Perimenopause & Me: ‘Learn everything you can about this stage so you can not only survive but truly thrive’

When Rachel Graham was 44 years of age, menopause hit her like a tonne of bricks. However, when she looks back at the joint aches, brain fog, and anxiety she had been feeling in the years prior, she points to these ‘unrelated’ issues as early symptoms of menopause.

Several years ago, all of a sudden, menopause hit me. I was about 44 years old, and it seemed like everything changed from one day to the next. But looking back, I realise that several symptoms had been affecting me for a while — a few years, if I’m honest — and I just didn’t connect the dots to menopause.

At the time these symptoms seemed unrelated. Frequent waking in the night, hot flushes, joint aches, brain fog, lack of concentration, feeling anxious and more emotional than usual, but now I see that these ‘unrelated’ issues were all classic menopause symptoms. Everyone’s experience is different and very individual, with many really struggling while others seem to sail through this life stage.

It’s such an individual experience, which is why it’s so important to inform yourself early on, even as early on as when you’re in your thirties. We need to know what to expect so that we can feel prepared. It is ridiculous that menopause is shrouded in so much secrecy and taboo. It directly affects 50% of the population and indirectly the other 50%! It is a natural part of life, as natural as puberty and pregnancy. It needs to be taught in schools to both men and women.

As a result of the total lack of education and awareness, here are some things I would tell my 30-year-old self: Knowledge is power! Learn everything you can about this life stage so that you can not only survive the bumpy ride, but thrive through it. This is the gateway to a whole new stage and phase in your life to enjoy with your family and explore new and exciting things.

Eat right, exercise, and place importance on your well-being. If not, menopause will literally kick your ass! Special note to self: If you are struggling, get specialised help — don’t hesitate or soldier on, just do it. If your GP is trained in menopause, go and see them. If not, booking in with a private menopause specialist is very beneficial, as they can quickly advise you on the best treatment options for you. It’s all about personalising your approach, to reduce your risk for chronic health issues related to this stage of life, as well as effectively managing the symptoms.

As a menopause-specific nutritionist, I follow the functional medicine approach, by personalising your nutrition to future-proof your health. Start with your diet and lifestyle, this is the foundation of your health. Often, you can effectively eliminate multiple menopause symptoms with correct dietary choices.

I cover all of this and more in my medicinal cookbook — MENO-MORPHOSIS — which contains over 100 medicinal recipes all nutritionally analysed to include ‘at a glance’ nutritional information to help guide you to achieve the optimum and effective dose of each nutrient so that you can see and feel the benefits.

Once you are correctly nourishing yourself, you can then start to add in other treatment options to enhance your efforts. These include HRT and supplements, as well as alternative therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, the list goes on.

On a final note, I want to say that Menopause isn’t all bad! Here are some of the upsides to menopause:

No more periods

No more PMS

You are wiser

You are more experienced

Your friendships have a history

You tell the truth and you know when someone else isn’t

You can go to bed early (with no shame!)

You have fewer hangups and care a lot less about what others think

It is a time in our lives when we are free to explore more of what we want to do, learn a new skill, start a new career, and travel more. The Japanese call this My Second Spring. I love this take on menopause because it epitomises a new and exciting life that is just beginning for us all over again.

Don’t you want to be fit, healthy and well to enjoy it?

BACK TO LIFE – Your Menopause Transformation is a private Facebook group that I run, with a lot of practical resources to help women make informed choices about their health.

Rachel Graham is a menopause-specific nutritionist and medicinal chef with over 25 years of experience in food and nutrition. Find out more information about her services on her website, The Menopause Nutritionist.

This article was originally published in November 2022.