Coach Emma Trafford wants women to know menopause can be an amazing thing to go through

Women’s bodies are more powerful than we give them credit for, says menopause coach Emma Trafford.

Many of us may dread the hot flushes, changes in skin conditions and mood – and of course the night sweats.

But Ms Trafford said it can be an amazing thing to go through once we better understand our body and mind.

“The fact that women menstruate for 28 days and we have a new moon every 28 days is no coincidence,” she said.

“Traditionally the patriarchal society have tied women down.

“And I think menopause needs to be talked about.”

But talking about it can be hard, and Ms Trafford is aware of this so has adopted a fresh take on consultation and coaching.

Rather than adopting a clinical approach, she takes her clients on walks in the fresh air for a relaxed but informative chat in nature.

We caught up with her before one of her walks at Hungerford Common.

Ms Trafford tells women that menopause is a “rite of passage” – something that doesn’t always need to be medically managed.

She said: “It is really transformational.

“If [they] can embrace the transformation rather than push it away, women come out the other side and they are like wow I have changed a lot in my life that I wasn’t happy about.”

She coaches her clients through the ups and downs, providing them with nutritional support and equipping them with the tools and strategies to maintain positivity and wellness.

When a woman gets her first symptom, generally she’s already a couple years into perimenopause, Ms Trafford explains.

And while the symptoms may be scary, the most important thing is simply understanding them – like they say, knowledge is power.

The common concerns voiced to the West Berkshire coach are feelings of being out of body and emotional, as well as the inability to lose weight.

The same diets and exercise routines may not work for some women all of a sudden and this may cause anxiety and stress as the pounds begin to build up.

But Ms Trafford says this is because a woman’s body becomes insulin resistant during this time.

And often subtle changes to the diet and body can make all the difference.

Anything that creates cortisol – a stress hormone – will result in weight gain around the stomach, she says.

When oestrogen declines, the body will look for other sources of oestrogen production.

And where can you produce oestrogen from she asks? Fat cells, many of which are contained in the stomach.

“So that is why women tend to be a rounder shape post-menopause,” she said.

Mental health can be just as much of a challenge as physical health – one that Ms Trafford has experienced herself.

When she once shared her symptoms with a doctor, she was told that she was depressed.

“They gave me these antidepressants,” she said.

“But now I realise it was just a drop in progesterone which can make you feel quite low.

“And I thought well I don’t want to take the medically managed route.

“So I started researching, undertook some qualifications in women’s health, got on this path and I thought I would like to help other women.”

She added: “There are a lot of myths about menopause and it is important to understand your brain is going through chemical changes.

“We have a lot of control over our bodies but might not feel like it.

“It goes back to understanding and education, we need the educating so much earlier in life so we are prepared.”

Anyone interested in seeking coaching from Ms Trafford can do so via her website https://www.mymenocoach.com/

Here, you can also book a free 20 minute consultation.

Ms Trafford is also on Instagram with the name @menocoach