Dr Clare Cook

Have you been told?

“You’re too young for hormones.”
“Come back when your periods stop.”

These are messages many women still hear, despite the fact that symptoms often begin years before menopause.

Perimenopause is a hormonal transition, not a single event. During this time, fluctuating hormones can contribute to hot flushes, disturbed sleep, anxiety, low mood, brain fog, joint aches, heavy or irregular bleeding, vaginal symptoms, and a reduced quality of life.

No woman should feel she has to simply endure these symptoms because she hasn’t reached menopause.

The reality is that women’s health has historically been under-recognised and under-researched compared with many areas of general medicine. As a result, many women spend years wondering if what they’re experiencing is “just stress”, “getting older”, or “all in their head.”

We can do better.

Every woman deserves to have her symptoms taken seriously, to receive an assessment that considers the whole picture, and to have an informed discussion about the full range of management options. Treatment is never one-size-fits-all, and it isn’t right for everyone—but women deserve to know what evidence-based options are available.

Women’s health should never be an afterthought. Understanding the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause is an important part of providing comprehensive healthcare.

Because suffering in silence shouldn’t be considered a normal part of being a woman.

Sometimes the best health intervention doesn’t come in a prescription pad.

It’s laughter over a long lunch.
It’s moving your body because you want to, not because you have to.
It’s sharing good food with people you love.
It’s slowing down enough to notice the sunshine, the sea, or a beautiful old olive tree.

A holiday can be more than a break from work. It can be a reset for both body and mind.

Research suggests that taking time to relax, stay physically active, connect with others, and enjoy a balanced diet is associated with lower stress, better sleep, improved cardiovascular health, enhanced mood, and greater overall wellbeing.

No, a week away won’t erase every health risk—but it can remind us of something important: health isn’t just about what we avoid. It’s also about what we embrace.

So walk the extra street. Swim in the sea. Share the dessert. Laugh until your cheeks hurt. Make memories with the people who matter.

Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is simply live well.

This post is for general education and is not personal medical advice.

Thank you so much to everyone who has applied for our Women’s Health Nurse position. We’ve been absolutely delighted by the number and quality of applications received.

Due to the high level of interest, Freeman Health will be assisting with the initial screening process on our behalf.

If you have already submitted an expression of interest but have not been contacted to ask permission for your application to be forwarded to Freeman Health, and you would still like to be considered for the role, please resend your CV to the email address below so your application can be included in the screening process.
Applications close 5pm 20th of July.

📧 [email protected]

Thank you again for your interest in joining our team. We look forward to reviewing your application.

Did you know vaginal oestrogen can reduce recurrent UTIs?

Do you know about the latest study showing lower odds of sepsis, hospitalisation and all cause mortality with vaginal oestrogen users?

A large retrospective cohort study of 1.89 million women with recurrent urinary tract infections found that women prescribed vaginal oestrogen had lower odds of sepsis, hospitalisation and all-cause mortality than women who were not prescribed vaginal oestrogen.

These associations were observed across all age groups included in the study.

Because this was an observational study, it cannot establish that vaginal oestrogen caused these outcomes. However, the findings add to a growing body of evidence supporting the potential role of vaginal oestrogen as part of the management of recurrent UTIs in women with oestrogen deficiency.

Vaginal oestrogen helps restore the health of the vaginal and urethral tissues by improving the vaginal epithelium, increasing glycogen availability, promoting the growth of lactobacilli and lowering vaginal pH. These changes help create an environment that is less favourable for uropathogens and are associated with a reduced risk of recurrent UTIs.

If you’re experiencing recurrent UTIs,speak with your healthcare professional about whether vaginal oestrogen may be an appropriate part of your management plan, alongside other preventive strategies.

This post is for general education only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Individual treatment decisions should be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.

GenitourinarySyndromeOfMenopause EvidenceBasedMedicine WomensHealth MedicalEducation

Who needs a cork hat when you’ve got a glow-in-the-dark cl****is on your sunglasses to keep the flies away? 😂🪰☀️

And it got me thinking.

The cl****is is probably one of the most misunderstood parts of the human body.

A few facts you may not know:
💗 The part you can see is only the tip of a much larger internal structure.
🧠 It contains over 10,000 sensory nerve fibres, making it one of the most sensitive parts of the human body.
📚 It has historically been underrepresented in anatomy teaching and medical textbooks.
✨ Its primary known function is sexual pleasure.

Understanding our anatomy shouldn’t be embarrassing—it should be as normal as learning about the heart, lungs or any other part of the body.

So if a glow-in-the-dark cl****is on my sunnies gets people talking about women’s health… I’ll call that a win! 😄

This post is for general health education and is not personal medical advice.

🎗️ Did you know regular physical activity is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer?

Women who are physically active have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who are inactive, particularly after menopause.

💪 Why?

Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy body weight and reduce excess body fat. After menopause, fat tissue becomes the body’s main source of estrone (E1) through the action of the enzyme aromatase. Excess body fat is also associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, altered insulin signalling and other metabolic changes that are thought to contribute to breast cancer risk.

It’s important to remember that estrone (E1) produced in fat tissue is different from the estradiol (E2) used in menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). Although both are forms of oestrogen, they have different biological roles and should not be considered equivalent.

🏃‍♀️ The good news?

Aim for:
✅ 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity) each week.
✅ Muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week.

Every step, every walk and every workout is an investment in your long-term health. 💕

This post is for general health education only and is not intended as individual medical advice. Breast cancer risk is influenced by many factors, including age, genetics, reproductive history, lifestyle and body weight. If you have questions about your individual risk, please speak with your healthcare professional.

Menopause Perimenopause StrengthTraining LifestyleMedicine MoveMore

Breast cancer risk is influenced by many factors—some we can change, and some we can’t.

Most women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a strong family history of the disease.

Risk factors that cannot be changed include:
• Increasing age
• Being female
• Inherited gene variants (such as BRCA1 or BRCA2) in a small proportion of cases
• A personal history of breast cancer or certain high-risk breast conditions
• Dense breast tissue
• Earlier onset of periods and later menopause

Factors associated with a lower risk of breast cancer include:
✔ Regular physical activity
✔ Maintaining a healthy body weight, particularly after menopause
✔ Limiting alcohol intake
✔ Breastfeeding, where possible
✔ Avoiding smoking

The most important message?

Know what is normal for your breasts, participate in recommended breast screening when eligible, and see your healthcare provider promptly if you notice:
• A new breast or underarm lump
• Persistent skin changes (such as dimpling or thickening)
• Ni**le inversion (if new)
• Spontaneous ni**le discharge, particularly if it is blood-stained or from one breast
• A persistent change in the size or shape of one breast

Understanding your individual risk is far more helpful than focusing on any single risk factor.

This post is for general education only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice.

Hormone heroes, the time is now! I’m seeking a nurse who’s passionate about supporting our perimenopausal and menopausal ladies. Hormones are our focus, but if you’re keen on learning some cosmetic skills too, I’ll train you! Great rates, part-time to start, with a blend of remote, in-clinic, and maybe some travel. If this sounds like you, DM me and send me your CV—let’s change lives together!

Hormone heroes, the time is now! I’m seeking a nurse who’s passionate about supporting our perimenopausal and menopausal ladies. Hormones are our focus, but if you’re keen on learning some cosmetic skills too, I’ll train you! Great rates, part-time to start, with a blend of remote, in-clinic, and maybe some travel. If this sounds like you, DM me and send me your CV—let’s change lives together!