10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Menopause But Need To

With October marking World Menopause Month, and increased online searches for menopause symptom checklist¹ (3,500% increase) and first signs of menopause (5,000% increase), it’s clear that women are looking for answers to feel more in control during this universal women’s life stage.

As Actress and Comedian, Sally Philips stated recently at a menopause event, “We’re women who can make serious waves and change things because, frankly, we start to care a lot less what everyone else thinks.”

Wild Nutrition’s Head of Nutrition Lorna Driver-Davies has supported hundreds of women through perimenopause and menopause and has compiled ten little-known facts to empower women through the transition:

1. 40% of women’s lives are spent in perimenopause or postmenopause - Perimenopause is the time in the lead-up to full menopause, lasting anywhere from 6 months to 10 years on average and is characterised by fluctuations in hormones and changes in a woman's menstrual cycle. These changes can lead to physical or mental symptoms.
2. A third of women (33%) can name three symptoms of menopause, however, there’s actually 48 signs in total² - with many women knowing so little about this transitional phase, ‘The Future of Perimenopause Report’, is an excellent source of insight from leading voices in menopause.
3. You aren’t alone, it is estimated that one billion women will be going through the menopause by 2025 - however, many women are now finding solace in reciprocal kinship and peer-to-peer support, whether sharing stories at physical events, entering safe online spaces or simply recognising that every person in an audience is experiencing or will experience the same life stage as you.
4. Don’t feel fobbed off if you visit your GP and don’t get conclusive answers. It’s not their fault. 75% of clinicians don’t receive regular menopause training, and there’s only 118 menopause clinics recognised by the British Menopause Society - so anyone thinking of talking to their GP about symptoms can find some helpful questions to ask here.
5. 46% of women are still unaware of what perimenopause is - as health and wellness emerges as the most important life stage currency, women will embrace the chance to work alongside their bodies’ transitioning needs, redefining the perimenopause as a positive moment of change in the process.
6. 34% of women do not understand the difference between peri and menopause - but good news, the tide is slowly turning. New attitudes to health, communication and tech are empowering women with a first-in-a-generation opportunity to apply holistic attitudes to this distinctive transition.
7. 18% visit their doctor 6 times before receiving a diagnosis - precisely why Menopause Mandate is demanding that peri/menopause be included in the NHS 40+ Health Check.
8. It isn't a question of HRT or not to HRT. . . it’s an individual choice. In a recent survey, 32% of women said they would like to find a natural alternative to HRT while many other women swear by HRT. It totally depends on your body and your specific hormone profile on what will ‘work’ for you.
9. Calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids are some of the most transformative natural ingredients for perimenopause - ensuring your diet contains an abundance of these ingredients can significantly ease the transition.
10. 1 in 4 women claim to know a lot or be reasonably well-informed about the effects of menopause - shockingly, 42% of women know nothing or very little about the emotional and mental effects of menopause. This is why It is imperative that urgent community support and education go hand-in-hand with the extensive task of achieving healthcare equality and reform.

Lorna says: “Small daily habits stacked together make the biggest impact on our health. Focusing on a wholefood Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, nuts, seeds, olive oil and some good quality fish and meat is a good foundation to build on. 

Sometimes a simple, free 15-minute nutritional therapy consultation can shed light on how a woman can support herself naturally through what she eats during perimenopause or menopause.”

Notes to Editors

^{1 Google search trends data}

^{2 https://gen-m.com/}