The UncompliKated Perimenopause Podcast
Welcome to The UncompliKated Perimenopause, a podcast designed to support and empower women on their perimenopause journey. Hosted by Kate Grosvenor, a mum, perimenopause expert, and life coach, alongside her 24-year-old daughter Gabriella, this podcast offers a unique blend of expertise and fresh perspective.
In each episode, Gabriella asks the questions you might have—whether you're just starting out, navigating the challenges, or supporting a loved one through perimenopause. Together, Kate and Gabriella tackle a wide range of topics, from perimenopause symptoms and solutions to personal stories and anecdotal as well as medical advice, ensuring that no matter where you are on your journey, you'll find something to resonate with.
Join us for candid conversations, practical tips, and a bit of humour, as we aim to make perimenopause less complicated and more understood. For additional resources, coaching, supplements, books, and events, visit www.kategrosvenor.com.
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The UncompliKated Perimenopause Podcast
Episode 21: Conquering Joint Pain and Finding Fitness Solutions in Perimenopause
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In this episode we answer a question from Nora, in New Jersey, about dealing with joint pain that threatens to sideline her favourite activities. From low-impact cardio to the soothing benefits of Epsom salt baths, we cover all the bases to keep you moving and grooving through the twists and turns of perimenopause.
Explore the transformative power of exercise routines that are gentle on joints but fierce on benefits. From swimming and cycling to yoga and Pilates, we reveal how these activities can boost cardiovascular health and flexibility. Don't miss our chat about the power of supplements like collagen peptides, omega-3, and magnesium to support joint health. Plus, we share insights on adapting your exercise routine and the importance of finding community support. Whether you're on this journey yourself or supporting a loved one, we offer the encouragement and strategies to embrace an active lifestyle during perimenopause.
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Understanding Perimenopause and Joint Pain
Speaker 1Welcome to the Uncomplicated Perimenopause Podcast . I'm Kate Grosvenor , your friendly perimenopause expert and life coach .
Speaker 2And I'm Gabriella Kate's daughter , representing all the women who are nowhere near perimenopause but want to understand it better .
Speaker 1Whether you're just starting your perimenopause journey deep into it . Better , whether you're just starting your perimenopause journey deep into it or you're a loved one trying to support someone who is we've got you covered we'll be answering all of your burning questions , exploring the ups and downs and sharing expert advice and personal insights so grab a cup of tea , get comfy and let's dive into the wonderful .
Speaker 2Get comfy and let's dive into the wonderful , sometimes wild world of perimenopause together and remember , no matter where you are on your journey , you are not alone .
Speaker 1Welcome to the uncomplicated perimenopause . Hello , my darlings , and welcome to episode . I've just forgotten what episode it is 21 , 21 of the uncut . It's like five minutes ago I knew , and now rainfall you told me what I know . I said that before five minutes ago , episode 21 of the uncomplicated perimenopause perimenopause , oh dear lord , it started . Perimenopause podcast . I promise you my name is kate groverner and I haven't got a clue what's going on . No , I have . I'm a perimen , a paramedic , was expert and life coach .
Speaker 2And I think I'm Gabriella Governa . It's going to run those again .
Speaker 1It was like that last time as well . Do you know what has happened , though ? The clocks went back , and I think , don't you think , at this time of the year , though we think we've only lost ?
Speaker 1I don't know if we means , and I know , logically , academically , I get , the clocks have gone back okay and I know that something's happened to the time and I know that it used to be six o'clock or whatever and now it's five o'clock , but I don't understand like which way it goes and I just I don't get it . And people leap forward , spring back whatever it is , or spring forward and leap back I don't know , but I don't get it and people leap forward , spring back whatever it is , or spring forward and leap back . I don't know , but I don't understand it every time . All I know is that this time of the year it seems a bit shit when it goes darker , quicker you get more sleep .
Speaker 1Yeah , but it just seems a bit pants , like . I don't know why we do it , because now it just looks awful like you wake up and it's dark and you need work and it's dark and it's four o'clock and it just looks awful . I was like , why are we doing that ? Why are we doing that to ourselves ? Can we just like just have a bit more sunshine , you can ? Just move I just think it's grim , isn't ?
Speaker 2it . Should we just leave ? Yeah , all right revolt I know where I'm going I'm going to barbados , cool .
Speaker 1Back to the country this yes , I'll do that I'm leaving on . Yeah , that nice should we all just go on holiday .
Speaker 2Holiday , no , we're moving are we actually leaving ?
Speaker 1yes , that's it , we're going . I've had enough now .
Speaker 2Adios amigos si andre andre arriba , arriba .
Speaker 1Okay , cool , let's go .
Speaker 2Okay sounds like let's just film this episode and then go .
Speaker 1Sounds like we'll go straight after this , actually , no , we can't tomorrow morning we'll be going tomorrow morning .
Speaker 2That's it . It's a plan , good plan . Batman next podcast will be in where the Bahamas did we say just somewhere warm and sunny .
Speaker 1It doesn't even need to be that warm , because I'm hot flashes at the moment , but just sunny I think we need a tan , though , you and I . I don't tan yeah , we need . I don't either just sunny , just sunny and balmy . Do you know what I mean by balmy ? Like a refreshing 25 , 26 , yeah , just balmy , like you can get dressed in , just like layers of bamboo , floaty bamboo , yeah , and it's not too hot , it's not too cold yeah , just the layers you've got yeah and you can wear flip-flops .
Speaker 1You know kind of like chill , yeah , that'd be good . Like you , you know what I call my romper suit . You know my bamboo jumpsuit that I just love .
Speaker 2Yeah , that you just like .
Speaker 1That's me sorted . All right , kirstama Deal , that's who we're talking to , right ? We've got it sorted Right . Question for today my darling is from whom ?
Speaker 2This is from Nora . I like that name , nora .
Speaker 1See , I like the name Nora , but for people that grew up in the UK in the kind of 70s and 80s , there was a show called I can't remember what it was , open All Hours and no , I'm lying .
Speaker 2There was a show called Last Summer Wine and there was a character called Nora Batty Because I remember telling you that somewhere I used to work before they had an event and the lady was called Nora Batty and you were like no , that's not her name .
Speaker 1And I was like no , no , it was her 70th birthday . No , that cannot be her name . Yeah , I swear it was . You can't be Nora Batty anyway carry on .
Speaker 2So Nora's 46 . Hi , nora , and is from New Jersey in the US nice . So Nora has started to experience really bad joint pain . Oh bless her heart .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's about that kind of age , yeah .
Speaker 2And finds her usual physical activities a lot more challenging . Oh , okay , what can she do to keep active while respecting her body's changes and needs ? Does she say what sport she plays ? No , she just physical activities .
Speaker 1Okay , so she's playing sport of some kind .
Speaker 2So I presume it's like quite quite an active sport yeah okay so she wants to keep respecting her body's changes and needs ? Yeah , but without also without sacrificing the hobbies that she does enjoy are there any forms of exercise that are particularly good for women in perimenopause ? Okay , okay okay , cool question . Thanks , nora right .
Speaker 1So , first and foremost , it's it's not a , it's not a Nora thing , it's a perimenopause thing . So I always start off like this , but it's really important to know because , as always , one of the things about perimenopause is you're secretly worried , it's you . So again , it's not you . All right , joint pain and changes in physical endurance is very much a perimenopause thing , and as you get into your late 40s , it's very much a perimenopause thing . And as you get into your late 40s , it's very much a thing thing . Endurance in general , you feel like you're just . You don't have the stamina that you used to have . Your joints don't seem to feel like you can take as much hammering as they used to .
Speaker 1So you know , I used to play tennis a lot . I used I mean , obviously , scuba diving is different because your weight is into the water , but I used to a lot of boxing . I used to do a lot of tennis . That's like a real thug , don't I ? Um , but I just got cardigan . Yeah , my , my cardigan , and my glass , my reading glasses . Yeah , watch out for me down in dark alley . Just just make sure I've got my glasses on so I can see you first . That is so good , honest to god .
Speaker 1I used to be a thing to be reckoned with and now not . Anyway , it's not about me , um . So , yeah , I used to a lot of boxing , a lot of tennis , and you just can't do the same level . However , however , we need to talk about what you can do and what you can do about it and how you can , because it's not nice when you have to give everything up . So what happens in perimenopause ? Basically , as your hormones fluctuate , especially reduced oestrogen , so we we've talked about it before . But as your hormones fluctuate , especially reduced oestrogen , so we've talked about it before . But as your oestrogen fluctuates , as your oestrogen leaves your body , it does impact joint health . It does impact also muscle elasticity , and those things together influence recovery times .
Speaker 1Ok , so this means that you have to use .
Exercise and Joint Health Support
Speaker 1I would say there's two things that you have to bear in mind . You have to bear in mind targeted products and lifestyle changes . So the two things together .
Speaker 1It doesn't mean that you can't keep your hobbies . It doesn't mean you can't do things that you love . You just have to bear in mind you have to do them slightly differently , okay , so , first and foremost , if we're looking at exercises that you can do that , don't put strain on your joints . Um , if you , so I don't know what exercise she does , that's yeah , but there's exercise that doesn't put strain on your joints . So if she's , if she's , again I don't know what she does . So let's say that she's into cardio . All right , then there's cardio that wouldn't put stress on her joints would be things like swimming , so she likes that . So cardio being things that make a heart pump . So if that's what she was looking for cardio like cycling , because I mean knees a little bit , but cycling , walking , swimming I can never say that you know the machines , you know the one . I mean , I can never say that you know the machines , you know the one I mean I can never say the word .
Speaker 1What's it ? Do pitical ? It's one of those like the machines in the gym the crossfit one kind of yes , something like that .
Speaker 1But it basically improves your cardiovascular health and stamina , but it doesn't put stress in your joints . It's one of those words . I know how to spell it in my head , but my brain fog is refusing to let me say joints . It's one of those words , I know how to spell it in my head , but my brain fog is refusing to let me say the word . It's one of those ones . It's like E-L-L-I-P-I , t-i-c-a-l spell it out .
Speaker 1Yeah , for the viewers at home just yeah , it's not coming out okay . So those kind of low impact cardio you could do . What's really really great in perimenopause is strength training , and when I say strength training I'm not saying like you have to go and become a bodybuilder . I mean boy and ones if you want to . Yeah , but it's maintaining muscle tone . And maintaining muscle tone and projecting your joints are kind of part and parcel . So you can be using light weights , resistant bands you know resistance bands really really good for you yeah , so it doesn't have .
Speaker 1It doesn't have to be kind of lifting massive , like bench , pressing your body weight . It's not that excuse my croaky voice , by the way . It doesn't have to be that kind of like huge amounts of weight . Even just the bands are really good yeah , I can see surrounding your joints with muscle .
Speaker 1Yeah , helps to support the muscle so it helps to support the joint and takes less . It takes some of the pressure off the joint itself . So building up the muscle is really really good to strengthen , yeah , and support the joint . But if you're going to ask my favorite exercise in perimenopause- oh , yoga , yay , all pilates .
Speaker 2I didn't mean to diss it like that yoga , yeah , that's just all I hear you and rowan say do yoga , yeah , yoga's great for this it is great .
Speaker 1It's great for reducing stress , it's great for helping flexibility . We need to stay flexible in perimenopause , and cardiothoracically as well . So your , your midsection needs to be this is really underrated actually in perimenopause . But we need to stay flexible around our midsection because , if we , one of the biggest problems in perimenopause is heart health and so we need to maintain our flexibility in our midsection so that we don't get , um , kind of calcified around midsection . It's not a very nice topic , no , but we need to stay flexible so we don't get calcification around that area . But it's a , it's a more gentle way to build muscle tone because you're using your body's own resistance , your body's own weight . I would say , you know , get yourself a , you know , a lightweight , high grip mat , not plugging our lifestyle brand , but slight plug of the lifestyle brand , we offer some jute mats and they're ideal for women in perimenopause , because they you want , especially in perimenopause , because we're not .
Speaker 1It sounds really awful , but we're not as stable as we used to be . Our balance can be a bit off , so you want something that's really really grippy . Yeah , gentle on your joints , they do feel nice , they do feel gorgeous , but you're looking for you're looking for low impact sessions . When you're doing yoga , you're not going from this . It's only hot yoga , although I , you know hot flashes are a thing .
Speaker 2I don't think that's what they mean by hot yoga .
Speaker 1Bad perimenopause joke , Bad joke . But you're looking for low-impact yoga sessions slow flows , chill yoga sessions that are looking to really build muscle tone and , you know , help you build your flexibility . So those are the kind of things low-impact , cardio , strength training , mind-body workouts . Now we also need to emphasize recovery and joint health support . So you are going to need additional support during perimenopause when it comes to your joints supplements .
Speaker 2You know what I'm going to talk about , first and foremost when I wrote down the question , I was like I know what she's gonna , I'm gonna talk about it because it's the most important thing .
Speaker 1I can't . I'd be remiss if I didn't perimenopause premium collagen peptides . They're our best seller for a reason they work absolute magic . I would not . I would not be without them , for for anything but .
Joint Health Support and Adaptability
Speaker 1Collagen is essential for joint health and it can support cartilage and muscle recovery . Your knees can go from really creaking and being inflamed and being painful to feeling like they're 10 years younger simply because you've got that collagen back into your knees and it's like the glue that holds the knee together . It's really , really important for joint health .
Speaker 2I read somewhere really , really random today a celebrity , I don't know who said it that every year from your 20s you lose a certain amount of collagen from your 20s .
Speaker 1Yeah , from your 20s , especially from the age of 25 . But it's kind of maybe 23 , 24 onwards you lose collagen , but that speeds up in perimenopause because of the massive increase in the reduction of estrogen . So , yes , you're losing it from your 20s , but it speeds up . It kind of like somebody presses the accelerator button . But yeah , you're losing it from your 20s . So collagen is the number one thing you need to replace your joints .
Speaker 1The number one thing , and so that desperately needs to go back into your body , and the collagen peptides are so easy . You know a couple of spoonfuls into a morning drink and you will be shocked Tasteless and odorless . Tasteless and odorless , but you'll be shocked how quickly you feel better in your joints . So , nora , and we ship to the US , darling . So that's number one . The second thing is omega-3 . Do not take 369 , because that's inflammatory .
Speaker 2You're quite big on this .
Speaker 1Yeah , I'm really big on that because I'm because people don't tell you yeah , so I keep hammering that one home omega-3 and that will help to ease joint stiffness . It's almost like applying wd-40 you don't know what that is .
Speaker 1You don't have okay , it's like you know when the joint , you know when you've got a door and it's like , and scott comes along and he puts this blue spray on it and then it doesn't creak anymore . Yeah , I would not have . Okay , well , yeah , hey , hope , yeah . So it's like , it's like oiling the joint , okay . Okay , that's omega-3 , also magnesium complex . Okay , I feel like we need to do a joint support package in the . I'm gonna make a joint support bundle okay , we have a few bundles .
Speaker 2If you want to check them out now I've just that's what I'm gonna do .
Speaker 1I'm to do a joint support bundle that's got the collagen and the omega and the magnesium complex . Why ? Because the magnesium complex has a magnesium in that helps muscle relaxation and that's important for recovery as well . Okay , so that's really important . Another thing you could try is the midlife mix . Is what in the , the one of our herbal temperatures ? Yeah , because it's got black cohosh and sage in which can help to reduce inflammation and some discomfort that comes with perimenopause , and it that can help with joint issues as well . Cool , um , I would just say consistent and enjoyable movement yeah , I think she seems to enjoy moving .
Speaker 2Yeah , she just doesn't want to lose . That I just think stay at .
Speaker 1Staying active is extremely beneficial . It's extremely beneficial for your mental health , your physical health , your brain fog , because that's a massive thing . So staying active is so beneficial . So I'm going to encourage nora .
Speaker 1I'm going to say to nora adapt , don't abandon your hobbies yeah okay , whether that means switching to lower impact versions , focusing on your strength but adding flexibility . Now maybe you know , if you let's say , for example , again , nora didn't tell me which exercise she does and so maybe like , if you let's say she played tennis , maybe it would be like play tennis twice a week but switch one of them out to a yoga session , so you would be working on flexibility and weight resistance yeah , to help her with her , yeah to be able to keep on playing yeah yeah , and then add in your collagen , your omega-3 and your magnesium , so that would be like your recovery package do you know what I mean ?
Speaker 1and like that might be enough you might find do you know what I mean ? And like that might be enough . You might find that that combination is enough to keep going .
Speaker 1That's pretty cool you've just built like a little package of life for her yeah , but that might be enough yeah no , and then it might be even things like epsom salt baths straight away in the evenings , or magnesium salt baths in the evenings , or even we do a magnesium spray as well . She could add that one in . There's a magnesium spray that you could literally spray on . If you had a muscle that was giving you tension particularly , you could spray it onto that muscle and let that relax even further , so that that muscle wasn't then going to tense up and cause issue for the joint as well . So adapt , don't abandon , darling , I think , is really the message . Stay strong , stay vibrant . Don't give it up . It's not worth it .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's true .
Speaker 1It's so good for so many things with you . And also , if I don't know if norah's part of our perimenopause membership , but there's so many good yoga workouts in there um , there's so much support from other women . I think if she's not part of that , I I would say that's the kind of place to join because there's a lot of resources in there . There's a lot of women going through similar things . So if she's looking for some support to adapt , going through what she wants to do , I would say , um , that kind of membership is a good place for her to start . Yeah , I mean it's , it's nine pounds a month . I don't know what that is in dollars 12 or something 13 dollars something like that , uh , but that there's .
Speaker 1There's kind of content in there on nutrition and um yeah you have some good recipes out there , yeah yeah , exactly , so that might be a good place for her to start .
Speaker 1Yeah , so , um , yeah , I think , I think that's my best advice . My love is just looking at adapting and staying strong and focusing on what you love . It's really , really important , I think . As we go through perimenopause , it's so easy to say I'm not up for this , I'm just going to give it up . Yeah , and as women , do you know ? Do you know soon ? Right , I'm just gonna have a little rant , right , just a tiny little rant , just little one . It's a little one , just two minutes . A bird plays football on a tuesday night before he gets married . Okay , okay , guess what he does on a Tuesday night after he gets married Still , plays football . Still plays football All day long , right , a woman plays football . A woman plays football . A woman , like has choir practice or does dance , does girly things Like she does , dancing with her friends on a Wednesday evening before she gets married . What does she do on a Wednesday evening after she gets married ? Chills with him , yeah , or like , hangs out with the kids , or you know whatever . We give up so much of our stuff .
Speaker 2I don't know why it's almost expected that the woman is supposed to give up .
Speaker 1I don't know if it is or we do it to ourselves .
Speaker 2Do we do it to ourselves as women , or do men do it to us ? That's another podcast .
Speaker 1It's a tricky one because a lot of it is women doing it to themselves .
Speaker 2I'm not going to lie .
Speaker 1I think it's built into a relationship . It depends who you marry , doesn't it ? But a lot of it is women doing it to themselves , and some of it is men , not their expectations , and some of it is women don't ask , and it's gender roles , and it's gender roles and , oh my god , let's talk about the kind of um , misogynistic , patriarchal society , but it's also , you know , could you ask someone else to babysit , could you ? Yeah , I mean that you know there are . There are other options . I mean , I was a single mum , so that kind of scuppered that one , but I could , you know , could I have hired a babysitter ?
Speaker 1I probably could have done yeah , but I was also broke and things were a little bit tough , yeah , but you know , we do sacrifice a lot and I think for a lot of women in perimenopause , very few women in perimenopause have little little kids . Yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah . And I know a few , yeah , yeah god help you .
Speaker 2Nora could technically still have a baby now .
Speaker 1Maybe , yes , at 46 and if that's you , my heart is with you .
Speaker 2Same god bless your soul you said you'd rather any of us have kids . Now , don't you do ?
Speaker 1out me . Go on then on air , why not ? No , gabby said to me the other day . She said would you , would you rather have a baby ? Would you rather I had a baby ? I was like you all day long .
Speaker 2No , but me makes sense . I mean , I meant , like the younger ones , I just haven't got the energy . No , I I'm 50 I think you're ready to be a grandma . Yet I'm not ready to be a grandma I couldn't .
Speaker 1I'm tired , I'm really tired 25 , 26 years .
Speaker 2I'll say the same thing to you it's been a long gig , mate .
Speaker 1It's been a long gig , but yeah , uh , I can't remember what I was saying , but yeah , so I think women we need . We're at the stage now where , for many of us , we are starting to see the light at the end of the parental tunnel , or we are maybe at the point in our careers where we don't have to be in the office all day , every day . Maybe we've proven ourselves at work , or maybe we are financially more secure , whatever it is , yeah , but for many women we're getting to the point where we don't have to do the hustle all day , every day , for whatever reason , and therefore it's not the time in our lives where we should necessarily sacrifice .
Speaker 2Yeah , everything that's pretty good . That's pretty good . Yeah , are you with me ?
Speaker 1yeah . So whatever it is that you love to do , yeah , for the love of the love of everything that's good in the world , please don't sacrifice it , because the dead inside feeling in perimenopause is real . And hobbies and things that light us up because if you've got a hobby , it's one of the only things that's going to light you up right now , or at least not feel too meh , we've got enough things that are beige and boring . And yeah , in prayer menopause , please don't give up the one , one of the only things that's actually going to feel , and not give it up now .
Speaker 1Yeah , so yeah that's just a general message , not just with exercise , just with things in general . If you've got a hobby , please don't give it up . I know it might feel like an extra thing , but it's your thing . But it's your thing . And it's important Sounds really good . I like it All right , very nice . My lovers , I hope you've had a lovely week and the weather isn't too crap where you are , and if you're in Yorkshire , really it's awful . I do apologize , but there you go , um , we will see you next week and have a beautiful week and be kind to yourselves and be loving to yourselves and to other people .
Speaker 2Yeah , what's it ? Rupaul says if you don't love yourself , how in the hell you gonna love somebody else ?
Speaker 1something like that ? Can I hear an amen in the air ? All right , my darlings , take care and we'll speak to you soon . Bye . Thanks for joining us today on the uncomplicated perimenopause podcast . We hope you found this episode helpful and inspiring .
Speaker 2Don't forget if you have any questions or topics you'd like us to cover , you can reach out through our perimenopause group or on .
Speaker 1WhatsApp . For more information on my coaching , perimenopause supplements , books or upcoming events , please visit wwwkategrovernercom .
Speaker 2And if you've enjoyed today's episode . Please subscribe , rate and review our podcast . It really helps us reach more listeners , just like you , until next time .
Speaker 1Remember , perimenopause doesn't have to be complicated . We're here to help you every step of the way . Stay uncomplicated Bye .