Meg Mathews
AN INTERVIEW
Talking to Meg Mathews, she’s clearly a woman on a mission - and definitely someone to watch very closely! In fact we’d go as far as to say, she’s about to make the history books as a pioneer for all women.
Two years ago, when Meg was 49, she hit the menopause, or perhaps given the number of symptoms she had to confront, slammed into it. Altogether there are 34 menopausal symptoms from which women can suffer; poor Meg had 32 of them! “Looking back, I was probably suffering from a hormone imbalance throughout my 40s, but when you have a life in the public eye, a career and being a Mum, you think it’s normal; but when it really hit me, I realised it was more than that”.
She spent two years trying desperately just to get through the day, eating comfort food, feeling “ugly and fat” and exhausted. “One day, I went into see Red Magazine, to promote my furniture range but quickly realised I was feeling anxious and uncomfortable about it”, she told us, “I had to explain how I was feeling, that I was going through the menopause, and ended up having a 45 minute conversation about it!” This was a huge turning point - and it led Meg to writing a regular column in Red about her experience. In turn, her voice has encouraged women to bravely come forward and share their stories too.
It’s hard to believe Meg felt that way, when you look at her today; she’s the picture of health and energy. ”I spent a fortune on alternative medicines and therapies, but they didn’t work for me. So in the end,I sat in front of my GP in tears and finally got the help I needed”. Meg explained that she is on Oestrogel (Oestrogen), which is made from Yam but is available on NHS prescription. She also uses a Progesterone Gel and a Progesterone tablet, and takes Testosterone available from her local Menopause Clinic. Meg feels it’s vital all women in the UK know all her medication is available on the NHS. Although you may have to push your GP, help is out there.
“I bet you didn’t know there was such a thing as a Menopause Clinic run by the NHS?” she asked us, and she’s right we didn’t; but we are grateful to her for letting us know!
Meg is a wealth of information and her website www.megsmenopause.com is a perfect place to find everything you need to know about the menopause. But she isn’t stopping there; she’s organised her first conference in London, on the 21st May (https://megsmenopause.com/conference/) with guest speakers including Kathy Abernathy (chairman of the British Menopause Society), The Daisy Network (foremost authority on premature menopause), Dr Heather Currie (Specialist Gynaecologist) and Meg herself. There will also be brand stands providing a variety of information and help.
Meg is clearly a hard worker, not only with her dedication to helping women, but in her attitude to her own health too. She really watches what she eats and has a healthy gluten-free, alcohol free lifestyle. She works out three times a week, but stressed to us that she doesn’t go mad; instead pacing herself with resistance weight training, walking for half an hour on an incline, whilst watching Netflix, or chatting to her friends during half an hour on the bike. She’s also clearly dedicated to her daughter Anaïs and visiting her Dad in Norfolk.
Talking to Meg Mathews, she’s clearly a woman on a mission - and definitely someone to watch very closely! In fact we’d go as far as to say, she’s about to make the history books as a pioneer for all women.
Two years ago, when Meg was 49, she hit the menopause, or perhaps given the number of symptoms she had to confront, slammed into it. Altogether there are 34 menopausal symptoms from which women can suffer; poor Meg had 32 of them! “Looking back, I was probably suffering from a hormone imbalance throughout my 40s, but when you have a life in the public eye, a career and being a Mum, you think it’s normal; but when it really hit me, I realised it was more than that”.
She spent two years trying desperately just to get through the day, eating comfort food, feeling “ugly and fat” and exhausted. “One day, I went into see Red Magazine, to promote my furniture range but quickly realised I was feeling anxious and uncomfortable about it”, she told us, “I had to explain how I was feeling, that I was going through the menopause, and ended up having a 45 minute conversation about it!” This was a huge turning point - and it led Meg to writing a regular column in Red about her experience. In turn, her voice has encouraged women to bravely come forward and share their stories too.
It’s hard to believe Meg felt that way, when you look at her today; she’s the picture of health and energy. ”I spent a fortune on alternative medicines and therapies, but they didn’t work for me. So in the end,I sat in front of my GP in tears and finally got the help I needed”. Meg explained that she is on Oestrogel (Oestrogen), which is made from Yam but is available on NHS prescription. She also uses a Progesterone Gel and a Progesterone tablet, and takes Testosterone available from her local Menopause Clinic. Meg feels it’s vital all women in the UK know all her medication is available on the NHS. Although you may have to push your GP, help is out there.
“I bet you didn’t know there was such a thing as a Menopause Clinic run by the NHS?” she asked us, and she’s right we didn’t; but we are grateful to her for letting us know!
Meg is a wealth of information and her website www.megsmenopause.com is a perfect place to find everything you need to know about the menopause. But she isn’t stopping there; she’s organised her first conference in London, on the 21st May (https://megsmenopause.com/conference/) with guest speakers including Kathy Abernathy (chairman of the British Menopause Society), The Daisy Network (foremost authority on premature menopause), Dr Heather Currie (Specialist Gynaecologist) and Meg herself. There will also be brand stands providing a variety of information and help.
Meg is clearly a hard worker, not only with her dedication to helping women, but in her attitude to her own health too. She really watches what she eats and has a healthy gluten-free, alcohol free lifestyle. She works out three times a week, but stressed to us that she doesn’t go mad; instead pacing herself with resistance weight training, walking for half an hour on an incline, whilst watching Netflix, or chatting to her friends during half an hour on the bike. She’s also clearly dedicated to her daughter Anaïs and visiting her Dad in Norfolk.
We were honoured that Meg agreed to answer our 5 Beautiful Thinking questions, and here they are.
1. What’s the best thing about getting older?
Loving myself! Loving my body, loving little Meg, loving big Meg. Loving the person I am today.
2. Who is your female inspiration and why?
It has to be my Mum for my whole life; she passed away 3 years ago from Osteoporosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I really believe she is channelling through me. When I speak I don’t write anything down, and I don’t have any qualifications but I can just talk. I believe she has given me a purpose.
3. What’s your top tip for growing old gracefully, perhaps one beauty tip?
Get your hormones balanced. I wish I’d known at 45 what I know now. Helping inform others is so important and I never dreamt Grazia Magazine would write about my menopause, or that people would bombard our Meg’s Menopause launch party. Every woman needs to get their hormones balanced, and this is as good as it gets at the moment.
4. What would your younger self say to you now?
We did it!
5. What are your dreams for your future?
To spread the word, and create something that’s available for all women throughout the country. Groups in village halls, where women can help other women. I want to get the knowledge out there.
But it doesn’t stop there. I’m planning on talking to my MP, to lobby in Parliament for more help for the 13 million women affected by the menopause. Women only work up to 45% of their capacity, and employers need to understand that, and working laws needs to change.
I’m also in conversation with private medical companies to see if I can get the menopause covered under insurance.
Photograph Credit: Red Magazine