Frank Nutrition

I saw a post by a lady asking for tips to manage the perimenopause rage. This was the main symptom that drove me to get help 3 years ago.
I’m not here to sell HRT to you, nor am I also saying it’s just your hormones, sometimes your husbands being a t**t, tryout kids are bring whiny sods, and your boss is being a k**b.
But sometimes you need just to say no, give yourself a breather, delegate the s**t and have a brew.

I don’t often comment on the news but as a mum of 3 girls I’m honestly scared of the work they’re growing in to.

Right ladies it’s Monday, whatever your weekend looked like (mine was exhaustion); we’re not overhauling our entire life and doing the usual swearing off everything until next weekend.

This weeks menofesto is to get a bit more sleep, eat a bit more green stuff, drown out the voices of those who wouldn’t last 2 minutes in menopause madness. And most importantly being kind to yourself, not in a hot bath read a book self care kind of way.
But stop beating yourself up when you don’t check off everything on your to do list, or if you hit snooze for an extra ten mins kip and to not feel guilty for wanting some time alone.

What do you really want to gift yourself this week?

My mum worked hard. And long hours. Any sport I could get to with a friends mum I went to it. Athletics. Hockey. We had Withington Baths across the road and one of the dads took all the kids from our street nearly daily. I signed up to every team I could at school no matter if I was rubbish or not. Being short never deterred from hurdles or the high jump!

I’m so grateful for that drive to be active. It’s driven me to who I am now. My kids probably hate it but the drop out rate for sport in teen girls is appalling. I do not want that for them.

I will drag them screaming whilst I stand screaming from the sidelines every weekend! Sorry to anyone in our Sunday netball league, I’m more than a little vocal! fusionnetballclubdubai

‘Hills I will die on as…’ bore off. Stop pretending to be some messiah that you follow your own rules stricter than a nun.

As much as I have ‘ideal’ or ‘optimal’ behaviour, let’s be clear we all roll off hills occasionally.

I was lucky enough to escape home for a few solo days to sort our apartment out. I had grand plans. No drinking, healthy meals, get some gym sessions in.
It completely went out of the window. Two power cuts. Delayed Amazon orders. My schedule was frantic trying to do all the bits.

But I did enjoy a trip to one of my favourite bakeries. An afternoon at the footy with my brother in law, quick pint with my sis in law and a pie dinner (& quick Xmas shop) with my mum.

As Oasis wisely said: You gotta roll with it…

Say what you see! Could not be a more accurate description of perimenopause for me!

Why does it need its own month away from menopause month in October? Because it’s not just a trendy new word. It’s a phase that can span up to ten years before actual menopause.

Menopause will affect every woman. Perimenopause can start so early for some women, some will experience it mildly, for some it will make them question their existence and everything around them.
For many of us it can impact far many more years than our fertility journey.

The conversation has exploded in the last 5 years and it’s the key driver I did a menopause qualification to support my nutrition knowledge.

Perimenopause hit me like a bus. I needed to understand it. And as is so often the case, we don’t understand it until it happens to us, much the same as not fully understanding your cycle until you try for a baby.

I want my 3 daughters to have a different experience. I want them to understand their cycles. I want them to learn their bodies and why they’re different to me, their friends, their sisters and even why their own body will change just when you think everything is regular.

So the next time someone rolls their eyes at the mention of perimenopause be proud that at least it’s being talked about and we’re not suffering in silence.

Follow along Sarah Green MN.Ntr | Online Health Coach as I explain the symptoms and how you can help yourself.