Happy you don't have to choose day!

Thanks for being part of my perimenoverse, wherever you are

What do you think of my T-shirt?

I’ve just left the first GCC Menopause Summit at the Museum of the Future in Dubai and I’m on a high like no other.

(Even if the worst cold in the Middle East has turned me into a major mouth-breather).

When I started Hotflash inc, people said to me (in a hushed tone): “Do you think you’ll be able to talk about that, here?”

Well no, not then I didn’t. I just happened to be here when I got the idea. So I focused on the rest of the world

The discussion we had backstage on the power of the functional approach was BEYOND. From left: Sharon James, brainchild of the GCC Menopause Summit and a menopause coach; Dawn Raquel, founder of Moxie Menopause and a trainer; Dr Kiren Sahota, family medicine consultant at Clemenceau Medical Center Hospital Dubai, and Dr Henna Kitty, lifestyle medicine practitioner and founder of Vital Vibes Health & Wellness.

But the last few years? Now? Um, yeah. We just talked about it all day.

Sure, at one point “croissant” was a euphamism for sex and I heard “grape juice” even though I’m pretty sure we can say ‘alcohol’ in a city filled with hotel bars and boozy brunches, and everyone giggled when a male moderator said “low-hanging fruit”.

The CEO of her own health carries a notebook.

But we talked about it.

And what I love about living in the United Arab Emirates, the thing no one else seems to get, is that this is the intersection of the world. And so while things were heavily weighted to hormone therapy, we also had sessions on from Emirates Health Services Chief AI Officer Mubaraka Ibrahim on menopause and AI, we talked about peptides – did you know they have a peptide for libido? – and andropause (with a former colleague, Scott Anderson from Mentl, copping to what low libido has done to his marriage) and four pillars of menopause that have nothing at all to do with hormone therapy (other than that if you get your sleep, nutrition and movement right, and repeat, everything else will probably work better).

It was a poignant, rich, funny, meaningful day with lots for everyone.

This is Iram Pervez Habeeb, a scientist/artist from India. Her beautiful piece, commissioned for the GCC Menopause Summit, is called Empowered Progression.

And yes, even here in this Middle Eastern multiverse, things seem a bit divided, albeit in three: There are those who believe that you must replace hormones, no matter what, those who believe we need to be tested and measured and monitored to the max, and those who are a little more trusting in the divine intelligence of our bodies, and this universe.

I’m glad for all of them. 

I came away more convinced than ever that there are many ways to do this.

And what this is, ultimately? This menopause thing, when it’s all said and done?

(Cause that’s where I’m at, so I’m going to speak with some authority now)

It’s coming home. To who we really are.

On this World Menopause Day, the most important thing to remember is that you contain multitudes and you are going to get through this.

The same way you got through every other tough thing life has thrown your way.

The same way you will go on after.

You know the way.

And if you’ve forgotten, or you’ve gotten lost, now’s the time – of all the times – to find it again.

AMx

And just a little nudge. I met this sweetheart Latifa bin Haider five years ago at a week-long startup class in London (the fun one, no shade to my hometown). She started Mental Health AE and is still going strong! Whatever is in your heart, do one little thing today to make it real. There’s nothing like following it where it wants you to go.