Dr. Sarah White is the CEO of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving women’s health across Australia through every life stage. She is part of the National Women’s Health Advisory Council and the Women’s Health Products Working Group at Australia’s Medicines Regulator. She’s an honorary research fellow at Melbourne University and still an active researcher. We had an impassioned conversation about how menopause narratives are being manipulated, the likely reasons for that, and how women can get the reliable information they need.

We talk about:

- Sarah’s career journey 

- The importance of accurate and accessible health information

- Who Dr Jean Hailes was

- The first rigorous survey on how menopause affects Australian women

- How menopause data is being manipulated and why

- The impact of industry influence on women’s health

- Reframing menopause from a strengths-based approach

- Combating gendered ageism

- The influence of marketing and misinformation

- The pressure to maintain a youthful appearance

- The commercial drivers behind the promotion of HRT

- Questioning what’s being said, by whom and why

- Considering lifestyle changes in the menopause toolbox

- Research on public health priorities and health inequities

And more!

This is such an important conversation for anyone interested in menopause!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Shelle Luscombe is an entertainer, a singer, a presenter, a voiceover artist. She turned 50 in 2021 and she set out to have 50 memorable experiences. She also wanted to raise money for a cause very close to her heart, having two copies of the Alzheimer's risk gene and having lost both parents to dementia. Three years on, she's raised over £12,000 pounds. 

She's been on daytime TV and came close to winning a national award for her creative fundraising efforts. She's determined to live life to the full and continue campaigning for a cure for dementia.

We talk about:

- The inspiration behind the 50 challenges

- Shelle’s TV appearance and the power of PR

- Wacky challenges: unicycles, stand-up comedy, hair cutting and more

- The tragedy of dementia and personal risk

- Shelle’s musical journey and album release

- Living life to the fullest and Shelle’s determination

- The challenges of dementia care

- Seeking a new future and navigating midlife challenges

- Good days and bad days

- Supporting others through similar experiences

- Being willing to pivot

- Being willing to challenge ourselves

- Understanding dementia, Alzheimer’s and other related illnesses

- Rachel’s cat’s first appearance on the podcast

- The wonder of cats

- Lucifer as a name for a cat

- Difficulties of accessing support

- Hope for the future

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

This is such a fascinating podcast! Maria Leonard Olsen is a lawyer, an author, a TEDx speaker, and a mentor to women in recovery. She wrote 50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life and is host of the Becoming Your Best Version podcast. She’s had a very full and fascinating life – so far. She has so many enthralling stories to share.

We talk about:

- Maria’s background and passion for travel

- Exploring other cultures and overcoming historical prejudices

- The power of continuous growth and trying new things

- Racial prejudice and mixed heritage identity

- Unveiling family secrets: Maria’s DNA test surprise

- Navigating the legal and emotional implications of misattributed parentage

- Connecting with a previously unknown biological parent

- Grappling with changed heritage and identity

- Maria’s difficult journey to sobriety

- Breaking the silence on sexual assault

- The importance of self-care in midlife

- What somatic healing means to Maria

- Lifelong learning

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Sue Mbaya is the founder and director of Menopause Solutions Africa and host of the Pause for Menopause podcast. She’s leading menopause awareness in Africa and seeking to normalize the change while empowering women. She has over 20 years of policy advocacy, advisory and development experience at national, regional and global levels with a focus on African States and the African Union. Sue’s work and influence in the area of menopause have been recognized globally and I was delighted to be able to entice her onto the podcast!

We talk about:

- How Sue became so involved and passionate about menopause

- The impact of stress and other life events on menopause symptoms

- The psychological impact of menopause and the decision to use HRT

- The challenges of getting access to healthcare in Africa

- How menopause is not prioritized in Africa

- The differences in terms of appreciation, knowledge, sentiment towards menopause as well as women getting older in general

- Gendered ageism

- The disparity in access to help and healthcare across the continent

- 1 gynecologist for every 100,000 women in Kenya

- Progress and initiatives in menopause awareness in Africa

- Changing narratives so women don’t have to just power through menopause

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Lynne Golodner is a novelist writing about strong Jewish women and Jewish culture. She shares her background and journey as a writer, her focus on writing about Orthodox Jewish life, and the challenges and research involved. Lynne recently set up her own independent publishing house for women over 40 with strong voices that need to be heard. Her first novel, Woman of Valor, joins two poetry collections and six nonfiction books, including Hide and Seek: Jewish Women and Hair Covering and The Flavors of Faith: Holy Breads. This is a fascinating dive into an often hidden culture.

We talk about:

- How Lynne became a writer

- Writing about compelling Jewish characters

- Educating others about Jewish culture

- The role of food in Jewish culture

- The significance of hair covering in Jewish culture

- Becoming religious and then leaving Orthodoxy

- Career pivots and founding a publishing house

- Differences in perceptions of older women across cultures

- Benefits of self-publishing and challenges in the publishing industry

- Lessons learned in midlife

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

A midlife update from Rachel on what’s been happening lately and what’s coming up for her as we move towards summer. 

She talks about:

- Cherishing loved ones and coping with grief

- Recent podcast episodes

• • Being a veteran
  • Black menopause and staying curious
  • Staying strong and healing
  • Embodied experience of postmenopause
  • Discovering the joy of volunteering
  • Finding what works in midlife
  • The power of herbs

- Questioning big claims about hormone therapy and future health

- The Mind Body Spirit Festival (London) and Everywoman Festival (Cardiff)

- Poverty in later life being a gendered issue

- The growing concern of digital exclusion

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Hannah Charman  has been a medical herbalist since 1999, having first become interested in alternative medicine when she used it to recover from chronic fatigue syndrome in her early teens. She specialises now in helping women who prefer or need a natural route through menopause, combining herbal medicine with health coaching.

We talk about:

- What a medical herbalist is

- Hannah’s journey to becoming a medical herbalist

- Holistic approaches to menopause and health in general

- The gifts of menopause

- The role of trauma in menopause

- How herbal medicines work and especially for menopause

- The misconceptions and benefits of herbal medicine

- Embracing the discomfort of menopause

- Empowering menopausal women

- The environmental impact of hormones

- Navigating menopause based on individual experience

- The power of herbs and Hannah’s passion for herbal medicine

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Dr. Maria Luque is a menopause fitness expert, a health science professor, and an Air Force veteran. She’s passionate about helping menopausal women become healthier, stronger, and happier. Her PhD dissertation was all about enhancing quality of life in menopause.

We talk about:

- What quality of life in menopause means to Maria

- Maria’s research on menopause

- Misinformation and fear surrounding menopause

- Embracing menopause and aging

- Challenging menopause narratives

- The influence of marketing and misinformation

- Overcoming analysis paralysis

- Trusting your own knowledge and instincts

- The impact of polarizing menopause narratives

- The need for nuanced conversations women’s health

- The complexity of hormone therapy

- The power of polarization in marketing

- The importance of doing the work

- Body image issues in menopause

- Finding balance

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Ann Marie Jackson is the co-founder of microlending organization Mano Amiga and works with Casita Linda, which builds homes for families living in poverty in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She’s lived as an expat in Mexico for a decade, is a columnist for Mexico Daily News and recently wrote a novel inspired by her life called the Broken Hummingbird.

We talk about:

- Why Ann Marie moved her family to Mexico

- The joys of living in San Miguel de Allende

- Ann Marie’s passion for volunteering

- Her experience working on human rights in China

- The dangers of white saviourism and how to navigate that

- The migration of Mexicans and other people to the US

- Issues at the Mexico-US border

- Casita Linda and how it helps families in poverty

- Microlending organisations

- The Healing Words Project

- Writing a novel

- How we can all give back more

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Stella Duffy is an award-winning writer of 17 novels, over 70 short stories and 15 plays who’s also worked in theatre for 35 years as an actor, director and facilitator. She’s a psychotherapist and a yoga teacher. She recently completed her doctorate in existential psychotherapy and her research was in the embodied experience of post-menopause. She’s been post-menopausal since chemotherapy for breast cancer in her mid-30s. Stella has been active in equalities and diversity work in the arts and LGBTQ+ communities for many decades.

We talk about:

- Stella’s experience of menopause coinciding with six months of chemotherapy

- Menopause as a global issue

- Challenging existing narratives

- Societal factors and the impact of money

- Cultural differences in menopause

- The UK’s influence on menopause narratives

- Alternative perspectives on menopause

- The importance of lifestyle factors

- Societal perceptions of post-menopausal women in a patriarchal culture

- Dismantling misogynistic stereotypes

- Being inclusive about societal expectations and challenges related to aging

- The societal pressure on women regarding fertility and how it contributes to defining their value.

And more! This is such a rich and empowering conversation.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.

Dr Kristie Ennis is a physical therapist, nutritionist, and strength and conditioning specialist. She wants to empower people to do more than they think they can and realize they are stronger than they think they are. She has a fantastic YouTube channel, which is where podcast host Rachel found her when she injured her knee.

We talk about:

- The importance of letting the body heal itself

- Fascia and its importance in body movement

- The importance of drinking enough fluid 

- The dangers of sitting too long

- Hormone related aches and pains in women

- The importance of considering the whole body when addressing pain

- How hormonal changes in menopause can contribute to weight gain and fat distribution

- Exercise and injury prevention for older adults

- Common injuries in older adults

- Strengthening the glutes

- Pelvic floor exercises and common mistakes in women’s fitness

- Fitness and nutrition for a healthy lifestyle

- Cardio exercise guidelines and options

And more!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it and leave us a 5* review on iTunes or wherever you’re listening.

Order the ebook or audiobook (narrated by Rachel) versions of Rachel’s book, Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause And Beyond at magnificentmidlife.com/book

The paperback can be purchased on Amazon or other online retailers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

US & Canada: https://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Magnificent-Midlife-Transform-Middle-Menopause/dp/173981150X/

You can listen to all the other episodes and get the show notes at magnificentmidlife.com/podcast.

Recommended by the Sunday Times.

Feedspot #3 in best midlife podcasts and #14 in best women over 50 podcasts worldwide.

You'll find lots of strategies, support, and resources to help make your midlife magnificent at magnificentmidlife.com.

Check out Rachel's online Revitalize Experience, a 6-week intensive small group mentoring experience or 1-1 Midlife Mentoring.