Michelle talks to pharmacist and menopause specialist Lindsey Lester, who shares her knowledge on HRT and menopause management. Lindsey tackles everything from why vaginal symptoms matter to the surprising ways exercise can increase symptoms. She also challenges common myths about HRT and reveals the significant health benefits every woman should know.

Lindsey Reveals

• How oestrogen deficiency affects the entire body, not just reproductive organs
• Why lack of oestrogen changes fat distribution
• How intensive exercise can worsen menopausal symptoms
• How to manage vaginal and urinary symptoms of menopause
• The differences between body-identical HRT and synthetic hormones.
• How patient information leaflets often contain outdated warnings about risks
• Why Mediterranean and anti-inflammatory diets can reduce menopause symptoms

BEST MOMENTS

"You go to the GP, they're doing the very, very best they can. They've got like eight minutes, even a double appointment, it's just not cutting through to the root causes and the whole conversation about how you can feel better is not just about the HRT."

"Without oestrogen, your body perceives that you are under threat from a lion, tiger or bear. You don't need fertility, you don't need executive functioning. You don't need to be able to do a math sum in your head. You just need to run away."

"Intensive exercise can worsen symptoms. Some people will notice that if they do all those spin classes, it's like, 'oh gosh, thighs are getting thicker.' It's having the opposite effect. It's just adding to the stress load."

"Every cell in the body bar red blood cells have receptors for hormones and oestrogen in particular in a female."

"There's a massive difference between the body-identical and synthetic HRT. We can't include those in the same sentence. It's chalk and cheese, it really is."

"Self care, if you are not looking after yourself, you are not gonna be able to look after all those other people that depend so much on you."

EPISODE RESOURCES

Lindsey Lester’s clinic. https://avicenna-health.com/medical-service/avicenna-menopause-clinic

HOST BIO

Michelle is a highly respected Physiotherapist and Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner with over two decades of experience in the health and wellness industry. After experiencing seven years of debilitating symptoms herself before realising it was perimenopause, Michelle has since dedicated her career to helping other women navigate this transformative stage of life. Her personal journey fuels her passion for educating and empowering women, as well as training businesses and health professionals through her specialised menopause and wellbeing workshops. A best-selling author and sought-after speaker, Michelle combines deep clinical expertise with relatable, real-world experience. Through her podcast, "Menopause - The Real Deal," she offers evidence-based guidance, authentic conversations, and practical strategies. Listeners trust Michelle for her empathetic understanding and her commitment to helping women thrive, making her a leading voice in the menopause space.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michelle.kimp.9/

Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@michelle_rowlinson

Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-rowlinson-38330b21a

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@MenopauseTheRealDeal

My Book: You, me conquering perimenopause & menopause https://amzn.eu/d/hCcbjag

Website www.panaceapause.co.uk

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Michelle talks with Shirley Webb, an award winning colour and style consultant who helps women reclaim their confidence during menopause. After experiencing her own style crisis 20 years ago, Shirley discovered how transformative finding the right colours and styles can be, eventually launching her business "B Transformed." She talks to Michelle about the psychology of colour, the five style personalities and how embracing your true style can be empowering during menopause and at any age.

Shirley Reveals

• The power of colour analysis
• Why many women experience a shift in confidence during menopause
• Why colour is the most crucial element of style
• Why wearing black is not slimming
• The five style personalities
• How to understanding your body lines and proportions
• The five steps to style
• Why decluttering is an important psychological step for women going through menopause

BEST MOMENTS

"I came out with such a feeling in my tummy of empowerment and confidence and guidance. I went out and bought a couple of cheap t-shirts in my colours, and then I started getting all these compliments."

"When you experience the menopause symptoms, that weight gain, brain fog, confidence it all hits rock bottom."

"Your clothes have to fit you. They have to follow the flow of your body. There needs to be proportion."

"There's a wonderful quote by Coco Chanel from donkeys years ago, which says 'If you dress shabby, they'll remember the dress. If you dress exquisitely, they'll remember the woman.'"

"Black is a barrier to communication and surprisingly enough for the ladies who think it makes them look slimmer. It's the way you wear your colours that makes you look slimmer, not black."

"Styling is all smoke and mirrors. It's all about a tweak here, a tweak there."

"You need to wrap your body in a flattering way."

"If you want to look healthier, if you want to look younger, if you want to look 10 pounds thinner, you don't need cosmetic surgery."

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.btransformed.co.uk

HOST BIO

Michelle is a highly respected Physiotherapist and Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner with over two decades of experience in the health and wellness industry. After experiencing seven years of debilitating symptoms herself before realising it was perimenopause, Michelle has since dedicated her career to helping other women navigate this transformative stage of life. Her personal journey fuels her passion for educating and empowering women, as well as training businesses and health professionals through her specialised menopause and wellbeing workshops. A best-selling author and sought-after speaker, Michelle combines deep clinical expertise with relatable, real-world experience. Through her podcast, "Menopause - The Real Deal," she offers evidence-based guidance, authentic conversations, and practical strategies. Listeners trust Michelle for her empathetic understanding and her commitment to helping women thrive, making her a leading voice in the menopause space.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michelle.kimp.9/

Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@michelle_rowlinson

Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-rowlinson-38330b21a

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@MenopauseTheRealDeal

My Book: You, me conquering perimenopause & menopause https://amzn.eu/d/hCcbjag

Website www.panaceapause.co.uk

Michelle talks with Lisa Quait, host of the Real Women's Stories Podcast. Lisa honestly shares her own menopause experience, including initial misdiagnosis and finding the right medication. She discusses how menopause impacted her work life, leading to memory loss and self-doubt, but then how it ultimately became a catalyst for change and transformed her self-belief.

Michelle and Lisa explore the workplace challenges during menopause, the impact on relationships and share realistic advice, including why clear communication and educating others are essential.

Lisa Reveals

• Her initial menopause symptoms
• Why early menopause shook her self-confidence
• Why it’s important to have your HRT treatment tailored to your specific needs
• How stress can mimic menopause symptoms
• Why menopause allowed her to recalibrate and find a renewed purpose
• The importance of communication with partners, family, and colleagues about menopause
• Why during menopause, women should identify and acknowledge all of their feelings
• How to gain workplace confidence during menopause
• Why marriages can break down during menopause

BEST MOMENTS

"I felt like me again and I suddenly thought maybe throughout my life I've had hormone imbalances that have held me back because of the anxiety that you get with a hormone change."

"It's taken me five years through my journey to get to a really good place. HRT is not one fits all. There are so many different types, we absorb differently."

"I'm sharp, I'm there, I'm that powerhouse woman, and all of a sudden I'm a lesser version of myself. My brain has just gone to mush. My forgetfulness is just off the chart."

"Going through the menopause really gave me my self-belief. I'm not the same because I don't think even when I was younger I had the self-belief and self-worth that I've got now."

"When we are stressed and the body doesn't know the difference between real stress or perceived stress your body will prioritise your stress hormones, cortisol, over your sex hormones."

"I would very often come into the office and go, 'I'm really hormonal today, guys. I'm just letting you know I might be snappy.' Because if people don't know how you are feeling, how do they know how to behave around you?"

"I'm now gonna be doing my coaching full-time and my podcasting full-time... once you go through the menopause and you get a hold of it, you have this inspirational light comes out."

"Sit with yourself, acknowledge yourself. Recognise all the good stuff that you've done, and the reasons why you are feeling the way you are feeling. Are they true or are you creating a narrative in your head that's not true?"

EPISODE RESOURCES

lisa@realwoman.coach

www.realwoman.coach

HOST BIO

Michelle is a highly respected Physiotherapist and Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner with over two decades of experience in the health and wellness industry. After experiencing seven years of debilitating symptoms herself before realising it was perimenopause, Michelle has since dedicated her career to helping other women navigate this transformative stage of life. Her personal journey fuels her passion for educating and empowering women, as well as training businesses and health professionals through her specialised menopause and wellbeing workshops. A best-selling author and sought-after speaker, Michelle combines deep clinical expertise with relatable, real-world experience. Through her podcast, "Menopause - The Real Deal," she offers evidence-based guidance, authentic conversations, and practical strategies. Listeners trust Michelle for her empathetic understanding and her commitment to helping women thrive, making her a leading voice in the menopause space.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michelle.kimp.9/

Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@michelle_rowlinson

Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-rowlinson-38330b21a

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@MenopauseTheRealDeal

My Book: You, me conquering perimenopause & menopause https://amzn.eu/d/hCcbjag

Website www.panaceapause.co.uk