I lead first of the many planned drop-in session for our ICS (NHS) workforce.
The aim was to start a conversation around menopause , sharing experiences at work and at home

It was well attended ,37 attendees, who shared how it affects their work and what changes they have made to their lifestyle to overcome these ,what barriers they faced and how they navigated through them

We talked about menopause in very general terms (as it wasn’t meant to be a teaching session nor for diagnosis of menopause)

We then addressed each pillar of lifestyle medicine -impact of menopause and shared tips how to identify and overcome barriers- some being lack of motivation, worries around strength training and how women may be concerned being perceived as not so productive in this stage of life.
We talked about impact of disturbed sleep- pranayama breathing technique and plant based whole foods which help improve sleep hygiene.

We discussed how it is ok to not feel 100% some days and prioritising self care around the 6 pillars with an aim to manage our cortisol, circadian rhythms and address chronic inflammation

We discussed how managers and leaders can ensure menopause friendly work places.

We ended the session on a positive note -‘Be kind to yourself’

The feedback as been encouraging and the request for more of these sessions and around culinary medicine -addressing our cooking and eating habits have been planned.

We have planned sessions on different days of the week and times of the day to make them accessible to our primary care workforce.