It’s time to talk menopause: An insight into women’s health
Last month we were delighted to host the inaugural Women’s Health Club event right here at our Alderley Park campus. The campus is home to over 250 innovative companies working to advance science, healthcare and technology, including companies with women’s health at the forefront such as Maxwellia and Hannah Silitoe. It was an honour to host over 200 delegates where women, and men, could come together to learn, empower and connect.
With leading expert speakers from all over the UK including Liz Earle MBE, Dr Louise Newson, Dr Angela Wright, Dr Sally Harris and Jeannette Jackson, the evening was a celebration of the mid-life woman with expert advice and recommendations. We’ve got the highlights covered for you.
A better second half
Leading by example, Liz Earle’s mantra and goal is to have ‘a better second half of life’. Beginning life as a health and beauty journalist nearly 40 years ago, the world of ‘wellbeing’ did not exist. Fast forward to 2010, she sold her leading independent beauty brand to Avon, before staying on as an ambassador, with the Liz Earle Beauty Co. The entrepreneur and wellbeing expert now runs Liz Earle Wellbeing - a community and magazine which aims to be the ‘home of wellness inspiration for midlife women’. So, what were her key takeaways?
Prioritise sleep
Sleep is a superpower - it’s an active process. We need sleep to recover. Quick wins can include using lavender oil - clinical studies show that lavender can sedate the brain; or sleeping with the window open.
Look after your gut health
Research shows that everything is linked to the gut. It’s often overwhelming where to start, and it’s worth noting that it’s not about the quantity of bacteria, but the diversity of strains. Drink kefir - a super charged yoghurt. Small amounts of this make a big difference .
Cold showers
Start slow and in the morning (evening cold showers will disrupt your sleep), but that tiny little cortisol strike is good for you. The result will be an endorphin rush - a dopamine hit - about 2 hours later which will set you up for your day. Equally, outdoor swimming has the same effect.
Hormones
Dr Louise Newson (Image courtesy of the Womens Health Club)
Womens Health Club at Alderley Park (Image courtesy of the Womens Health Club)
Unpicking the evidence
Liz’s last point - hormones - brought the event on to the next speaker: Dr Louise Newson, founder of Newson Health Menopause and Wellbeing Centre founder of the award-winning balance app and the balance-menopause community website.
Dr Louise Newson is a leading expert in her field and prides herself on unpicking the evidence - there is a lot of misinformation out there. She now runs the largest menopause clinic in the world, employing more than 100 clinicians and undertaking around 4000 consultations each month.
The Balance app, which Newson emphasised would always be free, was designed to empower women - enabling them to capture data and visit their GP with a full record of symptoms. It’s currently helped over 1m women.
Demystifying the menopause is another goal of Newson’s. What is the definition of the menopause? It’s essentially when the ovaries stop producing eggs which has an impact on hormones, resulting in a female hormone deficiency. Menopause can mean different things to different people - it’s not just about the hot sweats; it can often be linked to psychological symptoms including depression, addictive behaviours, and also physical health changes.
So how do we manage this? Newson advocates for breaking the taboo and educating everybody - men, women, healthcare professionals, ensuring that they know what exactly the menopause is, how it can present and that there is treatment available in the form of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). It’s not a one size fits all approach - there are numerous different preparations from patches and gels to sprays and pills.
Today only 14% of menopause women in the UK take HRT, despite the benefits outweighing any risks. There’s lots of work to be done.
At Bruntwood SciTech, we’re well placed to support pioneering companies working in such health fields, from providing high-class office or lab space at one of our 9 campuses or 31 city centre innovation hubs, to connecting entrepreneurs with clinicians, academia and investors through our strategic partnerships. Get in touch to find out how we can support your healthcare technology business to thrive.
Liz Earle MBE (Image Courtesy of Womens Health Club)
Alderley Park Conference Centre (Image courtesy of Womens Health Club)