Today is World Menopause Day.  This year's theme, set by the International Menopause Society, is chronic pain.  If you've been living with aches that don't make sense, you're not imagining it, and you deserve to be heard.  

The IMS says chronic pain affects a significant proportion of women during and after the menopause transition, yet it's still underestimated in research and care.  The most common types include joint and muscle pain, migraine and pelvic pain.

As IMS President Rossella Nappi puts it:  "Women's pain has too often been dismissed through gendered stereotypes, and labelled 'emotional' rather than properly investigated and treated."

You can download the IMS World Menopause Day 2026 factsheet here https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/WMD26-Factsheet.pdf for more information. 

My mysterious foot pain

About four years ago, my right foot started aching.  From the outside it looked completely normal, but the pain got so bad I couldn't go walking with my girlfriends anymore.  Sometimes it felt like my foot was broken, and just walking around the house was a struggle.  An ultrasound showed there was a ganglion, and a podiatrist said I needed innersoles, which were unbearable to wear.  Then my right knee flared up too, bad enough for me to pay for an MRI which didn't really show anything was wrong - just usual wear and tear.  Between the two, my gym workouts became restricted, I couldn't do any standing yoga poses and even Pilates was too challenging.  It was really distressing and pushed me further from my fitness goals than ever.

Two years later, fed up, I made some big changes to the way I eat after seeing my GP and a naturopath.  Over the next two years the pain gradually eased, flaring up only now and then, until it disappeared altogether.  These days I'm back at the gym three times a week doing kettlebells, circuit training and even sprinting on the treadmill, all pain-free, and without the innersoles.  The ganglion is probably still there, and my knee probably still has the wear and tear the MRI showed, but neither hurts anymore.  I can only put that down to the inflammation in my body settling down.

Coincidence?  Maybe.  But I don't think so.  During perimenopause I've had to change what I eat quite a lot, and some foods that used to suit me just fine are no longer on my green list.  What we eat can play a big part in inflammation which can be closely linked to pain.  Every body is different, and I'm not saying food is a certain cure.  For me, though, changing the way I ate appeared to make a real difference, and it's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about what I do now.  What challenges and potential goals do you have in mind?

How I can help

I'm Gina, an accredited PREKURE Health Coach in Perth.  At MenoCraft Health Coaching I walk alongside women navigating perimenopause and menopause.  We work through the MC Renewal Map, starting wherever you choose to make lifestyle changes to meet your goals.

Curious about a gentle first step?  Book a free 30-minute discovery call at www.menocraft.com.au  It's a relaxed chat to see if we're a good fit.

#WorldMenopauseDay2026 #ChronicPain #MenoCraft #Perimenopause #MenopauseSupport

Most of us use "menopause" to describe years of symptoms.  But technically, menopause is a single moment: your very last period.  The catch is that you can only know it was your last once you've gone 12 months without another one.

The Australasian Menopause Society defines it like this:

🌸 Perimenopause "refers to the time from when changes in menstrual cycle (missed periods or changes in amount of bleeding) or menopausal symptoms start to one year after the last menstrual period.  It usually starts in a woman's 40's and lasts an average of 4-6 years."

🌸 Menopause "is the final menstrual period and is said to have occurred when there have been no menstrual periods for one year.  The average age of menopause in Australian women is 51 years (range 45-55 years).

🌸 Post-menopause "starts at the final menstrual period and is diagnosed retrospectively 12 months after the last period."

Honestly, I find these definitions a little confusing myself, which is why I turned them into a picture.  I think of it as a hill (see the image). You climb through perimenopause, menopause is the very top, and you only know you've passed it once you've walked a year down the other side.

So what's happening with hormones?  In perimenopause, your ovaries are winding down.  Ovulation becomes less regular, and because progesterone is mostly made after you ovulate, it often dips first.  Oestrogen swings up and down (sometimes higher than before) and then gradually declines. Meanwhile, your brain turns up follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to try to keep the ovaries going.  Those swings are why symptoms can come and go from month to month.

And why do the changes feel so wide-ranging?  Oestrogen and progesterone receptors are found right through your body: brain, bones, heart and blood vessels, skin, bladder and vaginal tissue, muscles, joints, gut and fat tissue.  So when hormones shift, you might notice it in your temperature control (hello, hot flushes), sleep, mood and memory, bone strength, heart health, where your body stores fat, your skin, and bladder and vaginal comfort.

Why does this matter? Because so many women are told "you're too young for menopause" while they're in the thick of perimenopause.  Knowing where you are makes it easier to understand your body and have better conversations with your GP.

I'm in perimenopause myself, and it's a big part of why I'm launching MenoCraft Health Coaching.   More on that soon! 💛

Where are you on the hill?  Tell me in the comments.

hashtag#WorldMenopauseDay hashtag#Perimenopause hashtag#Menopause hashtag#WomensHealth

Welcome to MenoCraft!  The doors are officially open, and the timing isn't an accident:  this Sunday, 18 October, is World Menopause Day.  

This year's theme, set by the International Menopause Society, is chronic pain, which affects many women during the menopause transition and is still too often brushed off.  You can read more here on the IMS World Menopause Day 2026 page. 

If you're over 35 and not feeling quite like yourself lately, it's possible that you're not imagining it.  Aches and pains often come with low energy, broken sleep and brain fog.

Knowing what might help, and still struggling to do it?

That's where coaching comes in.

I'm Gina Knight, an accredited PREKURE Health Coach based in Perth.  MenoCraft Health Coaching is here for women navigating perimenopause and menopause who want steady, personal support, not a one-size-fits-all plan.

You set the agenda.  I walk alongside you.

We work with the MC Renewal Map: Accept, Protect, Fuel, Strength, Relax and Connect.  Six areas you can choose from.  We start where you are, build habits that fit your life, and keep you moving when motivation dips.  I'll also help you go into GP appointments with clearer questions so you can speak up for what you need.

Carb curious?  You don't need to have "gone low carb" already.  Many clients just want to understand carbohydrates better and make choices that suit them.

Sessions are online across Australia and New Zealand, with face to face available by negotiation for the Bloom package.

If you'd like a gentle first step, book a free 30-minute discovery call.  It's a relaxed chat to see if we're a good fit, and you'll get a free guide to maximise absorption of nutrients when you book.

Feel like someone stole your body?  Let's get you back.

Gina

#WorldMenopauseDay2026 #ChronicPain