Innehållsförteckning för HOT Guide to Menopause 2024 från Fairlady

MY friend Andrew came from an unhappy family; his parents fought all the time, about everything. It was abundantly clear that they fundamentally just didn’t like each other, he says. He left home as soon as he could, moved to another town and saw them as little as he could get away with. But, somewhere down the line, he started going back home more often – initially because both of his parents had developed Alzheimer’s and needed more care, but later because he started enjoying the time he spent with them. The more they forgot their lives, he said, the more they fell in love. By the time they died, they were besotted, gravitating towards each other even though they no longer recognised each other, holding hands whenever they could.…

Back in the age of the supermodel, Christy Turlington was one of the seven fashion models who – as Linda Evangelista famously put it – ‘wouldn’t get out of bed for less than $10 000 a day’. Today, Christy is celebrated for more than being one of the original supermodels who redefined the fashion industry. She is also the founder of Every Mother Counts (EMC), a non-profit dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safer for every mother, everywhere. Founded in 2010, EMC was born out of Christy’s own experience of childbirth and her growing awareness of the international maternal health crisis. Every two minutes, a woman somewhere around the world dies from maternal-causes – that’s more than 800 women every day. related ‘I knew I had to do something when…

DAY ONE: 1 100 CALORIES • 500 calories from complex carbohydrates (vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin and mushrooms)• 500 calories from healthy fats (nuts and olive oil)• 1 multivitamin and mineral supplement• 1 omega-3/omega-6 supplement• sugarless tea (3 to 4 cups a day)• 25 grams plant-based protein, mainly from nuts• unlimited water DAYS TWO TO FIVE: 800 CALORIES • 400 calories from complex carbohydrates (vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin and mushrooms)• 400 calories from healthy fats (nuts and olive oil)• 1 multivitamin and mineral supplement• 1 omega-3/omega-6 supplement• sugarless tea (3 to 4 cups a day)• unlimited water AFTER THE FAST: 24-HOUR TRANSITION • For 24 hours after the end of the five-day fast, follow a diet based on complex carbohydrates (vegetables, cereals, pasta, rice, bread…

1 Spring is in the air There’s just something about springtime that calls for a new fragrance… This floral musky gourmand has top notes of velvet pear and Calabrian bergamot, and heart notes of Italian orris butter, rose absolute and plum nectar. At the base, you’ll find candy accents of pink sugar and the warm feel of cashmere wood and ambroxan. It’s such a pretty bottle too: crowned with a rose-gold boule cap and embellished with the unmistakable Vara Bow. Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina Libera (R2 499 for 100 ml EDP) 2 LIPLOCKED Revlon’s iconic Super Lustrous Lipstick is now available in 12 new shades. Formulated with 80% conditioning ingredients and microfine pigments that give you a rich colour and lightweight feel, this lipstick delivers bold, vibrant pigment and a creamy,…

1 Q HRT has helped with my libido, but I still find it so much harder to orgasm than I used to. Why is that, and do you have any ideas? a Hormonal changes, even with HRT, can shift your body’s sexual response, making it more challenging to reach orgasm. This is influenced by a combination of physical factors, like changes in blood flow or nerve sensitivity, and psychological ones, such as stress or the pressure to perform. While HRT may reignite your libido, it’s not a panacea, and the pressure to achieve orgasm can sometimes make it more elusive. Instead of fixating on orgasm as the ultimate goal, focus on the journey – the pleasure, sensations, and connection experienced during sex. Be curious about what can be. Embrace mindfulness,…

I was talking to a twentysomething the other day. This is not unusual. At 53, I maintain a fabulous host of millennial, Gen Z and Gen Alpha pals whom I demand keep me up to speed in terms of life, the universe and everything. Stop learning and you cease living. I need to know when I am wrong, intellectually unwieldy, anachronistic. I want them to put a bomb under my tiny middle-aged mind. In return, I strive to be honest and supportive right back. Plus, I’ll pay for dinner. Them’s the rules. It’s also just fucking fun. My twentysomething friend was mired in the usual confusion of forging a place in the world while scraping a living: the endless bloody slog of getting life’s show on the road. Meanwhile, her…

AT 78, Joan MacDonald is the poster girl for fitness transformations. Seven years ago, she was carrying about 90 kg and popping pills for blood pressure, cholesterol and acid reflux. Fast-forward to today and Joan is proudly showing off her strong abs and toned arms in a sports bra, gracing magazine covers and inspiring 1.9 million fans on Instagram (@trainwithjoan). She leads workout challenges, can easily bench-press 45kg and has authored a memoir/self-help book titled Flex Your Age: Defy Stereotypes and Reclaim Empowerment. Joan’s transformation began with her daughter and personal trainer Michelle. ‘Michelle just told me point-blank, “You don’t have to get old like everyone else does,”’ she says. And Joan knew she didn’t want to get old like her own mother had. ‘I had watched my mom go…

You are an active participant in your health, so now is the time to take hold of the reins. Go through the list and highlight the points that resonate with you. See how the suggested tips can fit into your world. With all of these tips, remember that you are aiming for progress, not perfection. Perfection doesn’t exist. None of the tips will make you feel like a superwoman in an instant either. Think about what a ‘little better’ might look like, even if it’s by one or two notches. It will be a little trial and error. It’s about building small steps and changes in your life that nudge you in the direction you want to go and that will stick, not just for five days, but for months…

Who? AMANDA KAMHOOT Co-owner with her husband Hans of Just Cruizin ‘I am very much a Just Cruizin girl, with a love of natural fibres and muted hues. My alter ego loves a bit of sparkle, and animal print is considered a basic in my wardrobe.’ Who? REFILWE MOLOTO Economic and strategic advisor ‘I‘d describe my style as casual chic with a touch of Refilwe whimsy. I play with shapes, patterns, textures and colours to add elements of surprise to classic, high-quality basics.’ Who? TANJA KLANG CRONJE Owner of Grand Room Design ‘My style is feminine with a touch of uniqueness. I believe dressing well is a way to show respect to the people you interact with.’…

DR Lisa Mosconi, a world-renowned neuroscientist and author of the best-selling The Menopause Brain, is a woman on a mission. She specialises in nuclear medicine, a branch of radiology that analyses the functioning of the brain through scans. Her life’s work has been the study of women’s brains and how brain health plays out differently for us than it does for men. The years of research Dr Mosconi has conducted show beyond any doubt that women’s brains and hormonal systems do not work separately: they work with (and profoundly affect) each otherthroughout our lives. This highlights yet another area of medicine and health where women have been failed by medical research (which has historically mostly been applied to men), the assumption being that women’s bodies are the same, just smaller.…

These are the seven money questions you need to be asking now. Then take an honest look at your situation and make informed decisions from there. Q Should I make early withdrawals from my retirement savings? a Building a solid nest egg for retirement is crucial. If you withdraw some of this money before retirement, you will reduce your capital as well as any future growth on it. You will also pay tax at your marginal rate on any withdrawals you make and be charged a processing fee. Siobhan Simpson, sales manager at Ninety One, points out that if you take R30000 per year with a marginal tax rate of 40% you’ll only get R18 000 (less the processing fee), with R12 000 paid to SARS. There is no substitute…

Fasting has gained significant attention for its potential health benefits. After decades of research on both people and animals, Dr Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, has made some significant discoveries. He has found that following a specific protocol could promote regeneration and rejuvenation in multiple organs and activate stem cells to reduce the risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseases associated with ageing. WHAT IS THE FASTING-MIMICKING DIET? The fasting-mimicking diet (often referred to as FMD or Prolon) involves a low-calorie, plant-based diet designed to trick your body into thinking it’s fasting. This diet, structured over five days, should have the benefits of fasting without complete food abstinence. In an interview with the UK’s The Times, Dr Longo describes…

WHAT TO LISTEN TO The Dr Louise Newson Podcast Got questions about all things perimenopause and menopause? Look no further – this is your definitive guide. Each week, Dr Louise Newson, GP and menopause specialist, brings in guests to discuss cutting-edge treatments, the latest research and motivational stories. Her Newson Health Group runs clinics across the UK dedicated to personalised care and has created the award-winning Balance app, which offers free menopause resources and support to women worldwide. With a focus on empowering women to take control over their lives, the podcast and the app are invaluable resources. The Shift with Sam Baker Created and hosted by writer and broadcaster Sam Baker, The Shift is a frank, funny and sometimes heartbreaking podcast about being female post-40. Sam, a former editor…

◗ GUT-HEALING CHICKEN KORMA SERVES 4–6 This recipe takes me home and wraps me up in a warm blanket. Most kormas tend to be super rich, with lots of cream added – which doesn’t help your gut bacteria thrive. I’ve replaced the cream with ground almonds and yoghurt, so this is better for your gut bugs yet still deliciously creamy. The herbs and spices are the hero ingredients in this recipe, as each one contains different phytonutrients that nourish your microbiome. ◗ 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil◗ 1 red onion, coarsely grated◗ 2 garlic cloves, whole (optional)◗ 2–3 cm-long piece of ginger root, peeled and grated◗ 5 ml (1 tsp) ground turmeric◗ 10 ml (2 tsp) ground cumin◗ 5 ml (1 tsp) ground coriander◗ 2.5 ml (½ tsp) fenugreek…

TOTAL TIME 10 MINUTES ◗ SPICY PEANUT BUTTER RAMEN ◗ 15 ml–30 ml (1–2 tbsp) crunchy peanut butter◗ 15ml (1 tbsp) soya sauce◗ 10ml (2 tsp) gochugaru ◗ 5 ml (1 tsp) sesame oil◗ 1 small garlic clove, crushed◗ 1 spring onion, sliced thinly◗ 2 x 70 g instant noodles TO SERVE ◗ fried egg◗ coriander ◗ sesame seeds, toasted ◗ cucumber, cut into chunks ◗ chilli crisp 1. Place peanut butter, soya sauce, gochugaru, sesame oil, garlic and spring onion in a serving bowl. Stir to combine. 2. Cook noodles following package instructions. 3. Using tongs, remove noodles from water and place directly into bowl with peanut butter mixture. Toss to combine. 4. Serve noodles topped with your choice of fried egg, coriander, sesame seeds, cucumber and chilli crisp.…

The full realisation that I had well and truly landed in my vrekplek hit me full throttle a few months after I had moved in. Crouched on the ground, I was stroking a tearaway kitten, when – as if summoned by a secret signal available only to the initiated – they emerged on foot, with and without sticks, from the elderly ethers: the residents of my new community. Concern and compassion reflected in their oyster eyes as our two totally different mindsets collided. My immediate response was that I’d somehow made a faux pas by stroking the cat. Wrong on all counts: bless them, they thought I’d fallen, a concern triggered by a deep collective fear. I’d hoped to work till my mid-70s but Source snorts at mortals’ plans: at…