Friday October 17th 2025
Dana Drzikova MSc, certified menopause support coach
Written by Dana Drzikova MSc, certified menopause support coach
For too long, menopause has been whispered about, suffered through, and treated like something women should just ‘get on with’ But menopause isn’t an ending. It’s a transition, and with the right tools, it can be the start of your most powerful decades yet.
18th October is World Menopause Day and this year theme is Lifestyle Medicine.
This is about evidence-based changes that work – no expensive supplements you don’t need, just practical strategies.
Are you experiencing any of these symptoms? Hot flushes that drench your clothes during important meetings. Brain fog that makes you forget words you’ve used your entire life. Sleep that’s interrupted. Joint pain that appears out of blue. Mood swings that leave you wondering who you’ve become. You're not alone. And more importantly, you don’t have to suffer in silence.
Recognising that whilst medical treatments like HRT are transformative for many women, they work even better alongside lifestyle modifications.
Here’s what the science tells us works: regular movement – particularly strength training that protects your bones and muscle mass. A diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, and phytoestrogens. Stress management that goes beyond bubble baths. Quality sleep that repairs and restores. Cutting back on sugar, caffeine and alcohol that, let’s face it, often make symptoms worse even though we reach for them as coping mechanisms.
The beauty of lifestyle medicine? You’re in control. You can start today, right now, with one small change. Maybe it’s a 20-minute walk. Perhaps it’s swapping your afternoon coffee for herbal tea. It could be finally booking that fitness class you’ve been considering. Every small step counts.
The International Menopause Society has created six downloadable factsheets that cut through the noise and give you clear, practical guidance on:
– Healthy eating
– Physical activity
– Mental wellbeing
– Avoidance of risky substances
– Restorative sleep
– Healthy relationships
You don’t have to navigate this alone. Dana, Certified Menopause Support Coach and founder of Purple Light Midlife Ltd can help via coaching, training and resources for women navigating perimenopause and menopause in workplaces and community.
Whether you’re in early perimenopause wondering why your periods have gone tsunami like, or post-menopausal and dealing with the longer-term impacts, Purple Light Midlife Ltd offers a safe space to share your experience and create your SMART menopause plan with strategies that work for you. Their approach recognises the whole you and your hopes and dreams– not just your symptoms and combines evidence-based information, holistic therapies with lived experiences, recognising that each woman's journey is unique.
Menopause is one chapter in your midlife story, but it’s not the whole book. This is also the time to think about long term health:
Bone health – Women can lose up to 20% of bone density in the five to seven years following menopause. Weight bearing exercise and adequate calcium intake aren’t optional nice-to-haves; they’re essential protection against osteoporosis.
Heart health – Oestrogen protects your cardiovascular system. After menopause, heart disease risk increases significantly. This makes lifestyle factors like nutrition, exercise, stress management, and not smoking absolutely critical.
Cognitive health – That brain fog? It’s real, and it’s temporary for most women. But midlife is also when we should be thinking about long-term cognitive health through mental stimulation, social connection, quality sleep, and managing cardiovascular risk factors.
Sexual health – Vaginal dryness, loss of libido, urinary tract infections, pain – these affect up to 50% of menopausal women but remain chronically under-discussed. There are excellent treatments available, from topical oestrogen to moisturisers and lubricants. Your sex life doesn’t have to end at menopause unless you want it to.
Metabolic health – Hormonal changes affect how your body stores fat and processes sugar. Understanding this isn’t about fitting into smaller jeans (though if that matters to you, that’s valid). It’s about reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Mental health – Midlife can bring unique psychological challenges – identity shifts as children leave home, career transitions, caring for ageing parents, relationship changes. Your mental health deserves the same attention as your physical health.
If you’re struggling with menopause symptoms, book that GP appointment. Too many women suffer unnecessarily because they think they should just push through. You deserve a doctor who listens, who takes your symptoms seriously, and who discusses all available options. If your first conversation doesn’t go well, it’s okay to seek a second opinion. Your health matters.
This Is Your Invitation to take action. To refuse to suffer in silence. To access support. To make changes that improve quality of your life.
Start now. Download those IMS factsheets. Reach out to Purple Light Midlife Ltd. Book that GP appointment you’ve been putting off. Join a strength training class. Talk to your partner, your friends, your colleagues and manager about what you’re experiencing.
Menopause affects every woman. Imagine if we all started talking openly about our experiences, supporting each other through the challenges, and celebrating the wisdom that can come with this life stage.
You’ve got decades of healthy and happy life ahead. Let’s make sure they’re your best ones yet.
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