the heat if you are exercising less than 60 minutes. Longer than this and you need to take water with you and keep it cold. If you exercise for longer than 75 minutes in the heat, then you will also need an electrolyte replacement drink.
- Have some beetroot, celery, spinach and apple juice within 30 minutes after exercising to replace glucose and to improve blood vessel dilation. As I tell women on my programmes, beetroot and celery have compounds in them that help to dilate blood vessels and restore blood pressure after exercise.
- Have a shower after your exercise and run cold water over the soles of your feet. The soles of the feet are important in heat regulation.
- Keep drinking at least 1 glass of cold water, every hour for 3 hours.
- Slow down and conserve energy at least 3 hours after exercise in the heat. Your body needs to recover. Let it.
This is just some of the information that I have for women to help them maintain their exercise passion and transition through menopause without feeling exhausted all the time. When we overheat, this increases inflammation and oxidative stress in cells and tissues, so exercising in the heat and being in menopause, with changing sweat glands, is a 'double-whammy' for women who, like me, have enjoyed exercising all their life. If we don't get our exercise right and make the necessary adjustments for our changing hormones, we end up with sore muscles, aching joints and restless legs and night sweats. We are the first generation of women to go into menopause in the context of all the exercise and sports that we have participated in over the years, and research consistently shows that women in mid-life are most at risk of dropping out of exercise which is partly due to not sleeping and feeling exhausted, but I believe it's partly to do with the fact that they don't understand how to adapt their exercise to match their changing hormones in menopause.

I love the photos that come my way via the women in my Re-Build My Fitness group. With the Australian Tennis Open on my mind and the incredible heat that Australian women are having to cope with, this reminded me of the photo that Lydia shared with us recently ... and as she says, "they are wallabies, not kangaroos". 



Wendy Sweet, PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder & Coach.

### Discover my 6 ‘foodie’ tips that will help reduce your HOT FLUSHES, keep your BLOOD PRESSURE low & help you STAY CALM this Christmas!

Turkey or Ham? Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes? Broccoli or Cauliflower? Spinach or Kale? Beetroot or Parsnip? Steamed pudding or pavlova?
Of all the hundreds of coaching posts that I’ve written for women who join me in the private MyMT communities for my three different 12 week programmes – [Circuit Breaker, Transform Me & my new Re-Build My Fitness community], if there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s that when I mention food that helps hot flushes, I get the most reaction out of them. ????

If you’ve been following my newsletter for a while now, then you’ll hopefully have been reading my posts over the past year and taking information from these in ways that can help you. I hope so. That’s why I write them! It’s been such a great year for me – I have traveled the length of New Zealand doing my Masterclass on Menopause seminars (if you missed this, then please watch my EVENT page as already there is CANBERRA coming up on March 26th, 2019) and I’ve been so grateful to the amazing women in the community hosting these events, who are just as passionate about menopause and turning around our symptoms and helping women to improve their mid-life energy and vitality as I am.

I was particularly humbled when Sue Coleman-Price presented me with the most beautiful, meaningful acknowledgment of all – a gift of pounamu/greenstone aroha (love) for all that I have done to help her become a leading Personal Trainer in Northland.

She said that the knowledge and expertise that she got from doing my education courses years ago, has enabled her to help women feel better in the various communities where she works as a Personal Trainer. I was so surprised and very humbled.

Christmas is always a challenging time when we are in our menopause transition. I know this only too well. As women, often the success of the day relies on all that we do. But when energy is low and we having lots of hot flushes and haven't slept well, then maintaining our enthusiasm and joy de vivre can be very difficult. That's why it's been such a privilege to help hundreds of women in 2018, understand how to adjust their lifestyle to suit their changing hormones and get back to how they used to feel before menopause hormonal changes arrived.

I remember only too well how difficult this time of my life was too. But because many of you haven't joined me yet [don't forget my JANUARY WEIGHT LOSS INTAKE starts soon, so you can sign up any time from now - see below for the promo code], and because Christmas is only a few days away, then I just wanted to share some foodie-tips which I've researched specifically for you at this time of year.
What to eat when you’re feeling beat:
Fatigue for mid-life women is near epidemic proportions. Not sleeping, feeling tired all the time, the incredible change in health with post-menopause obesity, metabolic syndrome and hypertension – the post -menopausal health stats in many western countries including Australia, New Zealand, America and the United Kingdom don’t lie. Whilst a lot of this health chaos is to do with the way our sleep hormones change as we go through menopause, much of our mid-life fatigue is also about our diet. When you’re feeling beat, your diet matters. But what matters even more, is that you are eating for your menopause hormonal changes – not eating food that is better suited to athletes, males or kids!



Numerous studies have shown that changes in the levels of nerve transmitters in the brain (neuro-transmitters), such as dopamine and nor-epinephrine, can dramatically affect your energy levels as you go through menopause too. These brain chemicals can decline during menopause alongside our changing oestrogen levels, especially when we don’t sleep. When we have lots of these chemicals however, then we feel more alert and energetic, so the goal is always to keep these powerful brain transmitters as high as you can to offset the changes associated with menopause. Eating the right food does this, as does learning to sleep all night and doing the right exercise to help our brain hormones.

This is why women love the food and recipes I have in the MyMT programme – I’ve done the nutrition research and every bit of food advice is geared up for us in menopause, which is the gateway to our ageing. So, with Christmas just around the corner, I want to share some of this information with you too. Hot flushes can drive us crazy, especially when the weather heats up down-under in New Zealand and Australia. So, as my Christmas gift to you, if you are in the kitchen on Christmas Day, then make sure that you have these foods on your menu too. They’ll be on mine as well.
Your goal? - To eat foods that don’t spike your blood sugar levels, but instead, they help to boost your mood and help you to manage your blood pressure.
When blood sugar levels are high, then your pancreas is thrown into producing more insulin. And when insulin is high, then your hot flushes are worse, making your heart rate and blood pressure soar. If you aren’t sleeping, then over time, inflammation builds up in your cells and tissues. What you may feel is more hot flush chaos at Christmas.

If you’re in charge of the food going on your table this Christmas, then here are my Top 6 foods to help you. Forget the Christmas menu’s of celebrity chefs who don’t understand the powerful link between hot flushes, high blood pressure and mood in menopause!

1. Turkey or Ham?

The building block for our mood hormones, dopamine and nor-epinephrine, is the amino acid (protein), tyrosine. This protein is elevated when you do two things:

1) Have good gut health because it is absorbed in the small intestine and, 2) when you eat tyrosine-rich protein. It’s why on the Christmas menu, I will have the Turkey and pass on the processed ham which doesn’t have the tyrosine levels of turkey.

2. Sweet Potatoes [Kumara] or Potatoes?

I’m definitely throwing sweet potatoes into the roasting pan. Packed full of anti-oxidant goodness (antioxidant-rich foods contain powerful nutrients that have been researched to heal already damaged cells and help to prevent further damage), the sweet potato is also full of fibre to help you feel full. But there’s more to this too. Sweet potato, despite their name (I prefer the New Zealand name of Kumara), don’t taste sweet at all. They are on the list of low to moderate glycemic index [GI] foods, which means that when you choose sweet potatoes over ordinary potatoes, your insulin response remains low. On the island of Okinawa, where some of the world’s longest living healthy women live, their age and good health is partly attributed to the sweet potato. Over 70% of their weekly diet is this wonderful vegetable. This is why, with menopause being the gateway to our biological ageing, sweet potato gets my tick for not only providing us with sustainable energy, but also because of it’s lower GI compared with the more common white potato.

3. Broccoli or Cauliflower?

I’ve talked a lot about broccoli on my coaching groups this year. Mainly because of the role it plays in helping to clear oestrogen from our fat cells and liver ducts. Although evidence has been mounting that broccoli is great for cancer prevention, for women in menopause and post-menopause, equal evidence suggests that the nutrients in broccoli help to protect against heart disease. With most health research tending to focus on the sulforaphane in broccoli which helps to block cancer-producing enzymes, I prefer broccoli for women in menopause, because it is also high in beta-carotene.

This powerful nutrient is converted to Vitamin A and helps to prevent heart disease as well as helping to heal a lifetime of damaged cells and tissues. Very important for those of you who do lots of exercise! Cauliflower shouldn’t miss out on the attention either because it is full of healthy nutrients as well, but the problem with cauliflower compared to broccoli, is that it has greater amounts of purines in it. These are amino acids that break down to uric acid in the body. As any of you with sore joints and gout know, you need to be careful of your purine consumption. Many women on the MyMT progra

mmes have sore joints when they start out, so being careful about purine consumption is something that you will find in the MyMT™ nutritional information too. Both these wonderful vegetables get my vote and I will be having them at the Christmas lunch, but they will be cooked, not raw and more broccoli than cauli will be on my plate!  

4. Spinach or Kale?:

Spinach every time. Despite the popularity of Kale, women in menopause don’t need to go over-board with kale in their diet. In fact, I have pretty much gone back to spinach and silverbeet myself and on Christmas morning I’ll quickly wilt some spinach to have with avocado on my toast. Kale and other cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts) contain phytochemicals called glucosinolates. The popular way to eat these vegetables these days is raw. However, raw isn’t always best.  And although cruciferous vegetables are great for helping clear the liver of excess oestrogens and toxins - [important for those of you who have had breast cancer and are on tamoxifen or other oestrogen-blocking meds], the conversion of glucosinolates in the raw form, compete with iodine for uptake into the thyroid. During menopause, when we need our thyroid to be functioning well to help regulate our hot flushes and metabolism, if we don’t have enough iodine in our diet, our temperature regulation can go a bit askew, making our hot flushes and night sweats worse.

I have an entire module on HOT FLUSH MANAGEMENT in the MyMT™ programmes and a list of what cooling carbs to include in your diet is on a handout for you to take to the supermarket or where-ever you shop for vegies. On this list is Spinach and Silverbeet - slightly cooked with a sprinkle of iodised salt, for Christmas Day, it helps our thyroid to function. When we love our thyroid and keep it functioning with iodine, our blood pressure stays stable and we help to manage our hot flushes.

5. Beetroot or Parsnips?

For years, I didn’t eat beetroot (beets) because my family hated them. I wish that I had over-ruled them, but as women cooking and preparing food for the family it’s so easy to put our nutritional needs behind those of others. Nowadays, with my women’s healthy ageing research in front of me, teamed up with my background in sports and exercise science, I know that beetroot wins hands down over parsnips. Although I love parsnips and they are very healthy and useful for us, if I was to choose a vegie that was specific to my needs in menopause, then it would be beetroot. In fact, I tell women to make it into a powerful juice with other vegies and apples, especially before or after exercise. Sports science research has emerged about the role of beetroot as a vaso-dilator. This means that compounds in beets (dietary nitrates) may assist in helping to dilate blood vessels, therefore, improving oxygen uptake. But dietary nitrates may also have a role in reducing blood pressure, so if you already have high blood pressure from the stress of Christmas or not sleeping well during menopause, or you do lots of high intensity exercise or heavy power-lifting, and these are all types of exercise that can elevate blood pressure in menopausal women, then bring on beets! The effect of dietary nitrates on blood pressure as we transition through menopause and into post-menopause is important. But conversely, if women have low blood pressure, then be careful of having beetroot juices. You might just feel yourself feeling a bit light-headed!

6. Steamed Pudding or Pavlova? 

What a conundrum! Who likes Christmas dessert? Silly question I know. ???? This was a tough one, but as much as I love a good steamed pudding full of delicious raisins and covered in hot custard, for women who don’t tolerate wheat or sugar very well, steamed pudding is hot flush hell and for those with poor gut health, with the wheat from flour, then it can cause those of you who are gluten intolerant a bit of grief!

Whilst one could argue that the pavlova is higher in sugar and therefore, will also give you a sugar-rush and therefore, increase insulin and hot flushes, the pavlova wins for me. This is because it is higher in protein as it's made from amino-acid rich egg whites. Protein helps to off-set the insulin response from the sugar (you could also use less sugar and I now use an organic brand).

I always buy Cowell's Pavlova here in New Zealand. The late Mrs Cowell, who founded the pavlova company with her husband, used to live across the road from me when I lived in Dunedin. I still remember her bringing over beautiful pavlova slices to celebrate my daughter's birth. So maybe I'm a bit biased when it comes to pavlova versus steamed pudding, but when served with fresh berries you also have a good dose of a compound called ellagic acid. This powerful compound is another one of nature’s anti-oxidants and for women in menopause, it helps to fight inflammation and harmful free radicals.

I always explain to women in my seminars that menopause is the transition into our biological ageing, so as my PhD was on women’s healthy ageing and exercise, I began to investigate all the influences that may have caused inflammatory changes in the body from decades of exercising. My own joints and muscles felt sore and achey and don’t even mention ‘restless leg syndrome’ [this is so common for women who are exercising and I talk about it in my programmes, especially for women who exercise daily], so I looked into what was really going on. Our joints, muscles and nerves all contain oestrogen receptors, so going into a low oestrogen hormonal environment affects these structures too. Hence, why we need lovely anti-inflammatory berries to help heal and prevent further damage caused by free radicals. Fortunately, here in New Zealand, raspberries and blueberries are in-season, but if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, then frozen is fine (preferably organic).

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and I want to say thank you for being part of the MyMT community. With over 1000 women from 14 countries, having gone through the MyMT programmes, I know that menopause matters! It can be a crazy time of life, so I want to reassure you that the programmes and plans that I have for you are all focused on this age and stage of life. It’s so important to turn around our sleep, hot flushes, blood pressure, weight and sore joints before going into our post-menopause years makes it that little bit tougher to turn around our health.
Don't forget that the TRANSFORM ME MENOPAUSE WEIGHT LOSS programme is also ON SALE now ready for my January Intake. Please use the promo code JANUARY19 when you purchase and you can commence it any time throughout January. You also get a bonus month of my coaching and you can email me any time with questions or problems, so that the programme stays individual to your needs, not mine! 
Please come and join me for 12 weeks (or longer as there is no pressure to get through the programme in 12 weeks). Make 2019 the year that you get back in control of your menopause symptoms through the MyMT programme that I’ve designed for you. Changing our lifestyle to suit our changing hormonal environment is the most powerful thing you can do. And it’s not just about food, it’s about sleep, joint health, exercise specific to mid-life, stress management and more …. You won’t find a more comprehensive course around. I know this, because I tried to find one too.

 Wendy Sweet, PhD



References:

Lidder, S. & Webb, A. (2013). Vascular effects of dietary nitrates as found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot. J. Clin. Pharmacology, 75(3), 677-696.

Rienks, A., Van der Woude, et al. (2015) Effect of Beetroot Juice on Moderate-Intensity Exercise at a Constant Rating of Perceived Exertion. Int. Journal of Exercise Science, 8(3): 277-297.

Siervo M., Lara J. et al. (2013). Inorganic nitrate and beetroot juice supplementation reduces blood pressure in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Nutrition. 143(6): 818-826.

### Learning that I was storing too much oestrogen in my fat cells during menopause changed my health & my hot flushes.

It was an interesting day yesterday - I was interviewed on New Zealand's National Radio about my PhD - what a wonderful opportunity to raise the flag for women's healthy ageing! If you would like to listen to what I said, then I've put the link at the bottom of this article which you can paste into your web browser. It's always a great privilege to be invited to chat and to explain why we know so little about menopause, especially in the context of exercise.


I so remember when I went around the country talking to the fabulous women who so kindly shared their stories with me when I asked them about the meaning of exercise in their lives now that they were in their 50's. Every single one of them said that the reason they exercised was because they 'didn't want to age like their mother'! What was even more interesting however, was that many of them mentioned that they weren't sleeping and their exercise, although invigorating, was leaving them tired and they felt that it wasn't helping much with their weight gain during menopause. At the time, I felt exactly the same and I had no idea, that menopause hormonal changes, insomnia and lots of exercise do not go well together - especially for our weight. Burning fat requires sleep. And for women in menopause, turning around sleep is crucial. It's why I have a Sleep All Night module for women to listen to as their kick-start into the programmes.

When I went into peri-menopause, I had no idea about the role of oestrogen in our fat cells. I also didn't know about a condition called 'Oestrogen Dominance'. It's getting more press now, but 7 years ago when my reproductive hormones [oestrogen and progesterone] announced that my reproductive years were over, and I wasn't sleeping, my moods were all over the place and for me, the belly fat was stacking on, my Doctor put me on HRT [hormone replacement therapy]. This little tablet was full of oestrogen and unbeknownst to me at the time, it was the last thing my fat cells might have needed. That's because for decades my diet and my environment was already full of hormone-disruptors. These disruptors can include house-hold chemicals, high oestrogen foods, compounds, such as bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates from plastics and exposure to heavy metals and all exhibit oestrogenic activity [Lizcano & Guzman, 2014].

The connection between your changing oestrogen levels in peri-menopause and your weight gain, is controversial. At least in the literature. * Oestrogens and  oestrogen receptors regulate various aspects of glucose and lipid (fat) metabolism but it is the disturbances of these signals both from menopause changes and hormone disruptors in the environment that can lead to the development of obesity and higher cardiovascular risk in women during their post-menopause years.

What I've discovered with myself and as many of the women on the MyMT Transform Me programme have found out as well, there's a lot more going on in our body during our menopause transition, than we are led to believe! It isn't just changing oestrogen and progesterone hormones, which are involved, but also our pituitary hormones (Luteinising Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone) too.

And when the changing reproductive hormonal environment clashes with cortisol (one of your stress hormones) and insulin, (one of your blood sugar regulation hormones), then the combination of poor sleep, hot flushes and weight gain, can cause you metabolic mayhem. Belly fat and upper body fat goes on at an alarming rate, no matter the amount of exercise you are doing.

When your body is storing more oestrogen than it needs at this time of life, this pushes out the opposing hormone, called progesterone. The term for this is called 'oestrogen dominance' and if you are stacking on belly-fat, then please let me help you to turn this around before your metabolic chaos heads you into worsening heart-health as you get older. What is Oestrogen Dominance?

As far back as the 1970’s, Dr John Lee, from California was inspired to explore the role of progesterone in peri-menopause after noticing that many of his female patients were intolerant to the use of oestrogen replacement therapy. Like a few other doctors and endocrinologists at this time, Dr Lee believed that the distressing symptoms that so many women experienced during menopause were in fact NOT due to the low oestrogen levels, but due to higher than normal amounts of oestrogen present in fat cells in the body. He realised that women with a pre-disposition to put on weight, had higher levels of oestrogen circulating in their blood stream and with new research into obesity, he knew that fat cells are a receptor or storage area for oestrogen too. Because oestrogen, like other hormones, works in harmony with an opposing hormone, Dr Lee, began to explore the role of oestrogen’s opposing hormone, called progesterone. Extra oestrogen stored in fat cells and liver cells can play havoc on progesterone levels, causing progesterone to drop dramatically. So too can high levels of our stress hormone called cortisol and when we don't sleep, when our exercise levels are too high, or conversely to low, excess storgae of oestrogen dominates the hormonal environment, over-shadowing progesterone. According to Dr Lee, this exacerbatesthe symptoms of low progesterone as the oestrogen is ‘unopposed’.  Hence, Dr Lee, coined a term to describe this phenomenon as ‘OESTROGEN DOMINANCE’.

What happens when you become oestrogen dominant?

Perhaps the most critical concern caused by oestrogen dominance in menopause is that progesterone is too low too soon as we transition our menopause years. This combination of excess oestrogen and low progesterone has numerous effects on our body, including impairing the functioning of cell membranes. Sodium becomes retained and with it so too does water. Many women then feel 'puffy' and their ankles begin to swell with the water retention. A situation that is tough for women who already have higher blood pressure, so if this is you, then please get your blood pressure checked regularly with your medical team. Other symptoms of oestrogen dominance also start to be felt – sore and tender breasts, mood disturbances, low motivation, irritability and of course, weight gain, especially around the middle.

Is it bad to become oestrogen dominant?

When our fat cells hold onto more oestrogen, then we typically increase our weight around the middle. And this is where the problem lies as we get older - weight around our middle isn't great for our heart health and can lead to other metabolic problems such as Type 2 diabetes. I think even tougher though, is the fact that as our weight increases around our middle, we find it harder to do every-day jobs. I know when this happened to me, I felt bloated and the increasing fat deposits around my breasts and my diaphragm left me feeling uncomfortable with exercising. Touching my toes was becoming harder too!

How do we reduce oestrogen stores in fat cells?

When I began to explore what to do to reduce oestrogen dominance and to balance up progesterone again, I realised that this needed a multi-pronged approach (hence the different modules in the Transform Me programme). As I've said earlier, the first objective is to turn around your circadian rhythm and sleep all night. Without doing this, your body won't fat-burn overnight.

The second objective is to restore optimal liver function. Your liver is your toxin remover and it needs to be functioning well to help break down both cholesterol and oestrogen.

Stress management is also crucial as is managing your chronic stress hormone cortisol. When cortisol levels remain high for much of the day, we feel wired, tired and we hold onto fat and our insulin levels can also become a bit erratic - a perfect storm for putting on more fat!

When I put together the Transform Me menopause weight loss programme, I knew I had to focus on oestrogen dominance. It's why I step you through exactly what to do in your learning modules and it's also why, the first two modules you receive to kick-start your weight loss are Sleep All Night and Are you Oestrogen Dominant? And as I say to women on the programme - your first goal is to stop gaining. When we stop gaining, only then can we begin to lose.

Wendy's Chat on Radio New Zealand - copy the link into your web-browser:

https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018674435/tell-me-about-your-thesis

Reference*:

Lizcano, F. & Guzmani, G. (2014). Estrogen deficiency and the origin of obesity during menopause.
BioMed Research International, Article ID 757461

### Need some calming strategies in your life? Why I'm at New Zealand's Hauora Yoga Conference!

November is ‘exercise month’ and that’s why I’m here at New Zealand’s first conference for Yoga Instructors … where re-connecting with Jason was insightful!
How do you cope with stress and your feelings of anxiety with your busy life? Do you eat more? Do you get frustrated, impatient? Maybe you turn to lots of exercise because it helps you release your tension. But now that you’re in menopause, your joints, tendons and muscles feel sore … and you feel exhausted. All. The. Time.

Hi Everyone - I'm coming to you today from Auckland University of Technology where I'm attending New Zealand's first Yoga Instructor Conference. Now I'm not a qualified yoga instructor, but as you know, I always like to challenge myself on new experiences that might benefit all of us with our knowledge as we transition through mid-life, so that's why I'm here. And I'm so pleased that I am. Because if you are feeling tired, grumpy, sore, overweight and frustrated, then maybe you need to take some time to have some quiet time. Maybe, as I did today, you need to have some mindfulness time.

I’m not very good at slowing down – having come through the New Zealand fitness industry, exercise to me always meant ‘go, go, go’. Lots of pick-me-up aerobic classes, movements that mimicked athletics,  loud music and the ‘go hard or go home’ mantra. Those of us teaching and doing these classes, loved the endorphin hit and loved the instructors. Jase was one of these instructors. He personified the strength, power and athleticism of the modern group fitness instructor and for years, trained instructors for global fitness giant Les Mills World of Fitness.  It was during these years that I enjoyed so many of Jason’s classes, so how excited was I meeting him today at New Zealand’s first Hauora Yoga Conference?

This three day educational event is where the professional yoga community in Aotearoa New Zealand connect, discuss, learn, innovate and practice together. Jason was there to educate, empower and inspire yoga teachers.

I’m not a Yoga teacher, but I’m here at the conference to learn more about this ancient art, as I explore different strategies that women going through menopause can utilise to help them to feel calm, cool and confident as they go through this powerful life stage.   You see, as Jason and I chatted briefly this morning, we reflected how when you are always turning to exercise that hypes you up, your cortisol levels go through the roof. If you ‘ve been following my newsletters for a while, you’ll have heard me speak about cortisol. This is one of our stress hormones and when our adrenal glands are continually producing cortisol during our menopause transition, our heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety levels, irritability, hot flushes and muscle soreness increase. Some cortisol is good for us. Too much is bad. The reason too much cortisol is bad for us, is because when our adrenal glands are always pumping out cortisol all day long, we stay in flight or fight mode. We always feel hyped. But for women in menopause, there’s another problem too.

When cortisol stays high, calming, healing progesterone is ‘stolen’ from the adrenal pathway to keep making cortisol. What this means is that progesterone levels can crash in relation to oestrogen, widening the gap between these two powerful hormones that are wanting to work together to keep you transitioning through menopause in the way that our biology intended. If progesterone goes too low, too quickly, then oestrogen can become the ‘dominant’ hormone and for many women, this means that weight stacks on (as it did for me too) or for thinner/ leaner women, progesterone which goes too low too quickly, can cause heavier bleeding, sore breasts, sore joints and increased anxiety.

Producing too much cortisol is some of what Jason and I were talking about this morning. The fact that our ‘past-life’ always doing lots of exercise, from Pump/ Barbell classes to high-intensity group fitness classes, often sent our cortisol levels through the roof. On some days, Jason was teaching 3-4 classes a day. And ‘way-back’ I was the same.

We had no idea that this increases cortisol throughout the day, leading to chaos with blood sugar regulation, joint pain, insomnia and a general increase in fatigue. Jason found yoga. I found swimming. But today we both found each other! ????  We both understood that as we aged, we needed to balance up the intense exercise with something a little less intense, so that we could preserve ‘the body’ not always do activities that caused additional inflammation. As I said to Jason,

“We are the first generation of instructors to head into our older years in the context of all the exercise we did, and for women especially, we are the first generation to head into menopause in the context of all the messages that have emerged from the fitness industry. Our brains still want to train and exercise hard, but often our body is telling a different story.”

That’s why I also attended a session this morning run by Katie Lane. An experienced Yoga Teacher and Practitioner, Katie was talking about Yoga and Emotional Health. Oh, where was all this information when I went into peri-menopause?! The nervous system changes so much as we get older (and don’t forget that menopause is your transition into your next stage of life – your older years, so I’m always looking at the changes in the body through this lens of ageing) – as oestrogen declines, our nervous system tissue loses some of its ability to fire-up our nervous system. This is why some of you get forgetful and your reaction time goes down a notch or two. It’s also partly why we feel more anxious and irritable, especially when we can’t sleep.

I loved how Katie shared her own story with us, explaining that she felt pretty highly strung and “high-arousal” for years. When she started practising yoga, this helped to calm and centre her, drawing on its holistic, embodied philosophy. As she said, “When we experience embodiment, we are drawing on the moment to moment processes by which human beings allow awareness to enhance the flow of thoughts and feelings. Yoga is just one way of enabling us to be more in tune with our thoughts and feelings as we go about our busy lives. ”

When I was researching our menopause symptoms as part of my women's healthy ageing studies, I learnt myself, how important it is to have tools and strategies to manage stress in our lives, and I'm not just talking about emotional stress. Physical inflammation causes greater oxidative stress and because of the importance of knowing how to turn around stress in our menopause, transition, I put it into a module in the 12 week online Circuit-Breaker programme called 'RE-address Stress. That's why I was so pleased that this learning module supports what Katie was telling us as well, Taking us through various yoga and deep-breathing poses, Katie explained how important it is to harness your “internal resources”. She gave us three things to focus on,

 	Deep breathing
 	Grounding our feet into the floor i.e. being aware of planting our feet strongly and equally as we stand (barefeet is best)
 	(Re)Connecting to our posture and balance.

I’m not much of a yoga person, but I totally ‘get’ the necessity to have strategies and practices which enable us to stay calm and in control, especially when menopause can create so much mayhem. That’s why in both of the MyMT programmes – ‘Circuit-Breaker’ for thinner/ leaner women and ‘Transform Me’ for women wanting to lose their menopause weight, I have a bonus module to share with you, simply called ‘Mind your Mindfulness’.

This powerful module teaches you how to use mindfulness strategies to re-frame your mind during the day when symptoms and fatigue get on top of you, and it takes you through  some beautiful yoga poses too. That’s unless you live in Wellington in New Zealand and can get to Awhi Yoga & Wellbeing.

I love how Jason has set up AWHI ~[ pronounced “uffy” (verb), meaning  to embrace, hug, support, cherish] within the context of hauora/wellbeing. This is what I’ve done with MyMT  Re-Build My Fitness too – both Jason and I, know that for any person to ‘thrive’ in life, rather than just ‘survive’, then the mind, body and spirit must be supported, nurtured and cultivated no matter what stage of life we are at.
It's also why, during 'November is Exercise' month, it's all about getting you back into the exercise that matters for your menopause transition and it's why I have the revolutionary 12 week MyMT Re-Build My Fitness programme available only for the MyMT member community at only $150NZ. Please use the promo code Rebuild and enter this into the Buy Now button.


Wendy Sweet, PhD/ NZ REPs Registered Exercise Specialist. 

### Are you there yet? Take the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz.

Would you like to know if you are in peri-menopause? I still remember when I began to have hot flushes - reaching menopause was the last thing I thought about. I had no idea what was going on and when I couldn't sleep night after night, and then kept getting cramps in my legs and felt bloated, I still didn't think I was in menopause. That's because it doesn't get spoken about so we have no idea why we start to feel exhausted and sore.
It was talking to women on my research studies, that made me think that I might be heading into menopause - they were describing very similar symptoms! Especially when it came to exercise. Sore joints, aching muscles and restless legs at night. As regular exercisers, they, like me, had no idea that the type of exercise they were doing (mainly moderate to high intensity) was causing muscle pain and increased injuries. This is because oestrogen exerts a powerful effect on blood vessels and tendons, so as we go into menopause, this affects our ability to recover - so too does lack of sleep!

When you do the MyMT Symptoms Test, I explain your score in my short video at the end of the quiz. If you haven't taken the quiz, then it only takes around 1 minute, so please click here. 

Wendy (please read about me here)

### Turn down your internal heat in menopause by focusing on your skin and feet!

Are you feeling frustrated by your hot flushes? Wondering why you feel so hot all the time? Well, don't entirely blame menopause! It's also because your body is holding onto inflammation. So, with the weather heating up down-under, then it's time to turn down the internal heat and focus on two organs that help to regulate your body-heat - your skin and your feet!
Last night I had the pleasure of presenting to numerous women who work in their various careers at the University of Waikato. When I took them through the symptoms of menopause and asked them who was feeling hot all the time, there was a palpable moan and groan of agreement around the room. I told them how lecturing here at the university a few years ago, was where I first began to think about whether or not I was in menopause!

There are a range of topics that exercise and sport science students need to know about. When you live in New Zealand or Australia, one of these topics is all about training and competing in the heat. Hence, I was giving a lecture about body-temperature regulation in athletes competing in hot and humid environments.  This is a dangerous condition which can lead to over-heating and heat exhaustion/ heat-stroke and can quickly accelerate into a critical medical event as many athletes have discovered! As I was doing this particular lecture a few years ago, I had rivulets of sweat running down my back. At the time, I was also explaining how our body is very 'heat-sensitive' and we know that our temperature regulation operates on a very small range of tolerance between 36.5 - 37.8 degrees celcius. Only during prolonged exercise, fever due to illness, or other extreme conditions of heat does the body deviate from this normal range. Whenever this balance is disrupted or disturbed, body temperature changes. *

As I explained to the women last night, it was taking these lectures about temperature regulation, that sent me down the path towards exploring why, when I wasn't sick, and I wasn't doing extreme exercise, I was still feeling hot, sweaty and heat intolerant throughout the day and night. I was sick of changing sheets with all the night sweats I was experiencing!

It was taking these sport-science lectures, that helped me realise that my hot flushes were actually a positive thing! With rivulets of sweat running down my back, my body was putting me into survival mode, and helping me to cool down.

This evolutionary survival response allows people to tolerate the heat build-up in the body. But it's not sweat dripping off the skin that we need because, this doesn't cool the body. Sweat must evaporate to provide cooling. Evaporation is the primary avenue for heat dissipation during exercise and at rest. As body core temperature increases, sweat production increases. As sweat reaches the skin, it is converted from a liquid to a vapour and heat is lost from the skin in the process. So, sweat evaporation becomes increasingly important as body temperature increases.

Thinking about all this led me down the path towards understanding how to cool my body when oestrogen is low in menopause. You see, when oestrogen is lowering, this has a profound effect on our blood vessels. Tiny blood vessels that take blood to our skin and our sweat glands become more constricted when oestrogen is low. So, blood flow to the skin, which is a necessary part of our cooling mechanism, can be disrupted in menopause. Both our skin and sweat glands rely on oestrogen to function optimally (another reason why over-heating in pre-pubescent girls who do lots of exercise, occurs too - they have low levels of oestrogen).

But here's the thing. Although our skin is where we lose heat, our body's thermostat regulation is actually begins in the brain (the hypothalamus). When our body temperature is elevated, the hypo-thalamus is stimulated to increase blood flow to the skin (vaso-dilation) and produce sweat to eliminate excess body heat. For many of you, this powerful connection means that when you feel stressed and tired or you are doing too much exercise or you aren't sleeping all night, then your hypo-thalamus gets a bit out of balance and affects your heat regulation mechanisms (including your thyroid function). So, too does being over-weight. When we are putting on belly-fat and gaining weight (mainly because we aren't sleeping) then this can cause over-heating and dysregulation of your temperature too. Your hypothalamus, thyroid, metabolism and skin are all connected because they are all areas which respond to oestrogen.

That's when I began to explore why our body heats up. Because it's not just our changing oestrogen levels and blood vessel constriction that makes us feel hotter than normal. There are many reasons that our body becomes sensitive to heat - yes, too much heavy exercise is one of these factors, as is our exposure to electricity, cell phones, computers and other electronic stimulants (this exposure can over-stimulate our nerves), but with our skin being our largest organ and as it's vital in heat-regulation and evaporation, then we need to also be mindful of how we look after our skin.

Through thinking about heat regulation in the body during sports and exercise, I began to think about how we live our lives and what we do each day that might impact on our heat production. That's when I thought about the fact that those of us in our 50's have been exposed to a lot of marketing about putting all sorts of potions, creams and moisturisers over our skin. But in menopause, to allow evaporation and natural heat dissipation to occur, we must allow our skin to breathe.

We also need to allow our skin to absorb Vitamin D from the sun in times when the sun doesn't burn. Both of these strategies are necessary to help our body to cool down. 

But there's also one more thing. Heat regulation also occurs via our feet. I had no idea about the need for us to walk barefoot, especially to help control our temperature regulation and the build up of inflammation in the body. I spoke about this last night at my seminar and I particular emphasised the need for 'grounding' i.e. walking around in bare-feet outside, for the women present who worked in front of computers all day.

There is mounting evidence that we need to walk around in bare-feet more. As Chevalier, Sinatra et al., state,

"Throughout history, humans mostly walked barefoot or with footwear made of animal skins. They slept on the ground or on skins. Through direct contact or through perspiration-moistened animal skins used as footwear or sleeping mats, the ground’s abundant free electrons were able to enter the body, which is electrically conductive. Through this mechanism, every part of the body could equilibrate with the electrical potential of the Earth, thereby stabilizing the electrical environment of all organs, tissues, and cells." **  (p. 2).

In other words, grounding or 'earthing' is one strategy that will help to cool you down. It helps to reduce inflammation in your body which, during menopause arrives from poor liver health, not sleeping, too much damage from lots of exercise over the years, poor gut health, changing joint health and more!

Humans are bio-electric beings. Our body has electric charges that regulate nearly every function in our bodies, from neuro-transmitter signals to circadian rhythms. Our body charge is slightly positive, building up in our cells on a day-to-day basis. The earth also generates an electric charge but it is a negative charge, so when we walk barefoot for around 30 minutes a day (preferably outside), then our body loses some of the inflammatory positive electrons. For those of you in menopause, who always feel hot, this can be one powerful strategy you can put into place to help you to cool down.

We also have numerous blood vessels in the soles of our feet, which help to carry heat out of the body. So, using the research from sports science, we can also cool the soles of our feet with an ice-bath or by rubbing a frozen water bottle under the soles of our feet too. Very cooling! Especially at the end of the day, if you are on your feet all day and walking or working in a physical job.

I always reassure women that menopause is a natural biological event. But for most of our generation, it has been viewed as a 'sickness'. But it's not. This is what I had to tackle myself. My beliefs were that with all the symptom chaos I was experiencing myself (as were many women on my research studies), I thought I needed to take lots of medications for all my various ailments, as most of our generation do too.

But when I began to un-tangle what was actually going on as our hormones change and I positioned this up against healthy ageing studies, I began to understand that many of our symptoms arise, because we are living our lives in ways that we did when we had oestrogen and progesterone! This includes with our exercise and nutritional choices. On top of this, we are also a very unique generation of women, because never before have women lived through societal changes that have caused so much inflammation and internal chaos in our cells and tissues. Using computers daily is one of these changes,which I reminded the university women at my seminar about.

As I began to understand that chronic inflammation (which causes an increase in our stress hormone, cortisol) creates extra heat production in our body, then I knew that I had to bring lifestyle changes and some sports science research too, to the strategies that I have in the programmes I've designed for you. Our body doesn't like heat. So, we need to make sure that we aren't over-heating in menopause. But when we don't sleep, when we feel stressed, when we work in front of computers all day and when we are doing the wrong exercise or eating the wrong foods for our menopause transition, we suffer from more hot flushes. Feeling hot all the time is made worse by being overweight too.

I loved opening up the conversation about menopause last night at my seminar. It can be such a confusing time and we don't deserve not to have the energy and vitality that we need at this stage of our lives. When you are ready to find a new way to reduce your symptoms in menopause, then please check out the MyMT website and read about the programmes or listen to my video or read the stories that women like you have shared.

Then, when you are ready to take a new approach to your menopause symptoms and turn around your health, so that you enjoy the next 20-30 years of healthy living ahead of you, I hope you can join me and the hundreds of women on the 12 week online MyMT programmes too.

Wendy  

Reference: 

* Wilmore, J., Costill, D. & Kennedy, L. (2008). Physiology of Sport and Exercise.  Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics Publ.

** Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S., Oschman, J. Sokal, K. & Sokal, P. (2012). Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth’s Surface Electrons. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, Article ID 291541

### "Menopause is the time to turn around our health and change what we eat."  [Sandra Dubs, Australia]

It’s the connections that make conferences worthwhile … let me tell you about Sandra Dubs, Wholefood Community Pioneer & Author of the Whole-food Community Cookbook ...
Some of you lovely Australian women might have already come across Sandra Dubs. We were chatting together in the trade area of the conference as I finally had time to wander around looking at some of the exhibits after my presentations at the Australian Women's Health & Fitness Summit in beautiful Melbourne, last weekend.

Sandra asked me what presentations I was doing. “I was presenting my Masterclass on Menopause for Fitness Professionals” I said casually.
“Have you heard of Sheryll Selman?” Sandra immediately asked. “Yes, I have her book.” I said. "She was one of the pioneer’s in this area. Do you know her?”

“Sure do” said Sandra – "She used to live here in Melbourne and I designed the recipes for her book on peri-menopause and menopause, but she has gone back to America now. It was menopause that really sealed the deal on a plant based diet for her too ... and if you are into talking about menopause, then you need to look at the Blue Zones research too.”
I laughed. That was when I knew that Sandra and I were on the same page. 
I told her that the Blue Zones healthy ageing research under-pinned the entire approach of my menopause transformation programme. Then I went on to explain that I came to this conclusion with my women's healthy ageing research, because menopause is the gateway to our ageing and post-menopause years. What I was looking for was a template for healthy ageing, and the Blue Zones are the regions around the world where the secrets of longevity have been uncovered.
People living in Blue Zones cultures have uncovered the secrets of longevity.
As I said to the fitness professionals attending my session, we need to forget about the past and look forward into our future, but for women in menopause, it's really important to un-do the inflammatory chaos that has been building up in our cells and tissues for decades, especially when it comes to our liver [my article on Liver Health is here].   That's what the MyMT programmes teach women to do. 



We are the first generation of women to go into menopause in the context of all the changing and conflicting messages around nutrition, exercise, health management and more, and in menopause, when we don't change our approach to how we look after ourselves, then our symptoms become worse, especially our weight gain, sleepless nights  and hot flushes. For many of us, we are stuck in our ways (as Paula was too) and we feel scared about changing how we look after ourselves or we don't understand how. But in our changing hormonal environment, if we keep doing the same old things that we have always done, then it can become a cocktail of hormonal chaos, because many of these approaches are not designed for menopause. 

As I was chatting to Sandra and telling her about MyMT and the 12 week programmes I have developed, which includes information on nutrition from women's healthy ageing studies,  she picked up one of her beautiful cookbooks to show me.

How fabulous. It’s full of beautiful recipes that are plant-based and I bought a copy, there and then. I shared her brown rice paella recipe with the hundreds of women in my coaching pages with her permission. In the 1990’s Sandra pioneered the wholefoods, plant-based cooking industry in Australia and explained to me that she was “just a foodie, who was passionate about food being our medicine.” She then went on to tell me that the catalyst for her, was experiencing lots of health problems and she knew that there had to be a better way to heal herself. So, she became interested in a plant-based diet and worked with the medical team at Monash University to help develop an elective on food as medicine for medical students in the 1990's (I can’t imagine that happened at that time in New Zealand!).

Anyway, maybe you lovely Australian ladies already have one of Sandra’s cookbooks in your recipe cupboard? I hope so, because it fits in with many of the nutritional approaches that I promote in my 12 week programmes too.

I don't know about you, but I became so confused about how to look after myself as my hormones changed. Many women I come across are equally confused too. That's why it's been my privilege to help them un-ravel this confusion when they come onto the lifestyle-change programmes. As I keep saying, menopause is the 'gateway' to the next phase of our life - our ageing. You don't need lots of medications and supplements, you need to change your lifestyle to firstly, restore your hormonal health and secondly, to move into your new lifestyle to match the changes going on in your body during menopause.



When you have MyMT ™ by your side, you can be reassured that I've done the research, all you have to do is come on board. When you do, you'll discover how to sleep all night, un-do the inflammation in your body that has been building up for decades and as you get towards the end of the programme, you will also get an entire learning module, about all the beautiful healthy ageing strategies that I've researched for you, from the fabulous Blue Zones research. I can't wait to help you. 

Wendy x

Wendy Sweet, PhD, is the Founder of MyMT ™ - these are 12 week lifestyle-change programmes which help women to restore their menopause mayhem naturally, with all content evidenced against women's healthy ageing research.

### Why you need more than just 30 minute workouts during your Menopause transition.

I remember the fitness messages in the 1990's. This was the time when 'lack of time' became the new mantra for the fitness industry.  Motivated by the very new scientific domain of exercise psychology, one of the messages coming out of the emerging research, was that most people lack time to exercise. Alongside these messages, was also the very, new sports science messages, that showed if we want to improve fitness, and we don't have much time, then we need to increase the intensity whilst decreasing the duration of the workout. Especially for weight loss. So began the 30 minute workout paradigm.
I know this, because I was there. Managing both the personal training programme and the gym-instructors, it was the mid-1990's that we began to set up mini 30 minute workouts for our members, at global fitness giant, Les Mills World of Fitness in Auckland, New Zealand. We knew that when lack of time became the excuse for not exercising, we needed to come up with a solution. Workouts became shorter, faster, harder. Not only did we love the endorphins, but we loved the fact that we could get through the workout faster.


But what if these short-burst workouts don't suit our hormonal health as we transition through menopause and we are feeling exhausted from not sleeping?

I developed this curiosity when, despite doing these types of workouts over the years, including into my late 40's and early 50's, my joints started to burn, my muscles ached and at night, my restless legs and muscle cramping were leaving me awake and exhausted. Apparently, I wasn't alone. As I spoke to women on my research studies , they told me similar stories about their aching muscles, joints and restless legs. And as I've moved around the country doing my 'Masterclass on Menopause' seminars [if you missed my seminar, then there is a short version here that I've recorded for you], many women attending indicated these frustrations too. 

That's why I looked into what was going on. 

What I learnt changed my whole approach to exercise in mid-life. 

You see, as we lose oestrogen, we also lose muscle. This includes cardiac muscle. 

Our fibres lose both size and density and most importantly, we lose the Type 2b muscle fibres that we've relied on for decades to help our power and strength. Although it's really important to do exercise which helps to reduce the loss of these fibres (fast-twitch fibres), women who aren't sleeping all night, struggle with their recovery if they only do this high-intensity exercise. Not only do they need to re-discover how to sleep all night again, but they also need to change their exercise, until they have sorted out their sleep, hot flushes and sore joints and muscles. 

That's why I always advise women on either of the MyMT programmes that until they are sleeping well and have changed their lifestyle and their exercise to better match their menopause transition, then they need to restore their aerobic fitness and back-off all the high-intensity exercise they  have been doing for years. The difference to how they feel is life-changing.  
  





November is exercise month on MyMT and I've just returned from Melbourne at a wonderful women's health and exercise conference run by Mish Wright, who is the Australian and New Zealand business manager for Curves gyms. I was so grateful for Mish asking me to present to those at the conference - women of all ages and life-stages. When I present to exercise professionals about menopause and exercise, I take off my 'physiology-hat' for a little while and take them on a socio-historical journey across the decades, where the intersection of exercise prescription with body-image began to rule our lives! 


 


I show women, how, in the 1980's, many of us were attracted to the fitness centres or community locations where Jazzercise was just getting going. 
Following on from the Jane Fonda dance-based movement, we began to embrace exercise as 'feel-good' movement that got many women off the chores and into standing in front of the TV doing her exercise classes. Almost overnight, Jane Fonda, changed the face of exercise for women. Until then, we were engaged in sports or we just ran to school, rode our bikes and were active in our day-to-day lives. Then through this new way of women working-out, throughout America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the dance-based exercise classes called 'Jazzercise' evolved. Suddenly, the gym became the place to be. When I asked women in the audience at my presentation on Saturday, who started at the gym through Jazzercise, nearly every women who was in their mid-life years, put up her hand! I put mine up too. 


 


At the same time that the physical landscape was changing for women, so too was the sporting landscape. In the 1980's and 1990's there was a phenomenal growth in jogging, triathlons, women's events and more. And alongside this movement, grew the Sport and Exercise Science movement, which was fueling the increased emphasis for men and women to get fitter. Commissions were set up by governments and in New Zealand we had the Hillary Commission which was tasked with increasing the activity levels of New Zealanders in sports and physical activity. With political messages starting to teach us that we needed to do more exercise, so also evolved the Personal Training industry. I started that industry and was New Zealand's first gym-based PT. Looking back, I was great at motivation but based on my Physical Education training, I trained all clients the same. Men and women. After all, back then, there was no difference in exercise prescription. Today, that is still the same. Hormonal differences in how we respond to exercise was not taught anywhere. 


 


With my socio-historical hat on, as I did my doctoral studies, and because I was there growing the fitness and PT industry in New Zealand and Australia at least, I also knew that with this growth in numbers of PT's, there was also increasing pressure to get growth in members of gyms. That's when we all became hooked on this model of training and the 30 minute workouts. After-all, the growth in sport and exercise psychology over this time too, was teaching us that the greatest barrier to people going to the gym, or not doing exercise or being active, was LACK OF TIME. 


 


So, imagine my surprise when preparing for my session at the recent conference, I came across a brand new 2018 report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, on Physical Activity Across the Life-Stages. Here's what it states on pg vii: 


 


‘Not enough time’ and health issues remain a barrier for participation in physical activity and exercise. Almost 4 in 10 adults aged 18–64 (37%) reported 'Not enough time' or 'Too many other commitments' as the main barriers to participating in sport or recreational physical activities. As age increased, 'Poor health or injury' was more frequently cited as the main barrier—increasing from almost one-fifth (18%) of those aged 35–44 to almost half (48%) of adults aged 65 and over.*


 


Not much changes does it?! And yes, we can all relate to this statement. But here's the thing. To mitigate this barrier of 'no time', the fitness industry continue to promote 30 minute workouts of high intensity. Yes, this has increasing evidence as a way to improve cardio-metabolic health. This is because the 'after-burn' i.e. the 3-4 hours after the higher intensity exercise is when fat-burning occurs as our body returns to it's resting metabolic state and our metabolism passes in 'aerobic' mode again. So, what began to be marketed was the no-pain, no-gain' workouts. These workouts have been around for years. And those attending my seminar from Curves gyms, have the 30 minute strength workouts as their main way of programming for women. Which is a fabulous way to work out. However, for women transitioning through menopause and into post-menopause, we may be forgetting about the importance of aerobic exercise, [i.e. steady-state exercise, up to an hour], where women are working moderately and improving their cardio-vascular fitness. This type of exercise, not only helps with heart-health, but also helps to stimulate the development for new mitochondrial cells in muscles - the site of fat-burning.  


 


When women only do 30 minute workouts of higher intensity on most days of the week, they are not getting the beautiful steady-state 'aerobic' activity, that is best for heart health, weight control, mental health and more. That's why for the women on my programmes, 
I teach them that, because our blood vessels are losing oestrogen, the blood vessels become more constricted. In ageing studies, it's called 'vascular stiffness'. So, when we always do high-intensity, 30 minutes workouts, then we lose-out on the ability for our muscles to remove the waste-product, lactic acid, as efficiently as they used to. But most importantly, when we only do hard-out exercise, we lose the fitness and health benefits of good old-fashioned, endurance cardio exercise. And for women's heart health as they move into post-menopause, this is really important. 


 
When I presented this to exercise professionals in Melbourne last weekend,

I explained why we needed to get longer duration, aerobic workouts back into our exercise prescription for middle-age and older women. There was a lot of head-nodding going on in the room. So what I asked these exercise professionals to consider was what I also get women on my 'Re-Build My Fitness' programme to consider too and that is -

'Even though time is still our enemy, can you make the time, to do some longer duration, old-fashioned aerobic exercise too?' 


 


It's good for your health, hormones and happiness as you transition through menopause and beyond, but gets forgotten about in all the hype about high intensity exercise these days. ????


 
Wendy

 Wendy Sweet, PhD, is the Founder of MyMT ™ - these are 12 week lifestyle-change programmes which help you to reset your hormones for menopausal weight loss and/ or symptoms reduction, using powerful lifestyle change strategies. 7 Day Money Back Guarantee.  
Reference: 

*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2018). Physical activity across the life stages. Cat. no. PHE 225. Canberra: AIHW.

### Making sense of your weight gain in menopause [and why you shouldn't follow weight loss strategies from the 'Biggest Loser' reality TV shows!]

Imagine if you didn't have to worry about weight gain in menopause. You know what I mean - the thickening waistline, the bloating, the accumulation of belly-fat, and if you are like me and tend to be an adrenal or pituitary body-type, then perhaps your breasts feel more swollen and heavier too.
I often show this image in my seminars. Look how 'top-heavy' I became at 51 years old. Thinking back to that time, the distressing thing was the sore neck when I was trying to exercise! I was desperate to understand why my boobs were blowing up like my grandmother's - she could famously balance a cup of tea on her boobs! With the knowledge that our genetics follow our maternal DNA, the weight gain left me in no doubt, that continued weight gain as I went into post-menopause might be 'my-lot' as well. When some of the women on my research studies were just as confused as I was about their increasing weight gain in mid-life, despite regular exercise, I knew that I had to look into it.

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 	Is your belly and back-fat increasing now that you're in menopause?
 	Is your belly-fat hard to shift no matter the exercise you might be doing?
 	Have you always had a pre-disposition to put on weight no matter how much exercise you do or how many diets you go on?
 	As menopause has hit, have you developed facial hair or lost your eyebrows?

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 	Do you have intermittent aches and pains in your feet?
 	Are you bloated and retaining water?
 	Have you lost muscle tissue?
 	Do you feel excessively tired after a meal?
 	Are you feeling more emotional or unmotivated than usual?

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Do you have any of these symptoms? Maybe you have most of them!

If you are feeling a bit despondent with your increasing fat levels in menopause (and decreasing muscle tone), then let me explain what's happening.

When we go into our changing hormonal environment in menopause, our oestrogen and progesterone levels decline. For many women, they think that changing reproductive hormones are the only hallmark of menopause. But this isn't true! Hormones are powerful chemical messengers and they help to maintain numerous functions in our body - from reproduction to sleep to weight management, to exercise recovery, stress management and more! They all work together to maintain our female body in survival mode, so when it comes to our increasing weight and belly-fat, then the way that our sleep, thyroid, blood sugar and adrenal hormones all 'talk' to one another is crucial to understanding weight management in menopause. Because of this connection, you cannot look at any of these hormones in isolation, especially when it comes to menopausal weight gain.

I had no idea about this before I went into menopause. With heart disease increasing in post-menopausal women, then I also know that it's time to really look at prevention of menopause weight gain. It's the single most contributor to women's changing health issues as they go into their post-menopause years, especially in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom.  Called metabolic syndrome, gaining belly-fat sends your glucose metabolism, blood pressure and cholesterol into chaos. I saw it with my grandmother and my own mother and many of her friends and it's why I'm on a mission to help women who are putting on menopause weight (or are in post-menopause and the abdominal belly-fat is still there), to learn how to reduce it. And no, we don't have to do hours of exhausting exercise, which many of you don't have time (or energy) for anyway! When exercise and nutrition wasn’t stemming the increased weight gain that I was experiencing during menopause, I had to learn why as part of my doctoral studies on women's healthy ageing. What I discovered amazed me, because everything I was doing to manage my weight and try to lose, wasn't working, because of my changing hormones and the fact that I wasn't sleeping.



I also learnt that when our fat cells store oestrogen, this makes the body ‘dominant’ with oestrogen in comparison with progesterone, and thanks to the research from Dr John Lee it’s now known as ‘oestrogen dominance.’  This means that oestrogen is becoming dominant in the body compared with its opposite hormone, progesterone. The same thing was happening to Heather, who is in this lovely image she sent me. As she said, once she had completed the 12 week 'Transform Me' programme, "My daughter has never seen me this thin in her entire life!"

For the past 20 years, I have followed the weight loss research from Professor Rena Wing  and Professor James Hill in America. Through the National Weight Control Registry, they have been following people who are losing or gaining weight for over 30 years, identifying the characteristics of strategies that are most 'successful' for people who are not only losing weight, but keeping it off into the longer term, which they define as 1 year or more. This is why those pumping out reality TV programmes such as the 'Biggest Loser' might like to actually look at this work, as we now know that for many of these participants, weight goes back on again very quickly afterwards! When I needed to lose my own belly-fat and stop the increasing fat gain in my upper body, I took heed of the work from Professors Wing and Hill. I knew that one can only begin to lose weight, when we stop gaining, so the first thing I had to do was to stop gaining. And this means, controlling insulin levels, which get out of balance as our hormones change in menopause. Only when you stop gaining, will you then begin to turn around your metabolism and begin to lose.

This is why I want you to know my 3 Key strategies that are the main principles to help you manage your weight in menopause:

 	You must sleep all night. Fat-burning occurs overnight because of the link between our blood-sugar hormone called insulin and one of our stress hormones, called cortisol. When cortisol is high, so is insulin. When insulin is high, you can't fat-burn overnight, when you normally do!
 	You must control your blood sugar levels throughout the day. When you control your blood sugar levels, then you also prevent erratic surges of insulin. This powerful hormone can wreck our health as we age, because too much insulin causes extra storage of glucose in your fat cells. Couple this with muscle loss (known as sarcopenia) and therefore, loss of vital fat-burning mitochondrial cells, and the fact that your fat cells also love oestrogen and want to store any artificial oestrogen (called xeno-oestrogens) in your fat cells, then this rapidly increases fat deposits in menopausal women too. Remember too, that breast tissue is replete in fat cells in many women! Insulin provides the environment for making fat. As long as there is insulin around, the more fat gets stored into fat storage depots. In peri-menopause, this can promote insulin-resistance in some susceptible women.
 	Eating an early dinner and practising overnight fasting is powerful to help you turn down your insulin response. Overnight fasting has been gathering momentum in healthy ageing research as it not only promotes our evolutionary fat-burning response, but when we have a period of fasting overnight (from 6pm to 9am), then our gut empties properly too. With gut health and liver health changing so much as we go into a low oestrogen hormonal environment, it's really important, that women improve gut and liver health too. I talk about these in my programmes.

If you have put on belly-fat in menopause, then I know you will benefit from the MyMT™ Transform Me online programme. No matter what your body-type is! With Christmas coming as well, there is no better time, to get underway, so you feel and look great at this busy time of year! Over 12 weeks, you'll discover, everything I researched (and put into place) to firstly , stop my menopause weight gain, so I could then start to turn around my metabolism and begin losing the dangerous belly-fat that sends us into worsening cardiac and metabolic health as we age. It would be my privilege to be your guide.

Wendy Sweet [PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Founder & Coach].

Excerpt: Have you put on belly fat with peri-menopause? Is belly-fat hard to shift no matter the exercise you might be doing? If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you need to understand why controlling surges of insulin through optimal blood sugar regulation as well as managing your sleep quality and quantity and understanding the hormonal influences on your weight gain are critical aspects to weight management during your menopause years.

### "I'm slimmer, healthier, sleeping and happy. Your menopause programme is life-changing."

"Hi Wendy .. with renewed confidence I went clothes shopping today for the beautiful slim woman I see in the mirror everyday.  Participating in your  programme has been life changing for me.  A huge thank you to you for taking the challenge to study healthy ageing and share your discoveries on menopause.  I would not be where I am today without you or my friend Sue, who told me all about your programme.  Slimmer, healthier, focused and happy.  With that, add confidence, gratitude and love of self. 

Before I began this programme I was exhausted and overweight. You made my decision to look after myself so much easier with the research you have completed and put into this programme. There is much I want to fit in to the rest of my life still and now I feel I have the energy to do more. I can see the difference for me .. no overflowing boobs, no underarm rolls and most of all no belly fat. My face has changed as the weight (around 8kgs) has come away.  Thank you Wendy - your programme is life changing."  [Bev, Christchurch, New Zealand]

Can you believe that Bev is 61 years young?! When she so kindly sent through this photo for me to share with you, I couldn't believe it either. 

Have you been struggling with your energy, sleep, health and perhaps your weight during your menopause transition? Or like Bev, are you 'out the other side' into post-menopause and just need a health re-vamp? These are all common themes that women in mid-life share and it's so important to turn around our health, energy and vitality as we transition through menopause. It really does help you enjoy life again when you do and seeing this photo from Bev, as she told me that she now has the energy levels to do a 13km walking challenge, is fabulous reinforcement that it's never too late!

My message to you is that it's never to late to concentrate on you - whatever your age! For so many years, women in their 50's have been looking after others and putting themselves last. Then we get to menopause and it can all turn belly-up - literally! Don't worry, this happened to me too.

But as I discovered, there is a myriad of information out there about nutrition, exercise, hormonal health, sleep management and more.  However, very few of these interventions target our menopause transition - the time of our lives when our reproductive hormones are changing and we are entering into the next phase of our lives.

When we don't sleep, this creates chaos with our thyroid and adrenal health making recovery from exercise more difficult and draining our energy. That's why I loved it when Bev came into the programme. With her job requiring lots of emotional energy to be given out, it was really important that she got her own energy back as well. Energy is the foundation of our health, especially as we age, and as I often say in my seminars, ageing for women starts in the muscles. You can discover why, here. 

The foundation programme is called Circuit-Breaker  and this teaches women how to decrease symptoms of menopause and prevent worsening health as they transition through menopause and head into their post-menopause years. The second programme is called Transform Me  I've specifically developed this fabulous programme for women who are struggling with increasing mid-life weight gain during their menopause years. Neither programmes have lots of exhausting exercise in them, because as I've discovered through my research, this can create more muscle and joint inflammation and problems for our health as we age.

I'm so pleased that Bev came on board so I could share her menopause transformation journey with her. Doesn't she look healthy and radiant?

Wendy

### "I can now fit a sari that I haven't worn for 7 years!"  [Ragni, Auckland, NZ]

I love this photo of Ragni – not only is it the first time that I have seen what she looks like, but she tells me that she is so excited because not only is she fitting into the clothes that she had outgrown as the belly-fat stacked on in menopause, but she is now sleeping all night and her hot flushes are virtually gone.  I’m so excited for her. But there's another reason for my excitement too. The blood tests that Ragni was having monitored by her Doctor, have improved too. With both parents struggling from Type 2 Diabetes as they aged, Ragni was  concerned that her increasing weight in menopause might just send her health down that path too.
Ragni and I have shared numerous emails over the past few months. When she came on board she acknowledged that she might need heaps of coaching and guidance. But she didn’t! All we did was to adjust some of the nutrition changes to ensure that the MyMT™ way of eating for menopause, continued to meet her cultural needs as an Indian woman. We left in the curry and roti bread as well – as she reminded me:

“We Indians when we go to prayers there is roti and curry served. I can’t say no, because it’s the offering to God.”  

I also got her to get her Vitamin D levels checked, because as an Indian woman going into menopause, the oestrogen changes in her skin as well as having increased melanin levels with her darker skin, can make it more difficult for her to absorb Vitamin D. I am so proud of her because everything I have asked her to do to manage herself during her menopause transition, she has embraced willingly and openly.  And I’m so pleased she came on board, because she was worried about her own changing weight and health in menopause and it reminded her of her mother …

“I have tried so many ways to lose weight but was not successful and it really frustrated me. Then I saw your advert in FB, read it, didn’t sign up, but then read it again.  I have seen my own mum and dad suffer from diabetes.  My mum’s legs were amputated. I saw it all.  They didn't have this advice available for them, but I have, therefore I will do all my best to achieve the changes that I need to make.”

Over the weeks, Ragni began to put into place the small changes I suggest in my menopause weight loss programme called ‘Transform Me’. These made a world of difference to how she felt. I’ve researched every one of these lifestyle changes through the ‘lens of menopause’ and our changing hormonal environment as we age.

I wanted her to understand how to manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, which she now knows was the cause of her increasing weight gain. As she knew from her mother’s experience, the weight increase can lead to Type 2 diabetes and other health risks.

One of the strategies I encourage women to put into place,  is to do with their protein intake. Because our liver structure changes as we lose oestrogen and because menopause is the gateway into our biological ageing, then we don’t metabolise proteins and fats as well as we used to. I also change the timing of these macro-nutrients to better suit our liver and gut health in mid-life. The other thing I explained to Ragni, was that because she was working in an office job, then she wasn’t expending the amount of energy that she used to and because she was losing muscle tone and gaining fat, then we not only need to adjust both fat and protein intake, but she also needed to change her exercise to help with fat-burning in a body that was rapidly losing muscle tone!  We don’t need the high intensity exercise that is so prevalent in the fitness industry whilst we aren’t sleeping. When we don’t sleep, our fat-burning mechanisms don’t work so well overnight. So, the priority is always sleep!

As the weeks went on, I loved how Ragni emailed me most weekends. They became more and more positive …

“I really like doing this menopause programme. It's now nearly 3 weeks I am following your programme and I am loving it.  It is really great. I was good sleeper but was waking up when I was having hot flushes. Now I am sleeping straight for 7-8 hrs, waking up on time, not feeling tired and I’m not getting hot flushes any more. I am feeling really good and following your eating plan and sleep plan every day. I am following exactly what is required from your guide.  Every Sunday I top up my supplies and prepare my lunch, dinner the night before. In the past 3 weeks I have lost 4 kg and my energy is returning.”

With work keeping Ragni busy and going through a lot of changes in her busy office environment, it was only in the past couple of days that Ragni and I caught up with each other. She has now commenced the ‘Re-Build My Fitness’ programme too and I love how she is making positive changes in her life around exercise, especially with the familial health risk she has for Type 2 diabetes.

It’s such a privilege to be able to support and coach women to make the specific changes they need to make for menopause. No matter our ethnicity, we all have the same biology! Ragni has been so generous sharing this story with you and I thank her because ‘the change’ is not readily spoken about in any culture. But as I have discovered too, it’s the time of our life when we need to change our lifestyle and take control of our health and wellbeing.

After 3 months on the Transform Me programme and one month on the Rebuild My Fitness programme, Ragni said to me this week –

“I have lost inches in my waist, hip, arms, thighs and bust. I am able to now wear the clothes which I couldn’t fit in last 8-9 months and feeling really excited about it. I can now fit a Sari which I haven’t worn for 7 years! Thank you for guiding and coaching me.  I am doing really well and have now lost more weight. Lost about 1.5 inches in waist, arm, hips. The inspirations and positive comments that I am getting from you enabled me to do all these things.  My thinking is money will not buy your happiness or your health - we have to take care of it ourselves. I have seen my parents pass away so young. They didn’t have enough money or a proper health system to help them overcome their sickness. That’s why I’m so pleased that I found your programme.”

"I’m pleased you did too Ragni. It’s been my privilege to guide you so you thrive in mid-life and beyond!"



If you feel like you don't have the energy, sleep and weight management that you used to enjoy now that you are transitioning into or through menopause or you are in your post-menopause years, then it's within your reach. Each programme, (weight loss or symptom reduction) which includes my personalised coaching, costs $99 per month for 3 months. If you get behind, then don't worry. You just stay on doing the programme on a month by month basis for a small admin fee. There is no pressure - I know we all get busy and life gets in the way. When you come on board, what I do is put you into your own learning hub in your private member's area and over the weeks, you discover how all the pieces of the 'menopause-symptom and weight management puzzle' fit together. It changed my life once I knew what to do to look after myself during menopause without sleepless nights, hot flushes and weight gain. I know it will change your life too. Just ask Ragni! 

Wendy Sweet, B.PhEd/ PhD, MyMT Creator & Coach.

### Personal Stories - Sue

This is Sue. She is here with me after our presentation in Whangarei last week. It was such a fantastic week and at her invitation I was cruising around her beautiful Northland communities – Kaikohe, Kerikeri and Whangarei. Sue invited me into ‘her world’ because she knew that women needed to hear my story … which is also their story … and it was the story of my doctoral participants, which funnily enough, was also Sue’s story. It’s the story of how our changing hormones during our menopause transition impacts our response to exercise as well as our sleep, heat regulation, sore joints and more.		
		For over 20 years Sue has been a stalwart in the small northern communities she engages in. Not only has she worked as a secondary school teacher in physical education, but numerous teens owe their athletic prowess to Sue’s incredible commitment to coaching athletics and promoting sporting activities in her communities. Sue lives and breathes sports! So much so that she retrained as a Personal Trainer. That’s how I first met her. She was a student in the personal training courses I was teaching at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) over a decade ago. She wanted to understand how to bring more women into the gym or go out to their homes and take them through exercise sessions. As a mobile Personal Trainer, as she told the audiences over the past 3 nights, “I’m so passionate about getting women exercising, because it’s changed my life and I knew that it would make a difference to their life as well.”With jam-packed days, running from teaching and coaching athletics to doing some personal training and then home to a busy house-hold with busy, sporty kids, Sue never stopped. Fitting her own training into the mix was always a challenge but that’s also why she wanted to become a Personal Trainer, because it enabled her to exercise with her clients and get her own work-outs in.It was only last year that she began to realise that her body was changing. As so many of us active, sporty girls’ have found, the injuries started to appear. It was a broken collar-bone which floored Sue. Playing field hockey for her local team, she ran into a player. In the past, she would have bounced off and avoided the collision. But her reaction time was slower and she fell onto the hard ground awkwardly. The medical experts told her to take it easy for 6 months. Like many women, she thought she could do it in 3! But it wasn’t the case. It took nearly a year to get full range of movement back.When I took my Masterclass on Menopause seminar last night, I asked the audience, who had injuries that weren’t healing well. Over 50 percent of the room put up their hands! 		
																										
		That’s when I told them that our tendons have oestrogen receptors in them as well, so peri-menopause and menopause affects our ability to heal. We don’t bounce back from our injuries, and this is worse, when we can’t sleep.And Sue wasn’t sleeping. With so much going on in her life and having had a baby at 42 years, it was no surprise that Sue was feeling challenged with her sleep. She had no idea that this was increasing her hormone called cortisol (see the previous article in this newsletter). And with increased cortisol in her body throughout the day this affected how the rate of healing of her injuries. But she boxed on as we all do. In 2017, she entered the athletics events in the Masters Games. Athletics was her world and she had been a top athlete back in her teenage years and she loved being back in the competitive environment again. But afterwards, she didn’t bounce back. She felt tired and constantly fatigued and despite all the exercise the weight was beginning to stack on. As she said,		
					
			
				“Here I was supposed to be the role model for women in my communities, especially those wanting to come to me to lose weight. But I realise now that I had no idea what was going on as I got older and my hormones began to change.” 			
					
																										
		That’s why I’m so pleased that Sue came to my seminar a few months ago. You see, we are the first generation of women to ‘age’ and go into menopause in the context of the modern fitness and sporting industries. There is very little research on women in exercise and how their tolerance to exercise can change with age. And if we keep training in high-intensity activities as Sue was doing on top of a changing hormonal environment which is depleting our beautiful, restful sleep, then we can very easily tip over into over-training syndrome. That was Sue. She had no idea and nor did I.
Those of us who have come through the fitness industries have learnt to train hard. You know the mantra – ‘go hard or go home’. But during menopause, less intensity is better, especially when we feel tired and aren’t sleeping. As I discovered myself, we are a generation of women who have learnt to tolerate high levels of exercise and in menopause we need to be careful about how much high-intensity exercise we do. Only 1-2 times a week is sufficient. On the other days, we can do some strength training, yoga, stretching, or some lighter aerobic exercise such as swimming or cycling. Aerobic exercise also helps to improve our resilience to changing cardiac health as we age. A ‘must’ for women’s healthy ageing.Sue is not alone in how fatigued she felt with all the exercise she was doing. But it wasn’t just the exercise, it was everything else she was doing in her day as well. The energy demands and constant stress she was putting on her body was causing her cortisol to increase, her blood sugar levels to be inconsistent and then not sleeping on top of all this, was leaving her frustrated and exhausted.That’s why I’m so pleased that Sue trusted me and came on the MyMT™ Circuit Breaker programme. It gives me such pleasure to be able to give female Personal Trainers who are entering this stage of life, some guidance about how to improve their sleep and energy levels in a changing hormonal environment. They need their energy to help others! Last night Sue acknowledged the incredible changes she had experienced and how much better she now felt. She also acknowledged that once again, I had challenged her beliefs about her own resilience and how she needed to look forward into understanding how to exercise for her health as she aged. Her brain was still set in her past and as I continually say to women who I meet, either in my seminars or who come onto the MyMT™ programmes.		
			“Don’t look back – you’re not going that way now!”

### The Connection between Menopause & Osteoporosis - A shout out for strong women as they age!

Have you ever thought about your skeleton as a metabolically active organ? I know that I never really thought about this when I went into peri-menopause and thought that the activity that I was doing, e.g. some cardio, my once a week BodyPump class and doing some exercise on most days of the week was enough to help strengthen my bones. But what I hadn't factored in was menopause. It's the time of our life-cycle that we not only can experience a loss of bone minerals, but we can also have some disruption to the integrity of the bone matrix or structure and this can lead to both osteopenia and then onto osteoporosis. We know a lot more about these conditions thanks to all the research that has been conducted on our mother's generation i.e. older women, that it makes sense to remind ourselves that this is our risk too and the earlier we think about bone disease, the better we are to reduce our risk! So, let's talk about bones and the powerful effect menopause has on their integrity and strength.   
Our beautiful bones continue to remodel throughout our life. What that means is that our bone cells break down and new bone cells are formed. It's quite scary to think that about 1/3 of adult bone mineral is deposited in our bones during adolescence and starts to decline from our 30's onwards. But we can't turn back time if we weren't active and eating well back then, so the key issue for all of us to remember, is that bone turn-over and bone re-modelling are tightly regulated through a powerful combination of hormones, minerals (nutrition), genetics and our lifestyle, so the good news is that we can do something about preventing worsening decline in this risky stage of our life. And even if you are just beginning your peri-menopause transition and are in your late-40's, then there is no better time to think about bone health than now, whilst the rest of us already in post-menopause, have to play 'catch-up'! So, this is a shout-out for strong women, strengthening their bones! 

One of these women is the amazing Sue Coleman-Price.

I first met Sue when I taught her to be a Certified Personal Trainer at AUT in Auckland. I was so impressed with her work with clients from all walks of life who live in Kaikohe, Kerikeri and Whangarei, all towns of the north in the top of the North Island in New Zealand, that I have followed her progress for years. Next week we are teaming up to do some seminars up in that part of New Zealand - I can't wait! In 2009, she won the Personal Trainer of the Year Award from Fitness NZ (now the Exercise Association of NZ) and I was thrilled with the commitment and dedication she puts into her job. Not only for clients, but as a community member and as an athletics coach for high-school athletes. She is one busy lady and like me, is passionate about women understanding how to manage themselves in their menopause transition and beyond.

For decades we’ve been told that osteoporosis is just one of the diseases that women might experience as they get into older-age (over 65 years). In New Zealand, it is well recognised by the Ministry of Health as a disease that most often affects post-menopausal women - and yes girls', you can be too thin! But I think that waiting until you are through menopause and out into post-menopause (when your periods have ceased for a year or more) may well be too late. Which is why I was heartened to read in the 2016 Review of Osteoporosis from Marlena Kruger and Frances Wolber*, that as we get to menopause, disruption to bone strength and density can speed up and this happens from the age of around 50 years and it affects women from all ethnicities, not just Caucasian [European] women.  The authors also highlighted that it's not just osteoporosis that we should be concerned about, but another condition called osteopenia. 

Osteopenia needs to be on our radar too. It's a condition that occurs when there is an imbalance between bone resorption of minerals and bone formation. Essentially, it's the early stage of osteoporosis but doesn’t necessarily progress to full osteoporosis. There is great information on the Osteoporosis website in New Zealand and where-ever you live in the world, check out your local osteoporosis guidelines for your country as well. They are full of important information to have in your menopause-toolbox too.  

But it's not just about osteopenia and osteoporosis - the clinical names given to changes to our bones making them more brittle. There is another condition which hits us in menopause due to our changing reproductive hormones. This condition is the muscle-loss condition called SARCOPENIA. 

Have some of you noticed that you are losing muscle mass as you transition through menopause and the muscle is replaced with fat? Yes, me too! All of those healthy, strong muscles that I worked hard on building up for years, suddenly seemed to disappear overnight. Eek! This is because, in menopausal women, low levels of oestrogen and changing testosterone levels too, cause muscles to lose volume and size. But here's the thing, body fat does not protect against osteoporosis development either. 

This is why strengthening our muscles is just as important for us as strengthening our bones. Because if our muscle density is reducing and our fat levels are increasing, not only do we become weaker, but there is less stress being placed on your bones from the movement of MUSCLE, TENDONS and LIGAMENTS pulling on the ends of your bones. Pulling and pushing actions affect bone cell turn-over too. The ends of your bones (the epiphysis) are where you get NEW BONE CELLS forming and the epiphysis responds to pushing and pulling activities. These activites help to re-model the bone which then requires critical bone-building nutrients, such as Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, to help healthy, new bone cells to be formed. But here's the thing - hormonal changes in MENOPAUSE, and other factors such as gut inflammation can INHIBIT the uptake of these vital nutrients into our bones. But there are OTHER FACTORS impacting on bone disease risk too. These include:

1. Decreased physical activity as you age, especially some IMPACT and STRENGTH activity.

2. Decreased amino-acid (protein) intake and uptake due to changing LIVER inflammation. Proteins are ‘turned-over’ in your liver and if you aren't getting adequate healthy proteins into your diet, then this can have a down-stream effect on sarcopenia too.

3. Loss of activation of the motor-units (nerves) which stimulate muscles to contract. Muscle movement is controlled by your nervous and hormonal system and when we activate all of our muscles, then this is great for bone and muscle strength. It's where the old term 'use it, or lose it' comes from. When your muscles are stimulated to pull on bones, then your bones are also stimulated to turn-over new bone cells.

4. Age-related decline in the hormones which assist your bones to stay strong, i.e. testosterone, growth hormone, Vitamin D and IGF-1.

5. INTERNAL INFLAMMATION. For example, gut inflammation can inhibit the uptake of KEY nutrients that support bone health as does not sleeping well overnight. If you aren't sleeping, your body isn't healing and repairing itself. 

6. The wrong DIET for menopause. A typical Western diet that is high in processed foods, sugar and alcohol is typically not osteopenia or osteoporosis friendly. This is why I say when it comes to menopause and the risk of oesteoporosis with age, we all need to improve our diet to better meet our changing hormonal environment which will become our 'new-normal' the older we get. 

 7. Being too THIN and SMALL IN STATURE. If you have a thin bone structure, and weigh UNDER 60 kg, then you are at greater risk for osteoporosis as you get older. Your goal therefore is to increase your muscle mass and maintain a body weight that decreases your risk as you age.

This is why I want to remind you about exercise - especially exercise that will help your bones and muscles as you get older. Even if we didn't do too much exercise in our younger days (although many of us did and now we have gotten out of it), then we need to keep exercising! As the World Health Organisation Bulletin (2003) on how to de-fuse the osteoporosis time-bomb reminds us -
'Exercise minimizes bone loss later in life. Not only does exercise improve bone health, it also increases muscle strength, coordination, balance, flexibility and leads to better overall health. Walking, aerobic exercise, and t’ai chi are the best forms of exercise to stimulate bone formation and strengthen the muscles that help support bones. Encouraging physical activity at all ages is therefore a top priority to prevent osteoporosis.'
[Chan, K., Anderson M., & Lau, E. (2003). Exercise interventions: defusing the world's oesteoporosis time bomb. WHO Bulletin]

Do you know what your RISK for osteoporosis is? If you don't, then go and get your bone density tested. If you are concerned about your changing bone strength and density, then make sure you talk to your health or medical professional so you can get this tested. Clinically the 'gold-standard' for measuring bone density is a Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry or DEXA scan and is available through your health provider.  

But whether you are at risk or not, then I also encourage you to visit the website and look at the MyMT™ Re-Build My Fitness programme. Waiting for you here are gentle to intermediate exercise programmes (including pre-activity screening processes that allow you to decide if you are ready for exercise or you need medical permission), which progress you into exercise that is suitable for you as a woman going through menopause. These are not advanced programmes because those of you who are highly experienced, typically are also highly motivated! But I am so passionate about getting women back into healthy exercise as they age, that I have designed this programme with this purpose in mind. The programmes can be down-loaded and I have webinars and videos to explain the exercises to you. Even if you go to the gym, there are programmes that suit your needs either at home or with gym-based equipment.  I’ve designed everything you need for your EXERCISE NEEDS as you age. The programmes are progressive and designed for both beginners and intermediate level women to build their stamina through walking or other cardiovascular exercise, build their strength, flexibility, balance and help to stabilise the core muscles which support posture and stability. All factors which influence health and wellbeing as we age! 

Everything you need to know about how to rebuild your exercise routines and take back control of your exercise for your menopause transition is all in the 6-Step MyMT™ Re-Build Me EXERCISE modules. These exercise modules are also designed to follow-on from the 12 week MyMT lifestyle change programmes that help women to lose weight and manage their sleep and hot flushes naturally. Despite 30 years in the fitness industry and fitness education, reaching peri-menopause made me feel exhausted and sore when I did all the exercise that I had been doing for years. That's why I tell women who are doing lots of high-intensity exercise, that until they are sleeping all night, then they need to tone-down the intensity of their workouts. I know we all have learnt to 'push-through' with our exercise because it has been the one thing that has helped us cope over the years, but sometimes too much exercise can send us into more exhaustion, sleep deprivation and hot flushes, because our chronic stress hormone called 'cortisol' stays elevated. When cortisol stays higher than it should, there is a negative impact on our menopause symptoms too, especially our sleep and energy levels. 

That's why I'm targeting what to do in our menopause transition - it's a stage of our lives that hasn't been well promoted in exercise prescription and exercise physiology and I'm on a mission to change this! Exercise has been such a big part of my life and maybe it has for you too. Or maybe it used to be and you would like to feel motivated and educated to make it part of your life again. If so, I hope you can join me on MyMT. 

Wendy Sweet 

 	Chan, K., Anderson M., & Lau, E. (2003). Exercise interventions: defusing the world's oesteoporosis time bomb. WHO Bulletin]
 	Kruger, M. & Wolber, F. [2016]. Oesteoporosis: Modern paradigms for last centuries bones. Nutrients (8),376, 1-12.
 	Lohana, C. & Samir, N. (2016). Risk Management of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women.  Global Journal of Health Science, Vol. 8, No. 11; 36-44

### "My heart had been damaged by many years of high blood pressure."   [Tina Turner]

I'm heartbroken. And so is Tina apparently - literally. I had no idea that the legendary Queen of Rock, Tina Turner, had been through so many health problems. But her autobiography, 'Tina Turner - My Love Story'  was under the Christmas tree and 24 hours later, I had read every word.
Bowel cancer and kidney disease have set her up with ongoing health challenges but the interesting one (for me with my 'menopause-hat' on) is the high blood pressure. When discussing her need for a kidney transplant, she stated "I was already a high-risk patient but my risk escalated when tests showed that my heart had been damaged by so many years of high blood pressure: the muscle was enlarged and the vessels calcified."  [p. 262].

According to Google, high blood pressure, known as hypertension, was the highest searched health term in 2018. I'm not surprised. I wonder how many searches were undertaken by women in mid-life or post-menopause. The reason I'm pondering on this is because like my idol, Tina Turner, high blood pressure found it's way to me in peri-menopause as well and as I read her story, I wondered if hypertension started in peri-menopause for her too, but she never realised. As I hope many of you do too, I get my BP checked every year, especially now that I'm post-menopausal. It's crucial that you do this too because for women in post-menopause, heart disease remains the number 1 health concern as they age in New Zealand, Australia, America and the UK. [WHO, 2017]. My BP went up in peri-menopause and I was so surprised. It's why I dug deep into the research on our cardiovascular health as part of my studies because I knew I needed to get it back down again - the way it had been all my life. If you haven't had your blood pressure checked lately and you are going through menopause, then please make an appointment with your Doctor to have it checked. Hypertension (high blood pressure) isn't called the 'silent killer' for nothing - Tina Turner realised this too late as well and says so in her book.
What's your risk for cardiovascular disease?
The most important behavioural risk factors of heart disease and stroke according to the World Health Organisation are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol. The effects of these behavioural risk factors may also show up in individuals as raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity. But what about menopause and the contribution that our loss of oestrogen makes to our cardiovascular risk? I don't know about you, but my menopause hormonal changes affected my blood pressure, weight and cholesterol levels but I exercised daily, ate well and looked after myself which was frustrating and confusing. According to the World Health Organisation's global report on hypertension (2014) this silent, invisible killer rarely causes symptoms, so early detection is key. If blood pressure is increasing then women must change their lifestyle to meet the evidence that has accumulated for over 50 years about managing cardio-vascular health, weight and inflammation - all of which are in the MyMT Transform Me weight loss programme. The reason I have used this approach to step women through how to change their lifestyle in menopause to lose their weight, is because hypertension, high cholesterol and being overweight during our menopause transition can lead to worsening health problems as we age, including Type 2 diabetes. This health mayhem so often arrives during menopause, as it did for me too but I'm so pleased that with the lifestyle changes I made myself, including turning around my sleep and losing 15 kg, my blood pressure is back to what it used to be.
Why does cardiac risk change as so many of us find when we reach our 50's?
After reading Tina Turner's life story, I'm left wondering if her blood pressure began to change in her 50's too. Which is surprising. After her battles with Ike, she didn't drink, didn't smoke, didn't do drugs, took up practising Buddhist meditation and oh, how physically fit she must have been with her amazing dancing on stage night after night. She was never still on the stage. I saw her in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1997 and her energy levels were mind-blowing. Her heart as she aged should have been as strong as an ox. Putting genetics aside and her loss of kidney function, I searched for lifestyle reasons for her high blood pressure in her book. The words jumped off the pages at me as I searched for clues. I know the menopause and cardiovascular disease research well. I poured over women's healthy ageing studies as I did my doctoral studies into women's healthy ageing because without a healthy blood pressure, our risk for ongoing cardiac problems, including stroke, increases with age  - our mother's generation has already discovered this. But here's the thing - it doesn't have to be this way.  Heart disease doesn't have to become the inevitable result of older age. The Blue Zones research which looked at the world's healthiest, oldest individuals is proof of this too. But we aren't getting to our health changes early enough and it's why I'm passionate about women changing their lifestyle during menopause to suit their changing hormonal environment. With women's death rate from heart disease in America nearly eight times higher than death rates from cancer and New Zealand, Australia and the UK leading the world in heart disease incidence too, I knew that hormonal changes in menopause may also be involved.

My question was 'why?'. For years, even during pregnancies, my blood pressure was low-normal and stable. So too were my cholesterol levels. I was fit, healthy and happy - I had no idea that this would all change during menopause and after reading Tina Turner's life-story and her blood pressure challenges it resonated with me too. It's why, when I studied the research on hypertension changes during menopause and post-menopause, to me there are three factors that may be being left out of the risk-factor conversations:

 	Menopause related insomnia - when we don't sleep we don't heal and recover overnight. Tina mentions being an insomniac in her book, staying up late and not falling asleep until the early hours. This is particularly concerning for women who are avid exercisers. As the first generation of women to go into menopause in the context of doing lots of exercise, if they aren't sleeping then they aren't improving their immune health overnight, nor are they burning fat.

 	Stress - both emotional stress and oxidative stress. The research connecting these two types of stress to heart disease is well evidenced. One can only imagine the years of emotional stress that the incredible Tina suffered but one of the other issues that needs to be taken into account is the connection between not sleeping, high levels of physical activity and inflammation in joints, muscles (including cardiac muscle) and tissues. This leads to increased inflammation and what is known as 'oxidative stress'. When inflammation is high in the body, blood pressure can change too.
 	Vascular stiffness in blood vessels caused by low oestrogen and progesterone as we get older.
Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing and in an age of anti-ageing and resisting ageing, women do not understand that when oestrogen levels decline, there are numerous structural changes that occur in our body. So, when we keep doing the exercise that we've done, eating the way we have eaten for decades and living the life that we have lived, sometimes our body fights back - usually in the form if increasing inflammation.It's why I decided to only target women in their menopause transition with the design of the MyMT programmes - it's no good for us to do other exercise or nutrition programmes that take a one-size-fits-all approach. With vascular stiffness increasing our risk of cardiac disease as we age, it's one of the supplements that I recommend to women. Another compound that is important is CoQ10. This powerful enzyme helps oxygen get taken up into our mitochondria, including heart mitochondria, and thanks to American Cardiologist, Dr Stephen Sinatra, it's well evidenced that levels of this enzyme decline as we age.

Why you may need Magnesium in Menopause: 
Magnesium supplements have sky-rocketed over the past decade or so and heavily marketed to women in their menopause transition as the panacea for hot flushes, night sweats and other aches and pains. But there is another important role for magnesium in menopause too. And that is to help reduce our risk of heart disease and to regulate our blood pressure. New research indicates that for women during menopause, magnesium is an important co-factor (helper) mineral for a number of enzyme functions that work specifically in cardiac mitochondria. And with my eye on our cardiac health as we age and go into post-menopause, there's never been a better reason than menopause, to have a little re-think and focus on magnesium! In both of my 12 week online programmes, I have information on magnesium and lists of the top foods to include in our diet at this stage of life. It's that important.

For women like Julie, who have been plagued with joint problems and fibro-myalgia in menopause, then magnesium is a really important mineral to focus on, as is it's opposing partner, calcium. The two help to balance and restore muscle and nerve function in the body and help in a heap of other reactions in the body during menopause as well.

We need around 35omg daily as it is an 'essential mineral' which means we need it in our diet as our body doesn't make it. With magnesium involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions involving energy metabolism and blood pressure regulation, it is pretty important to our health and energy. For us girls going through menopause, it is also important for:

 	helping hormones to bind to receptor cells
 	the prevention of too much calcium getting into cells 
 	muscle contraction and nerve activity (along with calcium)
 	control of blood vessel dilation and tone
 	helping nerve impulses to pass through cardiac muscle. 

But perhaps the most important issue, is that magnesium deficiency has been shown to play a role in inflammation and when our body is stressed (as it is when we aren't sleeping in menopause), then magnesium deficiency also leads to an exaggerated response to even more stress, especially in our cells and tissues, through our nerve-hormonal pathways. This type of stress is called oxidative stress and makes our hot flushes, muscle and joint pain and weight gain become worse during menopause.
Why would we become low in magnesium?
There are several factors that can cause low magnesium. Top of my list, would be an unhealthy liver or gut. If we have inflammation in these areas, then any magnesium that we do have in our diet, cannot be absorbed properly.

Next on my list is too much exercise or every-day stress and rushing around. When this occurs and we are always in 'fight or flight' mode, then our lovely long vagus nerve is always stimulated. This increases gut motility or movement, and when this happens, again, the food passes through our gut too quickly, so absorption time is delayed. Studies have also shown that the quality of our food and food processing means that magnesium can be deficient in our diet, but alcohol can decrease magnesium uptake as can osteoporosis medication as well as poor water levels of magnesium.
Many women don't have ideal gut health to absorb as much magnesium as their body needs. Add to this, excessive sweating from hot flushes and night sweats then magnesium losses can increase.
The significance of magnesium and its relationship to the origin of life has been traced by researchers interested in the body's dependence on it. In their 1999 review article on magnesium, Fawcett, Haxby & Male contend, "The importance of magnesium is derived from the composition of the earth’s crust (rich in iron–magnesium silicate) and the primeval ocean rich in magnesium, to the formation of chlorophyll with magnesium at the centre of the molecule, and finally to its incorporation into the animal cell containing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) with its dependence on magnesium. When magnesium levels get low, then we can experience leg cramps, increased muscle twitching and cardiac palpitations. With these all noted symptoms of menopause hormonal changes, then yes, maybe we do need to look at our magnesium levels every so often.
But what about calcium? Minerals always work in pairs, so do we also need extra calcium?
Magnesium and calcium work to balance and regulate each other in nerve, muscle, vascular (blood vessel) and cardiac function.  I am really interested in calcium levels in menopausal women. Possibly more than magnesium to begin with. This is because calcium production in the body is controlled by the absorption of Vitamin D. And because we have oestrogen receptors in our skin cells, Vitamin D conversion from natural sunlight is often reduced. When Vitamin D is reduced, then so too is calcium production which occurs in the small para-thyroid glands which sit above the thyroid gland. This is why, when you look at magnesium, you cannot go past calcium! Both minerals help to regulate metabolism, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, muscle function and bone density. Therefore, if women are taking large amounts of magnesium as a supplement, then levels may become high in relation to calcium.

Then because magnesium is filtered out of the body by the kidneys, if women are also dehydrated, then high magnesium levels not only compete with calcium to get across the gut mucosa, but can also impact negatively on kidney function, even though the kidneys are quite good at regulating magnesium. My point is that too much reliance on magnesium is often at the detriment of calcium absorption and in a world where osteoporosis is a significant health risk for (thinner) women during menopause, then we need to hold onto all the calcium we can!
Some great sources of magnesium:  
1. Epsom Salts: Magnesium has been used as a therapeutic agent for hundreds of years and well before pharmaceutical companies sold magnesium to us in bottles! Magnesium-rich waters of Epsom Spa Town have been known to be beneficial ever since the 16th Century (this is where Epsom Salts were discovered). Epsom was also the site of our early knowledge about the dangers of too much magnesium, when in 1891, 4 ounces of Epsom Salts caused magnesium poisoning and complete muscular paralysis in a 35 year old woman.

2. Food Sources: If you want to use your diet to increase magnesium rather than supplements, then get more beans, nuts and whole grains into you.

For women on the MyMT programme, I get them to increase their intake of organic brown rice, green leafy vegetables and they can also have bananas, dark chocolate and of course, a black coffee - all foods and drinks which are rich sources of magnesium and other healthy nutrients. If they have gut health problems, then they also work through my GUT REHAB plans which are included in the programme for women who need them.

3. Artesian Water: When I was in Switzerland earlier this year in the Swiss Alps (my son is on the New Zealand ski team), I couldn't believe how nice the water tasted. Everywhere in the village were wells brimming over with glacial water coming down from the Swiss Alps. I discovered that the 'magic' of these waters lay in two minerals - calcium and magnesium. Further investigation and local knowledge led me to discover that just 1 litre of this beautiful alpine water delivers around 50% of the daily requirements of calcium and magnesium to drinkers. No wonder I was told that many locals live to a ripe old age! 

Magnesium is a vital tool in our dietary tool-box as we transition through menopause as are most minerals and vitamins. But if we aren't absorbing these then we must turn around the gut, liver and cardiac inflammation that prevents magnificent magnesium from doing its job. I cover how to do this in my 12 week programmes too. 

Sometimes we do need a boost from supplements, but other times we can get adequate amounts from improving our focus on the right foods at different life stages. One of the things that women love about the MyMT programmes ['Circuit-Breaker' and 'Transform Me'] is that I've done all the research for them around what to eat and when. Every single women coming onto either of these programmes gets my FOOD LISTS as well as dozens of RECIPES. As I say to each and every one of them, "When it comes to our menopause transition, you don't need a lot of food, just the right food."  

So, how are your symptoms going? Are you sleeping all night? Are your hot flushes, night sweats mood swings, cardiac palpitations or joint pain getting you down? Or is that weight stacking on and no amount of dieting or exercise is controlling it? If so, then will you join me to sort you out?  Whilst I do have two menopause-specific lifestyle change programmes (both online), I'm excited that I have the TRANSFORM ME weight loss programme ON SALE for you now. Created for the reduction of my own symptoms, including turning around my blood pressure and sleep, when endless supplements and hormone therapies didn't work (Read my Story HERE), and based on my women's healthy ageing research, everything you learn, will simply, change your life. Please sign up here to secure your place from January 1st, 2019 and use the promo code JANUARY19 to access your savings of $49NZ and a bonus month of my coaching, so you stay with me for 4 months not 3 months. 

Part-payment options are available too making this fabulous programme better suited to your budget at only $83NZ [$77AUS] a month for 3 months. 

If you want to get in touch with me, then please don't hesitate - I'm always available for your questions. wendy@mymenopausetransformation.com

Wendy Sweet, [PhD/ Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and MyMT Coach]

References:

Fawcett, Haxby & Male (1999). Magnesium physiology & pharmacology.

DiNicolantonio, Liu et al. (2018). Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. BMJ

Tina Turner: My Love Story. (2018). Century Press: London, UK

### Invercargill, Kapiti Coast & Northland - Meet the amazing women bringing my 'Masterclass on Menopause' seminar to your community soon.

I can't wait to share my discoveries about menopause with those of you who live in Southland, the Kapiti Coast and Northland ... I have three amazing women [Bronwyn, Belinda and Sue], who share my absolute passion for women's health and well-being through the menopause transition.
1. Meet Invercargill's Bronwyn Dawson: 
Bronwyn is a nurse in Invercargill and she specialises in lymphatic drainage for women who have had breast cancer. As she says, "MyMT has made sense out of our menopause symptoms. It’s amazing what I’ve discovered from Wendy and I knew I had to bring her back to Invercargill for Southland women to hear her powerful messages.”   (Bronwyn Dawson, Invercargill).

This seminar is on Tuesday 11th September at 6.30pm at the Ascot Hotel. Please secure your ticket here for only $25. 

 
2. Meet Belinda Falconar from Aroha Acupuncture, on the beautiful Kapiti Coast.
"I arrived at this amazing career in mid-life following burn out from working in the busy corporate sector. I found that acupuncture worked so instantly to change my mental/emotional state, increase my energy and induce feelings of well-being that I thought I had lost forever. This experience is why I love helping women find their health and well-being again. That’s why when I heard Dr Wendy Sweet from MyMT, deliver her powerful messages about our wellbeing in menopause in Wellington, earlier this year, I knew I had to bring her to the Kapiti Coast. You can find all the event details here to join us on September 18th, in Paraparaumu." 
[Belinda Falconar, Aroha Acupuncture, Kapiti Coast]

 
3. Meet Sue Coleman-Price from Northland.
 

"It is my great privilege to bring women’s healthy ageing researcher, Dr Wendy Sweet, into our Northland communities to share her knowledge on menopause. It’s a topic that many of us are confused about and I have worked extensively with Wendy, who shares my own passion for hauora for Northland wahine (women). I'm a passionate advocate for the health of women in my Northland communities and I can't wait to share Wendy's learnings with my Northland communities." [Sue Coleman-Price]

Tickets can be purchased on this link for seminars in Kaikohe, Kerikeri and Whangarei on October 9th, 10th and 11th.

 

 

### Have you ever wondered about the purpose of your hormonal changes in menopause?

When it comes to talking about menopause symptoms and the struggle many of us have to make sense of how we are feeling, it often feels like no-one is listening or understanding what is actually going on.That's how I used to feel too. But it doesn’t have to be this way any longer, as hundreds of women on the MyMT™ programmes have, or are currently discovering.Through the revolutionary MyMT™ 12-week programmes, women the world over are now gaining clarity on why their symptoms are occurring and how to use my specific lifestyle change strategies that I’ve researched from my women’s health studies (and applied for myself as well) to help them thrive and survive their menopause transition. All without resorting to traditional medications or hormone therapy treatments.Both programmes follow my 7-pillars for women's health as they age. This is because our menopause transition is our biological gateway into our ageing.  And with these hormonal changes, come numerous physiological changes that occur in our body and throughout our organs when both oestrogen and progesterone is low. Read more here ... This is why, during menopause, we don't need medications, we need specific lifestyle change strategies that guide us into our changing hormonal environment. This is why both programmes that I have designed focus on my 7-pillars of women's health as we transition through menopause. For example, first and foremost, to reduce our hot flushes and remove our feelings of depression, we need to sleep all night. When we don't sleep, our body does not heal and repair itself, so we hold onto inflammation in our cells and tissues. Then if we don't turn around this internal inflammation, our symptoms become worse. This includes hot flushes, night sweats, fatigue, sore joints and muscles, anxiety, palpitations, weight gain and more. This is why we have to turn around this inflammation first, and we do this by changing how to manage our sleep, diet, liver and gut health and even our exercise, in order that we allow our body to adapt to this new hormonal environment.For many women in mid-life, this also means looking at our stress levels and understanding that when our body is tired and stressed, then this makes our hot flushes worse as well as our gut health. When we aren't sleeping and we are feeling stressed, then this has a down-stream effect on our thyroid function, which then can lead us into thyroid problems, weight gain, depression, fatigue and more! Don't worry, this was me too - which is why I have become so passionate about menopause and helping women to get their life back!If you think about it, all women in the world go through menopause. So, why do some women breeze through and other's like myself, experience lots of symptoms that impact on the day-to-day living that we do. That's what I asked myself in my studies. When I discovered that we needed to prepare for our healthy ageing and that our menopause transition was the time to change the way we do things, then all my symptoms went away. It felt so amazing to sleep all night again and to know what to do to thrive and have energy. This is what you learn in the programmes too.Not all women put on weight, so that’s why I've designed two programmes - Circuit Breaker is for thinner/ leaner women who aren't sleeping and have hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, sore joints and more. My second programme called Transform Me, is for women who have been putting on weight. The fabulous women on the MyMT™ Success Stories pages are living proof that menopause symptoms don’t need to claim our well-being at this stage of life. I can’t thank them enough for sharing their stories with you too. Is MyMT™ for you? I hope so! 
I know that many of you are feeling stressed and this can interfere with normal eating patterns, sleep and menopause symptoms, including weight gain. There is never a better time to start, but if you are hesitating, then I recommend you complete the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz, watch the MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause, go to the Testimonials and Success Stories on the MyMT™ website and find someone like you to read their story. 
MyMT™ 12 week programs are normally available for NZ$399 each, but please do check out the MyMT website or subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted to any promotional offers. 
I hope you can join me. 
Dr Wendy Sweet, (PhD), Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine/MyMT™ Founder & Coach

### 'No, Dr Max from the Daily Mail - Menopause Symptoms are NOT in our mind and here's why!'

When one of the women on the MyMT programme send me last week's article from Dr Max Pemberton, who writes a medical column for the Daily Mail, with the headline, 'Is the Menopause all in the Mind?' I just shook my head in frustration.
When Dr's don't understand the intricate relationship between menopause changes and what happens in the body when low oestrogen and progesterone levels intersect with our modern way of living, then yes, it can seem that some of us go a little bit crazy and our symptoms get a bit out of control, but there is a physiological basis for this, not psychological, as Dr Max implies.

Dr Max Pemberton (Daily Mail) 

Your statement saying, "Yet what causes such problems — and other associated physical complaints such as hot flushes, sleep disturbance and mood changes — is not understood. While there’s no clear biological mechanism that neatly explains them, one interesting theory is that the menopause is a result of the West’s obsession with youth"  is a bit out of kilter. There are hundreds of evidenced research studies that indicate that there are biological mechanisms that changing reproductive hormones during menopause do contribute to hormonal chaos (due to the feedback mechanism of hormonal balance in the body), and yes, to some extent, some women are not coping with their biological ageing and try to live the life they always have, but these women in general are few and far between! When I myself thought I was 'going crazy' with my own symptoms, including experiencing forgetfulness, brain fog and sore muscles/ joints and endless hot flushes, and when mid-life women who are regular exercisers, who participated in my women's healthy ageing research were telling me similar stories about their worsening symptoms and intolerance of the exercise that they used to do,  I decided to investigate more deeply.

As a university-level lecturer in physiology and sports science, the first thing I did was to put on my 'physiology and endocrinology hat' and put the pieces of the menopause puzzle together. Then, I did what few Doctors have done. I went down the rabbit hole and looked at every menopause symptom women experience (including forgetfulness and of course, changing cardiac health) and then married these up against evidenced LIFESTYLE strategies that help to turn these symptoms around.

So, Dr Max, here are my 5 top reasons menopause symptoms are NOT in the mind.

 	When oestrogen production begins to decline in peri-menopause, the two 'master hormones', LH and FSH, are still pumping out signals to the ovaries to increase production of oestrogen. In fact these master hormones, go into overdrive. This can even lead to polycystic ovarian syndrome, but it means that other cells that receive oestrogen around the body, become sensitive to these messages. This includes FAT CELLS which store oestrogen.
 	When oestrogen is stored in fat cells, this produces a condition called Oestrogen Dominance. This leads to LOW PROGESTERONE. The symptoms of low progesterone are well known in female athletes, who experience undue fatigue, lose their periods and have sore muscles, joints and increased headaches. For many women still trying to do lots of exercise and go on calorie controlled diets then this can create worsening progesterone levels as they go through peri-menopause. As 'younger' Baby-boomers, we are the first group of women to go into peri-menopause having come through the modern dieting and fitness industries and therefore, it's really important to understand that biologically, we are ageing, so our nutrition and exercise, needs to change accordingly. This is what I teach women on the MyMT programmes.
 	Low oestrogen levels cause low Vitamin D levels. This is because Vitamin D is absorbed into the skin with the help of oestrogen. Therefore, many women are at risk of low vitamin D levels and because Vitamin D is now recognised as a hormone, low levels have an effect on other hormones in the body too due to the feedback system that operates with all of our hormones. When Vitamin D is low, hot flushes are increased and memory loss/ foggy brain becomes worse. This is because Vitamin D is implicated in melatonin production, so insomnia increases and serotonin production, which is our mood and motivation hormone. Restoring Vitamin D and sleep is crucial to women's health as they transition into and through menopause. Again, this is so powerful for our health, that the first modules women receive on the MyMT programmes, teaches them how to sleep all night, naturally.
 	In women, the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis is powerful. The HPA axis connects the brain with the adrenal glands. What this means in menopause, is that if our pituitary gland (which is controlled by the hypothalamus) is not working well, then this can increase feelings of anxiety, memory loss and stress. The way to manage the HPA axis is through improving the optimal function of the pineal gland - which controls the circadian rhythm.
 	Finally, unlike Dr Max, my strongest message to women is that worsening menopause symptoms are not in your head - they become worse because of the build-up of inflammation in the liver, gut, muscles (including cardiac muscle) and blood vessels. Over many decades, women (and men) have been the 'guinea-pig' generation for foods, fluids, medicines, chemicals, high impact sport and exercise and other pollutants, which have led to cellular changes in our cells and tissues. By the time menopause arrives, much of this 'invisible' inflammation is switched on with a changing hormonal environment. So, the key to solving symptoms, lies in my 3 phases of health regeneration:(a) Reducing inflammation that's been building up for decade
(b) Restoring gut and liver health so that health-giving nutrients are absorbed
(c) Changing the way we live our lives so that we are following healthy ageing studies, not following the fitness, dieting and sports science advice (except if women are competing or training for a specific performance).

So, Dr Max - please send Yasmin Le Bon my way. I will sort out her symptoms and memory loss with the MyMT 'Circuit-Breaker' programme. 12 weeks to renewed health, vitality and memory! Can't wait!

Wendy Sweet

Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher & MyMT Programme Coach. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5346147/DR-MAX-MIND-DOCTOR-menopause-mind.html

### The Connection Between Exercise and Menopause: American Council on Exercise (ACE)

According to the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, women in their midlife years are the most likely to be “in and out of exercise".But why is this? We clearly want to exercise, but something is preventing us from sticking to it? This was my curitosity, that led me down a rabbit hole which resulted in my PhD thesis on healthy ageing and midlife women's health. I invite you to read more in this article I wrote for ACE Fitness. 		
					
									Click here to read the full article

Excerpt: Drawing from her extensive research and personal experience, Dr. Sweet highlights how hormonal changes can impact energy levels...

### NZ Doctor – Menopause, Exercise and Ageing Interview

Does a one-size-fits-all approach work when it comes to exercising in midlife? As I learnt when I undertook my PhD, midlife women are the most likely age group to join and then leave a gym within quick succession. So why is this? And more importantly, how can we restore our energy levels and sleep through the night, so that we can exercise? I speak to New Zealand Doctor about this very important topic. I hope you enjoy the interview. 		
					
									Click here to read the full article

Excerpt: In a recent feature by NZ Doctor, Dr. Wendy Sweet, founder of My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™), shares her expertise on the pivotal role of exercise in managing menopause symptoms...

### Lost your Christmas Cheer this year? In peri-menopause? Then learn why.

I still remember three years ago at Christmas, when everyone around me was looking forward to it, all I could think of, was 'oh no, I really can't be bothered'. I had no energy for shopping, no motivation for social events and with my belly-fat weight going up and up and Christmas drinks setting off endless hot flushes, all I wanted to do was to hide! How differently I feel this Christmas, now that I've lost 15 kgs of menopause fat and I now know how to manage my eating, drinking, exercising and stress management to match my new hormonal environment now that I'm in menopause. I love understanding how to manage my menopause hot flushes, moods and motivation with Christmas festivities just around the corner.

What about you? Is Christmas a crazy time for you? I don't know about you, but I always feel like I am rushing around and my brain is full of work that still needs to be closed off as well as trying to get my head around Christmas organisation ... but I was reflecting this morning, how MUCH WORSE I felt when peri-menopause arrived during Christmas celebrations a few years ago. 

Oh, what a difference a couple of years of my menopause-research makes! I realise now that my changing oestrogen and progesterone hormones in PERI-MENOPAUSE were also causing my BRAIN HORMONES that control mood, energy and motivation to decrease as well. What also makes this decrease in brain hormones worse, is increased stress, poor sleep, not eating properly, temperature problems and doing too much exercise. When I figured out the connection between all of these factors, the fact that I had lost my 'Christmas Cheer' made so much sense. Oestrogen exerts a powerful effect on it's opposing hormone called PROGESTERONE, which is one of your 'happy hormones', but here's the kicker .... how you are feeling is also dependent on the connection that oestrogen and progesterone has on other hormones in your body too. Your BRAIN is produces MASTER HORMONES which control all of the organs in your body. The hormones that control MOTIVATION and MOOD become affected in peri-menopause because OESTROGEN is involved in the production of some of these hormones  too. As well, certain NUTRIENTS help to make these hormones, so they are crucial to get into your diet at this time of your life and more importantly, this time of year.

Some women on the MyMT programmes  have been put on ANTI-DEPRESSANTS during their menopause transition. Whilst this gives them enormous relief, I also want them to come off these at some time. In this regard, I concur with Dr Kelly Brogan in the USA, a clinical psychologist, who, in her book, 'A Mind of Your Own' - says that this is unnecessary because anti-depressants affect liver function as well and can make menopause symptoms worse. I agree, because my own doctoral research indicates that there are specific reasons for this.

If your moods and motivation are all over the place, particularly at this crazy time of year, when everyone expects you to have lots of Christmas Cheer then here's why:

 	Low oestrogen causes your mood hormone, called serotonin, to decrease too. This then has a spiral effect on your sleep hormone called melatonin. It's also why, when you aren't sleeping, it's hard to stay motivated. But what's worse, when your serotonin levels are low and you can't sleep, then your brain craves more sugar. So, at Christmas drinks, that glass or two of wine, simply goes down a treat at this time of year!
 	Your diet may not be optimal for your changing hormones in peri-menopause and you may not be getting the right nutrients for turning around your 'happy-hormone' production. You need to EAT FOODS that BOOST MOOD and turn around any poor gut health or irritable bowel syndrome problems, which many women have at this time of life. For example, if you have GUT HEALTH issues, then you may not be able to absorb a type of protein called Tryptophan. This protein is needed to help make both serotonin and melatonin. How to do this is all in the 12 week MyMT programmes. I have also researched the best way to restore our gut health at this time of life and how to do this, is in an optional MyMT GUT REHAB programme.
 	If you are continually busy (and who isn't at this time of year?), then your ADRENAL GLANDS where your stress hormones are produced, stay in over-drive. This affects the production and use of PROGESTERONE, which gets 'stolen' to make more of your stress hormones. The result? This valuable hormone is then NOT AVAILABLE to make your happy-hormones in your brain, because it's needed all day long to make your stress hormones. No wonder you might be feeling 'wired and tired' at this time of year!

Can you see why I am so passionate about you understanding that your menopause transition requires a whole new way of learning to live your life? Because we are going into a new hormonal environment then we have to do things a bit differently. This includes helping our mood hormones and our sleep hormones to re-balance their production to our changing hormonal environment. I now realise that it's not normal to feel down, or moody, or have low motivation or be on anti-depressants if you don't have any clinical medical problem (these are only a band-aid in peri-menopause anyway). But for so many of us, we just 'accept' that this is 'our lot' during menoapuse. But it doesn't have to be! Your 50's are the time in your life when we should all feel energised, motivated, vibrant and healthy. Especially at Christmas time when others are relying on us.

Check out Merridy's story on the HOME PAGE of the website. I feel so privileged that Merridy trusted me with her menopause transformation. The 12 week MyMT programme I designed from my research, helped her to get off anti-depressants and HRT. I love that she has the energy to enjoy every day now. So, if you've been feeling a bit down this year and for those of you putting on weight, I invite you into my special discount for the 'Transform Me' programme. This is the weight loss programme, but for you girls' who aren't overweight but are still feeling a bit helpless during your menopause transition, then you can also use the promotional code for my other foundation programme, called 'Circuit-Breaker'. You choose which programme might suit your needs. Both offers will kick-off from January 1st, 2018. Hundreds of women are discovering what I discovered too.... that you can get back control of your health and hormones through lifestyle solutions, not endless supplements and medications and at this time of year when we are all still so busy, then it's important to get back your Christmas Cheer.

"Please don't despair. Let me help you turn around your symptoms in menopause with my fabulous non-hormonal 12 week programmes. Both of these programmes are on-line and on-demand. Enjoy Christmas but if you need help to learn what to do to adjust your day-to-day living to match your changing hormones in menopause, then I invite you to have a look at the MyMT programmes and then look out for my SPECIAL JANUARY, 2018 PROMO CODE on the facebook page. Together, let's make 2018, the year that you discover how to adjust your lifestyle to match the 'new-you' in menopause.   [Wendy Sweet]


## Pages

### Testing Template Page

DIANNE BEFOREAFTERJANINE BEFOREAFTERTINEKE BEFOREAFTERLINDA BEFOREAFTERSYLVIE BEFOREAFTERJULIE BEFOREAFTER			
					Transform Your Weight, Energy & Menopause Symptoms with Leading Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
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				2026 - The Year for Visible (and Invisible) Change			
		A message from Wendy: If you have been struggling to get on top of your weight gain and menopause symptoms, then I so know how you feel.During midlife, we’re juggling so much. Work, family, ageing parents, and in the process, our own health quietly slips to the bottom of the list.But, I don’t want another year to go by with you feeling frustrated that ‘nothing’s working. This is why I’m inviting you to set your intention to join my New Year Transform Me Programme Intake.It’s my biggest sale of the year, but numbers are limited because of the amount of time I spend personally supporting and problem-solving with women. Therefore, I want to give you early-bird access from the 26th of December, so that you don’t miss out.		
																														
				Why the MyMT™ Transform Me Programme Works When Everything Else Hasn’t			
		Like most women who join me, you probably feel like you have tried everything and are at your wits end. From exhausting gym workouts to high protein diets, to HRT, to fasting – The MyMT™ Transform Me Programme has been a ‘last resort’ for thousands of women.So, when they finally make the decision to join me, they are heavier, frustrated, and completely untrusting of all the ‘pills and potions’ being touted at us.		
																														
							
			
				By following your program I got through menopause drug-free and I was able to lose the 15kg I gained pre-menopause. You gave me my life back!”			
											- Anna, New Zealand
					
							
			
				Before the course, I was firmly in the ‘protein-forward’ camp – eating meat 3 times a day and lifting very heavy weights. But despite that, my weight was spiralling.
Well… I’m thrilled to share that I’ve lost 20.4kg over the past 7–8 months and my blood markers are in the best shape they’ve been in a while.”			
											- Angela, Nutritionist (Australia)
					
																														
				How Transform Me™  Helps You Fix Sleep, Stress, Liver Health & More			
		When women come onto my Transform Me™ Program, they tell me they ‘finally get it’. Over the 12 weeks, I help them understand that we can’t look at each symptom in isolation. To stop gaining and start losing weight, women need to turn around their sleep, their stress levels, their liver health, their gut health, their inflammation, and a condition called oestrogen dominance (whereby our deeper fat cells around our organs are producing their own oestrogen). When we look at the physiology of the female body, all of these things contribute to weight gain. I tell you more about this in the video below.https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/the_science_of_menopause_weight_gain-1080p.webm#t=2		
																														
				This deeper visceral fat is  what concerns me the most			
		It increases our risk for cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and breast cancer as we get older. All the conditions we saw in our mother’s generation.As a Women’s Healthy Ageing Educator, this is what concerns me the most, and it’s my ‘why’ for helping you. This is why this is so much more than a weight loss programme - it's a complete guide to turning around your symptoms, your energy levels, your joint health, and your cardiovascular health, to set yourself up for the best possible health in post-menopause.		
																														
							
			
				Wendy has exactly what women need. There are so many programs out there, but this one is the one that makes the most sense for sure.”			
											-	Lisa H. Ontario, Canada 
					
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### MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause: An eye-opening webinar for all women over 45.

Why don’t we, as women, know these things already?
Welcome to Your 2-hour
Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond

 	Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).


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 Rated 5 out of 5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

















"I invite you to join thousands of women who have harnessed the power of my pioneering research into women's health and ageing to understand how lifestyle changes can help you to take back control of your symptoms. My Masterclass on Menopause webinar takes you on a journey of understanding. Women tell me 'it makes so much sense' I hope you say that too!"  - Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)


2-hours packed full of evidence-based information and lifestyle solutions

Watch or listen online, in your own time, as many times as you like over 3 months

Practical, easy-to-implement natural solutions for symptom relief

“
 Rated 5 out of 5

Wendy – I can’t thank you enough for sharing your valuable knowledge and excellent research and references in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure with meds which have now been halved due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made.
Jill
Australia

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Why do we have to figure it out on our own?
When new research papers arrive in my inbox every week, my family often hear me say, “Wow! Why aren’t women being told these things by health professionals?”
It is a statement I repeat far too often, and have done ever since the interviews I undertook with women as part of my PhD studies into Women’s Health and Ageing.
I travelled the length of New Zealand interviewing women. Despite them not knowing each other, the themes were clear. They complained of insomnia, sore joints, low energy, heart palpitations and un-stoppable weight gain. Many were scared about the health trajectory they were on, and were afraid of the health conditions they had seen their mother’s generation experience. But, not one of them mentioned menopause.
That was 15 years ago.
My studies led me towards understanding there are numerous women globally that don’t experience the symptoms or weight gain that many western women do. So, what are they doing differently?
For 15 years, I’ve been on a mission to get this life-changing research into the hands of women. With over 20,000 women already joining the MyMT™ 12-week Programs, I can’t wait to share their stories and help you understand what’s possible for you too.
I hope you can watch this 2 hour Masterclass – my goal is to help you make sense of your health changes in midlife and beyond.
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

LIMITED TIME OFFER
Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).
Discounted from live ticket price of $35.

BUY NOW



 Rated 5 out of 5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers
What women have said about the Menopause Masterclass
		
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Enter from stage left, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and her Masterclass. This information was exactly what I had been looking for. Wendy’s lecture reached me on so many levels.								
				
				
				
					Kylie				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
		
		
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Menopause overwhelmed me so much that just the simplest of things would make my heart palpitate. I tried both HRT and anti depressants, both of which helped for a while, albeit never fully alleviating all of my symptoms.I nearly didn’t go to the Masterclass because it was late at night. I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t gone. That evening I discovered Wendy, and everything she said made perfect sense! It was a light bulb moment for me! I started making changes, and quickly saw results! The rest is history.								
				
				
				
					Maxine				
				
				
				
					UK				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
		
		
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I had terrible menopause symptoms for years. All the things you described in your Masterclass. I am so grateful that I came across it and took the time to listen. It has changed my life. Within a couple of weeks my hot flushes eased and everything started to turn around.								
				
				
				
					Sylvie				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
		
What's Inside the Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond?
By watching this 2-hour menopause course online, you will discover:


 	The symptoms that many women (and Doctors) don’t realise are related to menopause e.g burning tongue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, histamine allergies, dizziness, headaches, fibromyalgia, hair loss and heart palpitations.
 	Why many of the organs around our body change so much during midlife. For example, did you know that the volume of the liver can reduce up to 40% by age 60?


 	Why you may have started waking through the night.
 	Why many women gain weight in menopause, despite eating and exercising the same as they always have.
 	Why menopausal women lose magnesium in muscles more rapidly, which contributes to restless leg syndrome, aching joints and slower recovery from exercise.
 	Why Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with increased arterial stiffness and contributes to higher blood pressure in women.
 	Why Irritable Bowel Syndrome is 3 - 5 times more common in midlife women.
 	Why your symptoms may have returned in post-menopause.
 	Why heart disease is the number one health issue in post-menopause, and what changes occur to the lining of your blood vessels.
 	Some powerful lifestyle solutions that you can start implementing straight away to relieve your symptoms.

https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Masterclass-on-Menopause-and-Beyond-Trailer-Dr-Wendy-Sweet-PhD-My-Menopause-Transformation-My-Menopause-Transformation-_-Dr-Wendy-Sweet-PhD-1080p-h264.mp4
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).
Discounted from live ticket price of $35.

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 Rated 5 out of 5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers
Menopause Masterclass Highlights

Flexible Learning, Your Way
This self-paced webinar is designed to help you learn without the rush, fitting seamlessly into your busy lifestyle. Watch or listen online, in your own time, as many times as you wish over the next 3 months from purchase. Many women listen to it as a podcast while out walking or driving to work.

Knowledge is power
Our hormones play a much larger role than we are led to believe. In this Masterclass, you will discover how your hormonal shifts are impacting your sleep quality, weight gain, joint health, mental health, energy levels and much more. If you come out saying 'Aha - this makes so much sense now', we have done our job.

Evidence-based information you can trust
 This Masterclass stems from Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) decades-long exploration, and her experience, coaching 18,000+ women through their menopause transition. You will come away with proven, evidence based lifestyle changes that you can implement straight away to regain control of your symptoms and health.

Practical, easy to implement natural solutions
 Life has never been busier. Gain practical strategies that you can easily incorporate into your lifestyle, whether it's at work, with family or while travelling, enabling you to turn simple changes into lifelong habits.

Real women. Visible results
Immerse yourself in the stories from real women who were once at their wits end. Dozens of powerful stories, shared throughout the Masterclass speak to the profound impact the MyMT™ program has had on their lives.

A small investment for monumental returns
 2-hours packed full of evidence-based information and proven solutions. Offered at an exclusive discounted price of only NZ $15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).  *Discounted from live ticket price of $35.

Your Menopause Questions Answered

 Rated 5 out of 5
"Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping, have lost 17 lbs (8kg) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life-changing."
Kate, United Kingdom
What age does menopause start?

Menopause usually starts in our mid-40s and this is known as peri-menopause. Periods start to fluctuate as reproductive hormones decline.

Women are considered to be in menopause when their periods cease.  From my database of 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz I can tell you that on average this happens at 51 years of age.

After one year of periods ending, women enter post-menopause where they remain for the rest of their lives. We live nearly half of our life in a completely different hormonal environment, so we need to know how to adjust to this.

Why am I gaining weight in menopause?

Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. The data I have collected over the years confirms this.

But, here’s the thing. It’s not your fault you are putting on weight! There are so many factors fighting against you. Here are just two examples:

 	You may not be sleeping – Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010).
When you’re awake night after night, this means that your glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does your stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. All of these hormones play a role in fat cell physiology.
 	Oestrogen Dominance – Did you know that our fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, our fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this ‘dominates’ the internal environment

If we don’t put the brakes on our weight gain during menopause, then this can be a slippery slope towards joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.

Learn more about why you are gaining weight and explore the 12-week MyMT™ Transform Me Programme here. 

What are the main symptoms of menopause?

Are you noticing lots of changes going on in your body? Perhaps, you are like Kellie from New Zealand, who told me…

“I think without this programme I would have gone crazy, I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related. I am now sleeping through the night, no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.”

The common symptoms that are known about in research include:

 	Interrupted sleep
 	Low energy
 	Night sweats / hot flushes
 	Loss of muscle
 	Weight Gain
 	Irritability
 	Depression
 	Lack of Motivation
 	Worsening prolapse
 	Burning joints / weak bones
 	Low libido
 	Dry skin

But the research is still in its early days.  Women on my programmes are surprised to find that the following symptoms are also likely menopause related:

 	Heart palpitations
 	Dizziness
 	Burning tongues
 	Hair loss
 	Reflux

With oestrogen receptors located all around the body, I am not surprised that there are so many symptoms that women don’t realise are related to menopause. In my 12 week programmes, I have bonus information which helps you understand and manage these symptoms.

What can worsen menopause symptoms?

Inflammation in the body makes our symptoms worse.

The term ‘inflammaging’ refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young perhaps compared to our mother’s generation at the same age, we must also remember that inside our body, our cells are ageing. Furthermore, when we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t healing from all the stress that we are under.

And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I often talk about women who are undertaking lots of high-intensity exercise most days of the week (as I used to as well). This can increase physical or oxidative stress inside our cells and tissues when we aren’t sleeping well. Like over-trained athletes, we fail to heal properly when we don’t sleep. Inflammation builds up, and this begins to affect some tissues and organs, including the gut microbiota and fat cells.

If we think about a woman’s experiences over her lifetime that may have caused inflammation, coupled with the fact that peri-menopause and ageing are known to be inflammatory themselves, menopause is the perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes.

Do menopause symptoms go away?

Menopause symptoms, when unresolved can create worsening health problems as we age.  I’m talking about things like joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.

Through undertaking my PhD, I discovered that symptoms are reversible when we have a focus on lifestyle changes which are specific to the menopause transition. How we look after ourselves helps our body to adapt to our changing hormonal environment. By addressing the underlying cause of your menopause symptoms, not only can you experience relief from your symptoms, but you can reduce inflammation, setting you up for better health in your older years.

This is what you learn on the MyMT™ programmes – all the scientifically evidenced, step by step lifestyle strategies to help you to understand how to reduce your symptoms and take back control of your health. Read more about How it Works here. 

What if I am on menopause HRT? 

No matter whether you are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.

My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience.

If you are on MHT, then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.

Where should I start?

If you are confused about whether you have reached menopause or what stage you are in then please start by taking the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz. With over 500,000 women completing this quiz, I can help you to understand whether your symptoms are menopause related and whether they are severe compared to others.

If you want to learn a bit more about this stage of life, including why the researchers say it is so important to get on top of your symptoms, then the 2-hour online Masterclass on Menopause* is for you. This is Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) presentation that she was sharing across the globe before the pandemic. She has now recorded it for you, so that you can pause it at any time and come back to it or watch it again and again.

Ready to start a 12-week program to take control of your symptoms? Read about How it Works. 

What is the Menopause Masterclass?

It’s a 2-hour online course for midlife women that explores the science behind menopause symptoms and teaches practical lifestyle strategies based on new research.

Who is this Masterclass for?

It’s ideal for women in perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause who want to better understand their health changes and how to manage them naturally.

What topics does the Masterclass cover?

Topics include hormonal health, weight gain, sleep disruption, cardiovascular changes, gut health, nutrients for menopause and lifestyle strategies to restore balance.


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in menopause or post-menopause?

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 Rated 5 out of 5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Download PDF Guide - Swollen Ankles and Fluide Retention

Have your joints started to swell, or are you holding on to more fluid as you move through menopause?				
					Download Your Free PDF Guide				
		As I watched a middle–aged nurse limping down the hospital corridor with swollen, puffy ankles, I wondered if she knew about the impact of her changing menopause hormones on her lymphatic system, fluid balance and circulation.It took me a long time to understand this connection for myself too.Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a Women’s Healthy Ageing Educator from New Zealand and the Founder of My Menopause Transformation. Over the past 10 years, it has been my privilege to support over 18,000 women and 2,000 health professionals understand how to turn around their symptoms with evidenced lifestyle changes. Most weeks I receive emails from women asking why they are holding on to more fluid in their ankles or breasts, and why they are putting on weight despite 'eating healthy'. There are so many confusing messages out there, so, I have put this PDF together, to help women understand:How changes in oestrogen and progesterone affect your lymphatic system and fluid balance.How ageing blood vessels and lymph vessels can contribute to oedema (tissue swelling) in the hands, ankles, feet and abdomen.How simple, evidence-based lifestyle changes can help improve your circulation and lymphatic drainage.I look forward to sharing this important information with you in the PDF.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) – Women’s Healthy Ageing Educator (you can learn more about my story and research in the video below)		
																														
																														
					
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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		https://vimeo.com/951050110?fl=ls&fe=ec		
								DIANNE BEFOREAFTERJANINE BEFOREAFTERTINEKE BEFOREAFTERLINDA BEFOREAFTERSYLVIE BEFOREAFTERJULIE BEFOREAFTER

### Thank You - Swollen Ankles and Fluid Retention - PDF Download

Thank You For Downloading Your PDF				
		Your PDF is waiting for you below, and it is also on its way to your inbox (as it is best viewed on a laptop or tablet). Please also check your junk mail or promotions folder. If you are confused or worried about your changing health, it would be my privilege to support you with this. Over 18,000 women and 2,000 health professionals have benefited from my research linking lifestyle science to symptom reduction and weight loss. Most of them started by watching my Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond, which is currently on sale for only NZ$15 = approx. AU $12, £8, US $9, CA$12.In this 2-hour webinar, I take you deeper into the science behind your symptoms and help you understand why we can't look at each symptom in isolation. For example, if you aren't sleeping, then this is likely causing more hot flushes, weight gain, and blood pressure changes. I don't sell supplements or medication - I am an educator, and my goal is to empower you to take back control of your own health. I hope you enjoy your PDF and can explore my Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) P.s. If you don’t receive the email with your PDF in the next 5 minutes, please check your junk and then contact admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.		
					
						Download PDF NOW					
					If you’d like to learn more about your symptoms you can explore the Masterclass on Menopause				
								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Enter from stage left, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and her Masterclass. This information was exactly what I had been looking for. Wendy’s lecture reached me on so many levels.								
				
				
				
					Kylie				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
							
								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Menopause overwhelmed me so much that just the simplest of things would make my heart palpitate. I tried both HRT and anti depressants, both of which helped for a while, albeit never fully alleviating all of my symptoms.I nearly didn’t go to the Masterclass because it was late at night. I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t gone. That evening I discovered Wendy, and everything she said made perfect sense! It was a light bulb moment for me! I started making changes, and quickly saw results! The rest is history.								
				
				
				
					Maxine				
				
				
				
					UK				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
							
								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I had terrible menopause symptoms for years. All the things you described in your Masterclass. I am so grateful that I came across it and took the time to listen. It has changed my life. Within a couple of weeks my hot flushes eased and everything started to turn around.								
				
				
				
					Sylvie				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
							
					What's Inside the Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond?				
		By watching this 2-hour webinar, you will discover:The symptoms that many women (and Doctors) don’t realise are related to menopause e.g burning tongue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, histamine allergies, dizziness, headaches, fibromyalgia, hair loss and heart palpitations.Why many of the organs around our body change so much during midlife. For example, did you know that the volume of the liver can reduce up to 40% by age 60?Why you may have started waking through the night.Why many women gain weight in menopause, despite eating and exercising the same as they always have.Why menopausal women lose magnesium in muscles more rapidly, which contributes to restless leg syndrome, aching joints and slower recovery from exercise.Why Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with increased arterial stiffness and contributes to higher blood pressure in women.Why Irritable Bowel Syndrome is 3 - 5 times more common in midlife women.Why your symptoms may have returned in post-menopause.Why heart disease is the number one health issue in post-menopause, and what changes occur to the lining of your blood vessels.Some powerful lifestyle solutions that you can start implementing straight away to relieve your symptoms.https://youtu.be/pMpALfl8pUQ		
					LIMITED TIME OFFER				
					Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12). Discounted from live ticket price of $35.				
					
									BUY NOW
					
																														
																														
								Rated 5 out of 5
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Thank You - Breast Changes - PDF Download

Thank You For Downloading Your PDF				
		Your PDF is waiting for you below, and it is also on its way to your inbox (as it is best viewed on a laptop or tablet). Please also check your junk mail or promotions folder. Over 18,000 other women have now benefited from my research linking lifestyle changes to symptom reduction and weight loss. Most of these women started by watching my Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond (on sale for only NZ$15 = approx. AU $12, £8, US $9, CA$12).In this 2-hour webinar, I take you deeper into the science behind your symptoms and help you understand why we can't look at each symptom in isolation. For example, if you aren't sleeping, then this is likely causing more hot flushes, weight gain, and blood pressure changes. I don't sell supplements or medication - I am an educator, and my goal is to empower you to take back control of your own health naturally, with specific lifestyle changes.  I hope you enjoy your PDF and can explore my Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) P.s. If you don’t receive the email with your PDF in the next 5 minutes, please check your junk and then contact admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.		
					
						Download PDF NOW					
					If you’d like to learn more about your symptoms you can explore the Masterclass on Menopause				
								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Enter from stage left, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and her Masterclass. This information was exactly what I had been looking for. Wendy’s lecture reached me on so many levels.								
				
				
				
					Kylie				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Menopause overwhelmed me so much that just the simplest of things would make my heart palpitate. I tried both HRT and anti depressants, both of which helped for a while, albeit never fully alleviating all of my symptoms.I nearly didn’t go to the Masterclass because it was late at night. I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t gone. That evening I discovered Wendy, and everything she said made perfect sense! It was a light bulb moment for me! I started making changes, and quickly saw results! The rest is history.								
				
				
				
					Maxine				
				
				
				
					UK				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I had terrible menopause symptoms for years. All the things you described in your Masterclass. I am so grateful that I came across it and took the time to listen. It has changed my life. Within a couple of weeks my hot flushes eased and everything started to turn around.								
				
				
				
					Sylvie				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
							
					What's Inside the Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond?				
		By watching this 2-hour webinar, you will discover:The symptoms that many women (and Doctors) don’t realise are related to menopause e.g burning tongue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, histamine allergies, dizziness, headaches, fibromyalgia, hair loss and heart palpitations.Why many of the organs around our body change so much during midlife. For example, did you know that the volume of the liver can reduce up to 40% by age 60?Why you may have started waking through the night.Why many women gain weight in menopause, despite eating and exercising the same as they always have.Why menopausal women lose magnesium in muscles more rapidly, which contributes to restless leg syndrome, aching joints and slower recovery from exercise.Why Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with increased arterial stiffness and contributes to higher blood pressure in women.Why Irritable Bowel Syndrome is 3 - 5 times more common in midlife women.Why your symptoms may have returned in post-menopause.Why heart disease is the number one health issue in post-menopause, and what changes occur to the lining of your blood vessels.Some powerful lifestyle solutions that you can start implementing straight away to relieve your symptoms.https://youtu.be/pMpALfl8pUQ		
					LIMITED TIME OFFER				
					Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12). Discounted from live ticket price of $35.				
					
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								Rated 5 out of 5
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Download PDF Guide - Relief for your Tender Breasts - Transform Me

Have your breasts become more tender, or changed in size since entering menopause?				
					Download Your Free PDF Guide				
		“I have to wear three bras to go for a run – my breasts have gotten so big and sore!”How this bought back memories for me. When my own breast size doubled as I reached my late 40s and early 50s, I was mystified. Nobody had answers for me either. Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a Women’s Healthy Ageing Educator from New Zealand and the Founder of My Menopause Transformation.Over the last two decades I have made it my mission to put all of the puzzle pieces together by using the women’s healthy ageing research to understand how we can turn around our symptoms, and weight gain, naturally, with lifestyle changes.This PDF has helped thousands of women understand that the breast tissue produces a considerable amount of oestrogens and also attracts exogenous (external) oestrogens. Hence, from peri-menopause to post-menopause, we experience changes in our breast tissue too. In this PDF you will also meet Sylvie and Linda who were both on breast cancer treatments* and gained a lot of weight. Understanding what lifestyle changes they needed to make to clear excess oestrogens, alongside their treatments, was life-changing for them. I share some of these solutions with you in the PDF too. *MyMT™ is a listed provider with Breast Cancer New Zealand. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) - Women's Healthy Ageing Educator (scroll down to meet me and hear about my research)		
					
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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		https://vimeo.com/951050110?fl=ls&fe=ec		
								DIANNE BEFOREAFTERJANINE BEFOREAFTERTINEKE BEFOREAFTERLINDA BEFOREAFTERSYLVIE BEFOREAFTERJULIE BEFOREAFTER

### DR - B2B Landing Page

Lead the Change in Menopause Health				
					Join thousands of health professionals learning the latest evidence-based science on women’s midlife health in the Masterclass on Menopause. Free and designed for practitioners like you.				
					
									Watch the Free Masterclass
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8 / 5 by 18,000+ Women

Delivered by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
							
							
										Highly QualifiedInstructor
									
						
							
							
										Highly Qualified Instructor
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by 500+ Health Professionals
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by 500+ Health Professionals
									
						
							
							
										CPD  Approved
									
						
							
							
										CPD Approved
									
						
											
					Why Specialise in Menopause Health?				
		By 2026, over 1 billion women will be in menopause.
Yet most health professionals receive little to no training on how to support them.From over 500,000 women surveyed through MyMT™, we know:		
					83%				
		Report persistent fatigue		
					79%				
		Experience joint or muscle pain		
					76%				
		Struggle with weight gain		
					79%				
		Have difficulty sleepingIt’s time for more practitioners to understand the science of menopause and empower women with evidence-based lifestyle solutions that truly work.		
					
									Watch the Free Masterclass for Health Professionals
					
					
									Watch the Free Masterclass
					
																														
					Masterclass on Menopause for Health Professionals				
		A 90-minute, self-paced masterclass designed for health and exercise professionals who want to better support midlife women.Stay up to date with the latest lifestyle-science research on menopause, ageing, and women’s health so you can confidently guide clients struggling with fatigue, weight gain, joint pain, and sleep issues.		
					
									Start Your Free Masterclass
					
		Learn more		
						 5/5		
					Trusted by 500+ Health Professionals				
					Ready To Be a Part of the Solution? 				
		Menopause is having its moment in women’s health and ageing studies.Researchers are increasingly focused on how hormonal changes during menopause affect women’s long-term health. With women now living an average of 30 years in post-menopause, understanding this stage is vital for healthy ageing.Midlife is the time when women need to adapt their lifestyle to control symptoms and manage weight BEFORE they transition into post-menopause.The peri-menopause transition also marks the beginning of many inflammatory processes linked to ageing, including cardiovascular disease, osteopenia, autoimmune dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, and dementia.Your role as a trusted advisor and motivator is essential. How effective you are depends on your understanding of age-specific physiology and lifestyle interventions.The goal of MyMT™ Education is to bring your attention to the science of the menopause transition (peri–post menopause), empowering you to help women restore health and vitality in midlife.You will come away with an understanding of....		
												
																					
										
		The key physiological and hormonal changes in midlife.How menopause impacts sleep, metabolism, inflammation, and energy - and what this means for women’s health outcomes.		
												
																					
										
		The psychological and motivational shifts in women’s behaviour.Why many women lose confidence or struggle to sustain healthy habits - and how to help them take action.		
												
																					
										
		Proven, evidence-based lifestyle solutions.Simple, practical changes in sleep, nutrition, and exercise that you can immediately apply with your clients.		
																														
					Meet Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
		Founder of My Menopause Transformation and your course instructorFor over 30 years, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) has been helping women and health professionals understand the science of menopause and healthy ageing.While completing her PhD on exercise and midlife women’s health, Wendy discovered how little attention was being paid to sleep, thyroid, and gut hormones — key regulators of mood, temperature, and weight. By applying this research, she personally reversed her own menopause symptoms and lost over 15 kg through lifestyle changes alone...Today, more than 16,000 women worldwide have benefited from her evidence-based MyMT™ programmes. Wendy’s mission is to help health professionals integrate this science into practice — empowering more women to regain energy, confidence, and wellbeing through midlife and beyond.“It’s my passion to keep up with the latest research in women’s health and ageing — and my privilege to share it with you.”		
					Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner				
		A 12-week comprehensive certification for health and exercise professionals who want to specialise in menopause and women’s healthy ageing.This advanced course provides an in-depth understanding of hormonal, metabolic, and lifestyle changes during menopause, and how to translate this knowledge into effective, evidence-based care for your clients.October Intake SOLD OUT. Please pre-register for our next intake in January 2026. 		
					
									PRE-REGISTER
					
		Learn more		
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					Trusted by 500+ Health Professionals				
																														
					Turn Knowledge Into Practice With Our Advanced CPD Courses				
																														
					Menopause Weight Loss Coach Level 1				
		A 6 week, self paced course that will provide you with an in depth understanding of the science of menopause weight gain. This course equips you with easy to implement, nutrition, exercise and behaviour change solutions to achieve sustained weight loss for your peri-post menopausal clients.		
					
									ENROL NOW
					
		Learn more		
						 5/5		
					Trusted by 500+ Health Professionals				
																														
					Menopause Health Coach				
		A 3-week self-paced, introductory course. This course is designed to introduce you to the physiological and psychological changes occurring in midlife, and provide you with client-centered behaviour change strategies specific to this stage, to empower your clients to turn intention into action.		
					
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		Learn more		
						 5/5		
					Trusted by 500+ Health Professionals				
																														
																														
					Payment plans available				
					There is something in these courses for everyone				
		Our graduates work across all disciplines of women's health, supporting women at every part of their healthcare journey.		
						            
			            
                
            
											“I have found your Menopause Practitioner Course for health professionals to be the best course I have ever done.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Diana
        
			            
                
            
											“The content was thought provoking, and related continually back to research, following the science related to mid-life women.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Karen D.
        
			            
                
            
											“I love to learn and I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to gain knowledge from such an inspirational and passionate world leader in women's health.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Rachel
        Personal Trainer
			            
                
            
											“I have become so overwhelmed with referrals since my colleagues have become aware of my recent training. There is such a gap in health care in this space!”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Leanne
        Registered Nurse
				            
					These Courses Are Right for You If…				
																														
					You want to support women in midlife and beyond				
		Women in this stage are often desperate for evidence-based answers.These courses are grounded in healthy ageing science and built specifically around the menopause transition. You’ll learn to give advice that helps clients stay strong, sleep better, and thrive during their post-menopause years, one of the most vulnerable times in a woman’s life.		
																														
					You want to specialise in lifestyle medicine and behaviour change				
		MyMT™ courses use scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions, no supplements or medications, to help women manage their symptoms naturally.You’ll take a holistic approach to menopause, understanding how a woman’s past and current lifestyle influence her health, mood, and wellbeing over time.		
																														
					You want opportunities to grow your practice or business				
		Expand your professional reach by combining midlife health expertise with practical behaviour change and marketing strategies tailored to this demographic.Graduates of the Menopause Practitioner Course can also become MyMT™ Affiliates, offering programmes that help women worldwide while creating a new income stream for their business.		
					Frequently Asked Questions				
												What age does menopause start?
					Menopause usually starts in our mid-40s and this is known as peri-menopause. Periods start to fluctuate as reproductive hormones decline. Women are considered to be in menopause when their periods cease.  From my database of 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz I can tell you that on average this happens at 51 years of age. After one year of periods ending, women enter post-menopause where they remain for the rest of their lives. We live nearly half of our life in a completely different hormonal environment, so we need to know how to adjust to this. 
												Why do women gain weight in menopause?
					Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. The data I have collected over the years confirms this. But, here’s the thing. It’s often not a woman’s fault that they are putting on weight! There are so many factors fighting against them. Here are just two examples:They may not be sleeping – Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010). When you’re client’s are awake night after night, this means that their glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does their stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. All of these hormones play a role in fat cell physiology. Oestrogen Dominance – Did you know that fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes,  fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in fat cells and this ‘dominates’ the internal environmentIf we don’t support our clients to put the brakes on their weight gain during menopause, then this can be a slippery slope towards joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes. Learn more about why and how women gain weight in the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course. 
												What are the main symptoms of menopause?
					Are your client’s noticing lots of changes going on in their body? Perhaps, they are like Kellie from New Zealand, who told me…“I think without this programme I would have gone crazy, I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related. I am now sleeping through the night, no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.”The common symptoms that are known about in research include: Interrupted sleepLow energyNight sweats / hot flushesLoss of muscleWeight GainIrritabilityDepressionLack of MotivationWorsening prolapseBurning joints / weak bonesLow libidoDry skinBut the research is still within its early days.  Women on my programmes are surprised to find that the following symptoms are also likely menopause related:Heart palpitationsDizzinessBurning tongues Hair lossRefluxWith oestrogen receptors located all around the body, I am not surprised that there are so many symptoms that women don’t realise are related to menopause. In all three MyMT™ Education Courses, I have bonus information which helps you understand and manage these symptoms. 
												What can worsen menopause symptoms?
					Inflammation in the body makes symptoms worse. The term ‘inflammaging’ refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young perhaps compared to our mother’s generation at the same age, we must also remember that inside our body, our cells are ageing. Furthermore, when we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t healing from all the stress that we are under.And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I often talk about women who are undertaking lots of high-intensity exercise most days of the week (as I used to as well). This can increase physical or oxidative stress inside our cells and tissues when we aren’t sleeping well. Like over-trained athletes, we fail to heal properly when we don’t sleep. Inflammation builds up, and this begins to affect some tissues and organs, including the gut microbiota and fat cells. If we think about a woman’s experiences over her lifetime that may have caused inflammation, coupled with the fact that peri-menopause and ageing are known to be inflammatory themselves, menopause is the perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes.
												Do menopause symptoms go away?
					Menopause symptoms, when unresolved can create worsening health problems for women as they age.  I’m talking about things like joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.Through undertaking my PhD, I discovered that symptoms are reversible when women have a focus on lifestyle changes which are specific to the menopause transition. How we look after ourselves helps our body to adapt to our changing hormonal environment. By addressing the underlying cause of your client’s menopause symptoms, not only can they experience relief from their symptoms, but they can reduce inflammation, setting them up for better health in their older years.This is what you learn on the MyMT™ Education CPD Courses – all the scientifically evidenced, step by step lifestyle strategies to help you to understand how to support your clients to reduce their symptoms and take back control of their health. 
												What if my clients are on menopause HRT? 
					No matter whether your clients are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then their are lifestyle solutions that help them to reduce their hot flushes, improve their sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and turn around  oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of their menopause weight gain.My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience. If women are on MHT, then this is a decision between them and their Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off their hormone therapy is a decision that they must make with their medical specialist.
												Why train with MyMT™ Education? 
					Change women’s livesHow do I know you can do this? Because women tell me what a difference the MyMT™ programmes have made to their lives. Not only are they losing weight, but their sore joints, sleepless nights, mood swings, brain fog, tiredness and hot flushes are gone. Read their testimonials here. Gain clarity and confidence with menopause discussionsAre you confused by the abundance of conflicting evidence and opinions about menopause? Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) cuts through the chaos, providing you with the latest, evidenced women’s healthy aging research, presented in a way that is easy to understand and follow with your own clients.  Grow your businessYou’ll expand your knowledge about women’s mid-life health, enabling you to better help your existing clients, deliver new offerings and retain clients for longer. All of the information in this course is suitable for women in both their menopause and post-menopause years, so your clients can be confident that you have the skills to help them as they age. Exclusive insights Throughout the course I will share the insights gained from the 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz and the 15,000+ women who have participated in MyMT™ programmes. This will put you a step ahead of your competition by enabling you to prepare for the questions you could get from your own clients.
												What Courses does MyMT™ Education offer for Health Professionals?
					Currently MyMT™ has three courses for Health Professionals: 1.The MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course is a 12 week course, with dedicated intakes. This is because there is a live component to this course whereby your class meets with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) on a zoom call to review the modules. This course dives deep into the science and physiology of menopause, menopause risk screening, and how to turn around your client’s sleep, hot flushes, sore joints, liver health, energy, anxiety and more, through evidenced lifestyle solutions. There is also information on menopause supplements, behaviour change coaching and the business of menopause. **Does not cover exercise prescription (see below).2. The MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course is a self-learning, on-demand course which runs for 6 weeks. There is no live element so you can start it at any time and complete it at your own pace.Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. Through this course, you will come away with an understanding of the unique differences in women’s weight gain at this age and stage of life, and easy to implement, exercise, nutrition and behaviour change solutions. 3.  MyMT™’s brand new course for Health Coaches is now available. An Introduction to the Science of Menopause for Health Coaches is a self-learning, on-demand course which runs for 3 weeks. You can complete it at any time, at your own pace. This introductory course explores the physiology and psychology of midlife women, providing you with client-centered behaviour change strategies specific to this stage of life. If you aren’t sure if these courses are right for you, get started with our free Masterclass on Menopause for Health Professionals. This is your 90 minute webinar where Wendy introduces you to her research into menopause, ageing and lifestyle science. 
					MyMT™ Education Newsletter for Health Professionals				
		Sign up to receive brand new research, menopause resources, articles and exclusive discounts delivered to your inbox each Wednesday.		
					
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### DR - B2C Landing Page

Re-discover your health, vitality and energy during and after menopause...				
					Evidence-based lifestyle programs designed to reduce menopause symptoms, restore sleep, and rebalance your body - naturally.				
					
									Reclaim Your Health and Vitality
					
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					How the MyMT™ Transformation Works				
		MyMT™ has a single goal... to help women around the world proactively manage their own menopause transformation through natural, evidence-based lifestyle changes. No longer should menopause symptoms control your life.		
																														
					Step 1				
					Learn the Science Behind Menopause				
		Discover what’s really happening to your body during menopause and how lifestyle changes can reduce symptoms and restore your energy.		
																														
					Step 2				
					Join the Menopause Masterclass				
		Get practical, research-based solutions in Wendy’s 2-hour Menopause Masterclass. Learn the science of sleep, weight gain, and hormone balance - and what to do next to feel like yourself again.		
																														
					Step 3				
					Transform Your Health Naturally				
		Choose your next step: Circuit Breaker™, Transform Me™, Beyond Menopause™, or Rebuild My Fitness™  for symptom reduction, healthy aging, and renewed vitality through lifestyle change.		
					
									Join the Masterclass
					
					Join 18,000+ Women Who’ve Transformed Their Health Through MyMT™				
					Join 18,000+ Women Who’ve Transformed Their Health Through MyMT™				
		Don’t let menopause symptoms hold you back. Thousands of women have transformed their sleep, energy, and confidence through MyMT™’s evidence-based lifestyle approach.Designed for every stage of menopause and post-menopause.		
						            
			            
                
            
											“I wish I’d found the MyMT™ programme sooner.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Tijana, UK
        
			            
                
            
											“At first I didn’t want to change how I lived my life.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Zelinda, Australia
        
			            
                
            
											“It seemed like all my joy had been sucked out of me. I’m thankful every day for finding MyMT™.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Julie, Canada
        
			            
                
            
											“I thought the only thing waiting for me was fat clothes, pain and a heart attack.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Brenda, Tasmania
        
			            
                
            
											“Yesterday, I danced and did squats in my kitchen! I can actually move again.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Jacqueline, NZ
        
			            
                
            
											“My friends keep telling me I’m glowing! Even my doctor was surprised by how energetic I looked.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Burcu, Turkey
        
			            
                
            
											“The knowledge I had as a Personal Trainer was being turned on its head at Wendy’s Masterclass.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Maxine, UK
        
			            
                
            
											“I crossed that 100km finish line feeling strong. Knowing the correct nutrition for my age and stage in life, was my biggest advantage.”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Kylie, Australia
        
			            
                
            
											“Your Circuit Breaker program set me on the right track, turned my health around and made me re-evaluate my career!”        
            
            
            
            
            
        
		        Nicky, UK
        
				            
					Masterclass on Menopause				
																														
		Take back control of your symptoms - naturally.Discover how simple, evidence-based lifestyle changes can transform your energy, sleep, weight, and wellbeing during menopause and beyond.Created by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), this 2-hour masterclass is your shortcut to understanding what’s really happening in your body and how to work with your hormones, not against them.		
							
							
										2 hours of proven, research-based insights
									
								
										Easy, natural lifestyle solutions you can start today
									
								
										Watch anytime, anywhere - 3 months of access
									
						
					
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					Special Offer: $15  $35 for a LIMITED TIME				
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Menopause is more than just hot flushes!				
		As you reach midlife, have you noticed changes in your sleep, mood, or energy?Do your joints ache, or has stubborn belly fat appeared no matter what you try?Maybe you feel more anxious, forgetful, or just not yourself anymore.Menopause isn’t just about hot flushes; it’s a complete hormonal transition affecting your entire body.Learning how to restore balance naturally can make all the difference to how you feel - today and for years to come.		
								Digestive Health& BloatingWeight Gain& Belly FatJoint& Muscle PainSleep& FatigueHair& Skin Changes			
					Understanding What’s Really Happening in Your Body				
		As oestrogen and progesterone levels decline, every part of your body feels the change from your heart and joints to your skin, muscles, and sleep.Menopause is also the start of biological ageing, which is why many women feel more tired, inflamed, or out of balance in midlife.What worked for your health in your 30s no longer works the same way now.By learning how to work with your hormones, not against them, you can ease symptoms, reduce inflammation, and set yourself up for healthy ageing.		
					
									Join the Masterclass
					
					Simple, Flexible, and Designed for You				
		Learn at your own pace with science-backed guidance and community support every step of the way.		
																														
					12 weeksduration				
																														
					Delivered entirely online				
																														
					Coaching from Wendy in the Community				
					Coaching from Wendy				
																														
					Move at your own pace				
					Meet your Coach				
					Hi, I’m your Menopause Coach, Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD]MyMT™ Founder & Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher				
					Hi, I’m your Menopause Coach, Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD]. 
MyMT™ Founder & Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher				
		When my own symptoms overwhelmed me, and I gained 15kg of weight, despite daily exercise and eating well, I knew I had to look into what was really going on at this stage of life.I wanted to feel healthy, vibrant, pain-free and energetic without resorting to endless medications and expensive supplements as I aged. I’m so pleased I researched this stage of life as part of my post-graduate studies, because what I learnt astounded me.I learnt that menopause is indeed a vulnerable time for women and their health. When we look at the health conditions experienced by our mothers’ generation, we can see that osteoporosis, heart disease, fibro-myalgia, arthritis, dementia and diabetes begin during the menopause transition, particularly when women aren’t sleeping, gaining weight, having hot flushes and are stressed.Through decades of research I can tell you that every symptom is reversible if you change your lifestyle to allow your body to adapt to its new normal. This is what you learn on the MyMT™ 12 week programs I have designed – scientifically evidenced natural strategies to help you reduce your symptoms and take back control of your health.  For the last 10 years I have coached thousands of women like you through their menopause transition, and this is what makes my programs unique.  If you join one of the 12-week programs I am here to support you every step of the way in the MyMT™ Online Coaching Community. This is the missing step other online courses don’t have. You can ask me questions, and read almost 10 years’ worth of questions and answers from other women, to help you put the puzzle pieces together like I did. It’s the additional motivation you need to change your life!		
																														
					Continue Your Transformation Journey				
		Take what you learned in the Masterclass even further with MyMT™’s proven lifestyle programs. Designed for every stage of menopause and beyond.		
																														
					Transform Me				
		Transform Me is for women who are putting on menopause belly-fat. This fabulous program teaches you how to sleep all night, improve your energy, reduce hot flushes and sore joints, and manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of your menopausal weight gain.Coaching support included in the MyMT™ Community.		
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
					Circuit Breaker				
		Circuit Breaker is for thinner, leaner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy, sore joints etc. To help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health.Coaching support included in the MyMT™ Community.		
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
					Beyond Menopause				
		Learn how to reduce inflammation, restore your energy, and protect your health with Dr. Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) lifestyle change program for post-menopausal women.Coaching support included in the MyMT™ Community.		
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
																														
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					Your Menopause Questions Answered 				
												What age does menopause start?
					Menopause usually starts in our mid-40s and this is known as peri-menopause. Periods start to fluctuate as reproductive hormones decline. Women are considered to be in menopause when their periods cease.  From my database of 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz I can tell you that on average this happens at 51 years of age. After one year of periods ending, women enter post-menopause where they remain for the rest of their lives. We live nearly half of our life in a completely different hormonal environment, so we need to know how to adjust to this. 
												Why am I gaining weight in menopause?
					Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. The data I have collected over the years confirms this. But, here’s the thing. It’s not your fault you are putting on weight! There are so many factors fighting against you. Here are just two examples:You may not be sleeping – Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010). When you’re awake night after night, this means that your glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does your stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. All of these hormones play a role in fat cell physiology. Oestrogen Dominance – Did you know that our fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, our fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this ‘dominates’ the internal environmentIf we don’t put the brakes on our weight gain during menopause, then this can be a slippery slope towards joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes. Learn more about why you are gaining weight and explore the 12-week MyMT™ Transform Me Programme here. 
												What are the main symptoms of menopause?
					Are you noticing lots of changes going on in your body? Perhaps, you are like Kellie from New Zealand, who told me…“I think without this programme I would have gone crazy, I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related. I am now sleeping through the night, no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.”The common symptoms that are known about in research include: Interrupted sleepLow energyNight sweats / hot flushesLoss of muscleWeight GainIrritabilityDepressionLack of MotivationWorsening prolapseBurning joints / weak bonesLow libidoDry skinBut the research is still in its early days.  Women on my programmes are surprised to find that the following symptoms are also likely menopause related:Heart palpitationsDizzinessBurning tongues Hair lossRefluxWith oestrogen receptors located all around the body, I am not surprised that there are so many symptoms that women don’t realise are related to menopause. In my 12 week programmes, I have bonus information which helps you understand and manage these symptoms. 
												What can worsen menopause symptoms?
					Inflammation in the body makes our symptoms worse. The term ‘inflammaging’ refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young perhaps compared to our mother’s generation at the same age, we must also remember that inside our body, our cells are ageing. Furthermore, when we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t healing from all the stress that we are under.And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I often talk about women who are undertaking lots of high-intensity exercise most days of the week (as I used to as well). This can increase physical or oxidative stress inside our cells and tissues when we aren’t sleeping well. Like over-trained athletes, we fail to heal properly when we don’t sleep. Inflammation builds up, and this begins to affect some tissues and organs, including the gut microbiota and fat cells. If we think about a woman’s experiences over her lifetime that may have caused inflammation, coupled with the fact that peri-menopause and ageing are known to be inflammatory themselves, menopause is the perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes.
												Do menopause symptoms go away?
					Menopause symptoms, when unresolved can create worsening health problems as we age.  I’m talking about things like joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.Through undertaking my PhD, I discovered that symptoms are reversible when we have a focus on lifestyle changes which are specific to the menopause transition. How we look after ourselves helps our body to adapt to our changing hormonal environment. By addressing the underlying cause of your menopause symptoms, not only can you experience relief from your symptoms, but you can reduce inflammation, setting you up for better health in your older years.This is what you learn on the MyMT™ programmes – all the scientifically evidenced, step by step lifestyle strategies to help you to understand how to reduce your symptoms and take back control of your health. Read more about How it Works here. 
												Hot Flushes After Menopause: Will my hot flushes ever stop?
					Every day I get emails from women who are thinking about joining me on the MyMT™ programmes, because they feel overwhelmed with night sweats and hot flushes which may also be continuing or returning now that they are beyond menopause.Understandably, hot flashes have a huge impact on their quality of life, so finding an effective treatment option is paramount for them. However, I am surprised by how many women are already on various hormonal treatments and supplements already.Clearly, these interventions are not working for them. It’s so perplexing, but as I had this experience too, I now better understand why. So, if this sounds like you, then my BLOG gives you the reasons why your hot flushes aren’t stopping  – and most importantly, 8 lifestyle solutions to try as well.In the Beyond Menopause Program I also explain to you how turning around our cardiovascular health can reduce our Hot Flushes in post-menopause. 
												What if I am on menopause HRT? 
					No matter whether you are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience. If you are on MHT, then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.
												How do the MyMT™ Programs Work?
					To help you reduce your symptoms and/or weight gain, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health with evidenced lifestyle solutions. These ‘health behaviours’ are designed to help your hormones stop fighting each other and adjust to their new hormonal normal.  For example, did you know that the liver changes in volume by up to 40% in menopause? The liver is a critical organ that is responsible for a variety of functions that help support metabolism, immunity, digestion, detoxification and vitamin storage. That’s why I have a whole module dedicated to turning around your liver health. If we are going to remain healthy throughout our post-menopause years, we need solutions that are easily incorporated into our daily lives. That’s why I take a progressive approach, sending you a module each fortnight with a video explaining the ‘WHY’ and an action plan showing you the ‘HOW’. And I’m here to support you every step of the way in my Coaching Community. This is what women tell me sets MyMT™ apart. You can ask me questions about your personal experiences or symptoms, and I help you to problem solve. Read more about How the Programs Work here. “For more than a year of feeling like I was falling apart with no sleep and no explanation as to why I couldn’t handle things the way I used to. Then I discovered Wendy’s program. To say it gave me hope is an understatement.” – Melanie, Australia. 
												Where should I start?
					If you are confused about whether you have reached menopause or what stage you are in then please start by taking the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz. With over 500,000 women completing this quiz, I can help you to understand whether your symptoms are menopause related and whether they are severe compared to others. Do you want to learn a bit more about this stage of life? Including what the scientific evidence says about the importance of getting on top of your symptoms? If so, then my 2-hour online Masterclass on Menopause* is for you. This is my presentation that I was sharing across the globe before the pandemic. I have now recorded it for you, and yes you can pause me and come back to me any time. Price reduced to NZ$15 (*  approx. AU$14, UK£8, €14, US$11, CAD$14) from my live ticket-price.Unlimited 90 days access.Ready to choose your program? Read about How it Works. 
					
									Join the masterclass

### Lifestyle Medicine for Menopause

Lifestyle Medicine for Menopause
				
					
									Take the Symptoms QUIZ
					
					
									Watch "How it Works" Video
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					What Does Lifestyle Medicine For Menopause Really Mean?
				
		When I first began my doctoral research into women’s healthy ageing, I quickly realised that menopause isn’t just about declining hormones. It’s about how your body shifts across multiple systems — your sleep, metabolism, immunity, mood, joint health, and more.This is why I’m so passionate about lifestyle medicine for menopause. It’s about using evidence-based, natural strategies — nutrition, sleep, movement, stress management, and self-reflection — to help your body adapt, rather than simply suppressing symptoms.The foundation of my MyMT™ programmes is built on what I came to call the 7 Dimensions of Women’s Healthy Ageing. These principles came out of my PhD research and, since then, have transformed the lives of more than 18,000 women worldwide.		
					Growing Research from MyMT™ - What Professionals are Noticing
				
																														
																														
		Over the past decade, I’ve listened to thousands of women’s stories, studied the literature, and reflected on my own health journey. One thing is now clear: instead of only relying on pills, creams, or hormones, lifestyle medicine must be at the centre of menopause care.One study from Yazd Province in Iran really caught my attention. Over 300 women took part, and those with healthier lifestyle behaviours — nutrition, movement, stress management, and emotional wellbeing — reported significantly milder symptoms. Wherever we live, the choices we make around sleep, food, movement, and stress directly affect how we experience menopause. (For more information, see this article - The link between your lifestyle and the severity of symptoms in menopause.This research also reflects what we see in the Blue Zones — those rare parts of the world where people live longer, healthier lives. Women in these regions often report fewer menopausal symptoms, and the common denominator is lifestyle. Their diets are largely plant-based, they move every day without exhausting their bodies, and they have strong social connections. (To learn more, see this article on What Women Living in ‘Blue Zones’ Can Teach Us About Menopause and Healthy Ageing)This is why I often remind women that lifestyle medicine for menopause isn’t optional — it’s essential. By reducing inflammation, restoring sleep, eating well, moving appropriately, and staying connected, we can ease symptoms today while protecting our long-term health.Wherever we live, the daily choices we make around sleep, food, movement, and stress have a direct impact on how we experience menopause.		
					Lifestyle Matters with or without HRT
				
		Hormone therapy (HRT) can have benefits for some women, but it also comes with risks. An umbrella review highlighted both sides, which is why I always emphasise this: whether you use HRT or not, lifestyle changes improve outcomes.If you’re on HRT, lifestyle medicine helps reduce inflammation, support sleep, and strengthen your overall health. If you aren’t, lifestyle changes become even more important to manage symptoms and lower long-term health risks. Either way, lifestyle is the foundation. (You can read more in my article: New Research: What effect does taking menopause hormonal therapy have on women’s health?)		
																														
					Beyond Fringe Ideas				
		Dietary patterns, exercise timing, and managing inflammation are no longer seen as “nice extras.” They’re now recognised in research and in Wendy’s coaching with thousands of women worldwide.
																														
					Nuanced Approaches Emerging
		Studies now look not only at what we do, but when. For example, morning exercise has been shown to reduce abdominal fat and lower blood pressure in midlife women - reinforcing that timing and tailoring matter.This growing body of research underpins the MyMT™ menopause programs, which uniquely bring academic evidence into everyday, practical strategies for midlife women.		
					Beyond Hormones: How Lifestyle Medicine Supports Long-Term Health
				
		Lifestyle medicine for menopause doesn’t only aim to reduce hot flushes or night sweats. It also supports your long-term health — from heart and liver health through to joint mobility, energy, and metabolic stability.Through my work with thousands of women, I’ve seen that many symptoms of menopause are reversible when we adopt the right lifestyle strategies for this life stage. As I often say: “Symptoms are reversible if lifestyle is tuned to support adaptation.”		
					What You Can Do Now: Practical Steps from MyMT™ Research
				
					The MyMT™ Seven Pillars of Women’s Healthy Ageing
				
		My doctoral work began with global models like the WHO’s “Dimensions of Health,” but I quickly realised women needed something more practical — a framework designed for the menopause transition. That’s why I developed the Seven Pillars of Women’s Healthy Ageing.These are the exact strategies women put into practice inside my programmes:Un-do past inflammation & restore sleep – poor sleep and joint pain are reversible.Reduce sources of stress — emotional & physical – protect your immune and nervous systems.Find your purpose – identity and motivation are vital for resilience.Movement to match ageing muscles, tendons, joints & heart – exercise to energise, not exhaust.Anti-inflammatory nutrition for heart & liver health – eat to reduce symptoms and future risk.Social connection matters – strong relationships reduce isolation and build confidence.Epigenetics — adapting to your job and environment – align lifestyle with your unique biology.This is the MyMT™ difference: turning health theory into a menopause-specific pathway that has already helped more than 18,000 women worldwide.It’s why so many participants tell me, “I finally feel healthy again.”		
																														
																														
					Growing Research from MyMT™ - What Professionals & Participants Are Noticing
				
		When I was undertaking my doctoral studies, I often wondered if the research world would ever “catch up” to what women themselves had been saying for years. Now it’s happening. Science is confirming what I’ve seen with thousands of women in my programmes. Lifestyle medicine isn’t just a “nice to have” it’s a must for these reasons:		
							
							
										Women with healthier lifestyle habits experience milder symptoms.
									
								
										HRT can help, but lifestyle changes improve outcomes with or without hormone therapy.
									
								
										Lifestyle interventions - like exercise timing, reducing inflammation, or improving sleep - are increasingly validated in peer-reviewed studies.
									
								
										The global research community is finally recognising what women have long known: symptoms improve when lifestyle is the foundation.
									
						
																														
																														
		This is why my work is now trusted not only by women, but also by health professionals who want continuing education in menopause care. Because the truth is this: lifestyle changes aren’t optional extras. They’re the foundation of feeling healthy again.Lifestyle changes aren’t “optional extras.” They’re the foundation of feeling healthy again:		
							
							
										More sleep. More energy. Better mood. Less weight gain. Stronger long-term health.
									
								
										Less reliance on higher doses of HRT or medication.
									
								
										A proven, step-by-step path that thousands of women have already taken.
									
								
										  A pathway to healthy ageing 
									
						
		Midlife women don’t have to endure symptoms or settle for quick fixes. Lifestyle solutions are essential, not optional. These are the exact strategies Wendy has refined and delivered inside her Transform Me™, Circuit Breaker™, and Beyond Menopause™ programs.		
					Why Women Choose MyMT™
				
																														
					18,000+ Women Helped 
		18,000+ women helped to sleep better, lose weight, restore energy, and reduce symptoms.		
																														
					PhD-level Research
		Grounded in PhD-level research on women’s midlife health.		
																														
					Exclusively for Women
		Practical, step-by-step programs designed exclusively for women in menopause and post-menopause.		
																														
					Trusted Health Professionals 				
		Trusted by health professionals globally as a CPD-accredited framework.		
					Ready to feel healthy again — not just mask symptoms?
				
		Start your journey with MyMT™’s evidence-based, lifestyle medicine approach:		
																														
					Step 1				
					Take the Symptoms Quiz				
		Take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz to understand your symptoms and how these compare to women all around the world. 		
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
																														
					Step 2				
					Watch the Masterclass				
		If you are confused and frustrated by your symptoms, then the on-demand, 2 hour, Masterclass on Menopause is for you.		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
																														
					Step 3				
					Transform Your Health with a 12-week Program				
		Transform Me™ for weight loss and symptoms.Circuit Breaker™ for symptoms. Beyond Menopause™ for healthy ageing and longevity. 		
					
									Choose your program

### MyMT™ Indian Recipe Guide

Indian Recipe Guide for Women Transitioning Menopause				
					Find relief from your symptoms with tasty and nutritious Indian Recipes. 				
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
					Reducing Symptoms Through Food: The Indian Menopause Recipe Guide
				
		Menopause is experienced differently around the world, but one thing is universal — food plays a powerful role in how women feel during this stage of life. In India, for example, research shows that symptoms can sometimes last longer, and risks for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and dementia can begin during the menopause transition, especially when women aren’t sleeping, are gaining weight, or feeling stressed.But the lessons we can take from Indian food traditions extend far beyond India. The spices, cooking methods, and nutrient-rich ingredients are not only delicious, but when prepared with the right principles in mind, they can help support energy, ease symptoms, and promote healthy ageing.When my own symptoms overwhelmed me, and I gained 15kg despite daily exercise and eating well, I knew I had to look deeper. What I discovered through my PhD research was that every symptom has a lifestyle and nutritional connection. Over 18,000 women who have joined me on the MyMT™ Programmes are living proof that menopause symptoms don’t have to be endured.Shaila Contractor, an Indian Health and Fitness Coach based in New Zealand, is no exception. After turning around her own symptoms and health, she approached me to co-produce an Indian Recipe Guide which aligns with the MyMT™ nutritional principles. But, food is never just fuel — it’s tradition, identity, and connection. This is so much more than a Recipe Book - with Shaila's help, it's your complete guide to helping you to feel energetic, healthy and vibrant. It's not about restriction. It's about learning how to prepare food in a way that honours tradition, and is rich in flavour, while also supporting your health through menopause.  Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) – MyMT™ Founder and Women’s Healthy Ageing Educator		
					
									BUY NOW - Only NZ $45
					
					What's Included in Your Menopause Recipe Guide: 				
												
																					
										
		1. The Recipe GuideOver 50 delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinners and desserts — each adapted for midlife women’s nutritional needs. These are a combination of Shaila's delicious Indian recipes, and the most popular Mediterranean recipes from the MyMT™ Programmes. The principles of low-GI Mediterranean eating (also adapted for Indian kitchens). Easy ingredient swaps and cooking methods to reduce inflammation and support joint, gut, and heart health.Shaila’s personal tips for making healthy cooking work in a busy household.A shopping list to take to the supermarket. 2. Bonus ContentA video and PDF series on how to weave low-GI Mediterranean principles into your everyday meals.Two special guides on key vitamins that support symptom relief and healthy ageing.How to Read a Food Label Video: A simple, practical resource to help you understand food labels to spot any ingredients that we want to avoid. 		
					50+ Recipes and so much more are waiting for you				
		Order your copy today for just NZ$45. 		
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					MyMTTM  women around the world are getting back to doing the things they love				
																														
						 5/5		
					Julie - UK				
		"What magic is this MyMT Programme? I'm now sleeping all night and have released 22lbs (10 kg)!"		
																														
						 5/5		
					Shaila - New Zealand				
		"Thank you so much Wendy for changing my life. I no longer suffer bloating or hot flushes, and I feel so much more energetic. I have truly found my passion, and can't wait to help other women." 		
																														
						 5/5		
					Rasika - UK				
		"I just feel so happy now. I'm sleeping and finally losing weight now that my routine follows Wendy's programme."		
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Frequently Asked Questions				
												Is this just a recipe book?
					Not at all. While it includes over 50 delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, soups, salads, smoothies, juices and desserts, it’s also a guide.Inside, you’ll find principles of low-GI Mediterranean eating adapted for Indian kitchens, tips for reducing inflammation, and Shaila’s practical insights on making small, sustainable changes in everyday cooking.We are also including bonus content from the MyMT™ 12 week Programmes, including: How to incorporate the Mediterranean Diet into your daily life. Important nutrients for symptom reduction.How to look after your skin from within with foods.  How to read a Food Label. 
												Is this recipe book only for Indian women? 
					No, certainly not. This recipe book is a combination of Indian and Mediterranean Recipes, and is suitable for any woman who loves flavourful food. 
												Will I have to give up the foods I love? 
					No. This guide is about adaptation, not restriction. The recipes keep the flavours and traditions of Indian cooking at the heart of every dish, while making adjustments to better support energy, weight management, joint health, and sleep during and after menopause.Most of the ingredients can be found in a regular supermarket or Indian grocery store. Where we suggest alternatives, they are simple swaps you can easily source.
												Is this suitable for vegetarians?
					Yes. Many recipes are vegetarian, and where non-vegetarian options are included, you’ll often find suggestions for vegetarian variations.
												How is the Recipe Guide and Bonus Content delivered?
					Once purchased, you’ll receive immediate access to download the Recipe Guide and all bonus materials in your Learning Hub. You can download the PDF documents, and watch the videos in your learning hub.All you need is a computer or a smart phone, and internet access, then you can access these anytime, from anywhere in the world.
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“Do you remember how free your joints felt when you were younger? You ran, jumped and skipped without all the aches and pains and stiffness that you’re feeling now. I longed to have this feeling back too. We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself. As I sat there while my family went skiing without me, I knew I needed to do something about it. My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  That was over 15 years ago now. And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to reset your hormones at a cellular level, you address the cause and not just the symptoms of menopause.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  You can read more about my story here. “Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
		You don’t need to give up the foods you love to thrive in menopause and post-menopause.With a few changes, you can continue to enjoy the flavours of your culture, while nourishing your health for the years ahead.		
					
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				"Every PhD starts with a curiosity.  I set out to explore the meanings that women between the ages of 50 to 60 years, had given to their health as they aged. 
Every single woman I interviewed  positioned healthy ageing in undertaking daily vigorous exercise. But for many of my subjects, their vision of health wasn't going so well. They spoke of sore joints, insomnia, weight gain, brain fog, palpitations and exhaustion. My curiosity has led me here to you. Bringing your attention to the research specific to women's healthy ageing and behaviour change is my passion."			
											Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)
					
					
									Meet Wendy

### MyMT™ Indian Recipe Guide Purchase Confirmation

Thank You for purchasing the MyMT™ Indian Recipe Guide				
		This has been a collaboration between Shaila Contractor and myself, inspired by Shaila's desire to support Indian women transitioning menopause.  We are both so excited to bring you these resources.You can access the Recipe Guide and Bonus Resources in your member area now. Please check your email inbox for your login instructions. If the email does not arrive in 5 minutes, please email me below. Please remember that these login instructions and PDFs cannot be shared, as they have in-built security tracking, meaning only you as the purchaser can access them. If you have any questions as you go, please reach out to me at Wendy@mymenopausetransformation.com Kind regards,Wendy and Shaila

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### Thank You - Transform Me Pre-registration

Thank You for Pre-Registering for the Transform Me™ Sale				
		In mid-July, I will open my Transform Me™ mid-year sale, and you will receive a promo code for $100 off the Program.An email is on the way to your inbox confirming your pre-registration. Please also 'click' on the second email, to confirm your email address. If you don’t receive either email in the next 5 minutes, please check your junk and then contact admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.Between now and then, I invite you to explore the testimonials on my website, so that you can see that this isn't just another menopause weight loss program selling 'the dream'. We women have spent enough money and energy chasing false hope. I’m excited to teach you the simple lifestyle changes that you can make, so that you can continue to transform your health and longevity through menopause and beyond. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

### Thank You - Transform Me PDF Download

Thank You For Downloading 'The Science of Menopause Weight Gain' PDF				
		Your PDF is waiting for you below, and it is also on its way to your inbox (as it is best viewed on a laptop or tablet).
In this PDF you will meet Linda. Like so many women her age, she was convinced that she needed to do a lot of exhausting exercise to burn calories, but all this achieved was to make her lose her confidence simply because this strategy didn't address her sleep and liver health. Two factors that are critical to stop gaining and start losing. 
Nor did it address a condition called oestrogen dominance whereby her fat cells were producing and storing excess oestrogens causing them to expand. In other words, her fat cells were becoming more inflamed. 
If this is you as well, then please have a read of my PDF, where I explain these factors for you. After I put on a lot of weight myself, I knew I had to use my years of knowledge in physiology and lifestyle medicine to figure it all out. 

Now over 18,000 women (and thousands of health professionals) have benefited from what I discovered. 
The 12-week Transform Me Program is your step by step guide to turning around your symptoms and weight gain naturally, with my evidenced lifestyle changes. I don't sell you supplements or medication, and unlike other online programs, I am here to support you every step of the way in my private coaching community.
And, if you don’t receive the email in the next 5 minutes, please check your junk and then contact admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) - wendy@mymenopausetransformation.com		
									
						The Science of Menopause Weight Gain					
					
						Download					
					
									EXPLORE TRANSFORM ME PROGRAM

### Download PDF Guide - Transform Me

DIANNE BEFOREAFTERJANINE BEFOREAFTERTINEKE BEFOREAFTERLINDA BEFOREAFTERSYLVIE BEFOREAFTERJULIE BEFOREAFTER			
					Would you like to learn more about the science of menopause weight gain?				
					Download Your Free PDF Guide by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
		Have you ever wondered why, when menopause arrives, the weight loss strategies we have been taught no longer seem to work?Many of us understand that oestrogen and progesterone are declining, but did you know that these hormones have a significant impact on other parts of the body, including our fat cells, gut, muscle and liver cells, all of which are involved in weight loss physiology?Did you know that a lack of sleep interferes with fat mobilisation?Did you know that fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a Women’s Healthy Ageing Educator from New Zealand and the Founder of My Menopause Transformation. Every day I receive emails from women confused why they are still gaining weight, despite trying medications, supplements, high protein diets or heavy weight training. My answer is always the same. If you aren’t sleeping or you are feeling stressed or you have gut or liver health concerns, then you need to get on top of these issues first. For many women a condition called 'oestrogen dominance' keeps them in 'fat storing mode'. I always say that to lose weight, we must first, stop gaining. When you stop gaining, this is the first sign that your metabolism is changing. I hope this PDF helps you understand five of the key factors that could be driving your weight gain in midlife and beyond. It's taken me years to pull all of the pieces of the puzzle together, but when we follow the women's healthy ageing science, it makes so much sense. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)		
					
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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### MyMT™ Weight Loss Coach Pre-Registration

MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach				
					Pre-Register to Receive Your Discount Code				
		The MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course is a 6 week online course, designed to educate, empower and certify you in peri-post menopause weight loss.Delivered by Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD / NZREPs Exercise Specialist), who has supported over 20,000 women and 1,000+ health professionals with her certified courses.The Members Only Sale starts June 1st, and by pre-registering you will be notified when the sale opens.Pre-registering for the discount code does not commit you to purchasing the Course. It gives you the opportunity to explore the Course and decide if it is right for you. You can learn more about the course in the video below, or by viewing the website.		
					
									MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach
					
					
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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### 5 Reasons For Your Client’s Menopause Weight Gain​

5 Reasons For Your Client's Menopause Weight Gain				
					Download Your Free PDF Guide
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
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										Trusted by 18,000+ Women and Health Professionals
									
						
					5 Reasons For Your Client’s Menopause Weight Gain				
					Download Your Free PDF Guide				
		Have you ever wondered why, when menopause arrives, the weight loss strategies we have been taught no longer seem to work with our clients?Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a Women’s Healthy Ageing Educator and Founder of My Menopause Transformation (online programs for women and health professionals, grounded in Lifestyle Science). Over the last 10 years, the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz has been completed by over 500,000 women globally. With over 70% of them indicating they have gained weight since entering midlife, the message is clear, the world needs health professionals trained to understand the unique complexities of menopause weight loss.		
							
							
										Did you know, that women who have deep visceral fat, produce excess oestrogen in fat cells, that the liver then has to try to remove and that you can help this process through the correct exercise for liver function?
									
								
										Did you know that the effect of skeleto-muscular changes cause the reduction and loss of mitochondrial activity during menopause, which reduces the ability of muscles to oxidise or ‘burn-fat’?
									
								
										Did you know that sleep is affected by menopause hormonal changes, and if your clients aren’t sleeping, then weight loss is harder to achieve?
									
						
		In this PDF Guide, I want to help you understand 5 of the factors contributing to your client's weight gain during midlife.		
					
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    First Name *
    
    
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        Barbados
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        Montserrat
        Morocco
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        Myanmar
        Namibia
        Nauru
        Nepal
        Netherlands (the)
        New Caledonia
        New Zealand
        Nicaragua
        Niger (the)
        Nigeria
        Niue
        Norfolk Island
        Northern Mariana Islands (the)
        Norway
        Oman
        Pakistan
        Palau
        Palestine, State of
        Panama
        Papua New Guinea
        Paraguay
        Peru
        Philippines (the)
        Pitcairn
        Poland
        Portugal
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    DOWNLOAD YOUR GUIDE
    
    

		https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfvYMh4hIjI

### Download PDF Guide

MyMT™ Beyond Menopause 
				
					Download Your Beyond Menopause™ Guides				
		Healthy aging isn’t luck—it’s knowledge. And when we know better, we age better.My passion has always been to understand how we, as women, can remain as healthy as possible into our ageing years. My purpose is to ensure that the research gets out to those who matter!By filling out the form below, you will gain access to 5 of my most popular PDF Guides, which I have written based on the questions and concerns I hear the most from the thousands of women who have joined me over the years. I hope these help you as you navigate your post-menopause health. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)		
							
							
										The Science of Your Changing Shape Beyond Menopause
									
								
										The Science of Joint Pain in Post-Menopause
									
								
										Will my hot flushes ever stop? 
									
								
										Why do I feel more breathless beyond menopause?
									
								
										Is it hot flushes or hypertension beyond menopause?
									
						
					
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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    DOWNLOAD YOUR GUIDE
    
    

								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure with meds which have now been halved due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made.”								
				
				
				
					Jill				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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									“I’ve come a long way from where I’d been health-wise. I credit that to your Beyond Menopause programme. It’s really an invigorating feeling at my age (62) to find so much energy that deep down I knew I had. It’s powerful. Thank you.”								
				
				
				
					Jeanne				
				
				
				
					New Zealand				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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									“I couldn’t be happier with the progress that I’ve made doing your Program.  I can’t believe the difference in my sleep and I’ve lost 17 pounds, but that’s just the icing on the cake. The important thing is that I’m not tired all the time and I feel good!”								
				
				
				
					Jill				
				
				
				
					Canada				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“With all the confusing messages out there, Wendy’s programme makes so much sense. Her simple yet informative approach with no pills or potions just simply based on the right food and exercise, is easy to follow. I recommend Wendy to every midlife woman.”								
				
				
				
					Pam				
				
				
				
					New Zealand				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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									“I’ve lost 25lbs, I sleep through the night and I can think much more clearly. The joint pain is much better. I feel like I have a life again.”								
				
				
				
					Deb				
				
				
				
					Canada				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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### March Through Your Menopause Fatigue with MyMT

March Through Your Menopause Fatigue				
					Go from Exhausted to Energised with MyMT™				
							
							
										ON SALE For March Only
									
						
					
									BUY ENERGY BUNDLE
					
					
									UPGRADE TO TRANSFORM ME
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
									
						
					Are You Struggling with Exhaustion & Sleepless Nights?				
					Menopause Fatigue is Real—But It’s Also Reversible. Discover how with MyMT™'s March Energy Bundle Deal. 				
		We are a generation of women who just keep going as there is so much to get done. However, when we get to menopause our changing hormones clash with our busy, modern lifestyles. The result is exhaustion and insomnia which can exacerbate weight gain, hot flushes, aching joints and brain fog.Over 80% of the 500,000+ women who have taken the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz report that they aren’t sleeping well and feel completely drained.I know exactly how you feel, because I’ve been there too.I’m Dr. Wendy Sweet (PhD), founder of My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™) and a researcher in women’s healthy ageing. When I entered menopause I was blindsided by how exhausted I suddenly felt. I went from being full of energy, to waking during the night and barely making it through my day.Supplements filled my cupboards and my Doctor’s solution was HRT. That didn’t work for my energy either. Worse still however was that when she took my blood pressure, it was the highest it had been in years.  As a former nurse, I knew the long-term consequences of this on my health. I knew every major organ in the body including the heart, gut, muscles and fat cells, rely on sleep for recovery.  When you follow the science you understand that menopause and ageing fundamentally change how our body produces and restores energy at a cellular level.  When no lifestyle solutions were offered, that’s when I knew I had to use my 25 years of teaching Physiology and Nutrition to figure it all out.Over the past decade, 18,000+ women have joined me on the MyMT™ programs and I understand that for many, they feel trapped in a constant cycle of fatigue. 		
																														
							
			
							
											Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)
					
					Introducing the March Through Your Menopause Fatigue offer				
		Throughout March you can get three of my most popular and effective modules for only NZ$149 (approx. AU$135 | £68 | USD$85).OR UPGRADE to the full 12-week Transform Me Program and unlock my personal coaching support, 10 additional modules and the MyMT™ Food Guide & Recipe Book for only NZ$324* (approx. AU$290, £150, US$185)		
					Energy Bundle				
																														
							
							
										Sleep All Night
									
								
										Renew Your Energy
									
								
										Restore Your Grateful Gut
									
						
					For only NZ$149 (approx. AU$135 | £68 | US$85 | CA).				
					Access valid for 12 weeks				
					
									BUY ENERGY BUNDLE
					
					OR Upgrade to Transform Me and SAVE				
																														
							
							
										ADD 10 additional modules on Weight Loss, Hot Flushes, Sore Joints, Heart Health and more
									
								
										Food Guide and Recipe Book
									
								
										Personal Coaching Support 
									
						
					For only NZ$324* (approx. AU$290 | £150 | US$185 | CA$265)				
					Access beyond 12 weeks = NZ$12.50 per month. Cancel anytime. 				
					*  Apply promo code MARCH2025 to save $75 off my standard $399 price.  				
					
									UPGRADE TO TRANSFORM ME 
					
					Sleep first... everything else follows. Restore your vitality with MyMT™. 				
																														
						 5/5		
					Aleta - Australia				
		"I felt like I was running on adrenaline yet was totally exhausted. Joining Wendy in her My Menopause Transformation programs has been one of the best decisions I have ever made."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Tara - USA				
		"I'm now sleeping soundly through the night and often, when I wake up, I can't believe morning has come so quickly. I'm even thinking of playing basketball again."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Sally - New Zealand				
		"Working full time on our high-country station and dealing with menopause, I felt wrecked. Now I’m sleeping and full of energy.”		
					It's time to pay attention to your fatigue! Don't wait - this offer ends March 31st!				
					
									BUY ENERGY BUNDLE
					
					
									UPGRADE TO TRANSFORM ME *
					
					*  Apply promo code MARCH2025 when you purchase Transform Me course to save $75 off my standard $399 price.  				
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					The Science Behind Your Menopause Fatigue				
					Why do we suddenly feel like we are operating on low battery in menopause and post-menopause? The intricate web of fatigue has taken me hundreds of hours to piece together.				
																														
					It all starts in the mitochondria				
		When we enter menopause, our body’s mitochondria—the tiny organelles that produce energy—become inflamed and don't work as efficiently. This leads to chronic fatigue, poor sleep, and an inability to recover from your busy day.		
																														
					Hormonal changes and stress cause further dysregulation				
		Menopause hormonal changes and stress, can disrupt the production of our sleep hormones melatonin (which sends you to sleep) and adenosine (which keeps you asleep).		
																														
					Menopause affects nutrient uptake				
		Low levels of certain nutrients also affect your sleep and energy. In midlife, women are more susceptible because of the changes occurring in your skin, adrenals, liver and gut. 		
					You don’t have to suffer through menopause fatigue. Let me guide you through simple, science-backed lifestyle solutions that will restore your sleep and your energy.				
					About the MyMT™ Programs				
																														
					100% Online				
		Your educational webinar and action plans are waiting in your private learning hub. 		
																														
					Easy to implement				
		Practical strategies that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle. 		
																														
					Coaching Support 				
		Stay on track with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)'s coaching emails, OR UPGRADE to the full Transform Me program to receive personalised support and access to the MyMT™ Coaching Community		
												What’s Inside the ENERGY Bundle?
					Get three of my most popular and effective modules for the price of two.*Module 1: Sleep All NightLearn WHY your sleep becomes disrupted during midlife.Learn WHY sleeping all night is the foundation for turning around our symptoms, weight loss and health. Learn HOW to reset your circadian rhythm and finally wake up feeling rested.Receive your Action Plan with the exact lifestyle strategies to help you sleep all night.Module 2: Restore Your EnergyLearn ABOUT the complex causes of fatigue during midlife. Learn WHY you are not recovering as quickly as you used to. Learn HOW our busy, modern lifestyles can cause more fatigue during midlife. Receive your Action Plan with the exact lifestyle strategies to boost energy naturally.Bonus Module: Restore Your Grateful GutLearn WHY your hormonal changes are causing leaky gut, bloating and gut motility issues.Learn WHY your energy levels are connected to the health of your gut. Receive your Action Plan with the exact lifestyle strategies to restore your gut health naturally.Modules are delivered over 4 weeks, and are supplemented by Wendy’s Coaching emails. This deal does not include access to Wendy’s personal coaching support or the MyMT™ Food Guide and Recipe Book (please see Transform Me Program below). 
												Want Even More Support? Upgrade to the Full Transform Me Programme!
					If you want a complete menopause transformation, you can upgrade to my full Transform Me Program for just NZ$324* (a $75 discount!) and receive: 10 additional modules to help you turn around your symptoms and health.My Food Guide & Recipe Book (not included in the two-module offer!).Personalised Coaching from me – after working with MyMT™ women for 10 years, I realise that every woman is different and leads a very different lifestyle. That is why I’m here to help you problem solve and answer your questions.  Community Support from other women around the world in the private Facebook Community! Over the 12 weeks you will receive the Sleep, Gut and Energy Modules, as well as additional modules, which teach you how to: Meet the specific nutritional needs of your body as you move from peri to post menopause.Lose weight by working with your hormones not against them (without endless physical exercise and dietary regimes that we know are hard to stick to when we have so much going on in)Reduce your hot flushes and night sweats.Relieve your aching joints and muscles so you can start enjoying the activities you love again. Restore your liver health and reduce inflammation so that you can improve absorption of healthy nutrients that are essential to your health as you age. Reduce your brain fog, anxiety and stress. Improve your breathing, thyroid and brain health  – these factors are known to impact weight loss too.Reduce dizziness or balance issues which may be troubling you. Reduce vaginal dryness. Lifestyle solutions for reducing your risk of Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes. Lifestyle solutions if you are on HRT or Anti-depressants (I don’t interfere with any medications your Doctor has placed you on).Manage your menopause symptoms at work. Modules are delivered over 12 weeks, and are supplemented by Wendy’s Coaching emails and Facebook Support Group. 
					
									BUY ENERGY BUNDLE
					
					
									UPGRADE TO TRANSFORM ME *
					
					*  Apply promo code MARCH2025 when you purchase Transform Me course to save $75 off my standard $399 price.  				
																														
																														
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Go from exhausted to energised so you can get back to the things you love!				
																														
						 5/5		
					Jane - New Zealand				
		"I used to sit down and my eyes would close. Your MyMT™ Program gave me back my sleep, energy and joint health which has allowed me to continue to do the work I needed to do to showcase my designs."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Suzy - Australia				
		"My energy, sleep and overall health have improved so much on this programme and I'm now a record holder in World Pool Freediving. I couldn't have done it without you."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Kate - United Kingdom				
		"Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping and have lost 17lbs (8kg). Your advice is life changing."		
					It's time to pay attention to your fatigue! Don't wait - this offer ends March 31st!				
					
									BUY ENERGY BUNDLE
					
					
									UPGRADE TO TRANSFORM ME *
					
					*  Apply promo code MARCH2025 when you purchase Transform Me course to save $75 off my standard $399 price.  				
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
						 5/5		
							I was 52, exhausted and feeling like I had hit rock-bottom. The MyMT™ program made me realizee I could change things. This has been totally life changing for me. 
														Nicky, UK
					
									READ MORE TESTIMONIALS
					
					Frequently Asked Questions				
												What is the 'March Through Your Menopause Fatigue' Deal?
					The MyMT™ 12 week programs usually cost NZ$399 each, but for month of March you can:Get access to three of my most powerful modules (Sleep All Night, Restore Your Energy, Restore Your Grateful Gut) for the price of two – just NZ$149*.OR you can upgrade to the full 12 week Transform Me Program and pay only NZ$324** (that’s a saving of $75 – use promo code MARCH2025). Currency Conversions – Subject to exchange rate fluctuations[* Energy Bundle approx. AUS$135, UK£68, US$85, CA$122][** Transform Me Program – approx. AU$290, UK£145, USD$185, CA$265)  Use promo code MARCH2025. Part Payments and Money Back Guarantee (Transform Me only)Purchase Transform Me risk free with our 7-day money back guarantee.We have part-payment options for you too, where you can pay once per month throughout the 12 week period. Part payment fee applies. 
												What can I expect when I buy the Sleep & Energy Module Package Deal?
					The Energy Bundle Program will be delivered to you over 4 weeks. When you purchase, you will receive an email with instructions to access your private learning hub where you can get listen to your first module – Sleep All Night. Then download your Action Plan to start putting the changes into place. Over the next two weeks, I have emails to help you put the sleep solutions into place. Your ENERGY and GUT HEALTH modules will open for you two weeks later.Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes suggested. Wendy’s weekly emails are there to support you to stay on track and help you problem solve. This deal does not include access to Wendy’s personal coaching support or the MyMT™ Food Guide and Recipe Book (please see Transform Me Program below). 
												What can I expect when I buy the Transform Me Program?
					Over the 12 weeks, you will receive 13 modules helping you with your weight loss, hot flushes, brain fog, anxiety, sleep, energy, joint health, heart health, gut health and more. A module is released in your learning hub each fortnight containing an educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length, where Wendy explains the scientific reasons for your symptoms and the lifestyle changes you can make to relieve those symptoms. Each module also contains a downloadable action plan for you to put in place over the fortnight, as well as bonus articles if you want to read more about the science behind your symptoms. As part of the program, you also receive the MyMT™ Food Guide which explains the powerful nutrients we need as we age. For example, if you are still menstruating then your iron needs differ to those of you who are in post-menopause. You will also receive access to hundreds of recipes and cooking videos, a 6-week walking plan and bonus videos which focus on managing menopause in your workplace. Even though everything is delivered online, you will not be alone. You will be invited to join the incredibly supportive MyMT™ Coaching Community (private Facebook group). This is where you can ask Wendy or other members questions, and be inspired by others who have gone before you. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes suggested. Wendy’s weekly emails are there to support you to stay on track and help you problem solve. 
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.  As my own health was changing and as my symptoms became worse, I began to understand that if we don’t take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause our post-menopause years are likely to lead to worsening health.  My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to reset your hormones, you address the cause and not just the symptoms of menopause.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  You can read more about my story here. “Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					MyMT™ programs do work, and there are two main reasons for this. Firstly because Wendy teaches you scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to work with your hormones, rather than fighting against them. And secondly because of our uniquely designed support strategy which involves spreading out your learning and giving you practical, easy to implement strategies to turn your new learnings into lifelong habits. But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website. And once you join the program ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Community.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												Do the programs involve medication or supplementation?
					There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programs, as Wendy focuses on turning around your symptoms with lifestyle changes (e.g. nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, nutrient absorption etc.). If you are on menopause hormone therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage risk of osteoporosis, risk or heart disease, metabolic risks or mental health risks), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.No matter whether you are on MHT or not, the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flashes, improve your sleep quality, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.
												Does the program involve a diet?
					Every bit of research shows that the types of food we eat, and how we eat are critical to our symptom management and our healthy ageing, so food is an important part of the program. Following the women’s healthy ageing and longevity research, Wendy has centered these programs around the Mediterranean Diet which she has modified to include the essential nutrients for women in midlife. When you come on the Transform Me Program, you won’t be counting calories or be on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients help to reduce your symptoms, and what whole foods you can eat to get those nutrients. We know food is such a confusing topic, so Wendy is here to support you through these changes. The MyMT™ Food Guide (available in the Transform Me Program) explains the ‘Why’ of midlife weight gain. Then our recipes, meal ideas and cooking videos show you the ‘How’ you can reach a healthier weight. Women all over the globe are also sharing their meals in the MyMT™ Community every day, so you will never be at a loss for ideas or support.  
												What do I need to access the program? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. You do not need to belong to Facebook to join the Transform Me Program. But if you are a member, this is the best place to access Wendy’s coaching support.  
												What if I don't have enough time?
					If we told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  We hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead! As Wendy always says, it’s not a race, and it takes time to turn change into habits.Although the Transform Me Program is 12 weeks long, you are welcome to move as slowly as you need. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and my support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. [* approx. AUS$11, £6.50, US$7.50 – exchange rate varies on the day]
												How long can I access my program for?
					Energy Bundle Program:The three modules are delivered to you over 4 weeks, and your access is valid for three months. Your Action Plan PDFs are available to download. Transform Me Program:For as long as you need! Each program lasts for 12 weeks but as Wendy always says, it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with us 5 years after they started their journeys. After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and my coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50*. You can cancel your subscription at any time. [* approx. AUS$11, £6.50, US$7.50 – exchange rate varies on the day]
												What is the NZ$12.50 payment in the Transform Me Program?
					If you wish to extend your access to the Transform Me Program and the Coaching Community after 12 weeks there is a small subscription fee of NZ$12.50 per month. This charge starts automatically, but we will send you a reminder email as you near the end of the program to remind you should you wish to cancel. Going forwards, you can cancel at anytime. 
					This special deal is only available until March 31st				
							
							
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					*  Apply promo code MARCH2025 when you purchase Transform Me course to save $75 off my standard $399 price.  				
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Still not sure? Hear from thousands of women who took back control of their energy				
																														
						 5/5		
					Romany - UK				
		"I've mastered sleeping through the night without a pee and best of all, my fun and sense of humour are back. MyMT™ is magic!"		
																														
						 5/5		
					Claire - New Zealand				
		"It is very easy to stay motivated to make changes as I feel so good."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Susi - Switzerland				
		"I love how my energy levels have returned now that I sleep all night."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Rosie - Switzerland				
		"Once I started sleeping again I could see with more clarity. I reassessed my life and at 59 years became a yoga teacher. Thank you MyMT™ for helping me get my life back!"		
																														
						 5/5		
					Kellie - Australia				
		"I am now sleeping and understand what caused my night sweats. My brain fog has disappeared which is unbelievable really."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Julie - UK				
		"What magic is this MyMT™ Program?! I’m now sleeping all night and the result - I have released 22lbs (10kg)!"		
					
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### MyMT™ Menopause Coach Series - Joint Health

MyMT™ Coach Series				
					Menopause and Joint Health 				
					A mini-course for Health Professionals to discover evidenced lifestyle solutions  for menopause-related joint pain.				
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
					Menopause and Joint Health Course for Health & Exercise Professionals  				
		Are your peri to post menopausal client's aching joints affecting their ability to do the things they love? Maybe their knees are stiff when they get out of bed? Or their legs feel restless and heavy? Maybe they have fibromyalgia-like symptoms or have stopped exercising due to pain?But, has anyone ever mentioned menopause?Just over 80% of 500,000 women globally who have completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptom Quiz have stated that they have sore joints, so if you are seeing women like this, then I'm not surprised. Researchers are only beginning to realise that musculo-skeletal pain is one of the most common symptoms of menopause, because oestrogen plays such an important role in joint lubrication, tendon strength and muscle fibers. As a Women's Healthy Ageing Educator, my intention is not to replace the advice your clients may be getting from their Registered Physical Therapist or Medical Physician, about their changing musculo-skeletal health. Instead, it is to help you 'connect the dots' to understand the important interactions between changing hormones in midlife, connective tissue ageing, joint lubrication, muscle recovery, and lifestyle science.In this 2-part Joint Health Series, you will deep dive into the physiology and then discover the powerful lifestyle science solutions that have helped thousands of women on the MyMT™ Programs find freedom in their joints. I can't wait for you to discover what I did. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)		
																														
																														
					100% online and self-paced				
		2x 1 hour educational webinarsWatch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish (access valid for 6 months).		
																														
					Easy to implement				
		Powerful lifestyle solutions that you can use straight away with clients.		
																														
					Packed with bonus resources				
		Recipes, client resources, scientific articles and more.		
					MyMTTM  women around the world are getting back to doing the things they love				
																														
						 5/5		
					Lesley - UK				
		"It felt like every muscle in my body was sore, but now I am back running, sleeping, no hot flushes and I've lost 15lb (7kg)."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Toni - New Zealand				
		"At 52 I felt many years older with sore joints, weight gain and poor sleep. Then I found MyMT™. My joint pain has gone, I’m sleeping all night and the difference in how I feel is incredible."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Lucinda - Australia				
		"I'm now sleeping, no hot flushes and no plantar fasciitis. I can walk freely again. This program truly changed my life."		
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					MyMT™ Coach Series - Menopause and Joint Health				
					What you will discover...				
												
																					Hil, New Zealand
										
		Part 1 - The physiology of changing joint health in midlifeWhy declining oestrogen levels may cause changes in joint lubrication and tendon elasticity.How fascia changes with age.How lymphatic tissues change with age, causing lymphedema in midlife women. How bone and muscle density changes with age.How your client's lifestyle, including their sleep, stress and nutrition, may be exacerbating their aching, swollen joints.Why injury rates in midlife women are so much higher than men. Why fibromyalgia is more common in midlife women. Part 2 - Lifestyle Solutions to help relieve your clients aching jointsThe types of nutrients that can reduce inflammation, strengthen tendons, and improve bone and muscle health.What foods can replace the role of oestrogen and collagen as they decline. How to improve blood flow to get vital nutrients and oxygen into their joints.Practical strategies that women can introduce to relieve pressure on their joints. Forms of stretching for improving flexibility and increasing range of motion .Forms of exercise to reduce pressure on joints.NB: The information in this webinar is not to replace clinical advice from your client’s Doctor or Physiotherapist.		
					Offer your clients evidence-based, practical solutions for their joint health				
							
							
									
						
					
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					The Connection Between Menopause and Sore Joints				
					Did you know that...				
																														
					Tendons have oestrogen receptors				
		The reduction of blood oestrogen level is associated with the reduction in tendon strength, decrease in collagen production, fibre diameter, density and increase degradation in tendon tissue.		
																														
					Muscles lose size and density through menoapuse				
		This is a normal part of ageing, but when this happens it affects the way tendons work. 		
																														
					Ear canals contain oestrogen				
		The role of oestrogen in our ears is to help keep the tiny hairs upright, which normally help us with balance. In menopause, women often feel dizzy and lose their balance as oestrogen declines. 		
																														
					Collagen turnover is slower				
		This means that if peri to post menopausal women are doing too much high impact exercise their recovery is slower and they build up more inflammation in our joints and muscles. 		
					MyMT™ trained Health Professionals are leading the way in lifestyle science for menopause				
																														
						 5/5		
					Sarah - Physio				
		"Having trained with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), I now understand what is going on in the body that manifests as muscloskeltal problems but are actually related to menopause. I can't wait to bring this information to my clients."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Megan - Physio				
		"As a physio, approaching the inflammatory status as a systemic condition of a life phase has been a fascinating take on years of treating this age group. It now makes perfect sense why our normal approaches don't work for this age group."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Fiona - Exercise Physiologist 				
		"The level of physiology you go into, and the ease at which it is presented is making this by far the most informative, practical, empowering investment I have ever made."		
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Frequently Asked Questions				
												What can I expect in the MyMT™ Menopause and Joint Health course? 
					With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. All you need is access to a computer, tablet or mobile device so you can access the MyMT™ learning portal. Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) approach involves educating you about why symptoms are occurring with scientific evidence, and then giving you powerful lifestyle solutions to help your client’s relieve their symptoms. Every lifestyle solution is easy to incorporate into their busy lifestyle. As part of this mini course you will be able to access:Part 1 (Education) – 1 hour video webinar. Part 2 (Lifestyle Solutions) – 90 minute video webinar. 16 practical, lifestyle solutions you can use with your clients straight away. Downloadable action plan summarising the solutions to use with your clientsBonus nutrition resources, including recipes.Scientific articles for optional reading (all references provided). All content is released straight away which means there is no refund policy for this course. NB: The information in this webinar is not to replace clinical advice from your client’s Doctor or Physiotherapist. It is designed to empower you with education about the impact of menopause hormonal changes on joints, and provide you with practical lifestyle changes to introduce for your clients.
												Eligibility Requirements: 
					To enrol in this course you must be a fully qualified health or exercise professional e.g. Personal Trainer, Naturopath, Dietitian, Nutritionist, Nurse, Midwife, Doctor, Physiotherapist, Psychologist, Chiropractor, Health Coach, Lifestyle Medicine Professional. PLUS hold appropriate insurance that covers working with clients in a one-to-one setting (or work for a company which covers you for insurance).If you are a former Health Professional, Student or Health Academic completing this course for personal or professional purposes, you can go ahead and enrol, but please email Georgia afterward to let her know. If you are unsure whether you meet the criteria please enquire, we are happy to help. Email georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com and we will respond as soon as we are available.
												What do I need to access the course? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some Health Professionals love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. All content is released straight away. 
												Price and Refund Policy:
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“Do you remember how free your joints felt when you were younger? You ran, jumped and skipped without all the aches and pains and stiffness that you’re feeling now. I longed to have this feeling back too. We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself. As I sat there while my family went skiing without me, I knew I needed to do something about it. My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  That was over 15 years ago now, and since then I have worked with over 18,000 women to help them turn around their symptoms using lifestyle science. And now my experience is available for you too, so you can help your clients! For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness. You can read more about my story here.”Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												What other courses does MyMT™ offer for Health Professionals?
					MyMT™ currently has three CPD certified courses for Health Professionals.An Introduction to the Science of Menopause:Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) introduces you to the science of menopause in this introductory-level 3 week CPD course, which explores the physiology and psychology of midlife women. Learn evidenced, client-centered behaviour change strategies specific to this stage of life, to empower your clients to turn intention into action.Menopause Weight Loss Coach:Are your midlife clients frustrated that they can’t lose weight?The key to their success is dependent on a range of physical, psychological, social, behavioural and even environmental factors. This 6-week self-paced course will provide you with an in depth understanding of the physiology and science of menopausal women’s weight gain and equip you with easy to implement, nutrition, exercise and behaviour change solutions to achieve sustained weight loss success. You can start this course at anytime. Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course: Want to deep dive into the menopause transition and become certified to prescribe lifestyle changes for symptom reduction?This comprehensive, hands-on 12-week course explores the physiology and anatomy of peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause in detail and provides you with solutions to help your clients improve their sleep, energy, hot flashes, brain fog, sore joints, irritable gut and more.You will also learn about behaviour change theories, risk screening, menopause supplements and marketing techniques unique to midlife women. This is a hands-on course, where I meet with you over zoom to answer your questions and support you through a case study exercise with a real life client. Therefore, we keep the number of course participants limited so I can offer hands on support. Please check HERE for the next intake. 
					Connect the dots for your midlife clients with MyMT™				
							
							
									
						
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					MyMTTM  women around the world are getting back to doing the things they love				
																														
						 5/5		
					Annelise - Australia				
		"Your programme made me realise I'm not over the hill yet! I'm so much happier, no sore joints and back skiing."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Claire - New Zealand				
		"My sore hips had been waking me at night so often, I thought I may need a hip replacement.Then I found your program. My hips feel so very different. It is very easy to stay motivated to make changes as I feel so good."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Deb - Canada				
		"I’ve lost 25lbs, I sleep through the night and I can think much more clearly. The joint pain is much better. I feel like I have a life again."		
					Are you ready to help your clients find freedom in their joints?				
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Masterclass on Menopause Free Gift

My Masterclass on Menopause gift to you ...
If you have found your symptoms and/or weight gain overwhelming in peri to post menopause, then this 2 hour educational webinar is for you.
FREE for a limited time - 1 month only - usually NZ$15

START NOW


Intro Video

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Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers



 	Highly Qualified Coach


 	Trusted by Over 18,000 Women

Join thousands of women who have harnessed the power of Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) pioneering research into women's health and ageing to learn how to take back control of their health during their menopause transition with holistic, lifestyle changes.

2 x 1-hour video webinars &
downloadable summary

Watch or listen online, in your own time, as many times as you like over 3 months

Packed full of essential, evidence-based information that every woman should know

Practical, easy-to-implement natural solutions for symptom relief

“
 5/5

Wendy – I can’t thank you enough for sharing your valuable knowledge and excellent research and references in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure with meds which have now been halved due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made.
Jill
Australia

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Menopause isn't just about hot flushes

 	Are you waking up night after night feeling exhausted and dreading the day ahead?
 	Are you frustrated by your increasing weight, despite dieting and exercising?
 	Do you miss the confidence of being pain free and not worrying about joint/muscle aches and recurring injuries?
 	Are you experiencing dizziness, brain fog or feeling more anxious than you used to?
 	Are you on menopause HRT or supplements but they aren't giving you the relief that they once did?
 	Despite wanting to help yourself, do you suddenly lack the energy and motivation to put changes into place?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, and are starting to worry about your future health, then welcome, you are in the right place now. 


Menopause is not a disease. But it is a stage of life where changing hormone levels can trigger other health problems. You may benefit from a reset and refocus on your changing health as you move towards your post-menopause years.
If you have arrived in midlife (early 40's to late 60's) you are now in a completely different hormonal environment, as your body prepares for its biological ageing. You may know that the decline in oestrogen and progesterone during midlife contributes to menopause symptoms. But, have you ever been told why? And do you realise that there are natural, lifestyle solutions that are scientifically evidenced to relieve your symptoms?
No? Neither had I. 
Hi, I'm Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and Educator from New Zealand. 
Despite decades of knowledge from formerly working as a nurse, working in the health and fitness industry and lecturing at a University level on physiology, nutrition and exercise science, my menopause transition hit me hard! Like many women I was spending a huge amount of money on various supplements, hormone medications and Doctor's visits, however, these did nothing for my weight, cholesterol, aching muscles and my confidence that I would 'age-well'.
At this time, I was also undertaking my doctoral studies in women's health and ageing. My study participants I interviewed told me similar stories, but not one of them mentioned menopause.
With oestrogen receptors located throughout the body - in the joints, muscles, liver and skin, as well as in the blood vessels, brain and fat cells - we often experience health changes that we don't associate with menopause. That's why I often tell women that 'menopause isn't just about hot flushes'.
My studies led me towards understanding that our symptoms don't have to define us. I learnt that there are numerous women globally living in countries that don't experience the symptoms or weight gain that many western women do.
Wouldn't you love to know about this?!  If so, then my online Masterclass on Menopause is for you.

FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME - 1 MONTH ONLY
REDUCED FROM NZ$15

START NOW



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What women have said about the Masterclass on Menopause

 5/5
Kylie - Australia
“Enter from stage left, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and her Masterclass on Menopause. This information was exactly what I had been looking for. Wendy's lecture reached me on so many levels."


 5/5
Maxine - UK
"Menopause overwhelmed me so much that just the simplest of things would make my heart palpitate. I tried both HRT and anti depressants, both of which helped for a while, albeit never fully alleviating all of my symptoms.

I nearly didn't go to the Masterclass because it was late at night. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't gone. That evening I discovered Wendy, and everything she said made perfect sense! It was a light bulb moment for me!

I started making changes, and quickly saw results! The rest is history."


 5/5
Liz - USA
“I just watched the first hour of your Masterclass. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your humble, curious approach to health in the middle years. You draw on others to help answer questions that are so important to our changing bodies. For the first time in years, I have hope that I can learn what my body needs and make changes that will really help me be healthier."


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Masterclass on Menopause Highlights

Flexible Learning, Your Way
This self-paced webinar is designed to help you learn without the rush, fitting seamlessly into your busy lifestyle. Watch or listen online, in your own time, as many times as you wish over the next 3 months from purchase. Many women listen to it as a podcast while out walking or driving to work.

Knowledge is power
Our hormones play a much larger role than we are led to believe. In this Masterclass, you will discover how your hormonal shifts are impacting your sleep quality, weight gain, joint health, mental health, energy levels and much more. If you come out saying 'Aha - this makes so much sense now', we have done our job.

Evidence-based information you can trust
 This Masterclass stems from Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) decades-long exploration, and her experience, coaching 16,000+ women through their menopause transition. You will come away with proven, evidence based lifestyle changes that you can implement straight away to regain control of your symptoms and health.

Practical, easy to implement natural solutions
 Life has never been busier. Gain practical strategies that you can easily incorporate into your lifestyle, whether it's at work, with family or while travelling, enabling you to turn simple changes into lifelong habits.

Real women. Visible results
Immerse yourself in the stories from real women who were once at their wits end. Dozens of powerful stories, shared throughout the Masterclass speak to the profound impact the MyMT™ program has had on their lives.

A small investment for monumental returns
 2-hours packed full of evidence-based information and proven solutions. Offered at an exclusive discounted price of only NZ $15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).  *Discounted from live ticket price of $35.

Masterclass on Menopause Highlights

Flexible Learning, Your Way
This self-paced webinar is designed to help you learn without the rush, fitting seamlessly into your busy lifestyle. Watch or listen online, in your own time, as many times as you wish over the next 3 months from purchase. Many women listen to it as a podcast while out walking or driving to work.

Knowledge is power
Our hormones play a much larger role than we are led to believe. In this Masterclass, you will discover how your hormonal shifts are impacting your sleep quality, weight gain, joint health, mental health, energy levels and much more. If you come out saying 'Aha - this makes so much sense now', we have done our job.

Evidence-based information you can trust
 This Masterclass stems from Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) decades-long exploration, and her experience, coaching 15,000+ women through their menopause transition. You will come away with proven, evidence based lifestyle changes that you can implement straight away to regain control of your symptoms and health.

Practical, easy to implement natural solutions
 Life has never been busier. Gain practical strategies that you can easily incorporate into your lifestyle, whether it's at work, with family or while travelling, enabling you to turn simple changes into lifelong habits.

Real women. Visible results
Immerse yourself in the stories from real women who were once at their wits end. Dozens of powerful stories, shared throughout the Masterclass speak to the profound impact the MyMT™ program has had on their lives.

A small investment for monumental returns
 2-hours packed full of evidence-based information and proven solutions. Now FREE for you during the month of October.

Are you ready to re-discover your health, vitality and energy
in peri-menopause, menoapuse or post-menopause?
FREE FOR YOU FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL ONLY
Discounted from normal price NZ$15

START NOW



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Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers
Your Menopause Questions Answered

 5/5
"Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping, have lost 17 lbs (8kg) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life-changing."
Kate, United Kingdom
What age does menopause start?

Menopause usually starts in our mid-40s and this is known as peri-menopause. Periods start to fluctuate as reproductive hormones decline.

Women are considered to be in menopause when their periods cease.  From my database of 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz I can tell you that on average this happens at 51 years of age.

After one year of periods ending, women enter post-menopause where they remain for the rest of their lives. We live nearly half of our life in a completely different hormonal environment, so we need to know how to adjust to this.

Why am I gaining weight in menopause?

Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. The data I have collected over the years confirms this.

But, here’s the thing. It’s not your fault you are putting on weight! There are so many factors fighting against you. Here are just two examples:

 	You may not be sleeping – Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010).
When you’re awake night after night, this means that your glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does your stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. All of these hormones play a role in fat cell physiology.
 	Oestrogen Dominance – Did you know that our fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, our fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this ‘dominates’ the internal environment

If we don’t put the brakes on our weight gain during menopause, then this can be a slippery slope towards joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.

Learn more about why you are gaining weight and explore the 12-week MyMT™ Transform Me Programme here. 

What are the main symptoms of menopause?

Are you noticing lots of changes going on in your body? Perhaps, you are like Kellie from New Zealand, who told me…

“I think without this programme I would have gone crazy, I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related. I am now sleeping through the night, no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.”

The common symptoms that are known about in research include:

 	Interrupted sleep
 	Low energy
 	Night sweats / hot flushes
 	Loss of muscle
 	Weight Gain
 	Irritability
 	Depression
 	Lack of Motivation
 	Worsening prolapse
 	Burning joints / weak bones
 	Low libido
 	Dry skin

But the research is still in its early days.  Women on my programmes are surprised to find that the following symptoms are also likely menopause related:

 	Heart palpitations
 	Dizziness
 	Burning tongues
 	Hair loss
 	Reflux

With oestrogen receptors located all around the body, I am not surprised that there are so many symptoms that women don’t realise are related to menopause. In my 12 week programmes, I have bonus information which helps you understand and manage these symptoms.

What can worsen menopause symptoms?

Inflammation in the body makes our symptoms worse.

The term ‘inflammaging’ refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young perhaps compared to our mother’s generation at the same age, we must also remember that inside our body, our cells are ageing. Furthermore, when we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t healing from all the stress that we are under.

And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I often talk about women who are undertaking lots of high-intensity exercise most days of the week (as I used to as well). This can increase physical or oxidative stress inside our cells and tissues when we aren’t sleeping well. Like over-trained athletes, we fail to heal properly when we don’t sleep. Inflammation builds up, and this begins to affect some tissues and organs, including the gut microbiota and fat cells.

If we think about a woman’s experiences over her lifetime that may have caused inflammation, coupled with the fact that peri-menopause and ageing are known to be inflammatory themselves, menopause is the perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes.

Do menopause symptoms go away?

Menopause symptoms, when unresolved can create worsening health problems as we age.  I’m talking about things like joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.

Through undertaking my PhD, I discovered that symptoms are reversible when we have a focus on lifestyle changes which are specific to the menopause transition. How we look after ourselves helps our body to adapt to our changing hormonal environment. By addressing the underlying cause of your menopause symptoms, not only can you experience relief from your symptoms, but you can reduce inflammation, setting you up for better health in your older years.

This is what you learn on the MyMT™ programmes – all the scientifically evidenced, step by step lifestyle strategies to help you to understand how to reduce your symptoms and take back control of your health. Read more about How it Works here. 

What if I am on menopause HRT? 

No matter whether you are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.

My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience.

If you are on MHT, then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.

Where should I start?

If you are confused about whether you have reached menopause or what stage you are in then please start by taking the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz. With over 500,000 women completing this quiz, I can help you to understand whether your symptoms are menopause related and whether they are severe compared to others.

If you want to learn a bit more about this stage of life, including why the researchers say it is so important to get on top of your symptoms, then the 2-hour online Masterclass on Menopause* is for you. This is Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) presentation that she was sharing across the globe before the pandemic. She has now recorded it for you, so that you can pause it at any time and come back to it or watch it again and again.

Ready to start a 12-week program to take control of your symptoms? Read about How it Works. 
MyMTTM Women are getting back to doing the things they love

 5/5
Deb - Canada
"I've lost 25lbs (12kgs), I sleep through the night, and I can think much more clearly. The joint and muscle pain is much better. I feel like I have a life again."


 5/5
Wendy - Australia
"It felt like my health and fitness were slipping away. As soon as I signed up I knew I'd found the right person for me. I'm forever grateful I can now continue the job I love. "


 5/5
Lisa - USA
"I can't believe it! I've been trying to lose my belly fat and reduce my cholesterol for 5 years. I've now lost 15lbs and Wendy's Transformation program has been a life changer."
Are you ready to re-discover your health, vitality and energy
in menopause or post-menopause?

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### Beyond Menopause Competition

Sign up to win a MyMT™ Beyond Menopause Program
Good Health Adds LIFE to Years
https://vimeo.com/996244952/e12354e8be?share=copy
To celebrate the release of the MyMT™ Beyond Menopause Program I am excited to give away two free 12-week programs (valued at NZ$399 each). Please fill out the form below and watch the video or click HERE to learn more about the Program. Competition winners will be notified by email.
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) - Founder of My Menopause Transformation




















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Good Health Adds LIFE To Years

 5/5
Linda - New Zealand
"I've tried so many programs over the years but none of them mentioned post-menopause. I’ve now lost over 30kg. I feel as if I’ve rediscovered the real me which has been hiding inside."


 5/5
Lyndie - UK
"I used to suffer from back-aches and headaches, but not anymore. I have never in my 64 years felt as good as I do now.”


 5/5
Lisa - USA
"I can't believe it. I've been trying to lose my belly fat and reduce my cholesterol for 5 years. I've now lost 15lbs and Wendy's program has been a life-changer."


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Trusted by 16,000+ women

### Menopause Insomnia

Menopause Insomnia 
		
			Navigating menopause is challenging enough without the added burden of sleepless nights.		
			
									How we help
					
			
									Buy Now
					
						 5/5		
			Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers		
					
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
					
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
			Why Sleep Matters During Menopause
		
		"Many women experience insomnia during menopause, affecting their energy, mood, and overall health. Understanding the science behind menopause insomnia took me hundreds of hours of study. Much of the available sleep research isn’t specific to midlife menopause or post-menopause, so I’ve done the work for you here at MyMT™.Sleep is crucial for your immune system, mental clarity, and overall well-being. During menopause, hormonal changes can disrupt your sleep patterns, leading to insomnia. This not only leaves you feeling exhausted but can also impact your immune health, weight, and daily functioning."- Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)		
			Understanding Menopause and Sleep Disturbances
		
		Of the 500,000 + women that have taken the signs and symptoms of menopause quiz, 81% report symptoms of insomnia. Whilst fluctuating reproductive hormones get ‘the blame’, as this is what women are led to believe, there are other reasons too. Low Vitamin D, iron, poor calcium levels (related to Vitamin D), elevated stress hormones and of course, an irritable bladder, causing women to wake up and use the bathroom night after night, even when they are taking HRT. It’s exhausting.Furthermore, these disruptions can lead to persistent sleep problems, affecting your cardiovascular health, immune health, hot flush severity, brain fog and menopause weight gain.		
			The Importance of Deep Sleep
		
		Deep sleep, particularly between 2 am and 4 am, is vital for:Healing and repairing tissuesLowering blood pressureStimulating growth hormone releaseActivating the immune systemWeight lossFor those of you who are regular exercisers, not getting enough deep sleep also doesn’t bode well for retaining your muscle and bone integrity. Without a good night’s sleep, all those visits to the gym and training in an exhausted state, may not be doing your immune health any good.		
			Women across the globe are getting back to doing the things they love with MyMT™		
																										
						 5/5		
			Rosie - Switzerland		
		"Once I started sleeping again I could see with more clarity. I reassessed my life and at 59 years became a yoga teacher. Thank you Wendy for helping me to get my life back."		
																										
						 5/5		
			Julie - United Kingdom		
		"Let me say this. My sleep has improved a great deal. In fact I might go as far as saying I get a minimum of 7 hours sleep every night! And the result is... I just realised I have lost 22lbs. What magic is this??"		
																										
						 5/5		
			Jane - United Kingdom		
		“You gave me the confidence to think good sleep was normal and the encouragement to deal with the changes in menopause rather than be a victim. It all made so much sense.”		
			Are you ready to join them and re-discover your energy and vitality? 		
			
									Read more stories
					
			
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						 5/5		
			Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers		
																										
			The Impact of Poor Sleep on Your Health
		
			High Blood Pressure & Hot Flashes 
		
		Skipping out on deep sleep can lead to ongoing inflammation (especially in your gut), sore joints, aching muscles, and more frequent hot flashes, because your blood pressure may remain higher overnight. So too, do insulin levels. If you are waking up in the morning to hot flashes, then it’s time to restore your sleep, which means focusing on reducing blood pressure too.If you don’t get on top of your sleep quality and duration, then over time, this lack of restful sleep can become the new normal, leading to daily fatigue, irritability, and weight gain as well as changing cardiovascular health - this is the highest health risk for women who are moving into their post-menopause years.This is why it’s vital to decrease blood pressure before bedtime. It helps you to fall into a deeper sleep. It’s this deep sleep that is really important for us to have during menopause because this is the time that your body heals, and cells and tissues both repair and renew.		
			Sore Joints 
		
		When we get this deep, restorative sleep (between 2 and 4 am), blood flow is directed less toward your brain, which cools measurably. At the beginning of this stage, the pituitary gland releases a pulse of growth hormone that stimulates tissue growth and muscle repair.But if we are lying awake between 2 and 4 am, then this release of growth hormone does not reach the threshold it needs to for healing and repairing our body.Women who exercise a lot don't realize their sore muscles and joints are not just from low oestrogen, but also from not sleeping! A full night’s sleep helps you to build and retain muscle. It is also necessary for weight management too.		
			
									TAKE THE SYMPTOMS QUIZ
					
			Weight Gain 		
		Women who aren’t sleeping well during menopause, can put on an additional 1-2 kilos a week, leading them into changing metabolic health. For those of you who continue to put on weight AND you aren’t sleeping, then it’s important to get on top of this. That’s what I teach you on the MyMT™ programs - yes, it’s that important!When we aren’t sleeping well and our growth hormone is low, our blood sugar hormone called insulin remains high. So too, does our chronic stress hormone called cortisol. Did you know that a lack of sleep interferes with fat mobilization? We cannot lose weight without sleep since overnight, when our insulin, blood pressure, and cortisol levels are lower, fat is burned.		
			Poor Gut Health 		
		For millions of women, insomnia is a hallmark symptom of menopause. It may surprise you to learn that your gut health can also affect your insomnia.Brain-gut-microbiome research shows that the gut and brain communicate constantly. One of our brain hormones, called serotonin, is produced by our gut microbiota, which helps to produce our sleep hormone, melatonin.Sleep quality and duration can be affected if the gut microbiota aren't healthy or if women have Leaky Gut Syndrome. Optimizing your gut health could potentially alleviate menopause-related insomnia.		
			Why Sleep is Crucial During Menopause
		
		Sleep is essential for maintaining overall health, especially during menopause that's why Sleep All Night is the very first module in the MyMT™ 12 week Symptom Reduction Programmes. Quality sleep can:		
																										
			Reduce Symptoms		
		Better sleep helps manage hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopause symptoms.		
																										
			Boost Immune Health		
		Adequate sleep strengthens your immune system, making you more resilient.		
																										
			Control Weight		
		Good sleep helps regulate hormones that control hunger and metabolism, aiding in weight management.		
			
									Take the symptoms quiz
					
			The Cycle of Sleepless Nights
		
		When you lie awake night after night, your symptoms can worsen. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can help initially, but without lifestyle changes, sleep issues may persist.		
			What Causes Menopause Insomnia?
		
		Wakefulness, light sleeping and insomnia (not being able to get back to sleep), is not just linked to changing reproductive hormones during menopause - there are other lifestyle factors causing menopause insomnia too. That’s why it's important to make lifestyle changes to accommodate these hormonal changes, otherwise sleep problems can persist for years.		
			The Link Between Circadian Rhythms and Insomnia		
		During the transition into menopause, changing hormone levels can disrupt our normal circadian rhythms. This internal clock, which gradually becomes established during the first months of life, controls the daily ups and downs of biological patterns, including body temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones.Our body relies on these rhythms to regulate daily cycles, such as body temperature, blood pressure, hormone levels and liver and gut function. In general, this internal clock makes us feel most awake in the daytime and most tired at night. However, during menopause, this pattern can be thrown into chaos. That's why it's important to learn how to adjust our Circadian Rhythm to match the specific changes our body is going through during menopause. It is so important to understand how to do this, in order to set us up for improved health beyond menopause and as we age.		
			The Perfect Storm of Changes 
		
		The internal clock isn’t the only thing disrupted. High insulin levels, changing cortisol levels, poor thyroid function and low melatonin levels can also play havoc with sleep during the menopause transition. Other factors such as low levels of vitamin D, iron, magnesium and calcium intake can also contribute to sleep disturbances.		
			Sleep is the Foundation for Our Healthy Aging
		
		When we don’t get deep, restorative sleep between 2am and 4am, our immune system and overall health may suffer. Perhaps more concerning, is that lying awake night after night may worsen your symptoms, weight gain, and immune health over time.For millions of women, not sleeping during their menopause transition sends them spiraling into more health chaos as they age.Not sleeping due to insomnia, night sweats, and wanting to use the bathroom, may lead to ongoing inflammation in muscles, joints, pancreas and heart. It’s partly why women end up with sore joints, aching muscles, more hot flushes and feeling bad tempered too.		
			What About Supplements and HRT?
		
		For many women, as I found myself, the menopause HRT kicks in for a while, but if we aren’t changing our lifestyle to allow our body to adapt to midlife hormonal changes, then sleep problems can stay around.		
					
			
				“I was 15 kg overweight. My breast size had expanded considerably - I could almost balance a cup of tea on them, as my grandmother used to do! I was on Menopause HRT, exercising daily, trying to eat well, but despite the medications and supplements, there were three things which eluded me.
1- A good night’s sleep and
2- Joints and muscles that no longer ached
3- An ability to put a stop to the continual weight gain.”- Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)			
					
		Most women joining me on the MyMT™ programmes are just like I was – spending huge amounts of money on supplements, hormone creams, weight loss diets, doctor’s visits, blood tests, Personal Trainers, HRT, health specialists and whatever else we can think of, to try and alleviate how we are feeling.Waking night after night, endless hot flushes, aching muscles, mood swings and unstoppable belly fat, not only left me feeling exhausted, but left me concerned about my future health.That’s how MyMT™ began more than a decade ago. That’s when I knew I had to use my physiology and healthy ageing research and experience, not only as a former nurse, but also as a leading exercise specialist in New Zealand and a University Lecturer, specializing in women’s health and ageing, to figure out how to turn around menopause symptoms and my health, so I could ‘age-well’.		
			Improving Your Sleep Requires a Specific Approach in Menopause 
		
		Sleep restoration isn't just about turning around the circadian rhythm as many self-help books lead you to believe. It’s about following a specific strategy that is suited to your changing hormonal environment in menopause and ensuring that you get the right nutrients that are unique to menopause too. That's why, the very first module you receive in the MyMT™ 12-week Programmes is called SLEEP ALL NIGHT. 		
			MyMT™ 12 Week Programmes		
																										
			100% Online		
		Educational webinars, action plans, recipes and support delivered to your inbox. 		
																										
			Self Paced		
		Watch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.		
																										
			Easy to implement		
		Practical strategies that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle and be adapted to suit your situation.		
																										
			Coaching Community		
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), and incredible women from around the globe, are here to support you every step of the way. 		
			The World-class MyMT™ Programmes are designed to help you with: 		
		Turning around your circadian rhythm based on restoring the correct levels of sleep hormones through powerful, evidenced lifestyle strategies.Understanding nutrients evidenced to help your sleep. Reducing the build up of inflammation that has accumulatedManaging blood pressureImproving your gut and liver health Reducing hot flushes and night sweatsReducing stress levelsRestoring your joint, bone and muscle healthAnd for those of you who join MyMT™ Transform Me, I help you turn around your weight gain with my scientifically evidenced menopause weight loss strategies.  And so much more...		
			
									Buy Now
					
		Shaila, 51 years, New Zealand		
			Now if it Seems Like This is a lot to Get Your Head Around, Don’t Worry. 
		
		The MyMT™ programs give you all the answers in simple, easy steps. I’ve done all the research for you. There is nothing complicated about my programs, and I step you through the exact strategies that have helped thousands of women around the world, turn around their sleep and other symptoms during menopause, using my scientifically-evidenced lifestyle solutions. I can’t wait for you to join me.Ready to get started and take control of your sleep? The first step is to figure out which program is right for you. In order to help my clients, I don't take a one-size-fits-all approach. There is a program tailored to your symptoms called Circuit Breaker, or my menopause weight loss program, called Transform Me. Both of these start with a module which I’ve simply called ‘Sleep All Night’’.		
			
									Find Out More 
					
			Start Your Menopause Transformation Today!
		
		Don’t let menopause insomnia and other symptoms, or weight gain, overwhelm you! Improve the quality of your sleep and life with a step-by-step plan and most importantly, access my personalised coaching support every step of the way.		
			
									SYMPTOMS QUIZ
					
			
									Buy Now
					
						 5/5		
			Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz Reminder

Your MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz Reminder is now set up 
		
		https://vimeo.com/892256611		
						 5/5		
			Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers		
			Your MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz Reminder is now set up		
			Take back control of your health. Improve your quality of life. Monitor your symptoms regularly over time. 		
		Congratulations and well done on setting up a symptoms quiz reminder.  MyMT™ will email you when it's time to undertake your next Symptoms Quiz.  Here are the vital stats to remember - 83% of women say they are just plain old tired. Fatigue is their main concern.81% can’t sleep – and yes, this is connected to fatigue80% complain of sore joints affecting their quality of life and activity levels76% perceive themselves to be overweight73% indicate they have been told they have high blood pressureKnowledge of menopause is hugely important for midlife women, and there is so much more to it than hot flashes and foggy brain.  Understanding and managing your symptoms early helps to optimise your health in later life - this is MyMT™'s purpose. Return to the MyMT™ website		
						 5/5		
		Since watching your short video from your Menopause Quiz, it's made me realize that what I've been experiencing wasn't me going crazy in the head. I had all sorts of emotions going on inside me and then my thinking turned to overthinking... until I came across your video. Thank you for doing this Test. It explained so much to me.		
			Sherry T.		
			New Zealand		
			MyMTTM Women are regaining control of their health, vitality and energy		
		It's never too late. No matter whether you are just starting your menopause journey or in post-menopause, a few lifestyle changes can have a powerful impact on your health as you age. Below are testimonies from women who have completed our menopause symptom treatment program or menopause weight loss program.  		
																										
						 5/5		
			Suzy - Australia		
		“I learnt from MyMT™ that menopause isn’t the end of the road. We need to work with our bodies instead of against them. I am loving having my health back.”		
																										
						 5/5		
			Michaela - Canada		
		"I was at my wits end with menopause weight gain. With Wendy's program, I sleep through the night, I've lost weight and my anxiety has greatly diminished. I feel like my old self again."		
																										
						 5/5		
			Sue - Austria		
		"Thank you Wendy. Your personal touch and genuine and kind connection with each of your members is such a refreshing change in today's online space where it's so easy to feel lost and disconnected."		
			
									Read more testimonials

### Menopause Joint Pain

Menopause Joint Pain
				
					Many women experience sore joints, muscle aches, aching knees, and restless legs during their peri-postmenopausal years.				
					
									How we help
					
					
									Buy Now
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
					Are Menopause and Joint Pain Connected?
				
		Yes, they are! Oestrogen, a hormone that decreases during menopause, plays a crucial role in joint health. Many women experience sore joints, muscle aches, aching knees, and restless legs during their peri-postmenopausal years. If you're facing these symptoms, you're not alone.		
					Ask Yourself These Questions
				
		Is joint and muscle pain and/or bone density changes affecting your ability to stay active?Has your joint soreness and/or muscle pain increased since menopause?Are you experiencing achy joints, stiff joints or knee pain?Have you experienced sore knees or joint pain for the first time since entering menopause?Maybe you can’t bend down like you used toMaybe your aching knees affect your mobility (as do the soles of your feet)Maybe your legs feel restless and heavy overnightMaybe you can’t do the activity you used toMaybe you can’t walk downstairs without your knees hurtingMaybe you’ve lost your confidence to do the exercise you love to doMaybe you feel dizzy and lose your balance easily, so this has affected your mobility tooMaybe your bone health has been changing and you aren’t sure why.		
					The Menopause and Joint Health Connection
				
		Did you know that changes in estrogen levels during menopause can affect your joints? When levels decline, this may reduce joint lubrication and elasticity, leading to discomfort, inflammation and pain. Many women mistake these symptoms for the early stages of osteoarthritis, but they could be related to menopause.But it’s not just about oestrogen declining. Your progesterone, a natural anti-inflammatory agent, also declines during the menopause transition, contributing to worsening inflammation and dryness in your joints.		
					
									Take the symptoms quiz
					
					How Common Is Menopause Joint Pain? 
				
		Over 500,000 women globally have completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz, and 80% report sore joints.Menopause joint pain affects 80% of women, but you don't have to suffer through it. Making some simple lifestyle changes can help you.		
					
									Read  success stories
					
					Watch Video				
					Hello, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD]
				
		When women on my healthy ageing doctoral studies were telling me about their changing health, from increased stress levels to changing cardiovascular health, sore joints, aching knees and restless legs that were keeping them awake and preventing them from exercising the way they used to, I was astounded… because that’s how I felt as well.Troubled by numerous injuries when I reached my late 40’s and early 50’s, I was confused about why I couldn’t tolerate the physical activity I was used to. But the worst thing was that over time, I began to lose my confidence in activities and exercise. Women in my studies faced the same concerns.As someone who has been active all my life, I was devastated. It seemed that no matter what I did, my knees constantly ached and my joints were sore during and after exercise. Interestingly, none of the medical and health practitioners I consulted found anything wrong.How amazed was I that women on my healthy women's aging studies, who were also active, were telling me similar stories? I knew that as part of my PhD, I needed to look into what was really going on with menopause joint pain and the feeling that inflammation was increasing in my muscles and joints. What I discovered astounded me.		
					Don’t Give Up On Exercise Yet
				
		Women often stop exercising during their menopause transition due to their changing joint health, according to the Australasian Longitudinal Studies on Women's Health. However, the good news is, it doesn't have to be this way. You can maintain an active lifestyle and reduce your joint pain and your risk of osteoarthritis too. 
																														
						 5/5		
					Lynn - New Zealand				
		"My knees no longer ache; I've halved my HRY patches; I don't get up in the night any more and my energy has returned. I also really enjoy your coaching posts and I can't thank you enough."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Lucinda  - Australia				
		“I’m now sleeping, no hot flushes and no plantar fasciitis. I can walk freely again. This program truly changed my life.”		
																														
						 5/5		
					Debbie - USA				
		"I’ve let all of my friends know of your program. With your program, I’m eating the healthiest I ever have. I feel like at 62, I found your program just in the nick of time, to make positive changes for a healthier me now and in the future."		
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					The Effects of Menopause on Our Joints, Muscles, and Tendons
				
		There are a number of reasons why our joints, muscles and tendons are impacted during menopause. These include:Tendons have estrogen receptors on them. The role of these receptors is to harness estrogen to help keep the tendons pliable and flexible.Muscles lose size and density as we move through menopause. This is a normal part of our aging, but when this happens it affects the way our tendons work.Feelings of dizziness may also impact our balance. Our ear canals contain estrogen too. The role of estrogen in our ears is to help keep the tiny hairs upright, which normally helps us with balance. In menopause, however, as estrogen declines, women often feel dizzy and lose their balance easily.We aren’t getting the nutrients that joints and muscles need in midlife. This is why changing our nutrition to match our changing hormonal environment is so important to do.Menopause hormonal and muscle changes, as well as inflammatory changes, may cause slower collagen turnover. This is why, for many women, doing too much high-impact exercise can cause increased inflammation in the joints and muscles, leading to slower post-exercise recovery.The good news is that we can counteract this with simple lifestyle changes and certain nutrients.		
					
									Take the symptoms quiz
					
					What You Need To Focus on To Reduce Inflammation During Menopause 
				
		Sleeping all night to reduce inflammation and improve muscle recovery.Incorporating specific nutrients into your diet to support joint healthFollowing an anti-inflammatory dietFollowing a specific exercise program that supports the stage of menopause you area in, from peri-menopause to post-menopauseMenopause is a vulnerable time for increased inflammation, which also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health issues. Reducing inflammation should be your goal during this transition. Now is the time to focus on a healthy diet and increase certain nutrients that heal and restore your joints.Improved sleep and gut health are also important, so you can absorb the nutrients you need to combat inflammation. - all solutions which I have for you in the world-class MyMT™ programmes. You're not alone if you're having trouble sleeping. 81% of the women who took my Signs Of Menopause Quiz also had trouble sleeping. The good news is that you can make simple lifestyle changes to ensure you get enough sleep, not just to fight fatigue but also to fight inflammation.		
					
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					Can Supplements Help with Joint Pain? 
				
		The dietary supplements industry is booming and women arriving in mid-life are often the target. With the promise of mid-life nirvana, whereby all our aches and pains miraculously go away, we end up spending hundreds of dollars on supplements, specialists and various nutrition programmes. They don’t call women in their 50s and 60s the ‘consumer generation’ for nothing. With our pantries starting to look like a health supplement shop, you think that the supplements work and many of them do … for a while.		
							
			
				“When my legs were aching, my joints were sore, my heart-rate was elevated at rest and I had no energy, I was still doing lots of exercise. My pantry was also full of supplements, collagen included. All supplements that I was advised to take by various health professionals at the time. 

But now I realise that I didn’t need all those supplements. My body needed something else. A beautiful nutrient that helps in the production of collagen and is powerful for reducing inflammation in our joints and helping to restore muscle tissue”. 
			
					
					Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Joint Health 
				
		The collagen industry targets women in mid-life, promising relief from aches and pains. However, lifestyle changes, rather than just supplements, are key to reducing inflammation and restoring joint health in the long run. This includes the compounds in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) which are known to reduce joint pain and improve joint elasticity.If you are experiencing joint pain in your peri-postmenopausal years, arm yourself with the knowledge you need to turn this around. The MyMT™ Programmes help you understand:What nutrients reduce inflammation and improve bone and muscle health specific to menopauseWhat foods can replace collagen and oestrogenHow to sleep all night, allowing your joints to repair overnightHow to improve blood flow and get vital nutrients into your jointsWhich stretching techniques improve flexibilityHow to stop dizziness and balance concernsThe best exercises for reducing joint pressureWhat you can do to improve your recovery after exerciseHow to restore and maintain your posture to prevent further injuries		
					
									Take the symptoms quiz
					
					The Key is to Adapt Your Lifestyle to Your Changing Hormones
				
		The MyMT™ 12 week Programmes have given over 16,000 women around the world a roadmap to restore their energy, vitality and health in midlife. For those of you only struggling with your joint health, the Restore Your Joyful Joints Module is now available as a ‘stand-alone’ programme for you. And for a limited time, the Fitness Foundations Module is also included for only NZ$49.95 (Approx. AU$45, £24, US$30). 		
					For a limited time, secure two modules for the price of one! Once you have reduced the inflammation in your joints, get back on track with your exercise with MyMT™ Fitness Foundations.				
																														
																														
					100% Online				
		Two educational webinars and action plans delivered straight to your inbox. 		
																														
					Self paced				
		Watch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.		
																														
					Easy to implement				
		Practical strategies that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle. 		
																														
					Packed with bonus resources				
		A 6-week walking program, circuit program, posture guide and physio exercises		
												
																					Suzy - Australia
										
					MyMT™ Restore your Joyful Joints
				
		In this 1 hour webinar and action plan you will discover...The types of nutrients that you need to reduce inflammation, strengthen tendons, and improve bone and muscle health.What foods can replace the role of oestrogen and collagen as they decline.How to improve blood flow to get vital nutrients and oxygen into your joints.The most effective forms of stretching for improving flexibility and increasing range of motion.How to stop the dizziness and balance issues that may be troubling you.The most effective forms of exercise to reduce pressure on your joints.How to improve your recovery after exercise, so you can exercise more frequently.How to restore and maintain your posture to prevent further injuries.		
					
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					MyMT™ Fitness Foundations
				
		Once you have got on top of your aching joints, I help you to start exercising again with MyMT™ Fitness Foundations. In this 1-hour module, you will discover:Why your exercise needs to be ‘energizing, not exhausting’ during menopause.How to steadily build up your fitness levels with guidance on exercise frequency, intensity, type and timing.How to incorporate more movement into your normal daily activities.How to warm up for exercise to compensate for your lower oestrogen.How to monitor your exertion levels.How to reduce dizziness and balance issues. Plus you will receiveKnee rehabilitation exercisesA 6 week walking programmeA circuit exercise planA guide to correct postureNutritional guides and recipes		
												
																					Rosie - Switzerland
										
					Reclaim Your Quality of Life by Taking Charge of Your Menopause Journey				
		Regain control with a step-by-step scientifically-evidenced plan. This powerful JOYFUL JOINTS and FITNESS FOUNDATIONS package is now available to you for only NZ $49.95 (Approx. AU$45.5, £24, US$30)		
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause for Health Professionals

Health and Exercise Professionals				
					Welcome to your FREE Masterclass on Menopause				
					A menopause revolution is underway. Stay up to date with the latest research on lifestyle science solutions for your midlife clients.				
							
							
										90 minute webinar
									
								
										 3 months free access
									
						
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
																														
							
							
										Delivered by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women and 500 Health Professionals
									
						
		Join thousands of women and health professionals who have harnessed the power of Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) pioneering research into lifestyle science solutions for menopause. Your introductory webinar is waiting for you now. 		
																														
					90 minute on-demand, introductory webinar				
																														
					Watch or listen in your own time, as many times as you like over 3 months				
																														
					Packed full of essential, evidence-based information that every health and exercise professional should know				
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
						"This is such important information and needs to be in the hands of more health professionals! It was so empowering to have someone as clearly knowledgeable as Wendy is, synthesize the research and make sense of what the data says."					
					Dr Adrienne SNaturopathic Doctor				
						
						"Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure with meds which have now been halved due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made."					
					JillAustralia				
						
						"Wendy is the queen of knowledge on the subject of menopause. She has delivered a powerpack of information that certainly challenges the status quo of what the medical paradigm has us believe menopause is."					
					LeonaExercise Physiologist				
						
						"After 25 years plus, with hot flushes, insomnia, depression, weight gain and countless other issues, I finally found Wendy! What a joy the past 12 weeks has been as I’ve been learning to live again!"					
					JaneNew Zealand				
						
					
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					Masterclass on Menopause for Health & Exercise Professionals				
		Are you finding it challenging to coach your midlife female clients through the change?  
Midlife women are one of the hardest demographics to coach because often what they have done in the past to manage their fatigue, sore joints, sleep and weight no longer works for them as they transition menopause. Add to that their lack of time and energy, and you may be finding that they are struggling to implement changes you suggest.
That’s why, I want you to listen to this webinar.
With the dominant paradigm for menopause symptom management being hormonal medication, what about lifestyle-changes? I hope you agree that this is important too!
Women in menopause are a unique cohort. Not only is their hormonal environment changing, but they are entering menopause within changing societal, occupational and personal demands too.
Not only do we need to think about the complexities of the hormonal, physiological and psychological changes that are occurring, but also how these internal changes clash with the modern, busy lifestyle your clients are likely leading. Add to this the compounding effects of ageing and inflammation, and it’s no wonder there is so much confusion around menopause symptoms for both you and your clients.
It is only once we consider all of these different factors, that we can understand why menopause is a vulnerable time for changing cardiovascular, joint, gut, metabolic and mental health. And more importantly, why women also need to change their lifestyle to adjust to their new hormonal environment. 
Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD). My career background has spanned Nursing, Personal Training, and University lecturing in exercise science, nutrition and health promotion. Following my doctoral studies in women’s healthy ageing and the menopause transition, I have also founded My Menopause Transformation – online symptom reduction programmes for women and courses for health professionals wanting to specialise in integrative, holistic solutions for menopause.
In this 90 minute Masterclass on Menopause, my aim is to distil the complex physiology and research in a way that is easy for you to share with your clients. You will come away with an understanding of:

		
												
																					
										
		The findings of incredible researchers around the world who are studying midlife women.		
												
																					
										
		Why some women around the globe do not experience the symptoms that Western women do.		
												
																					
										
		Why we can’t look at each symptom or hormone in isolation, and need to take a holistic-whole body approach.		
												
																					
										
		Why your client may not be changing their behaviour. I will bring to your attention the powerful behaviour change research that is unique to midlife women.		
												
																					
										
		The influences across the life course which can shape a woman's menopause experience.		
												
																					
										
		And most importantly, the very real challenges of midlife woman, who are stressed, exhausted and at their wit’s end. The women on my programs have kindly shared their stories for you to learn from.		
					Coaching 'the change' starts with understanding				
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Meet Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
																														
							
			
				"Every PhD starts with a curiosity.  I set out to explore the meanings that women between the ages of 50 to 60 years, had given to their health as they aged. Every single woman I interviewed  positioned healthy ageing in undertaking daily vigorous exercise. But for many of my subjects, their vision of health wasn't going so well. They spoke of sore joints, insomnia, weight gain, brain fog, palpitations and exhaustion. My curiosity and past experience as a Nurse, Pioneer of the Personal Training Industry in New Zealand, and University Lecturer in Sports & Exercise Science and Nutrition, has led me here to you. Bringing your attention to the research specific to women's healthy ageing and behaviour change is my passion."			
											Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)
					
					
									Meet Wendy
					
																														
						 5/5		
					Deb - Canada				
		"I've lost 25lbs (12kgs), I sleep through the night, and I can think much more clearly. The joint and muscle pain is much better. I feel like I have a life again."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Aimee - Health Coach 				
		"Wendy is such an amazing teacher. Her research, her vast experience with her own clients and the real-life examples she provides are pots of gold."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Lisa - USA				
		"I can't believe it! I've been trying to lose my belly fat and reduce my cholesterol for 5 years. I've now lost 15lbs and Wendy's Transformation program has been a life changer."		
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					CPD Courses for Health Professionals				
																														
					Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner				
		A 12-week comprehensive certification that gives you everything you need to set up as a menopause and women's healthy ageing specialist. 
You will come out with an in-depth understanding of menopause and lifestyle solutions to help your clients sleep all night, manage their hot flushes, sore joints, brain fog, energy levels, and much more.		
					
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					Menopause Weight Loss Coach Level 1				
		A 6 week, self paced course that will provide you with an in depth understanding of the science of menopause weight gain. This course equips you with easy to implement, nutrition, exercise and behaviour change solutions to achieve sustained weight loss for your peri-post menopausal clients.		
					
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					Menopause Health Coach				
		A 3-week self-paced, introductory course. This course is designed to introduce you to the physiological and psychological changes occurring in midlife, and provide you with client-centered behaviour change strategies specific to this stage, to empower your clients to turn intention into action.		
					
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					Payment plans available				
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### MyMT™ Beyond Menopause

MyMT™ Beyond Menopause				
					ON SALE - SAVE NZ$100
					Learn how to reduce inflammation, restore your energy, and protect your health with Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) lifestyle change program for post-menopausal women. 				
			 Days Hours Minutes Seconds		
					
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								Rated 5 out of 5
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					Post Menopause Women's Healthy Ageing Program				
		How can I manage or prevent osteoporosis? What can I do to reduce my risk of heart disease, diabetes and dementia? Why am I still getting hot flashes / flushes or gaining weight in post menopause? How do I (re)construct the next chapter of my life so that I can live my 'best' life with purpose and joy?If these are questions that you've asked yourself, then will you join me? I hope so, because you aren't alone in having these curiosities. That's why I've spent the past decade researching the science of women's health and longevity.When we become worried about our changing health, it can feel like a mine-field of information and it's hard to know where to start. That is what I've taken care of for you and I'm excited to have you here with me on your healthy ageing journey.(Dr Wendy Sweet, PhD)Thousands of women now understand how to take back control of their health and their vitality by following the science that is unique to the life stage that they are in - post menopause. The 12-week MyMT™ Beyond Menopause Program is your roadmap to disease prevention, improved health AND life span. 		
																														
																														
					100% Online				
		Access educational webinars, action plans, recipes, exercise videos and support in your learning hub.		
																														
					Easy to implement				
		Practical lifestyle solutions that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle. 		
																														
					Personalised Support and Motivation				
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) is here to support you every step of the way in the private Coaching Community. 		
					For a limited time save NZ$100 on the Beyond Menopause™ Program				
							
							
										Reduced from NZ $399 to $299 (Approximate conversion: AU$275, US$180, CA$250, £135, €160, ZAR 3,000)
									
								
										Payment plans available
									
								
										7 day money back guarantee
									
						
			 Days Hours Minutes Seconds		
					
									ON SALE NOW
					
		Ongoing access to the program and Wendy's coaching after 12 weeks - NZ$12.50 per month (approx. AU $10, £6, US $7, CA $10, R 120)		
																														
																														
					Post Menopause Symptoms and Health Concerns				
		After living with a menstrual cycle every month of your adult life, apart from pregnancy of course, you may have been looking forward to life beyond menopause.However, after decades of research in this space, I know all too well that some of us just trade our old health problems for new ones!Perhaps you’ve found that your menopausal symptoms remain with you even in post-menopause? But as my studies showed me, this is not due to menopause. Afterall, you are through your menopause transition. So, what is really going on?As you will discover on this powerful Beyond Menopause™ Program, your hot flushes, night sweats and heart palpitations, will go away when you focus on your heart health. Your brain fog, memory problems and mood changes will go away when you focus on your brain health. Your exhaustion, bloating and weight gain will go away when you focus on turning around your gut and liver health.And yes, you can have more energy and vitality, when you focus on reducing the inflammatory changes that are part of your ageing.That’s the purpose of your Beyond Menopause™ Program. It’s designed with your specific health and longevity needs in mind. By that I mean, all of the lifestyle solutions I have researched for you have been evidenced for postmenopausal women.The evidence is clear, it's just not getting out to those of us who matter! That is what I have taken care of for you with this scientifically evidenced, step-by-step program. I have spent the last 10 years collating the research on heart and blood vessel health, gut health, brain health, bone health, immune health, inflammation, mobility, purpose and happiness, but most importantly looked at it through the lens of your hormonal environment in post-menopause.I know you may not have had time for 'you' over the last few years. But as you move into your post menopausal life, your time is now. I can't wait to be your guide. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)		
					Good Health Adds LIFE To Years				
																														
								Rated 5 out of 5
					Linda - New Zealand				
		"I've tried so many programs over the years but none of them mentioned post-menopause. I’ve now lost over 30kg. I feel as if I’ve rediscovered the real me which has been hiding inside."		
																														
								Rated 5 out of 5
					Sylvie - Australia				
		"Your program helped me so much through my breast cancer treatment. My oncologist said I should write a book on how to stay healthy during Chemo. I am so grateful that I came across it. It has changed my life."		
																														
								Rated 5 out of 5
					Jill - Canada (70 years)				
		"I'm doing the work, and I'm already feeling the results! Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and research. For me, it's been life altering already, and I've only just started!"		
					
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								Rated 5 out of 5
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
					Your Beyond Menopause™ Program				
					Begin your journey with a health screening form so that Wendy can understand your current status and recommend focus areas. 
Each fortnight, you will receive one or two modules (video webinar and action plan) so you can learn how to:				
												
																					Jill, Australia
										
		Help your body adjust to life without oestrogen. Reduce the build up of internal inflammation in your cells and tissues which puts you at risk for chronic diseases of aging.Lose weight sustainably and reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome by following the research specific to post-menopause (there are no restriction diets in this program).Restore your gut health to renew your energy and keep your immune system strong (especially important for those of you who are already managing a chronic disease). Manage your blood pressure and reduce LDL cholesterol and vascular stiffness in your arteries to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Keep your brain cells healthy and active to reduce your risk of cognitive decline, risk of Dementia and Alzheimer's.Improve your bone density and bone mass with specific foods and exercise to prevent osteoporosis, osteopenia and osteoarthritis. Stop your joints and muscles from aching, so that you can do the activities you love again.Restore your energy levels so you have the energy for getting on with what's important to you.Improve your balance and core strength to reduce your risk of falls and fractures.Improve your mobility, fitness levels and strength so you can remain active as you age.Reduce stress and anxiety, because as you will learn, when stress hormones are high, they have an impact on our sleep, body weight and temperature control.Find happiness and purpose by learning how to look after your mental and emotional health as you age.		
					
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					As part of Beyond Menopause you also receive:				
										Personalised Support and MotivationPerhaps you are struggling to put a particular change in place, or maybe you've  'fallen off the bus' and need a bit of motivation to get going again. 
I've been there. All I wanted was someone to talk to about what was going on. 
In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask me or others questions. 
With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.Action PlansEach video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions to focus on over the fortnight. I call it the Daily Dozen.Food Guide and Hundreds of RecipesThe MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing and disease prevention. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.Exercise Video LibraryAccess body weight strength exercises, resistance band exercises, core exercises, balance exercises, stretches and your 6-week walking plan.Emails to keep you on trackWith a Masters Degree in Behaviour Change, Wendy's weekly support emails have been a life-saver for women who easily fall off track. 				
					As part of Beyond Menopause you also receive:				
																														
					Personalised support in the MyMT™ Community				
		Perhaps you are struggling to put a particular change in place, or maybe you've 'fallen off the bus' and need a bit of motivation to get going again. I've been there. All I wanted was someone to talk to about what was going on. In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask me or others questions. With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.		
																														
					Action Plans				
		Each video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions I want you to focus on over that fortnight. We call it the Daily Dozen.		
																														
					Food Guide and Hundreds of Recipes				
		The MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.		
																														
					Exercise Library				
		Access body weight strength exercises, resistance band exercises, core exercises, balance, stretching and breathing exercises, a 6-week walking plan and more.		
																														
					Emails to keep you on track				
		Wendy's weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.		
					For a limited time save NZ$100 on the Beyond Menopause™ Program				
					Price reduced from NZ$399 to $299 [Approx. AU$275, US$180, CA$250, £135, €160, ZAR 3,000]				
					
									ON SALE NOW
					
																														
																														
					Payment plans available [part payment fee applies]				
					Ongoing access to the Program and Wendy's Coaching after 12 weeks - NZ$12.50 per month				
																														
								Rated 5 out of 5
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
								Rated 5 out of 5
							Thank you Wendy. Your personal touch and genuine and kind connection with each of your members is such a refreshing change in today’s online space.
														Sue, Austria
					
									ON SALE 
					
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
					Post Menopause Program FAQ				
												What can I expect in the Beyond Menopause Program?
					No matter whether you are looking for tools for prevention, or whether you are managing an existing health condition, if you are post-menopause, this program is for you.With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. Over the 12 weeks, you will receive eight learning modules:IntroductionInflammageing Beyond MenopauseNutrition Beyond MenopauseGut Health Beyond MenopauseHeart Health Beyond MenopauseBrain Health Beyond MenopauseMovement Beyond MenopauseHealth, Hormones and Happiness Beyond Menopause.You can also access optional bonus modules. Bone Health Beyond MenopauseWeight Loss Beyond MenopauseSleep All Night (taken from MyMT™ Transform Me)Restore your Joyful Joints (taken from MyMT™ Transform Me)The module is released in your learning hub each fortnight. It contains an educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length, and a downloadable action plan for you to put in place over the fortnight.As part of the program, you also receive the MyMT™ Beyond Menopause Food Guide which explains the powerful nutrients we need in post-menopause, hundreds of recipes, a 6-week walking plan, an exercise video library and more. Even though everything is delivered online, you will not be alone. You will be invited to join the incredibly supportive MyMT™ Coaching Community (private Facebook group). This is where you can ask Wendy or other members questions, and be inspired by others who have gone before you. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes suggested. Wendy’s weekly emails are there to support you to stay on track and help you problem solve. After the 12 weeks, if you need more time and support, then don’t worry as you can subscribe to keep your modules open for a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50 [Approx AU$11, US$7.50, CA$10, £6, €7].*If you are already a member of one of the other MyMT™ Programs, you will still have access to your other program when you join Beyond Menopause. We will also pause your existing subscription for the 12 weeks. 
												How is this program different to Transform Me and Circuit Breaker?
					This program differs from my menopause symptom reduction programs, MyMT™ Transform Me and Circuit Breaker, which were focused on many of the symptoms of menopause such as disrupted sleep, hot flushes, weight gain, brain fog, aching joints etc.Whereas Beyond Menopause is your ‘how-to’ guide to preventing many of the pitfalls of ageing that our mother’s generation experienced. This includes dementia and Alzheimer’s prevention, osteoporosis prevention, heart disease prevention, and how to look after your health if you already have a chronic disease.I also focus a lot more on mental and emotional wellbeing and other factors that are evidenced for women’s longevityWe also have a brand new Food Guide for you, as well as new exercise videos from Daryl Goad. Lastly, when you join Beyond Menopause you will still have access to the Sleep All Night and Restore Your Joyful Joints Modules from Transform Me and Circuit Breaker, as we know many post-menopause women struggle with these challenges as well. 
												If I want to lose weight, should I choose Transform Me or Beyond Menopause?
					One of the challenges that women have in post-menopause, is that their fat distribution is changing and this tends to become more situated around the abdominal and diaphragmatic regions. When this happens, then there is a risk that the fat will move deeper and become unhealthy visceral fat. Whilst I do have a module about weight loss in the Beyond Menopause™ programme, if you have more than 10kg (20 lbs) to lose, then I do recommend that you start with the weight loss programme called Transform Me™.This programme has the liver health and oestrogen dominance information in it, as well as a Food Guide that is dedicated to weight loss and other fascinating information for you. If you have a lesser amount of weight to lose, then come and join me on the Beyond Menopause™ programme when you can.
												I still have menopause symptoms, is the Beyond Menopause program right for me?
					Post menopause is defined as when you’re been without menstrual periods for one year or more. There are three stages of menopause. The first two stages are perimenopause and menopause, post menopause being the final.  The average age of menopause is 52.If you are Beyond Menopause but are still experiencing common symptoms such as hot flushes, disturbed sleep, night sweats, insomnia, brain fog then you may like to start with our symptom management programs. Postmenopause symptoms are common, and so you are not alone in experiencing these. We have two main 12 week programs for menopause symptom management – MyMT™ Circuit Breaker is for leaner women and MyMT™ Transform Meis for women who are struggling with menopause weight gain. Both programs address physical symptoms and emotional symptoms. There are a variety of symptoms and you can learn more about each one the program addresses by checking out each program. If you aren’t sure whether you are suited to Circuit Breaker or Transform Me, please take the Menopause Quiz so that Wendy can help you decide. We also have a third 12-week program which is just as important as Circuit Breaker and Transform Me called MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness. Re-build My Fitness is a healthy midlife exercise program designed specifically for women during and after menopause where you learn how to rebuild your fitness, strength, flexibility, balance, bone and joint health with menopause appropriate exercise and activity levels.This program works best once you have addressed your symptoms. Not only does it help get you exercising again but it introduces healthy habits which help guard against heart disease and stroke, two of the biggest killers for our age group. 
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.  As my own health was changing and as my symptoms became worse, I began to understand that if we don’t take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause our post-menopause years are likely to lead to worsening health.  My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to reset your hormones, you address the cause and not just the health challenges of menopause.  Good health ADDS life to years.   You can read more about my story here. And when you join Beyond Menopause, I am here to support you every step of the way. You can ask me questions and read 10 years worth of my answers to other women. Women tell me it’s a treasure trove of everything to do with women’s health.”Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					MyMT™ programs do work, and there are two main reasons for this.Firstly because Wendy teaches you scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to work with your changing hormone levels, rather than fighting against them. And secondly because of Wendy’s uniquely designed support strategy which involves spreading out your learning and giving you practical, easy to implement strategies to turn your new learnings into lifelong habits. With a Master’s degree in Behaviour Change, Wendy specialises in helping women turn intention into action. But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website. And once you join the program ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Community.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												Do the programs involve medication or supplementation?
					There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programs, as Wendy focuses on turning around your health with lifestyle changes (e.g. nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, nutrient absorption, gut and liver health restoration, stress management etc.). If you are on menopause hormone replacement therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage risk of osteoporosis, risk or heart disease, metabolic risks or mental health risks), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.No matter whether you are on MHT or not, the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to improve your sleep quality, turn around sore joints and muscles, and improve your gut health, heart health and brain health to reduce the risk of disease.
												Does the program involve a diet? And information for Vegetarians and Coeliacs.
					Maintaining a healthy diet is important. Every bit of research shows that the types of food we eat, and how we eat are critical to our symptom management and our healthy ageing, so food is an important part of the program. Following the women’s healthy ageing and longevity research, Wendy has centered these programs around the Mediterranean Diet which she has modified to include the essential nutrients for women in midlife. When you come on this program, you won’t be counting calories or be on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients help to reduce your symptoms, and what whole foods you can eat to get those nutrients. If you are Plant Based, Gluten Free or Dairy Free, these programmes are suitable for you, and I can help you to make sure you are still getting the nutrients you need as you age. We know food is such a confusing topic, so Wendy is here to support you through these changes. The MyMT™ Beyond Menopause Food Guide explains the ‘Why’, then our recipes, meal ideas and cooking videos show you the ‘How’. Vegetarian or Coeliac?This program is entirely suitable for vegetarians and coeliacs. In fact most of our recipes are vegetarian and gluten free. Wendy will also help you understand how you can meet your specific nutrient needs. 
												Does the program involve an exercise routine? 
					Physical activity is important to maintain a healthy body weight, for cardiovascular health, emotional health, reducing fracture risk and more.As part of this program you will learn about the types of exercises and movement that are uniquely evidenced to support post-menopause women. Our video library contains exercises for all levels of ability.
												What do I need to access the program? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. You do not need to belong to Facebook to join this program. But if you are a member, this is the best place to access Wendy’s coaching support.  
												What if I don't have enough time?
					If we told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  We hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead! As Wendy always says, it’s not a race, and it takes time to turn change into habits.Although the programs are 12 weeks long, you are welcome to move as slowly as you need. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and my support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. *[Approx AU$11, US$7.50, CA$10, £6, €7].
												How much do the programs cost?
					The MyMT™ Beyond Menopause Programme usually costs NZ$399, but for the month of November, you can save $100 and pay only NZ $299.*If you are not based in New Zealand, your bank will convert the price based on the daily exchange rate. The approximate currency conversions are – AU$275, US$180, CA$250, £135, €160, ZAR 3,000.**If you wish to extend your access to the modules and Wendy’s coaching after 12 weeks there is a small subscription fee of NZ$12.50 per month. But, all the PDF action plans and recipe books are download-able. Purchase risk free with our 7-day money back guarantee.
												How long can I access my program for?
					For as long as you need! Each program lasts for 12 weeks but as Wendy always says, it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with us 5 years after they started their journeys. After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and my coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50 [Approx AU$11, US$7.50, CA$10, £6, €7]. You can cancel your subscription at any time. 
												Do I still get access to my other programmes if I purchase Beyond Menopause?
					Yes absolutely. If you are currently paying the coaching community subscription to access your Transform Me or Circuit Breaker programmes, and would like to join Beyond Menopause, we pause your existing subscription to give you another 12 week free trial in the coaching community. When your subscription starts again, you only ever pay one subscription which includes access to all of your programmes. 
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### Menopause Hot Flashes

Menopause Hot Flashes
Menopause symptoms can arrive suddenly or creep up on you slowly.

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Menopause Hot Flashes
One of the first symptoms you notice may be hot flashes or flushes. Temperature changes which may range from mild feelings of heat to uncontrolled sweats. They can leave you feeling confused and frustrated. Menopause medications and supplements may help, but so too does lifestyle change specific to the menopause transition. This is what the My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™) programmes, helps you with. Scientifically evidenced lifestyle strategies which help to empower you to turn down the heat and get you through menopause.
What Are Hot Flushes?
As mentioned in my online Masterclass on Menopause, going through menopause is a natural biological process that all women go through. What you do have control of, however, is how you manage your menopause symptoms like hot flashes.

During menopause, hormones that regulate temperature both in our thyroid and the pituitary region of the brain are affected.

When you experience hot flashes, it is often a sign that your body is attempting to cool down, regardless of the surrounding temperature.

This occurs due to increased inflammation in blood vessels, which can put up blood pressure.

All hot flashes are linked to your blood pressure and your changing thyroid and pituitary hormones as oestrogen levels decline.
What Are The Symptoms Of Hot Flushes?
Hot flashes, or hot flushes, can be categorised as a sudden feeling of heat or warmth that spreads in your upper body. For most women, they will likely experience the most intense sensations over the face, neck, and chest and these may also be at night or overnight.
You might experience (de Zambotti et al., 2014):

 	Increased and/or rapid heartbeat
 	Sweating on upper body
 	Anxiety
 	Flushing
 	Chilled sensation after hot flash subsides

Hot flashes can be different for each woman, but the core symptoms remain the same. They can be mild or severe and can occur at any time. Hot flashes during the evening, known as night sweats, might even rouse you from your sleep.

You can experience hot flashes before, during, and after menopause. However, it is important to note that you are likely to experience hot flashes post-menopause if you do not manage your symptoms appropriately. If you are in post-menopause, then feelings of heat are linked to blood pressure changes and changes to the elasticity of your blood vessels, a condition known as vascular or arterial stiffness.


Take the symptoms quiz

What Causes Hot Flushes?
Hot flushes, referred to as Vasomotor Symptoms (VMS), are a form of temperature dysfunction, reported by up to 85% of menopausal women (Santoro et al., 2015).

As I have previously mentioned, hormonal changes during menopause can disrupt your body’s reactions and responses to heat loss. This can present as VMS or hot flushes.

Inflammatory changes around the body are caused by this dysfunction of temperature regulation, which is why hot flashes now act as an early indication of inflammatory changes around the body and in the hypothalamus.

In essence, your hypothalamus acts as your body’s thermostat, and when it believes that your body is too warm, even when it’s not, a hot flash is triggered to help cool you down. Hot flushes occur because the body’s thermostat does not function as well when it is deprived of oestrogen.

It also becomes worse when melatonin (your sleep hormone), is impacted by your changing hormones and you aren’t sleeping.

This is because there is a powerful connection between our pituitary gland in the brain, where sleep hormones are produced, our thyroid gland, which regulates temperature, blood pressure and metabolism, and the ovaries.

Our adrenal glands are part of this connection too, which is why high levels of stress also impact hot flushes.
This hormonal connection between all these glands is how our body’s temperature and other metabolic systems remain in balance. Peri-menopause through to post-menopause, may cause these connections to get out of balance due to the decline in oestrogen and progesterone and the master reproductive hormones in the pituitary gland.

Normally and ideally, there is a good balance between the pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands, where hormones are produced. However, there are numerous factors that can cause these powerful organs to get out of balance. These factors include our changing levels of reproductive hormones, our sleep quality and quantity, (too much, or not enough sleep), too much or not enough exercise, stress levels (past and present), the loss of elasticity of blood vessels (which increases blood pressure) and our diet, including alcohol intake.
Other Causes Of Hot Flashes Besides Menopause
It would be misleading to state that hot flushes are a menopausal symptom on its own - it is also possible, though rare, that other medical conditions might also be causing temperature dysregulation.
This includes:

 	Certain cancers
 	Side effects of drug therapies
 	Cardiovascular disease
 	Side effects of medication
 	Iron-deficiency anaemia
 	Over-training syndrome
 	Immune health/ thyroid disorders

However, for most midlife women, including myself, the reason for my hot flashes was due to menopause.


Take the symptoms quiz

How Long Do Hot Flashes Last
& At What Age Do Hot Flashes Start?
Hot flashes can last up to four minutes, but they can be as frequent as once a day to multiple times every hour. If you are experiencing more than 5 hot flushes per hour, then this may be indicative of higher blood pressure and changes to the blood vessels.

Moderate to severe hot flashes were reported to last an average of 10.2 years, with the most common ages being 45 to 49 years at onset (Freeman et al., 2011).

You can also experience hot flashes during perimenopause. The majority of women will begin natural perimenopause from the age of 40- 45 yrs, though instances of perimenopause starting before 40 are also reported.

I know how frustrating it can be to experience hot flashes at inconvenient times. This is why it is important that you begin to think about how you can change your lifestyle to adapt to your menopause transformation.
Do Hot Flashes Go Away After Menopause?
How long you could experience hot flashes can vary from person to person, but it’s possible that without accommodating the hormonal changes that come with menopause, symptoms can continue even into the post-menopause years - so, it is important that you, as I keep reiterating, take the initiative to take back control of your health as you enter, progress through, and leave menopause.
You can talk to your Doctor about hormone replacement therapy and understand what this is evidenced to achieve and of course, also change your lifestyle to allow your body to transition naturally through this life-stage.


Take the symptoms quiz

How Are Hot Flushes Treated?
Hot flushes are far more common during the menopausal transition, with a frequency of approximately 40 percent in the early transition and increasing to 60 to 80 percent in the late menopausal transition and early postmenopausal stage (Loprinzi et al, 2023).

For many women, they can be very distressing and disrupt their quality of life.

This is why many women go on menopause hormone replacement therapy (MHRT), or take menopause supplements. Many women find relief in these therapies which enable them to get on with their lives! But others may not find the relief they seek.

From my own experience, and my expertise and years of research on lifestyle science, there is so much that women can also do to change their lifestyle to allow their bodies to adapt to their menopause transition.


Lifestyle Changes to Improve Hot Flashes
Menopause is a time for lifestyle change. I can’t reiterate this enough! Thousands of women globally have now learnt what to do and why they should do it with the MyMT™ programmes. There is Circuit Breaker for thinner, leaner women and Transform Me, for overweight women.

These two lifestyle change programmes, which differ depending on body type, allow women to understand the specific strategies to put into place to balance their changing hormones. While I have comprehensive step-by-step strategies in the MyMT™ programmes, I share some of these lifestyle changes for managing menopause-related hot flushes below:

Your Circadian Rhythm 

Menopause can disrupt your circadian rhythm. As such, hot flushes can be a direct result of messed-up circadian rhythms. This then has a drop-down effect on other aspects of your health, from blood pressure to your immune system, joint health, muscle function and gut health.

These structures and tissues are also influenced by your circadian rhythm. When you enrol in my programmes, I’ll work closely with you to help you balance your circadian rhythm according to your lifestyle.

Hot Flashes: What We Can Learn from Blue Zone Women The Okinawan Ratio refers to the oldest living people in the world, the residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa. Women on the island are known to not only live longer, but they also live healthier, too – compared to their Western counterparts.

Okinawa is known as a ‘Blue Zone’, an area where people live longer than average. Women living here don’t tend to experience hot flashes.

As a healthy ageing researcher, when I discovered this I was fascinated. I immediately wanted to understand “why”? What can western women learn from those in Okinawa? What I learnt and then went on to share in my programmes, has been a game changer for over 15,000 women who have signed up to my programs.

Watch my 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause to learn more.

Watch Here

Know what simple, powerful changes to make to your diet

Like me, you may have noticed that your weight creeps up when you reach midlife. Yet what we eat affects more than just weight: certain foods can worsen hot flashes, too. Making simple changes to your diet can go a long way towards reducing your hot flashes.

In my program, I talk about how certain foods affect metabolism and temperature regulation, causing you to feel hot. But it’s not just about avoiding certain foods, it’s about embracing others! And I’m NOT talking about going keto – far from it. Certain nutrients from foods can reduce hot flashes and lower the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer.

Knowledge is power, and once you know what these foods are you can reduce your hot flashes and enhance your overall health.

But it’s not just about diet. 

There are other lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your symptoms, and some of them are surprisingly simple.

Menopause is not a disease. It is however a time when your body’s hormones are changing drastically, as it prepares for biological ageing. Adapting to this new environment and working with your body instead of against it, helps reduce hot flashes and set you up for a healthy ageing process.

Learn more by watching my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause (yes, you can ‘pause’ it anytime and you have access for 3 months) and take control of your healthy ageing.

Learn More


Take the symptoms quiz

Take Back Control of Your Health
When women come into the MyMT™ ‘Transform Me’ programme, I teach them powerful lifestyle strategies which they can utilise to not only lose weight but to reduce hot flushes, and bloating and restore energy levels and gut health.

For too long menopause has been the domain of medicine and supplement companies, but when we position menopause itself in the research for healthy ageing, we can reduce hot flashes and prevent menopause-related weight gain and bloating.

To get started, watch my 2-hour Masterclass On Menopause. Take control of your hot flashes and other symptoms and set yourself up for your healthy ageing years ahead of you. What could be more important?


Find Out More

References

 	Cordain, L., Eaton, SB., Sebastian, A., Mann, N., Lindeberg, S., Watkins, B., O’Keefe, J., & Brand-Miller, J. (2005). Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 81(2):341–354.
 	Freeman E.W., Sammel M.D., Lin H, Liu Z, Gracia C.R. (2011). Duration of Menopausal Hot Flushes and Associated Risk Factors. Obstet Gyncol.
 	Jonsson K, Andersson R, Knudsen E, Hallmans G. …. Landberg R. (2018). Rye and health – Where do we stand and where do we go? Trends in Food Science & Technology, 79:78-87.
 	Randolph JF, Jr, Sowers M, Bondarenko I, Gold EB, Greendale GA, Bromberger JT, et al. (2005). The relationship of longitudinal change in reproductive hormones and vasomotor symptoms during the menopausal transition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 90:6106–12.
 	Santoro N, Epperson CN, Mathews SB. (2015). Menopausal Symptoms and Their Management. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am, 44(3):497-515.
 	de Zambotti M, Colrain IM, Javitz HS, Baker FC. (2014). Magnitude of the impact of hot flashes on sleep in perimenopausal women. Fertil Steril, 102:1708–150.

### Wendy In The Media

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) in the Media				
		International Speaker, Contributor and Author onLifestyle Science for Midlife and Beyond		
					
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					Wendy gives menopause a new narrative				
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) is a pioneering voice in lifestyle science for menopause and women’s healthy ageing. With a career spanning decades in women’s health and exercise, she broke new ground with her PhD research, connecting the dots between menopause symptoms, the ageing of organs around the body, and how a woman’s lifestyle could exacerbate her symptoms. Like many good things Wendy’s journey started with a curiosity, which was why women in western countries seem to experience worse menopause symptoms than in other countries. Her findings astounded her, and now over 18,000 women and 1,000 health professionals have benefited from her knowledge. An experienced and in-demand public speaker and conference presenter, Wendy's unique take on lifestyle science for menopause and her mastery of the subject will challenge everything you thought you knew about menopause...Wendy welcomes you to contact her directly if you have a Podcast or Event that you would like her to speak at. 		
					
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					Latest Media Releases				
                            AllPodcastArticles
                
            What Women Living in ‘Blue Zones’ Can Teach Us About Menopause and Healthy AgeingDr. Wendy Sweet, founder of My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™), delves into the...Read More...
                
            Interview with Deborah Hutton, TV Presenter, AustraliaIn this enlightening interview with Deborah Hutton for nib’s The Check Up,...Read More...
                
            PODCAST: Menopause, Exercise and Healthy Ageing with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)I’m often asked about exercise for women during their menopause transition and...Read More...
                
            PODCAST: A Career in the Fitness Industry and Thriving Through MenopauseGirl. Woman. Athlete. Episode 9 with Dr Wendy Sweet from My Menopause...Read More...
                
            PODCAST: Managing Menopause with Lifestyle: Dr Deepa Grandon talks to Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)In her enlightening article on Dr. Deepa Grandon's platform, Dr. Wendy Sweet,...Read More...
                
            PODCAST: How to Thrive in Business When Menopause HitsThis episode explores how to thrive in business when menopause hits by...Read More...
                
            University of Waikato, Alumna Series: Pssst You Can Mention The M WordDr Wendy Sweet (PhD) speaks to the University of Waikato, about her...Read More...
                
            PODCAST: Menopause and ExerciseWhat describes you – are you lean and mean and usually a...Read More...
                
            PODCAST: Menopause & Inflammation with Neutraceutical Scientists!Their purpose is similar to mine – to change lives by empowering...Read More...
                
					Wendy's Presentations and Publications				
												Media and Books
					Contributed to Beyond Booze, written by Sarah RusbatchContributed to Don’t Sweat It, written by Nicki PelligrinoShe Knows Magazine, Feature Article with Dan Buettner, 2023Peri-Menopause Summit with Mamamia, 2022TV3 Breakfast Interview, 2021Daily Mail Interview, 2019Radio New Zealand Interview, 2018 
												Presentations and Conferences
					Kings College Conference – The Lifespan: Perspectives on Ageing and the Life Course (2025).Health Coaches Academy – The Science and Psychology of Menopause Weight Gain (2025).British Society of Lifestyle Medicine Conference (2024).Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine Conferences (2024 & 2023).Yoga Australia Conference (2024).Women’s Healthy Aging Innovation Summit USA (2023).Exercise New Zealand Annual Conference (2023).Nestle Women’s Health Summit – Keynote Speaker (2023).UK International Health Coaches Association Webinar (2023).Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand Association Webinar (2023).Anatomy Trains Women’s Health Symposium Speaker (2022).World Congress on Active Ageing, Melbourne (2016).Plus, various presentations for Corporate Clients and Universities across the world. 
												Public Masterclass on Menopause Presentations
					United Kingdom & Ireland:Dublin Edinburgh London LiverpoolOxfordSheffieldPortsmouthReadingBirminghamAustralia:PerthBrisbaneMelbourneMackayCairnsNew Zealand:Timaru Invercargill TaurangaDunedin ChristchurchAucklandNorthlandPalmerston NorthHamiltonTaupo
					
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					Testimonials
				
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					Julie Burns - Anatomy Trains (USA)				
		"That was a Master Class in how to deliver a Master Class!! Brilliant! So much incredible research and delivered so very well. The chat was full of gratitude. I can’t wait to review the recording- so much to learn and would love to do a series with you!”		
						 5/5		
					Marietta Mehanni – My Group Move (Australia)				
		"Thank you so much for today’s presentation Wendy. It was the perfect launching place for the rest of the day and so much wonderful feedback is still coming through from exercise instructors."		
						 5/5		
					Dr Fraser Quin, British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (UK)				
		"Thank you for your excellent conference presentation. We have had some feedback that some of the sessions were too short, and yours was certainly one of them!"		
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		A ground breaking menopause-specific weight loss and symptom reduction program.		
					
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		Designed for thinner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, low energy, hot flushes and more. 		
					
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					Rebuild my Fitness				
		 A midlife exercise program that works best after you’ve addressed menopause symptoms with Transform Me or Circuit Breaker.		
					
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					Menopause Qualifications for Health Professionals				
		MyMT™ Education - Choose from three Continuing Professional Development courses		
																														
					Introductory Level - 3 weeks				
					An Introduction to the Science of Menopause for Health Coaches				
		Introduces Health and Wellness Coaches to the physiological and psychological changes occurring in midlife		
					
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					Menopause Weight Loss Coach 				
		Learn about the unique physiology of weight gain in midlife, and discover proven lifestyle solutions for weight loss 		
					
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					Specialist Course - 12 weeks				
					Menopause Practitioner Course				
		Our most comprehensive certification, designed to enable and empower you to prescribe lifestyle solutions for menopause symptoms		
					
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### Menopause Symptoms

Menopause Symptoms		
			Learn more about the symptoms that can be caused by menopausal hormonal changes
		
		https://vimeo.com/892256611		
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			There is so much more to menopause symptoms than hot flashes
		
		As you’ve reached mid-life, have you noticed a lot of changes in your body? Are you not sleeping? Do you have joint pain? Perhaps your gut health has changed? Have you experienced heart palpitations or more anxiety? Do you feel exhausted and more forgetful? Or perhaps you have gained weight or belly fat?Menopause isn’t just about hot flushes. In perimenopause, your body goes through a variety of changes which may cause all of these symptoms and more. These may continue into post-menopause if you don’t learn how to change your lifestyle to adapt to your new hormonal environment.Symptoms you may not know are symptoms		
																										
			Insomnia		
																										
			Bloating and weight gain		
																										
			Allergies		
																										
			Heart palpitations		
																										
			Swollen or sore joints		
																										
			Blood pressure changes		
			What causes menopause symptoms?		
		From a biological point of view, our menopause transition means that the reproductive hormones oestrogen and progesterone, as well as our master pituitary hormones, are declining. But that’s not all.Oestrogen receptors are present around the body including in the brain, heart, breast, liver, uterus, bone, muscles, blood vessels and within the largest organ, the skin. As oestrogen levels naturally decline, these other areas of the body are affected too.Menopause is the gateway to our biological ageing. As such, many of our main organs are reducing in size and function too. For example, did you know that the volume of the liver can reduce up to 40% during menopause and into post-menopause?It’s no wonder so many women feel out of sorts and completely robbed of their confidence, energy and health when they reach midlife. On top of this, what we’ve done in the past to manage our health often may not work in this new hormonal environment. This is because there are so many internal factors fighting against us.		
										
																					Donna, Canada
										
			Menopause symptoms are manageable 
		
		When you reach midlife (early 40s-late 60s), your body is preparing for biological ageing and your hormonal environment changes drastically. During midlife, oestrogen and progesterone levels decline, causing a variety of symptoms.We’ll explore the most common ones below. Whatever your menopause symptoms may be, don't despair. There are natural, lifestyle solutions that are scientifically proven to relieve them.The key is to work with our changing hormones, not against them.By addressing the underlying cause of your menopause symptoms at the cellular level, not only can you experience relief from your symptoms, but you can reduce inflammation in your cells, setting you up for better health in the years to come. 		
			
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		Your MyMT Program is critical for all women. I was stumbling through menopause, but it's given me a road-map to put into action. 		
			Cindy		
			Australia		
			
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			When does menopause occur?
		
			There are three distinct phases of menopause.
		
		I often say menopause is the ‘book-end’ of puberty. It is a period in our lives when menstruation stops due to hormonal fluctuations within the ovaries and bloodstream. The average age of cessation is 48–52 years old, according to clinical studies. Western women usually stop menstruating between their mid 40s to mid 50s, unless they have a medical reason to enter premature menopause..
Source: When does Menopause occur and how long does it last?		
																										
																										
			Phase 1: Peri-menopause		
		Your periods begin to fluctuate, sometimes becoming irregular, lighter or heavier. Your ovaries are still producing oestrogen, but less of it as your ovarian follicles decline. The key thing to remember here, is that your ‘master reproductive hormones’, Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinising Hormone (LH) are still being produced in your pituitary gland. High FSH is associated with a range of symptoms including worsening hot flushes, poor sleep and changing cardiac health.		
										
																					
										
			Phase 2: Menopause		
		This is when your periods cease and the average age globally is around 51-52 yrs old.Some women go through menopause earlier or later than 51 - 52 years, and this can be due to a number of reasons such as age at menstruation, number of pregnancies, hormonal use, and your lifestyle and stress levels. If women enter menopause before 45 years, this is considered early menopause which can herald an increased risk of chronic disease, including osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. [Lancet, 2024]		
										
																					
										
			Phase 3: Post-Menopause		
		When your periods have ceased for a year or more, you are now in post-menopause.Women remain in post-menopause for the rest of their life. With life expectancy having increased dramatically over the past 100 years, women are remaining in post-menopause for longer than ever. Some women still struggle with symptoms in post menopause or develop health issues such as cardio-vascular disease and osteoporosis. It is important for you to understand how you can change your nutrition and lifestyle to optimize your brain health, bone and muscle health and heart health to add life to your years. 		
			
						TAKE THE SYMPTOMS QUIZ
					
																										
			How do you know if you’re in menopause? 
		
		Do you reach for a fan when everyone else puts on a sweater or a jumper?Can’t remember the last time you slept 8 hours?Are you putting on weight and can’t work out why?Do you find yourself struggling with joint pain and inflammation?Are you feeling anxious or experiencing mood swings?Are you experiencing digestive issues such as bloating?I encourage you to take my free menopause symptoms quiz if you're not sure. You can take this quiz to find out what stage you're at and how severe your menopausal symptoms are (in comparison to the 500,000 women who've already taken it).		
			
						Take the menopause quiz to find out
					
			What are common symptoms of menopause
		
		According to over 500,000 women who took the signs of menopause quiz, hot flushes and brain fog aren't always their top concerns. The survey results paint a different picture of menopause:		
			83%		
		The most pressing issue for women is fatigue.		
			81%		
		Struggle with sleep, which is closely linked to their fatigue.		
			80%		
		Experience sore joints that significantly impact their quality of life and activity levels.		
			76%		
		Perceive themselves as overweight.		
			73%		
		Report as being diagnosed with high blood pressure.		
			The A - Z of Menopause Symptoms
		
			Below are some common menopause symptoms. There are a lot of symptoms women face during this period, but we'll cover the ones that are most troublesome.
		
		Aching JointsAnxietyBloatingBrain FogDepressionDry SkinFatigueHeadaches & MigrainesHot Flashes / Hot FlushesHigh blood pressureIncontinenceInsomniaVaginal DrynessWeight Gain		
												Aching Joints and Muscles 
					Menopause and joint pain (880), aching joints menopause (880), sore joints menopause (880), menopause and joint aches (880)Oestrogen plays a huge role in our joint and muscle function. So, what happens as we move through menopause, when we don’t produce as much oestrogen?Our joints and tendons have oestrogen receptors. Prior to menopause, oestrogen helped our joints to stay supple. Higher levels of oestrogen help our collagen production, an important part of cell regeneration.The hormone oestrogen is also responsible for our muscles’ ability to handle heavy loads and to heal and recover overnight. Oestrogen also plays a significant role in helping tocopherol (Vitamin E) and magnesium get across the joint membranes to help keep them healthy.It makes sense then, that when oestrogen levels decline in menopause, our joint and muscle function is affected too.Are your aching joints affecting your ability to do the things you love? Maybe your knees are stiff when you get out of bed? Or your legs feel restless and heavy? Maybe you feel dizzy and lose your balance easily, which has affected your mobility?MyMT™ Restore your Joyful Joints is a mini course to help you relieve your aching jointsduring peri-post menopause.Learn More Below:www.mymenopausetransformation.com/mymt-restore-your-joyful-jointswww.mymenopausetransformation.com/sore-joints/https-www-mymenopausetransformation-com-sore-joints-menopause-isnt-just-about-hot-flushes-discover-my-4-factors-to-help-your-sore-joints-toowww.mymenopausetransformation.com/sore-joints/the-connection-between-your-sore-joints-and-changing-oestrogen-levels-during-menopausewww.mymenopausetransformation.com/sore-joints/the-connection-between-your-sore-joints-and-changing-oestrogen-levels-during-menopauseRead Testimonial
												Anxiety 
					Women are more likely to report high anxiety symptoms when in early or late perimenopause. In addition to our nervous system ageing and changing as our oestrogen levels decline, menopause-related anxiety may also be caused by an increase in inflammation in our cells and tissues, which includes our ageing brain and our nerves that allow us to function on a daily basis.As our nervous system loses the role of oestrogen in the outer layer called the myelin sheath, it becomes more ‘irritable’. Chemical messages don’t get sent properly and this increased nervous-system irritability makes our heart rate speed up and we feel more anxious.Add to this, not sleeping, too much (or too little) exercise, as well as a poor diet, and we become wired, tired, worried and anxious. For many women in mid-life, it’s not long before we experience ‘burn-out’. If we don’t allow our nervous system to calm down or give it the right nutrients, we run the risk of remaining in the ‘red zone’ of our adrenals working overtime in ‘fight and flight’ mode day after day. This spells disaster for hot flushes, depression, brain fog and of course, anxiety.Learn More below: New Research: Does daily stress affect your client’s menopause symptoms?www.mymenopausetransformation.com/anxiety/is-your-menopause-anxiety-making-you-anxiouswww.mymenopausetransformation.com/exercise-in-menopause/walk-away-menopausal-anxiety-stress-and-depressionDiscover why your increased anxiety is not just about your changing hormones in menopause.New Research: Foods to improve menopause anxiety and cognition.Find your ‘flow’ and reduce multi-tasking to manage your anxiety levels in menopause.
												Bloating 
					Bloating is a common symptom of menopause that many women experience. It is caused by hormonal changes, particularly the decrease in oestrogen levels. This is because oestrogen plays an important role in gut lining healing and repair, but if levels of oestrogen are too high, or too low, then a condition called ‘Leaky Gut Syndrome’ may develop. This syndrome may lead to worsening brain-fog, memory problems, hot flushes and poor sleep.‘Gender Medicine’ author, Dr Marek Glezerman, research showed that, in western countries alone, IBS is 4 times more common in women as they reach their menopause transition.Throughout our life, and more so after puberty, oestrogen has helped to keep inflammation in our intestines at bay. It does this by keeping the mucosal cells in the gut wall tight – effectively preventing us from developing what is known as ‘leaky gut’. Furthermore, oestrogen helps our gut enzymes to work more efficiently.Do you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? Have you started feeling more bloated? Or do you swing between being constipated and having diarrhoea? Menopause bloating and gut health can be managed by simple lifestyle changes. Dr Wendy Sweet has developed a step-by-step scientifically-evidenced plan to restore gut health in peri-post menopause.Learn More Below:www.mymenopausetransformation.com/restore-your-grateful-gut-in-menopause
												Brain Fog 
					During menopause, many women experience symptoms like forgetfulness, fuzzy head, anxiety, and difficulty thinking clearly.A sudden drop in oestrogen levels during menopause is associated with cognitive decline. (Hara, Waters et al, 2015).As we already know, the female body releases a great deal of oestrogen from the ovaries. As it circulates throughout the body, it crosses the blood-brain barrier and acts on the brain’s cells. In the brain, oestrogen helps with cerebral blood flow and maintains nerve transmission. Oestrogen also operates as an anti-inflammatory agent in the brain.As levels of oestrogen decline during menopause, this stage of life becomes a perfect storm for disruptions to our brain function and cognition. This is because brain mitochondria (where energy is produced) are affected in ways that cause inflammation.But it’s not just changing hormone levels that disrupt mitochondrial function and lead to inflammatory changes in neurons. Age and stress (both current and past) have a long-lasting and negative impact on brain Mitochondria (Professor Sarnyai).Inflammation in our mitochondrial cells is often caused by too much stress, resulting in a number of symptoms, including:fatiguebrain fog and depressionmemory loss, lack of motivation and feeling overwhelmedpain and soreness in musclesheadaches and migrainespoor sleepLearn More Below:www.mymenopausetransformation.com/brain-fog/feeling-forgetful-new-research-helps-us-understand-menopause-brain-fog
												Depression 
					Depression affects up to 25% of women at some time in their lives. Some of it is serious. Some of it is mild. What’s known is that it affects far more women than men and perimenopause is a vulnerable time, especially if women have already experienced depression in their life and/or postpartum depression.A decline in reproductive hormones during menopause impacts other important hormones, including serotonin.Serotonin is one of the main hormones that affect memory, cognition, and moods in midlife. Many studies suggest oestrogen affects cognition and mood through modulation of serotonergic function (Epperson et al, 2012). As a result, oestrogen production decline may affect serotonin levels.Serotonin production is also affected by sleep, gut health and stress. So if you’re under stress, not sleeping and experiencing menopause, bloating and other digestive issues, this too will impact your serotonin levels.But there is another important contributing factor to menopause depression – inflammation. Inflammatory changes may also contribute to Menopause depression [Jacka et al, 2018; Mattina et al, 2019]. Inflammation arrives in mid-life, not only due to changes to the hormonal production of oestrogen and progesterone, but also as cells and tissues throughout the body change. This is even more so if women have a stressful lifestyle and aren’t sleeping. The term ‘inflammaging’ has been coined to describe the link between aging and inflammation.It’s no wonder with all of these changes taking place , that midlife creates the perfect storm for menopause depression.Lern More Below:www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeyIhAw2Dpowww.mymenopausetransformation.com/mymt-education/mymt-education-the-impact-of-menopause-depression-on-stress-eating-and-weight-gain
												Dry Skin
					We also experience changes to our skin as oestrogen levels decline. It is common for most people to experience dry skin at some point in their lives, but none more so than during menopause. Age-related dry skin increases with menopause, which is the biological gateway to our ageing process. In their early 50s, some women experience extremely dry skin. For others, it gets ‘crinkly’ or ‘crepey’. Itching on the skin drives others insane. Others develop eczema. For many of you, dark spots are appearing more rapidly as well.Learn More Below:The changing sensitivity of your skin in menopause and the benefit of this tropical fruit.Why you need this powerful vitamin in your menopause transition if you are an exerciser.Menopause Supplements and Alternative Therapies for your hot flushes … what works, what doesn’t.
												Fatigue 
					One of the greatest challenges for women as they come through menopause and into postmenopause is the fact that they don’t have enough energy. 83% of women who have taken the MyMT™ menopause symptoms quiz reported feeling tired. There have been over 500,000 women who have taken this quiz, so that’s a significant number reporting menopause fatigue. So, what happens to our energy levels as we come through menopause?The first is that we’re losing muscle. Our muscles contain mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, and that’s where your energy is produced. Researchers are finding that when it comes to our metabolism, energy production, immune health repair and regeneration, our tiny mitochondria matter. As we move through menopause and age, we are losing muscle. When we lose muscle, we also lose numbers of our powerful little mitochondria.As such, we need to be looking after these organelles that are so important to energy production. We also need to retain our mitochondria in muscle cells to help to prevent muscular weakness and loss of function as we get older as well as help our immune health.Learn more about how you can preserve your mitochondria, and in turn your energy and immune health.Learn More Below:Muscle Mitochondria: The cause of the surprising changes to your energy during menopause.www.mymenopausetransformation.com/personal-stories/my-family-kept-telling-me-that-i-was-really-angry-all-the-time-i-was-always-so-hot-and-exhausted-emma-ireland
												Headaches and Migraines 
					Although the link between falling oestrogen levels and migraines has been known for over 40 years, new research shows that migraines are three times more prevalent in midlife women than men of a similar age. Migraines are the second most globally disabling condition after low back pain.Migraines occur due to a disturbance of the central nervous system, and occur more frequently due to stress. The changing nature of our blood vessels change as we lose oestrogen, and this impacts our nervous system, especially our central nervous system.The central nervous system regulates heart rate, blood pressure, our response to stress and of course, temperature regulation. However there are lifestyle changes you can make to help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.
												High Blood Pressure 
					With ageing, the female heart undergoes considerable changes as oestrogen and progesterone decline.As oestrogen naturally declines, our blood vessels lose some of their elasticity. In medical terms, it’s called vascular stiffness, and it’s very well known. This is why many women develop changing blood pressure as they come into their post menopause years.Higher blood pressure can also contribute to hot flashes and night sweats (El Khoudary & Nasr, 2022). So if you’re experiencing hot flashes, be sure to go to your doctor to get your blood pressure checked.Post Menopause Impacts Heart HealthWith the decline in oestrogen levels as women move through menopause, risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) become more apparent, especially hypertension or high blood pressure.Worldwide, 25% of adult women are hypertensive, and in the United States, more than 75% of women older than 60 years of age are hypertensive. [Lima et al., 2012]Blood pressure risk factors during menopauseYour midlife heart health offers a critical window for implementing early intervention strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk.The term ‘hypertension’ means high blood pressure. High blood pressure develops when blood flows through your arteries at higher-than-normal pressures. Whilst it’s absolutely normal for your blood pressure to change throughout the day based on your activities, lifestyle and dietary patterns, there are specific risk factors that are unique to women in menopause that are separate from genetic risk factors. This includes:history of smokingunderlying kidney diseasebeing overweight or obesehigh LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterolliving a sedentary lifestyle (or doing too much exercise)changes to reproductive hormones which impact blood vessel elasticitysleep disturbanceincreased hot flushesalcohol consumptionliver inflammationmedicationsLearn More Below:Lima, R., Wofford, M., & Reckelhoff, J. F. (2012). Hypertension in postmenopausal women. Current hypertension reports, 14(3), 254–260. doi.org/10.1007/s11906-012-0260-0www.mymenopausetransformation.com/blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-in-menopause-is-this-at-the-heart-of-your-symptomswww.mymenopausetransformation.com/blog/from-hot-flushes-to-hypertension-getting-to-the-heart-of-the-matter-through-lifestyle-change
												Hot Flashes / Flushes 
					Hot flushes occur because the body’s thermostat does not function as well when it is deprived of oestrogen. It also becomes worse when melatonin (your sleep hormone) is impacted by your changing hormones and you aren’t sleeping. This is because there is a powerful connection between our pituitary gland in the brain, where sleep hormones are produced, our thyroid, which regulates temperature, blood pressure and metabolism, and the ovaries. Our adrenal glands are part of this connection too, which is why high levels of stress also impact hot flushes.Normally and ideally, there is a good balance between the pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands, where hormones are produced. However, there are numerous factors that can cause these powerful organs to get out of balance. These factors include our changing levels of reproductive hormones, our sleep quality and quantity, too much, or not enough, exercise, stress levels, the loss of elasticity of blood vessels (which increases blood pressure) and our diet, including alcohol intake.When too much sugar or processed foods are eaten, these can have a significant impact on hot flushes. This is because, when blood glucose levels are higher than normal, the pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin. If insulin levels are high, then this can affect metabolism and temperature regulation. The result? Feelings of heat throughout the body.Learn More Below:www.mymenopausetransformation.com/hot-flashes-flushes/will-my-menopause-hot-flushes-ever-stopwww.mymenopausetransformation.com/stress/how-accumulative-stress-affects-your-sleep-anxiety-hot-flushes-and-sore-joints-in-menopauseYour dietary protein, menopause hot flushes and the Okinawan ratio.Learn why your menopause weight gain, bloating and hot flushes are connected.
												Incontinence 
					You may not know that you have an abundance of oestrogen receptors in your bladder and urethra. Because of this, as our oestrogen levels decline during our menopause transition, this may impact the function of the urinary tract in mid-life women.During menopause, changes in our urinary system can present a significant challenge. One common symptom is an irritable bladder, which can lead to urgency and leakage during exercise. These changes are attributed to the decline in estrogen levels, as estrogen plays a crucial role in the function of the lower urinary tract. In addition, the loss of estrogen’s influence on the ligaments and joints can result in pelvic floor changes, contributing to stress incontinence and heightened frequency and urgency in needing to urinate.To manage these symptoms, it is important to learn more about menopause incontinence and explore effective strategies for managing it.Learn More Below:Is your overactive bladder keeping you awake in the night?Fatigue, menopause and your ageing gallbladder: Even if you don’t have one, focus on these foods.
												Insomnia / Sleeplessness 
					MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz has been taken by over 500,000 women around the world, and 81% report symptoms of insomnia. Wakefulness, light sleeping and insomnia (not being able to get back to sleep), is linked to changing reproductive hormones during menopause. When we don’t make lifestyle changes to accommodate these hormonal changes, sleep problems can persist.During the transition into menopause, changing hormones levels can disrupt our normal circadian rhythms. This internal clock, which gradually becomes established during the first months of life, controls the daily ups and downs of biological patterns, including body temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones.The internal clock isn’t the only thing disrupted. High insulin levels, cortisol levels, and low melatonin levels can also play havoc with sleep during the menopause transition. Other factors such as low levels of vitamin D, iron, and calcium intake can also contribute to sleep disturbances.When we don’t get deep, restorative sleep between 2am and 4am, our immune system and overall health may suffer.For millions of women, not sleeping during their menopause transition sends them spiraling into more health chaos as they age. Sleep is the foundation for our healthy ageing.Not sleeping due to insomnia, night sweats, and wanting to use the bathroom, may lead to ongoing inflammation in muscles, joints, pancreas and heart. It’s partly why women end up with sore joints, aching muscles, more hot flushes and feeling bad tempered too.Learn More Below:Waking at 2am? The science of your menopause insomnia …. and why not sleeping may change your immune healthSleep all night. The connection between menopause and your sleepless nights.
												Vaginal Discomfort and Dryness
					Vaginal dryness is a common symptom of menopause due to the decline in oestrogen levels. As oestrogen helps maintain the lubrication, elasticity, and thickness of the vaginal walls, lower levels of oestrogen can result in thinning, drying, and inflammation. This can lead to discomfort, rritation, and pain during intercourse, making it important to address and manage this symptom during menopause.With age, your vagina becomes less elastic, shorter and narrower and the vaginal opening becomes smaller. Oestrogen is the primary hormone that regulates the physiology of the vulvo-vaginal tissues.Vulvovaginal atrophy refers to the specific atrophic (shrinking) changes of the vulva and vagina that occur progressively after menopause in all women. As a result of declining oestrogen, several symptoms, including vaginal dryness, irritation, and discomfort, can develop as well.Learn More Below:Dryness ‘down there’ in Menopause – an awkward topic, but Hadza tribal women experience it too.
												Weight Gain
					New research suggests that menopause is strongly associated with weight gain, a symptom for up to 70% of women (Kodoth et al, 2022). In fact, 73% of women who take the MyMT™ menopause symptoms quiz consider themselves overweight.When oestrogen production begins to decline in perimenopause, the two master hormones, Luteinising Hormone and Follicle-stimulating Hormone, are still trying to send signals to the ovaries to increase production of oestrogen, but the ovarian oestrogen receptors are ageing and dying off, so the nervous and hormonal system can get out of balance.Fat cells store additional oestrogens as we move through menopause, and the fat cells themselves produce their own oestradiol. This causes the fat cells to expand, and oestrogen can become the dominant hormone in relation to progesterone. But fat-storage is not the only part of the menopause weight-gain story. Our liver health matters too. If the liver is fatty or inflamed, it can’t clear excess oestrogens. When our liver can’t metabolise excess oestrogens effectively, our fat cells store these additional oestrogenic compounds as we move through menopause. When women have a lot of stress in their life, or they aren’t sleeping, oestrogen can decline more rapidly and some of the signals between the brain and the ovaries get out of balance.Learn More Below:www.mymenopausetransformation.com/weight-loss-programmes
																										
			What are the early symptoms of menopause 		
			Early symptoms of menopause begin with perimenopause. 
		
		What is perimenopause?Perimenopause refers to the years leading up to actual menopause which is the point in time when permanent cessation of your menstruation occurs. Globally, the average age that you enter menopause is around 51-52 years old, unless of course, you have gone into surgical menopause after a hysterectomy or after other medical interventions. Natural peri-menopause begins around your mid-40’s, but this can change according to when you began puberty or due to the age you were when you had children.Peri-menopause is usually the time when symptoms such as hot flushes/ flashes, dry or less elastic skin, weight gain, irregular bleeding, sore joints, anxiety, dizziness and/or feelings of depression and lethargy begin. It’s tough for many women and I had many of these symptoms too – which I found confusing and frustrating. At the time, what I didn’t realise, was that my body was ageing and in my mid-late 40’s, I wasn’t actually in menopause, but peri-menopause.Menopause is the stage that periods stop but the years prior to that (peri-menopause) is when our hormones are fluctuating, not only within the ovaries but within our bloodstream as well.		
			
						How to EAT in tune with your menstrual cycle in peri-menopause
					
			Take control of your menopause symptoms today
		
		For millions of women around the world, their menopause transition throws them into health and symptom chaos. But it doesn’t have to be like this at all. Menopause used to make me feel so frustrated and despondent until I began researching it.Menopause is the biological gateway to ageing. In order to age healthily, we need to understand how to manage and/or reduce inflammation. To find out how, I explored research on women's healthy aging and what I learnt astounded me.		
																										
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			Deb - Canada		
		"I've lost 25lbs (12kgs), I sleep through the night, and I can think much more clearly. The joint and muscle pain is much better. I feel like I have a life again."		
																										
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			Wendy - United Kingdom		
		"I am just so grateful that I had something to cling to through dark times, and a community that was supportive and helpful and positive. I cannot thank Wendy enough for making this her specialism and publicising natural ways of getting through this challenging period."		
																										
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			Jane - New Zealand		
		"After 25 years plus, with hot flushes, insomnia, depression, weight gain and countless other issues, I finally found Wendy! What a joy the past 12 weeks has been as I’ve been learning to live again!"		
			Symptoms vary by culture		
		Did you know that many cultures around the world don't experience the same symptoms of chaos that western women do?
A large proportion of literature looking at cultural influences on menopausal experience has focused on Japan. This interest is stimulated by the fact that Japanese women are some of the healthiest in world, outliving women in the west by five years. This is why studies on Octogenarian women living on Okinawa Island, have caught my attention in women’s health and ageing studies.
With reported lower occurrences of osteoporosis, breast cancers, heart disease and reproductive cancers, as well as no word in their dictionary for hot flushes, it is easy to assume that these differences are solely due to genetic factors, however, migration studies have shown that when Japanese women move to the United States of America their prevalence of these disorders increases to a similar rate of Caucasian American women. This change in disease prevalence suggests the importance of cultural and environmental factors to the health of women.
We can learn a lot from women in different cultures. As part of my PhD studies, I seeked to understand the social, nutritional and exercise behaviours of women living with no symptoms. Many of these women live in geographical pockets around the world, known as the Blue Zones. I share powerful insights from the Blue Zones countries with you in the MyMT™ Programmes. 		
																										
						Leanne, Australia					
			Are you ready to take back control over your health? Start by taking the Symptoms Quiz or watching the Masterclass on Menopause		
			
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			Start 2024 with a focus on you. Regain control of your weight and menopause symptoms with a scientifically evidenced, lifestyle change program. 		
		How are you feeling? Do you ever stop and think about this? Or are you too busy putting others ahead of yourself?Perhaps you are feeling bloated, hot, exhausted or confused why you are waking during the night? Have you gained weight around your middle? Are your joints aching? Do you find exercise harder than it used to be? Please don't give up on your health just yet. Thousands of peri-post menopausal women around the globe now understand how to take back control of their health by following the scientifically evidenced  MyMT™ Transform Me program. MyMT™ Transform Me is not like other weight loss programs. It has been purposefully designed by Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), to get to the root cause of what causes women to gain weight during their menopause transition.Many of us understand that estrogen and progesterone are declining from our early 40s, but did you know that these hormones also impact other parts of the body, including our fat cells, gut, muscle, heart and liver, all of which are involved in weight loss physiology? With so many internal factors fighting against us, it's hard to know where to start. That's what Wendy has taken care of for you with this powerful, symptom program. You will learn how to work with your hormones, not against them. You won't be counting calories or be on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients and lifestyle changes are evidenced to help to reduce your symptoms and support sustainable weight loss. Wendy is also here to support you every step of the way in the Coaching Community. Let's embark on this transformative journey together and reclaim your energy and vitality. Make 2024 the year you take control of your health.		
																														
						 5/5		
		I am reflecting on the year that has been 2023. In the dying days of 2022, my resolution was to do something about my downward spiral, get some control over my symptoms and lose some weight. It wasn’t long before the Transform Me Program showed results in terms of improved sleep. Within a month I had started to lose some weight [now 9kg after 11 months]. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling tired and sluggish. The coat I am wearing, I couldn’t do it up 12 months ago. Thank you Wendy and the MyMT™ Community!		
			Kathryn J		
			NSW, Australia		
			
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			New Year, Healthier You! Sale on Now.		
			For the month of January take advantage of our biggest sale of the year. 		
		Once you get in control of your symptoms and weight with MyMT™ Transform Me, it's important to get moving again and stay active as you age. Which is why for the first time ever, we are offering MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness at a bundled, discount rate. You choose which option works for you!		
			Transform Me - Symptom Reduction and Weight Loss Program		
			Save NZ$100 (Reduced to NZ$199*)		
																														
		*Price reduced from NZ$399 to NZ$199 (approx. £95, US$120, CA$163 subject to exchange rate fluctuations)		
			Add Rebuild my Fitness - Menopause Specific Exercise and Program		
			Bundle and save NZ$300 in total (Total Price NZ$298*)		
																														
		*Rebuild my Fitness price reduced from NZ$399 to NZ$99 when purchased with Transform Me.  The combined price is NZ$298 (approx. £145, US$183, CA$248 subject to exchange rate fluctuations)		
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			Payment plans available		
																														
			Julie, Sue and Tineke didn't just lose weight on Transform Me. Julie got her sleep back, Sue relieved her knee pain and Tineke just felt "so happy"		
																														
						 5/5		
			Julie - UK		
		"My sleep has improved a great deal. In fact, I might go as far as saying I get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night!! And the result is I just released 22 lbs. What magic is this MyMT™ Program?"		
																														
						 5/5		
			Sue - Austria		
		"After many years of struggling with my weight, I've lost 4kgs, I'm sleeping and my knee pain has disappeared."		
																														
						 5/5		
			Tineke - New Zealand		
		"I gained 20kg in 3 years as I didn't understand menopause. Now it's all gone and I have plenty of energy again. My depression has also gone and I feel so happy."		
			
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						 5/5		
			Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers		
			About the MyMT™ Programs		
																														
			100% Online		
		Educational webinars, action plans, recipes and support delivered to your inbox. 		
																														
			Self Paced		
		Watch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.		
																														
			Easy to implement		
		Practical strategies that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle. 		
																														
			Coaching Community		
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), and incredible women from around the globe, are here to support you every step of the way. 		
												What the MyMT™ Transform Me program teaches you: 
					Over the 12 weeks you will receive 7 foundation modules and bonus optional modules which teach you how to: Lose weight by working with your hormones not against them (without endless physical exercise and dietary regimes that we know are hard to stick to when we have so much going on in)Sleep all night without having to pee!Reduce your hot flushes/flashes and night sweats.Relieve your aching joints and muscles so you can start enjoying the activities you love again. Reduce your brain fog, anxiety and stress. As you will learn, when stress hormones are high, they have an impact on our sleep, body weight and temperature control.Restore your liver and gut health and reduce any inflammation so that you can improve absorption of healthy nutrients that are essential to your health as you age. This will help you to regain your energy and reduce bloating. Improve your breathing, thyroid and brain health  – these factors are known to impact weight loss too.Meet the specific nutritional needs of your body as you move from peri to post menopause (many women don’t realise that their nutritional needs change as they stop menstruating).Optional modules: Reduce dizziness or balance issues which may be troubling you. Reduce vaginal dryness. Lifestyle solutions for reducing your risk of Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes and Osteoporosis as you age. Lifestyle solutions if you are on HRT* or Anti-depressants (I don’t interfere with any medications your Doctor has placed you on).*There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programs, as Wendy focuses on turning around your symptoms with lifestyle changes (e.g. nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, nutrient absorption etc.). All of these lifestyle changes are suitable for women on HRT, and many women have had success reducing the symptoms which HRT is not designed to help.  Learn more here. 
												What the MyMT™  Rebuild my Fitness program teaches you: 
					After you get your symptoms under control with Transform Me, it’s really important that you start to restore your fitness so that you can remain active as you age.In the following 12 weeks you will receive 6 foundation modules and an exercise video library which teach you:How your fitness needs change as you move from peri-menopause to post-menopause. This includes adapting your exercise frequency, intensity, time and type (F.I.T.T) to accommodate your changing hormonal environment. The right type of exercise to reduce your risk of heart-disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. Strategies to exercise safely, with the right posture, to reduce your risk of injury.How to restore your core and pelvic floor muscles to tolerate exercise.How to improve your balance.How to gain muscle when estrogen and progesterone are declining.The nutrients your body needs before and after exercise.How to rebalance your energy intake – the amount and types of food you need based on your exercise levels (or if you are training for an event). Learn more here. 
			As part of Transform Me and Rebuild my Fitness you receive: 		
										Support every step of the way in the MyMT™ CommunityPerhaps you are struggling to put a particular change in place or need a bit of motivation to get going. 
I've been there. All I wanted was someone to talk to about what was going on. 
In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask me or others questions. 
With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.Action PlansEach video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions to focus on over the fortnight. We call it the Daily Dozen.Food Guide and Hundreds of RecipesThe MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.Emails to keep you on trackWendy's weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.Solutions to Support you at WorkWhen we spend nearly a third of each day in a work environment, it's important that we can translate these solutions into our working day too. Our bonus videos from one of New Zealand's leading Workplace Wellness Coaches give you practical strategies for managing stress, motivation and energy levels at work. Add on Rebuild my Fitness and access an exercise video library Containing body weight strength exercises, resistance band exercises, core exercises, stretches, breathing methods and physiotherapy exercises. 				
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			Payment plans available		
																														
			As part of Transform Me and Rebuild my Fitness you receive: 		
																														
			Support every step of the way  in the MyMT™ Community		
		Perhaps you are struggling to put a particular change in place, or need a bit of motivation to get going again. I've been there. All I wanted was someone to talk to about what was going on. In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask me or others questions. With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.		
																														
			Action Plans		
		Each video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions I want you to focus on over that fortnight. We call it the Daily Dozen.		
																														
			Food Guide and Hundreds of Recipes		
		The MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.		
																														
			Emails to keep you on track		
		Wendy's weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.		
																														
			Exercise Library (Rebuild my Fitness only)		
		Access an exercise video library with body-type specific workouts, stretches, pelvic floor and balancing exercises, breathing exercises and more.		
			It's time for 2024 to be different! Take the first step here. 		
			
						BUY NOW
					
			Insert Promo Code: JANUARY24		
			Payment plans available		
																														
																														
						 5/5		
							I was 52, exhausted and feeling like I had hit rock-bottom. The MyMT™ program made me realise I could change things. This has been totally life changing for me. 
														Nicky, UK
			
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			MyMT™ Program FAQ		
												What can I expect in the Transform Me Program?
					With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. Over the 12 weeks, you will receive seven learning modules, and you can also access optional bonus modules. e.g. for women who are on HRT or Anti Depressants or who have Gut Health issues. A module is released in your learning hub each fortnight containing an educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length, where Wendy explains the scientific reasons for your symptoms and the lifestyle changes you can make to relieve those symptoms. Each module also contains a downloadable action plan for you to put in place over the fortnight, as well as bonus articles if you want to read more about the science behind your symptoms. As part of the program, you also receive the MyMT™ Food Guide which explains the powerful nutrients we need as we age. For example, if you are still menstruating then your iron needs differ to those of you who are in post-menopause. You will also receive access to hundreds of recipes and cooking videos, a 6-week walking plan and bonus videos which focus on managing menopause in your workplace. Even though everything is delivered online, you will not be alone. You will be invited to join the incredibly supportive MyMT™ Coaching Community (private Facebook group). This is where you can ask Wendy or other members questions, and be inspired by others who have gone before you. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes suggested. Wendy’s weekly emails are there to support you to stay on track and help you problem solve. 
												What can I expect in the Rebuild my Fitness Program?
					This program works best once you have addressed your symptoms with Transform Me. Not only does it help you stay active as you age, but it introduces healthy habits which help guard against heart disease and stroke, two of the biggest killers for our age group. 
It is an exercise program that you can do in your own time, at your own pace without feeling like you have to do high intensity exercise or restrict your eating.
Just like Transform Me, throughout the 12-weeks you will receive seven learning modules. A module is released each fortnight containing:

An educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length. You can listen to the webinar as a podcast, or sit down and watch it, as Wendy talks to slides. 
A downloadable action plan of the lifestyle changes and exercises for you to put in place over the fortnight
Bonus information if you want to learn more about certain topics e.g. post-workout recovery foods.  

As part of the program, you also receive access to the MyMT™ Exercise Library which contains menopause workout videos, core, resistance band and breathing exercises, stretches and a 6-week walking program.  
You will also receive recipes for pre and post-exercise nutrition. 
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.  As my own health was changing and as my symptoms became worse, I began to understand that if we don’t take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause our post-menopause years are likely to lead to worsening health.  My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to reset your hormones, you address the cause and not just the symptoms of menopause.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  You can read more about my story here. “Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					MyMT™ programs do work, and there are two main reasons for this. Firstly because Wendy teaches you scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to work with your hormones, rather than fighting against them. And secondly because of our uniquely designed support strategy which involves spreading out your learning and giving you practical, easy to implement strategies to turn your new learnings into lifelong habits. But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website. And once you join the program ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Community.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												I'm not looking to lose weight, is Transform Me right for me?
					If you are not struggling with your weight, you may like to explore MyMT™ Circuit Breaker, which is designed  to help you turn around your hot flushes/flashes, sleep disturbances, sore joints, bone health, gut and liver health, brain-fog and mood swings, so that you restore your energy and ‘break the circuit’ of your menopause symptom chaos. From there we address other hormonal imbalance issues caused by diet, stress and modern living. If you aren’t sure whether you are suited to Circuit Breaker or Transform Me, please take the Symptoms Quiz so that Wendy can help you decide. We are happy to honour the January sale discount for Circuit Breaker as well. 
												Do the programs involve medication or supplementation?
					There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programs, as Wendy focuses on turning around your symptoms with lifestyle changes (e.g. nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, nutrient absorption etc.). If you are on menopause hormone therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage risk of osteoporosis, risk or heart disease, metabolic risks or mental health risks), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.No matter whether you are on MHT or not, the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flashes, improve your sleep quality, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.
												Does the program involve a diet?
					Every bit of research shows that the types of food we eat, and how we eat are critical to our symptom management and our healthy ageing, so food is an important part of the program. Following the women’s healthy ageing and longevity research, Wendy has centered these programs around the Mediterranean Diet which she has modified to include the essential nutrients for women in midlife. When you come on this program, you won’t be counting calories or be on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients help to reduce your symptoms, and what whole foods you can eat to get those nutrients. We know food is such a confusing topic, so Wendy is here to support you through these changes. The MyMT™ Food Guide explains the ‘Why’ of midlife weight gain. Then our recipes, meal ideas and cooking videos show you the ‘How’ you can reach a healthier weight. Women all over the globe are also sharing their meals in the MyMT™ Community every day, so you will never be at a loss for ideas or support.  
												What do I need to access the program? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. You do not need to belong to Facebook to join this program. But if you are a member, this is the best place to access Wendy’s coaching support.  
												What if I don't have enough time?
					If we told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  We hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead! As Wendy always says, it’s not a race, and it takes time to turn change into habits.Although the programs are 12 weeks long, you are welcome to move as slowly as you need. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and my support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. 
												How much do the programs cost?
					The MyMT™  programs usually cost NZ$399* each, but for the month of January MyMT™ Transform Me and Rebuild my Fitness are ON SALE for you. This is our biggest sale of the year, so please don’t delay. MyMT Transform Me is reduced to NZ$199* ($100 savings). MyMT Rebuild my Fitness is reduced to NZ$99** when purchased as a package deal ($300 in total savings)If you wish to extend your access to the modules after 12 weeks there is a small subscription fee of NZ$12.50 per month. We have part-payment options for you too, where you can pay once per month throughout the 12 week period. Part payment fee applies. Purchase risk free with our 14-day money back guarantee.[* approx. £95, US$120, CA$163 – exchange rate varies on the day][** package price approx. £145, US$183, CA$248 – exchange rate varies on the day]
												How long can I access my program for?
					For as long as you need! Each program lasts for 12 weeks but as Wendy always says, it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with us 5 years after they started their journeys. After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and my coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50*. You can cancel your subscription at any time. [* approx. AUS$11.50 – exchange rate varies on the day]
			NEW YEAR, HEALTHIER YOU - SALE ON NOW		
		For the month of January take advantage of our biggest sale of the year on MyMT™ Transform Me and Rebuild my Fitness. 		
					
							
										Save $100 off MyMT™ Transform Me (NZ$399 down to NZ$199 - approx. £95, US$120, CA$163) 
									
								
										Bundle with MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness and save $300 (total price reduced from NZ$598 to NZ$298 - approx. £145, US$183, CA$248) 
									
						
			
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			MyMT™ Women are getting back to doing the things they love. Will you join them?		
												
																					Dani, USA
										
												
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						Dani, USA					
						Susi, Switzerland					
						Donna, Canada					
						Rosie, Switzerland

### Menopause Health Coach

Menopause Coach Certification 				
					An Introduction to the Science of Menopause for Health Professionals. 
Online CPD Course by Women's Health & Ageing Expert Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
					
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									Watch Intro Video
					
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										CPD / CEU Approved
									
						
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) introduces you to the science of menopause in this introductory-level online CPD course, exploring the physiology and psychology of midlife women.		
					Every midlife woman needs a Coach who truly understands menopause and the effect it has on her behaviours. Learn evidenced, client-centered behaviour change strategies specific to this stage of life, to empower your clients to turn intention into action.
				
					If you are interested in our 12-week advanced course to specialise in menopause symptom reduction, please visit the Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course page and check the eligibility criteria. 				
		100% ONLINEComplete in your own time, from anywhere in the world		
		3 WEEKSVideo modules, PDF summaries, scientific references and bonus articles		
		CLIENT RESOURCESMotivational interviewing questions, articles and recipes		
		CPD CERTIFIEDBy NBHWC, UKIHCA, HCANZA, NZREPS, BSLM and the CPD Certification Service.		
		COACHING COMMUNITYDr Wendy Sweet (PhD) is here to answer your questions		
					Become A Menopause Coach				
					The secret to successful behaviour change is truly understanding your client cohort				
		https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyPCNyNNI7UTo achieve sustainable and positive health behaviours, evidence suggests that for those people who desire these changes, support in behaviour change techniques that promote self-efficacy, self-determination and self-responsibility, are an important determinant for ‘success’. (Robinson & Morrow, 2016)But, clients also need more than ‘just support’ to change their health behaviours. They need Health Coaches and Practitioners who have the knowledge, understanding and empathy specific to the stage of life that they are in – their menopause transition.This is the purpose of this introductory Menopause Health Coach course. The menopause transition is not only a time of reproductive changes, but changing health, including mental, cardiovascular, joint and metabolic health. This is because declining oestrogen and progesterone levels have a powerful impact on other parts of the body, including the liver, muscles, blood vessels, fat and brain cells. It is now well researched that many of these health changes respond positively to lifestyle modification, which as a Health Coach, you are central to supporting them with. But how do we support women to make lifestyle changes when the behavioural research confirms they lack time, energy and motivation? Understanding the physiological and psychological changes midlife women experience allows you to not only be empathetic to their needs, but to coach behaviour change strategies from an evidence-based framework.		
																														
							
			
				"Every PhD starts with a curiosity.  I set out to explore the meanings that women between the ages of 50 to 60 years, had given to their health as they aged. 
Every single woman I interviewed  positioned healthy ageing in undertaking daily vigorous exercise. But for many of my subjects, their vision of health wasn't going so well. They spoke of sore joints, insomnia, weight gain, brain fog, palpitations and exhaustion. My curiosity has led me here to you. Bringing your attention to the research specific to women's healthy ageing and behaviour change is my passion."			
											Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)
					
					
									Meet Wendy
					
					MyMT™ Education Newsletter for Health Professionals				
		Menopause is having its moment and the research is moving rapidly. Stay up to date with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and receive exclusive discounts delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. 		
					
									Sign up 
					
					Menopause Coach Certification				
					How this course will help your coaching				
		Menopause coaching starts with understanding. The hormonal changes that women experience in midlife are complex. Add to this the compounding effects of ageing on the glands, nerves, muscle fibres, blood vessels and brain, and it’s no wonder there is so much confusion around menopause. It is my aim to distil the complex physiology in a way that is easy for you to share with your clients and empathise with.		
		The research is there.  All of the puzzle pieces just needed to be put together. Through many years of study, I have pulled together the most relevant women’s healthy ageing and behavioural change research to help you join the dots between hormone changes, ageing science and behavioural science.		
		Midlife women are one of the hardest demographics to coach, because what they have done in the past to manage their exhaustion, sore joints, sleep, weight and anxiety suddenly isn’t working for them anymore. Add to that their lack of time and energy, and you may be finding that they are struggling to implement changes you suggest. On this course I provide you with tangible examples of motivational interviewing questions, relapse prevention strategies and menopause support strategies that I use with my clients every day.  		
		As part of this course, you can join me in my private Menopause Coaching Community for MyMT™ Practitioners. In a fast moving menopause market, I am here to keep you up to date with the latest scientific research and to answer your questions.  		
					Are you ready to add menopause coaching to your toolbox?				
							
							
									
								
											
										Discount available for members of our CPD certification bodies. Click here to contact us to receive your promo code. 
											
									
						
					
									Enrol now
					
																														
																														
					Testimonials from  MyMTTM Menopause Health Coaches				
																														
						 5/5		
					Linda - NZ				
		"If you are working with mid-life women in the Health Coaching space, this information is vital to know. So many women just don't understand what is happening with their bodies, as I didn't either."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Cathy - USA				
		"As a certified Health & Wellness Coach I thoroughly enjoyed this course. I walked away with some great new insights, tools, & strategies to apply into my personal and professional life."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Leona - Australia				
		"Wendy is the queen of knowledge on the subject of menopause. She has delivered a powerpack of information that certainly challenges the status quo of what the medical paradigm has us believe what menopause is. This course has provided me with a great understanding of menopause and ageing for midlife women and beyond."		
					
									Read More
					
					An Introduction to the Science of Menopause 				
					Certification Outline				
																														
												Week 1 – What is Menopause and Why Does it Matter?
					Video Module Length: 1 hourIn Module 1, I want to help you understand why the menopause transition is so influential on a woman’s health as she ages. We will explore the three distinct phases of a woman’s menopause transition, the common symptoms of menopause, and the symptoms that aren’t being talked about. Then we will explore why menopause is such a vulnerable time for women and their health and look at the inflammatory conditions which are now evidenced to be associated with the menopause transition. You will come away with an understanding of why menopause is the ‘perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes’.
												Week 2 - An Introduction to the Physiology of Menopause. 
					Video Module Length: 1 hour‘Not enough focus is placed on women-specific issues like miscarriage or menopause, and women are under-represented when it comes to important clinical trials. This has meant that not enough is known about conditions that only affect women, or about how conditions that affect both men and women impact them in different ways.’ [Policy Paper, Women’s Health Strategy for England, 2022]Module 2 introduces you to menopause physiology, including key concepts in hormonal physiology. We will explore the three stages of menopause that women transition through as the ovarian function declines – perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause and how this affects homeostasis (balance) of other hormones in the body as a natural part of female ageing. For example, did you know that the sleep hormone melatonin changes as a result of the decline in oestrogen to try to sustain homeostasis? No wonder women then don’t have the energy to adhere to the lifestyle changes we suggest if their sleep is impacted by declining oestrogen.  I will also introduce you to the compounding affect that the physiological changes due to ageing can have on a woman’s symptoms and health. This section explores topics such as inflammation, cardiovascular health, weight gain, gut inflammation, sarcopenia, osteoporosis and fibromyalgia. 
												Week 3 –  The Psychology of Lifestyle Behaviour Change Specific to Women in Midlife
					Video Module Length: 1 hourThere are two questions that we will explore in this important module. Firstly, why might women struggle to change their lifestyle behaviours in menopause? And secondly, as a Health Coach, how can you support them with evidenced strategies, specific to their age and stage of life?In this module, we explore what the Exercise and Nutritional Behavioural Research tells us about the factors that determine poor adherence for midlife women and how to tailor your motivational interviewing questions and support strategies with midlife menopause and behaviour change research in mind.
												Looking for lifestyle solutions for symptom reduction or weight loss?
					This introductory course is packed full of content about the science and psychology of menopause. But, if you want to dive deeper into symptom reduction please look at our 12-week Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course or the 6 week Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course. 
					Are you ready to discover client-centred behaviour change strategies specific to midlife women?				
							
							
									
								
											
										Discount available for members of our CPD certification bodies. Click here to contact us to receive your promo code. 
											
									
						
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Testimonials from  MyMTTM Menopause Health Coaches				
																														
						 5/5		
					Linda - NZ				
		"If you are working with mid-life women in the Health Coaching space, this information is vital to know. So many women just don't understand what is happening with their bodies, as I didn't either."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Cathy - USA				
		"As a certified Health & Wellness Coach I thoroughly enjoyed this course. I walked away with some great new insights, tools, & strategies to apply into my personal and professional life."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Leona - Australia				
		"Wendy is the queen of knowledge on the subject of menopause. She has delivered a powerpack of information that certainly challenges the status quo of what the medical paradigm has us believe what menopause is. This course has provided me with a great understanding of menopause and ageing for midlife women and beyond."		
					
									Read More
					
					Menopause Coach Certification FAQs				
						Antonia, Mindset and Behaviour Coach					
						Sheryl, Gym Owner and Wellness Coach					
												How is this course run?
					The MyMT™ Introduction to the Science of Menopause Course runs for 3 weeks and everything is delivered online, so you can complete it from anywhere in the world. You can expect to devote 1.5 – 3 hours per week to this course.Our comprehensive course includes:  Self Directed LearningOne pre-recorded module will be delivered to your inbox each week (approximately 1 hour) Downloadable PDF summary of each moduleBonus articles so you can dive deeper into some of the difficult symptoms of menopause, and share these with your menopausal clients. Weekly emails to motivate you and keep you on track with your learnings. Reflection questions for you to summarise your key learnings. These questions are for your own benefit and are not graded. All scientific references are provided should you wish to further your learning. Bonus Education and Support through our MyMT™ Education CommunityWhat makes MyMT™ so unique is access to Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) via her private Coaching Community, exclusively for the use of MyMT™ Education Members. In a fast moving menopause market, Wendy is here to keep you up to date with the latest scientific research as well as to share examples of what the thousands of women on the MyMT™ programs are discussing. As part of this course, you receive 4 weeks of free access to the Coaching Community. If you are enjoying this community, you can stay for as long as you like for a small subscription fee of $15 / £15 per month.  Assessment At the end of the course you will have the opportunity to cement your learning through a multi-choice quiz. This is a requirement as part of our CPD certification. CertificateAfter passing the Multi-Choice Quiz you will be awarded with a certificate and badge which recognises your new qualification. 
												Who is the course instructor? 
					Hi, I’m your Menopause Coach, Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD] – MyMT™ Founder & Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher.When my symptoms overwhelmed me and I put on over 15kg of weight during menopause, despite eating healthy and exercising, I knew there must be something else going on. I made it my purpose to understand.Although my original career was as an ICU nurse, I re-trained in Sports & Exercise Science and pioneered the Personal Training industry in New Zealand. Managing one of the largest gym-based Personal Training teams in the world, meant my role as a Coach, developing health behaviour-change strategies that promoted self-efficacy, self-determination and self-responsibility with clients, was extensive.Once I left the fitness industry, I became a University lecturer and taught a number of papers that were focused on Health Promotion, Health Behaviour Change, Nutrition and Exercise Prescription.But I was so interested in how to help midlife women change their lifestyle behaviour, that I undertook my Master’s studies in this area. I then went on to complete my Doctoral studies to explore women’s health and ageing through the midlife years. I’m so pleased I did, as it led me to set up My Menopause Transformation. My sole purpose is to educate both women and Health Professionals about how to manage the menopause journey using evidenced lifestyle change science.  I’m excited to share my findings with you in this course. You can read more about my story here.
												Am I eligible for this course?
					No matter whether you are a Health or Exercise Professional, Counsellor, Therapist or a certified Health, Wellbeing or Life Coach, if you are working with women in peri-menopause, menopause or post-menopause, then this course is for you. Please ensure you are qualified to work with clients in a health related capacity, and have the relevant insurance in place to do so. If you are a member of the NBHWC, UKIHCA, HCANZA, NZReps or BSLM then this course qualifies you for CPD points. Please reach out to Georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com for your  discount code.  By joining our MyMT™ Education newsletter community, you will receive notifications of future exclusive offers to our members.  
												Why train with MyMT™ Education? 
					Change women’s livesHow do I know you can do this? Because women tell me what a difference the MyMT™ Programs have made to their lives. Read their testimonials here. Gain clarity and confidence with menopause discussionsAre you confused by the abundance of conflicting evidence and opinions? My aim is to help you to cut through the chaos, providing you with the latest, evidenced women’s healthy aging research, presented in a way that is easy to understand and follow with your own clients.  Exclusive insights Throughout the course I will share the insights gained from the 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz and the 15,000+ women on the MyMT™ Program. This will put you a step ahead of your competition by enabling you to prepare for the questions you could get from your own clients.Grow your businessYou’ll expand your knowledge about women’s mid-life health, enabling you to better help your existing clients, deliver new offerings and retain clients for longer.
												How many CPD / CEC Points is the Course worth?
					This menopause health coach certification has been reviewed and endorsed as a Approved Continuing Professional Development Course by: The National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). Provider number: CEA-000264-1 – 3 pointsThe UK & International Health Coaching Association (UKIHCA) – at your discretionHealth Coaches Australia and New Zealand Association (HCANZA) – at your discretionNew Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (NZREPS) – 3 pointsThe British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM) – your discretion.The CPD Certification Service (Internationally Recognised) – your discretionIf you are a member of one of these organisations, please get in touch with Georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com for your unique promo code. 
												What is the cost of this course?
												What is the MyMT Education Coaching Community?
												How long can I access my course material for?
					Your course material is valid for 6 months, or as long as you like if you are paying for the Coaching Community monthly subscription.Our aim is to give you plenty of time, so you can revisit the modules after the course has finished. Because you always take in something different the next time around!
												Looking for a more advanced / comprehensive course?
					MyMT™ currently has three CPD certified courses for Health Professionals. The Menopause Health Coach Course is our introductory-level course, the Menopause Practitioner Course is our most comprehensive course and the Menopause Weight Loss Coach solely focuses on the complexities of midlife weight loss. Menopause Practitioner Course: Want to deep dive into the menopause transition and become certified to prescribe lifestyle changes for symptom reduction?This comprehensive, hands-on 15-week course explores the physiology and anatomy of peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause in detail and provides you with solutions to help your clients improve their sleep, energy, hot flashes, brain fog, sore joints, irritable gut and more. You will also learn about behaviour change theories, risk screening, menopause supplements and marketing techniques unique to midlife women. This is a hands-on course, where I meet with you each fortnight over zoom to answer your questions and support you through a case study exercise with a real life client. Therefore, this course is limited to 30 participants per intake.  Menopause Weight Loss Coach:Are your midlife clients frustrated that they can’t lose weight?The key to their success is dependent on a range of physical, psychological, social, behavioural and even environmental factors. This 6-week self-paced course will provide you with an in depth understanding of the physiology and science of menopausal women’s weight gain and equip you with easy to implement, nutrition, exercise and behaviour change solutions to achieve sustained weight loss success. You can start this course at anytime and move at your own pace. 
												Not quite ready to complete this course?
					The research confirms that midlife women require a completely unique approach when it comes to their health coaching and health care. I am a strong believer that knowledge is power and that every Health Professional should be empowered to understand the menopausal transition. If you are not quite ready to take this course, but still want to upskill, then the best place for you to start is by watching my Masterclass on Menopause*. This is my 2-hour webinar which I tour around the world. It’s packed full of science-based information and some lifestyle change solutions that you can implement with your clients straight away.*Masterclass on Menopause price = NZ $15 (Approximately AU$14, UK£8, €14, US$11, CAD$14). Reduced from my live ticket price (NZ $35). 
					FAQs				
												How is this course run?
					The MyMT™ Health Coach Course runs for 3 weeks and everything is delivered online, so you can complete it from anywhere in the world. You can expect to devote 1.5 – 3 hours per week to this course.Our comprehensive course includes:  Self Directed LearningOne pre-recorded module will be delivered to your inbox each week (approximately 1 hour) Downloadable PDF summary of each moduleBonus articles so you can dive deeper into some of the symptoms of menopause, and share these with your midlife clients. Weekly emails to motivate you and keep you on track with your learnings. Reflection questions for you to summarise your key learnings. These questions are for your own benefit and are not graded. All scientific references are provided should you wish to further your learning. Bonus Education and Support through our MyMT™ Education CommunityWhat makes MyMT™ so unique is access to Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) via her private Coaching Community, exclusively for the use of MyMT™ Education Members. In a fast moving menopause market, Wendy is here to keep you up to date with the latest scientific research as well as to share examples of what the thousands of women on the MyMT™ programs are discussing. As part of this course, you receive 4 weeks of free access to the Coaching Community. If you are enjoying this community, you can stay for as long as you like for a small subscription fee of $15 / £15 per month.  Assessment At the end of the course you will have the opportunity to cement your learning through a multi-choice quiz. This is a requirement as part of our CPD certification. CertificateAfter passing the Multi-Choice Quiz you will be awarded with a certificate and badge which recognises your new qualification. 
												Who is the course instructor? 
					Hi, I’m your Menopause Coach, Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD] – MyMT™ Founder & Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher.When my symptoms overwhelmed me and I put on over 15kg of weight during menopause, despite eating healthy and exercising, I knew there must be something else going on. I made it my purpose to understand.Although my original career was as an ICU nurse, I re-trained in Sports & Exercise Science and pioneered the Personal Training industry in New Zealand. Managing one of the largest gym-based Personal Training teams in the world, meant my role as a Coach, developing health behaviour-change strategies that promoted self-efficacy, self-determination and self-responsibility with clients, was extensive.Once I left the fitness industry, I became a University lecturer and taught a number of papers that were focused on Health Promotion, Health Behaviour Change, Nutrition and Exercise Prescription.But I was so interested in how to help midlife women change their lifestyle behaviour, that I undertook my Master’s studies in this area. I then went on to complete my Doctoral studies to explore women’s health and ageing through the midlife years. I’m so pleased I did, as it led me to set up My Menopause Transformation. My sole purpose is to educate both women and Health Professionals about how to manage the menopause transition using evidenced lifestyle change science.  I’m excited to share my findings with you in this course. You can read more about my story here.
												Am I suited to this course?
					We strongly believe that the practice of Health Coaching should be at the centre of the health care model, because health coaches are activators and enablers of self-care.No matter whether you are a Health Professional, Fitness Professional, or a certified Health, Wellbeing or Life Coach, if you are working with women in peri-menopause, menopause or post-menopause, then this course is for you. If you are a member of the NBHWC, UKIHCA or HCANZA then this course qualifies you for CPD points. Please reach out to Georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com for your  discount code.  By joining our MyMT™ Education Newsletter Community (at the bottom of this page), you will receive notifications of future exclusive offers to our members.  
												CPD Certification Bodies
					This course has been reviewed and endorsed by the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching (USA) and Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand Association (HCANZA). Certification is also in progress with the UKIHCA. If you are a member of one of these organisations, please get in touch at Georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com for your unique promo code. 
												What is the cost of the course?
												What is the MyMT Coaching Community Subscription?
												Why train with MyMT™ Education? 
					Change women’s livesHow do I know you can do this? Because women tell me what a difference the MyMT™ programs have made to their lives. Read their testimonials here. Gain clarity and confidence with menopause discussionsAre you confused by the abundance of conflicting evidence and opinions? My aim is to help you to cut through the chaos, providing you with the latest, evidenced women’s healthy aging research, presented in a way that is easy to understand and follow with your own clients.  Exclusive insights Throughout the course I will share the insights gained from the 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz and the 15,000+ women on the MyMT™ Program. This will put you a step ahead of your competition by enabling you to prepare for the questions you could get from your own clients.Grow your businessYou’ll expand your knowledge about women’s mid-life health, enabling you to better help your existing clients, deliver new offerings and retain clients for longer.
												Not quite ready to complete this course?
					The research confirms that midlife women require a completely unique approach when it comes to their health coaching and health care. I am a strong believer that knowledge is power and that every Health Professional should be empowered to understand the menopause transition. If you are not quite ready to take this course, but still want to upskill, then the best place for you to start is by reading the hundreds of articles I have written over the years, and then watching my Masterclass on Menopause*. This is my 2-hour webinar which I tour around the world. It’s packed full of science-based information and some lifestyle change solutions that you can implement with your clients straight away.*Masterclass on Menopause price = NZ $15 (Approximately AU$14, UK£8, €14, US$11, CAD$14). Reduced from live ticket price (NZ $35). 
												What other courses does MyMT™ Education offer? 
					MyMT™ currently has three CPD certified courses for Health Professionals. Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course: Want to deep dive into the menopause transition?This 12-week course posits menopause in the women’s healthy ageing science, exploring the physiology and anatomy of peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause in detail and provides you with solutions to help your clients improve their sleep, energy, hot flushes, brain fog, sore joints, irritable gut and more. You will also learn about behaviour change theories, risk screening and marketing techniques unique to midlife women.Menopause Weight Loss Coach:Are your midlife clients frustrated that they can’t lose weight?The key to their success is dependent on a range of physical, psychological, social, behavioural and even environmental factors. This course will provide you with an in depth understanding of the physiology and science of menopausal women’s weight gain and equip you with easy to implement, nutrition, exercise and behaviour change solutions to achieve sustained weight loss success.
					Coaching 'the change' starts with understanding				
							
							
									
								
											
										Discount available for members of our CPD certification bodies. Click here to contact us to receive your promo code. 
											
									
						
					
									ENROL NOW
					
																														
																														
																														
						 5/5		
		Wendy is such an amazing teacher. She is able to break down anything into simple-to-understand information that everyone can use. Her research, her vast experience with her own clients and the real-life examples she provides are pots of gold, literally. 		
					Aimee 				
					Health and Endurance Coach				
					
									Read More
					
					Explore Other Menopause Courses				
							
						Menopause Practitioner Course12-week Specialist Course					
						
							
						Menopause Weight Loss Coach 6-week Course 					
						
							
						12-week Programs for Women in Menopause

### MyMT™ 2023 Mid-Year July Post-Menopause Sale NOW ON

Are you in post-menopause but still struggling with not sleeping, sore joints, low energy, palpitations, bloating and weight gain? Are you still feeling 'hot' and experiencing night sweats despite being on HRT?Are you tired of taking endless expensive supplements that don't seem to be working now that you're in post-menopause?  Did you hope that everything would change once you got through menopause, but it hasn't? If this sounds like you, then I know how you feel! That's exactly how I felt too - confused and frustrated! Through my studies on women's health and ageing, I began to understand that as I moved from menopause to post-menopause, there are physiological changes going on within our muscles, liver, gut, heart and brain that continue to affect our health in our ageing years. In many ways these changes are even more important than our changing hormone balance in menopause. Because of these physiological changes, many women keep putting on weight in post-menopause and/or their menopause symptoms  persist as well. It's tough, and it can be quite frightening when you don't understand why. In a desperate attempt to turn their health around, too many women are also following generic diet and exercise advice better suited to younger women. However, in post-menopause, we need a different approach. One that takes into account our changing cardiac, joint, gut and liver health.  If this is you, then will you join me over the next 12 weeks? My July post-menopause intake is open for you right now and I have a wonderful offer for you, when you apply the promo code MYMTJULY		
			Watch my video to learn more....		
		https://vimeo.com/724331383/98859073c6?share=copyIn addition to my NZ$75 July promotional discount, for the first time ever, I have added ADDITIONAL BONUS MODULES on heart health, gut health and joint health (absolutely free but valued at $150).If you are ready to tackle your post-menopause health and weight with a systematic, scientifically-evidenced program based on lifestyle solutions from women's health and ageing research, then my 12 week online post-menopause specific transformation program is ON SALE for you from now until the end of July 2023.Additionally, for those of you who want to restore your exercise capability in a gentle, progressive, post-menopause specific approach, you can also choose to up-grade your order by adding on my 12 week Rebuild My Fitness program too - you decide.Purchase Transform Me by itself and receive 3 free bonus modules valued at NZ$150 AND save NZ$75 off our normal retail price. But don't just stop there - ADD ON Rebuild My Fitness in our combo deal and save a further NZ$200 off the normal purchase price.Transform MeA ground breaking post-menopause-specific weight loss and wellness program.		
																														
		Everything you need to know to stop gaining and start losing post-menopausal weight using evidenced lifestyle changes strategies. Includes BONUS MODULES for restoring Gut, Joint and Cardiac health in post-menopause. Discover how to take back control of your health as you age.This month only NZ$224* including my three POST-MENOPAUSE BONUS MODULES (you save $75) or part-pay over 3 months.[approx. AUS$204, UK£109, €127, US$138 or CA$183]Use the promo code MYMTJULY		
			
						Buy Now
					
			
						More Info
					
		*  Group Coaching support is FREE for first 3 months and $12.50 per month thereafter.ADD Rebuild My FitnessThe type of exercise we need as we get older is different. We don’t need to slow down or stop, we just need to think differently, and change our approach.		
																														
		Re-Build My Fitness is a healthy exercise program designed specifically for women during and after menopause. Kick start your exercise with a focus on how your exercise needs change during this important time of your life.This month only NZ$99* when purchased as a COMBO with Transform Me (total price NZ$323) or part-pay over 3 months.  [approx. AUS$295, UK£157, €183, US$199 or CA$264]Use the promo code MYMTJULY		
			
						Buy Now 
					
			
						MORE INFO
					
		*  Group Coaching support is FREE for first 3 months and $12.50 per month thereafter.		
																														
		If your post-menopause health has changed, then I want to encourage you to address this so you can enjoy better health in years to come.Menopause is the transition from your reproductive years into your ageing years.  It's also a time of our lives when we become vulnerable to changing heart, joint and gut health and of course, the compounding health issues that come with post-menopause weight gain too.    If I told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to my modules and then make a plan for the week ahead using my brand new Transform Me Food Guide as well as other fabulous information I have for you, to turn around gut, joint and cardiac health, could you find that hour?  I hope so! If you can find an hour a week to watch my webinars, download and read the Daily Dozen summary sheets, use my Food Guide that is packed full of information and recipes for you, and start to make the changes in your life that will help your body to adjust to post-menopause, then please let me help you, to help yourself.That's how so many women have become successful with their long-term weight loss by following this program and joining my coaching support group. You do it in your own time and at your pace, but with my un-conditional support.		
																														
		Learn anytime, anywhere.  It's all online.  When you follow the MyMT™ program you will;learn to sleep through the night againstop your post-menopause weight gaindiscover how to improve post-menopause liver healthlearn how to manage your changing heart healthimprove your gut health and reduce bloated feelingsreduce joint and muscle pain that is related to your changing hormones as you make another hormonal 'shift' into post-menopause.lose weight and restore your energydiscover how to feel like your old-self again.Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD], MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  When my own symptoms over-whelmed me and the endless supplements and medications I was taking weren't working, especially for my weight , I decided to tackle menopause and post-menopause!  It was time to put our mid-life and older years into wellness, not sickness.   Through my women's healthy ageing studies I began to understand that if we don't take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause, then our post-menopause years can throw us into worsening health.  As my own health was changing as my symptoms became worse, I researched how we can turn this around and manage menopause using specific lifestyle change strategies that we need to put into action at this time of life.  Most lifestyle programs are not targeted for our changing hormonal environment in our post-menopause years. However, this is the time when we are moving into the next phase of our life -  our ageing. As such, there are numerous changes that occur due to a relatively new condition that researchers have discovered called 'inflammaging'. Armed with the knowledge that our post-menopause weight and health management needs to follow the women's health and ageing science is now helping women discover how to feel so much better. "Life-changing" is the common theme! I would love you to join me throughout July 2023, so I can help you to turn around your post-menopause health and re-discover the 'old-you' again., just as Linda (below) did too.		
																														
			
						PURCHASE NOW
					
			Choose MyMT™ Transform Me or buy both programs to double your results....		
									
						Transform Me					
						Transform Me is for women who are putting on belly-fat. This fabulous program teaches you how to sleep all night, reduce hot flushes and manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of your post-menopausal weight gain. Includes BONUS MODULES to help you restore joyful joints, improve your heart health and turn around gut health.  

Buy Now
More Info

On SALE NOW only NZ$224* including 3 massive BONUS modules. Save NZ$75 and spread payments over 3 months. Use the promo code  MYMTJULY					
		Approximate currency conversion -  AUS$204, UK£109, €127, US$138 or CA$183*  My personalised Coaching Support is FREE for the first 3 months and $12.50 per month thereafter		
									
						ADD Rebuild My Fitness					
						Re-Build My Fitness is an online women’s healthy ageing exercise program.  Including Body-Type Specific exercises, workout programs and videos designed specifically for women in menopause (or post-menopause) to get fit, get strong, get toned and for some of you, get slim, or just get motivated!  Find out more or buy now... 
Buy Now
More Info

On SALE NOW only NZ$99* when purchased as a COMBO DEAL with Transform Me. Save NZ$200 and spread payments over 3 months. Use the promo code  MYMTJULY
		Approximate currency conversion - AUS$295, UK£157, €183, US$199 or CA$264*  My personalised Coaching Support is FREE for first 3 months and $12.50 per month thereafter.		
						“I've been trying to lose my belly fat for 5 years.”
I can't believe it!  I've been trying to lose my belly fat and reduce my cholesterol for 5 years.  I've now lost 15lbs and Wendy's transformation program has been a life changer!.					
						
								LisaWisconsin, USA			
						“You encouraged me to deal with the changes in menopause rather than be a victim.”
After hearing your advice to sleep through the night, you gave me the confidence to think good sleep was normal during menopause.  I also relaxed about sleep and if I had a bad night I usually caught up the next night. 
						
								JaneWales, UK			
						“I love how my energy levels have returned now that I sleep all night.”
I have adjusted my diet with the many tips, and the encouragement to slow down the pace of live has done me a lot of good.					
						
								SuziSwitzerland			
		Are you ready to restore your post-menopause health? I hope so. because my July intake is underway and I can't wait to support you.  		
			If you aren't satisfied then I do offer a 
7 Day Money Back Guarantee.

### Education Newsletter

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        Timor-Leste
        Togo
        Tokelau
        Tonga
        Trinidad and Tobago
        Tunisia
        Turkey
        Turkmenistan
        Turks and Caicos Islands (the)
        Tuvalu
        Uganda
        Ukraine
        United Arab Emirates (the)
        United Kingdom
        United States
        United States Minor Outlying Islands (the)
        Upper Volta
        Uruguay
        Uzbekistan
        Vanuatu
        Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
        Viet Nam
        Virgin Islands (British)
        Virgin Islands (U.S.)
        Wallis and Futuna
        Western Sahara
        Yemen
        Zambia
        Zimbabwe
      
    Profession *
      
        autocomplete="a473"
        Please select one
        Nutrition Professional
        Naturopath
        Physiotherapist or Chiropractor
        Nurse
        Doctor
        Exercise Professional
        Therapist or Counsellor
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    I understand that my email address will be used to send me MyMT™ newsletters, information about menopause health and occasional marketing. I understand that I can subscribe from these emails using the unsubscribe link at any time. *
    Sign Me Up

### MyMT™ Visible Results Spring Sale Northern Hemisphere

Save NZ$75 off Transform Me and add on Rebuild My Fitness to increase total savings to $225
Promo code: SPRING23

buy now


Intro video

MyMT™ is privileged to have supported 15,000+ women to rediscover their health, vitality and energy in menopause and post-menopause, and is trusted by:

Visible Results Spring into Summer Sale ON NOW
Save NZ$75 off Transform Me and add on Rebuild My Fitness to increase total savings to $225
Promo Code: SPRING23

BUY NOW


Intro video

MyMT™ is privileged to have supported 15,000+ women to rediscover their health, vitality and energy in menopause and post-menopause, and is trusted by:

Do you feel that no one can tell you why you keep gaining weight or your gut health is changing and yet no one has the answers you are looking for?
If so, then will you join me on my Spring into Summer Visible Results Sale?
While hormonal medications and supplements are often promoted to women as the only solution to managing menopause symptoms, health researchers actually say that lifestyle modifications should be the first choice for all women with menopause-related weight gain (Stachowiak et al, 2015).
Numerous women face challenges with the transition through menopause and into post-menopause. But perhaps one of the most challenging concerns is the change to metabolic health and fat distribution. The same thing happened to me when I put on 15kg of weight.
It was learning about metabolic syndrome in menopause (the collective name given to high cholesterol, altered insulin function, weight gain, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes) that changed all that for me.
It motivated me to explore the science of women’s weight gain, and of course, how to stop gaining and start losing – without crazy diets or exercise.
So, if you are fed up with feeling hot, sweaty and overweight, as I used to feel, then please join me throughout the month of June.  There is still time to get Visible Results before the dreaded summer heat arrives. 
Throughout the month of June, save $75 off Transform Me or double your results by adding on the menopause and post-menopause exercise program, Rebuild My Fitness, and save $225. 

BUY NOW

Watch my video to learn more
https://vimeo.com/756275208portrait=0&byline=0
“At 58 I'm feeling the best I've felt in years.
Hourly hot flashes, restless sleep and gut health problems impacted my job. So, I signed up to MyMT™ as feeling tired and miserable was no longer an option."

PatriciaCanada

"Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun.
I'm now sleeping, have lost 17lbs (8kgs) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life-changing."

KateUnited Kingdom

“I feel like I have a life again.
I've lost 25lbs (12kgs), I sleep through the night, the joint pain is gone and I can think much more clearly."

DebraCanada

“I didn't like looking at myself in the mirror, but now I do!
I've lost 7kg, my energy is back, I'm back running and my blood work is perfect. I can't thank you enough."

MartinaIreland

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READ MORE TESTIMONIIALS

Impediments to Weight Loss During Menopause
Oestrogen Dominance 

Did you know there’s a scientific reason so many women put on weight in menopause?

This is because our changing hormonal environment can lead to a condition known as ‘Oestrogen Dominance’. When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle for them, many put on weight. This is because our fat cells store oestrogen. When this happens, the role of progesterone changes too and this can cause insulin and another stress hormone called cortisol to get out of balance too.

This is what I help you to manage. Because as I discovered, when left unmanaged, not only do your hot flushes and sleep become worse, but your health starts to change too. All of which takes a toll on you in your post-menopause years.

MyMT™ Transform Me guides you through these changes, helping you adapt to your new hormonal environment.

Impaired Sleep

Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep, with much of this going on our belly and under our diaphragm.

So forget the gym, a good night’s sleep is the answer to your menopause weight loss. But that’s easier said than done when you’re suffering from increased cortisol, hot flushes and joint pain. Being awake night after night means that a hormone called insulin remains higher than usual overnight, which interferes with the production of your sleep hormone called ‘melatonin‘.

As sleep deprivation accumulates, it can increase the risk of heart problems, anxiety and depression; resulting in even more sleepless nights. MyMT™ Transform Me helps you to break the cycle of sleepless nights, so you lose weight and stay healthy.

Thyroid Imbalances 

Every cell in the body depends upon thyroid hormones for regulation of their metabolism. So when the thyroid gets out of balance, due to lowering oestrogen levels, and we aren’t changing our diet to get the extra iodine and tyrosine we need, and we’re not sleeping, then all of these things combined can lead to a thyroid that isn’t quite able to do its job properly. This is why changes in thyroid function in menopause can lead to weight-gain and for many women, worsening hot flushes.

Gut Health

Research about the importance of gut microbiome has been widely reported in recent years. As you transition menopause, lower levels of oestrogen impact on your gut health. Many women find that this is a time when they experience more gut issues which leads to poor absorption of nutrients. But it doesn’t have to be this way. As you discover the best foods to eat during menopause with the MyMT Food Guide, while learning how to sleep all night, you can restore your gut health.

Increased Insulin

How many women do you know who continue to put on weight in their midlife years, despite being on a good eating regime and exercising daily? Insulin sensitivity is known to worsen with advancing age and increasing central obesity (diaphragmatic and abdominal obesity) results. High levels of cortisol are the main reason for developing insulin sensitivity, but so too is a condition called estrogen dominance. If you are putting on menopause weight, then undoubtedly your insulin levels will be changing too. To address this you need to focus on lowering your cortisol levels and balancing your estrogen.

Increased Cortisol 

Have you heard of cortisol? Cortisol helps control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, reduce inflammation and assist with memory. It also has a controlling effect on salt and water balance, so it also helps control your blood pressure. But when we produce too much of it, our bodies hold on to fat reserves as a survival mechanism. That’s why managing stress levels is crucial for weight management. When cortisol levels are in balance again, you will reduce insulin sensitivity and stabilise your blood sugar levels; only then will you stop gaining weight during menopause.

Joint Pain 

Did you know that we have oestrogen receptors in our muscles, joints and tendons? This is why during menopause, when oestrogen is lowering, our joints feel stressed and our muscles ache more. It’s worse when we can’t sleep because our usual overnight healing and repairing function disappears as well. Having healthy joints is vital for weight management because we need to be able to walk and move more. This is why joint health is part of your Transform Me programme.

Chronic Inflammation

Many diseases are formed due to an accumulation of inflammation in cells and tissues; and we are now just starting to learn of the possible connection between inflammation and depression. We are the first generation of women to have high levels of inflammation accumulating in our liver, gut, muscles, joints and fat cells. This has a powerful effect on our symptoms as well. MyMT™ Transform Me shows you how to reduce inflammation at this critical stage of life.

Muscle Density Changes 

One of the outcomes of menopause is that as you lose muscle density. Consequently, you also lose the number and size of mitochondrial cells. These beautiful cells store oxygen and this is where fat is burned. In menopause and as a natural part of our biological ageing, we lose precious mitochondrial cells which wreaks havoc on menopause fat-burning potential. MyMT™ Transform Me


Choose MyMT™ Transform Me or buy both programs to double your results....
Transform Me
A ground breaking menopause-specific weight loss and wellness program.

Transform Me is everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopausal weight using scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions.

This powerful program teaches you how to sleep all night, reduce hot flushes, restore your energy, stop your joint aches, reduce brain fog and manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of your menopausal weight gain.

 	Buy Now
 	More Info

On SALE NOW only NZ$224*. Save NZ$75.

Use the promo code SPRING23

* Approximate currency conversion - UK £105 | €120 | CAN$182 | US$130


ADD Rebuild My Fitness
Rebuild My Fitness is a healthy exercise program designed specifically for women during and after menopause.

The type of exercise we need as we get older is different. We don’t need to slow down or stop, we just need to  change our approach.

Learn how to rebuild your fitness, strength, balance, bone and joint health with menopause appropriate exercise and activity levels.

 	Buy Now
 	More Info

On SALE NOW only NZ$149 when purchased with Transform Me. Save NZ$225 and spread payments over 3 months.

Use the promo code SPRING23
Save $75 off Transform Me
A ground breaking menopause-specific weight loss and wellness program.

Transform Me is everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopausal weight using scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions.

This powerful program teaches you how to sleep all night, reduce hot flushes, restore your energy, stop your joint aches, reduce brain fog and manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of your menopausal weight gain.

 	Buy Now
 	More Info

Promo code SPRING23

*Approximate currency conversion - UK £105 | €120 | CAN$182 | US$130
ADD Rebuild My Fitness and save $225
The type of exercise we need as we get older is different. We don’t need to slow down or stop, we just need to  change our approach.

Re-Build My Fitness is a healthy exercise program designed specifically for women during and after menopause. Learn how to rebuild your fitness, strength, balance, bone and joint health with menopause appropriate exercise and activity levels.

 	Buy Now
 	More Info

Promo code SPRING23
How the MyMT™ Programs Work


Read more testimonials

Visible Results
SPRING into SUMMER SALE - ON NOW
NZ$399
NZ$
224

 	Add Rebuild My Fitness for total savings of NZ$225
 	Part-payments also available
 	*Approximate currency conversion of Transform Me - UK £105 | €120 | CAN$182 | US$130


BUY NOW 
Promo code: SPRING23
How the MyMT™ Programs Work
12 weeks duration.
Complete in your own time (modules released fortnightly).
Seven video modules to solve your symptoms. PDF summaries and guides included.
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) is with you every step of the way in the private coaching community.
A guide to the nutrients you need. Over 100 recipes and meal plans.
Join a community of global women just like you. You will never be alone. 
12 weeks duration.
Complete in your own time (modules released fortnightly).
Seven video modules to solve your symptoms. PDF summaries and email support included.
Join the global community of MyMT™ women who will support you along your way.

Coaching from Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) in the global MyMT™ Community

The private Facebook group is your opportunity to ask me questions and connect with women all over the world who are going through menopause with MyMT™.
With over 2,000 women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.

Action Plans

Each video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions I want you to focus on over that fortnight. I call it the Daily Dozen.

Emails to keep you on track

My weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.

Bonus Information

You’ll discover why your joints are sore, why you feel dizzy or why your heart health or gut health is changing. For those of you overweight, I've also researched the best intermittent fasting routine for midlife women.
Women tell me that they love these bonus modules that help to make sense of their 'symptoms that they don't know are symptoms'.

Food Guide and hundreds of recipes

The MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.




Visible Results
SPRING INTO SUMMER SALE - ON NOW
NZ$399
NZ$
224

 	Add Rebuild My Fitness for total savings of NZ$225
 	Part-payments also available
 	*Approximate currency conversion - UK £105 | €120 | CAN$182 | US$130


BUY NOW 
Promo code: SPRING23
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the MyMT™ approach unique? 

We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.

As my own health was changing and as my symptoms became worse, I began to understand that if we don’t take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause, then our post-menopause years are likely to lead to worsening health.  My health became my project and I applied my women’s healthy ageing research studies specifically to understand how to turn around menopause health through working with our hormones, not against them.

And now my experience is available for you too!  While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is and is where we need to begin.

So if you join me, you will be able to learn anytime, anywhere as it’s all online.  But what is more, when you follow the MyMT™ program you will;

 	learn to sleep through the night again
 	lose weight and regain your energy
 	relieve stress, tension and anxiety
 	reduce accumulated joint and muscle pain
 	improve your health and feel like your old-self again.

For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  I would love you to join me so I can help you turn around your sleep, energy and other symptoms, and re-discover the ‘old-you’ again.

You can read more about my story here. 

How does it work from a scientific perspective? 

From a biological point of view our menopause transition means that the reproductive hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, are declining as part of our ageing. We all know that puberty is the period when oestrogen and progesterone first arrive, so in effect menopause is the opposite or the book-end to puberty.

With oestrogen receptors found all around the body, including in your skin, brain, gut and liver, it’s no wonder that there are so many ‘symptoms that we don’t know are symptoms’.

Some women will have severe symptoms right from perimenopause to post-menopause – sometimes lasting for 10 or more years. But here’s the thing. Menopause is relatively unique to us as a species. And 100 years ago, it might not have been a problem, simply because we didn’t live very long. With 1 billion women projected to be in menopause by 2025, the world is facing a situation without precedent – we are living longer in post-menopause than ever before.

As I mention in my 2hr online Masterclass on Menopause, your menopause symptoms are your body attempting to compensate for the changing balance between your hormones. Sometimes, those same hormones end up fighting each other instead of adjusting. But every one of your symptoms is reversible if you change your lifestyle and allow your body to adapt to its ‘new normal.’

This is what MyMT™ teaches you – all the scientifically evidenced step-by-step lifestyle strategies which help you to understand how to work with your changing hormones in menopause and post-menopause, not against them.

How is the program run?

In your private learning hub, the MyMT™ programme of your choice is delivered to you progressively over a 12 week period. A module is released each fortnight containing an educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length, where I explain why your symptoms are occurring and the lifestyle changes you can make to relieve those certain symptoms. Each module also contains downloadable PDF summaries with your action plan for the fortnight, as well as bonus articles packed with lots more information and tips.

As part of the programme, you also have access to the MyMT™ Food Guide, hundreds of recipes, cooking videos and meal plan suggestions! My goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes I suggest.

You will also be invited to join my private Facebook coaching group*. This is where you can ask me questions, get inspired by others, and read my coaching posts. With 7 years worth of informational coaching posts in this group, you are bound to find the answers to your questions, or someone who has experienced similar symptoms to you.

*Access to the MyMT Coaching Community (Facebook Group) is included for the 12 week programme. Should you wish to stay in the Facebook group beyond 12 weeks, you can subscribe for NZ$12.50 per month. 

Does this program involve supplements or hormonal medications? 
There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programmes – If you are on menopause hormone therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.
No matter whether you are on MHT or not, then the MyMT™ programmes have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me programme teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.
Do the programs work?

Explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website.

Once you join the programme ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Group.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programmes are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates.

Will I need to go on a diet? 

Nutrition is an integral factor in reducing both menopause symptoms and/or weight gain. There are no calorie restriction diets within the MyMT™ programmes. Instead, I focus you on a Mediterranean diet approach, modified for the stage of menopause you are in, which is strongly evidenced against women’s healthy ageing. The emphasis is on eating healthy, whole foods, increasing fibre, and eating to maintain blood sugar levels.

What do I need to access the program? 

All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later.

You do not need to belong to Facebook to join this programme. But if you are a member, you can access my coaching support.

I'm not sure I have enough time...

If I told you that all it takes is 1 hour a week to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  I hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead!

How much does the program cost?

The MyMT™  programmes are usually NZ$399 but throughout June SAVE $75 off Transform Me and $150 off Rebuild my Fitness. That’s NZ$225 in total savings.

We have part-payment options** for you too, where you can pay once per month throughout the 12 week period.

**Part payment fee applies. 

How long can I access the course materials? 

For as long as you need! The program lasts for 12 weeks but I always say that it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with me 4 years after they started their journey.

After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and my coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
Take control of your own health
My research has proven that menopause is not an illness, it is a natural stage of life and that the stresses and unreal expectations of our modern world have changed how our bodies deal with what should be a transition to a new healthy stage of life, not an illness that needs to be treated .

My programs are designed to educate you and help you to reset and balance your body to its natural state during menopause. MyMT™ programs are not a diet or exercise program. They are about developing new daily routines that will set you up to live a full and healthy life as you move through menopause.

Now is the best time to join us to set yourself up. Make 2023 your year to take control and remember what it felt like to have a great nights sleep, reduce joint pain, manage your weight and get rid of hot flushes.

Join now and you will get a special price of just NZ$224* to access my full Transform Me program as well as my bonus modules and personal coaching. Add my Rebuild My Fitness, a menopause and post-menopause exercise program, for only another NZ$149 to reset your fitness too.

* Coaching support is FREE for first 3 months and $12.50 per month thereafter.
We are so confident in our product that we offer a
7 Day Money Back Guarantee.

### MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course

MyMT™ Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course				
																														
					Empowering and certifying you to work with peri to post menopause clients using lifestyle science solutions				
							
							
										Pre-register for our January 2026 Intake Now
									
								
										Early bird sale starts December 1st 2025
									
						
					
									Pre-register now
					
					
									Watch Intro Video
					
							
							
										Learn from Women's Health & Ageing Expert Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by over 18,000 Women and 1000 Professionals
									
						
					Help your clients manage symptoms & age well with a Menopause Certification				
					
				
		The MyMT™ Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive and empowering certifications available for health professionals who want to support women in midlife and beyond.While menopause conversations are often dominated by pharmaceutical solutions, this course offers a new path forward in lifestyle science. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a pioneering researcher in Lifestyle Solutions for Menopause & Women's Healthy Ageing, brings together her decades of knowledge and experience, coaching 18,000+ women, into this 12-week CPD Certification.Graduates have described the course as the ‘missing piece they’ve been searching for’ — a ‘complete road map to women’s health’. This is because Wendy doesn’t just teach the science, she translates it into practical solutions that actually work for busy women.		
																														
					12 week course.
Delivered entirely online.				
																														
					Evidenced lifestyle solutions, proven on thousands of women				
																														
					Hands on support from Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), including live zoom calls				
																														
					Put your learning into practice - develop a screening form and work with a real life case study client				
																														
					Opportunity to grow your business by becoming a MyMT™ Affiliate Coach				
					Eligible for CPD points with: 				
											
					From Nutritionists, to Exercise Professionals, Physios, Nurses, Doctors and Complimentary Medicine Professionals, there is something for everyone in this menopause practitioner course				
								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“I have done so much medical training with local and overseas Practitioners over the past 20yrs and have never had women’s health presented in such a whole-body system that makes so much sense.”								
				
				
				
					Cheryl				
				
				
				
					Naturopath				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Wendy’s Menopause Practitioner Course is, without doubt, one of the most comprehensive and empowering sources of knowledge on female health, physiology, and the menopausal transition available today. It is an exceptional platform—truly a one-stop resource—where complex health issues related to menopause are explained with clarity, depth, and evidence-based insight.								
				
				
				
					Georgina				
				
				
				
					Fitness Professional and health coach				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“Gosh what a wonderful course. I absolutely loved it. As a GP working in the field of menopause I learnt so much. I have found Wendy’s course so informative and use the knowledge from Wendy’s course every day with my patients.”								
				
				
				
					Dr Julie				
				
				
				
					GP				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
							
								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“The Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course has been transformational. I can help support women in a much more practical way. The content of the course is something that I have been looking for some time. It is has opened my eyes to the different ways we can manage our symptoms that does not cost much.”								
				
				
				
					Karen				
				
				
				
					Cancer Coach				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
							
								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I’ve received certifications in menopause and women’s health that have helped build my practice, but the course Dr. Wendy Sweet (PhD) has created is thorough, science-backed, and lifestyle-forward. She connects the dots for health practitioners!								
				
				
				
					Dr Diedra				
				
				
				
					Doctor of Physical Therapy				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More
					
					
				
								
				
				
				
					
				
				
							
					Are you looking for the confidence to work with women in midlife and beyond?				
		Midlife is a confusing time. Not only for women, but for us as health professionals because the things we have done to help our clients manage their health in the past, suddenly no longer work as well.Hi, my name is Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a women’s healthy ageing educator and founder of My Menopause Transformation. Most health professionals joining me on this course are just like I was. Despite all our knowledge, in midlife our body may take on a life of its own. Alternatively, we see it in our clients.For me, waking night after night, endless hot flushes, aching muscles and 15kg of weight gain left me very concerned about my health. So, we set to work on trying to feel better. We spend hours ‘googling’, listening to so-called ‘experts’ and spend hundreds of dollars trialling products… but we often come to a dead end because of the lack of scientific information specific to midlife women, or conflicting opinions based on generic solutions, which don’t take into account the stage of menopause women may be in, nor their body-type.    When I presented my PhD 10 years ago, I argued that we had forgotten what ‘normal menopause is’ - no-one has been looking at menopause hormonal changes within the context of the ageing female body. Furthermore, each symptom was being looked at in isolation… but the body and the hormones don’t work in isolation. When we take a holistic view, we then better understand that there are oestrogen receptors located around the body, so in a low oestrogen environment almost all of the major organs are affected. Coupled with the changes our body is experiencing due to ageing and inflammation, midlife becomes the perfect storm for health chaos.But my PhD studies, and now the 18,000+ women on the MyMT™ programs, have proven how powerful lifestyle change can be. I encourage you to read their testimonials when you get a chance.That’s why I developed the MyMT™ Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course. I want to take you on a journey and help you connect the dots, not just through knowledge, but through powerful lifestyle solutions, so that you too deliver evidenced, effective and enduring change for your clients.I hope you can join me for the next intake. I look forward to meeting you on the live zoom calls. https://youtu.be/vHed2W9LMFY		
					Next Intake Commencing January 2026. Pre-register now. 				
							
							
									
								
									
								
										Early bird sale commences 1st December 2025
									
								
										Please enure you meet the eligibility requirements in the FAQs.
									
						
					
									PRE-REGISTER NOW
					
																														
																														
					Menopause Course Highlights				
					This course is designed to set you up for success as a Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner.				
																														
					A Comprehensive Curriculum				
		By the time you graduate you will be confident and qualified to... explain the physiological and psychological changes occurring throughout midlife, determine a women's stage of menopause, explain how a women's lifestyle and life-course is contributing to her symptoms, tailor your risk factor screening processes, run symptom reduction programs using lifestyle change solutions, tailor your advice for peri to post-menopause, use behaviour change techniques specific to midlife women and so much more. 		
																														
					Confidence you are receiving the most up-to-date research				
		Through decades of research, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) has pulled together all of the various puzzle pieces in women's health, ageing and behaviour change research to provide you with the most relevant research today.This also means that every solution is aligned with the cardiovascular, osteoporosis, dementia, cancer and metabolic syndrome research, so you know you are setting your clients up to age well.  All scientific references provided. 		
																														
					Practical solutions ready to use straight away				
		Every solution has been tried and tested by the thousands of women who have done the MyMT™ programs. Women tell us they can incorporate these solutions into their busy lifestyles like second nature.... which makes them more sustainable over the long term. I encourage you to read some of their stories here. 		
																														
					Put your learning into practice in a supported environment				
		You will learn about the risk stratification questions you should be asking your midlife clients, and design your Menopause Screening Form.You will also put your knowledge into practice with a real life Case Study Client. Past practitioners love it when we come together at the end of the course to discuss all of the different clients. It will be like you have worked with 10 clients!		
																														
					Unique insights into real women				
		Every week, Wendy will walk you through real life case studies of women on the MyMT™ programs and share findings from her Masters research which focused on the key determinants of sustainable behaviour change in midlife women.These unique insights will help you to problem solve and prepare for your client's obstacles, frustrations and tricky questions.		
																														
					Tools to succeed in the menopause market				
		It's easier said then done to know how to incorporate your new knowledge into your business. That's why you receive a special bonus module on the Business of Menopause. Once you graduate, you may also apply to become a MyMT™ Affiliate Coach so that you can earn a commission by coaching women through MyMT™ Transform Me and Circuit Breaker.		
								
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Wendy you are a true inspiration, your research and dedication in this field surpasses anything else I have come across. You have helped me both personally overcome menopause symptoms and professionally, understand what is happening in our aging bodies.								
				
				
				
					Liz				
				
				
				
					Reflexologist				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“This course has been life transforming. We weren’t taught these things in medical school. I feel very grounded to coach women in this stage of life!”								
				
				
				
					Priscilla				
				
				
				
					Health Coach (Former Doctor)				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“Wendy’s training gave me necessary knowledge, level of expertise and most importantly confidence to deliver presentations on the connection between mental health and peri-menopause.”								
				
				
				
					Luba				
				
				
				
					Psychotherapist				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“I’ve spent years searching, from reading books, listening to podcasts, visiting countless websites and I’ve never come across such in-depth, practical information all in one place. I’m genuinely so grateful. This experience has been a game-changer, both professionally and personally.”								
				
				
				
					Lisa				
				
				
				
					Holistic Counsellor				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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					MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course				
		Pre-recorded webinars & downloadable summaries		
		Course reading eBook		
		Live Q&A workshops with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)		
		Video webinars 		
		Downloadable summaries		
		Live Q & A workshops		
		Course reading eBook		
												Live Calls Throughout the Course
					Throughout the course you will have the chance to dive deeper into certain topics and have your questions answered on live calls with Wendy. There will be a live zoom call every 3 weeks (the times and dates will be confirmed once the course sells out, so we know where the majority of our Practitioners are located). During the introductory zoom call, Wendy and Georgia (Course Convener) will set the scene for the course, and will then ask everyone to introduce themselves. This is your opportunity to connect with Practitioners from all over the world leading the way in women’s health. 
												Week 1: Menopause in the context of Women's Health and Ageing Science
					2 x 45 minute modulesDuring Week 1 Wendy introduces you to the relevance of menopause within a woman’s life course. You will learn about the theories of ageing, how your client’s lifestyle to date has had an impact on her experience through menopause, why the menopause transition is such an important life stage and why it is essential to get symptoms under control for women to remain healthy in their post-menopause years. We will also delve into the history of menopause, including why it has been medicalised. During this module Wendy will challenge the current menopause medicalisation paradigm with lifestyle science research.
												Week 2 and 3: The Physiology of Menopause 
					Week 2 and 3 are all about midlife physiology and hormonal physiology.We will explore the three stages that women transition through in midlife as the ovarian function declines – perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause.At the end of Week 3, you will be able to describe the major physiological changes and symptom changes at each stage and identify common disorders of the HPA – Thyroid Axis in relation to menopause changes. + Live Workshop – Ask Wendy any questions you have about midlife physiology. 
												Week 4: Making Sense of Menopause Supplements and Pre-Screening 
					Part 1: We will explore the key complementary and alternative menopause supplements that your clients might be taking and how these are evidenced to affect their health through menopause. Part 2: Women in menopause need tailored risk stratification pre-screening processes. We will explore the important pre-screening questions you should be asking your clients and you will also learn how you can ethically and responsibly bridge the gap between your client and their GP based on their risk stratification.
												Week 5: Let's take a break and work on your Screening Form
					During Week 5 we take a break from the modules so that you can develop your menopause pre-screening form, and then submit it to Wendy for feedback.
												Week 6: Food for Thought (Menopause Nutritional Science)
					Have you tried endless diets with your clients which don’t reduce their menopause symptoms and/or don’t work in the long term?Nutritional type and timing are crucial for your client’s symptom management. Diets may destroy the hormones which help to manage appetite, fullness and long-term health. For numerous women who have lived busy, stressful lives over many years, this may have led to a disturbance of the factors that influence their eating patterns and behaviours.In Week 6 we cover the specific nutrients evidenced to reduce menopause symptoms and why you need to adapt your approach for leaner women and overweight women, as well as peri-menopause and post-menopausal women. 
												Week 7: Fostering Sustainable Behaviour Change in Midlife Women
					To prepare you for working with a case study client, Wendy will share examples of the commonly asked questions from women on the MyMT™ programs.Furthermore, because there are no ‘magic pills’ in MyMT™’s Programs, behaviour change strategies are critical for transforming your client’s symptoms and health. Behaviour change is rarely a discrete, single event – it is a process that requires nurturing and problem-solving every step of the way. During Week 6 you will explore TTM Theory, Motivational Theory and Self-efficacy Theory in the context of women in menopause. 
												Week 8: Sleep All Night
					A lack of sleep exacerbates women’s symptoms, and can lead to high insulin levels, weight gain, worsening hot flushes, increased inflammation and much more. It’s vital that this symptom is addressed first with women. In this module, you will explore the circadian rhythm’s role in sleep regulation and why this gets out of balance during menopause. Then, we will walk through MyMT™’s proven strategies for assisting women to sleep all night.From Week 8 you will start working with a Case Study Client to put your knowledge into practice. 
												Week 9: Beat the Heat 
					Hot flushes occur because the body’s thermostat does not function as well when it is deprived of oestrogen. It also becomes worse when melatonin (sleep hormone) is reduced with the changing hormonal environment too. Learn about why hot flushes occur and the MyMT™ strategies for assisting women to reduce their hot flushes and night sweats.
												Week 10: The Importance of Gut & Liver Health in Symptom Management 
					Never before has our liver and gut had to cope with so many changing foods, toxins, drinks, chemicals and ingredients. The liver and gut accumulate inflammation over our lifetime and by the time a women reaches menopause, these organs have also reduced in size and function.Fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, depression and other menopause symptoms including weight management problems are partly due to changing liver and gut health in mid-life.In this module you will learn whether it is adrenal fatigue or peri-menopause causing exhaustion in your clients and the MyMT™ strategies for assisting women to turn around their liver and gut health.
												Week 11: Readress Stress + Lifestyle Solutions for women on HRT
					Part 1: This module isn’t ‘just’ about psychological stress. It’s also about the internal environment of the body and how cells and tissues also become ‘stressed’. Internal stress in our tissues and fat cells is called oxidative stress and causes numerous inflammatory changes that can lead to worsening health problems as women age. A women’s mid-life years are the perfect time to re-address her stress. In this fabulous module, Wendy draws on the rapidly emerging stress research and teaches you how to re-address your client’s stressors.Part 2:  Lifestyle solutions for women on Hormone Replacement Therapy. Whilst there is no interference in any medications women are on, this information may help you to support their medication choices specific to HRT with evidenced lifestyle solutions.
												Week 12: Problem Solving
					Your final module is all about preparing you for your future as a Menopause Practitioner. Wendy takes you through several case studies of women on the MyMT™ programs who have very different menopausal symptoms and lead different lifestyles. Live Workshop: Share your progress with your case study client so that together we can do some problem solving. Graduates tell us they love hearing about all the different case studies, as each one is so different. 
												Bonus Module: The Business of Menopause
					Now that you understand how to turn around your client’s menopause symptoms, how should you bring your passion to life?In this module Wendy introduces you to the business of menopause – sharing examples from her experiences pioneering the Personal Training Industry in New Zealand and starting an online menopause company – My Menopause Transformation.
												Weeks 13 Onwards: Independent Work with your Case Study Client 
					There are no further modules, but we encourage you to work beyond the 12 weeks with your case study client. Once you are ready, submit your reflections and progress to Wendy and she will provide you with personal feedback. 
					
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					MyMT™ Education Newsletter for Health Professionals				
		Menopause is having its moment and the research is moving rapidly. Stay up to date with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and receive exclusive discounts. Delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. 		
					
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					Menopause Certification FAQ's				
												When does the next course start? 
					We are excited to announce that the September intake sold out in 48 hours. Pre-registrations are now open for our January 2026 intake. Early Bird Sale: 1st December 2025Course Commencement: 10th January 2026Hungry to start your learning now while you wait for the course to begin?Why don’t you explore our Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course? This 6-week on-demand course is the perfect warm up for the Menopause Practitioner Course (which doesn’t cover weight loss). With over 70% of women on the MyMT™ programs ticking that they have put on weight during menopause, it is such an important symptom for health professionals to understand.
												What are the entry requirements?
					No matter what field of health you are in, if you are working with midlife women, there is something for you in this course. In order to enroll in this specialist training you must: Be a fully qualified health professional e.g. Naturopath, Dietitian, Nurse, Midwife, Doctor, Physiotherapist, Psychologist, Chiropractor, Reflexologist, Personal Trainer, Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner or similar.ORBe a fully qualified and accredited Health Coach. If you do not have a strong underlying knowledge of physiology and endocrinology please get in touch to discuss prior learning. ORBe working in a relevant Academic field e.g. University Lecturer, Researcher. PLUSHold current membership of a recognised accrediting body.PLUSHold current professional indemnity and public liability insurance that covers working with clients in a one to one setting. (We understand that if you are working for a public health organisation or a private health company, you will probably not be required to have insurance as part of your role)If you are unsure whether you meet the criteria please enquire, we are happy to help. Email georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com and we will respond as soon as we are available.
												I'm a Fitness Professional, am I qualified to do this training?
					There is no exercise component to the Menopause Practitioner Course, however, we welcome Fitness Professionals to enroll in the course. The course dives into ageing physiology and hormonal physiology, so a good understanding of anatomy & physiology is helpful.If you are an Advanced Personal Trainer i.e you have completed level 3 or 4 Certification as a Personal Trainer (New Zealand), then you are eligible.If you have any additional qualification in coaching, nutrition etc. or a relevant background or additional training (i.e. nursing), then you are eligible.P.s if you are looking for a course about the right exercise for women in midlife, then check out our brand new Menopause Weight Loss Coach course. If you are unsure whether you meet the criteria please enquire, we are happy to help. Email georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com and we will respond as soon as we are available.
												How is the course run?
					The MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course runs for 12 weeks (most Practitioners take 2 – 4 further weeks of independent work with their case study client).Everything is delivered online, so you can complete it from anywhere in the world. You can expect to devote 3-4 hours per week to this course, but we are very flexible and understand that sometimes life gets in the way, so you can take longer than 12 weeks if necessary. Our comprehensive course includes:  Self Directed LearningTwo pre-recorded modules per week – to be completed in your own time.Downloadable PDF summary of each moduleCourse reading EBook, filled with articles, references and further reading recommendations.Weekly emails to motivate you and keep you on track with your learnings. Live Group Calls with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)Every three weeks there will be live group calls with Wendy so that you can dive deeper into the content and have your questions answered. This is also a great opportunity to connect with your class mates. The times of the workshops will be confirmed once we know where the majority of participants are located. If the time of the workshops does not work for you in your time zone, there is an option to receive the recorded sessions. Assessment Attendance: You will be expected to attend 3 out of the 5 live calls to graduate unless the time of the workshop does not work for you.Screening Form: During Week 4 you will learn about risk stratification and have the opportunity to design a Menopause Screening Form. Client Case Study: From Week 8 you will be expected to work with a case study client in order to integrate your menopause knowledge into practice with our support. Wendy will guide and support you through your case study, and will provide you with feedback at the end of the course. On the final zoom calls, we invite practitioners to share their progress with their case study client. This is an amazing opportunity to learn about a range of women with different lifestyles and symptoms.
												What time are the live workshops?
					Every three weeks there will be live group calls with Wendy so that you can dive deeper into the content and have your questions answered. This is also a great opportunity to connect with your class mates. The times of the calls will be confirmed as soon as the course sells out. We require you to attend 3 out of the 5 calls to graduate, but if the time clashes with work and you cannot attend, you can receive the recordings. 
												CPD / CE Certifications
					This course is accredited by: The CPD Certification Service (globally recognised) – points are at your discretion.The U.S National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). Provider no .CE-000005-2 – 36 pointsNew Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (NZREPS) – 18.5 pointsAustralian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS) – points are at your discretion.British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM) – points are at your discretion.UK & International Health Coaches Association (UKIHCA) – 42.5 pointsHealth Coaches Association Australia & New Zealand (HCANZA) – 36 pointsInternational Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) – 33 pointsThe National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) – 1.9 points.Canadian Fitness Professionals (Canfitpro) – 4 pointsNZ Nursing Council – this course is not officially certified by the Council, but they will recognise the Course for CPD points upon demonstration from the student that the learning benefits a Nurse’s scope of practice. Other global registrations are in progress. Upon graduation, we will provide you with a certificate and badge which are accredited by our CPD providers. 
												Why should you train with MyMT™ Education? 
					Change women’s livesHow do I know you can do this? Because women tell me what a difference the MyMT™ programmes have made to their lives. Read our testimonials here. Gain clarity and confidence with menopause discussionsAre you confused by the abundance of conflicting evidence and opinions? I will help you to cut through the chaos, providing you with the latest, evidenced women’s healthy aging research, presented in a way that is easy to understand and follow with your own clients.  Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) is with you every step of the way You can reach out to me with any questions you may have throughout the course. Exclusive insights Throughout the course I will share the insights gained from the 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz and the 15,000+ women on the MyMT™ Programmes. This will put you a step ahead of your competition by enabling you to prepare for the questions you could get from your own clients.Grow your businessYou’ll expand your knowledge about women’s mid-life health, enabling you to better help your existing clients, deliver new offerings and retain clients for longer. 
												How much does the course cost?
												What is the refund policy?
					Until 14 days before the course commences you have the right to request a full refund (minus a 3% credit card refund fee). At any point after the 14 days, if you decide to drop out for any reason, you may transfer your position to the next available course.
												What does the MyMT™ Education Coaching Community involve?
												What is the MyMT™ Affiliate Programme? 
					Over the past decade, MyMT™ has enabled women to ‘get their life back’. Globally, we now sell these programmes into 50+ countries.However, one of the challenges Wendy has, is that numerous women need local, one-on-one support to adhere to the lifestyle changes that she suggests. This is where you come in. We want to help you grow your business with your new niche. Instead of women joining Wendy for support, you become ‘her’ and coach and support them through the MyMT™ 12-week programs (Transform Me and Circuit Breaker). So what does this involve? Not only will you earn a commission from each program sale, but we also have lots of other exciting opportunities for our Affiliate Community, such as email coaching from Wendy, branded promotional material, discounts on new courses and so much more. Once you have graduated from the Menopause Practitioner Course, you may be invited to apply to become a MyMT™ Affiliate. At this stage we are looking to take on one Affiliate per city. 
												Does the MyMT™ approach involve supplements or medications? 
					There are no supplements or medications provided in MyMT™’s programmes, as this is between women and their Doctors. Menopause is a natural event, so to unravel women’s symptoms, MyMT™ uses scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions. MyMT™ takes a holistic approach to menopause – looking at a woman over the course of her lifetime. You will be able to show your client how the effects of her current and past lifestyle, have contributed to her symptoms.All of these natural solutions are still relevant, and proven, for women who are using menopause hormonal medication/therapies. 
												How long can I access my course material for?
					Your course material is valid for you for 1 year, or permanantly if you are part of the MyMT™ Coaching Community. Our aim is to give you plenty of time, so you can revisit the modules after the course has finished. Because you always take in something different the next time around.   At the end of 1 year, you can choose to subscribe for ongoing access for a small fee. *The MyMT™ Coaching Community includes access to the private Facebook community, our library of articles, and access to your modules beyond your access period (1 year). 
					Next Intake Commencing January 2026. Pre-register now. 				
							
							
									
								
									
								
										Early bird sale commences 1st December 2025
									
								
										Please enure you meet the eligibility requirements in the FAQs.
									
						
					
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### Menopause Weight Loss Coach

Confused why your peri-post menopause clients struggle to lose weight?				
					Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course
					
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									Intro Video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										CPD/CEU Approved by Global Fitness and Nutrition Bodies
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
		The MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course is a 6 week online course, designed to educate, empower and certify you in peri-post menopause weight loss.		
					Delivered by Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD / NZREPs Exercise Specialist)				
		FLEXIBLE LEARNINGWatch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish		
		READY FOR YOU SOLUTIONSEvidence-based lifestyle science solutions, proven on thousands of women		
		QUALIFICATIONReceive a Badge and Certificate recognised by global CPD / CEU bodies		
		COACHING COMMUNITYDr Wendy Sweet (PhD) is here to support you every step of the way		
					Eligible for CPD points and a discount with: 				
											
					Why does the world need Menopause Weight Loss Coaches?				
									
						Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women is now a known symptom.					
									
						Evidence shows that weight changes during menopause increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and Metabolic Syndrome in post-menopause.					
									
						Despite all that weight gain, midlife women are the highest demographic to be in and out of exercise 
[Australia Longitudinal Study on Women's Health].					
					
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					Have you ever wondered why, when menopause arrives, the weight loss strategies we have been taught no longer seem to work?				
		https://youtu.be/W7tL6ii4hL8It is well known that the menopause transition may result in adverse metabolic consequences in women, especially those women putting on weight. Given that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in post-menopausal women, the importance of weight management in midlife cannot be overemphasized.That's why I have designed this essential course for any health or exercise professional working with midlife and older women. Did you know, that women who have deep visceral fat, produce excess oestrogen in fat cells, that the liver then has to try to remove and that you can help this process through the correct exercise for liver function?Did you know that the effect of skeleto-muscular changes cause the reduction and loss of mitochondrial activity during menopause, which reduces the ability of muscles to oxidise or ‘burn-fat’?Did you know that sleep is affected by menopause hormonal changes, and if your clients aren’t sleeping, then weight loss is harder to achieve?Knowledge about fat loss has traditionally been underpinned by physiology, nutrition and exercise prescription. But the unique hormonal environment during menopause changes everything. Our knowledge must now include behavioural, biological, social and environmental considerations specific to midlife and ageing.That is why this course explores so much more than just hormonal physiology. You will come away with an understanding of the unique changes occurring in the liver, gut, brain and muscles that contribute to weight gain, as well as the scientifically-evidenced exercise and nutrition prescription for weight loss and muscle mass maintenance. Which means you're not only going to be able to help your clients lose weight, but you will see them turn around their energy, sore joints, mood and much more.I can’t wait for you to discover what I did. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)		
																														
							
			
				The complexities of midlife menopause weight loss don’t escape me. I used to be a Personal Trainer – in fact, New Zealand’s very first PT for global fitness giant Les Mills. Over the two decades I developed training courses for PTs, never once did I think that the weight loss needs of women might differ when they reached midlife. Once I left the fitness industry, I became a University lecturer in sport, exercise, nutrition and health physiology. But I was so interested in how to help midlife women turn around their health, that I undertook my Master’s and PhD theses in this area. I'm so glad I did...			
											Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD / NZREPs Exercise Specialist)
																
																						Meet Wendy
													
					
					MyMT™ has helped thousands of women to lose weight. Discover the powerful solutions in your Menopause Weight Loss Coach course.				
																														
						 5/5		
					Dianne - Australia				
		"No one I went to mentioned menopause. I’ve now lost 20kg and am off nearly all medications."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Tineke - New Zealand				
		"I gained 20kg in 3 years as I didn't understand menopause. Now it's all gone and I have plenty of energy again. My depression has also gone and I feel so happy."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Julie -  United Kingdom				
		"My sleep has improved a great deal. In fact, I might go as far as saying I get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night!! And the result is I just released 22 lbs. What magic is this MyMT™ Program?"		
					
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					How These Courses Will Help You Succeed				
		Not only is every single strategy evidenced against women's healthy ageing and weight loss lifestyle science, but it is also aligned with the cardiovascular, metabolic syndrome and cancer research specific to midlife women. You can be assured that the advice you are providing to your clients will set them up for better health in their post-menopause years. 		
		You will come away with an understanding of how the three stages of menopause are different and how a woman's exercise and nutrition needs change throughout her transition, enabling you to attract and retain peri-post menopause clients. 		
		All of the solutions shared with you are already proven by the thousands of women who have lost weight and relieved their joint pain through the MyMT™ programs. My clients tell me how easy these changes are to put into place, which makes them sustainable over the long term. Throughout the course I will talk to you about real life case studies to help you prepare for the scenarios and questions you could get from your own clients.		
		If you haven't already, you will soon realise that behaviour change strategies are one of the most effective tools you can have in your toolbox. But midlife women are some of the hardest women to influence, because what they have done in the past isn't working anymore. Throughout this course we will explore findings from my Masters research, which focused on successful weight loss behaviour change in midlife women.  		
							
							
									
								
									
								
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					Testimonials from  MyMTTM Menopause Weight Loss Coaches				
																														
						 5/5		
					Adrienne - Canada				
		Naturopathic Doctor"I have been binge watching the Course as if it's a Netflix series! This is such important information and needs to be in the hands of more health professionals." 		
																														
						 5/5		
					Rachel - UK				
		Personal Trainer"This will be life changing for so many of my clients and to see their symptoms reduce is a magic moment for me as a coach."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Shanely - Australia				
		Menopause Nutrition Coach"Taking the Weight Loss Coach Course has significantly expanded my knowledge. The depth of detail provided is truly remarkable."		
					
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					MyMT™  Menopause Weight Loss Coach Level 1 				
					Course Outline				
												Week 1: Menopause weight gain matters in the context of women's health and ageing
					2 x 1 hour modulesDid you know that women have oestrogen receptors throughout the body and that oestrogens regulate adipose (fat) tissue metabolism? In other words menopause isn’t just about hot flushes.During Week 1 I introduce you to the relevance of menopause in relation to women’s health and ageing evidence, and explain why the menopause transition, and specifically weight gain during menopause, is so important for us as coaches to understand. It is well known that a majority of the world’s population live in a country where being overweight or obese causes more deaths than being underweight. Unfortunately, for women who are transitioning menopause it is now well recognised that weight gain at this time makes them particularly vulnerable, not only in terms of their symptoms, but also regarding their changing cardiovascular and metabolic health.  We will explore this in a lot more detail in Module 2. Topics covered: Theories of ageingWhat the research says about key determinants of successful healthy ageing for womenWhat is menopause – including the three phases. Symptoms of menopauseWhy turning around menopause symptoms mattersCardiovascular changes during menopauseMusculoskeletal changes during menopauseEmotional changes during menopauseIntroduction to Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue (SAT) and visceral fat accumulation Lifestyle factors affecting adiposity
												Week 2: The Physology of Menopause Weight Gain
					2 x 1 hour modulesWeek 2 is all about an introduction to menopause physiology, specifically hormonal and fat cell physiology. We will explore the three stages that women transition through in midlife as ovarian function declines – perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. At the end of Week 2, you will be able to describe the major physiological changes at each stage and identify common disorders of the HPA – Thyroid Axis in relation to menopause weight gain changes. Topics covered:Hormonal changes during menopauseImpacts of declining oestrogen throughout the bodyBiological and Lifestyle factors affecting hormones during menopauseHormones involved in menopause weight gain and metabolic pathwaysUnderstanding the role of the HPA-Thyroid Axis in midlife weight gainUnderstanding the Socio-Ecological Model of ObesityClinical Guidance on Body Composition in Women and Cardio-Metabolic RiskTypes and locations of adipose tissueLipolysisAge related sarcopenia (muscle atrophy) Mitochondrial function
												Week 3: The Science of Menopause Weight Gain. It's more than just her hormones!
					2 x 1 hour modulesNever before has the liver had to cope with so many changing foods, toxins, drinks, chemicals and ingredients over a woman’s lifetime.  Fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, depression and other menopause symptoms including weight management problems and poor recovery from exercise are partly due to changing liver health and function in mid-life. It’s the same with sleep. A women’s menopause transition causes changes in the sleep hormones and this impacts liver function and weight gain.A lack of sleep exacerbates women’s symptoms during menopause and can lead to high insulin levels, weight gain, worsening hot flushes, increased inflammation and much more. It’s vital that insomnia is addressed as part of women’s menopause weight loss strategies. In this module, we will explore the circadian rhythm’s role in sleep regulation and why this gets out of balance during menopause. I can’t wait to share this module with you. It is one of my favourites.Topics covered: The influence of insomnia on menopause weight gain The influence of liver health on menopause weight gainThe influence of gut health on menopause weight gainThe influence of stress (including physical, emotional and environmental stress) on menopause weight gainAn introduction to lifestyle solutions for insomnia, liver health, gut health and stress that can be implemented with clients straight away.  
												Week 4: An Introduction to Nutritional Considerations for Menopause Weight Loss
					1 x 1 hour moduleHave you tried endless diets with your clients which don’t work in the long term for them to manage their weight gain in mid-life?Nutritional choices and timing are critical for your client’s weight loss management. Incorrect diets may destroy the hormones which help to manage appetite, fullness and long-term health, so focusing on factors affecting women’s food choices during menopause as well as nutrients that aid in weight loss are important to understand.Topics covered: What the research says about the best dietary approach for women’s healthy ageing and weight lossThe main dietary principles for menopause weight lossAn introduction to the macro-nutrients to focus on specific to weight loss in peri-post menopauseAn introduction to the micro-nutrients to focus on specific to weight loss in peri-post menopause
												Week 5: Physical Activity and Exercise Considerations for Menopause Weight Loss
					2 x 1 hour modulesMitochondria are considered the “energy power station” of the cells due to their ability to regulate energy metabolism. These organelles also regulate critical cellular processes, such as calcium homeostasis, and cell survival (Sorriento et aal, 2021), so why aren’t we focusing on mitochondrial health and capacity during the menopause transition? Mitochondrial health is critical to maintaining wellness in all organs and tissues.  When women are overweight or obese, the role of mitochondria becomes even more important, because this is the location of free-fatty acid uptake for energy conversion. I explain why in this powerful module which introduces you to the exercise that really matters in women’s weight management as they age.Topics covered: Understanding exercise performance and recovery with menopause changes. The effect of modern exercise on hormonal balance during menopause Understanding the concept of lipolysis and the mobilisation of fat from adipose tissue with exercise.Understanding the role of mitochondrial function in women’s weight management as they age.Understanding vascular stiffness and exercise for arterial function boosting. The role of excessive exercise as a stressor and the link between exercise and menopause insomniaExercise prescription and intensity for women’s weight loss during menopause
												Week 6: Turning intention into action - behaviour change techniques for menopause weight loss
					1x 1 hour moduleMidlife women have unique considerations when it comes to successful weight loss. Their success is dependent on a range of physiological, psychological, social, behavioural and yes, even environmental factors – all of which must be managed effectively in order to achieve your clients’ desired outcomes.The needs of your midlife and post-menopause weight loss clients differ from your strength and conditioning clients or your rehab clients and fitness clients. Hence, understanding behaviour change strategies and problem-solving strategies will help to set you up for success. Topics covered:Behaviour change theories and their relevance to women in midlife.Adherence determinants specific to women in midlife.Habit-forming strategies.Relapse-prevention strategiesProblem-solving strategies.
												Bonus Material
					Sleep All Night – Sleep SolutionsThe Science of Oestrogen Dominance.Body Type Considerations. Course E-Book
												Menopause Weight Loss Coach Level 2
					Coming late 2025
					DO YOU WANT TO SPECIALISE IN MENOPAUSE WEIGHT LOSS? 				
							
							
									
								
									
								
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					As part of this course you will also receive...				
										Coaching from Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) in the MyMT™ Education CommunityIn a fast moving menopause market, my aim is to keep you up to date with the latest research and trends. 
The private Facebook group is your opportunity to ask me questions and connect with practitioners from all over the world who are studying with MyMT™. 
PDF SummariesEach video module contains a printable summary of the content that I want you to focus on over the week. Course E-BookDive deeper into each topic with this bonus course e-book which is packed full of articles and scientific references to inspire further research. Emails to keep you on trackMy weekly coaching emails are designed to keep you on track with your learning. Scientific ReferencesAll scientific references provided so you can coach your clients from an evidence based approach. 				
																														
					Coaching from Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) in the MyMT™ Education Community				
		In a fast moving menopause market, my aim is to keep you up to date with the latest research and trends. The private Facebook group is your opportunity to ask me questions and connect with practitioners from all over the world who are studying with MyMT™. 		
																														
					PDF Summaries				
		Each video module contains a printable summary of the content that I want you to focus on over the week.		
																														
					Bonus EBook				
		Dive deeper into each topic with this bonus course e-book which is packed full of articles and scientific references to inspire further research.		
																														
					Support Emails				
		My weekly coaching emails are designed to keep you on track with your learning.		
																														
					Scientific References				
		All references provided, so you can coach from an evidence-based approach. 		
					Frequently Asked Questions				
												What can I expect in the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Level 1 course?
					The MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Level 1 Course is a self learning, online course which runs for 6 weeks.This comprehensive 6 week course includes:  Self Directed LearningOne or two pre-recorded modules will be delivered to your inbox per week. Each video module is approximately 1 hour long. There are 12 modules over the six weeks. A downloadable PDF summary of each module, including all of the scientific references. A course E-Book packed with bonus articles so you can extend your learning about each topic. Reflection questions at the end of each module to keep you on track and inspire your curiosity. Weekly emails which are packed full of further articles, recipes and client case studies. Coaching CommunityWhile you are on the course, you will be able to access Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) Coaching Community for Health Professionals. This is a private Facebook Group, where Wendy answers your questions and shares new research and topics that are being discussed in the MyMT™ Community for women in menopause (2000 active users). You can also access our library of articles for health professionals. *At the end of the 6 week course, your Coaching Community subscription will commence. This subscription can be cancelled at any time.    AssessmentA multi-choice quiz at the end of the course will help you to cement your learning from each module. Don’t worry, you can complete this assessment as many times as you like. Certificate and BadgeOn completion of the multi-choice quiz, you will be awarded a certificate and a badge to reflect your new knowledge. Course access is valid for 6 months (or permanently if you are paying the Coaching Community subscription).If you want to finish the course in 6 weeks, you can expect to devote between 2-4 hours per week to this course based on your own desire for additional readings. 
												Am I suitable for this course?
					The Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course was designed with exercise professionals, nutritionists and advanced health coaches in mind, as it focuses on exercise and nutrition solutions. However, it is suitable for any certified health and fitness professional who wants to empower their peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause clients to lose weight. Our students include:Personal trainersExercise professionals NutritionistsNaturopathsLifestyle Medicine PractitionersAllied health professionalsMedical doctorsNurses Public health professionalsAdvanced Health Coaches (with a secondary qualification enabling you to prescribe nutrition or exercise solutions)Note: This course empowers you to work with midlife women, within your existing scope of practice. If you are not an exercise professional, this course does not certify you to prescribe exercise plans.  If you are unsure whether you are suited to this course, please enquire, we are happy to advise. Email georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com and we will respond as soon as we are available. 
												What is the MyMT™ Education Coaching Community subscription?
					The MyMT™ Education Coaching Community is a private Facebook Group for MyMT™ Practitioners. This is where you can ask Wendy questions and receive her coaching posts, designed to keep you up to date with the latest scientific information about women’s healthy ageing. You also have access to my ‘search-able’ library of articles in your learning hub.As part of this course you receive a 6 week free trial for the Facebook group and library of articles. At the end of the 6 weeks, the subscription will commence. You can cancel your subscription at any time, including before it commences, and you will still have access to your modules for 6 months. 
												What organisations is this course certified with?
					This course is currently certified as a Continuing Professional Development course with:New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (NZREPS) – 7.5 pointsCanadian Fitness Professionals (Canfitpro) – 4 pointsInternational Sports Science Association (ISSA) – 9 pointsNational Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) – 1 pointBritish Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM) – 10 pointsAustralian Complimentary Medicine Association (points at your discretion)The CPD Certification Service, which is a global CPD recognition body. If you are a member of these organisations, please reach out to Georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com to receive your unique discount code. We are also in the process of becoming registered with several other global organisations. If your professional body does not appear on this list, please get in touch with Georgia so that she can look into their application process. 
												Can I ask questions throughout the course?
					Wendy is here to support you every step of the way. While you are on the course, you will be able to ask her questions in the MyMT™ Education Coaching Community. This is a private Facebook Group for MyMT™ Practitioners.At the end of the 6 week course, the Coaching Community subscription commences, which you can unsubscribe from at any time. You will also have access to our course co-ordinator, Georgia, for any queries you may have throughout the course. Please send Georgia an email if you have any questions – georgia@mymenopausetransformation.com
												Why should I train with MyMT™ Education?
					Change women’s livesHow do I know you can do this? Because women tell me what a difference the MyMT™ programmes have made to their lives. Not only are they losing weight, but their sore joints, sleepless nights, mood swings, brain fog, tiredness and hot flushes are gone. Read their testimonials here. Gain clarity and confidence with menopause discussionsAre you confused by the abundance of conflicting evidence and opinions about menopause? Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) cuts through the chaos, providing you with the latest, evidenced women’s healthy aging research, presented in a way that is easy to understand and then implement with your clients.   Grow your businessYou’ll expand your knowledge about women’s mid-life health, enabling you to better help your existing clients, deliver new offerings and retain clients for longer. All of the information in this course is suitable for women in both their menopause and post-menopause years, so your clients can be confident that you have the skills to continue supporting them as they age. Exclusive insights Throughout the course I will share the insights gained from the 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz and the 15,000+ women who have participated in MyMT™ programmes. This will put you a step ahead of your competition by enabling you to prepare for the questions you could get from your own clients.
												Do the MyMT™ courses promote medications or supplements?
					There are no supplements or medications provided in MyMT™’s programmes, as this is between women and their Doctors. Menopause is a natural event, so to unravel women’s symptoms, MyMT™ uses scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions. MyMT™ takes a holistic approach to menopause – looking at a woman over the course of her lifetime. You will be able to show your client how the effects of her current and past lifestyle, have contributed to her symptoms.All of these solutions are still relevant, and proven, for women who are using menopause hormonal medication/therapies. 
												How much does the Course cost?
												How long can I access the course material for?
					Your course material is valid for you for 6 months, or as long as you like if you are paying for the Coaching Community monthly subscription.*Our aim is to give you plenty of time, so you can revisit the modules after the course has finished. Because you always take in something different the next time around!*Subscription includes – Access to the private Coaching Community, our library of articles, and access to your modules beyond your defined access period (6 months). 
												What other courses does MyMT™ Education offer for health professionals?
					Currently MyMT™ has three courses for Health Professionals: The MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course is a 15 week course, with dedicated intakes. This is because there is a live component to this course whereby you meet with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) fortnightly on a zoom call to review the modules. This course dives deep into the science and physiology of menopause, menopause risk screening, and how to turn around your client’s disrupted sleep, hot flushes, sore joints, liver & gut health, energy, anxiety and more, through evidenced lifestyle solutions. There is also information on menopause supplements, behaviour change coaching and the business of menopause. ** This course does not include scientific information on menopause weight loss or exercise prescription (see below).The MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course is a self learning, evergreen course which runs for 6 weeks. There is no live element so you can start it at any time and complete it at your own pace.Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. Through this course, you will come away with an understanding of the unique differences in women’s weight gain at this age and stage of life, and easy to implement, exercise and nutrition solutions for your clients. The MyMT™  Menopause Health Coach Course is a 3-week introductory level course. The purpose of this course is to introduce Health and Wellness Coaches, or Health Professionals who want an entry-level course, to the physiology and psychology of menopause. You will learn evidenced, client-centered behaviour change strategies specific to this stage of life, to empower your clients to turn intention into action.
					Are you ready to add menopause weight loss to your coaching toolbox? 				
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
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					Kathryn - Australia				
		"It wasn’t long before the Transform Me Program showed results. Within a month I was sleeping and had started to lose weight. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling sluggish."		
																														
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					Christine - New Zealand				
		"I've lost 14kg and my blood pressure has come down. This programme is life-changing. I've learnt more with MyMT™ than I ever did from my GP."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Claudia - UK				
		"I never had any energy. Now I'm sleeping, am off HRT and have lost 18lbs. Thank you Wendy."		
					
									Read more testimonials
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Explore Other Menopause Courses				
							
						Menopause Practitioner Course 
(12 Weeks)					
						
							
						Menopause Health Coach Course (3-week introductory level)					
						
							
						12-week Programs for Women in Menopause

### MyMT Education

Are you ready to lead change 
in the menopause space?				
					MyMT™ is revolutionizing menopause lifestyle education for health professionals. 
					Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) brings you the latest scientific evidence on women's healthy ageing in three CPD approved courses. 				
					
									Menopause Practitioner
					
					
									Menopause Weight Loss Coach
					
					
									Menopause Health Coach 
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Instructor
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 15,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										CPD Approved
									
						
		Our mission is to empower you to use evidenced, lifestyle change solutions to help your peri to post-menopausal clients manage menopause symptoms and lose weight.MyMT™ Education is a trusted Continuing Professional Development Provider with: 		
											
					Why Specialise? Because Menopause Matters				
		1 billion women are projected to be in menopause by 2025. Never have so many women been at this age and stage at once. Of the 500,000+ women who completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz...		
					83%				
		Feel like they are lacking energy		
					79%				
		Have sore joints		
					76%				
		Percieve themselves as being overweight		
					79%				
		Are having difficulty sleepingBy following an evidence based, lifestyle programme many of these women went on to restore their energy, vitality and health. 		
					
									Read their stories
					
					Are you ready to be a part of the solution? 				
		Menopause is having its moment in women’s health and ageing studies.Not only are researchers interested in the hormonal changes that occur during menopause and the effects of these changes on women’s health, but because women are now living longer and spending on average 30 years in post-menopause, the role of the menopause transition in longevity research is also gaining interest.In much of this new research, it is very clear that midlife is a time of life, when women need to change their lifestyle to control their symptoms and weight BEFORE they head into their post-menopause years.The peri-menopause transition is the start of many inflammatory processes to do with ageing. As such, the trajectory towards many diseases of older age such as cardiovascular disease, osteopenia, autoimmune dysfunction, metabolic syndrome and dementia can start during the menopause transition if women don't get on top of their symptoms.Your role as a trusted advisor, motivator and supporter, is such an important one. But how effective you are in this role, depends on your knowledge that is specific to the age and stage of your clients.Bringing your attention to the science of the menopause transition (peri - post menopause) is the goal of the MyMT™ Education courses.You will come away with an understanding of....		
												
																					
										
		The unique physiological and hormonal changes that occur through midlife 		
												
																					
										
		How these changes impact the psychology and motivation of women		
												
																					
										
		Proven lifestyle change solutions that are easy to implement with your clients 		
					Free Masterclass on Menopause for Health Professionals				
		Join me for your free 90 minute webinar where I help you join the dots between menopause, ageing and lifestyle science solutions for your clients.Access valid for 3 months.		
					
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					CPD Courses for Health Professionals				
																														
					Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner				
		A 12-week comprehensive certification that gives you everything you need to set up as a menopause and women's healthy ageing specialist. You will come out with an in-depth understanding of menopause and lifestyle solutions to help your clients sleep all night, manage their hot flushes, sore joints, brain fog, energy levels, and much more.September Intake SOLD OUT. Please pre-register for our next intake in January 2026. 		
					
									PRE-REGISTER
					
					
									Learn More
					
																														
					Menopause Weight Loss Coach Level 1				
		A 6 week, self paced course that will provide you with an in depth understanding of the science of menopause weight gain. This course equips you with easy to implement, nutrition, exercise and behaviour change solutions to achieve sustained weight loss for your peri-post menopausal clients.		
					
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									Learn More
					
																														
					Menopause Health Coach				
		A 3-week self-paced, introductory course. This course is designed to introduce you to the physiological and psychological changes occurring in midlife, and provide you with client-centered behaviour change strategies specific to this stage, to empower your clients to turn intention into action.		
					
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									Learn More
					
																														
																														
					Payment plans available				
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
					
									Read my story 
					
					Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), the founder of My Menopause Transformation and your Coach.  				
		Exploring menopause and post-menopause symptoms through the lens of healthy ageing science as part of my thesis, was pivotal to me turning around my own sleep, sore joints, emotional changes, hot flushes and losing over 15kg in menopause weight. At the time I was a university lecturer, and completing my thesis about the role of exercise on the health of middle aged women. I began to question the advice we were being given in mid-life around our symptom management, supplements, exercise and nutrition.What I discovered is that the role of other hormones which help to re-balance the body aren’t being factored into the menopause puzzle – this includes sleep, gut and thyroid hormones – all of which are involved in temperature, mood and weight regulation. Over 16,000 women have now been through one of my programmes, and for them the results are life changing. We can learn a lot from these women, and I can't wait to share their stories with you throughout your course. It's my passion to stay up to date with the latest scientific research for women's healthy ageing. It's my privilege to share this with you too. 		
					There is something in these courses for everyone				
		Our graduates work across all disciplines of women's health, supporting women at every part of their healthcare journey.		
						I have found your Menopause Practitioner Course for health professionals to be the best course I have ever done. If only every doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, fitness coach signed up for it!					
						
								DianaYoga, Pranayama and Meditation Practitioner 			
						The content was thought provoking, and related continually back to research, following the science related to mid-life women. I congratulate Wendy on her tenacity for sifting through the research for answers.					
						
								Karen D Nutritionist			
						I love to learn and I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to gain knowledge from such an inspirational and passionate world leader in women's health. The ‘Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course’ has given me the understanding to answer so many ‘Why’s’. This will be life changing for so many of my clients.					
						
								RachelPersonal Trainer			
						I have become so overwhelmed with referrals since my colleagues have become aware of my recent training. There is such a gap in health care in this space!					
						
								LeanneRegistered Nurse			
					
									READ MORE TESTIMONIALS
					
					These courses are right for you if...				
																														
		You want to support women in mid-life and older – a demographic who are desperate for answers.What makes these courses unique is that all the information has been specifically evidenced for women during their menopause transition. Not only that, all of the evidence is grounded in women’s healthy ageing science.You can be assured that the advice you are providing is setting your clients up to remain healthy in their post-menopause years - some of the most vulnerable years in a women’s life.  		
																														
		You want to work in the field of lifestyle medicine and behaviour changeThere are no supplements or medications provided in MyMT™’s programmes, as this is between women and their Doctors. Menopause is a natural event, so to unravel women's symptoms, MyMT™ uses scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions. MyMT™ takes a holistic approach to menopause – looking at a woman over the course of her lifetime. You will be able to show your client how the effects of her current and past lifestyle, have contributed to her symptoms.		
																														
		You want opportunities to grow your businessNot only will you expand your knowledge about mid-life health, but you will learn behaviour change theories and marketing techniques that are unique to mid-life women. Graduates of the Menopause Practitioner Course, may also like to explore applying to be a MyMT™ Affiliate. Our affiliates are helping to grow their business through selling the MyMT™ programmes worldwide.		
					Frequently Asked Questions				
						Ann, Nutritionist					
						Viv, Pilates Studio Owner					
												What age does menopause start?
					Menopause usually starts in our mid-40s and this is known as peri-menopause. Periods start to fluctuate as reproductive hormones decline. Women are considered to be in menopause when their periods cease.  From my database of 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz I can tell you that on average this happens at 51 years of age. After one year of periods ending, women enter post-menopause where they remain for the rest of their lives. We live nearly half of our life in a completely different hormonal environment, so we need to know how to adjust to this. 
												Why do women gain weight in menopause?
					Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. The data I have collected over the years confirms this. But, here’s the thing. It’s often not a woman’s fault that they are putting on weight! There are so many factors fighting against them. Here are just two examples:They may not be sleeping – Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010). When you’re client’s are awake night after night, this means that their glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does their stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. All of these hormones play a role in fat cell physiology. Oestrogen Dominance – Did you know that fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes,  fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in fat cells and this ‘dominates’ the internal environmentIf we don’t support our clients to put the brakes on their weight gain during menopause, then this can be a slippery slope towards joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes. Learn more about why and how women gain weight in the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course. 
												What are the main symptoms of menopause?
					Are your client’s noticing lots of changes going on in their body? Perhaps, they are like Kellie from New Zealand, who told me…“I think without this programme I would have gone crazy, I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related. I am now sleeping through the night, no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.”The common symptoms that are known about in research include: Interrupted sleepLow energyNight sweats / hot flushesLoss of muscleWeight GainIrritabilityDepressionLack of MotivationWorsening prolapseBurning joints / weak bonesLow libidoDry skinBut the research is still within its early days.  Women on my programmes are surprised to find that the following symptoms are also likely menopause related:Heart palpitationsDizzinessBurning tongues Hair lossRefluxWith oestrogen receptors located all around the body, I am not surprised that there are so many symptoms that women don’t realise are related to menopause. In all three MyMT™ Education Courses, I have bonus information which helps you understand and manage these symptoms. 
												What can worsen menopause symptoms?
					Inflammation in the body makes symptoms worse. The term ‘inflammaging’ refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young perhaps compared to our mother’s generation at the same age, we must also remember that inside our body, our cells are ageing. Furthermore, when we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t healing from all the stress that we are under.And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I often talk about women who are undertaking lots of high-intensity exercise most days of the week (as I used to as well). This can increase physical or oxidative stress inside our cells and tissues when we aren’t sleeping well. Like over-trained athletes, we fail to heal properly when we don’t sleep. Inflammation builds up, and this begins to affect some tissues and organs, including the gut microbiota and fat cells. If we think about a woman’s experiences over her lifetime that may have caused inflammation, coupled with the fact that peri-menopause and ageing are known to be inflammatory themselves, menopause is the perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes.
												Do menopause symptoms go away?
					Menopause symptoms, when unresolved can create worsening health problems for women as they age.  I’m talking about things like joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.Through undertaking my PhD, I discovered that symptoms are reversible when women have a focus on lifestyle changes which are specific to the menopause transition. How we look after ourselves helps our body to adapt to our changing hormonal environment. By addressing the underlying cause of your client’s menopause symptoms, not only can they experience relief from their symptoms, but they can reduce inflammation, setting them up for better health in their older years.This is what you learn on the MyMT™ Education CPD Courses – all the scientifically evidenced, step by step lifestyle strategies to help you to understand how to support your clients to reduce their symptoms and take back control of their health. 
												What if my clients are on menopause HRT? 
					No matter whether your clients are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then their are lifestyle solutions that help them to reduce their hot flushes, improve their sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and turn around  oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of their menopause weight gain.My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience. If women are on MHT, then this is a decision between them and their Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off their hormone therapy is a decision that they must make with their medical specialist.
												Why train with MyMT™ Education? 
					Change women’s livesHow do I know you can do this? Because women tell me what a difference the MyMT™ programmes have made to their lives. Not only are they losing weight, but their sore joints, sleepless nights, mood swings, brain fog, tiredness and hot flushes are gone. Read their testimonials here. Gain clarity and confidence with menopause discussionsAre you confused by the abundance of conflicting evidence and opinions about menopause? Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) cuts through the chaos, providing you with the latest, evidenced women’s healthy aging research, presented in a way that is easy to understand and follow with your own clients.  Grow your businessYou’ll expand your knowledge about women’s mid-life health, enabling you to better help your existing clients, deliver new offerings and retain clients for longer. All of the information in this course is suitable for women in both their menopause and post-menopause years, so your clients can be confident that you have the skills to help them as they age. Exclusive insights Throughout the course I will share the insights gained from the 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz and the 15,000+ women who have participated in MyMT™ programmes. This will put you a step ahead of your competition by enabling you to prepare for the questions you could get from your own clients.
												What Courses does MyMT™ Education offer for Health Professionals?
					Currently MyMT™ has three courses for Health Professionals: 1.The MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course is a 12 week course, with dedicated intakes. This is because there is a live component to this course whereby your class meets with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) on a zoom call to review the modules. This course dives deep into the science and physiology of menopause, menopause risk screening, and how to turn around your client’s sleep, hot flushes, sore joints, liver health, energy, anxiety and more, through evidenced lifestyle solutions. There is also information on menopause supplements, behaviour change coaching and the business of menopause. **Does not cover exercise prescription (see below).2. The MyMT™ Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course is a self-learning, on-demand course which runs for 6 weeks. There is no live element so you can start it at any time and complete it at your own pace.Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. Through this course, you will come away with an understanding of the unique differences in women’s weight gain at this age and stage of life, and easy to implement, exercise, nutrition and behaviour change solutions. 3.  MyMT™’s brand new course for Health Coaches is now available. An Introduction to the Science of Menopause for Health Coaches is a self-learning, on-demand course which runs for 3 weeks. You can complete it at any time, at your own pace. This introductory course explores the physiology and psychology of midlife women, providing you with client-centered behaviour change strategies specific to this stage of life. If you aren’t sure if these courses are right for you, get started with our free Masterclass on Menopause for Health Professionals. This is your 90 minute webinar where Wendy introduces you to her research into menopause, ageing and lifestyle science. 

### Testimonials from Health Practitioners

Testimonials from MyMT™ Graduates				
					MyMT™ Health Professionals are leading the way in menopause lifestyle coaching 				
					
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								Rated 5 out of 5
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							"I've just completed the Menopause Weight Loss Coach course, and it has been incredibly valuable. The clarity and depth of the content helped me fully understand the physiological shifts women face in midlife, not just the symptoms. Having actionable strategies to introduce to our clients in all areas has created a blue print to work from. What I appreciate most is that it doesn’t rely on “quick fixes,” but empowers women to build sustainable habits. I feel far more confident now supporting others with insight, compassion and science-backed tools. Thank you for such a transformative experience."
													
														Kathryn - Health Coach and Dermatologist
																						UK (November 2025)
							"I truly believe that your personal feedback and your live zoom calls is one of the biggest differentiators of your course. I’ve done many others, and none offered the level of personal expert review that yours does — it makes such a big difference."
													
														Krisztina - Nutritionist and Health Coach
																						Singapore (November 2025)
							"This is such an amazing, and REFRESHING Course amidst all of the HRT hype, especially here in the U.S."
													
														Colleen - Clinical Nutritionist
																						USA (November 2025)
							"I loved the Introduction to the Science of Menopause Course for it's thorough and very relevant information on such an important topic. It is clear Wendy is passionate about helping coaches help more women as they transition this phase of their life, in a very healthy and proactive manner & really cares that we also understand all the nuances of change and up to date evidence-based strategies to accompany our practices. Thank you Wendy for putting this course together. This is the time for more women to be empowered for their future."
													
														Vicky - Natural Anti-Aging Specialist
																						Australia (November 2025)
							"A huge thank you to Wendy and Georgia. The quality and depth of the material in the MyMT™ Education Courses is superb. Better than anything I have seen in Europe." 
													
														Aisling - PT & Neuro-Muscular Therapist
																						Ireland (November 2025)
							"I found the Menopause Practitioner Course to be very comprehensive and well-structured. It provided in-depth knowledge about the physical, emotional, and hormonal aspects of menopause, equipping me with practical tools to support women through this transition. The course materials were clear, informative, and highly relevant to real-world practice. I feel more confident in my ability to provide holistic care and guidance. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to specialize in menopause health and wellness."
													
														Maria - Personal Trainer
																						USA (November 2025)
							"I really enjoyed the Introduction to the Science of Menopause Course and learnt a lot about aspects of lifestyle improvement I didn’t know before, such as circadian rhythms and their impact on health. I also loved Wendy Sweet’s in-depth studies and the way she explained the different aspects of menopause with both science and compassion. The information was eye-opening and practical — I’ve already started making changes."
													
														Debbie Personal Trainer
																						New Zealand (November 2025)
							"Thank you so much for this amazing course! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed The Introduction to the Science of Menopause by Wendy Sweet! She does an exceptional job unpacking the many nuances of this life stage that affects women around the world. I’m walking away with a much deeper understanding—and valuable insights I can apply in my coaching practice.
													
														Kathy - Functional Medicine Health Coach
																						USA (October 2025)
							"Thank you - the courses were explained in a way I could understand (no fluff). This has taught me so much about women through menopause. To be able to take this knowledge and learning to my clients will make a significant difference. I'm truly grateful for seeing MyMT on facebook -  looking forward to doing more courses."
													
														Kim - Health Coach
																						Australia (October 2025)
							"I am absolutely loving the Practitioner Course. You present from such a deep lived wisdom that is so very inspiring and I absolutely love how you consider the whole life cycle and not just the phase of menopause. I am learning so much and loving every moment of it because it makes so much sense and you are a person that walks their talk, which is often hard to find. I also love that you don’t do rah rah, that you are very real and grounded and truly care about the state of women’s health. Thank you for being amazing."
													
														Bianca - Counsellor and Remedial Massage Therapist
																						Australia (October 2025)
							"The Practitioner Course was an incredible journey of learning and self-discovery. I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the course and feel ready to apply what I have learned to help women manage their symptoms of menopause. Wendy is such a fabulous coach and mentor. She is so generous with her time and her passion to help women in midlife is infectious. If you are thinking about doing this course then don't hesitate."
													
														Fiona - Functional Medicine Health Coach & Breathwork Teacher
																						Ireland (October 2025)
							"The Practitioner Course has been very valuable for my own wellbeing, as well as my clients and future clients, and the direction I want to move my business in. The knowledge and motivation I gained during the course is very valuable indeed! I can now sleep at night and my stress levels have reduced dramatically as a result of learning the importance of putting my self first during this transition. I am in perimenopause now without any symptoms and I'm feeling happy, healthy and motivated. I have also been successful in reversing my client's symptoms of hot flushes and got them all feeling much better in general.
I can't thank you enough for your work, Wendy & Georgia!"
													
														Sarah - Personal Trainer
																						Australia (October 2025)
							"This course is exceptional—rich in information and practical solutions. It offers a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the menopause journey. Highly valuable for anyone seeking clarity and support during this transition.I can't thank you enough for your work, Wendy & Georgia!"
													
														Noeleen - Health Coach
																						New Zealand (October 2025)
							"I thoroughly enjoyed the Practitioner Course and would highly recommend it. I learned so much throughout the course, which was of huge benefit to me personally but will also greatly help my clients as they navigate the choppy waters of menopause. Wendy makes it easy to understand what exactly happens the body during menopause and how women can address their various symptoms with simple lifestyle and nutrition changes. The information Wendy provides helps women to take back control of their bodies at a time when they need this most. Thank you Wendy for all of your well researched, clear and concise information provided in this course."
													
														Serena - Biokinesiologist,
																						Ireland (October 2025)
							"Despite already undertaking several courses and my own research about menopausal health and wellness, Wendy's course has proved to be a fantastic addition to my knowledge and understanding. Her evidence-based approach and firsthand knowledge in this area is invaluable. 
The course has allowed me to think more broadly in terms of how I best help my client's optimise their health and wellness during menopause - and also provided me with more knowledge to implement for myself. The course itself was well-organised and clear. The regular group zooms were also very helpful in consolidating my knowledge. I'm looking forward to undertaking more of Wendy's courses to further increase my skills.
													
														Tania - Health Coach
																						NZ (September 2025)
							"I am so grateful to have completed the Menopause Practitioner Course with Dr. Wendy (PhD). This course has truly transformed my practice. I am seeing so many positive results in my clients. I look forward to helping many more women navigate menopause successfully."
													
														Maria - Personal Trainer
																						USA (September 2025)
							"Thank you so much, I didn’t expect the depth of learning to be so extensive. I am looking forward to undertaking further learning and absorbing the amazing resources you have provided."
													
														Leanne
																						Australia (September 2025)
							"Wendy's courses are my favorite. I have done lots but I really like her style, how she addresses things, the science she includes, and the real life challenges women face." 
													
														Cathy - Physio
																						USA (September 2025)
							"The Practitioner Course has been wonderful and I am also in the process of implementing many of the changes in my own life. Thanks so much for addressing this time in women's lives so comprehensively. It has been deeply healing for me to address all this as it was completely ignored by everyone for so long - I am 60 now! "
													
														Alana - Homeopath
																						USA (September 2025)
							"Wendy, your course have given me excitement back at work.  I have been a doctor for over 20 years and a GP for 16 and I have now found a real passion. My reflection is that the current GP model in the UK does not give enough to our ladies to really get underneath the problems and challenges midlife brings.  It can end up being more binary, HRT vs no HRT.
With my group consultation afternoons I aim to change this.
													
														Dr Janet - GP
																						United Kingdom (August 2025)
							Wendy, I always look forward to your newsletters, you write so brilliantly, to the point and on topics that really hit home for women (particularly those I see day in and day out in our natural health supplement shop).  This issue (around bone health and alcohol) is particularly good and provides so many key points around alcohol that I'm sure women are not educated on, but would help them make better decisions for themselves. I'm so grateful for your work."
													
														Sarena - Nutritionist 
																						Newsletter subscriber (August 2025)
							"Your Business of Menopause Workshop, especially the AI ChatGPT webinar was outstanding, I had so many lightbulb moments thank you so so much - this is going to be a game changer for my business model moving forward."
													
														Claire - Personal Trainer and Menopause Coach
																						Ireland (August 2025)
							"I am getting a lot of value from the learning I received from the initial MyMT Menopause Health Coach course and having some really valuable conversations with women who are experiencing menopausal symptoms related to taking endocrine therapy for breast cancer. I have just enrolled in the joint health course as this is a major symptom women experience."
													
														Sue - Breast Cancer Foundation Nurse
																						New Zealand (August 2025)
							"I just wanted to thank you Wendy, for all your work. I’m really enjoying doing the Practitioner Course with you. At the same time I’m doing a Health Coaching Qualification. As an academic, I must say the difference in the two courses is huge, the quality of the MyMT™ Menopause Practitioner Course is on a totally different level."
													
														Sharon - Osteopath
																						United Kingdom (August 2025)
							"Wendy and Georgia, I really appreciate your time and guidance in the Affiliate Programme. I’m blown away at the support you offer, I was just saying to my husband, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so supported from a business perspective which is very heartwarming! The Business of Menopause Workshop had such amazing information in it, which I will incorporate into my day to day."
													
														Lisa - MyMT Affiliate 
																						New Zealand (August 2025)
							"Wendy, thanks for putting this course together. I really appreciate the strong basis on physiology and that it's situated within the context of aging. It has given me a really solid understanding for both myself and my clients. I love that addressing menopause symptoms in this way helps clients to develop healthy lifestyle behaviours appropriate to their life stage, which will serve them for the rest of their lives and lead to more health and longevity.  It is so much more than just helping with menopause!"
													
														Alana - Homeopath and NBC-HWC
																						USA (August 2025)
							"Wendy, I’ve learned an incredible amount from this course. Going through the roller coaster of hormones in my perimenopause, I feel truly fortunate compared to many other women who are struggling, because I now have access to solid and effective information that actually works."
													
														Burcu - Health Coach 
																						Turkey (August 2025)
							"The Practitioner Course has been fantastic and I have learnt so much about the symptoms and management for ladies in Peri menopause. I have also personally gained so much confidence in knowing all the symptoms I have had myself over the past 10 years are due to menopause and those lingering I hope will be addressed as I move through your circuit breaker program!   So thank you so much to you both!"
													
														Billie - Personal Trainer
																						Australia (August 2025)
							"I highly recommend the MyMT training for any health professional supporting women aged 45–60. It offers a refreshing, evidence-based approach that prioritises lifestyle changes over medication for managing menopause symptoms. I'm incredibly grateful for the practical tools and insights I've gained—not just for myself, but for helping my clients improve their health and wellbeing through every phase of menopause."
													
														Katie - Nutrition Health Coach 
																						Australia (July 2025)
							"The Menopause Weight Loss Coach course was so comprehensive and complementary to my functional medicine health coach training. I learned so much more about exercise in menopause than I thought I already knew. I can't wait for the full practitioner course starting in a few months!"
													
														Shelley - RN & Functional Medicine Coach
																						USA (July 2025)
							"Wendy is an amazing instructor - so generous with information. The Weight Loss Coach Course content is thorough and for anyone sitting on the fence pondering whether to do the course I can only say 'do it' you won't regret it!"
													
														Linda - Health Coach
																						Australia (July 2025)
							"Thank you so much Wendy. This course is - such a great investment for any health professional working with menopausal women! I definitely feel I’m getting that sense of understanding the ‘why’ for many problems we see, and I think it’s the part that is still missing from all the menopause courses I have done in the past!"
													
														Dr Jill - GP
																						Scotland (July 2025)
							"The Practitioner Course has opened my eyes to so many aspects in helping other women on their menopause journey! Wendy is so knowledgeable, and brings is back to the basics. I feel every provider needs this course to better treat and care for women in this transition."
													
														Cherie - Nurse Anesthetist 
																						USA (July 2025)
							"Wendy’s Menopause Practitioner Course is, without doubt, one of the most comprehensive and empowering sources of knowledge on female health, physiology, and the menopausal transition available today. It is an exceptional platform—truly a one-stop resource—where complex health issues related to menopause are explained with clarity, depth, and evidence-based insight.
What sets this course apart is not only the wealth of information, but the way it’s delivered. Wendy brings together cutting-edge research, years of experience, and a passion for women's wellbeing into a clear, supportive, and inclusive learning environment. Every topic is grounded in science, yet accessible and deeply human, making it invaluable whether you're a health professional, coach, or someone seeking to better understand this transformative life stage.
The course feels like being handed a map through the often-confusing terrain of hormonal health—complete with tools, explanations, and a strong sense of community. Wendy’s approach is both rigorous and compassionate, empowering practitioners to support their clients with confidence and integrity.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone serious about supporting women through midlife and beyond. It’s not just education—it’s a true investment in women's health."
													
														Georgina - Fitness Professional & Health Coach
																						UK (June 2025)
							"I came to this course having worked using lifestyle medicine to focus on metabolic health conditions and work with women frequently. As a GP, I have prescribed HRT for years but felt there was something missing in my knowledge and experience before I coach women privately for a metabolic health focus. I completed the BMS menopause course which was helpful but brushed over lifestyle - Wendy's course gave me the focus I needed. In my HRT reviews, I now focus briefly on medication and open the discussion so much further to understand the patient's journey and where lifestyle change could support them best. This has been incredibly helpful, I feel it is a much more holistic approach. I have also felt empowered to take the next step on my journey with my career development - opening my own clinic f2F and applying for CQC registration to be able to hold remote consultations and develop a group coaching course. Exciting times. Thank you Georgie & Wendy."
													
														Dr Caroline - Lifestyle Medicine GP
																						UK (June 2025)
							"I recently completed Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) Practitioner Course, and I found it to be a highly valuable and well-structured program that adds tremendous depth to clinical work with women in midlife.
Wendy’s approach is deeply rooted in evidence-based research while also integrating practical, holistic strategies that can be applied in real-world settings. The course content offered an excellent balance between the physiology of menopause, nutritional interventions, lifestyle modifications, sleep science, and stress management — all presented in a way that is both scientifically sound and accessible for client education.
What stood out for me as a practitioner is Wendy’s ability to connect the dots between research and the lived experiences of midlife women, particularly addressing often overlooked symptoms such as joint pain, fatigue, inflammatory responses, and metabolic changes. The modules are comprehensive, yet not overwhelming, and the supporting resources are excellent tools that can be directly used in practice.
I also appreciated the global perspective Wendy brings, which makes the course relevant across diverse populations, including my own South Asian clientele. The emphasis on lifestyle medicine, gut health, circadian rhythms, and the nuances of hormone changes provided actionable strategies I can confidently integrate into my own coaching and clinical work.
Overall, the Menopause Transformation course has broadened my clinical lens and strengthened my ability to guide women through perimenopause and menopause in a more personalized, compassionate, and effective way.
Thank you for creating such a robust and meaningful program!"
													
														Josie - Nutritionist 
																						USA (June 2025)
							"I’ve learned so much from the Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course especially about inflammation. I had been experiencing many perimenopausal symptoms, and deep down, I knew I was becoming insulin resistant. I was gaining weight and couldn’t lose even a gram, despite eating clean, exercising regularly, and taking care of myself. Still, my doctors kept telling me that my lab results were “just fine”—but I wasn’t feeling fine.
I was dealing with joint and muscle aches, waking up tired, feeling unwell, experiencing vaginal dryness, low libido, and an overall loss of joy. It felt like my inner spark had completely faded within just 6–7 months. I was also diagnosed with vaginal vestibulitis and had it surgically removed. My doctor said it was due to inflammation, yet my CRP levels were very low, which left me feeling confused.
Listening to Wendy helped everything click. I finally understood how inflammation was happening in my body, and that it was the root cause of most of my symptoms.
Within 2–3 months, my joint pain significantly decreased. I was able to walk outdoors for an hour each day without feeling exhausted afterward. I returned to resistance training three times a week without any muscle or joint pain. My sleep improved dramatically. Now I go to bed between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m. and wake up refreshed around 7:00–7:30 a.m. Psychologically, I feel so much better. I’ve lost 1.5 kg of body fat, and friends keep telling me I’m glowing in a completely new way. Even my doctor was surprised by how energetic I looked. When I shared that my symptoms had improved significantly, she simply told me: “Keep doing whatever you're doing.”
I’m deeply grateful that my path crossed with yours, Wendy. What you do is incredibly valuable. I truly hope you’ll offer a course specifically focused on perimenopause which is such a challenging time for many women, and your guidance can make a huge difference. Thank you.
													
														Burcu - Health Coach
																						Turkey (June 2025)
							"Going through the practitioner training has been such a deeply fulfilling experience for me. I’ve learnt so much, not just about the science of menopause, but about how to better support women (and myself!) with practical, real-life tools that truly make a difference. It felt like everything clicked into place. A heartfelt thank you to Wendy for so generously sharing your passion and such world-class knowledge. I’ve spent years searching, from reading books, listening to podcasts, visiting countless websites and I’ve never come across such in-depth, practical information all in one place. I’m genuinely so grateful. This experience has been a game-changer, both professionally and personally."
													
														Lisa - Holistic Counsellor
																						New Zealand (June 2025)
							"Thank you so much, Dr. Wendy, for the My Menopause Transformation Practitioner Course! It was packed with valuable knowledge and, at the same time, full of practical advice I can start applying right away—not only for myself, but also for my clients.
I truly appreciate the clarity, depth, and compassion you brought to the course. It’s been an empowering experience. Thank you again! And I am sure I will see you in another course soon!"
													
														Jessica - Health Coach 
																						USA (June 2025)
							"Absolutely loved the Menopause Practitioner Course! I started it after menopause side swiped me and I knew I needed to learn more. The science and reasons why really appealed to me as well as the practical sessions. I enjoyed Wendys teaching style and easy manner. Presenting my case study and gaining the live feedback was hugely beneficial. There’s just so much knowledge. I looke forward to becoming an Affiliate Coach and continuing my learning journey with MyMT."
													
														Lorraine - Health Coach 
																						New Zealand (June 2025)
							"I am always bowled over by the breadth of knowledge shown by Wendy. It is like listening to a wonderful library. Thank you for all the information provided and the time taken to provide downloadable content to help solidify our learning. Wendy is a font of knowledge for midlife women. Her passion and purpose shines through in every module. I would very much recommend Wendy's courses to any health coach."
													
														Rebecca - Health Coach 
																						UK (June 2025)
							"I see Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) as a real leader in Menopausal Health for women. I found the Health Coach Course interesting, evidence based and very helpful for coaching my clients in the future."
													
														Dianna
																						Australia (May 2025)
							"I thoroughly enjoyed the Menopause Health Coach Course. It has taken my knowledge to a whole new level and inspired me to continually learn in order to help my clients. Thank you so much for all the effort and support you put into this course."
													
														Charlene - Fitness Professional
																						Canada (May 2025)
							"My case study client found the changes to her lifestyle really benefited her perimenopausal symptoms and overall health. She felt a lot more energised, less moody and was excited to continue as she finally started feeling normal again. I wanted to thank you both so very such on an amazing course (Menoapuse Practitioner Course) you presented. It was unbelievable how much I learned and how much I have taken away from it. I am really excited to embark further on my peri/menopause coaching journey and helping many other women to navigate the challenges with peri/menopause."
													
														Kathryn - Registered Nurse
																						Australia (May 2025)
							"The MyMT Menopause Practitioner Training has been a great whole person approach to women's health as they age past child-bearing years. I loved the way that Wendy breaks down the different systems and addresses function, the role of hormones, normal aging in each area to easily understand. It's a great review and the repetitiveness of the material helps it sink in more. I also appreciated the frequent reminders of staying in our scope of practice when working with clients. Wendy and Georgia are warm, caring, approachable and the whole experience was excellent for me. I appreciated that we had the opportunity for live interaction along with the recorded and reading materials as part of the course. I do feel more confident in working with women in their 40-60s with concerns about menopause, the related symptoms and their changing health. I also appreciated having a case study for applying the knowledge as we worked through the course. Thank you!"
													
														Kim - RN & Health Coach
																						USA (May 2025)
							"I initially did a course with Wendy in about 2021 that helped me immensely with my own menopause symptoms. The Menopause Health Coach introductory course was presented in an organised and easy to understand manner and I cannot wait to continue my education with Wendy, she is a gifted presenter! I recommend this course as a starting point for anyone regardless of previous education."
													
														Linda - Clinical Pilates Instructor
																						Australia (May 2025)
							"The Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course has been transformational. I can help support women in a much more practical way. The content of the course is something that I have been looking for some time. It is has opened my eyes to the different ways we can manage our symptoms that does not cost much. I am a better coach for attending this course. Wendy is incredible and offers so much insight, so knowledgeable. Georgia was so easy to work with and an empathetic and helpful point of contact. Thank you, ladies!"
													
														Karen - Cancer Coach 
																						Ireland (May 2025)
							"The 3 week Menopause Health Coach Course struck the perfect balance between the science of menopause and the art of coaching. It didn’t just fill my head with knowledge—it gave me a clear, practical pathway to support women through this powerful life stage. I’m walking away not just informed, but truly equipped, and I can’t wait to bring these insights into my coaching practice to uplift the health and wellbeing of my clients."
													
														Renee - Health Coach 
																						Australia (April 2025)
							"The whole journey over the past few months has been incredibly valuable for me. I’ve learned so much about midlife women’s health – and just as importantly, about how to work with clients in a way that feels supportive and not overwhelming.
I also know I still have a lot to learn, and I’m excited to keep growing.
Thank you so much for this amazing education and for the inspiration you share with all of us."
													
														Tanja - Personal Trainer and Health Coach 
																						New Zealand (April 2025)
							"I've received certifications in menopause and women's health for midlife women that have helped build my practice, but the course Dr. Wendy Sweet has created is thorough, science-backed, and lifestyle-forward. She connects the dots to what's happening for midlife women and how health and wellness practitioners can help them through it. Thank you for such a thoughtful course."
													
														Dr Diedra - Physical Therapy Doctor
																						USA (April 2025)
							"I appreciated all of the information we learned in the Practitioner Course from the vantage point of menopause. I enjoyed the in-depth education on the changes that occur in women and how hormone and signaling changes impact different aspects of the body. I look forward to listening to each module again as there is so much valuable information there that I can learn more each time I visit it."
													
														Jodie - Health Coach 
																						USA (April 2025)
							"Thank you Wendy & Georgia, the MyMT Menopause Practitioner Course has been life altering. The course has given me the knowledge and the confidence to deliver real, thoughtful & practical solutions to women. I want to take this opportunity to say how grateful I am to have been apart of it. I had been following your work for over 12 months before I decided to enrol.
And further, I’d like to add how wonderful it is to complete a course that is delivered with such class by a fellow Kiwi. Everything from the platform, content, knowledge shared and your professionalism is world class.   
I absolutely will be returning to complete other courses Wendy."
													
														Tia - Health Coach 
																						New Zealand (April 2025)
							"I thoroughly enjoyed the Practitioner Course, and the videos. In-depth knowledge and understanding provided to support women and also their partners in understanding this next phase in their lives."
													
														Sherrin - Psychologist 
																						Australia (April 2025)
							"The Practitioner Course has been so valuable to my life and my clients! I can’t put it into words right now, but for now I will just say I very much appreciate all the time you have put into learning what you know and the for the way you teach and share your knowledge. 
Thanks again for your work sharing information that is so hard to find just from Google. 
Sending you lots of love and a big hug for being you and doing what you do!"
													
														Sarah C - Personal Trainer
																						Australia (April 2025)
							"I have SO enjoyed this course and have found it incredibly valuable. Wendy's course has truly been a game changer in how I view and approach menopause coaching. Not only has it helped me increase my confidence in this area, it has certainly allowed me to help my clients even more. I am so thankful for the lifestyle focus."
													
														Molly - Physio and Health Coach
																						USA (April 2025)
							"Please can you feedback to Wendy that I am LOVING the Practitioner Course - I am learning so much and it's such a refreshing change from all the UK trainings focusing on low carb, high protein, heavy weights etc.
I realise now the main reason for me investing in this education is to improve my own health and I've already made many lifestyle changes based on Wendy's teaching - the rice salad in particular is a game changer - for many hours after eating it I am feeling a lightness and expansion in my lungs and it feels as though I can breathe! So fascinating!"
													
														Jolanta - Holistic Pharmacist 
																						UK (March 2025)
							"This is all sooooo interesting!! I'm loving the Menopause Weight Loss Coach course!! I’m extremely excited to add this to my trainings plans."
													
														Ginette - Personal Trainer
																						Canada (March 2025)
							"I've just completed Part 1 of the Menopause Joint Course. It is superb. I am really looking forward to starting Part 2 as soon as possible and then beginning the Weight Loss Course.  The level and depth of information is way ahead of anything that I have been able to find in Europe."
													
														Aisling - Neuromuscular Therapist, Personal Trainer
																						Ireland (March 2025)
							"The MyMT Menopause Health Coach course was truly eye-opening. It gave me a deeper understanding of how to support women through menopause with practical, science-backed strategies. Wendy’s expertise and warmth made the learning process engaging and empowering. I feel more confident and equipped to guide my clients through this important life stage."
													
														Niki - Health Coach 
																						UK (March 2025)
							"I just wanted to thank you and Wendy for all the hard work you do and the knowledge Wendy has shared with us throughout the Menopause Practitioner Course. It’s a life changer and I hope I can start helping and changing more woman’s lives as a result."
													
														Nicola - Personal Trainer
																						UK (March 2025)
							"Thank you Wendy for a very informative course (Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course). I feel so much more empowered with the evidenced information that you share with us throughout the 12 weeks. Having worked in the fitness industry for the last 20 years we receive so much conflicting information. The support and interesting articles in the Facebook community have been amazing."
													
														Anne-Maree - Personal Trainer
																						Australia (February 2025)
							"The Introduction to the Science of Menopause for health coaches with Dr. Wendy Sweet (PhD) has been an incredibly informative and well-structured learning experience. The course content was thoughtfully organised, making complex information accessible and manageable without feeling overwhelming. The additional supporting materials, bonus content, and regular email updates were not only relevant but also kept me engaged and motivated throughout the journey. This course has provided me with valuable insights into menopause health coaching, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the learning process. Inspired by this experience, I decided to further expand my knowledge by enrolling in the musculoskeletal joint pain course. I highly recommend this course to any health coach looking to deepen their understanding of menopause and better support their clients through this transition."
													
														Miriam - Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach 
																						Singapore (February 2025)
							"I am so pleased I came across your work when I was researching menopause coaching. I love the way you present your courses and that you always have an abundance of research to back them up. 
That was a critical point for me; I needed to know the information I was learning was credible and science-based."
													
														Tanya C - Nutritionist 
																						Australia (February 2025)
							"Thank you for the knowledge and supporting information supplied through the Practitioner Course. It has been invaluable to learn aspects of a women's health in this interesting time of life when there is not a lot of resource out in the public arena. The group calls were helpful as well to meet other participants and share thoughts, and opinions. It has been helpful to have ongoing support of blogs and other information along the way. Looking forward to working now in this interesting area of a woman's life."
													
														Gillian 
																						New Zealand (February 2025)
							"The Menopause Weight Loss Coach was an excellent course and I learned so much. It has been so helpful for myself and my health coaching clients. I have recommended this course to several people. I appreciate the depth of research and the explanations for the reasons during each portion. Thank you so much for your dedication and expertise."
													
														Veronika - Psychologist, NBC-HW Coach
																						USA (February 2025)
							"The Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course is exceptional—an absolute eye-opener. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to understand menopause, whether for personal insight or as a newcomer in the coaching profession. I do not recall ever having such a valuable conversation with any healthcare professional. Now, so much finally makes sense. Wendy generously shares her knowledge and expertise, and the case studies bring the learning to life. The resources provided are outstanding. Thank you."
													
														Danielle - Menopause Coach and CPD Specialist
																						Australia (February 2025)
							"I'm absolutely loving these two courses! The Intro Course for Health Coaches & currently studying Practitioner Course. The content, format and information is invaluable. Probably the best studies I've undertaken and the knowledge is so powerful for women that I work with in midlife. Thank you Wendy."
													
														Tia - Health Coach
																						New Zealand (February 2025)
							"Gosh what a wonderful course (Menopause Practitioner Course). I absolutely loved it. As a GP working in the field of menopause I learnt so much. 
I have found Wendy’s course so informative and use the knowledge from Wendy’s course every day with my patients."
													
														Julie - GP
																						Australia (February 2025)
							"The Practitioner Course was wonderful. I just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for everything you do to make the Menopause Practitioner Course available. I truly enjoyed and appreciated the experience, and I’m so grateful for the time and effort you put into providing feedback, especially given how busy you are.
Your dedication to sharing your knowledge is incredible, and I feel lucky to have learned from you. The amount of information you have in your head is an inspiration."
													
														Wendy - Functional Medicine Health Coach 
																						USA (February 2025)
							"Dr. Wendy’s (PhD) programs stand out far beyond anything I’ve taken. Her unique approach is unmatched, backed by the countless women she’s helped and the data she’s gathered. No one else can claim that. She also has the most up-to-date information, while many fitness-focused menopause training programs I've taken overemphasize protein. I truly appreciate everything I’ve learned from your courses—I am constantly reviewing my notes, trying to absorb every bit!"
													
														Kathern - Menopause Doula and Holistic Health Coach
																						Canada (February 2025)
							"I'm very grateful to have completed both the practitioner and weight loss training with Wendy. They have added so many deeper layers to my existing knowledge. The courses are comprehensive yet easy to understand. They’re thoughtfully designed, and I find myself revisiting the modules to discover fresh gems every single time. Wendy's passion for the topic of menopause is changing women's lives worldwide, and it's given me more confidence to continue spreading the word about the importance of lifestyle science for this life stage. A big thank you to Wendy and Georgia for facilitating these trainings."
													
														Jenna M - Health Coach 
																						New Zealand (February 2025)
							"I found the Menopause Health Coach Course to be very helpful. I feel I have a much better understanding of menopause so will be in a better position to help my clients.
I really loved Module 3 (Lifestyle Behavorial changes!) I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge by registering for the Lifestyle Practitioner course."
													
														Beth - Health Coach 
																						USA (February 2025)
							"I enjoyed the Practitioner Course with Wendy so much, and I am inspired by her positive energy in doing comprehensive scientific research on menopause. Wendy has prepared an easy to follow programme including all the important components of this important period in women's lives. Very happy to to have taken the course and I am excited to share my learnings with my clients to support them in their midlife journey.'
													
														Meltem - Functional Medicine Health Coach
																						Switzerland (February 2025)
							"Loving this so much! What an eye opener - the module of the science between menopause and sleep was mind blowing. Especially for those I help with weight loss.'
													
														Cherie - Nurse Anesthetist 
																						USA (January 2025)
							"I am loving the Menopause Practitioner Course.  I have done so much medical training with local and overseas practitioners over the past 20yrs and have never had women's health presented in such a whole-body system that makes so much sense."
													
														Cheryl - Naturopath
																						Australia (January 2025)
							"In the past when coming across menopausal women in my practice, menopause has come up, mentioned as part of an issue, but I had neither the confidence nor knowledge to offer help from this perspective. 
Having completed the Menopause Practitioner Course I now have some very useful tools to help me to help ladies who come to my practice that need a reboot. I found it fitted exceptionally well with my practice and have now used this structure and method with 3 clients. Thank you to MyMT™ for giving me the confidence and knowledge to incorporate menopause work into my practice."
													
														Nicky T - Psychotherapist
																						UK (January 2025)
							"The Menopause Practitioner Course has helped me tremendously with my own menopause transition. I have implemented many of these lifestyle changes and I am feeling so much better too. By making my own changes I can better speak/coach to clients knowing how they feel with empathy. The fact that this course is based on research and evidence, makes it so much more convincing/proven to motivate clients to want to make the changes needed to feel better. Thank you, Wendy for all your hard work!"
													
														Barbara - Physical Therapist
																						USA (January 2025)
							"Thank you for the Introduction to the Science of Menopause Course. It's super valuable to have clarity on the stages, and the body systems impacted throughout our entire reproductive lives. Really beneficial as a first step into learning enough to have good conversations with women, and men, about the reproductive life cycle and just how significant the changes are."
													
														Karlin - Yoga Instructor
																						New Zealand (January 2025)
							"Great course, great facilitator and support team. Highly recommend the course. As a Pilates and Barre teacher to women in their 40s and above, the information I learnt can help me better understand my clients at this time. I loved how practical it is as well. Thank you."
													
														Karina - Pilates Instructor
																						New Zealand (January 2025)
							"Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge and experience with the Health Coaches Academy. It was great to see your energy and passion for empowering women with the right knowledge and tools to deal with the health challenges of different life stages. You gave us all lots to think about and practical tips on how to explore these issues with women in mid-life. I really liked the fact that you focused on the importance of considering the client's previous lifestyle and health  journey as well as their current stage and goals."
													
														Priya - Health Coaches Academy Student
																						UK (January 2025)
							"The past six months have been an exciting and transformative learning experience for me. Diving into the topic of menopause through your masterclass, Circuit Breaker program, Menopause Health Coach, and now the Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner course has truly helped me begin to close the gap in an area where I previously felt quite uncertain. I am eager to incorporate this new knowledge into my coaching practice and to continue making a meaningful impact in this critical field."
													
														Maria - Health Coach
																						Spain (January 2025)
							"The MyMT Practitioner Course is outstanding. Wendy delivers the modules brilliantly, making the information clear and easy to understand. This course not only reinforced what I already knew about this journey but also deepened my knowledge on key topics that will greatly benefit my clients."
													
														Cat - Personal Trainer & Health Coach
																						New Zealand (December 2024)
							"I LOVED THE PRACTITIONER COURSE!!! Like loved it. I was in a dark time in my life and I had a full thyroidectomy and fell into an even deeper hole. I came across Wendy's course and told my husband, "I need something. I need to learn something. I need a new spark". He said, "Go for it Joanna. Take time to learn something new and get your passion back". That is exactly what has happened. I LOVED LEARNING. It took me out of my darkness and gave me something new. I hope to meet you someday Wendy. I will hug you and cry."
													
														Joanna - Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach & Behaviour Change Coach
																						USA (December 2024)
							"I learned a lot from the Practitioner Course. There is very little information out there regarding menopause and so many women are in need of help. I have learned so much and every time I go back through the modules I pick up something I missed.  They are so comprehensive! Wendy's wealth of information has helped me to better understand my own symptoms as well as the symptoms of my clients. I highly recommend her to anyone wanting to learn more about menopause to assist you in helping with your client's transition."
													
														Kari - Personal Trainer
																						USA (December 2024)
							"So sad that the Practitioner Course has come to an end. It is such an energising course. I absolutely love it and didn't expect to love it as much as I do."
													
														Karen - Cancer Coach 
																						Ireland (December 2024)
							"Thank you Wendy, I have enjoyed your courses and I am already bringing some of my learnings into my sessions with some of my patients. I will continue to do this. I have learnt a lot about what goes on during the menopause transition. I didn't realise the extent of what it meant before!"
													
														Donna - Health Coach 
																						New Zealand (December 2024)
							"The Menopause Health Coach Course course was a great introduction to the topic of lifestyle solutions for the menopause transition. I liked the review of the endocrine system , hormones and the introduction to the physiology of the menopause, the changes taking place and how to view menopause as an important life stage in terms of aging, inflammaging, including blood vessel changes, musculoskeletal changes and how this impacts the symptoms and long term health for women. Learning more about the role of stress and the importance of managing this and other lifestyle factors during this life stage will help me to support my midlife coaching clients though the lens of the menopause transition. The lectures were easy to follow and it was good to have resource sheets to support these. Having this background evidence based knowledge will help me support my midlife coaching clients in a long term, whole health way."
													
														Fiona - Health Coach 
																						UK (December 2024)
							"I want you to know how much I appreciate the incredible information you provide. Your ability to teach, share knowledge, and deliver it with such clarity is truly lovely.
I also want to thank you for the additional reading you suggested. I’m always eager to learn, and I deeply appreciate the way you foster that same open-ended curiosity in your teaching and throughout this course. It’s something I value most about your approach.
Again, thank you so much for everything. Your guidance, expertise, and generous spirit are truly inspiring, and I’m grateful to be learning from you."
													
														Wendy L - Health Coach
																						USA (December 2024)
							"Thank you so much for the feedback on my Screening Form for the Menopause Practitioner Course. I have to say that the depth of information that you provide on this course is excellent and I am really enjoying it. Thank you."
													
														Serena - BioKinesiologist
																						Ireland (November 2024)
							"I would like to thank you so much for the Menopause Weight Loss Coaching Course. It has clarified the information, I have already provided to my clients, but now I feel so much more confident in it, as I understand why. I am so very happy to finally lay to bed all the misinformation regarding exercise for midlife women, especially those who are overweight. 
As a Personal Trainer, I am embarrassed to admit I was confused by all the concepts about training midlife women out there, especially for myself.  Now after a 12-year complete thyroidectomy, I am out running again and enjoying my aerobic exercise. It is the best I have felt in years - body and mind. Thank you again.”
													
														Natasha - Personal Trainer
																						Australia (November 2024)
							"I loved the Menopause Lifestyle practitioner Course and am really excited about starting to put this together more formally with my clients. During the process of the course I have had some great discussions and recommendations for clients that have already helped them a lot. The way Wendy teaches the course and all the practical applications you can use straight away with all your clients is really helpful. It's wonderful being able to have so many lifestyle solutions to offer woman no matter where they are on their menopause journey and regardless of whether they are on MHT or not."
													
														Tina - Physiotherapist
																						NZ (November 2024)
							"The Menopause Practitioner Course was absolutely fantastic, very comprehensive and in depth and always rooted in evidenced based practice. Wendy is an abundance of knowledge and it was a pleasure getting to learn from her. I enjoyed the continued engagement through the modules and calls with other participants in the program, it helped that there was practical application to the information which was essential in the learning process."
													
														Arissa - Registered Dietitian 
																						USA (October 2024)
							"I am absolutely loving the Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course. So informative and comprehensive."
													
														Dr Rosie - GP and Coach 
																						UK (October 2024)
							"Thank you so much for taking the time to so thoroughly review my Screening Form for the Menopause Practitioner Course, and to provide feedback.
It’s invaluable to be able to benefit from your extensive experience, expertise and guidance. We all desire to offer a service that is respectful to our clients, and designing the right pre-screening health form is such an important part of this service. Having another set of eyes assess the form and to provide feedback is wonderful."
													
														Nic - Health Coach and Certified Yoga Therapist
																						NZ (October 2024)
							"Please thank Wendy for the amazing live workshop yesterday. I really could of listening to her wealth of knowledge for hours! I'm really loving the Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course and I can't wait to put my menopause coaching into practice to support women on the journey."
													
														Chrissie - Registered Nurse 
																						NZ (October 2024)
							"The Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course was extremely informative. The science behind menopause weight loss was something I had not fully understood before now. I have gone back through the course twice to fully understand it and shall no doubt be referring back numerous times as there is so much in this course. This is now the third of Wendy's courses that i have undertaken. The level of teaching and depth of knowledge that Wendy shares in her courses is unrivalled. I would highly recommend them. I would also urge all students to join her Coaching Community pages on Facebook, as they are a constant source of support and learning."
													
														Nicky - Health Coach 
																						UK (October 2024)
							"[The Menopause Weight Loss Coach was an] Excellent class! This was precisely what I was looking for. I am an experienced health coach and fitness expert who was looking for something that filled in the gaps around the science of the menopause transition. This class delivered! I'm excited to continue learning with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)!"
													
														Elizabeth - Health Coach and Fitness Professional
																						USA (October 2024)
							"I am so excited as I have just launched my new website as a fully-fledged health coach specializing in Nutrition & lifestyle solutions for Menopause symptoms. I have you to thank Wendy for this exciting opportunity and for my renewed health and zest for life and learning.
Sometimes the universe sends you the person that you need just when you need them, and for me, stumbling across your website in my desperate search for help back in 2019 was that moment."
													
														Nicky - Health Coach 
																						UK (October 2024)
							"Wendy's wealth of knowledge is impeccable. I loved the Introduction to the Science of Menopause for Health Coaches, and I'm looking forward to taking further courses."
													
														Julia - Nurse
																						USA (October 2024)
							"As a physio on this course,  approaching the inflammatory status as a systemic condition of a life phase has been a fascinating take on years of treating this age group. MSK physios watch the limited success of our manual and exercise regimes on the inflammatory muscle and tendon conditions of 45-60 year old women as I did for years and we scratch our heads and assume that because these regimes work on the men and the younger clients these women are just non compliant or "wired funny". It now makes perfect sense why our normal approaches don't work for this age group. Thank you for a fabulous course and course content.  You are doing a wonderful thing for women!"
													
														Megan - Physio
																						Australia (October 2024)
							"I wanted to share some exciting news with you. I’m holding my very first workshop in my community, and it’s already fully booked! I’m thrilled to have the chance to share my knowledge with women who truly need it. I wanted to share this joy with you because you’ve played such an important role in my journey. Your guidance has given me the gift of education, and now I’m able to pass that on to others to help improve their lives. Thank you again for helping me live my dream."
													
														Shaila - Personal Trainer and Health Coach
																						New Zealand (October 2024)
							"Excellent course (Menopause Health Coach Course). I am a geek for learning and really wanted to do a deeper dive into so many topics she discussed. I am happy to see that she does offer more in-depth learning opportunities. I will be passing this course along to my other coaching colleagues."
													
														Paulette - Health Coach 
																						USA (October 2024)
							"I love the new knowledge provided both for persona use and for health coaching going forward. The course is engaging, interesting, terrific PDF's to save as reference, creative integration of the science, photos & real life examples of midlife women and their challenges. I am now wanting more!"
													
														Brenda W - Health Coach 
																						Canada (October 2024)
							"Taking the MyMT Weight Loss Coach Level 1 course has significantly expanded my knowledge. The depth of detail provided is truly remarkable. As a result, I am now better equipped to help my clients manage, understand, and thrive during their menopause and post-menopause journey. I am eager to enroll in more courses with you to enhance my expertise further and provide even greater support to those I serve. Thank you!"
													
														Shanely B - Nutrition Coach 
																						Australia (September 2024)
							"I enjoyed Wendy's passion and depth of knowledge. The Menopause Health Coach Course is an informative course with a good amount of extra reading material provided. I look forward to the next course. Thank you Wendy."
													
														Rebecca - Health Coach
																						UK (September 2024)
							"The Menopause Health Coach Course was a wonderful introduction to coaching those in their menopause transition from a holistic perspective. I look forward to exploring additional learning options"
													
														Jennifer - Health Coach 
																						USA (August 2024)
							"Wendy & Georgia, I'd just like to say that the Menopause Health Coach Course has been an absolutely wonderful experience helping equip me with such valuable information, not only as an allied health professional, but also with my own menopause journey. It was incredibly helpful to have the flexibility of when each module of the course could be studied/completed and the supporting articles coming through regularly really enhanced the learning process. Thank you so much."
													
														Rachel - Occupational Therapist
																						UK (August 2024)
							"I have found all the information in the Menopause Practitioner Course so informative and very useful for myself. The course delivery was clear and easy to follow, the live calls very useful and the breadth of content is incredibly vast, scientifically up to date and presented clearly. I look forward to continuing managing my own journey, continuing to learn and to helping others through their menopause transition."
													
														Emma J - Physio
																						UK (August 2024)
							"Thank you so much for all of the incredible information and course content that you have created in both the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course and the MyMT™ Transformation Course.
It has helped me and my clients to understand menopause and has given us the knowledge to thrive instead of suffer and survive in this new stage of life.  And yes, it is truly transformational!"
													
														Suzanne - Hypnotherapist, Nutrition Coach and NLP Practitioner
																						Australia (August 2024)
							"I've been meaning to write for months to say thank you so much for your course for Practitioners. I learned so much!! For me as a Naturopath, I could see that working on the various systems like I do in my own menopause program, i.e. working on the liver and detoxification, stress, the digestive system, and diet and exercise, all created big shifts for women’s symptoms (and for myself).
What I didn’t understand was WHY on earth this was making a difference.
How did healing the gut and supporting the liver, and optimizing diet reduce menopause symptoms when these interventions were obviously and clearly not increasing hormones that were dropping naturally? That was my curiosity.
I was so baffled about why menopause symptoms improved when what I was suggesting wasn’t changing the levels of hormones. Your Menopause Practitioners course gave me an incredible understanding about how all these jigsaw pieces fit together and a totally new perspective on menopause symptoms.
I now refer to menopause symptoms as signs that our body is unable to compensate for the drop in hormones. And when our systems are in balance, then our body can compensate, and menopause symptoms decrease. This was such a huge moment for me! I wanted to thank you again for your amazing work in this world.”
													
														Adrienne (Naturopathic Doctor)
																						Canada (July 2024)
							"What a fabulous course (Menopause Weight Loss Coach). As a health practitioner I found the information not just relevant but evidence based  I shall be sharing all my new found knowledge with my ladies, thank you again.
													
														Sue (Nurse)
																						Australia (August 2024)
							"Thank for sharing your knowledge on menopause and living our best life as we age. Having soaked in the knowledge I now feel ready to start working with ladies as they go through their menopause stage."
													
														Trudi T (Nutritionist)
																						Australia (July 2024)
							"The case study sessions in the Menopause Practitioner Course are so helpful Wendy - would love to have more of them as it pulls all the theory together with the real life experiences. Thank you so so much, I have loved this course."
													
														Jane B - (ex. Registered Nurse & Health Coach)
																						USA (July 2024)
							"I've loved this [Menopause Practitioner] course so much. I will miss it! Thanks so much Wendy for sharing your knowledge with us all."
													
														Nicky W - Acupuncture and Massage Therapist 
																						NZ (July 2024)
							"I'm so sad that it was the last session today, I have loved the Practitioner Course, all the information is fascinating and so thorough. I don't want these sessions to finish!"
													
														Kirstie - Psychotherapist & MyMT Menopause Health Coach 
																						UK (July 2024)
							"The case study session [in the Menopause Practitioner Course] was amazing, thank you so much! I have really enjoyed this experience!"
													
														Stefanie - Yoga Instructor & Menopause Coach
																						Germany (July 2024)
							"Wendy, that is possibly one of the nicest emails I have ever received of feedback - thank you so much for the effort you go to in touching base with each of those of your courses and making such a strong effort to personalise their learnings, their feedback all the whilst making the effort to learn from whence they come!
I am continuing to work through the modules as they are simply too good to by pass, I will continue to pay my monthly subscription in the hope that I can slowly work through.
Hopefully our paths will cross again in person but until then, thank you for having me, it's been such a lovely course."
													
														Kelly Anne - Lifestyle Medicine GP
																						Australia (June 2024)
							"I highly recommend this course for anyone working with women transitioning through menopause and mid-life women in general. It delves into the physiology of this life stage and provides insight into why many women experience multitudes of health challenges and the lifestyle solutions to manage and overcome them. The information has provided me with tools for my coaching business, to help women understand why they experience various symptoms and the changes occurring during this time. Thank you to Wendy for collating the scientific research to better inform and educate us as practitioners. It has been significantly worthwhile and a great investment for my knowledge base.
													
														Linda - Health Coach
																						NZ (June 2024)
							"This course has helped me a lot with my clientele. My clientele has also grown with the knowledge I have gained with this course. I have clients who now sleep better and find ways to cut back on stress even if that means not working out. The women that I work with feel that they have someone that they can run things by with, more so than with another trainer without the knowledge I now have. I have seen so much positive change, not just physical but mental as well in my clients. This course has made my personal training career much more meaningful."
													
														Erika L - Personal Trainer
																						USA (June 2024)
							"I've learnt a lot about the hormones through my own BHSC on naturopathy but never before has anyone put them into perspective not only in menopause but also working with women prior to entering this time, on how to support their bodies / hormones through diet & lifestyle factors that will contribute to entering menopause in a much better position."
													
														Nicky B - Naturopath
																						Australia (June 2024)
							"I really enjoyed the course and feel more confident talking about the physiology of the transition and the research around this (which can be lacking in the "popular" managing your menopause literature at the moment)."
													
														Dr Jo W - Psychologist 
																						UK (June 2024)
							"I have learnt so much about my own menopause and working with menopausal women. I am so grateful you offer this training and all of the courses you offer on your website! I am so proud to be a MyMT™ graduate!
													
														Carmen R - Herbalist, Women's Health & Hormone Coach
																						USA (June 2024)
							"I was extremely impressed with the depth of evidence based information and resources provided in this Level 1 Menopausal Weight Loss course. As a woman who has spent the past 20 years practicing intense HIIT & resistance training up to 5 times per week, along with having had 2 physical and mental breakdowns due to stress, I can now see why I've been experiencing so much joint pain, poor gut health and brain fog since entering into peri-menopause a year ago at 54. I started the Mediterranean diet as soon as it was mentioned in this course and eased my exercise back to 2 x pilates classes, 3 x yin yoga classes and a daily walk & am happy to say that 3 months later, I'm relatively pain free. I'm excited to embrace this lifestyle further and to support and empower women in my community with this life changing information. Thanks Wendy & Georgia, I'm forever grateful for your wisdom. Caz. S. - Wellbeing Coach & PT"
													
														Carolyn S
																						Australia (May 2024)
							"I enjoyed this course because of all the valuable information I learned. I appreciated the well-organized content, visually appealing PDFs, and research articles to support the content. Being a part of the Facebook group was also very valuable. Thank you so much to Wendy for offering this program. This will help me in the work I do with midlife women."
													
														Jennifer S.
																						USA (May 2024)
							"I'm loving the experience you're offering, and am learning more every day. To that end - Thank YOU!"
													
														Kristine H.
																						USA (May 2024)
							"Loved the course and it will be of great assistance in my practice."
													
														Chelle F (Holistic Counsellor)
																						Australia (May 2024)
							"Thanks, Wendy (and Georgia), for the comprehensive feedback on my screening form. 
This course is introducing so much useful information and is helping me solidify my body of knowledge in this field!"
													
														Dalia
																						USA (May 2024)
							"Wonderful course (Menopause Health Coach Course). The information was thoughtful, eye-opening and easy to follow and process. Enough science to understand the mid-life body and a direct connection to how coaches can support women with lifestyle changes."
													
														Amber - Health Coach 
																						USA (April 2024)
							"Thank you to you and Wendy for everything you do! Absolutely loving all things MyMT. I'm currently working my way through the Practitioner course (as well as putting myself through the Transform Me programme). Menopause hit me like a ton of bricks despite me having studied and learned about it in my role as an exercise professional.  I felt that I could no longer be a good role model for clients if I couldn't sort myself out'. 
I'm now 4 weeks into Transform Me and I'm feeling (despite having a horrible cold right now!) the best I've felt in years! I feel so much calmer and happier and even found myself dancing round the kitchen this morning like I used to! I'm loving the Practitioner Course and feeling positive, motivated and more like myself again. Thank you for helping bring the joy back into my life!"
													
														Sandra - Personal Trainer
																						UK (April 2024)
							"Thank you so much Wendy and Georgia! This course has been life transforming. We weren't taught these things in medical school. I feel very grounded to coach women in this stage of life!"
													
														Priscilla - GP and Health Coach  
																						Ghana (April 2024)
							"I just wanted to give you a big thanks again for your expert client care and taking such good care of me! Both yours and Wendy’s passion and service shines through.  Really impressive and unique outfit you run!"
													
														Jiji - Health Coach 
																						Canada (April 2024)
							"I just wanted to thank you both for the wonderful experience on the Menopause Practitioner Course. The course was everything I was hoping for!"
													
														Margaret - Pharmacist
																						USA (April 2024)
							"The Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course has been so beneficial for me on a personal level and also professionally and I now have women gravitating to me each week to help them through this stage of life. Plus, I have been to two large local medical clinics in the past 2 weeks to present to their medical doctors about the physiology of menopause and on diet and lifestyle strategies for menopausal women."
													
														Romy - Nutritionist
																						Australia (April 2024)
							"I am grateful to have found Wendy and her MyMT Program for Healthcare Practitioners. Her course and guidance really improved
my health after a hysterectomy this past July and it is already helping me with
my fibromyalgia clients in menopause. Knowledge truly is power."
													
														Sharon - Fibromyalgia Coach
																						USA (April 2024)
							"Thank you for a very good course. I learned a lot and wished that I had found you 3 years ago. This is very helpful to me personally and professionally.  I appreciate all your years of hard work on this. You run a great program."
													
														Veronika - Psychologist and Health Coach
																						USA (April 2024)
							"I have just completed module 3 in the Introduction to Menopause for Health Coaches. Exceptional content and training. Thank you for all you offer."
													
														Monica - Health Coach
																						USA (April 2024)
							"Thank you so much for your feedback and all the suggestions for my case study client. I have to share the success of my second case study, she lost nearly 1.5kg by making lifestyle changes and getting active. She is so happy with her new found habits that are bringing her old self back. It gives me so much joy to see ladies making positive progress. 
I cannot thank you enough for all the skills and knowledge you have given me so I can add value to my world. I am so excited for my new beginning."
													
														Shaila - Personal Trainer 
																						New Zealand (April 2024)
							"Thankyou Wendy and Georgia.
So much wonderful information to process! I see patients in a hospital outpatient setting. Obesity, metabolic syndrome, socioeconomic and cultural factors are a wild mix of problems. They all have had a breast cancer diagnosis and at their one year clinical review we discuss heathy lifestyle changes. Most of the women are in the precontemplative or contemplative stage and in my small 30 minute appointment we have a lot to talk thru.
Module 10 has given me lots of lovely insights in how to direct these conversations better. Thank you. This course was a joy to listen to.
													
														Kath T - Nurse
																						New Zealand (April 2024)
							"I wanted to say thank you so much to you and Wendy for this excellent course. I have learnt so much."
													
														Jenny B - Lifestyle Medicine Physician 
																						Australia (April 2024)
							"I just wanted to share, that the feedback on my coaching sessions has been amazing and I feel so blessed that I came across MyMT™."
													
														Kathern - Holistic Health Coach, Nutritionist and Fitness Trainer
																						Canada (April 2024)
							"The Introduction to Menopause for Health Coaches was well structured. I particularly found Module 2 very informative and helpful. I appreciate the scientific references and handout materials you provided at each stage. Thanks again for your immediate response to my email messages. I plan to recommend your course to others."
													
														Sharon D - Health Coach
																						USA (April 2024)
							"I really enjoyed the Introduction to the Science of Menopause for Health Coaches. I learned so much about lifestyle and hormonal health. Thank you again."
													
														Lisa A- Counsellor
																						USA (April 2024)
							"This information/course has been life-changing, affirming, and validating in so many ways. Please give Wendy a big hug and say THANK YOU!! Not sure where I (or my clients) would be without her and you all!"
													
														Tracy Y - Health Coach
																						USA (March 2024)
							"This is an excellent introduction to Health Coaching for women in menopause, and the perfect sendoff to my new career as a Health Coach. I really enjoyed the course and learnt a lot. I'm so excited I've decided to pursue my Masters in Public Health to further my knowledge and help women all over my country. I can't thank you enough for having faith in me!"
													
														Sabina - Counsellor 
																						Slovenia (March, 2024)
							"I am doing three menopause courses at the moment and MyMT wins hands down on so many levels: The live calls with Dr. Wendy (PhD) are invaluable and NOT what the other two courses have at all! The feedback and review of what we do is invaluable. AND I think that Dr. Wendy's strength is A) she's been through it and B) the number of testimonials and proof of what she's seeing in her own client's feels very relevant to me."
													
														Kathern - Holistic Health Coach, Nutritionist and Fitness Trainer
																						Canada (March, 2024)
							"This course (An Introduction to Menopause for Health Coaches) was a great introduction to the many considerations for helping women through the menopause transition. I'm a therapist so I already had a deep understanding of the HPA and impact of stress and sleep disruption, but it was really helpful to learn more about the physiology, endocrine system and understand that menopause is not just about the impact of declining reproductive hormones, but also what's down to ageing because I found this pretty confusing. I choose Wendy's courses because everything is evidence based (Wendy includes the references for further reading). My other reason for choosing Wendy's courses is because of her background and knowledge in physiology, as opposed to doctors that are more focused on HRT. The course has provided me with so much knowledge and boosted my confidence in helping women going through the menopause transition."
													
														Kirstie - Psychotherapist
																						UK (March, 2024)
							"The course has exceeded my expectations, and I am particularly impressed with Wendy's comprehensive inclusions. I also want to extend a big thank you to Georgia, for ensuring we have high-quality materials and keeping us all on time during the live calls."
													
														Dr Rosie - Medical Doctor
																						Australia (March, 2024)
							"I am thoroughly enjoying the Menopause Practitioner Course content, both for my personal benefit and also my work as a future coach in midlife women's health. Thank you for the excellent feedback and recommendations Wendy on my screening form."
													
														Claudia - Registered Nurse
																						Australia (March, 2024)
							"I’m writing to say thank you! From gaining my certificate I have gone on to deliver all the information that Wendy has taught me in a one-to-one and workshop format, but best of all I’ve set up a weekly menopause support group locally. The results have been phenomenal. From, a reduction in symptoms, weight loss, increased mood and self esteem, a sense of ‘me too’ and empowerment!
													
														Maxine - Health Coach 
																						UK (Jan, 2024)
							The Menopause Health Coach Course was great! I loved the reframe language of 'adapting to menopause'.
													
														Alexandra - Health Coach 
																						California, USA (March, 2024)
							"A big thank you to Wendy and Georgia for the work they do in spreading the word in regard to menopausal wellness. Wendy's courses are both educational and practical for all women going through menopause as well as for educators and health providers, so they are able to provide their clients the most up to date research and advice."
													
														Andrea M - Naturopath
																						Aus (Jan, 2024)
							Thank you so much for the sharing of such valuable information in your Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course. This will be a game changer for my menopausal clients.
													
														Megan M - Natural Health Practitioner
																						NZ (Dec, 2023)
							"Many thanks for your wonderful courses. Thoroughly enjoyed them. Must say I especially love your very personal customer service. Responding to emails mustn't be easy all the time but I really appreciated your answers and help along the way."
													
														Tracey F - Acupuncturist 
																						Aus (Dec, 2023)
							Thanks Dr Wendy (PhD) & Georgia, I really enjoyed the Menopause Health Coach Course. As a Health & Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer I’m always looking to update my skillset as my passion is helping women in their 40’s, 50’s & beyond and their changing bodies, especially as we go through Perimenopause, Menopause and Post Menopause. And as such this course was perfect, I learnt some key points to help my clients and also to make me a better coach. Thanks!
													
														Linda T - Personal Trainer & Health Coach
																						Aus (Dec, 2023)
							"Thank you for such an amazing course. I have learned so much, and I really appreciate all the time and support you have given us throughout the course as well."
													
														Nikki T - Personal Trainer
																						Aus (Dec, 2023)
							"The Menopause Weight Loss Coach is a fantastic course packed full of information and potential solutions to help mid-life women. I feel empowered to share this knowledge with my clients and can't wait to see them benefit from it. Thank you Wendy and Georgia!
													
														Julie J - Yoga Teacher
																						UK (Dec, 2023)
							"I highly recommend the Menopause Health Coach Course. I have a diploma in Biology/Microbiology but found the content really interesting and relatable to lifestyle/integrative medicine approach."
													
														Olivia S - Health Coach 
																						NZ (Dec, 2023)
							"The Weight Loss Coach Course provides great insight into the mechanisms driving menopause weight gain. There is the right amount of information depth to understand the various biological, physiological and environmental factors that influence changes at this stage of life. Thanks Wendy for bringing your knowledge and expertise into an easy-to-understand format in preparation for coaching our clients to make lifestyle decisions."
													
														Linda M - Health Coach 
																						NZ (Dec, 2023)
							"It has been absolutely fabulous doing the Menopause Practitioner Course. I feel humbled to be able to utilise this information with my coaching clients, they are so going to benefit from everything I have been learning."
													
														Tess W - Health Coach 
																						NZ (Dec, 2023)
							"A great course with robust data and well presented. Really has helped to build my confidence and to give me solid strategies to empower and help the women I serve. Also myself! Thank you!"
													
														Amanda S - TCM Practitioner
																						London, UK (Dec, 2023)
							"I recently completed the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course and I must say it exceeded all my expectations. The content was not only comprehensive but also delivered in a way that made complex concepts easy to grasp. Wendy's expertise and passion for the subject matter is evident. The real-world examples and information provided a valuable opportunity to apply the knowledge gained. It has changed my life. 
I no longer suffer bloating or hot flushes. Moreover, the support from Wendy, Georgia and the course community was exceptional. Questions were promptly addressed, and the collaborative learning environment fostered meaningful discussions. This sense of community added immense value to my learning journey. I feel confident that the skills and insights gained from this course will have a significant impact on me helping my clients. I highly recommend MyMT program to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of their menopause transition."
													
														Shaila C
																						Auckland, NZ (Dec, 2023)
							"The Menopause Health Coach Course was very informational for me as I am going through menopause. Now I am understanding my conditions especially when I was working out as I gain weight instead of losing. With the knowledge that I have acquired, I hope I can help other women understand and embrace menopause as part of living."
													
														Veronica B - Health Coach 
																						Minnesota, USA (Dec, 2023)
							"Having been a client of Wendy’s and now a student, I am so excited to have completed the Health Coaching Certificate. After 40 years as a Nurse, I am still astonished how little women know about healthy aging. I look forward to sharing my newfound knowledge with my clients and I would like to thank Wendy and her team for their continuing support and education. Keep it up team, you are amazing."
													
														Susan K - Registered Nurse and Health Coach 
																						Aus (Nov, 2023)
							"I’m so happy I found your programme Wendy, and your constant support and guidance is invaluable."
													
														Louise. H - Physio and MyMT™ Affiliate
																						UK (Nov, 2023)
							"I enjoyed the Menopause Practitioner Course a lot, I wanted to extend my appreciation. It has definitely been an enriching experience that has significantly expanded my knowledge and skills in women's health coaching. Your expertise is truly remarkable, and I am eager to continue learning and growing under your guidance.
													
														Danka B.
																						Germany (Nov. 2023)
							"I am enjoying the information in your weight loss course. With your course, I now feel I am equipped to tackle this problem. Thank you for all your research in this space - your content is informative and has helped me understand the metabolic changes, liver, heart and mitochondria health in so much more detail for women 40 plus."
													
														Leona (Exercise Physiologist)
																						Australia (Nov. 2023)
							"Wendy's content in the Certified Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course is outstanding. Easy to follow, with lots of opportunities to process and revisit information. The content is so thorough - nothing you could just google on the internet. I love that Wendy links everything back to researched papers, but has done the hard work for us and picked a part what is relevant for the peri to post-menopausal woman of today. I am already able to implement Wendy's teachings and feel confident in assisting my menopausal clients on their transition journey."
													
														Debbie P. (Exercise Professional)
																						Sth Australia (Nov. 2023)
							"I have really enjoyed all of the modules and learning how you built your business. Thank you for sharing your passion with the world. Getting information to women about the importance of managing menopause for their current and future health is so important. I am saddened this information is not already more commonplace, and frustrated that doctors don't know it. Although it does not surprise me after my experiences working on fibromyalgia advocacy and education for 26 years."
													
														Sharon (Fibromyalgia Coach)
																						USA (Oct. 2023)
							"I have done all kinds of programs and research and Dr. Sweet's is by far the best I've come across so far."
													
														Deb (Life Coach / Therapist)
																						USA (Oct. 2023)
							"The Menopause Health Coach Course has given me a better understanding of what menopause is and how it fits into our lifestyle choices. The knowledge I have gained from doing this course will not only help me go through my menopause journey but help me assist my fitness clientèle to understand why their body is changing and how we can adapt their individual exercise needs to better suit this stage in life. The materials supplied during the course were great, and I'm super stoked I will have them to access for future reference."
													
														Penelope (Personal Trainer)
																						NZ (Sept. 2023)
							"I also wanted to tell you that I’ve been enjoying your course so much. The content is rigorous, clear and so eye opening. My patients and I are already benefiting from it! I’m so happy to be taking this course and benefiting from your knowledge, generosity and passion."
													
														Anika (Acupuncturist & Health Coach)
																						Canada (Sept. 2023)
							"The Conference (Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine) was buzzing about your presentation & menopause which was exciting to hear! You definitely created conversation & enquiry which is fantastic. Thank you for a great presentation."
													
														Leanne (Public Health Nurse)
																						Australia (Sept. 2023)
							Menopause Health Coach Course: A useful introduction and great information included on challenges faced by midlife women on making lifestyle changes.
													
														Heather S
																						USA (Sept. 2023)
							As a certified health & wellness coach I thoroughly enjoyed the Menopause Health Coach Course. As a coach who is also navigating changes brought on during menopause, I found that I walked away with some great new insights, tools, & strategies to apply into my personal and professional life. I'm excited to implement what I've learned to help my clients to better understand what is happening regarding their physiology then apply the knowledge in ways that support and encourage positive lifestyle change. For myself, it's helped me to shift from a state of "self-blame & shame" into a state of more grace & acceptance for the changes occurring during this phase of my life.
													
														Cathy G (Health Coach)
																						USA (Sept. 2023)
							Having participated in your Menopause Practitioner Course has been life-changing.  There is no way I would be able to launch an entire company while navigating perimenopause. Between the brain fog and the sleep deprivation, I was indeed struggling (which also left me unmotivated to exercise). Now that I know how to regulate my sleep, when and how to exercise, and how to eat, my symptoms are manageable. Thank you again - your course was worth every penny!!
													
														Susan W. (Yoga / Pilates Therapist and Skin Care Founder)
																						USA (Sept. 2023)
							Georgia, thank you and Wendy for putting the Menopause Weight Loss Coach e-book of readings together.  I have been writing copious notes, as I do like to have it in writing so I can refer to something.  There has been so much information in the course.  So thank you, thank you, thank you.
													
														Julie S. 
																						Brisbane, Australia (August 2023)
							I cannot be more thankful to Wendy and Georgia for the amazing work they have done! Wendy you are a true inspiration, your research and dedication in this field surpasses anything else I have come across. You have helped me both personally overcome many menopause symptoms and professionally, understand what is happening in our aging bodies; now I look forward to returning the favour, or rather passing it forward.
I wonder where we would all be without your curiosity into Menopause health. THANK YOU!
													
														Liz (Reflexologist)
																						New Zealand (August 2023)
							"I am incredibly grateful for the eye-opening and exhilarating insight you provided on menopause. The course has covered all the vital aspects of well-being, including exercise, sleep, stress management, social connection, and nutrition, in a beautiful manner.
The case study experience has been incredibly enlightening for my client and me."
													
														Cate (Nutritionist)
																						Australia (August 2023)
							The knowledge I have gained about menopause from this course is second to none. I feel I am confident to empower, educate and deliver quality coaching to women in any of the three stages of menopause.
Looking at menopause though the lens of women's health and ageing is for me a fantastic way to embrace menopause with confidence as menopause can be quiet debilitating for women.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) to practitioners who would like to work with women in midlife.
													
														Maura (Health and Wellness Coach)
																						UK (August 2023)
							Thanks so much to both of you (Wendy and Georgia) for putting together such an informative and inspiring coaching course!
													
														Sue (Counsellor)
																						New Zealand (August 2023)
							I thoroughly enjoyed the learning associated with the application of the knowledge from the course. I felt well informed and the course content had covered everything my case study client asked about. The most rewarding part is that I felt confident that the information was the best and most researched at present. Many thanks Wendy!
													
														Lucie (Chiropractor)
																						Australia (August 2023)
							The course has been exceptional - exceeded my expectations - thank you Wendy and Georgia. 
													
														Fiona (Exercise Physiologist)
																						Australia (July 2023)
							I have enjoyed the course immensely and learnt a huge amount. I now feel far more knowledgeable and better equipped to launch this extension to my career, effecting change in women's health.
Thank you Wendy for sharing your immense knowledge with me. You have not only affected change in my own health and wellbeing but also the health of the women I work with.
													
														Karen (Personal Trainer)
																						Israel (July 2023)
							I just wanted to drop a quick note and say “thank you” so much for the most wonderful course that you have provided for all of us.  It has been invaluable and I am loving applying what I’m learning from each module.
I have learnt SO much and I still have so much to finish learning , it’s very exciting.
													
														Mish (NZ Personal Trainer of the Year)
																						NZ (July 2023)
							Thank you for an amazing course. I feel I have so much curiosity to be working with and can see how much potential I have to help my peri and menopausal ladies in my physiotherapy practice. Thank you for sharing your knowledge to help us help many ladies!
													
														Joanne (Physiotherapist)
																						UK (July 2023)
							"I just wanted to share that every time I listen to one of the modules I get this lightbulb ("aha") moment. 
As an Exercise Physiologist, science and evidence based research is very important to me. And even though I thought my physiology knowledge was OK.....wow the level to which you go into and particularly the ease of which it is presented...is making this by far the most informative, practical and empowering  investment I have made on any topic.
Thank you for bringing this topic to life! From a personal and professional perspective this is a conversation that needs a greater voice and I hope that I can do some of your work justice as I continue to find ways to empower women who want to take control of their menopause transition."
													
														Fiona (Exercise Physiologist)
																						Australia (July 2023)
							"I have found this module [menopause physiology] fascinating. It fits so well with my work as a physiotherapist. I can't wait to be able to help clients reduce general inflammation."
													
														Joanne (Physiotherapist)
																						UK (June 2023)
							"I loved this nutrition module Wendy! Thank you for the research/information on all your points. As a Registered Dietician, I also have been following the research on the benefits Mediterranean Diet and now I can apply it more directly for my clients experiencing Menopause symptoms.
													
														Shannon (Registered Dietitian)
																						USA (June 2023)
							"Love the focus Wendy has on the key risk factors like CVD and working back to the foods that are therefore recommended."
													
														Lyn (Personal Trainer)
																						Aus (June 2023)
							"I am learning so much and each module is falling into place in ways that I can relate to and remember so I can help other. Loving this course and soaking up so much info, you are a true inspiration, thank you for your enthusiasm and clear love for women’s health."
													
														Liz (Reflexologist)
																						NZ (June 2023)
							"I also wanted to thank you for creating this course - I am learning a great deal of information that is completely new to me!  It amazes me with my years of obtaining certifications and/or doing research on my own in all things health & wellness, there are so many things in the course that is new knowledge to me.  I had a chat with some of my friends within the health industry and we all agree that there is not enough guidance when it comes to this stage in life, especially within the realm of lifestyle and dietary changes...there's a great deal of confusion. I'm so grateful to be a part of the class!"
													
														Carrie (Health & Wellness Coach)
																						USA (June 2023)
							"Excellent presentation [about menopause physiology] and thorough explanations on all topics. I have greatly appreciated the refresher on physiology. It has enhanced my understanding of hormone regulation and how crucial it is to maintaining homeostasis. The use of diagrams has also helped me to develop a deeper understanding of all aspects of menopause related physiology."
													
														Cate (Nutritionist)
																						Australia (May 2023)
							The depth of information being presented and the evidence/research is just incredible....Wendy is an excellent presenter and I can hear the passion in her voice which makes the modules very easy to listen to.
													
														Fiona (Exercise Physiologist)
																						Australia (May 2023)
							Learning from Wendy has been an absolute inspiration and light bulb moment for me.  I originally did Wendys MyMT™ programme about a year ago and along with dropping a few kilos, it also helped me regain my sleep (bliss). I am a Personal Trainer and Coach and as such, was feeling a bit lost with Menopause and how to deal with it and how to help my clients. 
I then noticed that Wendy was offering a Menopause Practitioner Course and thought, wow, that will help me to help my clients even more. To be honest, I wasn't expecting the amount of information or the "science" beyond menopause that I learned. This has been a real eye opener for me, I have learned so much more that I already knew, and it has also helped with my own journey (post menopause). I now have the confidence to work with my clients and help them navigate menopause through making some lifestyle changes. 
													
														Anne (Personal Trainer & Gym Owner)
																						New Zealand (May 2023)
							"I just thought I would send you an update on what I have been able to achieve since completing the course. 
You may not remember that I work for a public health service here in regional Victoria, Australia. My program area is Early Intervention in Chronic Disease and primarily my role title is Health Coach although I am a Registered Nurse. My client cohort is mainly women aged 45-70 years of age and most have menopausal symptoms and are not even aware of the connection with menopause and their symptoms. I have become so  overwhelmed with referrals since my colleagues have become aware of my recent training. Which is great and its been fantastic working with these clients but unfortunately I now have a protracted wait list. There is such a gap in health care in this space!"
													
														Leanne (Health Coach & Registered Nurse)
																						Australia (April 2023)
							"I am a Personal Trainer and Pilates Movement Therapist and wanted to understand more about healthy aging when going through the stage of midlife. I saw my mother and grandmother struggling through this and I have clients now going through that stage and felt uncertain myself where to go and look for answers. Wendy covers many aspects that contribute to a better understanding of what women go through in midlife and offers a variety of food, exercise, rest and mental health solutions so that women can take back control. In my case study I have helped a client in post menopause to manage her symptoms and within 6 weeks she saw improvements to sleep quality, had more energy whilst reducing her HRT treatment and made dietary changes without putting her on a restricted diet or stressful calorie counting - she lost 3 cm of abdominal circumference. I have more confidence to support my clients by being able to explain what is happening as they age. I can support them when they have to make lifestyle changes and help them to ask better questions when speaking with their GP or other health practitioner. Along the course of 12 weeks Wendy was fantastic in answering all my questions and gave the support I needed to be more confident in my role as a Personal Trainer. Thanks Wendy and Georgia."
													
														Ira (Personal Trainer and Pilates Therapist)
																						Australia (April 2023)
							"An exceptional course (Menopause Weight Loss Coach) and well presented. Content is well balanced with clear evidence and research (it was the science behind this program that led me to enrol in the first place). Certainly got my brain thinking and definitely learnt so much.
Thank you Wendy - just brilliant!"
													
														Fiona (Personal Trainer)
																						Australia (April 2023)
							"I would recommend this course (Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course) to anyone supporting women along their menopause journey. This has been an eye opening course, full of information and practical advice."
													
														Nikki 
																						New Zealand (April 2023)
							"I am so thrilled that I came across Wendy's work.  I am a Naturopathic Doctor with a focus on menopause, and although I have been treating menopause for a many  years I always felt something was missing especially when it came to weight loss in menopause. There is so much noise and confusion out there about what is the right diet. It was so empowering to have someone as clearly knowledgeable as Wendy is, synthesize the research and make sense of what the data says. She gives such an amazing in-depth look at the research so one can understand and explain to patients why certain action steps are helpful.  Also, due to Wendy's many years of experience with clients,  she does such a wonderful job explaining how the research can actually be applied in simple actionable steps. Her depth of knowledge blew me away and I ended up binge watching her entire course like a Netflix series LOL. I could not stop watching and I learned so much from her course which I have been implementing with great success in my practice. Thank you Wendy for all the work you do! This is such important information and needs to be in the hands of more health professionals!"
													
														Dr Adrienne Stein, Naturopathic Doctor 
																						Canada (April 2023)
							"I love to learn and I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to gain knowledge from such an inspirational and passionate world leader in women's health. Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) ‘Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course’ has given me the understanding to answer so many ‘Why’s’, which as a fellow Fitness Professional, she knows only too well, that we are asked every day. This will be life changing for so many of my clients and to see their symptoms reduce or disappear is a magic moment for me as a coach, as I adapt their exercise and nutrition to suit their time of life. Thank you!"
													
														Rachel, One Body Personal Trainer
																						Isle of Anglesey, Wales (March 2023)
							"Thank you for the call last night, honestly I am just so fascinated and absorbed in this course and all that you are teaching. It makes so much sense and has hugely broadened my menopause knowledge."
													
														Antonia, Lifestyle and Behaviour Coach
																						Scotland (March 2023)
							"I have thoroughly enjoyed the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course. I have been a fitness professional for all of my working life, mostly working with women. I signed up for the course because I really felt that I needed to understand the menopause transition much better than I did. Wendy, I loved the content, and I intend to continue my learning with you as I feel that it will benefit me both professionally and personally."
													
														Allison, Exercise Professional
																						United Kingdom (April 2023)
							"I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to both of you for your hard work in creating, administrating and presenting the menopause practitioner course. The material, the science backed evidence and your own wealth of experience all really resonated with me and is the most sense I have made around this period of mid life to date. It really is a minefield out there and everyone is so individual, however I feel I'm now equipped with knowledge and the tools to support women through this stage."
													
														Antonia, Lifestyle and Behaviour Coach
																						Scotland (April 2023)
							The depth of information being presented and the evidence/research is just incredible....Wendy is an excellent presenter and I can hear the passion in her voice which makes the modules very easy to listen to.
													
														Fiona (Exercise Physiologist)
																						Australia (May 2023)
							"I also wanted to thank you for creating this course - I am learning a great deal of information that is completely new to me!  It amazes me with my years of obtaining certifications and/or doing research on my own in all things health & wellness, there are so many things in the course that is new knowledge to me.  I had a chat with some of my friends within the health industry and we all agree that there is not enough guidance when it comes to this stage in life, especially within the realm of lifestyle and dietary changes...there's a great deal of confusion. I'm so grateful to be a part of the class!"
													
														Carrie (Health & Wellness Coach)
																						USA (June 2023)
							"I am learning so much and each module is falling into place in ways that I can relate to and remember so I can help other. Loving this course and soaking up so much info, you are a true inspiration, thank you for your enthusiasm and clear love for women’s health."
													
														Liz (Reflexologist)
																						NZ (June 2023)
							"I loved this nutrition module Wendy! Thank you for the research/information on all your points. As a Registered Dietician, I also have been following the research on the benefits Mediterranean Diet and now I can apply it more directly for my clients experiencing Menopause symptoms.
													
														Shannon (Registered Dietitian)
																						USA (June 2023)
							The depth of information being presented and the evidence/research is just incredible....Wendy is an excellent presenter and I can hear the passion in her voice which makes the modules very easy to listen to.
													
														Fiona (Exercise Physiologist)
																						Australia (May 2023)
							"I am incredibly grateful for the eye-opening and exhilarating insight you provided on menopause. The course has covered all the vital aspects of well-being, including exercise, sleep, stress management, social connection, and nutrition, in a beautiful manner.
The case study experience has been incredibly enlightening for my client and me."
													
														Cate (Nutritionist)
																						Australia (August 2023)
							"I have done all kinds of programs and research and Dr. Sweet's is by far the best I've come across so far."
													
														Deb (Life Coach / Therapist)
																						USA (Oct. 2023)
							"I am enjoying the information in your weight loss course. With your course, I now feel I am equipped to tackle this problem. Thank you for all your research in this space - your content is informative and has helped me understand the metabolic changes, liver, heart and mitochondria health in so much more detail for women 40 plus."
													
														Leona (Exercise Physiologist)
																						Australia (Nov. 2023)
							"Thank you so much Wendy and Georgia! This course has been life transforming. We weren't taught these things in medical school. I feel very grounded to coach women in this stage of life!"
													
														Priscilla - GP and Health Coach  
																						Ghana (April 2024)
							"This course has helped me a lot with my clientele. My clientele has also grown with the knowledge I have gained with this course. I have clients who now sleep better and find ways to cut back on stress even if that means not working out. The women that I work with feel that they have someone that they can run things by with, more so than with another trainer without the knowledge I now have. I have seen so much positive change, not just physical but mental as well in my clients. This course has made my personal training career much more meaningful."
													
														Erika L - Personal Trainer
																						USA (June 2024)
							"Thank you so much for all of the incredible information and course content that you have created in both the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course and the MyMT™ Transformation Course.
It has helped me and my clients to understand menopause and has given us the knowledge to thrive instead of suffer and survive in this new stage of life.  And yes, it is truly transformational!"
													
														Suzanne - Hypnotherapist, Nutrition Coach and NLP Practitioner
																						Australia (August 2024)
							"Thank you so much for all of the incredible information and course content that you have created in both the Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course and the MyMT™ Transformation Course.
It has helped me and my clients to understand menopause and has given us the knowledge to thrive instead of suffer and survive in this new stage of life.  And yes, it is truly transformational!"
													
														Suzanne - Hypnotherapist, Nutrition Coach and NLP Practitioner
																						Australia (August 2024)
							"The Menopause Practitioner Course was absolutely fantastic, very comprehensive and in depth and always rooted in evidenced based practice. Wendy is an abundance of knowledge and it was a pleasure getting to learn from her. I enjoyed the continued engagement through the modules and calls with other participants in the program, it helped that there was practical application to the information which was essential in the learning process."
													
														Arissa - Registered Dietitian 
																						USA (October 2024)
							"The Menopause Practitioner Course was absolutely fantastic, very comprehensive and in depth and always rooted in evidenced based practice. Wendy is an abundance of knowledge and it was a pleasure getting to learn from her. I enjoyed the continued engagement through the modules and calls with other participants in the program, it helped that there was practical application to the information which was essential in the learning process."
													
														Arissa - Registered Dietitian 
																						USA (October 2024)
							"The Menopause Practitioner Course was absolutely fantastic, very comprehensive and in depth and always rooted in evidenced based practice. Wendy is an abundance of knowledge and it was a pleasure getting to learn from her. I enjoyed the continued engagement through the modules and calls with other participants in the program, it helped that there was practical application to the information which was essential in the learning process."
													
														Arissa - Registered Dietitian 
																						USA (October 2024)
							"I would like to thank you so much for the Menopause Weight Loss Coaching Course. It has clarified the information, I have already provided to my clients, but now I feel so much more confident in it, as I understand why. I am so very happy to finally lay to bed all the misinformation regarding exercise for midlife women, especially those who are overweight. 
As a Personal Trainer, I am embarrassed to admit I was confused by all the concepts about training midlife women out there, especially for myself.  Now after a 12-year complete thyroidectomy, I am out running again and enjoying my aerobic exercise. It is the best I have felt in years - body and mind. Thank you again.”
													
														Natasha - Personal Trainer
																						Australia (November 2024)
							"The Menopause Health Coach Course course was a great introduction to the topic of lifestyle solutions for the menopause transition. I liked the review of the endocrine system , hormones and the introduction to the physiology of the menopause, the changes taking place and how to view menopause as an important life stage in terms of aging, inflammaging, including blood vessel changes, musculoskeletal changes and how this impacts the symptoms and long term health for women. Learning more about the role of stress and the importance of managing this and other lifestyle factors during this life stage will help me to support my midlife coaching clients though the lens of the menopause transition. The lectures were easy to follow and it was good to have resource sheets to support these. Having this background evidence based knowledge will help me support my midlife coaching clients in a long term, whole health way."
													
														Fiona - Health Coach 
																						UK (December 2024)
							"I LOVED THE PRACTITIONER COURSE!!! Like loved it. I was in a dark time in my life and I had a full thyroidectomy and fell into an even deeper hole. I came across Wendy's course and told my husband, "I need something. I need to learn something. I need a new spark". He said, "Go for it Joanna. Take time to learn something new and get your passion back". That is exactly what has happened. I LOVED LEARNING. It took me out of my darkness and gave me something new. I hope to meet you someday Wendy. I will hug you and cry."
													
														Joanna - Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach & Behaviour Change Coach
																						USA (December 2024)
							"The MyMT Practitioner Course is outstanding. Wendy delivers the modules brilliantly, making the information clear and easy to understand. This course not only reinforced what I already knew about this journey but also deepened my knowledge on key topics that will greatly benefit my clients."
													
														Cat - Personal Trainer & Health Coach
																						New Zealand (December 2024)
							"Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge and experience with the Health Coaches Academy. It was great to see your energy and passion for empowering women with the right knowledge and tools to deal with the health challenges of different life stages. You gave us all lots to think about and practical tips on how to explore these issues with women in mid-life. I really liked the fact that you focused on the importance of considering the client's previous lifestyle and health  journey as well as their current stage and goals."
													
														Priya - Health Coaches Academy Student
																						UK (January 2025)
							"Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge and experience with the Health Coaches Academy. It was great to see your energy and passion for empowering women with the right knowledge and tools to deal with the health challenges of different life stages. You gave us all lots to think about and practical tips on how to explore these issues with women in mid-life. I really liked the fact that you focused on the importance of considering the client's previous lifestyle and health  journey as well as their current stage and goals."
													
														Priya - Health Coaches Academy Student
																						UK (January 2025)
							"Thank you for the Introduction to the Science of Menopause Course. It's super valuable to have clarity on the stages, and the body systems impacted throughout our entire reproductive lives. Really beneficial as a first step into learning enough to have good conversations with women, and men, about the reproductive life cycle and just how significant the changes are."
													
														Karlin - Yoga Instructor
																						New Zealand (January 2025)
							"Thank you for the Introduction to the Science of Menopause Course. It's super valuable to have clarity on the stages, and the body systems impacted throughout our entire reproductive lives. Really beneficial as a first step into learning enough to have good conversations with women, and men, about the reproductive life cycle and just how significant the changes are."
													
														Karlin - Yoga Instructor
																						New Zealand (January 2025)
							"The Menopause Practitioner Course has helped me tremendously with my own menopause transition. I have implemented many of these lifestyle changes and I am feeling so much better too. By making my own changes I can better speak/coach to clients knowing how they feel with empathy. The fact that this course is based on research and evidence, makes it so much more convincing/proven to motivate clients to want to make the changes needed to feel better. Thank you, Wendy for all your hard work!"
													
														Barbara - Physical Therapist
																						USA (January 2025)
							"Loving this so much! What an eye opener - the module of the science between menopause and sleep was mind blowing. Especially for those I help with weight loss.'
													
														Cherie - Nurse Anesthetist 
																						USA (January 2025)
							"I enjoyed the Practitioner Course with Wendy so much, and I am inspired by her positive energy in doing comprehensive scientific research on menopause. Wendy has prepared an easy to follow programme including all the important components of this important period in women's lives. Very happy to to have taken the course and I am excited to share my learnings with my clients to support them in their midlife journey.'
													
														Meltem - Functional Medicine Health Coach
																						Switzerland (February 2025)
							"Gosh what a wonderful course (Menopause Practitioner Course). I absolutely loved it. As a GP working in the field of menopause I learnt so much. 
I have found Wendy’s course so informative and use the knowledge from Wendy’s course every day with my patients."
													
														Julie - GP
																						Australia (February 2025)
							"The Introduction to the Science of Menopause for health coaches with Dr. Wendy Sweet has been an incredibly informative and well-structured learning experience. The course content was thoughtfully organised, making complex information accessible and manageable without feeling overwhelming. The additional supporting materials, bonus content, and regular email updates were not only relevant but also kept me engaged and motivated throughout the journey. This course has provided me with valuable insights into menopause health coaching, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the learning process. Inspired by this experience, I decided to further expand my knowledge by enrolling in the musculoskeletal joint pain course. I highly recommend this course to any health coach looking to deepen their understanding of menopause and better support their clients through this transition."
													
														Miriam - Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach 
																						Singapore (February 2025)
							"Thank you Wendy for a very informative course (Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course). I feel so much more empowered with the evidenced information that you share with us throughout the 12 weeks. Having worked in the fitness industry for the last 20 years we receive so much conflicting information. The support and interesting articles in the Facebook community have been amazing."
													
														Anne-Maree - Personal Trainer
																						Australia (February 2025)
							"I've just completed Part 1 of the Menopause Joint Course. It is superb. I am really looking forward to starting Part 2 as soon as possible and then beginning the Weight Loss Course.  The level and depth of information is way ahead of anything that I have been able to find in Europe."
													
														Aisling - Neuromuscular Therapist, Personal Trainer & Coach
																						Ireland (March 2025)
							"I’ve learned so much from the Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course especially about inflammation. I had been experiencing many perimenopausal symptoms, and deep down, I knew I was becoming insulin resistant. I was gaining weight and couldn’t lose even a gram, despite eating clean, exercising regularly, and taking care of myself. Still, my doctors kept telling me that my lab results were “just fine”—but I wasn’t feeling fine.
I was dealing with joint and muscle aches, waking up tired, feeling unwell, experiencing vaginal dryness, low libido, and an overall loss of joy. It felt like my inner spark had completely faded within just 6–7 months. I was also diagnosed with vaginal vestibulitis and had it surgically removed. My doctor said it was due to inflammation, yet my CRP levels were very low, which left me feeling confused.
Listening to Wendy helped everything click. I finally understood how inflammation was happening in my body, and that it was the root cause of most of my symptoms.
Within 2–3 months, my joint pain significantly decreased. I was able to walk outdoors for an hour each day without feeling exhausted afterward. I returned to resistance training three times a week without any muscle or joint pain. My sleep improved dramatically. Now I go to bed between 10:00 and 10:30 p.m. and wake up refreshed around 7:00–7:30 a.m. Psychologically, I feel so much better. I’ve lost 1.5 kg of body fat, and friends keep telling me I’m glowing in a completely new way. Even my doctor was surprised by how energetic I looked. When I shared that my symptoms had improved significantly, she simply told me: “Keep doing whatever you're doing.”
I’m deeply grateful that my path crossed with yours, Wendy. What you do is incredibly valuable. I truly hope you’ll offer a course specifically focused on perimenopause which is such a challenging time for many women, and your guidance can make a huge difference. Thank you.
													
														Burcu - Health Coach
																						Turkey (June 2025)
							"Despite already undertaking several courses and my own research about menopausal health and wellness, Wendy's course has proved to be a fantastic addition to my knowledge and understanding. Her evidence-based approach and firsthand knowledge in this area is invaluable. 
The course has allowed me to think more broadly in terms of how I best help my client's optimise their health and wellness during menopause - and also provided me with more knowledge to implement for myself. The course itself was well-organised and clear. The regular group zooms were also very helpful in consolidating my knowledge. I'm looking forward to undertaking more of Wendy's courses to further increase my skills.
													
														Tania - Health Coach
																						NZ (September 2025)
							"Despite already undertaking several courses and my own research about menopausal health and wellness, Wendy's course has proved to be a fantastic addition to my knowledge and understanding. Her evidence-based approach and firsthand knowledge in this area is invaluable. 
The course has allowed me to think more broadly in terms of how I best help my client's optimise their health and wellness during menopause - and also provided me with more knowledge to implement for myself. The course itself was well-organised and clear. The regular group zooms were also very helpful in consolidating my knowledge. I'm looking forward to undertaking more of Wendy's courses to further increase my skills.
													
														Tania - Health Coach
																						NZ (September 2025)
							"I truly believe that your personal feedback and your live zoom calls is one of the biggest differentiators of your course. I’ve done many others, and none offered the level of personal expert review that yours does — it makes such a big difference."
													
														Krisztina - Nutritionist and Health Coach
																						Singapore (October 2025)
							"I am terribly excited to be a part of this group! Since I came across Dr. Sweet's work last year, I realized she was teaching practitioners real and useful information that translates into life changing experiences for women."  
													
														Susan C
																						USA (Mach 2023)
							"The practitioner course is really enjoyable. I've had so many light bulb moments and am talking to some of my clients about what I read and watched and lots of things are making sense to them as well. I like the way the course is set up with a summary to print out and the way it is delivered - still easy to understand for someone with English as a second language."
													
														Ira (Personal Trainer and Pilates Movement Therapist)
																						Australia (Feb 2023)
							"I am learning so much and so happy to be able to support other women during their menopause journey. Finally I am understanding why I went into post-menopause at 46 and can support other women to have a smoother transition."
													
														Barbara - Hormone Therapist
																						Switzerland (Feb 2023)
							"I have found your CPD course for health professionals to be the best course I have ever done. If only every doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, fitness coach  signed up for it!"
													
														Diana - Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation Practitioner
																						NZ (Oct, 2022)
							"As an established Health Coach, I looked forward to every single week of this mind-blowing 12-week course.  The course was so good, I was dreading it finishing!
Wendy is such an amazing teacher. She is able to break down anything into simple-to-understand information that everyone can use.  Her research, her vast experience with her own clients and the real-life examples she provides are pots of gold, literally.  I have come away confident to work with pre-, peri- and post-menopausal women, offering them lifestyle strategies to mitigate, ease or eliminate their symptoms.
I absolutely loved this course and look forward to the other courses Wendy might be convening in the future."
													
														Aimee P - Health Coach and Fitness Instructor
																						NZ (Oct, 2022)
							"Wendy, I must express my thanks and huge appreciation for the  work that has gone into the MyMT programme. There is an incredible amount of knowledge and resources contained within this body of work and I am in awe of all that you have learnt and collated for this wonderful course.  I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to have done the course.  
I have worked with women all my life as a nurse, midwife, acupuncturist and hypnotherapist and now I have even more pleasure to think that I can feel that much more confident when working with menopause issues."
													
														Kate O - Hypnotherapist, Acupuncturist & Nurse
																						NZ (Oct, 2022)
							"I am really enjoying the course, the information is invaluable, and I am having many AHA moments. It’s like putting the jigsaw pieces together. From my experience of going through at times some awful peri menopause changes, you can feel powerless to make changes and are faced with a 'one size fits all' approach of medication and HRT which of course is not the whole picture. I actually found that after 2 years of trying things that it made me worse. I am still working through these changes but feel more power and freedom to try other things through this course. I can’t wait to be able to offer this in consultation to other women suffering as I have. Knowledge is power thank you Wendy Sweet."
													
														Pippa T - Holistic and Complimentary Medicine Practitioner 
																						UK (Oct, 2022)
							"I just want to thank you for producing such an amazing course and tell you how much I have gained from participating. As you know I am a fellow of ASLM and am very experienced in healthy lifestyle behaviour change support. What you have provided me though is solutions and options for a client cohort that are desperately trying to find solutions to their symptoms. 
I constantly receive referrals for women aged between 45-65 ‘need to lose 20kgs’, ‘uncontrolled diabetes’, ‘needs to reduce cholesterol’ etc…. All these women are suffering from menopause symptoms have elevated LFT’s, hypertension, high allostatic load, metabolic syndrome, anxiety & depression. The majority have been prescribed weight loss medication, increased antidepressants, antihypertensives, antacids & NSAIDS.
I now have the knowledge to provide them with answers and look at everything holistically. 
I feel very blessed to have found you Wendy, you not only sorted my own menopause symptoms out on your MyMT™ programme, but you have now provided me with my new clinical knowledge via the CPD course to support many other women on their menopause journeys. "
													
														Leanne C - Registered Nurse, Health Coach Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner
																						Australia (Oct, 2022)
							"I wanted to send you a big THANK YOU!!!  This course has been a wealth of information and has pushed me to do my own research. I share this information with my clients & have learned about so much more than just menopause.  The aging process and how this affects our internal organs, the endocrine system and the importance of lifestyle on our long-term health, are essential knowledge areas that need to be addressed when working with midlife clientele.  I see so many women plagued with inflammation and autoimmune issues such as Fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and multi autoimmune syndrome and this information goes a long way in my goal of helping them. 
Thank you again for such a wonderful informative course.  I came away with a wealth of knowledge and feel renewed with an inspired desire to research and follow the science when it comes to our health, wellness & aging.  I know the people around me are probably tired of me sharing all of this newfound knowledge already.  I just love it so much! Thank your for sharing."  
													
														Sheryl V - Health Coach & Fitness Instructor
																						United States (Oct, 2022)
							"It was a very broadening course that increased my curiosity to learn more about all the different aspects of menopause.
The complexity of our physiology and human bodies is so fascinating that the medical profession often oversimplifies.
The menopausal transition is what I like to call “ the dangerous opportunity” to review and redirect it all towards a healthier path.
Thank you for helping me with my GP and my coaching work with menopausal clients. I learned a lot, and I became thirsty to know much more. 
Thank you again for delivering such complex material to a diverse group of health lovers. You did it very well!"
													
														Dr Ivana - GP
																						Australia (Oct, 2022)
							"The course is fantastic and I am loving the information and the learning received. It is very comprehensive and so I find that I am requiring and wanting to spend a lot of time  digesting it in order to do it justice."
													
														Kate O - Hypnotherapist, Acupuncturist & Nurse
																						NZ (July 2022)
							"The course has been inspiring… packed with lots of aha moments! I congratulate Wendy on her tenacity for sifting through the research for answers. The content was thought provoking, and related continually back to research, following the science related to midlife women. I loved the opportunity to be a part of this course."
													
														Karen D. Nutritionist 
																						Australia (May 2022)
							"I found the course so interesting…. It filled in so many gaps for me. Not only has it helped me with menopause clients, but also many other clients. I’m so looking forward to going back over the course and reading your blogs. I really appreciate your research Wendy… its invaluable."
													
														Ann L. Biokinesiology
																						Ireland (May, 2022)
							"It has been a pleasure, and eye opening over the last 12 weeks learning from your wealth of knowledge. Placing menopause within the context of ageing makes a lot of sense, as well as connecting the severity of the menopausal symptoms with lifestyle."
													
														Yinka O. (Nutritionist and Health Coach)
																						UK (May, 2022)
							"I would highly recommend Dr Wendy Sweet’s training on menopause. It is informative, thorough and easy to understand. Wendy is extremely knowledgeable and has a deep desire to educate women about menopause, its effects on the body and how it can be managed with lifestyle changes” 
													
														Carolyn G (Meditation Practitioner)
																						Australia (May, 2022)
							I have followed Wendy's program since 2020, I was confused about my health and felt embarrassed as a health professional that I didn't have the answers to improve my own journey. I have a extensive back ground in medical and complementary medicine, I was so unsure how to address my own symptoms, some I didn't even realise were as a result of menopause.
As I followed the MyMT program I had challenges like many woman, however this program was so educational I was able to slowly rebuild my health and realised the knowledge I have as a practitioner didn't consider the menopause woman and this was a game changer for me.
When the practitioner course was offered I was immediately committed to joining and I am not disappointed. In the inaugural CPD course, Wendy has guided our wonderful group of woman from all over the world through her many years and layers of research in a safe and inclusive environment.
The CPD course flowed easily and being online the technology aspect was fully supported and made so easy to follow. Working through the modules while full of content was structured in a way that I was able to fit them into my busy schedule and alway looked forward to joining the group online where we discussed the content fully inclusively.
Another unexpected lesson I have learnt is that I am able to change my business model, this is something I am currently working on and focusing on mid life woman, connecting more broadly online.
This course has really reinvigorated me and I am excited for woman who will benefit from the support.
													
														Wendy G. (Paramedic, Nutritionist and Health Coach)
																						Australia (May, 2022)
							“I am so sad this course is coming to an end. I have so thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the research articles and information, and I have very much appreciated your contribution to making this course research based and accurate. I am finding the whole investigation into aging and inflammaging so fascinating”
													
														Lisa H. (Registered Nurse)
																						Canada (May, 2022)
							"Wendy was engaging and accessible, both within the online weekly sessions and especially in weekly group zoom meetings. The content was thought provoking and related continually back to research, following the science related to midlife women. I loved the opportunity to be part of this course in an area that is coming to the fore across research, industry and governments for midlife women for the the first time in history. Thank you Wendy, you've made a difference in my life and for the women who look to me for advice."
													
														Karen D (Nutritionist)
																						Aus (May 2022)
							"The course was very inspiring, well run, with lots of up to the minute research.I gained a lot of new information from it. Wendy was very generous with her knowledge. I gained a vast amount of information from the case studies as they were all so different."
													
														Ann A (Nutritionist)
																						Ireland (May, 2022)
							“I am so enjoying the course! So many pieces of the puzzle around women's health issues as they move into menopause have been put in place for me. I am loving learning and driving my partner mad as I am spending every spare minute I can reading as much as I can on menopause.”
													
														Viv G (Pilates & Movement Specialist)
																						NZ (May, 2022)

### Opt Out from MyMT Sale Emails

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No problem, I have opted you out of our latest menopause intake offer now.
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### MyMT™ CPD Course Pre-Registration

Pre-Registration: MyMT™ Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner Course 
				
					Next Course Commencing: January 10th 2026  				
					Early Bird Sale: December 1st 2025				
		Please pre-register your interest to ensure you are notified when the early bird sale commences. With previous courses selling out in 24 - 48 hours, you must pre-register to have the opportunity to enrol. 
 
While you wait for the Practitioner Course to begin, why don't you explore the 6-week Menopause Weight Loss Coach Course? The content in this course is separate, so you won't be doubling up! And, when you graduate you will receive a discount code to use on the Practitioner Course. 
 
P.s If you are not a health professional, but want to discover how to reduce your own menopause symptoms, please visit the HOW IT WORKS page.		
					
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“My client arrived with a big smile on her face and the news that she was now sleeping better and the night sweats continued to be less bothersome and frequent. This course provided so many insights! Healthy ageing is the way to go!”								
				
				
				
					Dr JENNY				
				
				
				
					Lifestyle Medicine GP				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“I”m very grateful to have completed both the Practitioner Course and Weight Loss Coach Course with Wendy. They have added so many deeper layers to my existing knowledge. Wendy’s passion for the topic of menopause is changing women’s lives worldwide, and it’s given me more confidence to continue spreading the word about the importance of lifestyle science for this life stage.”								
				
				
				
					JENNA				
				
				
				
					Health Coach and Founder of MenoMe				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“I LOVED THE PRACTITIONER COURSE!!! I was in a dark time in my life and I had a full thyroidectomy and fell into an even deeper hole. I came across Wendy’s course and told my husband, “I need something. I need to learn something. I need a new spark”. He said, “Go for it Joanna. Take time to learn something new and get your passion back”. That is exactly what has happened. I LOVED LEARNING. It took me out of my darkness and gave me something new. I hope to meet you someday Wendy. I will hug you and cry.”								
				
				
				
					JOANNA				
				
				
				
					Personal Trainer				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									“What stood out for me is Wendy’s ability to connect the dots between research and the lived experiences of midlife women, particularly addressing often overlooked symptoms such as joint pain, fatigue, inflammatory responses, and metabolic changes.”								
				
				
				
					JOSIE				
				
				
				
					Nutritionist				
				
				
				
									
					
						
									Read More

### MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause - Vodafone

Welcome to Your Vodafone Masterclass on Menopause

Watch our Video to Learn More
																										
		Welcome to Your Vodafone Masterclass on Menopause		
			
						Watch Our Video to Learn More
					
		At Vodafone we recognise that supporting our people to be at their best means different things to different people through all stages of life.While menopause is a transitional stage that directly affects half the world’s population, there is often a stigma attached which can prevent women discussing it with the people close to them and asking for support if they need it. We want to play our part in changing that by increasing our awareness on the subject and providing the right support and resources.We have partnered with My Menopause Transformation™ to make their Masterclass on Menopause available to all Vodafoners. In this two-hour presentation, Dr Wendy Sweet shares practical, evidence-based solutions for women going through peri-menopause in a reassuring way, to help you take back control of your symptoms.This webinar is for everyone who wants to understand what is going on with our biology as we age. Whether you are woman experiencing peri-menopause, or you want to better support your peers, team, friends or whānau. You could learn something to help you be a better partner, friend, sibling, or manager.Menopause is the essential gateway for women into good health as we age and it's time everyone learned how to position menopause in wellness, not sickness. 		
		A warm welcome to all Vodafoners and a big thumbs up to Vodafone for supporting such a worthwhile initiative.  Menopause is something we should all be learning and talking about. I'm Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause is my 2 hour presentation that I was sharing with women around the world before the pandemic. It's all the information I wish I knew when I reached menopause, all packed into one two hour Masterclass.  I've now recorded it online and it's packed full of essential information and solutions that are based on evidenced lifestyle solutions specific to women going through peri-menopause to post-menopause...  and if you don't have 2 hours, then you can 'pause' me anytime and come back to it later with your unlimited 90 days access in my private member area on my website. Normally NZ$25 but FREE NOW* for a limited time to all Vodafone StaffOrder now or read on to Learn More about your Masterclass on Menopause. 		
			
						Use Promo Code "VODAFONE" to Order My Masterclass on menopause webinar NOW
					
		*  Enter promo code VODAFONE on the purchase page to receive your 100% discounted FREE Masterclass on Menopause 		
		If you are as confused and frustrated by your symptoms in menopause as I was, then my on-demand 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause is for you.

Did you know that there are numerous women around the world, who breeze through their menopause transition and DON’T experience sleepless nights, anxiety, weight gain (or weight loss), sore joints, heart palpitations and depression that others experience?

 

 Have you ever asked yourself why, if menopause is a natural part of our life-stage, how did menopause become an illness that needs to be 'treated' rather than a new and healthy stage of life? 
This webinar is filled with practical, reassuring information, including solutions as to how you can take back control of your symptoms. I have more information below about why you might be feeling like you are, or if you are pressed for time, watch my 2 minute introductory video.  You will be pleased you did.  https://youtu.be/7EKqiCjzQR0		
		YES PLEASE.  I want to order MyMT™ Online Masterclass on Menopause - with access details delivered directly to my INBOX free for a limited time ONLY. 		
			
						ORDER NOW *
					
		*  Enter promo code VODAFONE on the purchase page to receive your 100% discounted FREE Masterclass on Menopause 		
		Hi and welcome. I’m Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD], Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher and Founder of My Menopause Transformation.  When I was in my late-40’s and early 50’s, I was a university lecturer and completing my studies into the role of exercise on women’s health as they arrived in mid-life. I had no idea that my curiosity about the two questions above, would lead me here to you … I explain why in my Masterclass on Menopause. Exploring menopause and post-menopause symptoms through the lens of ageing and healthy lifestyle studies, was pivotal to me turning around my own sleep, sore joints, emotional changes, hot flushes and losing over 15kg in menopause weight which had arrived in my late 40’s and early 50’s. What I discovered astounded me and I want you to know what I learnt.For example, if you have sore joints, did you know that our tendons have numerous oestrogen receptors in them, so when we go through menopause, they lose their elasticity? In my Masterclass you’ll learn the ONE nutrient you need in your diet, which has been scientifically evidenced to replace the role of oestrogen in our tendons.		
																										
		And did you know that many of our symptoms are just being looked at by health specialists in isolation of the ‘whole body’? The role of other hormones which help to re-balance the body aren’t being factored into the menopause puzzle – this includes your sleep, gut and thyroid hormones – all of which are involved in temperature regulation. If you’re having night sweats, then please watch my Masterclass as soon as you can, because I tell you one thing you can do to turn down the heat at night that doesn’t involve expensive supplements. Yes, it works!Finally, did you know that if we aren’t sleeping, we can put on around 1-2kg ( 2-4 lbs) a week? I talk about why this is and the powerful effect that our circadian rhythm has on our weight gain in menopause, in the Masterclass. As I often say to women, “If you aren’t sleeping, you aren’t losing weight, no matter what silly diet you are on.” 		
																										
		I have so much more to tell you and with 2 hours of information in the Masterclass, I have some fabulous, simple lifestyle solutions for you too. I wish I’d known what I know now when I was in my mid-late 40’s. Over the last five years I have presented my sold-out Masterclass on Menopause to thousands of women throughout New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. Now that travel has been curtailed during the pandemic, I have bought my presentation to you online. I’m excited that you can watch it anytime, anywhere and pause it whenever you like as well.In this webinar, you will have so many ‘aha’ moments – just as I hear from women who have attended my live events and who have listened to it online!		
																										
		I often say that women in their 50’s are the forgotten generation and that while we were promised we would get to 50 and feel fabulous, the opposite is often true. We end up taking lots of expensive supplements and are often put on all sorts of medications, but what’s often worse, it seems that nobody wants to talk about what we really need to be doing to prevent or reverse our symptoms using evidenced lifestyle solutions. I feel very passionate about this life-stage, because worsening symptoms can so often catapult us into our unhealthy ageing – and yes, our mothers’ generation have already discovered this too. It’s why I always say,“For our healthy and vibrant ageing, how we transition menopause matters more than we think. It’s a ticking time-bomb for our health as we age.”		
																										
		If menopause has blind-sided you as it did me, or you are confused about what is happening to your health and fitness in your 50’s and 60’s then you aren’t alone.  That’s what intrigued me and I take you on this journey through this important webinar.  What’s more, there are lots of lifestyle solutions in it for you to action as soon as you can. You’ll love what a difference these make to how you feel.
Normally my live-event tickets sell for $30, but I have reduced the cost of this new online version to only NZ$15 (other currencies below).  It’s time we changed the discussion about menopause and put it into ‘wellness’ not ‘sickness’ – I hope you can join me. The webinar is nearly 2 hours long, but you can pause it and come back to it with your unlimited 90 days access in my private member area on my website. Normally NZ$25 but FREE NOW* for a limited time to all Vodafone Staff.  I can’t wait to share my discoveries with you.YES PLEASE! I want to order MyMT™ Online Masterclass on Menopause - with access details delivered directly to my INBOX free for a limited time ONLY. 		
			
						ORDER NOW *
					
		*  Enter promo code VODAFONE on the purchase page to receive your 100% discounted FREE Masterclass on Menopause 		
		What women have said about my Masterclass Seminars:“What a wonderful talk you gave in Liverpool on Monday night. I found it all very interesting, and it made so much sense, especially the information on the circadian rhythm.”  Liz S, United Kingdom“I came along to your seminar in Cairns recently and what you said made so much sense especially about how wine makes my hands swell and your response of “liver cleanse, get your bloods done”.  It was an amazing seminar, so thank you.”  Jane A, Australia“I now sleep all night and my joints are less sore too and my hot flushes are non-existent. Through what I learnt in your programme after attending your seminar, I have changed my life and now focus more on ‘me’ – I can’t thank you enough.”  Julie H,  New Zealand		
																										
		With Covid-19 travel restrictions a fact of life for all of us for the foreseeable future, why don't you spend some time on 'you' and purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause seminar?  Watch it online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.  I'm on the end of my email to answer your questions too.  Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
		YES PLEASE! I want to order MyMT™ Online Masterclass on Menopause - with access details delivered directly to my INBOX free for a limited time ONLY. 		
			
						ORDER NOW *
					
		*  Enter promo code VODAFONE on the purchase page to receive your 100% discounted FREE Masterclass on Menopause 		
			It’s not too late to start!		
			Women everywhere are experiencing their menopause transformation.​ ​Is it time you did too?		
				Transform Me
						‘Transform Me’ is for women who are putting on belly-fat. This fabulous programme teaches you how to sleep all night, reduce hot flushes and manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of your menopausal weight gain. Find out more or buy now...

Buy Now
More Info

				Circuit-Breaker
						‘Circuit-Breaker’ is for thinner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy, sore joints and more. There is also information to help  you get off HRT and anti-depressants but this must be done in conjunction with your Doctor...

Buy Now
More Info
					
				Re-Build My Fitness
						‘Re-Build My Fitness’ is my Online Women’s Healthy Ageing Exercise Programme. Body-Type Specific Workouts for Women in Menopause (or Post-Menopause) to get fit, get strong, get toned and for some of you, get slim, or just get motivated! Specific to women in their menopause transition and beyond 

Buy Now
More Info
					
						“My menopause symptoms are gone!”
This life-changing program, has given me all the tools I need to take charge of my health, both now and into the future.					
						
								Rachel Schanzer New Zealand

### MyMT™ Masterclass for Healthfit Collective

Welcome to Your HealthFit Collective Masterclass on Menopause

Watch our Video
																										
		Welcome to Your Online Masterclass on Menopause
		
			
						Watch Our Video
					
				
																										
		Hi lovely ladies – I have managed to track down the menopause queen herself “Dr Wendy Sweet,“ and she is letting us here at HealthFit have access to her Masterclass on Menopause at a hugely discounted rate for our HealthFit ladies…I have been doing Wendy’s programme for a month now and the amount of information and research is mind blowing. It’s hugely impressive and life changing for us gals who are cracking the hot sweats and getting squishier tummies! Wendy will tell you why and a whole lot more, so please click the link below ⬇️ for your special deal. Trust me, you will thank me!Much love and energy,MishMyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause is my 2 hour presentation that I was sharing with women around the world before the pandemic. I've now recorded it for you and it's packed full of essential information and solutions that are based on evidenced lifestyle solutions specific to women going through peri-menopause to post-menopause ... and if you don't have 2 hours, then you can 'pause' me anytime and come back to it later with your unlimited 90 days access in my private member area on my website. Price reduced to ONLY NZ$15 from my live ticket-price. 		
			
						purchase My Masterclass on menopause webinar NOW
					
		If you are as confused and frustrated by your symptoms in menopause as I was, then my on-demand 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause is for you.

Did you know that there are numerous women around the world, who breeze through their menopause transition and DON’T experience sleepless nights, anxiety, weight gain (or weight loss), sore joints, heart palpitations and depression that others experience?

 

 Have you ever asked yourself why, if menopause is a natural part of our life-stage, how did menopause become an illness that needs to be 'treated' rather than a new and healthy stage of life? 
This webinar is filled with practical, reassuring information, including solutions as to how you can take back control of your symptoms. I have more information below about why you might be feeling like you are, or if you are pressed for time, watch my 2 minute introductory video.  You will be pleased you did.  https://youtu.be/7EKqiCjzQR0		
		YES PLEASE.  I want to purchase MyMT™ Online Masterclass on Menopause - with access details delivered directly to my INBOX for ONLY NZ$15.00		
			
						BUY NOW
					
		Hi and welcome. I’m Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD], Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher and Founder of My Menopause Transformation.  When I was in my late-40’s and early 50’s, I was a university lecturer and completing my studies into the role of exercise on women’s health as they arrived in mid-life. I had no idea that my curiosity about the two questions above, would lead me here to you … I explain why in my Masterclass on Menopause. Exploring menopause and post-menopause symptoms through the lens of ageing and healthy lifestyle studies, was pivotal to me turning around my own sleep, sore joints, emotional changes, hot flushes and losing over 15kg in menopause weight which had arrived in my late 40’s and early 50’s. What I discovered astounded me and I want you to know what I learnt.For example, if you have sore joints, did you know that our tendons have numerous oestrogen receptors in them, so when we go through menopause, they lose their elasticity? In my Masterclass you’ll learn the ONE nutrient you need in your diet, which has been scientifically evidenced to replace the role of oestrogen in our tendons.		
																										
		And did you know that many of our symptoms are just being looked at by health specialists in isolation of the ‘whole body’? The role of other hormones which help to re-balance the body aren’t being factored into the menopause puzzle – this includes your sleep, gut and thyroid hormones – all of which are involved in temperature regulation. If you’re having night sweats, then please watch my Masterclass as soon as you can, because I tell you one thing you can do to turn down the heat at night that doesn’t involve expensive supplements. Yes, it works!Finally, did you know that if we aren’t sleeping, we can put on around 1-2kg ( 2-4 lbs) a week? I talk about why this is and the powerful effect that our circadian rhythm has on our weight gain in menopause, in the Masterclass. As I often say to women, “If you aren’t sleeping, you aren’t losing weight, no matter what silly diet you are on.” 		
																										
		I have so much more to tell you and with 2 hours of information in the Masterclass, I have some fabulous, simple lifestyle solutions for you too. I wish I’d known what I know now when I was in my mid-late 40’s. Over the last five years I have presented my sold-out Masterclass on Menopause to thousands of women throughout New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. Now that travel has been curtailed during the pandemic, I have bought my presentation to you online. I’m excited that you can watch it anytime, anywhere and pause it whenever you like as well.In this webinar, you will have so many ‘aha’ moments – just as I hear from women who have attended my live events and who have listened to it online!		
																										
		I often say that women in their 50’s are the forgotten generation and that while we were promised we would get to 50 and feel fabulous, the opposite is often true. We end up taking lots of expensive supplements and are often put on all sorts of medications, but what’s often worse, it seems that nobody wants to talk about what we really need to be doing to prevent or reverse our symptoms using evidenced lifestyle solutions. I feel very passionate about this life-stage, because worsening symptoms can so often catapult us into our unhealthy ageing – and yes, our mothers’ generation have already discovered this too. It’s why I always say,“For our healthy and vibrant ageing, how we transition menopause matters more than we think. It’s a ticking time-bomb for our health as we age.”		
																										
		If menopause has blind-sided you as it did me, or you are confused about what is happening to your health and fitness in your 50’s and 60’s then you aren’t alone.  That’s what intrigued me and I take you on this journey through this important webinar.  What’s more, there are lots of lifestyle solutions in it for you to action as soon as you can. You’ll love what a difference these make to how you feel.Normally my live-event tickets sell for $30, but I have reduced the cost of this new online version to only NZ$15 (other currencies below).  It’s time we changed the discussion about menopause and put it into ‘wellness’ not ‘sickness’ – I hope you can join me. The webinar is nearly 2 hours long, but you can pause it and come back to it with your unlimited 90 days access in my private member area on my website. Please join me now for only NZ$15.  I can’t wait to share my discoveries with you.YES PLEASE! I want to purchase MyMT™ Online Masterclass on Menopause - with access details delivered directly to my INBOX for ONLY NZ$15.00		
			
						BUY NOW
					
		What women have said about my Masterclass Seminars:“What a wonderful talk you gave in Liverpool on Monday night. I found it all very interesting, and it made so much sense, especially the information on the circadian rhythm.”  Liz S, United Kingdom“I came along to your seminar in Cairns recently and what you said made so much sense especially about how wine makes my hands swell and your response of “liver cleanse, get your bloods done”.  It was an amazing seminar, so thank you.”  Jane A, Australia“I now sleep all night and my joints are less sore too and my hot flushes are non-existent. Through what I learnt in your programme after attending your seminar, I have changed my life and now focus more on ‘me’ – I can’t thank you enough.”  Julie H,  New Zealand		
																										
		With Covid-19 travel restrictions a fact of life for all of us for the foreseeable future, why don't you spend some time on 'you' and purchase my online Masterclass on Menopause seminar?  Watch it online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.  I'm on the end of my email to answer your questions too.  Wendy Sweet, PhD/ MyMT Founder/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
		YES PLEASE! I want to purchase MyMT™ Online Masterclass on Menopause - with access details delivered directly to my INBOX for ONLY NZ$15.00		
			
						BUY NOW
					
			It’s not too late to start!		
			Women everywhere are experiencing their menopause transformation.​ ​Is it time you did too?		
				Transform Me
						‘Transform Me’ is for women who are putting on belly-fat. This fabulous programme teaches you how to sleep all night, reduce hot flushes and manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of your menopausal weight gain. Find out more or buy now...

Buy Now
More Info

				Circuit-Breaker
						‘Circuit-Breaker’ is for thinner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy, sore joints and more. There is also information to help  you get off HRT and anti-depressants but this must be done in conjunction with your Doctor...

Buy Now
More Info
					
				Re-Build My Fitness
						‘Re-Build My Fitness’ is my Online Women’s Healthy Ageing Exercise Programme. Body-Type Specific Workouts for Women in Menopause (or Post-Menopause) to get fit, get strong, get toned and for some of you, get slim, or just get motivated! Specific to women in their menopause transition and beyond 

Buy Now
More Info
					
						“My menopause symptoms are gone!”
This life-changing program, has given me all the tools I need to take charge of my health, both now and into the future.					
						
								Rachel Schanzer New Zealand

### 12 Week Program Unsubscribe

Cancel your MyMT™ program subscription 
		There comes a time for all of us when it seems right to move on. Hopefully now you are more in touch with your body and have been able to put in place simple lifestyle change strategies which have helped to reduce your menopause symptoms and improve your health and wellbeing.While I am sorry to see you go, if you have reached that point I completely understand. If you would like to share your journey with me so that I can share it with other women just starting out, please email me at wendy@mymenopausetransformation.com  We always love hearing positive success stories.Please remember that if you have purchased more than one programme, there is no need to cancel your subscription until you are ready to cancel all of your programs.  		
			
						Cancel my 12 week program subscription *
					
		*  cancelling your subscription cancels your access to the MyMT™ 12 week program content, the Coaching Support group and the MyMT™ email newsletter.  No further charges to your credit card will be made.  Cancellation is immediate so if you prefer to cancel at a future date, please email Rob at admin@mymenopausetransformation.com to let him know. 

### MyMT™ - The Science of Weight Gain in Menopause

If you are confused about your weight gain in menopause, this brief minute video helps to explain why.  After you have watched the video follow the links below to learn more. https://vimeo.com/953914824		
			MyMT™ Information		
		Over the past decade since developing the My Menopause Transformation programmes, I've heard from thousands of women about how confused and frustrated they are about their weight gain. Many then turn to doing lots of exercise, or various forms of dieting and fasting in order to manage it, however, what they aren't factoring in, is that their hormones are changing during menopause.
With this change in hormones as women move into their 50's, then there are changes throughout the body as well - afterall, menopause is the natural transition into our ageing years ahead.
Then there is the fact that numerous women are arriving in their peri-menopause years, already overweight or not sleeping and this contributes to further gain in weight, because the fat cells are changing and producing their own oestrogen (oestradiol). This adds to the hormonal millieu too. When I put on 15kg of weight myself, I was exercising every day and eating in ways that were promoted via the fitness industry - high protein and fat. I was also on oral Menopause HRT, and this was adding more oestrogen to my body that my liver couldn't clear.
But this was all wrong, so after years of teaching physiology and then doing my women's health and ageing doctoral studies, I learnt that my approach was all wrong, because what I didn't understand was that I was oestrogen dominant. I explain all of this in this video which I've called 'The Science of your Menopause Weight Gain'.
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation/ Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Are you ready to recover your health, vitality and energy in menopause or post menopause?  MyMT™ has been set up for one purpose and that is to demystify menopause and post-menopause for women struggling with their symptoms. 
Our guiding principle is that menopause should be positioned within wellness, not sickness.  Follow the links below to learn more. 
View the Masterclass on Menopause 2 Hour webinar to get more knowledge about menopause
Visit the MyMT™ website and learn about healthy menopause management options without using HRT or menopause supplements
View the MyMT™ 12 week programs to learn more about healthy menopause management programs
Understand how MyMT™ programs work 
Meet Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) your menopause coach
  
Go to the Masterclass on Menopause Sign-up page

### MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause Webinar

If you would like to learn more about my 2 hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar, this brief 2 minute video explains what is involved.  After you have watched the video follow the links below to learn more. 		
			MyMT™ Information		
		Are you ready to recover your health, vitality and energy in menopause or post menopause?  MyMT™ has been set up for one purpose and that is to demystify menopause and post-menopause for women struggling with their symptoms. Our guiding principle is that menopause should be positioned within wellness, not sickness.  Follow the links below to learn more.    View the Masterclass on Menopause 2 Hour webinar to get more knowledge about menopauseVisit the MyMT™ website and learn about healthy menopause management options without using HRT or menopause supplementsView the MyMT™ 12 week programs to learn more about healthy menopause management programsUnderstand how MyMT™ programs work Meet Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) your menopause coach   Go to the Masterclass on Menopause Sign-up page

### MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz Results: Video for Score 41 - 50

Symptoms Quiz Results for Score 41-50				
		https://vimeo.com/828201117/f27a8ee1fbThis video explains the Symptoms Test results for a score of 41-50. Your results will also be emailed to you, so please also check your junk mail if you don't receive them.		
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					You scored between 41-50 
				
		This is the most severe score for symptom severity. The highest possible score is 50. About 15% of women fall into your category. Over 500,000 women have taken this quiz, so please be assured that you are not alone.Menopause symptoms are likely greatly impacting your life. But please don't worry, there is a lot you can do to feel better. You may even be experiencing symptoms you don’t realise are due to menopause. If you haven’t already, please do watch the video above where I explain what this result means.  Also, check your Inbox for a copy of your results and a PDF Summary of my Masterclass on Menopause.  It’s packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can implement today. 		
												
																					
										
							
			
				So happy with the way I feel. Six weeks in and I’m feeling the best I have in a decade.			
											Naomi H Australia
					
		One of the challenges I had myself when I reached this score, was that I had no energy to get through my day and didn’t understand why I felt so hot all the time. So, I know that you may be experiencing some symptoms that are having an effect on how you feel and how you get through your day.Maybe you also don’t understand which symptoms are due to menopause and which are due to normal ageing - I talk about this in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause.Many of my clients tell me that despite numerous medical and specialist appointments, no one can explain the link between their health issues, their changing hormonal environment and their ageing organs. I was once the same. When my own symptoms overwhelmed me and HRT wasn’t giving me the relief I needed, as part of my women’s healthy ageing PhD studies, I spent hundreds of hours researching the specific lifestyle solutions that are evidenced to help midlife women reduce menopause symptoms, lose weight and age healthily.The scientific research is there, it's just not getting out to women.Women on the MyMT™ programmes love learning how they can make simple adjustments to their lifestyle to place menopause in ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’.		
					Menopause affects women differently
				
		For some women, weight gain is their biggest concern. Others suffer from low energy, poor sleep, gut health issues, sore joints, anxiety, heart palpitations and hot flushes. This is why I developed two programs which differ depending on body type.		
												
																					
										
							
			
				What magic is this MyMT™ Programme?! I’m now sleeping all night and have released 22lbs!			
											Julie SUnited Kingdom
					
					Transform Me 
				
		Transform Me is a world-class, groundbreaking menopause weight loss and symptom reduction program.The first goal is to improve your sleep and address a condition called 'oestrogen dominance', which contributes to weight gain during menopause. I teach you everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopause weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction diets. Once you are sleeping all night, we move on to your other symptoms such as hot flushes, aching joints, bloating, anxiety and brain fog. 		
					Coaching support included. 				
					
									Learn More
					
												
																					
										
							
			
				Once I started sleeping again, I could see with more clarity. Thank you MyMT™ for helping me get my life back.			
											Rosie Switzerland
					
					Circuit Breaker 
				
		Designed for thinner, leaner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy and more.Is this you? If you don’t break the circuit of your symptoms in your menopause transition, then the inflammation that builds up may lead to worsening health problems as you go into your post-menopause years.To help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health and restore hormonal balance in your body using my scientifically researched lifestyle-change strategies. 		
					Coaching support included.				
					
									Learn More
					
				"I can’t thank you enough for sharing your excellent research in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made."KathrynNew Zealand
				"In the dying days of 2022, my resolution was to do something about my downward spiral, get some control over my symptoms and lose some weight. It wasn’t long before I saw results in terms of improved sleep and weight. As I finish 2023 I'm reflecting that I feel so much better, healthier and lighter. I don’t mean that only literally but figuratively as well. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling tired and sluggish."Kathryn, JAustralia
				"How I used to muddle my way through life before now, I don’t know! Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping, have lost 17lbs (8kg) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life changing."JulieUK
					
									READ MORE
					
					But it’s not just about symptom management 
				
		Menopause is the gateway to biological ageing. It’s vital to learn about the inflammatory changes occurring in your body, not just because they can worsen your symptoms, but because they affect your health in the long run.Your lifestyle now will greatly affect your health in the future. Make sure you know what you can do today to manage your symptoms and set your body up for healthy ageing.		
					Knowledge is power - it’s time to take control!				
					
									MyMT™Circuit Breaker
					
					
									 MyMT™ Transform Me

### MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz Results: Video for Score 26 - 40

Symptoms Quiz Results for Score 26-40				
		https://vimeo.com/828201169/09fda1a967This video explains the Symptoms Test results for a score of 26-40. Your results will also be emailed to you, so please also check your junk mail if you don't receive them. 		
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					You scored between 26-40 
				
		This is moderate-high score for symptom severity. The highest possible score is 50. Your score is the most common score, with 60% of women in this category. Over 500,000 women have taken this quiz. If you haven’t already, please do watch the video above where I explain what this result means.  Also, make sure to check your Inbox for a copy of your results and a PDF Summary of my Masterclass on Menopause.  As I explain below, it’s packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can implement today. 		
					Are your symptoms affecting your day-to-day life?
				
		One of the challenges I had myself when I reached this score, was that I had no energy to get through my day and didn’t understand why I felt so hot all the time.So, I know that you may be experiencing some symptoms that are having an effect on how you feel and how you get through your day. Maybe you also don’t understand which symptoms are due to menopause and which are due to normal ageing - I talk about this in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause online webinar. 		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
					Limited time offer: Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12). Discounted from live ticket price of $35.				
		Many of my clients tell me that despite numerous medical and specialist appointments, no one can explain the link between their health issues, their changing hormonal environment and their ageing organs. I was once the same. When my own symptoms overwhelmed me and HRT wasn’t giving me the relief I needed, as part of my women’s healthy ageing PhD studies, I researched the specific lifestyle solutions that are evidenced to help midlife women reduce menopause symptoms, lose weight and age healthily.The scientific research is there, it's just not getting out to women.Women on the MyMT™ programmes love learning how they can make simple adjustments to their lifestyle to place menopause in ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’.		
					Menopause affects women differently
				
		For some women, weight gain is their biggest concern. Others suffer from low energy, poor sleep, gut health issues, sore joints, anxiety, heart palpitations and hot flushes. This is why I developed two 12 week lifestyle change programs. These differ depending on your body type. 		
												
																					
										
							
			
				What magic is this MyMT™ Programme?! I’m now sleeping all night and have released 22lbs!			
											Julie United Kingdom
					
					Transform Me 
				
		Transform Me is a world-class, groundbreaking menopause weight loss and symptom reduction program.The first goal is to improve your sleep and address a condition called 'oestrogen dominance', which contributes to weight gain during menopause. I teach you everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopause weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction diets. Once you are sleeping all night, we move on to your other symptoms such as hot flushes, aching joints, bloating, anxiety and brain fog. 		
					Coaching support included. 				
					
									 Learn More
					
												
																					
										
							
			
				Once I started sleeping again, I could see with more clarity. Thank you MyMT™ for helping me get my life back.			
											Rosie Switzerland
					
					Circuit Breaker 
				
		Designed for thinner, leaner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy and more.Is this you? If you don’t break the circuit of your symptoms in your menopause transition, then the inflammation that builds up may lead to worsening health problems as you go into your post-menopause years.To help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment, I teach you how to restore hormonal balance in your body using my scientifically evidenced lifestyle-change strategies. 		
					Coaching support included.				
					
									 Learn More
					
				"I can’t thank you enough for sharing your excellent research in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made."KathrynNew Zealand
				"In the dying days of 2022, my resolution was to do something about my downward spiral, get some control over my symptoms and lose some weight. It wasn’t long before I saw results in terms of improved sleep and weight. As I finish 2023 I'm reflecting that I feel so much better, healthier and lighter. I don’t mean that only literally but figuratively as well. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling tired and sluggish."Kathryn, JAustralia
				"How I used to muddle my way through life before now, I don’t know! Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping, have lost 17lbs (8kg) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life changing."JulieUK
					
									READ MORE
					
					But it’s not just about symptom management 
				
		Menopause is the gateway to biological ageing and your post-menopause years ahead of you. As we move through menopause, inflammatory changes occur throughout the body. This is now known as ‘inflammaging’ and it starts as women move into perimenopause.That’s why, my purpose is for you to discover the inflammatory changes occurring in your body, not just because they can worsen your symptoms, but because they affect your health in the years ahead. Your lifestyle now will greatly affect your health in the future.That’s why all the information in my programmes are developed from women’s healthy ageing research. They are making a difference to thousands of women around the world.		
					Knowledge is power - it’s time to take control!				
					
									MyMT™Circuit Breaker
					
					
									 MyMT™ Transform Me

### MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz Results: Video for Score 11 - 25

Symptoms Quiz Results for Score 11-25				
		https://vimeo.com/828201239/83d8115c8dThis video explains the Symptoms Test results for a score of 11-25. Your results will also be emailed to you, so please check your junk email if you don't receive it.		
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					You scored between 11-25 
				
		This is a moderate symptom severity score, and the second most common. The highest possible score is 50. Around 30% of women are in your category, so please don’t feel alone!If you haven’t already, please do watch the video above where I explain what this result means.  Also, make sure to check your Inbox for a copy of your results and a PDF Summary of my Masterclass on Menopause.  As I explain below, it’s packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can implement today. 		
					Are your symptoms affecting your day-to-day life?
				
		One of the challenges I had myself when I reached this score, was that I had no energy to get through my day and didn’t understand why I felt so hot all the time.So, I know that you may be experiencing some symptoms that are having an effect on how you feel and how you get through your day. Maybe you also don’t understand which symptoms are due to menopause and which are due to normal ageing - I talk about this in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar.Many of my clients tell me that despite numerous medical and specialist appointments, no one can explain the link between their health issues, their changing hormonal environment and their ageing organs. 		
												
																					
										
							
			
				So happy with the way I feel. Six weeks into MyMT™ and I’m feeling the best I have in a decade.			
											Naomi  Australia
					
					When my own symptoms overwhelmed me and HRT wasn’t giving me the relief I needed, I spent hundreds of hours as part of my PhD Thesis researching the lifestyle solutions that are evidenced to help midlife women reduce symptoms and lose weight.				
		The scientific research is there, it's just not getting out to women.I can't wait to share my findings with you in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar. It's everything I wish I had known before I entered menopause. Women on the MyMT™ programmes love learning how they can make simple adjustments to their lifestyle to place menopause in ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’.Menopause is a critical window before our third age. Make sure you know what you can do today to manage your symptoms and set yourself up to age healthily. To learn more, watch my Masterclass on Menopause webinar or explore the 12-week Programmes.		
					Knowledge is power - it's time to put your health first!				
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
					Limited time offer: Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12). Discounted from live ticket price of $35.				
				"I can’t thank you enough for sharing your excellent research in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made."KathrynNew Zealand
				"In the dying days of 2022, my resolution was to do something about my downward spiral, get some control over my symptoms and lose some weight. I joined the Transform Me Program. It wasn’t long before I saw results in terms of improved sleep and weight. I feel so much better, healthier and lighter. I don’t mean that only literally but figuratively as well. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling tired and sluggish."Kathryn, JAustralia
				"Let me say this. My sleep has improved a great deal. In fact I might go as far as saying I get a minimum of 7 hours sleep every night! And the result is... I just realised I have lost 22lbs. Nothing seemed to work until MyMT™. OMG.. what magic is this?"JulieUK
					
									READ MORE

### MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz Results: Video for Score 1 - 10

Symptoms Quiz Results for Score 0-10				
		https://vimeo.com/828201314/a27d958f74This video explains the Symptoms Test results for a score of 0-10. Your results will also be emailed to you but please also check your junk mail if you don't receive it. 		
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					You scored between 0-10 
				
		The highest possible score is 50, so you are in the lowest category for symptom severity. Only 5% of women are in your category. Your menopause transition may be in its early stages.
Worldwide, the average age of women in menopause (and who take my quiz) is 51 - 52 yrs old. Usually, we start to feel the effects of menopause in our mid-40s. Some women also find their symptoms last for years after menopause. But it doesn't have to be this way.If you haven’t already, please do watch the video above where I explain what this result means.  Also, make sure to check your Inbox for a copy of your results and a PDF Summary of my Masterclass on Menopause.  As I explain below, it’s packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can implement today. 		
												
																					
										
							
			
				So happy with the way I feel. Six weeks into MyMT™ and I’m feeling the best I have in a decade.			
											Naomi  Australia
					
		Your menopause transition is the time to learn about specific lifestyle changes you can be making (whether you decide with your Doctor to go on hormonal treatments or not), so you can minimize your symptoms in the years ahead and adjust to your new hormonal environment ... which you will be living in for the next 30 - 40 years!Not many Practitioners understand the link between a woman's lifestyle, her ageing organs and her symptoms. This is the research I spent decades exploring as part of my Masters Studies and PhD Thesis.   If you would like to extend your knowledge on menopause and lifestyle solutions then I can't wait to share my findings with you in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar. It's everything I wish I had known before I entered menopause. 		
					Prevention is better than a cure!				
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
					Limited time offer: Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12). Discounted from live ticket price of $35.				
				I can’t thank you enough for sharing your excellent research in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made.JillAustralia
				“I just watched the first hour of your Masterclass. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your humble, curious approach to health in the middle years. You draw on others to help answer questions that are so important to our changing bodies. For the first time in years, I have hope that I can learn what my body needs and make changes that will really help me be healthier."LizUSA
				"I have loved reading your emails and listening to the Masterclass which has already helped me. I now have energy and I've even been able to reduce the brain fog and pain."EmilyAustralia
		Thank you for taking the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz. I encourage you to keep monitoring your symptoms and take the quiz again in a few months.

### Restore your Grateful Gut in Menopause

MyMT™ Restore your Grateful Gut				
					A mini course for peri-post menopausal women who are experiencing digestion issues, IBS and bloating. 				
							
							
										Only NZ$49.95! (Approx. AU $45.5, £24, US$30, CA$40.5)
									
						
					
									BUY NOW
					
					
									Watch GRATEFUL GUT Video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
					Restore your Gut Health in Menopause with MyMT™				
		Do you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? Have you started feeling more bloated? Or do you swing between being constipated and having diarrhoea? Maybe your brain also feels foggy? Maybe you feel anxious or depressed? Maybe your hot flushes are driving you crazy?But, has anyone ever mentioned menopause?If these health changes have arrived in mid-life, then I can assure you that your gut health, your symptoms and menopause are connected. And you aren’t alone. Out of the women who have done a MyMT™ Program 57% have experienced gut health challenges.‘Gender Medicine’ author, Dr Marek Glezerman, opened up my eyes to the incredible statistics about changing gut health in midlife and older women. His research showed that, in western countries alone, IBS is 4 times more common in women as they reach their menopause transition. I explain why this is, in the module.Not many people realise that gut and motility issues are a common symptom in menopause, whether women are on HRT or not. This is because oestrogen plays an important role in gut lining healing and repair, but if levels of oestrogen are too high, or too low, then a condition called ‘Leaky Gut Syndrome’ may ensue. This syndrome may lead to worsening brain-fog, memory problems, hot flushes and poor sleep.That's why I have this incredible module for you. Restore your Grateful Gut is a stand-alone module taken out of the hugely popular MyMT™ Transform Me and Circuit Breaker Programs. It is designed for women who are only struggling with this symptom, and need some support to turn this around.		
																														
																														
					100% Online				
		Educational webinar and action plan delivered straight to your inbox. 		
																														
					Self paced				
		Watch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.		
																														
					Easy to implement				
		Practical strategies and recipes that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle. This powerful 60-minute module is now available to you for only NZ $49.95 (Approx. AU$45.5, £24, US$30)		
					
									BUY NOW
					
																														
																														
					The Connection Between Menopause and Gut Health 				
		Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD], Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher and Menopause Coach.When I entered peri-menopause I wasn’t prepared for the sleepless nights, incredible weight gain that I experienced, nor the bloating! I suddenly felt full even when I hadn’t eaten.And so, my research journey began. The more research I did, the more I realised that much of the information we hear about gut health takes a ‘one size fits all’ approach.But what I began to understand is that the lining of a woman’s gut is very different from a man.  Ours is thinner and is full of oestrogen receptors, so menopause affects the motility (or movement) of our gut as we start to lose oestrogen in peri-menopause.Throughout our life, and more so after puberty, oestrogen has helped to keep inflammation in our intestines at bay. It does this by keeping the mucosal cells in the gut wall tight - effectively preventing us from developing what is known as ‘leaky gut’.Furthermore, oestrogen helps our gut enzymes to work more efficiently. The role of enzymes in your body is important. For example, there are enzymes that help our digestive processes. When you eat that piece of meat, pancreatase works to help to break down fats and proteins.But here’s the thing – when we move from peri-menopause into menopause the production of these enzymes is reduced. This affects the absorption and digestion of food as well as the health of our gut. For many of you, this may be also affecting your weight management and cardiac health as you age.		
					Did you know that there is a powerful connection between your gut health and...				
																														
					Your Brain Health				
		Have you heard the term 'our gut is our second brain'? Therefore, many symptoms that we experience in menopause, such as foggy brain, depression, anxiety and mood swings can be linked to the health of your gut micro-biome.		
																														
					Your Energy Levels				
		The gut is responsible for producing up to 70% of our energy. In part, this is due to the fact that essential nutrients are effectively leaking out of the gut, and not being absorbed.  		
																														
					Your Sleep				
		Our gut is on a 24 hour circadian rhythm, and so is melatonin production (the sleep hormone). By sorting out your gut health you are also helping yourself to sleep all night.  		
					MyMTTM  women around the world are getting back to doing the things they love				
																														
						 5/5		
					Wendy - Australia				
		"You truly have helped me turn my life around. I've overcome a debilitating and sudden onset of allergies caused by gut health changes that led to shortness of breath and occular rosacea (meaning I can now garden and snorkel on the great barrier reef again - yay!)"		
																														
						 5/5		
					Moira - New Zealand				
		“I have learnt SO much about managing menopause and have experienced much relief from troublesome symptoms that were stopping me living my best life. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart (my liver and my gut!)		
																														
						 5/5		
					Catharine - UK				
		"Two months ago I had signed up to have an endoscopy to investigate what was happening with my stomach.  I had been having problems for two years and no doctor could work out what it was. A day before I went in, I decided to cancel it and try your gut program. Within a week I was symptom free and I haven’t had any pain whatsoever since."		
					Are you ready to join them?				
					
									Read More
					
					
									Buy now
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					MyMT™ Restore your Grateful Gut				
					What you will discover...				
												
																					Dani, USA
										
		Why your gut health is changing, and how you will be able to improve your sleep, energy levels, mood, hot flushes and weight by improving your gut health. How to restore the circadian rhythm of your gut.The types of foods that you need to reduce inflammation in your gut walls and replace the role of oestrogen and collagen as they decline. What foods are harder for the body to digest. How to add pre-biotics and pro-biotics to your diet.The most effective forms of stretching for improving gut motility. The best time of day to eat to improve digestion and absorption. 		
					Heal and repair your gut with a step-by-step scientifically-evidenced plan				
		This powerful 60-minute module is now available to you for only NZ $49.95 (Approx. AU$45.5, £24, US$30)		
					
									BUY NOW
					
																														
																														
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Frequently Asked Questions				
												What can I expect in the MyMT™ Restore your Grateful Gut mini course? 
					With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. All you need is access to a computer, tablet or mobile device so you can access the MyMT™ learning portal. Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) approach involves educating you about why your symptoms are occurring with scientific information, and then giving you powerful lifestyle solutions to help you relieve those symptoms. Every lifestyle solution is easy to incorporate into your busy lifestyle. As part of this mini course you will be able to access:Restore your Grateful Gut – 1 hour video webinar and downloadable action plan.The MyMT™ Food Pyramid for restoring your gutGut health sample meal plan and recipesStretches for improving gut mobility. 
												What do I need to access the course? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. 
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“Do you remember a time when you didn’t need to worry about the foods you were eating? I longed to have this feeling back too. We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself. My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  That was over 15 years ago now. And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to reset your hormones at a cellular level, you address the cause and not just the symptoms of menopause.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  You can read more about my story here. “Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					MyMT™ programs do work, because Wendy teaches you scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to work with your hormones, rather than fighting against them. But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website. Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												How much does the course cost?
					The MyMT™  Restore your Grateful Gut costs NZ$49.95*. [* approx. AUS$45.5, UK£24, US$30, CA$40.5]Please be aware that the 7-day money back guarantee does not apply to this course because all content is released immediately. 
					Eat to Energise, not Exhaust!				
		Sort out your gut health and see the difference in your energy levels! When we have leaky gut, essential nutrients leak through the cracks, making it harder to get through our day.		
					
									BUY NOW

### MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause: An eye-opening webinar for all women over 45.

Why don’t we, as women, know these things already?
Welcome to Your 2-hour
Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond

 	Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).


BUY NOW


WATCH TRAILER

 5/5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

















"I invite you to join thousands of women who have harnessed the power of my pioneering research into women's health and ageing to understand how lifestyle changes can help you to take back control of your symptoms. My Masterclass on Menopause webinar takes you on a journey of understanding. Women tell me 'it makes so much sense' I hope you say that too!"  - Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)


2-hours packed full of evidence-based information

Watch or listen online, in your own time, as many times as you like over 3 months

Understand why lifestyle changes are so powerful for symptom relief

“
 5/5

Wendy – I can’t thank you enough for sharing your valuable knowledge and excellent research and references in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure with meds which have now been halved due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made.
Jill
Australia

Read More

Why do we have to figure it out on our own?
When new research papers arrive in my inbox every week, my family often hear me say, “Wow! Why aren’t women being told these things by health professionals?”
It is a statement I repeat far too often, and have done ever since the interviews I undertook with women as part of my PhD studies into Women’s Health and Ageing.
I travelled the length of New Zealand interviewing women. Despite them not knowing each other, the themes were clear. They complained of insomnia, sore joints, low energy, heart palpitations and un-stoppable weight gain. Many were scared about the health trajectory they were on, and were afraid of the health conditions they had seen their mother’s generation experience. But, not one of them mentioned menopause.
That was 15 years ago.
My studies led me towards understanding there are numerous women globally that don’t experience the symptoms or weight gain that many western women do. So, what are they doing differently?
For 15 years, I’ve been on a mission to get this life-changing research into the hands of women. With over 20,000 women already joining the MyMT™ 12-week Programs, I can’t wait to share their stories and help you understand what’s possible for you too.
I hope you can watch this 2 hour Masterclass – my goal is to help you make sense of your health changes in midlife and beyond.
Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

LIMITED TIME OFFER
Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).
Discounted from live ticket price of $35.

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 5/5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers
What women have said about the Menopause Masterclass
		
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
					“				
				
				
				
							
						
								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Enter from stage left, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and her Masterclass. This information was exactly what I had been looking for. Wendy’s lecture reached me on so many levels.								
				
				
				
					Kylie				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									Menopause overwhelmed me so much that just the simplest of things would make my heart palpitate. I tried both HRT and anti depressants, both of which helped for a while, albeit never fully alleviating all of my symptoms.I nearly didn’t go to the Masterclass because it was late at night. I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t gone. That evening I discovered Wendy, and everything she said made perfect sense! It was a light bulb moment for me! I started making changes, and quickly saw results! The rest is history.								
				
				
				
					Maxine				
				
				
				
					UK				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I had terrible menopause symptoms for years. All the things you described in your Masterclass. I am so grateful that I came across it and took the time to listen. It has changed my life. Within a couple of weeks my hot flushes eased and everything started to turn around.								
				
				
				
					Sylvie				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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What's Inside the Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond?
By watching this 2-hour menopause course online, you will discover:


 	The symptoms that many women (and Doctors) don’t realise are related to menopause e.g burning tongue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, histamine allergies, dizziness, headaches, fibromyalgia, hair loss and heart palpitations.
 	Why many of the organs around our body change so much during midlife. For example, did you know that the volume of the liver can reduce up to 40% by age 60?
 	Why you may have started waking through the night.
 	Why many women gain weight in menopause, despite eating and exercising the same as they always have.
 	Why menopausal women lose magnesium in muscles more rapidly, which contributes to restless leg syndrome, aching joints and slower recovery from exercise.
 	Why Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with increased arterial stiffness and contributes to higher blood pressure in women.
 	Why Irritable Bowel Syndrome is 3 - 5 times more common in midlife women.
 	Why your symptoms may have returned in post-menopause.
 	Why heart disease is the number one health issue in post-menopause, and what changes occur to the lining of your blood vessels.
 	Some powerful lifestyle solutions that you can start implementing straight away to relieve your symptoms.

https://youtu.be/pMpALfl8pUQ
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).
Discounted from live ticket price of $35.

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 5/5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers
What women have said about the Menopause Masterclass
		
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									After attending your amazing Masterclass, I took the plunge. It has been two years since that day and I just had to tell you that the changes I have made have given me back my value in myself and my worth. There is so much content available online, that it can be overwhelming. But, I trust your content, and knowledge and will continue to follow through.								
				
				
				
					Trish				
				
				
				
					NZ				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I just watched the first hour of your Masterclass. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your humble, curious approach to health in the middle years. You draw on others to help answer questions that are so important to our changing bodies. For the first time in years, I have hope that I can learn what my body needs and make changes that will really help me be healthier.								
				
				
				
					Liz				
				
				
				
					USA				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the huge amount of information that you send out for free in your newsletter and with what I learnt in your Masterclass on Menopause. Thank you for your incredible contribution to our generation of women’s healthy ageing.								
				
				
				
					Karen 				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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 5/5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers
Menopause Masterclass Highlights

Flexible Learning, Your Way
This self-paced webinar is designed to help you learn without the rush, fitting seamlessly into your busy lifestyle. Watch or listen online, in your own time, as many times as you wish over the next 3 months from purchase. Many women listen to it as a podcast while out walking or driving to work.

Knowledge is power
Our hormones play a much larger role than we are led to believe. In this Masterclass, you will discover how your hormonal shifts are impacting your sleep quality, weight gain, joint health, mental health, energy levels and much more. If you come out saying 'Aha - this makes so much sense now', we have done our job.

Evidence-based information you can trust
 This Masterclass stems from Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) decades-long exploration, and her experience, coaching 18,000+ women through their menopause transition. You will come away with proven, evidence based lifestyle changes that you can implement straight away to regain control of your symptoms and health.

Practical, easy to implement natural solutions
 Life has never been busier. Gain practical strategies that you can easily incorporate into your lifestyle, whether it's at work, with family or while travelling, enabling you to turn simple changes into lifelong habits.

Real women. Visible results
Immerse yourself in the stories from real women who were once at their wits end. Dozens of powerful stories, shared throughout the Masterclass speak to the profound impact the MyMT™ program has had on their lives.

A small investment for monumental returns
 2-hours packed full of evidence-based information and proven solutions. Offered at an exclusive discounted price of only NZ $15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12).  *Discounted from live ticket price of $35.

Your Menopause Questions Answered

 5/5
"Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping, have lost 17 lbs (8kg) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life-changing."
Kate, United Kingdom
What age does menopause start?

Menopause usually starts in our mid-40s and this is known as peri-menopause. Periods start to fluctuate as reproductive hormones decline.

Women are considered to be in menopause when their periods cease.  From my database of 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz I can tell you that on average this happens at 51 years of age.

After one year of periods ending, women enter post-menopause where they remain for the rest of their lives. We live nearly half of our life in a completely different hormonal environment, so we need to know how to adjust to this.

Why am I gaining weight in menopause?

Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. The data I have collected over the years confirms this.

But, here’s the thing. It’s not your fault you are putting on weight! There are so many factors fighting against you. Here are just two examples:

 	You may not be sleeping – Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010).
When you’re awake night after night, this means that your glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does your stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. All of these hormones play a role in fat cell physiology.
 	Oestrogen Dominance – Did you know that our fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, our fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this ‘dominates’ the internal environment

If we don’t put the brakes on our weight gain during menopause, then this can be a slippery slope towards joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.

Learn more about why you are gaining weight and explore the 12-week MyMT™ Transform Me Programme here. 

What are the main symptoms of menopause?

Are you noticing lots of changes going on in your body? Perhaps, you are like Kellie from New Zealand, who told me…

“I think without this programme I would have gone crazy, I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related. I am now sleeping through the night, no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.”

The common symptoms that are known about in research include:

 	Interrupted sleep
 	Low energy
 	Night sweats / hot flushes
 	Loss of muscle
 	Weight Gain
 	Irritability
 	Depression
 	Lack of Motivation
 	Worsening prolapse
 	Burning joints / weak bones
 	Low libido
 	Dry skin

But the research is still in its early days.  Women on my programmes are surprised to find that the following symptoms are also likely menopause related:

 	Heart palpitations
 	Dizziness
 	Burning tongues
 	Hair loss
 	Reflux

With oestrogen receptors located all around the body, I am not surprised that there are so many symptoms that women don’t realise are related to menopause. In my 12 week programmes, I have bonus information which helps you understand and manage these symptoms.

What can worsen menopause symptoms?

Inflammation in the body makes our symptoms worse.

The term ‘inflammaging’ refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young perhaps compared to our mother’s generation at the same age, we must also remember that inside our body, our cells are ageing. Furthermore, when we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t healing from all the stress that we are under.

And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I often talk about women who are undertaking lots of high-intensity exercise most days of the week (as I used to as well). This can increase physical or oxidative stress inside our cells and tissues when we aren’t sleeping well. Like over-trained athletes, we fail to heal properly when we don’t sleep. Inflammation builds up, and this begins to affect some tissues and organs, including the gut microbiota and fat cells.

If we think about a woman’s experiences over her lifetime that may have caused inflammation, coupled with the fact that peri-menopause and ageing are known to be inflammatory themselves, menopause is the perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes.

Do menopause symptoms go away?

Menopause symptoms, when unresolved can create worsening health problems as we age.  I’m talking about things like joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.

Through undertaking my PhD, I discovered that symptoms are reversible when we have a focus on lifestyle changes which are specific to the menopause transition. How we look after ourselves helps our body to adapt to our changing hormonal environment. By addressing the underlying cause of your menopause symptoms, not only can you experience relief from your symptoms, but you can reduce inflammation, setting you up for better health in your older years.

This is what you learn on the MyMT™ programmes – all the scientifically evidenced, step by step lifestyle strategies to help you to understand how to reduce your symptoms and take back control of your health. Read more about How it Works here. 

What if I am on menopause HRT? 

No matter whether you are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.

My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience.

If you are on MHT, then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.

Where should I start?

If you are confused about whether you have reached menopause or what stage you are in then please start by taking the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz. With over 500,000 women completing this quiz, I can help you to understand whether your symptoms are menopause related and whether they are severe compared to others.

If you want to learn a bit more about this stage of life, including why the researchers say it is so important to get on top of your symptoms, then the 2-hour online Masterclass on Menopause* is for you. This is Dr Wendy Sweet’s (PhD) presentation that she was sharing across the globe before the pandemic. She has now recorded it for you, so that you can pause it at any time and come back to it or watch it again and again.

Ready to start a 12-week program to take control of your symptoms? Read about How it Works. 

What is the Menopause Masterclass?

It’s a 2-hour online course for midlife women that explores the science behind menopause symptoms and teaches practical lifestyle strategies based on new research.

Who is this Masterclass for?

It’s ideal for women in perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause who want to better understand their health changes and how to manage them naturally.

What topics does the Masterclass cover?

Topics include hormonal health, weight gain, sleep disruption, cardiovascular changes, gut health, nutrients for menopause and lifestyle strategies to restore balance.


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MyMTTM Women are getting back to doing the things they love
		
			
					
		
		
				
				
																														
				
				
		
				
				
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I’ve lost 25lbs (12kgs), I sleep through the night, and I can think much more clearly. The joint and muscle pain is much better. I feel like I have a life again.								
				
				
				
					Deb				
				
				
				
					Canada				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									It felt like my health and fitness were slipping away. As soon as I signed up I knew I’d found the right person for me. I’m forever grateful I can now continue the job I love.								
				
				
				
					Wendy				
				
				
				
					Australia				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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								Rated 5 out of 5
			
		
						
				
				
				
									I can’t believe it! I’ve been trying to lose my belly fat and reduce my cholesterol for 5 years. I’ve now lost 15lbs and Wendy’s Transformation program has been a life changer.								
				
				
				
					Lisa				
				
				
				
					USA				
				
				
				
									
					
						
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Are you ready to re-discover your health, vitality and energy
in menopause or post-menopause?

Read More Testimonials


Choose your program

 5/5
Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Buy Now

Programs for Women in Peri-Post Menopause and Certifications for Health Professionals				
					12 Week Programs for Women				
																														
					MyMT™ Transform Me				
		A ground-breaking menopause specific weight loss and symptom reduction program.Learn how to sleep all night, reduce sore joints and hot flushes, restore your energy and start losing menopausal weight without supplements or medication. 12 week online program with personalised coaching.Single payment of NZ$399* or 3 payments of NZ$138.33.(* Approx. AU$363, UK£188 or US$235 - exchange rate may differ on the day)		
					
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					MyMT™ Circuit Breaker				
		A ground-breaking menopause specific symptom reduction program (for leaner women).Learn how to sleep all night,  reduce sore joints and hot flushes, restore your energy, feel calmer and much more without supplements or medication. 12 week online program with personalised coaching.Single payment of NZ$399* or 3 payments of NZ$138.33. (* Approx. AU$363, UK£188 or US$235 - exchange rate may differ on the day)		
					
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					MyMT™ Beyond Menopause				
		Your roadmap to healthy ageing and disease preventionBeyond Menopause is your guide to improved heart health, gut health, brain health, bone health, immune health, mobility, purpose and happiness.12 week online program with personalised coaching.Single payment of NZ$399* or 3 payments of NZ$138.33.(* Approx. AU$363, UK£188 or US$235 - exchange rate may differ on the day)		
					
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					MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness				
		A unique menopause specific healthy exercise program.  
For women who want to feel healthy and active again.  Learn how to rebuild your fitness, strength, balance, bone and joint health with menopause appropriate exercises and activity levels.   
12 week online program with personalised coaching.
Single payment of NZ$399* or 3 payments of NZ$138.33.
(* Approx. AU$363, UK£188 or US$235 - exchange rate may differ on the day)		
					
									More info
					
					
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		*  Private Coaching Support group is FREE for the first 3 months and then NZ$12.50 per month.  Take your time on the modules, and enjoy the community and support of the Coaching Group as long as you like to ensure you get ALL the benefits of the MyMT programmes and make lasting changes to your health.  		
					Short Courses for Women 				
																
															
					MyMT™ Masterclass on Menopause and Beyond				
		A 2 hour Masterclass of essential information and solutions for women transitioning from peri-menopause to post-menopause.Watch it online, in your own time, as many times as you wish over a 3 month access period.   Single payment of NZ$15.(Approx. AU$14 UK£7.5, €9, CA$12, US$9 - exchange rate may differ on the day)		
					
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					MyMT™ Joyful 
Joints				
		A stand alone module for mid-life women with joint and muscle pain.A 45 minute webinar with strategies for reducing joint pain and aching muscles. For a limited time, also receive a bonus module - Fitness Foundations, to get you moving again.Single payment of NZ$49.95(Approx. AU$45.5, UK£24, €7.5, CA$40.5, US$29.5 - exchange rate may differ on the day)		
					
									More info
					
					
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					MyMT™ Grateful Gut				
		A stand-alone module for menopausal women with digestion problems or bloating.  A 45 minute webinar with strategies for improving gut health, digestion and bloating. Turn around your gut health and feel a difference in your mood and energy levels. Single payment of NZ$49.95(Approx. AU$45.5, UK£24, €7.5, CA$40.5, US$29.5 - exchange rate may differ on the day)		
					
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					CPD Courses for Health Professionals				
																
															
					MyMT™ Menopause Health Coach 				
		A 3 week course introducing you to the science of menopause. Explore the physiological and psychological changes in midlife women, and learn coaching techniques specific to this age and stage. On demand - start anytime. Access valid for 6 months (or permanently if you are subscribed to the Coaching Community).		
					
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					MyMT™  Menopause Weight Loss Coach 				
		A 6 week course designed to educate, empower and certify you in menopause weight loss. Learn about the unique changes that contribute to weight gain, and discover scientifically-evidenced lifestyle solutions for weight loss and muscle mass maintenance. On demand - start anytime. Access valid for 6 months (or permanently if you are subscribed to the Coaching Community).		
					
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					MyMT™ Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner				
		A 12-week comprehensive course designed to educate, empower and certify you as a menopause lifestyle specialist. Discover evidenced strategies to help your clients sleep all night, reduce their hot flushes, turn around their energy, moods, irritable gut, aching joints and more (excludes weight loss).Access valid for 12 months (or permanently if you are subscribed to the Coaching Community). 		
					
									More info
					
					
									PRE-REGISTER

### MyMT™ Restore your Joyful Joints in Menopause

MyMT™ Restore your Joyful Joints 				
					A mini course to help you relieve your aching joints during peri-post menopause and start exercising again. 				
							
							
										Only NZ$49.95! And, for a limited time secure two modules for the price of one!
									
						
					
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									Watch Joyful Joints Video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
					Relieve your sore joints and muscles with MyMT™ 				
		Are your aching joints affecting your ability to do the things you love? Maybe your knees are stiff when you get out of bed? Or your legs feel restless and heavy? Maybe you feel dizzy and lose your balance easily, which has affected your mobility?But, has anyone ever mentioned menopause?70% of the 500,000 women who have taken the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz are struggling with aching joints and muscle pains. Not many people realise that it is one of the most common symptoms of menopause, because oestrogen plays such an important role in joint lubrication and muscle fibres. Restore your Joyful Joints is a stand-alone module taken out of the hugely popular MyMT™ Transform Me and Circuit Breaker Programs. It is designed for women who are only struggling with this symptom, and need some support to get back on their feet. 		
					For a limited time, secure two modules for the price of one! Once you have reduced the inflammation in your joints, get back on track with your exercise with MyMT™ Fitness Foundations.				
																														
																														
					100% Online				
		Educational webinars and action plans delivered straight to your inbox. 		
																														
					Self paced				
		Watch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.		
																														
					Easy to implement				
		Practical strategies that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle. 		
																														
					Packed with bonus resources				
		A 6-week walking program, circuit program, posture guide and physio exercises		
					The Connection Between Menopause and Sore Joints				
		Hi, I'm Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD], Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and Menopause Educator.As I interviewed women up and down New Zealand as part of my doctoral studies, they would tell me about their sore joints, aching knees and restless legs that were preventing them from exercising the way they used to. I was astounded... because that's exactly how I felt as well.Troubled by numerous injuries when I reached my late 40's and early 50's, I was confused about why I couldn't tolerate the physical activity I was used to. But the worst thing was that over time, I began to lose my confidence in being as active. So when women on my studies told me the same thing, I knew I needed to look into what was really going on with our aching joints in menopause.  What I learnt astounded me. 		
					Did you know that...				
																														
					Tendons have oestrogen receptors				
		The role of these receptors is to harness oestrogen to help keep the tendons pliable and flexible. It's role is in healing and repairing.		
																														
					Muscles lose size and density through menoapuse				
		This is a normal part of our ageing, but when this happens it affects the way our tendons work. 		
																														
					Ear canals contain oestrogen				
		The role of oestrogen in our ears is to help keep the tiny hairs upright, which normally help us with balance. In menopause, women often feel dizzy and lose their balance as oestrogen declines. 		
																														
					Collagen turnover is slower				
		This means that if we are doing too much high impact exercise our recovery is slower and we build up more inflammation in our joints and muscles. Reducing inflammation and rebuilding your health and fitness are vital as you transition menopause into later life.  MyMT™ Joyful Joints combines modules from my other online programmes into one integrated package specifically to address joint paint and to help you get moving again. 		
					MyMTTM  women around the world are getting back to doing the things they love				
																														
						 5/5		
					Lesley - UK				
		"It felt like every muscle in my body was sore, but now I am back running, sleeping, no hot flushes and I've lost 15lb (7kg)."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Toni - New Zealand				
		"At 52 I felt many years older with sore joints, weight gain and poor sleep. Then I found MyMT™. My joint pain has gone, I’m sleeping all night and the difference in how I feel is incredible."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Lucinda - Australia				
		"I'm now sleeping, no hot flushes and no plantar fasciitis. I can walk freely again. This program truly changed my life."		
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					MyMT™ Restore your Joyful Joints				
					What you will discover...				
												
																					Hil, New Zealand
										
		The types of nutrients that you need to reduce inflammation, strengthen tendons, and improve bone and muscle health.What foods can replace the role of oestrogen and collagen as they decline. How to improve blood flow to get vital nutrients and oxygen into your joints.The most effective forms of stretching for improving flexibility and increasing range of motion.How to stop the dizziness and balance issues that may be troubling you. The most effective forms of exercise to reduce pressure on your joints.How to improve your recovery after exercise, so you can exercise more frequently.How to restore and maintain your posture to prevent further injuries.Once you have got on top of your aching joints, I show you how to start exercising again with MyMT™ Fitness Foundations. You will discover: How to steadily build up your fitness levels with guidance on exercise frequency, intensity, type and timing.How to incorporate more movement into your normal daily activities.How to warm up for exercise to compensate for your lower oestrogen. How to monitor your exertion levels.		
					Don't let your aching joints get you down!				
		Regain control with a step-by-step scientifically-evidenced plan. This powerful JOYFUL JOINTS and FITNESS FOUNDATIONS package is now available to you for only NZ $49.95 (Approx. AU$45.5, £24, US$30)		
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Frequently Asked Questions				
												What can I expect in the MyMT™ Restore your Joyful Joints mini course? 
					With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. All you need is access to a computer, tablet or mobile device so you can access the MyMT™ learning portal. At MyMT™ our approach involves educating you about why your symptoms are occurring with scientific information, and then giving you powerful lifestyle solutions to help you relieve those symptoms. Every lifestyle solution is easy to incorporate into your busy lifestyle. As part of this mini course you will be able to access:Restore your Joyful Joints – 1 hour video webinar and downloadable action plan. Fitness Foundations – 1 hour video webinar and downloadable action plan. Knee rehabilitation exercisesCircuit program6-week walking programFitness testPosture guideDizziness and Balance guideNutrient handouts and Recipes
												What do I need to access the course? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. 
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“Do you remember how free your joints felt when you were younger? You ran, jumped and skipped without all the aches and pains and stiffness that you’re feeling now. I longed to have this feeling back too. We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself. As I sat there while my family went skiing without me, I knew I needed to do something about it. My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  That was over 15 years ago now. And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to reset your hormones at a cellular level, you address the cause and not just the symptoms of menopause.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  You can read more about my story here. “Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					MyMT™ programs do work, because Wendy teaches you scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to work with your hormones, rather than fighting against them. But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website. Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												How much does the course cost?
					The MyMT™  Restore your Joyful Joints costs NZ$49.95*. For a limited time, this includes access to the Fitness Foundations stand-alone module from our popular MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness Program. [* approx. AUS$45.50, UK£24, US$30]Please be aware that the 7-day money back guarantee does not apply to this course because all content is released immediately. 
					Exercise to Energise, not Exhaust!
				
		When you exercise, your body releases feel-good hormones including endorphins, which can put you in a good mood for the rest of the day. It helps improve your quality of life and mental health. 

### Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter Sign-up		
			
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
        Note- if you are a health professional and would prefer to receive our weekly MyMT™ Education Newsletter please click here. 
     
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### Result

Symptoms Quiz Result				
		Sorry, something went wrong here, please try completing the symptoms test again. Contact us if this issue persists.Sorry, something went wrong here, you score is outside the range of 0-50. Please try completing the symptoms test again. Contact us if this issue persists.Sorry, something went wrong here, you score is outside the range of 0-50. Please try completing the symptoms test again. Contact us if this issue persists.https://vimeo.com/828201314/a27d958f74This video explains the Symptoms Test results for a score of 0-10.https://vimeo.com/828201239/83d8115c8dThis video explains the Symptoms Test results for a score of 11-25.https://vimeo.com/828201169/09fda1a967This video explains the Symptoms Test results for a score of 26-40.https://vimeo.com/828201117/f27a8ee1fbThis video explains the Symptoms Test results for a score of 41-50.		
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Right now, a summary of your results are being emailed to you. Learn more about your results below.
					You scored between 0-10 
				
		The highest possible score is 50, so you are in the lowest category for symptom severity. Only 5% of women are in your category. Your menopause transition may be in its early stages.Worldwide, the average age of women in menopause (and who take my quiz) is 51. Usually, we start to feel the effects of menopause in our mid-40s. Some women also find their symptoms last for years after menopause. But it doesn't have to be this way.If you haven't already, please do watch the video above where I explain what this result means.  Also, check your Inbox for a copy of your results and a PDF Summary of my Masterclass on Menopause.  As I explain below, it's packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can implement today. 		
												
																					
										
							
			
				So happy with the way I feel. Six weeks into MyMT™ and I’m feeling the best I have in a decade.			
											Naomi  Australia
					
		Now is the time to learn about the lifestyle changes you can be making so you can minimize your symptoms in the years ahead and adjust to your new hormonal environment... which you will be living in for the next 30 - 40 years!Not many Practitioners understand the link between a woman's lifestyle, her ageing organs and her symptoms. This is the research I spent decades exploring as part of my Masters Studies and PhD Thesis.   I can't wait to share my findings with you in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar. It's everything I wish I had known before I entered menopause. 		
					Prevention is better than a cure!				
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
					Limited time offer: Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12). Discounted from live ticket price of $35.				
				I can’t thank you enough for sharing your excellent research in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made.JillAustralia
				“I just watched the first hour of your Masterclass. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your humble, curious approach to health in the middle years. You draw on others to help answer questions that are so important to our changing bodies. For the first time in years, I have hope that I can learn what my body needs and make changes that will really help me be healthier."LizUSA
				"I have loved reading your emails and listening to the Masterclass which has already helped me. I now have energy and I've even been able to reduce the brain fog and pain."EmilyAustralia
		Thank you for taking the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz. I encourage you to keep monitoring your symptoms and take the quiz again in a few months.		
					You scored between 11-25 
				
		This is a moderate symptom severity score, and the second most common. The highest possible score is 50. Around 30% of women are in your category, so please don’t feel alone! Worldwide, the average age of women in menopause (and who take my quiz) is 51. Usually, we start to feel the effects of menopause in our mid-40s. Some women also find their symptoms last for years after menopause. But it doesn't have to be this way.If you haven't already, please do watch the video above where I explain what this result means.  Also, check your Inbox for a copy of your results and a PDF Summary of my Masterclass on Menopause.  As I explain below, it's packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can implement today. 		
					Are your symptoms affecting your day-to-day life?
				
		One of the challenges I had myself when I reached this score, was that I had no energy to get through my day and didn’t understand why I felt so hot all the time.So, I know that you may be experiencing some symptoms that are having an effect on how you feel and how you get through your day. Maybe you also don’t understand which symptoms are due to menopause and which are due to normal ageing - I talk about this in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar.Many of my clients tell me that despite numerous medical and specialist appointments, no one can explain the link between their health issues, their changing hormonal environment and their ageing organs. 		
												
																					
										
							
			
				So happy with the way I feel. Six weeks into MyMT™ and I’m feeling the best I have in a decade.			
											Naomi  Australia
					
					When my own symptoms overwhelmed me and HRT wasn’t giving me the relief I needed, I spent hundreds of hours as part of my PhD Thesis researching the lifestyle solutions that are evidenced to help midlife women reduce symptoms and lose weight.				
		The scientific research is there, it's just not getting out to women.I can't wait to share my findings with you in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause webinar. It's everything I wish I had known before I entered menopause. Women on the MyMT™ programmes love learning how they can make simple adjustments to their lifestyle to place menopause in ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’.Menopause is a critical window before our third age. Make sure you know what you can do today to manage your symptoms and set yourself up to age healthily. To learn more, watch my Masterclass on Menopause webinar or explore the 12-week Programmes.		
					Knowledge is power - it's time to put your health first!				
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
					Limited time offer: Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12). Discounted from live ticket price of $35.				
				"I can’t thank you enough for sharing your excellent research in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made."KathrynNew Zealand
				"In the dying days of 2022, my resolution was to do something about my downward spiral, get some control over my symptoms and lose some weight. I joined the Transform Me Program. It wasn’t long before I saw results in terms of improved sleep and weight. I feel so much better, healthier and lighter. I don’t mean that only literally but figuratively as well. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling tired and sluggish."Kathryn, JAustralia
				"Let me say this. My sleep has improved a great deal. In fact I might go as far as saying I get a minimum of 7 hours sleep every night! And the result is... I just realised I have lost 22lbs. Nothing seemed to work until MyMT™. OMG.. what magic is this?"JulieUK
					
									READ MORE
					
					You scored between 26-40 
				
		This is moderate-high score for symptom severity. The highest possible score is 50. Your score is the most common score, with 60% of women in this category. Over 500,000 women have taken this quiz.Worldwide, the average age of women in menopause (and who take my quiz) is 51. Usually, we start to feel the effects of menopause in our mid-40s. Some women also find their symptoms last for years after menopause. But it doesn't have to be this way.If you haven't already, please do watch the video above where I explain what this result means.  Also, check your Inbox for a copy of your results and a PDF Summary of my Masterclass on Menopause.  As I explain below, it's packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can implement today. 		
					Are your symptoms affecting your day-to-day life?
				
		One of the challenges I had myself when I reached this score, was that I had no energy to get through my day and didn’t understand why I felt so hot all the time.So, I know that you may be experiencing some symptoms that are having an effect on how you feel and how you get through your day. Maybe you also don’t understand which symptoms are due to menopause and which are due to normal ageing - I talk about this in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause online webinar. 		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
					Limited time offer: Only NZ$15 (approx. AU$14, UK£8, €9, US$9, CAD$12). Discounted from live ticket price of $35.				
		Many of my clients tell me that despite numerous medical and specialist appointments, no one can explain the link between their health issues, their changing hormonal environment and their ageing organs. I was once the same. When my own symptoms overwhelmed me and HRT wasn’t giving me the relief I needed, as part of my women’s healthy ageing PhD studies, I researched the specific lifestyle solutions that are evidenced to help midlife women reduce menopause symptoms, lose weight and age healthily.The scientific research is there, it's just not getting out to women.Women on the MyMT™ programmes love learning how they can make simple adjustments to their lifestyle to place menopause in ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’.		
					Menopause affects women differently
				
		For some women, weight gain is their biggest concern. Others suffer from low energy, poor sleep, gut health issues, sore joints, anxiety, heart palpitations and hot flushes. This is why I developed two 12 week lifestyle change programs. These differ depending on your body type. 		
												
																					
										
							
			
				What magic is this MyMT™ Programme?! I’m now sleeping all night and have released 22lbs!			
											Julie United Kingdom
					
					Transform Me 
				
		Transform Me is a world-class, groundbreaking menopause weight loss and symptom reduction program.The first goal is to improve your sleep and address a condition called 'oestrogen dominance', which contributes to weight gain during menopause. I teach you everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopause weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction diets. Once you are sleeping all night, we move on to your other symptoms such as hot flushes, aching joints, bloating, anxiety and brain fog. 		
					Coaching support included. 				
					
									 Learn More
					
												
																					
										
							
			
				Once I started sleeping again, I could see with more clarity. Thank you MyMT™ for helping me get my life back.			
											Rosie Switzerland
					
					Circuit Breaker 
				
		Designed for thinner, leaner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy and more.Is this you? If you don’t break the circuit of your symptoms in your menopause transition, then the inflammation that builds up may lead to worsening health problems as you go into your post-menopause years.To help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment, I teach you how to restore hormonal balance in your body using my scientifically evidenced lifestyle-change strategies. 		
					Coaching support included.				
					
									 Learn More
					
				"I can’t thank you enough for sharing your excellent research in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made."KathrynNew Zealand
				"In the dying days of 2022, my resolution was to do something about my downward spiral, get some control over my symptoms and lose some weight. It wasn’t long before I saw results in terms of improved sleep and weight. As I finish 2023 I'm reflecting that I feel so much better, healthier and lighter. I don’t mean that only literally but figuratively as well. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling tired and sluggish."Kathryn, JAustralia
				"How I used to muddle my way through life before now, I don’t know! Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping, have lost 17lbs (8kg) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life changing."JulieUK
					
									READ MORE
					
					But it’s not just about symptom management 
				
		Menopause is the gateway to biological ageing and your post-menopause years ahead of you. As we move through menopause, inflammatory changes occur throughout the body. This is now known as ‘inflammaging’ and it starts as women move into perimenopause.That’s why, my purpose is for you to discover the inflammatory changes occurring in your body, not just because they can worsen your symptoms, but because they affect your health in the years ahead. Your lifestyle now will greatly affect your health in the future.That’s why all the information in my programmes are developed from women’s healthy ageing research. They are making a difference to thousands of women around the world.		
					Knowledge is power - it’s time to take control!				
					
									MyMT™Circuit Breaker
					
					
									 MyMT™ Transform Me 
					
					You scored between 41-50 
				
		This is the most severe score for symptom severity. The highest possible score is 50. About 15% of women fall into your category. Over 500,000 women have taken this quiz, so please be assured that you are not alone.Menopause symptoms are likely greatly impacting your life. Worldwide, the average age of women in menopause (and who take my quiz) is 51. Usually, we start to feel the effects of menopause in our mid-40s. Some women also find their symptoms last for years after menopause. But it doesn't have to be this way.If you haven't already, please do watch the video above where I explain what this result means.  Also, check your Inbox for a copy of your results and a PDF Summary of my Masterclass on Menopause.  As I explain below, it's packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can implement today. 		
												
																					
										
							
			
				So happy with the way I feel. Six weeks in and I’m feeling the best I have in a decade.			
											Naomi H Australia
					
		One of the challenges I had myself when I reached this score, was that I had no energy to get through my day and didn’t understand why I felt so hot all the time. So, I know that you may be experiencing some symptoms that are having an effect on how you feel and how you get through your day.Maybe you also don’t understand which symptoms are due to menopause and which are due to normal ageing - I talk about this in my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause.Many of my clients tell me that despite numerous medical and specialist appointments, no one can explain the link between their health issues, their changing hormonal environment and their ageing organs. I was once the same. When my own symptoms overwhelmed me and HRT wasn’t giving me the relief I needed, as part of my women’s healthy ageing PhD studies, I spent hundreds of hours researching the specific lifestyle solutions that are evidenced to help midlife women reduce menopause symptoms, lose weight and age healthily.The scientific research is there, it's just not getting out to women.Women on the MyMT™ programmes love learning how they can make simple adjustments to their lifestyle to place menopause in ‘wellness’, not ‘sickness’.		
					Menopause affects women differently
				
		For some women, weight gain is their biggest concern. Others suffer from low energy, poor sleep, gut health issues, sore joints, anxiety, heart palpitations and hot flushes. This is why I developed two programs which differ depending on body type.		
												
																					
										
							
			
				What magic is this MyMT™ Programme?! I’m now sleeping all night and have released 22lbs!			
											Julie SUnited Kingdom
					
					Transform Me 
				
		Transform Me is a world-class, groundbreaking menopause weight loss and symptom reduction program.The first goal is to improve your sleep and address a condition called 'oestrogen dominance', which contributes to weight gain during menopause. I teach you everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopause weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction diets. Once you are sleeping all night, we move on to your other symptoms such as hot flushes, aching joints, bloating, anxiety and brain fog. 		
					Coaching support included. 				
					
									Learn More
					
												
																					
										
							
			
				Once I started sleeping again, I could see with more clarity. Thank you MyMT™ for helping me get my life back.			
											Rosie Switzerland
					
					Circuit Breaker 
				
		Designed for thinner, leaner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy and more.Is this you? If you don’t break the circuit of your symptoms in your menopause transition, then the inflammation that builds up may lead to worsening health problems as you go into your post-menopause years.To help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health and restore hormonal balance in your body using my scientifically researched lifestyle-change strategies. 		
					Coaching support included.				
					
									Learn More
					
				"I can’t thank you enough for sharing your excellent research in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made."KathrynNew Zealand
				"In the dying days of 2022, my resolution was to do something about my downward spiral, get some control over my symptoms and lose some weight. It wasn’t long before I saw results in terms of improved sleep and weight. As I finish 2023 I'm reflecting that I feel so much better, healthier and lighter. I don’t mean that only literally but figuratively as well. I have so much more energy and no longer spend my days feeling tired and sluggish."Kathryn, JAustralia
				"How I used to muddle my way through life before now, I don’t know! Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping, have lost 17lbs (8kg) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life changing."JulieUK
					
									READ MORE
					
					But it’s not just about symptom management 
				
		Menopause is the gateway to biological ageing. It’s vital to learn about the inflammatory changes occurring in your body, not just because they can worsen your symptoms, but because they affect your health in the long run.Your lifestyle now will greatly affect your health in the future. Make sure you know what you can do today to manage your symptoms and set your body up for healthy ageing.		
					Knowledge is power - it’s time to take control!				
					
									MyMT™Circuit Breaker
					
					
									 MyMT™ Transform Me

### Circuit Breaker Screening Test

MyMT™ Circuit Breaker Health Screening Form				
			
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
      Step 1: Please complete the MyMT™ Health Screen and Submit this to Wendy
      When this is submitted your exclusive member access isntructions will be sent to you. Wendy will respond to your screening form if required.
      Do you have a family history of heart disease or strokes? *
            
            Yes
            
            
            No
      Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition or have you ever suffered a stroke? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you feel unexplained pain in your chest at rest or when you do physical activity? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you ever lose your balance because of dizziness during physical activity? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Have you had an asthma attack requiring medical attention at any time over the last 12 months? *
            
            
            Yes
            
            No
      If you have diabetes, have you had trouble controlling your blood glucose at any time over the last 6 months? *
            
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by participating in exercise? *
            
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you have any other medical condition that may prevent you from undertaking exercise? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Is your blood pressure - over 140mm Hg systolic or 90mm Hg diastolic. Or are you on blood pressure medication? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Are you currently taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or Bio-identical Hormone Therapy? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you have gut health or digestion issues? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      
       Please indicate your current Sleep Patterns
      Sleep hours per day on average *
            
            Less than 4 hours per night
            
            Between 4-6 hours night
            
            
            Sleep soundly for 6-8 hours
      Do you have intermittent sleep with night sweats and/or hot flushes? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      
      Please indicate your current energy and mood levels:
      I am frequently tired *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      I have fluctuating energy levels during the day *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      I have frequent mood swings *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      I often feel depressed *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      I am already on anti-depressant medication *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      
      Body Types:
              
      What is your nearest body-type? *
            
            Pituitary Entire Gain
            
            Thyroid Gain
            
            Gonad body-type
            
            Adrenal Upper Gain
      Do you perceive you are overweight? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      
      Waiver:
      
       I acknowledge to the best of my ability that I am in good health and have no known medical problems that would restrict my ability to participate in this programme. *
      
      I agree that at any time I can remove myself from this program. *
      
      I understand that ongoing access to the MyMT™ programme [Coaching Support and Programme Access] is FREE for the first 3 months and costs NZ$12.50 per month thereafter. *
      
       I acknowledge My Menopause Transformation™ as the sole proprietor of this program and agree not to distribute it to any other persons or make copies without the permission of MyMT™. *
      
       
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### FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions				
					
									Take the Symptoms Test
					
					
									Watch "How it Works" Video
					
							
							
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					Frequently Asked Questions				
		These questions relate to the MyMT™ Programs for women in peri to post menopause. If you are a Health Professional interested in undertaking a menopause certification, please visit MyMT™ Education. 		
												Which program is right for me? 
					There are two main 12 week programs for symptom management – MyMT™ Circuit Breaker is for leaner women and MyMT™ Transform Me is for women who are struggling with menopause weight gain.Transform Me is a ground-breaking menopause-specific weight loss and wellness program. First, you will focus on turning around your sleep and a condition called ‘oestrogen dominance’ which is the cause of your weight gain. Then we move onto other menopause symptoms from there so that you can restore your energy and health. You will learn  everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopause weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction.With Circuit Breaker we start with turning around your hot flushes/flashes and sleep so that you restore your energy and ‘break the circuit’ of your menopause symptom chaos. From there we address other hormonal imbalance issues causing your insomnia, fatigue, sore joints, irritable gut, anxiety and more. If you aren’t sure whether you are suited to Circuit Breaker or Transform Me, please take the Symptoms Test so that we can help you decide. If you are post-menopause and have found that your symptoms remain with you still, or perhaps you want to understand how you can set yourself up for the best health possible as you age, then our Beyond Menopause Program is for you! In this program I bring you the latest research on heart and blood vessel health, gut health, brain health, bone health, immune health, inflammation, mobility, purpose and happiness, but most importantly looked at it through the lens of your hormonal environment in post-menopause.NB:Whilst I do have a module about weight loss in the Beyond Menopause™ programme, if you have more than 10kg (20 lbs) to lose, then I do recommend that you start with the weight loss programme called Transform Me™. This programme has the liver health and oestrogen dominance information in it, as well as a Food Guide that is dedicated to weight loss and other fascinating information for you. If you have a lesser amount of weight to lose, then come and join me on the Beyond Menopause™ programme when you can. The fourth 12-week program is just as important as Circuit Breaker, Transform Me and Beyond Menopause. It is called MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness. Re-build My Fitness is a healthy exercise program designed specifically for women during and after menopause where you learn how to rebuild your fitness, strength, balance, bone and joint health with menopause appropriate exercise and activity levels.This program works best once you have addressed your symptoms. Not only does it help get you exercising again but it introduces healthy habits which help guard against heart disease and stroke, two of the biggest killers for our age group. 
												Does MyMT™ have courses for Health Professionals?
					If you are a Health Professional interested in menopause for your clients, you can now become qualified as a Menopause Coach through MyMT™ Education.  We have three courses, designed to suit your scope of practice: Our most comprehensive 12 week course, the Menopause Practitioner Course, provides you with everything you need to specialise in menopause symptom management.If you are interested in the unique science of menopause weight loss,  then the 6-week Menopause Weight Loss Coach Couse is for you. If you are a Health, Wellness or Life Coach and would like an introductory level course, please explore the 3-week An Introduction to the Science of Menopause for Health Coaches. 
												What can I expect in the 12 week programs?
					With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. In your private learning hub, the MyMT™ program of your choice is delivered to you progressively over a 12 week period. A module is released each fortnight containing an educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length, where Wendy explains why your symptoms are occurring and the lifestyle changes you can make to relieve those symptoms. Each module also contains downloadable PDF summaries with your action plan for the fortnight, as well as bonus articles packed with lots more information and tips. As part of the program, you also have access to: The MyMT™ Food Guide including hundreds of recipes and cooking videosOptional modules for women who are taking HRT or Anti-Depressants, or are having issues with sore joints, gut health or cardiovascular health. In Rebuild my Fitness, you also have access to your video library packed full of workout, stretching and breathing videos.Even though everything is delivered online, you will not be alone. You will be invited to join the private Facebook coaching group. This is where you can ask Wendy questions, get inspired by others, and read Wendy’s coaching posts which date back 8 years. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes Wendy suggests. Over the 12 weeks, you will receive Wendy’s support emails to keep you on track.  For many women, this is the unique difference with MyMT™ which helps keep them motivated and inspired. 
												Why is it a 12 week program?
					Wendy chose 12 weeks for a reason – from a physiological perspective, this is how long it takes to turn around hormonal health with lifestyle behaviour change strategies. As you put the powerful, scientifically evidenced strategies into practice your hormones all start “talking” to each other again which helps to restore hormonal balance in your changing menopause body. The order of the modules has been determined to have the biggest impact on your symptoms first and then to teach you how to turn new strategies into lifelong habits. 
												My symptoms aren't that bad. Should I just grin and bear it?
					You could, but remember, it’s not just about the visible symptoms. It’s about the ‘invisible’ as well.For so many women, peri-menopause is the game-changer when it comes to their health. If you aren’t sure if you are going into menopause, then please take the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Test to find out more.  
												Why is MyMT™ unique?
					“We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.    As my own health was changing and as my symptoms became worse, I began to understand that if we don’t take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause our post-menopause years are likely to lead to worsening health.  My health became my project and I applied my women’s healthy ageing research studies to understand how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause and post-menopause, this one is.My seven modules and support emails have been designed to open progressively to maximise your ability to learn and implement new health strategies step by step.  I also know how hard it is to get answers when we have questions. So, that is why my coaching support group (private Facebook group) is included. You can ask me, or others any questions you like, and read over 8 years worth of my coaching posts. An online course is no good if you don’t get to the end of it, so this one is designed with your success in mind. You can read more about my story here. “
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					The MyMT™ programs do work, and there are two main reasons for this.  Firstly because Wendy teaches you unique lifestyle strategies to work with your hormones, not fight against them. And secondly because of our uniquely designed support strategy which spreads your learnings and changing habits over 12 weeks to turn your new learnings into lifelong habits. Wendy completed her Masters Studies in motivation and successful behevaiour change for midlife women. So, all of the programs have unique support strategies to keep you on track.  But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from thousands of our clients on the MyMT™ website. And once you join the program ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Group.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												Do the programs involve medication or supplementation?
					There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programs, as Wendy focuses on turning around your symptoms with lifestyle changes (e.g. nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene etc.). If you are on menopause hormone therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.No matter whether you are on MHT or not, the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.
												What if I am on MHT (HRT)?
					No matter whether you are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience. If you are on MHT, then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.
												Do the programs involve a diet?
					Every bit of research shows that the types of food we eat, and how we eat are critical to our symptom management and our healthy ageing, so food is an important part of the MyMT™ programs. Following the women’s healthy ageing and longevity research, Wendy has centered these programs around the Mediterranean Diet which she has modified to include the essential nutrients for women in midlife. When you come on this program, you won’t be counting calories or be on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients help to reduce your symptoms, and what whole foods you can eat to get those nutrients. Food is such a confusing topic, and every woman is different, so Wendy is here to support you through these changes. You receive a Food Guide which explains the ‘Why’ and then recipes, meal ideas and cooking videos to show you the ‘How’. Women all over the globe are also sharing their meals in the MyMT™ Community every day, so you will never be at a loss for ideas or support.  
												What do I need to access the program? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. You do not need to belong to Facebook to join this program. But if you are a member, this is the best place to access Wendy’s coaching support.  
												What if I don't have enough time?
					If I told you that all it takes is one hour a fortnight to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  I hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead! As I always says, it’s not a race, and it takes time to turn change into habits. Although the programs are 12 weeks long, you are welcome to move as slowly as you need. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and my support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. 
												How long can I access my program for?
					For as long as you need! Each program lasts for 12 weeks but Wendy always says that it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with us 5 years after they started their journeys. After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and Wendy’s coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50. You can cancel your subscription at any time. 
												What if I am not very good with technology, can you help me?
					Yes, of course. We can help you with any technical questions, no matter your ability or knowledge! Just email admin@mymenopausetransformation.com and Georgia or Rob will support you. 
												How much do the programs cost?
					You can buy any of the four 12-week programs risk free for 7 days, with our money back guarantee/ The MyMT™  programs all cost NZ$399* each. If you wish to extend your access to the modules after 12 weeks there is a small subscription fee of NZ$12.50 per month. We have part-payment options** for you too, where you can pay once per month throughout the 12 week period. Don’t forget to sign up to the newsletter community at the bottom of this page to be notified of exclusive sales.  [* approx. AUS$363/ CAN$324/ US$206/ UK£188/ EUR€220- exchange rate varies on the day]**Part payment fee applies. 
																														
						 5/5		
		My energy, sleep and overall health have improved so much on this program and I’m now a record-holder in World Pool Freediving!		
					Suzy				
					Australia				
					
									Read More
					
					How the MyMT™ Transformation Works				
		MyMT™ has a single goal... to help women around the globe proactively manage their own menopause transformation through natural, lifestyle changes. No longer should menopause symptoms impact on their life.		
																														
					Step 1				
					Take the Symptoms Quiz				
		Take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz to understand your symptoms and how these compare to women all around the world. 		
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
																														
					Step 2				
					Watch the Masterclass				
		If you are as confused and frustrated by your symptoms as I was, then my self-paced, 2 hour, Masterclass on Menopause video is for you.		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
																														
					Step 3				
					Transform your Health				
		Choose your program – Circuit Breaker™ or Transform Me™ for symptom reduction, Beyond Menopause™ for healthy ageing and longevity in post-menopause, OR Rebuild My Fitness™ – your midlife exercise guide. 		
					
									Choose your program
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Private Facebook Coaching Community

MyMT™ Coaching Community				
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and women from around the world are here to support you every step of the way. 		
					
									BUY NOW
					
					
									Watch "How it Works" Video
					
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					What makes MyMT™ so unique is access to Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) via her private Facebook Coaching Community, exclusively for the use of MyMT™ members. 				
		I realise that knowledge is only one part of the journey and staying motivated is equally important. Having someone to share and connect with you at a meaningful level is what makes this program so effective.
While I can anticipate common struggles for women transitioning menopause, which my program addresses, I also appreciate that we are all unique. That's why receiving my personal support and guidance is so important.
I’m here to provide you with the knowledge and encouragement you need during this crucial time in your life. You can ask me any questions you like in the coaching community. You will also benefit from reading the responses to other women’s questions, and being a part of an extended support network.
Women who have the most success on the program say that this on-going support is a critical part of their menopause transformation. 
Access is available both while you are undertaking the online program, and after you have completed it - to keep you on track and maintain your motivation. 
When women join the program they gain free access to the coaching community for 3 months, but can then stay on in the community for as long as they like for a small admin fee of NZ$12.50* per month. Women love knowing that there is no pressure to complete the program in the 12 weeks. 
* Approximately AU$11.50, £6, US $7.50 depending on daily exchange rate. 

		
																														
						 5/5		
						"I have found great support whilst transitioning post menopause, through the MyMT™ program, and hearing of other stories through the coaching group. I feel confident in managing my health and ageing and would like to thank Wendy and the community for a great program and support network."					
						
								SharonAustralia			
					
									Read More Testimonials
					
																														
					Understanding your Privacy on Facebook				
							
							
										Only current and former members can see the group’s name
									
								
										Only current members can see who is in the group
									
								
										Only current and former members can see the group description
									
								
										Only current and former members can see the group tags
									
								
										Only current members can see what members post in the group
									
								
										Only current members can find the group in the search
									
								
										Only current members can see stories about the group on Facebook
									
						
					How the MyMT™ Transformation Works				
		Your MyMT™ Menopause Coach, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) has a single goal... to help women around the globe proactively manage their own menopause transition through lifestyle changes. Our online programs teach you about the powerful lifestyle changes you can make to adjust to your new hormonal environment so that you can reduce your symptoms, lose weight and set yourself up to age healthily into post-menopause. 		
																														
					Step 1				
					Take the Symptoms Quiz				
		Take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz to understand your symptoms and how these compare to women all around the world. 		
					
									Take the Symptoms quiz
					
																														
					Step 2				
					Watch the Masterclass				
		If you are confused and frustrated by your symptoms, then the on-demand, 2 hour, Masterclass on Menopause is for you.		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
																														
					Step 3				
					Transform Your Health				
		Choose your program – Circuit Breaker™ or Transform Me™ for symptom reduction, Beyond Menopause™ for healthy ageing and longevity, or Rebuild My Fitness™ - your midlife exercise guide. 		
					
									Choose your program
					
																														
						 5/5		
		“MyMT™ solved my symptoms. This programme is amazing.I’m one of the Transformers mentioned and I want to shout it from the roof-tops how amazingly beneficial this program is! I wish all Women’s Health Practitioners, Gastroenterologists, Endocrinologists, Orthopaedic Surgeons, Cardiologists…..who are seeing all our menopausal symptoms in isolation to their specialty begin to recommend this program."		
					Bronwyn				
					New Zealand				
					
									Read More

### Medical Practitioners Information

Information for Medical Practitioners				
					Are your clients considering a MyMT™ Program?				
					
									MEET Dr Sweet (PhD)
					
					
									Watch "How it Works" Video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					MyMT™ understands the importance and relevance of medical support 				
		MyMT™ understands the importance and relevance of medical support for many women suffering moderate to severe symptoms as they transition into and through menopause.  MyMT™ does not interfere with or replace any medical advice. It gives research-proven, practical lifestyle information and behaviour-change support to women.		
							
			
				“Menopause is a crossroads. It is an ideal time for women to make decisions about how they are going to live the next third of their life. Women need to develop a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and adequate exercise in the long term.” 			
											Dr Beverley, Lawton (2014)Menopause: a guide for every woman
					
					What we do: 				
					MyMT™ is an online lifestyle behaviour-change support tool for women transitioning into and through menopause				
		MyMT™ aims to educate and support women to pro-actively manage their own menopause experience. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) has designed a 12 Step Lifestyle Change Program to support women through this journey. The information provided for women aims to educate them about the lifestyle-changes that might assist them to improve moderate to severe symptoms experienced including hot flashes/ flushes, sleep management, joint and muscle health, stress and anxiety, energy levels, and if required, weight loss.		
					MyMT™ works co-operatively and responsibly with medical practitioners and allied health professionals.				
		We offer an adjunct program, with a similar focus to New Zealand's Green Prescription lifestyle-change strategy. Our focus is just on women during their menopause years and the support some might need to facilitate a healthier ageing. MyMT™ educates women that their decision to start or stop Menopause Hormonal Therapy is a decision that needs to be made between only them and their Doctor.  In addition, MyMT™ educates medical and allied health professionals in our menopause-specific Continuing Professional Development courses, so that they can work alongside women who want to understand lifestyle solutions for symptom management.		
					MyMT™ screens all on-line clients before registering them on the program. 				
		This is STEP 1 of the 12-STEP Program. The Pre-Activity (Par-Q) screening tool used is approved and recommended by the New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (NZREPs), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE). A medical exclusion process is adhered to.		
					MyMT™ uses the 10-Item Cervantes Scale Menopause Symptom Test. 				
		[Faustino R. et.al. (2013). Assessment of menopause-related symptoms in mid-aged women with the 10-item Cervantes Scale. Maturitas, 76: 151– 154]		
					What we don't do:				
					MyMT™ does not interfere with the clinical medical advice any woman receives. 				
		We offer an adjunct program, with a similar focus to New Zealand’s Green Prescription lifestyle-change strategy. Our focus is just on women during and after their menopause years and the support some might need to facilitate a healthier ageing.		
					MyMT™ does not sell supplements or hormone replacement therapies.				
		We do not sell any kind of supplements or hormone replacements. This is purely a behaviour change program to educate women on the lifestyle solutions that are evidenced for symptom reduction.		
					Who designed the Program?				
					Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
		Bachelor Physical Education (Univ. of Otago).M. Sport & Leisure Studies, PhD (Univ. of Waikato)].Former Registered NurseRegistered Exercise Science SpecialistMember Australasian Society of Lifestyle MedicineAn award-winning exercise specialist with over 40 years’ experience, Wendy’s doctoral thesis explored women’s healthy ageing experiences at mid-life and her Master’s thesis explored lifestyle behaviour change in the context of personal training.Drawing on her own research as well as her personal experience transitioning into her mid-life years and her extensive practical experience working in the fitness industry and lecturing in sport, health and exercise at University level, Wendy brings this to the design and development of MyMT™.		
					
									Meet Wendy
					
																														
						"I started MyMT™ based on a suggestion from a friend. Having given up yo-yo dieting and trying to embrace Intuitive Eating, I had piled the weight back on and I needed some sense of control, but not a diet! Wendy’s material has made so much sense to me. I love that we can look at the research and science and it makes so much sense."					
					Ruth B.UK				
						
						"Having been a client of Wendy’s and now as a student I am so excited to have completed the Health Coaching Certificate. After 40 years as a Nurse, I am still astonished how little women know about healthy aging. I look forward to sharing my newfound knowledge with my clients and I would like to thank Wendy and her team for their continuing support and education. Keep it up team, you are amazing."					
					Susan K.Queensland, Aus. 				
						
						"Thanks so much for your program, it has been a game changer in my life. I now feel back in control. I’ve even surprised myself & joined a Fitness & Health club. This is something that I could have not envisaged before I started on your program & I wouldn’t have had the energy then either as I was in quite a bad place with my menopause symptoms even with being on HRT. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making your program available to help so many women like me."					
					Nicola WNottinghamshire, UK				
						
						"I would like to thank you. I think without this program I probably would have gone crazy! I am now sleeping through the night no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night."					
					Kathy L.New Zealand				
						
					
									READ MORE
					
					Case Study: Female (56 years)
				
							
							
										On HRT & anti-depressants for 5 years. Medically approved to enter program.
									
								
										Weight gain in past 3 years (Weight 78 kg; previously 64kg); Mainly diaphragmatic, WHR = +1.0
									
								
										Exercising 6 times a week; running, kayaking mainly with no shift in weight and despite painful feet, especially at night.
									
								
										Exhausted with 4 year history of waking 4-5 times a night with hot flushes/ flashes and night sweats despite being on HRT
									
								
										BP – 170/90
									
								
										Blood profile as below sent by her Dr, with added CRP of 2.1
									
						
					Blood Work				
			
				Total Cholesterol7.0 mmol/L(

### Info for Women on Menopause HRT or Bio-identicals

On Menopause HRT or Bio-Identical Hormones?				
					Learn why the MyMT™ Programs will suit you too. 				
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
					
									Watch "How it Works" Video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
																														
					On Menopause HRT or Bio-Identical Hormones?				
		Learn why the MyMT™ programmes will suit you too. 		
					Lifestyle Solutions Alongside MHT				
		If you are on menopause hormone therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage side effects such as osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.No matter whether you are on MHT or not, then the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience. Why is this I thought?Why do so many women have problems sleeping as well as over-heating and are over-whelmed with low energy, mood swings, sore joints and more when they arrive in mid-life? I also had these symptoms and at the time was on MHT and taking endless over-the-counter supplements. I felt bloated and my weight seemed to increase daily. Yet I was exercising and eating the same foods as I had eaten for years.So, what was going on? That was my curiosity, especially when women in my research studies told me similar stories about their sore muscles, joints, sleepless nights despite daily exercise and eating in ways that were deemed ‘healthy’.		
						"Thanks so much for your program, it has been a game changer in my life. I now feel back in control. I’ve even surprised myself & joined a Fitness & Health club. This is something that I could have not envisaged before I started on your program & I wouldn’t have had the energy then either as I was in quite a bad place with my menopause symptoms even with being on HRT. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making your program available to help so many women like me."					
					Nicola WNottinghamshire, UK				
						
						“When I asked medical professionals for an alternative to HRT they didn’t have one. So, I did your programme instead. I’ve now lost 14kg (30 lbs) and kept it off for a year, bloods are the best they’ve been and I’ve just completed my first half marathon in 2 years. I can’t thank you enough.”					
					Martina GIreland				
						
						"I am 57 and 9 years ago I had a hysterectomy and I suffered hot flushes, poor sleep, anxiety, dizziness, palpitations, loss of confidence, constipation and last but not least weight gain. When could I expect this nightmare to be over? I then discovered your program. I had already gone cold turkey and stopped HRT. I followed all your advice, I haven't looked back. My sleep is much better, my hot flushes are down, but best of all I have lost over a stone (approx 8 kg) in weight. I can't believe my transformation! I never thought it would be possible and cannot thank you enough for giving me my life and my figure back."					
					HelenSuffolk, UK				
						
					
									READ MORE
					
					Menopause Matters for a Woman's Health				
		The more I got into my research, the more I began to understand that study after study showed that menopause was the time in a woman’s life when she is most at risk for health changes, especially changing liver, bone, muscle and cardiac health.
Research from the Australian Longitudinal Studies on Women's Health conducted by Professor Wendy Brown and her team, was also showing that women entering their mid-life years were the highest demographic to stop exercising.
Yet, we all know how important regular exercise is to our future health, so again I became curious as to why this was. Afterall, my own doctoral studies showed a similar trend.
I knew that there must be a better way for us to manage ourselves at this stage of life, so we feel energetic and vibrant as we move into our post-menopause years. 		
																														
																														
		We have very different lives from our mother’s generation and never before have medical and gerontology specialists seen so many diseases of older age.But here’s the thing – when I looked at the health and longevity research, I learnt that most of these older-age health problems of our mother’s generation are related to inflammatory changes that arrive in mid-life.Whilst medications such as MHT and anti-depressants have been the go-to treatment for women for decades, my own studies indicated that there are specific lifestyle solutions that we need to put into place to manage these inflammatory changes. Which is why I have followed the women's healthy ageing research to design two revolutionary lifestyle, symptom reduction programs and a Beyond Menopause Women's Healthy Ageing Program. 		
					Whilst my programmes don’t interfere with any decision that women make with their Doctor to go on MHT or anti-depressants, some women use the program alongside support from their Doctor, to come off these therapies as they arrive in post-menopause.				
					The MyMT™ 12 week Coaching Programs				
		Not all women experience the same symptoms, which is why there are three flagship programs to choose from – Circuit Breaker is for leaner / thinner women whereas Transform Me is for women who want help with weight loss. Or for those of you are post-menopause, Beyond Menopause brings you the latest women's healthy ageing research to give you the best odds to live a healthy, disease free life. 		
																														
					12 weeksduration				
																														
					Delivered entirely online				
																														
					Coaching from Wendy in the Community				
																														
					Move at your own pace				
																														
					Recipes and Food Guide				
																														
					Transform Me				
		A ground breaking menopause-specific weight loss and symptom reduction program.The first focus is turning around your sleep and a condition called ‘oestrogen dominance’ which is the cause of your weight gain. Then we move onto other menopause symptoms from there.I teach you everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopause weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction diets.Coaching support included.		
					
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									Learn More
					
																														
					Circuit Breaker				
		Designed for thinner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy and more.If you don’t break the circuit of your symptoms in your menopause transition, then the inflammation that builds up may lead to worsening health problems as you go into your post-menopause years. To help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health.Coaching support included.		
					
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					Beyond Menopause				
		Your roadmap to healthy ageing and disease prevention in your post-menopause years. Also suitable for those already managing a chronic condition.Help your body adjust to life without oestrogen and reduce the build-up of internal inflammation which puts you at risk for chronic diseases of aging.Beyond Menopause is your guide to improved heart health, gut health, brain health, bone health, immune health, mobility, purpose and happiness.Coaching support included.		
					
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					Payment plans available				
																														
					Not sure which program is right for you?				
					
									Take the Symptoms QUIZ
					
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### How Each MyMT™ Programme Works

How It Works				
					Choose from four online peri-menopause to post- menopause coaching programs				
					
									Take the Symptoms QUIZ
					
					
									Watch "How it Works" Video
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					Privileged to empower 15,000+ women with the knowledge and solutions to restore their health in midlife, and trusted by:				
											
					How the MyMT™ Transformation Works				
		Your MyMT™ Menopause Coach, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) has a single goal... to help women around the globe proactively manage their own menopause transition through lifestyle changes. Our online programs teach you about the powerful lifestyle changes you can make to adjust to your new hormonal environment so that you can reduce your symptoms, lose weight and set yourself up to age healthily into post-menopause. 		
																														
					Step 1				
					Take the Symptoms Quiz				
		Take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz to understand your symptoms and how these compare to women all around the world. 		
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
																														
					Step 2				
					Watch the Masterclass				
		If you are confused and frustrated by your symptoms, then the on-demand, 2 hour, Masterclass on Menopause is for you.		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
																														
					Step 3				
					Transform Your Health				
		Choose your program – Circuit Breaker™ or Transform Me™ for symptom reduction, Beyond Menopause™ for healthy ageing and longevity in post-menopause, OR Rebuild My Fitness™ – your midlife exercise guide. 		
					
									Choose your program
					
					The MyMT™ 12 week Coaching Programs				
		Not all women experience the same symptoms, which is why there are two flagship programs to choose from – MyMT™ Circuit-Breaker is for leaner / thinner women whereas MyMT™ Transform Me is for women who want help with weight loss.MyMT™ Beyond Menopause is your roadmap to disease prevention, improved health AND life span in post-menopause.Once you get your symptoms and health back on track, your goal is to start exercising again so you can retain your mobility as you age with MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness. 		
																														
					12 weeksduration				
																														
					Delivered entirely online				
																														
					Coaching from Wendy in the Community				
																														
					Move at your own pace				
																														
					Recipes and Food Guide				
																														
					Transform Me				
		A ground breaking menopause-specific weight loss and symptom reduction program.The first focus is turning around your sleep and a condition called ‘oestrogen dominance’ which may be the cause of your weight gain. I teach you everything you need to stop gaining and start losing weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction diets.Then we move onto your other symptoms such as hot flushes, low energy, brain fog and aching joints.Coaching support included.		
					
									Buy Now
					
					
									Learn More
					
																														
					Circuit Breaker				
		A symptom reduction program designed for thinner/leaner womenTo break the circuit of your symptoms, we need to help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment and reduce the build up of inflammation.The first focus is turning around your sleep, then we move on to your hot flushes, night sweats, low energy, anxiety, irritated gut, aching joints and more.Coaching support included.		
					
									Buy Now
					
					
									Learn More
					
																														
					Beyond Menopause				
		Your roadmap to healthy ageing and disease prevention in post-menopauseHelp your body adjust to life without oestrogen and reduce the build-up of internal inflammation which puts you at risk for chronic diseases of aging.Beyond Menopause is your guide to improved heart health, gut health, brain health, bone health, immune health, mobility, purpose and happiness.Coaching support included.		
					
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					Rebuild My Fitness				
		A menopause and post-menopause specific exercise programThe type of exercise we need as we get older is different. Your 12 week guide to renewed energy, strength, balance, balance, cardiovascular and bone healthRebuild My Fitness works best after you've addressed menopause symptoms or your health with the other Programs.Suitable for any fitness level. Coaching support included.		
					
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					Payment plans available				
																														
					Not sure which program is right for you?				
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
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					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					What is included in each program?				
		Each online coaching program consists of seven modules which get to the heart of your symptoms. You learn what is happening to you with evidence-based information explaining the WHY and then you discover my easy to implement strategies showing you the HOW.The modules open up progressively each fortnight. A staggered delivery approach is purposeful. The body and brain need time to adapt to the changes we are going to make. If you want to take longer, you can!There is so much more to the programs than the information you get in each module.		
					As part of the MyMT™ programs you also receive:				
										Coaching from Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) in the MyMT™ CommunityThe private Facebook group is your opportunity to ask me questions and connect with women all over the world who are going through menopause with MyMT™. 
With over 2,000 women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.Action PlansEach video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions I want you to focus on over that fortnight. I call it the Daily Dozen.Bonus ModulesYou’ll discover why your joints are sore, why you feel dizzy or why your heart health or gut health is changing. For those of you overweight, I’ve also researched the best intermittent fasting routine for midlife women.
Women tell me that they love these bonus modules that help to make sense of their ‘symptoms that they don’t know are symptoms’.Food Guide and Hundreds of RecipesThe MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.Emails to keep you on trackMy weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.				
																														
					Coaching from Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) in the MyMT™ Community				
		The private Facebook group is your opportunity to ask me questions and connect with women all over the world who are going through menopause with MyMT™.With over 2,000 women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.		
																														
					Action Plans				
		Each video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions I want you to focus on over that fortnight. I call it the Daily Dozen.		
																														
					Bonus Modules				
		You’ll discover why your joints are sore, why you feel dizzy or why your heart health or gut health is changing. For those of you overweight, I’ve also researched the best intermittent fasting routine for midlife women.Women tell me that they love these bonus modules that help to make sense of their ‘symptoms that they don’t know are symptoms’.		
																														
					Food Guide and Hundreds of Recipes				
		The MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.		
																														
					Emails to keep you on track				
		My weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.		
					MyMTTM Women are getting back to doing the things they love				
																														
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					Deb - Canada				
		"I've lost 25lbs (12kgs), I sleep through the night, and I can think much more clearly. The joint and muscle pain is much better. I feel like I have a life again."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Jane (72) - New Zealand				
		"After 25 years plus, with hot flushes, insomnia, depression, weight gain and countless other issues, I finally found Wendy! What a joy the past 12 weeks has been as I’ve been learning to live again!"		
																														
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					Kate - United Kingdom				
		"Without MyMT™ I would never have had the energy to have such amazing fun. I'm now sleeping, have lost 17lbs (8kg) and no more hot flushes. Using your advice is life changing."		
					Are you ready to re-discover your health, vitality and energy
in menopause or post-menopause?				
					
									Read More Testimonials
					
					
									Choose your program
					
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					Frequently Asked Questions				
												What can I expect in the 12 week programs?
					With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. In your private learning hub, the MyMT™ program of your choice is delivered to you progressively over a 12 week period. A module is released each fortnight containing an educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length, where I explain why your symptoms are occurring and the lifestyle changes you can make to relieve those symptoms. Each module also contains downloadable PDF summaries with your action plan for the fortnight, as well as bonus articles packed with lots more information and tips. As part of the program, you also have access to the MyMT™ Food Guide including hundreds of recipes and cooking videos, six bonus videos which focus on managing menopause in your workplace. I also have optional modules for women who are taking HRT or Anti-Depressants, or are having issues with sore joints, gut health or cardiovascular health. My goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes I suggest. Even though everything is delivered online, you will not be alone. You will be invited to join my private Facebook coaching group. This is where you can ask me questions about your symptoms and lifestyle, get inspired by others, and read my coaching posts which date back 10 years. Women tell me it’s a treasure trove of information where they can search for answers. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and my support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. *[Approx AU$11, US$7.50, CA$10, £6, €7]
												Which program is right for me? 
					I have two main 12 week programs for menopause symptom management – MyMT™ Circuit Breaker is for leaner women and MyMT™ Transform Me is for women who are struggling with menopause weight gain.Transform Me is a ground-breaking menopause-specific weight loss and wellness program. My first focus is on turning around your sleep and a condition called ‘oestrogen dominance’ which is the cause of your weight gain. Then we move onto other menopause symptoms from there so that you can restore your energy and health. I teach you everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopause weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction.With Circuit Breaker we start with turning around your hot flushes/flashes and sleep so that you restore your energy and ‘break the circuit’ of your menopause symptom chaos. From there we address other hormonal imbalance issues caused by diet, stress and modern living. If you aren’t sure whether you are suited to Circuit Breaker or Transform Me, please take my Symptoms Quiz so that I can help you decide. If you are in Post-Menopause and are wondering how you can reduce your risk of the common pitfalls of ageing (e.g. osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, brain health conditions), as well as maintain your mobility, strength, balance then Beyond Menopause is for you. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) helps you to (re)construct the next chapter of your life so that you can live your ‘best’ life with good health and purpose. NB: Whilst I do have a module about weight loss in the Beyond Menopause™ programme, if you have more than 10kg (20 lbs) to lose, then I do recommend that you start with the weight loss programme called Transform Me™. This programme has the liver health and oestrogen dominance information in it, as well as a Food Guide that is dedicated to weight loss and other fascinating information for you. If you have a lesser amount of weight to lose, then come and join me on the Beyond Menopause™ programme when you can. Lastly, my fourth 12-week program, which is just as important as Circuit Breaker and Transform Me, is called MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness. Re-build My Fitness is a healthy exercise program designed specifically for women during and after menopause where you learn how to rebuild your fitness, strength, balance, bone and joint health with menopause appropriate exercise and activity levels.This program works best once you have addressed your symptoms. Not only does it help get you exercising again but it introduces healthy habits which help guard against heart disease and stroke, two of the biggest killers for our age group. 
												Why is MyMT™ unique?
					We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.    As my own health was changing and as my symptoms became worse, I began to understand that if we don’t take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause our post-menopause years are likely to lead to worsening health.  My health became my project and I applied my women’s healthy ageing research studies to understand how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.My seven modules and support emails have been designed to open progressively to maximise your ability to learn and implement new health strategies step by step.  My coaching group is there to keep you on track and motivated, so you don’t fall off the bus.  An online course is no good if you don’t get to the end of it, so this one is designed with your success in mind. You can read more about my story here. I am also here to support you every step of the way – you can ask me questions at any time, and read 8 years worth of my answers to other women.”
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					Don’t take our word for it, explore the thousands of testimonials and success stories from our clients. The key to sticking with any program is making it manageable. That’s why MyMT™ is broken into step-by-step modules that take just one hour a week to complete. Wendy will show you exactly what to do and why it works, so you can make progress without feeling overwhelmed. You don’t have to change everything at once – small, consistent steps lead to lasting transformation.And once you join the program ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Group.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												Do the programs involve medication or supplementation?
					There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programs, as I focus on turning around your symptoms with lifestyle changes (e.g. nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene etc.). If you are on menopause hormone therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.No matter whether you are on MHT or not, the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.
												Do the programs involve a diet?
					Every bit of research shows that the types of food we eat, and how we eat are critical to our symptom management and our healthy ageing, so food is an important part of the MyMT™ programs. Following the women’s healthy ageing and longevity research, I have centered these programs around the Mediterranean Diet which I have modified to include the essential nutrients for women in midlife. When you come on this program, you won’t be counting calories or be on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients help to reduce your symptoms, and what whole foods you can eat to get those nutrients. I know food is such a confusing topic, and every woman is different, so I’m here to support you through these changes. I have a Food Guide which explains the ‘Why’ and then recipes, meal ideas and cooking videos to show you the ‘How’. Women all over the globe are also sharing their meals in the MyMT™ Community every day, so you will never be at a loss for ideas or support.  
												What do I need to access the program? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. You do not need to belong to Facebook to join this program. But if you are a member, this is the best place to access my coaching support.  
												What if I don't have enough time?
					If I told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  I hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead! As I always say, it’s not a race, and it takes time to turn change into habits. Although the programs are 12 weeks long, you are welcome to move as slowly as you need. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and my support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. *[Approx AU$11, US$7.50, CA$10, £6, €7]
												How much do the programs cost?
					Buy risk-free with our 7 day money back guarantee.The MyMT™  programs all cost NZ$399* each. If you wish to extend your access to the modules after 12 weeks there is a small subscription fee of NZ$12.50** per month which starts automatically (cancellable any time). We have part-payment options*** for you too, where you can pay once per month throughout the 12 week period. *NZ$399 = [* approx. AUS$363/ CAN$324/ US$235/ UK£188/ EUR€220 – exchange rate varies on the day]** NZ$12.50 fee to continue beyond the 12 week program = *[Approx AU$11, US$7.50, CA$10, £6, €7]*** The part payment plan requires three monthly payments of NZ $104.67 = [* approx.  AU$95, US$64, CA$87, £48, €57]
												How long can I access my modules for?
					For as long as you need! Each program lasts for 12 weeks but I always say that it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with me 5 years after they started their journeys. After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and my coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50. You can cancel your subscription at any time. 
					Understanding the stages of menopause				
		From a biological point of view our menopause transition means that the reproductive hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, are declining as part of our ageing. We all know that puberty is the life-stage when oestrogen and progesterone first arrive, so in effect menopause is the opposite or the 'book-end to puberty' [Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)]. As I discovered myself when I reached my early 50s, I realised I didn’t understand what menopause was. Nor did I fully understand that there were three distinct stages to this transition from our reproductive years towards our non-reproductive years. 		
					The three stages are:				
																														
					1. Peri-Menopause				
		This is when our oestrogen production begins to decline as we lose ovarian receptors for oestrogen.In most women this begins around 45 yrs. Women still get their periods, but they may fluctuate from light to heavy, or even disappear and re-appear, which depends on numerous factors including stress, over-exercising, weight gain or other health concerns.		
																														
					2. Menopause				
		Menopause is when periods cease. The average age globally is 51-52 years.Women remain in menopause for 1 year, before moving into post-menopause. 		
																														
					3. Post-Menopause				
		When periods have ceased for a year, women are now entering post-menopause.Women remain in post-menopause for the rest of their life, so we need to help our body adjust to 'a life without oestrogen'. Research shows that many women experience some of their symptoms again in their late 50s and 60s, but if this isn't menopause, then what's going on? Visit the MyMT™ Beyond Menopause page to learn more. 		
		Some women will have severe symptoms right from perimenopause to post-menopause – sometimes lasting for 10 or more years. But here’s the thing. Menopause is relatively unique to us as a species. And 100 years ago, it might not have been a problem, simply because we didn’t live very long. With 1 billion women projected to be in menopause by 2025, the world is facing a situation without precedent – we are living longer in post-menopause than ever before.As I mention in my 2-hr Masterclass on Menopause, your menopause symptoms are your body attempting to compensate for the changing balance between your hormones. Sometimes, those same hormones end up fighting each other instead of adjusting. But every one of your symptoms is reversible if you change some parts of your lifestyle and allow your body to adapt to its ‘new normal.’This is what MyMT™ teaches you – all the scientifically evidenced lifestyle strategies which help you understand how to work with your changing hormones in menopause and post-menopause, not against them.		
																														
					Are you ready to take back control over your health? Start by taking the Symptoms Quiz or watching the Masterclass on Menopause				
					
									Symptoms Quiz
					
					
									Watch the masterclass
					
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					Your Menopause Questions Answered				
						Danni, USA					
						Leanne, Australia					
												What age does menopause start?
					Menopause usually starts in our mid-40s and this is known as peri-menopause. Periods start to fluctuate as reproductive hormones decline. Women are considered to be in menopause when their periods cease.  From my database of 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz I can tell you that on average this happens at 51 years of age. After one year of periods ending, women enter post-menopause where they remain for the rest of their lives. We live nearly half of our life in a completely different hormonal environment, so we need to know how to adjust to this. 
												Why am I gaining weight in menopause or post-menopause?
					Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. The data I have collected over the years confirms this. But, here’s the thing. It’s not your fault you are putting on weight! There are so many factors fighting against you. Here are just two examples:You may not be sleeping – Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010). When you’re awake night after night, this means that your glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does your stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. All of these hormones play a role in fat cell physiology. Oestrogen Dominance – Did you know that our fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, our fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this ‘dominates’ the internal environmentIf we don’t put the brakes on our weight gain during menopause, then this can be a slippery slope towards joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes. Learn more about why you are gaining weight and explore the 12-week MyMT™ Transform Me Programme here. 
												What are the main symptoms of menopause?
					Are you noticing lots of changes going on in your body? Perhaps, you are like Kellie from New Zealand, who told me…“I think without this programme I would have gone crazy, I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related. I am now sleeping through the night, no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.”The common symptoms that are known about in research include: Interrupted sleepLow energyNight sweats / hot flushesLoss of muscleWeight GainIrritabilityDepressionLack of MotivationWorsening prolapseBurning joints / weak bonesLow libidoDry skinBut the research is still within its early days.  Women on my programmes are surprised to find that the following symptoms are also likely menopause related:Heart palpitationsDizzinessBurning tongues Hair lossRefluxWith oestrogen receptors located all around the body, I am not surprised that there are so many symptoms that women don’t realise are related to menopause. In my 12 week programmes, I have bonus information which helps you understand and manage these symptoms. 
												What can worsen menopause symptoms?
					Inflammation in the body makes our symptoms worse. The term ‘inflammaging’ refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young perhaps compared to our mother’s generation at the same age, we must also remember that inside our body, our cells are ageing. Furthermore, when we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t healing from all the stress that we are under.And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I often talk about women who are undertaking lots of high-intensity exercise most days of the week (as I used to as well). This can increase physical or oxidative stress inside our cells and tissues when we aren’t sleeping well. Like over-trained athletes, we fail to heal properly when we don’t sleep. Inflammation builds up, and this begins to affect some tissues and organs, including the gut microbiota and fat cells. If we think about a woman’s experiences over her lifetime that may have caused inflammation, coupled with the fact that peri-menopause and ageing are known to be inflammatory themselves, menopause is the perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes.
												Do menopause symptoms go away?
					Menopause symptoms, when unresolved can create worsening health problems as we age.  I’m talking about things like joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.
Through undertaking my PhD, I discovered that symptoms are reversible when we have a focus on lifestyle changes which are specific to the menopause transition. How we look after ourselves helps our body to adapt to our changing hormonal environment. By addressing the underlying cause of your menopause symptoms, not only can you experience relief from your symptoms, but you can reduce inflammation, setting you up for better health in your older years.
This is what you learn on the MyMT™ programmes – all the scientifically evidenced, step by step lifestyle strategies to help you to understand how to reduce your symptoms and take back control of your health. Read more about How it Works here. 
												Hot Flushes After Menopause: Will my hot flushes ever stop?
					Every day I get emails from women who are thinking about joining me on the MyMT™ programmes, because they feel overwhelmed with night sweats and hot flushes which may also be continuing or returning now that they are beyond menopause.Understandably, hot flashes have a huge impact on their quality of life, so finding an effective treatment option is paramount for them. However, I am surprised by how many women are already on various hormonal treatments and supplements already.Clearly, these interventions are not working for them. It’s so perplexing, but as I had this experience too, I now better understand why. So, if this sounds like you, then my BLOG gives you the reasons why your hot flushes aren’t stopping  – and most importantly, 8 lifestyle solutions to try as well.In the Beyond Menopause Program I also explain to you how turning around our cardiovascular health can reduce our Hot Flushes in post-menopause. 
												What if I am on menopause HRT? 
					No matter whether you are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience. If you are on MHT, then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.
												How do the MyMT™ Programs Work?
					To help you reduce your symptoms and/or weight gain, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health with evidenced lifestyle solutions. These ‘health behaviours’ are designed to help your hormones stop fighting each other and adjust to their new hormonal normal.  For example, did you know that the liver changes in volume by up to 40% in menopause? The liver is a critical organ that is responsible for a variety of functions that help support metabolism, immunity, digestion, detoxification and vitamin storage. That’s why I have a whole module dedicated to turning around your liver health. 
If we are going to remain healthy throughout our post-menopause years, we need solutions that are easily incorporated into our daily lives. That’s why I take a progressive approach, sending you a module each fortnight with a video explaining the ‘WHY’ and an action plan showing you the ‘HOW’. And I’m here to support you every step of the way in my Coaching Community. Read more about HOW THE PROGRAMS WORK HERE. 
“For more than a year of feeling like I was falling apart with no sleep and no explanation as to why I couldn’t handle things the way I used to. Then I discovered Wendy’s program. To say it gave me hope is an understatement.” – Melanie, Australia. 
												Where should I start?
					If you are confused about whether you have reached menopause or what stage you are in then I invite you to take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz. With over 500,000 women completing this quiz, I can help you to understand whether your symptoms are menopause related and whether they are severe compared to others. 
Do you want to learn a bit more about this stage of life? Including what the scientific evidence says about the importance of getting on top of your symptoms? If so, then my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause* is for you. This is my presentation that I was sharing across the globe before the pandemic. I have now recorded it for you, and yes you can pause me and come back to me any time. 
Price reduced to NZ$15 (*  approx. AU$14, UK£7.5, €9, US$9, CAD$12) from my live ticket-price.Unlimited 90 days access.
Ready to choose your program? Read about How it Works. 

### Join The MyMT™ Community

Join the Community
Support, Encouragement & Advice
When you sign up any of the MyMT™ programmes, you're not just joining a programme, but an online community too.

At sign-up you receive three months FREE access to my private Coaching Community via Facebook. Women also stay longer and this is just a small admin fee each month to remain. There is no pressure to get through the programme in the 3 months - you can take as long as you need.

The private facebook community is where I share tips, strategies, latest research and much more. In here you find friendship, support and you can reach out to me in here or privately via email.

I realize that knowledge is only one part of the journey and staying motivated is equally important. Having someone to share and connect with you at a meaningful level is what makes this programme so effective.

While I can anticipate common struggles for women transitioning menopause, which my programme addresses, I also appreciate that we are all unique. That's why receiving my personal support and guidance is so important.

I’m here to provide you with the knowledge and encouragement you need during this crucial time in your life. You can ask me any questions you like either in the coaching community or via email. You will also benefit from reading the responses to other women’s questions, and being a part of an extended support network.

If you want the support of the community for longer than three months or you get a bit behind with the programme, then all you do is continue your access for a small monthly admin charge of $12.50 NZ.

I can’t wait for you to join me in the MyMT™ community.


“I regained my sleep and sanity!”
I loved the MyMT support from Wendy and learning how to put myself and my health first.


Alison TerwielNew Plymouth

### Testimonials

Testimonials from Wonderful MyMT™ Women				
					
									Take the Symptoms Test
					
					
									BUY NOW
					
								Rated 5 out of 5
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
							
					Ally J.				
					NSW, Australia				
					November, 2025				
				
					Andrea W.				
					Canterbury, NZ				
					October, 2025				
				
					Maria C.				
					Tasmania, Australia 				
					October, 2025				
				
					Tijana B.				
					Berkshire, UK				
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					Claire, McD.				
					Auckland, NZ				
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					Giovanna, F.				
					Auckland, NZ				
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					Annie, H.				
					Napier, NZ				
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					Emma, Mc.				
					Northland, NZ				
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					Sarena, H.				
					Nelson, NZ				
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					Shaila P.				
					BC, Canada				
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					Samantha B.				
					Victoria, Australia				
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					Engeli K,				
					Wairarapa, NZ				
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					Bo S.				
					Christchurch, NZ 				
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					Liz S.,				
					Auckland, NZ				
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					Jeanne R,				
					Wellington, NZ				
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					Dr Janet.				
					Cheshire, UK 				
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					Jacqui J.				
					Cambridge, UK				
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					Angela F.				
					NSW, Australia				
					July, 2025				
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					YES! I want a 12 week Menopause Transformation				
					Personal coaching from Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) included in all programs. 				
					
									BUY NOW!

### Rebuild My Fitness

MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness				
					Feel fitter, stronger and healthier with a groundbreaking Perimenopause - Postmenopause Exercise Program				
					
									Buy Now
					
					
									Rebuild my Fitness Video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					Perimenopause - Postmenopause Exercise Program				
		Staying active is vital for us to age well. But, this is easier said than done when we feel exhausted, constantly hot and our muscles and joints are aching.At a time when it's easier to stop being active, than to continue, you need to be sure that the exercise you are doing is helping not hindering you. For exercise to be fully beneficial, it needs to be tailored to your life stage and your body type. Which is exactly how MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness works. MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness is so much more than a menopause exercise program. It is a complete resource which also serves to educate you about the hormonal shifts going on in your body during peri-post menopause, and how this affects your tolerance for exercise and recovery. No matter whether you are just looking to stay active or training for an event, MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness has something for you. 		
																														
																														
					100% Online and Self Paced				
		Watch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish. No pressure to reach a goal weight or restrictive eating.		
																														
					Tailored for Your Needs				
		Access body type specific and progressive (beginner to advanced) workout plans.		
																														
					Easy to fit into your lifestyle				
		Workouts take no longer than 30 minutes and can be completed anywhere - like at home, the park or the gym.		
																														
					Coaching Community				
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), and 2,000+ incredible women from around the globe are here to support you every step of the way. 		
					Exercise to Energise, not Exhaust!
				
		When you exercise, your body releases feel-good hormones including endorphins, which can put you in a good mood for the rest of the day. It helps improve your quality of life and mental health. 		
					Why do we need a specific menopause workout plan?				
		Perhaps the exercise you used to enjoy so much isn’t working for you anymore? Perhaps you find that you are often sore or injured? Maybe you are busy and too tired to fit exercise into your day?Rest assured, that you aren’t alone. Hi, my name is Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) and I'm a Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and Registered Exercise Specialist from New Zealand. When I heard that the 2010 Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health had confirmed that "women in their midlife years are the most likely to be in and out of exercise", I was not surprised.Despite over 30 years in the New Zealand fitness industry, I was confused when I entered peri-menopause and moved into menopause, as to why I suddenly wasn't coping with the exercise that I'd been doing for years.The women who participated in my PhD research told me similar stories. They were motivated to exercise, but working out was much harder than it used to be, and it would leave them with injuries, aching muscles and sore joints for days. Many found that they weren’t losing weight with all the exercise. They were also dissatisfied with exercise professionals who believed that 'health' was dependent on high impact exercise.As I worked on my doctoral studies on women’s healthy aging and exercise, I began to realise that much of what is taught to exercise professionals targets younger people, athletes and males.  I discovered that this type of exercise does not work for women in their menopause transition, due to the unique changes occurring in our blood vessels, muscles, bones, nervous system and tissues (including our fat cells).  Furthermore, the wrong exercise can actually lead to worsening hot flushes, weight gain, poor immunity, increased belly fat and worsening heart health.   So now that you are in a different hormonal environment, it’s time to change to a menopause specific exercise plan.  This doesn't mean slowing down or stopping - it just means thinking differently and changing your approach to focus on your health as you move into your post-menopause years.		
					Rebuilding your Fitness is about your Energy, Strength, Balance, Cardiovascular and Bone Health				
		Muscle and core strength, and a baseline level of aerobic fitness will allow you to enjoy your favourite activities for longer as well as helping to reduce your risk of health conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and heart disease in later life.I’ve used my decades of knowledge and experience as a Registered Exercise Specialist to create this menopause and post-menopause healthy exercise program designed specifically for you. I can’t wait to share it with you.		
					
									BUY NOW
					
					Rebuild My Fitness Cost NZ$399 [approx. AU$363/ CAN$324/ US$235/ UK£188/€220  -exchange rate varies]				
					Payment plans available				
																														
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Enjoy your favourite activities for longer with MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness				
																														
						 5/5		
					Wendy - Australia				
		"It felt like my health and fitness was slipping away. When I signed up I instantly knew that I’d found the right person with the right information for me. I'm forever grateful that I can now continue doing the job I love."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Mary - New Zealand				
		"On my trek to Nepal I love how my body responded as if I was 30 again!"		
																														
						 5/5		
					Suzy - Australia				
		"My energy, sleep and overall health have improved so much on this programme and I’m now a record-holder in World Pool Freediving!"		
					Are you ready to join them so you can make the most of your mid-life years?				
					
									Read more
					
					
									Buy Now
					
					MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness is Designed Specifically for Midlife Women				
					Over 12 weeks you will receive seven educational video webinars, action plans and access to a exercise library to help you rebuild your fitness levels progressively. As part of this program, you will learn:				
												
																					Donna, Canada
										
		How your hormonal changes (including your stress and insomnia hormones) are affecting your ability to lose weight with exercise. How your blood vessels, muscles, bones, nervous system and heart are changing as you move through menopause.  How your fitness needs change as you move from peri-menopause to post-menopause. The right type of exercise to reduce your risk of heart-disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. Adaptions to your exercise frequency, intensity, time and type (F.I.T.T) to accommodate your changing hormonal environment. Strategies to exercise safely, with the right posture, to reduce your risk of injury.How to restore your core and pelvic floor muscles to tolerate exercise.How to improve your balance, which can be affected in a low oestrogen environment. How to gain muscle when oestrogen and progesterone are declining.The nutrients your body needs to adjust to your new hormonal environment, before and after exercise, to retain your energy throughout the day and improve your recovery. How to rebalance your energy intake - the amount and types of food you need based on your exercise levels (or if you are training for an event). 		
					As part of MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness you also receive:				
										Support every step of the way in the MyMT™ Community
In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask Wendy or others questions. 
With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.Action PlansEach module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions to focus on over the fortnight. We call it the Daily Dozen.Exercise is Medicine Workout VideosLeading Registered Exercise Professional Darryl Goad takes you through low impact workouts suitable for mid-life women.  He gives you lots of options, easy and harder, so that everyone can find their own level and pace.  Exercise Video LibraryOur bonus Video Library contains body weight strength exercises, resistance band exercises, core exercises, stretches and breathing exercises. Body Type Specific InformationExercise should not be a one-sized-fits-all approach, which is why we have different information and exercises to suit your body type.Food is your FuelLearn how your nutrition changes between peri and post menopause and access pre-exercise and post-exercise recipes and information about nutrition for competing.				
					As part of Rebuild my Fitness you also receive:				
																														
					Support in the MyMT™ Community				
		In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask Wendy or others questions. With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.		
																														
					Action Plans				
		Each video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions to focus on over that fortnight. We call it the Daily Dozen.		
																														
					Body Type Workouts				
		Exercise should not be a one-sized-fits-all approach, which is why we have different information and exercises to suit your body type.		
																														
					Workout Videos				
		Leading Registered Exercise Professional Darryl Goad takes you through low impact workouts suitable for mid-life women. He gives you lots of options, easy and harder, so that everyone can find their own level and pace. 		
																														
					Exercise Video Library				
		Our bonus video library contains body weight exercises, resistance band exercises, core exercises, stretches and breathing exercises.		
					It's time to put your health first! 
Feel fitter, stronger and healthier with an exercise program tailored to your hormones.				
					
									Buy Now
					
																														
																														
					Rebuild My Fitness Cost NZ$399 [approx. AU$363/ CAN$324/ US$235/ UK£188/€220  -exchange rate varies]				
					Payment plans available				
																														
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
						 5/5		
							I'm an athlete and all the stress, lack of sleep and weight gain had turned my body into a cocktail of hormones. Now I'm 8kg lighter and I feel like my life is back together. This program is so easy to follow.
														Peta, Australia
					
									Read More
					
					Menopause Exercise Plan FAQs				
												What can I expect in the Rebuild my Fitness Program?
					MyMT™ Rebuild my Fitness is a program that you can do in your own time, at your own pace without feeling like you have to reach your goal weight or restrict your eating.Throughout the 12-weeks you will receive seven learning modules. A module is released each fortnight containing:An educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length. You can listen to the webinar as a podcast, or sit down and watch it, as Wendy talks to slides. A downloadable action plan of the lifestyle changes and exercises for you to put in place over the fortnightBonus information if you want to learn more about certain topics e.g. post-workout recovery foods.  As part of the program, you also receive access to the MyMT™ Exercise Library which contains menopause workout videos, core, resistance band and breathing exercises, stretches and a 6-week walking program.  You will also receive recipes for pre and post-exercise nutrition. Even though everything is delivered online, you are not alone. You are encouraged to join the incredibly supportive MyMT™ Coaching Community (private Facebook group). This is where you can ask Wendy or other members questions, and be inspired by 2,000+ other women who have gone before you. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes suggested. Wendy’s weekly emails are there to support you to stay on track and help you problem solve.
												Should I do this program, or Transform Me / Circuit Breaker first?
					If you are still experiencing menopause symptoms, including hot flushes, aching joints, weight gain or insomnia, we encourage you to start with MyMT™ Transform Me or Circuit Breaker to get your symptoms under control first.  When you sign up to MyMT™ Transform Me or Circuit Breaker you will have the option to purchase Rebuild my Fitness at the same time for an exclusive, discounted rate. 
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.  When I reached my early 50’s, despite exercising daily, my cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength was plummeting. I was at a loss to explain why, despite being a fitness expert.I had worked in the fitness industry for decades pioneering New Zealand’s personal training industry, and had also taught sport and exercise science to students and personal trainers.  If anyone knew how to exercise safely and effectively, it was me, yet when I went into peri-menopause, what I was doing with my exercise was no longer working.I became exhausted, frustrated and lived with niggling injuries, sore joints and aching knees daily.So, I decided to do something about it. My health and fitness became my project, and I set to work designing a program to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  And now my experience is available for you too! While most exercise programs are not focused on our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to exercise to energise you and not exhaust you, you will also see your menopause symptoms reduce. For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  You can read more about my story HERE.”Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												I don't go to the gym or train, is this program suitable for me? 
					Even if you don’t ‘work out’, staying active is so important for your health as you age. But ‘staying active’ can mean many things – it could mean gardening, going for a bike ride, playing golf, going for a walk with your grandkids, or even just being able to walk up stairs. Strong muscles, a strong core and a baseline level of aerobic fitness will allow you to enjoy your favourite activities for longer and will help to reduce your risk of health conditions such as athritis, osteoporosis and heart disease in later life. 
												Is this program suitable for post-menopause?
					Rebuild my Fitness is designed entirely based on women’s healthy ageing studies, so if you are post-menopause then jump on board as well – it’s perfect for you too. And just remember that we have lots of different options to suit your needs. 
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					MyMT™ programs do work, and there are two main reasons for this. Firstly because Wendy teaches you scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to work with your hormones, rather than fighting against them. And secondly because of our uniquely designed support strategy which involves spreading out your learning and giving you practical, easy to implement strategies to turn your new learnings into lifelong habits. But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website. And once you join the program ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Community.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												Does the program involve a diet?
					Every bit of research shows that the types of food we eat, and how we eat are critical to our symptom management, recovery and our healthy ageing, so food is an important part of the program. Following the women’s healthy ageing and longevity research, Wendy has centered these programs around the Mediterranean Diet which she has modified to include the essential nutrients for women in midlife. When you come on this program, you won’t be counting calories or being on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients help to improve your fitness and recovery, and what whole foods you can eat to get those nutrients. 
												What do I need to access the program? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. You do not need to belong to Facebook to join this program. But if you are a member, this is the best place to access Wendy’s coaching support.  
												What if I don't have enough time?
					If we told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  We hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead! As Wendy always says, it’s not a race, and it takes time to turn change into habits. There are no goal-weights or restrictive diets in this program and you can move at your own pace. Although the programs are 12 weeks long, you are welcome to move as slowly as you need. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and Wendy’s support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. 
												How much does the program cost?
					Buy risk-free with our 7-day money back guarantee. The MyMT™ 12-week programs currently cost NZ$399* each (see exchange rates below).If you wish to extend your access to the modules after 12 weeks there is a small subscription fee of NZ$12.50 per month. We have part-payment options** for you too, where you can pay once per month throughout the 12 week period. [* approx. AUS$363/ CAN$324/ US$235/ UK£188/ EUR€220 – exchange rate varies on the day]**Part payment fee applies. 
												How long can I access my program for?
					For as long as you need! Each program lasts for 12 weeks but as Wendy always says, it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with us 5 years after they started their journeys. After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and my coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50. You can cancel your subscription at any time. 

### MyMT™ Circuit Breaker

MyMT™ Circuit Breaker				
					A science based, symptom reduction lifestyle-change program designed for the changing hormonal environment during peri-post menopause. 				
					
									BUY NOW
					
					
									Watch Circuit Breaker Video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					Turn around menopause symptoms and restore
the health and vitality you deserve!				
		If you are feeling exhausted and confused about your insomnia, aching joints, changing gut health, mood changes and hot flushes during your menopause transition, then welcome, you are in the right place now.Please don't give up on your health just yet. Thousands of women around the globe now understand how to take back control of their health, energy and confidence by following the science that is unique to women's health and ageing. All they needed was a step by step plan, a coach to show them the way and a community of women to support them. The 12-week Circuit Breaker Program is your roadmap towards reducing your symptoms and ageing healthily. MyMT™ Circuit Breaker is purposefully designed for thinner/leaner women. If you are also looking to lose weight, please look at MyMT™ Transform Me.		
																														
																														
					100% Online				
		Educational webinars, action plans, recipes and support delivered to your inbox. 		
																														
					Self Paced				
		Watch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.		
																														
					Easy to implement				
		Practical strategies that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle and be adapted to suit your situation.		
																														
					Coaching Community				
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), and incredible women from around the globe, are here to support you every step of the way. 		
					Menopause isn't just about Hot Flushes				
		One of the toughest things for mid-life women to experience during menopause is feeling their confidence in doing what they’ve done for years almost evaporate overnight. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) was exactly the same, and so are many of the women who join MyMT™ Circuit Breaker. Many of us are left without answers, and feeling helpless, as most health professionals only associate hot flushes with menopause. But menopause is so much more than hot flushes. In fact, the most troubling symptoms reported by 500,000 women in the MyMT™ Symptoms test are:		
												
																					
										
		83% report ongoing fatigue		
												
																					
										
		81% report poor sleep		
												
																					
										
		80% report sore joints and aching muscles		
					
									TAKE THE SYMPTOMS TEST
					
		As if our symptoms aren’t bad enough, left unresolved they may lead to health issues later in life. Research now shows that menopause symptoms can result in an accumulation of inflammation in your body, which can in turn lead to numerous health issues. Studies now reveal that bone loss, osteoarthritis, lipid profiles, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and sleep disturbances begin or are accelerated in midlife. Thus, scientific research strongly suggests that the midlife represents a critical window for preventing chronic disease and optimising health. [Women’s Midlife Health: Why the Midlife Matters. Sioban D. Harlow and Carol A. Derby]MyMT™ Circuit Breaker has been uniquely designed by Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and Educator Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) to address the root cause of your symptoms at a cellular level with lifestyle changes, which means it is not a quick fix, and will set you up to age well in your post-menopause years. 		
					Our symptoms don’t have to define us. There are many women globally that don’t experience the symptoms or that many western women do.
Wouldn’t you love to know about this?! If so, then let's break the circuit of your symptoms!				
					Women across the globe are rewriting their midlife story with MyMT™ Circuit Breaker				
																														
						 5/5		
					Rosie - Switzerland				
		"Once I started sleeping again I could see with more clarity. I reassessed my life and at 59 years became a yoga teacher. Thank you Wendy for helping me to get my life back."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Suzy - Australia				
		"I learnt from MyMT™ that menopause isn’t the end of the road. We need to work with our bodies instead of against them. I am loving having my health back and am now a world record holder in free-diving.”		
																														
						 5/5		
					Jane - United Kingdom				
		“You gave me the confidence to think good sleep was normal and the encouragement to deal with the changes in menopause rather than be a victim. It all made so much sense.”		
					Are you ready to join them and re-discover the things you used to enjoy? 				
					Circuit Breaker Price NZ$399 [approx. AU$363/ CAN$324/ US$235/ UK£188/€220  -exchange rate varies]				
					Payment plans available [part payment fee applies]				
					
									Read more stories
					
					
									Buy Now
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
					What you will learn in Circuit Breaker				
					Over the 12 weeks you will learn WHY your symptoms are occurring, and HOW to turn them around using natural, lifestyle change solutions.  You will learn how to:				
												
																					Danni, New Zealand
										
		Sleep all night without having to pee! Sleep is the foundation of getting on top of your symptoms, so that's why the very first module teaches you how to sleep all night. If you haven't slept for years, please have a read of the testimonials - women are discovering that good quality sleep is achievable with the right changes. Reduce your hot flushes and night sweats! Hot flushes occur because the body’s thermostat does not function as well when it is deprived of oestrogen. It also becomes worse when melatonin (your sleep hormone) is impacted by your changing hormones.Restore your energy levels so you have the energy for getting on with what's important to you. Turning around your liver and gut health and reducing any inflammation that can lead to poor absorption of healthy nutrients is essential to restoring your energy. Stop your joints and muscles from aching, so that you can do the activities you love again. With oestrogen receptors located throughout our joints and muscles, you need to know what nutrients and exercise are evidenced for joint health in midlife. Reduce stress and anxiety, because as you will learn, when stress hormones are high, they have a significant impact on our other hormones which in turn results in worsening symptoms. Stop the dizziness, brain fog or balance issues that may be troubling you. Meet the specific nutritional needs of your body as your hormonal environment changes (many women don't realise that their nutritional needs change between peri-menopause and post-menopause as we stop menstruating).Optional - Information about what lifestyle strategies can help if you are on Menopause HRT or Anti-depressants (I don't interfere with any medications your Doctor has placed you on).If you are looking to also lose weight, please explore MyMT™ Transform Me. 		
					As part of Circuit Breaker you also receive:				
										Support every step of the way in the MyMT™ CommunityPerhaps you are struggling to put a particular change in place, or maybe you've  'fallen off the bus' and need a bit of motivation to get going again. 
I've been there. All I wanted was someone to talk to about what was going on. 
In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask me or others questions. 
With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.Action PlansEach video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions to focus on over the fortnight. We call it the Daily Dozen.Bonus ModulesYou’ll discover why you feel dizzy, why you are experiencing vaginal dryness or why your heart health is changing. For those of you who are  overweight, Wendy has also researched the best intermittent fasting routine for midlife women.
Women tell us they love these bonus modules that help to make sense of their ‘symptoms that they don’t know are symptoms’.Food Guide and Hundreds of RecipesThe MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.Emails to keep you on trackWendy's weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.Solutions to Support you at WorkWhen we spend nearly a third of each day in a work environment, it's important that we can translate these solutions into our working day too. Our bonus videos from one of New Zealand's leading Workplace Wellness Coaches give you practical strategies for managing stress, motivation and energy levels at work. 				
					As part of Circuit Breaker you will also receive...				
																														
					Coaching from Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) in the MyMT™ Community				
		Perhaps you are struggling to put a particular change in place, or maybe you've 'fallen off the bus' and need a bit of motivation to get going again. I've been there. All I wanted was someone to talk to about what was going on. In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask me or others questions. With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.		
																														
					Action Plans				
		Each video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions I want you to focus on over that fortnight. I call it the Daily Dozen.		
																														
					Bonus Modules				
		You’ll discover why your joints are sore, why you feel dizzy or why your heart health or gut health is changing. For those of you overweight, I’ve also researched the best intermittent fasting routine for midlife women.Women tell me that they love these bonus modules that help to make sense of their ‘symptoms that they don’t know are symptoms’.		
																														
					Food Guide and Hundreds of Recipes				
		The MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.		
																														
					Emails to keep you on track				
		My weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.		
																														
					Solutions to support you at work				
		Our bonus videos from one of New Zealand's leading Workplace Wellness coaches give you practical strategies that you can use throughout your day.		
					Start Your Menopause Transformation Today!				
		Don’t let your symptoms overwhelm you! Regain control and improve your quality of life with a step-by-step plan and support every step of the way.		
					
									Buy Now
					
																														
																														
					Circuit Breaker Price NZ$399 [approx. AU$363/ CAN$324/ US$235/ UK£188/€220  -exchange rate varies]				
					Payment plans available [part payment fee applies]				
																														
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
						 5/5		
							At the stage of life when I want to offer my best, I needed to be my best self and MyMT™ has been the catalyst to making this happen.
														Jenny, New Zealand
					Frequently Asked Questions				
												What can I expect in the Circuit Breaker Program?
					With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. Over the 12 weeks, you will receive seven learning modules, and you can also access optional bonus modules. e.g. for women who are on HRT or Anti Depressants or who have Gut Health issues. A module is released in your learning hub each fortnight containing: An educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length, where Wendy explains the scientific reasons for your symptoms and the lifestyle changes you can make to relieve those symptoms. You can listen to the webinar as a podcast, or sit down and watch it, as Wendy talks to slides. A downloadable action plan of the lifestyle changes for you to put in place over the fortnightBonus information if you want to learn more about the science behind your symptoms. Emails with strategies to help you put the changes into place.As part of the program, you also receive the MyMT™ Food Guide which explains the powerful nutrients we need as we age. For example, if you are still menstruating then your iron needs differ to those of you who are in post-menopause. You will also receive access to hundreds of recipes and cooking videos, a 6-week walking plan and bonus videos which focus on managing menopause in your workplace. Even though everything is delivered online, you will not be alone. You will be invited to join the incredibly supportive MyMT™ Coaching Community (private Facebook group). This is where you can ask Wendy or other members questions, and be inspired by others who have gone before you. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes suggested. Wendy’s weekly emails are there to support you to stay on track and help you problem solve. 
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.  As my own health was changing and as my symptoms became worse, I began to understand that if we don’t take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause our post-menopause years are likely to lead to worsening health.  My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to reset your hormones, you address the cause and not just the symptoms of menopause.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  You can read more about my story here. “Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					MyMT™ programs do work, and there are two main reasons for this. Firstly because Wendy teaches you scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to work with your hormones, rather than fighting against them. And secondly because of our uniquely designed support strategy which involves spreading out your learning and giving you practical, easy to implement strategies to turn your new learnings into lifelong habits. But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website. And once you join the program ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Community.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												Do the programs involve medication or supplementation?
					There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programs, as Wendy focuses on turning around your symptoms with lifestyle changes (e.g. nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, nutrient absorbption etc.). If you are on menopause hormone therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.No matter whether you are on MHT or not, the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.
												Do the programs involve a diet? And Information for Vegetarians and Coeliacs. 
					Every bit of research shows that the types of food we eat, and how we eat are critical to our symptom management and our healthy ageing, so food is an important part of the program. Following the women’s healthy ageing and longevity research, Wendy has centered these programs around the Mediterranean Diet which she has modified to include the essential nutrients for women in midlife. When you come on this program, you won’t be counting calories or being on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients help to reduce your symptoms, and what whole foods you can eat to get those nutrients. We know food is such a confusing topic, so Wendy is here to support you through these changes. The MyMT™ Food Guide explains the ‘Why’ and then our recipes, meal ideas and cooking videos show you the ‘How’. Women all over the globe are also sharing their meals in the MyMT™ Community every day, so you will never be at a loss for ideas or support.  Vegetarian or Coeliac?This program is entirely suitable for vegetarians and coeliacs. In fact most of our recipes are vegetarian and gluten free. Wendy will also help you understand how you can meet your specific nutrient needs. 
												What do I need to access the program? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. You do not need to belong to Facebook to join this program. But if you are a member, this is the best place to access Wendy’s coaching support.  
												What if I don't have enough time?
					If we told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  We hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead! As Wendy always says, it’s not a race, and it takes time to turn change into habits.Although the programs are 12 weeks long, you are welcome to move as slowly as you need. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and Wendy’s support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. 
												How much do the programs cost?
					Buy risk-free with our 7-day money back guarantee. The MyMT™ Circuit Breaker Program costs NZ$399* (see exchange rates below). We also offer a part payment option*, which is structured as 3x monthly payments of NZ$105. If you wish to extend your access to the modules after 12 weeks there is a small subscription fee of NZ$12.50 per month. [* NZ$399 = approx. AUS$363/ CAN$324/ US$235/ UK£188/ EUR€220 – exchange rate varies on the day]**Part payment fee applies. 
												How long can I access my modules for?
					For as long as you need! Each program lasts for 12 weeks but as Wendy always says, it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with us 5 years after they started their journeys. After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and my coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50. You can cancel your subscription at any time. 
					Women across the globe are rediscovering their energy, vitality and health with MyMT™ Circuit Breaker				
																														
						 5/5		
					Nicky - UK				
		"Your Circuit Breaker Program completely turned my health around and made me re-evaluate my career, and my whole life! So, a huge thank you for helping me find my new career as a Health Coach."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Theresa - Australia				
		"I thought I would have to retire from soccer, but learning to sleep again has changed that. Your way of eating is so live-able once you learn why, and understand."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Cindy - Australia				
		“Your MyMT™ Program is critical for all women. I was stumbling through menopause, but it's given me a roadmap to put into action."		
					Are you ready to join them and re-discover the things you used to enjoy? 				
					
									Read more stories
					
					
									Buy Now
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Contact

Contact MyMT™ 				
		MyMT™ is a New Zealand based, online company that works with clients in 50+ countries.  No matter which timezone you’re in, we can accommodate and would love to hear from you.Our administrator (Georgia) is based in the United Kingdom (GMT + 12hours). She will respond to enquiries as soon as possible, and forward them on to Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) when necessary.		
					General Contact 				
		Please use the form provided or the admin email address for any general enquiries or member feedback. 		
							
							
											
										admin@mymenopausetransformation.com
											
									
						
					MyMT™ on Facebook				
							
							
											
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					MyMT™ on Instagram				
							
							
											
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					MyMT™ on LinkedIn				
							
							
											
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					Media or Collaboration Enquiries				
		MyMT™ welcomes any enquiries as well as the opportunity to discuss insights from the 18,000+ women who have completed a MyMT™ Program. Please get in touch with Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) directly at wendy@mymenopausetransformation.com		
					Address				
		My Menopause Transformation is an online company and does not have a physical practice. For any mail, please send it to: PO Box 351WanakaNew Zealand		
			
						“I love the holistic approach of MyMT™.”
MyMT™ provides such a holistic approach. It goes way beyond diet.					
						
								AnnNew Zealand			
					
									Read more
					
					How the MyMT™ Transformation Works				
		Your MyMT™ Menopause Coach, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) has a single goal... to help women around the globe proactively manage their own menopause transition through lifestyle changes. Our online programs teach you about the powerful lifestyle changes you can make to adjust to your new hormonal environment so that you can reduce your symptoms, lose weight and set yourself up to age healthily into post-menopause. 		
																														
					Step 1				
					Take the Symptoms Quiz				
		Take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz to understand your symptoms and how these compare to women all around the world. 		
					
									Take the Symptoms QUIZ
					
																														
					Step 2				
					Watch the Masterclass				
		If you are confused and frustrated by your symptoms, then the on-demand, 2 hour, Masterclass on Menopause is for you.		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
																														
					Step 3				
					Transform Your Health				
		Choose from 2 symptom reduction programs - Circuit Breaker or Transform Me. Set yourself up for the best possible health as you age with Beyond Menopause. Learn menopause specific exercise with Rebuild my Fitness. 		
					
									Choose your program
					
					Menopause Qualifications for Health Professionals				
		MyMT™ Education - Choose from three Continuing Professional Development courses		
																														
					Introductory Level - 3 weeks				
					An Introduction to the Science of Menopause				
		Introduces Health Professionals and Coaches to the physiological and unique psychological changes occurring in midlife.		
					
									LEARN MORE
					
																														
					Weight Loss - 6 weeks				
					Menopause Weight Loss Coach 				
		Learn about the unique physiology of weight gain in midlife, and discover proven lifestyle solutions for weight loss. 		
					
									LEARN MORE
					
																														
					Specialist Course - 12 weeks				
					Menopause Practitioner Course				
		Our most comprehensive certification, designed to enable and empower you to use scientifically evidenced lifestyle solutions for your client's symptoms.		
					
									LEARN MORE
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### MyMT™ Transform Me

MyMT™ Transform Me				
					A science based symptom reduction and menopause weight loss program designed for the changing hormonal environment during peri-post menopause.				
					
									BUY NOW
					
					
									Watch Transform Me Video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					Menopause Weight Loss Program				
					Regain control of your weight and symptoms with MyMT™ Transform Me				
		If you are feeling bloated, tired and confused about your insomnia, sore joints, changing gut health, high cholesterol, worsening hot flashes and weight gain during your menopause transition, then welcome, you are in the right place.
Please don't give up on your health just yet. Thousands of women around the globe now understand how to take back control of their health, their weight and their vitality by following the science that is unique to women's health and ageing. 
The 12-week Transform Me, Menopause Weight Loss Program, is your roadmap towards health restoration. 		
																														
																														
					100% Online				
		Educational webinars, action plans, recipes and support delivered to your inbox. 		
																														
					Self Paced				
		Watch online, in your own time, as many times as you wish.		
																														
					Easy to implement				
		Practical strategies that are easy to fit into your busy lifestyle. 		
																														
					Coaching Community				
		Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), and incredible women from around the globe, are here to support you every step of the way. 		
					Access A Menopause Weight Loss Plan				
					It's not your fault you can't lose weight!				
		It's a big statement, but your menopause transition changes everything you may have been used to with your weight management in the past.There are so many internal factors fighting against you. Many of us understand that oestrogen and progesterone are declining from our early 40s, but did you know that these hormones have a significant impact on other parts of the body, including our fat cells, gut, muscle, bone, heart and liver, all of which are involved in weight loss physiology? Transform Me is not like other weight loss and symptom reduction programs. It has been purposefully designed by Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher, Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), to get to the root cause of what causes women to gain weight during their menopause transition. If you are struggling with changing health and self-care during peri-post menopause, it's hard to know where to start. That's what Wendy has taken care of for you with the powerful Transform Me Menopause Program."I’m now feeling energized and confident. I’ve lost almost 5kg in the past 6-7 weeks, 4cm off my waist, 4cm off my thighs, and 4 cm off my hips. Before your program I had hit a plateau which I couldn’t budge. I’ve now budged it. Thank you for providing a platform to help people help themselves." [Leanne, Australia]		
					
									READ MORE reviews
					
					
									Meet Wendy
					
																														
		Did you know that a lack of sleep interferes with fat mobilisation?We cannot lose weight if we aren't sleeping, because overnight, when our insulin, blood pressure and cortisol are lower, is when fat burning occurs.Which is why, the very first module you receive teaches you how to sleep all night, rather than what type of exercise to do. 		
																														
		Did you know that fat cells are known to produce their own estrogen?Oestrogens in women are responsible for the accumulation of fat in subcutaneous tissue, particularly in the breast, gluteal and thigh regions and around the abdomen.In MyMT™ Transform Me you will learn whether you are Oestrogen Dominant, which may play a role in your weight gain, and the best foods to eat to manage your Oestrogen Dominance.		
																														
		Did you know changing estrogen levels can cause gaps in the lining of our digestive system?This is known as leaky gut syndrome, which impacts your ability to absorb vital nutrients which are needed for energy and to support weight loss. Menopause hormonal changes can also reduce production of bile and because the liver volume changes during menopause, this may leave you feeling bloated.You will learn how to restore your gut and liver health, which is not only crucial for weight loss, but also your sleep, energy levels and mental health.Want to learn more about the science behind your menopause weight gain?  This ground breaking video explains why it's not your fault you can't lose weight, what is happening physiologically in your body and why diets won't help you lose it. https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/the_science_of_menopause_weight_gain-1080p.webm#t=2https://www.mymenopausetransformation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/The-Science-of-Menopause-Weight-Gain-Sq-_-MyMT™.webm#t=2		
					Together, let's rediscover your energy, vitality and health...  and help you lose weight.				
																														
						 5/5		
					Dianne - Australia				
		"No one I went to mentioned menopause. I’ve now lost 20kg and am off nearly all medications."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Tineke - New Zealand				
		"I gained 20kg in 3 years as I didn't understand menopause. Now it's all gone and I have plenty of energy again. My depression has also gone and I feel so happy."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Julie -  United Kingdom				
		"My sleep has improved a great deal. In fact, I might go as far as saying I get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night!! And the result is I just released 22 lbs. What magic is this MyMT™ Program?"		
					Are you ready to join them and re-discover the things you used to enjoy? 				
					Price NZ$399 = approx. AU$363 / CAN$324 / US$235 / UK£188 /€220  - exchange rate varies.				
					Payment plans available [part payment fee applies]				
					
									Read more
					
					
									BUY NOW
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
					What the Transform Me Weight Loss and Symptom Reduction Program Teaches You				
					Over 12 weeks you will receive seven educational video webinars, action plans, a comprehensive food plan and recipes and access to a supportive community to learn how to:				
												
																					Donna, Canada
										
		Lose weight without endless physical exercise and dietary regimes (that we know are hard to stick to when we have so much going on in our lives).Sleep all night without having to pee!Reduce your hot flushes and night sweats.Restore your energy levels so you have the energy for getting on with what's important to you.Stop your joints and muscles from aching, so that you can do the activities you love again.Reduce stress and anxiety, because as you will learn, when stress hormones are high, they have an impact on our sleep, body weight and temperature control.Restore your liver and gut health and reduce any inflammation that can lead to poor absorption of healthy nutrients that are essential to your health as you age.Stop the dizziness or balance issues that may be troubling you. Improve your breathing, thyroid and brain health  - these factors are known to impact weight loss too.Meet the specific nutritional needs of your body as your hormonal environment changes with our menopause diet (many women don't realise that their nutritional needs change between peri-menopause and post-menopause as they stop menstruating).Discover strategies for mindful eating.Optional - Information about what lifestyle strategies can help if you are on Menopause HRT or Anti-depressants (I don't interfere with any medications your Doctor has placed you on).		
					As part of Transform Me you also receive:				
										Support every step of the way in the MyMT™ CommunityPerhaps you are struggling to put a particular change in place, or maybe you've  'fallen off the bus' and need a bit of motivation to get going again. 
I've been there. All I wanted was someone to talk to about what was going on. 
In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask me or others questions. 
With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.Action PlansEach video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions to focus on over the fortnight. We call it the Daily Dozen.Bonus ModulesYou’ll discover why you feel dizzy, why you are experiencing vaginal dryness or why your heart health is changing. For those of you who are  overweight, Wendy has also researched the best intermittent fasting routine for midlife women.
Women tell us they love these bonus modules that help to make sense of their ‘symptoms that they don’t know are symptoms’.Food Guide and Hundreds of RecipesThe MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.Emails to keep you on trackWendy's weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.Solutions to Support you at WorkWhen we spend nearly a third of each day in a work environment, it's important that we can translate these solutions into our working day too. Our bonus videos from one of New Zealand's leading Workplace Wellness Coaches give you practical strategies for managing stress, motivation and energy levels at work. 				
					As part of Transform Me you also receive:				
																														
					Support every step of the way  in the MyMT™ Community				
		Perhaps you are struggling to put a particular change in place, or maybe you've 'fallen off the bus' and need a bit of motivation to get going again. I've been there. All I wanted was someone to talk to about what was going on. In the private Facebook Coaching Community you can ask me or others questions. With over 2,000 incredibly supportive women from 50 countries in the group, you will never feel alone or confused.		
																														
					Action Plans				
		Each video module contains a summary of the 12 easy-to-implement solutions I want you to focus on over that fortnight. We call it the Daily Dozen.		
																														
					Bonus Modules				
		You’ll discover why your joints are sore, why you feel dizzy or why your heart health or gut health is changing. For those of you overweight, Wendy has also researched the best intermittent fasting routine for midlife women.Women tell us that they love these bonus modules that help to make sense of their ‘symptoms that they don’t know are symptoms’.		
																														
					Food Guide and Hundreds of Recipes				
		The MyMT™ Kitchen provides you with scientifically evidenced nutrition for women’s healthy ageing. The programs are focused on real food specific to your needs in menopause or post-menopause – there are no calorie restriction diets.		
																														
					Emails to keep you on track				
		Wendy's weekly emails give you additional information and bonus tips to make the changes easier to implement.		
					Don’t let menopause weight gain and symptoms overwhelm you! Regain control with a step-by-step plan and support every step of the way.				
							
							
										 Price - NZD $399*
									
								
										Payment Plans Available
									
						
		*Approx. AU$363,  CAN$324,  US$235,  UK£188,  €220 -exchange rate varies		
					
									BUY NOW
					
																														
																														
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
																														
						 5/5		
							Thank you Wendy. Your personal touch and genuine and kind connection with each of your members is such a refreshing change in today’s online space.
														Sue, Austria
					
									BUY NOW
					
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
					Menopause Weight Loss Program FAQ				
												What can I expect in the Transform Me Program?
					With MyMT™ you can learn anytime from anywhere, at your own pace. Over the 12 weeks, you will receive seven learning modules, and you can also access optional bonus modules. e.g. for women who are on HRT or Anti Depressants or who have Gut Health issues. A module is released in your learning hub each fortnight containing an educational webinar, around 60 minutes in length, where Wendy explains the scientific reasons for your symptoms and the lifestyle changes you can make to relieve those symptoms. Each module also contains a downloadable action plan for you to put in place over the fortnight, as well as bonus articles if you want to read more about the science behind your symptoms. As part of the program, you also receive the MyMT™ Food Guide which explains the powerful nutrients we need as we age. For example, if you are still menstruating then your iron needs differ to those of you who are in post-menopause. You will also receive access to hundreds of recipes and cooking videos, a 6-week walking plan and bonus videos which focus on managing menopause in your workplace. Even though everything is delivered online, you will not be alone. You will be invited to join the incredibly supportive MyMT™ Coaching Community (private Facebook group). This is where you can ask Wendy or other members questions, and be inspired by others who have gone before you. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to incorporate the changes suggested. Wendy’s weekly emails are there to support you to stay on track and help you problem solve. 
												Why is Dr Wendy Sweet's (PhD) approach unique?
					“We all like to think that what we do is unique, but in the case of MyMT™ I can honestly say that I have been there myself.  As my own health was changing and as my symptoms became worse, I began to understand that if we don’t take back control of our health and symptoms in menopause our post-menopause years are likely to lead to worsening health.  My health became my project and I set to work – reading as much as I could as part of my Masters and Doctoral studies about how to turn around menopause symptoms through working with our hormones, not against them.  And now my experience is available for you too! While most lifestyle programs (and menopause supplements too) are not targeted at our changing hormonal environment in menopause, this one is.  By learning how to reset your hormones, you address the cause and not just the symptoms of menopause.  For decades menopause has been seen as a ‘sickness’ and often not talked about.  It is time to put menopause into wellness, not sickness.  You can read more about my story here. And when you join Transform Me, I am here to support you every step of the way. You can ask me questions and read 8 years worth of my answers to other women.”Dr Wendy Sweet  – PhD
												Do the MyMT™ programs work?
					MyMT™ programs do work, and there are two main reasons for this. Firstly because Wendy teaches you scientifically-evidenced lifestyle strategies to work with your hormones, rather than fighting against them. And secondly because of our uniquely designed support strategy which involves spreading out your learning and giving you practical, easy to implement strategies to turn your new learnings into lifelong habits. But don’t take our word for it, explore the testimonials and success stories from real clients on the MyMT™ website. And once you join the program ask questions of other women inside the Coaching Community.  Either way you will learn that MyMT™ programs are truly life changing – our clients are our greatest advocates. 
												I'm not looking to lose weight, is Transform Me right for me?
					We have two main 12 week programs for menopause symptom management – MyMT™ Circuit Breaker is for leaner women and MyMT™ Transform Me is for women who are struggling with menopause weight gain.If you are not struggling with weight, you may like to explore Circuit Breaker, which is designed  to help you turn around your hot flushes/flashes, sleep disturbances, sore joints, bone health, gut and liver health, brain-fog and mood swings, so that you restore your energy and ‘break the circuit’ of your menopause symptom chaos. From there we address other hormonal imbalance issues caused by diet, stress and modern living. If you aren’t sure whether you are suited to Circuit Breaker or Transform Me, please take the Menopause Quiz so that Wendy can help you decide. We also have a third 12-week program which is just as important as Circuit Breaker and Transform Me called MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness. Re-build My Fitness is a healthy midlife exercise program designed specifically for women during and after menopause where you learn how to rebuild your fitness, strength, flexibility, balance, bone and joint health with menopause appropriate exercise and activity levels.This program works best once you have addressed your symptoms. Not only does it help get you exercising again but it introduces healthy habits which help guard against heart disease and stroke, two of the biggest killers for our age group. 
												I am post-menopause but struggling with weight loss. Should I do Transform Me or Beyond Menopause?
					One of the challenges that women have in post-menopause, is that their fat distribution is changing and this tends to become more situated around the abdominal and diaphragmatic regions. When this happens, then there is a risk that the fat will move deeper and become unhealthy visceral fat.Whilst I do have a module about weight loss in the Beyond Menopause™ programme, if you have more than 10kg (20 lbs) to lose, then I do recommend that you start with the weight loss programme, Transform Me™. This programme has the liver health and oestrogen dominance information in it, as well as a Food Guide that is dedicated to weight loss and other fascinating information for you. If you have a lesser amount of weight to lose, and are not struggling with the symptoms such as Hot Flushes and Poor Sleep, then come and join me on the Beyond Menopause™ programme when you can.
												Do the programs involve medication or supplementation?
					There are no hormone medications or supplements in the MyMT™ programs, as Wendy focuses on turning around your symptoms with lifestyle changes (e.g. nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, nutrient absorbption etc.). If you are on menopause hormone therapy [MHT], then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage risk of osteoporosis, risk or heart disease, metobolic risks or mental health risks), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.No matter whether you are on MHT or not, the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flashes, improve your sleep quality, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.
												Does the program involve a diet? And information for Vegetarians and Coeliacs.
					Every bit of research shows that the types of food we eat, and how we eat are critical to our symptom management and our healthy ageing, so food is an important part of the program. Following the women’s healthy ageing and longevity research, Wendy has centered these programs around the Mediterranean Diet which she has modified to include the essential nutrients for women in midlife. When you come on this program, you won’t be counting calories or be on a restrictive diet. You will learn about why certain nutrients help to reduce your symptoms, and what whole foods you can eat to get those nutrients. If you are Plant Based, Gluten Free or Dairy Free, these programmes are suitable for you, and I can help you to make sure you are still getting the nutrients you need as you age. We know food is such a confusing topic, so Wendy is here to support you through these changes. The MyMT™ Food Guide explains the ‘Why’ of midlife weight gain. Then our recipes, meal ideas and cooking videos show you the ‘How’ you can reach a healthier weight. Women all over the globe are also sharing their meals in the MyMT™ Community every day, so you will never be at a loss for ideas or support.Vegetarian or Coeliac?This program is entirely suitable for vegetarians and coeliacs. In fact most of our recipes are vegetarian and gluten free. Wendy will also help you understand how you can meet your specific nutrient needs. 
												Does the program involve an exercise routine? 
					Regular exercise is important to maintain a healthy body weight, for cardiovascular health, emotional health and more. There is a 12 week menopause exercise program with specific exercises for menopausal women. It’s not focused on intense workouts, as intense exercise can be more damaging to menopausal women. Each workout only requires about 30 minutes of exercise. To learn more about her menopause exercise routine, check out the comprehensive exercise program called MyMT™ Rebuild My Fitness.
												What do I need to access the program? 
					All you need is a computer or a phone and internet connection. Some women love to listen to the module as they go for a walk, and then print out the summary PDFs later. You do not need to belong to Facebook to join this program. But if you are a member, this is the best place to access Wendy’s coaching support.  
												What if I don't have enough time?
					If we told you that ALL IT TAKES IS ONE HOUR A WEEK to listen to each module when they are delivered to your inbox, and then make a plan to action the strategies, could you find that hour?  We hope so, because otherwise you might just need to find time to be sick instead! As Wendy always says, it’s not a race, and it takes time to turn change into habits.Although the programs are 12 weeks long, you are welcome to move as slowly as you need. After the 12 weeks finishes, you can continue to access your modules and my support in the Coaching Community with a NZ$12.50* monthly subscription. 
												How much do the programs cost?
					Buy risk-free with our 7-day money back guarantee. The MyMT™ Transform Me Program costs NZ$399* (see exchange rates below). We also offer a part payment option*, which is structured as 3x monthly payments of NZ$105. If you wish to extend your access to the modules after 12 weeks there is a small subscription fee of NZ$12.50 per month. [* NZ$399 = approx. AUS$363/ CAN$324/ US$235/ UK£188/ EUR€220 – exchange rate varies on the day]**Part payment fee applies. 
												How long can I access my program for?
					For as long as you need! Each program lasts for 12 weeks but as Wendy always says, it takes a year or more to successfully make a long term change to your habits. Some women are still with us 5 years after they started their journeys. After 12 weeks, to maintain access to your modules and my coaching support, there is a small monthly fee of NZ$12.50. You can cancel your subscription at any time. 

### Transform Me Screening Test

MyMT™ Transform Me Health Screening Form				
			
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
      Step 1: Please complete the MyMT™ Health Screen and Submit this to Wendy
      When this is submitted your exclusive member access instructions will be sent to you. Wendy will respond to your screening form if required.
      Do you have a family history of heart disease or strokes? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition or have you ever suffered a stroke? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you feel unexplained pain in your chest at rest or when you do physical activity? *
            
            Yes
            
            
            No
      Do you ever lose your balance because of dizziness during physical activity? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Have you had an asthma attack requiring medical attention at any time over the last 12 months? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      If you have diabetes, have you had trouble controlling your blood glucose at any time over the last 6 months? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by participating in exercise? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you have any other medical condition that may prevent you from undertaking exercise? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Is your blood pressure - over 140mm Hg systolic or 90mm Hg diastolic. Or are you on blood pressure medication? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Are you currently taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or Bio-identical Hormone Therapy? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      Do you have gut health or digestion issues? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      
       Please indicate your current Sleep Patterns
      Sleep hours per day on average *
            
            Less than 4 hours per night
            
            
            Between 4-6 hours night
            
            Sleep soundly for 6-8 hours
      Do you have intermittent sleep with night sweats and/or hot flushes? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      
      Please indicate your current energy and mood levels:
      I am frequently tired *
            
            
            Yes
            
            No
      I have fluctuating energy levels during the day *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      I have frequent mood swings *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      I often feel depressed *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      I am already on anti-depressant medication *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      
      Body Types:
              
      What is your nearest body-type? *
            
            
            Pituitary Entire Gain
            
            
            Thyroid Gain
            
            
            Gonad body-type
            
            Adrenal Upper Gain
      Do you perceive you are overweight? *
            
            Yes
            
            No
      
      Waiver:
      
      I acknowledge to the best of my ability that I am in good health and have no known medical problems that would restrict my ability to participate in this programme. *
      
      I agree that at any time I can remove myself from this program. *
      
      I understand that ongoing access to the MyMT™ programme [Coaching Support and Programme Access] is FREE for the first 3 months and costs NZ$12.50 per month thereafter. *
      
      
      I acknowledge My Menopause Transformation™ as the sole proprietor of this program and agree not to distribute it to any other persons or make copies without the permission of MyMT™.  *
      
       
      First Name *
      
      Last Name *
      
      Email used to purchase programme *
      
      Facebook Name
      
             Facebook name you will use to access the Coaching Support Group (no husbands’ or partners’ accounts please) 
       
      Age *
         
         
         
         
      
      Submit

### GDPR



### Disclaimer

MyMT™ Legal Disclaimer			
		1. ACCEPTANCE1.1 When you:access and continue to access this website (including all pages and information on this website) (this “Website”); and/orobtain services or purchase products from us, you are deemed to have accepted, and agree to be bound by, these terms and conditions (the “Legal Disclaimer”) effective on and from the date that you access our Website or submit an order form to obtain our services or purchase our products.1.2 You must read the following terms and conditions(“Legal Disclaimer”)carefully before indicating your acceptance at the end by clicking on the “I Accept” button. If you do not agree to the terms and conditions of this Legal Disclaimer, click the “I Do Not Accept” button at the end and you will not be permitted to access and use the Website and our Services and Products.2. GENERAL LIMITATION2.1 Medical ConsultationAs with any lifestyle change program where changes are made to nutrition and physical activity, it is important to consult with your health care professional to ensure that you are mindful of your current health and any restrictions that are appropriate for you.2.2 DisclaimerThe information contained on the My Menopause Transformation (referred to as “MyMT™”, “us”, “we” or “ours”) Website is not intended to provide medical advice or to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition (including any mental health conditions) or for any therapeutic purpose. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you believe you may be suffering from any medical condition you should immediately seek medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice or discontinue medical treatment because of information on our Website.3. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATIONNutritional information provided on the Website is taken from sources provided by third parties. Before relying on any nutritional information on the Website, you should carefully evaluate the accuracy, completeness and relevance of this nutritional information for your purposes, and if necessary consider the need to obtain appropriate expert nutritional advice relevant to your circumstances.4. EXERCISE INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES4.1 RegistrationBefore relying on the information on our Website, we strongly recommend that you carefully evaluate the accuracy and relevance of that information to you. We use the approved Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (Par-Q) recommended by the New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs). These documents have been medically approved and verified by the Exercise Association of New Zealand. You will be required to complete this documentation when registering for our program.4.2 ConsultationAll exercise programs may have some degree of risk for any participant. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, are in poor health, or have any concerns as to commencement of a new exercise regime you should consult with an appropriate healthcare professional before beginning any of exercise programs.4.3 Excluded Participantsa) Our exercise programs are not intended for any other category of special populations including:pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding or who are trying to conceive a child;persons suffering from cancer or other long term illness;persons with late-stage liver disease, kidney disease, or renal failure;persons with diagnosed eating disorders;elderly persons who are over the age of 70 years;persons with a body mass index under 15; orpersons with a history of cardiac complications.b) If you do not meet the requirements of the REPs Pre-exercise Screening Criteria you must have medical clearance to participate in our program. If you:have type 1 or 2 diabetes;have any medical or musculo-skeletal complications arising from obesity (BMI greater than 25);stage 2 and 3 hypertension; orhave been diagnosed with epilepsy or medically diagnosed respiratory problems (e.g. asthma, bronchiectasis and emphysema), then you are unlikely to be suitable to participate in a program.4.4 Exercise ProgramThe exercise program we provide is an information service only, and you are responsible for (at your own discretion) following (or not following) any exercise program or regime that we provide. We do not supervise or monitor your exercise activities, and we are not responsible for any injuries that you may suffer as a result of following the exercise program or regime.4.5 Acknowledgement of RiskYou acknowledge that your participation may involve risks. Prior to your participation, you must assess all the risks involved and you assume all risks in connection with your participation in the exercise activities that we may suggest.5. NO WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY5.1 No WarrantyThe information provided on our Website is provided on an “as is” basis and is for general purposes only, and is always subject to the medical or dietary advice obtained from your doctor or dietitian. In particular, the information we provide is not intended for individuals with health issues requiring professional medical treatment or therapy.To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not make any representation or warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, statutory or otherwise, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, satisfactory quality or fitness for a particular purpose.While we endeavour to keep the information on our Website current, we make no representations or warranties of any kind (whether express or implied):that the information on our Website:will be complete, accurate, reliable, timely, or non-infringing to third parties; orwill be uninterrupted or error-free; orwill be secure; andthat any advice or opinion obtained from us through our Website or otherwise will be accurate or able to be relied upon.5.2 Limitation of LiabilityWe (including our affiliates, officers, directors, employees, shareholders or agents) will not have any liability to you for damages or loss of any kind, including without limitation any special or punitive, incidental, indirect or direct, or consequential damages including loss of profit or loss of opportunity, costs, losses or liabilities, however, arising for or out of:your access to, inability to use or change in the content of our Website or arising from any other web site you access through a link on our Website; orany actions we take or fail to take as a result of any communication with us, whether or not advised of the possibility of such losses or damages.Our overall limitation of liability for losses or damages arising out of your use of access of our Website or information or advice obtained on or through our Website is limited to the amount paid by you to us.5.3 Website ContentWe (and any other party involved in creating, producing or delivering the Website or the program) will have no responsibility to maintain the information on the Website or to supply any corrections, updates, or releases in connection the Website. Any material on the Website is subject to change without notice or otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions (if any) applicable to the material.5.4 Computer DamageWe will not be liable or responsible for any loss suffered caused by viruses that may infect your computer equipment or other property by reason of your use of, access to or downloading of any information on our Website or third party links.5.5 WaiverTo the maximum extent permitted by law, you expressly waive all claims against us and our affiliates (including the respective officers, directors, employees, suppliers and programmers) that may arise from your use or access of the Website.5.6 Third PartiesYou also agree not to provide the information on our Website to a third party, as that third party may not have read this disclaimer. If you do provide that information to a third party, you agree that you will indemnify us and defend us against any claims for damages by that or any other third party receiving that information.5.7 JurisdictionThis Website is governed by, and is to be interpreted in accordance with, New Zealand law and any disputes between relating to this Website will be resolved by the New Zealand courts. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we exclude any responsibility for any failure of this Website to comply with the laws of any other country.		
			YES! I want a 12 week menopause Transformation		
			
						BUY NOW!

### Privacy Policy

MyMT™ Privacy Policy				
		My Menopause Transformation Limited (referred to as “MyMT™”, “us”, “we” “ours”) is committed to protecting your personal information and ensuring compliance with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 (“Privacy Act”) (if you are in New Zealand) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (if you are in a Member State of the European Union).This Privacy Policy tells you what personal information we collect from the website (the “Website”) when you interact with us or use our Products and Services. It includes why your personal information is collected, how it is used, disclosed and processed, and how you can contact us with questions or concerns about your privacy.If you are in the EU, then you have additional rights under the applicable privacy laws which are outlined in the ‘GDPR’ section of this Privacy Policy.By using the Website you will be asked to provide us with some personal information about yourself when you purchase Products or Services. Participation is entirely voluntary. We need information about you so that you can register as a MyMT™ member and so that we can provide our Products and Services as described below.The Privacy Policy should be read in conjunction with the Terms of Trade and Disclaimer. Unless defined in this Privacy Policy, all capitalised terms have the same meaning given to it in the Terms of Trade.By clicking “I accept” you are deemed to have consented to our Privacy Policy. You authorise us and any of our related parties to collect, use, and disclose your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and to the extent permitted by applicable privacy legislation (including the Privacy Act and GDPR).1.  WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?1.1  Personal InformationPersonal information means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.We collect personal information from you when you register on our Website, subscribe to any information we may send you, purchase any Products or Services from us, respond to a survey, complete any application form, or when you contact us.1.2  Your informed consentYou have several choices regarding your use of our Products and Services on our Website or when you interact with us. You could decide not to submit any personally identifiable information at all by not entering it into any forms or data fields on our Website and not using any available personalised Services. If you do not provide the personal information requested, we may not be able to provide you with some or all of the relevant Services or Products.If you no longer agree with our Privacy Policy or do not agree with the changes that we make to our Privacy Policy from time to time, please discontinue your use of our Website. If you withdraw your consent, we will stop collecting your personal information, but we may not be able to continue providing some or all of the relevant Services or Products.If you wish to ‘opt-out’ of receiving certain communications from us or your personal information being provided to third parties for direct marketing purposes, then you should contact us at admin@menopausetransformation.com or unsubscribe from our mailing list by clicking ‘unsubscribe’ at the bottom of our communications to you. If you decide to do so, then we will only communicate with you to the extent necessary to perform our obligations to you, such as to complete our transaction with you or where we are required to do so by law.You can withdraw your consent at any time for any reason by notifying us at admin@mymenopausetransformation.com that you no longer wish your personal information to be used for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy.For the purpose of:(a)                The GDPR, the withdrawal of your consent does not affect the lawfulness of any processing activities based on such consent before its withdrawal.(b)                The Privacy Act, your personal information will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected in accordance with this Privacy Policy and the law. If that purpose no longer exists or your personal information is no longer needed for the purpose in which it was collected, then we will no longer use your personal information.1.3  Data controller The “data controller” (for the purpose of the GDPR) and the “agency” (for the purpose of the Privacy Act) that is responsible for your information is My Menopause Transformation Limited (NZCN 5742230), based in New Zealand.1.4  Information collected and processedCategory Types of personal information collectedLegal Basis for ProcessingInformation you give usYou may choose to provide us with personal information when you communicate with us.Example: when you make Service or Product requests or queries, online, or when you opt-in to receive our marketing and promotional material, or you give us a testimonial, or you complete the Symptoms Quiz or the Health Screening Form.·       Contact details (name, postal address, email, phone number)·       Your Service/Product preferences·       Your account information·       Your payment information·       Any other information you choose to give us·       your age, sensitive information such as details about your health, medical information, dietary requirements or exercise regimesWe collect and process this information based on our legitimate interest to respond to your requests or queries, to provide you with a high level of customer service, to market and provide our Products and Services to you, and to fulfil our contractual obligations to you. Information that is necessary for your use of our WebsiteWe ask for and collect personal information when you use our Website.Example: when you register an account on our Website.·       Your Service or Product preferences·       Your purchase history·       Your account history·       Any additional information we request and that you provide in connection with the operation of our business and performance of our Services to you or delivery of our Product.We collect and process this information based on our legitimate interest to respond to your requests or queries, to provide you with a high level of customer service, and to fulfil our contractual obligations to you. Without the information, we may not be able to provide you with the requested Products or Services.Information we automatically collect from your use of our WebsiteWhen you use the Website, we automatically collect personal information about the Services you use and how you use them.Example: when you use certain features within our Website, when you visit or when you browse the content on our Website, when you accept our ‘Cookies’ (see ‘How we use cookies’ below).·       Your user information (content, webpages, other actions performed on our Website)·       Your payment and transaction historyWe collect and process this information based on our legitimate interest in ensuring a positive user experience, performance of our contract with you, to provide and improve the functionalities of our Website.Information we collect from third parties We may collect information that others provide about you when they use the Website or obtain information from other sources (including our third party service providers) and combine that information we collect through our WebsiteExample:When you link, connect or login to our Website  from a third party service (e.g. Google, Facebook etc), and when other parties provide us with information, including data to help improve user experience and to detect fraud and Website security issues.·       Your Products or Services preferences·       Your profile information from third party sites·       Your user information from third party sitesOther information from publicly available sourcesWe collect and process this information based on legitimate interest in ensuring a positive user experience, ensuring the security of our Website and the safety of our customers and, where necessary, to communicate with you. 2.  WHAT DO WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR?2.1  We use your personal information for the purpose of providing the Products and Services available on our Website to you. This may include using your personal information to:(a)                verify your identity and address and process your requests;(b)                personalise your experience (your information helps us to better respond to your individual needs);(c)                 address feedback (we may contact you in response to your feedback submitted through our surveys);(d)                improve our Website (we continually strive to improve our Website offerings based on the information and feedback we receive from you) and the Products and Services we may provide you;(e)                send emails as part of our programme focusing on the behaviour change process. The email address you provide which may also be used to send you information and updates about a seminar registration, in addition to receiving occasional company news, and service updates and related information;(f)                  provide electronic funds transfer services, credit card account processing and related services;(g)                otherwise to conduct and develop our business; or(h)                any other use that you authorise.2.2               MyMT™ may from time to time use your personal information to provide you with updates and information about other Products and Services, promotional surveys and to share relevant news and updates with you by using a variety of marketing channels such as direct marketing, email and telephone (“Direct Marketing Communications”).2.3               We may also collect and use your data for conducting marketing research, products or sales research, advertising and promotional purposes.3.  WHO DO WE DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO?3.1               Except as outlined in this Privacy Policy, we do not disclose your personal information publicly or to other third parties.3.2               MyMT™ may be required by law to disclose personal information you provide. MyMT™ will only make the disclosure if it believes in good faith that it is legally required to do so.3.3               We will not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to third parties your personal information. This does not include the provisions in clause 3.5 below or to third party contractors and service providers who help us operate our Website, or provide our Products and Services to you. We will only disclose your information to the extent required for the limited purpose of the third party providing services contracted to us, so that they may service you.3.4               In some cases, we also remove personal identifiers from the personal information you provide to us and maintain it in aggregate form. We may combine this data with other information to produce anonymous, aggregated statistical information (e.g. number of visitors, originating domain name of the Internet Service Provider), which is helpful to us in improving our Products and Services. We may disclose aggregated data (in a form that does not identity you individually) to our advisors for the purpose of conducting market and user experience analysis.3.5               We will also collect personal information from you if you complete the Symptoms Quiz or the Health Screening Form on our Website. Your Symptoms Quiz results and the data from the Health Screening Form will be anonymised and combined with other appropriately anonymised Symptoms Quiz results. Once your personal information is anonymised, it will no longer be capable of identifying, or being re-linked, to you. The anonymised data from the Symptoms Quiz and the Health Screening Form may be sold to a third party. The sale of appropriately anonymised and aggregated information is not excluded by this Privacy Policy.  3.6               If MyMT ™ is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, your personal information or other information may be part of the transferred assets.4.  STORAGE OF INFORMATION4.1               While we store the majority of the personal information that we collect from you in New Zealand, we may from time to time store some of the information in a computer server located in other parts of the world. We will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the overseas recipient does not breach the New Zealand Privacy Principles, however these countries may not have data protection laws that are comparable to the laws of New Zealand.4.2               If we transfer your personal information to another country, we will take appropriate measures to protect the personal information we transfer (for example, by entering into contracts, where appropriate, with the recipient of such personal information and, in the case of a third party service provider, supervising such provider’s use of the personal information, where required by law. By providing us with your personal information, you consent to us transferring, storing and processing your personal information to countries worldwide.4.3               If you are in a Member State of the European Union, your personal information may be transferred to or stored in a geographic region that imposes different privacy obligations than the country you are currently in. We will only transfer your personal information to a “secure third country”, such as New Zealand, or to a third country or international organisation where appropriate safeguards are provided in accordance with the GDPR.5.  TESTIMONIALSWe may publish your testimonials on our Website, in social media profiles, on our YouTube channel and within advertising creative material (collectively “Media Platforms”). These testimonials may contain personal information. By submitting a testimonial to us you authorise and permit us to publish these on our Media Platforms. If you wish to have your testimonial removed please contact admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.6.  PROTECTING AND MAINTAINING PERSONAL INFORMATION6.1  Protection of Personal InformationWe will take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold about you from unauthorised access, use and disclosure. We cannot, however, guarantee that our systems and stored data will be completely free from third party interception or are free from corruption.6.2  StorageAll personal information you provide to us is stored in our secure database. Reasonable steps have been implemented in order to protect your personal information from interference, misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, and disclosure when you enter, submit, or access your personal information.6.3  Cardholder DataAll transactions on the Website use industry best-practice encryption and security including SSL/TLS. We do not store cardholder data for longer than is necessary to process the payment through our payment gateway, and these details are never stored in our database at any time. MyMT™ contractors and developers have no access at any time and under any circumstances to any card data entered into our Website.Certain parts of the Website (such as those parts that require you to provide us with your credit card number) provides the ability for you to transmit information to our Website in an encrypted form by using secure socket layer technology (SSL). However, other parts of the Website are not protected by any form of encryption to protect information you send from your computer to us over the Internet.Further, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. In light of this, we cannot ensure and do not warrant the security or privacy of your personal information, including payment and account details. You transmit this information at your own risk. If you have any questions regarding security you can contact us at admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.7.  SECURITY AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION7.1  Account and PasswordsYour email address will be your username when subscribing for our Services. We will create a password for you when you register as a MyMT™ member. Once you have signed in, you will be able to change your password.  You must not disclose your username or password to anyone else or allow anyone else to use your account.. You are entirely responsible for any access to your account, and acknowledge that any access to or use of your account by means of the password associated with that account is deemed to be access or use by you. This includes any purchases made through your account. You agree to pay for our Services in the manner specified on the Website.7.2  Destruction of personal informationWe will destroy, erase from our systems or de-identify your personal information when it is no longer needed or required to be kept by law or to provide our Products and Services to you. Please note that, you will not have access to your courses unless you continue to pay an ongoing subscription, we will continue to retain your personal information on the Website so that you may access your account. You can request that we delete your personal information on the Website by contacting us at admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.  . We will also preserve the content of any email or information you submit if we believe we have a legal requirement to do so, or if any form of email abuse is suspected.8.  ACCESS8.1               You have the right to be informed about the personal information that we hold about you and have the right to request to have it changed corrected or deleted. To find out more how to do this, please contact us at admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.8.2               We will correct your personal information if it is necessary to ensure that your personal information is accurate, up to date, complete and not misleading.  If we decide that it is unnecessary to correct your personal information, we will let you know the legal reasons for our decision.  If you are not happy with those reasons, then you have the right to complain to the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner: www.privacy.org.nz/your-rights/how-to-complain/.   9.  LINKSOur Websites provide links to other websites not controlled by us. These websites may not follow the same privacy policies as MyMT™. We recommend that you read the privacy policies for these websites before deciding whether to disclose information to these websites. We are not responsible for the information you choose to disclose to these websites and we do not endorse or otherwise support the products, services or statements on those websites.10.  COOKIES AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS10.1  CookiesWe use cookies and other similar technology on our Website to allow us to improve site performance and enhance your online experience. Our policy on cookies is below for your information. If you visit our Website we will use cookies and other online technologies for:(a)                Functionality – to collect personal information about you from your computer including your IP address, your internet browser software and type of computer or mobile device used, the path you took to get to our Website, information about your online activity on our Website, and the options you selected while using our Website.(b)                Advertising – In addition to using cookies and related technologies as described above, we also may permit certain third party companies to help us tailor advertising that we think may be of interest to users and to collect and use other data about user activities on our Website and/or Services (e.g., to allow us to tailor ads on third party services). These companies may deliver ads that might also place cookies and otherwise track user behaviour.10.2           You can opt-out of the collection and use of information for ad targeting here: www.aboutads.info/choices10.3  Social Media FeaturesThe Website and our emails include Social Media Features, such as the Facebook “Like” button. These features may collect your IP address, which page you are visiting on our Website, and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function properly. Social media features and widgets are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our Website. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing them.11.               GDPR11.1           If you are in a Member State of the European Union, you have the following rights with respect to your personal information:(a)                Lodging complaints: You have the right to lodge a complaint with a ‘supervisory authority’ established by a Member State under Article 51 of the GDPR.(b)                Right of rectification: You have the right to obtain from us without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate personal information. We may seek to verify the accuracy of the personal information before correcting it.(c)                 Right to restrict processing: You have the right to limit the ways in which we use your personal information, in particular where:(i)                  you contest the accuracy of your personal information;(ii)                 the processing is unlawful and you oppose the erasure of your personal information;(iii)               we no longer need your personal information for the purposes of the processing, but you require the information for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or(iv)               you have objected to the processing of your personal information pending the verification by a supervisory authority of whether our legitimate grounds to process override your own.(d)                Right of access and portability: You have the right to request certain copies of your personal information held by us. You may also be entitled to request copies of personal information that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and/or request us to transmit this information to another service provider nominated by you (where technically feasible).(e)                Right to be forgotten: You have the right to request the erasure of your personal information without undue delay where one of the grounds set out in Article 17(1) of the GDPR apply.11.2           Please note that:(a)                we may retain some of your personal information as necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as fraud detection and prevention and enhancing safety;(b)                we may retain and use your personal information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations. For example, we may keep some of your information for tax, legal reporting, auditing and regulatory compliance obligations; and(c)                 because we maintain our Site to protect from accidental or malicious loss and destruction, residual copies of your personal information may not be able to be removed from our backup systems.12.  CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICYMyMT™ reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will take effect immediately they are posted on the Website. Your continued use of our Website indicates your acceptance of the particular privacy policy that is posted on the Website at the time of use. This Privacy Policy was last updated [insert date].13.  WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONSIf you would like further information on what personal information is collected, how it is used, or have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of the MyMT™ or your dealings with MyMT™, please e-mail our Privacy Officer at admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.		
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### Terms of Trade

MyMT™ Terms of Trade				
		1. AGREEMENT1.1 By ordering Products or Services from us, you agree to the following Terms (including the Privacy Policy and Legal Disclaimer). These Terms (as defined below) replace any previous arrangements or understandings between us relating to the sale and supply of our Products or Services to you.1.2 Unless otherwise specifically agreed in writing, where any Terms of your order or any request for supply are inconsistent with these Terms, then these Terms will prevail.1.3 Any variations or additions to these Terms not expressly agreed in writing by us are expressly rejected.2. ORDERING2.1 You are deemed to have accepted these Terms and a binding contract is formed upon you ordering Products or Services from us, commencing on the date that you submit an Order Form.2.2 On your submission of an Order Form, you may not cancel or reverse your order for Products of Services unless otherwise provided in our Shipping and Returns Policy.2.3 Our Products and Services are offered subject to availability.3. PRICE3.1 Unless otherwise agreed by us, the Price payable by you for the Products and Services will be specified in the Price List. You must pay for the Products and Services in accordance with these Terms.3.2 The Price List is in New Zealand dollars and are exclusive of GST unless specifically stated otherwise. You will pay all applicable GST in addition to the Price. We reserve the right to alter the Price List from time to time for any reason. Any variation will be effective from the date specified by us and will apply to all orders accepted on or after that date.3.3 The Price excludes the cost of delivery, which is payable in addition to the Price (if applicable).4. PAYMENT4.1 You must select an approved method of payment when submitting an Order Form.4.2 Full payment of the Price will be required at the time of ordering Products or Services and in any event before Products are delivered, collected, or dispatched or we provide our Services to you.4.3 Payment of all monies owing to us must be made free of any counterclaim, set-off, deduction or other claim whatsoever. We may deduct or withhold any amount (whether by way of set off, counterclaim or other equitable or lawful claim or otherwise) from any money owing by us by you.4.4 Any expenses, disbursements and legal costs incurred by us in the enforcement of any rights contained in these Terms will be paid by you, including our reasonable solicitors’ fees or debt collection agency fees.5. CANCELLATION AND RETURNS5.1 You may cancel or suspend the Products and/or Services we provide at any time by providing a Cancellation Notice to us, if either of the following events occur:you are diagnosed by a suitability qualified medical practitioner with a physical or mental illness that results in it being detrimental to you to continue to receive of Services and you provide us with a medical certificate to this effect; orwe otherwise determine (in our absolute discretion) that your medical circumstances are such that we cannot provide our Services to you.5.2 If our Services are cancelled in accordance with clause 5.1 and provided that we have not given you access to our Services by alternative means, we will provide a pro-rata refund of the Price paid by you in connection with the Services, within twenty (20) Business Days of our receipt of the Cancellation Notice. You acknowledge that we will calculate this pro-rata refund according to the total price paid by you for the Services and the number of remaining Steps to complete the course we offer as part of the Services (which may therefore result in your refund being zero).6. LIABILITY6.1 Nothing in these Terms will restrict, negate, modify or limit any of your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 where the Products or Services acquired are of a kind ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic or household use or consumption and you are not acquiring the Products and Services for the purpose of a business or in trade.6.2 To the extent that our liability is not otherwise limited or excluded, and to the fullest extent permitted by law, our aggregate liability to you whether in tort, contract or otherwise for any loss damage or injury in relation to the supply of Products and provision of Services is limited to the Price paid by you.6.3 Despite anything else contained in these Terms:the parties agree and acknowledge that if the Products and Services supplied by us and acquired by you are supplied or acquired in trade within the meaning of the Fair Trading Act 1986, that sections 9, 12A, and 13 of the Fair Trading Act 1986 will not apply to the agreement between us, and that it is fair and reasonable to exclude their application; andthe parties agree and acknowledge that if they are both in trade, and that the Products and Services and Services supplied by us and acquired by you are supplied or acquired in trade, that the provisions of the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 will not apply to the agreement between us, and that it is fair and reasonable to exclude their application; andunless these Terms expressly provide otherwise, to the fullest extent permissible by law all warranties, conditions or other terms implied by law are excluded; andfor the purposes of this clause you acknowledge that you had a reasonable opportunity to review these Terms, discuss them with us, and receive advice from your legal advisor, if you wished to do so.6.4 Except as otherwise provided in these Terms we will not be liable for any loss or damage of any kind whatsoever arising from the supply of Products and Services by us to you, including consequential loss whether suffered or incurred by you or another person or entity and whether in contract or tort or otherwise and irrespective of whether such loss or damage arises directly or indirectly from Products and Services provided by us to you.7. YOUR REPRESENTATIONS7.1 In purchasing Products and obtaining our Services, you represent and warrant that:you will not re-sell any of the Products or Services for commercial gain;you are in good health and know of no medical or other reason why you cannot obtain our Services; andany questions concerning your health and your ability to obtain the Services have been discussed with your doctor, or will be discussed with your doctor, before you obtain our Services.7.2 You acknowledge to, and agree with us, that:you are responsible for your own health and will inform your doctor and us if you experience any changes in your health while obtaining the Services; andyou are responsible for, and, will, inform us of any physician-directed exercise modifications or restrictions, all prescription medications, non-prescription medications and diet aids and supplements you are taking and any changes in dosage, on an ongoing basis, while you obtain the Services; andneither us nor any of our employees, agents or contractors are health care practitioners or otherwise providing a health service and, consequently, none of them can be expected to diagnose, recognise or treat individual health problems that you may experience (or have experienced) while you are obtaining the Services.8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY8.1 We, our suppliers, advertisers or third party providers, own all copyright and other intellectual property associated with our Website. Everything on our Website, unless otherwise stated, is subject to copyright that is owed by us. These Terms and your access to the Website do not grant you any right to make commercial use of any intellectual property owned by us (including, without limitation, trade secrets, patents, copyright, trade marks and industrial designs).8.2 The sale of any Products and Services will not give you the right to use, sell, disseminate or duplicate any our intellectual property (including any trademark, copyright, design or any other intellectual property right).9. PRIVACYWe will only use your personal information for purposes relating to your dealings with us and only in accordance with our Privacy Policy.10. MISCELLANEOUS10.1 While we endeavour to supply accurate information on our Website, errors and omissions may occur. We do not accept any liability, direct or indirect, for any loss or damage which may directly or indirectly result from any advice, opinion, information, representation or omission whether negligent or otherwise, contained on our Website. You are solely responsible for the actions you take in reliance on the content on, or accessed, through our Website. We reserve the right to make changes to the content of our Website at any time and without notice. To the extent permitted by law, we make no warranties in relation to the merchantability, fitness for purpose, freedom from computer virus, accuracy or availability of our Website.10.2We reserve the right to alter, modify or update these Terms from time to time, but any such change will not affect the terms of a binding contract existing at that time.10.3 No waiver of any provision of these Terms will serve as a waiver of any other provision of these Terms and we will not have waived or be deemed to have waived any provision of these Terms unless such waiver is in writing and executed by us.10.4 If any provision in these Terms are invalid, void or illegal or unenforceable the validity existence, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not be affected, prejudiced or impaired.10.5 You may not directly or indirectly assign to any person any of your benefits or burdens in respect of the agreement created by these Terms. We may at any time assign or transfer to any other person (including without limitation to a Related Company, whether or not acting as a security agent or security trustee of the security created under these Terms) all or any part of its rights, remedies and obligations under these Terms and any related or ancillary document without your consent.10.6 These Terms will be deemed to be made in New Zealand and will be construed and governed by the laws of New Zealand. The parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New Zealand.11. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION11.1 Definitions In these Terms:“Agreement” has the meaning given to that term in clause 2 of these Terms.“Business Day” means a day upon which banks are open for business in Auckland, New Zealand;“Cancellation Notice” is the notice by which you may exercise your right to cancel the Agreement during the Cooling-Off Period, or, for any other permitted reason specified in clause 4 below, a copy of which is available from the Website;“Force Majeure Circumstance” is any circumstance beyond our reasonable control which impacts on supply or delivery of the Products or the Services including, without limitation, delays by suppliers, shortages of raw materials, delays by you, strikes and labour unrest, shipping delays, acts of war, acts of terrorism, government intervention, fire, flood, drought, accident, natural disaster or any other event commonly referred to as an “Act of God”;“GST” means Products and Services and services tax as defined in the Products and Services and Services Tax Act 1985;“Legal Disclaimer” means our legal disclaimer applicable to the use of the Website and the sale and supply of our Products and Services which may be viewed by clicking the following link;“Order Form” means an order submitted by you to us for the purchase of Products and/or Services;“Price” means the total amount payable by you for the Products and Services including all delivery costs (including freight and carriage by any means), import/export costs, insurance costs, and any other fees, surcharges or other charges payable by you;“Price List” means the current list of prices for our Products and Services as shown on our Website;“Privacy Policy” means our Privacy Policy which may be viewed by clicking the following link and which may be amended by us from time to time;“Products” means any products provided by us to you from time to time, including food products, vitamin supplements or otherwise;“Related Company” has the meaning given to it in the Companies Act 1993, on the date that these Terms were last updated;“Services” means the membership and other rights and entitlements afforded to you in connection with any of our programs;“Steps” means the individual component steps required to complete the programme offered as part of the Services;“Terms” means these terms and conditions together with:our Privacy Policy; andour Legal Disclaimer; andShipping and Returns Policy;“we”, “us”, “our” and “MyMT” means My Menopause Transformation Limited], New Zealand registered company no. 5742230, its Related Companies from time to time, and including its agents, successors or assigns;“Website” means our website having the domain name [www.mymenopausetransformation.com; and“you” and “your” means the person(s) or entity(ies) named as the customer on the Order Form.11.2 Interpretationany reference to a time or time period is deemed to mean that the time or time period is of the essence;headings used do not form part of these Terms and are for convenience only; andreferences to any statutory provision include any statutory provision which amends or replaces it.12. WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS12.1  This Terms of Trade should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Policy and Disclaimer contained on the Website.  12.2  If you have further questions about this Terms of Trade, the practices of the MyMT™ or your dealings with MyMT™, please e-mail our Administrator at admin@mymenopausetransformation.com.		
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						BUY NOW!

### Blog



### MyMT™ Symptoms Test

What are the signs of menopause? Have your symptoms returned in post-menopause? 
				
					Take the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz and have your results explained by women's healthy ageing pioneer Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
		https://youtu.be/B_zzsQPjtk4		
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					MyMT™ Menopause and Post-Menopause Symptoms Quiz				
					Take back control of your health. Improve your quality of life. 				
		This is not a marketing tool to sell you supplements. It is a tool designed to help you understand what really goes on in your body, and where to focus your efforts when it comes to dealing with the common symptoms of menopause.Knowledge of menopause is hugely important for midlife women, and there is so much more to it than hot flashes. 		
					To complete the perimenopause and menopause quiz, please rate the severity of your symptoms for each question (0 = No symptoms to 5 = Very Severe)Then enter your email address to receive your results, a video explaining your results and a FREE PDF DOWNLOAD packed full of practical, easy to implement solutions you can start implementing today.  				
					
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    Take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz
    To complete the quiz, please rate the severity of your symptoms for each question (0 = ‘No symptoms’ to 5 = ‘Very Severe’)
  
    I have hot flushes (and/or night sweats) *
    
    I cannot get sufficient sleep (difficulty in sleeping) *
    
    I experience aching muscles and/or joints *
    
    I feel tired when I get up (feeling as if you lack energy) *
    
    I have the perception of feeling useless *
    
    
    I feel anxious or nervous *
    
    I am afraid of performing physical activity/ exercise because my urine leaks *
    
    I have vaginal discomfort and dryness *
    
    I have noticed skin dryness (changes in skin appearance, texture & tone) *
    
    I feel my heart beating quickly and experience heart palpitations *
    
    
    Since entering peri-menopause or menopause have you become uncomfortable with your weight? *
        
        
        
        Yes
        
        No
    Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by participating in exercise? *
        
        
        Yes
        
        No
    Do you have gut health or digestion issues? *
        
        Yes
        
        No
    Do you become breathless with physical activity? *
        
        Yes
        
        No
    First Name *
    
    Last Name *
    
    
    Email *
    
    Age *
    
    What stage of menopause are you in? *
      
        Please select one
        Perimenopause - fluctuating menstrual periods.
        Menopause - menstrual periods have stopped completely.
        Post-menopausal - menstrual periods have ceased for 12 months or more.
        Unsure
      
    Country *
      
        Please select one
        Afghanistan
        Åland Islands
        Albania
        Algeria
        American Samoa
        Andorra
        Angola
        Anguilla
        Antarctica
        Antigua and Barbuda
        Argentina
        Armenia
        Aruba
        Australia
        Austria
        Azerbaijan
        Bahamas (the)
        Bahrain
        Bangladesh
        Barbados
        Belarus
        Belgium
        Belize
        Benin
        Bermuda
        Bhutan
        Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
        Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
        Bosnia and Herzegovina
        Botswana
        Bouvet Island
        Brazil
        British Indian Ocean Territory (the)
        Brunei Darussalam
        Bulgaria
        Burkina Faso
        Burundi
        Cabo Verde
        Cambodia
        Cameroon
        Canada
        Cayman Islands (the)
        Central African Republic (the)
        Chad
        Chile
        China
        Christmas Island
        Cocos (Keeling) Islands (the)
        Colombia
        Comoros (the)
        Congo (the Democratic Republic of the)
        Congo (the)
        Cook Islands (the)
        Costa Rica
        Côte d'Ivoire
        Croatia
        Cuba
        Curaçao
        Cyprus
        Czech Republic (the)
        Denmark
        Djibouti
        Dominica
        Dominican Republic (the)
        Ecuador
        Egypt
        El Salvador
        Equatorial Guinea
        Eritrea
        Estonia
        Ethiopia
        Falkland Islands (the) [Malvinas]
        Faroe Islands (the)
        Fiji
        Finland
        France
        French Guiana
        French Polynesia
        French Southern Territories (the)
        Gabon
        Gambia (the)
        Georgia
        Germany
        Ghana
        Gibraltar
        Greece
        Greenland
        Grenada
        Guadeloupe
        Guam
        Guatemala
        Guernsey
        Guinea
        Guinea-Bissau
        Guyana
        Haiti
        Heard Island and McDonald Islands
        Holy See (the)
        Honduras
        Hong Kong
        Hungary
        Iceland
        India
        Indonesia
        Iran (Islamic Republic of)
        Iraq
        Ireland
        Isle of Man
        Israel
        Italy
        Jamaica
        Japan
        Jersey
        Johnston Island
        Jordan
        Kazakhstan
        Kenya
        Kiribati
        Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of)
        Korea (the Republic of)
        Kuwait
        Kyrgyzstan
        Lao People's Democratic Republic (the)
        Latvia
        Lebanon
        Lesotho
        Liberia
        Libya
        Liechtenstein
        Lithuania
        Luxembourg
        Macao
        Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of)
        Madagascar
        Malawi
        Malaysia
        Maldives
        Mali
        Malta
        Marshall Islands (the)
        Martinique
        Mauritania
        Mauritius
        Mayotte
        Mexico
        Micronesia (Federated States of)
        Midway Islands
        Moldova (the Republic of)
        Monaco
        Mongolia
        Montenegro
        Montserrat
        Morocco
        Mozambique
        Myanmar
        Namibia
        Nauru
        Nepal
        Netherlands (the)
        New Caledonia
        New Zealand
        Nicaragua
        Niger (the)
        Nigeria
        Niue
        Norfolk Island
        Northern Mariana Islands (the)
        Norway
        Oman
        Pakistan
        Palau
        Palestine, State of
        Panama
        Papua New Guinea
        Paraguay
        Peru
        Philippines (the)
        Pitcairn
        Poland
        Portugal
        Puerto Rico
        Qatar
        Réunion
        Romania
        Russian Federation (the)
        Rwanda
        Saint Barthélemy
        Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
        Saint Kitts and Nevis
        Saint Lucia
        Saint Martin (French part)
        Saint Pierre and Miquelon
        Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
        Samoa
        San Marino
        Sao Tome and Principe
        Saudi Arabia
        Senegal
        Serbia
        Seychelles
        Sierra Leone
        Singapore
        Sint Maarten (Dutch part)
        Slovakia
        Slovenia
        Solomon Islands
        Somalia
        South Africa
        South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
        South Sudan
        Southern Rhodesia
        Spain
        Sri Lanka
        Sudan (the)
        Suriname
        Svalbard and Jan Mayen
        Swaziland
        Sweden
        Switzerland
        Syrian Arab Republic
        Taiwan (Province of China)
        Tajikistan
        Tanzania, United Republic of
        Thailand
        Timor-Leste
        Togo
        Tokelau
        Tonga
        Trinidad and Tobago
        Tunisia
        Turkey
        Turkmenistan
        Turks and Caicos Islands (the)
        Tuvalu
        Uganda
        Ukraine
        United Arab Emirates (the)
        United Kingdom
        United States
        United States Minor Outlying Islands (the)
        Upper Volta
        Uruguay
        Uzbekistan
        Vanuatu
        Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
        Viet Nam
        Virgin Islands (British)
        Virgin Islands (U.S.)
        Wallis and Futuna
        Western Sahara
        Yemen
        Zambia
        Zimbabwe
      
    
    I understand that my email address will be used to send me my Menopause Symptoms Quiz results, more information about menopause health and occasional marketing. *
    
    I understand that I can unsubscribe from these emails using the email unsubscribe link at any time. *
      
      
      
    
    
    Are you also a health professional? If so, would you also like to receive information about our courses for health professionals?
     
    Submit Your Test Result
    
    
    

 
						 5/5		
		Since watching your short video from your Menopause Quiz, it's made me realize that what I've been experiencing wasn't me going crazy in the head. I had all sorts of emotions going on inside me and then my thinking turned to overthinking... until I came across your video. Thank you for doing this Test. It explained so much to me.		
					Sherry T.				
					New Zealand				
																														
							
			
				I love women discovering my powerful and proven lifestyle strategies for reducing  symptoms in menopause. I can’t wait to help you too.”			
					
					Why take the Perimenopause & Menopause Quiz?				
		
Do you reach for a fan when everyone else puts on a sweater or a jumper?
Can’t remember the last time you slept 8 hours?
Are you putting on weight and can’t work out why?
Do you find yourself struggling with joint pain and inflammation?
Are you feeling anxious or experiencing mood swings?
Are you experiencing digestive issues like bloating?

Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a women’s healthy ageing researcher and menopause specialist on lifestyle solutions. When I first started experiencing everything outlined above, and couldn't regain control despite endless dieting, exercise, supplements and medication, I sought help. But, I was surprised to learn how few health care providers understood what was happening to me as I aged. 
Over 50% of the population will experience menopause, but so little was known about the changes going on inside. This spurred me to undertake a research-based PhD on the topic of women’s healthy ageing. Every single woman I interviewed wanted what I wanted, which was to restore our health without endless supplements or medications. I made it my purpose to find out how. 
After decades of analyzing women's health and ageing research, I truly understand how complicated and frustrating this 'stage' of life can be. Mid-life is a time of massive change for women, but the information available is either too complex or too good to be true.
That is why I have created the MyMT™ Menopause Self Assessment Tool for you. This free menopause quiz will help you understand what stage of 'the change' you are at and how severe your menopausal symptoms are (in comparison to the 500,000 women who have taken this quiz).
The MyMT™ Menopause Assessment is derived from the 10-Item Cervantes Scale for assessing menopause-related symptoms (Faustino et al., 2013). It is not a marketing tool to sell you supplements. It is a tool to help you understand what and where to focus your efforts with your symptoms. After all, when our teenagers struggle with adolescence, we don’t think of them as sick, so why do we treat menopause as an illness?		
					Knowledge is Power - Understand your menopausal symptoms to help you  take back control of your health.				
					
									Take the Symptoms Test
					
					MyMTTM Women are regaining control of their health, vitality and energy				
		It's never too late. No matter whether you are just starting your menopause journey or in post-menopause, a few lifestyle changes can have a powerful impact on your health as you age. Below are testimonies from women who have completed our menopause symptom treatment program or menopause weight loss program.  		
																														
						 5/5		
					Suzy - Australia				
		“I learnt from MyMT™ that menopause isn’t the end of the road. We need to work with our bodies instead of against them. I am loving having my health back.”		
																														
						 5/5		
					Michaela - Canada				
		"I was at my wits end with menopause weight gain. With Wendy's program, I sleep through the night, I've lost weight and my anxiety has greatly diminished. I feel like my old self again."		
																														
						 5/5		
					Sue - Austria				
		"Thank you Wendy. Your personal touch and genuine and kind connection with each of your members is such a refreshing change in today's online space where it's so easy to feel lost and disconnected."		
					
									Read more testimonials

### About

About MyMT™				
		Symptom Reduction Programs and Health Professional Courses by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD). Specialising in Lifestyle Solutions for Menopause and Women's Healthy Ageing.		
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
					
									Watch "How it Works" Video
					
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					My Menopause Transformation [MyMT™]				
		Your Roadmap to Restoration in Peri-Post Menopause		
																														
					Our Purpose				
		MyMT™ has been set up by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD) for one reason – to help women around the globe proactively manage their own menopause transition through lifestyle changes. No longer should menopause symptoms impact on their life.If women complete the Menopause Transformation program and turn their symptoms around as well as improve their health, energy and vitality, then we have achieved OUR PURPOSE.MyMT™ now also offers world-class CPD courses for Health Professionals wanting to qualify in menopause coaching.		
																														
					Our Philosophy				
		MyMT™ is a revolutionary lifestyle-change program based on the scientific research for women's health and ageing. These programs are designed to enable you to reduce your symptoms and weight at the cellular level - setting you up for better health as you age.
MyMT™ gives you the WHAT? WHY? and HOW? We demystify menopause by teaching you (and health professionals) the daily lifestyle strategies that restore balance to your hormones. Yes, you will feel like the ‘old-you’ again!		
																														
					Our Promise				
		MyMT™ has YOU at the heart of everything we do. We guarantee your investment with this simple promise:		
							
			
				"We reduce the complicated to the simple when it comes to understanding how you can manage your menopause transition. If you follow our program 100%, we promise that you will feel better during your menopause transition.” 			
											*  Wendy Sweet (Founder) 
					
		Disclaimer: *Results may vary from person to person. While the testimonials provided show real results, women may vary in their results.		
					
									Meet Wendy
					
					
									Read FAQs
					
						“I now have the energy that menopause had taken away."
 I think all women going through menopause should do this programme. It has changed my life. I am feeling so much more energised, in control and just happy.					
						
								AndreaAustralia			
					
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									Choose your program
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					MyMT™ Transformation Programs				
		Choose from three 12-week, online coaching programs		
																														
					Weight Loss and Symptom Reduction				
					Transform Me				
		A ground breaking menopause-specific weight loss and symptom reduction program.		
					
									LEARN MORE
					
																														
					Symptom Reduction				
					Circuit Breaker				
		Designed for thinner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, low energy, hot flushes and more. 		
					
									LEARN MORE
					
																														
					Post Menopause Healthy Ageing				
					Beyond Menopause				
		Follow the scientific research and give yourself the best possible odds to live a healthy, disease free life (for post menopausal women).		
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Menopause Qualifications for Health Professionals				
		MyMT™ Education - Choose from three Continuing Professional Development courses		
																														
					Introductory Level - 3 weeks				
					An Introduction to the Science of Menopause				
		Introduces Health Professionals and Coaches to the physiological and psychological changes occurring in midlife		
					
									LEARN MORE
					
																														
					Weight Loss - 6 weeks				
					Menopause Weight Loss Coach 				
		Learn about the unique physiology of weight gain in midlife, and discover proven lifestyle solutions for weight loss 		
					
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					Specialist Course - 12 weeks				
					Menopause Practitioner Course				
		Our most comprehensive certification, designed to enable and empower you to prescribe lifestyle solutions for menopause symptoms		
					
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						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Meet Wendy Sweet

Meet Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)				
					Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher and Your Menopause Coach				
					
									Wendy's Story
					
							
							
										Former RN / B.PhEd / MSpLS / PHD
									
						
							
							
										REPS NZ Exercise Specialist
									
						
							
							
										Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine Member
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women and 300 health professionals
									
						
					My Personal Pledge to You				
		Most women joining me on the MyMT™ programmes are just like I was – spending huge amounts of money on supplements, hormone creams, weight loss diets, doctor’s visits, blood tests, Personal Trainers, HRT, health specialists and whatever else we can think of, to try and alleviate how we are feeling.
All this because menopause symptoms are distracting us from our day-to-day lives. We just keep trying to grab what remedies we can. Some work for a while, some don’t. I was driven to despair.
Waking night after night, endless hot flushes, aching muscles, mood swings and unstoppable belly fat, not only left me feeling exhausted, but left me concerned about my future health.
One day, after purchasing yet another supplement from a young saleswoman, who had no idea what I was going through, and knowing that my blood pressure and cholesterol were climbing, despite being on HRT, I had had enough!
It was my ‘lightbulb’ moment. I realised that nobody was taking a ‘whole-body’ approach to menopause symptoms. Furthermore, with menopause management framed within the medical and pharmaceutical paradigms, I also realised that I hadn't heard anyone talking about lifestyle science solutions.
That’s when I knew I had to use my physiology and healthy ageing knowledge and experience, not only as a former nurse, but also as a leading exercise specialist in New Zealand and University Lecturer, to figure out how to turn around menopause symptoms and my health, so I could ‘age-well’.
That’s how MyMT™ began nearly a decade ago. I designed it for me, but it’s now available for women and health professionals around the world. My Masterclass on Menopause events attracted hundreds of women who wanted what I wanted myself…. and that is to feel like ourselves again. 
I now realise how lonely and confusing menopause can be. When you come on board, no matter whether you are going through menopause, or a health professional wanting to learn about menopause, I am here to support you every step of the way in the private Coaching Communities. 		
																														
																														
						 5/5		
		Thank you Wendy. Your personal touch and genuine and kind connection with each of your members is such a refreshing change in today’s online space.		
					Sue				
					Austria				
					
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					Hi, my name is Wendy Sweet				
		I welcome you to My Menopause TransformationI never thought I would be setting up online menopause courses for women and health professionals, but with my own struggles and then listening to women all over New Zealand tell me similar stories as part of my Doctoral Studies, I knew something had to be done. For over 40 years I have been involved in New Zealand’s health and exercise industry. Although my original career was as an ICU Nurse (I’m not practicing any more), I re-trained and helped to pioneer the Personal Training industry in New Zealand.Then I went on to become a Lecturer in the Health, Sports and Human Performance Department at the University of Waikato. It was during this time that I became so curious about how women perceived their ageing and the role of exercise during their menopause transition that I decided to undertake my PhD in this area. I am so pleased that I did!Because what I discovered was that now that we are in a different hormonal environment,  what we have done in the past to manage our health, energy and weight, simply may not work anymore. Not many health coaches and other professionals understand this, because there has been very little research on the menopause transition and lifestyle changes that can help women adapt to their new hormonal environment.Desperate to turn around my own health, weight and symptoms in a natural way, I set out to untangle the menopause-mayhem jigsaw. After decades of research, everything I discovered is now in fabulous programmes for women and CPD courses for Health Professionals.If you aren't sure whether your health challenges are menopause related, I encourage you to start by taking the Symptoms Quiz or watching my 2-hour Masterclass on Menopause (also recommended for Health Professionals). These are not tools to sell you supplements or medications, they are tools to give you the knowledge to take back control of your symptoms. 		
					
									Symptoms quiz
					
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
		You don't have to be alone on this journeyWhen you come on board, you get access to the MyMT™ Coaching Community, where thousands of women and Wendy are waiting to support you. 		
																														
					Jane - UK				
		"It all made so much sense. You gave me the confidence to think good sleep was normal and to deal with the changes in menopause rather than be a victim."		
																														
					Jenny - New Zealand				
		"At this stage of life when I want to offer my best, I needed to be my best self and MyMT™ has been the catalyst to making this happen."		
																														
					Kathryn - Australia				
		"The coat I am wearing, I couldn’t do it up 12 months ago. I have lost 9kg! I have so much more energy and no longer feel tired and sluggish."		
					
									Read more 
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					How the MyMT™ Transformation Works				
		MyMT™ has a single goal... to help women around the globe proactively manage their own menopause transformation through lifestyle change. No longer should menopause symptoms impact on their life.		
																														
					Step 1				
					Take the Symptoms Quiz				
		Take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz to understand your symptoms and how these compare to women all around the world. 		
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
																														
					Step 2				
					Watch the Masterclass				
		If you are as confused and frustrated by your symptoms as I was, then my on-demand, 2 hour, Masterclass on Menopause is for you.		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
																														
					Step 3				
					Transform your Health				
		Choose from two 12-week symptom reduction programs - Circuit Breaker or Transform Me, OR learn menopause specific exercise with Rebuild My Fitness.		
					
									Choose your program
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### MyMT™ Success Stories

Real Life Success Stories				
					
									Take the Symptoms QUIZ
					
					
									BUY NOW
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					The fabulous women who have shared their stories on this page are living proof that menopause symptoms don’t need to be endured. I can’t thank them enough for sharing their stories with you too.				
					The fabulous women who have shared their stories on this page are living proof that menopause symptoms don’t need to be endured. I can’t thank them enough for sharing their stories with you too.				
		When it comes to talking about menopause symptoms and the struggle many of us have to make sense of how we are feeling, it often feels like no-one is listening or understanding what is actually going on.But it doesn’t have to be this way any longer. Through the revolutionary MyMT™ 12-week programs, women across the world now understand why their symptoms are occurring and how to use specific lifestyle change strategies, that I’ve researched through my women’s health studies (and applied for myself as well), to help them thrive and survive their menopause transition.Furthermore, every woman is unique, and I know you will have questions about your symptoms and your lifestyle. That is why I’m here to help you every step of the way. When you join a program, you also come into my private coaching community, so that I can help you individually to problem solve.Wendy Sweet [PhD] / MyMT™ Founder & Lifestyle Coach		
					Success Stories				
					The MyMT™ 12 week Coaching Programs				
		Not all women experience the same symptoms, which is why there are two flagship programs to choose from – Circuit-Breaker is for leaner / thinner women whereas Transform Me is for women who want help with weight loss.Once you get your symptoms back on track, your goal is to start exercising again so you can retain your mobility as you age, which is why I have a third program called Rebuild My Fitness.  It is uniquely tailored to our age and stage of life. 		
																														
					12 weeksduration				
																														
					Delivered entirely online				
																														
					Coaching from Wendy in the Community				
																														
					Move at your own pace				
																														
					Recipes and Food Guide				
																														
					Transform Me				
		A ground breaking menopause-specific weight loss and symptom reduction program.The first focus is turning around your sleep and a condition called ‘oestrogen dominance’ which is the cause of your weight gain. Then we move onto other menopause symptoms from there.I teach you everything you need to stop gaining and start losing menopause weight without exhausting exercise, supplements or calorie restriction diets.Coaching support included.		
					
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									Learn More
					
																														
					Circuit Breaker				
		Designed for thinner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy and more.If you don’t break the circuit of your symptoms in your menopause transition, then the inflammation that builds up may lead to worsening health problems as you go into your post-menopause years. To help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health.Coaching support included.		
					
									Buy Now
					
					
									Learn More
					
																														
					Rebuild My Fitness				
		The type of exercise we need as we get older is different.Rebuild My Fitness is a menopause and post-menopause specific exercise program that works best after you've addressed menopause symptoms with Transform Me or Circuit Breaker.You’ll also receive solutions for reducing your risk of heart diseases, type 2 diabetes and strokes, lowering your blood pressure and reducing cholesterol, regaining your strength, balance and more.Coaching support included.		
					
									Buy Now
					
					
									Learn More
					
																														
																														
					Payment plans available				
																														
					Not sure which program is right for you?				
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers

### Home

Re-discover your health, vitality and energy during and after menopause... 				
					Online Lifestyle-Change Programs for Peri to Post-Menopause for 
Symptom Reduction, Weight Loss and Fitness				
					
									Take the Symptoms QUIZ
					
					
									Watch our video
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
							
							
										Highly Qualified Coach
									
						
							
							
										Trusted by Over 18,000 Women
									
						
							
							
										7 Day Money Back Guarantee
									
						
					MyMT™ Makes Your Menopause Transition Simple				
		Don’t let your menopause symptoms get you down. Women and Health Professionals across the world are harnessing the power of Dr Wendy Sweet(PhD)'s decades of research into women's health and ageing to take back control of their health in midlife. The key to their success is having a scientifically evidenced, step-by-step lifestyle program to follow, that is uniquely tailored to the changing hormonal environment during peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause. 		
					MyMT™ is privileged to empower 18,000+ women with the knowledge and solutions to restore their health in midlife				
						Tineke, New Zealand					
						Donna, Canada					
						Julie, United Kingdom					
						Naomi, Australia					
					
									Read their Stories
					
					And is trusted by...				
											
					Menopause is more than just hot flushes!				
		As you’ve reached mid-life, have you noticed a lot of changes in your body? Are you not sleeping? Do you have joint pain? Have you experienced heart palpitations or more anxiety? Do you feel exhausted and more forgetful? Or perhaps you have gained weight or belly fat?Menopause isn’t just about hot flushes. There are so many changes occurring throughout your body as you enter peri-menopause and these may continue into post-menopause if you don't learn how to adapt to your new hormonal environment. 		
																														
																														
																														
																														
																														
		From a biological point of view, our menopause transition means that the reproductive hormones oestrogen and progesterone and our master pituitary hormones are declining. But that’s not all. Oestrogen receptors are present around the body including in the brain, heart, breast, liver, uterus, bone, muscles, blood vessels and within the largest organ, the skin. As oestrogen levels naturally decline, these other areas of the body are affected too.Menopause is also the gateway to our biological ageing, so many of our main organs are reducing in size and function too. For example, did you know that the volume of the liver can reduce up to 40% during menopause?It's therefore no wonder that women feel so out of sorts and completely robbed of our confidence, energy and health when we reach midlife. But, what we have done in the past to manage our health often no longer works in this new hormonal environment. This is because there are so many internal factors fighting against you. We need to learn to work with our hormones, not against them. By addressing the underlying cause of your menopause symptoms at the cellular level, not only can you experience relief from your symptoms, but you can reduce inflammation in your cells, setting you up for better health in your older years.		
					Are you ready to re-discover your health, vitality and energy
in midlife?				
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
					
									HOW THE PROGRAMS WORK
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
						 5/5		
		I’ve never been a good sleeper, but it became awful, so I had no energy, and felt irritable and low. But the worst thing of all was what it did to my brain – I couldn’t think straight and couldn’t remember words. 
I am so grateful that I had something to cling to through dark times, and a community that was supportive and positive. I honestly don’t know how I’d have coped over the last few years without MyMT™ – I recommend it to anyone who tells me that they’re struggling with menopause, including my HRT Consultant!		
					Wendy				
					United Kingdom				
					
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					Meet your Coach				
					Hi, I’m your Menopause Coach, Dr Wendy Sweet [PhD]MyMT™ Founder & Women's Healthy Ageing Researcher				
		When my own symptoms overwhelmed me, and I gained 15kg of weight, despite daily exercise and eating well, I knew I had to look into what was really going on at this stage of life.I wanted to feel healthy, vibrant, pain-free and energetic without resorting to endless medications and expensive supplements as I aged. I'm so pleased I researched this stage of life as part of my post-graduate studies, because what I learnt astounded me.  I learnt that menopause is indeed a vulnerable time for women and their health. When we look at the health conditions experienced by our mothers' generation, we can see that osteoporosis, heart disease, fibro-myalgia, arthritis, dementia and diabetes begin during the menopause transition, particularly when women aren't sleeping, gaining weight, having hot flushes and are stressed.Through decades of research I can tell you that every symptom is reversible if you change your lifestyle to allow your body to adapt to its new normal. This is what you learn on the MyMT™ 12 week programs I have designed – scientifically evidenced natural strategies to help you reduce your symptoms and take back control of your health.  For the last 10 years I have coached thousands of women like you through their menopause transition, and this is what makes my programs unique.  If you join one of the 12-week programs I am here to support you every step of the way in the MyMT™ Online Coaching Community. This is the missing step other online courses don't have. You can ask me questions, and read almost 10 years' worth of questions and answers from other women, to help you put the puzzle pieces together like I did. It's the additional motivation you need to change your life!		
					
									Meet Wendy
					
																														
					How the MyMT™ Transformation Works				
		MyMT™ has a single goal... to help women around the globe proactively manage their own menopause transformation through natural, lifestyle changes. No longer should menopause symptoms impact on their life.		
																														
					Step 1				
					Take the Symptoms Quiz				
		Take the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz to understand your symptoms and how these compare to women all around the world. 		
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
																														
					Step 2				
					Watch the Masterclass				
		If you are as confused and frustrated by your symptoms as I was, then my self-paced, 2 hour, Masterclass on Menopause video is for you.		
					
									Watch the Masterclass
					
																														
					Step 3				
					Transform your Health				
		Choose your program – Circuit Breaker™ or Transform Me™ for symptom reduction, Beyond Menopause™ for healthy ageing and longevity, or Rebuild My Fitness™ - your midlife exercise guide. 		
					
									Choose your program
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Our Flagship Programs				
																														
					12 weeksduration				
																														
					Delivered entirely online				
																														
					Coaching from Wendy in the Community				
																														
					Move at your own pace				
					Transform Me				
		Transform Me is for women who are putting on menopause belly-fat. This fabulous program teaches you how to sleep all night, improve your energy, reduce hot flushes and sore joints, and manage a condition called oestrogen dominance, which may be the cause of your menopausal weight gain.Coaching support included in the MyMT™ Community.		
					
									Buy Now
					
					
									Learn More
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
																														
																														
					Circuit Breaker				
		Circuit Breaker is for thinner, leaner women experiencing poor sleep, increased anxiety, palpitations, hot flushes, night sweats, low energy, sore joints etc. To help your body adjust to its new hormonal environment, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health.Coaching support included in the MyMT™ Community.		
					
									Buy Now
					
					
									Learn More
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Reclaim your sense of self and control over your health. 				
					
									Take the Symptoms Quiz
					
					
									Watch the masterclass
					
																														
																														
					Payment plans available				
																														
					Join the Coaching Community of MyMTTM Women				
		You don't have to be alone on this journey - when you start your Program you will join over 2,000 women from 50+ countries in the private Facebook Coaching Community. Their support will inspire you to stay on track, and so will I. You can ask me questions at any time. 		
																														
					Susi W - Switzerland				
		"I love how my energy levels have returned now that I sleep all night. I have adjusted my diet with the many tips and the encouragement to slow down the pace of life has done me a lot of good."		
																														
					Julie - United Kingdom				
		"What magic is this MyMT™ Program?! I'm now sleeping all night and have released 22lbs (10kg)"		
																														
					Wendy - Australia				
		"You truly have helped me turn my life around. I've lost 7kg, no more allergies, my gut health has improved and my energy levels are back."		
					
									Read more Testimonials
					
						 5/5		
					Rated 4.8/5 based on thousands of happy customers				
					Your Menopause Questions Answered				
						Debb, Rarotonga					
						Hil, New Zealand					
												What age does menopause start?
					Menopause usually starts in our mid-40s and this is known as peri-menopause. Periods start to fluctuate as reproductive hormones decline. Women are considered to be in menopause when their periods cease.  From my database of 500,000+ women who have completed the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz I can tell you that on average this happens at 51 years of age. After one year of periods ending, women enter post-menopause where they remain for the rest of their lives. We live nearly half of our life in a completely different hormonal environment, so we need to know how to adjust to this. 
												Why am I gaining weight in menopause?
					Research suggests that the menopausal transition period is strongly associated with weight gain, which in up to 70% of women, is now a known symptom. The data I have collected over the years confirms this. But, here’s the thing. It’s not your fault you are putting on weight! There are so many factors fighting against you. Here are just two examples:You may not be sleeping – Incredibly, because of our changing hormone levels in menopause, we can add 1-2 kg a week during menopause when we can’t sleep (Theorell-Haglow et al, 2010). When you’re awake night after night, this means that your glucose-carrying hormone called insulin, remains higher than usual overnight. So too, does your stress hormone called cortisol. When this happens, this interferes with both melatonin and another sleep hormone called Adenosine. All of these hormones play a role in fat cell physiology. Oestrogen Dominance – Did you know that our fat cells are known to produce their own oestrogen?When menopause hormonal changes arrive and women don’t adjust their lifestyle to suit these changes, our fat cells can turn towards storing any excess oestrogen that arrives from our diet and hormone-agents in the environment. When this happens, there is more oestrogen stored in our fat cells and this ‘dominates’ the internal environmentIf we don’t put the brakes on our weight gain during menopause, then this can be a slippery slope towards joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes. Learn more about why you are gaining weight and explore the 12-week MyMT™ Transform Me Programme here. 
												What are the main symptoms of menopause?
					Are you noticing lots of changes going on in your body? Perhaps, you are like Kellie from New Zealand, who told me…“I think without this programme I would have gone crazy, I had no idea a lot of my symptoms were menopause related. I am now sleeping through the night, no more insomnia or hot flushes keeping me awake, my blood pressure is back to normal, no more heart palpitations and my feet no longer burn at night.”The common symptoms that are known about in research include: Interrupted sleepLow energyNight sweats / hot flushesLoss of muscleWeight GainIrritabilityDepressionLack of MotivationWorsening prolapseBurning joints / weak bonesLow libidoDry skinBut the research is still in its early days.  Women on my programmes are surprised to find that the following symptoms are also likely menopause related:Heart palpitationsDizzinessBurning tongues Hair lossRefluxWith oestrogen receptors located all around the body, I am not surprised that there are so many symptoms that women don’t realise are related to menopause. In my 12 week programmes, I have bonus information which helps you understand and manage these symptoms. 
												What can worsen menopause symptoms?
					Inflammation in the body makes our symptoms worse. The term ‘inflammaging’ refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises ageing. And as I keep reminding women, even though we feel young perhaps compared to our mother’s generation at the same age, we must also remember that inside our body, our cells are ageing. Furthermore, when we aren’t sleeping, we aren’t healing from all the stress that we are under.And I don’t just mean emotional stress. I often talk about women who are undertaking lots of high-intensity exercise most days of the week (as I used to as well). This can increase physical or oxidative stress inside our cells and tissues when we aren’t sleeping well. Like over-trained athletes, we fail to heal properly when we don’t sleep. Inflammation builds up, and this begins to affect some tissues and organs, including the gut microbiota and fat cells. If we think about a woman’s experiences over her lifetime that may have caused inflammation, coupled with the fact that peri-menopause and ageing are known to be inflammatory themselves, menopause is the perfect storm for symptom chaos and health changes.
												Do menopause symptoms go away?
					Menopause symptoms, when unresolved can create worsening health problems as we age.  I’m talking about things like joint issues, cardiovascular issues and for some, Type 2 Diabetes.Through undertaking my PhD, I discovered that symptoms are reversible when we have a focus on lifestyle changes which are specific to the menopause transition. How we look after ourselves helps our body to adapt to our changing hormonal environment. By addressing the underlying cause of your menopause symptoms, not only can you experience relief from your symptoms, but you can reduce inflammation, setting you up for better health in your older years.This is what you learn on the MyMT™ programmes – all the scientifically evidenced, step by step lifestyle strategies to help you to understand how to reduce your symptoms and take back control of your health. Read more about How it Works here. 
												Hot Flushes After Menopause: Will my hot flushes ever stop?
					Every day I get emails from women who are thinking about joining me on the MyMT™ programmes, because they feel overwhelmed with night sweats and hot flushes which may also be continuing or returning now that they are beyond menopause.Understandably, hot flashes have a huge impact on their quality of life, so finding an effective treatment option is paramount for them. However, I am surprised by how many women are already on various hormonal treatments and supplements already.Clearly, these interventions are not working for them. It’s so perplexing, but as I had this experience too, I now better understand why. So, if this sounds like you, then my BLOG gives you the reasons why your hot flushes aren’t stopping  – and most importantly, 8 lifestyle solutions to try as well.In the Beyond Menopause Program I also explain to you how turning around our cardiovascular health can reduce our Hot Flushes in post-menopause. 
												What if I am on menopause HRT? 
					No matter whether you are on Menopause Hormonal Therapy (MHT) or not, then the MyMT™ programs have lifestyle solutions that help to reduce your hot flushes, improve your sleep, turn around sore joints and muscles, and for those of you who are overweight, the Transform Me program teaches you how to turn around your oestrogen dominance, which is the cause of your menopause weight gain.My women’s healthy ageing research led me to position menopause in our biological ageing. It’s a natural life-event that all women go through. When I struggled with my own symptoms in menopause, despite taking endless supplements and MHT, I learnt that many women in other cultures don’t experience the symptoms that many women living in western societies experience. If you are on MHT, then this is a decision that you have made with your Doctor. Many women go on MHT for reasons other than hot flush management (e.g. to manage osteoporosis risk or heart disease risk or depression), so the decision to go on or even come off your hormone therapy is a decision that you must make with your medical specialist.
												How do the MyMT™ Programs Work?
					To help you reduce your symptoms and/or weight gain, I teach you how to get to the heart of your cellular health with evidenced lifestyle solutions. These ‘health behaviours’ are designed to help your hormones stop fighting each other and adjust to their new hormonal normal.  For example, did you know that the liver changes in volume by up to 40% in menopause? The liver is a critical organ that is responsible for a variety of functions that help support metabolism, immunity, digestion, detoxification and vitamin storage. That’s why I have a whole module dedicated to turning around your liver health. If we are going to remain healthy throughout our post-menopause years, we need solutions that are easily incorporated into our daily lives. That’s why I take a progressive approach, sending you a module each fortnight with a video explaining the ‘WHY’ and an action plan showing you the ‘HOW’. And I’m here to support you every step of the way in my Coaching Community. This is what women tell me sets MyMT™ apart. You can ask me questions about your personal experiences or symptoms, and I help you to problem solve. Read more about How the Programs Work here. “For more than a year of feeling like I was falling apart with no sleep and no explanation as to why I couldn’t handle things the way I used to. Then I discovered Wendy’s program. To say it gave me hope is an understatement.” – Melanie, Australia. 
												Where should I start?
					If you are confused about whether you have reached menopause or what stage you are in then please start by taking the MyMT™ Symptoms Quiz. With over 500,000 women completing this quiz, I can help you to understand whether your symptoms are menopause related and whether they are severe compared to others. Do you want to learn a bit more about this stage of life? Including what the scientific evidence says about the importance of getting on top of your symptoms? If so, then my 2-hour online Masterclass on Menopause* is for you. This is my presentation that I was sharing across the globe before the pandemic. I have now recorded it for you, and yes you can pause me and come back to me any time. Price reduced to NZ$15 (*  approx. AU$14, UK£8, €14, US$11, CAD$14) from my live ticket-price.Unlimited 90 days access.Ready to choose your program? Read about How it Works. 


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## Events

### CAIRNS - Beyond Menopause: The new science of women's healthy ageing by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

Hello Queensland Ladies. Will you join me on November 13th to discover the new science of your healthy ageing?				
		 Date: Thursday 13th November 2025Time: 19:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)Location: Novotel Oasis Resort, CairnsAs we approach our mid-50s and early 60s and move beyond menopause, I think that many of us feel that we begin a new chapter in our healthy ageing journey. I know that I did!Perhaps you’ve noticed your blood pressure and cholesterol have increased. So too has your weight.Perhaps your bone density has changed, or you’ve noticed your muscles and joints are aching more than ever and this is affecting your mobility.Perhaps you are starting to get concerned about your changing memory or brain fog or your hot flushes have returned, even though you've been on Menopause HRT for years?“I don’t want to age like my mother” was a common message in the interviews I undertook for my doctoral studies over a decade ago.With over 80% of the 500,000+ women who have undertaken my Menopause and Post-Menopause Symptom Quiz, expressing similar concerns, I thought it was time to bring my knowledge and decades of experience to post-menopausal women.I’m Dr Wendy Sweet, founder of My Menopause Transformation and women’s health and ageing educator. I want to invite you to an evening with me, so that you too, can discover what I've learnt about the new science of women's healthy ageing.If you want to age well, and learn how to improve your heart, brain, bone, joint and immune health, and restore your energy, so you can keep enjoying the things you love to do, will you join me for this fabulous evening?No matter your reason for coming, this important Beyond Menopause™ seminar is for you!If your most-important goal is to live healthier for longer, then I can’t wait to help you understand what to do and why!So, join me at the Novotel Oasis Resort, Cairns at this live-event on Thursday November 13th 2025. I won’t let you down.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.https://youtu.be/tfvYMh4hIjI

### MACKAY - Beyond Menopause: The new science of women's healthy ageing by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

Hello Queensland Ladies. Will you join me on November 11th to discover the new science of your healthy ageing?				
		 Date: Tuesday 11th November 2025Time: 19:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)Location: Ocean International Hotel, MackayAs we approach our mid-50s and early 60s and move beyond menopause, I think that many of us feel that we begin a new chapter in our healthy ageing journey. I know that I did!Perhaps you’ve noticed your blood pressure and cholesterol have increased. So too has your weight.Perhaps your bone density has changed, or you’ve noticed your muscles and joints are aching more than ever and this is affecting your mobility.Perhaps you are starting to get concerned about your changing memory or brain fog or your hot flushes have returned, even though you've been on Menopause HRT for years?“I don’t want to age like my mother” was a common message in the interviews I undertook for my doctoral studies over a decade ago.With over 80% of the 500,000+ women who have undertaken my Menopause and Post-Menopause Symptom Quiz, expressing similar concerns, I thought it was time to bring my knowledge and decades of experience to post-menopausal women.I’m Dr Wendy Sweet, founder of My Menopause Transformation and women’s health and ageing educator. I want to invite you to an evening with me, so that you too, can discover what I've learnt about the new science of women's healthy ageing.If you want to age well, and learn how to improve your heart, brain, bone, joint and immune health, and restore your energy, so you can keep enjoying the things you love to do, will you join me for this fabulous evening?No matter your reason for coming, this important Beyond Menopause™ seminar is for you!If your most-important goal is to live healthier for longer, then I can’t wait to help you understand what to do and why!So, join me at the Ocean International Hotel, Mackay, at this live-event on Tuesday November 11th 2025. I won’t let you down.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.https://youtu.be/tfvYMh4hIjI

### CENTRAL OTAGO - Your Masterclass on Peri to Post Menopause Lifestyle Solutions

Central Otago Ladies: Will you join me for this important evening in Cromwell? 				
		On September 24th from 7-9pm I am going to take you on your health journey from peri-menopause to post-menopause. I hope you can join me. Over the past decade, I've taken this important information around the world, and it's a privilege to bring it to Cromwell and Central Otago. This thought provoking live-event is designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools to start to take back control of your symptoms and your health as you enter your third stage of life.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"After 25 years plus, with hot flushes, insomnia, depression, weight gain and countless other issues, I finally found Wendy! What a joy the past 12 weeks has been as I’ve been learning to live again! Wendy, I hope you understand how much you change women's lives at a time when they can be very miserable and low." Jane J, New ZealandAre you waking up night after night and exhaustion follows you through your day?Are you frustrated by your increasing weight gain despite dieting and exercising?Do you miss the confidence of being pain free and not worrying about recurring injuries?Are you now experiencing dizziness, brain fog or feeling more anxious than you used to?Are you on menopause HRT or supplements but they aren’t giving you the relief that they once did? Or perhaps you are in post-menopause already, but you feel like your symptoms have returned?Menopause is not a disease. But it is a stage of life where your hormone levels are changing, and key organs around your body are ageing, and this combination can trigger other health problems throughout the body. If you have arrived in midlife (early 40s – late 60s) you are now in a completely different hormonal environment, as your body prepares for its biological ageing. You may know that the decline in oestrogen and progesterone during midlife contributes to symptoms. But, have you ever been told why? And have you ever been informed that there are natural, lifestyle solutions that are scientifically evidenced to relieve your symptoms?No? Neither had I.Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher and the Founder of My Menopause Transformation from New Zealand.With at least another 30 years of living ahead of us, women must remain healthy, relevant and energetic. Your menopause transition matters to your health as you age and I can't wait to help you understand what changes to make from a lifestyle perspective, to allow your body to adapt to both menopause and post-menopause.For the past decade, I have supported over 20,000 women on the My Menopause Transformation lifestyle-change programmes, and have educated hundreds of Health Professionals, with this vital lifestyle information. I can't wait to bring this important research to your too.Join me in Cromwell, at Harvest Hotel, The Gate Conference Centre on September 24th, as I delve into the science of peri to post-menopause and provide you with practical tips to help you understand how lifestyle science can help you to maintain your energy and health as you embrace this new chapter of your life-course.Reserve your spot today!You can learn more about my story, and research in the video below. Date: Wednesday, September 24thTime: 7pm - 9pmLocation: Harvest Hotel, 6 Barry Avenue, Cromwell 9342 (The Gate Conference Venue)Price: $30Hosted by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)Please arrive 15 minutes early to have your ticket checkedDr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																														
					“				
						 5/5		
		Wendy – I can’t thank you enough for sharing your valuable knowledge and excellent research and references in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure with meds which have now been halved due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made.		
					Jill				
					Australia				
					
									Read More
					
		https://vimeo.com/953365095		
																														
					“				
						 5/5		
		I had no idea so many of my symptoms were related to menopause. I think without this programme I would have gone crazy.I’m now sleeping, no hot flushes and no more heart palpitations.  This programme is life-changing. 		
					Kathy				
					New Zealand				
					
									Read More

Excerpt: From the 500,000 women on my database who have now completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz I can conclusively say 85% of them struggle with managing their symptoms, including weight gain, in mid-life. At least 300,000 of them are also in peri-menopause, and insomnia, sore joints and fatigue are their main challenges. This is why you need this seminar! I want you to discover what I didn't know myself as I reached my menopause transition and why all the medications and supplements that I was taking didn't work in the long term for my health, because what I should have also been doing, was changing my lifestyle too.

### INVERCARGILL - Beyond Menopause: The new science of women's healthy ageing by Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)

Hello Southland Ladies. Will you join me on May 20th at 7pm, to discover the new science of your healthy ageing? As we approach our mid-50s and early 60s and move beyond menopause, I think that many of us feel that we begin a new chapter in our healthy ageing journey. I know that I did! Perhaps you’ve noticed your blood pressure and cholesterol have increased, so too has your weight.Perhaps your bone density has changed, or you’ve noticed your muscles and joints are aching more than ever and this is affecting your mobility.Perhaps you are starting to get concerned about your changing memory or brain fog or your hot flushes have returned, even though you've been on Menopause HRT for years?“I don’t want to age like my mother” was a common statement in the interviews I undertook for my doctoral studies over a decade ago.With over 80% of the 500,000 women who have undertaken the Menopause and Post-Menopause Symptom Quiz, expressing similar concerns, I thought it was time to bring my knowledge and decades of experience to post-menopausal women.I’m Dr Wendy Sweet, founder of My Menopause Transformation and women’s health and ageing educator. I want to invite you to an evening with me, so that you too, can discover what I've learnt about the new science of women's healthy ageing. If you want to age well, and learn how to improve your heart, brain, bone, joint and immune health, and restore your energy, so you can keep enjoying the things you love to do, will you join me for this fabulous evening? No matter your reason for coming, this important Beyond Menopause™ seminar is for you! If your most-important goal is to live healthier for longer, then I can’t wait to help you understand what to do and why! So, join me at the Ascot Hotel, Invercargill, at this live-event on Tuesday, May 20th, 2025. I won’t let you down.Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.https://vimeo.com/850772519?share=copy

### WELLINGTON - Your Masterclass on Peri to Post Menopause Lifestyle Solutions

Hello Wellington Ladies. Will you join Mish McCormack from HealthFit Collective, and myself on November 7th at 7pm at the Taranaki Wharf Rowing Club for your Masterclass on peri to post-menopause?This thought provoking live event is designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools to start to take back control of your symptoms and your health as you enter your third stage of life.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"After 25 years plus, with hot flushes, insomnia, depression, weight gain and countless other issues, I finally found Wendy! What a joy the past 12 weeks has been as I’ve been learning to live again! Wendy, I hope you understand how much you change women's lives at a time when they can be very miserable and low." Jane J, New ZealandAre you waking up night after night and exhaustion follows you through your day?Are you frustrated by your increasing weight gain despite dieting and exercising?Do you miss the confidence of being pain free and not worrying about recurring injuries?Are you now experiencing dizziness, brain fog or feeling more anxious than you used to?Are you on menopause HRT or supplements but they aren’t giving you the relief that they once did? Or perhaps you are in post-menopause already, but you feel like your symptoms have returned?Menopause is not a disease. But it is a stage of life where your hormone levels are changing, and key organs around your body are ageing, and this combination can trigger other health problems throughout the body. If you have arrived in midlife (early 40s – late 60s) you are now in a completely different hormonal environment, as your body prepares for its biological ageing. You may know that the decline in oestrogen and progesterone during midlife contributes to symptoms. But, have you ever been told why? And have you ever been informed that there are natural, lifestyle solutions that are scientifically evidenced to relieve your symptoms?No? Neither had I.Hi, I’m Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), a Women’s Healthy Ageing Researcher and the Founder of My Menopause Transformation from New Zealand.With at least another 30 years of living ahead of us, women must remain healthy, relevant and energetic. Your menopause transition matters to your health as you age and I can't wait to help you understand what to do.For the past decade, I have supported over 16,000 women on the My Menopause Transformation lifestyle-change programmes, and I can't wait to bring this important research to your too.Join me at The Wellington Rowing Club as I delve into the science of peri to post-menopause and provide you with practical tips to help you understand how lifestyle science can help you to maintain your energy and health as you embrace this new chapter of your life-course.Reserve your spot today!You can learn more about my story, and research in the video below. Date: Thursday, November 7thTime: 7pm - 9pmLocation: Wellington Rowing Club, Taranaki Wharf, Wellington New ZealandPrice: $30Hosted by Mish McCormack, HealthFit CollectiveRefreshments providedPlease arrive 15 minutes early to have your ticket checkedDr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
			“		
						 5/5		
		Wendy – I can’t thank you enough for sharing your valuable knowledge and excellent research and references in your Masterclass. Your knowledge linking lifestyle to menopause, opened up my ability to change my health situation. I have now lost 25 kgs and I’ve overcome very high blood pressure with meds which have now been halved due to the lifestyle changes I’ve made.		
			Jill		
			Australia		
			
									Read More
					
		https://vimeo.com/953365095		
																										
			“		
						 5/5		
		I had no idea so many of my symptoms were related to menopause. I think without this programme I would have gone crazy.I’m now sleeping, no hot flushes and no more heart palpitations.  This programme is life-changing. 		
			Kathy		
			New Zealand		
			
									Read More

Excerpt: From the 500,000 women on my database who have now completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz I can conclusively say 85% of them struggle with managing their symptoms, including weight gain, in mid-life. At least 300,000 of them are also in peri-menopause, and insomnia, sore joints and fatigue are their main challenges. This is why you need this seminar! I want you to discover what I didn't know myself as I reached my menopause transition and why all the medications and supplements that I was taking didn't work in the long term for my health, because what I should have also been doing, was changing my lifestyle too.

### KENT (CHATHAM) - Why Menopause Matters: Your Masterclass on Peri to Post Menopause Lifestyle Solutions

Hello Kent Ladies. Will you join Louise Hayes from Holcombe Health Clinic, and myself on September 25th at 7pm at the Bridgewood Manor Hotel in Chatham for your Masterclass on peri to post-menopause?
From the 500,000+ women on my database who have now completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz, I can conclusively say 85% of them struggle with managing their symptoms, including weight gain, in mid-life.
At least 300,000 of them are moving from peri-menopause to menopause and find that insomnia, sore joints, fatigue, changing gut health remain their main challenges, despite being on HRT. Whether this is you or not, it's my privilege to bring this important seminar to you in Chatham, at the invitation of Louise Hayes, from Holcombe Health Clinic. 
Menopause is not a disease. But it is a stage of life where changing hormone levels can trigger other health problems throughout the body. You may benefit from a reset and refocus on your changing health as you move towards your post-menopause years.
I want you to discover what I didn't know myself as I reached my menopause transition and why all the medications and supplements that I was taking didn't work into the longer term for my health.
What I should have been doing, was changing my lifestyle to help my body accommodate the menopause hormonal changes too.
Once you understand why menopause symptoms and/or weight changes occur, you will understand why my practical strategies can break the circuit of your changing hormonal health. Night sweats, hot flushes, insomnia, sore joints, changing gut health, brain fog, mood swings ... the list goes on and on.
With at least another 30 years of living ahead of us, women must remain healthy, relevant and energetic. 
If this is you, but menopause has blind-sided your energy levels, your moods, movement and your mojo, then please join me at Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa for this live event. 
For the past decade, I have supported over 16,000 women on the My Menopause Transformation lifestyle-change programmes, and I can't wait to bring this important research to your too. I won’t let you down.
Finally, if you would like to meet me and listen to some of my story, then I also have the video for you below. 

Date: Wednesday 25th September 2024
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location: Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa, Chatham, ME5 9AXTickets - You will be directed to checkout using PayPal. You do not have to have a PayPal Account to place your order. Please checkout as a Guest, which requires you to insert your email address and then you can insert your credit card details. If you have any issues, please contact admin@mymenopausetransformation.com
Parking onsite
Refreshments provided
Please arrive 15 minutes early to have your ticket checked

Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 		
																										
			“		
						 5/5		
		Wendy was speaking in the UK and I quickly signed up for a ticket and attended. Listening to Wendy speak was a revelation! Suddenly I began making links with things I already knew from my Personal Training courses, but also learnt things I hadn’t even realised were related to my symptoms. The knowledge I have gained from Wendy has enabled me to make sense of menopause and allowed me to help my clients make sense too.		
			Elaine		
			Birmingham, UK		
			
									Read More
					
		https://vimeo.com/953365095

Excerpt: From the 500,000 women on my database who have now completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz I can conclusively say 85% of them struggle with managing their symptoms, including weight gain, in mid-life. At least 300,000 of them are also in peri-menopause, and insomnia, sore joints and fatigue are their main challenges. This is why you need this seminar! I want you to discover what I didn't know myself as I reached my menopause transition and why all the medications and supplements that I was taking didn't work in the long term for my health, because what I should have also been doing, was changing my lifestyle too.

### ASHBURTON - Why Menopause Matters: Your Masterclass on Peri-to-Post-Menopause Lifestyle Solutions

Hello Canterbury Ladies. Will you join Lizelle from Go Girl Timaru, and myself on September 5th at 7pm in Ashburton, for your Masterclass on peri-menopause to post-menopause?From the 500,000+ women on my database who have now completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz, I can conclusively say 85% of them struggle with managing their symptoms, including weight gain, in mid-life.At least 300,000 of them are moving from peri-menopause to menopause and find that insomnia, sore joints, fatigue, changing gut health remain their main challenges, despite being on HRT. Whether this is you or not, it's my privilege to bring this important seminar to you in Ashburton, at the invitation of Lizelle, from Go Girl Physique Gym. I want you to discover what I didn't know myself as I reached my menopause transition and why all the medications and supplements that I was taking didn't work into the longer term for my health.Because, what I should have been doing, was changing my lifestyle to accommodate menopause hormonal changes too.Once you understand why menopause symptoms and/or weight changes occur, you can apply my practical strategies to successfully break the circuit of your changing hormonal health. Night sweats, hot flushes, insomnia, sore joints, changing gut health, brain fog, mood swings ... the list goes on and on.But what do you need to do to get back in control of these symptoms? What lifestyle changes do you need to make?If you have asked yourself these questions and you are as confused and curious as women on my coaching programmes have been, then will you join me?I missed out on delivering this live-event when the country went into lockdown, but Lizelle has convinced me to return. I can't wait to meet you.In an ageing world, women must remain healthy, relevant and energetic. We are often still working and still have a lot to get done – another 30 years of living in fact.If this is you, but menopause has blind-sided your energy levels, your moods, movement and your mojo, then please join me at Hotel Ashburton for this live-event. I won’t let you down."Dear Wendy - I attended your session in Invercargill recently and all I can say is finally, I have found somebody who takes a holistic approach to menopause! Thank you! I learnt so much."  [Trish, Southland]Finally, if you would like to meet me and listen to some of my story, then I also have the video for you below. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.https://vimeo.com/953365095

Excerpt: From the 500,000 women on my database who have now completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz I can conclusively say 85% of them struggle with managing their symptoms, including weight gain, in mid-life. At least 300,000 of them are also in peri-menopause, and insomnia, sore joints and fatigue are their main challenges. This is why you need this seminar! I want you to discover what I didn't know myself as I reached my menopause transition and why all the medications and supplements that I was taking didn't work in the long term for my health, because what I should have also been doing, was changing my lifestyle too.

### TIMARU - Why Menopause Matters: Your Masterclass on Peri-to-Post-Menopause Lifestyle Solutions

Hello South Canterbury Ladies. Will you join Lizelle from Go Girl, Timaru and myself on February 29th, at 7pm, for your Masterclass on peri-menopause to post-menopause?From the 500,000 women on my database who have now completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz, I can conclusively say 85% of them struggle with managing their symptoms, including weight gain, in mid-life.At least 300,000 of them are moving from peri-menopause to menopause and find that insomnia, sore joints, fatigue, changing gut health remain their main challenges, despite being on HRT. Whether this is you or not, it's my privilege to bring this important seminar to you in Timaru, at the invitation of Lizelle, from Go Girl Physique Gym. I want you to discover what I didn't know myself as I reached my menopause transition and why all the medications and supplements that I was taking didn't work into the longer term for my health.Because, what I should have been doing, was changing my lifestyle to accommodate menopause hormonal changes too.Once you understand why menopause symptoms and/or weight changes occur, you can apply my practical strategies to successfully break the circuit of your changing hormonal health. Night sweats, hot flushes, insomnia, sore joints, changing gut health, brain fog, mood swings ... the list goes on and on.But what do you need to do to get back in control of these symptoms? What lifestyle changes do you need to make?If you have asked yourself these questions and you are as confused and curious as women on my coaching programmes have been, then will you join me?I missed out on delivering this live-event when the country went into lockdown, but Lizelle has convinced me to return. I can't wait to meet you.In an ageing world, women must remain healthy, relevant and energetic. We are often still working and still have a lot to get done – another 30 years of living in fact.If this is you, but menopause has blind-sided your energy levels, your moods, movement and your mojo, then please join me at The Landing Service Conference Centre, Timaru at this live-event. I won’t let you down."Dear Wendy - I attended your session in Invercargill recently and all I can say is “finally, I have found somebody who takes a wholistic approach to menopause!” Thank you! I learnt so much."  [Trish, Southland]Finally, if you would like to meet me and listen to some of my story, then I also have the video for you below. Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD)/ My Menopause Transformation Founder and Member: Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/827226156

Excerpt: From the 500,000 women on my database who have now completed the MyMT™ Menopause Symptoms Quiz I can conclusively say 85% of them struggle with managing their symptoms, including weight gain, in mid-life. At least 300,000 of them are also in peri-menopause, and insomnia, sore joints and fatigue are their main challenges. This is why you need this seminar! I want you to discover what I didn't know myself as I reached my menopause transition and why all the medications and supplements that I was taking didn't work in the long term for my health, because what I should have also been doing, was changing my lifestyle too.