Daphne (44): “While many women experience this phase later in life, it came early for me”

When you’re not quite at the typical age for menopause, you might not immediately make the connection. Until it becomes impossible to ignore. “At a certain point, I started experiencing hot flushes, mood swings, and joint pain. And I still had so little energy, but life just carried on. I found it hard to juggle everything—and often, I just couldn’t.”

Although it’s perfectly fine to drop a ball (or several), it can affect how you perceive yourself. “I really felt like I couldn’t cope. I just wanted to pull a blanket over my head and never come out again. Normally, I’m such a positive person. I didn’t recognise these thoughts as my own.”

And while Daphne was struggling with her own symptoms, there were also two teenagers at home whose hormones were raging as well. “That often led to clashes,” she says with a serious expression.

“I think that was the hardest part of all. We’re very close as a family, but our bond was really put to the test. Let’s just say it wasn’t always pleasant at home.”

At a certain point, she discussed her situation with a friend who advised her to seek help. “I didn’t want to use medication unless it was absolutely necessary. She then recommended a hormone therapist who had helped her a lot.”

She made an appointment, and it felt right. “She explained exactly what happens in the body during menopause and how I could support my hormones. Together, we created a plan to address my symptoms without medication or hormones. That focus on my own body and health felt really good to me.”

What did that involve? “I made several changes to my diet. For example, I started eating more protein and reduced my coffee intake to two cups a day instead of four or five. That helped a lot! I was already exercising, but I also started doing strength training. Now, I not only feel much fitter, but I also have fewer aches and pains.”

She also began taking supplements. “We discovered, for instance, that I had an imbalanced omega-3/6 ratio. Now I take omega-3 supplements daily, along with a good multivitamin.”

But the biggest difference, she says, wasn’t in exercise or diet—it was in taking time to rest. “Yoga and mindfulness have helped me become calmer. I’m less swept away by my emotions now and have more patience. That’s definitely improved the atmosphere at home,” she says with a laugh.

Her tip for you? “An eye-opener for me was the 80/20 rule. It’s brought more balance into my life. Eating 80 per cent healthy with a focus on enough protein. That way, I can still enjoy a bowl of M&M’s when I’m watching a film on the sofa with my two teenage sons.”