SARAH GRAY is a health-writer and one of Australia’s leading qualified health professionals in pharmacy and nutrition. Her upcoming book It’s Not You, It’s Perimenopause is a guide to navigating this next stage of life. Hot flushes, brain fog, fatigue, mood changes, anxiety and stubborn weight gain can leave you wondering what works and what doesn’t, and Sarah has some tips.
Read on for an extract and a delicious, healthy breakfast recipe.
ABOUT THE BOOK
It’s Not You, It’s Perimenopause is the companion every woman needs.
Your complete guide and action plan to perimenopause, combining supplements and science-based solutions by one of Australia’s leading experts, Sarah Gray, a dual-qualified health professional in pharmacy and nutrition.
Many women feel unprepared and deeply alone when perimenopause begins. Hot flushes, brain fog, fatigue, mood changes, anxiety and stubborn weight gain can leave you wondering what works, what doesn’t and who you can trust.
It is the trusted resource for understanding what is happening in your body, what perimenopause is and how best to manage hormone symptoms. Sarah Gray shares easy-to-implement nutrition, lifestyle and supplement tactics, plus a personalised action plan to help you sail through perimenopause and feel like you again.
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Introduction
Welcome to It’s Not You, It’s Perimenopause, your trusted guide when it comes to dealing with troublesome midlife symptoms caused by hormonal changes. I wrote this book to help women like you navigate all the shifts that come with perimenopause. You no longer have to suffer in silence and overwhelm.
SOPHIA hears the alarm clock and lifts her heavy head off the pillow to face yet another grinding day in the Lowe household.
Here goes. Time to get Zoe ready for school, feed the dogs, serve breakfast, wave hubby goodbye and maybe fit in a quick 30-minute cardio workout – otherwise imagine what her midline would look like. After three deep breaths, she rises to an argument from headstrong Zoe and barking pups desperately wanting their morning freedom. No wonder she is exhausted before the day has begun.
In the words of Dr Jason, ‘you are tired all the time because you are too busy’. HR can be such a draining job, and this is probably the icing on the cake in a hectic lifestyle that feels devoid of any self-care or enjoyment. What is it they say? Life starts at 40.
Yeah, right.
She thinks about her waistline as her once-loose work trousers dig in against her soft flesh, actually causing a bit of pain.
After rushing around all morning, Sophia takes a moment to guzzle down a superfood smoothie her Pilates instructor swears by. It tastes gross! But if this is the price to pay to get her body of 10 years ago back, she will do it. Her smoothie is the perfect fluid vehicle to help slip down the array of colourful vitamin pills, as well as a liquid herbal tonic that is supposed to help control her sugar cravings. Didn’t seem to help last night as she devoured half a block of chocolate. Felt like a good idea at the time.
Time to walk to the station and head to the office. Must get those 10,000 steps up. On the train, Sophia has some ‘me time’ and thinks about how she is feeling. Her eyes close as she feels a wave of fatigue so intense she could lie down between the seats and have a nap. This happens at least three times a day, but no need to worry, Dr Jase seems to think it’s ‘normal at your age’. And what about those wild mood fluctuations? One minute she feels calm and in control, next minute she is in a flood of tears and rage, like when Chris moved her phone charger last night. But that is super annoying.
She thinks about her waistline as her once-loose work trousers dig in against her soft flesh, actually causing a bit of pain. But there is NO way she will be buying a size up. She is already two sizes up from last year. Maybe this cardio routine, superfood regime and endless vitamins are not really helping? Sophia takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and thinks, I’ll do whatever it takes to feel like my old self again, no matter the cost. She looks up and notices she missed her station for the office. Great, another day in the glorious life of Sophia. Let’s go.
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Meet Sophia. I write more about her throughout this book. She’s a fictional character representing the collection of women I have helped over the years. Did some of her story resonate with you?
At your wits’ end with perimenopause symptoms with no viable solutions in sight? All too often, I hear stories like Sophia’s and I’m sure this is the same for you.
It’s time to take control back of our health so we can prosper, even when it feels like nothing really makes a difference.
Even when we think, maybe this is all in my head? I can assure you it’s not. For us women, middle age comes with a unique group of challenges. All of a sudden, our bodies feel different, and we begin to wonder if this is the way it will be from now on.
Have you noticed more belly fat, despite not really changing your diet or exercise?
Have you noticed less tone in your muscles, even though you are exercising more?
Have you noticed wild fluctuations in mood, or more frequent bouts of sweating, brain fog and fatigue?
Perhaps your period is arriving unexpectedly after not coming for months, or you’re back to the same level of period paid as when you were at school?
No doubt some, or maybe all these things, sound familiar. If so, you can rest assured that other women of a similar age are also experiencing these shifts. It’s a new phase of life, perimenopause.
Part of the privilege of ageing is to witness changes like this in your body over time.
Let’s be honest, there’s no sugarcoating it, this is hard. It’s hard to feel like someone else in your own skin. It’s hard to feel out of control when it comes to feelings of rage, anger and sadness – all in a few minutes. It’s even harder when no one can explain why you feel this way, especially when you read about it and it feels like you have to be a scientist to understand it all. You may have even considered hiring an assistant to keep track of all the suggested diet changes, supplements, exercise and more. All the while, it’s difficult to feel alone, isolated and lost when it comes to what to do next, who to ask, and more importantly, who you can trust when it comes to advice. While many symptoms and emotions are likely inevitable, you do not have to suffer alone or in silence.
There are science-based solutions that can help you feel like you again. There’s also light ahead.
Perimenopause is a life phase – it’s not forever – lasting on average around four to eight years.
Like Sophia, have you questioned why this is all happening and seemingly all at once? In a snapshot, most symptoms can be linked to changes in hormone levels as you age. It all starts with a drop in the key hormone progesterone (your body makes less), together with wildly fluctuating oestrogen. This triggers a range of symptoms that leave you feeling, well, let’s say, far from the best version of you.
It may be comforting to realise you are not alone. A community, albeit a silent one, of women around you is feeling the same.
Medical publications state that perimenopause starts in your 40s. But in reality, women can experience symptoms from their mid-30s. It’s estimated that almost seven million women in Australia are peri-menopausal or menopausal. Around two million of those women report moderate to severe symptoms that impact their quality of life. So, next time you’re out for a ladies’ lunch, don’t be afraid to open up. Together you can support each other. Research backs this up. A strong sense of community and connectedness is beneficial for mental and physical wellbeing.
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TRY A RECIPE FROM THE BOOK
APPLE AND BLUEBERRY PIE OVERNIGHT OATS
SERVES 2
PREPARATION 5-10 minutes
1 medium apple (any variety) peeled and grated
½ cup dry rolled oats
2 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 cup natural Greek yoghurt (approx. 240 grams)
1½ cups soy milk (can substitute for your choice of milk – choose
an unsweetened variety of plant milk)
½ serve vanilla protein powder
¾ cup blueberries (wash and gently pat dry)
plus extra for topping
Crushed pistachios as a topping
1. Combine well.
2. Place in an airtight jar or glass container.
3. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Double or triple the recipe and batch this one!
Additions
Top with fresh grated apple, blueberries and crushed pistachios for
extra sweetness and crunch.
Per Serve
Energy 1881 kJ (450 cal)
Protein 22.8 g
Total Fat 19.7 g
Saturated Fat 9.06 g
Total Carbohydrates 40.8 g
Sugar 24.5 g
Dietary Fibre 9.17 g
Sodium 264 m
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Gray is one of Australia’s leading dual-qualified health professionals in pharmacy and nutrition, and a certified menopause practitioner with over 25 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. Her holistic approach focuses on supplements and science-based solutions for perimenopause and menopause.
A trusted thought leader, Sarah has appeared on Channel 10’s My Market Kitchen and is a recognised voice across radio, print, digital media and podcasts. She is also a regular contributor to leading health blogs and publications.
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