## Cracking the Menopause: From Kitchen Lab to Game-Changing Gut Health Solution
Myriam, 39, and Suzie, 44, were both experiencing a dramatic shift in their energy levels, sleep quality, weight, and mood. Unprepared and unsure, they found themselves navigating the often-taboo world of menopause. The word ‘perimenopause’ was barely in their vocabulary, and the subject itself was something they had never discussed or learned about.
“I didn’t think about the menopause at all until it happened,” says Myriam, now 50, a makeup artist from South-East London. “It simply wasn’t on my radar. It seemed to be a taboo subject. I was aware that some women in midlife suffered with hot flushes, but that was all.”
Suzie, a tech PR firm owner from South-East London, echoes Myriam’s experience: “Being Gen Xers, no one spoke to us about the menopause when we were younger. It was just assumed by most girls that you got a year of hot flushes when you hit 50 and then normality resumed.”
Myriam’s symptoms became more severe when she was 42, including sleep deprivation, fatigue, brain fog, and changes to her skin, hair, and nails. During that time, she visited Suzie to do her makeup for a celebrity event and the two instantly connected. As their friendship grew, they shared their struggles, including Myriam’s symptoms. Suzie confided in Myriam about her own challenges with low mood, weight gain, hot flushes, and anxiety.
“Both of us found that the lethal tiredness and brain fog had the biggest impact on our work,” says Myriam. “As a makeup artist, I am constantly on the move, meeting clients and brides-to-be. I found I would get much more tired than normal, which would make lugging big cases of makeup on trains and Tubes far more physically draining. I also had to be extra organised, as the brain fog would make me second guess myself.”
Suzie agrees, “As a PR, my work is a balance between high energy and extreme focus, so when crippling fatigue and a hazy brain took hold, it was harder to concentrate for long periods of time. I would struggle in presentations as my brain would go blank, which is highly frustrating. It also made me feel self-conscious that people might think I’m losing my edge.”
Their spiraling symptoms also impacted their family lives, leading to withdrawal and short-temperedness. Suzie, a single mother to two teenage daughters, shares, “I found myself feeling quieter and less involved, somewhat of an outsider and more reclusive, which is the absolute opposite of my normal self. My energy and mood were low, so it was hard to join in fun moments. My daughters noticed this and we had the conversation about how menopause was affecting us as a family, and after that there was more patience and understanding.”
Myriam, who is married with two sons, adds, “I found that my patience and tolerance started to wear thin, so I would be more reactive than normal to my boys being loud and jumping off everything with their friends. I would shout and immediately feel terrible afterwards.”
After multiple trips to the GP, both Myriam and Suzie realized they were in perimenopause, but the path to diagnosis and treatment was far from straightforward. Suzie explains, “I was 45 when I went to the GP. I went in for chronic fatigue. The doctor suggested I might be in perimenopause and booked me in for a blood test for my hormone levels. This came back negative for perimenopause, so then I was left hanging.”
Suzie later learned that blood tests are not always reliable. It’s possible to have normal blood results despite experiencing extreme symptoms, and vice versa. “Blood tests are just a snapshot of time and hormone levels vary from person to person,” she says. After 45, women are less likely to be offered a blood test. Instead, doctors rely on a combination of symptoms to diagnose menopause.
Left in limbo, Suzie sought further testing at a private clinic, only to receive another negative result. She then visited a private menopause clinic where she was prescribed ‘bio-identicals,’ plant-based hormones chemically identical to those produced naturally by the body. When these didn’t work either, Suzie felt lost and hopeless. “You’re left feeling helpless and you just struggle on alone,” she says.
Through her research, Suzie had a ‘eureka’ moment when she realized that the symptoms she had attributed to chronic fatigue syndrome – weight gain, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, low mood, thinning hair, itchy skin, brain fog, night sweats – were actually classic signs of menopause. “I didn’t worry it was something else because all the symptoms were there,” she said. “It made me determined to find a solution to alleviate the symptoms.”
Myriam began experiencing unpleasant symptoms at 39, but didn’t initially associate them with menopause. “I started struggling with severe insomnia and anxiety,” she says. “My GP offered me anti-anxiety medication, which I refused. There was no mention of possible hormonal imbalance. It’s shocking to think thousands of women are being sent on their way with medication that doesn’t address the real cause of menopause symptoms.”
Myriam and Suzie’s experience is sadly common. A landmark study by the Fawcett Society found that while 77% of women reported at least one menopause symptom they found very difficult, only 14% are given HRT during this stage, leaving 86% to manage on their own. Almost half of those surveyed experienced three or more severe symptoms, with the most common being difficulty sleeping (84%), brain fog (73%), and anxiety or depression (69%).
Like many women dismissed by doctors as anxious or simply ‘of a certain age’, Myriam felt compelled to become a ‘health detective’, spending over £750 on treatments and potential cures. Myriam and Suzie tried a wide array of supplements, including well-known menopause options and less conventional ones like maca root, chaste tree, wild yam root, Siberian ginseng, Ashwagandha, sage leaf, berberine, curcumin, 5HTP, L-Tyrosine, Boswellia Serrata, green tea extract, and Calcium D-Glucarate.
Convinced they were dealing with menopause, they focused on potential treatments. Myriam says, “After the ‘negative’ blood tests, long list of supplements and trying bio-identicals without success, we turned health detective and decided to ‘hack our hormones’ with botanicals, vitamins and supplements that we had identified that we thought would work. Both harboured a lifelong passion for plant-based alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs and were keen to avoid traditional HRT. ‘Plants are extremely powerful healers,’ says Suzie. If we could find formulas that targeted the various symptoms of menopause – passionflower for anxiety, bacopa monnieri for cognitive function and so forth – then combine them in one formula, we should be able to stop taking copious different supplements every day.”
Their quest became an obsession, leading them to delve into scientific studies. They uncovered research linking the gut microbiome to menopause, highlighting the role of the estrobolome, a collection of gut microbes, in regulating and recycling estrogen in the gut. This sparked a crucial realization that their approach to menopause needed to shift.
“We had a good feeling about this new means of tackling menopause,” says Suzie. “It felt like a fresh avenue to pursue that was different to other natural remedies we had seen on the market.”
The true ‘eureka’ moment came when they made the connection between gut health, brain health, and hormones. “It wasn’t until we made the gut-brain-hormone connection that we decided to take a different approach,” says Suzie. The lack of existing solutions for this specific approach led to their business idea: If it didn’t exist, why shouldn’t they invent it? “The findings on the estrobolome kickstarted our journey to create Minerva Wellness,” says Suzie.
In their kitchen-turned-science lab, Myriam and Suzie began experimenting with different live cultures to support gut health in women during menopause. “We were both very driven and determined to find a solution that would make us feel better,” she says. “It’s really hard to function when your hormones start to have their own house party. We just knew there must be many women in exactly the same boat. Coupled with the scale of menopause, its wide range of symptoms and the fact it can last for so many years, meant we dug in our heels and said: ‘Let’s do this.'”
Myriam adds, “We have always been big believers in plant-based cures and approached experts in Oxford to embark on researching an all-in-one solution to relieve our menopause symptoms. The experts helped us to work on a formula that would include multi-strain probiotics, botanicals, vitamins and trace minerals to help improve cognitive function, mood and energy, anxiety and insomnia relief, and hot flushes and night sweats.”
Two years of research and development resulted in a concentrated formula targeting gut health, which was trialled on 80 women. The supplement contains 20 ingredients, each serving a specific purpose. Probiotics are key, alongside bacopa monnieri, which is being scientifically tested for its potential benefits in Alzheimer’s and dementia. Passionflower is included for anxiety and insomnia relief, while sage and soy help with hot flushes. They meticulously planned their packaging and marketing, opting for a luxe and appealing brand aesthetic rather than a clinical one. They visited pharmacies and wellness stores across the country to find suppliers and recently launched on Amazon, expanding access to their products.
Given the years of dedication they poured into creating Minerva Wellness, they are thrilled with the positive feedback they have received. “To this day we still have customers who have been with us since the trial, who tell us that we changed their lives,” says Myriam. Their invention has changed their lives too.
Myriam saw immediate relief from her symptoms. “No anxiety, better sleep, hardly any hot flushes,” she says. Even though she has now gone through menopause, she still takes her supplements. “I sleep better. I wake up, but go back to sleep more easily. That’s the passionflower and magnesium. Now I’m done – It’s nice to not have periods. To not have the tiredness, the boobs that hurt. Lack of libido and vaginal dryness.”
Suzie shares, “Menopause affects every woman differently, although we all have common threads. It is a major chapter of our lives, often leaving us completely remote from our former selves. But I like to think it’s called ‘the change’ because we are shifting into a new era in our lives, releasing things that no longer serve us and embracing a new version of ourselves.”
“I’m through the menopause and I feel great,” adds Myriam. “No symptoms here. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”
## Beyond Supplements: Holistic Menopause Management
Myriam and Suzie emphasize the importance of a holistic approach to managing menopause symptoms, which includes lifestyle changes alongside their supplements. They believe that taking time to rest, eating well, and addressing other aspects of their lives were crucial to their success. Here, they share their wisdom gained throughout perimenopause and menopause:
### Diet
“Nothing changes unless we do.” Making dietary changes can significantly impact how women feel during menopause. While many women choose to cut out carbs or take up fasting to manage weight gain, Myriam and Suzie encourage a more holistic approach to nourishing the body. They suggest incorporating plenty of lean protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber to support overall health. Increasing intake of phytoestrogen-rich foods, like soybeans, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds, can help alleviate some perimenopausal symptoms. They also recommend incorporating more omega-3s, found in oily fish, walnuts, and chia seeds, to address joint pain and mood swings. Limiting caffeine and alcohol intake can also be beneficial as these can disrupt sleep and exacerbate hot flushes and mood swings.
### Sleep
Sleep deprivation is a common side effect of perimenopause, impacting energy and mood. As many as 84% of women experience sleep disturbances during this time. Getting enough sleep is essential for managing menopause symptoms. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, and creating a cool, dark, and quiet sleep environment are all helpful strategies for improving sleep quality.
### Manage Stress
Perimenopause can be a stressful time for many women as they navigate substantial physical and emotional changes. According to a survey by the CIPD, 58% of women experience increased stress during this time. Symptoms like anxiety, hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, and sleep disturbances contribute to rising stress levels. Incorporating activities like yoga, meditation, breath work, or spending time in nature can help manage stress effectively.
### Exercise
Exercise offers numerous benefits for women going through perimenopause. It increases the release of endorphins, which boost mood naturally, improves sleep quality and duration, reduces the risk of chronic diseases, and helps maintain a healthy weight, contributing to overall well-being.
### Self-Care
Perimenopause can feel like a deeply personal experience, often prompting women to reassess their lives and prioritize self-care. This can be a time for reflection, refocusing, and positive change. However, intense symptoms can make it challenging to find joy or even laugh sometimes, making self-care crucial. Engage in activities you love, seek out joy and laughter, practice meditation, go for walks, listen to your favorite music, swim, catch up with friends, watch movies, and make time for things that bring you happiness. Self-care helps regulate emotions, reduce stress, and enhance well-being.
Myriam and Suzie’s journey exemplifies the power of taking charge of your health and finding innovative solutions to navigate the challenges of menopause. Their story is a testament to the importance of personal research, holistic approaches, and the enduring power of female friendship and support. Their invention of Minerva Wellness not only changed their lives but also offers a beacon of hope for countless women seeking relief from the often-overlooked and debilitating symptoms of menopause.