Midlife and menopause can be the perfect time to try something new (like as we talk about this week, mountain biking!...but also surfing, skiing, you name it). It frees you from the endless self comparison that can come after years (even decades) in the same sport and infuses you with the confidence that comes with tackling new challenges. And it’s never too late and you are never too old. With skills training, you can learn from the ground up at whatever pace is comfortable for you. You also don’t have to be a newbie to benefit. Brushing up on the fundamentals of sports like mountain biking can help ease the anxiety that many of us experience as our hormones swing during this time of life. This week’s guest, mountain bike coach Karen Brooks knows all about all of it, as she helps women of all ages and abilities (as well as her perimenopausal self) learn, grow, and conquer physical as well as mental obstacles.

Karen Brooks has had a varied career in the bike world: mechanic and manager of bike shops, editor of Dirt Rag and Bicycle Times magazines, bike consultant for Carnegie Mellon University, and professional mountain bike skills coach. She has been helping people find confidence and have fun on two wheels for ten years with PMBIA Level 2 and BICP mountain bike certifications, and teaches street biking skills through the League of American Bicyclists. Karen is also on the board of Bike Pittsburgh and advocates for safer walking and biking conditions. Her bike racing history is not all that distinguished, but she did finish the Trans-Sylvania Epic mountain bike stage race on a singlespeed, didn’t hate it, and went back to do it again the next year. She currently coaches locally through Full Psych Adventure Team and nationally with Ladies AllRide and other organizations. You can learn more about her and her work at Full Psych Adventure Team.

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The conversation around hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms is pretty clear. Hormone therapy is the gold standard for treating hot flashes and night sweats and can help with many other common symptoms that come with the menopause transition. It’s very effective and broadly safe. But recently, the conversation has evolved past symptom management and into preventative health with many experts suggesting that hormone therapy may play a larger role in extending a woman’s healthspan, if not lifespan. That maybe we should all start taking hormones to protect our hearts and cognitive health. And there’s promising research in those areas. Yet none of the medical associations recommend hormones for those purposes. Why? That’s what we dig into this week with Professor Susan Davis, AO, who is a pioneer and leading expert in women's health as a clinical endocrinologist, researcher, and educator. She reflects on her decades of research on various forms of hormone therapy and shares what we know–and still don’t know–today regarding traditional hormone therapy as well as testosterone therapy for women’s health post menopause.

Professor Susan R Davis AO, MBBS, FRACP, PhD, FAHMS is a clinician researcher with expertise in the role of sex hormones in women across the lifespan. She is Head of the Monash University Women’s Health Research Program and holds a Level 3 NHMRC Investigator Grant. Susan is a Consultant Endocrinologist and Head of the Women’s Endocrine Clinic, Alfred Hospital Melbourne and a consultant at Cabrini Medical Centre. She is a Fellow and Council Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. She is a past President of the Australasian Menopause Society and the International Menopause Society. She has over 435 peer-reviewed publications and has received numerous national and international prestigious research awards. Susan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medicine, to women's health as a clinical endocrinologist and researcher, and to medical education. You can learn more about her and her work at Monash University.

Resources

2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause here

Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Cardiovascular Disease: The Role of Formulation, Dose, and Route of Delivery here

Use of MHT in women with cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis here

Studying Studies: Part I – relative risk vs. absolute risk by Peter Attia, MD, here

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Feisty Menopause Performance Retreat: Join us from November 21st-23rd, 2024 https://www.feistymenopause.com/retreat

Join the FREE Women's Sports Fan Club: fanclub.feisty.co

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up:https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Support our Partners:

Joni: Get 10% off with code: FEISTY at https://getjoni.com/

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at...

Boy, oh boy, we women can really struggle to find good medical care–especially when we hit the menopause transition. And this week’s guest Erin Ferguson has experienced that firsthand. Erin went through multiple gynecological complications, surgeries, and hormonally-driven symptoms, including panic attacks, anxiety, weight gain, painful periods, severely disrupted sleep, hot flashes, night sweats, and complete lack of mojo for months (and for some symptoms, years) before finally finding a doctor who helped her with hormone therapy. Her message for every woman: If you know something is wrong with you, don't stop looking for help until you find it. Keep searching for help, because there is someone who will help you.

Erin Ferguson is a competitive triathlete, who despite suffering through spells of really awful symptoms and some truly terrible medical care, has managed to succeed in her sport with multiple age group podiums and overall wins and has represented Team USA as a competitor six times in Long Course World Championships. Most recently she has earned a slot to compete in The World Triathlon Multisport World Championships, Long Course in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia this August.

Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page

Feisty Menopause Performance Retreat: Join us from November 21st-23rd, 2024 https://www.feistymenopause.com/retreat

Join the FREE Women's Sports Fan Club: fanclub.feisty.co

Follow Us on Instagram:

Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause

Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099

Join Level Up:https://www.feistymenopause.com/monthly-membership-1

Support our Partners:

Joni: Get 10% off with code: FEISTY at https://getjoni.com/

Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/

Tifosi Optics: Use code FM20! for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/