Mothers, Menopause, and Modern Life: What’s Changed, and What Still Needs Attention?

It was World Menopause Day yesterday and when I think about menopause in my mother’s generation, especially for women like my mum, who went through it early due to breast cancer treatment, I can see how far we’ve come, but there still remains much that is unspoken.

My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in her late 30s, the treatment saved her life, but it moved her into sudden, medically-induced menopause. She never really complained. Like many women of her time (and in our South Asian community), she kept going. I remember when she was later diagnosed with colon cancer, she would walk around the wards with her drip, talking to and helping other patients. Looking back, I wish I could ask her more about what she went through with her menopause? How did it really feel? And what support did she wish she’d had?

The Silent Symptoms

When I speak with women of my mother’s generation, I often hear about challenges with osteoarthritis, but increasingly, I hear about Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM), which includes symptoms like dryness, incontinence, or recurrent infections. These aren't just physical problems, they are emotionally and mentally exhausting, and so many women struggle silently. 

At the time, very few were offered support. HRT was controversial (and in many cases, unavailable to women after cancer), and vaginal oestrogen was not widely known or prescribed. Their discomfort was often dismissed as simply “part of getting older” and this is what they also resigned themselves with as well. Years later, some of these same women are only now being prescribed local oestrogen therapies. 

Our Modern World & What’s Changed?

Our environment, food, and lifestyle are some of the biggest differences between then and now. Women today live in a constant digital world, juggling demanding careers, family responsibilities, and the pressure of being “always on.”

We also eat, move, and live differently, often doing all these things together. The rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), exposure to environmental toxins, and endocrine disruptors such as plastics, pesticides, and pollutants are now being linked to hormone function and even influencing menopause. Our mothers’ diets may have been simpler, less processed, and free from many of the chemicals we now consume daily, but they had challenges of their own.

We’re Talking More, But Still Have Work to Do

Today, there is more awareness, more knowledge, and more conversation about women’s health than ever before. From nutrition to workplace wellbeing, menopause as a lifestage is being recognised. But, with all this awareness and information there can be confusion. Many women feel overwhelmed, unsure where to start, or unsupported in applying the advice they hear.

I feel there has been progress, but there is still more to do - 

• Normalise menopause discussions across all communities and workplaces.

• Recognise the mental and emotional load of early or sudden menopause.

• Choose food as medicine, limit UPFs, eat more colourfully, and nourish your body to support hormonal health.

• Seek trusted, evidence-based support, professionals, groups, and resources that represent all women.

• Educate younger women early, understanding how pre-existing health imbalances and lifestyle habits can shape their future menopause experience.

Honouring Strength, Building Support

As October is Menopause Awareness Month, I look back at my mum’s generation. They had so much strength and endured so much, often in silence. I feel they gave us their courage, but now we also have more knowledge, and we have more of a voice, and a wider community to really support women.

And this is why I am hosting this Intimate Wellness Webinar.

Intimate Wellness Webinar

Webinar

And don't forget this Thursday, 23rd October, I’m hosting a live masterclass: “Menopause & Intimate Wellness – Restoring Comfort, Connection & Confidence.”

We’ll explore what really happens to our vaginal, skin, and joint health in menopause, why these changes occur, and what we can actually do about them.

I’ll share the science and the solutions: 

• Natural ways to improve dryness and tissue health 

• Nutrition and supplements for balance 

• Lifestyle changes to support your comfort

Whether you’re in peri or post-menopause, this is your opportunity to reconnect with your body, from the inside out.

• 🌺 Menopause & Intimate Wellness: Thursday 23rd October, 8pm. Online event. We’ll open up the conversation around intimate health, an often overlooked but common challenge linked to falling oestrogen levels. Price £25, early bird £20. Book here. 

#MenopauseAwareness #BreastCancerAwareness #EarlyMenopause #WomenSupportingWomen #UPF #EnvironmentalHealth #SouthAsianWomen #WellbeingMatters