3.3 - Hot Flashes + Hot Facts: What Menopause is Really Like

Welcome back to season three of G+T Conversations! We are your hosts, Gwenda + Tatjana, and in this episode, we invited a guest, Rachel Kurien, to speak about hot flashes and hot facts on World Menopause Awareness Day. Follow G+T Conversations on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@GTconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and join the conversation. G+T Catch-up: Tatjana is planning another family trip (to Dubai). Gwenda provided first aid to a female who was hit by a car. The woman is safe now, and Gwenda decided to renew her knowledge and undergo a first aid training. Some of the things we mentioned in this episode: 18 October 2024 is World Menopause Awareness Day. Globally, an estimated 1.2 billion women are currently going through menopause, with about 47 million new women reaching menopause each year. (Global Impact of Menopause Report, 2015) About 93% of Indian women in rural and urban areas report having insufficient knowledge about menopause and its effects. (Indian Menopause Society 2010) Early symptoms Rachel experienced: irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, mood low, GSM, and sleep. Menopause is the one day when you haven't had a period for an entire year. Everything before is pre and everything after is post. Biggest challenges for Rachel: sleep, hot flashes, mood dip. Myth 1 to debunk: It's not all negative. Menopause is a time in a woman's life for change and improvement (think: caterpillar to butterfly). Myth 2 to debunk: We lost our youth. We come into our power. Women going through menopause have so much knowledge and life wisdom. Societal Change we need: creating awareness, evidence-based and fact-based knowledge sharing, break taboo and shame surrounded menopause, and normalize it! Rachel's advice for us: manage your symptoms with the 5 pillars of menopause (nutrition, movement, relaxation, sleep, purpose). Rachel's Event: The Hot Flash Bash (A symposium for women at any stage of the menopause journey) on 09 November 2024 in Mumbai. Some books and podcasts Rachel Kurien mentioned: 'The Wisdom of Menopause' by Christiane Northrup, M.D. 'Finding Your Balance' by Nozer Sheriar and Shonali Sabherwal 'Finding Me in Menopause: Flourishing in Perimenopause and Menopause Using Nutrition and Lifestyle' by Nitu Bajekal 'The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism' by Jen Gunter 'The Menopause Reset: Get Rid of Your Symptoms and Feel Like Your Younger Self Again' by Dr. Mindy Pelz 'Fast Like a Girl: A Woman's Guide to Using the Healing Power of Fasting to Burn Fat, Boost Energy, and Balance Hormones' by Dr. Mindy Pelz 'The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power and the Facts' by Mary Claire Haver 'The Menstruality Podcast' by Red School 'The Dr Louise Newson Podcast' 'Not Your Mother's Menopause with Dr. Fiona Lovely' Don't forget to attend Rachel's event The Hot Flash Bash in Mumbai on 9 November 2024. You can find all information here. Follow G+T Conversations on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@GTconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also connect with us on our personal accounts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gwendaschobert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@craving_expat_life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Tune in every Friday for a new episode. * G+T Conversations is created using Spotify for Podcasters. The music is Motivating Indie Rock (30s) by UNIVERSFIELD (https://freesound.org/s/755863/, License: Attribution 4.0) and Fifties Stomp Clap Loop 115BPM.wav by waggstar (https://freesound.org/s/698782/, License: Creative Commons 0).