There is so much information flooding the internet about the best way to treat your perimenopausal symptoms. And the truth is no one size fits all.
The one thing that all experts we have spoken to say on repeat however is that HRT alone is not the magic answer to all of your hot-flushed prayers. Alongside taking medication to replace lost hormones, there are a myriad of lifestyle changes you could, and should, make to support your body and mind along this confusing journey.
When I caught up with Dr Louise Newson recently to chat about her latest project Balance: A Perimenopause journey I was intrigued as to how she manages her own symptoms as one of the best-known menopause experts on the planet. Dr Newson, 55, has been working in this field for over a decade and helped advise on the Davina McCall documentary Sex, Myths and The Menopause which profoundly changed the way women’s health was talked about, paving the way for the menopause, its effects and treatments to be taken much more seriously.
Despite all of her own research into the field, she says she still struggles to get the right HRT from her own GP, reinforcing her belief that there is still a long way to go for women to receive the help they need with navigating the menopause, and dealing with fluctuating hormones generally.
No two people will have the same experience, or the same approach. But it’s always helpful to find out what other people have in their toolbox to help them get through this stage of life.
When patients come to see Dr Louise at her clinic, she likes to consider a holistic approach to treatment.
“There is nothing more natural than taking natural hormones because they're the same structure as we have in our body,” she says of prescribing hormone replacement treatments for oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. “But we want to improve future health as well.”
Once she has a patient on the right level of hormones she likes to have an indepth follow-up consultation to see whether lifestyle adjustments could also support them.
“To say to a woman who's got brain fog, feeling dreadful, has joint pains and feeling tired, to ‘come on, love, you need to exercise more, you need to stop drinking every night to numb your symptoms, and you need to go out for a walk”, they just won't do it. Or they'll try and they'll feel like a failure.
“Whereas once people have the hormones, then it's really important to think about, do they need any supplements? What's their lifestyle? Could they optimise and improve their diet? Any habits like smoking, drinking they need to cut down on? Their mental well-being, looking at sleep patterns, their relationships, all of those things are really important.”
Doctor's Advice
So what does Dr Newson do to supplement her hormones and keep her own life on an even keel at a time when her body is going through a stage of change? While not every busy midlife woman will have the time or means to copy her exact routine, it's so useful to hear some nuggets of wisdom from a true expert on this often tricky life stage...
Meditation
"I meditate a lot. My brain is quite busy, whether it is good or bad stuff, and I can wake up at 3am worrying. So I always meditate myself to sleep which is amazing. I have so much on I can’t afford to not sleep well. I read a few books, but then I got so worried I wasn't doing it right that I would end up worrying about that and then I could never meditate. So I just sort of taught myself."
Exercise
"I've done yoga for 23 years and have an amazing yoga instructor who comes over every Wednesday. I also do yoga on my own and usually get up for about 6.30am each day and do 20 or 30 minutes. Then I go to my infrared sauna for 10 minutes. I also love to walk; getting outside is good for you."
Breath work
"I'm very into breath work - breathing is one of the few things you can control and it can help with anxiety and lots more so it's really important."
No caffeine
"I suffer from migraines (which can be linked to hormones) so I cut out caffeine as it triggers it, and I have hot water with lemon instead of coffee. I also limit sugar and don’t eat processed foods, I make a lot of Ottolenghi salads and make homemade granola with linseed and chai seeds."
Sleep
"Good sleep is so important. As well as meditation I wear an Oura ring to check the quality of sleep I am getting. I usually go to bed quite late but I get good deep sleep, just not for very long."