1. What led you to holistic health? Was there a moment on your personal journey that you struggled with and found that your current area of expertise could help you and others?
After suffering with terrible periods since a teenager, I was diagnosed with severe endometriosis and fibroids in my late 30’s, requiring drug treatment and surgeries. Then at 44 I went into early menopause and subsequently became fascinated with female hormonal health and the best ways to support myself with nutrition and lifestyle alongside conventional medicine. This led me to retrain as a Nutritional Therapist and enter the world of lifestyle medicine.
2. How can your specialist area support those navigating hormonal changes?
In Peri/Menopause the body is undergoing a significant physical and psychological shift and while HRT can be super beneficial it isn’t a magic bullet, and it’s vital that nutrition, exercise, sleep are supported and changed to reflect this momentous change, and that stress is managed in the best way possible.
3. How do your clients integrate your practices alongside conventional medical treatments? How do the two co-exist?
As a Nutritional Therapist I have been trained to work alongside conventional medicine, which in several instances can’t be avoided, and to check for interactions when prescribing supplements.
4. If you were speaking to your younger self what advice would you give her? Is there anything you would have done differently?
To be yourself and be happy in your own skin and own your superpowers (mine being introvertism). I of course wish I had access to the nutrition knowledge I have now – could potentially have saved myself some pain!
5. Do you have a personal mantra or favorite quote that you live by / inspires you?
I definitely believe that getting older is a gift denied to many…and I’m not a huge fan of “anti ageing” because no-one can stop the passing of time. I prefer to use ‘better ageing’!
I’m a part of Charlotte Hunter’s Hormone Connection professional membership where nutritional therapists, holistic practitioners and doctors come together to learn and discover more from each other and others, a very valuable community.
7. What do you think is the biggest challenge your female clients face when it comes to their health?
Stress is a huge issue, especially in midlife when women are often managing young children and teenagers as well as caring for elderly parents – the sandwich generation. As a result of this reliance on alcohol and sugar is something I frequently see in clinic.
8. What conversation do you feel we are not having as women and should be having when it comes to fertility and female health? Would you like to come on a podcast and discuss this with us?
Although it’s now improving, I’d like to see more conversation opening up around our periods – discussing them in more depth and feeling no shame or embarrassment about this – abnormal symptoms can become “normalised” . We should be encouraging girls and young women to do this and be proud rather than grossed out of what their body can do.
@joannebolgernutrition
www.joannebolger.co.uk
