It's World Menopause Day and Hot Flush is on it!

It's World Menopause Day (yes, it's a thing) and for any of you out there who are about to enter, or are already at, this stage of life we couldn't be happier that there are so many fantastic resources out there. Today we are delighted to have the fabulous Jo and Ann from Hot Flush back again to talk us through their latest news and their fab eight-day campaign #positivepause, in conjunction with the influential women's health group #pelvicroar and their COMPETITION! Read on for details.

One year ago today on World Menopause Day October 18th 2017, hotflush.info was launched by founders Ann and Jo. Let's hear from them.

We found we had stumbled into the ‘menopause club’, ill-prepared for the forecast of doom and gloom. This didn’t resonate with us, so we decided to set up our own website, underpinned with a spirit of positivity. Our aim is to help time-poor women find their way through the menopause ‘fog’, so that they can come out on the other side, being the best that they can be, post-menopause and beyond.

We’ve created a lively colourful and positive website. Offering credible advice by expert contributors as a gateway to the latest research; all shared in a user-friendly and timely way. Treating menopause as an opportunity to ‘reset’ a healthier lifestyle button, we look at diet, exercise, supplements, natural therapies, medical advice including HRT, plus holistic approaches and self-help DIY advice for managing the menopause maelstrom. Everything we recommend can only help, not harm.

We’ve had an exciting year, appearing as guests on the BBCR4 Woman’s Hour menopause special in January 2018, BBC Radio Sheffield and BBC London, and Jo will be on Woman's Hour again tomorrow (talking about sex....). We’ve met some incredible women along the way, not least the Cucumber Clothing team, Eileen and Nancy. Our recent Women’s Health Events ‘Talking Menopause with the Experts’ have been huge successes with more planned next year.

In the lead up to this year’s World Menopause Day 2018, Hot Flush are excited to be collaborating on a social media campaign, #positivepause, with the incredibly influential women’s health campaign group, #pelvicroar. We have curated a collection of the most credible recommendations from top quality resources, charities and sources of advice and support, to help women and the health care professionals who support women, ensuring they have the best, and most positive menopause, possible.

Our eight day #positivepause campaign has a daily focus on different topics relating to menopause. From understanding the different stages, sharing young women’s experience of premature and early menopause, covering the symptoms, the medical treatments available, nutrition and complimentary therapies, self-help options for managing symptoms such as apps, literature and of course menopause specific hot flush moisture wicking clothes, including reviews of Cucumber’s wonderful quality clothing. The penultimate day focuses on exercise and health care, for heart, blood glucose, weight, bone health, and especially the all-important pelvic floor exercises that women should be doing daily to help relieve all too common problems such as vaginal atrophy, incontinence and prolapse. And on our birthday, World Menopause Day 2018 we’re talking about sex - no topic is a taboo!

Why sex? Because 51% of women in a 2017 survey, reported that menopause had affected their sex lives, 55% avoid sex because of pain and 46% have diminished sexual desire. Relationship counsellor Pam Custers told us that “menopause creates the perfect storm” when sexual intimacy wanes or becomes impossible because it’s too painful. Partners may be at a loss or not understand that you’ve not stopped loving them, you’re just not feeling yourself. So, the genie’s now out of the bottle!

Follow our hotflush.info #positivepause campaign, share across your social media, and please take part in a fantastic COMPETITION - we’ve got 7 bundles of prizes ranging in value from £40 to £150, including Cucumber Clothing, pelvic floor toners, a Women’s Mid-Life MOT at the White Hart Clinic, a session with WellWellWell Registered Nutritional Therapist Jackie Lynch and a place at our next Hot Flush Women’s Health Event.

All you have to do is share a selfie of your own ‘Positive Pause’ moment on our Facebook page or Twitter using the hashtag #MypositivePause
Competition T&C’s can be found on our website.

www.hotflush.info
Facebook @hotflush.info
Twitter @_hotflush
Instagram @_hotflush

Cucumber's was chuffed to find our clothing being given such a rave review from Myra Robson of #pelvicroar...

CUCUMBER CLOTHING

Cream Ruffle Dress – I wish, I WISH, I had sent off for this at the beginning of the heatwave and before my trip to Croatia. This dress is beautiful and the fabric is extraordinary. It is perfect as a nightdress or day dress. Interestingly, when I wear it I find that my arms don’t tend to get chilly but as the weather gets colder I may start wearing a light cardigan with it. It is a stunning item of clothing and feels incredibly special on. If I had possessed this when I went on holiday, I suspect I would never have worn anything else, other than my swimsuit!






Hmm, maybe not the easiest of subjects to tackle, but Nicky Gaylor, Marketing Director of Sylk is passionate about women’s health, particularly in terms of menopause, and believes it’s important to promote women’s health awareness. A key concern is the lack of understanding and openness around the issue of vaginal dryness, which Sylk can help manage.

“Vaginal dryness isn’t just the domain of menopausal women; it can affect women at any stage of their lives, for a number of reasons. It could be pregnancy and breastfeeding, times of stress, as a result of cancer and cancer treatments, or as a side effect of some medications, so I’m always keen to support causes which this condition can be a part of.” said Nicky. Charity partnerships, such as Sylk’s recent support of The Eve Appeal, are one of the ways Nicky has achieved this goal.

The Sylk ethos is really driven by Nicky’s passion for women’s health and women’s issues.

“Menopause is often seen by society as something women just need to get on with, but our team know all too well the huge impact symptoms can have on a woman’s life.”

As a way of reaching as many women as possible, Nicky has also orchestrated the Sylk Bursary Fund, whereby nurses can apply for funding to attend specialist menopause training and education courses.

Sylk is a non-hormonal lubricant that provides instant relief from the discomfort caused by vaginal dryness. It’s plant and water-based, and pH friendly, so can be used alongside HRT and other treatments and medications.

“I hope that by showing women there are simple, effective remedies like Sylk available, they can feel empowered to take control of their intimate health needs, leaving them free to live their best lives.”

Sylk was the first natural lubricant to gain prescription status over 20 years ago in 1997, so it’s no surprise Sylk is a favourite of health professionals, from nurses and GP’s, to menopause and oncology specialists. It maintains its reputation as a compassionate, ethical women’s health brand, and a product that really works. But behind the scenes, you won’t find a big corporate office full of suits; instead, a small team of women, led by Nicky Gaylor, who promote Sylk’s core value as a champion of women’s health.

It’s a real family affair at Sylk, which, since 2007, has been taken care of by Nicky and her siblings after their parents retired.

www.sylk.co.uk


Sylk will be offering Cucumber customers a special discount from November - look out for it in an upcoming newsletter!