For too long, menopause has been painted as a time of decline — something to manage, medicate, or endure.
But what if we viewed it differently?
What if menopause were a rite of passage, a natural transition that deserves curiosity, compassion, and even celebration?
In Western cultures, women’s health has become increasingly medicalised. From puberty to pregnancy, we’ve been taught to outsource our bodies’ wisdom to external authorities. Yet our bodies are capable of extraordinary self-regulation — if we learn to listen.
The Medicalisation of Women’s Health
Here’s a snapshot of how modern medicine has shaped women’s health:
- Pregnancy and childbirth
More than 50% of births in the UK now involve some form of medical intervention such as caesarean section, forceps or ventouse.
→ Source: Patient Safety Learning Hub (2023) - Menstrual cycles
Hormonal contraceptives are frequently prescribed for non-contraceptive reasons like acne or irregular periods.
In 2022–23, there were 117 prescriptions per 1,000 women in England for the combined oral contraceptive pill.
→ Source: UK Government, Reproductive Health Report (2023) - Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
In 2023–24, there were 13 million HRT items prescribed in England, a 22% increase in one year.
Patients receiving HRT rose from 2.3 million to 2.6 million.
→ Source: NHS Business Services Authority (2024) - Weight management
Prescriptions of Ozempic (semaglutide) are rising faster among women than men, reflecting growing medical and cultural pressures around weight.
→ Source: BBC News (2024)
My Story: Living Through Menopause Naturally
I’m 57. My menstrual cycle ended about seven years ago.
I’ve practised yoga for more than 30 years, and I’ve followed a vegetarian and macrobiotic lifestyle since my early twenties — long before these practices became fashionable.
I believe my ease through menopause comes from this foundation of movement, mindful eating, and emotional balance.
When the changes began — the warmth in my body, the shifts in energy, the visible signs of age — I didn’t panic.
Yes, I have grey hair and fine lines. So what? They’re marks of a life well-lived.
Ageing isn’t a disease. It’s a continuum — the ongoing brew of experience and vitality.
Rethinking “Symptoms” as Signals
You don’t become sick overnight.
Chronic imbalance develops over years, often as a result of poor nutrition, stress, or lifestyle habits.
Hormonal medications used early in life can disrupt balance later.
Likewise, long-term overconsumption of sugar or processed foods leads to predictable outcomes.
But here’s the empowering truth:
It’s never too late to change.
You can reset your habits, your perceptions, and your relationship with your body at any stage of life.
Beyond Fear: A Holistic Approach to Menopause
Menopause doesn’t have to be a journey of dread.
When approached consciously, it can be a profound time of renewal.
5 Guiding Principles for a Calmer, Healthier Menopause:
- Listen to your body. Heat, mood, sleep — they’re all information.
- Nourish naturally. Annual detox – Whole, plant-based foods stabilise hormones.
- Move daily. Yoga, walking, generally move more!!
- Rest deeply. Quality sleep is the cornerstone of hormonal health.
- Shift your mindset. Ageing is not decline — it’s evolution.
Life Reimagined: My 3-Month Programme for Midlife Women
As we age, resistance becomes our biggest barrier to growth.
The first step in transforming your experience of menopause — and life — is learning to soften that resistance.
That’s why I created “Life Reimagined”, a 3-month journey designed to help women:
- Reconnect with their bodies
- Reset daily habits
- Rediscover ease and purpose in midlife
This programme blends yoga, nutrition, mindset, and community — helping you re-enter life’s next phase with clarity and vitality.
It’s not about rejecting medicine or ignoring science.
It’s about bringing balance back to the conversation.
Menopause isn’t the end of vitality.
It’s the beginning of knowing yourself differently.
Final Thoughts
Every stage of womanhood deserves reverence, not fear.
When we honour menopause as a natural evolution — rather than a condition to fix — we open ourselves to authenticity, strength, and joy.
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