Show Notes
What if menopause wasn’t something to fear, but a wake-up call to start living differently?
In this episode of Hot Mess Mums Club, Professor Joyce Harper joins us for an honest and empowering conversation about menopause, fertility, motherhood, ageing and why women need better education about their bodies at every stage of life.
Joyce shares her own seven-year fertility journey and experience of becoming a mum through IVF, explains the realities of fertility and the biological clock, and discusses why women need access to accurate, evidence-based information long before they reach perimenopause.
We also explore what happens when motherhood and perimenopause collide, why self-care becomes non-negotiable as we get older, and how Joyce has created more joy in her own life through exercise, cold-water swimming, saunas, reading… and even day raving.
Joyce also shares the thinking behind her latest book, Your Joyful Years, and the two principles she believes can help women thrive as they age: nurture your happiness and nurture your health.
In this episode:
Why Joyce sees menopause as a wake-up call rather than a decline
The misinformation surrounding menopause on social media
Why reproductive health education needs to start in school
Fertility, egg freezing and the realities of the biological clock
Joyce's personal IVF journey and becoming a mum in her 40s
The challenge of parenting young children during perimenopause
Why women need to rediscover what brings them joy
Self-care, exercise, sleep, mental health and relationships
Cold-water swimming, saunas and Joyce's love of day raving
The five pillars of wellbeing for healthy ageing
Why Joyce says she feels fitter and stronger at 63 than ever before
00:00 Welcome to Hot Mess Mums Club00:21 Introducing Professor Joyce Harper00:42 Your Joyful Years and rewriting the story of female ageing01:43 Why menopause can be a wake-up call03:39 The problem with menopause misinformation online05:44 When should menopause education begin?07:30 Why women's health needs to be taught in schools10:07 Fertility education and Your Fertile Years10:55 Joyce's experience of fertility and IVF13:10 The emotional reality of trying to become a parent15:24 Having children later in life15:53 Fertility in your 40s and the realities of IVF18:13 Magpie Beauty and Balance19:06 Motherhood and perimenopause at the same time20:00 Why lifestyle becomes non-negotiable in perimenopause21:14 The pressure facing mums in their 40s22:23 Rediscovering yourself after years of caring for others24:15 Cold-water swimming, saunas and self-care25:00 Why Joyce still loves going raving25:59 What 50 thriving women taught Joyce about ageing28:07 Joyce's bath-time confession29:15 Finding 15 minutes of joy every day31:10 Why happiness takes deliberate effort32:00 Magnesium, exercise and recovery34:06 Joyce's two biggest lessons from Your Joyful Years35:25 The five pillars of wellbeing36:41 Why Joyce feels fitter and stronger at 6337:35 Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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