Group set out to help women get lives back

Menopause is when a woman’s periods stop due to lower hormone levels. It usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 55 but it can happen earlier.

Perimenopause is when people have symptoms of menopause but their periods have not stopped. They enter menopause when they have not had a period for 12 months.

Menopause and perimenopause can cause symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes and irregular periods. These symptoms can start several years before periods stop and carry on afterwards.

Maria Anderson has been at the forefront of efforts to support women living with these symptoms and is determined to ensure women experience joy in the second half of their lives.

She said:“Menopause is an opportunity, not an illness. Women can live a life of joy again a lot faster than they think, within three or four months, but they need to commit to prioritising themselves.

“Menopause Goals puts women back in the driving seat and the women in the pilot all reported it has significantly reduced their menopause symptoms, changed their lives, improved relationships with themselves, family and improved their daily work experience.

“Menopause Goals is a gift to women, families, employers and society in general. The programme simplifies a very complex topic and makes it easy for women to start taking a simple step towards a life of joy and a long healthy life.”

Menopause Goals – which Maria developed in partnership with Gayle Brannigan and Corrie Campbell – aims to help women understand the menopause and their bodies while also exploring specific issues such as stress, gut health and hormones.

Crucially, they also set out to examine things that could help such as improved nutrition, exercise, cold water therapy and meditation.