Thankfully, the conversations around menopause are getting louder.

But let’s be honest, there is still a long way to go to support the 50% of the population that will go through it. 

I feel fortunate to work for a company who are very forward-thinking when it comes to the subject of menopause. It is not a taboo subject at AC - quite the opposite. 

A colleague was brave enough to say the word ‘menopause’ in a meeting with her line manager following struggles with motivation, confidence and concentration as well as the physical symptoms of hot flushes.

She had also realised that many of her past and current colleagues had experienced the same, but, for one reason or another, hadn’t felt able to speak about it. 

Menopause was never discussed, nor the potentially debilitating symptoms that might affect every element of life, particularly work.

Following their conversation, they held the first menopause awareness session at AC.

We now have a menopause support group. This includes a space on our intranet with helpful resources together with menopause support group meetings every six weeks. 

As part of World Menopause Day this year, the support group has arranged a workshop by an external group. 

As a menopausal woman who has had the experience of disappointing conversations with her GP around the topic, it is incredibly reassuring to know that there is support available from the place where we spend the majority of our time as we navigate our way through it. 

Hormonal changes associated with menopause can also have wide-ranging impacts on cardiovascular health – that's why cardiovascular disease is this year's theme for World Menopause Day 2023.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death and disability in women.

The International Menopause Society tells us about the link between reproductive factors and cardiovascular disease:

“The impact of menopause: If menopause happens at a particularly early age (i.e. below the age of 45) or at an age that is considered premature (i.e. below the age of 40), this can speed up the possible development of cardiovascular disease. However, menopause at the average age of 51 may lead to a heightened risk of developing the disease. Unless there is a good reason not to, the use of menopausal hormone therapy, particularly for women with premature and early menopause, is recommended to reduce the risks of heart disease.”

They also tell us how to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease: 

“It’s about making positive lifestyle choices to maintain good cardiovascular health. The top five most important lifestyle factors are: 

• Not smoking 
• Doing regular physical activity 
• Healthy eating
• Maintaining a healthy weight 
• Getting enough sleep.”

You can learn more here.

Let’s keep the conversations going…