While weight gain during menopause is considered normal, what many women don’t know is that we begin to lose muscle in our 30s. While our weight might still be the same, we are replacing muscle with additional fat. This process accelerates as we reach our 50s.

Healing is a process and is often more than skin deep. Many times we can only start to heal once we have gone through far more than we initially thought we could. It is in that darkness that we can distinguish the faint light that leads us forward, and becomes our guide to the new chapter in our lives.

As women get older and enter menopause, certain health factors and lifestyle can impact their weight and their ability to shed the extra kilograms. Since during menopause many metabolic factors are out of balance, sleep, activity, gastrointestinal health, metabolic syndrome and hormonal imbalance play a significant part in maintaining healthy weight levels.

After losing her husband suddenly, Shona deals with the double bombshell of a cancer diagnosis for both her and her mother. We follow her journey through loss, chemotherapy and surgery. Despite the constant adversity, this is the start of something positive in her life.

A hot flush/flash in menopause is a sudden sensation of heat, often rising from the feet to the top of the head. While some women can experience only a mild wave of warmth, others may experience being overwhelmed and will break out in a sweat.

We all have a story, and my story has changed the direction of my life. It all began many years ago, when I met a gorgeous Cook Island man at Training College. We were both 19 at the time. We went out once with a group of others and did not see each other again for another 27 years.

There are at least 34 different signs and symptoms related to menopause. While 20% of women won’t experience any symptoms, or will have mild symptoms, for a large majority going through menopause will have a profound impact on their life.

Entering menopause is a natural process that occurs in women. Menopause is characterised by a significant hormonal change, where ovulation stops and production of oestrogen and progesterone ceases, signalling the end of fertility. With many signs and symptoms, menopause can be a very turbulent journey for women, which is why it’s important to be equipped with all information before we start our 3rd age.

If your baby all of a sudden starts waking up more frequently at night and naps are getting shorter, then you might be dealing with a(nother) sleep regression.

Breast cancer today is the leading type of cancer among women. With early diagnosis, the life expectancy in 80% of cases is 5 years or more. Considering that we can’t prevent breast cancer and that New Zealand is among the countries with the highest rates of breast cancer worldwide, we need to understand how to control risk factors that are associated with higher occurrences of this disease.