When I heard Catherine O'Keeffe was running the menopause success summit in Cork this year, I decided to buy a ticket and head down! It is a great opportunity for me to learn something new for myself and also for my Menopause Cooking course clients. It was also a great networking opportunity and a chance to catch up with family and friends in Cork!
It was a fantastic day, packed with experts, all they were missing was a cooking for menopause expert!! Maybe next time!
Catherine's opening was "opportunities for your health now and in the future"
The next Menopause Success Summit is on Oct 22nd in Johnstown House
First up was Diane Danzebrink - Therapist, Wellbeing Consultant and Menopause Expert, it was so nice to meet her in person, I had followed her work for a while but had never met her in person.
She spoke about Understanding the psychological aspects of menopause – learn to manage your mood, emotions and mental health through menopause and my key take aways are
1.Start with the question, how did you arrive in menopause? she suggests this is the first question to ask someone, I think this is so valuable as each persons experience is unique, I met people yesterday in the same position as me and it was great chat.
2. Self care and selfish are two very different things!
3. You need to be validated, understood and get the right support, find your tribe. Where do you come in priority order within the household? from her experience it is often after the cat or dog!!!
4. This is your opportunity to REST, REFLECT and RESTORE
5. Past trauma (eg adverse childhood experience) can almost reappear in the menopause transition. The change in hormone levels can change your coping strategies which may have preciously worked - seek out support.
6. Many of her clients ask "is it me or is it the menopause?", She works with them to peel back all the layers like an onion, deal with the individual symptoms and then see what is left.
Diane has set up Menopause Support, an organisation in the UK and campaigns at government level.
Next up was Dr Mary Ryan - Consultant Endocrinologist - Understanding and embracing key hormonal changes during peri-menopause and menopause.
As always, Mary was a fountain of knowledge, here is some of her info:
2. Hormones change in each person and affect many bodily functions from hunger to complex systems like reproduction, emotions and mood.
3. Periods should be 3-4 days, if they are as long as 7 days, thats too long, see your doctor as this will whack your pituitary gland and may cause issues later in life.
4. If you don't rest and pace yourself, there will be too much adrenaline and this can lead to flushing.
5. Oestrogen is good for heart, bone and skin health
6. Healthy eating is so important, you can't get away with excess sugar any more and need to be mindful of type 2 diabetes.
7. Love yourself - put yourself first - delegate - Don't get stuck making your teens lunch!
Next up was Alison Cullen - Nutritional Practitioner Stomach Havoc or Stomach Heaven: optimising digestion for menopausal transition.
2. The digestive system becomes less effective, transit time can be longer and more sluggish and women can experience bloating.
3. CHEW - each mouthful 20 times!
4. Hydration - vey important but not 20 mins either side of a meal
5. Eat warm cooked foods rather than cold foods
6. Have bitter tastes (think cruciferous veg like kale, cabbage and Brussel sprouts, citrus zest, cacoa, coffee & green tea)
7. Eat healthy fats
8. Pay attention to your eating, sit, breathe and chew
9. Milk thistle might be a herbal supplement to think about (there are contra indications so check that out!)
Moira Geary spoke next she is a Personal Development Consultant, Psychotherapist and Founder of Mind Experts AcademyHow to manage overwhelm, anxiety, worry and fear during menopause. My key take aways are
2. Physiology - 'Chin up and smile' Do this and see if you can think of an anxious situation! - you can't!
3. Solution is not in the problem - push it out, move it from in front of your eyes to a dot on the wall,
4. Power of words - use I choose instead of ' I should' 'I need' 'I have to', 'I must' or 'I can't'
"I choose to navigate menopause deliciously"
Moira suggested we try her free 7 day positivity project
I have been following Sherna Malone, based in Clonakilty, for a while now on Instagram but this was the first time I met her. She is a Skin Health Expert and it is an area I have lots to learn! Why your skin changes during menopause and how you can maintain a healthy glow!
2. 30% collagen is lost in the first 5 years of menopause
3. Wear sunscreen - 2 finger lengths of spf cream for face and neck, this can contribute also to collagen loss - wipe excess on back of hands!
4. Breakouts on your skin are a result of oestrogen v testosterone levels changing.
5. Diet -Eat your water (eat foods with high water content), Vit A & C and gut health all important
6. Sleep - affects the skin, ability to repair, water evaporates out through the skin - think 'beauty sleep'
Next up was Cork GP & Menopause Specialist Dr Brenda Moran - Is HRT right for me? Exploring the risks and benefits of HRT and if this treatment is for you. I cannot have HRT due to my treatment for breast cancer but the key take aways I took were
2. Long term effects of menopause can lead to cardio vascular disease we also see increased abdominal adiposity and increased insulin resistance, osteoporosis and 50 -80% women have GSM symptoms
3. It takes individual care, risk/benefit analysis, HRT is safe for majority but there can be complications.
Next up is Dr Sabina Brennan - Health Psychologist & Neuroscientist - Finding your way through the fog – how hormonal fluctuations and other lifestyle factors affect how your brain works and what you can do to adopt a super brain strategy!
2. Brain fog is a slowing in your ability to process information and may be problems with your memory or clumsiness. It can be persistent and regular and can interfere with your daily activity and relationships
3. See it as a warning sign; perhaps a health condition (e.g. auto immune), due to medication, hormones, deficiency or lifestyle.
4. What can we do?
Avoid multitasking
Remove distractions
Outsource memory (e.g. calendar and notes on phone)
Declutter
Seek Support
Get Organised
Persist
Resist
5. Sleep is critical to brain health
6. The brain consumes 25% nutrients you eat!
Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan - Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Urogynaecology Specialist - Learn how to look after your genital, sexual and urinary health through menopause
2. Vaginal wall will become thin and delicate with menopause, treatment can be hrt or perhaps specialist laser for non hrt approach
3. See a pelvic floor physio
'Be a camel, don't pee so often!"
D- Mannose is a supplement you might consider
After a lovely Tai Chi session our next speaker was Tom Coleman - Sleep Specialist & Health Scientist - Sleeping sound – how to get the best sleep you can during menopause! Tom always gives great advice, for me the insomnia and fatigue vicious cycle was awful so I am glad to have that sorted!
2. Sleep is needed for physical repair - muscle and tissue repair, hormone regulation, immune system support and restoring the body & a psychological function.
3 Consider these 5 things -
light,
heat,
cafeine,
electronics
food,
habits
4. Eat your last meal 2-3 hours before bed.
5. "Don't mistake distraction from unwinding"
6. In terms of hot flushes consider
Cool - hands, feet and face
Environment - fresh sheets, ventilation
Food - the right nutrients
The last issue that was addressed with weight management in menopause. Catriona Courtney runs elev8nutrition in Cork. She spoke about embracing your menopause body – practical tips to help manage your weight and shape during menopause. She was joined by Kathleen Hurley-Mullins - Beauty Salon Owner, Farmer, Operation Transformation Leader 2022.
2. Waist circumference is best indicator of health
3. Increase protein as we age.
4. It is all about future proofing!
5. Non exercise activity is so important, as in don't just do your exercise and sit down for the day!
I hope you enjoyed my summary of the day and that you also learnt something new. I have created links above to take you directly to the experts pages. Gerry Duffy was a standout speaker for me also, on Optimum Performance but I need time to digest that!
Irina did a wonderful TaiChi session also and Noelle Brown had us in stitches laughing with her performance.
If you would like to join the waiting list for my next 6 week menopause cooking course, please email me info@fionasfoodforlife.ie and I will add you to my list.
