And, almost a year on from our first trial with our Peri-Makers, we’re at the end of trial two. In a week we’ll be launching Meno-Boost; co-created with all those that tracked the impact of the blend and evaluated our workshop programme. From the sharing of recipes that use our powders (special shout out this week to Stephanie - your Meno-Boost coconut bites are delicious!), to the sharing of your menopause stories with each other, you drive our direction of travel.
And time and time again, we see, in real time, the impact that community has on our health as women in midlife.
Most women will talk to feeling a different kind of energy when they spend time with other women. And research is now revealing that instinct is right. Especially in times of heightened anxiety. Studies by both Stanford and UCLA show that, in times of stress, women don’t just experience the drive toward fight or flight — they also release oxytocin. This hormonal surge can compel women to “tend and befriend,” - we’ll move to protect our kids (if we have them), but also to connect with other women.
We certainly get to see this first hand in the MPowder community. Not only do we witness the impact on our collective health when we share stories - of our menopause journeys, of what worked and what didn’t, of symptoms we thought no one else but us had... we also see how fundamental perceptions of the self shift when the narrative around midlife is broader. For many of us, it is the stories we’ve absorbed that hold us back. The media tells us that it is ‘the end’. Society makes us feel like we should disappear. The language used is focused on ‘survival’. This entirely natural transition is positioned as a disease.
Yet, when we start talking to each other, change happens. We subtly lift each other up. We ‘will’ each other on. We open our own minds to new practices, new ways of living. And, as the members of the community who hold the privilege of listening to our Makers’ life stories as part of our research into support needs, we can also attest to the fact that women, in midlife, are quite simply phenomenal. The weight we carry, the logistics we juggle, the sheer strength and resilience, even when we’re at our lowest, is inspirational. And needs recognition.
So, as the world unlocks, our message this weekend is seek out the women you love for that first beer garden date. Knock on the doors of female-focused communities and networks and see what you can give - and receive. And, if you’ve not joined our tight-knit group on Facebook, come and say hello. The Powder Room is private - and a space to share expert knowledge and host intimate conversations. It’s where we vote on the topics for our Workshops. It’s where real change happens.
With love, the MPowder team
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