ANGIE: ‘You can finally put yourself first’
It’s a time often associated with difficult symptoms, negativity and fear, but for Angie Best, going through the menopause has only served to improve her life.
The 70-year-old model, who was married to late footballer George Best and is mum to TV star Calum Best, 40, believes there are a number of positives your post-menopausal years can bring. “For so long, we put the husband, the dog, the house and the job first, but those days are over once you’ve reached the menopause,” Angie tells Bella. “All the dreams you had growing up before you settled down, or started working, suddenly come in close sight again. Our life expectancy is longer, so for some women, their lives are only just beginning once they’ve reached the menopause.”
In fact, the star says we should reframe the way we think about it altogether. “I do think much of the discourse around menopause is negative,” she says. “I’ve taken inspiration from the Chinese who describe it as your ‘Second Spring’ – it’s a beautiful expression and I latched onto it as soon as I heard it. The focus is on the renewal of energy and opportunities and that’s exactly how I feel having gone through it now.”
Angie staunchly believes that menopause can help you reinvent yourself. “Menopause gives you such a sense of freedom that you didn’t have before, because now you are your own woman. Your kids have f lown the nest, your husband will have reached a stage where he’s probably enjoying his own hobbies, and you’ve got the time to do things just for you, whether it’s taking up a new hobby, spending more time with friends, or doing whatever pleases you. It’s an amazing time. I’m 70 years old now and I’m enjoying every single day.” And the pro-age advocate star, who is campaigning to make “70 the new 50”, believes age is no barrier. “I came to this country at 56 and started my own CBD company at 60. Believe me – I’ve got plenty of plans for the future. Just because I’m old, it doesn’t mean I can’t accomplish new things. In fact, what I do now, I do a thousand times better because I’ve got all the knowledge and understanding of how to do it. By this age, we’ve watched, seen, learnt, and now is the time to do it, get it, and become it, and that is a very powerful position to be in.”
Angie also admits not having to think about menstruation has been liberating. “There is such a freedom in no longer having a period,” she explains. “You don’t have to leave the house remembering to take sanitary towels or tampons. Instead, you can enjoy every single day of the month knowing your period isn’t in the way of anything you’ve got planned. No more headaches, back pain, or taking a change of clothes just in case – it’s just wonderful.”
‘I’m enjoying every day’