"One Woman at a Time" - Women's health and the Menopause. An interview with Nutritional Therapist - Gwen Right

Some of You, my readers may already be familiar with Gwen, who served as my tutor during my studies for the Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching Diploma. Gwen's wealth of knowledge and expertise greatly inspired me. As I approach my perimenopause years, I felt it would be a wonderful opportunity to invite Gwen to share her perspective and insights on the subject. Gwen, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Let's dive into the questions.

Can you tell me a bit about your background and how you became interested in nutrition, particularly in the context of perimenopause and summarising your mission?

I studied nutrition as part of my Bachelor degree - Equine Science and loved learning how the nutrients affected my horses' performance. I then did a Masters in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition where we covered Public Health Nutrition and that really opened to my eyes. I chose to study Nutritional Therapy as I liked the Functional Medicine approach and while studying I managed to heal a lot of my own health issues. When I graduated I had a young child and was seeing mainly mums or women with fertility issues, as my practice grew alongside me ageing, I naturally was drawn to the life stage I was at. When I suddenly had symptoms reminding me of puberty I went digging deeper and discovered perimenopause - not a word I'd even heard before! I was a few months off my 40th birthday and totally blindsided - that's why I started doing a lot more reading, attending seminars and webinars and realised that it's an area that very few women actually know about. And now I probably about 80% of my clients women post 35 and I love helping them thrive, whether they choose HRT or not. 

How would you describe perimenopause and its impact on a woman's body, particularly from a nutritional perspective?  

Perimenopause is best summed up as "second puberty" I think, Lara Briden often refers to it as this and it perfectly summarises my own experience. As we stop ovulating regularly, we then no longer make progesterone so a key focus for me is to get a women to ovulate as often as possible. Oestrogen fluctuates wildly in the early years, which is what might be contributing to worse PMS, heavy flow and painful cramps as well. It does eventually drop, but it does so in a really haphazard way. 

We also need to take into consideration that often women in perimenopause are sandwiched between their own children/ teenagers and elderly parents, on top of jobs and the demands of 2024 living, so are constantly stressed and overwhelmed. This places more strain on the adrenal glands, which are the main place of oestrogen production post menopause.

It's important to note that as our natural hormone production drops/ slows down, it affects how certain organs and systems in our body change too. For example, as we age our microbiome becomes less diverse and this has a knock on effect on a number of things, the liver slows down as oestrogen drops - so women close to menopause may struggle with things like caffeine and alcohol. These are really important to be aware of and I support the gut and liver as a priority - alongside bone density, which is a key issue of course. We also produce less stomach acid and digestive enzymes as we get older, which affects how we absorb nutrients from our food, especially minerals bound to proteins - such as zinc and iron. 

What are the common nutritional challenges or changes that women may experience during perimenopause?

There are a number of factors, some of which I've mentioned before - lack of digestion/ absorption of nutrients is key, as well as extra requirements to maintain bone and muscular health, so focusing on key nutrients like calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and K. Often being overwhelmed women don't focus on their nutritional needs and end up "making do" or "putting up with it" so I think the most important thing is to get educated on what is most important to focus on. I simplify this down to: protein, colour and healthful fats. On top of this we dive deeper into fibre and polyphenols as we look to support the gut (digestion and microbiome), liver, bones & muscles and phytoestrogens to help balance that fluctuating oestrogen.  

What advice do you have for women approaching perimenopause age to navigate this life stage with optimal health and well-being?

Focus on you first - realise that how you treat your body now in perimenopause will affect your decades post menopause. Now is the time to future proof your health so you can truly enjoy your life and not be reliant on medications, wheelchairs etc in your 70s and 80s.  

Prioritise sleep and rest, and get movement in there every single day, as these can all help prevent dementia and support mental health. Being well rested will allow for better food choices and energy to include all those important foods and nutrients, as well as doing the resistance work that your bones need to avoid osteoporosis. And to make informed decisions re additional help - for some women HRT is life changing, for others it's changing diet and lifestyle, yet others require a combination of all three to feel like themselves again. I would say that whatever you do, don't stand still, don't accept it as your lot as a woman, but demand the right to feel well again - and live well into your 90s. Get the help you need - if your GP isn't helpful then change, or get the information you need from somewhere else, like a nutritional therapist who is educated on menopause - add in yoga, do therapy if it helps, keep moving forward and set a clear goal. 

I want to be able to open jars by myself - so I need that strength in my hands, I want to be able to keep going for walks and sea swims in my 70s, having these goals reminds me every day why I'm doing something like having a nutritious meal, doing exercises or meditating. 

As we conclude this insightful conversation, can you share a transformative moment or lesson from your journey that has significantly shaped your approach to women's health and continues to inspire you?

The reason I love working with women is that I can see the impact on the rest of their families - I have wonderful stories about children who have less anxiety, husbands who lose weight, sisters who finally take control of their health etc. I have also seen how few women put themselves first and by supporting them, being a safe place and connecting with them, that they can blossom and really transform into being much more confident, calm and well - thriving, not barely surviving their life. We only have one, and women shouldn't have to suffer through it - but thrive as an inspiration to our daughters (and our sons!). I think that's the main inspiration I have - that my daughter grows up knowing she should prioritise herself, and not put herself last, and that she doesn't have to "do it all" or ignore health issues, be dismissed by the medical profession, or to "just put up with it". 

One woman at a time is my motto. Because one woman can reach so many more and inspire others to future proof their health too. 

Gwen, it has been an absolute honour, and I am deeply grateful for your generous sharing of time and wisdom. I also want to take this moment to acknowledge that our world is enriched by extraordinary women like you. Here's to wishing you and all the incredible women out there a serene transition into the next chapter of life. Let's celebrate the beauty of womanhood and the remarkable journey of transformation that our bodies gracefully undergo. Here's to us!