This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is Embrace Equity focusing on forging equality for women and raising awareness around discrimination. And this got me thinking about the inequalities around women’s health and the menopause, because there are a lot of them. It’s still very much a man’s world and it can be hard for women to ensure their voice is heard in the health arena. In this IWD special episode, I chat to a hugely inspiring woman, who’s been campaigning around the menopause for years and who’s made a material difference to the conversation around women’s health.

Back in Season 1, I invited Elizabeth Carr-Ellis and her Pausitivity colleagues to share the work they’d been doing around raising awareness of the menopause amongst local communities. I’m thrilled that she’s back with me today for an update and to give us her insights on the ongoing challenges of managing inequality around the menopause.

Since we last spoke, Liz has continued to campaign tirelessly, and she even took the menopause to the UK parliament, addressing MPs and peers at the All Party Parliamentary Group on menopause. She’s also been named a Big Issue Changemaker for her work taking the menopause into vulnerable communities.

We discuss the postcode lottery of the menopause experience for women in the UK; the shocking truth around the majority of medical research which is based on the male experience; the heart-breaking challenges that women face as they grapple with their menopause symptoms; and the lack of support from government and some elements of the medical community around the HRT shortages.

It’s enough to make you want to get out there and (wo)man the barricades! Tune in to find out what concrete steps you can take to ensure that you receive equity around your health and the menopause.

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, remember to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, and please give it 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on.  And do tell your friends and family about it too. I’d be so grateful, because it really does make a huge difference to the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. After all, every woman deserves to have a happy menopause.

Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for my guest.

Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.